History | |
---|---|
Italy | |
Name | Narvalo |
Namesake | Narwhal |
Builder | Regio Arsenale, Venice |
Laid down | 9 February 1905 |
Launched | 21 October 1906 |
Completed | 16 May 1907 |
Decommissioned | 26 September 1918[ citation needed] |
Fate | Stricken 26 September 1918 |
General characteristics | |
Class and type | Glauco-class submarine |
Displacement | |
Length | 36.8 m (121 ft) |
Beam | 4.32 m (14 ft 2 in) |
Draft | 2.5 m (8 ft) |
Installed power | |
Propulsion |
|
Speed |
|
Range |
|
Test depth | 25 m (82 ft) |
Complement | 15 |
Armament | 2 × 450 mm (18 in) torpedo tubes (2 bow) |
Notes | Motto ( Latin): Silenter sub undis victoriam parat ("Silently preparing the victory under the waves" [1][ unreliable source?]) |
Narvalo was one of five Glauco-class submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the early 1900s. The boat served in World War I with defensive purposes and was demolished in 1918. [2]
The Glauco class of small submarines, designed by Cesare Laurenti, was the first class of submarines to be built for the Italian Navy, following the 1890 experimental submarine Delfino. [3] They were 36.84 m (120 ft 10 in) long, with a beam of 4.32 m (14 ft 2 in) and a draft of 2.66 m (8 ft 9 in). The submarines of the class displaced 157–161 t (155–158 long tons) on the surface and 240–244 t (236–240 long tons) submerged. [4] Narvalo was powered by two Fiat petrol engines on the surface, rated at 600 bhp (450 kW) and two electric motors rated at 170 hp (130 kW) while submerged, giving a speed of 13 knots (24 km/h; 15 mph) on the surface and 6 kn (11 km/h; 6.9 mph) underwater. Range was 900 nautical miles (1,700 km; 1,000 mi) at 8 knots (15 km/h; 9.2 mph) on the surface and 40 nautical miles (74 km; 46 mi) at 4 knots (7.4 km/h; 4.6 mph). [3]
Narvalo was armed with two 450 mm (17.7 in) torpedo tubes. The submarine's crew was 2 officers and 13 other ranks. [3] [4]
Narvalo, named for the Narwhal[ citation needed], was laid down on 9 February 1905 and launched on 21 October 1906 at the Regio Arsenale (Navy shipyard)at Venice. She was completed on 16 May 1907, [4] as a training ship in the Adriatic Sea. [1][ unreliable source?]
With the start of the First World War for Italy the submarine was stationed at Brindisi and placed within the IV Submarine Squadron, with Lieutenant Ottavio Siccoli as commander. [5] It was used in a defensive function. [1][ unreliable source?] [2]
In 1918 the ship was transferred to Porto Corsini and later, with the end of the war, went into reserve and was demolished. [1][ unreliable source?]
Throughout the war, the Narvalo had carried out a total of 65 defensive ambush missions a short distance from the coast, for a total of 436 hours of surface navigation and 268 diving. [1][ unreliable source?] [2]