Italian Perla class submarine

Class overview
Name:	Perla-class
Builders:	Odero Terni Orlando (OTO), Muggiano Cantieri Riuniti dell' Adriatico (CRDA), Monfalcone
Operators:	Regia Marina
In commission:	1936–1954
Completed:	10
Lost:	6
Retired:	4
General characteristics
Type:	Submarine
Displacement:	680 long tons (691 t) surfaced 844 long tons (858 t) submerged
Length:	60.18 m (197 ft 5 in)
Beam:	6.45 m (21 ft 2 in)
Draught:	4.7 m (15 ft 5 in)
Propulsion:	Diesel-electric Diesel engines, 1,200 hp (895 kW) Electric motors, 800 hp (597 kW) 2 shafts
Speed:	14 knots (16 mph; 26 km/h) surfaced 7.5 knots (8.6 mph; 13.9 km/h) submerged
Range:	5,000 nmi (9,300 km) at 8 kn (9.2 mph; 15 km/h) surfaced 74 nmi (137 km) at 4 kn (4.6 mph; 7.4 km/h) submerged
Test depth:	250 ft (76 m)
Complement:	45
Armament:	• 1 × 100 mm (4 in) gun • 4 × 13.2 mm anti-aircraft guns • 6 × 21 in (533 mm) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 2 stern) • 12 torpedoes

The Italian Perla-class submarines were a group of submarines built for the Italian Navy in the 1930s. They were the third sub-class of the 600 Series of submarines built by Italy and designed by Bernadis.

The Iride and Onice were lent to the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War as the Gonzales Lopez and Aquilar Tablada respectively. They retained their Italian crews with a Spanish liaison officer. They were returned to the Italian Navy at the end of the conflict.

In 1940-42 the Ambra and Iride were modified as carriers for "Maiale" manned torpedoes for use by the Decima Flottiglia MAS. The "Maiale" were carried in watertight containers on the deck of the submarines. In common with other Italian submarines the survivors were fitted with smaller conning towers in 1942-43.

Ships

Ship	Builder	Launched	Fate
Ambra	OTO	28 May 1936	Scuttled at La Spezia, 9 September 1943
Berillo	CRDA	14 June 1936	Sunk by HMS Havock and Hasty near Egypt, 2 October 1940
Corallo	CRDA	2 August 1936	Sunk by HMS Enchantress, 13 December 1942
Diaspro	CRDA	5 July 1936	Struck, 1 February 1948
Gemma	CRDA	21 May 1936	Sunk in error by Italian submarine Tricheo, 6 October 1940
Iride	OTO	30 July 1936	Sunk in Tobruk by Swordfish aircraft from HMS Eagle, 22 August 1940
Malachite	OTO	15 July 1936	Sunk by Dutch submarine Dolfin, 9 February 1943
Onice	OTO	15 June 1936	Struck, 23 March 1947
Perla	CRDA	3 May 1936	Captured by the British, transferred to Greek service as the Matrozos (Υ-7). Broken up, 1954
Turchese	CRDA	19 July 1936	Struck, 1948

References

• Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922-1947