History
Kingdom of Italy
Name	Ruggerio Settimo
Builder	Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto, Taranto
Launched	29 March 1931
Stricken	23 March 1947
General characteristics
Class and type	Settembrini-class submarine
Displacement	953  t (938 long tons) (surfaced) 1,153 t (1,135 long tons) (submerged)
Length	69.11 m (226 ft 9 in)
Beam	6.61 m (21 ft 8 in)
Draft	4.45 m (14 ft 7 in)
Installed power	3,000  bhp (2,200  kW) (diesels) 1,400 hp (1,000 kW) (electric motors)
Propulsion	2 shafts; diesel-electric 2 × diesel engines 2 × electric motors
Speed	17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph) (surfaced) 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) (submerged)
Range	6,200  nmi (11,500 km; 7,100 mi) at 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph) (surfaced) 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph) (submerged)
Test depth	80 m (260 ft)
Crew	56
Armament	1 × single 102 mm (4 in) deck gun 2–4 × single 13.2 mm (0.52 in) machine guns 8 × 533 mm (21 in) torpedo tubes (4 bow, 4 stern)

Reggio Settimo was one of two Settembrini-class submarines built for the Regia Marina (Royal Italian Navy) during the early 1930s.

Design and description

The Settembrini class was an improved and enlarged version of the preceding Mameli-class submarines. They displaced 953 metric tons (938 long tons) surfaced and 1,153 metric tons (1,135 long tons) submerged. The submarines were 69.11 meters (226 ft 9 in) long, had a beam of 6.61 meters (21 ft 8 in) and a draft of 4.45 meters (14 ft 7 in). ^[1] They had an operational diving depth of 80 meters (260 ft). ^[2] Their crew numbered 56 officers and enlisted men. ^[1]

For surface running, the boats were powered by two 1,500- brake-horsepower (1,119  kW) diesel engines, each driving one propeller shaft. When submerged each propeller was driven by a 700-horsepower (522 kW) electric motor. They could reach 17.5 knots (32.4 km/h; 20.1 mph) on the surface and 7.7 knots (14.3 km/h; 8.9 mph) underwater. ^[2] On the surface, the Settembrini class had a range of 6,200 nautical miles (11,500 km; 7,100 mi) at 7.3 knots (13.5 km/h; 8.4 mph); ^[1] submerged, they had a range of 100 nmi (190 km; 120 mi) at 3 knots (5.6 km/h; 3.5 mph). ^[2]

The boats were armed with eight 53.3-centimeter (21 in) torpedo tubes, four each in the bow and stern for which they carried a total of 12 torpedoes. They were also armed with a single 102-millimeter (4 in) deck gun forward of the conning tower for combat on the surface. Their anti-aircraft armament consisted of two or four 13.2-millimeter (0.52 in) machine guns. ^{[1] [2]}

Construction and career

Ruggerio Settimo was launched by Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto at their Taranto shipyard on 29 March 1931. ^[1]

Notes

References

• Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN  0-87021-962-6.
• Brescia, Maurizio (2012). Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN  978-1-59114-544-8.
• Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946. Greenwich, UK: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN  0-85177-146-7.
• Rohwer, Jürgen (2005). Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two (Third Revised ed.). Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN  1-59114-119-2.

External links

• Ruggiero Settimo Marina Militare website