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Cavallini:
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Mameli, Settembrini, Archimede, Brin, Liuzzi, Micca, Foca, R class |
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Two officers of the Regia Marina’s “Genio Navale” (engineering) generated the
most popular submarine designs in use by the Italian Navy’s submarine fleet:
Cavallini and Bernardis. The “Cavallini” were produced in seven distinct
classes and they all evolved from the “Mameli Class”, built starting in 1925.
Two years later came the “Settembrini Class” from which, in 1931, evolved the
“Archimede Class”.
The subsequent classes, “Brin” in 1936, and “Liuzzi” in 1937, were further evolutions, while the minelayers “Micca” (1931) and “Foca” (1936), and eventually the transport class “R” (1941) were partial evolutions, or adaptations of the original design. Technical differences between the various classes were in some areas modest, while in other areas far greater. |
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Ultimately, they could all be classified as an evolution of the original
“Mameli” class due to the adoption of the partial double hull, better known as
the “Sattletank” (saddle tank) design, typical of the German U-Boats. The
partial external hull extended for about 70% of the total length of resistant
hull. All the “Cavallini” were built by the shipyard Tosi of Taranto, and the
various boats of the class “R” assigned to other shipyards in the North were
never completed. The first class designed by Cavallini in collaboration with
the Tosi of Taranto was, as already mentioned, the “Mameli“ class. These boats
were known for their strong design, good speed and maneuverability, and
especially excellent habitability. These characteristics were maintained
throughout the evolution of the design, although it is commonly accepted that
the “Archimede” class was not very successful. |
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The Mameli in the Gulf of La Spezia
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Technical Specifications |
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