Osvetnik-class submarine
| Class overview | |
|---|---|
| Builders: | Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire, Nantes, France |
| Operators: | |
| Preceded by: | Hrabri-class submarine |
| Succeeded by: | Sutjeska-class submarine |
| Built: | 1928–1929 |
| In commission: | 1928–1943 |
| Completed: | 2 |
| Lost: | 2 |
| General characteristics | |
| Type: | diesel-electric submarine |
| Displacement: |
|
| Length: | 66.5 m (218 ft) |
| Beam: | 5.4 m (18 ft) |
| Draught: | 3.8 m (12 ft) |
| Propulsion: | 2 × shaft MAN diesel engines 1,480 bhp (1,100 kW), 2 × Nancy electric motors 1,000 shp (750 kW) |
| Speed: |
|
| Test depth: | 80 m (260 ft) |
| Complement: | 43 |
| Armament: |
|
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The Osvetnik-class consisted of two submarines built by Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire, Nantes, France for the navy of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia) and were launched in 1928–1929. Named Osvetnik (Nemesis) and Smeli (Daring), they were built to a partial double hull Simonot design similar to the French Circé-class. The Osvetnik-class was the second class of submarines to serve in the Royal Yugoslav Navy, and joined the two larger British-made Hrabri-class submarines to make up the pre-war Yugoslav submarine force. They were armed with six 550 mm (22 in) torpedo tubes, one 100 mm (3.9 in) gun, and one 40 mm (1.6 in) anti-aircraft gun, and could dive to 80 metres (260 ft).
Prior to World War II both submarines participated in cruises to Mediterranean ports. Both submarines were captured by Italian forces at the Bay of Kotor during the German-led Axis invasion of Yugoslavia in April 1941. After refit, they saw service as experimental and training vessels with the Regia Marina as Francesco Rismondo and Antonio Bajamonti respectively. They were both scuttled in September 1943 following the Italian surrender, Francesco Rismondo by the Germans following her capture, and Antonio Bajamonti by the Italians themselves.
Description and construction
The Osvetnik-class was built for the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes (later Yugoslavia) by the Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire company at Nantes, France. Their design was based on a partial double hull Simonot design,[1] similar to the French Circé-class.[2] They had an overall length of 66.5 m (218 ft), a beam of 5.4 m (18 ft), and a surfaced draught of 3.8 m (12 ft). Their surfaced displacement was 630 long tons (640 t) (809 long tons (822 t) submerged), and their crews consisted of 43 officers and enlisted men.[1]
They had two shafts driven by two MAN (Maschinenfabrik) diesel engines or two Nancy electric motors. The diesel engines were rated at 1,480 bhp (1,100 kW) and the electric motors at 1,000 shp (750 kW), and they were designed to reach a top speed of 14.5 knots (26.9 km/h) under diesel power and 9.2 knots (17.0 km/h) on their electric motors. The Osvetnik-class were able to dive to a depth of 80 metres (260 ft), and had a surface range of 3,500 nautical miles (6,500 km) at 9 knots (17 km/h), and 75 nautical miles (139 km) at 5 knots (9.3 km/h) submerged.[2] They were armed with six 550 mm (22 in) torpedo tubes (four bow-mounted, two stern-mounted), one 100 mm (3.9 in) gun, and one 40 mm (1.6 in) anti-aircraft gun.[1]
Service history
Smeli was launched on 1 December 1928, and Osvetnik on 14 January 1929.[1] They arrived in the Bay of Kotor on the southern Adriatic coast on 9 December 1929.[3] In 1932, the British naval attaché reported that Yugoslav ships engaged in few exercises, maneuvers or gunnery training due to reduced budgets.[4]
Osvetnik
Osvetnik was the first of her class, and the third submarine of the navy of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes, which subsequently became the Royal Yugoslav Navy.[1] In September 1933, Osvetnik and the British-designed submarine Nebojša cruised the southern part of the central Mediterranean.[5] In August 1935, Osvetnik visited Malta, this time in company with the other British-designed submarine Hrabri.[6] In August 1936, Nebojša and Osvetnik visited the Greek island of Corfu.[7]
When the German-led Axis invasion of Yugoslavia began on 6 April 1941, Osvetnik and Smeli were located in the Bay of Kotor, along with the two British-made submarines.[8] On 10 April, Osvetnik and Hrabri received orders for an operation against the Italian enclave of Zara on the Dalmatian coastline, but the mission did not proceed.[9] Later, Osvetnik, Smeli and Hrabri were subsequently captured by the Italian XVII Corps at the Bay of Kotor.[10][11]
Still in good condition, they were taken as war booty, and initially designated N1 (Osvetnik) and N2 (Smeli). They were refitted and modernised at Pola in the upper Adriatic, which involved the replacement of some of their armament and modifications to their conning towers. After these modifications, their displacement was 665 long tons (676 t) (822 long tons (835 t) submerged).[12] Osvetnik was commissioned by the Italians as the Bajamonti class Francesco Rismondo, named after Francesco Rismondo, a Dalmatian-born Italian hero of World War I. Despite their submerged stability and good diving rate, their age and shallow diving depth meant that they were only used for training and experimentation.[12] On 14 September 1943, Osvetnik was captured by the Germans at Bonifacio at the southern tip of the island of Corsica, and they scuttled her four days later.[1]
Smeli
Smeli was the second of her class, and the fourth submarine of the navy of the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes.[1] In October 1934, Smeli visited Bizerte in the French protectorate of Tunisia, and the Kelibia Roads off the coast of Tunisia.[13] In August and September 1937, Smeli, along with Hrabri and the depot ship Zmaj visited Greece, including the port of Piraeus, and the islands of Crete and Corfu.[14]
After capture by the Italians, Smeli was refitted and initially designated N2. She was commissioned by the Italians as the Bajamonti-class Antonio Bajamonti, named after Antonio Bajamonti, the 19th-century politician and mayor of the Dalmatian port of Split. She was also only used for training and experimentation.[12] She was scuttled by the Italians at La Spezia in Liguria on 9 September 1943, the day after the Italian surrender.[1]
See also
Notes
- 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 Chesneau 1980, p. 358.
- 1 2 Fontenoy 2007, p. 188.
- ↑ Jarman 1997, p. 183.
- ↑ Jarman 1997, p. 451.
- ↑ Jarman 1997, p. 453.
- ↑ Jarman 1997, p. 641.
- ↑ Jarman 1997, p. 738.
- ↑ Terzić 1982, p. 267.
- ↑ Terzić 1982, p. 374.
- ↑ Bagnasco 1977, p. 251.
- ↑ Terzić 1982, p. 457.
- 1 2 3 Bagnasco 1977, pp. 170–171.
- ↑ Jarman 1997, p. 544.
- ↑ Jarman 1997, p. 838.
References
Books
- Bagnasco, Erminio (1977). Submarines of World War Two. Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press. ISBN 978-0-87021-962-7.
- Chesneau, Roger, ed. (1980). Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922–1946. London, England: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 978-0-85177-146-5.
- Fontenoy, Paul E. (2007). Submarines: An Illustrated History of Their Impact. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO. ISBN 978-1-85109-563-6.
- Jarman, Robert L., ed. (1997). Yugoslavia political diaries 1918–1965 2. Slough, Berkshire: Archives Edition. ISBN 978-1-85207-950-5.
- Terzić, Velimir (1982). Slom Kraljevine Jugoslavije 1941 : uzroci i posledice poraza [The Collapse of the Kingdom of Yugoslavia in 1941: Causes and Consequences of Defeat] (in Serbo-Croatian) 2. Belgrade, Yugoslavia: Narodna knjiga. OCLC 10276738.
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