View source for Balilla-class submarine

{{short description|Submarine class of the Italian navy}}
{{more footnotes needed|date=February 2013}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= Italian Submarine Domenico Millelire.jpg
|Ship caption=''Domenico Millelire''
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Balilla'' class
|Builders=[[Oto Melara|OTO]]
|Operators=*{{Navy|Kingdom of Italy|name=''Regia Marina''}}
*{{Navy|Brazil|1889}} 
|Class before=
|Class after={{ship|Italian submarine|Ettore Fieramosca||2}}
|Subclasses= {{ship|Brazilian submarine|Humaytá||2}}
|Cost=
|Built range=
|In service range=   
|In commission range=1927–1950
|Total ships completed=5
|Total ships lost=1
|Total ships scrapped=4
}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= (as built)
|Ship type=[[Submarine]]
|Ship displacement=*{{Cvt|1427|LT|t|0|disp=flip|lk=on}} (surfaced)
*{{Convert|1874|LT|t|0|disp=flip|abbr=on}} (submerged)
|Ship length={{convert|86.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|7.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|4.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*{{cvt|4900|bhp|lk=on}} (diesels)
*{{convert|2200|hp|abbr=on}} (electric motors)
|Ship propulsion=*2 shafts; [[diesel-electric]]
*2 × [[diesel engine]]s
*2 × [[electric motor]]s
|Ship speed=*{{convert|17.5|kn|lk=in}} (surfaced)
*{{convert|8.9|kn}} (submerged)
|Ship range=*{{convert|12000|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|7|kn}} (surfaced)
*{{convert|110|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|3|kn}} (submerged)
|Ship test depth={{convert|350|ft|m|abbr=on|order=flip}}
|Ship complement=77
|Ship armament=*1 × single [[120 mm Italian naval gun#27-calibre OTO 1924|{{cvt|120|mm|in}}]] [[deck gun]]
*2 × single [[Breda Model 1931 Machine Gun|{{cvt|13.2|mm}}]] [[machine gun]]s
*6 × {{cvt|533|mm|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s (4 bow, 2 stern)
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The '''''Balilla'' class''' were the first [[submarine]]s to be built for the [[Regia Marina|Italian navy]] following the end of [[World War I]]. They were large ocean-going [[cruiser submarine]]s designed to operate in the [[Indian Ocean]] based in Italy's [[East Africa]]n colonies. The design was double-hulled and based on the German [[Type UE II submarine]] [[U-boat]]s, one of which, {{ship|SM|U-120||2}} was supplied to the Italians as a war reparation. A {{convert|425|hp}} auxiliary diesel engine was installed as an extra generator.

During the war, the boats were stationed in the [[Mediterranean Sea|Mediterranean]] in 1940 but proved too large to be effective patrol submarines. Their only success was the sinking of the British submarine {{HMS|Triad|N53|6}} by {{ship|Italian submarine|Enrico Toti|1928|2}} on 15 October 1940. After 1941 they were used as transport submarines to supply [[Royal Italian Army (1940–1946)|Italian forces]] in [[North Africa]]. The surviving boats were scrapped after the war.

One submarine, {{ship|Brazilian submarine|Humaytá||2}}, was built for the [[Brazilian Navy]] to a modified design.

==Design==
The design of the ''Ballila'' class consisted of a strong [[double-hull]] which gave the ships a maximum diving depth of {{convert|350|ft|abbr=on|order=flip}}, though {{ship|Italian submarine|Domenico Millelire||2}} reached {{convert|400|ft|m|0|abbr=on|order=flip}} in [[Sea trial|trials]]. The boats displaced 1,427 tons surfaced and 1874 tons submerged. They were {{convert|86.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}} long with a [[Beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|7.8|m|ftin|abbr=on}} and a [[Draft (hull)|draught]] of {{convert|4.7|m|ftin|abbr=on}}. The boats were considered to have poor stability.<ref name=C1>Chesneau, p. 304</ref>

The submarines were powered by two [[Fiat]] [[Diesel engine|diesels]] for surface cruising and two Savigliano electric motors for use while submerged driving two [[Propeller|shafts]]. These created {{convert|4900|bhp|kW|lk=in|abbr=on}} and {{convert|2,200|hp|kW|abbr=on}} respectively. The second diesel engine was for auxiliary purposes and for recharging the batteries, novel at the time of the boats{{'}} construction. This gave the ships a speed of {{convert|16|kn|lk=in}} surfaced and {{convert|7|kn}} submerged. However, the initial design called for the ability to reach speeds of {{convert|17.5|kn}} surfaced and {{convert|8.9|kn}} submerged; the subs never reached these marks. The ''Ballila''-class boats had a range of {{convert|13,000|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|10|kn}}.<ref name=C1/>

The ''Ballila'' class was armed with six {{convert|533|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} [[torpedo tube]]s with four located in the [[Bow (ship)|bow]] and two in the stern. The submarines carried a load of 16 torpedoes, with two reloads for each bow tube and one reload for each stern tube.<ref name=C1/>

The class was also armed with one [[120 mm Italian naval gun#27-calibre OTO 1924|1924 model]] {{convert|120|mm|in|abbr=on|0}}/27 [[Caliber (artillery)|calibre]] [[deck gun]] that was placed in a shielded mounting in the forward section of the [[conning tower]]. In 1934, the class underwent a refit that upgraded the [[120 mm Italian naval gun#45-calibre OTO 1931|model]] to a {{convert|120|mm|abbr=on|0}}/45 calibre gun. The ships also received two [[Breda Model 1931 Machine Gun|{{convert|13.2|mm|in|abbr=on}}]] machine guns placed two single mounts.<ref name=C1/><ref>Campbell, pp. 335–338</ref>

===''Humaytá'' sub-class===
''Humaytá'' was ordered by the Brazilian navy as a deep-diving submarine. Modifications to the standard ''Ballila'' design include the placement of the diesel and electric motors further forward, the elimination of the bow planes and a different distribution of the ballast tanks throughout the submarine. The submarine was longer at {{convert|87|m|ftin|abbr=on}} with a shallower draught, {{convert|4|m|abbr=on}}. The vessel displaced 1,390 tons surfaced and 1,884 tons submerged.<ref name=C2>Chesneau, p. 417</ref>

The submarine was powered by two [[Gio. Ansaldo & C.|Ansaldo]] diesels with one electric motor creating {{convert|4900|bhp|abbr=on}} and {{convert|900|hp|abbr=on}} respectively. This gave the ship a speed of {{convert|18.5|kn}} surfaced and {{convert|9.5|kn}} submerged.<ref name=C2/>

''Humaytá'' differed in armament too. The submarine was equipped with the six {{convert|533|mm|in|abbr=on|0}} torpedo tubes with four located in the bow and two in the stern. However, the vessel had only a {{convert|4|in|mm|abbr=on|0}} deck gun and carried 16 [[Naval mine|mines]].<ref name=C2/>

==Ships==
All ships were built by [[Oto Melara|OTO]] in Muggiano. ''Humaytá'' was a modified version of this design built for the Brazilian Navy in 1927. The ship was retired in 1950.

{| class="wikitable plainrowheaders"
|+ Ship details
|-
! scope="col" | Ship
! scope="col" | Namesake
! scope="col" | Country
! scope="col" | Launched
! scope="col" | Fate
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian submarine|Balilla|1927|2}}
| [[Balilla|Giovan Battista Perasso]]
| rowspan=4 | Italy
| 20&nbsp;February 1927
|Transformed in barge and broken up in 1946
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian submarine|Domenico Millelire||2}}
| [[Domenico Millelire]]
| 19&nbsp;September 1927
|Turned into latex depot and used by Pirelli until 1977
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian submarine|Antonio Sciesa||2}}
| [[Amatore Sciesa]]
|12&nbsp;August 1928
|Damaged September 1942 at [[Benghazi]], scuttled 12&nbsp;November 1942
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Italian submarine|Enrico Toti|1928|2}}
|[[Enrico Toti]]
|14&nbsp;April 1928
|Used as pontoon and broken up in 1946
|-
! scope="row" | {{ship|Brazilian submarine|Humaytá||2}}
|
| Brazil
|11&nbsp;June 1927
|Scrapped 
|}

==See also==
* [[Italian submarines of World War II]]

==Notes==
{{reflist}}

== Bibliography ==
*{{cite book|last=Bagnasco |first=Erminio |title=Submarines of World War Two |year=1977 |publisher=Naval Institute Press |location=Annapolis, Maryland |isbn=0-87021-962-6}} 
* {{cite book|last=Brescia|first=Maurizio|title=Mussolini's Navy: A Reference Guide to the Regina Marina 1930–45|year=2012|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|isbn=978-1-59114-544-8}}
*{{cite book |last=Campbell |first=John |title =Naval Weapons of World War Two |publisher =Naval Institute Press |date =1985 |location =Annapolis, Maryland|isbn =0-87021-459-4}}
*{{cite book |editor-last=Chesneau |editor-first=Roger |year=1980 |title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946 |location=London |publisher=[[Conway Publishing|Conway Maritime Press]] |isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
*{{cite book |last1=Fraccaroli |first1=Aldo |title=Italian Warships of World War II |date=1968 |publisher=Ian Allan |location=Shepperton, UK |isbn=0-7110-0002-6}}
*{{cite journal |last1=Frank |first1=Willard C. Jr. |title=Question 12/88 |journal=Warship International |date=1989 |volume=XXVI |issue=1 |pages=95–97 |issn=0043-0374}}

==External links==
* [https://www.marina.difesa.it/noi-siamo-la-marina/mezzi/mezzi-storici/Pagine/Smg/balilla_02.aspx Balilla-class submarine] Marina Militare website
*[http://www.battleships-cruisers.co.uk/balilla_class.htm Balilla Class at Battleships-cruisers.co.uk]

{{Portal bar|Italy|Engineering}}

{{Balilla class submarines}}
{{WWII Italian ships}}

[[Category:Submarine classes]]
[[Category:Balilla-class submarines| ]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of Italy| Balilla]]