View source for Italian R-class submarine

{{for|other ship classes of the same name|British R class submarine|United States R class submarine}}
{|{{Infobox ship begin|sclass=2}}
{{Infobox ship image
|Ship image= Romolo_class_submarine.jpg
|Ship caption= ''Romolo''-class submarine (''Romolo'')
}}
{{Infobox ship class overview
|Name=''Romolo''
|Builders= Tosi, CRDA
|Operators={{Navy|Kingdom of Italy|name=''Regia Marina''}}
|Class before=
|Class after=
|Subclasses=
|Cost=
|Built range=1942–1943
|In service range= 1943
|In commission range= 
|Total ships planned=12
|Total ships completed=2
|Total ships cancelled=10
|Total ships lost=2

}}
{{Infobox ship characteristics
|Hide header=
|Header caption= 
|Ship type=[[Merchant submarine|Transport submarines]]
|Ship displacement=*{{cvt|2155|t|LT|0|lk=on}} (surfaced)
*{{cvt|2560|t|LT|0}} (submerged)
|Ship length={{convert|86.5|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship beam={{convert|7.86|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship draft={{convert|5.34|m|ftin|abbr=on}}
|Ship power=*{{convert|2600|bhp|lk=on|abbr=on}} (diesels)
*{{convert|900|hp|abbr=on}} (electric motors)
|Ship propulsion=*[[Diesel-electric]]
*2 × [[diesel engine]]s
*2 × [[electric motor]]s
|Ship speed=*{{convert|13|kn|lk=in}} (surfaced)
*{{convert|6|kn}} (submerged)
|Ship range=*{{convert|12000|nmi|abbr=on|lk=in}} at {{convert|9|kn}} (surfaced)
*{{convert|100|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|3.5|kn}} (submerged)
|Ship capacity={{cvt|600|t|LT|0}} of cargo
|Ship test depth={{convert|80|m|ft|abbr=on}}
|Ship complement=63
|Ship armament=*2 × {{convert|450|mm|in|1|abbr=on}} [[torpedo tube]]s (some boats)
*3 × single [[Breda Model 35|{{cvt|20|mm|in|1}}]] [[AA gun]]s
|Ship notes=
}}
|}

The '''R-class''' or '''''Romolo''-class submarine''' was a group of [[submarine]]s built for the [[Regia Marina|Royal Italian Navy]] (''Regia Marina Italiana'') during [[World War II]]. They were designed as [[blockade runner|blockade running]] [[Merchant submarine|transport submarines]] for transporting high-value cargo from [[Europe]] to [[Japan]] and vice versa. [[German–occupied Europe|Axis-occupied Europe]] lacked [[strategic material]]s such as [[tungsten]], [[tin]] and some commodities such as [[natural rubber|rubber]].

==Design and description==
The R-class submarines [[Displacement (ship)|displaced]] {{convert|2155|t|LT|sp=us}} surfaced and {{convert|2560|t|LT|sp=us}} submerged. The submarines were {{convert|86.5|m|ftin|sp=us}} long, had a [[beam (nautical)|beam]] of {{convert|7.86|m|ftin|sp=us}} and a [[draft (hull)|draft]] of {{convert|5.34|m|ftin|sp=us}}. They had a cargo capacity of {{convert|600|t|LT|0}}.
<ref name=c5>Chesneau, p. 307</ref>

For surface running, the boats were powered by two {{convert|1300|bhp|lk=in|0|adj=on}} [[diesel engine]]s, each driving one [[propeller shaft]]. When submerged each propeller was driven by a {{convert|450|hp|0|adj=on}} [[electric motor]]. They could reach {{convert|13|kn|lk=in}} on the surface and {{convert|6|kn}} underwater. On the surface, the R class had a range of {{convert|12000|nmi|lk=in}} at {{convert|9|kn}}; submerged, they had a range of {{convert|110|nmi|abbr=on}} at {{convert|3.5|kn}}.<ref name=b4>Bagnasco, p. 166</ref>

The boats were only armed for self-defense with three {{convert|20|mm|in|sp=us|adj=on}} light [[anti-aircraft gun]]s. Some boats may have been equipped with a pair of internal {{convert|45|cm|in|1|abbr=on|sp=us}} [[torpedo tube]]s in the bow and stern.<ref name=c5/>

== Boats ==
Twelve boats were ordered, but only two were completed, by Tosi:
* ''Remo'', named after [[Remus]], launched 28 March 1943 – Sunk by the British submarine [[HMS United|HMS ''United'']] 15 July 1943 in the [[Gulf of Taranto]]
* ''Romolo'', named after [[Romulus]], launched 21 March 1943 – Sunk by Allied aircraft near Augusta 18 July 1943.

The remaining 10 hulls were scuttled incomplete and scrapped after the war.

The sail of submarine R12 is now exhibited as a monument on the seafront of [[Gaeta]].

==See also==
* [[Merchant submarine]]
* {{ship|German submarine|Deutschland}}, an unarmed transport submarine built by Germany in World War I.

== Notes== 
{{reflist|30em}}

==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|title=Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1922–1946|editor1-last=Chesneau|editor1-first=Roger|publisher=Conway Maritime Press|location=Greenwich, UK|year=1980|isbn=0-85177-146-7}}
*{{cite book|last=Rohwer|first=Jürgen|title=Chronology of the War at Sea 1939–1945: The Naval History of World War Two|publisher=Naval Institute Press|location=Annapolis, Maryland|year=2005|edition=Third Revised|isbn=1-59114-119-2|authorlink=Jürgen Rohwer}}
*{{cite journal |last1=Frampton |first1=Viktor |title=Question 9/98: Italian North African Convoys of WW II |journal=Warship International |date=2005 |volume=XLII |issue=4 |pages=424–425 |issn=0043-0374}}
==External links==
* [https://www.marina.difesa.it/noi-siamo-la-marina/mezzi/mezzi-storici/Pagine/sommergibili.aspx Sommergibili] Marina Militare website

{{Portal bar|Italy|Engineering}}
{{Italian R class submarines}}
{{WWII Italian ships}}

[[Category:Submarine classes|R class submarines, Italian]]
[[Category:Italian R-class submarines| ]]
[[Category:World War II submarines of Italy| R class]]
[[Category:Ships built by Cantieri navali Tosi di Taranto]]
[[Category:Merchant submarines]]