SUBMARINE AIRCRAFT CARRIER

Hokitika Guardian, 5 August 1929, Page 1

SUBMARINE AIRCRAFT CARRIER

THE ITALIAN NAVY. LONDON, July 28. There has recently been launched at Taranto, for the Italian Navy,'the first submarine to 'be specially built as an aircraft carrier (says the Daily Telegraph naval correspondent). Other submarines, notably the British Ml, have been converted for this purpose, but the Itatlian boat. Ettore Fiei*amosca, is the first to have accommodation for aircraft incorporated as a feature in the original design.

The seaplane, a small hut very fast machine with folding wings, is housed in a watertight hanger, built up of strong steel to resist pressure when the boat is deeply submerged. Fieramosca has a diving limit of 328 ft, but it is claimed that she could exceed this depth without undue risk. In fact, Balilla, although of earlier design on the same general plan, descended in May 1928, to this depth and emerged safely without untoward effects .on vessel of crew.

In an emergency Ettore Fieramosca would he able to make a “crash dive’“ in 30 seconds. She is an ocean-going vessel of nearly 1500 tons, with a length of 275 ft, and a surface speed of J. 9 knots. Four torpedoe tubes are mounted in the bows and two in the stern, and for these six tubes 14 torpedoes are provided. On deck a 4.7 in anti-craft gun and several machineguns are emplaced. Twenty-four mines arc carried, which can he dropped through two chutes. For her tonnage the new boat is exceptionally well aimed, besides being very fast.

Italian naval constructors are producing some remarkable vessels nowadays, both surface and submarine. All cruiser speed records have been broken by their 10,000-ton ships. Trento and Trieste, and if Fieramosca is a fair sample, they have contrived to give t.ieir latest submarine an astonishing high ratio of fighting power to tonnage.