M.A.S.

The M.A.S. in the picture below was of "500" class, 4th. series, made by 11 crafts, all constructed in 1941 by shipyard Baglietto of Varazze, Picchiotti of Limite d'Arno and Celli of Venice. Seven of those units, all lost in war, were deployed during May, 1943 in Black Sea.

At the start of war (for Italy 10th June 1940) Italy had in service 46 modern MAS of the "500" class, 25 of the 1st series (denomination from MAS 501 to MAS 525, also if MAS 506, 508, 511 and 524 were sold to Sweden at the beginning of 1940) and 25 of the second series (denomination from MAS 526 to MAS 550), other 14 similar units were under construction ("500" class 3rd series, denomination from MAS 551 to MAS 564). In that period there were in service also a little more of 15 obsolete units and some of experimental type: 5 of the class "Baglietto (SVAN) da 12 tonnellate", denomination MAS 204, MAS 206, MAS 210, MAS 213 and MAS 216; 5 of the class "SVAN velocissimo da 14 tonnellate", denomination from MAS 432 to MAS 436; 3 of the class "SVAN velocissimo da 13 tonnellate", denomination MAS 423, MAS 426 and MAS 430; 1 unit "Baglietto 1931" denomination MAS 431; 1 unit "SVAN velocissimo diesel" denomination MAS 437; 4 units "Antisommergibili Baglietto 1934" denomination from MAS 438 to MAS 441; 1 experimental unit class "500" 1st series, denomination MAS 424.

Technical data:

"500" class 1st series (25 units)

Shipyards: Picchiotti (shipyard's name)- Limite d'Arno (shipyard's town), Celli - Venice, S.A.C.I.N. - Venice, C.R.D.A. - Monfalcone.

Commissioned: 1937, uncommissioned from 1940 to 1951 (11 lost or captured in war actions)

Dimensions: Length 17.0 m Width 4.4 m Draught 1.25 m

Full load Displacement: 22 ton

Speed max.: 44.0 knots

Autonomy: 400 miles at 42 knots, 1000 miles at 6 knots

Armament: 1 - 13.2 mm. machine gun, 2 - 450 mm. torpedoes (2 launchers), 6 depth charges (1 launcher).

Crew: 9

"500" class 2nd series (25 units)

Shipyards: Picchiotti - Limite d'Arno, Celli - Venice, C.R.D.A. - Monfalcone, Baglietto - Varazze.

Commissioned: 1939, uncommissioned from 1940 to 1950 (16 lost or captured in war actions)

Dimensions: Length 18.7 m Width 4.7 m (exception MAS 550: 4.6 m) Draught 1.43 m (exception MAS 550: 1.3 m)

Full load Displacement: 25.5 ton (exception: MAS 550 was 21.0 ton because it had metallic hull instead of wooden)

Speed max.: 44.0 knots (45 for MAS 550)

Autonomy: 400 miles at 34 knots, 1100 miles at 6 knots (MAS 550: 400 miles at 45 knots and 1100 at 6 knots)

Armament: 1 - 13.2 mm. machine gun, 2 - 450 mm. torpedoes (2 launchers), 6 depth charges (1 launcher).

Crew: 10

MAS 451, "Baglietto velocissimo" class. The other MAS of the class was denominated 452.

"Baglietto velocissimo" derived from "500" class 2nd series (2 units)

Shipyards: Baglietto - Varazze.

Commissioned: 1941, uncommissioned in 1946 (lost in 1941)

Dimensions: Length 18.0 m Width 4.78 m Draught 1.56 m

Full load Displacement: 24.5 ton

Speed max.: 42.0 knots

Autonomy: 330 miles at 42 knots, 836 miles at 8 knots

Armament: 1 - 13.2 mm. machine gun, 2 - 450 mm. torpedoes (2 launchers), 6 depth charges (1 launcher).

Crew: 11

"500" class 3rd series (14 units)

Shipyards: Picchiotti - Limite d'Arno, Celli - Venice, C.R.D.A. - Monfalcone, C.N.A. - Rome, Baglietto - Varazze.

Commissioned: 1941 (1943 for MAS 551), uncommissioned in 1943

Dimensions: Length 18.7 m Width 4.7 m Draught 1.5 m

Full load Displacement: 29.4 ton

Speed max.: 43.0 knots

Autonomy: 395 miles at 42 knots, 913 miles at 8 knots

Armament: 1 - 20/65 mm., 2 - 450 mm. torpedoes (2 launchers), 10 depth charges (1 launcher).

Crew: 13

"500" class 4th series (11 units)

Shipyards: Picchiotti - Limite d'Arno, Celli - Venice, Baglietto - Varazze.

Commissioned: 1941, uncommissioned in 1943

Dimensions: Length 18.7 m Width 4.7 m Draught 1.5 m

Full load Displacement: 29.4 ton

Speed max.: 43.0 knots, 8 with aux. engines.

HP: 2300 + 140 (aux. engines)

Autonomy: 350 miles at 42 knots, 997 miles at 8 knots

Armament: 1 - 20/65 mm., 2 - 450 mm. torpedoes (2 launchers), 10 depth charges (1 launcher).

Crew: 13

There was a project for the "500" class 5th series during 1943 but construction never started.

S.L.C. - "maiale" (pig)

Dimensions: Length: 6.7 m. (7.3 with explosive head), Diameter: 533 mm.

HP: 16 (electric engine)

Speed max.: 4.5 knots (in emersion)

Autonomy: 4 miles at 4.5 knots, 15 miles at 2.3 knots.

Armament: 300 kg. of high explosive (220 kg. in prototypes).

Crew: 2

M.T.M. - "barchino" (punt)

Full load displacement: 1.2 ton.

Dimensions: Length 6.15 m., Width: 1.7 m., Draught: 0.45 m.

HP: 95.

Speed max.: 31 knots.

Autonomy: 85 miles at 31 knots.

Armament: one explosive charge.

Crew: 1

M.T.S.M.A. - Motoscafo da Turismo Silurante Modificato Allargato (Modified and Enlarged Tourism Torpedo Motorboat)

After that, during summer of 1940, were constructed the first Torpedo Tourist Motorboats (M.T.S.), Regia Marina studied some refits, making, starting from 1941, the M.T.S.M. (modified torpedo tourism motorboats), which, with others changes became in 1942 the M.T.S.M.A., "enlarged" version, as seen in the picture below.

Full load displacement: 3.71 tons.

Dimensions: Length 8.8 m., Width: 2.32 m., Draught 0.7 m.

HP: 190 x 2

Speed max.: 29 knots.

Autonomy: 250 miles at 29 knots.

Armament: 1 450 mm. torpedo, 2 70 kg. depth charges, hand weapons for the crew (1 sub-machine gun MAB and 12 hand grenades).

Crew: 2

CB pocket submarine

CB class pocket submarines were constructed starting from early CA class, which, made by two series of two prototypes each, never was used in battle. CB class was instead made by 22 crafts, all constructed by Caproni of Milan; the first six crafts was given to Regia Marina from January to May, 1941, and other six were given before Armistice; the others were finished before and were commissioned in R.S.I. Navy.

War use of CB was various: first six were deployed in Black Sea the 2 May 1942, where served in Russian Sevastopoli Port's blockade; the 18 June 1942 CB2 sunk Russian submarine SC-208, the 25 August CB4 sunk submarine SC-207. CB5 was sunk during an air raid the 13 June 1942. After the Armistice, the five CB, Black Sea survivors, was given to Romania, and were after, the 30 August 1944, taken by Soviet Union, where, in its Navy, they served until 1955. Of the other six craft finished before the Armistice, CB7 was captured in Pola by Germans and given to R.S.I., while crafts from CB8 to CB12 were interned by English in Taranto.

CB22 was captured by Allies in Trieste at the end of war; for some years was abandoned in the port, but, in 1950 was transferred in Trieste War Museum, where is now shown.

Displacement: Normal load 36 ton., Full load 45 ton.

Dimensions: Length 15.0 m., Width 3.0 m., Draught (in emersion) 2.1 m.

HP: 90 (diesel), 100 (electric, Brown-Boveri engine).

Speed max.: 7.5 knots (in emersion), 7 knots (in immersion).

Autonomy: 1400 miles at 5 knots (in emersion), 50 miles at 3 knots (in immersion).

Armament: 2 - 450 mm. torpedoes (carried in external supports) or 2 mines.

Crew: 4.