 Osvetnik, the lead submarine of the class, underway in 1930
| |
| 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 | 66.4 m (217 ft 10 in) (oa) |
| Beam | 5.4 m (17 ft 9 in) |
| Draught | 3.9 m (12 ft 10 in) |
| Propulsion | |
| Speed |
|
| Range |
|
| Test depth | 60–80 m (200–260 ft) |
| Complement | 44–45 |
| Armament |
|
The Osvetnik class consisted of two submarines built for the Kingdom of Serbs, Croats and Slovenes – Yugoslavia from 1929 on – by Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire in Nantes, France. Launched in 1928 and 1929, the boats were named Osvetnik (Avenger) and Smeli (Daring). They were built to a partial double hull Simonot design similar to the French Circé-class submarines. Also known as the Smeli class, they were the second class of submarines to serve in the Royal Yugoslav Navy (KM),[a] and after extensive sea trials and testing they sailed from France to the Adriatic coast of Yugoslavia, arriving in December 1929, where they joined the two larger British-made Hrabri-class submarines to make up the pre-war Yugoslav submarine flotilla. The Osvetnik-class 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.
Cite error: There are <ref group=lower-alpha> tags or {{efn}} templates on this page, but the references will not show without a {{reflist|group=lower-alpha}} template or {{notelist}} template (see the help page).