Comments on: The Leonardo da Vinci Submarine: Italian Terror of the Atlantic

By: Peleliu81

Peleliu81 — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 21:57:00 +0000

Thanks for the info Vinman!!! Much like “kills” in aerial combat, I found while researching that tonnage sunk can often be subjective, and often varies by source.

By: vinman

vinman — Fri, 15 Jun 2012 16:55:57 +0000

Hello All,
Here is a list of the top 50 Submarines, in terms of tonnage sunk, of WW2.
German U Boats, 41. US Submarines, 6. Italian Submarines, 2. British Submarines, 1.
You will notice that the Leonardo Da Vinci is in 28th position, ahead of all the US and British Subs!
Source: Betasom.it

- Name – Nationality – Number of ships sunk- Tonnage

1) U48 ger 53 317.391
2) U99 ger 39 246.794
3) U103 ger 46 241.293
4) U124 ger 48 224.953
5) U123 ger 43 220.119

6) U107 ger 39 217.786
7) U37 ger 55 202.529
8) U66 ger 33 200.021
9) U68 ger 33 197.998
10) U47 ger 31 191.919

11) U96 ger 28 190.094
12) U38 ger 35 185.967
13) U552 ger 32 165.466
14) U130 ger 24 162.015
15) U515 ger 25 157.064

16) U160 ger 26 156.082
17) U172 ger 26 152.778
18) U129 ger 29 143.748
19) U155 ger 26 140.449
20) U181 ger 27 138.779

21) U106 ger 22 138.581
22) U100 ger 26 137.819
23) U94 ger 25 137.395
24) U108 ger 26 135.366
25) U46 ger 24 127.469

26) U126 ger 27 126.187
27) U43 ger 22 126.167
28) DA VINCI ita 19 120.265
29) U159 ger 23 119.684
30) U105 ger 22 117.377

31) U32 ger 20 116.836
32) U101 ger 23 113.808
33) U558 ger 21 109.705
34) U201 ger 24 109.055
35) FLASHER usa 21 106.667

36) RASHER usa 17 101.331
37) U158 ger 17 101.321
38) U34 ger 24 99.311
39) U156 ger 20 97.504
40) SPADEFISH usa 24 96.826

41) TAZZOLI ita 18 96.650
42) U564 ger 19 96.444
43) TRIGGER usa 17 95.744
44) U203 ger 22 94.660
45) BARB usa 18 94.614

46) TANG usa 27 94.046
47) UPHOLDER uk 14 93.031
48) U516 ger 16 89.385
49) U177 ger 14 87.388
50) U178 ger 13 87.030

Note: Now that I see true figures, I am suspicious of the sources for victories and tonnage sunk by British Subs. According to British Historians, the number of tons sunk was 1,500,000. So, does that amount include damaged ships as well and are the figures accurate?

By: vinman

vinman — Sun, 10 Jun 2012 15:22:43 +0000

Hello,
I thoroughly enjoyed reading the article on the Leonardo Da Vinci Submarine and also decided to do a little research myself.
Guess what, did you know that:
The Leonardo da Vinci was Italy’s most successful submarine in World War II, and her captain, Lt. Gianfranco Gazzana-Priaroggia, Italy’s leading submarine ace. With a higher score than Britain’s Malcolm David Wanklyn, in HMS Upholder, or America’s Richard O’Kane in USS Tang (both later sunk), Prioroggia (108,656 tons sunk) and Leonardo da Vinci were the most SUCCESSFUL NON-GERMAN submariner and submarine in the conflict. Source: Blair, Clay “Hitler’s U Boat War”
I did some research on these two Allied Captains and their boats.
1. Malcolm David Wanklyn, I always thought, according to British books and sites, was the top scorer of the Allies, but after further review his score includes sunk plus damaged ships and the Upholder, which was the most successful British Sub’s score, is less than the Da Vinci!
Wanklyn’s score in the Upholder Sub is: 13 ships sunk , 87847 tons and 5 damaged, 31, 427 for a total of 119,274 tons. Source U-Boat net.
So, it looks like the British stats include damaged ships as well. Italian stats ONLY include ships sunk.
2. Richard O’Kane, the most successful US Submarine captain, 93,824 tons sunk: Source: JANAC:Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee.
History books always told us that Wanklyn had sunk over 128,000 tons, but in reality, his totals were less than 120,000 tons, which included damaged ships.
O’Kanes totals for his patrols was 227,824 tons sunk, but this total was revised in 1980 to 93,824 tons, from a review of Japanese war records and the Joint Army-Navy Assessment Committee (JANAC) a United States inter-service agency set up to analyze and assess Japanese naval and merchant marine shipping losses caused by U.S. and Allied forces during World War II.
So, the list now shows:
Leonardo Da Vinci: 120,00 tons sunk (does not include damaged ships)
Lt. Gianfranco Gazzana-Priaroggia: 108,656 tons sunk (does not include damaged ships)
HMS Upholder: 119,247 tons (includes sunk and damaged)
Malcolm David Wanklyn: 87847 tons sunk, 31,427 tons damaged
USS Tang: 93,824
Richard O’Kane: 93,824 tons sunk.
This is definitely something the readers should know!!
Vincent Biondi

By: motozattera777

motozattera777 — Mon, 01 Aug 2011 17:08:25 +0000

I wish to send you my great congratulations for a very fine detailed article. If I may suggest other sources for historical info I want to indicate the “BOLLETTINO D’ARCHIVIO DELLA MARINA MILITARE” edit by Ufficio Storico della Marina Militare Italiana a trimonthly publication .
Well done! bye-bye

By: JR

JR — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:02:55 +0000

Very well written article !

I think you guys do a wonderful job of reporting the truth about the Italian armed forces in the war. Which is very refreshing change as hollywood always down plays or out right lies about our forefathers.

Thanks and keep up the good work.