Alfa Romeo race engined suicide speed boats during WWII

[Pierre Martins]

Here's an unusual one. The other night I was watching the history channel and they had something on about the early years of WWII.

I had to take call so I couldn't pay attention to the telly, but there was something about the Italians building speed boats fitted with Alfa race car engines. They stuffed 'em with explosives and the pilots would aim them at a large ship, go full speed and jump out of the boats before impact. A sort of kamikaze manouvre, but the pilots saved themselves and surrended afterwards.

They sunk an English cargo ship (didn't get the name of the ship) in the port of Alexandria.

I'd like to learn more about this episode in Alfa Romeo history. Anyone out there got more info on this?

Cheers,
Pierre.

[BugEyed]

Here are some details of the MTM "Barchino" which I think is the vessel to which you refer.

What a waste of a 6C Alfa Engine!



Unfortunately they scored at least one success - here is HMS York after being attacked.



The loss of life in war was so much more of a waste than the waste of the engine.

HTH

Duncan

[JimW]

I believe that it was also the same sort of vessel which made an (unsuccessful) attack on Grand harbour in Malta. Sad but courageous and dashing.

Regards

Jim

[BugEyed]

Originally posted by Pierre Martins
... but there was something about the Italians building speed boats fitted with Alfa race car engines.

Thinking about this, there is something strange in this. :confused: The engine looks like a (admittedly large) version of the 6C engine designed by Vittoro Jano, but those engines were capable of a much higher specific output than the quoted 95 BHP from 3.5 litres. If they were "Alfa race car engines" you'd have expected them to be supercharged and you'd have been looking at in excess of 75 BHP/Litre on petrol or 150 BHP/Litre on Nitro. Yes, those figures were from race engines, but those were the days when a race engine would last 1,000 miles which is probably a lot further than a "suicide" ship would ever do. So why the drastically low powered version? :confused:

Duncan

PS Would the VSCC allow me to build a special using one of these engines?

[Riley Imp]

Another curiosity, is that in the Narrative piece of the link, it mentions 6 units and 12 units. I have seen this translation in another Italian book on aero engines, where unit meant cylinder. Does this imply they also used a version of the later Alfa Romeo 12 cylinder motor ? I am sure the one in the picture is a six.
Chris.

[KA]

Originally posted by JimW
I believe that it was also the same sort of vessel which made an (unsuccessful) attack on Grand harbour in Malta. Sad but courageous and dashing.
Regards
Jim

That's correct- 17 MTMs of the Italian Navy's 10th Light Flotilla, accompanied by two 'Maiale' (or 'Pig') manned-torpedoes, which were intended to breach the harbour boom nets for the MTM crews. At least two of the supporting MTBs and motorboats escorting the attack were also sunk. In all, fifteen men died and eighteen were captured.

[eclectic]

Poor guys, what a waste of life.