Motobomba
Encyclopedia
The Motabomba, or more properly the Motobomba FFF (Freri Fiore Filpa), was a torpedo
used by Italian forces during World War II. The designation FFF was derived from the last names the three men involved with its original design: Lieutenant-Colonel Prospero Freri, Captain-Disegnatore Filpa, and Colonel Amedeo Fiore.
The FFF was a 500 millimetres (19.7 in) diameter electric torpedo which was dropped on a parachute
and was designed to steer concentric spirals of between 550 and 4,375 yards (500 and 4,000 m) until it found a target. It weighed 350 kilograms (771.6 lb), and contained a 120 kilograms (264.6 lb) warhead. Its speed was 40 knots (48.7 mph) and it had an endurance of 15–30 minutes. It was acknowledged by the Germans as superior to anything they had and American intelligence was eager to get its hands on it after the Armistice with Italy
in September 1943.
, near Rome. It was demonstrated in 1935 to Benito Mussolini
, Admiral Domenico Cavagnari
, General Giuseppe Valle and other high officials. Freri later demonstrated it at the Germania works at Travemünde
, the Luftwaffe
experimental trials centre, and the Germans were sufficiently impressed to order 2,000 examples.
500 were ordered for the Regia Aeronautica
, the first planned uses for them in combat to be against the British naval bases at Gibraltar
and Alexandria
in 1940. The limiting factor was the fact that only the Savoia-Marchetti SM.82
bomber had the necessary power and range to deliver such a weapon over such a distance.
The first version of the FFF were designed to enter the water vertically, but it was found that a tilt device allowing it to make a gentler angled entry was less likely to upset the delicate mechanisms, and this was implemented on the second series.
n, Libya
n, and Egypt
ian waters. Aircraft of 32 Stormo attacked Gibraltar once more in June 1941 and in that same month Lieutenant Torelli (based at Rhodes
) attacked Alexandria harbour on the night of June 13.
The largest use of the weapon was against the PEDESTAL
convoy to Malta
on August 12, 1942 when ten Savoia-Marchetti SM.84
s of 38 Gruppe's 32 Stormo launched them against the convoy south of Cape Spartivento, Sardinia
. This made the ships of the convoy alter course, which allowed conventional attacks to penetrate the convoy's defences.
By September 1942 the Italians had 80 of the improved Mk 2 version at bases in Sardinia, 50 in Sicily, and 50 more with their experimental (ASI) 5 Squadron.
The Luftwaffe made their first mass attack using the weapon on March 19, 1943 when Junkers Ju 88
s launched 72 of them against shipping at Tripoli
, sinking two supply ships and damaging the destroyer . Derwent was subsequently beached with her engine room flooded and although salvaged and returned to England, was never repaired.
The FFF was subsequently used in attacks against invasion shipping at Bône
in Algeria on April 16, 1943 and at Syracuse during the Allied invasion of Sicily
later that year. On December 2 a force of 105 Ju 88s attacked Bari
harbour with FFFs, destroying 16 Allied ships including the SS John Harvey, which had been carrying mustard gas.
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Torpedo
The modern torpedo is a self-propelled missile weapon with an explosive warhead, launched above or below the water surface, propelled underwater towards a target, and designed to detonate either on contact with it or in proximity to it.The term torpedo was originally employed for...
used by Italian forces during World War II. The designation FFF was derived from the last names the three men involved with its original design: Lieutenant-Colonel Prospero Freri, Captain-Disegnatore Filpa, and Colonel Amedeo Fiore.
The FFF was a 500 millimetres (19.7 in) diameter electric torpedo which was dropped on a parachute
Parachute
A parachute is a device used to slow the motion of an object through an atmosphere by creating drag, or in the case of ram-air parachutes, aerodynamic lift. Parachutes are usually made out of light, strong cloth, originally silk, now most commonly nylon...
and was designed to steer concentric spirals of between 550 and 4,375 yards (500 and 4,000 m) until it found a target. It weighed 350 kilograms (771.6 lb), and contained a 120 kilograms (264.6 lb) warhead. Its speed was 40 knots (48.7 mph) and it had an endurance of 15–30 minutes. It was acknowledged by the Germans as superior to anything they had and American intelligence was eager to get its hands on it after the Armistice with Italy
Armistice with Italy
The Armistice with Italy was an armistice signed on September 3 and publicly declared on September 8, 1943, during World War II, between Italy and the Allied armed forces, who were then occupying the southern end of the country, entailing the capitulation of Italy...
in September 1943.
Development
The initial development work on the torpedo was carried out at ParioliParioli
Parioli is a neighbourhood in the north of Rome, Italy. The name comes from Monti Parioli, a series of tufa hills, and was given to the area before its incorporation into the city proper at the beginning of the 20th century...
, near Rome. It was demonstrated in 1935 to Benito Mussolini
Benito Mussolini
Benito Amilcare Andrea Mussolini was an Italian politician who led the National Fascist Party and is credited with being one of the key figures in the creation of Fascism....
, Admiral Domenico Cavagnari
Domenico Cavagnari
Domenico Cavagnari was an Italian admiral and the chief of staff of the Italian Royal Navy until 1940. He was succeeded by Admiral Arturo Riccardi....
, General Giuseppe Valle and other high officials. Freri later demonstrated it at the Germania works at Travemünde
Travemünde
Travemünde is a borough of Lübeck, Germany, located at the mouth of the river Trave in Lübeck Bay. It began life as a fortress built by Henry the Lion, Duke of Saxony, in the 12th century to guard the mouth of the Trave, and the Danes subsequently strengthened it. It became a town in 1317 and in...
, the Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe
Luftwaffe is a generic German term for an air force. It is also the official name for two of the four historic German air forces, the Wehrmacht air arm founded in 1935 and disbanded in 1946; and the current Bundeswehr air arm founded in 1956....
experimental trials centre, and the Germans were sufficiently impressed to order 2,000 examples.
500 were ordered for the Regia Aeronautica
Regia Aeronautica
The Italian Royal Air Force was the name of the air force of the Kingdom of Italy. It was established as a service independent of the Royal Italian Army from 1923 until 1946...
, the first planned uses for them in combat to be against the British naval bases at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
and Alexandria
Alexandria
Alexandria is the second-largest city of Egypt, with a population of 4.1 million, extending about along the coast of the Mediterranean Sea in the north central part of the country; it is also the largest city lying directly on the Mediterranean coast. It is Egypt's largest seaport, serving...
in 1940. The limiting factor was the fact that only the Savoia-Marchetti SM.82
Savoia-Marchetti SM.82
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.82 was an Italian bomber and transport aircraft of World War II. It was a cantilever, mid-wing monoplane trimotor with a retractable, tailwheel undercarriage...
bomber had the necessary power and range to deliver such a weapon over such a distance.
The first version of the FFF were designed to enter the water vertically, but it was found that a tilt device allowing it to make a gentler angled entry was less likely to upset the delicate mechanisms, and this was implemented on the second series.
Service history
The first attack using the FFF was made on July 17, 1942 when three SM.82s flew from Guidonia against Gibraltar, an effort repeated on July 25, both missions aborted before launch. On the night of August 20, a Major Lucchini conducted a successful mission against Gibraltar and this was followed by attacks on targets in AlbaniaAlbania
Albania , officially known as the Republic of Albania , is a country in Southeastern Europe, in the Balkans region. It is bordered by Montenegro to the northwest, Kosovo to the northeast, the Republic of Macedonia to the east and Greece to the south and southeast. It has a coast on the Adriatic Sea...
n, Libya
Libya
Libya is an African country in the Maghreb region of North Africa bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to the east, Sudan to the southeast, Chad and Niger to the south, and Algeria and Tunisia to the west....
n, and Egypt
Egypt
Egypt , officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, Arabic: , is a country mainly in North Africa, with the Sinai Peninsula forming a land bridge in Southwest Asia. Egypt is thus a transcontinental country, and a major power in Africa, the Mediterranean Basin, the Middle East and the Muslim world...
ian waters. Aircraft of 32 Stormo attacked Gibraltar once more in June 1941 and in that same month Lieutenant Torelli (based at Rhodes
Rhodes
Rhodes is an island in Greece, located in the eastern Aegean Sea. It is the largest of the Dodecanese islands in terms of both land area and population, with a population of 117,007, and also the island group's historical capital. Administratively the island forms a separate municipality within...
) attacked Alexandria harbour on the night of June 13.
The largest use of the weapon was against the PEDESTAL
Operation Pedestal
Operation Pedestal was a British operation to get desperately needed supplies to the island of Malta in August 1942, during the Second World War. Malta was the base from which surface ships, submarines and aircraft attacked Axis convoys carrying essential supplies to the Italian and German armies...
convoy to Malta
Malta
Malta , officially known as the Republic of Malta , is a Southern European country consisting of an archipelago situated in the centre of the Mediterranean, south of Sicily, east of Tunisia and north of Libya, with Gibraltar to the west and Alexandria to the east.Malta covers just over in...
on August 12, 1942 when ten Savoia-Marchetti SM.84
Savoia-Marchetti SM.84
The Savoia-Marchetti SM.84 was an Italian bomber aircraft of World War II. It was designed by Savoia-Marchetti as a replacement for its successful SM.79, and shared its three-engine layout...
s of 38 Gruppe's 32 Stormo launched them against the convoy south of Cape Spartivento, Sardinia
Sardinia
Sardinia is the second-largest island in the Mediterranean Sea . It is an autonomous region of Italy, and the nearest land masses are the French island of Corsica, the Italian Peninsula, Sicily, Tunisia and the Spanish Balearic Islands.The name Sardinia is from the pre-Roman noun *sard[],...
. This made the ships of the convoy alter course, which allowed conventional attacks to penetrate the convoy's defences.
By September 1942 the Italians had 80 of the improved Mk 2 version at bases in Sardinia, 50 in Sicily, and 50 more with their experimental (ASI) 5 Squadron.
The Luftwaffe made their first mass attack using the weapon on March 19, 1943 when Junkers Ju 88
Junkers Ju 88
The Junkers Ju 88 was a World War II German Luftwaffe twin-engine, multi-role aircraft. Designed by Hugo Junkers' company through the services of two American aviation engineers in the mid-1930s, it suffered from a number of technical problems during the later stages of its development and early...
s launched 72 of them against shipping at Tripoli
Tripoli
Tripoli is the capital and largest city in Libya. It is also known as Western Tripoli , to distinguish it from Tripoli, Lebanon. It is affectionately called The Mermaid of the Mediterranean , describing its turquoise waters and its whitewashed buildings. Tripoli is a Greek name that means "Three...
, sinking two supply ships and damaging the destroyer . Derwent was subsequently beached with her engine room flooded and although salvaged and returned to England, was never repaired.
The FFF was subsequently used in attacks against invasion shipping at Bône
Annaba
Annaba is a city in the northeastern corner of Algeria near the river Seybouse. It is located in Annaba Province. With a population of 257,359 , it is the fourth largest city in Algeria. It is a leading industrial centre in eastern Algeria....
in Algeria on April 16, 1943 and at Syracuse during the Allied invasion of Sicily
Allied invasion of Sicily
The Allied invasion of Sicily, codenamed Operation Husky, was a major World War II campaign, in which the Allies took Sicily from the Axis . It was a large scale amphibious and airborne operation, followed by six weeks of land combat. It launched the Italian Campaign.Husky began on the night of...
later that year. On December 2 a force of 105 Ju 88s attacked Bari
Bari
Bari is the capital city of the province of Bari and of the Apulia region, on the Adriatic Sea, in Italy. It is the second most important economic centre of mainland Southern Italy after Naples, and is well known as a port and university city, as well as the city of Saint Nicholas...
harbour with FFFs, destroying 16 Allied ships including the SS John Harvey, which had been carrying mustard gas.
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