ITALIAN MAS-BOAT GRILLO

Grillo is the name of a class of Italian torpedo boats from the end of the First World War. Their construction was carried out in 1918, and in March of the same, they all entered service. In total, only 4 units of this type were built. Their length was 16 meters, with a total width of about 3.1 meters. The drive was provided by two electric motors with a total power of only 10 HP! It was armed with two 450 mm torpedo tubes. The maximum speed did not exceed 4-5 knots. Grillo type units were designed and constructed for the needs of the Italian Regia Marina to carry out activities in coastal waters in the Adriatic Sea basin and almost "in the road” of Austro-Hungarian ports. Their construction was undoubtedly influenced by the successful attack on the Austro-Hungarian navy base in December 1917. They were used for the first time in combat in April 1918, and the second time - in May of the same year. As a result of both of these actions, 3 out of 4 available Grillo boats were lost. The last vessel of this type, called "Locusta", survived the Great War and was written off the fleet in 1920.