Sept. 16, 1939 the Italian submarine Leonardo da Vinci was launched at CRDA in Monfalcone, Italy. She would
become Italy's most successful submarine during the war sinking 18 ships totaling 120,243 tons. However
she was lost in 1943 with her entire sixty-four man crew. It is not known for sure but it is thought that
HMS Active H-14 and HMS Ness K-219 depth charged and sank her on May 23 in the North Atlantic about
300 miles off Vigo, Spain.

© 2007 Michael W. Pocock
MaritimeQuest.com

Leonardo da Vinci