CB-class midget submarine

The CB class was a group of midget submarines built for the Italian Navy during World War II.

Design
The boats were designed as coast defence units with diesel electric propulsion. There was a mini conning tower to aid navigation. The armament consisted of two torpedoes mounted externally which could be reloaded without removing the craft from the water.

Boats
Seventy two boats were ordered from Caproni of Milan, but only 22 were laid down. 12 boats were completed before the Armistice and nine after. Six boats were transferred to the Black Sea by rail and fought the Soviets sinking two submarines. After the Italian Armistice, the five survivors were transferred to the Royal Romanian Navy.