NMS Constanța

NMS Constanța was a submarine tender of the Romanian Navy. She was commissioned in 1931 and fought in the Second World War, being scrapped in 1977.

Construction and specifications
Constanța was one of the earliest purpose-built submarine tenders. She was commissioned in 1931, ahead of Germany's first purpose-built submarine tender, Saar. Constanța was laid down in August 1927 at the Italian Quarnaro Shipyard in Fiume, being completed in 1931. She measured 77.7 meters in length, having a beam of 11.2 meters and a draught of 4 meters. She was fitted with torpedo storing and loading facilities, engineering workshops, and submarine salvage and signalling facilities. She was powered by two diesel engines which gave her a top speed of 13 knots. Her armament consisted of four Bofors guns, two of 102 mm and two of 40 mm. She had a crew of 136 and a range of over 10,000 nautical miles. She was the largest purpose-built warship of the World War II Romanian Navy, her displacement amounting to 2,300 tons.

World War II
During World War II, her armament was modified: the two 102 mm Bofors guns were transferred to the Romanian minelayer Amiral Murgescu and replaced by two 76 mm Vickers anti-aircraft guns (possibly Romanian-made), the two 40 mm Bofors guns were replaced by two 20 mm anti-aircraft guns and two 13 mm machine guns were also fitted.

At the start of Operation Barbarossa in June 1942, Constanța was the flagship of the Grupul submarine și vedete torpiloare (The submarines and motor torpedo boats group), the only formation of the Romanian Navy designated for offensive operations. The group also comprised the submarine Delfinul and three motor torpedo boats of the Vospers type (Viscolul, Viforul and Vijelia). She was commanded by Lieutenant-Commander Victor Voinescu, who was also the commander of the entire group.

On 3 August 1941, one of her 76 mm guns shot down 1 Soviet aircraft. During May and June 1942, she took part in amphibious landing drills. In the summer of 1944, she was fitted with an anti-magnetic belt. In September 1944, she was captured by Soviet forces and, unlike most other warships of the Romanian Navy, was never returned. She served as Bug and PKZ-87 until being scrapped in 1977.