The submarines were designed and built by Caproni. They were used as coastal defence units, being a significant improvement of the previous CA class. Each unit had a standard (surfaced) displacement of 35.4 tons and a submerged displacement of 44.3 tons. They measured 15 metres (49 ft 3 in) in length, had a beam of 3 metres (9 ft 10 in) and a draught of 2.05 metres (6 ft 9 in). Power plant consisted of one Isotta Fraschinidiesel engine and one Brown Boveri electric motor, both generating a total of 97 kilowatts (130 hp) powering a single shaft, resulting in a surfaced top speed of 7.5 knots (13.9 km/h; 8.6 mph) and a submerged top speed of 7 knots (13 km/h; 8.1 mph). Each boat was armed with two externally-mounted 450-millimetre (18 in) torpedoes, each tube could be reloaded without removing the vessel from water. The two torpedoes could also be replaced by two mines. Each boat had a crew of four, aided in navigation by a small conning tower.[1][2]
A group of Italian sailors from the Quarta Flottiglia MAS atop a CB-class submarine in Crimea
The first six boats, completed in 1941, were transferred to the Black Sea by rail, after Nazi Germany asked for Italian naval support on the Eastern Front. They departed on 25 April 1942 and reached the Romanian port of Constanța on 2 May. They formed the 1st Squadriglia Sommergibili CB, under the overall command of Francesco Mimbelli. They fought against the Soviet Black Sea Fleet, CB-5 being sunk at Yalta in June 1942, either by Soviet aircraft or by a torpedo boat. In late 1942, the remaining five submarines were refitted at the Constanța Shipyard in Romania. On 26 August 1943, CB-4 torpedoed and sank the Soviet Shchuka-class submarine Shch-203.[5][6][7][8]
The Black Sea submarines under Romanian control, late 1943
After the Allied armistice with Italy in September 1943, the five Black Sea submarines (CB-1, CB-2, CB-3, CB-4 and CB-6) were transferred to the Royal Romanian Navy. They were all scuttled in the Black Sea in August 1944, after King Michael's Coup.[9][10][11][12][13]
Four of the Black Sea submarines (CB-1, CB-2, CB-3 and CB-4) were captured by Soviet forces in August 1944 and commissioned on 20 October as TM-4, TM-5, TM-6 and TM-7. They were stricken on 16 February 1945 and subsequently scrapped.[14]
Mediterraneanedit
The first six boats were unsuccessfully employed as submarine hunters near Naples and Salerno, before being transferred to the Black Sea in early 1942.[15] The second squadron (CB-7, CB-8, CB-9, CB-10, CB-11, CB-12) was completed just before the Armistice, in August 1943. All of them, except CB-7 (later cannibalized for spare parts), defected to the Allies. CB-13, CB-14, CB-15 and CB-16 were captured by the Germans, but all except CB-16 were destroyed by Allied air attacks. CB-16 was assigned to the 10th Flotilla of the National Republican Navy, the navy of the Italian Social Republic, but its crew mutinied and surrendered the boat to the British. The last squadron to be completed carried out patrol missions and landed saboteurs. CB-17 was sunk during an air attack, CB-18 was scuttled by her own crew, CB-19 was turned over to the Allies, CB-20 was captured by Yugoslav Partisans, CB-21 was accidentally rammed by a German landing craft and CB-22 was either sunk in an air attack or scuttled by her own crew.[16]
List of submarinesedit
Submarine
Completed
Service / Fate
CB-1
27 January 1941
Transferred to the Black Sea. To Romania after September 1943. Scuttled August 1944, raised by USSR and commissioned as TM-4, scrapped 1945
CB-2
27 January 1941
Transferred to the Black Sea. To Romania after September 1943. Scuttled August 1944, raised by USSR and commissioned as TM-5, scrapped 1945
CB-3
10 May 1941
Transferred to the Black Sea. To Romania after September 1943. Scuttled August 1944, raised by USSR and commissioned as TM-6, scrapped 1945
CB-4
10 May 1941
Transferred to the Black Sea. To Romania after September 1943. Scuttled August 1944, raised by USSR and commissioned as TM-7, scrapped 1945
CB-5
10 May 1941
Transferred to the Black Sea, sunk by Soviet aircraft or torpedo boat near Yalta, 13 June 1942
CB-6
10 May 1941
Transferred to the Black Sea. To Romania after September 1943. Scuttled August 1944
CB-7
1 August 1943
Captured by Germany at Pola September 1943. Cannibalized for spare parts.
CB-8
1 August 1943
Surrendered to Britain 1943, scrapped 1948
CB-9
1 August 1943
Surrendered to Britain 1943, scrapped 1948
CB-10
1 August 1943
Surrendered to Britain 1943, scrapped 1948
CB-11
24 August 1943
Surrendered to Britain 1943, scrapped 1948
CB-12
24 August 1943
Surrendered to Britain 1943, scrapped 1948
CB-13
Late 1943
Captured by Germany 1943. Transferred to Italian Social Republic, sunk by Allied aircraft 23 March 1945
CB-14
Late 1943
Captured by Germany 1943. Transferred to Italian Social Republic, sunk during air raid
CB-15
Late 1943
Captured by Germany 1943. Transferred to Italian Social Republic, sunk during air raid
CB-16
Late 1943
Captured by Germany 1943. Transferred to Italian Social Republic, sunk during air raid
CB-17
Late 1943
Captured by Germany 1943. Transferred to Italian Social Republic, sunk by Allied aircraft 3 April 1945
CB-18
Late 1943
Captured by Germany 1943. Transferred to Italian Social Republic, sunk 31 March 1945
CB-19
Late 1943
Captured by Germany 1943. Transferred to Italian Social Republic, broken up 1947
class, midget, submarine, class, group, midget, submarines, built, italian, navy, during, world, however, they, were, also, used, several, other, navies, seeing, action, mediterranean, black, former, technical, museum, zagrebclass, overview, builderscaproni, o. The CB class was a group of midget submarines built for the Italian Navy during World War II However they were also used by several other navies seeing action in the Mediterranean and in the Black Sea The former CB 20 in the Technical Museum ZagrebClass overview BuildersCaproni Operators Regia Marina National Republican Navy Royal Romanian Navy Kriegsmarine Soviet Navy Yugoslav Navy Preceded byCA class Built1941 1943 In commission1941 1950s Planned72 Completed21 Preserved2 General characteristics TypeMidget submarine Displacement35 4 tons surfaced 44 3 tons submerged Length15 00 m 49 ft 3 in Beam3 00 m 9 ft 10 in Draught2 05 m 6 ft 9 in Propulsion1 diesel engine 1 electric motor 1 shaft Speed7 5 knots 13 9 km h 8 6 mph surfaced 7 knots 13 km h 8 1 mph submerged Complement4 Armament2 x 450 mm torpedoes could be replaced by 2 mines Contents 1 Construction and specifications 2 Service 2 1 Black Sea 2 2 Mediterranean 3 List of submarines 4 See also 5 References 6 Further reading 7 External linksConstruction and specifications editThe submarines were designed and built by Caproni They were used as coastal defence units being a significant improvement of the previous CA class Each unit had a standard surfaced displacement of 35 4 tons and a submerged displacement of 44 3 tons They measured 15 metres 49 ft 3 in in length had a beam of 3 metres 9 ft 10 in and a draught of 2 05 metres 6 ft 9 in Power plant consisted of one Isotta Fraschini diesel engine and one Brown Boveri electric motor both generating a total of 97 kilowatts 130 hp powering a single shaft resulting in a surfaced top speed of 7 5 knots 13 9 km h 8 6 mph and a submerged top speed of 7 knots 13 km h 8 1 mph Each boat was armed with two externally mounted 450 millimetre 18 in torpedoes each tube could be reloaded without removing the vessel from water The two torpedoes could also be replaced by two mines Each boat had a crew of four aided in navigation by a small conning tower 1 2 Service editSeventy two boats were ordered from Caproni in Milan but only 22 were laid down Twelve boats were completed before the Italian Armistice and nine afterwards 3 4 Black Sea edit nbsp A group of Italian sailors from the Quarta Flottiglia MAS atop a CB class submarine in Crimea The first six boats completed in 1941 were transferred to the Black Sea by rail after Nazi Germany asked for Italian naval support on the Eastern Front They departed on 25 April 1942 and reached the Romanian port of Constanța on 2 May They formed the 1st Squadriglia Sommergibili CB under the overall command of Francesco Mimbelli They fought against the Soviet Black Sea Fleet CB 5 being sunk at Yalta in June 1942 either by Soviet aircraft or by a torpedo boat In late 1942 the remaining five submarines were refitted at the Constanța Shipyard in Romania On 26 August 1943 CB 4 torpedoed and sank the Soviet Shchuka class submarine Shch 203 5 6 7 8 nbsp The Black Sea submarines under Romanian control late 1943 After the Allied armistice with Italy in September 1943 the five Black Sea submarines CB 1 CB 2 CB 3 CB 4 and CB 6 were transferred to the Royal Romanian Navy They were all scuttled in the Black Sea in August 1944 after King Michael s Coup 9 10 11 12 13 Four of the Black Sea submarines CB 1 CB 2 CB 3 and CB 4 were captured by Soviet forces in August 1944 and commissioned on 20 October as TM 4 TM 5 TM 6 and TM 7 They were stricken on 16 February 1945 and subsequently scrapped 14 Mediterranean edit The first six boats were unsuccessfully employed as submarine hunters near Naples and Salerno before being transferred to the Black Sea in early 1942 15 The second squadron CB 7 CB 8 CB 9 CB 10 CB 11 CB 12 was completed just before the Armistice in August 1943 All of them except CB 7 later cannibalized for spare parts defected to the Allies CB 13 CB 14 CB 15 and CB 16 were captured by the Germans but all except CB 16 were destroyed by Allied air attacks CB 16 was assigned to the 10th Flotilla of the National Republican Navy the navy of the Italian Social Republic but its crew mutinied and surrendered the boat to the British The last squadron to be completed carried out patrol missions and landed saboteurs CB 17 was sunk during an air attack CB 18 was scuttled by her own crew CB 19 was turned over to the Allies CB 20 was captured by Yugoslav Partisans CB 21 was accidentally rammed by a German landing craft and CB 22 was either sunk in an air attack or scuttled by her own crew 16 List of submarines editSubmarine Completed Service Fate CB 1 27 January 1941 Transferred to the Black Sea To Romania after September 1943 Scuttled August 1944 raised by USSR and commissioned as TM 4 scrapped 1945 CB 2 27 January 1941 Transferred to the Black Sea To Romania after September 1943 Scuttled August 1944 raised by USSR and commissioned as TM 5 scrapped 1945 CB 3 10 May 1941 Transferred to the Black Sea To Romania after September 1943 Scuttled August 1944 raised by USSR and commissioned as TM 6 scrapped 1945 CB 4 10 May 1941 Transferred to the Black Sea To Romania after September 1943 Scuttled August 1944 raised by USSR and commissioned as TM 7 scrapped 1945 CB 5 10 May 1941 Transferred to the Black Sea sunk by Soviet aircraft or torpedo boat near Yalta 13 June 1942 CB 6 10 May 1941 Transferred to the Black Sea To Romania after September 1943 Scuttled August 1944 CB 7 1 August 1943 Captured by Germany at Pola September 1943 Cannibalized for spare parts CB 8 1 August 1943 Surrendered to Britain 1943 scrapped 1948 CB 9 1 August 1943 Surrendered to Britain 1943 scrapped 1948 CB 10 1 August 1943 Surrendered to Britain 1943 scrapped 1948 CB 11 24 August 1943 Surrendered to Britain 1943 scrapped 1948 CB 12 24 August 1943 Surrendered to Britain 1943 scrapped 1948 CB 13 Late 1943 Captured by Germany 1943 Transferred to Italian Social Republic sunk by Allied aircraft 23 March 1945 CB 14 Late 1943 Captured by Germany 1943 Transferred to Italian Social Republic sunk during air raid CB 15 Late 1943 Captured by Germany 1943 Transferred to Italian Social Republic sunk during air raid CB 16 Late 1943 Captured by Germany 1943 Transferred to Italian Social Republic sunk during air raid CB 17 Late 1943 Captured by Germany 1943 Transferred to Italian Social Republic sunk by Allied aircraft 3 April 1945 CB 18 Late 1943 Captured by Germany 1943 Transferred to Italian Social Republic sunk 31 March 1945 CB 19 Late 1943 Captured by Germany 1943 Transferred to Italian Social Republic broken up 1947 CB 20 Late 1943 Captured by Germany 1943 Transferred to Italian Social Republic Captured by Yugoslav partisans in Pola at the end of the war In active service in Yugoslav Navy 1950 1957 as P 901 Donated to the Technical Museum in Zagreb in 1959 CB 21 Late 1943 Captured by Germany 1943 Transferred to Italian Social Republic rammed and sunk by a Marinefahrprahm in the Adriatic 29 April 1945 CB 22 Captured by Germany in 1943 sunk by air raid or scuttled Wreck salvaged and preserved in TriesteSee also editItalian submarines of World War IIReferences edit Walter S Zapotoczny Jr Decima Flottiglia MAS The Best Commandos of the Second World War Fonthill Media 2017 Chapter 3 Section 3 Robert Gardiner Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 Naval Institute Press 1980 p 311 Walter S Zapotoczny Jr Decima Flottiglia MAS The Best Commandos of the Second World War Fonthill Media 2017 Chapter 3 Section 3 Robert Gardiner Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 Naval Institute Press 1980 p 311 Jamie Prenatt and Mark Stille Axis midget submarines pp 14 15 Piero Crociani Pier Paolo Battistelli Italian Navy amp Air Force Elite Units amp Special Forces 1940 45 pp 21 22 Mikhail Monakov Jurgen Rohwer Stalin s Ocean going Fleet Soviet Naval Strategy and Shipbuilding Programs 1935 1953 p 266 Jack Greene Alessandro Massignani The Black Prince and the Sea Devils The Story of Valerio Borghese and the elite units of the Decima Mas p 42 Robert Gardiner Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 1946 Naval Institute Press 1980 pp 311 and 361 W M Thornton Submarine Insignia and Submarine Services of the World Pen and Sword Publishing 1996 p 100 Paul Kemp Midget Submarines of the Second World War Chatham 1999 p 65 Bryan Perrett Ian V Hogg Encyclopedia of the Second World War Longman 1989 p 279 Maurizio Brescia Mussolini s Navy A Reference Guide to the Regia Marina 1930 1945 Seaforth Publishing 2012 Mikhail Monakov Jurgen Rohwer Stalin s Ocean going Fleet Soviet Naval Strategy and Shipbuilding Programs 1935 1953 p 275 Piero Crociani Pier Paolo Battistelli Italian Navy amp Air Force Elite Units amp Special Forces 1940 45 pp 21 22 Jamie Prenatt and Mark Stille Axis midget submarines p 15Further reading editChesneau Roger ed 1997 Conway s All the World s Fighting Ships 1922 46 Conway Maritime Press Ltd ISBN 978 0851771465 Kemp Paul 1996 Underwater Warriors Cassell ISBN 978 0304354542 External links editClasse CB Marina Militare website Portals nbsp Italy nbsp Engineering 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