National Museum of the U.S. Navy

CB Midget Submarines, Italian, 1941-43

CB midget submarines were ordered from Caproni, Milan, Italy, and were built from 1941-43.   The submarines were used for coastal defense in the Black and Mediterranean seas.   Measuring 15 meters in length, the boat has a crew of four and was armed with two externally mounted 450mm torpedoes that could be replaced by mines.  Note, CB-20, the only remaining submarine, is currently on display at the Technical Museum in Zagreb, Croatia. 

Image:  80-G-43771:  Italian CB Midget Submarine following surrender at Taranto, Italy, 1943.   Official U.S. Navy Photograph, now in the collections of the National Archives.