This next Casemate Illustrated Special is on midget submarines of WWII. This is a classification of submarine that was not pursued by the US Navy, but was put into combat by other nations of the time. Probably the most well known by US readers are those of Japan, but Germany, Italy, and the UK also developed vehicles of this type, all operating with some degree of success.

The book starts with a basic introduction into the type and then has separate chapters that cover the four countries mentioned in the previous paragraph. Each of these chapters delves into the various types that were either built as prototypes or actually reached series production. Undoubtedly the most well developed were those of Germany, and in fact one has been restored to full operating condition and has been successfully operated, albeit in fairly calm waters.

While the German versions were the more technologically advanced, both the British and Italian versions (some of which were basically manned torpedoes) were successfully used in operations. However it is the Japanese submarines which saw more widespread use and were also successful in operations, especially in the first year of the Pacific war.

Typical of the series, in addition to a well researched read, the book is jammed full of photos. Many are period and there are also images of survivors as they are preserved in various museums. In all, it makes for one of the better books in this series in terms of interest (at least to me) as not all that much is published about these craft. It is a book I know you will like and one that I highly recommend.

December 2025

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