 It was two "Motosiluranti CRDA" that scored the biggest success by fast torpedo craft in the Second World War, the sinking of British light cruiser .After the conflict surviving boats remained in service with the Marina Militare—the last ones being ultimately dismissed after almost 40 years of service, in the late 1970s.Italian motor torpedo boats, the MAS, were built like speedboats, sacrificing seaworthiness for speed and manoeuvrability; for example the MAS 500-class, the latest type at the outbreak of the war, had a double-stepped planing hull and could top .