Construction of the French torpedo boats began after World War I, influenced by the success of Italian and British boats. In 1921, France purchased two Thornycroft boats from the United Kingdom: a 40-foot boat and a 55-foot boat, which became VTA-1 and VTB-1, respectively. These boats served as the basis for a series of experimental French-designed vessels, the VTB 2–7 and the VTA 2–4. However, due to their unsatisfactory performance, none of them entered mass production.

In 1928, the VTB-8, VTB-9, and VTB-10 prototypes were developed to address the shortcomings of earlier boats. The VTB-8 was built at the Melan Shipyard and was fitted with Silbur-Lorraine engines. The main difference between the boats was their torpedo launch systems: the VTB-8 was equipped with unreliable drop-collar launchers, a feature that was omitted from subsequent vessels. The boat entered service in 1935. At the time of the 1940 Compiègne Armistice, the VTB-8 was in the United Kingdom, where it was seized by the British. It was later transferred to the Navy of Free France and served as a patrol boat until the end of the war.

The VTB-8 was introduced in Update 2.39, "Dance of Dragons". It is a fast boat with weak armaments, consisting only of two 7.7mm machine guns. Its torpedoes are weak but sufficient to sink a torpedo boat or subchaser.