The idea to use armored vehicles on the battlefield to the Italian military command came even before the start of World War I. According to historians, it was the Italians who were the first in the world to use an armored car in the Italian-Turkish conflict in 1912. Events unfolding in North Africa, laid the foundation for the creation of tracked armored vehicles. Despite the fact that the terrain did not contribute to the widespread use of tanks by the Italian army, several successful models were produced by the military industry of this state. Information about the device and the performance characteristics of some tanks in Italy is contained in the article.
How it all began?
The birth of Italian tank building was in 1910. At that time, the Royal Army of Italy already owned several armored vehicles of its own production. After the First World War, heavy defeats in battles and significant losses from the Kingdom by Italian industrialists and the military, attention was paid to the tank as one of the effective options to ensure the army superiority on the battlefield. Since until the end of World War I, only three combat transport units were received from France, the production of Italian tanks fell on the post-war period. Weapon engineers borrowed the most successful foreign designs. Italian industrialists used French-made Renault FT light tanks and the British Mk.IV Carden-Lloyd wedge.
About manufacturers
The release of Italian tanks involved in the company "OTO Melara". At that time, it was the main manufacturer of armored military equipment. The Fiat company worked on individual orders. Awaiting an official request from the military command, the company's designers designed their own tank on the basis of the French Renault FT-17. However, having not received the order, the employees started work on their own. The combat unit was ready in 1918. In the technical documentation is listed as FIAT-200.
According to experts, until the 1940s it was the only heavy tank in Italy. More work on the creation of such machines in the 1940s by Italian gunsmiths was not conducted. In 1929, designers worked on a heavy knee tank, but the matter was limited only to design.
About light combat vehicles
According to experts, the design of light tanks in Italy was carried out on the basis of the English platform wedge Mk.IV "Carden-Lloyd". In service with the Italian Kingdom, it was listed as Carlo Veloce (CV29). Later, new modifications of CV 33, 35 and 38 were created. In 1929, the Ansaldo high-wheeled tank with a combat weight of 8.25 tons was created.
The crew consisted of 3 people. The combat vehicle was armed with a 37- or 45-mm cannon and one 6.5 mm machine gun Fiat-14. The tank was equipped with a 4-cylinder liquid-cooled carburetor engine with a power of 81 kW. The tank moved along the highway at a speed of 43.5 km / h. The Fiat Ansaldo Association was engaged in the creation of a series of prototypes of lighter 5-ton tanks. These combat vehicles were intended for sale abroad. In 1936, the first 5T version was ready. However, Fiat Ansaldo did not receive orders for these models, and work in this project was discontinued.
In 1937, the designers were engaged in an experimental light tank CV3. As weapons, a 20-mm automatic gun was used, which was equipped with a conical tower, and coaxial 8-mm machine guns, the place for which was the right frontal part in the case. The tank and wedge heel had similar suspensions. However, in a 5-ton combat vehicle, the turret box was increased. Additionally, it was equipped with crew hatches. No orders were received for this version of the tank, and further design was discontinued.
However, as combat experience has shown, it was a mistake to assign a wedge heel to the main role in tank troops from Italy. The army required light, medium and heavy tanks. As a result, in November 1938, the army command had to change the entire system of tank troops.
L60 / 40
In 1939, the Fiat Ansaldo based on the 5T was designed an improved tank. The production of armored vehicles was established in 1940. The model in the technical documentation is listed as L60 / 40. Unlike 5T, in the new version the upper part was changed. Now the armored vehicles had an enlarged octagonal tower. The thickness of the frontal reservation was 4 cm, the hull was 3 cm. The sides and rear of the tank received 1.5 cm thick armor. Shooting was carried out from a 20-mm automatic gun and an 8 mm machine gun. Despite the fact that the combat weight of the tank increased to 6.8 tons, thanks to the modified suspension and power unit, the power of which reached 68 liters. sec., on a flat surface, the car moved at a speed of 42 km / h. This model was intended for export. However, the tank as an reconnaissance armored vehicle interested the Italian army. Of the planned 697 units, only 402 were produced by Italian industry.
What was required for the Italian army?
In accordance with the adopted directive, Italy's tanks of the Second World War were of three types, for each of which a corresponding designation was provided:
- "L". Light tanks with machine guns belonged to this category. The combat weight of the armored vehicles did not exceed 5 tons.
- "M". Medium tanks with coaxial machine guns in the towers. The weight of such vehicles ranged from 7 to 10 tons. Heavy medium tanks with a mass of 11-13 tons also belonged to this category. They were equipped with coaxial machine guns. In addition to the combat vehicle, a 37 mm gun was attached. Its location was the hull of the tank. For guns, restrictions were imposed on the horizontal aiming angles.
- "R". Under this designation, medium-heavy tanks were listed.
Soon, the directive was amended according to which light tanks were armed with 13.2 mm machine guns, medium-light ones with automatic guns, the caliber of which did not exceed 20 mm, and medium-heavy ones with 47 mm guns. Next to the letter designation, the year of adoption was indicated. By the beginning of World War II, Italy's military industry had created 1, 500 combat vehicles, the exceptionally light L6 / 40 and medium M11 / 39.
Tank construction during the war years
According to experts, during the Second World War, Italy had weak capacities for the production of tanks. Until 1943, only light tanks and medium tanks “M13 / 40”, “M14 / 41” and “M15 / 42” were produced. In 1942, using the English “Cruzader”, the Italian designers made the medium experimental high-speed tank “Carro Armato Celere Sahariano” with a combat weight of 13.1 tons.
The crew consisted of 4 people. The armored vehicles were armed with a 47 mm Cannone da 47 cannon and two Breda 38 machine guns of 8 mm caliber. The power plant is represented by a 12-cylinder in-line liquid-cooled carburetor engine. The power of the unit reached 250 horsepower. A tank with a spring suspension on a flat surface could reach a speed of 71 km / h. However, this armored vehicle did not go into the series.
From 1940 to 1943, the Italian industry produced only 2, 300 units of tanks with low combat characteristics. Since the country lacked armored vehicles in 1943, the German 1st Panzer Battalion of the SS division "Leibstandart Adolf Hitler" entered the Italian front. German-made Panther tanks were widely used in Italy, with a total of 71 vehicles. In the 44th, another 76 units arrived.
Post-war time
It was forbidden to produce tanks after the Second World War in Italy. This also applies to any other heavy weapons. The tank troops of the country were equipped with American armored vehicles. The situation changed after the 1970s. Since that time, new Italian tanks were created on the basis of the German Leopard 1A4. This model served as the basis for the main Italian tank F-40. Military equipment was produced in small batches and exclusively for sales to other countries. In the 1990s, the Italian tank forces were equipped with own-made combat vehicles S-1 Ariete. This model is considered a third-generation tank and, according to experts, the most expensive in the world.
F-40
The production of armored vehicles of this model lasted from 1981 to 1985. A combat vehicle with a classic layout and a combat weight of 45.5 tons. The crew consisted of 4 people. Equipment with steel rolled armor. The tank was equipped with a 105-mm rifled gun OTO Melara, in the ammunition of which there were 57 shells. In addition, two MG-3 machine guns of 7.62 mm caliber were used. The power plant is represented by a V-shaped 10-cylinder four-stroke liquid-cooled diesel engine. The unit had a capacity of 830 horsepower. With an individual torsion bar suspension, for which hydraulic shock absorbers were provided, the tank moved at a speed of 60 km / h on a flat surface.
