Italian Armored Vehicles of WW II

Semovente M41 da 75/18 DLX Gruppo, Sicily, Italy, Jul. 1943 (Italeri Kit). The M41 was a slightly improved version of the M/40 Semovente. The Engine was upgraded to 145 HP V-8 Diesel (from 125 HP), weight was 13.5 tons, but most other statistics remained the same from the previous model. 162 M14 da 75/18 were built in 1942 and they first saw action in Tunisia, serving well until the capitulation on 13 May 1943. The remaining M14 assault guns served in Italy but by August 1943 only 4 remained and the new M42 Semoventi were available. The last Italian unit to field the M41 was Gruppo DLXI which was sent to garrison Sardinia in 1943 against the threat of Allied invasion. With the Italian armistice in September 1943 the Island withstood German attempts to disarm and capture Italian forces on Sardinia and these Assault guns did not fall into German hands. 

Semovente M41 da 75/18 DLX Gruppo, Sicily, Italy, Jul. 1943 (Italeri Kit). The M41 was a slightly improved version of the M/40 Semovente. The Engine was upgraded to 145 HP V-8 Diesel (from 125 HP), weight was 13.5 tons, but most other statistics remained the same from the previous model. 162 M14 da 75/18 were built in 1942 and they first saw action in Tunisia, serving well until the capitulation on 13 May 1943. The remaining M14 assault guns served in Italy but by August 1943 only 4 remained and the new M42 Semoventi were available. The last Italian unit to field the M41 was Gruppo DLXI which was sent to garrison Sardinia in 1943 against the threat of Allied invasion. With the Italian armistice in September 1943 the Island withstood German attempts to disarm and capture Italian forces on Sardinia and these Assault guns did not fall into German hands. 

Semovente M41 da 75/18 DLX Gruppo, Sicily, Italy, Jul. 1943 (Italeri Kit). The M41 was a slightly improved version of the M/40 Semovente. The Engine was upgraded to 145 HP V-8 Diesel (from 125 HP), weight was 13.5 tons, but most other statistics remained the same from the previous model. 162 M14 da 75/18 were built in 1942 and they first saw action in Tunisia, serving well until the capitulation on 13 May 1943. The remaining M14 assault guns served in Italy but by August 1943 only 4 remained and the new M42 Semoventi were available. The last Italian unit to field the M41 was Gruppo DLXI which was sent to garrison Sardinia in 1943 against the threat of Allied invasion. With the Italian armistice in September 1943 the Island withstood German attempts to disarm and capture Italian forces on Sardinia and these Assault guns did not fall into German hands. 

Semovente M42 da 75/18 self-propelled howitzer, 278th Infantry Division (Vermacht), Ancona, Italy, July 1944 (Italeri Kit). The M42 Assault Gun was an updated model from the M40 built on the new Carro Armato M15/42 Tank hull which was slightly longer to accommodate a new 190 HP petroleum V-8 engine. Armor protection was of 50mm maximum frontal plate, 8-30mm elsewhere. The new Semoventi weighed 15 tons, otherwise, much was the same as previous models.
A total of 205 was produced from December 1942 to September 1943. 194 were delivered to the Italian Army prior to the Italian Armistice, most of them going to the Ariete II Division. The Italian Army fought the Allies on Sicily and the Southern Italy until September 8th, 1943, when Italy surrendered to the Allies. The Germans quickly disarmed in Italy and the Balkans but in Rome, the Ariete II and other Italian forces resisted. Heavy fighting lasted several days resulting in heavy losses to the Italians before a cease fire was agreed upon.
Under new management: After the Italian Armistice, the Germans collected Italian weapons including tanks and assault guns and issued them to various German and Italian Fascist units. This included 123 Semoventi M41 and M42 da 75/18 (mostly the latter). A further 55 M42 da 75/18's were produced for the Germans renamed Sturmgeschutz M42 mit 75/18 850 (i). The assault guns were deployed in Panzer Jaeger Battalions in a number of divisions in Italy and the Balkans.  

Semovente M42 da 75/18 self-propelled howitzer, 278th Infantry Division (Vermacht), Ancona, Italy, July 1944 (Italeri Kit). The M42 Assault Gun was an updated model from the M40 built on the new Carro Armato M15/42 Tank hull which was slightly longer to accommodate a new 190 HP petroleum V-8 engine. Armor protection was of 50mm maximum frontal plate, 8-30mm elsewhere. The new Semoventi weighed 15 tons, otherwise, much was the same as previous models.
A total of 205 was produced from December 1942 to September 1943. 194 were delivered to the Italian Army prior to the Italian Armistice, most of them going to the Ariete II Division. The Italian Army fought the Allies on Sicily and the Southern Italy until September 8th, 1943, when Italy surrendered to the Allies. The Germans quickly disarmed in Italy and the Balkans but in Rome, the Ariete II and other Italian forces resisted. Heavy fighting lasted several days resulting in heavy losses to the Italians before a cease fire was agreed upon.
Under new management: After the Italian Armistice, the Germans collected Italian weapons including tanks and assault guns and issued them to various German and Italian Fascist units. This included 123 Semoventi M41 and M42 da 75/18 (mostly the latter). A further 55 M42 da 75/18's were produced for the Germans renamed Sturmgeschutz M42 mit 75/18 850 (i). The assault guns were deployed in Panzer Jaeger Battalions in a number of divisions in Italy and the Balkans.  

Semovente M42 da 75/18 self-propelled howitzer, 278th Infantry Division (Vermacht), Ancona, Italy, July 1944 (Italeri Kit). The M42 Assault Gun was an updated model from the M40 built on the new Carro Armato M15/42 Tank hull which was slightly longer to accommodate a new 190 HP petroleum V-8 engine. Armor protection was of 50mm maximum frontal plate, 8-30mm elsewhere. The new Semoventi weighed 15 tons, otherwise, much was the same as previous models.
A total of 205 was produced from December 1942 to September 1943. 194 were delivered to the Italian Army prior to the Italian Armistice, most of them going to the Ariete II Division. The Italian Army fought the Allies on Sicily and the Southern Italy until September 8th, 1943, when Italy surrendered to the Allies. The Germans quickly disarmed in Italy and the Balkans but in Rome, the Ariete II and other Italian forces resisted. Heavy fighting lasted several days resulting in heavy losses to the Italians before a cease fire was agreed upon.
Under new management: After the Italian Armistice, the Germans collected Italian weapons including tanks and assault guns and issued them to various German and Italian Fascist units. This included 123 Semoventi M41 and M42 da 75/18 (mostly the latter). A further 55 M42 da 75/18's were produced for the Germans renamed Sturmgeschutz M42 mit 75/18 850 (i). The assault guns were deployed in Panzer Jaeger Battalions in a number of divisions in Italy and the Balkans.  

Semovente M42 da 75/18 self-propelled howitzer, 278th Infantry Division (Vermacht), Ancona, Italy, July 1944 (Italeri Kit). The M42 Assault Gun was an updated model from the M40 built on the new Carro Armato M15/42 Tank hull which was slightly longer to accommodate a new 190 HP petroleum V-8 engine. Armor protection was of 50mm maximum frontal plate, 8-30mm elsewhere. The new Semoventi weighed 15 tons, otherwise, much was the same as previous models.
A total of 205 was produced from December 1942 to September 1943. 194 were delivered to the Italian Army prior to the Italian Armistice, most of them going to the Ariete II Division. The Italian Army fought the Allies on Sicily and the Southern Italy until September 8th, 1943, when Italy surrendered to the Allies. The Germans quickly disarmed in Italy and the Balkans but in Rome, the Ariete II and other Italian forces resisted. Heavy fighting lasted several days resulting in heavy losses to the Italians before a cease fire was agreed upon.
Under new management: After the Italian Armistice, the Germans collected Italian weapons including tanks and assault guns and issued them to various German and Italian Fascist units. This included 123 Semoventi M41 and M42 da 75/18 (mostly the latter). A further 55 M42 da 75/18's were produced for the Germans renamed Sturmgeschutz M42 mit 75/18 850 (i). The assault guns were deployed in Panzer Jaeger Battalions in a number of divisions in Italy and the Balkans.  

Italian heavy tank, P-40, in German service, Northern Italy, Spring 1945. At the onset of WWII, the Italian Army was struggling to arm itself with contemporary weapons, especially in terms of tanks. Tankettes and light tanks were mandated for narrow roads and mountainous terrain of its bordering neighbors/enemies and Colonial African needs. by 1939, medium tank development was begun resulting in the M39 through M42 series of tanks but after initial battles with British tanks in Libya, the need for something heavier was obviously needed. Designs for the P40 were drawn up in 1940, but this vehicle would not materialize until 1943, by which time it was rather obsolete. With the Italian surrender and subsequent German Occupation thereof, in September 1943, some 100 P40 tanks in various states of assembly were discovered in their factory. Under German supervision, these and a further 50 P40 were completed and put into service. 

Italian heavy tank, P-40, in German service, Northern Italy, Spring 1945. At the onset of WWII, the Italian Army was struggling to arm itself with contemporary weapons, especially in terms of tanks. Tankettes and light tanks were mandated for narrow roads and mountainous terrain of its bordering neighbors/enemies and Colonial African needs. by 1939, medium tank development was begun resulting in the M39 through M42 series of tanks but after initial battles with British tanks in Libya, the need for something heavier was obviously needed. Designs for the P40 were drawn up in 1940, but this vehicle would not materialize until 1943, by which time it was rather obsolete. With the Italian surrender and subsequent German Occupation thereof, in September 1943, some 100 P40 tanks in various states of assembly were discovered in their factory. Under German supervision, these and a further 50 P40 were completed and put into service. 

Italian heavy tank, P-40, in German service, Northern Italy, Spring 1945. At the onset of WWII, the Italian Army was struggling to arm itself with contemporary weapons, especially in terms of tanks. Tankettes and light tanks were mandated for narrow roads and mountainous terrain of its bordering neighbors/enemies and Colonial African needs. by 1939, medium tank development was begun resulting in the M39 through M42 series of tanks but after initial battles with British tanks in Libya, the need for something heavier was obviously needed. Designs for the P40 were drawn up in 1940, but this vehicle would not materialize until 1943, by which time it was rather obsolete. With the Italian surrender and subsequent German Occupation thereof, in September 1943, some 100 P40 tanks in various states of assembly were discovered in their factory. Under German supervision, these and a further 50 P40 were completed and put into service. 

Italeri M13/40 mid production Italian medium tank. Libya Nov 1941 

Italeri L6/40 Italian Light tank Gazala May 1942 

Ansaldo M13/40 mid production, Libya 1941 

Italian M40 Semovente 75/18 SP Howitzer, Ariete Armored Division, Bir Hakim (Gazala Line), Libya, May 1942. Impressed by the German StuG III 75mm Howitzer Assault Gun, the Italian Army developed their own Assault gun based on the M40/13 Medium tank. Development took most of 1941 and production of 60 vehicles began late that year. All were shipped to North Africa where their debut was at Gazala in May 1942. These assault guns proved to be the most effective Italian AFV's and they fought well through El Alamain until they were destroyed in the defeat of the Afrika Korp in November 1942. Further production was based on M41/14 and M42/15 medium tanks. 

Italian M40 Semovente 75/18 SP Howitzer, Ariete Armored Division, Bir Hakim (Gazala Line), Libya, May 1942. Impressed by the German StuG III 75mm Howitzer Assault Gun, the Italian Army developed their own Assault gun based on the M40/13 Medium tank. Development took most of 1941 and production of 60 vehicles began late that year. All were shipped to North Africa where their debut was at Gazala in May 1942. These assault guns proved to be the most effective Italian AFV's and they fought well through El Alamain until they were destroyed in the defeat of the Afrika Korp in November 1942. Further production was based on M41/14 and M42/15 medium tanks. 

Italian M40 Semovente 75/18 SP Howitzer, Ariete Armored Division, Bir Hakim (Gazala Line), Libya, May 1942. Impressed by the German StuG III 75mm Howitzer Assault Gun, the Italian Army developed their own Assault gun based on the M40/13 Medium tank. Development took most of 1941 and production of 60 vehicles began late that year. All were shipped to North Africa where their debut was at Gazala in May 1942. These assault guns proved to be the most effective Italian AFV's and they fought well through El Alamain until they were destroyed in the defeat of the Afrika Korp in November 1942. Further production was based on M41/14 and M42/15 medium tanks. 

L6/40 Italian light tank