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Destroyed tank modern italian tank11/5/2023 ![]() The essential layout and suspension design of the prototype were retained though for development of a new 10-ton tank.ĭespite it being obvious for years that tanks armed with cannons rather than machine guns were needed, it was not until May 1938 that the Italian Army officially decided that gun-armed tanks were going to be essential to its new armored division makeup despite years of experimental development beforehand. An initial prototype was made in 1936 but was abandoned in 1937. This new vehicle was set to replace the very outdated Fiat 3000’s the Italian Army (Regio Esercito) was still operating along with the CV.3 light tanks. As it would not be fighting tanks, the vehicle only needed armor to be proof against armor piercing ammunition from small arms and 20mm cannon fire. In 1936, the Italian Army issued requirements for a tank with a 3 man crew, a 37mm L.40 gun mounted in the hull and two 8mm machine guns in the turret. Ansaldo had even built a 9-tonne vehicle based on a British casemate design, which had later been modified with sprung suspension, all leading up to the design which became the M11/39. ![]() The Italians had evaluated and done some experiments with some other European tanks, most notably the British Vickers 6 ton tank. As a result, the production of their first modern gun-armed tank was slow in coming. Italian tank designers had focussed on the needs of the army for a tank suitable for mountain warfare as well as for colonial use rather than one meant to fight contemporary European vehicles. ![]() Pre-production M11/39 at the Ansaldo Factory in July 1939 with the multi-plate turret painted red-brown with vertical grey-green bands. ![]()
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