M14/41 tank

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Carro armato M. 14/41
M 14/41 in the Bovington Tank Museum
TypeMedium tank
Place of originKingdom of Italy
Service history
Used byKingdom of Italy
Italian Partisans (captured)[1]
Nazi Germany
Australia (captured)
United Kingdom (captured)
WarsWorld War II
Italian Civil War
Production history
DesignerAnsaldo
ManufacturerAnsaldo
Produced1941–42
No. built744 [2]
VariantsCarro Comando Semovente M41, M14/41 Centro Radio (M14/41CR), Semovente Controcarro M41M
Specifications
Mass14.5 t (32,000 lb)
Length4.915 m (193.5 in)[3]
Width2.280 m (89.8 in)[4]
Height2.370 m (93.3 in)[4]
Crew4 (commander/gunner, radio operator/machine gunner, loader, driver)[5]
Armour
  • Front: 30 mm (1.2 in)[3]
  • Sides/rear: 25 mm (0.98 in)[3]
  • Floor/roof: 6–14 mm (0.24–0.55 in)[3]
  • Turret front: 42 mm (1.7 in)
Main
armament
1 × 47 mm cannone da 47/32 AT gun
87 rounds[6]
Secondary
armament
4 × 8 mm Breda mod. 38 machine guns (1 × coaxial, 1 × AA, 2 × in hull)
2,664 rounds[6]
EngineSPA 8 TB M41 11,980 cc V8 diesel
145 hp (108 kW) at 1,900 rpm[7]
SuspensionSemi-elliptic leaf springs
Ground clearance41 cm (16 in)[3]
Operational
range
200 km (120 mi)
Maximum speed 33 km/h (21 mph) on road[7]

The M 14/41 was a four-crew medium tank that served from 1941 in the Royal Italian Army. The official Italian designation was Carro Armato M 14/41. The tank was first employed in the North African Campaign where its shortcomings quickly became apparent.

History

Development

The M 14/41 was a slightly improved version of the earlier M 13/40 with a more powerful diesel engine. The M 14/41 was manufactured in 1941 and 1942.

In combat

Italian M 14/41 tanks in depot, September 1943.

Units

An M14/41 tank pressed into service by German forces pursues Yugoslavian partisans in the mountains of Bosnia, 1943.

The first unit to receive the M14/41 was the X Tank Battalion "M" of the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment. The other units assigned the tank were the following:

  • IV Tank Battalion "M", 31st Tank Infantry Regiment (later transferred to the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment)
  • X Tank Battalion "M", 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment (later transferred to the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment)
  • XII Tank Battalion "M", 31st Tank Infantry Regiment (later transferred to the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment)
  • XIV Tank Battalion "M", 31st Tank Infantry Regiment
  • XV Tank Battalion "M", 1st Infantry Division "Superga"
  • XVI Mixed Tank Battalion, in Sardinia
  • XVII Tank Battalion "M", 31st Tank Infantry Regiment
  • XVIII Tank Battalion "M", reserve unit based in Italy, disbanded 8 September 1943
  • LI Tank Battalion "M", 31st Tank Infantry Regiment (later transferred to the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment)

Variants

The M 14/41 chassis served as the basis for the far more successful Semovente da 90/53 tank destroyer.

The prototype Carro Armato Celere Sahariano was developed on the M 14/41 chassis in 1943.

References

Notes
  1. ^ https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/italian-partisans#index3
  2. ^ Cappellano, Filippo; Battistelli, Pier Paolo. Italian Medium Tanks (New Vanguard) (p. 67). Bloomsbury Publishing.
  3. ^ a b c d e Falessi & Pafi 1976, p. 67.
  4. ^ a b Cappellano & Battistelli 2012, p. 46.
  5. ^ David, B. "Carro Armato M14/41". tanks-encyclopedia.com. Retrieved 19 August 2017.
  6. ^ a b Pignato 2004, p. 41.
  7. ^ a b Falessi & Pafi 1976, p. 74.
Bibliography
  • Falessi, Cesare; Pafi, Benedetto (1976). Veicoli da Combattimento dell'Esercito Italiano dal 1939 al 1945. Intyrama books.
  • Cappellano, F.; Battistelli, P. P. (2012). Italian medium tanks, 1939–45. Oxford: Osprey Publishing. ISBN 9781849087759.
  • Pignato, Nicola (2004). Italian Armored Vehicles of World War Two. Squadron/Signal publications. ISBN 0-89747-475-9.