Land Weapons

Medium Tank (1939)

FIAT/Ansaldo

Carro Armato M11/39

M11/39 (Australian Army)
M11/39

The Carro Armato M11/39 was the first of Italy's medium tank designs although at just 11 tonnes, would barely be considered a light tank in most other armies. Like the CV 33 tankette that it was designed to replace, the M11/39 was armed with twin Breda 8-mm machine guns in the one-man turret. However, a 37-mm gun was added to the right side of the hull; a configuration similar to that of the French Char B1 and the US M3. Despite its limited traverse, it offered considerably superior firepower compared to all previous Italian tank designs. The M11/39 was built with a riveted hull and turret and armor protection was limited to a 30 mm maximum; not enough to provide adequate protection even against the relatively lightly armed British tanks of 1940-41. It was eventually realized that the gun configuration had to be reversed and armor protection increased. This resulted in a successor, the M13/40 which went on to be the most widely used Italian tank of the war. Still, M11/39s were in service in the Balkans, East Africa and North Africa before being gradually replaced.

Design of the M11/39 began in 1936 and the first prototype was ready the following year. No variants aside from the basic tank version were built as production soon shifted to the improved M13/40.

Preceded by:

None

Succeeded by:

Carro Armato M13/40 (1940)

Datafile

DesignCarro Armato M11/39
TypeMedium Tank
Year1939
Crew3
Dimensions
Length (w/Gun)4.73 m
Width2.180 m
Height2.300 m
Ground Clearance0 m
Track0 m
Track on Ground0 m
Weight
Combat11,175 kg
Ground Pressure0 kg/cm²
SuspensionLeaf Springs
Performance
Speed (Off-Road)33 km/h (13 km/h)
Range (Off-Road)200 km
AmphibiousNo
Fording1 m
Vertical Obstacle0.80 m
Trench2 m
Gradient60%
Powerplant
Engine1 x 105-hp
FIAT
SPA 8T
FuelDiesel
Power/Weight9.40 hp/t
Armament
Main1 x 37-mm L/40
Cannone da 37/40 Mod. 30

Anti-Tank Gun
↑ 12° / ↓ -12° / ↔ 30°
Secondaryturret:
2 x 8-mm
Breda Mod. 38
Ammo8-mm: 2,808
Armor
TypeSteel
Thickness7 - 30 mm
Max Effective30 - 31 mm RHAe
Hull Upper Front30 mm / 11°
Hull Lower Front14 mm / Round
Hull Upper Sides14 mm / 9°
Hull Lower Sides14 mm
Hull Lower Rear14 mm
Hull Top8 mm
Hull Bottom8 mm
Turret Mantlet30 mm / Round
Turret Front30 mm / 5°
Turret Sides30 mm / 10°
Turret Rear14 mm / 12°
Turret Top7 mm / 85°
Production
Built100
Total100

Gallery