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The Carro Armato M 14/51 was essentially the M13/40 fitted with a more powerful diesel engine that
was equipped with air filters designed to cope with the harsh conditions of the desert. Production
amounted to just over 1,100 of these vehicles which had a similar specification to the M 13/40 except
for an increase in speed to 20mph (33kmh) and in weight to 14.5 tonnes. Further development resulted
in the Carro Armato M 15/42 that entered service in 1943. A total of 82 of these were built, most
being issued to the Ariete Division that took part in the Italian attempt to deny Rome to the Germans
in September 1943. Some of these vehicles were captured and then used against the Allies.
The M 15/42 was slightly longer than the M 14/41 and distinguishable from it by the lack of a crew
access door in the side of the hull. The M 15/42 was driven by a more powerful engine that made it
slightly faster and had improved armor protection. The hull was of all riveted construction that
varied in thickness from 14mm to 45mm. The driver was seated at the front of the hull on the left
with the bow machine gunner on his right, the latter operating the twin 8mm machine guns as well
as the radios. The turret was in the center of the hull and armed with a 47mm/40 caliber gun with
an elevation of +20 degrees and a depression of –10 degrees. The turret could traverse 360 degrees
and was electrically operated. An 8mm Modello 38 machine gun was mounted co-axial with the main
armament with a similar machine gun mounted on the roof for anti-aircraft defense. 111 rounds of
47mm and 2,640 rounds of 8mm ammunition were carried. Suspension on each side consisted of four
double wheel articulated bogies mounted in two assemblies each carried on semi-elliptical springs,
with the drive sprocket at the front and the idler at the rear. There were three track return rollers.
The engine was at the rear of the hull and coupled to the manual gearbox with eight forward and two
reverse gears.
By the time the M 15/42 had been introduced into service it was already obsolete and design of
another tank, the P 40, had been underway for years.
Specifications
| Powerplant |
192hp SPA 15 TB M42 8 cylinder gasoline engine |
| Weight |
34,800lbs (15,500kg) |
| Speed |
25 mph (40 kmh) |
| Range |
136 miles (220 km) |
| Verticle Obstacle |
2ft 8in (.8m) |
| Trench |
6ft 11in (2.10m) |
| Gradient |
60% |
| Length |
16ft 7in (5.04m) |
| Width |
7ft 4in (2.23m) |
| Height |
7ft 11in (2.39m) |
| Crew |
4 |
| Armor |
14mm to 45mm |
| Armament |
One 47mm 40 caliber gun and four 8mm machine guns (one co-axial, one on
roof and one twin in front hull Fording 3ft 3in (1m) |
Sources:
Chris Bishop, Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War Two, Barnes & Noble Press, 1999.
David Miller, Illustrated Directory of Tanks of the World, MBI Publishing, 2000.
Article by JDG.
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