Italy's Fiat L6/40 light tank
Photos
Fiat L 6/40 light tank captured by Yugoslavian partisans: |
Design
Fiat Ansaldo built the L6/40 the vehicle in the 1930s intending to export them.3
Bolted and riveted construction.
Crew
In the front of the L 6/40 the driver sat on the right.3 The turret was manually turned and the commander could enter through the turret roof or a door in the right side of the hull.3
Suspension
The drive sprocket was in the front and idler in the rear.
Prototype
The earliest prototype of the L6/40 had two machine guns in the turret and was finished in 1936.3 There was a sponson that had a 37 mm gun installed.3 The next prototypes had the 37 mm gun moved to the turret.3
Production
The Italian Army ordered 283 and these were delivered between 1941 and 1942.
- L6/40: 2833
- Production: 19391
Variants
- L6/40:
- Flamethrower: Had 20mm replaced by flamethrower.3 Had 44 gallons / 200 liters of flame liquid.3 May not have seen action.
- Command: Had open roof and radios were added.3
- Semovente L40 47/32: Had turret removed and added a 47 mm gun with 70 rounds.3 Crew of 3.
Usage
Issued to the Italian Army from 1940-41.5 The L 6/40 was primarily used by reconnaissance units and cavalry divisions.3
First units were cavalry and then later Bersaglieri.5 Used in Africa, Russia, Greece, France, and Italy.5
Used by reconnaissance units.4
Specifications
| L6/40 | |
|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, driver.3 21,2,3,5 |
| Physical Characteristics | |
| Weight | 15,232 lb, 14,991 lb3 6.6 tons4, 6.79 tons1, 6.8 tons2,5 6,800 kg3, 6,900 kg1 |
| Length w/gun | 12.6'2, 12' 5"1,3,5, 12' 6.25" 3.78 m1,3 |
| Length w/o gun | |
| Height | 6.15'2, 6' 6", 6' 8"1,3,5, 7' 2" 2.03 m1,3 |
| Width | 5' 11", 6.1'2, 6' 4"1,3,5 1.92 m1,3 |
| Ground clearance | |
| Ground contact length | |
| Ground pressure | 6.87 psi |
| Turret ring diameter | |
| Armament | |
| Main | 37 mm Vickers-Termi L/21 (early models)4 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 8 mm Breda1 MG2 |
| MG - coaxial | 8 mm MG5 8 mm Breda model 383 |
| Side arms | |
| Quantity | |
| Main | 256, 2963 |
| Secondary | |
| MG | 1,5603 |
| Side arms | |
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 6 - 301,3 6 - 402 305 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 30 |
| Hull Front, Lower | |
| Hull Sides, Upper | |
| Hull Sides, Lower | |
| Hull Rear | |
| Hull Top | |
| Hull Bottom | 6 |
| Turret Front | |
| Turret Sides | |
| Turret Rear | |
| Turret Top | |
| Engine (Make / Model) | SPA 18 D1,3 Spa5 |
| Cylinders | 43 |
| Net HP | 682,5, 701,3 |
| Transmission | |
| Fuel type | Gasoline1,2,3 |
| Octane | |
| Capacity | |
| Performance | |
| Traverse | 360°3 |
| Speed - Road | 25 mph, 26 mph2,3,5, 26.1 mph1 42 kph1,3 |
| Speed - Cross Country | 15.5 mph |
| Range - Road | 125 miles1,5, 124 miles3 200 km1,3 |
| Turning radius | |
| Elevation limits | -12° to +20°3 |
| Fording depth | 2' 8"3 0.8 m3 |
| Trench crossing | 5' 7"3 1.7 m3 |
| Vertical obstacle | 2' 4"3 0.7 m3 |
| Suspension (Type) | Torsion bar5 |
| Wheels each side | 2 bogies with 2 wheels |
| Return rollers each side | 3 |
| Track length | |
| Tires | |
| Track width | |
| Track centers/tread |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
- The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
- Italian Medium Tanks in Action, Nicola Pignato, 2001
- Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
