L3 / 33

L3 / 33 in North Africa, 1941

German and Italian soldiers with L3 / 35 in Yugoslavia

L3 / 35 in Belgrade

L3 Lf, behind L3 / 33 of the Corpo Truppe Volontarie during the Battle of Guadalajara

The L3 / 33 was an Italian tankette at the time of World War II .

Before the Second World War, the tankettes were the main equipment of the motorized units of Italy. Mainly in the 1930s about 1400 pieces were produced. The advantages of the tankettes were their small size, their maneuverability and the high speed, which could be used for reconnaissance and reinforcement of infantry units.

The disadvantages were more serious, however, because the weak standard armament, which consisted only of a MG, and the weak armor, the thickness of which was no more than 12 mm at any point, made them similar to the German Panzerkampfwagen I , the British Light Tank Mk VI and the Polish TKS did not become a serious opponent for enemy tanks.

Development history and variants

Development of this tankette began in the late 1920s and, like the T-27, was based on the Vickers-Armstrong Mk.IV Carden-Loyd. Well-known variants are:

CV 29 (prototype)
L3 / 33, Carro Veloce 33
L3 / 35, Carro Veloce 35
CV Fiat-Ansoldo L38
L3 cc controcarro (equipped with a Solothurn S18 / 100 anti - tank rifle )

L3 Lf Lanciafiamme (equipped with a flame thrower)

Carro Veloce L35 / Lf

Carro radio

Carro Veloce Recupero (draft only)

Passerella (bridge armor)

Semovente L3 da 47/32

The abbreviation "L3" stands for light tankette / 3 tons, "CV" for "Carro Veloce", the two-digit numbers for the start of production of the variants.

commitment

The L3 / 33 was used in the Spanish Civil War in the ranks of the Italian Corpo Truppe Volontarie . It was not up to the Soviet T-26 on the Republican side due to its insufficient armament and weak armor.

Tankette units suffered heavy losses in North Africa during World War II, as they were often used like tank units and were far inferior to the British Matilda or Crusader tanks . As early as 1940 the L3 / 33 was completely unsuitable for use at the front.

Technical specifications

Production period: 1933–1935
Crew: 2 people
Length: 3.03 meters
Width: 1.4 meters
Height: 1.2 meters
Mass: 2.7 t
Ability to cross: 1.45 meters
Climbing ability: 65 cm
Wading ability: 70 cm
Drive: liquid-cooled Fiat CV 3-005
Speed: 42 km / h
Driving range: 110 km
Armament:
- a 6.5 mm Breda machine gun with 2170 rounds
Armor:
- Front: 12 mm
- Sides: 6 mm
- Motor cover: 6 mm

Importers

Afghanistan - an unknown number L3 / 35 were delivered between 1937 and 1939
Bolivia - an unknown number was delivered in 1937/1938
Brazil - 23 L3 / 35, 5 were with the Breda 13.2 mm and 18 to the Madsen 7.92 mm equipped
Bulgaria - 14 L3 / 33 delivered from 1935
Republic of China
Iraq - an unknown number L3 / 35 were delivered in 1938
Austria - 72 vehicles, 36 L3 / 33 (from 1935) and 36 L3 / 35 (from 1937). All vehicles were from the army to the Schwarzlose- machine gun 7.12 retrofitted
Spain - an unknown number was National Spanish army from Corpo Truppe Volontarie during the Spanish Civil War left
Hungary - a not inconsiderable number were delivered from 1935 and put into service by the Royal Hungarian Army under the designation 35M Ansaldo