M15 / 42
| M15 / 42 | |
|---|---|
M15 / 42 in the Musée des Blindés (2006) |
|
| General properties | |
| crew | 4 (commander, driver, gunner, loader) |
| length | 4.92 m |
| width | 2.2 m |
| height | 2.4 m |
| Dimensions | 15.5 tons |
| Armor and armament | |
| Armor | 14-45 mm |
| Main armament | 1 × 47 mm L / 40 cannon (111 rounds) |
| Secondary armament | 4 × 8 mm MG Breda 38 |
| agility | |
| drive | Petrol engine 141 kW (192 PS) |
| suspension | vertical coil spring / horizontal leaf spring |
| Top speed | 40 km / h |
| Power / weight | 9.1 kW / ton (12.4 HP / t) |
| Range | 200 km |
The M15 / 42 was after the P26 / 40 of the most advanced Italian battle tank of the Second World War.
The tank is the successor to the M13 / 40 and M14 / 41. The designation "M" stands for "Medio" (medium), the number 15 for the weight in tons and the number 42 for the first year of construction. However, difficulties with the delivery of the new main weapon meant that series production did not start until January 1943. With this type, some of the identified weaknesses of the previous models have been improved. The armor was increased to a maximum of 45 mm in the front area. This increased the mass of the vehicle to 15.5 tons, which in turn made a more powerful engine necessary. Since no suitable diesel engine was available, a water-cooled V8 petrol engine with 192 hp was installed. The main armament has also been improved. A 47 mm L / 40 cannon was installed with a gun barrel longer than the previous 47 mm L / 32 by 376 mm. This increased the muzzle velocity of the bullet and thus the penetration performance. Furthermore, the tower was now rotated by an electric drive and all vehicles were equipped with a radio as standard.
Despite the detailed improvements, the tank was already out of date when it was introduced and was not up to the enemy tanks of the Allies. The use of rivets to join the armor plates was no longer in keeping with the times, as the rivets could split off when hit and endanger the crew. In general, the armor was too weak and the main armament inadequate. A larger gun could not be installed in the turret for reasons of space and a complete redesign of the tank would have been necessary.
The tank came too late for the Africa campaign , as in January 1943 the defeat of the Axis powers in North Africa was already looming. Italy capitulated to the Allies in September 1943, so the M15 / 42 was never used against them by the Italians.
See also
Web links
Individual evidence
- ↑ Alexander Lüdeke: tanks worldwide . 1st edition. Motorbuch Verlag, Stuttgart 2017, ISBN 978-3-613-03973-5 , p. 192 .
- ↑ Wolfgang Fleischer: Panzer 1000 military vehicles in portrait . Naumann & Göbel Verlagsgesellschaft mbH, Cologne, ISBN 978-3-625-12224-1 , p. 182 .