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Excellent thankyou, just what I needed, Mark

Hi all, wonder if anyone can help. I know the Italians and Hungarians tested a prototype of the L3/35 tankette with a smoke generator, I think trailer mounted. Has anyone got a photo or drawing of the prototype that they can share?

Does Nafziger provide a TO&E or this written? Does he cite a source? Grazie! Jeff National Archives, Microcopy T-78, Roll 445, Frame 6419402 Mark

According to the Nafziger books, an Artillery Battalion has an HQ Battery that includes a Platoon with a Signals Section, a Calibration Section and a Observation Section, as well as Staff Section and a Reserve Section. In addition the Battery has two Observation Platoons each with a Signals...

http://tankarchives.blogspot.com/2019/01/pziv-penetration-trials.html Interestingly, the article states that the British 2pdr in France 1940 was using only APHE, not solid AP. Despite the explosive filler of the APHE, it actually had less penetration than the AP shot. I do know from an Axis...

Yes, although the British 18pdr and French 75mm M1897 did have APHE rounds available, but that's a separate topic. I do accept that the Nafziger material is not 100%, but I do use it as a good starting point. And these OOB in this book are unusual in that it lists differing amounts of weapons...

The Nafziger OOB for Trento on Aug 22nd 1942 on pg.166 of the book lists two battalions attached, quote: (my italics) 254th Artillery Battalion (attached from XXI Corps, sometimes identified as the 354th Artillery Battalion (1st, 2nd, 3rd batteries each 4x 77/28) 355th Artillery Battalion...

"In reading the Finazzer & Riccio quote, nothing states that these gun were provided to the divisions specifically for use as c.c. The quote indicates that the divisions decided to use them in that role of c.c. Do the authors provide a cite for this info (I assume Cappellano)?" The bibliography...

"I looked at all the Nafziger OOBs at CARL and couldn't find one dated Aug 1942. I looked through the Italian officials and couldn't find a Aug 42 OB (the natural place for Nafziger to copy a OOB). I also looked at Niehorster and he doesn't have an Aug 42 OB. " Well this is it, I cannot find it...

A review of a book I've got: http://www.warwheels.net/Review_Book_ItalianArtyKEENAN.html

One source is Italian Army in North Africa, A Poor Fighting Force or Doomed by Circumstance, Walter S Zapotoczny Jr, Fonthill Media Limited, (2018) ISBN 978-1-78155-674-0 which cites Nafziger sourced OOBs for August 1942 showing 102nd Trento with 354th and 355th Battalions each 3 batteries each...

For what it's worth, I have the following penetration values and dates for Italian EP HEAT rounds: 47/32 4cm/90* out to 1300m (from April 1942) 65/17 4cm/90* out to 1500m (from march 1942) 75/18 7cm/90* out to 1000m (from October 1942) 75/27 7cm/90* out to 1000m (from March 1942) 75/34 7cm/90*...

Looking at 1942 OOBs, it seems some of the GAF 77/28 field guns were issued as anti-tank guns to infantry divisions in North Africa. I haven't come across an AP round for this old gun, so did they have to suffer the indignity of only having HE rounds, or was an APHE or HEAT (EP) round issued? Mark

I am sure I read somewhere (older version of this forum or Tanknet?) that the 90/53 on Lancias first deployed to North Africa in 1942 were only supplied with HE proximity rounds, for AA use. The article stated that to operate in the ground role, the crews modified proximity fuses to impact...

Do we have confirmation of the organisations for the Bersaglieri in North Africa for 1941 and 1942-43? Mark

The Tank Power series has some excellent colour profiles of Italian armour, including captured AFVs: Tank Power XXIX 253 Czolgi Mussoliniego (Mussolini's Tanks) by Janusz Ledwoch, (2006) ISBN 83-7219-253-7 or978-83-7219-253-0 Mark

The Green Series of books from Poland are excellent: Green Series 4122 - Light Trucks of the Italian Army in WW2 by Enrico Finazzer & Luigi Carretta MMP Books (2017) ISBN 978-83-65281-22-7 Green Series 4119 - Italian Artillery of WW2 by Enrico Finazzer & Ralph A Riccio, MMP Books (2015) ISBN...

On this website it shows the armour of the Semovente as "42mm" maximum. Ralph Riccio's book Italian Tanks & Fighting Vehicles of WW2 states the armour as the same as M15/42, ie 45mm turret front, 42mm hull front, 25mm hull side and rear. The Encyclopedia of German Tanks of WW2 by Chamberlain and...

" Squadra esploratori (reconnaissance squad) - 13 men Comandante di squadra Vice comandante di squadra 11 esploratori Plotone esploratori - 28 men Comandante Attendente Three squadra esploratori " The maths don't add up there - if it is 3 squads each of 13 men then the platoon should be 3x 13...

In Carrier's article, are there more details of the extra training for the Italian units in North Africa implemented in 1941? Was there, for example, an increase in the allocation of radios, and more effective command decision training at the regiment-battalion-company level? I'm no fan of the...