Posted 24 December 2010 - 05:44 PM by Peleliu81
Does anyone have record of the P40 being used against German troops, maybe in the defense of Rome?? I know only a handful were functional at the time of the Armistice, and antother 100 or so were manufactured and used by German/RSI forces against the allies. But I could not find if any were used, perhaps by the Ariete against the Germans.
Posted 27 December 2010 - 03:36 PM by marcofermani
Hi,
I can write to you informations originated from italian military literature that I put at the end.
Studies began in concrete terms only in july 1940 and until the spring of 1942 were developed 3 prototypes:
the first had a 75/18 gun (Calibre 75mm and a barrel long 18 calibres)
the second had a 75/32 gun and the third a 75/34 gun with a frontal armour more slanted like in the russian T34.
In the april 1942 was developed a self propelled gun derived from the P40 with a 149/40 gun: only a project.
Another variant was the P43bis, armed with a 90/42 gun derived from an aircraft successful gun, but it remain a project too.
The Regio Esercito placed an order for 500 pieces on April 22 1942 but they weren't produced: according to FIAT documentation of January 1944 the production started only at the end of May 1943 and according to ANSALDO only a piece was produced until July 31 1943. It seems that some tanks were tested on August. On 8 July 1943 a Regio Esercito circular formed from August 1 the first P40 Tank Batallion in Vercelli but this only existed on paper. The Germans, according with their documentation, captured 5 Tanks completed after 8 september. Neither Ariete nor Centauro II (ex Divisione Corazzata Legionaria "M", the name changed on 25 July) has had P40 tanks.On the contrary, as you know, P40 was used against the allies by German (in particular 10. and 15. Polizei Companies) and RSI forces from september 1944.
Bibliography
L.Ceva-A.Curami "La meccanizzazione dell'esercito italiano dalle origini al 1943"2 volumes Roma USSME 1989
N.Pignato "P40" ed. Albertelli-Storia Militare Parma 2009
Posted 27 December 2010 - 04:28 PM by marcofermani
(Continue from prevpous intervention..)
P40 was used fy Panzerkompanie of Waffen SS Division 24° Karstjager too.
Regards
Marco Fermani
Posted 30 December 2010 - 11:02 AM by marcofermani
excuse my writing error:
the 90mm gun of P43bis was a successful antiaircraft gun, the same used by the 90/53 sel propelled gun(but shortened) against the allies in Sicily.
Regards
Marco Fermani
Does anyone have record of the P40 being used against German troops, maybe in the defense of Rome?? I know only a handful were functional at the time of the Armistice, and antother 100 or so were manufactured and used by German/RSI forces against the allies. But I could not find if any were used, perhaps by the Ariete against the Germans.
Posted 27 December 2010 - 03:36 PM by marcofermani
Hi,
I can write to you informations originated from italian military literature that I put at the end.
Studies began in concrete terms only in july 1940 and until the spring of 1942 were developed 3 prototypes:
the first had a 75/18 gun (Calibre 75mm and a barrel long 18 calibres)
the second had a 75/32 gun and the third a 75/34 gun with a frontal armour more slanted like in the russian T34.
In the april 1942 was developed a self propelled gun derived from the P40 with a 149/40 gun: only a project.
Another variant was the P43bis, armed with a 90/42 gun derived from an aircraft successful gun, but it remain a project too.
The Regio Esercito placed an order for 500 pieces on April 22 1942 but they weren't produced: according to FIAT documentation of January 1944 the production started only at the end of May 1943 and according to ANSALDO only a piece was produced until July 31 1943. It seems that some tanks were tested on August. On 8 July 1943 a Regio Esercito circular formed from August 1 the first P40 Tank Batallion in Vercelli but this only existed on paper. The Germans, according with their documentation, captured 5 Tanks completed after 8 september. Neither Ariete nor Centauro II (ex Divisione Corazzata Legionaria "M", the name changed on 25 July) has had P40 tanks.On the contrary, as you know, P40 was used against the allies by German (in particular 10. and 15. Polizei Companies) and RSI forces from september 1944.
Bibliography
L.Ceva-A.Curami "La meccanizzazione dell'esercito italiano dalle origini al 1943"2 volumes Roma USSME 1989
N.Pignato "P40" ed. Albertelli-Storia Militare Parma 2009
Posted 27 December 2010 - 04:28 PM by marcofermani
(Continue from prevpous intervention..)
P40 was used fy Panzerkompanie of Waffen SS Division 24° Karstjager too.
Regards
Marco Fermani
Posted 30 December 2010 - 11:02 AM by marcofermani
excuse my writing error:
the 90mm gun of P43bis was a successful antiaircraft gun, the same used by the 90/53 sel propelled gun(but shortened) against the allies in Sicily.
Regards
Marco Fermani
