M15/42 tank

M15/42 M15/42 on display at the Musée des Blindés in Saumur Type Medium tank Place of origin Italy Service history In service 1943 - 1945? Used by Italy Nazi Germany Wars World War II Production history Produced 1943 - 1944 Number built 128 Specifications Weight 15.5 tonnes Length 4.92 m Width 2.2 m Height 2.4 m Crew 4 Armor 14 to 45 mm Primary armament 47 mm L/40 gun 111 rounds Secondary armament 4 x 8 mm Breda 38 machine guns Engine SPA petrol 192 hp Suspension Two 4 wheel bogies, semi-elliptic leaf spring Operational range 200 km Speed 40 km/h

v • d • e WWII Italian AFVs Light Fiat 3000 · L3/33 · L3/35 · Fiat L6/40 Medium M11/39 · M13/40 · M14/41 · M15/42 Heavy P 40 Amd cars AB 40 · AB 41 · Lince scout car SP guns 47/32 · 75/18 · 75/34 · 90/53 · 105/25 · 149/40

The M15/42 was an Italian World War II 15 tonne tank first built in January 1943. Some 90 vehicles were built before the Italian armistice in September 1943 and in connection to that event they were used in battle against the Germans by the Ariete armored division in Rome. After that point they were confiscated and used by the Germans who also built another 28 M15/42 tanks. Armament was one 47 mm main gun and four 8 mm Breda 38 machine guns. The official Italian designation was Carro Armato M 15/42. This designation includes the designation ("armored tank"), the tank classification ("M" for medium tank), the weight in tonnes (15), and the year of adoption (1942).

It was developed from the M13/40 and the M14/41. It had a more powerful engine and air filters to cope with the harsh conditions of the desert. By the time it entered service, it was already obsolete.

The turret had an improved (compared to the M13) 47 mm / 40 caliber gun with an elevation of +20 degrees and a depression of –10 degrees. The turret could traverse 360 degrees and was electrically operated. An 8 mm Modello 38 machine gun was mounted co-axial with the main armament with a similar machine gun mounted on the roof for anti-aircraft defense.

External links

• M15/42 Medium Tanks at wwiivehicles.com
• Carro M.15/42 at comandosupremo.com
• M15/42 at onwar.com

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