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history-nerd β Italian tanks presentation : M11/39
Published: 2013-01-29 19:19:05 +0000 UTC; Views: 2867; Favourites: 16; Downloads: 9
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Part two of my presentation.This was the first so-called medium tank produced by Italy, but it hardly had anything that qualified it as such. Compared to other countries' models (like the American M2 Medium Tank, or the German Panzers I and II) its 37mm gun didn't look too bad (it was kind of good for the caliber, actually), and its diesel engine was resilient to the risk of fire; its armor wasn't particularly weak if taken in this comparative perspective. Yet the sponson mounting of the main gun meant that this tank had pretty much the same limitations as the M3 Lee/Grant had (tall silhouette and insufficient arc of fire), without having a powerful gun to counterbalance it. And the tactical inexperience of the Italian Army did the rest, when most were either destroyed or captured during Operation Compass, mostly by sheer ignorance of basic modern armoured tactics. Even the brass understood its flaws, if only 100 were ever built as a stopgag measure, while waiting for its development, the M13/40.
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Comments: 11
I'm going to be honest, I think this tank would have been better off with just the 37mm gun in the turret and left it at that. At least it would have had a gun that could provide good firepower for a while until it inevitably became replaced by...other tanks. In comparison to a tank like the Type 89, I'd say at least the M11/39 had better anti-tank abilities than the Type 89.
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Like any tank, the M11/39 isn't worthless. It may not be considered the best, but CAN be effective if used right.
That being said, the Italians made some pretty strange choices. The Turret on top of this tank was originally meant to be welded, then welded and bolted, and eventually they went with just rivets. Then again, rivets look cool...Gotta keep that morale up!
Then again, the Italians didn't really know how to USE their tanks once they had them...
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At most, effective against infantry and some lightly armored vehicles... against other tanks, even light ones, its flaws become apparent.
One of the pilot tanks had indeed a welded turret, but it was feasible since it was a prototype. The series vehicles had to make do with bolted armor.
In terms of training, that's true, the lack of experience and the hurried formation of the tank units were very heavy disadvantages; however, in terms of theory and doctrine, the Italians were pretty much on par with everyone else. It was the equipment that was never on par.
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Uh... link is not working.
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Sorry! I meant Ep 1 of Hetalia Beautiful World in Animetrends.com
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Go to Animetrends and search Hetalia-The Beautiful World ep 2
That's where I got the info on the M11/39 XD
Although another carro armato (M70 or something like it) got stuck when tested in ERITREA, never saw the light though. Il Duce surely didn't have Fascist engineers good enough for creating stuff that worked XD
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Well, that's Italy for ya. His tanks are just as worthless in battle as he is.
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Watch the anime Hetalia.
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Oh, right. I should have know, I already saw the episode.
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