Overview[]
The Carro Armato Medio Mod. 1939 is an Italian medium tank developed in the late 1930s.
The tank was the first in a line of medium tank designs utilized by the Regio Esercito during the Second World War, with 100 built, they saw service in North Africa, where they would be utilized for roughly a year before all were lost in service.
Naming[]
| Designation | Date | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Carro Armato Medio da 11 ton. Modello 1939
M. 11/39 |
1939 | The original designation. |
| Carro Armato Medio Modello 1939
M. 39 |
1942 | Superfluous redesignation, as all had been lost by 1941. |
Development[]
The project began in 1936, with the following specifications being laid out:
- 3 man crew.
- 37mm L/40 cannon in a casemate mount.
- 2 x 8mm machine guns in a turret.
- Armour protection against armour-piercing machine gun fire and hand grenades.
- Top road speed of 32km/h.
- Top off-road speed of 12km/h.
In 1937, a prototype was constructed. Its suspension is claimed to be similar to the L. 35, although enlarged.
In 1938 a second prototype was constructed, this model had a different turret, hull, and engine. This model was shown to Mussolini in May 1938, and as a result, 100 units were commissioned.
By July 1939, the first production model had been completed. A plan to produce 50, then 400, vehicles was instated, but delays caused by lack of raw materials and problems with the main gun would cause only a single batch of 100 to be manufactured. This batch was completed by May 1940, with examples trickling out to units throughout the whole production window. Of this 100, 4 were prototypes that would not be issued to units.
Service[]
The first M. 39 tanks took part in field exercises in Aug 1939. I and II Battalion of 32º Reggimento Carri received their final tanks in May 1940, and were sent into service in North Africa. The remaining 24 of the 100 batch were sent to Italian East Africa.
In early 1941, a number of surviving M. 39 tanks were captured by the 
9th Division (Australian) "The Magnificent 9th". These vehicles see short-term service with the division, before being handed over to the 
2nd Armored Division "Hell on Wheels".
Units[]
|
 Italian Land Vehicles of the Second World War 
|
|---|
| Tracked Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Light Tanks | Light Tanks | L. 21 • L. 30 • L. 35 • L. 38 • L. 40 |
| Medium Tanks | Medium Tanks | M. 39 • M. 40 • M. 41 • M. 42 |
| Cavalry Tanks | Celere Sahariano | |
| Heavy Tanks | Heavy Tanks | P. 40 • P. 43 |
| Self-Propelled Guns | Tank Destroyers | Semovente L3 da 47/32 • Semovente L40 da 47/32 • Semovente da 75/32 M41 • Semovente da 75/34 M42M • Semovente da 75/46 M42T • Semovente da 90/53 M41 |
| SPG | Semovente da 75/18 M40 • Semovente da 75/18 M41 • Semovente da 75/18 M42 • Semovente da 105/25 | |
| SPH | Semovente da 149/40 • Semovente Renault FT.17 | |
| Utility | Transport & Towing | Fiat 2800 |
| Half-Tracked Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Towing | Alfa-Romeo 800RE • Trattore Semicingolato Breda Typo 61 • Trattore Semicingolato Fiat 727 | |
| Wheeled Vehicles | ||
|---|---|---|
| Combat | Armoured Cars | Autoblinda 1ZM • Autoblinda Modello 40 • Autoblinda Modello 41 • Autoblinda Modello 43 • Autoblinda Modello 611 • Autoblinda AS.43 • Autoblinda Terni • Autoblinda Lince • Autoblinda Vespa Caproni • Camionetta AS.42 Sahariana |
| SPAA | 20/65 Fiat-SPA 38R | |
| SPG | [[]] | |
| Tank Destroyer | 47/32 Fiat-SPA 38R | |
| Utility | Motocycles | Guzzi 500 Alce |
| Transport & Towing | Autoprotetto AS.37 • Autotrasporto blindato SPA Dovunque 35 • Camioncino Fiat 1100 Militare Musetto • Camioncino Fiat 1100 ALR Coloniale • Camioncino Fiat 1100 Militare Musone • Fiat-SPA 38R | |
| Sources | ||
|---|---|---|
| Books | Online | Documents |
| • New Vanguard 195 — Italian Medium Tanks 1939-45, Filippo Cappellano, Pier Paolo Battistelli, 2012-12-20 (ISBN 978-1-84908-777-3) | • Tactical and Technical Trends, No. 26, 1943-06-03 | |