Fiat M15/42 tank – Photos & Videos

Den Carro Armato M15/42 var den siste italienske mediumtanken som ble produsert under andre verdenskrig. Den var basert på de tidligere mellomstore stridsvognene M13/40 og M14/41, og ble bygget med tanke på erfaringene fra felttoget i Nord-Afrika.

Kilde: Wikipedia

The Fiat M15/42 was a medium tank developed by Italy during World War II. It was an improved version of the previous M13/40 and M14/41 tanks, which had proved inadequate against the Allied forces in North Africa. The M15/42 had a longer hull, a more powerful engine, and a new 47 mm gun that could fire more effective armor-piercing shells. The tank also had better air filters to cope with the desert conditions.
The M15/42 entered service in early 1943, but it was too late to make a difference in the North African campaign, which ended with the Axis defeat in May 1943. Most of the M15/42 tanks were captured by the Germans after the Italian armistice in September 1943, and some were used by them or by their puppet state, the Italian Social Republic, until 1945. The M15/42 was also exported to Yugoslavia, where it saw action against both German and partisan forces.
The Fiat M15/42 was a respectable medium tank for its time, but it was still inferior to most of its Allied and German counterparts. It had thin armor that could be easily penetrated by anti-tank guns or shells, and it lacked a radio and a turret basket for the crew. The tank also suffered from mechanical problems and poor reliability. The M15/42 was the last Italian-designed medium tank of World War II, as Italy focused on developing heavier tanks like the P26/40 or self-propelled guns like the Semovente series.