M14/41 tank

Ansaldo

Industry	Defense, Military vehicles
Headquarters	Kingdom of Italy
Products	Military vehicles, including Carro armato M. 14/41 tank

{{Infobox weapon | name = Carro armato M. 14/41 | image = M14 slash 41 Bovington museum.jpg | image_size = 300px | caption = M 14/41 displayed at the Bovington Tank Museum | origin = Kingdom of Italy | type = Medium tank | is_vehicle = yes | is_UK = yes | service = | used_by = Kingdom of Italy
Italian Partisans (captured)
Nazi Germany
Australia (captured)
United Kingdom (captured) | wars = World War II
Italian Civil War | designer = Ansaldo | design_date = | manufacturer = Ansaldo | unit_cost = | production_date = 1941–42 | number = 744 | variants = Carro Comando Semovente M41, M14/41 Centro Radio (M14/41CR), Semovente Controcarro M41M | spec_label = | weight = 14.5 t (32,000 lb) | length = 4.915 m (193.5 in) | part_length = | width = 2.280 m (89.8 in) | height = 2.370 m (93.3 in) | crew = 4 (commander/gunner, radio operator/machine gunner, loader, driver)

| armour =

• Front: 30 mm (1.2 in)
• Sides/rear: 25 mm (0.98 in)
• Floor/roof: 6–14 millimetres (0.24–0.55 in)

                     primary_armament   = 1 × 47 mm cannone da 47/32 Anti-tank gun
87 rounds{{sfn|}
                     secondary_armament = 4 × 8 mm Breda 38 machine guns (1 × coaxial, 1 × AA, 2 × in hull)
2,664 rounds{{sfn|}
                     engine             = SPA 8 TB M41 11,980 cc V8 engine Diesel engine
                     engine_power       =  at 1,900 rpm{{sfn|}
                     pw_ratio           =
                     payload_capacity   =
                     transmission       =
                     suspension         = Semi-elliptic leaf springs
                     clearance          =  {{sfn|}
                     fuel_capacity      =
                     vehicle_range      = 
                     speed              =  on road

The M 14/41 was a medium tank operated by a crew of four that entered service with the Royal Italian Army in 1941. Known officially as the Carro Armato M 14/41, this vehicle saw its initial deployment during the North African Campaign, where its limitations quickly became evident.

Development

The M 14/41 represented an incremental enhancement over the preceding M 13/40, featuring an upgraded diesel engine with increased power. Production of the M 14/41 took place during 1941 and 1942.

In combat

File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-568-1536-31, Italien, italienische Panzer.jpg

Italian M 14/41 tanks stored in a depot, September 1943.

Units

File:Czołg niemiecki w pościgu za partyzantami w górach Bośni (2-556).jpg

An M14/41 tank utilized by German troops chasing Yugoslav partisans in the Bosnian mountains, 1943.

The initial formation equipped with the M14/41 was the X Tank Battalion "M" belonging to the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment. Additional units that operated this tank included:

• IV Tank Battalion "M", 31st Tank Infantry Regiment (subsequently reassigned to the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment)
• X Tank Battalion "M", 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment (later transferred to the 132nd Tank Infantry Regiment)
• XII Tank Battalion "M", 31st Tank Infantry Regiment (eventually moved to the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment)
• XIV Tank Battalion "M", 31st Tank Infantry Regiment
• XV Tank Battalion "M", 1st Infantry Division "Superga"
• XVI Mixed Tank Battalion, stationed in Sardinia
• XVII Tank Battalion "M", 31st Tank Infantry Regiment
• XVIII Tank Battalion "M", a reserve unit based in Italy, disbanded on 8 September 1943
• LI Tank Battalion "M", 31st Tank Infantry Regiment (later reassigned to the 133rd Tank Infantry Regiment)

Variants

The chassis of the M 14/41 was adapted as the foundation for the considerably more effective Semovente da 90/53 tank destroyer.

In 1943, the prototype of the Carro Armato Celere Sahariano was also developed utilizing the M 14/41 chassis.

References

Notes

Bibliography

• Falessi, Cesare and Benedetto Pafi. Veicoli da Combattimento dell'Esercito Italiano dal 1939 al 1945. Intyrama books, 1976.
• Cappellano, F. and P. P. Battistelli. Italian medium tanks, 1939–45. Osprey Publishing, Oxford, 2012. ISBN 9781849087759.
• Pignato, Nicola. Italian Armored Vehicles of World War Two. Squadron/Signal publications, 2004. ISBN 0-89747-475-9.

External links

• M13/40, M14/41 Medium Tanks at wwiivehicles.com
• Polish website featuring Fiat M14/41 with numerous images
• Tanks encyclopedia: Carro Armato M14/41