Italian light tank

[sksvlad]

Italian light tank (self propelled howitzer)

A friend took this photo in Bergamo, Italy. What is it?

 

[TimG]

Slightly confusing - described as an Italian self-propelled gun M15 built by Ansaldo of Genova. Apparently this particular gun participated at the battle of El Alamein.

Also described as a Semovente 75/18 M40 Italian Self-propelled Gun

http://tank-photographs.s3-website-eu-west-1.amazonaws.com/italian-semovente-75-34-spg-ww2.html

TimG

 

[stecol]

Not a light tank, but a self propelled howitzer, often used as a tank and/or tank destroyer.
This veichle is the last model of 75/18 SPH, on M42 medium tank chassis.
After arrived the M42 self propelled gun with a 75/34 and then SPG on M43 chassis (formerly M42L) with 105/25, 75/46 and 75/34 guns.

Regards
stecol

 

[M8owner]

It looks to be in excellent condition. I am aware of only one other either in the UK Tank Museum at Bovington or the French Tank Museum at Saumur.

 

[stecol]

This is a list of known 75/18 in museum or display:


Carro Comando M41 - Museo storico della motorizzazione militare (Roma-Cecchignola)
Semovente M40 da 75/18 - Musée des Blindés (Saumur, Francia)
Semovente M40 da 75/18 - El Alamein War Museum (El Alamein, Egitto)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - Museo storico della motorizzazione militare (Roma-Cecchignola)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - Caserma "Libroia" - 45º Reggimento Trasmissioni (Nocera Inferiore)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - Caserma "Scalise" - Reggimento artiglieria a cavallo "Voloire" (Vercelli)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - Caserma "Santa Barbara" - Gruppo a cavallo del Reggimento artiglieria a cavallo "Voloire" (Milano)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - Caserma "Baldassarre" - 132º Reggimento artiglieria corazzata "Ariete" (Maniago)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - Museo di guerra per la pace Diego de Henriquez (Trieste)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - OTO Melara (La Spezia)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - Caserma "Piave" - Comando Generale della Guardia di Finanza (Roma)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - Caserma "Zigani" - Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito Italiano (Roma)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - Caserma "Zappalà" - Scuola di cavalleria dell'Esercito Italiano (Lecce)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - Monumento ai Carristi d'Italia (Marsala)
Semovente M41 da 75/18 - U.S. Army Ordnance Training and Heritage Center (Fort Lee - Virginia, USA)
Semovente M42 da 75/18 - Caserma "Babini" - 4º Reggimento Carri (Bellinzago Novarese)
Semovente M42 da 75/18 - Parco della Rimembranza (Lonate Pozzolo)
Semovente M42 da 75/18 - Parco della Rimembranza (Bergamo)
Semovente M42 da 75/18 - Museo dell'Aviazione (Rimini)

http://the.shadock.free.fr/Surviving_Italian_Medium_Heavy_Tanks.pdf

Regards
stecol

 

[RichardB]

Thank you for posting, good photo, great looking Tank and piece of history.

Now lets see the ammunition......

 

[M8owner]

I believe this HE shell and fuse are correct for this vehicle, but it would have a 75/18 marked case of a different height. Does anyone have a 75mm hollow charge projectile for this gun?

http://www.bocn.co.uk/vbforum/threads/97924-WWII-Italian-75-27-75mm-HE-Complete-Round-with-M10-Fuse