To form the spearhead of the Italian tank
force in the rearmament period of 1940 a completely new tank was designed under
the direction of General di Feroleto who was appointed Inspector- General of
mechanised forces with the specific task of modernising the range of available
AFVs. The M 13/40 design was based broadly on the M 11/39 but was bigger,
carrying the main gun — a new high velocity 47mm weapon — in the turret, with
the secondary MG turret moved to the hull (reverse arrangement to the M 11/39.
Thicker armour and other refinements were also incorporated. First deliveries
of production vehicles, built by Fiat and Ansaldo, started in mid-1940, 250
vehicles out of the 1,900 initial order being delivered by the end of 1940.
First experience with these vehicles in the desert showed the need for added
filters and other 'tropical' parts. These were duly fitted and the opportunity
was taken, with later machines, to substitute an uprated engine. Vehicles so
fitted — and all late production vehicles — were known semiofficially as M
14/41 but there were few external differences. However, early vehicles had dust
guards only at the front end forward of the turret line while later vehicles
had full-length dust guards. The M 13/40 was first in action in December 1940
in Libya and proved to be a very practical design with a good high velocity
gun, though it was no match for the heavy British infantry tanks like the
Matilda. Subsequent production included a Semovente SP gun on this same chassis
which eclipsed the value of the original tank design.
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