Author: Vollketten

So I’ve done a couple of Italian tank articles now and I haven’t done the most famous of all; the Fiat 2000. I also must thank Zarax too for his help with this one too.

Having witnessed the success of tanks in France in 1917 Italy set out about obtaining FT-17 and Schneider tanks from France. Fiat however perhaps sensing a lucrative contract in the offing had started designed a Special Assault Tank as early as August 1916 before any official Italian Government interest.

This design was finally ready in January 1918 in the form of the Fiat 2000.

Fiat 2000 Prototype Hull on trial ~June 1917

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As for my last article I covered the CV.3 series and gave my opinion that I want it to be the Tier I tank for Italy (as it is the progenitor of most of the rest of their tanks) I also mentioned the Fiat 3000.

Fiat 3000B

In 1917 Count Alfredo Bennicelli (a Major and later Colonel in the Artillery) saw the success of tanks. The Italians were interested in the French FT-17 and obtained 3 French made Renault FT-17s along with 2 Schneider tanks. The Schneiders did not arrive until late 1918 but the FT-17’s arrived from France on 2nd August 1918 at Piacenza.

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So I’ve been looking at Italian tanks for some time now here and with talk of forthcoming European vehicles for a new tree it’s a good time to have a look at some more Italian tech.

Italy’s Workhorse; the CV.3 Series

Development

The CV.3 tank was developed from the British Vickers-Carden-Loyd Mk.VI, examples of which Italy had bought complete in 1929 along with kits for a further 21 vehicles and a licence (a little later) to produce more which were named CV.29. The CV.29 initially used the same Ford Model T 4 cylinder petrol engine producing 20hp and had armour ranging from 4 to 9mm thick. After a fairly short development process the first vehicles were accepted in 1933 under the name Carro Veloce 3. (Fast Tank 3 tonnes – even though it weighed 3.2 to 3.4 tonnes depending on source) The name was later changed to L.3/33. (‘Leggero’ Light Tank 3 tonnes 1933 and the names L.3 and CV.3 are used interchangeably across sources. I prefer CV.3 so shall stick with that)

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