Semovente da 75/18 Su Scafo M 41,
Obice da 75/18 Semovente⁶:

Colonel Borlese of the artillery suggested a self-propelled design using the M13/40 chassis with later vehicles using M14/41 chassis. First prototypes were tested in early 1941 and production started in late 1941. Equipped artillery assault groups of 2 batteries of 4 each and in 1943 3 batteries of 6 each. First saw service with Ariete in North Africa.

A need for an AFV with a more powerful gun lead to the Semovente, which were inspired by the German Sturmgeschütz.⁵

Main Armament

Type	Weight	Range	Muzzle Velocity
AP	13.9 lb6	10,454.9 yards5 9,560 m5	1,394.4'/sec5, 1,562'/sec6 425 m6
HE		8,200 yards6

It was fitted with a 75 mm Ansaldo L/18.⁵ The HESH (High Explosive Squash Head) round could penetrate 2.8" (70 mm) of armor.⁵

There was a muzzle brake and a flash eliminator installed.⁵ The recoil system was inside the gun cradle and was in a gimbal mounting.⁵ The sighting gear was on the right side.⁵ There was a bracket that had a dial sight which projected through an aperture in the roof.⁵

North Africa

Had four 5.3 gallon (20 liter) fuel or water cans mounted behind the radiator cover.⁵ These were held by a metal tube that was bent and bolted horizontally to the cover plate.⁵ These containers weren't always carried.⁵

Organization as of November 11, 1942

A Semovente Gruppo had a Battalion HQ, two batteries of four Semovente each, and four Centro Radio.⁵

Semovente 75/34

Produced in late 1942.⁵

The 75 mm L/34 gun had a muzzle velocity of 2,047.2' (624 m)/sec.⁵ Range was 13,670.2 yards (12,500 m).⁵

Carro Comando per Semoventi (Command):

Turretless M13/40 with a 3.2' (1 m) range finding equipment and a RF 1 CA and RF 2 CA radios.⁵ The antennas could be folded and put onto Y shaped rests at the rear of the hull.⁵ It had a goniometer (device for determining true north) installed.⁵

Armed with two 8 mm MGs or one 13.2 mm M14/15 MG.⁴ The early models had two 8 mm Breda Model 38 MGs in the front of the hull on the right.⁵ In 1942 a 13.2 mm Breda Model 31 MG was installed instead.⁵

Each Semovente battalion received four of these vehicles.⁵ The 75 mm gun was removed, and four outward opening hatches were installed.⁵

The crew consisted of a commander, a driver, and one or two machine gunners.⁵

In 1941, 30 were produced on M13/40 hulls.⁵ On the M14/41 hull, 34 were built in 1942, and 45 in 1943.⁵

Semovente M 41M da 90/53,
90/53 Semovente⁶:

Gun was positioned towards rear and left crew exposed. The gun was an anti-aircraft gun. The engine was moved to the front so that the gun could be placed at the rear of a M14/41 chassis. Had to be accompanied by a L.6 light tank that was converted to an ammunition carrier that carried 26 rounds and it towed a trailer that carried 40 rounds. These were produced by Fiat, SPA, and Ansaldo during 1941. It was primarily used in North Africa.

The 90 mm gun fired a 22.2 lb AP round at a muzzle velocity of 2,756'/sec.⁶ It's maximum range was 15,000 yards.⁶ It could penetrate 5.63"@0° at 500 yards.⁶

German Use:

Once these were taken over they were used primarily as long range artillery as it was difficult to use them in the mountainous regions in northern Italy.

Sturmgeschütz M42 mit 75/18 850(i):

123 confiscated in September 1943.²

Sturmgeschütz M42 mit 75/34 851(i):

36 confiscated, and 80 produced in 1943 and 1944.²

	Semovente da 75/18 Su Scafo M 41, Semovente da 75/18	Semovente da 75/34	Carro Commando M41/M42	Semovente M 41M da 90/53
Crew	3: Commander/gunner, driver, loader/radio4 Commander/gunner, loader, driver5 32,5, 46	3: Commander/gunner, driver, loader/radio4	42,5	5: Commander, gun crew (3), driver4 4 21,3
Physical Characteristics
Weight	26,000 lb, 28,880.1 lb5 14.4 tons4,6, 15 tons2 13,100 kg5	15 tons4	27,557.3 lb5 12.5 tons2 12,500 kg5	37,479 lb3 16.73 tons1, 17 tons4,6 17,000 kg1,3
Length w/gun	16.1'6, 16' 1.5"5, 16' 2" 4.915 m5, 4.92 m4, 5.04 m2	5.04 m4, 5.69 m2	16' 1.5"5 4.915 m5, 4.92 m2	17' 0.9"3, 17.4'6, 17' 9"1 5.2 m4, 5.205 m1,3
Length w/o gun
Height	5.9'6, 6' 0.1"5, 6' 1" 1.85 m2,5, 2.37 m4	1.8 m4	5' 11.9"5 1.815 m5, 1.82 m2	7'1, 7' 0.6"3, 7.15'6 2.14 m4, 2.15 m1,3
Width	7.3'6, 7' 3", 7' 5.8"5 2.2 m4, 2.28 m5, 2.23 m2	2.23 m4	7' 5.8"5 2.23 m2, 2.28 m5	7' 2.6"3, 7' 2"1, 7.4'6 2.2 m1,3,4
Width over tracks
Ground clearance	1' 4", 16.2"6			16.2"6
Ground contact length	116"6			121"6
Ground pressure	12.2 psi6			13.8 psi6
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	75 mm L/18 howitzer4,6 75 mm Model 34 L/182 75 mm Ansaldo L/185	75 mm L/344,5 75 mm Model 34 L/342	13.2 mm MG2 13.2 mm Breda Model 31 MG5	90 mm1 Ansaldo M90/53 Model 39 90 mm L/533,4 90 mm Model 41, L/536
Secondary
MG	8 mm MG2 6.5 mm Breda Model 30, AA (early) 5 8 mm Breda Model 38, AA (late)5	8 mm Breda 38 MG, Anti-aircraft4	8 mm MG2 8 mm Breda Model 38 MG, AA5
Side arms
Quantity
Main	442,4,5,6, 44-50 (HE, AP, HESH)5	422,4,5	4202,5	6 AP4
Secondary
MG	1,1042,5		5045, 1,5602
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)	Front: 1"6, 304 Side: 1"6, 254 0.4" - 2"5 10 - 505	Front: 424 Side: 424		Front: 1"6, 404 Side: 1"6, 254 None1
Hull Front, Upper	25+25@5°2 50 round2		30@11°2
Hull Front, Lower	30 round2		30 round2
Hull Sides, Upper	25@9°2		25@9°2
Hull Sides, Lower	25@0°2		25@0°2
Hull Rear	25@0°2 & 25@20°2		25@0°2 & 25@9°2
Hull Top	10@84°2 & 10@90°2		15@90°2
Hull Bottom	15@90°2		15@90°2
Superstructure Front	Mantlet: 2"6			1.6"6
Superstructure Sides				0.4"6
Superstructure Rear
Superstructure Top
Engine (Make / Model)	FIAT SPA 15T 15 TB2 Fiat SPA, liquid cooled 5 Type 15T6		15 TB2 Fiat SPA 15T, liquid cooled5	SPA 15-TM-411,3
Bore / stroke
Cooling	Water6
Cylinders	V-82,5, 86		V-82,5	81,3, V-86
Capacity
Net HP	1254,5, 125@1,900 rpm6, 185@2,400 rpm2	1924	1455 1852 @ 2,400 rpm2	1256, 1451,3, 1544
Power to weight ratio
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)	Monodisc type6 4 forward, 1 reverse6 5 forward, 1 reverse2		5 forward, 1 reverse.2
Steering	Clutch brake6			Clutch brake6
Steering ratio
Starter	Hand inertia and electric6
Electrical system	Starting: 24-volt6
Ignition
Fuel (Type)	Diesel5,6, Petrol2		Diesel5	Diesel6, Gasoline1,3
Octane
Quantity	50 gallons (in 2 tanks)6
Road consumption	2.5 mpg6
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse	18° left, 20° right4,6, 20° left, 20° right2, 20° left, 18° right, hand5	16° left, 16° right2, 16° left, 18° right4		40° left, 40° right4, 80°6
Max speed	18.6 mph5, 19.7 mph6, 20 mph 30 kph5, 32 kph4, 38 kph2	40 kph4	19.9 mph5 32 kph5, 40 kph2	20 mph6, 21 mph, 22 mph1,3 35 kph4, 35.5 kph1,3
Cross country speed	7.2 mph6
Road radius	124 miles6, 130.5 miles5 210 km5, 230 km2		124.3 miles5 200 km2,5	124 miles3,6 200 km3
Cross country radius
Turning radius
Elevation limits	+22°, -12° to +22°2,4,5,6, hand5			-5° to +24°4,6
Fording depth	39.4"6, 3' 3.5"			3' 3"3, 39.4"6 1 m3
Trench crossing	6.9'6, 6' 6.75"			6' 10.7"3, 7'6 2.1 m3
Vertical obstacle	31.5"6			2' 11.4"3 0.9 m3
Climbing ability	40° (84%) slope6
Suspension (Type)	Double articulated bogies, each with 4 twin road wheels, each group independently sprung6			Double articulated bogies, each with 4 twin road wheels, each group independently sprung6
Wheels each side	8x2			8
Return rollers each side	3			3
Tracks (Type)	Dry pin6			Dry pin6
Length
Width	10.2"6, 1'			10.2"6
Diameter
Number of links	836			866
Pitch	5.25"6			4.9"6
Tire tread
Track centers/tread	6.2'6			6.3'6
Production	FIAT-Ansaldo2,5,6 41- : 150 M13/40 hull: 605 M14/41 hull, 1942: 1625	Fiat Ansaldo, 1942-1943: 1905	FIAT-Ansaldo2	Ansaldo6 ~30, 483

Sources:

1. The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
2. Encyclopedia of German Tanks of World War Two, Peter Chamberlain and Hilary Doyle, 1999
3. The Encyclopedia of Weapons of World War II, Chris Bishop, 1998
4. Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
5. Italian Medium Tanks in Action, Nicola Pignato, 2001
6. Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?

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