Italy's L3/33 (CV 33) and L3/35 (CV 35) tankettes

Photos

Design

The L3/33 and L3/35 was designed for reconnaissance, security, and to support larger tanks.

L stood for light, and 3 for 3 tons.⁴ 33 and 35 stood for 1933 and 1935 respectively.⁴ Originally called CV.33 and CV.35 until 1938 when were redesignated.

L3/33, Carro Veloce 33

During the 1920s the Italians saw a Carmen-Loyd 2 man tank and purchased³ some as well as getting the rights to manufacture them.³ Twenty-five were built and called the CV (Carro Veloce) 29 (CV-28⁴).³

Was armed with a 6.5 mm water cooled MG, and later armed with and air cooled machine gun.

It had a bolted superstructure, improved vision equipment, and a Breda 13.2 mm machine gun.

L3/35, Carro Veloce 35

1,300 of the L3/35s were initially ordered (1,200 with machine guns, and 200 with 37 mm gun).

Only 300 were built and were designated Series I and were armed with a 6.5 mm MG.

Riveted and welded construction. The commander/gunner was on the left and the driver on the right.⁴

Engine was mounted in the rear, transversely.⁴ A circular radiator was mounted behind it.⁴ The transmission went to the front to the final drive.⁴

The suspension had two 3 wheel bogies on leaf spring and a single unsprung wheel on each side.⁴ There was a acacia wood rail that the top run of the tracks went on.⁴

In 1935 the Series II was produced with twin FIAT Model 18/35 machine guns

Production

• L3/33: 760
  • Manufacturer: Ansaldo
    • Components: FIAT
• L3/35: 300
  • Manufacturer: Ansaldo, FIAT
• L3/33, L3/35: 2,250, 2,500
  • Production: 1933 - ?

Variants

• L3/33; Carro Veloce 33 Tankette³:
• L3/35:
• CV Fiat-Ansoldo L38: Strong suspension and new tracks.² From 1940 on some had a Swiss Solothum s18-2000 20 mm antitank gun in place of MG.
• L3 Lf (Carro Lancia Fiamme); Carro Veloce L35/Lf Flamethrower Tankette³: Had a hooded long barrel flamethrower in place of the MG with a towed 110 gallon/500 liter fuel trailer.³
  Another tank was sometimes mounted on the rear of the hull and carried 13 gallons (60 liters) of flame fuel. Range of 328'/100m.³ One platoon in each tank company was equipped with the L3 Lf. Was used in North Africa.
• Carro Radio: Carried a radio on the rear hull.
• Carro Veloce Recupero: Was developed as an armored recovery vehicle but never entered production.
• Passerella: Had a 23' (7m) bridge on a towed trailer that was broken down into 4 pieces. The bridge could be assembled in 10 minutes.
  Was not used in combat.²
• Semovente L3 da 47/32: Had it's superstructure removed and a 47 mm antitank gun mounted.

Usage

All the battalions in the Littorio and Centauro armored divisions started the war with L3s.⁴

The L3/33 saw action in Ethiopia⁵, Spain⁵, France, Greece, Yugoslavia, Albania⁵, Crete, North Africa, Russia, Corsica, Sardinia, Sicily, and Italy.

They were also sold to Afghanistan, Albania, Austria, Bolivia, Brazil, Bulgaria, China, Greece, Hungary, Iraq, Nationalist Spain⁵, and Salvador.²

Ethiopia

The L3/33s first saw action against Ethiopian⁵ tribesman at Ual-Ual in December 1934.⁴

First used the L3/35 in Dec. 1934 against Ethiopians at Ual-Ual in Italian Somaliland.

Spain

A total of 155 were supplied to the Nationalist forces.⁶ Two battalions of the L3/35s were sent to Spain to fight with Franco.⁴ When returned from Spain they became the basis for the Littorio Armored Division created in May 1940.⁴

Russia

The L3/35 was used with Italian troops that fought in Russia.⁴

Specifications