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

L3 prototype tankette:	CV33 tankette:	CV33 tankette:	CV33 tankette:
CV33 tankette:	CV35 tankette:	CV35 tankette:	L35 flamethrower tankette:
L35 flamethrower tankette:

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 MG.

Had a bolted superstructure and improved vision equipment. Had a Breda 13.2 mm MG.

L3/35, Carro Veloce 35

1,300 of the L3/35s were initially ordered (1,200 with MGs, 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 MGs.

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

L3/33, CV 33

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

First saw action against Ethiopian⁵ tribesman at Ual-Ual in December 1934.⁴

L3/35, CV 35

Ethiopia

First used in Dec. 1934 against Ethiopians at Ual-Ual in Italian Somaliland.

Spain

Two battalions 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

Was used with Italian troops that fought in Russia.⁴

		CV 33, L3/33	CV 35, L3/35	L35/Lf
Crew	Commander, driver	21,2,3		23
Physical Characteristics
Weight	7,168 lb, 7,571 lb 3.35 tons	3.15 tons1,2, 3.2 tons3, 3.3 tons5 3,200 kg1,3	3.2 tons4	3.2 tons3 3,200 kg3
Length w/gun	10' 4.75", 9' 11" 3 m	10.4'2, 10' 5"1,3 3.17 m1, 3.18 m3	10' 4"4	10' 5"3 3.18 m3
Length w/o gun
Height	4' 2.75", 4' 2"	4.25'2, 4' 3"1,3 1.3 m1,3	4' 2"4	4' 3"3 1.3 m3
Width	4' 7", 4' 6" 1.2 m, 1.4 m	4.67'2, 4' 8"1,3 1.42 m1,3	4' 7"4	4' 8"3 1.42 m3
Width over tracks
Ground clearance
Ground contact length
Ground pressure	7.1 psi
Turret ring diameter
Armament
Main	2: 8 mm Breda 88 MG (8 mm FIAT Model 18/35)	6.5 mm MG1 1 or 2: MG2 1: 6.5 mm Breda MG 6.5 mm Type 14 MG (1933-1935)2 2: 8 mm MG (1935 on)2 6.5 mm Fiat-Revelli Model 14 MG5 2: 8 mm Breda Model 38 (1935 on)5	2: 8 mm Breda 88 MGs4	Lanciaflamme Flamethrower3
OR		2: 8 mm MG1 2: 8 mm Breda MG3
Secondary
MG
Side arms
Quantity
Main	3,200: 8mm OR 3,800: 6.5 mm
Secondary
MG
Side arms
Armor Thickness (mm)		143, 151 5 - 152	13.54	143
Hull Front, Upper	14
Hull Front, Lower	14
Hull Sides, Upper	9
Hull Sides, Lower	9
Hull Rear	9
Hull Top	6
Hull Bottom	6-14
Turret Front
Turret Sides
Turret Rear
Turret Top
Engine (Make / Model)	FIAT-SPA CV3 water cooled	Fiat1 Fiat-SPA CV33	Fiat4	Fiat-SPA CV33
Bore / stroke
Cooling
Cylinders		41,3	44	43
Capacity
Net HP	43 @ 2,400 rpm	421,3, 432	434	423
Power to weight ratio
Compression ratio
Transmission (Type)
Steering
Steering ratio
Starter
Electrical system
Ignition
Fuel (Type)		Gasoline1,2,3		Gasoline3
Octane
Quantity
Road consumption
Cross country consumption
Performance
Traverse		12° both directions
Max speed		26 mph1,2,3 42 kph1,3	26 mph4	26 mph3 42 kph3
Cross country speed
Road radius	75 miles	78 miles1,3 125 km1,3		78 miles3 125 km3
Cross country radius
Turning radius
Elevation limits		+15° to -12°
Fording depth	2' 4"
Trench crossing	4' 10", 4' 9"
Vertical obstacle	2' 4", 2' 2"
Climbing ability
Suspension (Type)	bogie units and a single unsprung road wheel each side		2: 3 wheel bogies, 1 unsprung wheel4
Wheels each side	6
Return rollers each side
Tracks (Type)
Length
Width
Diameter
Number of links
Pitch
Tire tread
Track centers/tread

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. Tanks of the World, 1915-1945, Peter Chamberlain, Chris Ellis, 1972
3. The Illustrated Guide to Tanks of the World, George Forty, 2006
4. Tanks of World War II, Duncan Crow, 1979
5. Italian Medium Tanks in Action, Nicola Pignato, 2001

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