Italian Medium Tanks
Several factors delayed and greatly hampered the development of an Italian medium tank during World War II.
Light tanks were preferred as these were deemed much more suitable for the narrow roads and bridges of the Alps, along the borders of neighbours France and Yugoslavia. Development was also hampered by limited industries, with fragmented production. Thus, the first prototype of an Italian medium tank – the M 11 – did not enter production until 1939.
This book examines the Italian M tanks which, although technically inferior to their German and Allied counterparts in 1941–43, proved to be effective when used by experienced crews with adequate combat tactics. Alongside illustrations throughout, Filippo Cappellano and Pier Paolo Battistelli discuss the types, as well as the experiments that produced interesting prototypes such as the anti-aircraft semovente.
Colonel Dr Filippo Cappellano is the chief of the Italian Army Historical Branch (Ufficio Storico SME). A renowned military historian, he is the author of several books, essays and articles on the history of the Italian Army and particularly in the field of 20th century weapons, organization and tactics.
Pier Paolo Battistelli earned his PhD in Military History at the University of Padua. A scholar of German and Italian politics and strategy throughout World War II, he is active in Italy and abroad writing titles and essays on military history subjects.
Richard Chasemore is a technical illustrator who has worked on a wide variety of projects in publishing an advertising, using both traditional and digital media. He is a long-standing contributor to the top-selling Star Wars Incredible Cross Sections series.