The L6/40 was a light tank used by the Italian army from 1940 through World War II. It was designed by Ansaldo as an export product, and was adopted by the Italian Army when officials learned of the design and expressed interest. the L6 went through a number of prototypes during the late 1930s. The first version had only twin 8 mm machine guns. Ultimately, the production configuration, named Carro Armato L6/40, was put into production in 1939, with 419 finally produced. In 1943, 26 Italian L6s were captured and used by the Hrvatsko domobranstvo of the Independent State of Croatia.
The L6/40 was used postwar by the Polizia di Stato until it was phased out during the early 1950s.
Surviving examples
Three L6/40s survive: one is kept in Legnano near the "Cadorna" barracks, one is in the inventory of the Kubinka Tank Museum, and another is preserved in the Arms Museum in the castle of Gjirokastër in Albania.
The hull of an L/40 used in Operation Rösselsprung, is displayed as a war memorial in Drvar Bosnia Herzegovina.
Extended specification
- Water fording: 0.8 m (2 ft 8 in)
- Gradient: 60%
- Vertical obstacle: 0.7 m (2 ft 4 in)
- Trench: 1.7 m (5 ft 7 in)
- Elevation and Traverse: -12° to +20° through 360° of rotation
Photo Gallery
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File:Fiat-Ansaldo L6 40.jpg|Fiat-Ansaldo L6/40 in 1940
File:Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-203-1680-14A, Albanien, deutsche Soldaten, italienischer Panzer.jpg|An L6/40 with German markings passes German infantrymen in occupied Albania, September 1943.
File:Cingoletta Ansaldo L40.jpg|L6/40 ammunition carrier.
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See also
- List of armoured fighting vehicles of World War II
- Type 95 Ha-Go
- 7TP
- Stridsvagn L-60