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The Semovente da 90/53 was a self-propelled gun designed to form part of the divisional artillery regiments in the Italy army. It was designed and built by Ansaldo and was armed with their own 90mm Ansaldo Cannone de 90/53 dual-purpose anti-aircraft and anti-tank gun. This was very similar to the famous German 88mm but actually had a slightly higher muzzle velocity. When it was installed on the Semoventi da 90/53 in 1942 this gun could penetrate the armour of every Allied tank and in particular the T-34, which couldn't easily be damaged by existing Italian tanks or self-propelled guns.
The Semoventi da 90/53 used the chassis and suspension of the M 13 or M 14 tank. The turret was removed and the superstructure modified. The engine was moved from the rear to the centre of the vehicle. Two crewmen sat in front of the engine. The gun was mounted at the rear in a shielding position, with front, left and right armour. Only eight shells could be carried in the vehicle so it had to operate alongside the L 6-40 ammunition carrier (based on the L 6-40 light tank), which itself towed an armoured trailer. Between them these support vehicles carried 64 shells.
Three units were equipped with the Semoventi da 90/53 but at first they were kept in Northern Italy while the Army decided where to send them - Russia or North Africa. The decision was delayed for so long that the Axis powers were thrown out of North Africa. Twenty four of the thirty Semoventi da 90/53s then had to be rushed to Sicily after the Allied invasion of 10 July 1943, and so they never reached the Eastern Front.
Weight: 37,478lb
Crew: 4
Armament: One 90mm Canone de 90/63 gun
Armour: 6mm-30mm
Engine: 125hp Fiat SPA 15T eight-cylinder liquid cooled inline engine
Top Speed: 16mph
Length: 17ft 0.7in
Width: 7ft 6.6in
Height: 7ft 6.6in