Semovente da 47/32

The Semovente da 47/32 was a self-propelled light tank destroyer based on the chassis of the L 6-40 light tank. The L 6-40 was the first Italian light tank to carry its main gun in a fully traversable turret. It was ordered by the Italian Army in 1939 and began to enter service during 1941.

Early in 1941 it was decided to scale back production of the L 6-40 from the original 583 down to 283. The remaining vehicles were to be produced as a self-propelled light tank destroyer, armed with a 47mm Breda 47/32 tank gun. The resulting vehicle was named the Semovente da 47/32 (self-propelled with 47/32 gun). The turret was removed and the superstructure heighted, reducing the overall height of the tank from 67 6.7in to 5ft 6.9in. A new front plate was installed, carrying a limited traverse 47mm Breda 47/32 tank gun. The new superstructure was similar in width and length to that on the basic tank. The prototype had an armoured roof, but production vehicles had an open topped fighting compartment with a sliding tarpaulin for protection against the weather.

The Semovente da 47/32 had a crew of three - driver, loader and commander/ gunner. The driver sat in the front-right of the small open topped fighting compartment, the loader sat in the rear-right and the commander in the rear-left. The main gun filled the front-left of the compartment.

Platoon commander's vehicles were equipped with a Marelli FR 1 CA radio. A special Carro Commando L 40 company command version of the vehicle was also produced. This had the FR 1 CA radio and a FR CA 2 radio. The main gun was removed and replaced with an 8mm Breda Model 38 machine gun that was concealed within a dummy 47mm gun. The command version also carried a crew of three but the loader was replaced by a radio operator.

The Semovente da 47/32 was ordered into production early in 1941, when the original order for 583 L 6-40 light tanks was reduced to one for 283 tanks and at least 300 tank destroyers. These were built by Fiat.

The Semovente da 47/32 was used to equip some anti-tank battalions, but by the time it entered service its gun wasn't powerful enough to counter most Allied tanks. The Semovente da 47/32 took part in the fighting in Tunisia early in 1943. Some were used during the defence of Sicily later in the same year. At the time of the Italian Armistice in September 1943 the 135th Ariete II Armoured Division, based near Rome, had some. Others were based on Corsica where they were involved in the brief defence of the island.

Weight: 14,330lb (combat)
Crew: 3
Armament: 47mm Ansaldo 47/32 gun, one 8mm Breda Model 38 machine gun
Armour: 6-30mm
Engine: 68hp SPA 18 VT four cylinder liquid cooled inline engine
Top Speed: 26mph
Length: 12ft 5.6in
Width: 6ft 2.8in
Height: 5ft 6.9in

How to cite this article: Rickard, J (25 April 2012), Semovente da 47/32 , http://www.historyofwar.org/articles/weapons_semovente_da_47_32.html

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