In addition to our new 100/17 medium howitzer, the Italian Army receives more support with these easily recognisable CV33 tankettes – the most numerous Italian armoured fighting vehicle to see action during World War II.
Also known as the Carro Veloce CV33 or L3/33, the Fiat-Ansaldo CV33 this Italian tankette that saw combat during World War II in addition to the inter-war period. Although designated a light tank by the Italian Army, its lack of turret, light weight and limited firepower would place it closer to contemporary tankettes.
Wherever the Italian Army fought, so did CV-33s, despite its inadequacies for warfare with it’s light armour and lack of firepower – the original CV-33 carried a two-man crew protected by 12 mm of welded armour and was armed with a single 6.5 mm machine gun.
Before the start of the Second Wolrld War, the Italian military began to develop a flamethrower version of the CV-33, known as the Lanciaflamme.
Replacing one of the CV-33s twin machine guns with a flame nozzle, the fuel for the Lanciaflamme was pulled behind the tankette in an armoured fuel trailer. The Lanciaflamme saw action in Abyssinia, Spain, France, the Balkans, North Africa, and Italian East Africa.
Such was the effectiveness of the Lanciaflamme, each company of CV33s would also be joined by a platoon of these flamethrower tankettes.
Dan Hewitson
Tom Mecredy
Craig Nixon