Carro Armato P40 |
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- "This is our secret weapon! With this, Ooarai will be a piece of cake!"
- ―Anchovy
The Carro Armato P26/40 (Italian 26-ton heavy tank of 1940) was an Italian heavy tank, although it's specifications are more in the line of medium tanks during the period. It intended to modernize Esercito Italiano's armored divisions, but it's career was cut short by Italy's surrender in 1943.
History[]
Development[]
The P26/40 project was started in 1940 in order to create a heavy tank for Italy. The initial prototype, called the P75, ready by mid-1941, was similar to an enlarged M13/40. It was originally fitted with a 47mm gun, but was instead armed with a 75/18-MM howitzer (the same gun as Semoventi tank destroyers), to be later changed by a 75/32-MM gun.
The designed was radically modified after Germany delivered a captured T-34 to it's ally. The armor was thickened and re-designed to adopt more markedly sloped plates, and the gun was changed to a long-barreled 75 mm L/34 gun. However, the development and mass-production was heavily delayed, due to Italy's automotive industries' backwardness and inability to provide powerful enough engines to develop 300 hp, and the bombing of SPA factory in 1942. In the end, it was decided that it would be fitted with a 330 hp, SPA V8 diesel engine.
A heavier variant was being developed alongside the P26/40, called the P43 (or P30/43), which would have weighed 30 tons, and would have mounted a 420 hp engine with the same gun as it's counterpart. Other guns were proposed, such as the 90/42mm gun (derived from the 90/53 AA gun), or the 105/25mm (mounted on the Semovente). The frontal armor would have been 80-100mm thick, approaching the level of protection of the Tiger I heavy tank despite being half the weight. However, this tank, alongside it's derivate, the P43bis, never left the planning stage.
Operational History[]
Only a few were produced (1-5, depending on the sources out of 1200 ordered) and delivered to the Italian Army, before Italy’s surrender in September 1943, plus when the production was taken over by Germany. Ansaldo built around 100 tanks until the end of the war while most were incomplete, lacking the engine.
The P26/40's role was intended to support medium tank companies, but it never served in Italian service. Germany used it as the Panzerkampfwagen P40 737(i), except during the Battle of Anzio where it was used by Germany. Some engineless tanks were buried to serve as pillboxes, and it saw little to no action during the rest of the war.
In Girls und Panzer[]
Anime[]
The P26/40 made a short appearance in Episode 7, showing the outcome of the match between Oarai and Anzio.
This Is the Real Anzio Battle![]
The P26/40 was hardly acquired by Anzio due to it's poor economy, but it allowed Anzio have power to fight other medium tanks once they purchased it. It was proudly presented by Anchovy at the Colosseum.
Anzio fielded their lone P26/40 as flag tank commanded by Anchovy during the tournament quarter-finals match against Oarai. While it mostly stayed in retreat during the beginning of the match, with Carpaccio's Semovente and a CV.33, Plan Macaroni failed. They had to move, but the tank ended up alone after Carpaccio engaged the StuG III, and her supporting tankette being destroyed. The tank was then lured into a kill zone by Oarai's flag tank, the Panzer 38(t). The Panzer IV, overlooking the trap from a cliff, knocked out Anzio's flag tank from above, this negating the advantage of sloped armor.
Manga[]
During the alternate-manga quarter-final match against Ooarai, the P26/40 gave its flag tank role to a M13/40. In the match, the P26/40 patiently waited on the top of a hill, overlooking a narrow pass. Anzio vanguard lured Ooarai tanks in the trap. The P26/40 then destroyed the M3 Lee from long range after it took down a M13/40, it then passed the rest of the match, encountering the B1 Bis and badly damaging it by destroying it's tracks. The Semoventi jammed it's turret ring without being able to destroy it, but virtually disabled it. While doing this, Anchovy failed to notice the disappearance of the Panzer IV, until it appeared from behind, and landed a well-placed shell on the turret. Their flag tank was quickly disposed of soon after.
Der Film[]
The P26/40 was badly damaged during a training match, which prevented Anzio from bringing it to rescue Oarai during the match against the All-Stars University Team.
Das Finale[]
Anzio Girls High School fielded their P26/40 during the Winter Continuous Track Cup first round match against Bonple High School. Near the end of the match, after Bonple's flag tank was immobilized by CV.33s, the P26/40 delivered the coup de grace to the helpless tank.
Anzio Girls High School again fielded their P26/40, this time as flag tank during the Winter Continuous Track Cup quarter-finals match against St. Gloriana Girls' College. During it's match, the P26/40 was seen escaping St. Gloriana's tanks when longing a canal after they engulfed themselves into a narrow stairway, being followed by St. Gloriana. They managed to circle around them and storm from the back, thanks to their high mobility, but lose this advantage due to Anchovy's monologue. Once Rosehip and her Crusaders enter the scene, the Semovente's put the P26/40 to safety. Once two of the Crusaders were dispatched by the CV.33s, the P26/40, alongside all remaining tanks, chased after the last one. This drove them into a trap facing the Churchill, three Matildas, and the Crusader. All remaining tanks vainly shielded the flag tank, and were destroyed. The P26/40 was put out of commission by a Matilda that ambushed behind it.
Trivia[]
- Despite being listed as a heavy tank by Italians, the P26/40 has more common specs with medium tanks from it's era, such as the Panzer IV, T-34, Cromwell, M4 Sherman or Type 3 Chi-Nu.
- The P26/40 used a different green painting in contrast to the rest of Anzio's tanks, which are colored yellow. This is because by the time it was built in 1943, the African campaign, which favored light brown/tan paint schemes, had already ended. Therefore, a paint scheme more suitable to the Italian countryside, was chosen.
- Anzu Kadotani calls the P26/40 a "Piyo-Piyo"(ぴよぴよ), which is perhaps the basis for the painting of kanji letters on the Panzer IV turret during a training game in the Anzio OVA.
- The P26/40, in the manga, had an anti-aircraft machine-gun on the turret.
Gallery[]
- Main article: Carro Armato P40/Gallery
Tanks ☰ | ||
---|---|---|
Light Tanks and Tankettes | 7TP • AMR-35 • BT-42 • Crusader • CV.33 • FT-17 • Harry Hopkins • M22 Locust • M24 Chaffee • Mark VI • Panzer II • Panzer 38(t) • R35 • T-60 • T-70 • Tetrarch • TK Tankette • Type 2 Ka-Mi • Type 94 Tankette • Type 95 Ha-Go • Type 97 Te-Ke | |
Medium Tanks | Centurion • M3 Lee • M4 Sherman • M13/40 • Matilda II • P26/40 • Panzer III • Panzer IV • Panzer V "Panther" • Sentinel • SOMUA S35 • T-34 • T-44 • Type 89B • Type 3 Chi-Nu • Type 97 Chi-Ha | |
Heavy Tanks | ARL 44 • B1 Bis • Black Prince • Churchill • IS-2 • KV-1 • KV-2 • M26 Pershing • Mark IV • Neubaufahrzeug • Panzer VI "Tiger" • Panzer VI Ausf. B "Tiger II" • Panzer VIII "Maus" • VK45.01 Porsche Tiger | |
Tank Destroyers | Elefant • Hetzer • ISU-152 • Jagdpanzer IV • Jagdpanther • Jagdtiger • Mareșal • Semovente da 75/18 • StuG III • T28 Super-Heavy Tank | |
Self-Propelled Artillery | Karl-Gerät 040 | |
Main Battle Tank | Type 10 |