"Italian Tank Markings" Topic
8 Posts
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Grelber | 01 Oct 2024 9:14 p.m. PST |
Looking at a photocopy from a black and white newspaper photo of an abandoned Italian L3 tank from the Centauro Division from October-November 1940, it seems to have some sort of marking on the left side of the superstructure. This looks like a light-colored circle perhaps on a dark, flag shaped rectangle. This obviously isn't the divisional insignia of a centaur shooting a bow. Does it indicate the battalion or company? Is it something else altogether? As I mentioned above, this isn't exactly the crispest, highest quality picture. Grelber |
Andy ONeill | 02 Oct 2024 8:01 a.m. PST |
Tanks had markings like this link Could it be like these? |
Grelber | 02 Oct 2024 2:23 p.m. PST |
First thought, No. But looking at the tank in the water, maybe, with the right combination of colors and lighting. Grelber |
HMS Exeter | 03 Oct 2024 11:07 a.m. PST |
Can you point us at an online source for the image in question |
Bill N | 03 Oct 2024 1:03 p.m. PST |
My first thought Grelber was that you were looking at an M13 command tank of a semovente group, but that would have been later than 1940. Another thought was a vaguely recall the Italians used a different tank identification scheme before adopting the one shown in the link Andy provided. |
SeattleGamer | 04 Oct 2024 9:39 p.m. PST |
A white round circle on a red rectangle was used by Centauro division L3/35 in Greece, October 1940. Everyone is used to seeing the red, blue and yellow rectangles (which indicate 1st, 2nd and 3rd company), with either no white vertical bars (HQ platoon), or 1, 2 or 3 vertical bars (indicating the platoon within the company). There is also the rarely seen black rectangle (battalion) and white rectangle (regimental) level. That white circle is unique. I have a color illustration in a book (Tank Power 330 CV 33/35) which shows the red rectangle and the while circle. And there is a "1" centered above it, indicating it is the 1st tank of this unit. I have seen a LOT of markings on Italian Armor WWII (one of my pet projects), and have gathered a bunch of books dedicated to Italian Armor, and I have no idea what that white circle means. |
Silurian | 05 Oct 2024 10:06 a.m. PST |
Good info SeattleGamer. I've been thinking about adding Italians to my DAK for a long time. Not knowing where to start has been my stumbling block. Can you recommend a couple of books from your collection that might help. TIA. |
HMS Exeter | 07 Oct 2024 10:14 p.m. PST |
When I began working on my DAK project, back shortly after Noah got off the boat, I acquired a copy of SPI's Campaign for North Africa. It's one of their MEGA games. It has super granular OOB info and a comprehensive map. They're like $1 USDk anymore, but if you have a friend who has one the OOB books are all you really need. It has 2 blind spots. No Malta involvement and no naval aspect. |
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