Here’s another old resin conversion from Commander Series. I used the Italeri kit of the M11/40 medium tank as a base and back dated it the the earlier (and weirder) M11/39. I used an Eduard P/E set and Model Kasten tracks.
Goofy, huh? Main gun in hull and machine guns in turret.
Mark
A bit like a Lee/Grant. Very nice obscur subject. I love your weathering, love the faded look.
Definately something you don’t see every day! Pretty cool. I have a question about the fenders. On the early Italian tanks I always thought the fenders went the length of the track and were cut off in the later 13/40 types sometimes but not always. Did you base this off any reference vehicle? If not no biggy it looks cool and is something definately different.[tup]
Yoy did a great job joining that old resin top to the lower hull as well!
Interesting build; I have never seen this tank before. You did a great job on it. I am wondering what type of gun that this tank had in its hull?
Thanks for the replies!
Sfcmac - I had references for this vehicle that showed full length fenders as well as short ones. I went with the shorter look - I just like the look better, kinda reminds me of the British Mk1 Matilda. (which I just got from Accurate Armor and I may try to do a WIP thread on it in the future - I’ve always wanted to do that after seeing so much of the great work displayed in this forum).
Ramseur - The M11/39 carried a 37mm cannon, but I seem to recall a prototype 47mm armed version that was canceled in lieu of the re-designed M11/40.
Mark
t
Nice job on the conversion.
The first unit to use the M11/39 in North Africa was stationed near the Egyptian border. It was an independent armor battalion. In a surprise night attack, the British overwhelmed the night encampment and captured most of the vehicles before the crews were able to man them. Not an auspicious results. At the time the Brits were still using old Cruisers (A9, A10 and A13) as well as the Mk VI lt tank, so it was considered a threat to their armor.
The design for this tank began after a diasterous battle in Ethiopia when the CV 33’s were caught in a narrow valley and couldn’t manuever to use their main weapons. It was an interim design to the M13 series. M11/39 means an 11 ton medium tank introduced in 1939, again the M14/41 was a 14 ton medium tank introduced in 1941, etc. The difference between these vehicles are more akin to the different series of a Pz Mk III (D, F, G, etc.).
Italian refernces to vehicles kind of puffed up things, their light tanks were more akin to tankettes, the medium tanks (M series) to light tanks, etc. Even the units sizes were smaller than usual. The Ariete Armoured Division was more correctly the size of a British Armour Brigade and when compared on that basis fought comparatively. In fact the Italian armor division had a better balance of arms. The infantry divisions were also more compared to a British Infantry Brigade, too small for a Division.
Mike T.
Mstazz…
Nice to see this model, and nice work! I’ve noticed that Italeri is running adds(in Fine Scale Modler as a matter of fact), showing a Carro Armato L6 light tank. I’ve yet to see anyone carrying it however. I have the M13/40 and Semnovente and of course am looking forward to their new offering. Would be nice to see this as a wip! At any rate, nice effort…thanks for sharing.
I so thought that the moment I saw the kit.
I like your work though kid, looks really good, keep it up