Difference between revisions of "P40 "G.C. Leoncello""
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| − | {{Specs-Card|code=it_p_26_40}} | + | {{About |
| + | |about=Italian premium medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}''' | ||
| + | |other | ||
| + | |usage-1 = the regular version | ||
| + | |link-1 = P40 | ||
| + | |usage-2 = other uses | ||
| + | |link-2 = P40 (Disambiguation) | ||
| + | }} | ||
| + | {{Specs-Card | ||
| + | |code=it_p_26_40 | ||
| + | |images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_P40_G.C._Leoncello.png}} | ||
| + | }} | ||
== Description == | == Description == | ||
| − | <!--''In the description, the first part | + | <!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' --> |
| − | + | The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced as a [[wt:en/news/5074-news-italian-ground-vehicles-in-war-thunder-en|premium pack]] in [[Update 1.73 "Vive la France"]] and was removed from the store after [[wt:en/news/6694-shop-may-sale-in-war-thunder-en|2020 May sale]]. It was made available briefly for purchase with Golden Eagles {{ge}} during the [[wt:en/news/7413-special-italian-national-unity-and-armed-forces-day-en|2021 "Italian National Unity Day"]] mini-event. | |
| − | {{ | ||
| − | |||
| − | The P40 | + | The P40 "Leoncello" was one of the first Italian ground vehicles implemented and was created by Nicola "Kolin0" Faggiani and Riccardo "BlueBeta" Lo Verso as part of the [[Affiliate_Program_Revenue_Share|revenue share program]]. |
| − | The P40 features a default tri-tone camouflage of yellow, green, and red-brown; colors not too unlike that of late German tanks | + | The P40's best description in its place on the battlefield is "average". Average armour, average gun, and average mobility. For this reason, it can perform most roles of a typical medium tank in a flanking or support role, but should not be relied on to be a shield or a speedster. The P40 features a default tri-tone camouflage of yellow, green, and red-brown; colors not too unlike that of late German tanks. |
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== General info == | == General info == | ||
=== Survivability and armour === | === Survivability and armour === | ||
| − | <!--''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules | + | {{Specs-Tank-Armour}} |
| + | <!-- ''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.'' --> | ||
| + | The P40 presents all-around sloped armour on the hull with sand skirts handing over the suspension area, which consists of leaf spring bogies not too unlike those found on the Panzer IV. The turret is also sloped in all sides, and is relatively low profile in comparison to the rest of the tank size. The construction of the whole tank also consists of rivets, rather than weld or cast, which gives the detail of numerous circular rivets around the tank. | ||
| − | |||
'''Armour type:''' | '''Armour type:''' | ||
| + | |||
* Rolled homogeneous armour | * Rolled homogeneous armour | ||
* Structural steel | * Structural steel | ||
| + | |||
{| class="wikitable" | {| class="wikitable" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| Line 31: | Line 41: | ||
|} | |} | ||
'''Notes:''' | '''Notes:''' | ||
| + | |||
* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick. | * Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick. | ||
* 4 mm side skirts line up parts of the bottom side hull. | * 4 mm side skirts line up parts of the bottom side hull. | ||
| Line 36: | Line 47: | ||
=== Mobility === | === Mobility === | ||
| − | <!--''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and | + | {{Specs-Tank-Mobility}} |
| − | {| | + | <!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' --> |
| − | | | + | |
| − | + | {{tankMobility|abMinHp=511|rbMinHp=292}} | |
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| − | + | === Modifications and economy === | |
| − | + | {{Specs-Economy}} | |
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== Armaments == | == Armaments == | ||
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Armaments}} | ||
=== Main armament === | === Main armament === | ||
| − | <!--''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the | + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}} |
| + | <!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' --> | ||
{{main|Ansaldo 75 L/34 (75 mm)}} | {{main|Ansaldo 75 L/34 (75 mm)}} | ||
| − | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%" |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! colspan=" | + | ! colspan="5" | [[Ansaldo 75 L/34 (75 mm)|75 mm Ansaldo 75 L/34]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds) |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer |
| − | ! | + | ! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced |
| − | ! | + | ! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced |
|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | ! ''Arcade'' |
| + | | rowspan="2" | 63 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 13.3 || 18.4 || 22.4 || 24.8 || 26.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! ''Realistic'' |
| − | + | | 8.3 || 9.8 || 11.9 || 13.2 || 14.0 | |
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|} | |} | ||
| − | + | ==== Ammunition ==== | |
| − | { | + | {{:Ansaldo 75 L/34 (75 mm)/Ammunition|Granata Perforante 75/32, EPS M42, Granata 75/32}} |
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| − | | Granata Perforante 75/32 | ||
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| − | + | ==== [[Ammo racks]] ==== | |
| − | [[File: | + | [[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]] |
| − | {| class="wikitable | + | <!-- '''Last updated:''' --> |
| + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" | ||
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! Full<br>ammo |
| − | ! | + | ! 1st<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! 2nd<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! 3rd<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! 4th<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! 5th<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! 6th<br>rack empty |
| − | ! | + | ! Visual<br>discrepancy |
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | | '''63''' || 58 ''(+5)'' || 53 ''(+10)'' || 48 ''(+15)'' || 43 ''(+20)'' || 22 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+62)'' || No | |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| + | '''Note''': | ||
| − | Sponsons empty: 43 ''(+20)'' | + | * Sponsons empty: 43 ''(+20)'' shells. |
=== Machine guns === | === Machine guns === | ||
| − | <!--''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft | + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}} |
| + | {{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}} | ||
| + | <!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' --> | ||
{{main|Breda Mod. 38 (8 mm)}} | {{main|Breda Mod. 38 (8 mm)}} | ||
| − | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center | + | {| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%" |
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|- | |- | ||
| − | + | ! colspan="5" | [[Breda Mod. 38 (8 mm)|8 mm Breda Mod. 38]] | |
|- | |- | ||
| − | ! | + | ! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal |
|- | |- | ||
| − | + | | Pintle || 288 (24) || 600 || -10°/+20° || N/A | |
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|- | |- | ||
| − | | | + | | Coaxial || 288 (24) || 600 || N/A || N/A |
|- | |- | ||
|} | |} | ||
| − | == Usage in | + | == Usage in battles == |
| − | <!--''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''--> | + | <!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' --> |
| − | |||
| − | + | The P40 can be played like other medium tanks like the [[Panzer IV]] in that the mobility should be used to try and get a position of opportunity against the enemy. Though the 75 mm APCBC is generally inadequate in a frontal engagement, the usage of the HEAT round could level the disparity in armour and firepower. As a support, stick together with allies during an assault or defence of a base. The P40 is still a vital piece as a team player and can attract the enemy's attention either as an easy target or a threat with the 75 mm gun. Allow the enemy tanks to try and take attention of the P40 or another ally and while the lone enemy is targeting one, the others move in to hit the enemy. Coordinate effectively to control choke points against the enemy movements. | |
| − | |||
| − | + | The P40 is quite good at flanking too, it has quite decent forward mobility and this can be used to get to areas around the main points of contention to get to the enemy's sides. This would be beneficial as the P40's 75 mm APCBC ammunition can do its work in piercing the weaker armour on the sides and use the huge explosive filler in each round for a crippling effect on the penetrated enemy tank. Take cover behind concealment and lob rounds at the enemy as they move to engage the bulk of the allies in the expected fighting zones. Take care not to get hit and angle the tank to make the most of the front sloping 50 mm of armour on the front, most enemy rounds that come your way with high explosive fillers will usually take you out in one shot. Try your best to stick with teammates who can back you up when you find yourself in trouble, this will increase your chances at survival. This also should apply for all game modes, be aware that in Arcade battles the enemies are able to see your weak spots when they aim at you, so keep that in mind if you decide to go hull-down as an experienced player might just go for a different module, such as your cannon barrel or breech, and finish you off slowly. | |
| − | The P40 | ||
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
| − | <!--'' | + | <!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' --> |
| + | |||
'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
| − | * | + | |
| − | * | + | * Decently sloped armour, can be surprisingly bouncy when angled properly |
| − | * Good forward mobility | + | * Large amount of HE filler in APCBC rounds can help reliably destroy tanks that the shell penetrates |
| − | * Has smoke grenade launchers | + | * HEAT round has 100 mm of penetration - can penetrate the frontal armour of the American M4 Sherman and the Soviet T-34 medium tanks |
| + | * Competitive stock reload speed - can go down to 5 seconds with an aced crew | ||
| + | * Good forward mobility | ||
| + | * Has smoke grenade launchers | ||
| + | |||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Armour profile is weak against most opponents, even against some SPAA autocannons | ||
| + | ** Large 15 mm armoured engine deck could also be pierced from aerial heavy machine gun attacks | ||
* Bad acceleration | * Bad acceleration | ||
* Slow reverse | * Slow reverse | ||
| − | * 40 km/h top speed | + | * Rather slow 40 km/h top speed |
* Only 75 mm of pen for APCBC round | * Only 75 mm of pen for APCBC round | ||
| + | * Only two viable rounds - must choose between increased penetration with HEAT or increased post-penetration damage with APCBC | ||
* Slow turret traverse | * Slow turret traverse | ||
| − | * Machine gun magazines are small, can't sustain fire | + | * Machine gun magazines are small, can't sustain fire |
| − | + | * Pintle mount machine gun can only be adjusted in elevation, not horizontally | |
| − | + | * Smoke grenade pops up behind tank, can't create a screen in front | |
| − | |||
| − | * Pintle mount machine gun can only be adjusted in elevation, not horizontally | ||
| − | * Smoke grenade pops up behind tank, can't create a screen in front | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
| − | <!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the | + | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> |
| − | The P 26/40 was by Italian standards a heavy tank, with the | + | The story of the P40 tank began in the 1940s, the Italian high command, under order of leader Benito Mussolini, would bring out a set of requirements for an entirely new tank that could work with existing vehicles that were already in service. The recent Africa campaign had shown the massive problems the Italian tanks in production had, namely a lack of armour and insufficient firepower, prompting the army to make some changes. Ansaldo, assisted by Fiat, would design the tank. During development, there were some disagreements between the engineers and high command, high command wanted a diesel powerplant, while the builders favoured a petrol engine. However, neither of those engines were available at the time that could produce the desired output for the tank. Thus, a new engine had to be designed from scratch, this would be a major setback as development would be quite slow. Even when the new engine was made, they decided to go with the V-12 SPA 342 diesel engine, which produced 330 hp and allowed the P40 to reach speeds of up to 40 km/h. |
| + | |||
| + | It was initially designated as "P75" due to the 75 mm short-barreled 75/32 mm cannon that was changed to a longer barreled 75/34 with higher potency. The vehicle was adopted and was named "P26/40", with the designation "P" standing for "Pesante", 26 for the weight, and 40 for the year it was designed. A lot of design features of the tank would be inspired from captured Soviet T-34s that Italy managed to inspect and even use against the Soviets during the war. Due to this, the first 3 prototypes would be very different from one another, such as having different cannons or different types of armour layout. Eventually the development for this tank was taking to long so they decided to just go ahead with the production as they were wasting too much time, and the Allies were on their way to Italy. The P26/40 was, by Italian standards, a heavy tank. | ||
| + | |||
| + | It would finally enter service in 1943, very few would enter service in the Italian army, mainly due to the armistice on the 8th September 1943, Nazi Germany would basically take over the production line and capture the majority of the Italian P40s and put them in service with the Wehrmacht. | ||
| + | |||
| + | As for the P40 "G.C. Leoncello", its story would commence straight after the armistice, unlike what others may lead you to believe, not all of Italy "switched sides", many in Northern Italy remained loyal to Mussolini and the Germans, and weren't simply going to accept the terms of the armistice, this lead to a civil war. The Leoncello Armoured Group was born on the idea of Captain Zuccaro, he had the task of defending the Ministry of the Armed Forces at Peloponazze, near Desenzano. Captain Zuccaro began to organize the Group without the Germans' knowledge, under the cover name of "Battaglione Carri dell'Autodrappello Ministeriale delle Forze Armate", looking for and recovering armoured vehicles to re-equip themselves. Of those vehicles, they'd manage to find two P40 tanks, which would promptly be put into service. They'd also get a very unique camouflage pattern, with a mix of yellow, green, and red, history on their service is quite scarce to find, but it is believed by many that they did get involved in a few battles. Today, two Carro Pesante P26/40 still exist: one of them is in the ''Museo della Motorizzazione'' in Rome, while the other one is in display near Italian Army barracks in Lecce. | ||
== Media == | == Media == | ||
| − | '' | + | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> |
| + | |||
| + | ;Skins | ||
| − | == | + | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=it_p_26_40 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] |
| − | <!--''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example | + | |
| + | ;Videos | ||
| + | {{Youtube-gallery|N-EazLEFaFg|'''The Shooting Range #71''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 08:17 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|yKWKyNvjb3M|'''P40 "G.C. Leoncello" - Italian Tank - A First Look''' - ''Napalmratte''}} | ||
| + | |||
| + | == See also == | ||
| + | <!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:'' | ||
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;'' | * ''reference to the series of the vehicles;'' | ||
| − | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees | + | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> |
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | == | + | ;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role |
| − | ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | + | * [[T-34 (Family)]] - T-34/76 models |
| + | |||
| + | == External links == | ||
| + | <!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:'' | ||
* ''topic on the official game forum;'' | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
| − | * ''other literature.'' | + | * ''other literature.'' --> |
| + | |||
| + | * [[wt:en/news/5469-the-guys-behind-the-italian-p40-tank-en|[News] The guys behind the Italian P40 Tank!]] | ||
| + | * [[wikipedia:P26/40_tank|[Wikipedia] P26/40 tank]] | ||
| + | * [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/italy/Carro_Armato_Pesante_P26-40.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Carro Armato P26/40] | ||
| + | * [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=503 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> Carro Armato P40 (Carro Pesante P40)] | ||
| + | {{TankManufacturer FIAT-Ansaldo}} | ||
{{Italy medium tanks}} | {{Italy medium tanks}} | ||
{{Italy premium ground vehicles}} | {{Italy premium ground vehicles}} | ||
Latest revision as of 20:31, 24 January 2023
| This page is about the Italian premium medium tank P40 "G.C. Leoncello". For the regular version, see P40. For other uses, see P40 (Disambiguation). |
Contents
Description
The Fiat-Ansaldo P40 Gruppo Corazzato "Leoncello" is a gift rank II Italian medium tank
with a battle rating of 3.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced as a premium pack in Update 1.73 "Vive la France" and was removed from the store after 2020 May sale. It was made available briefly for purchase with Golden Eagles 
during the 2021 "Italian National Unity Day" mini-event.
The P40 "Leoncello" was one of the first Italian ground vehicles implemented and was created by Nicola "Kolin0" Faggiani and Riccardo "BlueBeta" Lo Verso as part of the revenue share program.
The P40's best description in its place on the battlefield is "average". Average armour, average gun, and average mobility. For this reason, it can perform most roles of a typical medium tank in a flanking or support role, but should not be relied on to be a shield or a speedster. The P40 features a default tri-tone camouflage of yellow, green, and red-brown; colors not too unlike that of late German tanks.
General info
Survivability and armour
Smoke grenades
Creation of a smoke screen in front of the vehicle
Armourfront / side / back
Hull50 / 45 / 40
Turret50 / 45 / 45
Crew4 people
Visibility88 %
The P40 presents all-around sloped armour on the hull with sand skirts handing over the suspension area, which consists of leaf spring bogies not too unlike those found on the Panzer IV. The turret is also sloped in all sides, and is relatively low profile in comparison to the rest of the tank size. The construction of the whole tank also consists of rivets, rather than weld or cast, which gives the detail of numerous circular rivets around the tank.
Armour type:
- Rolled homogeneous armour
- Structural steel
| Armour | Front (Slope angle) | Sides | Rear | Roof |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Hull | 50 mm (45°), 30 mm (78°), 45 mm (45°) Front glacis 50 mm (38°) Lower glacis 74 mm (45°) Driver's hatch |
45 mm (35°) Top 40 mm Bottom |
40 mm Fighting compartment rear 40 mm (10-40°) |
45 mm Front 15 mm Rear |
| Turret | 50 mm (20°) Turret front 48 + 48 mm (1-78°) Gun mantlet |
45 mm (25-26°) | 45 mm Top 23 + 50 + 45 mm Turret bustle |
20 mm |
Notes:
- Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
- 4 mm side skirts line up parts of the bottom side hull.
- Belly armour is 14 mm thick.
Mobility
Speedforward / back
AB45 / 5 km/h
RB and SB41 / 5 km/h
Number of gears5 forward
1 back
Weight26.0 t
Engine power
AB630 hp
RB and SB330 hp
Power-to-weight ratio
AB24.2 hp/t
RB and SB12.7 hp/t
| Game Mode | Max Speed (km/h) | Weight (tons) | Engine power (horsepower) | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Forward | Reverse | Stock | Upgraded | Stock | Upgraded | ||
| Arcade | 45 | 5 | 26 | 511 | 630 | 19.65 | 24.23 |
| Realistic | 41 | 5 | 292 | 330 | 11.23 | 12.69 | |
Modifications and economy
Repair cost
AB554 
RB1 159
SB1 742
Crew training6 900
Experts46 000
Aces270
Research Aces500 000 
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
2 × 50 / 90 / 110 % 2 × 130 / 130 / 130 % | Mobility | Protection | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Main armament
Ammunition63 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
6.5 → 5.0 s
Vertical guidance-10° / 23°
| 75 mm Ansaldo 75 L/34 | Turret rotation speed (°/s) | Reloading rate (seconds) | |||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mode | Capacity | Vertical | Horizontal | Stabilizer | Stock | Upgraded | Full | Expert | Aced | Stock | Full | Expert | Aced |
| Arcade | 63 | -10°/+23° | ±180° | N/A | 13.3 | 18.4 | 22.4 | 24.8 | 26.4 | 6.50 | 5.75 | 5.30 | 5.00 |
| Realistic | 8.3 | 9.8 | 11.9 | 13.2 | 14.0 | ||||||||
Ammunition
| Penetration statistics | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm) | |||||
| 10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1,000 m | 1,500 m | 2,000 m | ||
| Granata Perforante 75/32 | APCBC | 79 | 78 | 71 | 64 | 58 | 52 |
| EPS M42 | HEAT | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 | 100 |
| Granata 75/32 | HE | 10 | 10 | 9 | 9 | 9 | 9 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (m) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| Granata Perforante 75/32 | APCBC | 637 | 6.35 | 1.2 | 14 | 270 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
| EPS M42 | HEAT | 552 | 5.3 | 0.05 | 0.1 | 656.64 | 62° | 69° | 73° | |||
| Granata 75/32 | HE | 552 | 6.35 | 0.2 | 0.1 | 600 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
Ammo racks
Ammo racks of the P40 "G.C. Leoncello"
| Full ammo |
1st rack empty |
2nd rack empty |
3rd rack empty |
4th rack empty |
5th rack empty |
6th rack empty |
Visual discrepancy |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 63 | 58 (+5) | 53 (+10) | 48 (+15) | 43 (+20) | 22 (+41) | 1 (+62) | No |
Note:
- Sponsons empty: 43 (+20) shells.
Machine guns
8 mm Breda Mod. 38 machine gun (coaxial)
Ammunition288 rounds
Belt capacity24 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
Ammunition288 rounds
Belt capacity24 rounds
Reloadbasic crew → aces
10.4 → 8.0 s
Fire rate600 shots/min
| 8 mm Breda Mod. 38 | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mount | Capacity (Belt) | Fire rate | Vertical | Horizontal |
| Pintle | 288 (24) | 600 | -10°/+20° | N/A |
| Coaxial | 288 (24) | 600 | N/A | N/A |
Usage in battles
The P40 can be played like other medium tanks like the Panzer IV in that the mobility should be used to try and get a position of opportunity against the enemy. Though the 75 mm APCBC is generally inadequate in a frontal engagement, the usage of the HEAT round could level the disparity in armour and firepower. As a support, stick together with allies during an assault or defence of a base. The P40 is still a vital piece as a team player and can attract the enemy's attention either as an easy target or a threat with the 75 mm gun. Allow the enemy tanks to try and take attention of the P40 or another ally and while the lone enemy is targeting one, the others move in to hit the enemy. Coordinate effectively to control choke points against the enemy movements.
The P40 is quite good at flanking too, it has quite decent forward mobility and this can be used to get to areas around the main points of contention to get to the enemy's sides. This would be beneficial as the P40's 75 mm APCBC ammunition can do its work in piercing the weaker armour on the sides and use the huge explosive filler in each round for a crippling effect on the penetrated enemy tank. Take cover behind concealment and lob rounds at the enemy as they move to engage the bulk of the allies in the expected fighting zones. Take care not to get hit and angle the tank to make the most of the front sloping 50 mm of armour on the front, most enemy rounds that come your way with high explosive fillers will usually take you out in one shot. Try your best to stick with teammates who can back you up when you find yourself in trouble, this will increase your chances at survival. This also should apply for all game modes, be aware that in Arcade battles the enemies are able to see your weak spots when they aim at you, so keep that in mind if you decide to go hull-down as an experienced player might just go for a different module, such as your cannon barrel or breech, and finish you off slowly.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Decently sloped armour, can be surprisingly bouncy when angled properly
- Large amount of HE filler in APCBC rounds can help reliably destroy tanks that the shell penetrates
- HEAT round has 100 mm of penetration - can penetrate the frontal armour of the American M4 Sherman and the Soviet T-34 medium tanks
- Competitive stock reload speed - can go down to 5 seconds with an aced crew
- Good forward mobility
- Has smoke grenade launchers
Cons:
- Armour profile is weak against most opponents, even against some SPAA autocannons
- Large 15 mm armoured engine deck could also be pierced from aerial heavy machine gun attacks
- Bad acceleration
- Slow reverse
- Rather slow 40 km/h top speed
- Only 75 mm of pen for APCBC round
- Only two viable rounds - must choose between increased penetration with HEAT or increased post-penetration damage with APCBC
- Slow turret traverse
- Machine gun magazines are small, can't sustain fire
- Pintle mount machine gun can only be adjusted in elevation, not horizontally
- Smoke grenade pops up behind tank, can't create a screen in front
History
The story of the P40 tank began in the 1940s, the Italian high command, under order of leader Benito Mussolini, would bring out a set of requirements for an entirely new tank that could work with existing vehicles that were already in service. The recent Africa campaign had shown the massive problems the Italian tanks in production had, namely a lack of armour and insufficient firepower, prompting the army to make some changes. Ansaldo, assisted by Fiat, would design the tank. During development, there were some disagreements between the engineers and high command, high command wanted a diesel powerplant, while the builders favoured a petrol engine. However, neither of those engines were available at the time that could produce the desired output for the tank. Thus, a new engine had to be designed from scratch, this would be a major setback as development would be quite slow. Even when the new engine was made, they decided to go with the V-12 SPA 342 diesel engine, which produced 330 hp and allowed the P40 to reach speeds of up to 40 km/h.
It was initially designated as "P75" due to the 75 mm short-barreled 75/32 mm cannon that was changed to a longer barreled 75/34 with higher potency. The vehicle was adopted and was named "P26/40", with the designation "P" standing for "Pesante", 26 for the weight, and 40 for the year it was designed. A lot of design features of the tank would be inspired from captured Soviet T-34s that Italy managed to inspect and even use against the Soviets during the war. Due to this, the first 3 prototypes would be very different from one another, such as having different cannons or different types of armour layout. Eventually the development for this tank was taking to long so they decided to just go ahead with the production as they were wasting too much time, and the Allies were on their way to Italy. The P26/40 was, by Italian standards, a heavy tank.
It would finally enter service in 1943, very few would enter service in the Italian army, mainly due to the armistice on the 8th September 1943, Nazi Germany would basically take over the production line and capture the majority of the Italian P40s and put them in service with the Wehrmacht.
As for the P40 "G.C. Leoncello", its story would commence straight after the armistice, unlike what others may lead you to believe, not all of Italy "switched sides", many in Northern Italy remained loyal to Mussolini and the Germans, and weren't simply going to accept the terms of the armistice, this lead to a civil war. The Leoncello Armoured Group was born on the idea of Captain Zuccaro, he had the task of defending the Ministry of the Armed Forces at Peloponazze, near Desenzano. Captain Zuccaro began to organize the Group without the Germans' knowledge, under the cover name of "Battaglione Carri dell'Autodrappello Ministeriale delle Forze Armate", looking for and recovering armoured vehicles to re-equip themselves. Of those vehicles, they'd manage to find two P40 tanks, which would promptly be put into service. They'd also get a very unique camouflage pattern, with a mix of yellow, green, and red, history on their service is quite scarce to find, but it is believed by many that they did get involved in a few battles. Today, two Carro Pesante P26/40 still exist: one of them is in the Museo della Motorizzazione in Rome, while the other one is in display near Italian Army barracks in Lecce.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
The Shooting Range #71 - Metal Beasts section at 08:17 discusses the P40 "G.C. Leoncello".
P40 "G.C. Leoncello" - Italian Tank - A First Look - Napalmratte
See also
- Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
- T-34 (Family) - T-34/76 models
External links
- [News] The guys behind the Italian P40 Tank!
- [Wikipedia] P26/40 tank
- [Tanks Encyclopedia] Carro Armato P26/40
- [Military Factory] Carro Armato P40 (Carro Pesante P40)
| FIAT-Ansaldo | |
|---|---|
| Autoblindo | AB 41 · AB 43 |
| Light Tanks | L6/40 · L6/40 (31 Rgt.) |
| Medium Tanks | Celere Sahariano |
| M11/39 | M11/39 |
| M13/40 | M13/40 (I) · M13/40 (II) · M13/40 (III) |
| M14/41 | M14/41 · M14/41 (47/40) |
| M15/42 | M15/42 |
| P40 | P40 · P40 "G.C. Leoncello" |
| Tank Destroyers | |
| L3/33 | L3/33 CC |
| Semovente L40 | 47/32 L40 |
| Semovente M41 | 75/18 M41 · 75/32 M41 · 90/53 M41M |
| Semovente M42 | 75/34 M42 |
| Semovente M43 | 105/25 M43 · M43 "G.C.Leoncello" · 75/34 M43 · 75/46 M43 |
| SPAAs | M42 Contraereo |
| Italy medium tanks | |
|---|---|
| Italy | |
| M13/40 | M13/40 (I) · M13/40 (II) · M13/40 (III) |
| M14/41 | M14/41 · M14/41 (47/40) |
| M15/42 | M15/42 |
| M16/43 | Celere Sahariano |
| P26/40 | P40 · P40 "G.C. Leoncello" |
| OF-40 | OF-40 · OF-40 Mk.2A · OF-40 (MTCA) |
| Ariete | Ariete (P) · Ariete · Ariete PSO · Ariete AMV |
| Germany | ▄Pz.III N · ▄Pz.IV G · ▄Leopard 1A5 |
| Allied powers | ▄Sherman I Composito · Sherman Ic · ▄Sherman Vc · ▄Sherman V · M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M26A1 · M47 (105/55) · M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" |
| Hungary | |
| Turán | Turan I · Turan II · Turan III |
| Germany | ◔Leopard 2A4 · Leopard 2A7HU |
| USSR | ◔T-72M1 |
| Italy premium ground vehicles | |
|---|---|
| Light tanks | L6/40 (31 Rgt.) · Toldi IIA · AUBL/74 HVG · VRCC · Centauro RGO |
| Medium tanks | M13/40 (II) · Turan II · M14/41 (47/40) · Celere Sahariano · P40 "G.C. Leoncello" · ▄Sherman I Composito · ▄Pz.IV G |
| M26 "D.C.Ariete" · M60A1 "D.C.Ariete" · OF-40 (MTCA) | |
| Heavy tanks | Tigris |
| Tank destroyers | Breda 90/53 · M43 "G.C.Leoncello" · Zrinyi I |
