Carro-Veloce 3-33 and trailer (E1951.43)

Description

A Small but Deadly Flamethrower
A pre-war design, based upon the British Carden-Loyd Carrier, these tiny vehicles were built and used in vast numbers by the Italian Army in World War 2. They had been employed by the Italians in Ethiopia and Spain and sold to other nations including Hungary, China and Brasil. Against unarmoured troops they had some potential but confronted by tanks, or even armoured cars, they were death traps.

Our exhibit, which was captured in North Africa, is a flamethrower version which carried 500 litres of flame fuel in a special two-wheel trailer. Fuel was delivered by a pump, driven off the gearbox, which gave it a flaming range of about 40 yards. In fact the pump was so weak that crews were instructed not to use flame, when driving at full speed, for fear of setting themselves alight.

Although a number of these flamethrower carriers were captured in the Tobruk area there is no evidence from British sources of them ever being used. The tiny vehicles were very cramped inside and must have been ghastly, when closed down, in the desert. Add to that the risk of having fuel pumped through the centre of the vehicle and any reluctance to use them is understandable.

Other Numbers

Number	Type
4351	Original Accession
6139/A1, 6139/A2, 6139/A3, 6139/A4, 6139/A5, 6139/A6, 6139/B1, 6139/B2, 6139/B3, 6139/B4, 6139/B5, 6139/B6, 6139/C1, 6139/C2, 6139/C3, 6139/C4, 6139/C5, 6139/C6, 6139/D1, 6139/D2	Photograph

Military unit

Italian Army

Country of Use

Italy (1933-1945)

Object Production

Role	Attribution	Date	Place	Notes
Manufactured	1933	FIAT-Ansaldo	Italy

Era

World War 2

Nationality

Italian

Current Location

BOVTM - B18 - WW2 Hall - Desert Section (Moved here on 15/07/2009)

Features

Part Name	Description	Notes
Tracks/Wheels	Full Tracked
Armament - Main Weapon Type	Flamethrower
Armament - Secondary Weapon Type	8 mm Machine Gun
Engine	Fiat CV3-005, 4 cylinder in-line
Suspension	Articulated with laminated quarter elliptic springs
Transmission	4 Forward, 1 Reverse

Dimensions

Part Name	Dimension	Value	Unit	Precision	Notes
Crew	Number	2
Overall	Weight	3.2	tons
Speed - Road	Maximum	42	kph
Fuel	Type	Petrol
Engine Output	Power	43	bhp		@ 2400 rpm
Fuel	Volume	62	ltr
Range	Radius	120	km
Armour Thickness	Maximum	13.5	mm
Overall	Length	3.2	m
Overall	Width	1.4	m
Overall	Height	1.28	m
Projectile	Volume	60	ltr		Additional 500 litres carred in trailer