FIAT M13/40

[TANGO]

So here's the story:

Awhile back a farmer/rancher showed up at the Base in Wainwright, Alberta. He talked to some Officers & NCO's at the Headquarters to which they thought he was off his rocker. He had in his possession a Tank and wasn't sure what it was or what to do with it. Apparently, his Grandfather had gotten it many moons ago to be used as a piece of heavy farm machinery such as a tractor. But the Grandfather had died the winter after he got it and it sat in the barn for decades. When the RCEME (Royal Canadian Electrical Mechanical Engineers) from Wainwright went out to investigate they had found a rare Fiat M13/40 Light Italian Tank. They asked the Farmer what he wanted and he said "Nothing...just want to get rid of it!!!".

The Base Mechanics got it back to Camp and started to look at it in their off-time. They found because it had been left with it's original fluids so over time the Coolant had turned to water and the block of the engine was cracked on both sides. While digging around the crew compartment, they found wrapped in wax paper the firing mechanism including the firing pin for the main gun(47 mm). After more investigation and the start of it's restoration, the Weapon's Techs have determined that the turret is functional as there is only gear driven elevation & traverse elements if the turrets. The Suspension is in near mint condition and the drive train including/especially the Engine needed replacing. So the Vehicle Tech were able to replace the old drive train with one from a MLVW(Medium Logistics Vehicle Wheeled).

It does move

The Tank:






Inside the Crew Area(Bear in mind that most of the racks & trays are not the following pictures as they are being refurbished)

Commanders Position


Drivers & Bow Gunner/Radio Operator Seats



YOU CAN'T TOUCH THIS!!!!!