Lancia 3 Ro 90/53
Self-Propelled Gun Truck
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Specifications
| Country of Origin/Used by: | Italy |
|---|---|
| First Produced/Service Dates: | 1941 |
| Manufactured by: | Truck: Lancia & C. Fabbrica Automobili; Cannon: Ansaldo AB |
| Crew: | 8? |
| Armament: | (1) 90mm Dual-Purpose Cannon (Ansaldo Model 39/41) |
| Engine: | 5-Cylinder Diesel |
| Miscellaneous Info: | The idea of mounting the powerful Ansaldo Model 39/41 90/53 dual-purpose (anti-aircraft/anti-tank) gun on a mobile platform was envisioned separately, yet almost simultaneously by both Ansaldo and by the General Staff of the Regio Esercito (Royal Italian Army). This new initiative resulted from witnessing the German’s use of the 88mm cannon in France. The General Staff planned both wheeled and tracked versions of this mobile gun platform, and as a result they requested Ansaldo to mount their gun on both the Lancia 3 Ro 4x2 and the Breda 51 “Coloniale” 6x4 trucks (Later, Breda 52). The former was referred to as the Autocannone da 90/53 su Lancia 3 Ro, and the latter, Autocannone da 90/53 su Breda 52. Approximately 30 Lancia 90/53 self-propelled guns were built. Although the 90/53 cannon was a formidable weapon, the weapon system did not perform particularly well, mostly due to the high visibility caused by their high-profile. As the Lancia truck was a capable vehicle, it was also used to mount the 100/17 howitzer, roughly around this same time period. This vehicle was referred to as the Autocannone da 100/17 su Lancia 3 Ro. |
| Breda 51 & 52 |
90/53 Self-Propelled Gun Truck
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Breda 52
Specifications
| Country of Origin/Used by: | Italy |
|---|---|
| First Produced/Service Dates: | 1941 |
| Manufactured by: | Truck: Breda (Societa Italiana Ernesto Breda per Costruzioni Meccaniche); Cannon: Ansaldo AB |
| Crew: | |
| Armament: | (1) 90mm Dual-Purpose Cannon (Ansaldo Model 39/41) |
| Engine: | 6-Cylinder Diesel |
| Miscellaneous Info: | The idea of mounting the powerful Ansaldo Model 39/41 90/53 dual-purpose (anti-aircraft/anti-tank) gun on a mobile platform was envisioned separately, yet almost simultaneously by both Ansaldo and by the General Staff of the Regio Esercito (Royal Italian Army). This new initiative resulted from witnessing the German’s use of the 88mm cannon in France. The General Staff planned both wheeled and tracked versions of this mobile gun platform, and as a result they requested Ansaldo to mount their gun on both the Lancia 3 Ro 4x2 and the Breda 51 “Coloniale” 6x4 trucks. The former was referred to as the Autocannone da 90/53 su Lancia 3 Ro, and the latter Autocannone da 90/53 su Breda 51 or 52. |
As the Breda 51 truck did not perform satisfactorily, the chassis was reinforced and strengthened, becoming the new Breda 52. About 20 vehicles were built using the Breda 51 and approximately 90 used the Breda 52. The search for more capable vehicles continued and the plan was to use the SPA “Dovunque” 41 truck and to create the purpose-built Breda Type 102 90/53 Armored Self-Propelled Gun. However, those did not come to fruition as only one of each prototype was built.
Breda Type 102
90/53 Armored Self-Propelled Gun
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Specifications
| Country of Origin/Used by: | Italy |
|---|---|
| First Produced/Service Dates: | 1943 |
| Manufactured by: | Truck: Breda (Societa Italiana Ernesto Breda per Costruzioni Meccaniche); Cannon: Ansaldo AB |
| Crew: | |
| Armament: | (1) 90mm Dual-Purpose Cannon (Ansaldo Model 39/41) and (2) 8mm Breda Mod. 38 Tank Machine Guns |
| Engine: | 6-Cylinder Gasoline (142 hp) |
| Miscellaneous Info: | The idea of mounting the powerful Ansaldo Model 39/41 90/53 dual-purpose (anti-aircraft/anti-tank) gun on a mobile platform was envisioned separately, yet almost simultaneously by both Ansaldo and by the General Staff of the Regio Esercito (Royal Italian Army). This new initiative resulted from witnessing the German’s use of the 88mm cannon in France. The General Staff planned both wheeled and tracked versions of this mobile gun platform, and as a result they requested Ansaldo to mount their gun on both the Lancia 3 Ro 4x2 and the Breda 51 “Coloniale” 6x4 trucks. The former was referred to as the Autocannone da 90/53 su Lancia 3 Ro, and the latter Autocannone da 90/53 su Breda 51 or 52. |
Building on their experience with their Breda 52 truck mounted Self-Propelled Gun (SPG), Breda designed a new tubular 6x6 chassis and fitted a lower-height armored body mounting the 90/53 cannon. It was named the Breda Type 90/53 SPG (Autocannone Blindato Breda Tipo 102), but was also sometimes referred to as the Autocannone da 90/53 su Breda 501. Only one prototype was built, because there were plans to later fit it with a stronger 200hp engine. However, that vehicle was never built.|