Italeri- Carro Armato L6/40 Italian Light Tank

History 

The Carro Armato L6/40 was an Italian light tank used early in WWII along various fronts. The L means Leggaro for "light", 6 was the weight in tons, and 40 represented the year of adoption in 1940. Obsolete before it was even released, it saw action in the Balkans, the Soviet Union, latter stages of the North Africa campaign, and even later in the defense of Sicily. The two-man crew included a driver on the right and a commander/gunner in the cramped turret. The main armament consisted of a 20 mm Breda 20/65 Mod. 1935 cannon and an 8 mm Breda 38 coaxial machine gun. 

The Kit

To start, this is a rebox of the original kit from 2008 but with new decals. The molds have held up well and most sink marks appear to be only found on interior surfaces which will be hidden away. The only exception being the lower hull tub floor which will be difficult to see when everything is closed up, but the modeler may want to fill in regardless. The kit comes with six dark yellow colored sprues, a small PE fret, sheet of decals, and clear lenses. 

Sprue A is the largest in the kit and contain the five part lower hull tub, transmission, driver's seat and levers, engine firewall, suspension parts, engine deck and hatches, pioneer tools, track guards, and muffler.

There are two duplicate sprue Bs which contain link and length tracks, road wheels, sprockets, idler, and return rollers among other tiny bits. I have each side represented in the photo below.

Sprue C has parts for the casemate with hatch and side stowage boxes. Some nice interior detail is included on the inside face.

Sprue D contains part for the turret and mantlet.

Sprue E has the commander's seat, and parts for the two guns which are not slide molded.

Finally we get a small photoetch fret with a muffler shroud and brackets and the decal sheet comes with five schemes- 4 Italian and one German. They are:

• A. Regio Esercito, 31° Reggimento Fanteria Carrista, in Anti-Partisan Role, Balkans, September 1943
• B. Regio Esercito, 31° Reggimento Fanteria Carrista (before armistice), Balkans, June 1943
• C. Regio Esercito, 3 Gruppo Corazzato "Lancieri di Novara", North Africa 1942
• D. Regio Esercito, LXVII Battaglione Bersaglieri, Russia 1942
• E. German Army Anti-Partisan Duty Unit, Balkans 1944

Conclusion

When I received the kit, the look of this unique light tank had me wanting to dive right in. I hadn't built the original kit when it came out as I had never heard of the tank like I had the Semovente. It looks like it'll be a quick build and the most challenging part will be choosing from the five great looking schemes.

Highly Recommended for Beginner to Advanced builders, pending full build.

Thanks goes out to Model Rectifier Corporation for this review kit.

Reviewed by Michael Reeves, AMPS Albany

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