The Carro Armato M13/40 was an Italian World War II tank designed to replace the M11/39 in the Italian Army at the start of World War II. It was the primary tank used by the Italians throughout the war. The design was influenced by the British Vickers 6-Ton and was based on the modified chassis of the earlier M11/39. Production of the M11/39 was cut short in order to get the M13/40 into production. The name refers to "M" for Medio (medium) according to the Italian tank weight standards at the time, 13 tonnes was the scheduled weight and 1940 the initial year of production.

The Royal Italian Army's 'M' series tanks began with the Fiat-Ansaldo M 11-39 in 1939 and continued with the M13-40, M 14-41 and the M 15-42. Medium tanks served on all Italian fronts during WWII. Although outperformed by most Allied armored vehicles, these tanks and self-propelled guns were Italy's armored defense throughout WWII.

Several factors delayed and greatly hampered the development of an Italian medium tank during World War II. The first was the strategic stance of the country, focussed on a war against neighbouring countries such as France and Yugoslavia, and ill-prepared for a war in the Western Desert. Since these European countries bordered with Italy in mountainous areas, light tanks were preferred as these were deemed much more suitable for the narrow roads and bridges of the Alps. Furthermore, development was hampered by the limited number of Italian industries, whose production was also heavily fragmented. All these factors delayed the development of the first prototype of an Italian medium tank – the M 11 – which would only appear in 1937 and did not enter production until 1939. Although technically inferior to their German and Allied counterparts in 1941–43, the Italian M tanks proved to be quite effective when used by experienced crews with adequate combat tactics. In fact, their major shortcoming actually proved to be their limited production figures. While production was limited, innovation was not and, between 1941 and 1943, several experiments were carried out on the Italian tanks that produced interesting prototypes such as the anti-aircraft semovente.

Merriam Press Armored Warfare 8. Second Edition (2014). Pictorial history of Italian tanks, tankettes, armored cars, self-propelled guns, reconnaissance vehicles and trucks, from World War I through the end of World War II. Chapters with history, data and photographs and drawings on the following: Tanks of Italy Fiat 2000 Heavy Tank Fiat 3000 Light Tank Lancia IZM Armored Car Carro Veloce CV33 and L3/33 Tankettes Carro Veloce L3/35 Tankette Fiat L6/40 Light Tank Fiat M11/39 Medium Tank Fiat M13/40 Medium Tank Fiat M14/41 Medium Tank Fiat M16/43 Medium Tank M15/42 Medium Tank Carro Armato P26/40 Heavy Tank Semovente 47/32 Self-Propelled Gun Semovente 75/18 Self-Propelled Gun Semovente 75/34 Self-Propelled Gun Semovente 90/53 Self-Propelled Gun Semovente 105/25 Self-Propelled Gun Semovente da 149/40 Self-Propelled Gun Autoblinda AB40 / AB41 / AB42 / AB43 Armored Cars Autoblinda Lince Armored Car SPA-Viberti AS42 Reconnaissance Vehicle SPA AS37 Light Truck Lancia 3 Ro Heavy Truck TL37 Light Truck Autocarro Blindato Fiat 626 NM Medium Truck 511 photos (21 color and 486 B&W) and 4 drawings This second edition has more pages and improved format. This edition also breaks down each vehicle type into separate chapters with added history and data which was not in the first edition.

This illustrated study assesses the British Crusader and the Italian M13/40, two medium tanks that played crucial roles in World War II's Desert War. Making its combat debut in North Africa during December 1940, Italy's M13/40 medium tank was armed with a 47mm main gun. Its British opposite number, the Crusader I, was armed with a 2-pdr (40mm) main gun; it entered the fighting in June 1941. While the M13/40 could fire armour-piercing rounds but also high-explosive ammunition against infantry and towed-gun targets, the Crusader could only fire armour-piercing ammunition. In this book, David Greentree charts the evolution of these two tanks as the Desert War raged on. While the Crusader III, making its debut at the Second Battle of El Alamein in October 1942, was armed with the much more effective 6-pdr (57mm), the M13/40 could not be upgunned or uparmoured; new types such as the US-built M3 Grant tipped the balance in favour of the British. Joined in the front line by the similar M14/41, the M13/40 soldiered on; as the M4 Sherman also entered British service, the Italian tanks were largely wiped out as the Axis forces retreated from Egypt. Featuring all-new full-colour artwork, archive photographs and expert analysis, this engaging study assess the origins, development and combat effectiveness of these two mainstays of the Desert War during 1941–42.

Merriam Press World War 2 Album 20 First Edition, 2015. Pictorial album of Italian tanks, tankettes, armored cars, self-propelled guns, reconnaissance vehicles and trucks. Sections with photographs and brief descriptions and data of the following: Fiat 2000 Heavy Tank Fiat 3000 Light Tank Lancia IZM Armored Car Carro Veloce CV33 and L3/33 Tankettes Carro Veloce L3/35 Tankette Fiat L6/40 Light Tank Fiat M11/39 Medium Tank Fiat M13/40 Medium Tank Fiat M14/41 Medium Tank Fiat M16/43 Medium Tank M15/42 Medium Tank Carro Armato P26/40 Heavy Tank Semovente 47/32 Self-Propelled Gun Semovente 75/18 Self-Propelled Gun Semovente 75/34 Self-Propelled Gun Semovente 90/53 Self-Propelled Gun Semovente 105/25 Self-Propelled Gun Semovente da 149/40 Self-Propelled Gun Autoblinda AB40 / AB41 / AB42 / AB43 Armored Cars Autoblinda Lince Armored Car SPA-Viberti AS42 Reconnaissance Vehicle SPA AS37 Light Truck Lancia 3 Ro Heavy Truck TL37 Light Truck Autocarro Blindato Fiat 626 NM Medium Truck 498 photos 5 illustrations 2 side views 2 sectioned view

Several factors delayed and greatly hampered the development of an Italian medium tank during World War II. The first was the strategic stance of the country, focussed on a war against neighbouring countries such as France and Yugoslavia, and ill-prepared for a war in the Western Desert. Since these European countries bordered with Italy in mountainous areas, light tanks were preferred as these were deemed much more suitable for the narrow roads and bridges of the Alps. Furthermore, development was hampered by the limited number of Italian industries, whose production was also heavily fragmented. All these factors delayed the development of the first prototype of an Italian medium tank – the M 11 – which would only appear in 1937 and did not enter production until 1939. Although technically inferior to their German and Allied counterparts in 1941–43, the Italian M tanks proved to be quite effective when used by experienced crews with adequate combat tactics. In fact, their major shortcoming actually proved to be their limited production figures. While production was limited, innovation was not and, between 1941 and 1943, several experiments were carried out on the Italian tanks that produced interesting prototypes such as the anti-aircraft semovente.