The P40, with its 75/34 cannon installed on rotating turret and 26 tons, is the most powerful tank in force with the Italian Army during World War II. For the Italian tank of that time, it featured innovative characteristics such as front and sides main body angled plates that were still bolted together instead of welded. It had a reasonable speed, about 40 km/h (25 mph). Designs began in 1940 but development was long and with difficulties. In 1943, the first definitive version was ready for production. With the armistice and Northern Italy German occupation, all P40s were operative with the German Army. About three dozens were ground buried along the Gothic line as small fortress without engines due to supplies difficulties from the struggling war industry. Three P40 divisions were in force with the German Army on the Yugoslavian front and some others in Austria against the Soviet Army.