The Spanish Civil War, fought between 1936 and 1939, provided an opportunity for many European countries to evaluate new technologies and tactics, including armored warfare. At the beginning of the war, the Nationalist and Popular Fronts each possessed only five World War I-era-design Renault FT light tanks, although these were soon reinforced with imported materiel. Italy began supplying Nationalist Spain with L3/35 tankettes in August 1936. The Soviet Union soon followed suit by supplying the Popular Front with T-26

light tank A light tank is a tank variant initially designed for rapid movements in and out of combat, to outmaneuver heavier tanks. It is smaller in size with thinner armor and a less powerful main gun, tailored for better tactical mobility and ease of ...

s in October 1936. Germany sent its first shipments of Panzer I light tanks to the Nationalist Front in September 1936. During the war, France and Poland provided the Popular Front with a number of additional FT light tanks. A considerable number of tanks delivered to the Popular Front were subsequently captured; many of these were put into service against their former owners. The Nationalist and Popular armies also designed and manufactured a number of their own tanks. The Nationalists, for example, began the war with three

Trubia A4 Trubia is a parish of the municipality of Oviedo, Asturias, Spain. It is located in the confluence of rivers Nalón and Trubia, giving the last one its name to the location. History In the 19th century, the Royal Weapons Factory of Trubia w ...

prototypes, manufactured before the beginning of the conflict. They also completed the first prototype of the

Verdeja Verdeja was the name of a series of light tanks developed in Spain between 1938 and 1954 in an attempt to replace German Panzer I and Soviet T-26 tanks in Spanish service. The program was headed by major Félix Verdeja Bardales and led to ...

light tank. This was designed to overcome the shortcomings of tanks provided by the Germans and the Italians, as well as Soviet tanks captured from the Popular Front. Popular Front production of armored vehicles was segmented throughout different areas of Spain. In the north, between 15 and 20 Carro Trubia-Naval tanks were manufactured at the factory in Sestao, conversely the Trubia factory had built only a single model Landesa tank. In Catalonia, two tanks were produced by the ''Maquinaría Moderna'' factory in

Sant Sadurní d'Anoia Sant Sadurní d'Anoia is a municipality in the ''comarca'' of the Alt Penedès in Catalonia, Spain; and the centre of production of a sparkling wine known as '' cava''. It is situated in the north-east of the Penedès Depression at the confluen ...

. Though the Popular Front designed and manufactured many more armored fighting vehicles than the Nationalists, this ultimately worked in the Nationalists favor as the factories and their production lines were captured intact during the war.Manrique & Molina (2006), pp. 306–307

Tanks in service at the beginning

Manufactured in Spain

Produced and deployed by the Nationalists

Produced and deployed by the Popular Front

Tanks supplied by foreign powers

Tanks captured by the Nationalists

Notes

References

* * * * * * * {{DEFAULTSORT:Tanks in the Spanish Civil War Civil War Spanish Civil War-related lists