The L3 tank, also known as the Fast Tank L3, was one of the key players in the modernization of the Italian army during the 1930s. This small but bold armored vehicle embodied the belief that speed and mobility could make a significant difference on the battlefield. Based on the British Carden-Loyd Mk VI model, the L3 was essentially an Italian version of a light "tankette": small, agile, but also lightly armored.

The L3 tank was equipped with two 8 mm Breda or Fiat machine guns mounted at the front. With armor measuring just 6-14 mm in thickness, the L3 offered protection only against light firearms, making it vulnerable to heavy artillery and even other armored units. To put things into perspective, it weighed 3 tons compared to the 31 tons of the American M4 Sherman and the 27 tons of the British Matilda.

Despite its limitations, the L3 saw extensive use, partly due to its speed, reaching up to 40 km/h, and its ease of production. This small Italian tank played a key role in colonial wars, such as during the campaign in Ethiopia (1935-1936) and the Spanish Civil War. In early theaters of war, where enemy armored units were scarce, the L3 managed to prove effective. However, with the outbreak of World War II, the L3 became utterly inadequate when faced with more advanced enemy vehicles. In North Africa and on the Eastern Front, its weaknesses were tragically exposed: it could not compete with the more modern and powerful Allied tanks.

Italian soldiers nicknamed the L3 tank the "sardine can". This nickname stemmed from its extremely small size and the minimal protection provided by its armor. Soldiers, forced to operate in cramped, vulnerable conditions inside the tank, would humorously compare the vehicle to a can of sardines.

Nevertheless, Italy produced more than 2,000 units, keeping it in service until the end of the war. Although obsolete, the L3 tank symbolized Italy's determination to modernize its army.