Book Review of
Italian Soft-skinned Vehicles
In the Second World War
Motorcycles, Cars, Trucks, Artillery Tractors 1935-1945
Volume 2
Authors: Ralph Riccio, Mario Pieri & Daniele Guglielmi
Helion & Co. Books
ISBN: 978-1-804514-91-7
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2023
MSRP: $59.95
ISBN: 978-1-804514-91-7
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2023
MSRP: $59.95
HISTORY:
The importance of land transport vehicles within an armed force is often under-estimated by the average reader, attracted by more “martial” subjects, such as tanks and artillery. Never the less, it was thanks to motorcycles, cars, trucks and tractors that—since the early years of the twentieth century—men, weapons, ammunition , provisions, fuel, equipment and orders were transported, all elements which ARVs, guns and infantry are unable to fight.
It is a common opinion that the Italian Army was beaten, above all, because of the poor quality of its combat vehicles. Impartial and in-depth studies, made since the end of the war, have revealed that the main problem was the shortage of vehicles, as well as an entirely insufficient logistics chain.
The tank crews were able to compensate with bravery and experience for the fact that their tanks were, from a certain point on, inferior to those of their enemies, but the inadequate number of AFVs and other materiel was impossible to remedy. The same problem plagued the entire sector of military soft-skinned vehicles. A sign of Italy’s limited industrial capacity (and of procurement of raw materials and components) compared , for example, to its ally Germany. There were too few factories, too few skilled workers, and poor management skills within the armed forces.
However, if quantity was lacking, the same cannot be said for quality. Many models of efficient, robust an resistant vehicles were produced, especially in the sector of the so-called “standardized” motor vehicles. These vehicles allowed the Italian troops to move and fight in the large and difficult territories of North Africa, the Balkans and the Soviet Union and brought home what was left of the defeated soldiers.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Co., Ltd. is based in Warwick, England.
This book is one of a 2 volume series so far, on the subject of Italian Soft-skinned Vehicles.
It is soft-cover of 226 pages in 8” x 11 34” page format.
The cover art shows 4 black and white wartime photos of Italian soft-skinned vehicles.
Across the top, reading from left to right, the first vehicle is a SPA Dovunque 41 6x6 heavy truck, mainly employed as an artillery-tractor.
In the center is a camouflaged Lancer Ro.
On the right is a Autoinnaffiatgrice (Irrigator) on Ro chassis, built by Viberti.
At the bottom of the cover is a large photo of a Breda 61 half-track, a close copy of the German Sd.Kfz. 7.
Volume 2 examines medium and heavy trucks, artillery tractors, special-purpose vehicles and trailers. The main text is complemented with appendices on vehicle- coloring and markings, manufacturers, production facts and further details.
This is the first English-language study, describing the soft-skinned vehicles of the Italian Armed Forces. Starting from the 1930’s, when Mussolini’s Italy faced some colonial conflicts and participated – albeit unofficially – in the Spanish Civil War, and throughout the Second World War. For each vehicle there is a file describing its evolution and the main technical aspects, accompanied by one or more photographs and, for the most significant examples, line-drawings. The work is enriched by a historical introduction, various appendices and color profiles.
The CONTENTS page lists:
List of color plates.
Acknowledgements.
Documentation sources.
Glossary.
Prefixes & suffixes use in vehicle designations.
5 Medium & Heavy Tanks.
6 Artillery Tractors.
7 Special Purpose Vehicles.
8 Trailers.
APPENDIXES
I Camouflage & markings.
II Italian Vehicle Manufacturers.
III Soft-skinned Vehicles Produced in Italy While under German Control, September 1943—April 1945.
In the Medium & Heavy Truck Chapter, photos of:
Am Autocarro Medio Alpha Romeo Tipo 500 & 500 RE. (12 photos & a poster).
Autocarro Unificato Pesante Alpha Romeo Tipo 800 RE (12 photos. One as a half-track).
Alpha Romeo Tipo 430 (5 photos. One as a cutaway, showing the engine and drive chain).
Autocarro Medeo Blanchi Medolanum (9 photos. Two in civilian business markings).
Bianchi Miles (12 photos. With a 5-view line-drawing and one next to a German Sd.Kfz. 221 armored-car).
Autocarro Parante Ceirano 50 CM (18 photos. One showing 4 trucks, loaded with 75/27 CK anti-aircraft systems, a line drawing side view, a camouflaged one, a 2-view line drawing, one with lift crane mounted, a Cierano 47 CM recovery truck next to a German Messerschmitt Me-323 “Gigant”, one pulling 4 fuel trailers, 2 as ambulances, one as a bath truck and one in civilian business markings.
A Fiat 633 N (27 photos. Two 4-view line drawings, 2 photos as a mobile printing press truck, two as ambulances, 3 as a bus and two as a fuel truck.
A Fiat 508 CM (1 photo)
A Fiat 666 NM (1 photo)
A Fiat 665 (3 photos)
A Isotta Franchini D80 M (6 photos, one in camouflage.
A Autocarro Militare Medio Isotta Franchini D70 M (2 photos)
A Isotta Franchini D65 (one photo and a poster)
A civilian D65 in business markings.
A Lancia Ro NM (9 photos, one carrying a load of horses, 2 as a fuel truck.
A Lancia Ro MB in camouflage.
A Lancia 3Ro NM (26 photos, a 4-view line drawing, 4 mounting a war booty 100/17 howitzer, a radio truck, 4 as fuel tank trucks.
A OM 3 BOD 97 (7 photos)
A Dovunque 35 (9 photos)
A Stazione A 310 R.E. (5 photos as a radio truck).
A photo of 3 CV 33 light tanks.
IN THE COLOR SECTION:
An illustration of a side-view of a Fiat 634 NM standardized heavy truck.
A Balkans 1940, in overall dark-green, with no markings.
An illustration of a Lancia 3Ro NM standardized heavy truck, Eastern Front 1941. Also in overall dark-green, with no markings.
An illustration of a Fiat 626 NLM standardized medium truck, Libya 1942, in overall sand yellow with no markings.
An illustration of a SPA Dovunque 35 medium truck, Libya 1942, in overall sand yellow with no markings.
An illustration of a Breda 32 heavy artillery tractor, Eastern Front 1941, in overall dark-green with no marking.
An illustration of a SPA TL 37 light artillery tractor, Eastern Front 1942, in overall dark-green with no markings.
A 4-view illustration of a Autocarro 3 RO Militare.
A color photo of Italian soldiers in a square in Naples, in front of a building that has alternating German and Italian flags draped around it, during Hitler’s visit. (This photo repeated again in the book, later, in black and white).
A color photo of German equipment being unloaded onto a dock.
Three photos of Italian infantrymen and officers.
A photo of four M14/41 Italian tanks in overall sand yellow with no markings shown.
A photo of Italian motorcyclists in North Africa.
A photo of Italian and German pioneer troops aboard a truck in Tunisia in 1943.
A photo of a special bronze badge that all Italian Army vehicles had, that proved they belonged to the Regio Escercito.
A page showing 10 different Italian license plates in black lettering.
Black and white photos again:
Two photos of a Dovunque 33 (Fiat 612) searchlight trucks.
Seven photos of a Breda 51, with a 3-view and 2-view line drawing.
Seven photos of a Breda 52 , three with a 90/53 anti-aircraft gun mounted on them.
A Trattore Pavesi P4 tractor, 12 photos, all showing it with large and protruding metal wheel rims and a 5-view line drawing.
Two photos of a Modello 30A tractor.
Ten photos of Breda model 32 & 33’s, a 3-view line drawing, one with a ramp on the back and one with a hoist on the front,
A Breda 130 tractor (2 photos)
A Fiat OCI 703 CM treaded tractor (photos and a side-view line drawing).
A Fiat OCM 40 development of the 708 CM (3 photos).
A Trattore Leggero SPA TL 37 light tractor (17 photos) Three showing towing a 75/27 model 11 gun.
A Fiat Trattore medio SPA TM 40 (12 photos) with a 4-view and side view line drawing.
A Fiat 727 half-track (12 photos and a 3-view line drawing and a factory document.
A Camionette AS 42 Sahariana (13 photos) and a 5-view line drawing.
A Camionette SPA-Viberti AS 43 (15 photos, half of them in camouflage and a 5-view line drawing).
An L6 light tank on a single axle trailer. (6 photos and a 2-view line drawing of a 4 wheeled trailer.
Fifteen photos of the 4 wheeled trailer hauling L6 tanks, two photos showing it hauling a 152/37 gun.
IBG Models manufactures 6 different kits of the Lancia 3Ro truck in 1/72nd scale and 3 of it in 1/72nd scale. Prices range from $39.59 up to $55.19 from U.S. hobby shops and are available at numerous shops overseas.
I have several IBG kits that have been reviewed here and are in our archives.
This book will be of great interest to modelers and military enthusiasts alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishing for this review sample. They are the U.S. distributor of Helion Books and all Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web site at:
The importance of land transport vehicles within an armed force is often under-estimated by the average reader, attracted by more “martial” subjects, such as tanks and artillery. Never the less, it was thanks to motorcycles, cars, trucks and tractors that—since the early years of the twentieth century—men, weapons, ammunition , provisions, fuel, equipment and orders were transported, all elements which ARVs, guns and infantry are unable to fight.
It is a common opinion that the Italian Army was beaten, above all, because of the poor quality of its combat vehicles. Impartial and in-depth studies, made since the end of the war, have revealed that the main problem was the shortage of vehicles, as well as an entirely insufficient logistics chain.
The tank crews were able to compensate with bravery and experience for the fact that their tanks were, from a certain point on, inferior to those of their enemies, but the inadequate number of AFVs and other materiel was impossible to remedy. The same problem plagued the entire sector of military soft-skinned vehicles. A sign of Italy’s limited industrial capacity (and of procurement of raw materials and components) compared , for example, to its ally Germany. There were too few factories, too few skilled workers, and poor management skills within the armed forces.
However, if quantity was lacking, the same cannot be said for quality. Many models of efficient, robust an resistant vehicles were produced, especially in the sector of the so-called “standardized” motor vehicles. These vehicles allowed the Italian troops to move and fight in the large and difficult territories of North Africa, the Balkans and the Soviet Union and brought home what was left of the defeated soldiers.
THE BOOK:
Helion & Co., Ltd. is based in Warwick, England.
This book is one of a 2 volume series so far, on the subject of Italian Soft-skinned Vehicles.
It is soft-cover of 226 pages in 8” x 11 34” page format.
The cover art shows 4 black and white wartime photos of Italian soft-skinned vehicles.
Across the top, reading from left to right, the first vehicle is a SPA Dovunque 41 6x6 heavy truck, mainly employed as an artillery-tractor.
In the center is a camouflaged Lancer Ro.
On the right is a Autoinnaffiatgrice (Irrigator) on Ro chassis, built by Viberti.
At the bottom of the cover is a large photo of a Breda 61 half-track, a close copy of the German Sd.Kfz. 7.
Volume 2 examines medium and heavy trucks, artillery tractors, special-purpose vehicles and trailers. The main text is complemented with appendices on vehicle- coloring and markings, manufacturers, production facts and further details.
This is the first English-language study, describing the soft-skinned vehicles of the Italian Armed Forces. Starting from the 1930’s, when Mussolini’s Italy faced some colonial conflicts and participated – albeit unofficially – in the Spanish Civil War, and throughout the Second World War. For each vehicle there is a file describing its evolution and the main technical aspects, accompanied by one or more photographs and, for the most significant examples, line-drawings. The work is enriched by a historical introduction, various appendices and color profiles.
The CONTENTS page lists:
List of color plates.
Acknowledgements.
Documentation sources.
Glossary.
Prefixes & suffixes use in vehicle designations.
5 Medium & Heavy Tanks.
6 Artillery Tractors.
7 Special Purpose Vehicles.
8 Trailers.
APPENDIXES
I Camouflage & markings.
II Italian Vehicle Manufacturers.
III Soft-skinned Vehicles Produced in Italy While under German Control, September 1943—April 1945.
In the Medium & Heavy Truck Chapter, photos of:
Am Autocarro Medio Alpha Romeo Tipo 500 & 500 RE. (12 photos & a poster).
Autocarro Unificato Pesante Alpha Romeo Tipo 800 RE (12 photos. One as a half-track).
Alpha Romeo Tipo 430 (5 photos. One as a cutaway, showing the engine and drive chain).
Autocarro Medeo Blanchi Medolanum (9 photos. Two in civilian business markings).
Bianchi Miles (12 photos. With a 5-view line-drawing and one next to a German Sd.Kfz. 221 armored-car).
Autocarro Parante Ceirano 50 CM (18 photos. One showing 4 trucks, loaded with 75/27 CK anti-aircraft systems, a line drawing side view, a camouflaged one, a 2-view line drawing, one with lift crane mounted, a Cierano 47 CM recovery truck next to a German Messerschmitt Me-323 “Gigant”, one pulling 4 fuel trailers, 2 as ambulances, one as a bath truck and one in civilian business markings.
A Fiat 633 N (27 photos. Two 4-view line drawings, 2 photos as a mobile printing press truck, two as ambulances, 3 as a bus and two as a fuel truck.
A Fiat 508 CM (1 photo)
A Fiat 666 NM (1 photo)
A Fiat 665 (3 photos)
A Isotta Franchini D80 M (6 photos, one in camouflage.
A Autocarro Militare Medio Isotta Franchini D70 M (2 photos)
A Isotta Franchini D65 (one photo and a poster)
A civilian D65 in business markings.
A Lancia Ro NM (9 photos, one carrying a load of horses, 2 as a fuel truck.
A Lancia Ro MB in camouflage.
A Lancia 3Ro NM (26 photos, a 4-view line drawing, 4 mounting a war booty 100/17 howitzer, a radio truck, 4 as fuel tank trucks.
A OM 3 BOD 97 (7 photos)
A Dovunque 35 (9 photos)
A Stazione A 310 R.E. (5 photos as a radio truck).
A photo of 3 CV 33 light tanks.
IN THE COLOR SECTION:
An illustration of a side-view of a Fiat 634 NM standardized heavy truck.
A Balkans 1940, in overall dark-green, with no markings.
An illustration of a Lancia 3Ro NM standardized heavy truck, Eastern Front 1941. Also in overall dark-green, with no markings.
An illustration of a Fiat 626 NLM standardized medium truck, Libya 1942, in overall sand yellow with no markings.
An illustration of a SPA Dovunque 35 medium truck, Libya 1942, in overall sand yellow with no markings.
An illustration of a Breda 32 heavy artillery tractor, Eastern Front 1941, in overall dark-green with no marking.
An illustration of a SPA TL 37 light artillery tractor, Eastern Front 1942, in overall dark-green with no markings.
A 4-view illustration of a Autocarro 3 RO Militare.
A color photo of Italian soldiers in a square in Naples, in front of a building that has alternating German and Italian flags draped around it, during Hitler’s visit. (This photo repeated again in the book, later, in black and white).
A color photo of German equipment being unloaded onto a dock.
Three photos of Italian infantrymen and officers.
A photo of four M14/41 Italian tanks in overall sand yellow with no markings shown.
A photo of Italian motorcyclists in North Africa.
A photo of Italian and German pioneer troops aboard a truck in Tunisia in 1943.
A photo of a special bronze badge that all Italian Army vehicles had, that proved they belonged to the Regio Escercito.
A page showing 10 different Italian license plates in black lettering.
Black and white photos again:
Two photos of a Dovunque 33 (Fiat 612) searchlight trucks.
Seven photos of a Breda 51, with a 3-view and 2-view line drawing.
Seven photos of a Breda 52 , three with a 90/53 anti-aircraft gun mounted on them.
A Trattore Pavesi P4 tractor, 12 photos, all showing it with large and protruding metal wheel rims and a 5-view line drawing.
Two photos of a Modello 30A tractor.
Ten photos of Breda model 32 & 33’s, a 3-view line drawing, one with a ramp on the back and one with a hoist on the front,
A Breda 130 tractor (2 photos)
A Fiat OCI 703 CM treaded tractor (photos and a side-view line drawing).
A Fiat OCM 40 development of the 708 CM (3 photos).
A Trattore Leggero SPA TL 37 light tractor (17 photos) Three showing towing a 75/27 model 11 gun.
A Fiat Trattore medio SPA TM 40 (12 photos) with a 4-view and side view line drawing.
A Fiat 727 half-track (12 photos and a 3-view line drawing and a factory document.
A Camionette AS 42 Sahariana (13 photos) and a 5-view line drawing.
A Camionette SPA-Viberti AS 43 (15 photos, half of them in camouflage and a 5-view line drawing).
An L6 light tank on a single axle trailer. (6 photos and a 2-view line drawing of a 4 wheeled trailer.
Fifteen photos of the 4 wheeled trailer hauling L6 tanks, two photos showing it hauling a 152/37 gun.
IBG Models manufactures 6 different kits of the Lancia 3Ro truck in 1/72nd scale and 3 of it in 1/72nd scale. Prices range from $39.59 up to $55.19 from U.S. hobby shops and are available at numerous shops overseas.
I have several IBG kits that have been reviewed here and are in our archives.
This book will be of great interest to modelers and military enthusiasts alike.
I sincerely wish to thank Casemate Publishing for this review sample. They are the U.S. distributor of Helion Books and all Helion titles can be viewed on Casemate’s web site at:
Highly recommended.