Camionetta Sahariana

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Sahariana in action in Africa

The Camionetta Sahariana , with the versions Camionetta 'Sahariana' AS 42 (AS as an abbreviation for "Africa Settentrionale") or Camionetta SPA 43 'Sahariana', was an unarmored off-road vehicle of the Italian armed forces in World War II .

history

Camionetta Sahariana in action

The Sahariana was designed by SPA-Viberti, a subsidiary of Fiat , for desert operations in North Africa on the basis of the Autoblindo AB41 armored car with wider balloon tires and holders for canisters.

The first ten vehicles were tested by the "Raggruppamento Sahariano AS" under Generale Mannerini:

Sahariana AS-42 (no.790 B) 1 × 2 cm flak 1 × 8 mm machine gun
Sahariana AS-42 (no.791 B) 1 × 4.7 cm pack 1 × 8 mm machine gun
Sahariana AS-42 (no.792 B) 1 × 2 cm flak 1 × 8 mm machine gun
Sahariana AS-42 (no.793 B) 1 × 2 cm flak 2 × 8 mm MG
Sahariana AS-42 (no.794 B) 2 × 8 mm MG
SPA TL37 AS (no.795 B) 1 × 2 cm flak 2 × 8 mm MG
SPA TL37 AS (no.796 B) 1 × 2 cm flak 1 × 8 mm machine gun
SPA TL37 AS (no.797 B) 1 × 2 cm flak 1 × 8 mm machine gun
SPA TL37 AS (no.798 B) 1 × 2 cm flak
SPA TL37 AS (no.798 B) (Supply vehicle)

After the unit had proven itself in action against the British Long Range Desert Groups , four further units ("Compagnie Arditi Camionettisti") were set up, which had three trains with eight vehicles each and were primarily intended for extensive reconnaissance missions:

unit vehicles Location commitment
103a Compagnia Arditi Camionettisti 24 × AS 42 at Sfax Use in Tunisia
112a Compagnia Arditi Camionettisti 24 × AS 42 Sicily No use
113a Compagnia Arditi Camionettisti 24 × AS 42 Sicily Use against the Allied landing
123a Compagnia Arditi Camionettisti 24 × AS 42/43 Rome No use

After the armistice with the Allies, the remaining units were disbanded; Some Sahariana AS 42 and 43 (the type designations 42 and 43 referred to the year of manufacture) were used by the units of the Italian Social Republic (RSI) until the end of the war , including six vehicles with Italian crews from the reconnaissance department of the German 2nd paratroopers -Division were used on the Eastern and later on the Western Front.

Seven Sahariana were used by police units until 1954 after the war.

Technical data (Camionetta AS 42 Sahariana)
drive SPA Abm 1, 6-cylinder in-line engine with 100 HP
transmission 6 forward gears, 1 reverse gear
Ground clearance 35 cm
Gradient 23 °
length 5.62 m
width 2.26 m
height 1.80 m
speed 84 km / h
Empty weight 4.5 t
Combat weight 6 t
Driving range 300 km, with spare canisters 800 km
crew 5 men

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ http://www.flamesofwar.com/Default.aspx?tabid=108&art_id=431 accessed on March 24, 2009

literature

  • Bart Vanderveen: The Observer's Fighting Vehicles Directory (World War II).
  • Pafi, Falessi, Fiore: Corazzati Italiani 1939–1945. D'Anna Editore, Roma 1968.
  • Ralph Riccio, Nicola Pignato: Italian truck-mounted artillery in action. Squadron / Signal Publication, 2010.
  • Nicola Pignato, Filippo Cappellano: Gli autoveicoli da combattimento dell'Esercito Italiano. Vol. II (1940-1945). Ufficio Storico dello Stato Maggiore dell'Esercito, Roma 2002.
  • Nicola Pignato: I mezzi blindo-corazzati italiani 1923–1943. "Storia Militare", 2005.
  • Paolo Crippa: I reparti corazzati della Repubblica Sociale Italiana 1943/1945. Marvia Edizioni, 2006.

See also

Web links

Commons : SPA-Viberti AS.42 Sahariana  - Collection of images, videos and audio files