Camionetta Sahariana
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
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
- ↑ 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
- John Moher, http://www.comandosupremo.com/Sahariana.html (accessed March 24, 2009)