Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second World War

"This two volume set will be THE definitive reference work on Italian WWII soft-skinned vehicles for a very long time to come, it’s that good." ― AMPS

The importance of land transport vehicles within an armed force is often underestimated by the average reader, attracted by more ‘martial’ subjects such as tanks and artillery. Nevertheless, 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 without which AFVs, guns and infantry are unable to fight.

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.

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.

models of efficient, robust and 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.

This is the first English-language study describing the soft-skinned vehicles of the Italian Armed Forces, starting from the 1930s, 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.

Ralph Riccio was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and is a retired US Army officer who has been interested in military history and military equipment since his youth. He has written and co-authored a number of books on Italian small arms, armor and artillery, as well as several books on aspects of Irish military history. He has also written numerous magazine articles both in English and Italian dealing with a broad spectrum of military subjects. He has a native Italian language fluency, speaks several other languages as well, and is active in translating books and magazine articles from Italian into English for Italian authors who specialize in military affairs. In 1981 he was awarded an honorary Italian knighthood. He lives with his wife Charlene in a rural community in Pennsylvania.

Mario Pieri is an Italian engineer, born in 1962 in Florence and currently resides in Rome. Always a military history researcher, focused on the military technology, Mario has used scale modelling primarily as an associative and educational medium. Actively publishing since the 1980s, his current pursuits are research, editing, and translations.