Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second World War Volume 2

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 colouring and markings, manufacturers, production facts and further details.

Volume 1 opened with a historical and technical introduction to the civil and military motorisation in Italy from the 1920s to the end of the Second World War. This was followed by chapters dedicated to motorcycles, cars and light trucks. Each subject is described through its history, technical evolution and specifications, all supported by numerous contemporary photographs.

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 ‘standardised’ 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 colour profiles.

 

"...This is a marvellous reference on Italian soft-skinned transport, spread across both volumes, with a wide variety of modern equipment, including background and service plus basic statistics on each one. In addition to many archive photos throughout the book many subjects include multi-view line drawings which are very useful for modellers....Considering there is so much reference available on US, British, German and Russian trucks already available, this is certainly the best single reference I've seen covering the Italian army in WW2. Definitely recommended in my view." Military Model Scene

"....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. The author’s have done modelers and the military history community a great service in putting this two volume reference set together. Highly Recommended! (A Must Have for Italian or North African campaign enthusiasts)." AMPS

"I was delighted to receive these books [Volume1 & 2] to review, and I immediately started flipping through the pages, and getting sucked into the content. On first viewing it’s hard to focus on any one subject, or its derivatives. There’s just so much in there; And I mean this as a compliment. The scope of these books is very wide ranging, and quite impressive. Looking at the list of sources (often absent from such volumes) and of course the subject matter itself, it’s evident that a large amount of research and work have gone into the production of these volumes. Highly recommended." WarWheels.net

"The introduction and appendices look at wheels and tires, camouflage, markings, in addition to provide company profiles of manufacturers. Illustrations and captions are clear, concise, and meaningful. These two volumes fill a critical void in the history of WWII military vehicles." History in Motion

"....The book is profusely illustrated, with hundreds of contemporary (B&W) and full-color pictures, plus original 3-view drawings for many of the vehicles listed in this book. There are also a few color profiles. This book is a great source of information on vehicles of the Italian Armed Forces during War World Two. Either if you are a historian or a modeler, you will find this book fascinating. Recommended." IPMS USA

“….you will find endlessly fascinating and interesting subjects in both volumes.” War Wheels

“This encyclopedia of vehicles is just what you need to build an Italian force, for the variety of vehicles is astounding.” Historical Miniatures Gaming Society

“In line with the first volume, this one is a real gem and has been well researched as well… a great book and one that I can quite easily recommend to you.” ModelingMadness.com

"...Appendices on camouflage and markings, list of manufacturers, and post 1943 Armistice German controlled manufactured vehicles added to the photos, drawings and artwork make these two volumes on soft-skins a much recommended WW2 reference source." The Miniature Armoured Fighting Vehicle Association, Aug 24 & Model Military International Magazine Issue 123, 2024

".....These are two excellent reference volumes for anyone interested in vehicles used in World War Two by the Italian Army. Knowing exact capabilities of machines also allows the rules writers among us to more accurately model capabilities in our games. Outside of that, the photographs are often very interesting, such as the Lancia 3Ro towing an M13 tank on a trailer, which gives you a true grasp of just how big the trucks could be (clue: they are massive)." hamsterwrangler.com