Cappellano, Fillipo/Battestelli, Pier Paolo/Morshead, Henry (Illustr.) Italian Armoured & Reconnaissance Cars 1911-45

The first Italian armored cars were used in the war in Libya in 1911-12 against the Ottoman Empire. With few tanks being developed during World War I, the Italians relied instead on the development of more mobile armored cars like the Ansaldo Lancia 1 Z. After the war, the army focused on the Alpine battlegrounds of Italy's northern borders, and did not consider armored cars suitable for reconnaissance duties. The experience of the Spanish Civil War would provide the much needed last push for the Italians to develop modern armored cars. The result were the famous AB 41-43 models, which fought against the British in North Africa and Marshall Tito's forces in Yugoslavia, along with other vehicles such as the AS 36 light armored car. Using detailed color plates and contemporary photographs, this book examines the development of the Italian armored car in the two world wars and the inter-war years from the deserts of North Africa to the slopes of the Alps.

The first Italian armoured cars were used in the 1911-12 war in Libya against the Ottoman Empire. While only a few tanks were developed during the First World War, the Italians instead focused on developing more mobile armoured cars such as the Ansaldo Lancia 1 Z. After the war, the army concentrated on the Alpine battlefields on Italy's northern border and did not consider armoured vehicles for reconnaissance. Only the experiences of the Spanish Civil War 1936-1939 led to a fundamental rethink.


Using detailed colour plates and contemporary photographs, this book examines the development of the Italian armoured car during the two world wars and the interwar years, from the deserts of North Africa to the slopes of the Alps.