SPA-Viberti AS.42
Encyclopedia
The SPA-Viberti AS.42 Sahariana was an Italian
reconnaissance car of World War II
. The AS 42 Sahariana was developed by SPA-Viberti
using the same chassis as the AB 41
armored car, including its four-wheel steering, specifically for desert operations, primarily in a reconnaissance role. Its origins trace back to requests stemming from units operating on the North African Front
for a long range, highly maneuverable vehicle, similar to those widely used by the highly successful British reconnaissance forces, the Long Range Desert Group
(LRDG).
sheet. The AS 42 had front and rear internal fuel tanks of 200 litres each with an additional 24 externally mounted jerrycans holding 80 litres of water and 400 litres of fuel.
Various armament combinations were used, which included:
Italy
Italy , officially the Italian Republic languages]] under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages. In each of these, Italy's official name is as follows:;;;;;;;;), is a unitary parliamentary republic in South-Central Europe. To the north it borders France, Switzerland, Austria and...
reconnaissance car of World War II
World War II
World War II, or the Second World War , was a global conflict lasting from 1939 to 1945, involving most of the world's nations—including all of the great powers—eventually forming two opposing military alliances: the Allies and the Axis...
. The AS 42 Sahariana was developed by SPA-Viberti
Viberti
Officine Viberti was an Italian manufacturer of trailers, coach and bus bodies and mopeds, better known by its integral Monotral chassisless self-supporting coaches and buses. It was based in Turin...
using the same chassis as the AB 41
AB 41
The Autoblinda 41 was an Italian armored car in use during World War II. It was armed with a 20 mm Breda 35 autocannon and a coaxial 8mm machine gun in a turret similar to the one fitted to the Fiat L6/40, and another hull mounted rear-facing 8mm machine gun.-Description:The AB 41 was based...
armored car, including its four-wheel steering, specifically for desert operations, primarily in a reconnaissance role. Its origins trace back to requests stemming from units operating on the North African Front
North African campaign
During the Second World War, the North African Campaign took place in North Africa from 10 June 1940 to 13 May 1943. It included campaigns fought in the Libyan and Egyptian deserts and in Morocco and Algeria and Tunisia .The campaign was fought between the Allies and Axis powers, many of whom had...
for a long range, highly maneuverable vehicle, similar to those widely used by the highly successful British reconnaissance forces, the Long Range Desert Group
Long Range Desert Group
The Long Range Desert Group was a reconnaissance and raiding unit of the British Army during the Second World War. The commander of the German Afrika Corps, Field Marshal Erwin Rommel, admitted that the LRDG "caused us more damage than any other British unit of equal strength".Originally called...
(LRDG).
Design
The Sahariana engine located in the rear which gave it enough space in the middle of the hull to accommodate up to five fully equipped men and weapons, though the mission crew seldom exceeded three or four. The open compartment's only overhead protection was a waterproof canvasCanvas
Canvas is an extremely heavy-duty plain-woven fabric used for making sails, tents, marquees, backpacks, and other items for which sturdiness is required. It is also popularly used by artists as a painting surface, typically stretched across a wooden frame...
sheet. The AS 42 had front and rear internal fuel tanks of 200 litres each with an additional 24 externally mounted jerrycans holding 80 litres of water and 400 litres of fuel.
Various armament combinations were used, which included:
- 8mm Breda model 37 machine-gunBreda M37The Breda Modello 37 was an Italian heavy machine gun adopted in 1937. It was the standard machine gun for the Royal Italian Army during World War II...
- 20mm Breda model 35 gunBreda Model 35The Cannone-Mitragliera da 20/65 modello 35 , also known as Breda Model 35, was a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun produced by the Società Italiana Ernesto Breda of Brescia company in Italy and used during World War II. It was designed in 1932 and was adopted by the Italian armed forces in 1935...
- 20mm Solothurn S18/1000 gunSolothurn S-18/1000The Solothurn S-18/1000 20 mm Anti-Tank rifle was a Swiss and German anti-tank rifle used during the Second World War. It was a variant of the earlier S-18/100 with modifications for a higher muzzle velocity, as well as a larger cartridge size...
- 47mm Breda 47/32 gunCannone da 47/32 M35The Cannone da 47/32 M35 was an Austrian artillery piece produced under license in Italy during World War II. It was used both as an infantry gun and an anti-tank gun....