- Yes
- No
General Info
Following the conclusion of World War II, Italy embarked on extensive re-armament programs aimed at rebuilding its military, which had been pretty much been decimated by the end of the conflict. Post war Italy would benefit from a close partnership with the United States and as such Italy received a significant amount of equipment which made the reconstruction of its armed forces much easier than previously envisioned. The collaboration with the US led to the transfer of various American military vehicles to Italy, and as such from 1948 the first batch of many half-tracks would be delivered. Initially their roles in Italian service would concentrate on it being a troop-transport, with secondary roles which included it being tasked to transport equipment into combat zones. A few years later, specifically in 1955 they’d finally get more offensive/defensive roles, this meant that for the first time since the second world war Italy would have access to a new anti-air platform. In Italian service this vehicle would be known as the Semicingolato Quadrinata, which was equipped with the American so called Maxon Mount, this system would be equipped with up to 4 Browning M2HB 12.7mm heavy machine guns. The Semicingolato Quadrinata would see service in regiments such as the 132° Artiglieria Ariete. In terms of survivability, the Semicingolato Quadrinata lacked any sort of significant armour, it would be able to withstand shell splinters and low calibre fire. In terms of mobility the platform did shine, due to the nature of it being half-tracked it meant that when used off-road and on rough terrain the vehicle could easily handle it, its top speed wasn’t the best but ultimately as proven whilst it was actively used during the second world war, it was generally well liked by its users. In Italian service, various iterations of these half-tracks would be used, including models such as the M16 and the M3A1. Their operational lifespan surpisingly extended well into the 1960s, gradually being phased out in favour of Italian trucks which were easier to maintain. The Maxon mounts usually would be removed from said trucks and placed on the ground. Despite their eventual replacement they were still extremely useful during the immediate post-war period and at times saw service longer compared to other nations who also had used them.
Armament+Equipment
x4 Browning M2HB 12.7mm heavy machine guns (Maxon Mount)
Specifications
Why it should be in game
I think this would help bolster lower tier Italy in the anti-air department, although this would come down to being a copy paste and as such it wouldn’t take long to actually implement. This could be an optional event, battlepass or premium vehicle that gaijin can give out to players.
Sources
Spoiler
Gli Autoveicoli da combattimento dell esercito italiano volume terzo 1945-1955 (book)
M45 Quadmount - Wikipedia
M45 Quadmount (Maxson) Anti-Aircraft / Anti-Personnel System
Notizie & Varie. n. 40 Marzo 2005 Anno XV. DALLA SEGRETERIA RICERCHE, SCAMBI & OFFERTE IL PRIMO SEMOVENTE di Nicola Pignato - PDF Download gratuito
M3 Half-track - Wikipedia
Half-track Personnel Carrier M3
WWW.CORAZZATI.IT
Photos
Spoiler
