In 1941 the Automobile Workshops of the Royal Army (OARE) of Bologna presented to the Royal Army, upon explicit request, two light anti-aircraft vehicle that could be very fast when (within limits) armored and well armed. The vehicles in question are a sedans car adapted to a van with the rear modified to accommodate a twin machine gun position and a gunner, as well as an unknown number of additional magazines. The vehicles was most likely accepted given that an order of between 50 and 68 units was placed, but at least two were built and tested at the Center for Motorization Studies in Rome. The vehicles was then assigned to the 101st Motorized Division “Trieste” in North Africa to escort the columns of vehicles, and after there is not traces.
Propulsion and armament.
The vehicles weighed 1008 kg (L.M.R.), 880 (C.M.) and was powered by a 1089cc Fiat 108L petrol engine delivering 30 hp which could take the vehicle to a maximum speed of 95 km/h. The tank was 30 liters which gave the vehicle 310 km of autonomy. Furthermore it was 4115 mm long, 1660 mm wide and 1680 mm high (L.M.R.), 4100 mm long and 1520 mm wide for C.M.
Speaking of armament, it was armed with two 8 mm Fiat-Revelli Mod. 14/35 twin machine guns fed with drum magazines. The gun carriage was the same used for the Breda 20/65 Mod. 35 but with an anti-aircraft reticle sight; it had an elevation of -10°/+80° and a 360° firing angle.
These things look great! I mean not necessery like as an AA truck, from that point of view they are pretty boring. But as a car they are beautiful. Would still drive around in it if it would not have any armament.
Sorry, but it’s too weak. Light AA mk I and GAZ-AAA (4M) are already painful to use, and this one is even worse, having half the armament and no armour at all compared to the mk I.
