The successful family of Italian armoured cars, both in WWII and post war use.
Designed initially in 1939 to replace the obsolete WWI-vintage Lancia armoured cars in both military and colonial police service, the type was entered into production in 1940 as the AB40 (armoured car 1940 model). This initial model was fitted with only 2 8mm machine guns in the turret, and of an initial order for 176 vehicles, only 25 were produced before production changed to heavier armament.
The revised AB41 model was fitted with a modified turret from the L6/40 light tank mounting a 20mm autocannon.
A specific design feature of the wheels was that they were suitable to be stripped of their tyres to allow their use on rails. All models of AB used this ability to function as armoured draisines, particularly in conquered Yugoslavia. These vehicles often carried double spare wheels on either side, to allow a quick change to become a crosscountry-capable armoured car.
Several modifications to the basic model were constructed.
A major modification was the fitting of a Cannone da 47/32 Mod. 1935. This necessitated the removal of the turret and its replacement with a gunners shield, and also the removal of the rear driver's position and radios and reworking of the hull armour. Due to its limited potential this project did not progress past the prototype.
The command car modification also removed the rear driver, but disarmed the vehicle by removing all fixed weapons and the turret, replacing it with an armoured roof and plotting table. Teo prototypes were built and 50 vehicles ordered, but the Italian armistice led to their cancellation.
A significant redesign of the vehicle was attempted to create a vehicle more optimised for North African use, leading to the AB42. Operational use showed that although the thin-skinned AB40/41 was adequate as a reconnaissance vehicle, for combat heavier armour and a more powerful engine were required, while the rear drivers position and its machine gun were not required, all while requiring the vehicle to be lighter. This required a thorough redesign creating a completely new vehicle. Very quickly designed, the loss at El Alamein in November 1942 changed the nature of the war for Italy, and the massive disruption that would be caused by completely changing the assembly lines led to the project being stopped before any of the planned 200+ vehicles could be constructed.
However the new engine and turret were instead mounted into the AB41, to create a new model: the AB43.
Two prototypes were constructed, the AB43 with the standard 20mm autocannon, while a second model fitted with a 47mm anti-tank gun was completed as the AB43 Cannone. Orders for 360 of each model were made, but the Italian armistice prevented even a single vehicle being delivered.
Production of the standard AB43 model was commenced under the German occupation for German use during the war.
Several AB43's were captured and used by Italian partisans during the closing stages of the war, and post-war the AB43's were allocated to the Italian police to protect against civil disorder by Italian communists, neatly avoiding the prohibition on armoured vehicles in the Italian army. Some vehicles remained in service until at least 1955.
