Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second World War Volume 2: Motorcycles, Cars, Trucks, Artillery Tractors...

— —

Ralph Riccio

Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second World War Volume 2

Motorcycles, Cars, Trucks, Artillery Tractors 1935-1945

Ralph Riccio

$75

Paperback

Not in-store but you can order this
How long will it take?

Availability Information

We source books from suppliers in Australia and overseas. For books we don't currently have in stock, the time it takes to get them from our suppliers can vary widely - from a few days to a few months - so we check each book with each supplier to determine the expected time it will take to be supplied to us.

We then advise you accordingly. If the time taken to get any book is too long for you, you can let us know and we will cancel or adjust your order, and refund as required.

To find out the anticipated arrival time for specific items prior to ordering, please contact us by phone or email:

Phone +61 2 9264 3111, or 1800 4 BOOKS (1800 4 26657) if outside Sydney:
option 1 Abbey's Bookshop (Crime, History, Science, Kids & more) • info@abbeys.com.au
option 2 Language Book Centre (ESL & Foreign Languages) • language@abbeys.com.au
option 3 Galaxy Bookshop (Sci-fi, Fantasy, Romance, Graphic Novels) • sf@galaxybooks.com.au

QTY:

English

Helion & Company
01 April 2024

Military vehicles

The importance of land transport vehicles within an armed force is often underestimated by the average reader, attracted by more 'martial' subjects such as tanks and artillery. Nevertheless, it was thanks to motorcycles, cars, trucks and tractors that - since the early years of the twentieth century - men, weapons, ammunition, provisions, fuel, equipment and orders were transported, all elements without which AFVs, guns and infantry are unable to fight.

Volume 2 examines medium and heavy trucks, artillery tractors, special purpose vehicles and trailers. The main text is complemented with appendices on vehicle coloring and markings, manufacturers, production facts and further details.

It is a common opinion that the Italian Army was beaten above all because of the poor quality of its combat vehicles. Impartial and in-depth studies, made since the end of the war, have revealed that the main problem was the shortage of vehicles, as well as an entirely insufficient logistics chain. The tank crews were able to compensate with bravery and experience for the fact that their tanks were, from a certain point on, inferior to those of their enemies, but the inadequate number of AFVs and other materiel was impossible to remedy. The same problem plagued the entire sector of military soft-skinned vehicles, a sign of Italy's limited industrial capacity (and of procurement of raw materials and components) compared, for example, to its ally Germany. There were too few factories, too few skilled workers, and poor management skills within the armed forces.

models of efficient, robust and resistant vehicles were produced, especially in the sector of the so-called 'standardized' motor vehicles. These vehicles allowed the Italian troops to move and fight in the large and difficult territories of North Africa, the Balkans and the Soviet Union and brought home what was left of the defeated soldiers.

This is the first English-language study describing the soft-skinned vehicles of the Italian Armed Forces, starting from the 1930s, when Mussolini's Italy faced some colonial conflicts and participated - albeit unofficially - in the Spanish Civil War, and throughout the Second World War. For each vehicle there is a file describing its evolution and the main technical aspects, accompanied by one or more photographs and, for the most significant examples, line drawings. The work is enriched by a historical introduction, various appendices and color profiles.

489 b/w photos & illustrations, 13 colour photos & illustrations, 6 colour profiles

By: Ralph Riccio
Imprint: Helion & Company
Country of Publication: United Kingdom
Dimensions: Height: 297mm, Width: 210mm,
ISBN: 9781804514917
ISBN 10: 1804514918
Pages: 238
Publication Date: 01 April 2024
Audience: General/trade , ELT Advanced
Format: Paperback
Publisher's Status: Unspecified

Ralph Riccio was born in Bridgeport, Connecticut and is a retired US Army officer who has been interested in military history and military equipment since his youth. He has written and co-authored a number of books on Italian small arms, armor and artillery, as well as several books on aspects of Irish military history. He has also written numerous magazine articles both in English and Italian dealing with a broad spectrum of military subjects. He has a native Italian language fluency, speaks several other languages as well, and is active in translating books and magazine articles from Italian into English for Italian authors who specialize in military affairs. In 1981 he was awarded an honorary Italian knighthood. He lives with his wife Charlene in a rural community in Pennsylvania. Mario Pieri is an Italian engineer, born in 1962 in Florence and currently resides in Rome. Always a military history researcher, focused on the military technology, Mario has used scale modelling primarily as an associative and educational medium. Actively publishing since the 1980s, his current pursuits are research, editing, and translations.

Reviews for Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second World War Volume 2: Motorcycles, Cars, Trucks, Artillery Tractors 1935-1945

"""...you will find endlessly fascinating and interesting subjects in both volumes.""-- ""War Wheels"" ""The introduction and appendices look at wheels and tires, camouflage, markings, in addition to provide company profiles of manufacturers. Illustrations and captions are clear, concise, and meaningful.""-- ""History in Motion"" ""This book will be of great interest to modelers and military enthusiasts alike.""-- ""AMPS Indianapolis"" ""This two volume set will be THE definitive reference work on Italian WWII soft-skinned vehicles for a very long time to come, it's that good.""-- ""AMPS"""