News from Heroes and Leaders mod

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47 Italian Autoprotetto S37 MMG AC

This APC was based on the AS 37 truck, which in turn derived from the TL 37 AS, the desertized version of the TL 37 artillery tractor. The S37 was not intended as a carrier for armored infantry, but rather as a battlefield command/supply vehicle. The overall design was simple because the vehicle on which it was based on required very little modification. The engine was at the front, allowing for a large boxy armored superstructure over the back with an open-top to provide protection for troops being carried. A very unusual split two-piece rear door provided access with the top half overlapping the lip of the bottom half of the door. Armor consisted of armored steel plates, flat and cut to size, bolted to a steel frame. Plate thickness ranged from 6 mm to 8.5 mm thick providing protection from small arms fire and shell splinters, although the lack of a roof left the soldiers vulnerable to shrapnel or fire from above. On the other hand, the lack of a roof provided a significant amount of cooling for the cabin, which otherwise, under desert conditions, would have become unbearable. About 200 were built.
A few were sent to North Africa. Despite being equipped and designed for use in hot desert conditions to support the war in North Africa, the A.S.37 found use in Yugoslavia, fighting partisans and for convoy escort duties. Vehicles were issued to the 31st Regiment (Siena), the 955th Sezione Autoprotetti with the 1118th Autosezione of the Macaerta Division, the 259th Autoreparto Autoprotetti of the 5th Autogrippo (Trento), the 1034th Sezione Autoprotetti of the 71st (LXXI) Battalion Motociclisti (6th Regiment Bersaglieri) and the 1034th Sezione Autoprotetti of the 11th Autoreparto Pesante (Albania). By the end of April 1943, there were still 102 vehicles operational there with Italian forces. The AS37 in German service was renamed Gepanzerte Manntransportwagen S.37 250(i) (gp.M.Trsp.Wg.S.37 250(i)) and saw service, not just against partisan forces, but also against the Soviets and Bulgarians at the end of the war. The A.S.37 was operated by the 7th SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs Division "Prinz-Eugen" and also some Wehrmacht units.

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48 Italian Autocannone da 65/17 SPA T65

These were Morris CS 8 15-cwt trucks captured from the British in North Africa and modified to carry a Infantry 65mm gun. Following the initial successes in the North African theater, the Regio Esercito italiano came into possession of numerous Morris CS8 light trucks, which, given the chronic lack of motorized vehicles, were promptly put into service as Saharan vans, in particularly as autocannons for motorized artillery groups. Were semi-artisanal vehicles, with guns far from adequate, pending the preparation of truck guns and tank destroyers of adequate power. The vehicles, as for other autocannons based on war prey vehicles, were made at the Libyan Autoraggruppamento of the 12th AS (North Africa).
A first batch of 24 CS8 armed with cannon Italian from 65/17 formed the of the Army Corps Maneuver (CAM) of the general Gastone Gambara in August 1941. Later the 65/17 autocannons on Morris CS8 came to equip 7 motorized anti-tank support batteries. Autocannoni were used throughout the North African campaign, up to the Tunisia campaign and the defeat of the Axis troops.
Two Gruppi (the XIV and XV) Autocannoni da 65/17 were formed, each of three four-gun batteries. They were assigned to the artillery of RECAM (Reparto Esplorante del Corpo d'Armata di Manovra, the Italian corps recon unit), later to the North African Fast Task Force (Raggruppamento Celere AS), and still later to the 136th "Giovani Fascisti" (Young Fascists) Division. The Italians apparently also designed other Autocannoni carrying 75mm and 100mm artillery pieces.
The endowment planned in 1941 for each battery it was four autocannons with 36 rounds on board and two CS8 ammunition holders, each with 250 rounds (half AT and half HE); some batteries were equipped with three autocannone da 65/17 CS8. In June 1942 the light motorized batteries had three 65/17 batteries for a total of 12 guns and 40 support vehicles (including 13 motorcycles), with a staff of 13 officers, 7 non-commissioned officers, 137 gunners and 56 conductors.

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49 Italian Autocannone da 20/65 AA tr T20L

The Autocannone da 20/65 were Morris CS 8 15-cwt trucks captured from the British in North Africa and modified to carry a Breda 20mm AA gun. This anti-aircraft gun was widely used by the Italian Armed forces during the war. Performing in the role of light anti-aircraft, it was also used successfully in the ground role. Like many weapons of it time it was designed as a dual-purpose weapon for use against ground and air targets. It fired armour-piercing rounds against armoured ground targets and high explosive rounds, with a very sensitive percussion fuse, against aircraft.
The crew was composed of only four crew members: the Driver, the Commander, the Gunner and the Loader. While the driver and the commander seated in the front of the cabin, the gunner and the loader mainly manned the gun, or seated in the truck-bed of the machine that, compared to the more cramped one of the Morris CS8, offered a lot more living space for the crew. A Light Anti-aircraft Platoon armed with the 20/65 autocannon is available as a Divisional Support platoon to any Italian Compagnia. The ammunition storage was placed right behind the driver (while a spare tire was placed instead behind the commander) and was composed by six separate ammo-boxes, arranged in a pyramid like formation, each one containing four clips of 12 rounds each, for a total of 288 rounds.
Two Gruppi (the XIV and XV) Autocannoni da 65/17 were formed, each of three four-gun batteries, and to each Gruppo was attached a section of four Autocannoni da 20/65. They were assigned to the artillery of Reparto Esplorante del Corpo d'Armata di Manovra, the Italian corps recon unit, later to the North African Raggruppamento Celere, and still later to the 136th "Giovani Fascisti" Division. Autocannoni da 20/65 based on various other truck types also existed.

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50 Italian Autocannone da 75/27 CK AA tr T75

The Autocannone da 75/27 CK (Cannone Krupp) originated during WW1 when the Italians mounted Krupp 75mm AA guns on trucks. It was a license-built copy of the Krupp Kanone M 1906 gun. The anti-aircraft version formed the basis of Italy's first truck mounted artillery called the Autocannone da 75/27 CK. In 1927 the same guns were remounted on more modern Ceirano vehicles, and a high-angle pedestal mount for anti-aircraft use was produced. The modello 12 was a Autocannone da 75/27 modified for greater elevation (-12° to +18° 30') and lighter weight (only 900 kg). It is one of the progenitors of all the Autocannone that Italy used during the war, opening the road for all dual-purpose guns that, until then, were only used as an AA piece, like the mighty 90mm.
The Ceirano boosted 8 crewmembers on board: the driver, the commander, 2 gunners, 2 loaders and 2 specialists, whose role was to help while setting the correct time for the Air burst shell fuse. Apart from the driver and the commander that seated in the cabin, all the other soldiers seated in the cargo bed of the truck, 2 right behind the cabin on foldable seats and the other four on a makeshift bench on the rear ammo storage during travel.
The gun was able to fire two different types of ammunition, a time-fuse flack round and, later on, the Granata Perforante 75/27, both with an initial muzzle velocity of 510m/s and a sustained rate of fire of 15 rounds per minute ( 1 shot every 4s) thanks to the 2 loaders.
24 were used by the Italians in Spain late in that country's civil war. Some also saw action in North Africa during the early stage of that campaign. A battery comprised four vehicles.

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51 Italian Autocannone da 90/53 AA tr T90L

The Autocannone da 90/53 was a Lancia 3 RO 4 x4 (or, later, a Breda Dovunque 6 x 6) heavy truck modified to carry the 90/53 AA gun. The Cannone da 90/53, derived from the naval version, was designed by Ansaldo, with the first examples being produced in 1939. 57 were ordered to be mounted on heavy trucks designated autocannoni da 90/53. Italian industry was not up to producing these quantities and by the end of production in July 1943 only 539 guns had been delivered, including 48 converted for use on the Semovente 90/53 heavy tank destroyer; some, owing to delays in producing the adequate mountings, were fitted on makeshift ones or on the flatbed of trucks like the Lancia 3Ro and the Breda 52 and were designated Autocannone Breda 52 da 90/53.
Drawing upon the German experience with the comparable 8.8 cm FlaK 18, this gun was also used as field artillery in the indirect fire role or as an anti-tank gun; in the latter role its performance was excellent, with its AP shell being able to pierce 140 millimetres of armour at 500 metres, and 120 millimetres at 1,000 metres, thus being able to destroy every Allied tank it could face in North Africa and in the mainland.
The Italians used the 90/53 as a multi-purpose weapon. The most common variant being the Lancia da 90/53, where the gun was mounted on a Lancia 3 RO 6-ton truck for ease of mobility. In this form they could be use for anti-aircraft, as an infantry support weapon or as a devastating anti-tank weapon., it appeared in 1941 and first entered combat in two Gruppi of the Ariete division's 132nd Artillery Regiment. Apparently no more (and quite possibly less) than 57 were built. A battery of 90/53 Autocannone comprised four vehicles.

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52 Italian Fiat 508 MC tr

Derived from the civilian Fiat 1100, the 508 MC (Militare Coloniale) was one of the more common field cars used by the Italians. Of 4x2 configuration, it was produced in large numbers and several different variants. However, its use was limited mainly to HQ units (e.g., a normal infantry regiment was authorized only one—for the regimental CO). In German service it was designated the 1100 Mil.
Characterized by a 2-wheel drive traction, a length of 3.6 meters and the reliable 1.100cc 4-cylinders engine, capable of delivering 32 hp that allowed it to reach 90 Km / h, Fiat “Coloniale” was especially used for the mobility of officers and for HQ operations in North Africa. However, the overall strength of the vehicle, the bigger size of the tires, and the good mechanics reliability, had made Fiat “Coloniale” suitable for advanced reconnaissance duties in off-road terrain. Produced between 1939 and 1945, the Fiat 1100 'Torpedo Militare' or Fiat 508CM was based on the civilian Fiat Balilla. The 508CM had a higher clearance and a military body and was produced cheaply. The "Coloniale" version of the 508 was adapted to avoid sinking in soft terrain and taking in sand. It was capable of 80km/h and had reasonable cross country performance. Some Fiat 508 CMs were fitted with an Allocchio Bacchini radio transmitter and receiver located in the boot. It had two antennas, one on the rear and one on the grille, connected by a cable.
The first public presentation of the Fiat 508 CM took place at the inauguration of the Mirafiori plant on May 15, 1939, where the military vehicles manufactured by Fiat were on display. Manufacturing began that year and priority was given to delivering the motorized units to the controls. In 1943, 6,000 copies had already been produced. They were employed on all fronts, including in North Africa between 1940 and 1941.

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53 Italian Autocarri Leggero tr 4,5 ton

The Italian Army possessed many diverse types and makes of trucks, and for this reason in Heroes and Leaders mod the units generically represent the light (Leggero), medium (Medio) and heavy (Pesante) classes. The payload capacity and minimum top speed of the latter two were standardized in 1937, but otherwise the manufacturers were largely free to use whatever engines, tires, etc. they wished. This, along with the existence of many vehicles produced prior to the standardization policy, caused no end of problems with spare parts. Italy began the war with some 42,000 vehicles (excluding cars and motor-cycles), and through mid 1943 produced about 108,000 cars, trucks and artillery tractors. Generally speaking, motor transport was in short supply at all levels throughout the war. Efforts were made to keep at least the forces in North Africa and Russia at full establishment, but production could not keep up with losses despite receiving Opel Blitz and French Citroen trucks from the Germans. Even pressing into service as much captured British transport as possible could not greatly alleviate the transport shortage in Africa. Aside from a few specialized types, the Italians generally did not use trucks to tow their artillery.
The SPA AS.37 was an Italian military light truck, used during World War II. The AS.37 Autocarro Sahariano was developed from 1937 on the frame of the TL.37 artillery tractor and was especially conceived to be employed in the North African desert. The most significant improvement of this new vehicle was its increased range: 900 km with added water tanks. The A.S.37 could transport 8 men and their equipment in its rear cargo box. In March 1942, 584 A.S.37 were in service, and by April 30, 1943 a total of 802 were in service in North Africa. The crews of A.S.37 put forth very favourable judgements on these vehicles; their four-wheel drive and large diameter wheels prevented them from becoming easily bogged down. The A.S.37 principal defect lay in a silhouette too high and thus too visible.

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54 Italian Autocarri Medio tr 7,5 ton

The Fiat 626 was an Italian medium truck that met specifications for the Italian army and air force for military operations prior to World War II. In 1939, the 626 was the first FIAT truck with forward control and it replaced the models 621 and 633. The initial version of the 626 for civilian use was the 626N ("N" for Nafta, the Italian for diesel). This was followed by a slightly longer wheelbase version the 626NL (from Nafta Lungo - "diesel long"). The military version for the Italian Army and the Italian Air Force was the 626NLM (for Nafta Lungo Militare). It had a fuel capacity of 90 liters which gave him a range of 400 Km road (340 Km cross country) and was equipped with a Fiat 326 engine 6-cylinder 5,750 cc. The Fiat 626 NLM differed from the civilian model by the presence of the differential lock, air filter and oil, among other improvements. This model had different roles as the basic version with the wooden box for transport 3-ton capacity, tanker, field kitchen, ambulance and tow truck transmissions, among others. In 1941 an armored protected with light armor plating cabin while the rear box, outdoors, became a combat camera infantry protected at the sides by armor plates with portholes model was manufactured. This version was a modification of campaign although similar changes by the Germans in particular were also used to fight against the partisans.
A reliable workhorse, the FIAT 626 became the standard Italian medium truck and operated on all fronts.
The Fiat 626 NLM operated in Italian North Africa (1940–1943), Italian East Africa (1940–1941), the Balkans (1940–1944), France (1940–1944), and Soviet Union (1941-1943/44). France ordered 1,650 trucks; 700 had been delivered by the time Italy declared war on June 10, 1940. By 31 January 1945 3,000 had been produced for German use.

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55 Italian Autocarri Pesante tr 11 ton

The Lancia 3Ro 4x2 heavy truck evolved from the earlier Lancia Ro by receiving a stronger five cylinder engine to replace two and three cylinder engines, pneumatic tires and an improved transmission; it is best known for its role as one of the main Royal Italian Army in World War II. The Lancia 3 Ro's design was simple, functional and was considered the most reliable heavy truck of the Royal Italian Army in World War II serving in all theatres of the war.
The 3Ro used a ladder frame and leaf spring-suspended solid axles front and rear. Powering diesel 3Ro was a Lancia Tipo 102 6,875 cc straight-five diesel engine, with two parallel overhead valves per cylinder, which developed 93 hp at 1,860 rpm. Like on the Ro the transmission used a 4-speed plus reverse gearbox complemented by a low range gearing, for a total of 8 forward and 2 reverse speeds. Brakes were servo-assisted, mechanically operated drums on all four wheels, plus hydraulic emergency hand brake also on all four wheels.
Over the course of the war many variants of the military 3Ro were made: troop transport, supply transport, 5,000-litre fuel tanker, 4,000-litre water tanker, mobile repair workshop, anti-aircraft, and self-propelled gun.
In North Africa and Sicily with the top of the cab cut away and lower sideboards the Lancia 3 Ro became well suited for desert warfare serving as a self-propelled gun porting the Cannone da 90/53 as well as the 100/17 howitzer. German armed forces always in need of supplies and material made use of any Ro and 3Ro as well as any other equipment, Italian or otherwise, that came into their possession.
After the Italian armistice of September 8, 1943, the Wehrmacht absorbed commandeered Ro and 3Ro trucks from their former ally. In April 1944 with the Lancia factory in German controlled Italy, German armed forces placed an order for 772 3Ro built between January 1944 and February 1945.

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56 Italian Bicyclists

No soldiers are more identifiably “Italian” than the Bersaglieri. For over a hundred years the Italian Bersaglieri have impressed their allies and terrified their foes on battlefields in wars across the globe. Other armies, for some time, had been developing rifle companies and light infantry to act as scouts, screen for the main army, act as skirmishers and to use their sharp-shooting skills to weaken the flanks of the enemy during a battle.
As light infantry, speed and mobility was always prized and by World War I this meant that several companies of each Bersaglieri battalion were mounted on bicycles. Eventually these were traded-in for motorcycles which saw widespread use in World War II. During the Second Italo-Abyssinian War Bersaglieri troops mounted on both bicycles and motorcycles were grouped together with cavalry and motorized units to form ‘Celere’ mobile (or fast) divisions and such units saw service throughout the Second World War as well.
During World War II in North Africa and in Russia the Bersaglieri were often grouped into armored divisions to provide a fast-moving infantry support for the tanks, a function in which they performed heroically and often took very heavy casualties carrying out.
When mechanization came one Bersaglieri regiment was attached to each armored division and their courage and fighting spirit became legendary. The famous German Field Marshal Erwin Rommel remarked that, “The German soldier has impressed the world, however, the Italian Bersagliere soldier has impressed the German soldier.” He was a man often critical of his superiors as well as his subordinates but praised the Bersaglieri on numerous occasions, such as the heroic actions of the 7th Bersaglieri Regiment in the victory over the Americans at the battle of Kasserine Pass. Their contribution was also absolutely vital to one of Rommel’s most significant victories at Mersa Matruh.

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57 Italian Cavalry

The 1st Cavalry Division "Eugenio di Savoia" (1ª Divisione celere "Eugenio di Savoia") was a cavalry or "Celere" division of the Royal Italian Army during World War II. The Eugenio di Savoia was mobilized in 1940 and took part in the Invasion of Yugoslavia.
The division was formed on 17 April 1930 as 1st Fast Division in the city of Udine in Friuli. The division is considered to be the heir of the 1st Cavalry Division of Friuli, which fought in World War I and consisted of the I and II cavalry brigades and was based in Udine. On 15 June 1930 the I Cavalry Brigade, with the regiments Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Saluzzo" (12th), "Cavalleggeri di Monferrato" (13th), and "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" (14th) entered the division.
In January 1933 the Regiment "Piemonte Reale Cavalleria" (2nd) replaced the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Monferrato" (13th). On 1 January 1934 the division and brigade received the name "Eugenio di Savoia". On the same date the brigade was reorganized with the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" (14th) being replaced by the 11th Bersaglieri Regiment, and the I Light Tank Group "San Giusto" joining the brigade.
On 30 March 1941 the division ceded its 1st Fast Artillery Regiment with the II and III motorized groups to the 27th Infantry Division "Brescia", which was fighting in the Western Desert Campaign. On 3 April the Regiment "Nizza Cavalleria" (1st) was attached to the division for the upcoming Invasion of Yugoslavia. Afterwards the division remained in Yugoslavia as occupation force.
On 17 October 1941 the Regiment "Cavalleggeri di Alessandria" (14th) conducted the last cavalry charge by an Italian military unit: encircled by a group of Yugoslav Partisans near Poloj in Croatia the regiment launched repeated night-time sabre charges against the partisans and despite suffering heavy casualties, the charge succeeded and the regiment broke through the encirclement.

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58 Italian Motorbikers

One of the most interesting units in the Italian Army was (and indeed still is) the Bersaglieri and without a doubt, their most colorful troops were the Motociclisti. The motorcycle troops used for reconnaissance. Their motorcycles were big, powerful Moto Guzzi 500's, called Alce ("Elk") capable of a top speed of 56mph, which if you've ever been on a large bike going off-road, is very fast indeed. The Alce wasn't designed for racing or to be lightning fast. It was designed to be a heavy, durable, military scouting motorcycle that could take a lot of abuse and keep on going. At least two in every squad were equipped this way. The Moto Guzzis equipping any given Bersaglieri Motociclisti unit were about 1/3 with sidecars and 2/3 without sidecars (if there was a passenger, they usually rode pillion and not in a sidecar); a problem, given the available O8 models.
In 1939, a Battalion was re-established within the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment and a Motorcyclists Company was added to the Regiment. In April 1939, The Regiment took part in the Italian invasion of Albania. With the beginning of World War II, the 1st Bersaglieri Regiment was placed within the Celere Group of the 1st Army, moving its headquarters in Naples.
The Italian light tanks, motorcycle troops and motorized infantry advanced across the Libyan desert. Bersaglieri Motorcycle troops advanced on a road before driving down a bank and going off-road. The Italian CANT Z.1007 Alcione (Kingfisher) bombers fly through the air. The convoy of Lancia 3RO heavy trucks loaded with troops advance through the desert. Also, Italian soldiers in utility trucks towing howitzers and soldiers in military trucks (Lancia 3RO 6-ton trucks). Bersaglieri on motorcycles speed through the desert. This is how the Italians fought in the desert.

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59 Italian Foot Pontoon

A pontoon bridge, also known as a floating bridge, uses floats or shallow-draft boats to support a continuous deck for pedestrian and vehicle travel. The buoyancy of the supports limits the maximum load that they can carry. The First World War saw developments on "trestles" to form the link between a river bank and the pontoon bridge. Some infantry bridges in WW1 used any material available, including petrol cans as flotation devices.
Most pontoon bridges are temporary and used in wartime and civil emergencies. There are permanent pontoon bridges in civilian use and carry highway traffic and allowing ships or boats to pass on the river or lake being crossed. Permanent floating bridges are useful for sheltered water crossings if it is not considered economically feasible to suspend a bridge from anchored piers. Such bridges can require a section that is elevated or can be raised or removed to allow waterborne traffic to pass.
The purpose of any river crossing is to project combat power across a water obstacle in order to accomplish a mission. A river crossing is a special operation. It requires specific procedures for success, because the water obstacle prevents normal ground maneuver. It also requires unique technical support and more detailed planning and control measures than normal tactical operations. The nature and size of the obstacle, the threat situation, and the available crossing assets limit the commander's options. The challenge is to minimize the river's impact on the commander's tactics. The force is vulnerable while crossing, as it must break its movement formations, concentrate at crossing points, re-form on the far shore, and reduce its movement rate to the speed of the crossing means. The assaulting task force normally has three dismounted infantry companies of three infantry platoons each to conduct the assault. The task force may have formed company teams, but all assault companies must retain adequate dismounted infantry strength for the assault. Besides its organic infantry and armor, the assault task force has its fire-support team, its air defense teams, and an attached combat engineer company (with the engineer platoons attached to the assault companies). The first assault wave moves the bulk of the dismounted force across covertly. This force attempts to provide sufficient security on the far shore, so that the second and later assault waves can cross after surprise is lost. It carries the rifle platoons, attached assault engineers, forward observers, and rifle company command group.

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60 Italian Vehicular Pontoon

The bridge columns usually were part of the engineers battalions in the divisions. The structure of the battalions consisted of three companies and a bridge column and depending on the type of division were totally or partially motorized. Bridges are usually made up of a fixed section and a floating section; the fixed section supported by trestles and the floating section over half-pontoons or full pontoons depending on the type of the bridge; Ramp or causeways connected both sections. Bridges settled on firm ground were built on trestles.
Italian Combat engineers were trained how to use a multiplicity of tools: heavy and light. They were trained to use their hands and their creativity to solve urgent problems. Electricians, plumbers and specialists were drafted from civilian life but the majority of road builders were trained in special places. All of these were related to their jobs of building and maintaining roads and bridges.
River meanders form salient and re-entrant angles along the shore. A salient on the threat shore is a desirable crossing area for two reasons. It allows friendly fires from a wide stretch of the near shore to concentrate against a small area on the far shore and limits the length of threat shore that must be cleared of direct fire and observation. Additionally, salient on the threat shore generally mean that the friendly shore banks are steeper and the water is deeper, while the threat shore tends to have shallow water and less challenging banks.

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61 Italian Motolance ML landing craft

In the autumn of 1941, the Regia Marina ordered the construction of 100 wooden motor landing boats in preparation of the invasion of Malta. The first, and only units launched in the spring of 1942, were from the Cantieri Navali Moncalvi & O.M.S.A. (Pavia), denominated ML 654 to ML 662, nine ships in all. Each one carried 9 crew members, 30 equipped soldiers in a central open "tub" with a forward ramp. They were transferred on the Po, joined the Adriatic, and made it via the Strait of Messina into the Tyrrhenian Sea, in Gaeta harbor. In the late summer 1942 they were transferred to Livorno, assigned to the Maritime department of the Upper Tyrrhenian sea, inside the 3rd Flotilla and two Squadrons (Pavia and Voghera). On 10 November 1942, they were first used to invade Corsica, carrying the "San Marco" Regiment alongside 137 other naval units, in a little known amphibious operation of WW2. They landed in Bastia on 11 November 1942, and were back the following day in Livorno. The lack of documentation make it difficult to assert their use afterwards. They could have assisted the Motozattere on the so-called "route of death" within the minefields laid up between Italy and Tunisia, or served between Sardinia and Corsica or possibly in and out of Provence until Italy capitulated.
The Motolance ML had a displacement 15.5 tonnes, and overall length 14 meters. Its propulsion was of 2 Diesel engines, with a top speed 12 knots. The ship armament was a single 13.2mm machine gun in the bow.

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62 Italian Motozaterra MZ landing craft

In preparation for its proposed invasion of Malta, Operazione C3, the Regia Marina (Italian Royal Navy) secured design plans from the Kriegsmarine for the MFP-A in late 1941 and placed an initial order for 65 vessels, numbered 701 through 765. These motozattere (or Bette MZ as they were officially designated) were built in Italian shipyards, primarily in and around Palermo, and gave the Italian navy the necessary amphibious capability to land infantry, armored vehicles and supplies directly onto an open beach. They could easily handle troops, armored vehicles and supplies, carrying for example three M13/40 medium tanks and 100 infantrymen. The Italian version used local truck engines, OM BXD 150 hp six-cylinder (same as for the Littorina diesel trains). Their main armament was a 3 in (76 mm)/40 QF Breda gun.
Work started in March 1942 and by July all 65 MZs had been completed, ready for the Malta invasion, which was postponed on 27 July. Therefore MZs were ferrying supplies to Libya instead as well as along the Libyan coast, providing a precious shallow water support to the Afrika Korps. Thanks to these, the Axis was able to be resupplied anywhere on the coast rather than in the few ports available, a crucial advantage.
In September 1942, the success of the formula pushed the Italian admiralty to order more, and 40 MZs numbereed 761-800 followed, with modifications such as a raised bow to improve seaworthiness and strengthened keel. They also had larger fuel tanks for better range and 100mm thick concrete armor plus a second Breda 20mm AA gun mounted amidships. The third serie (40 more MZs) ordered in June 1943 was never completed as well as 20 derivatived numbered MZ 801-820 based on the German support barge MFP-D. When the armistice came in September 1943, 95 Motozaterra has been delivered.
The Italian MZs played a key role in defeating the attempted Allied landing in Tobruk on 14 September 1942, known as Operation Agreement, when they beat off an MTB flotilla in the port of Tobruk and later captured an amphibious motor barge and two lighters attempting to reach Alexandria with stragglers, among them Captain John Micklethwait, HMS Sikh commander.

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63 Italian Motorboat

The Motoscafo armato silurante was essentially a small, high-powered assault craft used for river and small waterway crossings and assaults. They were also employed on security and anti-partisan patrols along river ways in occupied territories. Motorboats were very fast, able to achieve about 30mph with the use of an outboard motor extended from the rear of the craft. They were without much protection or firepower though, aside from the possibility of an attached MG at the bow of the vessel and the weapons of the men inside.
The Motorboats are light, mostly open boats with outboard motor. They are used by Army units to quickly cross inland waters, such as the formation of bridgeheads or to drop commando troops. Assault boats are used in very different sizes and designs depending on the intended use. Small assault boats usually provide space for an infantry squad with their personal equipment. For rapid deployment, even under threat of enemy, the Motorboat should be able to be launched by the crew without further aids to water, so they are usually made of lightweight materials such as wood or metal.
The Motorboat was of rigid wooden construction, with a pointed bow, a flat bottom with a curved bow chin, and a flat stern plate. What made this otherwise conventional design unique and highly effective was its engine, called a "powered oar." This consisted of the 4-cylinder 30hp engine, fuel tank, controls, and a diagonal propeller shaft all contained in a single unit that was mounted on a pivot on the stern plate. Two handles allowed the standing helmsman to swing the engine's shaft to steer the highly maneuverable boat at up to 16 knots (though a drawback was that he had to stand upright and exposed). The propeller's depth could be varied, which was beneficial in shallow water. The downside was that the engine assembly (almost heavier than the boat itself) required at least five men to carry it, so at least eight men to carry the whole boat — more than it could carry on the water. The boat had a two-man crew and could carry six combat-equipped troops, with the machine gun belonging to the transported squad mounted on the bow.

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64 Italian skiff boat

The Italians used small rowboats, like the skiffs, to cross rivers in amphibious operations. The use of small boats allowed to Italians transporting supplies by river or by the coast. The skiff is a small river and sea going craft. They varied from double ended rowing boats to small sailing boats. Usage of skiff is to refer to a typically small flat-bottomed open boat with a pointed bow and a flat stern originally developed as an inexpensive and easy to build boat for use by inshore fishermen. The skiff was mainly used in river crossings, but it could also be used to land on beaches which would prove critical. The most important feature for raiding parties was that the skiff was his silent if no motor was used, creating far more stealth opportunities that otherwise would not have been possible with conventional ships or landing craft. The skiff could be paddled by the men inside the boat and could travel at speeds of up to 52.1 meters per minute with a well trained team. The realistic range of the boat varied from about 3.2 km to 4.8 km. What was perhaps most useful about the skiff was the fact that it could be transported near anywhere by a variety of craft without taking up much room.
Assault boats were of all-wood construction, small and relatively lightweight, since their passengers needed to be able to carry them to the water’s edge, and they were vulnerable to small-arms fire. Most lacked seats, so as to provide maximum passenger and cargo space. Rope lifelines attached around the sides could double as carrying handles. Outboard motors were available but only in small numbers, and were reserved for special use. The common means of propulsion was paddles wielded by the passengers; sometimes boats were delivered without paddles, and troops had to improvise using poles, boards, and rifles. Besides a helmsman steering the boat, one or two engineer paddlers had to be provided to return the boat to the near shore, though in some instances the first-wave boats were simply abandoned to be recovered later.

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65 Italian Macchi C200 Saetta

The Macchi C.200 Saetta, was a fighter aircraft developed and manufactured by Aeronautica Macchi in Italy. The C.200 was designed by Mario Castoldi to serve as a modern monoplane fighter aircraft, furnished with retractable landing gear and powered by a radial engine. It possessed excellent maneuverability and the stability in a high-speed dive was exceptional. From the time Italy entered the Second World War on 10 June 1940, until the signing of the armistice of 8 September 1943, the C. 200 flew more operational sorties than any other Italian aircraft. The Saetta saw operational service in Greece, North Africa, Yugoslavia, across the Mediterranean, and in the Soviet Union (where it obtained an excellent kill to loss ratio of 88 to 15). Its very strong all-metal construction and air-cooled engine made the aircraft ideal for conducting ground attack missions; several units flew it as a fighter-bomber. Over 1,000 aircraft had been constructed by the end of the war.
The Saetta saw extensive use in North Africa, greater than any other theatre of action. The C.200 performed well under the conditions of the desert climate, particularly due to its high structural strength and short take-off run. North African and Italian-based units were routinely rotated to relieve war-weary crews, aiding the resumption of an Axis offensive in the region during early 1942. During this offensive, which led to Italian and German forces reaching the outskirts of Alexandria in Egypt, the C.200s were heavily engaged in bomber escort and low-altitude attack operations, while the newer C.202s performed high-altitude air cover duties.

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66 Italian Breda Ba65

The Breda Ba.65 was an Italian all-metal single-engine, low-wing monoplane used by Aviazione Legionaria during the Spanish Civil War and Regia Aeronautica in the first half of World War II. It was the only Italian ground-attack aircraft that saw active service in this role. It saw service almost exclusively in the North African and Middle-Eastern theatre.
The Ba.65 was designed by Antonio Parano and Giuseppe Panzeri. The Breda carried wing-mounted armament of two 12.7 mm and two 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, with internal stowage for a 200 kg bombload in addition to external ordnance that could total 1,000 kg. Production ceased in July 1939 after 218 aircraft were built by Breda and Caproni.
The Ba.65 debuted during the Spanish Civil War. The aircraft proved effective and was compared positively with the German Junkers Ju 87 Stuka. During World War II, the Ba.65 was employed against the British in North Africa. The Bredas proved to be deadly and precise in the role of low level ground attack and dive bombing in comparison with other aircraft available. In the hands of pilots like Capt. Antonio dell'Oro, Tenente Adriano Visconti and Spanish civil war veteran pilots who were properly trained to fly the aircraft it proved a bitter pill for British armoured forces caught in the desert. Notable encounters included missions carried out at Sidi Rezegh and Sidi Barrani. The Bredas were even involved in one air battle causing the loss of 3 Gloster Gladiators.