List of Italian Gun Trucks

[Menarrosto 2,629]

Hello guys!

In this topic I'm going to regroup all the main italian gun trucks, the so called Autocannoni.

The italian word "autocannone" (plural: autocannoni - not to be confused with "autocannon") is the abbreviation of "cannone autocarrato" and can be translated with "truck mounted gun".

 

As many of you know, the Italian army in northern Africa was in serious danger: they lack tanks and self propelled guns to defeat the British army. The Germans saved the situation, but something had to be done to improve the italian army effectiveness in the desert warfare.

The mechanics and engineers of the Libyan factories came out with a pure italian style solution, smart, cheap and surprisingly easy to implement: just mount the guns on a fully rotating support and install the thing on the back of any kind of trucks. This solution can sound rough and poorly designed, but it proved extremely effective in the desert battlefield.

Furthermore, the modification can be done directly in the colonies, due to the extremely low technological and resource requirements.

 

Now the vehicles!

I will start from the low calibers.

I omitted the ones with the 20mm guns and the AS42 47/32 as it is already discussed in a dedicated topic.

Let's start:

 

Camionetta Desertica AS37

 

 

Based on the Fiat-SPA AS37, a truck purposely built for the desert with huge all driving, all steering wheels, this vehicle is armed with either a 20mm autocannon or a 47mm AT gun like the one shown in the photo. The cabin roof was removed to reduce its silhouette.

Thanks to its great off road capability and the extreme range of 870 km it was assigned to the "Compagnie auto-avio Sahariane", the italian counterparts of the Long Range Desert Group.

It can reach a top speed of 50 km/h with an engine power of 57 hp. An 8mm machine gun can be mounted in front of the passenger seat, while the 47mm gun can pierce up to 45mm of armor at 500m.
 

 

 

Fiat-SPA 38R 47/32

The Fiat-SPA 38R, also known only as SPA 38R, was one of the most widely used light trucks in the Italian Army and Air Force. Developed in 1933, it entered service in 1935 and remained until 1956. It was a multipurpose vehicle, used as a supply vehicle, troop transport, ambulance, light artillery tractor, anti tank gun truck and anti aircraft mobile platform (like the one you can see in the photo, armed with a shielded Breda mod.35 20mm autocannon). In particular it was the most common anti aircraft self-propelled gun in the royal italian army, and it was often the only true anti aircraft defence for the supply truck columns in the North African desert.

The vehicle in its standard version weighted 3,2t and was powered with a 55hp petrol engine, achieving a top speed on road of 50km/h.

Some SPA 38R were equipped with the omnipresent 47/32 anti tank gun and served for the entire duration of the North Africa campaign.



(The italian colonial helmet is awesome XD)

 

Camionetta Desertica Mod.43

 

 

Further improvement of the AS37. The vehicle is perfectly described in the above picture.
 

 

 

Morris CS8 65/17

 

 

During the early stages of the war, the Italians managed to capture great quantities of British supplies, including a big number of supply vehicles, in particular the omnipresent Morris CS8.

They modified it by cutting the cabin and mounting a 65mm gun, creating some batteries of gun trucks only, the so called "Batterie volanti" ("flying batteries"), intended for anti tank support.

It can reach a top speed of 65 km/h with 60 hp.

The gun is the "Cannone da 65/17 modello 13". A 65mm, 17 calibers long mountain gun, later assigned to regular infantry units as a support gun.

Despite being a WWI design, it proved to be robust, reliable and effective against British light tanks.
 

 

 

Ceirano 50 CMA 75/27 CK

 

 

This is one of the gun trucks developed prior to the WWII. The characteristic of this kind of vehicles is that they were intended as mobile AA platforms, but during WWII they were forced to fight against infantry and tanks too.

The truck is the Ceirano 50 CMA, designed in 1927 and completely outdated by 1940. With a power of 53 hp it can achieve a top speed of 30/40 km/h.

The gun, outdated too, is an anti aircraft gun with a caliber of 75mm, 27 calibers long, designed in 1914. I don't know much regarding the penetration performances, but being an AA gun it retains at least a good rate of fire of ~15 rpm.
 

 

 

Lancia 3Ro 90/53

 

 

Contrary to the common Autocannone, this one is a purposely built vehicle developed in Italy in 1941 as a mobile heavy AA platform and anti tank self propelled gun.

The truck is the Lancia 3Ro, one of the most common italian heavy trucks, modified with an extendable circular platform sustained with hydraulic pistons. Engine power is 96 hp and top speed 45 km/h.

The gun is the mighty Cannone da 90/53 mod.39, the most advanced gun in the italian arsenal and the only thing, except mines and heavier artillery, that can easily defeat the feared Matilda and Churchill tanks. The performances are very similar to its German cousin, but while the Germans developed APCR rounds for it, the lack of tungsten forced the Italians to switch to chemical weapons, developing an high velocity HEAT round capable to pierce 230mm of vertical armor.

Unfortunately the high production cost and the priority given to the Navy and fixed AA defences dramatically reduced the number of available guns for the Army.

 
Side note: the gun was so powerful and famous that still nowadays the Italians used to refer to something particularly effective and valuable as a "Pezzo da 90" (eng. "90 [mm] piece").
 

 

 

Breda 52 90/53

 

 

Immediately after the first bunch of Lancia 3Ro 90/53 a new more suited truck was chosen: the Breda 52.

Thanks to four rear twin wheels and a more powerful engine of 125hp the truck could better handle the huge payload and the recoil of the 90mm gun. It can also achieve a max speed of 60km/h.
 

 

 

Dovunque 41 90/53

 

 

We don't know if this vehicle was truly built, and anyway we know almost nothing about it, so I don't think we can see this vehicle in game. But I still want to show it as it is the top arrival of the italian Autocannone.

Developed in 1942 and based on the Dovunque 41 truck, the main peculiarity is the armor coverage that entirely covered the cabin and the gun, protecting the crew from light machine gun fire and strafing aircrafts.

Some say that a prototype was built and served with the RSI forces in 1944... 
 

 

 

Lancia 3Ro 100/17

 

 

This is the state of art of all the "recycled" fighting vehicles.

 

In 1941 the Libyan workshops of the Italian royal army made a little miracle: with the help of some crazy chemists they combined a captured Austrian made WWI bronze howitzer (Škoda 10 cm Vz. 1914) and an inoffensive truck into a very effective self propelled anti tank gun.

The truck is basically a Lancia 3Ro with very little modifications like the elimination of the cabin roof, while the armament is a bit more complicated. Initially the only available round for the 100mm howitzer was the HE one, but a new one was soon developed: a malfunctioning HEAT round.

Yes you read correctly. The first generation of italian HEAT rounds (named E.P. - "Effetto Pronto", eng. "Ready Effect") used to explode slightly too late, consequently eliminating the hollow charge effect but creating a new one: the squash head effect.

The broken HEAT proved to be absolutely devastating against the British early tanks, literally disintegrating entire portions of armor, so the Italians kept producing the E.P. round despite it was not working as intended.

Finally, when heavier tanks appeared they developed a proper HEAT round, the E.P.S. ("Effetto Pronto Speciale", eng. "Special Ready Effect") which in the 100mm variant can pierce roughly 120mm of vertical armor.

 

Side note: the gun was also tested in Russia against a T-34. 

The T-34, hit frontally, suffered spalling and cracks in the armor plates, while the side armor of the turret failed with a complete penetration, cracks on the welds and insane spalling inside. From what I know the tests were made with the HESH-like round and the German observers were surprised of its effectiveness, stating that it proved superior to their 105mm HEAT round.

There are images of these tests but unfortunately I can't find them...

 

 

Fiat 634N 102/35

 

 

In 1941, recycling 7 of the 102mm guns of the Bengasi's defences, the Fiat factory in Tripoli realized these powerful gun trucks to help the armored divisions with a mobile anti tank and anti aircraft artillery.

The gun is the 102/35 mod. 1914, developed by Schneider-Ansaldo in 1914 as a dual purpose gun to be installed on battleships. Later, no more suited for the naval warfare, it was relegated to the stationary air defences, but the brutal hitting power of its AP round was still more than enough to defeat any armored land vehicle.

It's installed on the Fiat 634N, an heavy truck built in Italy from 1931. With an engine power of 75/80 hp it can reach a top speed of 40 km/h.

The vehicles, under the MILMART rule (a Navy branch for coastal defence) were divided in 2 batteries with some 76/30 gun trucks, assigned one to the Ariete armored division and one to the Trieste motorized division.

 

They proved their effectiveness during the Battle of Bir el Gobi, precisely on 19 November 1941, when the battery of the Ariete division opened direct fire against the British attacking tanks, destroying 15 and saving the Bersaglieri strongholds next to fall. The 102mm guns were so powerful against the British Cruiser tanks that some had their turret completely blown off and thrown meters away.
 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited January 18, 2018 by Menarrosto

[Vand3rz 952]

"The steering wheel was on the right-hand side, as on most Italian military vehicles". 

Well that was nice of the Italians to make things easier for British Empire forces when they captured vehicles, no need to get used to sitting on the wrong side when driving! 

 

Anyway, interesting stop-gap solutions to deal with armour deficiency. In-game one better hope to have spaa nearby or some air support because the little Geppettos on board wont last long. 

 

Looking forward to more guns.

 

[Menarrosto 2,629]

Added Lancia 3Ro 90/53.

[Admiral_Aruon 2,264]

*feels good man*

 

i love the 3Ro 90/53. that thing is going to be the craziest bangbus ingame when it's added. that it has a HEAT round to surpass the Metal Gear equal the penetration of the KwK 43 APCBC is awesome too.

[Menarrosto 2,629]

7 hours ago, Admiral_Aruon said:

*feels good man*

 

i love the 3Ro 90/53. that thing is going to be the craziest bangbus ingame when it's added. that it has a HEAT round to surpass the Metal Gear equal the penetration of the KwK 43 APCBC is awesome too.

If you liked the Lancia 3Ro you will like the Breda 52 even more.

 

Added Breda 52 90/53 and Dovunque 41 90/53.

 

I finished the 90mm gun trucks... Now the 100+ 

;D

[Охраняет-Камни 6,650]

Nice list! I'm really fan of these vehicles.) They bring something unusual to WT and they are very competitive, just look at 29-K and Flak 37.

PS didn't find SPA 38R 47/32, SPA TL37 75/27 and Lancia 3Ro 76/30(+Fiat 634N 76/30)

Edited January 7, 2018 by _Condottiero_

[Menarrosto 2,629]

13 minutes ago, _Condottiero_ said:

PS didn't find SPA 38R 47/32, SPA TL37 75/27 and Lancia 3Ro 76/30(+Fiat 634N 76/30)

Yeah but there are some problems with those vehicles...

The SPA 38R isn't really needed, as there are better vehicles with the same gun.

The TL37 has zero depression and can't fire with the pilot and commander onboard.

For the 76/30 armed trucks there's a lack of informations because the gun is a brutally shortened 76/40. So there are no records for muzzle velocity, range, penetration and everything else.

[Technickman81 307]

13 hours ago, Menarrosto said:

Yeah but there are some problems with those vehicles...

The SPA 38R isn't really needed, as there are better vehicles with the same gun.

The TL37 has zero depression and can't fire with the pilot and commander onboard.

For the 76/30 armed trucks there's a lack of informations because the gun is a brutally shortened 76/40. So there are no records for muzzle velocity, range, penetration and everything else.

The 76/30 wasnt a shortened 76/40, It was a little gun of the ww1 user in small boats

[Menarrosto 2,629]

30 minutes ago, Technickman81 said:

The 76/30 wasnt a shortened 76/40, It was a little gun of the ww1 user in small boats

Ahhh excellent!

I will add the 76/30 gun trucks as soon as possible.

[Menarrosto 2,629]

Added Lancia 3Ro 100/17.

[Serpiko82 7,875]

Effetto Pronto shells: when you fail hard in your attempt, but somehow your fail gives even better results than you had planned, so you get away with it 

Edited January 8, 2018 by Serpiko82

[Menarrosto 2,629]

4 hours ago, Serpiko82 said:

Effetto Pronto shells: when you fail hard in your attempt, but somehow your fail gives even better results than you had planned, so you get away with it 

I can see this happening...

 

Mario: * looking are the results * 

"It seems it's totally wrong..."

Luigi: "It's perfect!"

 

P.s.

The E.P. round is not totally "wrong".

It USED to act like an HESH round, but sometimes it worked as a proper HEAT one.

This added some sort of randomness that caused complete confusion in the British that couldn't realize what kind of diabolical weapon the Italians were firing at them 

 

"RNG state of mind"

Edited January 8, 2018 by Menarrosto

[Vand3rz 952]

One of the most interesting things about Italian tanks is learning about their shell types. 

[Serpiko82 7,875]

10 hours ago, Menarrosto said:

P.s.

The E.P. round is not totally "wrong".

It USED to act like an HESH round, but sometimes it worked as a proper HEAT one.

This added some sort of randomness that caused complete confusion in the British that couldn't realize what kind of diabolical weapon the Italians were firing at them 

 

OMG do NOT let this detail reach Gaijin's ears! 

 

"Hey guys, some dude in the forum is talking about shells working randomly as either HESH or HEAT."

"That's... That's just... GENIUS! How didn't we think about that before? Boris, quick! Let's start coding a random effect function for all shells, it will be so fun!" 

[Menarrosto 2,629]

3 hours ago, Serpiko82 said:

 

OMG do NOT let this detail reach Gaijin's ears! 

 

"Hey guys, some dude in the forum is talking about shells working randomly as either HESH or HEAT."

"That's... That's just... GENIUS! How didn't we think about that before? Boris, quick! Let's start coding a random effect function for all shells, it will be so fun!" 

NOOOOooooo...

[ANYangeloVV 542]

Do you think that the Breda 501 will fit here too? Or it's more like an armored open-top car?

[Menarrosto 2,629]

38 minutes ago, ANYangeloVV said:

Do you think that the Breda 501 will fit here too? Or it's more like an armored open-top car?

Eh good question... I think it's more an armored car or a wheeled TD.

[WiseMinerva 454]

What kind of pen did the Morris CS8 65/17 have?

[Menarrosto 2,629]

On 15/1/2018 at 5:09 PM, WiseMinerva said:

What kind of pen did the Morris CS8 65/17 have?

Ahhhh... Very good question. 

I don't have the exact numbers, but I can suppose an higher penetration value than the 47/32 gun at far distances, while a lower one at close. This considering ~60mm of penetration at 10m for the 47/32 gun.

Edited January 17, 2018 by Menarrosto

[RMA4ndr34 30]

3 hours ago, Menarrosto said:

Ahhhh... Very good question. 

I don't have the exact numbers, but I can suppose an higher penetration value than the 47/32 gun at far distances, while a lower one at close. This considering 80-90mm of penetration at 10m for the 47/32 gun.

Does the 47/32 pierce that much armor?     

[Menarrosto 2,629]

9 hours ago, RMA4ndr34 said:

Does the 47/32 pierce that much armor?     

Oh no I'm sorry... That's the penetration value of the elongated version, the 47/40. My fault.

For the 47/32 the correct number is something around 60mm at 100 meters.

[RMA4ndr34 30]

 

3 hours ago, Menarrosto said:

Oh no I'm sorry... That's the penetration value of the elongated version, the 47/40. My fault.

For the 47/32 the correct number is something around 60mm at 100 meters.

 btw i am surprised by the power of the 47/40

 

[Leeb_ 172]

1 hour ago, RMA4ndr34 said:

 

 btw i am surprised by the power of the 47/40

 

 

It was the best gun of its caliber, with an impressive muzzle velocity of 900m/s.

I can't wait to play with it 

[RMA4ndr34 30]

1 hour ago, Leeb_ said:

 muzzle velocity of 900m/s

 

[Menarrosto 2,629]

4 hours ago, RMA4ndr34 said:

Not to mention that for the 47/40 gun was developed an HEAT shell too. Some say it can pierce 110-120mm of vertical armor... But I'm very skeptical about this.