The first Italian armored cars were used in the war in Libya in 1911-12
against the Ottoman Empire. With few tanks being developed during World
War I, the Italians relied instead on the development of more mobile
armored cars like the Ansaldo Lancia 1 Z. After the war, the army
focused on the Alpine battlegrounds of Italy's northern borders, and did
not consider armored cars suitable for reconnaissance duties.
The experience of the Spanish Civil War would provide the much needed
last push for the Italians to develop modern armored cars. The result
were the famous AB 41-43 models, which fought against the British in
North Africa and Marshall Tito's forces in Yugoslavia, along with other
vehicles such as the AS 36 light armored car.
Using detailed color plates and contemporary photographs, this book
examines the development of the Italian armored car in the two world
wars and the inter-war years from the deserts of North Africa to the
slopes of the Alps.