AS 42 Sahariana
Raggruppamento Sahariano AS

This is my take on AS.42, 'Sahariana'.

It was designed in 1942 as a response to LRDG. Initially planned as an unarmed reconnaissance vehicle, with the range as its main focus, it was soon armed with a few different options: Breda 20/65 Mod. 1935 gun, AT 47/32 Mod. 1935, and Solothurn S18-1000 20 mm anti-tank rifle. The one I built is armed with a 47/32 Mod. 1935 anti-tank gun. Each vehicle could carry 20 fuel jerrycans, 20l each, on its sides, extending the range to a very solid 2,000 km. It was extremely maneuverable as well, and the 110hp engine gave the AS.42 a top speed of 84 km/h.

The model I built is based on a vehicle that was part of the initial batch delivered to North Africa in December 1942. It was assigned to the Raggruppamento Sahariano AS and participated in the final stages Libyan Campaign and the entire Tunisian campaign. There were only 10 vehicles in this group and only one of them, with registration number 791B, was armed with a 47mm AT gun. Saharianas were mainly used for raids deep in the desert and to counter LRDG actions. They performed very well and were praised both by the Italians and the British. At one point during 1943, LRDG was ordered to attack only if there were no high numbers of AS42 in the area.

Most AS.42s in Africa were lost at the end of the Tunisian campaign. However, Sahariana and its successor Metropolitana continued to be used in Sicily and Italy, and even in the Soviet Union, until the end of WW2. Some of them even so service after WW2 as a part of the police force.

The model is painted with Hataka's version of Khaki Sahariana. Some Gunze and Vallejo Model colors were used as well. Weathered mostly with MIG's and VMS pigments.