AUTOBLINDA 40, 41 AND 43

AB 41

 AB 43

 
The Autoblinda 40 (AB 40) was an Italian armored car built in small numbers in 1940. Armament consisted of two 8 mm machine guns in a turret. During production a need for heavier armament was envisioned and so the AB 40 was redesigned as the AB 41 which was the same vehicle except for a new turret with a 20 mm autocannon. Most of the 24 AB 40s that had been built were then converted to AB 41s.

The Autoblinda 41 (AB 41) was an Italian armored car in use during World War II. It was armed with a 20 mm Breda 35 autocannon in the same turret as the Fiat L6/40) and two hull mounted 8 mm machine guns, one to the rear and the other to the front. The AB 41 (in production from 1941) was based on the machine gun armed Autoblinda 40 most of which were converted to AB 41s by switching the turret. The AB 41 had a four-wheel drive and there were also conversion kits to make it go on railroad tracks (these kits were mostly used in anti-resistance patrols in the Balkans). About 550 vehicles were built in all. The Autoblinda AB 43, which was basically an upgraded AB 41 with more powerful engine, a new lower and wider turret and revised exhaust system and provision for 7 jerry cans on external racks and was still armed with a 20mm main gun and two 8mm machine guns as well as having four wheel drive and steering. It was planned to upgrade the AB 43 with a 47 mm anti-tank gun, but those plans were disrupted by the Italian surrender in September 1943.

After the Italian surrender in the Germans confiscated some 37 AB 41s and also built 20 more. The German designation was Panzerspähwagen AB41 201(i). The Italian AB 43 armored car was used by German units - as PanzerSpahWagen AB 43 203(i)

The AB 41/43s were used during World War II in North Africa, Italy, Hungary, and on the Eastern Front.