AB 41

Infobox Weapon
name=Autoblinda 41


caption=An AB 41 in North Africa.
origin=flagicon|Italy|1861 Italy
type=Armored car
is_vehicle=yes
service=
used_by= flagicon|Italy|1861 Italy
flagicon|Nazi Germany Nazi Germany
wars= World War II
designer=
design_date=
manufacturer=
unit_cost=
production_date=
number= 550
variants= AB 40
weight=7.5 tonnes
length=5.2 m
part_length=
width=1.92 m
height=2.4 m
diameter=
crew=4
armour=15 mm
primary_armament=20 mm Breda 35 autocannon
456 rounds
secondary_armament=2 x 8 mm Breda 38 machine guns
1992 rounds
engine=petrol
engine_power=80 hp
pw_ratio=
suspension=4x4 wheel
vehicle_range=400 km
speed=76 km/h (road)

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. It was planned to upgrade the AB 41 with a 47 mm anti-tank gun as the AB 43 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)".

Combat history

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

Views

External links

* [http://www.comandosupremo.com/Autoblinda.html AUTOBLINDA 40 and 41] at comandosupremo.com
* [http://www.wwiivehicles.com/italy/armored-cars/ab-40-ab-41-ab-43.asp Autoblinda AB 40, AB 41, AB 43 armored cars] at wwiivehicles.com