Casemate Publishing is distributing a Helion & Company published book on the topic of Italian Soft-Skinned Vehicles of the Second War World. The publication has two volumes. This review covers Volume 2.

The book is broken down in the following sections

• Medium and Heavy Trucks
• Artillery Tractors
• Special Purpose Vehicles
• Trailers

Plus three appendices:

• Camouflage and Markings
• Italian Vehicles Manufacturers
• Vehicles produced in Italy while under German Control (1943-45)

While information on the Italian Navy, Italian Air Force and Italian Armored Units is not that difficult to come by, information on their soft-skinned/support/ancillary vehicles is harder to find. But this publication fills that gap well.

Each one of the chapters has too many vehicles listed to be included in this review. I will simply list the manufactures (not the models) here: Alfa Romeo, Bianchi, Ceirano, Fiat, Isota Fraschini, Lancia, OM (Officine Meccaniche), SPA Dovunque, Breda, Pavesi, SPA TL, SPA TM and SPA Viberti.

Each unique model (vehicle) has the following sections: Developmental and Service History, Technical Description, Variants (if applicable) and Specifications. Also, if available, there are 3-view drawings of the vehicle, often from original documents.

The book is profusely illustrated, with hundreds of contemporary (B&W) and full-color pictures, plus original 3-view drawings for many of the vehicles listed in this book. There are also a few color profiles.

This book is a great source of information on vehicles of the Italian Armed Forces during War World Two. Either if you are a historian or a modeler, you will find this book fascinating.

Recommended.

I would like to thank Casemate Publishing, Helion & Company and IPMS/USA for the review sample.