Italeri – 7064 – Autoblinda AB 40 Ferroviaria

Description:

Autoblinda AB 40 Ferroviaria

Unassembled plastic model kit in 1/72 scale of an Italian WWII armoured car AB 40, converted for use as railcar, replacing wheels.

The AB 40 was a quite successful armoured car of the Italian army during WWII, produced in three main variants, 40, 41 and 43, named as the year of the upgrade, which all together reached the 600 units produced. The main difference between 40 and 41 variants was the turret, fitted with two 8mm machine guns in the 40 variant, and with a 20mm cannon and one coaxial 8mm machine gun in the 41 variant. Few AB 40 were produced, and most of the were retrofitted to AB 41 standard, but some were also converted to rail cars for patrol as the kit depicts. This cars operated in the Balkans, first in Italian service and later in German service, a probe of a successful design.

The kit is a variant of kit Italeri – 7051 – Autoblinda AB 41, adding a new sprue with rail segment for display and the few parts, like wheels, changing from the original kit.

The series of Autoblindo Fiat-Ansaldo (40, 41 and 43) got little attention in 1/72 scale, so Italeri kits are almost the only, but also they are really good kits that worth it to build and enjoy.