With the increasing quantities of second world war vehicles, artillery and figures it is now possible to start collecting a 20mm plastic Italian army. I have collected a number of sets, most of which are from Italeri, unsurprisingly. ACE (A Ukrainian manufacturer, specialising in detailed photo-etched kits) now does some ww2 Italian vehicles, such as the Trattore Leggero, with a truck called the Trattore Autocarro Sahariana and an Autoprotetto armoured car on the way. Italeri, along with what you can see on the left, do make 2 Italian armoured cars, the Autoblinda AB 41 and an Autoblinda AB 43, along with 2 reconnaissance cars. The Semovente M40 kit you see below to the right, is an example of an Italeri fast-build kit. If you don't know what a fast-build kit is, it is a kit thatis simplified down to a small number of components for easy construction. Italeri has been very keen on fast build kits recently, with many more being added to their quite extensive 1:72 ww2 range. This example was (well should be) made of 12 parts (4 parts consisting of 2 searchlights which fit in to the holes on the front and 2 exhausts which fit on the back.) You get 2 assault guns in this box. Note that teh hatches cannot be modelled open without a lot of very difficult cutting with a hobby knife. The suspension, with no suprise is moulded as one piece per side.
In the photo at the top right is a set of Airfix Italian infantry (OK but too small to fit with other manufactures, for example Italeri's Alpini), as well as the Carro Armato M13/40 Italian main battle tank. This is also a fast-build kit with 2 examples in the box. Below it is the 90/53 anti-aircraft gun. This gun was used like the Geraman Flak 88, in that it was used to destroy enemy tanks, as well as aircraft. The kit contents are identical to those that come with the Lancia 3R0 truck with that gun mounted, which I will mention later. You get a total of 8 crewmen with it. To the right is the Alpini set. This set of figures has a good collection of light machine gunners in the firing pose, as well as a on the move pose. There are also 2 men skiing and 2 mules. It is a very good set, but it will not do for standard italian infantry, unless firstly the V shped belt connected to the ammunition belt is painted over and secondly, you select the men that are not wearing the alpini hat to be your standard infantry. Italeri also do a non-fast build version of the Carro Armato M13/40 and from what I have seen, you can model the hatches as open in that kit. The Lancia 3R0 truck with mounted 90/53 AA gun is also a fast-build kit with the cab moulded as one piece! As far as I am aware there is no driver that comes with it, altough one could be scavenged from elsewhere. The kit could be built as either a standard 3R0 truck with some scratchbuilding (perhaps a future project), or as General Annabale Bergonzelis's caravan using the Monty's Caravan set's Caravan rear, which that set says that it was recovered from his Lancia 3R0 (also a good future project). It looks a rlatively simple job of building the caravan rear part and gluing on to the 3R0 chassis, depending on whether it fits.
DOC models also do 2 Italian light Tankettes, the CV33 and the CV35. They also do another Autoblinda AB 41, along witha Fiat 3000 Light tank on the way. Lastly and not least is the Waterloo 1815 Italian infantry, with infantry support, folgore division, folgore division light artillery, an Italian 149/40 Heavy gun, Italian cavalry and an El Alamein Italian infantry set. Caesar miniatures are now doing a set of Italian infantry too.
So there it is, infantry, tanks, artillery, trucks, cavalry, armoured cars and even the potential for a command element.
