1:35 Autoblinda AB 41 (Italeri)

The Italian AB 41 armored car with metal details

A more extensive metal upgrade for a model of the Italian Autoblinda AB 41 armored car at 1:35 size. The set concentrates on the sheet-metal parts, the meshes and the grab handles, that is exactly where injection-molded plastic runs into its limits. The vehicle itself is sold as a separate kit.

A reconnaissance car from the Italian deserts

The Autoblinda was created at the end of the 1930s as a fast armored car for the colonies and for the cavalry formations. The AB 41 version received a turret with a 20 mm Breda automatic cannon and a coaxial machine gun. One curiosity is the dual steering: there was a driving position at the front and at the rear, so on meeting an enemy the car could reverse at full speed without turning around. It was deployed in North Africa, in the Balkans against partisans and on the Eastern Front, and after 1943 German units took it over as well.

What to keep in mind during the build

Photo-etched fenders are sensitive to pressure once glued on, so hold the model by the hull rather than by the sides during the rest of the work. The fine radiator mesh stands out if you back it with a dark surface. Apply sandy weathering only into the gaps and under the fenders; an all-over coat would swallow exactly the details the set is bought for.

The set will be appreciated by

• Enthusiasts of Italian equipment of the Second World War
• Builders of wheeled reconnaissance vehicles
• Makers of desert and Balkan scenes
• Modelers who want faithfully thin fenders

The metal components are unpainted, and the plastic base and the chemicals have to be obtained separately.