SPA-Viberti AS.42

SPA-Viberti AS.42
An AS.42 desert patrol vehicle of the Auto-Saharan Company
Type	Reconnaissance vehicle
Place of origin	Italy
Service history
In service	1942-1954
Used by	Royal Italian Army
Wars	World War II
Production history
Designed	1942
Manufacturer	Viberti
Produced	1942-1943
No. built	c.100
Specifications
Mass	4,500 kg (9,900 lb)
Length	5.620 m (18 ft 5.3 in)
Width	2.260 m (7 ft 5.0 in)
Height	1.800 m (5 ft 10.9 in)
Crew	5
Main armament	see Armament
Engine	4,995 cc 6-cylinder petrol 100 hp (75 kW)
Payload capacity	1,500 kg (3,300 lb)
Transmission	6 forward 1 reverse
Operational range	300 km (190 mi), with spare cans 1,500 km (930 mi) 30 litres/100 km fuel consumption
Maximum speed	84 km/h (52 mph)

The Camionetta Desertica Model 42 (also known as the SPA-Viberti AS.42 or Sahariana) was an Italian reconnaissance car of World War II.^[1] The AS.42 (Africa Settentrionale = North Africa) was developed by SPA-Viberti using the same chassis as the AB 41 armoured car, including its four-wheel steering, but with a 2x4 transmission specifically for desert operations, primarily in a reconnaissance role. Its origins trace back to requests stemming from units operating on the North African front for a long range, highly maneuverable vehicle, similar to those widely used by the highly successful British reconnaissance and raiding force, the Long Range Desert Group (LRDG).^[2]