About This File
CFS API Macro--Fiat SPA AS37 "Autocarro Sahariano", CFS version of a WWII ground vehicle. This light truck, called "Autocarro Sahariano" (Saharian Truck) was developed in 1937 for the North-African desert. It was based on the chassis of the tractor of artillery TL37. It had a very broad autonomy with vacuum (900 km) and a great capacity of water carrying. It could transport 8 men and their equipment in the back box. It should be noted that the development of truck is own initiative of FIAT and was not a request from Italian army which judged the creation of this kind of vehicle nonurgent. FIAT with supports of the marshal Italo Balbo, governor of Libya, however carried the project in its term. It's thus logically that the 200 specimens of the first batch joined Libya since 1938, and were assigned to Commando del Sahara Libico and to Autogruppo della Tripolitania. The goal of Balbo was to equip (at a rate of 22 vehicles each) the Sahariane companies. In March 1942,584 specimens of this small truck were in service in North Africa. The maximum number of vehicles in service reached was of 802 specimens at April 30, 1943. By Edmundo Abad.