Sunday, February 9

Colours, decals, metal, history & a built-up test shot of Italeri's new Semovente M43 da 105/25 "Bassotto"

Italeri's new 1/35th scale Semovente M43 da 105/25 "Bassotto" kit is almost with us. We have the art, profiles, decals, metal, & decals in our preview...

Colours, decals, metal, history & a built-up test shot of Italeri's new Semovente M43 da 105/25 "Bassotto"

Semovente M43 da 105/25 "Bassotto"
From Italeri
No #4714
1/35th scale
Model Dim.
The subject: The Semovente M43 da 105/25 "Bassotto."
The M43 105/25 "Bassotto" self-propelled gun was developed by the Italian industry to enhance the offensive capabilities of the armoured vehicles and self-propelled artillery of the Royal Italian Army. The M43 was based on the modified, widened, and lowered chassis of the M15/42 tank and was equipped with an Ansaldo 105/25 howitzer mounted in a casemate. 

Fourteen M43 da 105/25s, four M15/42s, (and a dozen M42M da 75/34s) in the Ansaldo-Fossati plant in Genoa, ready for delivery to the Regio Esercito in July 1943.
Its armour and frontal shielding were also improved. It entered service in a limited number of units in 1943 and took part in operations on the Italian front. It is considered the most powerful Italian armoured vehicle used during World War II, effective in both offensive and defensive actions due to a good balance of mobility and firepower. After Italy's armistice, several units were captured and successfully employed by German troops, who renamed the "Bassotto" as "StuG M43 mit 105/25."

An example of a Semoventi M43 da 105/25 captured by Germans in Rome after the Armistice and pressed into service.

The kit:
Italeri's 1/35th scale Italian military vehicle line expands in this,  their "super scale model kit." of the big-gunned Semovente M43 da 105/25 "Bassotto." This kit follows their usual MO of giving modellers something simple and easy to make but detailed. The decals and metal barrel are the real high points of the model for those wanting   bit more, they can build on this base.

Here are some of the key features of the new kit, designed to ensure the highest level of realism and accuracy: 
Metal gun barrel
“Link-and-length” tracks
Photo-etched parts
Decal sheet for 4 versions fro Cartograf
The marking choices in this kit
The test kit, made up by Italeri's model makers (note, that this kit displays the plastic barrel option).

The Semovente M43 da 105/25 "Bassotto" (kit 4714) will be available in the first week of March. For more on Italeri's kits, check out their website...