Background
The FIAT SPA S37 Auroprotetto (“self-protected”) was developed in 1941 on the chassis of the FIAT SPA TL37 light artillery tractor deployed in Libya and renowned for its excellent cross-country capabilities. After some trials by FIAT, the Regio Esercito (Italian Royal Army) ordered 150 vehicles in 1942. This lightly armored vehicle was used primarily for police and law enforcement missions, especially against partisans in the occupied Balkans.
The S37 was deployed in the Balkans, equipping the 31st Regiment, the 955ª, 1034ª and 1118ª sections, the Mixed Division “Macerata”, the 259º Autoreparto Autoprotetto and the motorcyclists of the LXXI Battalion (consisting of what was left of the 6th Regiment riflemen). After the surrender of September 8, some of these vehicles were captured by the Germans, passing to the 7. SS-Freiwilligen-Gebirgs-Division “Prinz Eugen” operating in the Balkans. The vehicles were renamed Gepanzerte Manntransportwagen S.37(i) or gep.M.Trsp.Wg. S37 250(i), and some fell into the hands of Yugoslav partisans.
http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/italy/Fiat_SPA_Autoprotetto_S-37.php
The Model (4 out of 5 bolts)
I recently picked up a few SPA S37 APCs from Armaments in Miniature. The company is known more for their fantastic line of 1/100 and 1/144 scale resin air plane and bunker kits. However, they also have a few interesting pieces for the land lubber. Being a tread head and liking anything that is WWII and armored, I thought I would pick up a few of their SPA S37 APCs. This is not a vehicle that one can find a listing for in Flames of War, but that will never stop me from getting a model on the table! If your interested in fielding the model in Flames of War, just use the stats for a British White Scout Car. For my purposes, when playing Flames of War, the models will be used in my Auto Sahariania Compagnia. I will just use them in place of AS37s (the truck they were based on). Problem solved!
The model comes in a plastic bag (no fancy packaging to open or pay for )with a number of parts mounted on the original molding sprues. There are no instructions included, but the model is quite easy to assemble, so they should really not be needed. So, now onto the bolt score!
Assembly (4 out of 5 bolts)
The Hull is a single piece, with all the other parts mounted on sprues. Many of my parts had actually already fallen off the sprues, so that was one less thing that I have to do! As with many resin kits, the castings had a lot of mold flash. This had to be removed, but it was very thin, so easy to take care of with a hobby knife.
The resin itself is of a semi-soft types, so shaving any flash was quite easy. Once you get all the pieces cleaned up, it is actually a very simple kit. One piece hull, two sets of wheels, a machine gun and a crew. The crew includes an extra driver that is not needed (already formed in the full casting), so something else for the bits box! As the kit is resin, you will need to use super glue!
The model goes together quite quickly, as there are so few parts. The wheels glue into pin guides, so no confusion. The rear wheels do mount at a bit of an angle. With a bit of work, one could make a sprue axle if you wanted them perfectly straight. Was too much work for me, so I just glued them on as intended and decided to live with the result. The machine gun is a bit tricky to mount and takes some patience. However, it wits properly when completed. You have options with how you glue the crew into the back of the vehicle. I opted to leave off the gunner, as I did not want a figure with a Bersagliari hat.
Aesthetic (5 out of 5 bolts)
As it is a resin kit, I primed the model using an enamel spay base coat and added some color, wash, drybrush and it was done. The detail is sufficiently crisp and easy to pick up with the brush. It will look nice as something different in my 15mm Italian Army.
Cost (3 out of 5 bolts)
The model goes for $12 each. That puts it in the Battlefront resin price range. I cannot say that it is a bargain, but reasonable for an odd model in your force.
Overall (4 out of 5 bolts)
If your someone that likes to have the odd piece in your collection or has plans do represent the fighting in Yugoslavia, this kit has a strong appeal. If you like the standard tank and truck fare, not so much. Niche, is the best way to describe the kit! It is not to difficult to put together and looks good when it is done. The price is more in the upper tier for kits in this scale, but OK for something you only will have a handful of. It certainly will confuse your opponent and give you many opportunities to answer “what is that?”.
– Manteuffel