FIAT 508

Fiat 508e

LandItalien
TypKompakt bil
Produktion1932–1937
Byggd100000+

Den Fiat 508 Balilla var en personbil, designad och tillverkad av Fiat mellan 1932 och 1937. Det var i praktiken en ersättare till Fiat 509, även om produktionen av den tidigare modellen hade upphört redan 1929. Den hade en treväxlad växellåda (utökad till fyra 1934), hade plats för fyra och hade en topphastighet på cirka 80 km/h (50 mph). Den såldes för 10 800 lire (eller 8 300 2005 euro). Cirka 113 000 tillverkades.

Källkod: Wikipedia

FIAT 508 Walk Around
FotografGian Luca Cocchi
LokaliseringUnknow
Bilder17
Vänta, Söker Autoblinda Lancia Lince för dig...

SSMODEL 48684 V1.7 1/48 3D-tryckt harts modellsats IA Fiat-Ansaldo M15/42 Medium Tank - Amazon

Se även:

Andra världskriget: Den definitiva visuella historien från blixtkrig till atombomben (DK Definitive Visual Histories) - Amazon Andra världskriget karta för karta (DK historia karta för karta) - Amazon


A Social and Military Revolution

Den Fiat 508 Balilla, introduced in 1932, was the most popular Italian car of the 1930s. Designed as an affordable “people’s car,” it was simple, robust, and easy to maintain. However, its true legacy lies in its versatility; the Royal Italian Army (Regio Esercito) quickly realized that the 508 chassis was ideal for military adaptation. This led to the creation of the 508M (Militare) and the famous 508 CM “Coloniale,” which became the ubiquitous light staff car for Italian officers in North Africa and Russia.

Attribute Standard Specification (Fiat 508 / 508 CM)
Roll Economy Car / Military Staff & Liaison Car
Production Years 1932–1937 (Civilian) / Until 1945 (Military)
Engine Type Fiat 108: 4-cylinder, side-valve petrol
Displacement 995 cc
Horsepower 20 hp to 24 hp (30 hp in later 508C models)
Transmission 3-speed Manual (Later 4-speed)
Max Speed 80–95 km/h (approx. 50–60 mph)
Curb Weight approx. 685 kg (Civilian) / 890 kg (Military)

The “Coloniale” Evolution

  • Military Adaptation: The 508 CM was characterized by its high-clearance suspension, larger tires, and a rugged, open-top body. These modifications allowed it to traverse the soft sand and rocky “hamada” of the Libyan desert.
  • The “Long” 508C: In 1937, Fiat introduced the 508C (Nuova Balilla), which featured a more powerful 1,100cc engine and aerodynamic styling. This chassis was also militarized, leading to the 1100 “Coloniale” which served as the Italian equivalent of the German Kübelwagen.
  • Technical Simplicity: The side-valve engine was intentionally under-stressed to run on low-quality fuel, and the mechanical brakes were simple to repair in the field.

Military Variants

  • 508M (Militare): The first militarized version, often featuring a soft-top and standard civilian fenders, used mainly for domestic duties and communications.
  • 508 CM (Coloniale Militare): The definitive war version with a distinctively boxy body, spade mounts, and extra fuel cans for long-range desert patrols.
  • 508 Camioncino: A light pickup truck version capable of carrying 350 kg, used for transporting light supplies and small units of soldiers.
  • AS.37 Platform: The 508 was often used as the base for the Autosahariana long-range desert vehicles, which were heavily armed with Breda machine guns or 20mm cannons.

Legat

The Fiat 508 didn’t just win over Italian families; it proved itself as a resilient combatant in some of the harshest environments of WWII. After the war, the 508C chassis became the foundation for the Fiat 1100, a car that would continue to be produced (most notably in India as the Premier Padmini) for decades to come.


Visningar : 375

Lämna svar

<a href="" title=""> <abbr title=""> <acronym title=""> <b> <blockquote cite=""> <cite> <code> <del datetime=""> <em> <i> <q cite=""> <s> <strike> <strong> 

Krävs

Den här webbplatsen använder Akismet för att minska skräpposten. Läs mer om hur dina kommentarsdata bearbetas.