The Fiat SPA 38R was a light 4x2 truck manufactured by S.P.A., a subsidiary of Fiat between 1933 and 1944, developed in parallel with the air-cooled powered SPA 36R. But the SPA 38R proved soon far more reliable and became the standard Italian light truck of WW2. It was so successful that France in emergency ordered 500 vehicles, 400 delivered before Italy declared war. The SPA 38R was declined into ten main versions, active on all fronts until the end of the war and post-war until 1948 with over 17,000 produced, until 1948 and only retired from 1953. See also the self-propelled AA version on tanks encyclopedia

Development

The previous FIAT S.25 Truck

The Fiat SPA 38R truck, like its twin 36R, was created by order of the Regio Esercito, the army of the King of Italy, with the aim of replacing the Fiat SPA 25C/10 truck. The design and production of this truck was entrusted to the truck subsidiary of Fiat V.I. at the time S.P.A.. SPA presented 2 prototypes: one traditional with a water-cooled engine, the 38R and a second with a water-cooled engine by air, the 36R. The latter was presented as the ideal system for military operations in the African context and to cope with the rigors of the mountain climate, where water for cooling is very scarce or frozen. SPA had submitted these two similar but potentially complementary models to the Italian military authorities.

The 38R was born from the need of the Royal Army to replace the old SPA 25C truck. In 1933 Società Piemontese Automobili (SPA), a brand controlled by Fiat specialized in the production of trucks, presented two models, the water-cooled Fiat-SPA 38R and the air-cooled Fiat-SPA 36R. The two models were adopted by the Royal Army in 1935 and sent to Italian Libya in '37 and to Italian East Africa in '38, where off-road problems led to a redesign of the suspension. The debut of the SPA 38R in war took place in the Spanish Civil War with the Corpo Truppe Volontarie, where it was used as a troop transport and for towing the 65/17 Mod. 1908/1913 cannon and where it demonstrated its reliability and sturdiness at the expense of consume.

Design

The Fiat SPA 38R featured the same chassis and mechanics as its air-cooled counterpart, the Fiat SPA 36R. Its engine was the famous Fiat Tipo 18T, gasoline, 4-cylinder in line with a displacement of 4,053 cm3, developing 55 hp at just 2,000 rpm. This engine had been imposed by the military authorities given the great reliability it had shown on the SPA Dovunque 35 and other Fiat SPA TL37 models. With a wheelbase of 3,500 mm, it still had a right-hand drive bonnet cab, as remained in force in Italy until 1975. The rear bed could carry 25 soldiers.

The chassis with side members is on two axles with a wheelbase of 3.5 metres. The first two wheels are single and direct, while on the second axle they are twin and driving. The engine is a tried and tested Fiat 18T, the same one that powered the SPA Dovunque 35 and the light artillery tractor Fiat-SPA TL37, a 4053 cm³ in-line 4-cylinder petrol engine, water cooled and delivering 55 hp at 2000 rpm minute. The transmission is by cardan joints on the rear axle, with a 4-speed gearbox and one reverse gear, with a manually insertable differential lock. The cab is a set-back type, two-seater with right-hand drive. The bonnet externally distinguishes the 38R from the 36R because it is squared at the front. The standard set-up of the truck is equipped with a 2.5 ton capacity wooden box, capable of accommodating 25 men, and a tow hook.


FIAT Tipo 18R engine. Source: italie1935-45.com


FIAT SPA 38R chassis. Note the two fuel tanks and the ignition lever. source: italie1935-45.com

Production

The vehicle was produced at the famous Lingotto of Turin, in Northern Italy. In the spring of 1940, France, which wanted to quickly arm itself and have a reliable vehicle that had proven itself, in view of its imminent entry into the war against Nazi Germany, placed a firm order for 500 copies of the 38R with Fiat. V.I. 400 of these trucks will actually be delivered before Fascist Italy enters the war against France in 1940.

The production of this truck on behalf of the Regio Esercito, continued throughout the duration of the war, in all versions, Standard and Colonial and with a large number of equipment, including some specially designed for the Italian Air Force. Aeronautica Militare. Its reliability and robustness will be put to the test, even on the Russian front where it shone. In the aftermath of the Second World War, production will continue in the SPA 38R/45 version, civil and military, whose characteristic was a completely closed cabin and a single fuel tank. It will remain in service with the Italian army until 1956.

Production for the Royal Army continued throughout the war, in both the standard and Colonial versions and in numerous versions, some of which were also adopted by the Royal Air Force. Delivered before the war to the rapid and motorized divisions, it was used profitably on all fronts, especially on the Russian one. After the war, production continued with the SPA 38R/45 version, both civil and military, characterized by a completely closed metal cab, electric start and a single tank.

Variants:

ambulance


Tests of the Autocannone da 20/65 su FIAT-SPA 38R with an armored shield during 1938.

38R Autocarro

Basic supply/transport truck with wooden sides and folding back plate, tarpaulin or hardtop

38R Coloniale

"Tropicalized" version with an oil-filled air filter, extra 100-liter fuel tank, electric starter.

38R Autoambulanza

Ambulance conversion, same cabin with 6 stretchers

38R Autobus

Bus version with a body by Viberti (for military models) or Esperia/Orlandi (civilian)

38R Autofficina Mod. 37

Field Repair Shop, wooden cabin with tarpaulin, fwd toolbox, equipments and generator

38R Autofrigorifero

Refrigerated Truck. Internal equipment, generator and extra isolation in the rear cabin.

38R Bergomi Pompieri Autocarro

Fire truck (1,000 liter tank, 1,000 l/min pump at 8 bars), possibly only used by the civilian sector

38R Semovente antiaereo leggero con Breda 20/65

Modello 1935 Breda 20mm AA gun on flatbed, main armed variant of the vehicle.

38R Stazione R5

38R Centro Radio (Radio Truck) with a Magneti Marelli R5 station

38R/45

Postwar version, completely enclosed metal cab, electric starter, single fuel tank.

The 38R by Lorenzo Tonioli

The SPA-38R light truck was born from the need of the Armed Forces to replace the now obsolete SPA-25 C/10. Studies began in 1933 and the new truck was adopted at the beginning of 1935 and built in two models: the 38 R (very popular) and the 36 R with an air-cooled engine for use in desert and mountainous areas; the latter had little success and was produced in modest quantities.
The new SPA-38 R was sent to East Africa (1937) and Libya (1938) to test its off-road qualities: the results were not good, also due to the weakness of the suspensions, and improvements were introduced. The first war use took place in the Spanish War (1936-39), in which the SPA-38 R participated in the ranks of the C.T.V. (Corpo Truppe Volontarie), both as a troop and material transport and as a tractor for the 65/17 cannon.

Later, during the Second World War, the Breda 20/65 machine gun was installed on the truck bed in anti-aircraft function (with good results). The advantages of the SPA-38 were its sturdiness, ease of driving and discrete off-road capabilities, in the face of not low fuel consumption. The type 18 petrol engine was of the same type then mounted on the SPA Dovunque 35 and SPA TL-37 vehicles.

In the spring of 1940, with the threat of the German invasion looming, France asked Fiat to supply around 500 SPA-38R units, 400 of which were actually delivered before Italy entered the war against France. During the German invasion the Italian trucks served as tractors of the 75mm piece. Form 97.

Even before the start of hostilities, the SPA-38 R truck had been distributed to the Celeri and Motorized Divisions, and was produced in large quantities both in the standard and in the colonial version (with oil air filter, additional tank 100 litres, electric start). In Russia he generally proved well.

Various special bodies were set up for military use: buses, R5 radio bus station, ambulance, Mod. 37 garage, refrigerated car. After the war, production continued with the SPA-38 R/45 version with a completely closed metal cab, with electric start and single tank, for both civil and military uses.

The air-cooled cousin: FIAT 36R

The FIAT SPA 35R was born from the need of the Royal Army to replace the old SPA 25C. In 1933, the Società Piemontese Automobili (SPA) controlled by Fiat and specialist of trucks, presented the Fiat-SPA 38R (with water cooling) and 36R (with air cooling). The latter considered a better fit for the African theater or at the contrary mountainous winter climate. Indeed water needed for the radiators could be quickly extinguished or frozen, or impossible to supply. The two truck were soon seen as complementary depending of the theater of operation. Both were adopted in 1935 and the R36 soon ended in Libya by 1937 and East Africa in 1938, but they were subject here of many breakdowns. Orders followed this experience were ended and the water-cooled 38R was found far more reliable and acquired in far larger, used successfully between the Spanish Civil War and on all fronts in WWII.

For its chassis or mechanics, the 36R was nearly identical to the 38R but with a slight increase in empty weight, and a bit larger overall due to the roomier 4,426 cm³ in-line 6-cylinder Fiat petrol engine (rated for 50 hp). Externally the semi-cylindrical upper part of the grille and engine hood were also a sure difference. The 36R was capable of 52 km/h and could cover 270 km on road, based on a 208 l fuel tank. Production was short, from 1934 to 1938, the figure is difficult to estimate, around 2,500 were delivered. Those who survived Africa were back in Italy in WW2, using better roads.

Operational use

Against all odds, the military authorities retained the two versions which they homologated in 1935 and sent the first delivery to Italian Libya and Italian East Africa. The 36R air-cooled version did not really give satisfaction, which limited its production to the first preliminary order without any other additions, unlike the 38R which was widely used during the Spanish Civil War and on all the fronts of the Second World War after a slight modification of the rear axle suspensions to improve its grip on very rough off-road routes. Widely used by the Corpo Truppe Volontarie for troop transport as well as firing the Italian 65/17 Mod gun. 1908/1913, this truck demonstrated its reliability and robustness.

Besides Italy, which operated circa 16,000 vehicles, Nationalist Spanish Forces in 1936 were donated 600 vehicles to equip the "batallón de transportes n°1". France ordered in January 1940 some 550 vehicles, notably for the Armée de L'Air (French Air Force) 400 arriving from February to May. They were reconverted on arrival as artillery tractors for 75 mm guns and used until mid-June 1940, many recaptured by German forces. After the armistice of September 1943, production went on under German control and improvements were made, such as the closed cab version R/45, which rolled of the line in 1944-45.

The Werhmacht also used the model proficiently during the defense of northern Italy, besided captured Italian models, early SPA 38 R 2.5t were those captured in the French army. Photos of German SPA 38R in use were from the Balkan campaign of 1941. The number of trucks used in Italy is foggy at best, but at least 5,000 vehicles would have been available, old and new, including civilian trucks. Production was resumed postwar. According to available archives, the total number of military AND civilian 38R trucks exceeded 17,000 from 1936 to 1943, including variants. Records of the R/45 production until 1948 is unknown. The model was obsolete by that time.

Sources

Gli Autoveicoli tattici e logistici del Regio Esercito fino al 1943, Nicola Pignato e Filippo Cappellano, 2005.
Gli Autoveicoli del Regio Esercito nella Seconda Guerra Mondiale, Nicola Pignato, Storia Militare.
Amatori, Franco; et al. (1992). Storia della Lancia — Impresa Tecnologie Mercati 1906–1969. Milan.
Semicingolati, motoveicoli e veicoli speciali del Regio Esercito Italiano 1919/1943, Giulio Benussi, Intergest
on wikipedia.it
The 36R wiki
italie1935-45.com/
wiki FR
www.centoventesimo.com
On recomonkey.com
esercito.difesa.it
On yuripasholok.livejournal.com
quattrogatti.net
subito.it/auto/fiat-spa-38r-del-1935-campobasso
On wardrawings.be
sfam.blog4ever.com
On sjapeways 3D
On scalemates
Preserved vehicle Kubinka
kfzderwehrmacht.de
The autocannone-da-20-65-su-fiat-spa-38r on tank encyclopedia
Italian WW2 trucks, the full picture

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S.38R specifications
Dimensions	5,783 x 2,070 x 2,810 mm
Wheelbase	3,500 mm
Axle span (fwd/rear)	1,545 mm/1,427 mm
Total weight, battle ready	3,200 kg - Full Weight 5,700 kg
Crew	2 (driver, co-driver) + 10 troops
Propulsion	Fiat 18R 4-cyl. inline 4,053 cm3, 2,000 rpm, 55 hp
Top speed	51 km/h
Payload	Circa 2 tons
Transmission & suspension	4x2 Transmission, 4+1 speed, leaf spring
Maximum range (on/off road)	450 km (cons. 24 liters/100 km)
Armament	None, used as SPG
Production	See notes, above 17,000

Reference illustrations

SPA 36R in 1939


SPA 38R with tarpaulin


SPA 38R in Libya 1940


SPA 38R carrying a CV 33 tankette, Libya 1941


SPA 38R camouflaged, Tunisia 1943


38R in German service (Dunkelgrau), Italy 1943


Camouflaged 38R in Italy, autumn 1944


Autocannone da 20/65 su FIAT-SPA 38R prototype of the 18° Centro Automobilistico, at the Nettuno Firing Range, in 1937. Modifications by Godzilla for tank encyclopedia.


Same, North African desert.

Photos

Fiat SPA 38R


38R basic version


38R Radio R5 variant


Sem. 20/65 Prototypes


Autorefrigero variant


38R Officina variant


Factory trucks at Turin


Spa_38r_autoambulanza


Another view of the same in Hungary, 1944


spa 38R used by Hungarian Forces, Budapest, 1944

WW1 Vehicles

Allied ww2 Vehicles

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Axis Trucks

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Sd.Kfz 2, 6, 7, 8, 9, 10 and 11 were half-tracks designed just before the war as prime movers, to carry supplies, ammunition, personal, and tow artillery. Many were also converted during the war as armored versions carrying AA FLAK guns (Flakvierling, 37 mm, or the legendary 88 mm Rheinmetall als used as tank hunters), or were converted as nebelwerfer (rocket launching armored vehicles). They were built by Hanomag, Steyr, Mercedes-Benz, Bussing and many other manufacturers until 1945, over 20,000 half-tracks.

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