Italian C1 Ariete MBT with uparmored

Plastic kit to build an Italian C-1 Ariete main battle tank with additional armor

• 1:35 scale
• 220 parts
• Clear film and string included
• rubber tracks
• 1 marking option
• not built, not painted
• Paint and glue not included

In 1984, Otobreda Division of Alenia Difesa and the Defense Vehicles Division of Iveco formed a consortium to develop a new family of wheeled and tracked vehicles for the Italian Army, the B1 Centauro Tank Destroyer, the C1 Ariete MBT and the VCC-80 Dardo IFV. In the same year, the Army’s overall specification had the design work began on many components and systems. Otobreda had overall responsibility to develop the project of the C1 MBT, with Iveco providing the power pack, the suspension system and other automotive components. The first prototype of the new main battle tank, now called Ariete (“ram” in Italian), the same name as the most important armored unit of the Army, was completed in 1986. It was followed by the others in 1988 in order to allow the Italian Army to begin a complete program of trials. As a result, an initial order for 200 tanks was placed, to be followed by a second lot for a further 200 vehicles of an improved version. The end of the Cold War and financial difficulties led to the cancellation of the second lot, while the production commenced with a low rate at the Otobreda facility in La Spezia in 1995 only.The first production Ariete was completed at the end of 1995. Production was completed by early 2002 at a total program cost of around 970 million US dollars.

For service in Iraq the C-1 MBT has been armed with two MG 42/59 7.62mm machine guns with protective shields in addition to the 120mm Rheinmetall main gun. It has been fitted with an add-on armour package of approx. two tones. It is mounted to the hull sides as well as to the sides and the front of the turret as the Iraqi opponent fields not only RPG-7 anti tank propelled grenades but also RPG-7V with tandem hollow-charge warhead. A short-termed aim is the creation of three operative tank regiments with Ariete C-1 each in Iraq.