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Modelling

Battlefront

Painting Italian Uniforms

The Italian Army had a diverse selection of troop

types and uniforms within its organisation. In
the first part of this series on their uniforms we’ll
look at the Fucilieri, Bersagilieri and the Alpini.

The Fucilieri

The Fucilieri had a number of different items of

uniform available to them. The items worn
depended on the theatre of operation, the season
and weather of their campaign.

Standard Grey-Green woollen uniform

The woollen uniform was worn as normal service
dress and was standard issue. It was worn during
the invasion of France, in Albania, Greece and
Yugoslavia, and on the Russian front. Later
arriving troops in Tunisia and some troops in
Sicily were also dressed in Grey-Green.

The wrap-around puttees used instead of gaiters

or socks were also Grey-Green.

A light Grey Green shirt was worn under the

tunic with a black tie. In hot weather the Tunic
was often removed to expose the shirt.

All leather items were black (boots, belt, helmet

strap and ammunition pouches), though their
rifle slings were brown leather.

Canvas or linen items like the bread bag and

water bottle strap were light khaki to yellow
green.

Officers retained a uniform of the same colour,

though often of a higher-grade material and
better cut.

Helmets were grey-green, but as paint had

different properties to fabric they tended to be a
different shade. The undress cap (the Bustina)
was made of the same material as the uniform.

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Vallejo Model Color Paints

Uniform, Puttees and Bustina: Olive

Grey (888) (Highlight 888 + Khaki
(988))
Shirt: Green Grey (886) (Highlight
886 + White (951))
Leather: Black (950) (Highlight Black
Grey (862))
Rifle Sling: Flat Brown (984) (Highlight
Red Leather 818))
Canvas: Khaki (988) (Highlight Stone
Grey 884)
Helmet: German Field Grey (830)
(Highlight 830 + Stone Grey (884))

Fatigue Uniform
Italian troops were also issued with a lightweight
cotton fatigue uniform for wearing on the march
or for labouring duties.

It was of a medium grey colour and seemed to be

a common sight on the Russian front in the
summer months.

The fatigue uniform was often the only uniform

issued to second line troops such as the coastal
divisions that formed the bulk the Italian defence
of Sicily. The coastal troops often wore the
French style Adrian helmet.

Vallejo Model Color Paints

Fatigue Uniform: Dark Sea Grey (991)

(Highlight CWP304 + Stone Grey (884))

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Left: Italian troops of the CSIR on the march

during the summer of 1941. The troops are in
medium grey fatigues while the NCO on the right
is in the grey green woollen uniform.

Tropical Uniform
In the desert the Fucilieri were issued with a
light cotton tropical uniform. It was a yellowy tan
colour in hue and is often described as Light
Khaki. Trousers and Tunics were the same
colour, though most troops retained their
original Green-Grey puttees. Leather items were
brown leather rather than black, though some
troops retained their black items.

Helmets were painted the same sand colour as

the tanks and vehicles, but some soldiers

continued to wear green helmets.

Vallejo Model Color Paints

Uniform and Bustina: Desert Yellow (977)

(Highlight 977+ Buff (976))
Puttees: Olive Grey (888) (Highlight 888 +
Khaki (988))
Leather and Rifle Sling: Flat Brown (984)
(Highlight Red Leather 818))
Canvas: Khaki (988) (Highlight Stone Grey
(884)) or Yellow Green (881) (Highlight 881 +
Buff (976))
Helmet: SGreen Ochre (914) (Highlight 914 +
Buff (976))

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Sahariana Jacket
A popular form of clothing in the desert was the
Sahariana or bush jacket. It could be any shade
from light khaki to olive khaki. It proved very
popular among officers.

It was prone to fading and was often bleached

almost white by the sun and continuous washing.

Vallejo Model Color Paints

Sahariana Jacket: Khaki (988) (Highlight

Stone Grey (884)) or Stone Grey
(884) (Highlight 884 + White (941))

Bersaglieri

In Europe the Bersaglieri wore the same Grey-

Green as the Fucilieri with addition of the
Cockerel feathers to the standard green steel
helmet.

Topical Uniform
Like the Fucilieri in the desert the Bersaglieri
wore the light khaki tropical uniform. They were
also commonly seen wearing the Tropical
Helmet adorned with their traditional Cockerel
feathers.

Shorts were also issued; these were in the same

colour as the rest of the tropical uniform.

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Bersaglieri officers were also fond of the

Sahariana jacket and went into battle wearing
their proudly faded Sahariana.

Sandals were worn by some troops and were

brown leather. Troops in shorts also wore socks
rather than puttees, these were usually khaki.

Captured Uniforms
Often both British shirts and shorts were worn
from captured stocks. These were in the lighter
British Khaki Drill, and make a good contrast on
your desert uniforms.

Left: Officer in his light Grey-Green cotton shirt.

Vallejo Model Color Paints

Uniform and Bustina: Desert Yellow (977)

(Highlight 977 + Buff (976))
Puttees: Olive Grey (888) (Highlight 888 +
Khaki (988))
Leather and Rifle Sling: Flat Brown (984)
(Highlight Red Leather 818))
Canvas: Khaki (988) (Highlight Stone Grey
(884)) or Yellow Green (881) (Highlight 881 +
Buff (976))
Helmet or Tropical Helmet: Green Ochre
(914) (Highlight 914 + Buff (976))
Cockerel Feathers: Black (950) (Highlight
Flat Green (968))
Sahariana Jacket: Khaki (988) (Highlight
Stone Grey (884)) or Stone Grey
(884) (Highlight 884 + White (941))
Socks: Khaki (988) (Highlight Stone Grey
(884))
Captured Uniforms: Khaki (988) (Highlight
Stone Grey (884))

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Alpini

The Alpini did the bulk of their fighting in

Europe, so served mostly in Grey-Green. Their
uniform is much the same as the Fucilieri with
the addition of unique headwear and boots.

In combat the Alpini wore the standard M1933

helmet like the Fucilieri, but often with the
round coloured boss and black crows feather
from their alpine felt hat.

The Alpini were extremely proud of their hat,

during my research almost every Alpini
photograph had them wearing their unique felt
hat, almost as if they could not be photographed
without it.

(See my conversion article for more about

adapting Fucilieri miniatures to Alpini).

Right: Alpini in the summer wearing their hats in light

Grey-Green shirts, the feather can’t be seen here as in
on the left side of the hat. They are pushing a 75/13
mountain gun.

The round boss on the left hand side of the helmet or

hat was coloured according to the Alpini battalion in the
regiment the Alpini belonged to: white for 1st, red for
2nd, green for 3rd and blue for 4th Battalion.

Other ranks and NCOs had a black crow’s feather, while

officers had a brown eagle’s feather.

Alpini wore puttees like the Fucilieri, but sometimes

wore woollen alpine socks instead. These socks were
light Grey-Green (Tommy Green (FWP345) highlighted
with FWP345 + White (FWP301)).

Miniatures Painted by Wayne

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