Classic/iconic vehicles & aircraft of the North African campaign?

[Gundamentalist 5.56]

I have just signed on for a small WW2-orientated writing project. Part of the brief includes vehicles and aircraft. Which got me thinking: what exactly are the classic vehicles and aircraft that most people associate with the North African campaign?

For me it would be something like the following:

British/Commonwealth
Vehicles: Crusader tank (in flames or not); Matilda tank; M3 Grant tank; LRDG 30cwt Chevy; SAS Jeep, and maybe the ambulance from Ice Cold to Alex, which I have no idea what that is.
Aircraft: not entirely sure, perhaps Hawker Hurricanes with the big tropical filters? (Memories of Airfix kits here.)

German
Panzer III; Panzer IV; Sd.Kfz.250 – mainly because of Airfix’s kit of Rommel’s command vehicle; Sf.Kfz.7. And I’m sure there’s a definitive German armoured car but it escapes me
Aircraft – Me109 but I’m sure that’s the boring choice.

Italian
Those little tankette things – L3/33; M13/40 tank; Autoblinda 41.
Aircraft – Macchi C200 or C202, Cant Z1007 bomber

United States
M3 half track; M3 Lee tank; M4 Sherman.
Aircraft – maybe a B25 Mitchell lost in the desert coming back a sortie bombing Rommel’s retreating forces, or over Italy?

What vehicles and aircraft sum up WW2 North Africa for you?

[grant]

The Honey for the British is classic for me.

[Amalric]

For planes for me it is the P40, flown by both the US & Brits. And the Germans were flying the ME109F, a snazzy little plane, not boring at all. Don't forget the Stuka and the Germans 88mm AA gun for both ground and air action.

Good luck.

[Poiter50]

The ambulance in Ice Cold to Alex is an Austin K2 ambulance.

[Ragnar]

And I’m sure there’s a definitive German armoured car but it escapes me

I would suggest the 222.

[Atheling]

To begin with Rommel had a load of Panzer Mk I's and II's as well as the newer Tanks..... I think.... that's what it says in the Tobruk Osprey anyway!

Darrell.

[Cubs]

Don't shun the early war British tanks - the A9, A10 cruisers (precursors to the Crusader) and the wonderful Vickers Light Tank. The Daimler and Humber armoured cars also scream North Africa to me.

Aircraft-wise, for me the Hurricane MkII with the 20mm cannon is so iconic it can't be left out.

[Gundamentalist 5.56]

The ambulance in Ice Cold to Alex is an Austin K2 ambulance.

I would suggest the 222.

Thanks chaps.
Ragnar, your suggestion got me looking, and its certainly familiar, but I think the Sd KFz 232 is the vehicle I was remembering. So it boils to which is more iconic, the 222 or the 232?

To begin with Rommel had a load of Panzer Mk I's and II's as well as the newer Tanks

Don't shun the early war British tanks - the A9, A10 cruisers (precursors to the Crusader) and the wonderful Vickers Light Tank.

I know, but I've only got limited space of 4-5 vehicles per country so I've got to be really on the button and choose vehicles that are there for the majority of the campaign or present at the significant engagaments. Hence the Crusader choice, and the Panzer III & IV choice rather than I & IIs

The Daimler and Humber armoured cars also scream North Africa to me.

The Daimler is very definitely noted... thanks.

[Cubs]

I know, but I've only got limited space of 4-5 vehicles per country ...

Ah, then I don't envy you your agonised choices. British tanks are particularly awkward because of all the different cul-de-sac designs and variants they used!

Tough choices indeed. If it was early NA, I'd be picking the Vickers Light, the A10, Valentine and the Matilda plus an armoured car. Later on of course, you've got the Crusader, Sherman, Churchill and Grant. Sheesh, rather you than me!

[Atheling]

The Honey for the British is classic for me.

Ditto. Perhaps not the most effective tank in the war in North Africa but definitely a classic 

Darrell.

[Gundamentalist 5.56]

Ah, then I don't envy you your agonised choices. British tanks are particularly awkward because of all the different cul-de-sac designs and variants they used!

Tough choices indeed. If it was early NA, I'd be picking the Vickers Light, the A10, Valentine and the Matilda plus an armoured car. Later on of course, you've got the Crusader, Sherman, Churchill and Grant. Sheesh, rather you than me!

I think I have a solution - I can put the Honey and the Lee/Grant in the US section, and say they are used by the British as well which frees up 2 spaces on the British list.

[dadlamassu]

Classics:

British:   
Tanks:  A9, A10, A13, Crusader, Matilda, Valentine, Grant
Other: Bren Carrier, Rolls Royce Armoured Car, Marmon Herrington Armoured Car, 25 pounder, portee anti-tank guns
LRDG Chevvy trucks and jeeps
Aircraft:  Lysander, Gladiator, Hurricane II, Hurricane IID (40mm cannon), Kittyhawk, Spitfire, Blenheim, Beaufighter

American: Lee, Stuart (Honey), White Scout Car
Aircraft:  P 40

German:
Tanks:  Pz II, Pz III, Pz IV
Other: Sdkfz 250 & 251 Armoured half tracks, SdKfz 234 8-wheel armoured cars, SdKfz 222 4-wheel armoured car
88mm FlaK, SdKfz 7
Aircraft:  Bf109E & F, Ju87B Stuka, Ju88, Ju52, Hs 126, Hs129

Italian:
Tanks: M11/39, M13/40, Semovente da 75/18
Other:  L3/33 & L3/35 (including the flamethrower version), Sahariana Scout car, Various FIAT SPA AS37 and TL37 patrol & portee vehicles, truck mounted 75mm and 90mm cannon
Aircraft:  FIAT CR-32, FIAT CR-42, FIAT G-50, IMAM Ro-37, Breda Ba-65

[6milPhil]

Also worth considering allied vehicles captured by the axis;

[Atheling]

Also worth considering allied vehicles captured by the axis;

Great pic of the ingenuity (shown by both sides) during the Desert War. I think I've got a pic of the Ozzy's using inverted German bombers tail gun as an anti-aircraft gun somewhere. I'll try to figure out if it's a file or if i've seen it in a book.....

Darrell

[Vanvlak]

RAF
Maryland http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_Maryland

Regia Aeronautica
CR 42 http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CR42

Italian army
Autoblindo AB41 http://www.flamesofwar.com/hobby.aspx?art_id=1256