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1956 Vintage Photos: Armoured Vespa Scooter with Cannon
Retronaut ^ | 1956 | Retronaut

Posted on 06/18/2013 7:45:03 PM PDT by DogByte6RER

Armoured Vespa scooter with cannon

Armoured Vespa scooter

“The Vespa 150 TAP is a Vespa scooter modified for use with paratroops. Introduced in 1956 and updated in 1959, it had a U.S.-made light anti-armour cannon. Roughly 800 of these scooters were deployed in the Algerian War.”

(Excerpt) Read more at retronaut.com ...


TOPICS: Arts/Photography; Chit/Chat; Military/Veterans; Science; Travel; Weird Stuff
KEYWORDS: algerianwar; badass; banglist; beyondthunderdome; cannon; gunsandammo; modernwarfare; motorscooter; scooter; twowheels; vespa
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To: DogByte6RER

The cannon is facing the wrong way for a clean getaway.
Your riding along at 30mph and that thing goes off. The
recoil instantly slows the scooter down 20mph. Then it
runs over you.


21 posted on 06/18/2013 9:13:16 PM PDT by Slambat
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To: Fai Mao

This was a 150 cc Vespa and according to other sites I’ve look at this Vespa could reach 60 km/hr (37.28 mph)


22 posted on 06/18/2013 9:42:14 PM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: Pontiac

Sorry I didn’t see the engine size.

Wow a150cc Vespa talk about a death trap!


23 posted on 06/18/2013 9:48:49 PM PDT by Fai Mao (Genius at Large)
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To: Mastador1
Just what I need for rush hour traffic.

Needs a barrel pointed aft for those pesky tail-gaiters and the occasional gumball machine.


24 posted on 06/18/2013 9:53:42 PM PDT by BlueDragon
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To: doorgunner69
Ferocious and effective weapon, both fore and aft.

EXCEPT you had to step outside to reload the 106 MM recoiless rifles. The loader should have been eligible for triple super secret extra combat pay and a trip to Las Vegas after every mission.

25 posted on 06/19/2013 3:21:44 AM PDT by Kenny Bunk ("Obama" The Movie. Introducing Reggie Love as "Monica." .)
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To: Pontiac

You’d get thrown head over heels if you tried to fire the thing while in motion. Your forward momentum would continue while the Vespa would likely go backwards for a bit, lol.


26 posted on 06/19/2013 3:27:04 AM PDT by RegulatorCountry
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To: RegulatorCountry

That is a recoilless weapon - just dont be the one pushing the Vespa while firing.


27 posted on 06/19/2013 4:46:17 AM PDT by corkoman
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To: doorgunner69; blueunicorn6

from the thrilling days of yesteryears, most of what you wanted to know about an Ontos, maybe :-)

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-vetscor/1827176/posts

Regards

alfa6 ;>}


28 posted on 06/19/2013 4:49:53 AM PDT by alfa6
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To: doorgunner69

Thanks for the photo. Do you know what their mission/purpose was? I’ve always wondered.


29 posted on 06/19/2013 9:05:59 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: DogByte6RER

The Rockers wouldn’t have stood a chance if the Mods had these scooters.


30 posted on 06/19/2013 9:08:24 AM PDT by dfwgator
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To: alfa6

Thank you. Very interesting.


31 posted on 06/19/2013 9:24:49 AM PDT by blueunicorn6 ("A crack shot and a good dancer")
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To: blueunicorn6
Do you know what their mission/purpose was?

This particular one was used for perimeter defense at LZ Stud where I took the picture. There was this one and maybe more that were moved around a lot, to confuse the NVA I suppose.

One had move up near our bunker/hooch one night without us knowing and scared the bejeesus out of us when it cranked off a round. The backblast was unreal.

The .50 cal spotting rounds were cool, see the tracer arc out, and then be followed by a huge 106mm tracer following the same trajectory and hitting the same spot.

32 posted on 06/19/2013 11:45:31 AM PDT by doorgunner69
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To: RegulatorCountry
The 150 TAP's mounted M20 75 mm recoilless rifle, a U.S.-made light anti-armour cannon, was very light in comparison to a standard 75 mm cannon but was still able to penetrate 100 mm of armour by HEAT warhead. The recoil is counteracted by venting propellant gases out the rear of the weapon which eliminated the need for a mechanical recoil system or heavy mounts, enabling the weapon to be fired from the Vespa frame.

Vespa 150 TAP

33 posted on 06/19/2013 3:10:09 PM PDT by Pontiac (The welfare state must fail because it is contrary to human nature and diminishes the human spirit.)
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To: martin_fierro

ping


34 posted on 06/19/2013 3:13:53 PM PDT by Tijeras_Slim
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To: elcid1970
75mm
35 posted on 06/19/2013 5:18:01 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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To: Chode

Hmm...I only trained on the 90mm & the 106mm recoilless.

The 106 had that neat spotting rifle on top firing a .50 cal short case round. Pull the firing knob to fire the spotting round, when it goes `doink’ on the target, push the firing knob & the 106mm goes “WHOOSHHH” followed by “KABOOM!!”


36 posted on 06/19/2013 6:30:29 PM PDT by elcid1970 ("The Second Amendment is more important than Islam.")
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To: elcid1970

an old WWII vintage reckless 75, i bet even that took balls, this took crazy... https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Fx1rxkMUAUQ


37 posted on 06/19/2013 6:53:42 PM PDT by Chode (Stand UP and Be Counted, or line up and be numbered - *DTOM* -ww- NO Pity for the LAZY)
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