Great motorcycles
Out of context: Reply #730
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- imbecile1
During the 1950s, at the height of the Cold War, France was preparing for the possibility of a ground invasion. Among the various unconventional tools developed was an anti-tank Vespa, designed for airborne forces.
The Vespa 150 TAP (Troupes Aéro Portées) was a scooter fitted with a M20 75mm recoilless rifle. The idea was that paratroopers could jump out of aircraft with these scooters, land behind enemy lines, and then quickly mobilize to hit the enemy where they least expected. The scooter was to provide them with quick mobility, while the M20 rifle gave them a means to engage armored vehicles.
Did it ever fire? In testing and training, certainly. It was intended to shoot and be effective against armored vehicles. However, in actual combat scenarios, the Vespa 150 TAP did not see extensive action, and the concept of an "anti-tank Vespa" became more of a historical curiosity than a significant weapon of war.
It’s important to note that firing such a weapon while mounted on the scooter would be impractical due to the recoil; typically, the rifle would be dismounted and placed on a tripod or some other support before being fired.