The French once put a cannon on a Vespa and sent it to war 

One of the stereotypes about Europe is that Vespas are everywhere. I always thought it was a bit of a joke, yet, when I was in Italy, France, and Greece, I discovered it was true. Vespas work well in Europe’s old cities thanks to their maneuverability in narrow streets and crowded alleys. They work so well, in fact, that in 1956, the phrase “anti-tank scooter” was invented, and the Vespa 150 TAP entered service. 

The anti-tank scooter was a Vespa 150 painted OD green and equipped with a recoilless rifle. As silly as it sounds, it makes sense once you sit down and give it some thought: After World War II ended military units implemented the lessons learned from that conflict. One of the most important lessons was that mobility is king and that urban warfare was a new norm.

Vespas excelled at making their way through the narrow European city streets. Further, they are small, light, and cheap compared to other military vehicles. Why wouldn’t someone turn a scooter into a highly mobile tank-killing platform? 

Breaking down the Vespa 150 TAP

Vespa is an Italian brand of scooters, but the Vespa 150 TAP was produced for French Paratroopers by Ateliers de Construction de Motocycles et Automobiles, a French firm licensed to produce the vehicles. (TAP stands for “Troupes Aéroportées,” or airborne troops.) 

The scooters featured a 75mm M20 recoilless anti-tank cannon. A propellant gas was ejected from its rear every time it was fired creating the recoilless effect – however, in no circumstances you’d want to stand behind it. The lack of recoil also made it easy to mount it to various tripods and systems. The gun wasn’t designed to be fired from the Vespa, rather it was dismounted and attached to an M1917 tripod.

The 75mm cannon was an American design. It weighed 103 pounds, was 82 inches long, and fired projectiles that weighed more than 20 pounds each. The M20 was one of the most successful recoilless rifles and saw widespread use amongst American allies until after World War II. 

The Vespa 150 TAP had a reinforced frame likely to help balance the weapon’s weight and make the vehicle sturdier. The French did plan to throw them out of planes, so it makes sense they needed to reinforce the design. 

According to my research, the scooter packed a fairly imager 145 CC engine that could reach 41 miles per hour, that’s not bad for the extra hundred pounds it’s carrying. The Vespa 150 TAP had a max range of 124 miles, which is impressive and a testament to the vehicle’s design. 

Related: Operation Union 1 and 2 – Marines fighting behind French lines in WWII

How the French employed the bazooka scooter

The Vespas would be air-dropped in with the troops and be deployed in pairs. One unit would carry the gun, and the second would carry ammo.

The Vespa 150 TAP would be strapped to a pallet, and a cushion of hay would help soften the blow from the drop. The scooters could be deployed with an optional micro trailer that could carry additional supplies, including fuel and ammo. Various racks allowed the scooter to carry fuel and other equipment.  

The vehicles were quick to get into action and even got to see combat in the Algerian War. However, by that point, the M20 was aging out of use and wasn’t a huge threat to modern tanks, so the French used it to destroy bunkers and light armored vehicles instead. In all, the French deployed 500 of these scooters.

The Vespa 150 TAP was a simple machine and easily repaired with just a basic toolkit. It cost a mere $500, which is nothing for a mobile anti-tank platform, even in 1956. Therefore, the vehicle was loved both by troops and bean counters, which is rare.

The Vespa 150 TAP didn’t last long. Better, more powerful tanks came into the scene and effective anti-tank weapons got a little too big to be mounted on a Vespa. Still, I’m glad we have the memories of the bazooka scooter. 

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