Yesterday's Weapons Forums

I think... I'm calling this a Vespa which I THINK is Italian. Actually, it's an improbable idea... sure it's a recoilless rifle but still... Probably one of those "last ditch" ideas! SW

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wow, I definately wouldn't wanna have to drive that thing

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Political Correctness is intellectual fascism
NRA life member
583rd ORD Co/59 ORD BDE
Handorf FRG 1988-1990

I don't think they deployed these until after WWII and it looks like a 90mm U.S. job. Vespa=Wasp. Is that a Chafee tank in the background?

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oldestnavy. I was never in the Navy. The Avatar is the Greek Naval ensign. I believe the Greeks had one of the first and oldest navies in the world.

I'm not sure... I thought it had a French look about it with the shape of the hull. SW

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Yes, does not quite have the look, I was just throwing out ideas. The gun does look a little large bore for a Chafee and the slope is not right. turret not quite the right configuration. Perhaps an upgunned turret with a chaffee hull? There is a vehicle behind it distorting the silouhette.

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oldestnavy. I was never in the Navy. The Avatar is the Greek Naval ensign. I believe the Greeks had one of the first and oldest navies in the world.

Nebhog,

UPDATE: In 1947 the French acquired a lot of U.S. 75mm recoiless rifles and mounted them as paratroop weapons on Vespa Scooters made under contract in France. They saw service in Algeria and Indochina and yes it could be fired while moving and probably gave the user a warm feeling between his/her legs. I would not want to be behind one of these in traffic if it were touched off. Source: Wikipedia The French also acquired a number of M24 Chaffee tanks and upgunned them, but a lot of countries acquired M24 Chaffees.

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oldestnavy. I was never in the Navy. The Avatar is the Greek Naval ensign. I believe the Greeks had one of the first and oldest navies in the world.

I'll look around... somewhere, I have a pic of one that the Viet Minh 'acquired' from the French and the NVA 'acquired' from the Viet Minh.

The 101st removed it from the NVA & it was a static display in Phu Bai, IIRC. If I don't have to go to work, I'll look for the pic. SW

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I did not notice that I overused the word "acquired"

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oldestnavy. I was never in the Navy. The Avatar is the Greek Naval ensign. I believe the Greeks had one of the first and oldest navies in the world.

naw , you used it the apropriate number of times - it confirmed the chain of evidence quite well ,

just like every vespa ive ever been around - it leaks oil as bad as a harley , and IIRC has electricals similar to a triumph

[quote] Lucas "prince of darkness"

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oldestnavy. I was never in the Navy. The Avatar is the Greek Naval ensign. I believe the Greeks had one of the first and oldest navies in the world.

"Acquired"... euphamism for pried from someone's dead, cold fingers!

Quite a lot of equipment changed hands in beautiful S.E. Asia... most often not by the best wishes of the previous owner. I have some of that myself.

The whole "assault Vespa" scenario is a little disturbing. You have ONE shot. You then have scant cover in which to reload. Algeria could have been the birthplace of this idea - as in suicide scooter attacks! SW

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I don't know the actual field history of these weapons. They were supposedly dropped in pairs. One carried the RR, the other held the ammunition. Probably they did not expect to find massed armour and would encounter only one or two at a time. You could actually make a pretty fast getaway, but they could tract the oil trail.

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oldestnavy. I was never in the Navy. The Avatar is the Greek Naval ensign. I believe the Greeks had one of the first and oldest navies in the world.

I like the "call in an airstrike" method, myself! SW

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