'Bazooka Vespa': An Italian Motorcycling Icon... With a Cannon

The history books tell us that the famous Piaggio Vespa was born out of a post-war necessity. An economical, sturdy, easy-to-maintain vehicle with enough maneuverability to weave through the destruction on Italian roads. In many ways, the Vespa was a product of peace, but that didn't stop it from finding military applications. One of the most striking cases is the Vespa 150 TAP, better known as the "Bazooka Vespa," a modified and reinforced version of the civilian scooter created to carry an M20 75mm cannon.

The first Vespas rolled off the line in April 1946 and were an instant hit. Its appearances in high-profile projects like Hollywood films—it's said that Roman Holiday with Gregory Peck and Audrey Hepburn spurred sales of some 100,000 units—only boosted demand. Actors, celebrities, and politicians alike found the little Vespa irresistible, and honestly, not much has changed in more than 70 years. However, a lesser-known side of the Vespa is its military career. In the mid-1950s, the French army issued a tender for a highly mobile scooter for various roles, primarily Indochina and Algeria. Three prototypes competed: one based on the Valmobile 100, another on the Bernardet 250, and an optimized Vespa that would become the Vespa 150 TAP.

Vespa 150 TAP: The "Bazooka Vespa"

It is estimated that between 500 and 600 units were produced, with an initial batch in 1956 and an update in 1959. Production was handled by ACMA, a French company that had licensed the Vespa brand and production rights. As the name suggests, the Vespa 150 TAP used a 150cc engine with several modifications that set it apart from the standard 150cc unit. Unsurprisingly, the Vespa's most important feature was the M20 cannon with its cross-mounted configuration and ammunition tubes on both sides. The Vespa's primary mission was to transport the cannon, and there are conflicting reports about whether it could actually fire from the scooter.

These Vespas were prepared to be airdropped fully assembled, so once on the ground, soldiers just had to start them. The Vespa 150 TAP was usually accompanied by a small trailer and the cannon's tripod. The most interesting part is that this wasn't the first military Vespa. In the early 1950s, the company had developed the Vespa Forze Armate, and although it met all NATO standards, Enrico Piaggio himself decided to cancel the project in 1952 because governments "paid badly and late."

Sources: New Atlas, Urban Dern