Scooter and War seems impossible that they can converge in the same phrase. However, when one knows the story around Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon C-25 And the project carried out by the Taiwanese army around the model, perfectly understands that there is nothing impossible. In fact, within this arms world of the middle of the last century we have as a faithful representative of the same to the well -known Vespa 150 Tap, an engendro similar to our protagonist today of which about 600 units were manufactured.
The Vespa 150 Tap was built on the basis of a VESPA GS 150, and was commissioned by the French Ministry of Defense to Piaggio. The intention was that it was used by the Cepheus troops against the Soviet T-34 who used the Viet minh troops during the Indochina War, but the war ended before the motorcycle was ready, so it was only used in the Algerian War.
Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon C-25: “A deadly weapon between the legs”
And in addition to literally, since the design of this Silver Pigeon C-25, with launcher built, showed a huge tube, as a cannon, located centrally by the upper part of the Scooter. Unlike the Vespa model, Mitsubishi’s Silver Pigeon was located just below the seat, also being able to transport 2 to 4 additional projectiles.
As detailed in the War Thunder forum “At the end of 1949, the United States delivered to the Republic of China (ROC) in Taiwan 75 mm left over hunting M10 cars, which had become self -propelled cannons of 105 mm. “
“Inspired by the rifle without 75 mm M20 French setback mounted in a VESPA, the Army of the Republic of China decided to do the same. The main type of scooter they seem to have chosen is the Mitsubishi Silver Pigeon C-25, which Taiwan’s logistics arsenal modified greatly.”
However, after concluding the manufacture of Silver Pigeon C-25 with a cannon included, “On December 14, 1950 there was a demonstration in which Jeeps and Scooters equipped with rifles without setback showed their abilities.” Apparently the project mandamases did not convince them the idea, since in order to be effective on the battlefield, the controls of that modified scooter, we had to get too close to the objectives.
The story concludes explaining: “The 75 mm scooter was gradually eliminated, since the user had to approach the enemy armor to shoot with precision and, at that time, the communist China obtained tanks with heavier armor, than the rifle without 75 mm recoil, could not penetrate in a reliable way.”
Now let’s do an exercise in reflection and imagine ourselves at the controls of the Silver Pigeon C-25, approaching at full speed to an enemy armor and with the order to shoot the huge rifle that we carry between the legs … less bad that everything remained in a simple probatura, because surely a few soldiers had fallen in an act of service, and many others would have lost the “card of father”.
