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Landships II -> Landships WW1 Forum -> Softskin vehicles -> Those Austrian Sidecars . . .
Post Info TOPIC: Those Austrian Sidecars . . .
JamesH


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Those Austrian Sidecars . . .
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 . . . used to harry retreating Italians.


Research so far indicates that Puch were major suppliers of motorcycles to the Austrian Army during The Great War. The earliest reference to a sidecar I can find is this from 1937:


https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f209/a7v/Puch500VL.jpg


Puch were taken over by Piaggio in the 80s.


However, there was a Hungarian manufacturer called Meray, founded sometime between 1919 and 1921. These are a couple of their combinations from the 20's, and the photos give a better view:


Military version: https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f209/a7v/Puchsidecar1.jpg


Police version: https://i48.photobucket.com/albums/f209/a7v/Puchsidecar2.jpg


So the bikes were more than likely Puch. The light machine guns I'm still investigating - stripped-down Schwarzlosen, captured Italian, or that double-barrelled Austrian SMG?


Details to follow, if we're lucky.



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Centurion


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They could be German NSU bikes and sidecars. In 1915 the German Army acquired a number of NSU motorcycle combinations with a rearward firing Mg in the side car. Its possible that the KuK aquired some as well.

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JamesH


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Ooh, right. Thank you.


I'm about to ask a man who might very well know for certain.


Stand by.



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JamesH


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I've been in touch with Christian Ortner at the Vienna War Museum and he is adamant that Austria never had any motor-cycle combinations with MGs, at least not in the Great War. Which makes you wonder what the Italian veteran did see.

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Lafettenheini


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Hello James ,

Here a NSU 7,5 HP with rear MG Position .
The only Photo i could find.
Do you know why the Heeresmuseum an der Wien doesn`t have a homepage
with listed pictures off all exponates - or is there something in preparation ?

Cheers
Gerd

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James H


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What a great picture! Confirms Centurion's post. Would make a lovely modelling project.

Now can we find out if any of these made their way to the Italian Front?

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Lafettenheini


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No - not at all in my case.
The book i took it from is more for the technical aspects.
It is the only picture from this sidecar-version i could find in it. The ways of all german military products in fact of export going
back to the beginnings seem to me a top secret case untill today.
I mustn'd tell to all experts around why ?!
Also many documents were destroyed and hidden at war-end.
What got over to the third Reich got its end the same way.

Nice hobby for all of us . Difficult but important in my opinion.



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