Designed specifically for the airborne forces, the Excelsior Folding Motorcycle, better known as the Welbike, featured collapsible handle bars, steering column and saddle so that it could be packed into a standard equipment container. The official allocation of these handy little machines to a British Airborne Division was 529 and after the war the vehicle was developed into the two-speed Corgi. TYPE: Single-seat folding motorcycle ENGINE: One 98 cc Excelsior single-cylinder two-stroke engine WEIGHT: 70 Ib (32 kg) DIMENSIONS: Length 4 ft 4 in (1.32 m), 4 ft 3 in (1.30 m) when folded; Height 2 ft 6'/. in(0.78 m), I ft 3 in (0.38 m) when folded; Width I ft 10 in (0.56 m), I ft 0 in (0.30 m) when folded PERFORMANCE: Maximum speed Approximately 30 mph (48 km/h) Range on one 6'/2-pint (3.7 litre) tank of fuel 90 miles (142 km)
A paratrooper inspecting his Welbike, known to the paratroopers as the Corgi but its chosen name was the Welbike. A paratrooper preparing to bring his Welbike into action after it was dropped from the air by parachute. These bikes were very useful when creating inter-unit contact within the dropping zone.
Really don't see a reason as to why these bikes were dropped, surely something more important could have taken its place in air drops?
Total waist of resources in its day, i am sure that these bikes made no impact in winning the war and was used as some type of gimmick. :fag: