Monday 13 August 2018

Panther Penetration

"Table of results of shooting at the Panther tank

Caliber
Type
Range
Armour thickness
Result
# shots
Description
14.5 ATR
BS-42
100
50
No penetration
2
40 mm deep dent in the central part of the armour
45 mm
AP
250
50
Penetration
2
Complete penetration in the rear part of the side armour. The breach is the size of the shell caliber.
Sub-caliber
250
50
Penetration
1
Oval penetration in the central part of the side armour 20x35 mm in size.
57 mm
AP
250
45
Penetration
1
Complete penetration in the side of the turret. The breach is the size of the shell caliber.
Sub-caliber
250
45
Penetration
1
Complete penetration in the center of the side of the turret. The breach is the size of the shell caliber. There is spalling inside around the breach. The shell lodged itself in the breach of the gun.
AP
300
85
No penetration
1
A 52 mm deep dent formed in the center of the sloped frontal armour. A bump formed on the inside. The armour cracked.
Sub-caliber
300
85
No penetration
1
Oval dent in the center part of the front armour 50x65 mm in size. A bump formed on the inside. The armour has a 25 mm long crack.
76 mm reg.
HEAT
250
50
Penetration
1
Complete penetration in the center of the side armour. The breach does not widen on the inner part.
76 mm div. ZIS-3
HE
250
45
Penetration
1
Complete penetration with the inside jagged. A portion of the turret armour broke off as the shell passed inside.
AP
250
45
Penetration
1
Complete penetration of the turret armour. The entrance opening is the size of the caliber. There is spalling on the inside.
Sub-caliber
250
45
Penetration
1
Complete penetration of the upper portion of the side of the turret the size of the shell diameter. As the shell entered, a part of the armour that was previously weakened broke off.
85 mm
AP
300
85
Penetration
1
Complete penetration in the lower sloped front armour the size of the shell diameter. The armour has a horizontal crack passing through the opening.
"

6 comments:

  1. What year was this test (1943?) and what model of Panther?

    What caught my eye was the 85 mm going through the front glacis (lower plate?). For one thing, most sources I have read says the Panther's lower plate has about the same slope as the upper, but is only 60 mm or 50 mm thick--so a penetration by the 85 mm makes sense at that range or even farther out. The upper glacis plate is usually cited at 80 mm, which at 55 degrees most sources considered essentially immune to the 85 mm's APHE round at even near point-blank range. So I am left wondering where this round actually hit given the various incongruities.

    Of course, the 'crack going through the opening' could be yet another result of brittle German armor.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. Im relatively certain its a late G. The 50mm upper side support this (its possible the lower side was cited as 50mm instead of 40mm as well by mistake but its impossible to tell since none of the descriptions go either way, but no 40mm thicknesses are listed either) and very late Panthers had 85mm thick glacis plates to compensate for the deteriorating steel quality.
      Also, the 85mm round based on the description hit the lower glacis, except that was like 50mm on the G model, so either its the wrong thickness or the hit was on the lower end of the upper glacis. Egh.

      Delete
    2. I thought it's possible that the hit occurred right at the bottom of the upper glacis, where it joined the lower glacis, which could explain the penetration (and the crack maybe too, as wouldn't a horizontal crack track right along the weld seam?). Your assessment of the late 'G' model would also suggest even more-than-usual brittle German armor.

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  2. I highly doubt these tests. The 45mm penetrates the panther's side armor from a range of 250 meters? How can that be possible? It is contradictory
    https://warspot.ru/15984-a-timely-purchase-localen
    They say in 1940 tests that 45mm gun will only penetrate 40mm plates by 150 meters. Panther ausf D, A, and G all have at least 45mm thick angled armor on upper sides and 40mm lower sides. According to earlier data this penetration of panther side armor should be impossible.

    ReplyDelete
  3. I highly doubt these tests. The 45mm penetrates the panther's side armor from a range of 250 meters? How can that be possible? It is contradictory
    https://warspot.ru/15984-a-timely-purchase-localen
    They say in 1940 tests that 45mm gun will only penetrate 40mm plates by 150 meters. Panther ausf D, A, and G all have at least 45mm thick angled armor on upper sides and at least 40mm lower sides. So according to earlier data this penetration of panther side armor should be impossible.

    ReplyDelete
    Replies
    1. The Red Army fielded two different towed 45 mm guns, the 53-K (model 1937) and M-42 (model 1942). The latter had a longer barrel and improved penetration. Unfortunately, the type of gun is rarely given outside of proving grounds trials.

      Delete