Monday 25 April 2016

British Guns vs. Big Cats

The effects of "big cats" being shot up by large caliber Soviet shells are well known, but naturally every other Allied nation was willing to have a go themselves. Three British reports surfaced on Google Photos with just that. Unfortunately, they don't test as many tank guns as the Soviets do, settling for only the 6-pdr, 17-pdr, and occasionally the M3 75 mm gun on the Sherman, but they also test ground attack aircraft autocannons, 7.7 mm bullets, 25-pdr HE shells, and the humble PIAT. Despite the smaller caliber of the weapons, the German armour spalls, splinters, and shatters almost as well as during the Soviet trials. The conclusions are, well, predictable.


Go ahead and flip through them to see the power of Britain's rather underrated guns in action. Unfortunately, conclusions made about the Tiger II are based on calculations only.

Panther

6 comments:

  1. All good stuff. The British had some truly excellent hole punchers. Not always great dual purpose guns...

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  2. No shatter of nose glacis, nor spalling of thickest mantlet armour, indicating a tough plate. Spalling is present in thinner plates, which are hardened to higher levels at the expanse of toughness in order to protect against anti-tank rifles.

    It should be remembered when reading the document that "penetration" does not mean a complete penetration of the penetrator occurs, the british "penetration" is closer to a holing limit (similar to US ARMY BALLISTIC LIMIT), in which the plate is holed in a way that light is permitted through the plate. None of the 17pdr APCBC or APDS hits on the glacis went through in thee trials. They all ricochetted off.

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  3. Unfortunately the links to the 3 Reports/results aren't working at the moment?

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    1. Thanks for letting me know, I updated the links.

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  4. am I reading the report right, the range for the 6pdr and 17 per was done at 150yds? thats point blank so no wonder the tiger took so much damage. it also is a credit to the tigers armour to be hit so many times at such sort range is incredible.
    .

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    1. Penetration trials are usually done at a fixed short range. The required range is simulated by adjusting the amount of propellant to achieve the appropriate velocity.

      In the Tiger's case the armour was also struck at an angle since none of the guns involved had considerable difficulty with it head on.

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