tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post1571862418591282561..comments2024-03-28T14:35:30.147-04:00Comments on Tank Archives: Panther PenetrationPeterhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/09622237223229485503noreply@blogger.comBlogger6125tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-5556771739765270312020-01-13T09:30:50.074-05:002020-01-13T09:30:50.074-05:00The Red Army fielded two different towed 45 mm gun...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.Peterhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/09622237223229485503noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-45220570167401866612020-01-12T13:55:11.818-05:002020-01-12T13:55:11.818-05:00I highly doubt these tests. The 45mm penetrates th...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<br />https://warspot.ru/15984-a-timely-purchase-localen<br />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.Pakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16670003161971580089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-1056037947826233522020-01-12T13:53:56.630-05:002020-01-12T13:53:56.630-05:00I highly doubt these tests. The 45mm penetrates th...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<br />https://warspot.ru/15984-a-timely-purchase-localen<br />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.Pakhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/16670003161971580089noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-62419253574779526662018-08-14T13:13:09.509-04:002018-08-14T13:13:09.509-04:00I thought it's possible that the hit occurred ...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.Stewart Millenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01261690405884935161noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-81379940330201114622018-08-14T09:20:45.652-04:002018-08-14T09:20:45.652-04:00Im relatively certain its a late G. The 50mm upper...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. <br />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. The Builderhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/17242924608059447367noreply@blogger.comtag:blogger.com,1999:blog-5030145265861917845.post-59352274478103388402018-08-14T00:33:21.653-04:002018-08-14T00:33:21.653-04:00What year was this test (1943?) and what model of ...What year was this test (1943?) and what model of Panther?<br /><br />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. <br /><br />Of course, the 'crack going through the opening' could be yet another result of brittle German armor. Stewart Millenhttps://www.blogger.com/profile/01261690405884935161noreply@blogger.com