- JWB2IIRC ricochet or "skip" starts when the slope is 45* or greater. Firing tests have shown that resistance can actually degrade when the slope exceeds about 56*. I imagine these facts heavily influenced the slope of both the Sherman and the Panther glacis plates.
- blairA long time ago I had cme across an article that described a formula regarding the increased resistance of armor depending on the degree of angle. I'm sure I have my numbers mixed up but basically the formula stated that If you took a a plate of armor 2 inches thick and then angled it by 25 degrees the armor would then have the same penetration resistance depth of 4 inches of vertical armor.
The higher the angle then the higher the resistence depth.
Does anyone know any more about this principle/theory?
Yes but rounds have been designed to overcome this by having flat angled fronts under ballistic caps to enable them to dig in.
I'm deeply suspicious of the idea that an angle of more than 56 degrees will degrade performance, at least not in general.
That is the result of a firing test conducted by the US Army. IIRC it was 90mm vs Panther type armor so it probably has a lot to do with undermatch. Post war tank armor was desiged to deal with HVAP and early APDS.
- bsmartWhere is Lorrin (from the old board) when you need him
Alas, we don't have Russ on hand (owing to other "distractions" at the moment, lucky him)
- Joe_DDoug,
Alas, we don't have Russ on hand (owing to other "distractions" at the moment, lucky him)
I was wondering how Russ was doing, good to here he's OK, I miss his posts.
Joe D
- clausbThat is the result of a firing test conducted by the US Army. IIRC it was 90mm vs Panther type armor so it probably has a lot to do with undermatch. Post war tank armor was desiged to deal with HVAP and early APDS.
But the T-34s armour wasn't.....
90mm projectile vs 80mm of Panther frontal armour gives a T/D of 0.88 which is not exactly a massive "undermatch", in fact it is in the same ballpark as, say, a German 75mm vs a late-war Sherman hull at 63mm (T/D 0.84). In the latter case, your logic would dictate that hitting the Shermans armour at an angle of 40 degrees from the side would have a better chance of penetring than a hit at 30 degrees from the side. That sounds rather counterintuitive to me.....
I've yet to see an actual test result, official penetration data or an emperically based penetration formula that would result in what you describe - resistance of armour degrading at angles over 56 degrees. So unless you can point to the exact tests, I'd have to say that it is either a fairy tale or at least a misunderstanding.
Claus B
All times are GMT - 6 Hours