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Abrams shot-trap question
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gregv
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Joined: Jul 19, 2006
Posts: 18

Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 5:14 am
Post subject: Abrams shot-trap question

hello all

I have a question that's been bugging me for some time regarding the Abrams; does the gap between the turret bottom and the hull top (when viewed from the front) not constitute a shot trap?

Obviously this is a well-thought out and proven design, so there must be an easy answer, but like I said I am curious; it would seem that a round heading in that direction would be "funnelled" right in, so to speak, kinda like why they added the big lip to the bottom of the late Ausf G Panther mantlets.

Also obvious is that I am not an armour engineer nor do I have any first-hand experience in it, so my apologies if this is a rather dumb question.

regards

greg v.

Roy_A_Lingle
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Joined: Jan 24, 2006
Posts: 1997
Location: El Paso & Ft Bliss, Texas

Posted: Fri Oct 13, 2006 6:24 am
Post subject: Re: Abrams shot-trap question

Hi Greg! Hi Folks!

- gregv

I have a question that's been bugging me for some time regarding the Abrams; does the gap between the turret bottom and the hull top (when viewed from the front) not constitute a shot trap?
......it would seem that a round heading in that direction would be "funnelled" right in, so to speak, kinda like why they added the big lip to the bottom of the late Ausf G Panther mantlets.

At first glance, it does look like most of the current MBTs do have shot traps.

The different between them and the old Panther with it's shot trap is:
1. the type of ammo now used for drilling or burning through armor.
2. the types of layered armor used to stop the different types of rounds.

The Panther and most tanks, until the time something called Cobbham (Sp-?) armor was fielded, were made of solid armor. The thicker the armor, the more power was needed for a round to drill through. Then someone started giving infantrymen AT weapons which used a shaped charged type of warhead (also called a HEAT round) which could burn though just about anything short of battleship armor.

Cobbham and all later types of layed armor have elements that are designed to reduce the effectivness of all the different types of anti-armor rounds.

While the Abrams and other MBTs have what look like shot traps, they are not as big a problem as they were on the old Panther tank.

Spot Report! Smile

Sgt, Scouts Out!

_________________
"You can never have too much reconnaissance."
General G.S. Patton Jr.

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