German Firing Tests against T34 Armor

[rexford]

During 1942, the Germans conducted tests against duplicates of T34 armor which were manufactured by DEW and H. Ei. The report is dated June 1, 1942.

37mm and 50mm guns were used in the tests at 100m range.

T34 armor was judged to have the following composition:

C, .22 to .25

Mn, 1.30-1.50

Si, 1.35-1.45

Cr, .80-.90

Mo, .15-.25

V, 0.0

Ni, 1.30-1.50

The DEW and H. Ei. compositions varied slightly from the German analysis of actual T34 armor.

Armor hardness was above 400 Brinell.

Since T34 armor was noted as having variable thickness, the tests were conducted against armor that was supposed to be within the 40mm to 50mm thickness range, although the actual produced test plates varied from 40.6mm to 53.3mm.

This post will present the 50mm test results.

For analysis purposes the penetration test results are grouped according to estimated resistance at 0 degrees slope, which will aid in determining the penetration probability.

Group I, 128mm to 149mm effective resistance at 0 degrees

fully penetrates 47.2mm at 60.5 degrees, 149mm effective

partially penetrates:

47.1mm at 59.5 degrees, 141mm effective

47.7mm at 59.0 degrees, 140mm effective

53.3mm at 55.5 degrees, 140mm effective

50.4mm at 55.0 degrees, 128mm effective

fails to generate crack on plate back

51.9mm at 54.5 degrees, 130mm effective

53.0mm at 55.5 degrees, 139mm effective

45.8mm at 59.0 degrees, 133mm effective

Group II, 161mm to 183mm effective resistance at 0 degrees

fully penetrates 42.1mm at 65.0 degrees, 161mm effective

partially penetrates:

45.8mm at 65.0 degrees, 180mm effective

fails to generate crack on plate back

43.2mm at 65.0 degrees, 167mm effective

47.1mm at 64.5 degrees, 182mm effective

47.2mm at 64.5 degrees, 183mm effective

47.7mm at 64.0 degrees, 181mm effective

53.3mm at 60.5 degrees, 173mm effective

53.0mm at 60.5 degrees, 172mm effective

50.4mm at 60.5 degrees, 162mm effective

51.9mm at 60.0 degrees, 161mm effective

The next posts on this thread will analyze the data.

Note: slope effects for 50mm APC derived from equations in WW II BALLISTICS: Armor and Gunnery, by L. Bird and R. Livingston, Overmatch Press, Albany, NY and Woodbridge, CT, 2001.

[kipanderson]

Rexford, hi,

As always, great information. Your book is “the” book on the subject.

I may have asked you this before, and you may have answered, but I have lost track. However, I will take the opportunity to ask you again. What are your current conclusions on the affects of German face-hardened armour with regard to Soviet APC rounds? From the example you give of the 76.2mm gunV the Panther in your book, and comments I have come across in a report about the design of Soviet APC rounds, I feel one should be careful in assuming the were poor performers against such plate. What’s your current view?

All the best,

Kip.

[M Hofbauer]

I'm not sure I understand the original post.

*what* penetrates *what*?

IOW, what projectiles were fired at the test plates?

when you say "This post will present the 50mm test results." I assume you are talking about a 5cm gun, not a 5cm plate.

still, *which* 5cm PaK/KwK was used, and with which ammo?

there is a lot of difference within the "5cm gun" range.

without thast info your data doesn't seem very useful to me.(*)

:confused:

(*)however, _with_ that complete info it would on the other hand once again be a very interesting and useful post!!