Tapered Thickness of Panther Mantlet

[Mr. Tittles]

WO 291/762, Accuracy of APCBC/HV shot and AP/DS when fired from the 6-

Pounder Gun mounted in the Churchill IV

Trial shoots were conducted against a target 5' wide by 2' high representing a Panther turret. 5 tanks

were used; the 2 with the least consistent guns are not included in the results for "3 tanks". The

probability given is the hit probability of any round when the MPI is at the centre of the target.

Range (yds) AP/DS (3 tanks) APCBC/HV (3 tanks) APCBC/HV (5 tanks)

500 74 89 74

800 50 84 73

1000 37 81 62

1500 20 62 42

The variation of "jump" and dispersion between individual tanks is so great that an "accurate" ranging

rule for applying ranges to the sight for AP/DS shooting is suggested, in effect requiring each gun to be

"zeroed" individually for AP/DS aiming rather than using the same rule for all. The expected difference

between the two rules is shown in this table of first-shot hit probabilities:

Range (yds) Accurate ranging rule Proposed ranging rule

400 73 45

800 32 19

1000 20 14

Comments and corrections

The paper assumes that a 50% chance of a hit with any round is the minimum engagement criterion, and

therefore recommends that the maximum enagagement range with AP/DS be 800 yards, and with

APCBC/HV about 1000 yards.

[Mr. Tittles]

This is the report that rexford often cites. Notice that even the report throws out the two least accurate tanks.

A unique thing is that the report suggests that each 57mm gun be zeroed or matched to APDS. That is, each gun fires the rounds differently! Even if the APDS is matched ammo, the way it leaves each gun is sufficient different that only trial and error can reveal that.

[Mr. Tittles]

The chin mantlet appears to be a little over 100mm thick in the most likely areas to get hit, and the irregular thickness areas may be very limited in size. The Germans tested the chin mantlet by firing a 50mm round at it, and a 100mm thickness would be consistent with the test requirements for 100mm cast armor (50mm Pzgr 39 O.K., without cap).

Are you saying that they fired a 50mmL60 it it so that it would penetrate or so that it would ricochet? It would seem that a test on this improved mantlet shape would want to bounce rounds off it so as to check that indeed, the rounds are not bouncing down.

[Mr. Tittles]

6 pdr AP on Panther

Exposure Success % 0º 45º 90º 135º 180º

Full view

90 % - - 750 - 900

50 % 50 800 1350 800 1200

30 % 100 1200 1800 1200 1800

Hull down

90 % - 100 100 50 50

50 % - 300 850 300 800

30 % 50 700 1150 800 850

6 pdr APCBC on Panther

Exposure Success % 0º 45º 90º 135º 180º

Full view

90 % - - 850 - 1150

50 % 50 750 1650 1000 1450

30 % 100 1500 2200 1400 1950

Hull down

90 % - 50 50 50 50

50 % - 250 850 250 850

30 % 50 800 1150 850 1150

WW2 hit probabilities

WO 291/171, Effectiveness of British anti-tank guns

Dated 1943. Ranges in yards, armour as detailed in notes.

Basically this data says that HD panthers are susceptible to 57mm fire from 30% of the cases at 50 yards range. I would assume a high hit probability at this range.