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"Armor Penetration of German Antitank Guns" from Tactical and Technical Trends
The following U.S. intel report on armor penetration of German antitank guns is taken from
Tactical and Technical Trends,
No. 12, November 19, 1942.
[DISCLAIMER: The following text is taken from the U.S. War Department
publication Tactical and Technical Trends. As with all wartime
intelligence information, data may be incomplete or inaccurate. No
attempt has been made to update or correct the text. Any views or
opinions expressed do not necessarily represent those of the website.]
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ARMOR PENETRATION OF GERMAN ANTITANK GUNS
a. General
The following figures show the armor-piercing capabilities of the three
standard German antitank guns, the 37-mm, the 50-mm, and
the 88-mm, as well as of the new long-barreled 75-mm gun
which is now replacing the old short-barreled 75-mm gun on the Mark IV tank
and the Sturmgeschütz (self-propelled assault artillery). These figures
are based on performance of an AP projectile against homogenous armor, and supersede
previously published information in Tactical and Technical Trends.
b. 37-mm Antitank Gun
Range (yards) | |
Penetration of Normal AP Projectile (inches) | |
| |
(at 90°) | |
(at 60°) | |
0 | |
2.42 | |
1.85 | |
250 | |
2.17 | |
1.63 | |
500 | |
1.87 | |
1.44 | |
750 | |
1.67 | |
1.24 | |
1,000 | |
1.44 | |
1.06 | |
1,250 | |
1.26 | |
.91 | |
1,500 | |
1.10 | |
.81 | |
Range (yards) | |
Penetration of Special AP 40 Projectile (inches) | |
| |
(at 90°) | |
(at 60°) | |
0 | |
3.43 | |
2.93 | |
100 | |
3.13 | |
2.68 | |
200 | |
2.83 | |
2.42 | |
300 | |
2.58 | |
2.19 | |
400 | |
2.30 | |
1.95 | |
b. 50-mm Antitank Gun
(The new 50-mm gun in the Mark III tank has approximately the same characteristics.)
Range (yards) | |
Penetration (inches) | |
| |
(at 90°) | |
(at 60°) | |
0 | |
3.43 | |
2.91 | |
250 | |
3.27 | |
2.76 | |
500 | |
3.07 | |
2.56 | |
750 | |
2.87 | |
2.36 | |
1,000 | |
2.64 | |
2.20 | |
1,250 | |
2.44 | |
2.01 | |
1,500 | |
2.24 | |
1.85 | |
d. 88-mm Antiaircraft-Antitank Gun
Range (yards) | |
Penetration (inches) | |
| |
(at 90°) | |
(at 60°) | |
1,000 | |
4.72 | |
4.21 | |
1,500 | |
4.17 | |
3.66 | |
2,000 | |
3.66 | |
3.15 | |
e. New Long-Barreled 75-mm Gun in Mark IV Tank and Sturmgeschütz
Range (yards) | |
Penetration (inches) | |
| |
(at 90°) | |
(at 60°) | |
0 | |
4.72 | |
3.86 | |
500 | |
4.25 | |
3.50 | |
1,000 | |
3.82 | |
3.11 | |
1,500 | |
3.43 | |
2.76 | |
2,000 | |
3.03 | |
2.44 | |
The length of the gun is given as 43 calibers.
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