[Lone Sentry: Armor Penetration of German Antitank Guns, WWII Tactical and Technical Trends]
©2007
  [Lone Sentry: Photographs, Documents and Research on World War II]
Home Page | Site Map | What's New | Intel Articles by Subject

"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.]
 

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.

 
 


[Back] Back to Articles by Subject | Intel Bulletin by Issue | T&TT by Issue | Home Page
 
Advertisement

    
Google
Web LoneSentry.com