从内到外看德国豹式坦克_部分5.docx

《从内到外看德国豹式坦克_部分5.docx》由会员分享，可在线阅读，更多相关《从内到外看德国豹式坦克_部分5.docx（64页珍藏版）》请在第一文库网上搜索。

1、PANTHER Osprey Publishing 3忘ThroughoutthePanthertanksproductionrun,itsgunshieldandflamehardenedarmouronthesuperstructuresides,hullsidesandlowernoseplate.AllofthemainplatesofthemodelD,AandGtanksexaminedinthiscountrywere,commanderscupolaweremadeofcasthomogenousarmor(CHA),despitethefactthatCHAdoesnotho

2、wever,machineablequalityRHA.offerihe same ballisticprotection levels as rolledhomogenous armor (RHA)plates of similar thickness.The big advantage of CHAis the ability to mold itinto almost any shape.Pictured is a knockedoutPanther Ausf. A tank.(Patton Museum)GGAmodel DtankIPantherexamined inRussiaAn

3、otherbigadvantageofRHAisthatitprovidedsuperiorprotectionwhenstruckbyAPprojectilesduetoitsductility,whichisthepropertyofamaterialthatallowsittowithstandlargeamountsofdeformationbeforefracturing,afeaturelackinginface-hardenedarmor.RHAalsodidwellinprotectingagainsttheshockwavesgeneratedbylarge-caliberA

4、Pprojectilesstrikingtheexteriorofatanksarmor,aswellastheblastfromHEprojectiles.ThebigdisadvantageofRHAisitsinabilitytoformeasilyinotherthanaflatstate.Throughoutitsservicelife,thePanthertankscriesemployedcasthomogenousarmor(CHA)forthegun-shieldandcupola.CHAwasgivenitsshapebycastingandprovidedoptimuin

5、ballisticprotectionpropertiesbysubsequentheattreatment.ThebiggestadvantageofCHAwasthatitcanbemoldedintoalmostanyshape,furnishingcurvedsurfacesofanydesiredthickness,henceitsuseinmakinggunshieldsandcupolasonthePanthertank.had132AdisadvantageofCHAisthefactthatitsballisticperformanceispoorerthanthatofRH

6、A.employedonShermantanks.AlthoughallversionsoftheShermantankfeaturedCHAturretsandwereintendedtohaveCHAhulls,alackoffoundriesmeantthatnotallhullswereconstructedofCHA.ManywereconstructedofRHA.TheRedArmyT-34tankshadCHAandRHAturrets,withhullsconstructedsolelyofRHA.ARMORHARDNESSDespitethefactthatAnimport

7、antfactorindeterminingtheabilityofsteelarmorplatetoresistpenetrationbyAPprojectilesisnotjustitsthicknessoritsductility,butitsCHAhashardness.Steel armor plate is heat treated to make it harder. As hardnesspoorerincreases,there is a proportional increase in its resistance to penetration.Picturedis an

8、early model Panther Ausf. D tank, captured by the Red Army during the Battle of Kursk, which hasa complete penetration through the left side superstructure plate. Once inside an armored vehicle, the APprojectile will ricochet within it and become a casualty producer or detonate onboard ammunition. (

9、 PattonMuseum)ballisticperfbrmanccthanRHA,itwasextensivelyThedamage that can hedone to armor plate canvary for numerousreasons, including the sizeand composition of the APprojectile compared to thearmor plate struck and thestriking angle and velocityof the AP projectile.Projectile strikes havegouged

10、 out the armor onthe glacis plate of aPanther Ausf. A tank.(Patton Museum)However,there is atradeoff,because asarmoritsductility,whichmeansthatitbecomesmorebrittle.Thisdecreaseinductilityweakensannorsresistancetopenetration.Torestoretheductilityofsteelarmorplate,itisplacedthroughanadditionalheatingp

11、rocessreferredtoastempering,whichreducesbrittlenessandrestoresductility.Thedifficultpartfbrthearmordesignersistodetenninetheannorhardnesslevelthatprovidestheoptimumresistancetopenetration.ThehardnessoftankarmortypicallyisdescribedbyitsBrinellHardnessNumber(BHN).ABrinellhardnesstestdeterminestheBHNan

12、disdescribedinaMarch1950U.S.ArmyreporttitledVulnerabilityofArmoredVehiclestoBallisticAttackastakingahardenedsteelballofspecificphysicaldimensionsandforcingitintoasampleofarmorsteelfbrthirtysecondsundera3,000-kg(6,600-lb)load.BHNisthequotientobtainedbydividingtheappliedload,measuredinkilograms,bythea

13、reaoftheimpression,measuredinsquaremillimeters.hardnessInhisbookTechnologyofTanks,authorRichardM.Ogorkiewiczdescribedtheincreases,evolutionoftheBHNintanks:thereisadecreasein134PROTECTIONSometimesanAPprojectilewillnotpenetrateanarmorplate,butwillpush,ordish,theplateinward,aconditioncalled“bulging.Whi

14、lecrackingorcleavingoftheannorplatemayoccur,thereisnoprojectilepenetrationasisseeninthispictureofaPanthertankturretstruckatleastthreetimesbylarge-caliberrounds.(PattonMuseum)Therelativelythin,8to14-mmplatesofsteelarmorusedinthetanksoftheFirstWorldWarwereheattreatedtoaBrinellHardnessNumber(BHN)rangingfrom420toasmuchas650.But,asplatesbecamethickerandwerejoinedbyweldinginsteadofbeingrivetedontoanangleironframework,armorhadtobelesshard.Thus,fromthe1930sonwards,armorplatebecamegenerallyofmachineablequalitysteelwithahardnessrangingfromabout390BH