tommyk@cs.glasgow.ac.uk (Tommy Kelly) (01/17/91)
From: Tommy Kelly <tommyk@cs.glasgow.ac.uk> How exactly does a solid AP weapon disable a vehicle? Take something like a rifle such as the Boys - what are the effects of the round which cause a. casualties and b. vehicle damage? I've heard that HESH rounds cause a scab of metal to fly around inside a tank smashing everything up - but how can a single armour piercing bullet have the same effect? tk [mod.note: A kinetic penetrator has many possible effects once penetration is achieved. First, once its through the armor, it will often quickly break up, showering the interior with shrapnel. This will be augmented by bits of armor plate carried through. These are all very hot, so that if they penetrate ammunition containers or fuel tanks, they will probably ignite them. They also have an obvious anti-personnel effect. The Boys rifle you mention was only marginally effective, and has poor penetration compared to real antitank guns. - Bill ]