pzgr40
Well-Known Member
Cutaway models of six shells for the WW2 Brittish 6 Pdr7cwt anti tank gun. It was put in service in 1941 to replace the (40mm) 2Pdr anti tank gun that was becomming obsolete rapidly. The gun and it's ammunition were called after the weight of the projectile; 6Lb (2,7 kg). Shell Were available in the following types of nose hardened solid steel shots: AP-T, APC-T, APCBC-T ( Armour Piercing Capped Ballistic Capped-Tracer).
As the AP shells had the habit of shattering to pieces upon impact, quite soon the APC was taken into service. It had a so called piercing Cap that devides the force of the impact upon the target over the entire nose, instead of just the tip of the nose, preventing it from breaking into pieces. It also prevented the shell from bouncing of at lower impact angles.
The APCBC had a Ballistic cap mounted, giving it greater speed and improved penetration over longer distance.
Speed and penetration of the solid shots at a steel plate @30 degrees at 1000 yards; AP: 821m/s (2693 ft/s) 74mm. APC 821m/s (2692ft/s) 80mm. APCBC 900m/s, 88mm.
Other types available were the HE-T (High Explosive -Tracer), it had a Vo. of 823m/s (2700ft/s). It was normally fuzed with the Fuze Percussion D.A. No.244, a brass impact fuze with a centrifugal slider as a safety. On impact the plate, holding the firing pin is driven down into the firing cap (red). The flame travels down the blue channel and arond the channel, igniting the black powder to enshure a big flame. The (green) flame detonator is ignited by the flame, igniting the detonator in the slider (purple) that has swung in line after firing the projectile. The booster (yellow part in lower fuze) is now ignited, exploding the shell. Two types of HE are available, with a long and a short steel body
Last type available is the APDS-T (Armour piercing Discarding Sabot-Tracer). It has a Vo. of 1234m/s (4050 ft/sec) and could pierce a 146 mm thick steel plate @30 degr at 1000 yards.
As the AP shells had the habit of shattering to pieces upon impact, quite soon the APC was taken into service. It had a so called piercing Cap that devides the force of the impact upon the target over the entire nose, instead of just the tip of the nose, preventing it from breaking into pieces. It also prevented the shell from bouncing of at lower impact angles.
The APCBC had a Ballistic cap mounted, giving it greater speed and improved penetration over longer distance.
Speed and penetration of the solid shots at a steel plate @30 degrees at 1000 yards; AP: 821m/s (2693 ft/s) 74mm. APC 821m/s (2692ft/s) 80mm. APCBC 900m/s, 88mm.
Other types available were the HE-T (High Explosive -Tracer), it had a Vo. of 823m/s (2700ft/s). It was normally fuzed with the Fuze Percussion D.A. No.244, a brass impact fuze with a centrifugal slider as a safety. On impact the plate, holding the firing pin is driven down into the firing cap (red). The flame travels down the blue channel and arond the channel, igniting the black powder to enshure a big flame. The (green) flame detonator is ignited by the flame, igniting the detonator in the slider (purple) that has swung in line after firing the projectile. The booster (yellow part in lower fuze) is now ignited, exploding the shell. Two types of HE are available, with a long and a short steel body
Last type available is the APDS-T (Armour piercing Discarding Sabot-Tracer). It has a Vo. of 1234m/s (4050 ft/sec) and could pierce a 146 mm thick steel plate @30 degr at 1000 yards.
