Shermans vs Panthers/Tigers

Just to wade into this debate on the gun side of things.

The 76mm gun installed on the later Shermans was home grown and not of British manufacture. The 17 lber that the British used in Firefly production was offered but turned down by the Americans who were sure that the 76 would be sufficient for this role.

QUOTE: Originally posted by shermanfreak The 17 lber that the British used in Firefly production was offered but turned down by the Americans who were sure that the 76 would be sufficient for this role.

Yes, a costly error on the part of the US Army.

Ron.

Hi All,

Here are some stats for Allied Armor main guns.
APC = Amored Piercing Composite
AP = Armored Piercing
HVAP = Hyper Velocity Armored Piercing (Hypervel)
APCBC = Armored Piercing Composite BC =? ( a solid shot)
SVDS = Super Velociy Discarding Sabot (APDS... ‘Sabot’)

Weapon/ Penetration at (inches over milimeters):
Ammo 500yds 1,000yds 1,500 yds 2,000yds

75mm gun, M2 (M3 mediums, very very early M4’s)

APC M61 2.4” 2.2” 2.0” 1.8”
66mm 55mm 51mm 46mm

APC M67 2.3” 1.8” 1.3” 1.0”
58mm 46mm 33mm 25mm

75mm gun, M3 (M4 Shermans, early, dry stowed)

AP M72* 3.0” 2.5” 2.0” 1.7”
76mm 63mm 51mm 43mm

* This was the best performing round on the ‘75. An experimental HVAP was never issued.

76mm gun M1series (M4 Shermans, wet stowed)

APC M62 3.7” 3.5” 3.2” 3.0”
93mm 88mm 82mm 75mm

HVAP M93 6.2” 5.3” 4.6” 3.9”
157mm 135mm 116mm 98mm

90mm gun M3 (T26, M26 Pershing, M36 Jackson)

APC M82 4.7” 4.4” 4.1” 3.8”
(2650 fps) 120mm 112mm 104mm 96mm

APC M82 5.1” 4.8” 4.5” 4.2”
(2800 fps) 129mm 122mm 114mm 106mm

HVAP 8.7” 7.9” 7.0” 6.1”
221mm 199mm 176mm 156mm

17 Pounder (Sherman Firefly)

APCBC 5.5” 5.1” 4.7” 4.4”
140mm 130mm 120mm 111mm

SVDS 8.2” 7.6” 6.9” 6.3”
208mm 192mm 176mm 161mm

The Firefly is by far the best armed Sherman of WWII. The M26 was a match for the Tiger, but appeared too late in the war.

This information was referenced from Hunnicutt’s books on the Pershing and Sherman. Hope it helps!

See y'all Monday

Ron

Well, I had that all tabbed and nicely formated so everything was in line before I pressed 'reply', I think everybody can figure out the pennetration chart with just a little brain power.... I hope. I know it's the weekend and all, but...

Ron.

ABBREVIATION: (APC) AP CAPPED
TITLE: (APC) AP CAPPED -- ARMOR-PIERCING CAPPED

Armor-piercing round fitted with a hardened steel cap over the nose to increase its penetrating power. The cap is often covered by a streamlined ogive to improve its accuracy.

APCBC
Armor-Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Cap. APCBC projectiles feature an armor-piercing cap, which diffuses the impact energy to the shoulders of the shell and away from the tip of the projectile to help prevent shatter failure. Piercing caps tend to be blunt, so a pointed ballistic cap or windscreen is placed over the piercing cap to improve flight characteristics.

found a site with a few definitions

http://afvdb.50megs.com/glossary.html

thanks thats cleared it up about capping i wondered why they capped and then recapped the rounds
Ron say more Tank talk it was good to here what peaple say inside the tanks

n/m ignore this reply