Yoel Bergman
General Theoretical and Practical Similarities in Three Notable US and German World War II Armour Penetration Studies
ICON: Journal of the International Committee for the History of Technology 29, no. 2 (2024): 88–108.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11590/icon.2024.2.04
Abstract
This article examines three notable World War II studies on armour penetration: two produced in the United States and one in Germany. It focuses on the effort to move beyond purely empirical prediction methods and to develop more scientific approaches to understanding how armour-piercing shells interacted with metal armour.
The article compares the studies’ use of classical mechanics, empirical equations, experimental testing, and practical wartime requirements. Although the three investigations differed in origin and emphasis, they shared similar theoretical and practical concerns. None of them offered a comprehensive solution, but together they illuminate the limits and ambitions of wartime research on armour penetration.