The M26 Pershing tank had armor 102 mm thick on the front of the hull, and 76 mm thick on the sides of the hull. The turret was protected by 102 mm of armor (the same as the hull), while the mantlet (gun shield) for the 90 mm main gun was up to 114 mm thick. The M26 Pershing was one of the only Allied tanks during WWII with thick enough armor to take a direct hit from the German 8.8 cm anti-tank gun and survive.
In WW 1, the armor on tanks was not THAT thick, and a heavy machine gun with armor piercing ammuntion COULD disable a tank. They were NOT invulnerable.
During WWII, the M26 Pershing gave a good account of itself, being the only American tank that could reliably knock out the German Panther and Tiger tanks at most ranges. However, only about 200 were deployed to Europe and 12 to the Pacific before the war ended. Notable successes of the M26 in WWII included: - Two Tiger I tanks and one Panther tank destroyed at a range of 1,000 yards by 3rd Armored division Pershings (unknown date) - One Tiger I destroyed at 900 yards and two Panzer IVs destroyed at 1,200 yards on February 27, 1945 Battle of Cologne: - One Panther tank destroyed by a Pershing at close range (this was recorded on video and can be watched on YouTube) - Three Tiger Is and a Panzer IV destroyed outside the city Remagen: Pershing tanks lead the way in the capture of that city and in the securing of the Allies' first bridgehead over the Rhine there. Super Pershing: In order to further increase the Pershing's effectiveness, the US developed the prototype "Super-Pershing" model with thicker armor and a more powerful 90 mm gun, which saw combat in Europe. Super Pershing apparently knocked out a few German tanks, but is most famous for destroying a King Tiger (Tiger II) tank, as well as a Panther, in a duel outside Dessau, Germany in April 1945. The real contribution of the M26 was during the Korean War, where it faced the formidable Soviet made T-34-85 (as well as a small number of Josef Stalin II tanks). The T-34-85 was at a disadvantage against the Pershing, as it could not penetrate the Pershing's armor at all but the closest ranges, while the Pershing's gun could not only pierce the T-34's armor, but send a shell completely through the front of the tank and out the back end. - The US estimated its tanks destroyed 97 T-34s in Korea, and a further 18 'probable' kills in 119 tank vs tank battles. - Of this number, Pershings were involved in 32 percent of the battles, and its direct successor, the M46 Patton, was involved in another 10 percent.
Panzer=Armor=tanks. Automobile makers generally produce tanks.
According to militaryfactory.com, approximately 4,550 Pershing tanks, including prototypes, were produced by the USA during and after WWII. However, only about 200 were actually deployed in Europe, and 12 in the Pacific, by the time the war ended.
Panzer=Armor. Therefore your question is asking "what impact did armor have in WWII?" Armor=Tanks=Panzer was simply an evolution process. Before tanks, men fought USING HORSES. In WWII every combatant nation (the smart ones) exchanged their HORSES for tanks! All combatants in WWII had tanks (panzers, armor); the USSR had T34 medium tanks; the US used M3 Stuarts & Lees; the French & Italians used Renaults and Fiat tanks; Japan had Type 97 medium & Type 95 light tanks; Germany had Mk I thru 7's. Just part of the evolution of mankind...horses to tanks, swords to rifles!
In WW 1, the armor on tanks was not THAT thick, and a heavy machine gun with armor piercing ammuntion COULD disable a tank. They were NOT invulnerable.
Tanks sunk easily in mud, for they were so heavy and large. The armor plating was also very thick and dense.
The Pershing was capable of destroying a Tiger. The Tiger would also have been capable of destroying a Pershing, though. There was a report of a Pershing destroying a King Tiger, although the validity of this report tends to be questioned, as King Tigers were not believed to have been in that area. Shots by the Pershing can not penetrate the Tiger's front hull and turret armor at anything but point-blank range (well under 100m). The Pershing can penetrate the lower hull side armor and hull rear armor relatively easily at longer distances (up to 500m +). Conversely, the Tiger's 88m high-velocity gun can kill a Pershing from any side at distances well over 1000m.
During WWII, the M26 Pershing gave a good account of itself, being the only American tank that could reliably knock out the German Panther and Tiger tanks at most ranges. However, only about 200 were deployed to Europe and 12 to the Pacific before the war ended. Notable successes of the M26 in WWII included: - Two Tiger I tanks and one Panther tank destroyed at a range of 1,000 yards by 3rd Armored division Pershings (unknown date) - One Tiger I destroyed at 900 yards and two Panzer IVs destroyed at 1,200 yards on February 27, 1945 Battle of Cologne: - One Panther tank destroyed by a Pershing at close range (this was recorded on video and can be watched on YouTube) - Three Tiger Is and a Panzer IV destroyed outside the city Remagen: Pershing tanks lead the way in the capture of that city and in the securing of the Allies' first bridgehead over the Rhine there. Super Pershing: In order to further increase the Pershing's effectiveness, the US developed the prototype "Super-Pershing" model with thicker armor and a more powerful 90 mm gun, which saw combat in Europe. Super Pershing apparently knocked out a few German tanks, but is most famous for destroying a King Tiger (Tiger II) tank, as well as a Panther, in a duel outside Dessau, Germany in April 1945. The real contribution of the M26 was during the Korean War, where it faced the formidable Soviet made T-34-85 (as well as a small number of Josef Stalin II tanks). The T-34-85 was at a disadvantage against the Pershing, as it could not penetrate the Pershing's armor at all but the closest ranges, while the Pershing's gun could not only pierce the T-34's armor, but send a shell completely through the front of the tank and out the back end. - The US estimated its tanks destroyed 97 T-34s in Korea, and a further 18 'probable' kills in 119 tank vs tank battles. - Of this number, Pershings were involved in 32 percent of the battles, and its direct successor, the M46 Patton, was involved in another 10 percent.
Panzer=Armor=tanks. Automobile makers generally produce tanks.
According to militaryfactory.com, approximately 4,550 Pershing tanks, including prototypes, were produced by the USA during and after WWII. However, only about 200 were actually deployed in Europe, and 12 in the Pacific, by the time the war ended.
nsma,dnad
When you put the armor at an angle, the thickness is increased due to the fact that it is sloped as opposed to plumb.
Panzer=Armor. Therefore your question is asking "what impact did armor have in WWII?" Armor=Tanks=Panzer was simply an evolution process. Before tanks, men fought USING HORSES. In WWII every combatant nation (the smart ones) exchanged their HORSES for tanks! All combatants in WWII had tanks (panzers, armor); the USSR had T34 medium tanks; the US used M3 Stuarts & Lees; the French & Italians used Renaults and Fiat tanks; Japan had Type 97 medium & Type 95 light tanks; Germany had Mk I thru 7's. Just part of the evolution of mankind...horses to tanks, swords to rifles!
Like Americans, they call their tanks "armor"; in German armor is pronounced panzer. In the US Army (during the Vietnam era) an armor crewman was a tank crewman. A German tank crewman would be called a panzer crewman.
dinoflagellate
No. Titanium costs approximately 10 times more than steel and titanium is only lighter that steel. You actually will need more titanium than steel for armor (strength to size issue). Tanks don't have problem with heavy armor so weight is not an issue for them.