Upgraded TAM

[Raellus]

Originally Posted by WallShadow

If the idea of stand-off armor is to pre-detonate the HEAT warhead outside of its optimal detonation distance, what easily-available/manufacturable substance would make the thermal jet even less effective? Firebricks? (yeah, I know, really heavy). Compressed layers of aluminum foil wrapping fragments of tempered glass (pyrex dishes)? Filled water containers/heavy plastic bags or plastic water bottles nestled between the detonation plate and the hull or turret armor? Enamelled metal plates (it was tried in WW1 for body armor)?

Yes, I know some of these are being pulled out of left field, but if you are an occupant of that vehicle, you may be stretching your brain as to how to survive some overeager marauder or Pact greenie with an RPG or antitank grenade, especially if you've seen some buddies get fragged in their tank or APC.

Good question. I know that in WWII, Allied tank crews often piled filled sandbags on their tanks to add an extra layer of protection. The big problem with that, though, was the added weight- especially when the sandbags got wet- could damage the suspension/transmission.

Extra sections of track have also been a popular form of field expedient, jury-rigged modular armor. I suspect the benefits of said to be negligible, but I reckon over half the payoff of ersatz armor is psychological (i.e. it makes the crew feel safer).

During the last year of the war, the Soviets used old bedsprings attached to their tanks to pre-detonate Panzerfaust HEAT warheads. In more recent times, various armies have attached sections of chain-link fence to pre-detonate HEAT warheads. This option is relatively lightweight, compared to welded on armor plate, sandbags, jerry cans full of water, etc.

IIRC, we had a thread devoted to this topic. I think someone also found a picture/account of a T-34-85 with add-on armor made of thick rubber sheets that was used by one of the combatants during the Balkans Wars of the 1990s. I can't imagine that such "armor" was particularly effective.

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