Bombing Tanks

[brando]

Originally Posted by IceFire

Depends on the tank too. Allot of different scenarios...

Yes indeed - many different ways it can go. The result also depends on what the tank is doing at the time it is attacked. In a tank battle it may be sufficient just to concuss the crew or disable the driver or the commander or force the crew to bail out. Just forcing the tank to halt may allow opposing artillery to zero in on it and destroy it. 'Luck' plays a part too. A lucky impact may dismount or jam the turret, or dislodge a track or whatever. The main point is bringing the machine to a full stop.

Contrary to heroic myths, most crews would bail out if their tank was hit in this way.

B

[NeuralDream]

I'm interested in direct hits only of various sizes of bombs on tanks and their ability to disable the tank itself or kill the crew, but I see that you aren't aware of such data (bomb size vs. top armour).

[Igo kyu]

Originally Posted by NeuralDream

I'm interested in direct hits only of various sizes of bombs on tanks and their ability to disable the tank itself or kill the crew, but I see that you aren't aware of such data (bomb size vs. top armour).

It's never that simple. If a bomb hits a tank, with a 2 second delay fuse, unless the bomb is embeded into the armour by the impact, by the time the bomb goes off the bomb may well be 200 metres away from the tank. You have to use a delay fuse at low level, or your own bomb will shoot you down.

<edit> If you mean what size of bomb would be too small to seriously damage a tank if it went off in direct contact with it, the answer would be very small. Anti-personnel grenades probably wouldn't, unless they could be placed inside, antipersonnel mines probably wouldn't. Anti-tank mines are designed to do exactly that, and they are what, 10kg? 20kg? So, a bigger bomb than that, in contact, would probably do the business.

[IceFire]

Originally Posted by NeuralDream

I'm interested in direct hits only of various sizes of bombs on tanks and their ability to disable the tank itself or kill the crew, but I see that you aren't aware of such data (bomb size vs. top armour).

I think you're after something more absolute than is possible. There are studies about the effectiveness of airpower versus armored vehicles that I'm sure you can find. But I think a very detailed analysis will be hard to come by...

[BadAim]

Besides all that, I very much doubt that there were many direct hits (by bombs) on tanks. Direct hits on Ships were rare and they are much bigger. I'd venture to say though that I'd doubt many tanks would survive a bomb of more than 100 lb exploding in direct contact with it's top armour. I'd imagine a direct hit by anything over 1000 lb would result in a crater surrounded by with tank parts. Of course these are just speculation, and like Icefire pointed out that's all you'll likely get.