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Forums - Research / Post-WW2 |
This Post WW2 forum is intended for asking and discussing reference or historical related issues pertaining to any time after WW2 (1945+) subjects. |
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| Subject: | Re: Curious Leopard 2A5 armour design |  |
| Date: | Sep 10, 2004 |
| From: | Peter Ong | |
Many modelers have asked the very same question: "Isn't the wedge armor a shot trap?"
Answer: No, because the wedge armor on the Leopard 2A5/A6 isn't that strong...just ballistic steel. The concept is similar to spaced armor with an air gap in between...quite ingenious in simplicity.
The A5 is uparmored. The Leopard 2 has a flat vertical turret face (see Leo A2 model). The face is Chobham, the same armor used in Challengers and M1s, but the Leo 2 has no slant in the turret face.
The Germans decided in order to improve armor protection, a wedge is used. APFSDS WILL penetrate the wedge front, but in doing so, will break up before even hitting the tough flat main turret face. HEAT warheads will detonate on the wedge, shoot hot gases behind the wedge, and the flat turret face will only get a hot breath on it (pun) since the HEAT jet is already expended. The wedge is meant to take damage so the main turret face doesn't take the full brunt. Anything powerful enough will penetrate, and anything weak will be deflected and won't hurt the face or the hull. Example: If you had a glare screen on your computer monitor and use a pencil to punch your monitor out, the pencil will have to go through the glare screen (probably break) before even hitting your monitor's screen (don't try this at home, heh!).
We all know the Chobham armor works for M1s and Challengers and that HEAT or APFSDS can't penetrate. Just imagine instead of rounds hitting the faces of the M1s and Challengers, a frontal screen is before the turret face. That's what the Leo 2A5 armor does.
The side hinges open to allow the crew to work on the back of the armored wedge and the turret face...and to pick up any broken pieces trapped between the wedge and the turret face.
Pete |
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