Quote:
Originally Posted by Triple C
As someone who had read so hard about World War II I am ashamed to ask this question, but Panzer IV ausf H has 80mm of armor at the front turret and hull, which in theory should protect it against the 75mm gun on the Sherman tank at ranges under 500 yards. So, why haven't I read anything about those damned invicible Panzer IV Hs? Why was it that no allied tanker had ever complained about Pz IV ausf H's thick, theoretically inpenetrable armor?
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I would theorize that it's because all armor (80mm for the Ausf H) and penetration (about 73mm for the 75mm AP at <500m) values have some play, that many tank battles in WWII were fought at closer ranges than we think, the turret armor was thinner as you say, by late war 76mm Shermans and 85mm T-34s were also in play, and that many panzers were engaged by higher-caliber/penetration ATGs, TDs, and the like.
So 80mm was just not enough to make a splash in 1943+.
-dale