Color footage of p-47 strafing German Tigers

[Greybeard]

Hello McIvan,

The .50 BMG could (and does in it's AP version) penetrate appx 1.25 inches (30mm?) of vertical armor plate under certain conditions - but only the AP round. Copper jacketed (FMJ) ammo would shatter on armored steel. Shooting air to air, the FMJ ammo would shatter magnesium, easily penetrate sheet aluminum, and fracture/shatter aluminum structure, possibly crack cast iron. AP ammo would penetrate armor plate and nearly all materials found in the engine compartment - including the engine block..

But.. attempting to bounce a round off the road/ground to kill a tank?? - I don't think so.. FMJ would be more likely to bounce than AP.. The steel core of .50 BMG would have a great tendancy to drive the bullet into the earth or tarmac - not bounce.. while the FMJ might have a greater chance of bouncing - it would likely deform and lose so much energy from hitting the ground that anything more substantial than sheet metal would defeat any penetration possibilites.. a Tiger's underbelly is 30mm thick, most other Tank types would have 12-15mm on the bottom (except for very early war tanks.. many would be easy meat for a .50cal AP round)

More likely the .50 would shred cargo/tool containers, mufflers, external air cleaners - etc. There might also be a possibility of a .50 AP round hitting a louver above the engine compartment, and then ricochet into the engine bay where damage to fuel systems, oil reservoirs, cooling ducts/tubing/radiators would lead to immobilzation..

-just my 2 cents worth..

-Greybeard (SP ladder)