Looking for some information ...

[Larry Reese]

In action, for both German and Russian AFVs the load out would vary considerably, especially once the "start line" had been crossed. They would take what they can get and the supply train would ship the most commonly used round in predominante numbers. This also varied considerably by year due to changes in availability, quantity in production, etc... As you appear to be (like me) somewhat of an armor/penetration science buff, you are already aware that trying to understand why two particular hits had dramatically different results even though fired from the same weapons, same angles, range, etc..., the number of variables are very high and can almost never be properly quantified even if we know the exact composition of the rounds being used. In the German case especially, despite high efforts at quality control, the high portion of slave labor used in the war industries (along with a host of other factors) often resulted in erratic propellant mixes, etc..., particularly the later in the war you get. While Soviet quality control varied for other reasons, this too would have an impact on "standardized" combat performance. I still think the tests done by the US Army at the Aberdeen proving grounds using large quantites of period ammunition for almost every major weapon in the war are the absolute best performance figures as the testing procedures were all standardized, conducted on the same range, and without "top 1 percent" ammo load outs. These tests used to piss a lot of folks at Lead Eaters off years ago, because they can't be refuted and tend to show that supposedly vaunted guns aren't all that special. It's pretty easy to build a gun with great penetration (it's simple math); the thing that makes it a killer (and something to be feared by your opponents) is the optics and gun laying system. Not as macho and some of the black uniform fetishist crowd would like, but then, reality usually isn't.

But I ramble yet again....

LR