King Tiger Field Penetration Trials

"Report on the results of testing the T-6-B King Tiger superheavy tank in order to determine its weak points held on September 2nd, 1944, near Staszów by a commission composed of the following: [names]

The results of the trials are summarized in the following table:

Component of the tank	Gun caliber	Type of ammunition	Range	Angle	Result
Hull front	152	HEAT*	250 m	90	First hit: 350 mm wide breach in the machine gun ball.
				46	Second hit: 70 mm deep dent 230 mm in diameter.
	85	AP	200 m	46	60 mm deep dent 170 mm in diameter.
Turret front	57	Subcaliber	200 m	75	165 mm deep dent 70 mm in diameter.
Turret side	152	HEAT*	1200 m	70	Penetration, 200 mm breach.
			250	86	Penetration of both sides, entrance breach is 190 mm in diameter, exit breach is 840 mm in diameter.
	85	AP	200	86	Penetration 170 mm in diameter.
Superstructure side	152	HEAT*	465	85	Penetration of both sides, entrance breach is 170 mm in diameter, exit breach is 750 mm in diameter.
	85	AP	400	85	Penetration 150 mm in diameter.
	76	Subcaliber	300	88	Penetration 40 mm in diameter.
		AP			Dent 75 mm deep 84 mm in diameter.
	57	Subcaliber	200	88	Penetration 70 mm in diameter.
		AP	200	88	Penetration 60 mm in diameter.
	45	Subcaliber	150	80	Penetration 30 mm in diameter.

SU-152 Practical Accuracy

The topic of accuracy and precision of Soviet guns comes up a lot. Stereotypically, these guns are depicted in media as being unable to hit the broad side of a barn. Records of trials show otherwise. Here is a record of one such trials at various distances.

King Tiger Battlefield Penetration Trials

Field penetration trials weren't an unusual phenomenon during WWII. Soldiers often wanted to look with their own eyes at what their own weapons can do against the enemy, plus the sight of blowing holes in enemy tanks is always good for morale. In this case, two rare beasts were captured for trials: a Tiger and a Tiger II. 

"1st Howitzer Artillery Brigade of the Reserve of the Supreme Command
November 9th, 1944
#01909

For your information, I direct to you the results of experimental firing on Tiger and Tiger B tanks.

Forward these results to battalion commanders, and the results on SU-152 shooting to all troops.

Attachment: the aforementioned on 4 pages.

Chief of Staff of the 1st Starokonstantinov Order of the Red Banner Order of Bogdan Khmelintskiy Howitzer Artillery Brigade, Major Vinogradov"

Diagram #1: upper front plate and illustration of the angle and thickness of the upper and lower front plates.

Panther Penetration

"Maximum penetration at which the armour of the German Panther tank is destroyed

Composed according to experimental firing data.

System	Ammunition type	Maximum distance in meters at which penetration was achieved  during experimental firing						Effect
		Front armour			Side armour
		Upper sloped plate (90 mm)	Lower sloped plate (50-65 mm)	Gun mantlet (100 mm cast)	Turret side (45-50 mm)	Upper side (45-50 mm)	Lower side (45 mm)
45 mm gun mod. 1942	APT BR-240	-	-	-	400	300	400	Complete penetration of the turret and hull side armour.
	APIT BZR-240	-	-	-	400	300	400
	APCR BR-240P	-	-	-	400	300	400
57 mm gun mod. 1941	APT BR-271	-	-	-	1200	1200	1200
	APIT BZR-271	-	-	-	1000	1000	1000
	APT BR-271 SP	-	-	-	1200	1200	1200
	APCR BR-271P	-	-	-	1200	1200	1200
76 mm regimental gun mod. 1927	HEAT BP-354A	-	-	-	600	600	600	Complete penetration of the sloped turret armour.
76 mm regimental gun mod. 1943	HEAT BP-344A	-	-	-	600	600	600
76 mm ZIS-3 mod. 1942	APT BR-350	300	300	-	1200	1200	1200	Penetrates the turret and the side of the hull.
	APCR BR-350P	300	300	-	1200	1200	1200
	HEAT BP-350	300	300	-	1200	1200	1200
SU-76	APIT BZR-354	300	300	-	1200	1200	1200
	APCR BR-354P	300	300	-	1200	1200	1200
SU-85	APT BR-365	1000	1000	1000	1500	1500	1500	Complete penetration of various parts of the hull.
	APT BR-365 SP	1000	1000	1000	1500	1500	1500
122 mm gun mod. 1938	HEAT BP-463	800	800	800	1000	1000	1000	Penetrates armour and detonate the ammunition.
KV-122	APT	1200	1200	1200	1500	1500	1500	A shot to the front destroys the tank.
152 mm gun mod. 1937	AP BP-545	800 m and closer						The front armour is penetrated.

Confirmed: Authorized representative of the Operational Department of Artillery of the 1st Belorussian Front, Colonel Levit

Confirmed: Colonel Utin"