PIAT Anti-Tank Weapon

[bombdoc]

Opinions seem to be shifting regarding the PIAT... it seems to have been the most successful in terms of tank kills of the post DDay light AT weapons. The lack of back blast was a real advantage over the Bazooka and Panzerfaust, particularly at the short ranges it was used. It was particularly suited to close and urban warfare and could be fired from inside buildings.

The real advantage of the PIAT was that it was easy and quick to make both the projector and the bombs. Shoulder fired rocket systems are notoriously difficult to get right and needed quite sophisticated manufacture and quality control. They are always very temperature sensitive. PIAT bombs were very easy to make using light engineering equipment. It used a modified (rimless) 20 bore shotgun cartridge which was easy to make on existing technology. The PIAT would work in all temperature ranges and was simple and robust to maintain. The original shaped charge warhead was filled with readily available gelignite based plastic explosive in commercial manufacture (PE808). Although not as big as the Panzerfaust warhead, the PIAT warhead was larger and had greater penetration than the 2.36" diameter of the wartime Bazooka.

Yes, it was a heavy and unpopular bit of kit, but all light anti tank weapons are seldom liked by those who have to carry them. Having had to drag a 84mm Carl Gustav around in my youth ( the big heavy steel one, not the lightweight alloy M3! they have now) I can sympathise, however I suspect you would become immediately popular if an enemy tank turned up!

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