Infantry antitank capability 1939-1940

[rebelyell2006]

Both BTRs were hit by scores of petrol bombs, and both rolled away?  Perhaps I overestimated incendiary devices.

[Truscott Trotter]

Hmm the second one did not look too good and the crew would not be happy chappies at all

[rebelyell2006]

The second video ended with what looked like the crew being escorted away under raised shields, so they at least survived. 

[cuprum]

One BTR was really destroyed.

Necessary borne in mind that modern military equipment (at least Soviet) half belonged system of creating a slight overpressure inside the enclosure. For to avoid the penetration of radioactive dust into the casing combat vehicle during operations in the vicinity a nuclear explosion occurred.
Such a system would be very useful to prevent the ingress a flammable liquid inside the body.

I think that tank of the Second World War chance happily avoid defeat was less.

[cuprum]

Rebels burned the Ukrainian BMP in Mariupol. BMP it was necessary impose wooden pallets and tires that would burn.

[MartinR]

For close assault weapons, you really are just looking at explosive charges, grenade bundles and the like. In all cases you need to immobilise the targets first - logs, crowbars jammed in the tracks etc or rather more effective - AT ditches, roadblocks, tank traps, mines etc.

The British infantry close assault manual suggest establishing AT ambushes with a road block around a bend in the road so it is invisible, then once the target AFVs are halted, trapping them with a line of AT mines dragged into the road. Each vehicles is then individually assaulted with explosives.

Quite a few favourable circumstances are needed for this to actually work in in real life.... like the enemy not doing any recce or having any supporting infantry!

Cheers
Martin

[cuprum]

Was ambushed at night Rebel column of armored vehicles (1 tank, two BMP and one BMD). The column was moving at high speed (there was for a breakthrough of enemy encirclement). Was stopped with the help of anti-tank mines on a rope (see this anti-tank obstacles you can at the end of the roller). Then the damaged military vehicles was finished off from an RPG.

[rebelyell2006]

Would antitank grenades like the later panzerwurfmine be tossed in a barrage like that?  Or is that tactic typically reserved for petrol bombs?

[dadlamassu]

The barrage technique is noted as being used by Germans armed with Panzerfausts in several WW2 memoirs.  Fire a salvo and scoot away to avoid incoming fire no doubt.

Not seen any mentioning Panzerwurfmines but then the chap on the receiving end probably did not know what it was called.

[cuprum]

Drawings of instructions for the fight against tanks.

German:









Italian:



USA:



Japanese:



Soviet:

[Red Sveta]

The British Home Guard were (trained) to attack tanks with petrol bombs, as well as other close assault weapons (Devices) in the event of an invasion. I much the same way as all the above illustrations.

[fred]

I particularly like the idea that you can hack a hole in the engine grill of the tank, with your handy axe, then calmly drop a grenade through the hole.

All the while the tank's crew (or its friends) don't notice you.

[Arlequín]

I would have thought that the effect of flamethrowers and the like on tanks, pillboxes and similar items, would be largely oxygen consumption. As Cuprum says though, they would be far less effective on modern vehicles designed to be over-pressured and air tight... WWII vehicles are another matter.

As far as 'Molotovs' are concerned too, the fuel is thickened so it burns longer (as is the case with flamethrowers). Pure petrol burns very quickly.

[Cubs]

There are tanks ... and there are tanks.

In '39-'40 the likes of the Vickers Light Tank and PanzerI could very well be disabled by harsh language, let alone specialised anti-tank weaponry. Sustained and heavy machine gun fire could damage one of the little fellas and remember, you don't need to penetrate the armour to take the tank out. Concussive hits that incapacitate the crew, or even frightening noises (how is a rookie crew to know the difference between light mortar fire and an artillery strike?) might take the tank out of the equation. If the crew can be persuaded to surrender or bug out, the job has been done, too.

As already touched on, anything that blinds the crew will also effectively take out the tank. Vision slits were very small, but they were vulnerable. If the tank had support, attackers were unlikely to get too close, but a tank with unwanted passengers up top, without anyone to 'scratch its back', was in trouble. I also remember a tale (possibly apocryphal) of a soldier simply quietly climbing onto the turret of an unsuspecting tank turret  knocking on the hatch. When the commander opened it up to see who was there, the soldier pointed a gun at him and captured the whole crew!

[Truscott Trotter]

Now that has to get my vote as most dangerous way to tackle a tank