Pendraken Miniatures Forum

Wider Wargaming => Genre/Period Discussion => 20th Century => Topic started by: Last Hussar on 28 March 2020, 08:45:26 PM

Title: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Last Hussar on 28 March 2020, 08:45:26 PM
Ever wanted to track a Sherman round in slo-mo?

Of course you have.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xpJ8EoGmLuE

Also don't lay any bets on the Soviet 152mm v watermelons challenge.

(Sorry - I couldn't embed it)
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Steve J on 28 March 2020, 09:38:50 PM
That is so cool! Thanks for sharing :).
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Ithoriel on 28 March 2020, 09:44:58 PM
Great find, thanks!

So, is the lesson from this that the Wehrmacht should have added melons, perhaps instead of Zimmerit, to their tanks to deflect 152mm shot?  :)
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: paulr on 28 March 2020, 09:57:00 PM
When I saw the title I though 12,000 ft per second - that's way too high ;)
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Last Hussar on 28 March 2020, 10:28:56 PM
Quote from: Ithoriel on 28 March 2020, 09:44:58 PM
Great find, thanks!

So, is the lesson from this that the Wehrmacht should have added melons, perhaps instead of Zimmerit, to their tanks to deflect 152mm shot?  :)

Leon - can you get the Pz IVs remodelled with melons?
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Leon on 29 March 2020, 12:34:03 AM
Quote from: Last Hussar on 28 March 2020, 10:28:56 PM
Leon - can you get the Pz IVs remodelled with melons?

All over or just two on the front...?
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: paulr on 29 March 2020, 06:02:49 AM
 X_X
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 29 March 2020, 07:44:00 AM
Quote from: Last Hussar on 28 March 2020, 10:28:56 PM
Leon - can you get the Pz IVs remodelled with melons?

Make em a tad sticky once hit.
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: steve_holmes_11 on 29 March 2020, 09:49:13 AM
Two lessons here:

* If you plan on hiding behind the watermelon display - ensure they're at least 12 deep.

* Never combine a lab-coat with shorts.
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: O Dinas Powys on 29 March 2020, 10:49:18 AM
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 29 March 2020, 09:49:13 AM
Two lessons here:

* If you plan on hiding behind the watermelon display - ensure they're at least 12 deep.

* Never combine a lab-coat with shorts.


ALWAYS combine a lab-coat with shorts: adds a frisson if intrigue to the lab in the summer months :-/

:-B
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Kiwidave on 29 March 2020, 01:59:16 PM
What I found interesting was the 76mm round see-sawing in flight - what would cause that?

The bow and aft waves were pretty cool too.
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Lord Kermit of Birkenhead on 29 March 2020, 02:50:27 PM
Quote from: Kiwidave on 29 March 2020, 01:59:16 PM
What I found interesting was the 76mm round see-sawing in flight - what would cause that?

The bow and aft waves were pretty cool too.

It should fly virtually flat. I can only think poor manufacture of the round..
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: steve_holmes_11 on 29 March 2020, 03:53:37 PM
Quote from: Kiwidave on 29 March 2020, 01:59:16 PM
What I found interesting was the 76mm round see-sawing in flight - what would cause that?

The bow and aft waves were pretty cool too.

I think that's pretty standard for most rifle rounds.
Alas I cannot locate a reference now so this is a quick summary from memory.

Bullets / shells shot form a rifle have an early period of instability, then a length of stable flight, followed by a final wobbly stage.


The projectile goes down the barrel "gun barrel" straight (Your mileage may vary if you've gone a while without a barrel change).

As it leaves the barrel it get's a kick known as "Lateral Jump" - the interaction of a recoiling barrel, escaping gas and the shell hitting the atmosphere.
This may knock the projectile slightly off its axis, without significantly affecting the direction of flight.

After a while, the spin of the projectile will line it up, and provide a period of steady flight.
Explosive rounds (having greater mass distributed toward their outside) are likely to stabliise more quickly.

Finally, everything slows down, and the the round starts to flutter again.
Sometimes incorrectly described as "tumbling", a different thing which occurs after an impact.


That steady flight in the middle is efficient, contributing to range an accuracy.
Gunsmiths can control many design features that reduce the length of the initial unstable stage.
This often makes the difference between a great and a poor gun.
Explains why simply elongating the barrel, or increasing the propellant charge doesn't always upgrade the performance of an older piece.

You can also imagine why rounds like APDS suffered accuracy issues, and why worn aryillery barrely produce "shorts".


The same three element flight can be observed in a spin passed Rugby ball, american football, or even a swinging cricket ball.


Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Kiwidave on 29 March 2020, 05:11:32 PM
Thanks Steve; very informative :)
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: fred. on 29 March 2020, 06:29:13 PM
Some very cool videos - thanks for sharing.

On the video I think they mentioned that the yaw of the 76mm shell was in part due to the age of the gun 'virtually an antique' I think was the phrase  used.

The deflection of the 152mm shell off the water melons was astonishing - as was the amount of dust and smoke from firing it
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Ithoriel on 29 March 2020, 06:38:06 PM
Yes, if anyone was in any doubt as to why "shoot and scoot" was a thing that should help clear it up :D
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Westmarcher on 29 March 2020, 06:54:23 PM
Quote from: steve_holmes_11 on 29 March 2020, 03:53:37 PM

You can also imagine why rounds like APDS suffered accuracy issues, and why worn aryillery barrely produce "shorts".
Shades of Stanley Unwin ......  ;D ;D ;D

Sorry, Steve. Couldn't resist it.  ;) :) ;D
Here's some footage where you can actually hear the "tumbling."
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Orcs on 29 March 2020, 08:23:55 PM
Quote from: fred. on 29 March 2020, 06:29:13 PM

The deflection of the 152mm shell off the  water melons was astonishing

I am easily deflected by nice melons. :d
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Last Hussar on 29 March 2020, 10:02:19 PM
Ignoring Orcs...

I went looking for a video of a arrow flight for comparison. Found the same guys recreating Japanese legend

https://youtu.be/kuOEpC4u6Tg (https://youtu.be/kuOEpC4u6Tg)
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Wulf on 29 March 2020, 10:10:55 PM
Quote from: Last Hussar on 29 March 2020, 10:02:19 PM
I went looking for a video of a arrow flight for comparison. Found the same guys recreating Japanese legend
One of the ways of testing the 'balance' of a bow/arrow combination is by shooting through a piece of paper & seeing how close to circular the hole is... not very, usually... There's a thing called the 'archer's paradox' - the arrow doesn't fly through the middle of the bow (well, in modern bows it can) but along the side of it, but the string does push the back end toward the middle. Result, the arrow is pushed at an increasing angle off to the left (usually, if you're right handed & using a Western bow) side. This is compensated for by the weight & therefore inertia of the arrow head, and the 'spine' or stiffness of the arrow. It's fun getting that balance...  The arrow whips back & forth a few times, often visibly, then sorts itself out, hopefully before it reaches the target. Shooting at very close ranges can result in arrows at very unexpected angles in the target!
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Last Hussar on 30 March 2020, 03:27:11 AM
That was the reason I was looking. I was told some 30 years ago an arrow has the most complex flight pattern in The first few meters we know of
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: steve_holmes_11 on 30 March 2020, 03:08:12 PM
Quote from: Ithoriel on 29 March 2020, 06:38:06 PM
Yes, if anyone was in any doubt as to why "shoot and scoot" was a thing that should help clear it up :D

There's always one watermelon coming for revenge.
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Last Hussar on 30 March 2020, 04:03:09 PM
I can't be bothered to make the meme - just imagine Liam Neeson with a watermelon for a head.
Title: Re: 76mm at 12,000 fps
Post by: Ithoriel on 30 March 2020, 05:02:23 PM