How did WW2 ground attack aircraft penetrate tanks?

[Sp4]

Talking about aircraft like Hawker Hurricane or IL-2, which were both successful at air-ground attacks against armoured targets and I am wondering how they penetrate tanks with small caliber guns, while even the tanks on the ground with much bigger guns had problems doing that.

I guess it has something to do with being able to attack from above but even then, picking out and aiming at targets was done with the eye and they couldn't have flown much higher than 200-300 meters and their shells can only really hit the tank's armoured parts?

Does it have something to do with the muzzle velocity of the shells?

Thanks in advance.

[Gelatinous Cube]

The tops of tanks has always been a weak point, even in the Abrams it is considered the weakest part of the tank. This is one of the reasons the Javelin anti-tank missile flies up and then comes down on top of its target.

[CBR]

Tanks were generally taken out by AP bombs or rockets but most ground targets were not tanks but APC's, trucks or fixed positions. The Germans put 37mm AT guns on their Stukas, and even then the German Stuka ace Hans Ulrich Rudel focused on the rear section to hit the engine.

[Jack50]

Yep it was and is amazing isn't it ? You should google 20mm shell to see the size of round that most tankbusters used. It was due to the relatively thin armor on the deck and top of the turret that allowed for penetration. The muzzle velocity on 20mm isn't very fast. But if it penetrated to the engine, which caught fire sometimes it would "cook off" the rounds inside the tank which were normally stored near the rear of the tank. The main purpose was to stop the tanks mobility making it easier to capture or destroy by other troops on the ground. Another good "Tankbuster" that doesn't get much love is the P-39 Aircorbra used by the Russians in WWII which were lend-lease from the USA. Of course the fact that the Russians had a very capable "tankbuster" of their own doesn't help to shed light on these planes. Hope this allows you to dig a little deeper into the how and why. Always favorite subjects for us Orgahs

[Catiline]

The Hurricane IIDs were equipped with 40mm cannon, which isn't that small caliber. They weren't called flying can openers for nothing.

[Ibn-Khaldun]

The Hurricane IIDs were equipped with 40mm cannon, which isn't that small caliber. They weren't called flying can openers for nothing.

This makes me thinking.. is it possible to open cans with 40 mm cannons?

[Catiline]

Depends if you want to eat what's inside

[Kagemusha]

Like others have said.Because the armour was thinner from above. For example PzKpfw VI Tiger had 100mm at front hull and 120mm at gun mantlet , but only 25mm at turret and hull roof´s.

[ReluctantSamurai]

IMHO, the effects of ground attack aircraft at destroying armor is greatly exaggerated. Here's a brief discussion about the amount of ammunition and sorties required to destroy various targets:

http://panzercentral.com/forum/viewt...p?f=93&t=36353

I also have somewhere an investigation into the effect of Allied airpower in turning back the German counterattack at Mortain in Normandy. I'll try to dig up the report which found Allied pilots claims to be in excess of the actual number of German tanks involved ;-)

Found it:

http://mr-home.staff.shef.ac.uk/hobbies/rocket.txt

And this one:

http://home.swipnet.se/normandy/articles/airpower.html

And the entire PDF that everyone preceding uses as a source:

http://www.collectionscanada.ca/obj/...13/MQ33804.pdf

And finally, a very lengthy discussion by some well-known names in the military history community:

http://www.dupuyinstitute.org/ubb/Fo...ML/000010.html

[Fisherking]

Most of the Allied ground attack machines used 40 mm rockets. 20 mm. guns might have had a chance with a lucky hit.

The Germans had 37mm mounted on some planes and 30mm on others used for tank killing.

The P-39 also had a 37mm cannon in the prop hub which made it good for ground attack.

There were a few craft that mounted heavier guns but they didn’t do as well. They were rather clumsy in flight and aiming was difficult.