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Old 23rd Sep 2019, 21:00
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etudiant
 
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Originally Posted by ExAscoteer
6 pounders carried in Horsas, 17pounders carried in Hamilcars.

Actually the PIAT was surprisingly effective (being able to penetrate upto 4" of armour) and it didn't produce a backblast, unlike the Bazooka, which lent to its use for FIBUA.The main problems with it were recoil and the difficulty in cocking it.
No real evidence for its effectiveness that I know of, but the basic concept of using a small high pressure charge to push a larger lump of (possibly shaped charge) explosives to the target seems plausible.
The launcher was a lump unfortunately, think this is where the German Panzerfaust equivalents were much more practical. Of course, the Panzerfaust could not be reloaded afaik, so perhaps the UK bean counters saw the PIAT as more cost effective...
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