On 7/10/2015 7:43 AM, Richard Aiken wrote:
>
> But it is a fact that during WWII the Germans were well aware of both
> techniques. They used discarding sabot ["treibspiegel" or "thrust
> mirror"] rounds to increase the upper range limits of their flak guns,
> while simultaneously using the tapered bore principle to create an
> extremely lightweight (505 lbs) yet very effective antitank cannon.

Not to resurrect a dead horse...but I'm just now able to catch up with a
lot of mail...

You asked:

> If the discarding sabot method worked just as well for both
> applications, then why didn't they use it that way?

The answer is pretty simple, actually, and isn't based on any logic
other than WW2 German defense procurement logic...which often had to
detour to the "Prohibited Reality Zone" of Hitler's desk.  During WW2
the Germans were enamored with unique designs and it showed in how many
different designs they had to do the same basic task.  Look at their
aviation procurement and study all the different versions and
subversions of the FW-190/Ta-152 or He-111.  Then you have the
MP-43/StG-43/StG-44; everyone who handled it realized this was the rifle
the military needed...and Hitler was firmly against it.  So rather than
call it a rifle, they called it a "machine pistol", aka submachine gun,
because they all knew he loved those.

And finally you have a bit of the mad scientist aspect.  A company that
was politically influential could get their pet project pushed through
the process and into the field even if another company was working on
something that offered the same end result.

--
Kurt Feltenberger
xxxxxx@thepaw.org/xxxxxx@yahoo.com
“Before today, I was scared to live, after today, I'm scared I'm not
living enough." - Me