Gun mantlet, highlighted in red, mounted to a tank's main gun (American M1A1 Abrams)
A gun mantlet is an armour plate or shield attached to an armoured fighting vehicle's gun, protecting the opening through which the weapon's barrel projects from the hull or turret armour and, in many cases, ensuring the vulnerable warhead of a loaded shell does not protrude past the vehicle's armour into the easily penetrated barrel. On many tanks during World War II, the gun mantlet covered both the main gun and any coaxial armament, and had the thickest armour on the vehicle.
Gallery[]
.jpg "Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-476-2051-33A, Italien, Panzer V (Panther).jpg (34 KB)")
Panther tank mantlet
.jpg "Bundesarchiv Bild 101I-299-1805-10, Nordfrankreich, Panzer VI (Tiger I).jpg (66 KB)")
Tiger I mantlet
.jpg "Sherman Tank M4 A2 E8 (639067571).jpg (875 KB)")
M4 Sherman mantlet
Comet tank mantlet
T-70 cast mantlet
Leclerc mantlet
Leopard 2A4 mantlet
StuG III mantlet
A Jagdpanther mantlet
ISU-122 mantlet
See also[]
The original article can be found at Gun mantlet and the edit history here.