Richard Harris
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Joined: 5/10/2001
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PIAT = Projector, Infantry Anti-Tank in the usual garbled UK military nomenclature... ![]("wink.gif")
It is actually a spigot mortar, one of the family of designs attributable to Lt-Col. Blacker. Derived from the 1941 'Baby Bombard' the PIAT uses a HUGE (think jeep suspension! ![]("biggrin.gif") ) spring to drive a steel spigot up the tail-shaft of the bomb (which is sitting in the launch trough.) This spigot hits a percussion cartridge mounted inside the tail-shaft, the resultant detonation hurling the bomb at the target and (in theory) recocking the spring/spigot. (Think of it sort of as a gun with the projectile/barrel relationship reversed.)
The PIAT fired a 3lb HEAT bomb at a m/v of about 350fps, i.e. good for about 100 odd yards against a tank sized target, although if fired at 45deg the bomb had a maximum range of about 750 yards... (It just wouldn't hit anything smaller than a football field! ) Originally anti-personnel and signal bombs were also proposed, but were never developed.
The HEAT bomb of the PIAT varied a bit in penetration, different batches using different explosive fillers and liner materials. Penetration data seems to vary from 75-85mm at worst (early batches) to 110mm at best.
Operation of the PIAT was simple, if unpopular; the spring was compressed by unlatching the shoulder-pad, standing on it, and lifting the weapon until the spring (and spigot) were caught by the sear. The shoulder-pad was then locked back into place and a bomb placed in the launch trough. Release of the trigger (which generally required the use of all the fingers) allowed the spring to drive the spigot into the bomb's tail-shaft etc... Obvious problems were, you had to be standing up to cock the damn thing (unless you had arms like a gorilla and could do it lying down) and if it wasn't braced properly when fired, the recoil would be inadequate to automatically recock the spring, requiring a weightlifting contest to do it manually for a subsequent shot... Another nasty characteristic was that the bomb had a tendancy to hurl the more or less intact tail shaft back down it's flight path when it exploded against the target. This improvised piece of shrapnel was apparently uncannily accurate and could be dangerous to the firer out to about 50 yards! The PIAT was also heavy and cumbersome, (32lb and 39" long) and was quite violent to fire.
All that said however, it was actually quite effective within its limitations even if it was never the most popular piece of plumbing in the section. It would stop almost any tank when used correctly and that was what counted the most.
Ian Hogg relates the following anecdote which just about sums the PIAT up;
'Undoubtably the most famous incident involving the PIAT was the action in Italy in which Fusilier Jefferson dashed into the open and fired it repeatedly from the hip, stopping two Tiger tanks at close range. He was awarded the Victoria Cross for this remarkable feat, and the general opinion in the ranks was that he deserved it for firing the thing from the hip, let alone killing two tanks with it.'
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PIAT? - 
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(due to fears of training accidents it was decommissioned shortly after the war ended).
PIAT means Projector Infantry Anti Tank. It works by a spring, that throws a hollow charge projectile at enemy armor. 
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