Carapace Cheremzina
Our homeland was recovering from the destruction of the Land of the Rising Sun. The army had to be updated. One of the themes that have begun to develop, there were shells. According to several sources, disk imaging, Russia, the French, in Russian-Japanese War was ordered party bulletproof cuirasses 100 thousand pieces, but breastplates were worthless. Also, the idea did not work with protivopulevymi shields. But the work to protect the fighter had not been stopped.
Russian Breastplate 1915
«Catalogue of shells, invented Lieutenant Colonel AA Chemerzinym» — the so-called brochure published typographically and sewn into one of the files stored in the Central Military municipal historical archive. It lists the following information: «The weight shells: the lightest 11/2 pound (lb — 409.5 g), the most languid 8 pounds. Inconspicuous under the clothes. Carapace against bullets, with no knock-3-line military rifle, have a weight of 8 pounds. Carapace close: heart, lungs, stomach, both hips, spine and back against the lungs and heart. impenetrable armor checked each firing in the presence of the buyer. «
One of the Russian bulletproof shields and breastplates
In the «Catalogue» are some acts shells tests conducted in 1905-1907,. One of them stated: «In the presence of HIS MAJESTY Pravitelskogo Sudar Ruler June 11, 1905 in Oranienbaum performed firing a machine-gun company. Fired from 8 guns on the shell of an alloy invented by Colonel Chemerzinym, from a distance of 300 paces. Shell fell in the 36 bullets . Shell was not broken, and there was no cracks. During the test was all the variable composition of the school shooting. «
Shells were also tested in the capital reserve of the Metropolitan Police, commissioned by which they were made. Shooting him was conducted at a distance of 15 paces. Shells, as stated in the act, «were impenetrable, and bullet fragments were not given. First batch was made entirely satisfactory.»
The newspaper «Rus» (N69, 1907)
«Yesterday, I beheld the magic. Youth 30 years old, in uniform, standing motionless in the room. At half-step distance it was imposed Browning — Browning terrible. Tselili in the chest over the heart. Expecting boy, smiling. Shot rang out. Bullet bounced .. .
— Well, you see, — said the military. — Almost nothing felt. «
«New Era» (27 February 1908):
«Jin shells and a Transfer cuirass, this is a wonderful invention of the century, superior strength reinforcement knights of yore. Scaled system remained in the old shell, but other metal alloy. He — the secret of the inventor. AA Chemerzin found the opportunity to explain to me the basic idea of self-discovery. AA Chemerzin — Lieutenant Corps of Engineers. Finished the Faculty of Mathematics and Engineering School, he taught arithmetic, studied chemistry, and it came across a series of experiments on the idea of filling the long chrome-nickel steel. The alloy was carried out at high temperature and water pressure. On a typical recipe began to add generous metals — platinum, silver, iridium, vanadium and many others. When filling out far greater ductility and hardness of the metal, which is stronger than steel by 3.5 times. As a result, an alloy plate polumillimetrovuyu bullet Mauser did not break through three steps distance. Armor and breastplates were impermeable revolver and bullets, which were deformed, but did not give splinters. Has been eliminated and the risk of concussions rebound defeat.
The cost of shells AA Chemerzina quite expensive, but life is more expensive. Wearing a five-pound shell, closed the chest and back, I found him weary. Under the frock coat he was just will not accept. 7000 armor, helmets and shields AA Chemerzina were sent to the army in the Far East, unfortunately, it’s too late … «
Price very best armor, impenetrable even what guns and bombs, shrapnel, was from 1500 to 1900 rubles. These shells are made on a fair measure of Figure (what was needed plaster cast), cost from 5,000 to 8,000 rubles. The cost of the booking engine (the car) from the fragments of the bombs and the bullets of pistols was 15,000, and 20,000 rubles coach. «
Yuri Minkin
As we litsezreem, in Russia went a little different route than in the United States. And at that point it was a logical decision — flak jackets of silk kept to a greater extent, pistol bullets, with a certain caliber, mass production was very hard to do.
Breastplate was the intensive use of police of different states. Private individuals breastplates made for personal plaster casts. But the high point of such body armor came with the outbreak of World War II.
Bulletproof vest on the World
It should be noted that the first global completely shifted the concept of war and its rules. Trench, trench warfare. Stitching wire. Guns. The powerful long-range artillery. Aircraft. Tanks. Commanders had to urgently change the strategy and the strategy of fighting.
One version of the heavy armor bulletproof armor
Immediately it became clear that the men need protection from new guns. Shrapnel and debris mows warriors warring armies, and the usual defense — including helmets — was not. In varying degrees, all the armor began to develop the country. But more than all the equipment in their own fighter Germans succeeded.
German soldiers in shells
Grabenpanzer M16 (aka Sappenpanzer) appeared in the army in 1916. Armor German army was created to protect from light weapons and small shrapnel. In the production was not so long ago used to show nickel-silicon (armor) steel.
Armor consisted of a breastplate, with 3 sections for protective layering the tummy and groin. 2 shoulder plates were 3 rivets on each side of individual records were linked with 2 straps straps that were attached to the inside of the armor from the chest.
The fighters after the fight, shells stacked in the trench
Rectangular felt pads horsehair were between sections and had to lower the noise level when moving. The thickness of armor was approx. 3.25 mm, a number of various cases rising to 25 mm. Differences were often associated with the fact that more than seven separate companies have been employed in the production.
Shell scheme
Armour was released in different models, but the main two types can be identified by searching photos and unique parts. 1st Armor — Unusual, 1916 release.
German breastplate shell
The test results of German armor breastplate
It is minimalist, her virtually no protrusions. On the second common model has 2 additional hooks for accessories on. Weight, regardless of the manufacturer, ranged from 8 to 10 kg, was delivered in 2 or 3 different sizes.
In all cases, the armor was maloudoben and could be used to a greater extent in a stationary position. The main consumers of this armor were snipers, time, the soldiers advanced units.
In some cases, various breastplate worn on the back — chest was covered trench.
On the prevalence of this subject can be judged by the number of photos bolshennomu allies dresses in bib for memorable photos.
South American fighters captured German shells
Canadian soldier in the German armor trophy
There is also a version on the use of captured bronekiras on the front. In all there were more than 500,000 such armor.
The British captured bibs
Protection of the Triple Alliance
Unfortunately, the pictures look bibs Cheremizina in the First World, or any mention of them, or I could not. Apparently, the defense in the Russian Army at the time was used or not enough, or not used at all.
The coming of the Italian units
The illustration in protective vests — the Germans, the French, the British
The Allies had shells in the smallest quantities. In most cases there are shells of Italians. They had breastplates pronounced Shoulders and chest covered only from the waist up.
Italian Fighter Attack Battalion
Americans entered the war later than the others, in 1917 delivered of Brewster Body Shield, very similar to the armor of Ned Kelly (Australian raider). The armor was surprisingly good, withstands bullets from a machine gun Lewis weighed 18 kg in the heavy version + 5 kg lining, and used until the end of the war, more snipers. Types of armor have been several States, but armor Brewster came very catchy.
Armor Brewster, 1917
In general, closer to the end of the war, the Yankees appeared even less creative, but more suitable options for ordinary infantrymen.
The least creative version of the American armor
France used an old, cavalry breastplate at the beginning of the First World War. As shown, for the modern battlefield they were not applicable.
French breastplates World
One type of French armor
French languid armor
At later stages of the war the new armor and breastplates of the French appeared. But — in a rather moderate, and references to them are rare.
The British were more equipped body armor of all Allies. With all this massive body armor were not supplied to the army — they were taken for their money. Quite often, the vest dress concerned relatives, which unnerved by reports from the front. And, it should be noted, body armor often rescued soldiers lives.
British soldiers in flak jackets
The main winners were officers vests — specifically they could afford to buy for themselves, this is quite an expensive thing. Advertising has often been specifically designed for them. Only in the United Kingdom were more than 18 companies that produced different kinds of bullet-proof suits.
Advertise officers vest at the time. Guaranteed protection from pistol bullets
Label with body armor
There were three main types of protective vests. Tough armor (often consisting of iron plates sandwiched between the fabric and wearable as a vest), perineum, (the different forms of a small square iron plate attached to the fabric); myagenkaya armor (layers of silk / cotton / linen). All three had their armor prepyadstviya. Tough armor was extremely heavy and so awkward and Makarov is not convenient to carry on the attack. Kolchugoobraznye crotch armor is not dissipated sufficiently to hit a bullet or fragment. Fabric jackets, although there have been from time to time effective, were virtually useless in wet weather.
One type of body armor while produced in the
One of the more successful was DAYFIELD DAY SHIELD ‘BODY ARMOUR. It was made of thick fabric khaki, and in 4 offices were placed special iron plate. A rifle bullet this vest did not stop, but against splinters, shrapnel and pistol shots he was good. In addition, the British were the main advantage — vest was comfortable.
One of the more successful long vests — DAYFIELD DAY SHIELD ‘BODY ARMOUR. In the sections — armor plate.
Body armor «with history». Unfortunately, his record is very thin to suspend the rifle shot — but still not enough to soften the blow bullets or suspend it could splinter. It belonged to an ordinary Tankesu, who was injured in 1916 in France and subsequently discharged in March 1917.
Meanwhile, the first global war was coming to an end. In Russia, there was a revolution, Germany lost, and the idea that armor made of metal — not the best option, are increasingly beginning to haunt the inventors of «life jacket.»