PIAT
Sign in to saveThe Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank (PIAT) Mk I was a British man-portable anti-tank weapon developed during the Second World War. The PIAT was designed in 1942 in response to the British Army's need for a more effective infantry anti-tank weapon and entered service in 1943.
Key facts
- Weapon.name
- Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank
- Weapon.image
- PIAT cropped.jpg
- Weapon.image_size
- 300
- Weapon.caption
- PIAT at the Army Flying Museum
- Weapon.origin
- United Kingdom
- Weapon.type
- Anti-tank weapon
- Weapon.is_ranged
- yes
- Weapon.is_explosive
- Yes
- Weapon.is_UK
- yes
- Weapon.service
- 1943–1971
- Weapon.used_by
- British Empire & Commonwealth
- Weapon.designer
- Major Millis Jefferis
- Weapon.design_date
- 1942
- Weapon.manufacturer
- Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd., various others.
- Weapon.production_date
- August 1942
- Weapon.number
- 115,000
- Weapon.action
- Spigot mortar
- Weapon.sights
- Aperture sight
via Wikipedia infobox
Article
13 sectionsContents
- Development
- Design
- Ammunition and effect
- Operational history
- World War II
- After World War II
- Users
- Combat use
- See also
- Notes
- References
- Bibliography
- External links
The Projector, Infantry, Anti Tank (PIAT) Mk I was a British man-portable anti-tank weapon developed during the Second World War. The PIAT was designed in 1942 in response to the British Army's need for a more effective infantry anti-tank weapon and entered service in 1943.
The PIAT was based on the spigot mortar system, and projected (launched) a 2.5 pound (1.1 kg) shaped charge bomb using a cartridge in the tail of the projectile. It possessed an effective range of approximately in a direct fire anti-tank role, and in an indirect fire role. The PIAT had several advantages over other infantry anti-tank weapons of the period: it had greatly increased penetration power over the previous anti-tank rifles, it had no back-blast which might reveal the position of the user or accidentally injure friendly soldiers around the user, and it was simple in construction. However, the device also had some disadvantages: powerful recoil, a difficulty in cocking the weapon, and early problems with ammunition reliability.