PIAT (Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank)

History of PIAT (Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank)

With the massive loss of anti-tank weapons at the Battle of Dunkirk in northern France, Britain was forced to develop entirely new modern anti-tank measures for the anticipated German invasion of the British mainland. PIAT ("Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank") was the result of a rather hasty design and development phase that bypassed much of the rigorous testing that British Army authorities typically conduct on such weapons. The PIAT used a "shaped charge" projectile fired from a spring-loaded tubular launcher, and despite the unit's awkward handling qualities and dangerous recoil, it became a reliable weapon against all known enemy armor types at the time. This weapon is usually operated by two people, but it can be equally effective under the direction of one person when necessary, and is used with well-known weapons of the era such as the German "Panzerschreck" and the American "Bazooka".

PIAT was heavily used by the British Army and was used in Australia, Canada, France (Free French), Greece, India, Israel (post-war), Italy (post-1943), Luxembourg, New Zealand, Poland (by the Resistance), the Soviet Union (via loan agreement) and Yugoslavia. It is effective against any light German vehicle, capable of stopping a Panzer IV and a Panther, while also taking down the mighty Tiger I heavy tank (as was done at the Battle of Arnhem).

Before the arrival of PIAT, the main anti-tank weapon of the British Army was the Boy Anti-Tank Rifle, which was succeeded by PIAT and served on the front lines from 1942 to 1950.

Although it is used as an anti-tank weapon through its standard high-explosive anti-tank (HEAT) projectile, the PIAT has a slightly higher tactical value than the famous Panzerschreck and Bazooka, and is also used to fire High-Explosive (HE) rounds and smoke Version Release - The former can be used against "soft" targets such as infantry, while the latter can be used as an effective smokescreen to obscure the movement of friendly forces or block the view of the enemy. The PIAT also became an inexpensive weapon that could be quickly produced in times of desperation for the British Empire. It does have its downsides, however, as the PIAT has a heavy, strict reloading program and is cumbersome to use with a 3-pound projectile in a 32-pound fight. The engagement range is expanded to approximately 370 yards, but the effective range is within 110 yards and is generally shorter for safe "kills". Such a range forced PIAT crew members dangerously close to their intended targets.

However, it is at these short distances that the PIAT shows its strength with its armor-piercing abilities. It has proven particularly effective in the tight confines of urban combat, where a hidden PIAT crew definitely has an advantage over an unsuspecting enemy tank crew.

The PIAT is built to be 3 feet in length and each projectile contains a 2.5 lb shaped charge rated for impact detonation. The shells were fired from the launcher at 250 feet per second and aimed through a shutter mechanism mounted to the upper left of the gun. The general shape of a PIAT is tubular, with a shoulder pad at the back and an open "slot" or tray at the front. The compression spring is the heart of the PIAT's action and is contained within the body with a basic trigger system underneath.

An adjustable monopod is mounted in front of the trigger group for forward support. The grenade was inserted into an open slot in the front, and the system was operated by the trigger in the usual way.

The production of PIAT became Imperial Chemical Industries Ltd. As the demand for anti-tank weapons grew, other weapons were soon added. Final approval of the weapon was on August 31, 1942, and approximately 115,000 copies were subsequently issued. The design is attributed to the head of the supply department, Major Millis Jeffries, who was involved in the development of "special" weapons for the British military.

Another notable unorthodox weapon discovered by the group is the "sticky bomb", also known as "hand grenade, hand, anti-tank 74" or "S.T. grenade".

While other global militaries have pledged to use rocket-propelled (chemical energy) shells as their anti-tank solution, the adoption of PIAT by the British Army is unusual as the weapon is based on the principle of a "woodpecker mortar" and does not require Complex rocket functions or launch characteristics to control production costs and unit quantities constant. The basic operation involves the interaction of the mainspring with a centrally positioned socket mounted on the hollow tail of the grenade projectile. The operator unlocked the shoulder pads, put his feet down and the muzzle up. The body of the PIAT is then pulled up, moving both the spring and the pivot to the waiting position.

The body can then be lowered onto the shoulder pads, the pads re-engage and the system is seen as "cocked" (an operation reminiscent of medieval crossbows). After the inner mainspring is fully compressed and able to generate considerable force, a projectile is inserted into the waiting chute. Once the trigger is pulled and the spring is released, the resulting action activates the grenade's propellant charge. The resulting explosion serves two purposes - to push the projectile out of the slot and into its trajectory, while the recoil is used to restart the mainspring to prepare the gun for subsequent firing.

If for some reason the gun couldn't be reloaded, the crew would have to manually reset the spring again - which could be detrimental, since standing PIAT people were clearly targeted by enemy infantry. Due to the physical forces involved, two people are usually advised to assist in firing the gun.

Unlike the Panzerschreck and Bazooka, the PIAT is not a true shoulder-mounted firearm, but is placed on the ground or on an elevated natural/structural support on its given monopod. Then press the butt tightly against your shoulder before firing.

A standing operator may suffer serious bodily injury due to the violent recoil action inherent in the weapon. The adjustable nature of the monopod allows for a variety of trails.

The socket mortar concept is not new, as it is already in circulation in UK stocks via the 29mm Blacker Bombard anti-tank mortar. The Blacker Bombard, the brainchild of Lieutenant Colonel Stewart Blacker, was developed in the early days of WWII and was primarily issued to Home Guard units lacking proper tank interception weapons.

The platform has been in service since 1941 and uses the same launch principle as the PIAT. Around 22,000 were produced, with some problems with both Army and Royal Navy ranks.

It was this weapon that laid the foundation for the famous PIAT series, because it was actually born out of PIAT" When Black left for another position, Jeffries continued to work on this weapon, at the Ordnance Committee's Designated as "Bombard Baby, .625 inch #1" in the trial.

The British Army was the only mainstream adopter of the trunnion-type mortar weapon, while everyone else accepted the rocket-powered form in time. In addition to their low-complexity and inexpensive nature, the weapons themselves do not emit smoke from fired projectiles and protect the crew position from observers.

Additionally, the lack of rocket propulsion means there is no recoil to damage allies behind the fire, allowing the fire to fire from tight spots with relative confidence.

PIAT systems were released beyond standard anti-tank formations and many were used by groups of lightly armored vehicles for self-defense or ambush. Some chain transporters have up to 14 PIATs mounted on a special base to form a makeshift mortar system on site. PIAT is not a completely popular weapon, but it does work and works effectively. The weapon was first used by the Canadian Army during the July 1943 invasion of Sicily, and it did not disappoint. The British had similar success in their rampage in northern France after the D-Day landings in June 1944.

The success of weapons such as the PIAT forced the Germans to increase the use of armored aprons to protect their vital track components. The stranded tanks are artillery, anti-tank guns or infantry, ready to fire on the crew inside.

The British eventually followed many Western powers in adopting the American rocket-propelled grenade, and it was this weapon that officially ended the PIAT rule. Israel used this weapon during the 1948 War of Independence, and some PIATs were still in circulation in Australia during the upcoming Korean War (1950-1953).

The basic long-form name for PIAT is "Projector, Infantry, Anti-Tank MK I".

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