When did the ironclad warship CSS Virginia engage the USS Monitor?
The ironclad warship CSS Virginia engaged the USS Monitor in 1862. This battle proved that thick metal plates could withstand cannon fire better than traditional wooden hulls.
Questions about Vehicle armour
Short answers, pulled from the story.
What materials were used for early European iron armour and when was steel adopted?
Early European iron armour consisted of 10 to 12.5 centimeters of wrought iron backed by up to one meter of solid wood. Shipbuilders soon realized steel was significantly stronger and replaced wrought iron entirely.
Which aircraft models utilized a bathtub-shaped titanium enclosure for pilot protection?
The USAF A-10 Thunderbolt II utilized a bathtub-shaped titanium enclosure for the pilot. Soviet/Russian-built Sukhoi Su-25 ground-attack aircraft also used this same protective design.
How does ceramic material function within composite armor solutions against HEAT rounds?
High speed photography showed that ceramic material shatters as the HEAT round penetrates. The highly energetic fragments destroy the geometry of the metal jet generated by the hollow charge.
Why is sloped armor applied to tanks and other armored fighting vehicles?
Sloped armor improves the level of protection by increasing the thickness measured on a horizontal plane while keeping plate thickness constant. The increased protection causes deflection, deforming, and ricochet of projectiles which are reasons to apply sloped armor in vehicle design.