Anyone know the earliest development and/or deployment of Chobham type armour?

Hi See link here ,looks like we invented it in the 60s first tank was the Challengerhttp://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Chobham_armour


regards pete

Yes, the Brits invented Chobham armor technology and licensed it to the US.  They also invented the Magnetron which heralded the evolution of modern radar.</p>

Hmmm. Thought it was earlier than that. I know for a fact that a type of spaced/compressed filler armor was used as early as 1932.

Hi After the 6 day war in the middle east Israil did tests with reactive armour(History Channel progame),they tried putting explosvies to the outside of the hulls and turrets,they ended up with replacable reactive armour ,looks like small blocks (two plates with explosives between)if an RPG or tank round hits it it blows the incomming round away from the tank,stopping it penatrating the hull or turret,this is not Chobham but reactive armour.See link http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reactive_armour

Hope this helps

regards pete

P.S the first effective armour was in the 20swhen a thin layer of high tensile steel was fitted to the outsideof normal steelto make it bullet proof.

Chobham is not a spaced armor and it was not the first composite armor. It was just one combination of materials.

Yes, I am aware of this. My prime MOS for many years was tank killer, and of course we studied hard anything new, and anything old. I was using 'Chobham armor' as more of a generic term than being case specific.
Sev