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One has to wonder where all the armour from the Middle Ages and the Renaissance that is no longer preserved might have gone. The article presents some forms of repurposing discarded pieces of armour. The focus is on two helms of the fourteenth century, which were secondarily used in a fire hood. The new finds not only tell an interesting story, they are also rare representatives of a once widespread type. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Chicago's preoccupation with its architectural heritage has created an architourism industry around extant works by famous architects like Daniel H. Burnham, Louis Sullivan, Frank Lloyd Wright, and Mies van der Rohe. The social histories of these buildings can be illuminated through archaeological research such as the 2023 summer field project at the former sites of the Armour Mission and the Armour Flats. Excavation there produced materials related to the processes of urban renewal that made manifest the Mies-designed site plan for the Illinois Institute of Technology (IIT) campus. Amid building demolition, we recovered evidence of food consumption patterns as well as several children's toys from the turn of the twentieth century. The results presented here are preliminary—full analysis will be shared with our community partners in the Black Metropolis National Heritage Area to see what responses, correctives, or new questions for future research emerge. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The article presents a historiographic analysis of research works dedicated to the study of the complex of long-range weapons of the Golden Horde warrior. Various studies of the middle of the XIX – the first quarter of the XXI century were considered. During the study, classification schemes of various elements of Golden Horde long-range weapons put forward by the authors were analyzed; features inherent in research works in certain historical periods were highlighted. Based on the analysis of these works, three chronological stages in the history of the study of long-range weapons of the Golden Horde were identified. For each stage distinctive features were shown. Actual problematic aspects of the study of Golden Horde long-range weapons were also identified; they are requiring further study in the future.

Sifting through business accounts and public records, this article demonstrates the involvement of Medici Bank in the military industry of the fifteenth century, shedding new light on the final years of one of the most important companies in Renaissance Italy. By restating the relation between the public role and the private business of Lorenzo the Magnificent, this article emphasises the exploitation of government operations for his economic gain as well as the use of the family business for his political purposes – in this case, the consolidation of the new, permanent military institutions of the Florentine Republic. Developing this point further, the entire military organisation of the Medicean regime, traditionally assessed as haphazard and inefficient, is re-evaluated. Finally, this article contributes to the current debate on the military entrepreneurship of the preindustrial world, focussing on the cooperation between state administration and capitalist elites in supplying the materiel indispensable to early modern armies. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Machine learning (ML) is well suited for the prediction of high-complexity, high-dimensional problems such as those encountered in terminal ballistics. We evaluate the performance of four popular ML-based regression models, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), artificial neural network (ANN), support vector regression (SVR), and Gaussian process regression (GP), on two common terminal ballistics’ problems: (a) predicting the V50 ballistic limit of monolithic metallic armour impacted by small and medium calibre projectiles and fragments, and (b) predicting the depth to which a projectile will penetrate a target of semi-infinite thickness. To achieve this we utilise two datasets, each consisting of approximately 1000 samples, collated from public release sources. We demonstrate that all four model types provide similarly excellent agreement when interpolating within the training data and diverge when extrapolating outside this range. Although extrapolation is not advisable for ML-based regression models, for applications such as lethality/survivability analysis, such capability is required. To circumvent this, we implement expert knowledge and physics-based models via enforced monotonicity, as a Gaussian prior mean, and through a modified loss function. The physics-informed models demonstrate improved performance over both classical physics-based models and the basic ML regression models, providing an ability to accurately fit experimental data when it is available and then revert to the physics-based model when not. The resulting models demonstrate high levels of predictive accuracy over a very wide range of projectile types, target materials and thicknesses, and impact conditions significantly more diverse than that achievable from any existing analytical approach. Compared with numerical analysis tools such as finite element solvers the ML models run orders of magnitude faster. We provide some general guidelines throughout for the development, application, and reporting of ML models in terminal ballistics problems.

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Machine learning (ML) is well suited for the prediction of high-complexity, high-dimensional problems such as those encountered in terminal ballistics. We evaluate the performance of four popular ML-based regression models, extreme gradient boosting (XGBoost), artificial neural network (ANN), support vector regression (SVR), and Gaussian process regression (GP), on two common terminal ballistics' problems: (a) predicting the V50 ballistic limit of monolithic metallic armour impacted by small and medium calibre projectiles and fragments, and (b) predicting the depth to which a projectile will penetrate a target of semi-infinite thickness. To achieve this we utilise two datasets, each consisting of approximately 1000 samples, collated from public release sources. We demonstrate that all four model types provide similarly excellent agreement when interpolating within the training data and diverge when extrapolating outside this range. Although extrapolation is not advisable for ML-based regression models, for applications such as lethality/survivability analysis, such capability is required. To circumvent this, we implement expert knowledge and physics-based models via enforced monotonicity, as a Gaussian prior mean, and through a modified loss function. The physics-informed models demonstrate improved performance over both classical physics-based models and the basic ML regression models, providing an ability to accurately fit experimental data when it is available and then revert to the physics-based model when not. The resulting models demonstrate high levels of predictive accuracy over a very wide range of projectile types, target materials and thicknesses, and impact conditions significantly more diverse than that achievable from any existing analytical approach. Compared with numerical analysis tools such as finite element solvers the ML models run orders of magnitude faster. We provide some general guidelines throughout for the development, application, and reporting of ML models in terminal ballistics problems. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This article examines the inventories of arms and armour stored at the castles of Taunton and Farnham that are recorded in the pipe rolls of the bishopric of Winchester in the thirteenth century. Relatively few inventories for this period survive, which means that these rolls provide unique insights into changes in military equipment in England. This includes providing information about the types of armaments used by footmen, crossbowmen, and knights, as well as technological developments such as the adoption of plate armour. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The castle on Kozlov Rob above Tolmin is one of the most important historical sites in western Slovenia. Over the years, large quantities of finds dating from the late medieval and early modern periods have been recovered from the castle ruins in the process of archaeological investigations and construction works. Many of the recovered iron artefacts are extremely difficult to identify due to their fragmentary state. This paper presents the study of four relatively recently discovered artefacts. The available evidence suggests that at least one of them belongs to a helmet, while another has been identified as the remains of a lock. The artefacts were analysed with X-ray radiography and X-ray diffraction. Additionally, samples were taken for microhardness Vickers measurements and metallographic analysis with a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope. Additional microchemical and structural phase analysis were done with the electron microscope. The aim of archaeometallurgical analyses is to contribute to a more precise interpretation and add a new dimension to our knowledge of the castle site at Kozlov Rob.

Traditional coastal engineering design usually focuses only on how to ensure the safety of a revetment under the combined action of waves and currents, and less consideration is given to the ecological and landscaping effect after the implementation of the revetment project. In recent years, with the country's attention more and more to marine ecological protection, more blue bay improvement projects and coastal ecological protection and restoration projects have been carried out. This paper discusses the design of ecological landscaping revetment on reef coasts based on an actually implemented remediation and restoration project on a reef coast in East China, which may be used as a reference for similar projects and provide design ideas for other types of coastal remediation projects. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This research paper presents a comprehensive investigation into the response of a 3D finite element model when subjected to 7.62 AP projectiles. The study utilises Hetherington's armour composite equation and incorporates the Johnson-Holmquist material model to analyse the strength and failure criteria of the ceramic and Kevlar/epoxy components, respectively. The results highlight the remarkable resilience of the composite armour, demonstrating its ability to withstand projectile velocities up to 1500 m/s. However, as the ballistic velocity limit increases, the armour experiences significant damage, including projectile erosion and panel delamination. Through numerical simulations and advanced modelling techniques, the paper thoroughly explores the failure modes and energy absorption characteristics of composite armour systems under projectile impact. It investigates key parameters such as velocity, acceleration, kinetic energy, internal energy, pressure distribution, displacement, and damage progression. The analysis reveals a progressive decrease in kinetic energy as the projectile interacts with the armour, underscoring the crucial role of energy absorption in preventing projectile penetration. Moreover, the impact velocity influences the distribution of internal energy within the composite armour, with higher velocities leading to greater energy absorption up to a threshold limit. The study also determines the ballistic limit velocity (V50) using the velocity history approach and validates the findings with existing literature. Overall, the research provides valuable insights into the limitations of composite armour and offers important recommendations for designing and improving materials to achieve superior ballistic protection. It emphasises the significance of reaching the maximum ballistic limit while maintaining a lightweight armour structure by optimising the total armour thickness. This study contributes to the advancement of armour technology and enhances our understanding of the behaviour of composite materials under high-velocity impacts. It offers valuable guidance for the development of more robust armour systems suitable for various defence and protection applications.

The castle on Kozlov Rob above Tolmin is one of the most important historical sites in western Slovenia. Over the years, large quantities of finds dating from the late medieval and early modern periods have been recovered from the castle ruins in the process of archaeological investigations and construction works. Many of the recovered iron artefacts are extremely difficult to identify due to their fragmentary state. This paper presents the study of four relatively recently discovered artefacts. The available evidence suggests that at least one of them belongs to a helmet, while another has been identified as the remains of a lock. The artefacts were analysed with X-ray radiography and X-ray diffraction. Additionally, samples were taken for microhardness Vickers measurements and metallographic analysis with a light microscope and a scanning electron microscope. Additional microchemical and structural phase analysis were done with the electron microscope. The aim of archaeometallurgical analyses is to contribute to a more precise interpretation and add a new dimension to our knowledge of the castle site at Kozlov Rob. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

To compliment significant research into knightly arms and armour, such as the mail hauberk and iron helmet, to shield design and types of swords, this article considers textile clothing worn in conjunction with metal armour in the High Middle Ages (1050–1250). It analyses potential nuances in the use of terminology to improve our understanding of the degrees of protection available to elite warriors, as well as their approach to balancing agility with protection, i.e. the management of the risks of injury in close combat. It demonstrates that various terms to describe textile armour – aketon, pourpoint, gambeson, and jupon – are not all names for a single, broad category of textile armour. This article also investigates the use of fabric armour when the threat of combat was reduced or to gain a tactical advantage, such as mentioned as being worn by John Marshal in the opening sequences of L'Histoire de Guillaume le Maréchal or that required of burghers and freemen in Henry II's Assize of Arms of 1181. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In previous studies, I drew attention to the motif depicted on the reverse of the largest coin of Herod the Great -- a conical cap surmounted by a star, set on a couch, and flanked by a pair of palm branches -- and argued that it represents a theoxenia to Herod as hero. Some scholars, though, have maintained that the principal object should be identified as a military helmet, with the lower part as the brim of the headgear. In this article, I will draw on the form of contemporaneous helmets to show how this interpretation is implausible. Furthermore, I will demonstrate that this motif was intended as a veiled reference to King Herod himself, as the embodiment of his name, and intended as a scene of homage to Herod as archetypal hero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Triple layer titanium-based plate consisted of Ti--6Al--4V and CP--Ti layers 3D-printed on T110 substrate was tested for antiballistic protection. Microstructure after ballistic testing, hardness and three-point flexure characteristics of the layered material were studied and analysed. Interfaces between layers are important structure features contributing antiballistic protection characteristics. 3D-printed layers demonstrated sufficient bonding without porosity and other defects at interfaces, which resulted in promising antiballistic protection against high-energy B32 projectiles. Difference in microstructure, strength, hardness and ductile properties of individual layers resulted in noticeable variation of mechanical behaviour of layered materials depending on direction of applied force giving potential for further improvement of protecting characteristics. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The paper gives an interpretation of a person, wearing in his hands Emperor’s helmet, on one of the surviving reliefs from the Great Trajanic frieze, which originally belonged to an unknown monument of the Trajan era, and later adorned the Arch of Constantine. This figure is wearing the same type of armour as the equites singulares (cavalrymen) surrounding the Emperor. However, despite this, it is more logical to see in this character not an ordinary bodyguard, and not even an Emperor’s groom, but his chamberlain — cubicularius. Based on the available ancient sources, as well as with the involvement of iconographic material, the author concluded that the figure depicted behind the Emperor is a person with a high status. In some cases, these people had the title of “keeper of the dagger” (a pugione), which may indicate a function associated with the storage of the Emperor’s pugio, which allows cubicularius to be interpreted as an Emperor’s armour-bearer.

The recent research and development performed for armour systems for material selection and analysis has helped discover new and significant material properties suited for ballistic applications. The realm of ballistic studies has employed advanced materials to provide the desired performance, considering the strict requirement of perfect material selection for armour systems. Energy absorption, ballistic limit, and depth of indentation are the most important parameters to be analyzed for an efficient armour system. The importance of utilizing appropriate materials for armour system is necessary, to achieve higher energy absorption, ballistic limit, and low blunt trauma (

This study was devoted to the understanding of the influence of MgAl 2 O 4 ceramic properties on their ballistic performances. By modifying the processing parameters, ceramics with different microstructures were obtained. Among them, a transparent MgAl 2 O 4 spinel with an in-line transmission between 77% and 83% in the visible range, an average grain size of 8.6 μm and good mechanical properties (11.3 GPa in Knoop hardness and 2.5 MPa√m in fracture toughness) was produced. A thorough characterisation of the ceramics was accomplished in order to establish a link between microstructure, mechanical properties and ballistic protective performances against an armour piercing projectile of calibre 7.62x51 mm. The ballistic evaluation demonstrated the advantage of using a spinel layer as the strike face to stop a threat, while reducing drastically the thickness and the areal density of the transparent multilayer, compared to a simple glass armour. MgAl 2 O 4 spinel with fine grains presented a better combination of mechanical properties compared to coarser microstructures, hence a better potential to damage a projectile at the impact. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents an experimental and finite element (FE) simulation study on back face bulge formation in p-aramid composite, ultra high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) composite and p-aramid/UHMWPE hybrid composite under normal projectile impact. The experimental evaluation revels that the back face deformation in p-aramid/UHMWPE hybrid composite has been found 75–80 % and 16–18 % lower than the back face deformation in UHMWPE and p-aramid composite respectively. The hybrid composite with UHMWPE striking faces showed 7–13 % more deformation as compared to with p-aramid striking face. The average percentage difference in finite element simulation and experimental results has been found around 10 %. Further, it has been observed almost 20 % and 38 % more deformations for the hybrid composite of UHMWPE layers at the front and middle position respectively as compared to UHMWPE layers at back end. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Atractosteus spatula has been described as a living fossil (having existed for 100 Myr), retaining morphological characteristics of early ancestors such as the ability to breathe air and survive above water for hours. Its highly effective armour consists of ganoid scales. We analyse the protective function of the scales and identify key features which lead to their resistance to failure. Microstructural features include: a twisted cross-plied mineral arrangement that inhibits crack propagation in the external ganoine layer, mineral crystals that deflect cracks in the bony region in order to activate the strength of mineralized collagen fibrils, and saw-tooth ridges along the interface between the two scale layers which direct cracks away from the intrinsically weak interface. The macroscale geometry is additionally evaluated and it is shown that the scales retain full coverage in spite of minimal overlap between adjacent scales while conforming to physiologically required strain and maintaining flexibility via a process in which adjacent rows of scales slide and concurrently reorient.

The diplomat Siegmund von Herberstein decorated his Russian travelogues and his autobiographical works with several illustrations, including some with references to Hungary. Augustin Hirschvogel created the depictions of the rulers Herberstein visited, as well as the illustrations of his European journeys. However, the rulers wearing ornate fictive armour were not authentic portraits: they were inspired by the woodcuts of Hans Burgkmair the Elder (Genealogy), as well as by the engravings of the Augsburger Geschlechterbuch. Hirschvogel later made busts in the shape of a medallion, which were more authentic, as they were based on paintings, engravings and commemorative coins depicting the rulers. The number of the scenes about Herberstein’ s travels also increased: one genre scene depicted one of his most significant journeys, his visit to Suleiman’ s military camp at the Danube in 1541, after the capture of Buda. The negotiations have two other depictions as well. Herberstein also decorated his biographical publications with six full-length portraits depicting him in the various outfits of an ambassador. He wore one of them during his visit to Buda in 1541, and received another as a gift from Suleiman.

• Cover plate improves the auxetic response of target. • The thicker the cover plate, the better the auxetic response. • Different overall behaviour observed with different auxetic material structures. • ABS structure behaved poorly, with brittle failure and delayed auxetic response. This study investigated how mild steel cover plates of various thicknesses affected the collapse of re-entrant auxetic structures under penetration at 500 m/s by ø16 mm spherical projectiles. A combination of experimental and numerical methods was used to capture this effect with auxetic structures made from 3D printed titanium alloy (Ti6Al4V) and ABS plastic (acrylonitrile butadiene styrene), and wire cut 304 stainless steel (SS304). Experimentally, structures were tested with a 2.90 mm cover plate and without the cover plate. Numerically, the effect of the cover plate thickness on the auxetic response of the structure was tested with 0.95 mm, 1.50 mm, and 2.90 mm cover plates (as well as no cover plate). The auxetic densification was found to be greatest under the thickest cover. Material characterisation tests were conducted to develop strength and failure models for the mild steel cover and back plates in this study, which produced simulated correlation to the ballistic experiments. Although the simulated auxetic effect generally increased with cover plate thickness, similar to the experiments, the structure material significantly affected the range of this dependence. For the ductile SS304 structures, a thin (0.95 mm) cover plate showed a small improvement in the auxetic response, with a marked improvement with a 1.50 mm cover plate. Whereas the Ti6Al4V structures showed a steady improvement in auxetic densification as the cover plate thickness was increased. Overall densification of the ABS structures was significantly improved by adding cover plates, however collapse was delayed compared to the other materials. These findings therefore indicate that the thickness of cover plates in auxetic sandwiches can be specifically engineered to maximise auxetic effect while considering the ranges of this dependence with different auxetic materials. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper presents the commercial production of a high strength low alloy steel with 8 different thicknesses through continuous casting route. All the plates exhibit tempered martensite structure after heat treatment. Mechanical properties of different thickness plates are obtained from tensile testing. Charpy impact properties of the steel plates are evaluated at room temperature and at −40°C. From the tensile and impact tests, it is noticed that the continuous cast steel displays a good combination of strength and impact toughness. Ballistic performance of the steel is carried out by impacting against 7.62-mm-high hardness armour piercing (AP) steel projectiles and 125 mm FSAPDS ammunition. A comparison of microstructure, mechanical and ballistic propertiesof the continuous cast steel and conventional ingot cast steel has been carried out. It is observed that the continuous cast steel displays marginal improvement in ballistic performance in comparison to the ingot cast steel.The ballistic behaviour of the continuous cast steel is also compared with that of the rolled homogeneous armour steel. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Osteoderms are mineralised structures consisting mainly of calcium phosphate and collagen. They form directly within the skin, with or without physical contact with the skeleton. Osteoderms, in some form, may be primitive for tetrapods as a whole, and are found in representatives of most major living lineages including turtles, crocodilians, lizards, armadillos, and some frogs, as well as extinct taxa ranging from early tetrapods to dinosaurs. However, their distribution in time and space raises questions about their evolution and homology in individual groups. Among lizards and their relatives, osteoderms may be completely absent; present only on the head or dorsum; or present all over the body in one of several arrangements, including non‐overlapping mineralised clusters, a continuous covering of overlapping plates, or as spicular mineralisations that thicken with age. This diversity makes lizards an excellent focal group in which to study osteoderm structure, function, development and evolution. In the past, the focus of researchers was primarily on the histological structure and/or the gross anatomy of individual osteoderms in a limited sample of taxa. Those studies demonstrated that lizard osteoderms are sometimes two‐layered structures, with a vitreous, avascular layer just below the epidermis and a deeper internal layer with abundant collagen within the deep dermis. However, there is considerable variation on this model, in terms of the arrangement of collagen fibres, presence of extra tissues, and/or a cancellous bone core bordered by cortices. Moreover, there is a lack of consensus on the contribution, if any, of osteoblasts in osteoderm development, despite research describing patterns of resorption and replacement that would suggest both osteoclast and osteoblast involvement. Key to this is information on development, but our understanding of the genetic and skeletogenic processes involved in osteoderm development and patterning remains minimal. The most common proposition for the presence of osteoderms is that they provide a protective armour. However, the large morphological and distributional diversity in lizard osteoderms raises the possibility that they may have other roles such as biomechanical reinforcement in response to ecological or functional constraints. If lizard osteoderms are primarily for defence, whether against predators or conspecifics, then this 'bony armour' might be predicted to have different structural and/or mechanical properties compared to other hard tissues (generally intended for support and locomotion). The cellular and biomineralisation mechanisms by which osteoderms are formed could also be different from those of other hard tissues, as reflected in their material composition and nanostructure. Material properties, especially the combination of malleability and resistance to impact, are of interest to the biomimetics and bioinspired material communities in the development of protective clothing and body armour. Currently, the literature on osteoderms is patchy and is distributed across a wide range of journals. Herein we present a synthesis of current knowledge on lizard osteoderm evolution and distribution, micro‐ and macrostructure, development, and function, with a view to stimulating further work. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This study focuses on the extensive archaeometallurgical characterization of a suit of an exceptional armour belonging to the "Musée du Vieux-Château" in Laval (France). Except for the helmet, its morphological features correspond to a rare Italian-style equipment dated from the 15thcentury. However, its exact origin is unknown. Metallurgical investigations made on a set of samples revealed that the armour was made of various ferrous alloys, submitted to different heat treatments. Particular craftsmanship has been implemented on some elements of the armour such as the backplate involving both quenching to harden the metal and the use of a "banded steel", combining several sheets of metal with different properties, which could have been achieved to provide better defensive properties. These results were combined with a thorough provenance analysis of the metal by considering the composition of Slag Inclusions (SI), revealing three different metal supply sources for the different pieces of the suit. Two defences were made of a metal whose chemical signature is compatible with the Italian Alps while three others have a common chemical signature, compatible with another group of Italian-style defences, already studied. The provenance study reinforces the hypothesis of a link between several parts of the armour. More broadly, the results give new insight in the fabrication of Italian-fashion suit of armour and provide crucial data for establishing the chemical signature of metal supplies employed by the armourers' workshops. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Whenever one thinks of the World War II, the image of dark menacing panzers cutting deep swathes into enemy forces comes up to the mind. No amount of interpretation and overinterpretation can belittle the extraordinary role-played by the panzers in World War II. Similarly, despite the presence of numerous good works by various historians and introduction of exotic methodologies, Professor Dennis Showalter's place in the world of academic writings on World War II can never be marginalized. The present article humbly attempts to highlight one aspect of Professor Showalter's research: history of tanks during the World War II. This essay has two sections. The first section evaluates Showalter's three works dealing with armour during the World War II. In the next section, the present author, inspired by Showalter's works on armoured war, attempts to recount the evolution of armoured branch in the Indian Army until the end of World War II. Indian tank units, as this article argues, played a crucial role in the capture of Meiktila and the subsequent 'Race to Rangoon'. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

In previous studies, I drew attention to the motif depicted on the reverse of the largest coin of Herod the Great -- a conical cap surmounted by a star, set on a couch, and flanked by a pair of palm branches -- and argued that it represents a theoxenia to Herod as hero. Some scholars, though, have maintained that the principal object should be identified as a military helmet, with the lower part as the brim of the headgear. In this article, I will draw on the form of contemporaneous helmets to show how this interpretation is implausible. Furthermore, I will demonstrate that this motif was intended as a veiled reference to King Herod himself, as the embodiment of his name, and intended as a scene of homage to Herod as archetypal hero. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The author introduces into scientific discourse the collection of corps weapons from the State Hermitage museum. This unique collection is of great importance for the study of mensur duels that were practiced among the Russian student groups in the second half of the 19th– the beginning of the 20th century. In the “Arsenal” department collections of arms and amour, used in such duels and marked with the corps emblems of Dorpat, Riga and Saint-Petersburg universities are curated. On the territory of the Russian Empire, the corps were organized in the Baltic universities as well as in the Saint-Petersburg and Moscow ones, while the very notion was borrowed from Germany, where the tradition of such students groups has deep roots. In Russia, the corps were mostly widespread among the Baltic students of German parentage. Students’ life was full of various occupations, including concerts, wines and the so-called “mensur” duels. Student straight fights made up an important part of the corps life. The history of these duels is long, they were known in French and Italian universities in the Renaissance time, and by the 16th century every German university had employed a fencing-master. The keystone of the duel presumed the exchange of points without leaving the spot. Duelers were forbidden not only to quit the position but also to elude the opponent blows. The main weapon of mensur duels was schlager. Its several variants belonging to the given corps are described in the article. Different pieces of armour like fencing masks, helmets, quilted leather cover for belly and legs, leather arm cover with glove, leather fauld, which were used in such type duels, are also presented. The weapons from the Hermitage collection have doubtless scientific value and are quite rare in the museums.

Ultra-high molecular weight polyethylene (UHMWPE) has the potential to make a significant contribution to the efforts currently being made to help to protect the environment by reducing carbon emissions through the substitution of heavy conventional materials with lightweight polymeric materials. Used on its own, UHMWPE also offers complete recyclability with thermoplastic matrices. UHMWPE fibre-based composites (both thermoplastic and thermoset) offer a wide range of applications in various fields such as military protective suits, automotive, aerospace, electronics hardware, tribological application, and biomaterial implants, and this issue of Textile Progress explores the behaviour of UHMWPE with different matrix systems for various purposes. UHMWPE is widely used in the development of ballistic protective armours. Apart from applications where impact resistance is a key requirement, UHMWPE-based composites are currently being employed in the fields such as biomedical implants, anti-friction systems, dielectric and acoustic applications, and other structural fields; the UHMWPE should be extractable from the thermoplastic types and be able to be recycled. The various manufacturing techniques employed in the preparation of UHMWPE and its composites are discussed as are improvements aimed at eradicating existing processing issues associated with UHMWPE. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

The massive Israeli–Egyptian tank battle in the Sinai on 14 October 1973 constituted a turning point on the southern front during the Yom Kippur War. The crushing Israeli victory set the stage for another turning point on this front, the Israeli counter-crossing of the Suez Canal. Yet, the battle of 14 October has received rather scant attention from military historians. This article, therefore, attempts to fill a gap in the literature about the Yom Kippur War by describing and analysing the battle itself, as well as by highlighting its broader impact on the course of hostilities in the Sinai. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

It is sometimes erroneously claimed that medieval knights, weighed down in their plate armour, could only mount horses with the aid of some mechanical device. This myth is found not only in some popular accounts of the Middle Ages but is also in the works of modern academics. It has been repeatedly claimed that it originated in the work of Mark Twain. However, even this is nothing but another myth in itself. A further re-examination of written and other sources demonstrates the idea can be traced back to earlier satirical reports of the mid-19th century. Although these are the earliest known references to an armoured figure being 'hoisted' so far discovered it would appear that later publications, as well as plays and films, using the idea, allowed it to blossom into an, apparently, accepted 'historical fact'. This article attempts to trace the history and development of this myth. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Lightweight armor materials made from ceramics have become a great interest in the past decades. There have been many research efforts to develop the high-performance ceramics for this particular application. Boron carbide (B4C) is one of the promised candidates due to its extraordinary hardness, wear resistance, chemical inertness, ultra-lightweight, and its high resistance to radiation. However, the strong covalent bonding nature of B4C makes it hard to be sintered. Sintering at high temperatures and the presence of impurities can also result in grain coarsening. One of the methods being used to overcome the problems is to introduce Boron (B) as a sintering aid into raw materials of B4C. To evaluate the effects of B addition on the sinterability of B4C, B4C powders were ball-milled with B powders in different ratios and the mixtures of B4C and B were processed by spark plasma sintering technique. Density and toughness of the as-sintered materials were increased along with increasing B content in the range from 1 wt% to 7 wt% while hardness and strength of the samples were also increased when the percentage of B addition is up to 5 wt%.

Byzantium’s arms and armours were researched by many historians. For that reason, the military history of the medieval Roman Empire enjoyed a dominant position in medieval historiography, with the consequence that very often the military history of small nations (under Roman influences) was written from the perspective of the Eastern Romans historians. The aim of the paper is to change this perspective and give the subject of the medieval Armenian military the attention it deserves. The idea is to perform an analysis of the relief on the Door of the Msho Arakelots monastery, where four equestrians and one infantryman are depicted, and to compare it with other Armenian, Byzantine and Muslim sources. In this relief, a spherical mace head and a sword with sleeve cross-guard are represented, suggesting many parallels with East-Roman archaeological and figurative sources. No less important is the depiction of the military trumpet because it is the first image of this object in Armenian art, which can be compared with pictures from the Madrid Skylitzes (13th c.). In addition, the only defensive weapon which is presented in this relief is a round shield with a floral ornament. There are many depictions of round shields in Armenian miniatures and reliefs from 10th–11th c. Moreover, this relief is one of the few where stirrups and the chape of a scabbard are shown. These elements represent an important piece of information because these pictures can be compared with actual archaeological East-Roman artefacts to reconstruct their real look. The conclusions are that the majority of Armenian weapons bear similarities to Byzantine ones but no less important are the Muslim influences, which have been found in some cases. Located between two civilizations (Byzantium and the Muslim Potentates), Armenians adopted the best solutions of their military technologies, creating their own culture. Moreover, thanks to this comparative analysis, further support will be given to the idea that medieval figurative sources are more or less accurate material for studying medieval military history.

The paper presents a simulated process of penetration of a steel slab with a strength performance approximate to that of World War II battle tanks with a 7.92 mm DS projectile fired from the 35 “Ur” type anti-tank rifle. The basic technical parameters necessary for the simulation process were sourced from historical records. The FEM (Finite Element Method) applied in LS-Dyna enabled an estimation of the penetrating capability of the DS projectile. Decisive to the high penetrating capability of the DS projectiles were the non-optimized properties of armour steel (its high brittleness) and a high kinetic energy of the projectile, which generated high shearing stresses upon impact against the steel slab causing the effect of ‘plugging’ upon penetration. The numerical simulation results confirmed the high combat effectiveness of the DS projectile and the argument that the DS projectile could pierce a 20 mm thick armour plate made from the material applied during the World War II era.

Ceramic Matrix Composites (CMCs) have many interesting properties, mainly light weight, cost efficiency, low density, high compressive strength, high hardness and durability. Hence, they emerged as a boon to the development of personnel armors in the past. The current work aims to review various new methodologies adapted for the reinforcement of Alumina (Al 2 O 3) CMCs in recent times, including some of the interesting results obtained with respect to mechanical properties, suitability of the synthesized composites for armor applications, and the upcoming reinforcement trends. Finally, studies related to reinforcement in Al 2 O 3 CMCs, specifically towards armor applications have been consolidated to arrive at some of the important inferences for concluding reasonably. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

During the Crimean War of 1853 to 1856 the British and French cooperated to build the first operational armoured ships to attack land fortifications. Competition replaced cooperation after the War as both countries began to develop armoured frigates and build ironclad navies. This period of rapid development in naval technology saw major national efforts to develop effective armour plates and manufacture them to the quality and quality required. In Britain the 'Special Committee on Iron' was set up to lead research into this new field and identify the best materials and methods of manufacture. Over the period 1856 to 1863 the quality and thickness of plates improved and this article looks at the relative merits of hammered and rolled plates over this period and the eventual adoption of rolled plates in 1863. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]