RUSSIAN WWII BODY ARMOR - A FASCINATING FIND

Body armors have been in production and use since the early 20th century. The period during the early 20th century saw an upsurge of body armor innovations and usage with both civillians and the military. Silk were used to weave early ballistic vests, costing a present day equivalent of U$D15,000 each which would stop low velocity rounds fired from black powder handguns. Not only does the vest protection is limited and the production cost expensive, it ironically wasn't able to save the life of one of its most famous wearer, Archduke Franz Ferdinand of Austria when he was assassinated on June 28, 1914. He was shot in the neck with a .32 ACP calibre FN Model 1910, leaving the vest unscathed.

The Second World War saw better body armors being put into military service. Body armors made from cheaper ballistic nylons were seen on allied aircraft crews, who valued its ability to stop incoming flaks and shrapnels, hence the name 'flak jacket'. Both the Allies and Axis had developed body armors for ground infantries, but none were proven to be more effective other than stopping shrapnels and fragments, with no widespread usage being planned.

Image 01: The frontal view of the SN-42 body armor.

However, the most fascinating ones I found on the Internet is this World War II-era Soviet body armor.

Image 02: A WWII Soviet infantrymen, carrying the ubiquitous PPsh-41 SMG, wearing the SN-42 (location unknown, perhaps Stalingrad). The man to the left in seen with a flamethrower. Picture is posed for propaganda purposes.

Called the SN-42 (in Russian language "Stalynoi Nagrudnik", SN=steel vest or С�?-42), It consists of two pressed steel plates that protected the front torso and groin. The plates were 2mm thick and weighs 3.5 kgs each. The SN-42 body armor was supplied to SHISBr (assault engineers) and Tankodesantnikam (infantry that rode on tanks) on some tank brigades. Before the SN-42, there were earlier versions being made, called SN-38, SN-39, SN-40 and SN-40A. However, only the SN-42 made it into production.

Image 03: Several WWII Soviet infantrymen with the SN-42 equipped. Firearm identification uncertain; quite possibly a Degtyarev DP LMG, based on the shape of the firearm's muzzle tip.

Image 04: With his SN-42 and Degtyarev DP LMG, this WWII Soviet infantrymen smiled for the camera.

Combat experience had shown that the 9x19mm Parabelum bullets fired from the German MP-40 failed to penetrate the armor at around the range of 100-125m. It proved useful in confined, build-up, intense urban environments (e.g: Stalingrad) where the Germans predominantly employs the use of submachineguns like the MP-40. Because of its weight and bulk, it wasn't considered practical to be used for soldiers charging across an open battlefield.

Image 05: A German WWII corporal wearing the SN-42 body armor, possibly captured from the Soviets. It is said to have saved his life during combat.

Image 06: A Finnish soldier wearing a captured early version of the body armor, from Soviet-Finnish Winter Wars (Nov. 30th 1939 - March 12th 1940)

Few information exists for this body armor. The only existing source I could find is THIS. Unfortunately, the homepage is in Russian, and therefore I'm unable to understand its contents. If there's anyone out there kind enough to provide a summarized translation, please do help me with this.

INFO SOURCE (REFERENCED, TAKEN, AND/OR EDITED FROM):
1. Wikipedia. Search keyword:
- Bulletproof vest.
- SN-42.
- .32 ACP.

2. Axis History Forum - 'WWII body armor - fake?'.

3. Twentieth-Century Small Arms by Chris McNab, Orange Books (ISBN 1-84013-381-3)

IMAGE SOURCE:
1. Wikipedia.
- Image 01.

2. Инженерно-штурмовые ча�?ти РВГК
- Image 02.
- Image 03.
- Image 04.

3. Axis History Forum - 'WWII body armor - fake?'.
- Image 05.
- Image 06.