body armor - the Scientia Review

Body armor
Deidre Di Liddo
Emma George Hewett
1
Ta b l e o f c o n t e n t s
Development of Body Armor
2
Spartans
3
Samurai
4
Mycenaean Age
5
Medieval Armor
6-7
Plate Armor
8
Chain Mail
9
Shields
10
Head
11
Bomb Suit
12
Armor in the Twentieth Century
13
Armored Vehicles
14-15
Police Armor
16
Current Military Use
17-18
Visual Recap
20
Glossary
21
About the Authors
22
Illustration Credits
23
1
The development of
body armor
A myriad of types of body
armor have been used
throughout history in cultures
all over the globe. The
classification and material of
t h e p ro t e c t i o n v a r i e d
worldwide based on what had
been available and based on
the needs of the culture.
Armor evolved out of the
need for protection from
weather, animals, and other
people. Generally used in
combat, armor developed new
needs when new war weapons
were implemented. Plate
armor and chain mail were
invented during a time when
warfare was conducted in a
close-quarter manner with
swords, spears, and knives.
War techniques utilized during
the 20th century and
improvements of guns saw
innovations such as the bomb
suit and the bullet proof vest.
Today, the police and the
German Plate metal from the 16th century. The
name of the wearer is inscribed on the chest.
military still find a need for
bodily protection. Ballistic vests
are worn by almost all police
officers inside the country, and
worn by marines and military
personnel abroad. Material
scientists and engineers are still
looking to improve body armor
by making it more effective and
weigh less.
2
T h e S pa r ta n s
Although the body armor
of the Spartans had its distinct
features, they used the same
general hoplite equipment
that other Greek armies had
used in that time period.
One distinct difference
was the crimson tunic which
was worn to protect the chest
and abdomen. The Spartan
soldiers also carried a shield
to protect themselves in
combat because, without the
luxury of a gun, soldiers were
required to be close to their
enemies to make an effective
kill. The shields were
decorated with the Greek
letter lambda ( Λ ). The
horsehair that was a part of
some soldiers‟ helmets helped
to distinguish officers from
soldiers of lower ranks. The
two most common weapons
were the Doru and the
javelin, which is similar to a
spear.
The Javelin
The javelin was a common weapon that
was used by the Spartans in combat. This
weapon was used to dismantle the
formation of the enemies troops. This
was an effective tool because battle
techniques were severely focused on the
formation of the troops. If the enemy’s
formation had been weakened by a
malformation, it would allow for the
attackers to move in and defeat the
enemy.
Spartan soldiers were uniformly dressed for battle.
Each soldiers‟ uniform consisted of a helmet, chest
armor, shin protectors, a shield, and a javelin.
3
Samurai
Early Japanese samurai armor in use from the early seventh
century until into the fifteenth century.
The samurai were the
military nobles of pre-industrial
Japan. The first forms of armor
worn by the samurai were called
yoroi. This type of armor was
made out of waterproofed
leather or iron scales known as
kozane. These scales were laced
together to cover the chest. This
armor was effective against sword
battles, but became ineffective
around the fifteenth century
when guns were implemented.
After the appearance of
firearms, the samurai took
advantage of a stronger type
of armor: plate armor. These
Japanese warriors had a new
need for bodily protection.
Improved weapons and more
brutal warfare pushed the
development of Toseigusoku, an iron plated chest
armor. The samurai continued
to improve their armor until
their disappearance in the
19th century.
The samurai wore a kabuto helmet for head protections in addition
to the Tosei-gusoku for chest protection.
4
The Mycenaean
C i v i l i z at i o n
warrior which is why it is
presumed that this armor was
intended for those that rode in a
chariot.
The helmets worn by the
warriors were made from boar‟s
tusks and leather. There were
also two types of shields that
were used, these included the
“fiddle” shield and “tower”
shield. Some shields were large
enough to protect the entire
body.
Mycenae was a cultural
period that occurred during
the Bronze Age in Ancient
Greece. There are many
artifacts leftover from the
Mycenaean age. Among these
artifacts, many military items,
such as weapons and armor,
have been uncovered. Some of
these items were found near
sites of battles and others
were found in the tombs of
the nobles. It was tradition
that these nobles were buried
with important items such as
gold, masks, armor, and
weapons.
The Dendra Panoply,
which was a complete suit of
body armor, is the oldest form
of metal armor that has been
discovered. Although this
armor is effective, it was very
heavy because of the materials
that it was constructed from.
The weight would have
presented a problem for a
The Dendra Panoply was worn to protect the entire
body. However, this was not the best armor
because it weighed too much too move in.
5
M e d i e va l A r m o r
regarded with high respect in
society. Knights were to follow
a moral code to protect the
weak, as well as to act with
courtesy toward one another in
battle. To show their valor,
knights flew colored flags,
carried expensive weaponry, and
donned fancy armor.
In addition to showing
superiority, armor was very
important on the medieval
battlefield. Protection from all
sorts of weapons was achieved
with a full suit of body armor.
Enemies wielded two-handed
swords, maces, crossbows, battle
axes, lances, daggers, and other
deadly weapons.
The armor that knights
wore was costly and difficult to
manufacture. Every piece had to
be made specifically for each
individual knight. If the armor
was not the proper size, it was
difficult for the knight to move.
The Middle Ages was a
period of time in Europe
spanning from the fifth to the
fifteenth centuries. The Middle
Ages was a midpoint in
between the European
classical antiquity of the past
and the Renaissance thinking
of the modern era.
During this time,
chivalrous knights were
A medieval knight showed off his chivalry in battle with his
horse, his armor, and his weaponry.
6
M o r e M e d i e va l
Armor
Every part of a knight‟s
vulnerable body was covered
with equipment, and his suit
weighed up to ninety pounds.
Greaves,
poleyns, and
cuisses were pieces of plate
armor used to protect the
entire leg, whereas besagues,
rerebraces, vambrances,
and gauntlets were worn on
the hands and arms.
Plate metal covered a
knight‟s chest and back.
Between the sheets of plate
armor was chain mail. About
the head and neck was a
helmet known as a bascinet
and a chain mail skirt known
as an aventail.
In battle, a knight was no
good without his horse. Many
knights had multiple horses
for different tasks. Knights
ornamented their horses with
flags and armor to show off
their dominance. Every knight
rode a horse into battle.
Horse Armor
Because a knight was not safe without a
horse in battle, for full protection, his
horse needed to be armored as well. The
set of armor for a horse was called a
bard. The bard consisted of several
different pieces. A horse generally wore
armor to protect his chest, rump, neck,
flank, head, and face during war. The
horses knights mounted during battles
were highly skilled and very strong, but
not necessarily large.
A medieval armored knight sits atop his ornately armored
horse.
7
P l at e A r m o r
Historically, plate armor
was made from iron or steel
plates. Plate armor can be
worn in sections, or as a full
suit. This armor was worn
over mail suits. This type of
armor was not as popular
because of the high costs of
producing the metals that
were necessary to design the
suits.
The image shown above is
full plate armor which is meant
to protect the entire body.
The image to the left is a
similar suit of armor, however,
this suit of armor does not contain shin shields like the above
image does.
8
Chain mail
Chain mail is a form of
armor that is worn over the
head and torso. It is made out
of metal rings that are strung
together to form chains. When
the chains are attached to one
another, it creates a mesh. The
excessive amounts of metal
rings make it hard for a knife
to penetrate the body. It
became very popular because
it was so effective in battle.
Unfortunately, a great amount
of time and money were
necessary to make this armor
and many people could not
afford it.
The effectiveness of the
armor varied depending on
the techniques used to link,
materials of links, the weave
density, and the thickness of
links.
As weapons evolved, this
became a secondary source of
armor that was worn beneath
plate armor.
Chain mail worn on the head and torso to protect
the body from edged weapons.
Modern Day Uses
Chain mail is currently used as
protective clothing Gloves which have
been made to protect butchers hands
from the knives they use.
Chain mail is also used by SCUBA
divers to protect themselves from
predators that lurk beneath the
surface.
9
shields
A shield is a piece of armor
that is held in one hand and is
used to protect the holder from
various attacks and weapons.
The advantage that this armor
provides over armor suits is that
this can be moved to protect the
part of the body being attacked,
especially the face.
There are many different
types of shields. There are also
many factors that contribute to
The Spartans were one civilization that used shields
in battle. The battle techniques that were used protected not only the soldier wielding the shield, but
the people around them as well.
10
the quality of the shield which
include size, thickness, and material. The size varies greatly
because some are intended to
protect the whole body, and
others are meant to be easily
moved to cover specific parts
at any given moment. Materials
that were used to design
shields in the past were wood,
reed, animal hides, and even
turtle shells. Some shields
were solely designed for distance attacks and projectiles,
whereas others were designed
for hand-to-hand combat. On
the battlefield, decorated
shields not only served as protection, but also as a form of
identification.
Like other forms of body
armor, shields became less
common and less effective after the invention of the gun.
However, some civilizations
still used them for identification.
Head gear
Throughout history the
protective head armor, known
as the combat helmet has
vastly improved. Various types
of helmets can be dated back
to 23 BC. Multiple designs and
materials have been utilized in
the construction of this armor.
Originally, helmets were made
from leather and brass and
over the years has evolved
into forged steel. Just like
other pieces of armor, the
helmet required constant
updates to continue to serve
it‟s purpose of protecting the
head considering the new
types of weapons that were
constantly developing. The
benefits that the helmets had
once provided began to die
out in the 1600s and the sole
purpose of the helmets
became identification.
D i f f e re n t d e s i g n s a n d
decorations signified the
different ranks of a troop.
A modern helmet, as well as other basic armor, that
are used by infantry men in the United States Army,
Modern helmets are
designed from materials such as
Kevlar and Aramid. These
helmets are used by army men
and women to help protect the
head from concussions and
other effects that can be brought
on from an explosion.
11
Bomb suit
not used for common situations.
The first bomb suits were
designed and worn during World
War II because of the number of
bombs that the British were
using. People began to train to
disable bombs so that there
were fewer casualties in war.
A bomb suit is a more
advanced piece of body armor
that covers the entire body. It
is designed to protect the
wearer against the pressure
that is released from a bomb
and any other aspect that is
present when a bomb
explodes. The materials that
make up a bomb suit, Kevlar,
foam, and plastic, are very
effective in protecting the
person. These are generally
worn by personnel that have
been trained to disengage
bombs before they explode.
These men and women are
commonly referred to as the
bomb squad. Because of the
materials that are used to
design the bomb suit, it is not
a suitable type of body armor
for general combat, although it
would be highly effective. The
weight and size of the bomb
suit makes it difficult to
maneuver in, which is why it is
This man is wearing a bomb suit because he is about
to disable unexploded bombs. This suit will protect
him if he accidently sets the bomb off.
12
T w e n t i e t h C e n t u ry
Armor
A true bullet resistant vest
was not used in battle until the
end WWII. Testing during this
period shifted from metal to
nonmetal materials. The first
United States Army standard
vest was aluminum.
In 1942, the U.S. Air Corps
began the use of flak jackets to
protect aircrews from slow
shrapnel. The first steel and
nylon flak jackets were incredibly
heavy, and they were not
effective against higher velocity
weapons.
By the end of the
twentieth century, lighter-weight,
concealable body armor had
been developed.
Before the start of the
1900s, the use of metal plate
armor had nearly completely
disappeared from military use
until the start of the World
War I. During this period, the
advances in weapons vastly
outran the protective armor
available.
During World War I, few
foot soldiers wore effective
body armor. British soldiers
wore a vest of curved metal
plates. Not only were these
plates ineffective against the
snipers for which they were
designed, they even increased
bodily damage by reflecting
bullets toward the body.
This is one of the very first , army standard chest armor. It was
made out of nylon and aluminum plates and weighed about twelve
pounds.
Designed to be a shield from shrapnel, this French helmet was
ultimately abandoned because it was highly ineffective.
13
Armored vehicles
Armored vehicles were
designed to be aids in combat
or protective transportation
for soldiers. During a battle or
war situation, these vehicles
can be used for a variety of
purposes. Armored vehicles
have been around since the
first cars have been. These
vehicles have evolved greatly to
fit the growing needs of combat
and war.
There are different types of
armored vehicles, for example,
there are tanks, armored cars,
armored personnel carriers,
infantry fighting vehicles, and
artillery vehicles.
The tank was designed and
it kept the same general layout
as its original. An artillery gun is
mounted on top of the vehicle,
and can rotate 360˚ to attack
the enemy regardless of the direction they approach from.
There are also multiple machine
guns around the tank that can
be fired from a person inside of
the tank.
The armored car is made
of the same materials as a tank,
but serves a different purpose
and has less attack features. This
vehicle does not have any weaponry attached, and has wheels.
This car is generally used to
transport important persons.
14
Armored vehicles
Artillery vehicles are selfpropelled and contain weaponry such as artillery guns or
rocket launchers. Modern artillery vehicles are very similar to
tanks; however they are made
from less protective materials.
The advantage of the selfpropelled vehicle makes it easier to maneuver in battle.
The armored personnel
carrier has less weaponry; a
single artillery gun is mounted
to the top of the car. This
vehicle transports army
personnel quickly and safely to
a destination.
The armored personnel carrier (APC) above is a M113,
which is used by the United States Army. This vehicle
was first used during the Vietnam War in April of 1962.
The image below is also an APC, this is the EE-11 model,
which was built in 1970.
Both images are artillery vehicles, the above image is
a modern artillery vehicle, and the below image is an
artillery vehicle that was used in WWII.
15
Bullet proof
armor
Bullet proof armor is
commonly referred to as the
ballistic-vest and is another
type of body armor that is
used to protect the torso
from bullets. The vest works
by absorbing the impact
brought on when a bullet is
fired into the vest. The
materials that make the vest
vary depending on the specific
necessity of the individual vest.
Some vests are designed for
small-caliber handguns and
others are used for rifle
rounds.
A Kevlar vest is worn by this man to protect his
chest from bullets and projectiles from explosions.
The Gun
A gun is defined as a projectilefiring weapon. There are multiple types
of guns which range from single shot to
rapid fire. These guns range in size and
capabilities. These weapons have been
around since the 12th century, when the
Chinese invented them after the
invention of gunpowder.
The above image is one of many guns which was
invented and consequently altered body armor.
16
More bullet proof
armor
The soft-plate vests are
worn by many authority figures
such as police officers, security
guards, and bodyguards. The
hard-plate vests are worn by
soldiers and infantry men, as
well as hostage rescue teams.
Over the years, the bullet
proof vest has evolved from a
metal plate that did not offer
the most protection, to a
ceramic plate, to a woven
fiber, or other ballistic cloth
such as Kevlar, dyneema,
twaron, or spectra.
The images are examples of soft plate vests. These
vests protect the wearer from some guns and some
projectiles.
This is an example of the oldest form of ballistic armor that dates back to 19th century Australia.
17
Modern Police
armor
Underneath the uniform is
usually concealed body armor.
Police protection generally
consists of a ballistic vest for
protection in the unfortunate
event that they are shot at.
Depending on the occasion,
police officers will carry riot
shields, carry ballistic shields,
wear full body protection or
wear head gear.
Governments rely on the
police to enforce rules and
protect the innocent. Many
officers carry handguns and
other equipment as a means
of self-defense. To look
consistent and professional,
most police units have a
specific uniform they must
wear.
Dog Armor
Service dogs play many roles in human
society. Dogs can be trained to preform
very useful tasks for disabled persons and
civil organizations alike. Police personnel
take advantage of service
dogs for sniffing out drugs,
bombs, people, and other
substances. Police dogs
have the same risks as
police humans do, so they
are often strapped up in
ballistic vests as well.
A SWAT team is a Special Weapons And Tactics team that is
usually heavily armed and protected, SWAT teams have access
to special weaponry and the best bodily protection. Above, all
members wear bullet proof helmets, ballistic vests, and other
ballistic gear. The man in the front is ducked behind a ballistic
shield.
18
C u r r e n t m i l i ta ry
use
and projectiles that are a result
of an explosion. This vest is not
only bullet resistant, but it is
heat resistant as well.
The United States Army
currently uses Interceptor
Body Armor (IBA). This armor
is comprised of two main
parts, one being the outer
tactical vest (OTV) and the
other being the small arms
protective insert (SAPI). The
OTV consists of a shell and
three ballistic plates that cover
the sides and back of the vest.
These ballistic plates are made
from a woven Kevlar KM2
fiber. The SAPI contains two
ballistic plates which protect
the wearer from gun assaults
The image to the left is an example of a SAPI plate.
This piece is inserted into the vest that is worn by a
soldier.
19
More Current
m i l i ta ry u s e
Soldiers also wear helmets to protect their heads
from projectiles and concussive shockwaves that can be a
result of explosions. There is
generally a mounting device
centered on the top of the
helmet which allows for a
video cameras or night vision
goggles. The materials that are
used to design these helmets
is very similar to the other armor that is worn, it is made
from a ballistic material.
The combat boot was
designed to be worn during
combat and training sessions.
This boot offers increased ankle stability, improved foot
protection, and better grip
when faced with rugged terrain. They are also designed to
be waterproof and each type
of combat boot is specific to
the climate that the soldier
will be stationed in.
20
Visual Recap
Body armor has improved greatly
over the past centuries. As technology continues to advance, the efficiency of body armor will also ad-
21
G l o s s a ry
Aventail
A medieval hood of mail suspended from a
basinet to protect the head and neck.
Bascinet
A bascinet is a Medieval European openfaced military helmet.
Dendra Panoply
This is an example of Mycenean-era fullbody armour that is made of bronze plates.
Gauntlet
This is a stout glove with a long loose
wrist.
Greaves
This is a piece of armor used to protect the
shin.
Hoplite
This is a heavily armed foot soldier of ancient Greece.
Kozane
These are either a waterproofed leather or
an iron scale.
Javelin
This is a weapon that is similar to a spear.
Poleyns
This is a component of Medieval and Renaissance armor that protected the knee.
Rerebraces
This is a cannon that provides plate armor
for the upper arm.
Toseigusoku
This is a form of Japanese armor.
Tunic
This is a loose garment, typically sleeveless
and reaching to the wearer's knees, as worn
in ancient Greece and Rome.
Vambraces
This is a piece of armor for the arm, esp.
the forearm.
Yoroi
A term meaning „armoured‟, referring to
multi-layered mirror scales.
22
About the authors
Deidre Di Liddo is a junior at
Mass Academy of Math and Science. She enjoys cheerleading
for her former high school and
going to PowerHouse gym in
her spare time. She worked
on a research project about
implementing alternative insulators in solar cookers to improve the efficiency. She was
interested in writing a children‟s book to educate children about body armor.
Emma George Hewett is a
junior at the Mass Academy of
Math and Science. Emma plays
soccer, swims, and plays music.
She has written many science
essays and a lengthy research
paper about the use of banana peels as a heavy metal
water filter. She hopes that
with this book, she can get
younger students interested
in learning about how innovations in the past affect our
technology today.
23
I l l u s t r at i o n
credits
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