Variable-time or proximity-fuzed shells could be set to burst at a useful height above a target. Against infantry, the burst height could be chosen differently from an attack intended to strike armoured vehicles from above. At sea, airburst ammunition offered a way to sweep the exposed bridge, gun crews, and upper deck of a lightly protected ship such as a destroyer. Practical difficulty limited the idea, but naval gun ammunition was not confined to direct hull penetration.
Notable Point · 2:30:40-2:32:13
Airburst shells against infantry and exposed ship crews
Variable-time and proximity fuzes could turn large shells into anti-personnel weapons against troops or open-deck crews.