Armour facts for kids

A full suit of armour from the 1500s.

In 1944, Sherman tanks leave a ship during the Battle of Anzio.

Armour (also spelled armor in the U.S.) is a special covering or clothing that helps protect against harm. It can be worn by people, or it can cover machines, animals, and even buildings.

Throughout history, armour has always been made from the toughest materials available. However, making it strong without being too heavy has always been a challenge. Early body armour was often made from leather. Later, people started using metals, like mail (small metal rings linked together) or solid plate armour.

Today, some modern armour, like bullet-proof vests, uses special plastics. These plastics, such as Kevlar, are very strong and don't stretch or break easily. They can be woven into a fabric and used in many layers, making them even tougher.

Special plastic layers are also used to make windows stronger. This is called plastic lamination. Many jewellery stores, embassies, and important vehicles use bullet-proof glass to keep things safe.

Armour for Vehicles

Armour on vehicles is usually made of metal. It can have several layers, sometimes with empty spaces in between. This is called spaced armour. Other types use many layers of metal, strong ceramics (like baked clay), and other materials.

Another kind of vehicle armour uses small blocks of explosive material. These blocks explode outwards when another explosion happens nearby. This helps push away the incoming blast, protecting the vehicle. Vehicle armour is often angled. This makes it harder for a shot to go straight through and can even make the shot bounce off.

Tanks have the heaviest armour of all land vehicles. Other military vehicles also have armour, but not as much as a tank. Sometimes, armour is added to non-military vehicles. This includes limousines used by country leaders or by people like film stars or company presidents who might need extra protection.

Armour for Animals

In the past, armour was used in wars to protect animals. This included dogs, elephants, and horses. Today, police dogs and horses sometimes wear special bullet-proof vests made from woven plastic.

Armour for Sports

Many sports involve strong physical contact. They can be dangerous if players are not protected. Sports like ice hockey, American football, and kendo (a Japanese sword-fighting sport) use armour. Sports armour is usually made from hard plastic to absorb impacts.

Images for kids

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  Western Xia mail armour

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  Portrait of a Gentleman in armour with two pages. Paris Bordone.

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  The Dendra panoply, Mycenaean Greek armour, c. 1400 BC

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  Wooden statue of Guan Yu in mountain pattern armour, 16th c. Ming dynasty

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  HMS Warrior during her third commission between 1867 and 1871

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  An armoured train from 1915

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  The US Military's M1 Abrams MBT uses composite, reactive, and cage armour

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  A strong steel plate after being hit by projectiles in a test.

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  A 16th-century knight with a horse in full barding

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  Medieval German helmet.

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  Early Modern horse armor on display at Metropolitan Museum of Art in New York.

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  Riot police wear body protection against physical hits.

See also

In Spanish: Blindaje para niños