The dynamic tensile (spall) strength of the common engineering titanium alloy Ti‐6Al‐4V has been investigated as a function of impact stress and specimen thickness under conditions of symmetrical impact. Flyer and target plate geometries have been controlled such that release fans from the rear of the flyer and the target meet in the middle of the target plate. Whilst it has been generally assumed that specimen geometry has no effect upon the resultant spall strength, all other conditions being equal, computer modelling has suggested otherwise. It is the purpose of this paper to investigate these effects experimentally and theoretically.