Results of experimental and theoretical studies of penetration of elongated rod projectiles into massive targets during the impact at an angle between the longitudinal axis of the rod and the impact velocity vector (angle of attack b) are presented. When b increases up to the value exceeding a certain critical angle of attack bcr, the depth of penetration decreases significantly and the physical picture and obtained final results are similar to those for a cylindrical rod impacting the target with its side surface (b = 90 deg). The effect of the impact velocity, rod material and aspect ratio of the projectiles on bcr and on the nature of interaction was investigated experimentally and numerically.