The article deals by the propagation of a shock waves in thin elastic and viscoelastic plates. The Kirchhoff respectively Rayleigh geometric model is used for the calculation, the Hook model is selected for the material. The shock waves are caused by cash of an impact at center of plate (Heaviside shock). The wave propagation is monitored at selected points. The waves propagation is compared an elastic isotropic plate. The rectangular plate is made of unidirectionally rolled aluminum sheet of high purity. The plate is around the perimeter fixed. The geometric dimensions and rheological properties of the reference plate are given in the text. Displacements, velocities and stresses in the x, y and z axes depending on the time are compared. The analytical solution is mentioned in the text. The numerical solution is performed in MATLAB program. Kirchhoff model and Rayleigh model are compared.