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I ran across this today. It was compiled about 20 years ago from veterans. Is it still a good list?Best equipment in WWII (Best does not mean most beautiful or largest number or most advanced)1. Infantry weapon USA Garand M-12. Tank USSR T-343. Aircraft USA/UK P-51 with Rolls Royce Merlin engine (1)4. Artillery Germany 88mm Dual Purpose Cannon5. Machine gun Germany MG 34/42(1) Aircraft runners up: Corsair and P-47
I think the German Panzer and Tiger tanks were the best, but the T-34 was comparable. The Sherman tanks were arguably the least effective, but they got the job done. It all depends on what standards one uses, and actual performance in the field.
Right–that is why I struggled with the word “best”.The Panther--a rip off of the T-34--suffered from teething problem and was probably technically a better tank (German engineering--BMW vs. Lada) but the T-34 was ubiquitous, crude, but tough andhad the virtue of simplicity such a wooden hammer to bash the gears into place and a diesel engine that was not likely to turn the tank into a "ronson". It also had the Christie suspension, something invented, but not adopted here. The Tiger--a different beast entirely (forgive the pun), was an awesome creature especially in the King Tiger guise. They came too late, were too few andtoo big for many applications.So--"best "remains, at best, an opinion.
That is a pretty good list though the 88mm was a dual purpose anti-tank/anti-aircaraft gun and not an artillery piece. It also omits some categories, how about:6. Anti-tank weapon: GER Panzerfaust7. Ground attack plane USA A-26 Invader or maybe GER JU-87 Stuka8. Infantry Carrier GER SDKfz-251 Half-track9. Assault Gun GER STuG-310. Heavy Bomber USA B-17 Flying Fortress (hands-down, the best for putting bombs on dirt, or cities)11. Assault Rifle GER SturmGewehr 44You could probably add many other categpories as well, these are just what i came up with off the top of my head.
The Stuka was a terribly effective weapon. When diving, it made a unique scream that served to put fear into the hearts of those awaiting its payload.
I would have to re-look the book I have on it, but I think they took it off because the siren reduced it's airspeed to the point where it was an easy target for AAA guns on the Eastern Front. Most of the big tank killers saw service in the East. Come to mention, the vast majority of the European Land War of 1939-45 happened east of the Oder-Niesse Line.
