ww2 tanks & planes

WORLD WAR IITECHNOLOGY

&WEAPONS

UNITED STATES: M4-SHERMAN

• The M4 Medium Tank was the main tank designed and built by the US for use in World War II.

Over 49,000 were produced during the war, for use by the armies of Britain, the United States, France and Poland.

UNITED STATES: M4-SHERMAN• Length: 19 ft 5 in (5.92 m)

• Width: 8 ft 7 in (2.62 m) • Height: 9 ft (2.74 m) • Weight: 30 tons • Speed: 30 mph (48 km/h) • Range: 150 miles (240 km) • Crew: 5

It was rather fast and maneuverable, reliable, and easy to produce and service.

FRENCH: AMR 33/35 These tanks were designed to fight alongside infantry units, thus the need only for a machine gun and little armor.

In the Battle of France the materiel fared very badly because it was poorly armed and armored.

FRENCH: AMR 33/35• Length: 11 ft 5 in (3.5 m) • Width: 5 ft 4 in (1.64 m) • Height: 5.6 ft (1.73 m) • Weight: 5.5 tons • Speed: 33 mph (54 km/h) • Crew: 2

Although the AMR 33/35 was faster than the German Panzer it could not outrun its anti-tank artillery. Only 1 tank is still around today, at a French museum.

GERMAN: PANZER

• Length: 19 ft 5 in (5.92 m) • Width: 8 ft 7 in (2.62 m) • Height: 9 ft (2.74 m) • Weight: 30 tons • Speed: 30 mph (48 km/h) • Range: 150 miles (240 km) • Crew: 5

GERMAN: PANZER

SOVIET: T-34The T-34 definitely was an unpleasant surprise for the German commanders, as it could combat all 1941 German tanks effectively. It was faster, had better armament and better armor protection, due to the technical innovation of sloped armor.

When first built, it was the tank with the best balance of firepower, mobility, and protection, and its design influenced the development of Main Battle Tanks in the mid 20th century.

Between 1940 and 1944 over 35,000 T-34/76 tanks were produced.

The T-34 is often called the best tank of World War 2, in the all around sense.

US – P38 – Lightning

US – P40 – Lightning

USA – P47 – Thunderbolt

North American P-51 Mustang

"The day I saw Mustangs over Berlin, I knew the jig was up." Hermann Goering

Generally considered the best fighter of WWII

- 15,100 planes produced, starting in mid 1941.

- P-51D specs: 440 MPH- six 50 caliber machine

guns

US FIGHTER: F4F Wildcat US Navy carrier plane used in the Pacific in the battles of Midway,

Coral Sea, and the Eastern Solomon Islands

- 7860 planes produced- starting in December, 1940. - 320 MPH, six 50 caliber machine

guns

GERMAN: BF109 / JAPAN: ZEROMesserschmit

German – Bf109 – Messerschmitt

German – Bf109 – Messerschmitt

German – Junker – JU52

USA – B-17 – Flying Fortress

US BOMBER: B-17 Flying Fortress

The first 4 engine fighter and bomber airplane used first by the

Army and then the Air Force.

-12,700 planes produced

-entered service 1939 -top speed 320 MPH-Ceiling: 37,000 feet -17,600 lb. bomb load-twelve .50 caliber

machine guns

With 4 double machine guns, and 5 single machine guns this plane could protect itself, as well as deliver a “pounding” with its massive bombs.

USA – B-25 – Liberator

US BOMBER: B-24/25 Liberator

More B-24's were built than any other American airplane. It edged out the B-17 on most performance criteria (speed, range). It's crewmen claimed

2,600 enemy aircraft shot down. With it's great range, it

performed anti-sub work in the Atlantic and heavy

bomber support in the Pacific.

18,188 planes produced

entered service in 1940

top speed 303 MPH

11 machine guns max. bomb load

8,000 lbs.

US BOMBER: B-24/25 Liberator

US BOMBER: B-29 Super Fortress

The B-29 had one purpose: to fly long range missions into Japan, bombing their cities and then to drop the atomic bomb. The project cost $3 billion, a heck-of-a-lot money for a heck-of-a of

victory! 3,895 planes produced entered service 1944 top speed 365 MPH 12 machine guns,

max. bomb load 20,000 lbs.

US BOMBER: B-29 ENOLA GAY

The Enola Gay, named after pilot COL Tibbets’

mother, dropped a uranium bomb, "Little Boy,” on Hiroshima, Japan, killing

70,000+ and destroying 50,000 buildings.