Why were American tanks so bad in ww2?
The reason is that all WWII tanks were either mechanically unreliable, had serious reliability issues, had serious production issues, were designed on faulty doctrine on mind, were underpowered, undergunned and/or underarmoured or were atrociously over-engineered.
What was the size of a German division in WWII?
12,000 to 25,000 men
A division contained from 12,000 to 25,000 men. Adolf Hitler reviewing German troops in Poland, September 1939. It was the qualitative superiority of the German infantry divisions and the number of their armoured divisions that made the difference in 1939.
Did the US have a heavy tank in WWII?
Near the end of the war the M26 Pershing tank was deployed as the first operational heavy tank of the US Army. It was designated a heavy tank when it was designed in WWII due to its 90 mm gun, which was at the time the largest caliber gun found on a US tank.
Who had the best tanks during ww2?
T-34 – This medium Soviet tank was in production from 1940 thru 1958. Though later tanks produced during this time period proved to have better armor and armament, the T-34 is often recognized as the most effective, highly influential and efficient tank design of WWII.
What was the fastest tank in WW2?
M18 Hellcat
The M18 Hellcat (officially designated the 76 mm Gun Motor Carriage M18 or M18 GMC) is a tank destroyer that was used by the United States Army in World War II and the Korean War. It was the fastest U.S. armored fighting vehicle on the road.
Who was the best army in WW2?
The United States military was the mightiest and [one of the] largest military ever when it was pinned at its prime during the Second World War. It was the most successful nation on Earth when it came to warfare and arguably — technology.
Who made tanks for the US in WW2?
The M5 Stuarts built by Cadillac were the workhorses of the US military light tank force in 1943-44. M22 Locust light tank at Bovington. Also produced by Marmon-Herrington, it was the only model mass-produced for the Army, tailored to fit inside a heavy-duty glider for airborne operations.
Who has the most tank kills?
Kurt Knispel
The highest scoring tank ace of WWII was Germany’s Kurt Knispel. Knispel total tank kills were confirmed at 168, with some unconfirmed estimates stating that total could actually be closer to 195 kills. Knispel is considered by some as the greatest tank ace in history.
How were tanks used in ww2?
Tanks could be used to open a hole in enemy lines, but the brunt of the fighting must be done by infantry units. Early tanks for the Allies had limited transverse movement for the turret, because their primary purpose was to serve as a gun platform for the infantry units coming behind them.
Why do tank destroyers not have turrets?
Tank destroyers had no turrets because they were meant as a defensive anti armour weapon. The were significantly cheaper to produce and could have thicker armour for the same weight of vehicle. Their design was meant to fight from prepared positions against attacking armour.
How many tanks did the Soviet Union have in WW2?
The Soviet Union started and ended the war with more tanks than the rest of the world combined (18,000–22,000). At the start of World War II the most common tank in Soviet service was the T-26 (derived from the Vickers 6-ton), lightly armoured and armed with a 45 mm gun capable of penetrating most German tanks at normal combat ranges.
What were some trends in World War II tank design?
One trend seen in World War II was the usage of older, lighter tank chassis to mount larger weapons in fixed casemates, as self-propelled guns, tank destroyers or assault guns.
What types of tanks were used in the Pacific in WW2?
Although the Japanese Army widely employed tanks within the Pacific theater of war, the tanks that Allied forces in the Pacific faced were mostly older designs, such as the Type 95 Ha-Go light tank and Type 97 Chi-Ha medium tank.
What type of tanks did the French use in WW1?
At the start of the war, France had one of the largest tank forces in the world along with the Soviet, British and German forces. Like the British and the Soviets, the French operated two classes of tank: cavalry tanks and infantry tanks. The French had planned for a defensive war and built tanks accordingly.