WWII Weapons

By amolinar
  • Re-Armament Begins 1935-1937

    Re-Armament Begins 1935-1937

    Allied: Britain adopts fighter jet Hawker Hurricane (June 1936 and first service in December 1937) and begins working on Spitfire.
    Axis: Germany unveiled their fighter jet Messerschmitt Bf 109 (late 1936) as well as reintroduced Panzer I and II tanks
  • Blitzkrieg & Rapid innovation: 1940

    Blitzkrieg & Rapid innovation: 1940

    Allied: Britain deployed the Bren gun, Matilda II tank, and the early radar
    Axis: Germans rely on panzer III/IV, 88mm Flak gun, and their improved U-Boat
  • Global Expansion: 1941

    Global Expansion: 1941

    Allied: US enters WWII on December 8, 1941. The US brings with them the Thompson SMG, M1 Carbine, and the Sherman tank. The USSR fields the best tank of war: The T-34.
    Axis: Germany counters with upgrading the Panzer IV (better armor, improved vision blocks, wider tracks, and better suspension) and the MG34 LMG. Japan also deploys the Zero Fighter (July 1940)
  • Mid-War Shift: 1942

    Mid-War Shift: 1942

    Allied: The US intensifies mass aircraft production with B-17, P-38, and B-25 while Britain fields the Churchill tank (August 19, 1942).
    Axis: Germany introduces "Hitlers Buzzsaw": the MG42. Japan builds more type 99 rifles and focuses on carrier aviation
  • Heavy Armor arrives: 1943

    Heavy Armor arrives: 1943

    Allied: USSR launches improved T-34/85, The US uses the P-47 Thunderbolt for ground attack.
    Axis: Germany unveils the Tiger I, Panther tank, and the worlds first assault rifle the StG 44 (unveiled 1943 and produced in late 1944).
  • New Tech & D-day: 1944

    New Tech & D-day: 1944

    D-Day occurs on June 6, 1944 with the allied invasion of Normandy.
    allied: The us deploys proximity-fused artillery shells (June 1944). In Europe the higgins boats, Sherman Firefly, Bazooka, and P-51 Mustang dominate.
    axis: Germany launches V-1/V-2 rockets, King Tiger tank, and the start of XXI type designs for the U-Boat.
  • Final Weapon Push: Early 1945

    Final Weapon Push: Early 1945

    Allied: US begins using Flamethrower Sherman (M4A3R2), B-29 Superfortress, and M26 Pershing tank. Soviets field IS-2 heavy tanks and Katyusha rocket artillery.
    Axis: Germany deploys the first operational jet fighter the Me 262. Japan uses Kamikaze aircraft
  • Wars End: August 1945

    Wars End: August 1945

    Allied: The US deploys atomic bombs Little Boy and Fat Man. Little Boy was deployed on August 6,1945 over Hiroshima and Fat Man was deployed 3 days later on August 9, 1945 over Nagaski.
    Axis: Japan surrenders on September 2, 1945 while Germany surrended months earlier on May 7, 1945.
  • The Pacific Climax: Mid-1945

    The Pacific Climax: Mid-1945

    Allied: US uses napalm bombs, improved amphibious vehicles (LVTs). Soviet Union crushes Japanese forces with IS-2s and mechanized infantry.
    Axis: Japan uses last-ditch weapons such as type 5 rifle, rocket launchers, and fortified cave systems.