World War 2 Land Systems
The world received a rude wake up call as half of Europe fell in the wake of the revolutionary German Blitzkrieg.

1 15-cm schwere Feldhaubitze 13 (15-cm sFH 13) ... 1914

2 15-cm schwere Feldhaubitze 18 (15-cm sFH 18) The 15-cm schwere Feldhaubitze 18 (sFH 18) became the standard 149mm howitzer for German divisions through World War Two. The gun was originally developed to be horse-drawn (as all German artillery at the time was) but was la... 1933

3 3.7-cm PaK 35/36 (PanzerAbwehrKanone 35/36) The 3.7-cm PaK 35/36 ("PaK" for "PanzerAbwehrKanone") was the standard-issue anti-tank cannon of the Wehrmacht by the time of the German invasions of 1939. Like other German systems in development during the 1930's the PaK 35... 1936

4 7TP The 7TP series was of a Polish design, based on the British Vickers-Armstrong 6-ton light tank (Mark E). When war with Germany was rolling about the horizon, the Polish government saw a need to replace their diminutive tanket... 1936

5 BMW R 75 The motorcycle with sidecar was popularized by the mobility presented by the German Army, especially early in the war. These types of motorcycles came in three classes fitting light, medium and heavy and divided into these gr... 1940

6 Bren Gun Carrier (Universal Carrier) The Bren Gun Carrier was truly a universal system at its core. Charged with moving troops through the harshest of conditions, the smallish armored vehicle found itself fighting on a myriad of fronts. Though not a perfect vehi... 1939

7 Cruiser Tank Comet (A34) The Comet Cruiser tank was arguably Britain's most powerful tank platform in the Second World War. Arriving in late (November) 1944, tank crews had to be retrained in the finer points of this exceptional weapons system, thus ... 1944

8 Cruiser Tank Mk VI Crusader The Crusader series of British cruiser tanks was an important contributor to the early war years, particularly in North Africa where it would take part in El Alamein and Tunisia. Dogged by reliability problems, overheating an... 1941

9 Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Centaur (A27L) The Centaur series of main battle tanks was a product of Leyland Motors and developed alongside the competing Cromwell series of tank and built to the same specifications. The Centaur grew into a very similar design when comp... 1942

10 Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Challenger (A30) The Challenger Mk VIII Cruiser was a British response to the very real and deadly threat being posed by German armor on the battlefields in World War 2. The system was a purpose-built design - intended as a tank destroyer by ... 1943

11 Cruiser Tank Mk VIII Cromwell (A27M) The Cromwell (officially known as Tank, Cruiser, Mk VIII, Cromwell (A27M)) was one of two design proposals submitted to fulfill the British Army specification A27. The specification centered on a direct replacement for the ar... 1943

12 Cruiser Tank Ram Like most of the Allied nations at the start of World War 2, Canada saw itself with an outdated armor corps made up of mostly World War 1-era equipment passed on to them by the United States. With Britain firmly entrenched wi... 1941

13 Cruiser Tank Sentinel AC (Australian Cruiser) The Sentinel tank was an indigenous Australian design of World War 2, appearing at a time when Australia lacked the tank-design know-how, manufacturing facilities to produce a design en mass and Japanese expansion into the Pa... 1942

14 FCM Char 2C The Char 2C was being planned and designed in the final year of the First World War. The system would become the largest tank of its kind to ever see operational service in any capacity and was ordered for mass production in ... 1921

15 Fiat 3000 (L.5 Series) The Fiat 3000 was a highly-modified Italian version of the French FT-17. Modifications included (but were not limited to) side skirt armor and a redesigned turret. It became the first tank of note to be produced on Italian so... 1923

16 Fiat M.15/42 The Italian Fiat M.15/42 medium tank was nothing more than a further development of the M.14/41 series with one of the more distinguishable features being the exclusion of the left side-hull crew hatch in the M.15/42. Though ... 1943

17 GMC CCKW 353 (Jimmy / Deuce-and-a-Half) Before America's involvement in World War 2 began in late 1941, the US Army sent out a requirement to interested American manufacturers that it was in need of a new transport vehicle to fulfill some direct specifications. T... 1941

18 Grizzly I Cruiser Like Australia, Canada also found itself without much of an armored corps (or facilities to produce such systems) at the start of hostilities in World War 2. And much like the Australians, the Canadians were forced to rely on... 1943

19 Gun Motor Carriage M10 (Wolverine / Achilles) The M10 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage was the principle allied tank destroyer of the Second World War. The British produced their own version of the M10 Wolverine known as the Achilles. The idea of the Wolverine tank destroyer ca... 1942

20 Gun Motor Carriage M18 (Hellcat) The M18 "Hellcat" (or known officially as the "Gun Motor Carriage M18") was a classical example of American tank destroyer efforts in World War 2. The system, much like the M10 Wolverine that preceded it, featured a powerful ... 1943

21 Gun Motor Carriage M36 (Jackson / Slugger) The M36 (sometimes "Jackson" or "Slugger") was an up-gunned upgrade of the M10 "Wolverine" design, both types appearing through World War 2. The M36 mostly differed from its predecessor by the fitting of a 90mm M3-type main g... 1944

22 Half-Track Personnel Carrier M3 No image of the American Army effort in world war two is complete with the appearance of a half-track series vehicle. The system appeared in large numbers and was very similar in role to the German SdKfz 251 half-track, servi... 1941

23 Infantry Tank Mk II Matilda (A12) The Matilda II was the definitive infantry tank for British armed forces in the early years of World War Two. With the Mark I series leading the way, the Mark II became the version produced in quantity. By war's end, however,... 1937

24 Infantry Tank Mk III Valentine Considered one of the more successful British tank designs of the early war years, the Valentine series served both British and Soviet forces effectively. British forces first fielded the system in Operation Crusader, in whic... 1940

25 Infantry Tank Mk IV Churchill (A22) The British Churchill series of tanks was the most important British tank of the Second World War. Built in numbers second only to the Valentine, the Churchill was designed to replace the aging Matildas. Reminiscent of tank d... 1941

26 IS-3/JS-3 (Josef Stalin) The IS-3 ("IS" for "Iosef Stalin" or "Josef Stalin") was an attempt to build upon the already formidable IS-2. Improvements over the IS-2 model included a redesigned rounded turret and a new heavily-sloped front armor configu... 1945

27 Jagdpanzer 38(t) Hetzer The Jagdpanzer 38(t) fur 7.5-cm PaK 39 "Hetzer" (meaning "baiter") was yet another in the long line of Nazi Germany conversions of the successful Czech-designed 38(t) tank chassis. The Hetzer was easily identifiable by its hu... 1943

28 Jeep In 1939 the U.S. Army invited between 135 and 165 companies to submit proposals within 75 days for a new military vehicle to replace its aging fleet of motorcycles and Ford Model T trucks. Only three companies responded: Ford... 1939

29 Karl-Gerat 040 / 041 The Karl-Gerät (040/041) (or "Karl device" in German) was a self-propelled siege howitzer designed and built by Rheinmetall in World War 2. The howitzer became the largest self-propelled gun ever built and used in combat. Des... 1940

30 Krupp Landkreuzer P.1000 Ratte (Rat) The Landkreuzer P.1000 "Ratte" (translating to "Rat") was a proposed super-heavy tank designed by the German firm Krupp in 1942. Hitler gave the project his blessing and the program set about to create the most powerful tank ... 1942

31 KV-1 (Klimenti Voroshilov) ... 1939

32 KV-2 (Klimenti Voroshilov) The KV-2 series of heavy tank was a mammoth follow-up to the successful KV-I. The idea behind this successor was a utilization of the KV-1 chassis with a marriage to a more potent main gun in the form of the M1938 122mm calib... 1940

33 Light Tank, M24 (Chaffee) The Light Tank M24 Chaffee was the successor to the M5 Stuart light tank. Though appearing late into the Second World War, the Chaffee would nonetheless find its role in the Korean War soon after and become a common sight in ... 1944

34 Light Tank, M3 / M5 (Stuart) The M3 / M5 series (commonly known as the "General Stuart") was an Allied design classified as a light tank and appeared through the early and middle years of the Second World War. The system was under-gunned and lightly armo... 1941

35 Little David In 1944, the United States War Department was planning for the invasion of the Japanese mainland and expecting to encounter very strong fortifications. As such, the Army wuld need a heavy weapon to combat such structures. Spe... 1944

36 LT vz 35 (PzKpfw 35(t)) The LT vz 35 was a light tank initially appearing with Czech Army forces in the mid-1930's. Two prototypes were drawn up, holding the designation of S-11-a (or T-11 in some sources) and produced to which they succeeded in arm... 1936

37 M1/M59 Long Tom (155mm) ... 1938

38 M1A1 Pack Howitzer The M1A1 Pack Howitzer was the standard howitzer for American forces in World War 2. The Pack design actually traced it's roots back to the howitzer development of World War One, standardized in the American Army post-war as ... 1927

39 M22 Locust The M22 Locust was a Allied light tank appearing in World War 2 and designed to be air-dropped into battle alongside airborne elements. The general idea of a highly-mobile army continued to fascinate American warplanners as t... 1943

40 M26 Pershing The M-26 was developed near the end of World War II and named after World War One General John J Pershing of the American Expeditionary Force. The M26 Pershing had a slow and arduous beginning, when the need for a heavy tank ... 1945

41 M3 Designed for air transport during WWII, the M3 105mm towed light howitzer was used by the 320th Glider Field Artillery Battalion. It was originally designed in 1941 and started production in 1943. Barrel length measures in... 1943

42 M7 (Priest) The M7 "Priest" (known formally as the "105mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M7") was the principle mobile artillery system for Allied ground forces throughout World War 2. She was designed to support armored actions in all theaters... 1942

43 M8 Greyhound The M8 is arguably the most recognizable and important vehicle in the Second World War for United States ground forces. It's design style and excellent cross-country performance earned it the nickname of 'Greyhound'. Four man... 1941

44 Medium Tank, M3 (Lee / Grant) The M3 medium tank series appeared at a time when Allied armor (in respects to both armor protection and armament) was generally inferior to their German counterparts in Europe and North Africa. The M3 evolved from the M2 med... 1942

45 Medium Tank, M4 / M4 (Sherman) The M4 Sherman series of medium tanks proved an invaluable asset to Allied operations North Africa, Europe and the Pacific theaters of war in World War 2. The Sherman proved a relatively inexpensive, easy-to-maintain and - pe... 1942

46 Medium Tank, M4A3E2 (Sherman Jumbo) The M4A3E2 or (76) Sherman Jumbo was designated an assault tank and not a tank destroyer as commonly reported in other sources. It provided applique armor to front and sides of the hull, a standard 75mm main gun and HE (High ... 1944

47 Medium Tank, M4A4 (Sherman VC Firefly) Outwardly, the Sherman Firefly series of tank destroyers looked every bit like their M4 Sherman base counterparts. Closer examination would reveal a British-designed system that was finally capable of dealing with the impress... 1944

48 MT-13 (M1943) The mortar as a weapon is one dating back to about the 12th Century or perhaps even earlier and most always credited to the Chinese. The design concept was simple in nature and based on the shape of the apothecary mortar - a ... 1943

49 QF 25-pounder The British QF 25 pounder (or 25-pdr) was the gun of choice for various nations before, during and after World War Two. From training to combat, this weapon featured a high rate of fire and the ability to utilize various form... 1930

50 Rock Island Arsenal M101 The first prototype was the M1 developed in 1920 by the Rock Island Arsenal. After long trials the M1 was replaced by the M2 in 1934 having been retooled to fire a shrapnel round. In 1940 the M2 was standardized as the M2A1. ... 1920

51 Rocket Launcher, T34 (Sherman Calliope) The attempt to mate a multiple rocket launching system to a vehicle was nothing new by 1944. The Soviets were already finding successes with their Katyusha launchers against the Germans, who in turn had been fielding their Ne... 1944

52 Sd.Kfz 121 Panzerkampfwagen II (Pz.Kpf.W II) / Panzer 2 While development of the of the Pz.Kpf.W. I (Panzer I) light tank (Sd.Kfz. 121) was still ongoing, the Pz.Kpf.W. II (Panzer II) light tank was already being devised as an interim tank model series to bridge the gap between th... 1936

53 Sd.Kfz. 101 Panzerkampfwagen I (Pz.Kpf.W I) / Panzer 1 Few could have known what the inception of the Panzer I into the German Army inventory during the middle portion of the 1930s had in store for the future of Europe. Though something of a failure as a combat vehicle, the Panze... 1935

54 Sd.Kfz. 141 Panzerkampfwagen III (Pz.Kpf.W III) / Panzer 3 Development of Hitler's Panzers was key to his early overwhelming victories in the East and West. The Panzer I light tank became Germany's first tank development after World War 1 and, though it was limited as a "true" tank i... 1939

55 Sd.Kfz. 161 Panzerkampfwagen IV (Pz.Kpf.W IV) / Panzer 4 The Panzer IV (or "Panzerkampfwagen IV" and abbreviated as "Pz.KpfW. IV") formed the backbone of the German Army from its inception onwards and fought wherever its muscle was required. The type proved reliable as well as leth... 1939

56 Sd.Kfz. 205 Panzerkampfwagen VIII (Pz.Kpf.W VIII) / Maus The Panzerkampfwagen Pz.Kpf.W. VIII (Sd.Kfz. 205) "Maus" (ironically named the "Mouse") was a "superheavy" tank development undertaken by the Third Reich during World War 2. This monster creation was fitted with a large and p... 1943

57 SdKfz 124 Wespe The SdKfz 124 Wespe (or "Wasp") was an excellent German self-propelled howitzer of World War 2. Using the well-regarded hull of the now-outclassed Panzer II light tanks, the Wespe appeared in modified form from 1943 through t... 1943

58 SdKfz 131/132 Marder II (Marten II) Much like the Marder I before it, the Marder II (Marten II) was a purpose conversion tank destroyer based on an existing tank chassis - this for the Marder II being the hefty supply of outdated Panzer II tank systems. Marder ... 1942

59 SdKfz 135 Marder I (Marten I) After the Fall of France, Germany confiscated several hundred Tractor Blinde 37L (commonly known as "Lorraine Tractors") which were general purpose chassis covering a variety of roles including armored personnel carrier and b... 1942

60 SdKfz 138 Marder III (Marten III) Marder III systems was yet another hastily modified conversion model of existing Panzer II tank chassis overstock. With the Panzer II system as a whole virtually obsolete on the changing battlefields of World War 2 and the pr... 1942

61 SdKfz 140 (LT vz 38(t)) This light tank system initially began as a Czechoslovakian creation in the form of the LT vz 38. The system was drawn up to a new Czech Army specification intended to right the wrongs inherent in the earlier LT vz 35 light t... 1939

62 SdKfz 142 StuG III (Sturmgeshutz) The StuG III was a well known German assault gun of World War 2. The system stemmed from a German Army need to supply ground troops with a mobile artillery system when traditional armor units such as tanks were not not made a... 1940

63 SdKfz 142/1 StuG 40 (StuG IV) The StuG 40 (or StuG IV) was a further refinement of the successful StuG III tank destroyer / assault gun. The system sported a powerful L/48 75mm main gun and kept the low profile of its predecessor. The system was fielded i... 1943

64 SdKfz 162 Jagdpanzer IV (Panzerjager 39) First appearing in 1943, the Jagdpanzer IV was designed in response to a German need for an upgunned artillery vehicle to replace their small caliber crop of existing tank destroyers. The system would feature the powerful and... 1943

65 SdKfz 164 Hornisse / Nashorn The SdKfz 164 came about from the existing weapon carrier vehicle designed to lug the sFH 18 artillery gun. This vehicle was itself a combination of Panzer III tank parts and the chassis of the Panzer IV tank, making it an ef... 1943

66 SdKfz 171 Panzerkampfwagen V Panther (PzKpfw V) The Panzerkampfwagen V "Panther" series of heavy tanks formed the backbone of the German Army through much of the pivotal war years. The system offered up decent performance but, more importantly, was armed with a powerful ma... 1942

67 SdKfz 173 Jagdpanther (Panzerjager V Jagdpanther) The Jagdpanther was the missing link to complete battlefield domination for the Germany Army. Already having the well-established Tiger II and Panther series of tanks, the Jagdpanther tank destroyer would have been a formidab... 1944

68 SdKfz 181 Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger (PzKpfw VI) The PzKpfw VI Tiger began as a Henschel design of several other heavy tanks meeting specified German requirements based on speed, armor protection and a powerful main gun. Pitted against a Porsche offering, both prototype tan... 1942

69 SdKfz 182 Panzerkampfwagen VIB Tiger II (PzKpfw VIB) Even with the formidable Tiger I heavy tank series already hitting the production lines, it was envisioned that the system could be made into a more powerful class of tank. This decision leaned heavily on counteracting any ne... 1944

70 SdKfz 186 Jagdtiger (Hunting Tiger) The SdKfz 186 Jagdtiger was a further development of the mammoth and powerful Tiger II heavy tank and was an optimistic - yet effective - design at best. Though blessed with a powerful main armament and thick frontal armor, t... 1944

71 SdKfz 2 kleines Kettenrad ... 1941

72 SdKfz 223 The SdKfz 223 was part of a larger family of German light armored cars, each playing a specific role on the battlefield. The SdKfz 223 served as a command and communications center and was distinguished from the other models ... 1942

73 SdKfz 250 leichter Schutzenpanzerwagen The SdKfz 250 series was just one in the long line of German-produced halftrack systems in World War 2. The 250 system went on to see much use and success in a variety of base and altered platform states, showing off its vers... 1939

74 SdKfz 251 mittlerer Schutzenpanzerwagen A 1932 directive set about to provide German infantry with a versatile vehicle able to keep pace with the mobile Panzer tank units while fulfilling other roles in the process. The resulting 1935 design of the Gp MTW appeared ... 1939

75 Semovente L.40 da 47/32 The Semovente L.40 da 47/32 served with Italian and German army elements throughout World War 2. Though never noted for their armored vehicle designs in the conflict, the Italians were actually forward-thinking in their embra... 1942

76 Sexton SPG ... 1943

77 SU-122 The SU-122 is designated as an 'assault gun' system. The SU-122 utilized the same successful and easy-to-produce T34 Main Battle Tank chassis (visual similarities abound) with the SU-122 featuring 45mm thick armor. The wea... 1942

78 SU-152 (Zveroboy) By mid-1942 the Soviet Army needed a mobile heavy siege gun for fixed fortifications. Up to this point, most Soviet howitzers were pulled by horses along with their gun crews due to the fact that draft animals were more plent... 1942

79 SU-76 / Samokhodnaya Ustanovka 76M (Suchka) On June 22, 1941 Germany invaded the Soviet Union and caught them unaware. Hitler’s goal was to eliminate the Soviets as a military power and exterminate Communism while giving the German people living space. During the sum... 1942

80 T-26 As was the norm after World War 1 in all industrialized nations around the globe, Soviet warplanners set about to upgrade their armed forces to meet the demands of the everchanging battlefield. In particular demand was the im... 1931

81 T-34 The Soviet-produced T-34 was a medium tank that attained legendary status in the Second World War. Itself a product of much engineering and design of earlier models - the BT-IS, A-20, A-30 and the T-32 all coming before it - ... 1940

82 T-34/76 The T-34/76 was nothing more than the German designation used for the base T-34 medium tank in use by the Soviet Union during World War 2. For a full history of the T-34, visit the T-34 entry.... 1940

83 T-34/85 The T-34/85 is designated as an 'up-gunned' version of the familiar and successful base T-34 tank build by the Soviet Union and fielded during the Second World War. The T-34/85 featured a more powerful main gun - of 85mm cali... 1944

84 Tank Mark VIII (International Tank / Liberty) The Mark VIII "International Tank" (also "Liberty" when powered by the Liberty engine) would become the first tank in history to be produced via an international collaborative effort - this made possible through an agreement ... 1919

85 Type 2 Ka-Mi Development of the Type 2 began in 1928 and was the Army’s attempt to turn the Type 95 Kyu-Go light tank into an amphibious vehicle by adding flotation tanks. This concept failed so the designers switched to pontoons to prov... 1942

86 Type 55 (M1939) The M1939 37mm anti aircraft weapon system is based on the Bofors 25mm Model 1933 gun system of 1935. It saw extensive action in the Second World War for both the Soviet Army and Navy, accounting for the downing of 14,657 Axi... 1939

87 Type 97 Chi-Ha The Type 97 Chi-Ha was a production of the Mitsubishi company and designed to replace the aging Type 89B series for the Imperial Japanese Army. The design of the Type 97 Chi-Ha system was practical - if not down right fundame... 1937

88 Type 97 Te-Ke Developed from an early Imperial Japanese Army request for a light tank in 1937, the Type 97 Te-Ke was simply outmatched against Allied armor. The system suffered from an undergunned main armament and light protection for the... 1937

89 Vickers 6-Ton (Mark E) The Vickers 6-Ton (Mark E) was a light tank evaluated by the British Army but ultimately rejected. When the British Army passed on the system, the tank was marketed (with success) to operators around the globe. The system wen... 1928

90 Volkswagen Kubel / Kubelwagen The Volkswagen ("People's Car") was the product of Porsche and Mercedes-Benz engineering and design created in 1933 at Adolph Hitler's request, with the first production units - the Type 62 - appearing in 1936 - and based on ... 1940