The Best weapons of WWII?

[Case]

I knew all of that. Weren't they just used mostly in in the latter half of the Pacific War, though? I've never read of any widespread use in the European theater.

AFAIK, only 3 B-29s were sent to the European Theatre. They were sent to England for trials and as a deception tactic (which, from memory, was unsucessful - the Germans never noticed they were there). Had Germany still been fighting in August 1945, it's safe to say that the 309th Composite Group would have taken its' B-29s to England.

 

[privatehudson]

Medium Tank: Panther, after all you said the best, not most effective
Heavy Tank: JSII, beats the Tiger hands down with only 1 main problem (lack of ammunition carried in early marks)
Strategic Bomber: B29, though I have a fondness for the good old Lancaster given it's high payload and versatility
Tactical Bomber: No contest, Mosquito wins hands down.
Jet Fighter: Me262, though personally I don't rate the plane that much anyway
Semi-Automatic rifle: Well given the categories you posted I'd put theFJ42 (the paratroop rifle for the Germans) in, nothing can compare to that.
Bolt Action: Lee Enfield, most accurate rifle around
Light Machine Gun: Bren, MG42 I consider more of a medium MG. The Bren could be fired from the hip with some accuracy, the MG42 could not realistically say the same.
SMG: MP40 or MP44 if no assault rifle category
Pistol: Walther
Medium MG: MG42
Amphib: Buffalo, but the DUKW deserves a mention too here
Best Light Tank: Stuart
Best Tankhunter: Jagpanther, anything that marries the killing power of a Tiger II with the speed of a Panther has to be good
Best SPA: Katushya
Hand-Held: Panzershrek
Sub: Type 21
Amphib. Aircraft: Sunderland
Light Transport: Jeep
Heavy Transport: SDKFZ 251 due to it's various different types
Transport Plane: C47
Best Ship: The most used form of US carrier

I disagree with bugfatty300 on the carrier plane as the seafire (IIRC) has a better record than any of the allied planes, and since the criteria is not whom did more, but what was better...

And nonconformist... since when has a matilda been a light tank?

 

[Adler17]

The radar of the German Ju 88 was at times better than the British. However I think the honour for the best night fighter should get the He 219 Uhu (Owl). He wasn´t built in big numbers but it was better than the Mosquito. And faster. The IS 3 had a gun which was powerful but not very accurate. Also it is questionable if he was used in ww2. The M 26 and IS 2 however which were used had not the potential to be considered as best heavy tank.

Adler

 

[privatehudson]

The IS2 was at least the equal of the King Tiger. Besides the mosquito does it for me as it was more versatile than the 219.

 

[Adler17]

The He 219 was also developed as bomber, torpedo bomber night fighter, heavy fihter, reconaissance plane. It was as versatile as the Mosquito but faster, more robust and better armed.

Adler

 

[Aphex_Twin]

How about the nuclear bomb?

 

[Kafka2]

I wouldn't want to fire one from the hip.

 

[nonconformist]

And nonconformist... since when has a matilda been a light tank?

I don't know. I supose I mixed the terms Light tank and Infantry tank up. But I suppose my hoice fo light tank would go to Pzkfw 38-t.

 

[Darth_Pugwash]

Wasn't the Matilda was a heavy tank? The only thing the Germans had that could damage the things were 88's.

 

[nonconformist]

i doubt it was heavy, considering Heavy includes Tigers, King Tigers, IS etc. It might be medium, but the original classification was an infantry tank.

 

[Darth_Pugwash]

In the time frame of 1940-41 it was a heavy tank. I think that in Africa they were used in a similar way to Tigers in Russia.

 

[privatehudson]

Nonconformist: Well considering the Matilda was remarkably slow (15km/hour off road!) and weighed 26500kg and the 38t weighed in at 9400kg it's a little strange to place the two in the same category. Plus the matilda was, whilst heavily armoured not exactly equiped to damage it's main foe, namely the 88 AA gun since the 2 pndr gun it carried didn't fire HE ammunition The problem here is compared to the Panther/Tiger it was lighter, but for the period it served it was heavy. It can't be directly compared to a tank 4 years older than it when it did not suit or take part in conventional light tank roles of reconassaince and so on.

As for the Mosquito/Uhu debate, that really depends on which variant of each is discussed, generally though I'd go for the mosquito, easier to build, earlier and in many guises proven time and again as a truly brilliant design.

 

[Me-262]

The me-262 it tore through american bombers.If it was brought into the war earlier it would of shift the tides of war.

 

[Jawz II]

matillda was heavily armoured but not heavily armed

best light mg: not the bren gun..when i think about it, i know no other light mgs from ww2
BAR and FG 42 dont count no?

best MG though: MG-42 by far!

 

[rilnator]

Lets not forget the Me-163 and personal anti tank weapons like the Panzerfaust and Bazooka.

 

[Sarevok]

Medium Tank: Pz. V "Panther"
Heavy Tank: Pz. VIB "King Tiger"
Strategic Bomber: B-17
Fighter: P-51
Jet Fighter: Me-262
Semi-Auto Rifle: M1 Garand
Bolt-Action Rifle: Mauser K98
Light Machinegun: B.A.R
Sub Machinegun: M1A1 Thompson
Pistol: Colt 1911
Artillery Piece: 88MM Flak Gun
Rocket Artillery: Katyusha
AT Weapon: Panzerfaust
Machine Gun: MG-42

 

[TrailblazingScot]

I'd choose to carry the MP44 Assault Rifle on the basis of having used it in 'Hidden & Dangerous'

 

[dgfred]

Medium Tank: Pz. V "Panther"
Heavy Tank: Pz. VIB "King Tiger"
Strategic Bomber: B-17
Fighter: P-51
Jet Fighter: Me-262
Semi-Auto Rifle: M1 Garand
Bolt-Action Rifle: Mauser K98
Light Machinegun: B.A.R
Sub Machinegun: M1A1 Thompson
Pistol: Colt 1911
Artillery Piece: 88MM Flak Gun
Rocket Artillery: Katyusha
AT Weapon: Panzerfaust
Machine Gun: MG-42

Good ones . Was the BAR a 'light' machinegun?

 

[JohnRM]

What about the Zero?

The F4U Corsair outranks the Zero in virtually every catergory in existence.

Best (bloody most armed) ship: Yamomoto

That would be "Yamato", of which there were two ships, the Musashi having been the second of the class. They were the largest battleships in history, exceeding 65,000 tons, and they were the only of which mounted 18.1-inch naval artillery. However, for my money, I would go with the Iowa Class, any day. The fault with the Yamato was the anti-aircraft defenses. They just were not up to par with its American counterparts. If you speak of purely the battleship, it would have to be the Yamato, but if you are speaking of the battelship and its relation to the war, then three things are exceedingly important. Speed, Gunnery Range + Targeting ability, and Anti-Aircraft capability, all of which the Yamato lacked. The ship had to be refitted with new anti-aircraft weaponary twice. After the refitting, it was the best battleship, anywhere. Based upon original design, no way.

 

[Jawz II]

i disagree with the tommy gun = the best smg of ww2

pphs41 (russian) would get my vote