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 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

2 7 TP The 7 TP series was of a Polish design, based on the British Vickers-Armstrong 6-ton tank. When war with Germany was rolling about the horizon, the Polish government saw a need to replace their diminutive tankettes with a mor... 1939

3 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

4 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

5 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

6 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

7 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

8 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

9 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

10 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

11 Cruiser Tank Sentinel AC 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

12 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

13 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

14 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

15 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

16 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

17 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

18 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

19 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

20 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

21 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

22 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

23 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

24 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

25 Light Tank M3 / M5 (General 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

26 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

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28 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

29 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

30 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

31 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

32 M35 (Deuce and a Half) When one hears of the real workhorses of the second world war, they tend to think of the tanks, planes and bombers of the war. But little attention is rarely given to the unsung hero as in the M-35 2.5 ton 6 x 6 CCKV supply t... 1941

33 M4 Sherman So many Sherman variants were developed during the Second World War that it would be impossible to mention them all in any detail here. The M4 Sherman was, without a doubt, the most important Allied tank of the war. It was no... 1942

34 M4A3 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

35 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

36 M4A4 Sherman Firefly VC Outwardly, the Sherman Firefly series of tank destroyers looked every bit like their M4 Sherman base counterparts. Closer examination however would reveal a system that was finally capable of dealing with the impressive Germa... 1944

37 M7 Priest The M-7 Priest was the principle mobile artillery system for the allies in World War 2. The British maintained their own versions of the vehicle (until the Sextons became available) and saw first combat with the weapons syste... 1942

38 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

39 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

40 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

41 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

42 Medium Tank M3 (General Grant / General Lee) If the appearance of the American Medium Tank M3 did anything to the Axis powers, it showcased just how quickly an Allied design could be rushed onto the battlefield. The Medium Tank M3 (referred to as the General Grant or Ge... 1942

43 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

44 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

45 SdKfz 101 Panzerkampfwagen I (PzKpfW I) By today's standards the Panzer I series of tanks could be viewed as nothing more than an anti-infantry tank system. In 1935, however, the Panzer I was the spear tip of Hitler's blitzkrieg operations throughout Europe. The sy... 1935

46 SdKfz 121 Panzerkampfwagen II (PzKpfW II) The Panzer II (PzKpfw II or Panzerkampfwagen II) was designed to meet a 1934 light tank requirement as specified by the German Ordnance Department. A design proposed by MAN was accepted and by 1935, the system was in producti... 1935

47 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

48 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

49 SdKfz 141 Panzerkampfwagen III (PzKpfW III) The PzkPfw III (or "Panzerkampfwagen III" or "Panzer III" or "SdKfz 141") was developed as a challenge set forth by the German Weapons Department. The concept was to begin fielding German tank battalions with up to three comp... 1939

50 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

51 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

52 SdKfz 161 Panzerkampfwagen IV (PzKpfw IV) The PzKpfw IV was a German Army Medium Tank that would go on to see production last throughout the entire span of World War Two. More than a handful for the Allies that faced it, the system appeared in a variety of forms thro... 1936

53 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

54 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

55 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

56 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

57 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

58 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

59 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

60 SdKfz 2 kleines Kettenrad ... 1941

61 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

62 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

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