Worst equipment of WW2

Discussions on every day life in the Weimar Republic, pre-anschluss Austria, Third Reich and the occupied territories. Hosted by Vikki.
Post Reply
User avatar
WEISWEILER
Member
Posts: 1391
Joined: 07 Sep 2007, 18:19

Worst equipment of WW2

#1

Post by WEISWEILER » 11 Jan 2014, 06:05

Yesterday I saw a documentary on special ops during the war, and one of them was the assassination of Heydrich. Experts today can't understand why the SOE commandoes used a stengun to hit the SS-governor in Prague. They say it was "the worst and most primitive gun of those days". Actually the hitmen had to throw a bomb at Heydrichs car after their stengun had jammed.

Another exemple could be the Maus, which was just too heavy, but it never came into prodution because it prooved not useful enough. So this kind of prototype doesn't count.

What do you think was the worst equipment of the war, or what was bad equipment what so ever? Axis or Allied.

Thanks.

/Adam Weisweiler

Alixanther
Member
Posts: 411
Joined: 04 Oct 2003, 05:26
Location: Romania

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#2

Post by Alixanther » 14 Jan 2014, 23:46

Oh! This one is REALLY easy. The worst equipment ever is NO equipment. Meaning ingenuity, local stuff and bare hands.
Have you ever seen Rambo 1 ? Something like that, however I think Rambo at least had SOMETHING.
Russian partisans usually fluctuated between some (bad) equipment and no equipment at all. Or stolen, unreliable equipment. Anything above a pitchfork qualifies for worst equipment :)


Felix C
Member
Posts: 1201
Joined: 04 Jul 2007, 17:25
Location: Miami, Fl

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#3

Post by Felix C » 15 Jan 2014, 04:12

I seem to recall on of the Me. aircraft which was intended to replace the 110 was poorly judged. It is the ME-210.

User avatar
WEISWEILER
Member
Posts: 1391
Joined: 07 Sep 2007, 18:19

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#4

Post by WEISWEILER » 15 Jan 2014, 11:49

Yes, id didn't really get full service and was replaced by the Me-410 Hornisse, which was succesful.

Thanks, Felix.

/W

peter2010
Member
Posts: 76
Joined: 03 Aug 2012, 15:52

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#5

Post by peter2010 » 15 Jan 2014, 14:17

Stengun does seem a good candidate. I'm currently reading Flamethrower by Andrew Wilson, about his experiences as a commander of a Crocodile tank in the British army in NW Europe in 1944/45. At one point after he has exited his tank in the middle of a battle he comes face to face with a German officer and is nearly killed because his stengun jams (he is saved because the German officer is a poor shot and misses the target). The Sherman tank (aka as "Tommy Cooker") also has a reasonable claim to the title of worst equipment of WW2.

User avatar
WEISWEILER
Member
Posts: 1391
Joined: 07 Sep 2007, 18:19

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#6

Post by WEISWEILER » 15 Jan 2014, 14:32

Why do you mention the Sherman, Peter?

User avatar
AVV
Member
Posts: 3849
Joined: 31 Mar 2009, 20:25
Location: Kiev, Ukraine

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#7

Post by AVV » 15 Jan 2014, 14:42

Hello!
Speaking about German planes - Junkers Ju-322, and, to a certain extent, Heinkel He-177.

Best regards, Aleks

User avatar
LWD
Member
Posts: 8618
Joined: 21 Sep 2005, 22:46
Location: Michigan

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#8

Post by LWD » 15 Jan 2014, 15:19

WEISWEILER wrote:Why do you mention the Sherman, Peter?
Why would he? This is a worst equipment thread.

User avatar
WEISWEILER
Member
Posts: 1391
Joined: 07 Sep 2007, 18:19

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#9

Post by WEISWEILER » 15 Jan 2014, 15:23

LWD wrote:
WEISWEILER wrote:Why do you mention the Sherman, Peter?
Why would he? This is a worst equipment thread.

Of course, but it would be nice to explain why it was bad equipment. ;)

User avatar
WEISWEILER
Member
Posts: 1391
Joined: 07 Sep 2007, 18:19

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#10

Post by WEISWEILER » 15 Jan 2014, 15:25

I wonder about this Polish TKS as well. Looks more like a riding coffin!

Image

User avatar
WEISWEILER
Member
Posts: 1391
Joined: 07 Sep 2007, 18:19

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#11

Post by WEISWEILER » 15 Jan 2014, 15:29

AVV wrote:Hello!
Speaking about German planes - Junkers Ju-322, and, to a certain extent, Heinkel He-177.

Best regards, Aleks

These were only prototypes. No prototypes in this thread, it would be a far too long list. Only equipment which made it into service but prooved bad after all. Thanks.

Edit: The He-177 does count, sorry. The 'flaming coffin' although was adapted and acted better eventually.

User avatar
Kingfish
Member
Posts: 3348
Joined: 05 Jun 2003, 17:22
Location: USA

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#12

Post by Kingfish » 15 Jan 2014, 16:22

peter2010 wrote:The Sherman tank (aka as "Tommy Cooker") also has a reasonable claim to the title of worst equipment of WW2.
Would you say the same thing about the T34/76?
Both shared similar narratives during, and beyond, WW2.
The gods do not deduct from a man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing.
~Babylonian Proverb

User avatar
AVV
Member
Posts: 3849
Joined: 31 Mar 2009, 20:25
Location: Kiev, Ukraine

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#13

Post by AVV » 15 Jan 2014, 17:25

WEISWEILER wrote:No prototypes in this thread
OK.
Not a sort of equipment really, but quite widely used and still useless - Zimmerit.

Best regards, Aleks

peter2010
Member
Posts: 76
Joined: 03 Aug 2012, 15:52

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#14

Post by peter2010 » 15 Jan 2014, 17:44

Sherman: Weak armor and high profile (among other things) made it extremely vulnerable to German tanks and anti-tank weapons. Once hit, the fire spread within seconds, leaving the crew very little time to get out, hence "Tommy Cooker".

User avatar
Kingfish
Member
Posts: 3348
Joined: 05 Jun 2003, 17:22
Location: USA

Re: Worst equipment of WW2

#15

Post by Kingfish » 15 Jan 2014, 18:28

peter2010 wrote:Sherman: Weak armor and high profile (among other things) made it extremely vulnerable to German tanks and anti-tank weapons. Once hit, the fire spread within seconds, leaving the crew very little time to get out, hence "Tommy Cooker".
Bear in mind that when it was first introduced it matched up well with contemporary German designs, and its adaptability would allow for upgrades in armor and firepower. I don't see how that can be considered a candidate for worst equipment.

Something else to consider: the US planned for and fought a global war, while the Axis opponents only fought a regional war. This distinction influenced the design of both sides. The Panther was certainly a superb tank, as long as it fought in a European land war. Now take that same tank and try to ship it across the Pacific in amphibious transport, land it on remote beaches and fight its way into triple-canopy jungle and suddenly the design is no longer superb.
The gods do not deduct from a man's allotted span the hours spent in fishing.
~Babylonian Proverb

Post Reply

Return to “Life in the Third Reich & Weimar Republic”