Main Battle Tanks of WWII

Six of the most common tanks from WWII

Germany

Panzer III G: The Panzer III was the workhorse tank of the German Wehrmacht in the early years of WWII. 600 "G" pattern Panzer IIIs were built, the first German tank up-gunned with the 5cm main gun. They served primarily in North Africa under the “Desert Fox” Erwin Rommel, and on the Eastern Front against the Red Army. By 1944 they were obsolete, and were replaced by larger and heavier German tanks.

Panzer VI A - Tiger I: So feared were the famous Tiger tanks that most German panzers sighted by American troops were reported as Tigers! Developed in 1942 as a super heavy tank, the Tiger mounted the vaunted “88” gun, and weighed a whopping 57 tons. By war’s end, over 1,350 Tiger Is had been deployed in all theatres where the German Army fought.

United States

M4A1 Sherman: The quintessential example of America’s “Arsenal of Democracy,” this uncomplicated, fast, reliable and robust vehicle was used on every front by every Allied nation during the war: over 40,000 Sherman's were built. This M4A1 was the first common version, featuring a cast hull and mounting a 75mm high velocity main gun. Later production versions were armed with a long barreled 76mm main gun.

United Kingdom

Crusader I: Though many different tanks served with Field Marshal Bernard Montgomery’s “Desert Rats” during the North African campaign, the A15 Crusader I was most representative. Designed late in the 1930s, the Crusaders suffered many teething pains, but from June 1941 through mid-1943 they were the mainstay of Commonwealth armored forces. This version mounted a two-pound gun: later versions carried the harder-hitting six-pounder. Many soldiered on in auxiliary roles after removal from front line service.

Soviet Union

T-34/76 C Model 1943: Stronger, bigger and more powerful than contemporary opponents, tens of thousands of T 34s battled German panzers to a standstill and then rolled them back. Key features included a 5-wheel Christie suspension, 76.2mm high velocity gun, a low profile with highly sloped armor, and ease of manufacture and repair. Several German field marshals, including Heinz Guderian, referred to the T-34 as the finest tank in the world.

KV-1 A (1940): When the Germans poured into Russia in 1941, the Red Army had a big surprise waiting the invaders. The KV series of super heavy tanks were impervious to anything the German panzers of 1941 offered. Weighing in at 43.5 tons (by comparison, the common Pz II was a puny 8.9 tons) and mounting a 76.2mm gun, the KV-1 was an all-Russian design with enhanced protection and super-wide tracks capable of traversing all forms of terrain. Upgraded KV tanks continued to serve the Red Army throughout WWII.

Miniatures are supplied unpainted and assembly may be required.