List of German military equipment of World War II

The following is a list of German military equipment of World War II which includes artillery, vehicles and vessels. World War II was a global war that was under way by 1939 and ended in 1945. Following political instability build-up in Europe from 1930, the Germans, which aimed to dominate Europe, attacked Poland on 1 September 1939, marking the start of World War II. The war in Europe ended 8 May 1945 with capitulation of Germany to the Allied forces.

The Germans used a number of type designations for their weapons. Usually, the type designation and series number (i.e. FlaK 30) are sufficient to identify a system, but occasionally multiple systems of the same type are developed at the same time and share a designation, at which point one must reference the calibre to differentiate.[1]

Personal arms

Knives and bayonets

Name/designation Type Role Blade length (cm) From (year) Notes
Seitengewehr 42 Combat knife/ bayonet Close combat 179.5 1944 Never produced in large quantities
S84/98 III Combat knife/ bayonet Close combat 25.1 1935
Seitengewehr 98 Combat knife/ bayonet Close combat 50 1898 First incorporated into the German army as a bayonet for the Mauser M1898 rifle

Pistols (manual and semi-automatic)

Name/designation Type Role/s Action Origin Base Model/s Manufacturer/s Cartridge/s Effective firing range (m) From (year) Estimated wartime quantity Unloaded mass (kg) Notes
Bodeo Model 1889 Revolver Sidearm Double action  Kingdom of Italy Societa Siderurgica Glisenti 10.35mm Ordinanza Italiana 1889 ? 0.950
ČZ vz. 27 Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Blowback-operated  Czechoslovakia Pistole vz. 24 Česká zbrojovka .32 ACP 1939 ? 0.67
Dreyse M1907 Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Blowback-operated, unlocked breech  German Empire Rheinmetall .32 ACP 25 1905 ? 0.710
Luger P08 pistol Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Short recoil, Toggle-locked  German Empire Borchardt C-93 Deutsche Waffen und Munitionsfabriken 7.65×21mm Parabellum,
9×19mm Parabellum
50 1900 ? 0.871
Mauser C96 Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Short recoil  German Empire Mauser 7.63×25mm Mauser,
9×19mm Parabellum
1896 ? 1.13
Mauser HSc Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Blowback-operated  Nazi Germany Mauser .32 ACP,
.380 ACP
40 1935 251988 0.700
Nazi belt buckle pistol Belt buckle pistol Close-quarters  German Empire
 Nazi Germany
.32 ACP,
.22 LR
1915 ?
Sauer 38H Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Straight blowback  Nazi Germany Sauer .25 ACP,
.32 ACP,
.380 ACP
25 1938 200000 0.705
Steyr M1912 Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Recoil-operated  Austria-Hungary Roth–Steyr M1907 Steyr 9mm Luger,
9mm Steyr
50 1912 ? 1.2 Converted to 9mm Parabellum as the P12(Ö)
Vis pistol Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Recoil-operated, closed bolt  Poland Browning Hi-Power FB Radom 9×19mm Parabellum 1939 ? 0.950 Also known as Radom wz.35 Vis - occupied Polish production
Volkspistole Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Blowback-operated  Nazi Germany Walther,
Mauser
9×19mm Parabellum 50 1945 ? 1.088
Walther P38 Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Short recoil, locked breech  Nazi Germany Walther, Mauser, Spreewerk 9×19mm Parabellum 50 1939 1000000 0.800
Walther PP Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Straight blowback  Weimar Republic Walther .32 ACP,
.380 ACP,
.22 LR,
.25 ACP,
9×18mm Ultra
1929 ?
Astra 300 Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Blowback/Single  Spain Astra 400 Astra-Unceta y Cia SA 9mm Largo 1941 ? 0.641 Imported from Spain
Astra 400 Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Blowback/Single  Spain Astra-Unceta y Cia SA 9mm Largo 1921 ? 1.14 Imported from Spain
Astra 600 Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Blowback-operated  Spain Astra 400 Astra-Unceta y Cia SA 9×19mm Parabellum 1944 ? 1.08 Imported from Spain
Browning Hi-Power Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Short recoil, tilting barrel  United States
 Kingdom of Belgium
Fabrique Nationale (FN) *7.65×21mm Parabellum,
9×19mm Parabellum,
.40 S&W
50 1940 ? 1.00 Occupied Belgian production
FÉG 37M Pistol Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Blowback-operated  Hungary Frommer 29M Fémáru, Fegyver és Gépgyár (FÉG) .380 ACP,
.32 ACP
1937 ? 0.770 Imported from Hungary
Star Model B Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Short recoil, tilting barrel  Spain Star Bonifacio Echeverria 9×19mm Parabellum 1922 ? Imported from Spain
FN 1922 Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Blowback-operated  Kingdom of Belgium Fabrique Nationale (FN) .380 ACP,
.32 ACP
1940 ? 0.700 Occupied Belgian production
Kongsberg Colt Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Recoil-operated, closed bolt  Kingdom of Norway Kongsberg Vaapenfabrikk .45 ACP 1940 ? Occupied Norwegian Production

Automatic pistols and submachine guns

Name/designation Type Role/s Action Origin Base model/s Manufacturer/s Cartridge/s Effective firing range (m) Cyclic rate of fire (round/min) From (year) Estimated wartime quantity Unloaded mass (kg) Notes
EMP 44 Submachine gun Close-quarters Straight blowback  Nazi Germany Erma Werke 9×19mm Parabellum 150-200 500 1943 ? 3.6
Erma EMP Machine pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Blowback  Weimar Republic Erma Werke 9×19mm Parabellum,
7.63×25mm Mauser,
9×23mm Largo,
7.65×21mm Parabellum
150 550 1931 10000 4
MAS-38 Submachine gun Close-quarters Off-axis bolt-travel delayed blowback  France 7.65mm Longue 100 600–700 1938 ? 4.340
Astra 900 Machine Pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Short recoil  Spain Astra-Unceta y Cia SA 7.63×25mm Mauser,
9mm Largo
150–200 900-1000 1927 ? 1.275 Imported from Spain
Mauser M712 Schnellfeuer Machine pistol Close-quarters/ Sidearm Short recoil  German Empire Mauser 7.63×25mm Mauser,
9×19mm Parabellum
150–200 900-1000 1896 ? 1.13
Beretta Model 38 Submachine gun Close-quarters Blowback  Kingdom of Italy 9×19mm Parabellum 200 550-600 1938 ? 3.25-4.2
MP 18 Submachine gun Close-quarters Blowback, open-bolt  German Empire Bergmann Waffenfabrik 9×19mm Parabellum 200 350-500 1918 30000 4.18
MP 28 Submachine gun Close-quarters Blowback, open-bolt  German Empire Bergmann Waffenfabrik 9×19mm Parabellum 200 550-600 1928 ? 4.0
MP 34 Submachine gun Close-quarters Blowback, open-bolt  Weimar Republic Waffenfabrik Steyr 9×19mm Parabellum,
9×23 Steyr,
9×25mm Mauser,
7.63×25mm Mauser,
.45 ACP,
7.65×21mm Parabellum
150–200 600 1929 ? 4.25
MP 35 Submachine gun Close-quarters Blowback, open-bolt  Nazi Germany Bergmann,
Schultz & Larsen
9×19mm Parabellum 150–200 540 1935 ? 4.24
MP 40 Submachine gun Close-quarters Straight blowback, open bolt  Nazi Germany Steyr-Mannlicher,
Erma Werke,
Haenel
9×19mm Parabellum 100–200 500–550 1940 1100000~ 3.97
MP 3008 Submachine gun Close-quarters Blowback, open-bolt  Nazi Germany 9×19mm Parabellum 100 450 1945 10000 3.2
Suomi KP/-31 Submachine gun Close-quarters Straight blowback  Finland Tikkakoski 9×19mm Parabellum 200 750–900 1931 ? 4.6 Imported from Finland.[2]
Danuvia 39M Submachine gun Close-quarters Lever-delayed blowback  Hungary 9×25mm Mauser 750 1939 ? 4.4 Imported from Hungary.[3]
Orița M1941 Submachine gun Close-quarters Blowback  Romania 9×19mm Parabellum 200 400-600 1943 ? 4 Imported from Romania.[4]
ZK-383 Submachine gun Close-quarters Blowback  Czechoslovakia 9×19mm Parabellum 250 500–700 1938 ? 4.83 Occupied Czech production

Rifles

Tree chart of German rifles of World War II
Gewehr 98
Non-domestic derivatives e.g. U.S. M1903 Springfield, the FN Model 24 series, etc.Export variants or licensed copies, e.g. M1904, M1909 Argentine, M1910 Serbian, etc.Karabiner 98AGewehr 98 sniper rifle
Karabiner 98AZ
Non-domestic derivatives e.g. Karabinek wz. 1929, vz. 24, etc.
Mauser Selbstlader M1916
Mauser StandardmodellKarabiner 98b
Export variants or licensed copies, e.g. Portuguese Model 1933, Chinese Type Zhongzheng, etc.
Karabiner 98kGewehr 98/40 (FÉG 35M)
Export variants or licensed copies, e.g. Swedish gevär m/39, Japanese Type Mo, etc.Karabiner 98k sniper rifle
G41(M) & G41(W)Karabiner 98k Paratrooper variantsG 40k
Gewehr 43
Non-domestic derivatives, e.g. Itajuba Model 954 MosquetaoGewehr 43 semi-auto sniper rifle
HIW VSK CarbineHIW VSKKriegsmodell Kar98k
Name/designation Type Role/s Action Origin Base Model/s Manufacturer/s Cartridge/s Effective firing range (m) From (year) Estimated wartime quantity Unloaded mass (kg) Notes
Gewehr 41(M) Battle rifle Front-line/ Assault Bolt-action/ Gas trap, rotating-bolt  Nazi Germany Mauser 7.92×57mm Mauser 1941 6673
Gewehr 41(W) Battle rifle Front-line/ Assault Gas trap, flapper locking  Nazi Germany Walther 7.92×57mm Mauser 400 1941 145000 4.9
Gewehr 43 Battle rifle Front-line/ Assault Short-stroke piston, flapper locking  Nazi Germany Gewehr 41(W) Walther 7.92×57mm Mauser 500 1943 402713 4.4
Gewehr 43 sniper rifle Sniper rifle Long-Range Precision Short-stroke piston, flapper locking  Nazi Germany Gewehr 43 Walther 7.92×57mm Mauser 800 1943 53435 4.4
Gewehr 98 Standard rifle Frontline Infantry Bolt action  German Empire Mauser 7.92×57mm Mauser 500 1898 ? 4.09
Karabiner 98a Carbine Front-line Bolt action  German Empire Gewehr 98 Mauser 7.92×57mm Mauser 1908 ?
Karabiner 98b Standard rifle Front-line Bolt action  German Empire Gewehr 98 Mauser 7.92×57mm Mauser 1923 ?
Gewehr 98 sniper rifle Sniper rifle Long-Range Precision Bolt action  German Empire Gewehr 98 Mauser 7.92×57mm Mauser 800≥ 1935 ? 4.09
HIW VSK Standard rifle Frontline Infantry Bolt-action  Nazi Germany Hessische Industrie Werke 7.92×57mm Mauser 1944 ?
HIW VSK Carbine Carbine Frontline Infantry Blow forward  Nazi Germany Hessische Industrie Werke 7.92×33mm Kurz 1944 ?
Karabiner 98k Standard rifle Frontline Infantry Bolt-action  Nazi Germany Mauser Model 1924,
Karabiner 98b
Mauser 7.92×57mm Mauser 500 1935 14000000~ 4.1 Main German rifle during World War II
Karabiner 98k sniper rifle Sniper rifle Long-Range Precision Bolt-action  Nazi Germany Karabiner 98k Mauser 7.92×57mm Mauser 1000≥ 1935 132000 4.1
M30 Luftwaffe drilling Combination rifle/ shotgun Close-quarters Blitz lock system  Nazi Germany Sauer 9.3x74mmR,
12 Gauge
1941 2456 3.4 Shotgun and rifle
Gewehr 98/40 (FÉG 35M) Standard rifle Front-line Bolt-action  Hungary 7.92×57mm Mauser 1941 138000 3.98 Imported from Hungary
Gewehr 24(t) (vz. 24) Standard rifle Frontline Infantry Bolt-action  Czechoslovakia Karabiner 98AZ Zbrojovka Brno 7.92×57mm Mauser,
7×57mm Mauser,
7.65×53mm Mauser
1939 330000 4.2 Upgraded to Karabiner 98k standards, occupied Czech production
Gewehr 33(t) (vz. 33) Standard rifle Frontline Infantry Bolt-action  Czechoslovakia Mauser Musketon M12,
vz. 24
Zbrojovka Brno 7.92×57mm Mauser 1939 131503 3.1 Occupied Czech production

Grenades and grenade launchers

Mines

Recoilless rifles

Flamethrowers

Machine guns

Infantry and dual-purpose machine guns

Name/designation Type Role/s Action Origin Base model/s Manufacturer/s Cartridge/s Effective firing range (m) Cyclic rate of fire (round/min) From (year) Estimated wartime quantity Unloaded mass (kg) Notes
Barnitzke machine gun General-purpose machine gun Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Delayed Blowback  Nazi Germany 7.92×57mm Mauser ?
FG 42 Battle rifle/ light machine gun Front-line/ Assault/ Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Gas-operated, rotating bolt  Nazi Germany Rheinmetall,
Heinrich Krieghoff Waffenfabrik,
L. O. Dietrich
7.92×57mm Mauser 300-600 750-900 1943 7000 4.2-4.95
Grossfuss Sturmgewehr Assault rifle/ light machine gun Front-line/ Assault Gas-delayed blowback  Nazi Germany Metall- und Lackwarenfabrik Johannes Großfuß 7.92×33mm Kurz 500–550 9 4.7
StG 44 Assault rifle/ light machine gun Front-line/ Assault Long-stroke piston, tilting bolt, selective fire  Nazi Germany C. G. Haenel Waffen und Fahrradfabrik 7.92×33mm Kurz 300-600 500-600 1943 425977 4.6
Krummlauf Assault rifle/ light machine gun Front-line/ Assault Long-stroke piston, tilting bolt, selective fire  Nazi Germany C. G. Haenel Waffen und Fahrradfabrik 7.92×33mm Kurz 300-600 500-600 1943 ? 4.6
StG 45(M) Assault rifle/ light machine gun Front-line/ Assault Roller-delayed blowback  Nazi Germany Mauser 7.92×33mm Kurz 300 450 1945 1200 4
Knorr-Bremse 1935/36 Automatic rifle/ light machine gun Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Long-stroke piston, open bolt  Sweden Svenska Automatvapen AB 6.5×55mm Swedish 480 1940 ? 8.5
MG 08 Heavy machine gun Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Short recoil, Toggle locked  German Empire DWM,
Spandau and Erfurt arsenals
7.92×57mm Mauser,
7.65×53mm Mauser,
7x57mm Mauser,
13×92mm TuF (TuF variant)
100-2000 450-500 1908 ? 69
MG 13 General-purpose machine gun Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Short recoil  Weimar Republic 7.92×57mm Mauser 100-2000 600 1930 ? 13.3
MG 15 General-purpose machine gun Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Recoil-operated  Weimar Republic
 Nazi Germany
Rheinmetall 7.92×57mm Mauser 1000–1050 ? 12.4 Former aircraft gun
MG 30 General-purpose machine gun Anti-Aircraft/ Airspace Denial/ Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Recoil-operated   Switzerland
 Austria
Steyr-Werke AG 7.92×57mm Mauser,
8×56mmR,
7×57mm Mauser
700–900 1930 ? 9.5
MG 34 General-purpose machine gun Anti-Aircraft/ Airspace Denial/ Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Recoil-operated, open bolt, rotating bolt  Nazi Germany Rheinmetall-Borsig AG Soemmerda,
Mauserwerke AG,
Steyr-Daimler-Puch AG,
Waffenwerke Brünn
7.92×57mm Mauser 200–2000 600–1700 1935 577120 12.1
MG 42 General-purpose machine gun Anti-Aircraft/ Airspace Denial/ Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Recoil-operated, roller-locked  Nazi Germany Mauser,
Wilhelm Gustloff Stiftung,
Steyr-Daimler-Puch,
Großfuß AG,
MAGET
7.92×57mm Mauser 200–2000 900–1500 1942 423600 11.6
MG 45 General-purpose machine gun Anti-Aircraft/ Airspace Denial/ Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Roller-delayed blowback  Nazi Germany 7.92×57mm Mauser 200-732 1350-1800 1944 10 9
MG39 Rh General-purpose machine gun Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Gas-operated  Nazi Germany 7.92×57mm Mauser 100-1600 1937 ? 9.58
MG 81 General-purpose machine gun Anti-Aircraft/ Airspace Denial/ Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Recoil-operated  Nazi Germany 7.92×57mm Mauser 200-800 1400–1600 1940 ? 6.5 Former aircraft mounted weapon
Schwarzlose MG M.07/12 Medium machine-gun Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Toggle-delayed blowback  Austria-Hungary Steyr 8×50mmR Mannlicher,
8×56mmR,
7.92×57mm Mauser,
6.5×53mmR,
6.5×55mm,
7.62×54mmR,
.303 British
400-880 1908 ? 41.4
VMG 1927 General-purpose machine gun Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Short recoil  Weimar Republic 8×57mm IS 1927 ? 11.48
Volkssturmgewehr 1-5 Substitute assault rifle/ light machine gun Front-line/ Assault Gas-delayed blowback  Nazi Germany 7.92×33mm Kurz 300 1945 10000 4.6
Wimmersperg Spz Substitute assault rifle/ light machine gun Front-line/ Assault Gas-operated  Nazi Germany 7.92×33mm Kurz 400 1944 ?
ZB vz. 26 General-purpose machine gun Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Gas-operated, tilting breechblock  Czechoslovakia Zbrojovka Brno, Military Technical Institute Kragujevac 7.92×57mm Mauser 100-1000 500 1924 ? 9.65
ZB vz. 30 General-purpose machine gun Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Gas-operated, tilting breechblock  Czechoslovakia Zbrojovka Brno, Military Technical Institute Kragujevac 7.92×57mm Mauser 100-1000 550-650 1930 ? 9.10
ZB-53 Medium machine gun Anti-Aircraft/ Airspace Denial/ Fire Support/ Suppression/ Defense Gas-operated  Czechoslovakia Zbrojovka Brno 7.92×57mm Mauser 500–800 1936 ? 21

Vehicle and aircraft machine guns

Name/designation Type Action Application/s Origin Base model/s Manufacturer/s Cartridge/s From (year) Unloaded mass (kg) Notes
MG 15 Light machine gun Recoil operated  Nazi Germany MG 30 Rheinmetall 7.92×57mm Mauser 1932 12.4
MG 17 Light machine gun Recoil operated, closed bolt

and many other aircraft.

 Nazi Germany MG 30 Rheinmetall-Borsig 7.92×57mm Mauser 1934 10.2
MG 81 Light machine gun Recoil-operated  Nazi Germany MG 34 7.92×57mm Mauser 1940 6.5
MG 131 Heavy machine gun Recoil operated, short recoil, closed bolt

and many other aircraft.

 Nazi Germany 13×64mmB 1940 16.6
MG 151/15 Autocannon  Nazi Germany Waffenfabrik Mauser AG 15×96mm cartridge 1940 42.7
MG 151/20 Autocannon  Nazi Germany Waffenfabrik Mauser AG 20×82mm cartridge 1941 42
Mauser MG 213 Autocannon Gas operated, Single barrel 5-rounds revolver  Nazi Germany 20×146mm cartridge 1944 75
Mauser MK 213 Autocannon Gas operated, Single barrel 5-rounds revolver  Nazi Germany 30×146mm cartridge 1944 75
MG FF Autocannon API Blowback

and many other aircraft.

 Nazi Germany Oerlikon FF F cannon 20×80mm RB 1936 26.3
MK 101 Autocannon Recoil operated  Nazi Germany 30x184B 1940 139
MK 103 Autocannon Gas operated/ recoil operated  Nazi Germany MK 101 30x184B 1943 141
MK 108 Autocannon API Blowback  Nazi Germany 30×90RB 1943 58
MK 112 (55mm aircraft cannon) Autocannon  Nazi Germany 55mm 1945 271
MK 214A Autocannon  Nazi Germany Fixed QF 50×419mmR
Schräge Musik Autocannon  Nazi Germany
BK 3.7 Anti-tank autocannon Short recoil  Nazi Germany 37×263mm 1942 295
BK 5 Anti-tank autocannon  Nazi Germany Fixed QF 50×419mmR 1943 540
BK 7.5 Anti-tank autocannon  Nazi Germany Fixed QF 75×714mmR

Artillery

Demolition charges

Infantry mortars

Heavy mortars and rocket launchers

Field artillery

Fortress and siege guns

Anti-tank guns

Anti-tank weapons (besides anti-tank guns)

Anti-aircraft weapons

Light anti-aircraft guns

Heavy anti-aircraft guns

Vehicles

Nazi Germany had captured many models of foreign equipment. In the list below, only most prominent captured models are listed. For full listing of captured vehicles see List of foreign vehicles used by Nazi Germany in World War II

Tankette

  • AMR 35 - captured from French, some converted to mortar carrier

Tanks

Tank-based

Other

Diana

Armored cars

Armored carriers

  • Sd.Kfz. 3 (early) - unarmed personnel carrier of the 1920s
  • French Somua MCG/MCL mittlerer gepanzerter Zugkraftwagen S307/303(f)
  • French Unic P107 leichter Zugkraftwagen U304(f))
  • Gepanzerter Mannschaftstransportwagen 'Kätzchen' - 2 built
  • Munitions Selbstfahrlafette auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen II (Wespe chassis as ammunition carrier)
  • Munitionspanzer 38(t) (sf) Ausf.K (Sd.Kfz..138/1)
  • Sd.Kfz. 252 half-track ammunition carrier
  • Borgward B III - armoured ammunition carrier

Engineering and command

Trucks

Passenger cars

Motorcycles

Tractors and prime movers

Miscellaneous vehicles

Aircraft

Secret weapons

Radars

Missiles and bombs

Cartridges and shells

50 cal shells

See also

References

  1. "World War 2 Weapons". Military Dictionary. Archived from the original on 2008-12-06. Retrieved 2008-12-10.
  2. John Walter, Guns of the Third Reich, Greenhill Books, 2004, p. 163
  3. John Walter, Guns of the Third Reich, Greenhill Books, 2004, p. 163
  4. John Walter, Guns of the Third Reich, Greenhill Books, 2004, p. 163
  5. Panzerabwehrkanonen

Further reading

  • Chamberlain, Peter & Gander, Terry. Light and Medium Field Artillery. New York: Arco, 1975
  • Gander, Terry. Heavy Artillery of World War II. Wiltshire: The Crowood Press, 2004 ISBN 1-84037-414-4
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