Many of the weapons found in this list of the classics will be familiar to historical enthusiasts and World War II action-film fans. Many examples have become classics because of their design and most represent the latest developments in weaponry of their age.
But not all of these classics had fine reputations as tough, reliable and dependable weapons. Some, which turned out to be of very poor quality after being rushed into mass production, stand as icons of their time purely because they were made and used in such volume.
This database catalogues a host of nearly 100 machines and tools of war that shaped the outcome of the 20th century’s defining war and laid the foundations for the world we know today.
