Equipment losses in World War II
Equipment losses in World War II refers to military equipment destroyed during World War II, the deadliest and most costly war in history.
Air
![](../I/m/C-47_aircraft_hit_by_flak.jpg)
An American C-47 aircraft burns after being shot down during operation Market Garden
- China: Total losses of the Nationalist Air Force were 2,468 (According to Chinese and Taiwanese Sources).
- Finland: Reported losses during the Winter War totaled 67, of which 42 were operational, while 536 aircraft were lost during the Continuation War, of which 209 were operational losses. (Overall 603).[1]
- France: From the beginning of the war until the cease-fire in 1940, 892 aircraft were lost, of which 413 were in action and 234 were on the ground. Losses included 508 fighters and 218 bombers.(Overall 892)[1]
- Germany: Estimated total number of destroyed and damaged for the war totaled 76,875 aircraft, of which 40,000 were total losses and the remainder significantly damaged. By type, losses totaled 21,452 fighters, 12,037 bombers, 15,428 trainers, 10,221 twin-engine fighters, 5,548 ground attack, 6,733 reconnaissance, and 6,141 transports.[1]
- Italy: Total losses were 5,272 aircraft, of which 3,269 were lost in combat.
- Japan: Estimates vary from 35,000 to 50,000 total losses, with about 20,000 lost operationally.[2]
- Netherlands: Total losses were 81 aircraft during the May, 1940 campaign.[2]
- Poland: Total losses were 398 destroyed, including 116 fighters, 112 dive bombers, 81 reconnaissance aircraft, 36 bombers, 21 sea planes, and 9 transports.[2]
- Soviet Union: Total losses were over 146,400 including 88,300 combat types.[3]
- British Empire
- United States: Total losses were nearly 95,000, including 52,951 operational losses (38,418 in Europe and 14,533 in the Pacific).[2]
Land
- French: Around 6,000 tanks (~3,000 destroyed, ~3,000 captured by German)
- UK : Around 20,000 tanks
- USA: Around 20,000 tanks
- Germany:
- Around 40,000 tanks and SPGs destroyed or captured (~2,000 in North Africa, ~4,000 in Western Front and ~34,000 in Eastern Front)
- Around 87,329 half-track trucks; 36,703 half-track tractors; 21,880 half-track armoured personnel carriers destroyed or captured.
- 226,300 Military cars and 97,470 Military motor-cycles destroyed or captured.
- 159,144 Anti-tank guns and Artillery destroyed or captured.
- 86,400 Mortars destroyed or captured.
- Italy: Around 3,500 tanks
- Japan: Around 3,000 tanks
- Soviet Union:
Soviet tank losses [5] | Received | Total stock | Losses | % of Total stock loss |
---|---|---|---|---|
Tanks | 68,100 | 108,700 | 83,500 | 76.8 |
Heavy | 10,000 | 10,500 | 5,200 | 49.5 |
Medium | 55,000 | 55,900 | 44,900 | 80.3 |
Light | 21,100 | 42,300 | 33,400 | 79.1 |
SP Guns | 23,100 | 23,100 | 13,000 | 56.3 |
Heavy | 5,000 | 5,000 | 2,300 | 46.0 |
Medium | 4,000 | 4,000 | 2.100 | 52.5 |
Light | 14,000 | 14,000 | 8,600 | 61.4 |
Tanks and SP Guns | 109,100 | 131,700 | 96,500 | 73.3 |
Armored cars, tractors, other armoured vehicles | 59,100 | 72,200 | 37,600 | 52.1 |
- Comparative figures from Germany and Soviet Union:
Comparative figures [6] | 1941 | 1942 | 1943 | 1944 | 1945 | Total |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Soviet Tank strengh* | 22,600 | 7,700 | 20,600 | 21,100 | 25,400 | |
German Tank strengh* | 5,262 | 4,896 | 5,648 | 5,266 | 6,284 | |
Soviet Tank Production | 6,274 | 24,639 | 19,959 | 16,975 | 4,384 | 72,231 |
German Tank Production | 3,256 | 4,278 | 5,966 | 9,161 | 1,098 | 23,759 |
Production Ratio | 1:2 | 1:5.6 | 1:3.3 | 1:1.85 | 1:4 | 1:3 |
Soviet Tank losses | 20,500 | 15,000 | 22,400 | 16,900 | 8,700 | 83,500 |
German Tank losses | 2,758 | 2,648 | 6,362 | 6,434 | 7,382 | 25,584 |
Tank exchange ratio** (German:Soviet) | 1:7 | 1:6 | 1:4 | 1:4 | 1:1.2 | 1:4.4 |
(*) As of January each year, except for 1941 which is as of 22 June 1941. German strength is entire strength, not only the Eastern Front. In July 1944 the Germans had over 1,500 tanks in Normandy and several hundred in other theatres such as Italy and the Balkans. Likewise, the Soviet kept about 3,000 tanks in the Far East through much of the war.
(**) German tank losses here include all fronts; the tank exchange ratio details estimated German losses to Anglo-American forces and so reflects only the Soviet-German loss.
Sea
Used Sources:
Country | Carriers & Seaplane Tenders | Battleships & Battlecruisers | Cruisers | Destroyers | Escorts,Frigates | Submarines | Other Warship | Auxiliary | Total | Notes |
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Australia | 3 | 4 | 2 | 3 | 3 | 15 | ||||
Canada | 6 | 11 | 9 | 5 | 31 | |||||
France | 1 | 8 | 36 | 33 | 14 | 2 | 94 | |||
Free France | 1 | 3 | 1 | 4 | 9 | |||||
Germany | 4 | 7 | 37 | 785 | 840 | Includes scuttled ships | ||||
Greece | 3 | 4 | 4 | 10 | 5 | 26 | Kilkis & Lemnos considered cruisers by displacement | |||
Italy | 1 | 11 | 84 | 84 | 180 | |||||
Japan | 19 | 8 | 37 | 134 | 130 | 328 | 3 Further battleships foundered | |||
Netherlands | 2 | 9 | 0 | 14 | 6 | 26 | 57 | |||
Norway | 2 | 3 | 4 | 4 | 8 | 2 | 23 | 2 Coastal defence ship of Eidsvold class considered as crusers by Displacement | ||
Soviet Union | 1 | 1 | 29 | 4 | 99 | 1 | 133 | Battleship Marat sunk & scrapped | ||
United Kingdom | 10 | 5 | 31 | 113 | 47 | 73 | 187 | 572 | 1035 | |
United States | 14 | 3 | 10 | 83 | 11 | 52 | 85 | 188 | 444 | |
Poland | 1 | 3 | 1 | 2 | 1 | 3 | 11 |
References
- ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Ellis, John (1993). World War II - A statistical survey. Facts on File. p. 258. ISBN 0-8160-2971-7.
- ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 Ellis p. 259
- ↑ Krivosheev, G. I. (1997). Soviet Casualties and Combat Losses. Greenhill. p. 255. ISBN 1-85367-280-7.
- ↑ Odgers, G. (1957). Air war against Japan. Australian War Memorial.
- ↑ Krivosheev, G. I. (1997). Soviet Casualties and Combat Losses. Greenhill. p. 253. ISBN 1-85367-280-7.
- ↑ Zaloga, Steven J.; Ness, Leland S. (2003). The Red Army Handbook 1939-1945. Sutton. p. 181. ISBN 0750932090.