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Weapons of WWII
Planes of WWII
The North American P-51 Mustang
The P-51 is considered to be one of greatest single seat fighters to be used in WWII. Its original design called for the use of a 1,100 hp Allison V-1710-39 engine, but this version proved to have limitations in combat operations at higher altitudes. When the Allison was replaced by the British Rolls Royce Merlin engine the Mustang lept into prominance as an excellent fighter. Its ability to fly long distances in the escort fighter role earned it fame during the long missions to Germany and over the expanses of the Pacific. A related aircraft is known as the A-36, which was an early version of the P-51 provided with dive brakes and underwing racks, to operate in a close-support role.
Grumman F6F Hellcat
The Hellcat replaced the F4F Wildcat during the last three years of the war as the main fighter for the U.S. Navy. It was rugged, dependable, and had the performance to match or beat the Japanese fighters that it fought
M-1 Garand Rifle
The M-1 was the standard weapon of the US infantry soldier in World War II. It is semi-automatic, fed by a clip that holds eight caliber .30 cartridges. It is gas operated, self-loading, and a shoulder weapon. The gun weighs 8.94 pounds, is 43 inches long, with the barrel itself being 22.30 inches. The Garand has a muzzle velocity of 2,760 feet per second, and a maximum range of 5,500 yards. A bayonet can be attached to the M-1, giving it a reach of about five feet.
Thompson Submachine Gun
Fully automatic, the Thompson is an all-round field weapon of .45 caliber. It weighs 12.5 pounds when fully loaded with a 30-round magazine and is 33 inches long. The M1928 Thompson fires between 600 and 700 rounds per minute.
Colt .45 Pistol
The standard side-arm of American soldiers from the early 1900s through Desert Storm, the Colt 45 (M1911 / M1911A1). is still the handgun choice of many soldiers. The effective range is about 50 yards. They are typically semi-automatics with a seven round magazine plus one in the chamber.
Sniper Rifles
The M1903-A4 was a specifically designed sniper rifle that came as a result of early U.S. combat involvement in the Pacific. There was a high demand, that could not be filled, for telescopic (sniper) rifles. The Infantry Board and the Ordanance Department conducted an evaluation and recommended that the Weaver 2.5x 330C hunting telescope be adopted for use on M1903 and M1903-A1 rifles. The rifle was officially adopted on 14 Jan 1943 as the M1903-A4 (sniper). The M1903-A4 was an accurate rifle with an effective range of about 600 yards (550m), with the main limit on long range accuracy coming from its very low power scope (2.5x). From its adoption in 1943 until the end of the war, the M1903-A4 was used extensively in every theater of operation by both the US Army and the USMC. The rifle was again used in the korean conflict, and even in the early stages of the Vietnam conflict when [next page]