List of German military equipment of World War II


This page contains a list of equipment used by the German military of World War II. Germany used a number of type designations for their weapons. In some cases, the type designation and series number are sufficient to identify a system, but occasionally multiple systems of the same type are developed at the same time and share a partial designation.

Personal arms and captured arms

Knives and bayonets

ImageName/designationTypeRole/sLengthFrom Notes
Seitengewehr 42Combat knife, bayonetClose combat1944Never produced in large quantities
S84/98 III bayonetCombat knife, bayonet1935
Seitengewehr 98Combat knife, bayonetClose combat1898First incorporated into the German army as a bayonet for the Mauser M1898 rifle

Small arms

Revolvers, pistols, and pistol carbines (manual and semi-automatic)

ImageName/designationTypeRole/sActionOriginVariant/sBase model/sManufacturer/sCartridge/sEffective firing range
From Estimated wartime quantityUnloaded mass
Notes-
Bodeo M1889RevolverSidearmDouble actionKingdom of Italy

Automatic pistols and submachine guns

ImageName/designationTypeRole/sActionOriginBase model/sManufacturer/sCartridge/sEffective firing range Cyclic rate of fire From Estimated wartime quantityUnloaded mass Notes
EMP 44Submachine gunClose-quartersStraight blowbackNazi Germany

Rifles

ImageName/designationTypeRole/sActionOriginManufacturer/sCartridge/sEffective firing
range 		From Estimated
wartime quantity		Unloaded mass
Notes
Gewehr 41(M)RifleFront-line, assaultBolt-action, gas trap, rotating-boltNazi Germany

Grenades and grenade launchers

ImageName/designationTypeOriginMass
WarheadWarhead mass
Detonation mechanismMaximum firing range
Estimated
wartime quantity		From Notes
Blendkörper 1HSmoke grenadeNazi Germany

Mines

Recoilless rifles

Flamethrowers

Infantry rifles and machine guns

Infantry rifles and dual-purpose machine guns

ImageName/designationTypeRole/sActionOriginManufacturer/sCartridge/sEffective firing range Cyclic rate of fire From Estimated wartime quantityUnloaded mass Notes
-Barnitzke machine gunGeneral-purpose machine gunFire support, suppression, defenseDelayed blowbackNazi Germany

Vehicle and aircraft machine guns

ImageName/designationTypeActionApplication/sOriginBase model/sManufacturer/sCartridge/sFrom Unloaded mass Notes
MG 15Light machine gunRecoil operatedNazi Germany

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

ImageName/designationTypeOriginManufacturer/sMain armamentSecondary armamentFrom Estimated
wartime quantity		Mass
Notes
Stridsvagn L-5Light tankSweden

Self-propelled guns

Tank-based

Anti-Air
Anti-tank
Assault & infantry guns
Self propelled artillery

Other

  • – 37mm gun on Hanomag chassis
  • 7.7 cm FK WD Schlepper 50PS – 77mm gun on Hanomag chassis
  • Pz.Sph. 204 mit KwK 42 – gun on French Panhard 178 armoured car
  • 8.8 cm Flak 18 auf Zgkw 12 – AA gun in field gun mount on Sd.Kfz. 8 half-track chassis
  • 8.8 cm Flak 18 auf Zgkw 18 – AA gun in field gun mount on Sd.Kfz. 9 half-track chassis
  • Mittler Schutzenpanzerwagen S307 mit Reihenwerfer – mortar on French SOMUA MCG half-track truck chassis

Armored cars

Armored carriers

Engineering and command

  • Springer vehicle
  • Borgward IV
  • Goliath tracked mine
  • Brückenleger auf Panzerkampfwagen II
  • Minenräumer III – mine-clearing vehicle on Panzer III chassis
  • Kleiner Panzerbefehlswagen
  • Panzerbefehlswagen III
  • Panzerbefehlswagen IV
  • Befehlspanzer Panther
  • Kugelpanzer – cable-laying vehicle, supplied to Japan
  • Sd.Kfz. 247 – armored command car
  • Sd.Kfz. 253 half-track artillery observer
  • Infanterie Sturmsteg auf Fahrgestell Panzerkampfwagen IV
  • Instandsetzungskraftwagen I
  • – tank-lifting maintenance crane

Trucks

Passenger cars

Motorcycles

Motorcycles were often paired with a sidecar as a.

Tractors and prime movers

Miscellaneous vehicles

Navy ships and war vessels

Secret weapons

Radars

Missiles and bombs

Cartridges and shells