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Equipment losses in World War II

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Equipment losses in World War II refers to military equipment destroyed during World War II, the deadliest and most costly war in history.

Air

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 (137 fighters, 51 bombers and 21 other). 327 aircraft were disabled ("attrition", too old, non-combat accidents) (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 Kingdom: Europe 42,010 (including 30,045 fighters and 11,965 bombers)[2]
    • Australia: Pacific and S.E.Asia 250 [4]
  • 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

[citation needed][dubious – discuss]

  • French: Around 4,000 tanks (~2,000 destroyed, ~2,000 captured by German)
  • UK : Around 20,000 tanks. 15 844 tanks and 1 957 armoured cars.[5]
  • USA: Around 20,000 tanks. From June 6, 1944 through May 15, 1945 for US armour losses: 4,541 medium tanks and 1,507 light tanks. Losses of 7th Army (N. Africa, Sicilia, Italy): 1,414 tanks, tank destroyers and self-propelled guns.[6]
  • Germany:
    • According to P. Chamberlain (1978): Total 49 900 tanks, assault guns, tank destroyers and self-propelled guns lost. 32 800 lost in Eastern Front. 17 100 lost in Western Front, Southern front and North Africa.[7]
    • 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 [8] Received Total stock Losses % of Total
stock loss
Tanks 86,100 108,700 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 [9] 1941 1942 1943 1944 1945 Total
Soviet Tank strength* 22,600 7,700 20,600 21,100 25,400
German Tank strength* 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 deletes 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 2 8 36 33 14 2 94
Free France 2 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 2 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 cruisers by Displacement
Soviet Union 1 2 29 4 99 1 133 Battleship Marat sunk & scrapped
United Kingdom 10 6 31 138 47 75 187 572 1035
United States 14 3 10 83 11 52 85 188 444
Poland 1 3 1 2 1 3 11

References

  1. ^ a b c Ellis, John (1993). World War II - A statistical survey. Facts on File. p. 258. ISBN 0-8160-2971-7.
  2. ^ a b c d e Ellis p. 259
  3. ^ Krivosheev, G. I. (1997). Soviet Casualties and Combat Losses. Greenhill. p. 255. ISBN 1-85367-280-7.
  4. ^ Odgers, G. (1957). Air war against Japan. Australian War Memorial.
  5. ^ RAC Directorate of the War Office listed AFV losses as an estimated.
  6. ^ SHAEF, Supreme Headquarters Allied Expiditionary Force.
  7. ^ P. Chamberlain, H Doyle, T Jentz, Encyclopedia of German Tanks of WWII, Arms and Armour Press, London, 1978, appendix VII, pp. 261-262.
  8. ^ Krivosheev, G. I. (1997). Soviet Casualties and Combat Losses. Greenhill. p. 253. ISBN 1-85367-280-7.
  9. ^ Zaloga, Steven J.; Ness, Leland S. (2003). The Red Army Handbook 1939-1945. Sutton. p. 181. ISBN 0750932090.
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