German production increased heavily from 1942 - 1944 because of Albert Speer. He dedicated more of the German industrial capacity to the war effort. During the early stages of the war Germany was only using a small percentage of it's IC for the war, I think it may have been lower than half. But Speer was pushing and pushing to increase it to 80 - 90% , like Britain had already done in 1940. Another thing that Speer was doing was simplfying the production, reducing the types and sub-variants being built, and aiming for more simplification of the systems that were to be built.
A lot of people use the German production numbers as 'evidence' that the Allied bombing raids were useless on German production. But this is pathetic 'evidence' when you take the facts into consideration, the facts being that throughout the war German dedication to war production increased. For example, Britain rationed as soon as the war started to dedicate it's resources to the war. Germany didn't ration until 1943! If the Allied bombing did not exist, Germany would have out-stripped Great Britain in production.
As for tank production, I can produce some numbers at least.
USSR -
1941 - 6,274
1942 - 24,690
1943 - 24,006
1944 - 28,983
1945 - 15,197
TOTAL - 99,150
I could provide numbers by type and year if that's wanted by anyone. But for 'Medium Tanks' (T-34/76, T-34/85 and T-44) the USSR production by year:
1941 - 3,014
1942 - 12,553
1943 - 15,812
1944 - 14,773
1945 - 7,430
TOTAL T-34/76 - 34,091
TOTAL T-34/85 - 23,661
TOTAL T-44 - 200
TOTAL - 53,582
Once again, I could break that down into individual T-34/76, T-34/85 and T-44 production by year if anyone wants. I do have USSR numbers for 1939 - 1945 which includes all Soviet AFV production, so for comparison to the other numbers until I get the my other books here's the total: 105,251.
USA -
1940 - 331
1941 - 4,052
1942 - 24,997
1943 - 29,497
1944 - 17,565
1945 - 11,968
TOTAL - 88,410
I'll find the Sherman numbers at some point, I have them by factory and year.
UK -
1939 - 969
1940 - 1,399
1941 - 4,841
1942 - 8,611
1943 - 7,476
1944 - 4,600
1945 - ? *I don't have information on this year. But I do have total UK production.
TOTAL - 27,896
I don't have information on Canada production by year, but the total was 5,678.
ALLIED TOTAL - 227,235
AXIS TOTAL - approx. 52,345 *Italian and Hungarian numbers are yet to be verified.
I could give Japanese and German AFV production numbers if anyone is interested.
And the Lend-Lease from the Western Allies to Soviet Union included 22,800 AFVs which broke down to -
487 Matildas, Valentines and Tetrachs from Britain, and 182 M3A1 Light Tanks and M3 Medium Tanks from USA in 1941. Which rose to 2487 AFVs from Britain and 3023 AFVs from the USA in 1942. Which accounted for 16% of Soviet tank production, 12% Self-Propelled Gun production and 100% Armoured Personnel Carrier production.
The USA also delivered 501,660 tactical wheeled and tracked vehicles (kindly mentioned by Twitch).
A lot of people use the German production numbers as 'evidence' that the Allied bombing raids were useless on German production. But this is pathetic 'evidence' when you take the facts into consideration, the facts being that throughout the war German dedication to war production increased. For example, Britain rationed as soon as the war started to dedicate it's resources to the war. Germany didn't ration until 1943! If the Allied bombing did not exist, Germany would have out-stripped Great Britain in production.
As for tank production, I can produce some numbers at least.
USSR -
1941 - 6,274
1942 - 24,690
1943 - 24,006
1944 - 28,983
1945 - 15,197
TOTAL - 99,150
I could provide numbers by type and year if that's wanted by anyone. But for 'Medium Tanks' (T-34/76, T-34/85 and T-44) the USSR production by year:
1941 - 3,014
1942 - 12,553
1943 - 15,812
1944 - 14,773
1945 - 7,430
TOTAL T-34/76 - 34,091
TOTAL T-34/85 - 23,661
TOTAL T-44 - 200
TOTAL - 53,582
Once again, I could break that down into individual T-34/76, T-34/85 and T-44 production by year if anyone wants. I do have USSR numbers for 1939 - 1945 which includes all Soviet AFV production, so for comparison to the other numbers until I get the my other books here's the total: 105,251.
USA -
1940 - 331
1941 - 4,052
1942 - 24,997
1943 - 29,497
1944 - 17,565
1945 - 11,968
TOTAL - 88,410
I'll find the Sherman numbers at some point, I have them by factory and year.
UK -
1939 - 969
1940 - 1,399
1941 - 4,841
1942 - 8,611
1943 - 7,476
1944 - 4,600
1945 - ? *I don't have information on this year. But I do have total UK production.
TOTAL - 27,896
I don't have information on Canada production by year, but the total was 5,678.
ALLIED TOTAL - 227,235
AXIS TOTAL - approx. 52,345 *Italian and Hungarian numbers are yet to be verified.
I could give Japanese and German AFV production numbers if anyone is interested.
And the Lend-Lease from the Western Allies to Soviet Union included 22,800 AFVs which broke down to -
487 Matildas, Valentines and Tetrachs from Britain, and 182 M3A1 Light Tanks and M3 Medium Tanks from USA in 1941. Which rose to 2487 AFVs from Britain and 3023 AFVs from the USA in 1942. Which accounted for 16% of Soviet tank production, 12% Self-Propelled Gun production and 100% Armoured Personnel Carrier production.
The USA also delivered 501,660 tactical wheeled and tracked vehicles (kindly mentioned by Twitch).
