Most Stupid Weapon of WWII

More Desperate than stupid. Remember the Japanese had had no experiences with enemy tanks early-war, so Tanks like the Matilda, Valentine, Grant and Sherman where a huge shock to them.

 

They're using some type of Antitank grenade like that in Iraq I heard, it is of soviet manufacture and a lot better designed. Very effective in city fighting against armored vehicles as are most weapons.

As for the stupidest weapon designed I have to say the molotov cocktail throwers the British came up with early in the war. If I remember right one was simply a board that you pulled back and hit the bottle. Like an old Roman javelin launcher thingy thing. I think the centurions called it an "ass" as in donkey.

 

That No 74 Sticky Bomb is scarey. One mistake and you're in deep trouble.

 

I'd have to agree to the Japanese Ohka rocket bomb. Technically, if the Japanese had developed a guidance and launch system for it, it could've been a precursor to the cruise missile.
Unfortunately, having it carried by a very vulnerable Betty bomber on the way to the target makes the weapon system very vulnerable to Navy CAP.

As for the neutron bomb, I tend to think that there is a certain logic to it. It was an attempt to make a "clean" nuclear weapon. It's a disgusting thought but that's how I see it.

 

The Okha rocket bomb was actually a rather deadly suicide system. Although many of the launch aircraft were shot down by CAP before they launched the actual Okha itself was devastatingly effective if it did manage a launch and go terminal on a target. Its speed was such that current US AA director systems on ships couldn't track it. It was tiny target and one, or two at most, would sink a destroyer and cripple most other ships.

For idiot suicide weapons the German Niger human torpedo is definitely right up there. Something around 100 were launched against shipping in the Channel and off Normandy. None found a target. Every one launched ended in the death of its pilot, usually from carbon monoxide poisoning.

Another not yet mentioned: The V-2. It was an impressive piece of technology. It also consumed a quarter of the German electronics industry output, a third of the potato crop (making alcohol for fuel), about 20% of the electricity in Germany (LOX production), had an airframe that cost about as much to make as a twin engine aircraft, and for all that could deliver a half ton payload on a target about 50% of the time up to 300 miles away one time. Proof that the Nazi leadership lacked any economic common sense whatsoever.

 

Unbelieavable

 

I totally agree with you. The Ohka is a devastatingly powerful weapon. But as you said, it's deadliness is limited to the fact that it has to be launched from a Betty. It doesn't make sense to me when a commander is losing trained bomber crews when it's supposed to be the Ohka pilot who's making the sacrifice. Sooner or later, he'll run out of experienced crews and have to make do with green crews, thus increasing his loss rate further. It's a downhill projection. This is a Western viewpoint.
If I put myself in the Japanese shoes, the only way to justify such losses is to think that exchanging the life of a bomber crew and Ohka pilot and one destroyer, cruiser, or heavier warship is more than a fair exchange.

 

A perfect example of the Pavlov Response, in order to train the dogs to run under tanks to deliver their "mines" they were always fed under tanks with their engines running. Unfortunately no-one thought on that they were feeding them under Russian diesel engined tanks when most German tanks were petrol engined (or vice versa)! Result? The mutts associated the noise of "friendly" tanks with food rather than the real targets! Talk about shooting yourself in the foot!

I understand that once the shortcomings of the design were highlighted by some drastic losses it gave good service as a Night Fighter especially when combined with RADAR and also in daylight when flown in mixed formations with Hurricanes which it closely resembled!

During the Cold War the Warsaw pact developed a successful rocket deceleration system for Heavy Drop Parachute Loads like Armoured vehicles. The pallets were brought down under multiple Chutes and the rockets were triggered by long trigger rods below the pallet about 30 feet before impact thus substantially softening the impact.

To the best of my knowledge the piloted V-1 was only a test bed to iron out problems in the guidance systems as illustrated in the film Operation Crossbow which charts Germany's V-1 and V-2 Programs and SOE's efforts to counter it! Incidentally one of the test pilots was a woman.

I thought the same until I watched a recent program regarding the origins on WW2. The main reason the Maginot was not extended along the Belgian frontier to the coast, was political, as it would viewed as abandoning their Belgian Akllies. However when shortly before the outbreak of war the Belgians declared neutrality it was too late to extend the construction program!

As for fortifying the beaches the Germans were not equipped for an Amphibious Landing of any size as proven by the failure to prosecute Operation Sealion. The only nation to have conducted Amphibious Operations against an opposing force of similar technological level was the British and Empire forces in the Dardanelles and that was hardly a shining example of how it should be done!

Also improvised to considerable effect, not all of it beneficial, using Army Socks, Composition B and Axle Grease in the final battle in Saving Private Ryan!

As my own submission of a Stupid Weapon from the files of the Home Guard who had some ideas for real which were even crazier than those dreamt up by Lance Corporal Jones in the Dads Army Movie. I'm not sure of this one had a proper title but I recall reading about this as an Anti Tank Weapon for use in built up areas. It required a team of 4, a rifleman whose job it was to open fire on the tank causing its crew to button down and concentrate on trying to destroy him. Meanwhile the remaining three would be secreted in an alley way or sidestreet and equipped as follows No.1 carries a 4 foot length of railway line (yeah right!), No.2 carries a blanket and a jerry can of petrol and No.3 a Very Pistol.

As the tank passes by, buttoned down and concentrating on eliminating the "sniper", the team rush from their place of concealment, No.1 thrusts the length of railway line into the tracks and running gear immobilising the tank (you hope), No.2 throws the blanket over the track and douses it with petrol from the jerry can and No.3 ignites the lot using the Very pistol!

This shows a complete lack of comprehension that tanks rarely travel singly and without supporting infantry!

 

the MP-40 submachinegun with a curving barrel extension for shooting around corners. what will happen if a bad guy suddenly jumped out of a corner and you have to shoot head-on, stand sideways?

 

The Japanese run two separate atomic projects just because the Army and Navy refused to share data. That's pretty stupid.

Stripping down a Zero to ram a B-29 is also pretty stupid. Making a complete assortment of machine guns that need oiling is also stupid, just like creating a Japanese semi-auto pistol.

Most stupid: Balloon Bomb. Then V2, right alongside the sticky bomb. I mean, at least the sticky bomb worked...

 

I have fired one of these pistols NO accuracy and like mos tJapanese weapons of the time NO safty oh and you squeeze it wrong and it goes off.

 

i have always thort that the british officer's ww2 side arm wos pritty sad
....:autopistol:

 

I nominate the Maus a heavy tank so heavy it couldn't deploy across most bridges and would have been a night mare to transport on rail or road. A good choice to defend the factory car park but not a strategically useful weapon.

 

The Maus with it's 188 t, propably couldn't cross any bridge. Could well be the most stupid weapon in ww2. Luckily the P1000 was stopped by Speer.

But I will go for Sergeant Schultz of Stalag 13

Regards
Kruska

 

Here's another idiot one:

Bellum - 37mm Spade Mortar model 1939

An entrenching tool with firepower......

 

Very nice site T.A.
Thanks for that.

Cheers,
Adam.

 

Yeah, I'd always thought the balloon bomb was pretty cool. :/
Strangely enough I've never heard of this 'Davy Crocket'.

 

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Some of the Home gaurd weapons would have worked but were very dangerous to use like the phosphorous projector that threw bottles of about a pint and a half up to about 120 Yards. If it worked okay it would have given the tank a genuine problem but if the bomb was fumbled or dropped instant crispy critter time.

They also produced various bomb projecting devices one of which delivered a hefty mortar style bomb. a smaller version served later as the PIAT (projector anti tank) for the Regular army.

Recent studies on the home gaurd some what reduce the idea of the whole dads army thing I've seen articles in history today pointing to the fact that 60% of the home gaurd were in the age range to have served in the First wolrd war they therefore had a good basis for the training cadres to work on. The balance would have been largely young men awaiting call up.

 

Here's the Smith Gun!



The Smith Gun was developed in Britain in 1940 as an emergency gun for issue to the Home Guard. It was invented as a private venture by the chief engineer of the Trianco Engineering Company, Sheffield.
It was a 3-inch smoothbore barrel mounted in a light carriage that consisted of little more than two wheels and an axle. A limber was provided to carry extra ammunition.
It was designed to be as simple and as light as possible. There was a towing eye on the gun barrel and it could be towed by a private motorcar. The carriage comprised two solid wheels that are slightly conical in shape. When prepared for action, the entire carriage was up-ended to rest on one of the wheels.
The projectile was a 3-inch mortar shell. The shells were stored in cylinders on both gun and limber. The projectile was propelled by a small charge of smokeless powder fired by a 0.38 pistol blank cartridge.

We also received a smooth bore Smith gun. It arrived in boxes and required assembling. After it had been assembled as per instructions a small washer was found in one of the boxes. This item was ignored and the gun was taken onto the firing range for testing. It could fire mills bombs or phosphorus bottle bombs which burst into flames on impact. Our two corporals were to have the privilege of firing the first shots. The breach was opened and a phosphorus bomb inserted followed by the propelling charge. The two gunners crouched behind the shield and the order to fire was given. There was a bang followed by a huge burst of flame which enveloped gun and gunners. From out of this conflagration staggered our corporals, their eyebrows had gone and their tunics were smoldering. They had the appearance of having been on a good summer’s holiday. It was later discovered that the bomb had gone off in the barrel by striking the foresight screw which had protruded into the bore. The washer left in the box would have prevented this.

(Wikipedia)