Best Tank of WW2

My vote for T34, it has what was just enough to destroy, easily made, simple to use and economic. When time runs against you, you just need to have the more efficient machine in lower cost and possibilities of making a number enough to win.
 
The T-34/85 was an excellent tank, but its light armor made it vulnerable. However, vulnerable doesn't matter to the Soviets. The Germans try to destroy as many as possible, but they just keep going and going and going... Like the Energizer bunny.
 
In my opinion, the Panther Ausf. G would get my vote. It was the first tank to really combine all the needed elemets in a tank. While the T 34 is a great vehicle it lacked (at least at first) a radio.

The Panther G also featured the first "Night IR" gun sight be be used on a tank.

The KwK 42 75MM Main gun was nearly equal in abilities as the 88 used in the Tiger. So I have to call the Panther the best, at least to me.

Don

Author of OF ICE AND STEEL and EPITAPH
 
In my opinion, the Panther Ausf. G would get my vote. It was the first tank to really combine all the needed elemets in a tank. While the T 34 is a great vehicle it lacked (at least at first) a radio.

The Panther G also featured the first "Night IR" gun sight be be used on a tank.

The KwK 42 75MM Main gun was nearly equal in abilities as the 88 used in the Tiger. So I have to call the Panther the best, at least to me.

Don

Author of OF ICE AND STEEL and EPITAPH

The problem I have with selecting a German tank over something like the T-34 is best described in the term "fit for purpose", there is no argument over the quality of German engineering nor the quality of its tank crews however the vehicles themselves struggled to suit the conditions they operated in.

On the Western Front where you had a very developed landscape (Quality roads, bridges etc.) German armour ruled the battlefield but on the Eastern Front those same vehicles broke down, had to be left running so they wouldn't freeze up etc. therefore I believe that the best tank of WW2 was the vehicle that could operate in all climates and conditions at maximum efficiency and to me that was the T-34.
 
The problem I have with selecting a German tank over something like the T-34 is best described in the term "fit for purpose", there is no argument over the quality of German engineering nor the quality of its tank crews however the vehicles themselves struggled to suit the conditions they operated in.

On the Western Front where you had a very developed landscape (Quality roads, bridges etc.) German armour ruled the battlefield but on the Eastern Front those same vehicles broke down, had to be left running so they wouldn't freeze up etc. therefore I believe that the best tank of WW2 was the vehicle that could operate in all climates and conditions at maximum efficiency and to me that was the T-34.

I agree.

In terms of quality, pound for pound the Panther G wins. However the Panther did have some reliability problems, especially its engine as MontyB mentioned. In terms of overall efficiency none surpass the T-34, despite its slight technological inferiority.
 
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