Military production during World War II explained

Military production during World War II was the production or mobilization of arms, ammunition, personnel and financing by the belligerents of the war, from the occupation of Austria in early 1938 to the surrender and occupation of Japan in late 1945.

The mobilization of funds, people, natural resources and material for the production and supply of military equipment and military forces during World War II was a critical component of the war effort. During the conflict, the Allies outpaced the Axis powers in most production categories. Access to the funding and industrial resources necessary to sustain the war effort was linked to their respective economic and political alliances.

Historical context

During the 1930s, political forces in Germany increased their financial investment in the military to develop the armed forces required to support near and long-term political and territorial goals. Germany's economic, scientific, research, and industrial capabilities were one of the most technically advanced in the world at the time, supporting a rapidly growing, innovative military. However, access to (and control of) the resources and production capacity required to entertain long-term goals (such as European control, German territorial expansion and the destruction of the USSR) were limited. Political demands necessitated the expansion of Germany's control of natural and human resources, industrial capacity and farmland beyond its borders. Germany's military production was tied to resources outside its area of control, a great disadvantage as compared to the Allies.

In 1938 Britain was the world's superpower, with political and economic control of a quarter of the world's population, industry and resources, and closely allied with the independent Dominion nations (such as Canada and South Africa). From 1938 to mid-1942, the British coordinated the Allied effort in all global theatres. They fought the German, Italian, Japanese and Vichy armies, air forces and navies across Europe, Africa, Asia, the Middle East, India, the Mediterranean and in the Atlantic, Indian, Pacific and Arctic Oceans. British forces destroyed Italian armies in North and East Africa, and occupied or enlisted overseas colonies of occupied European nations. Following engagements with Axis forces, British Empire troops occupied Libya, Italian Somaliland, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Iran and Iraq. The Empire funded and delivered supplies by Arctic convoys to the USSR, and supported Free French forces to recapture French Equatorial Africa. Britain also established governments in exile in London to rally support in occupied Europe for the Allied effort. The British held back or slowed the Axis powers for three years while mobilising their globally integrated economy and industrial infrastructure to build what became, by 1942, the most extensive military apparatus of the war. This allowed their later allies (such as the United States) to mobilise their economies and develop the military forces required to play a role in the war effort, and for the British to go on the offensive in its theatres of operation.

The entry of the United States into the war in late 1941 injected financial, human and industrial resources into Allied operations. The US produced more than its own military forces required and armed itself and its allies for the most industrialized war in history.^[1] At the beginning of the war, the British and French placed large orders for aircraft with American manufacturers and the US Congress approved plans to increase its air forces by 3,000 planes. In May 1940, Franklin D. Roosevelt called for the production of 185,000 aeroplanes, 120,000 tanks, 55,000 anti-aircraft guns and 18 million tons of merchant shipping in two years. Adolf Hitler was told by his advisors that this was American propaganda; in 1939, annual aircraft production for the US military was less than 3,000 planes. By the end of the war US factories had produced 300,000 planes,^{[2] [3]} and by 1944 had produced two-thirds of the Allied military equipment used in the war — bringing military forces into play in North and South America, the Caribbean, the Atlantic, Western Europe and the Pacific.

The U.S. produced vast quantities of military equipment into late 1945, including nuclear weapons, and became the strongest, most technologically advanced military force in the world. In addition to out-producing the Axis, the Allies produced technological innovations; through the Tizard Mission, British contributions included radar (instrumental in winning the Battle of Britain), sonar (improving their ability to sink U-boats), and the proximity fuze; the Americans led the British-originated Manhattan Project (which eliminated the need to invade Japan). The proximity fuze, for example, was five times as effective as contact or timed fuzes and was devastating in naval use against Japanese aircraft and so effective against German ground troops that General George S. Patton said it "won the Battle of the Bulge for us."^[4]

The human and social costs of the war on the population of the USSR were immense, with combat deaths alone in the millions. Recognising the importance of their population and industrial production to the war effort, the USSR evacuated the majority of its European territory—moving 2,500 factories, 17 million people and great quantities of resources to the east.^[5] Out of German reach, the USSR produced equipment and forces critical to their victory in Europe. Over one million women served in the Soviet armed forces.

The statistics below illustrate the extent to which the Allies outproduced the Axis. Production of machine tools tripled, and thousands of ships were built in shipyards which did not exist before the war.^[6] According to William S. Knudsen, "We won because we smothered the enemy in an avalanche of production, the like of which he had never seen, nor dreamed possible."^[7]

Access to resources and to large, controlled international labour pools, and the ability to build arms in relative peace, were critical to the eventual victory of the Allies. Donald Douglas (founder of the Douglas Aircraft Company) declared, "Here's proof that free men can out-produce slaves."^[8]

Production summaries, 1939–1945

Personnel, thousands

Service	Allies	Axis
Combat	25,000
Auxiliary force	15,000
Merchant marine	50,000
Irregulars	90,000
Total	180,000	30,000

Major weapons groups

System	Allies	Axis
Tanks, self-propelled artillery, vehicles	4,358,649	670,288
Artillery, mortars, guns	6,792,696	1,363,491
Aircraft	637,248	300,000
Missiles	(only for test)	45,458
Ships	54,931	1,670

Economy

In thousands of international dollars, at 2014 prices.

Service	Allies	Axis
GDP	97,707,908,723.20	10,268,201,776.37
Expenditure

Vital commerce and raw materials, tons

Category	Allies	Axis
Cargo ships	47,169	12,762
Merchant shipping	46,817,172	5,621,967
Coal	4,581,400,000	2,629,900,000
Crude oil	1,043,000,000	66,000,000
Steel	733,006,633	x
Aluminium	5,104,697	1,199,150
Asbestos	3,934,043	x

• Cargo and resources in metric tonnes

Production overview: service, power and type

Land forces

See also: British armoured fighting vehicle production during World War II, French combat vehicle production during World War II, American armored fighting vehicle production during World War II, Soviet combat vehicle production during World War II, German armored fighting vehicle production during World War II and Romanian armored fighting vehicle production during World War II.

Power	Tanks & SPGs	Armoured vehicles	Other vehicles	Artillery	Mortars	Machine guns	Personnel
British Empire	47,862	47,420	1,475,521	226,113	239,540	1,090,410	17,192,533
USA and territories	108,410		2,382,311	257,390	105,055	2,679,840	16,000,000^[9]
USSR	119,769		265,000	516,648	363,012	1,477,400	34,401,807
Other
Allies	270,041	47,420	4,054,932	1,000,151	707,607	5,247,650	67,594,000
Germany and territories	67,429	49,777	159,147	73,484	104,864	1,000,730	14,540,835
Hungary	973	530	5,224	447	2,700	4,583	730,000
Romania	214	251	4,300	1,800	4,300	10,000	1,220,000
Italian Empire	3,368	1,240	83,000	7,200	22,000	140,000	4,300,000
Japanese Empire	4,524	2,200	165,945	13,350	49,000	380,000	8,100,000
Other
Axis	76,385	50,028	413,316	97,281	182,864	1,395,313	28,890,800

Air forces

Power	Total Aircraft	Fighters	Attack	Bombers	Recon	Transport	Training	Other	Personnel
British Empire	177,025	38,786	33,811	38,158	7,014	12,585	46,256	415	1,927,395
USA and territories	295,959^[10]	99,465		96,872	4,106	23,900	58,085	13,531	2,403,806^[11]
USSR	136,223	22,301	37,549	21,116		17,332	4,061	33,864
Other
Allies	609,207	160,552	71,360	156,146	11,120	53,817	108,402	47,810
Germany and territories	133,387	57,653	8,991	28,577	5,025	8,396	14,311	11,361	3,402,200
Romania	1,113	513	272	128	0	200	0	0
Italian Empire	13,402	9,157	34	3,381	388	2,471	968	3
Japanese Empire	64,484	33,405	9,558	11,943	3,709	1,073	3,420	1,376
Other	9,849	881	4	395	318	1,880	5,145	57
Axis	222,235	98,609	18,859	44,424	11,002	14,020	22,944	12,794

Naval forces

See also: United States Navy in World War II, List of classes of British ships of World War II, List of Kriegsmarine ships, List of Japanese Navy ships and war vessels in World War II and List of Romanian-built warships of World War II.

Power	Total large ships	Carriers(Escort Carriers)	Battleships	Cruisers	Destroyers	Frigates& Destroyer Escorts	Other large vessels	Corvettes	Sloops	Patrol boats	Submarines(includes midget submarines)	De/ Mining	Landing craft	Personnel
British Empire	558^[12]	15 (29)	5	35	202	270	2	338	33	4,209	238	1,244	9,538	1,227,415
USA and territories	2020	29 (121)	10	52	396	1014	398				773^[13]	234		35,000	4,000,000^[14]
USSR	63		0	6	54		3				68
France	9		2		7
Other	8	(2)		2	4				1		9	1
Allies	2658	44(152)	17	95	663	1284	403	338	34	4,982	577	1,245	44,538
Germany & territories	38	0	4	3	31						1,119		540	1,500,000
Italian Empire	82	0	3	3	17	59					83
Japanese Empire	278	14(6)	2	12	63	175	6				867
Romania										8	2	5
Other
Axis	398	14(6)	9	18	111	234	6				2,069

Munitions

See also: Home front during World War II.

Country/Alliance !! colspan="7"

Year
Average 1935-39	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	Total 1939–44
U.S.A.	0.3	1.5	4.5	20.0	38.0	42.0	106.3
Britain	0.5	3.5	6.5	9.0	11.0	11.0	41.5
U.S.S.R.	1.6	5.0	8.5	11.5	14.0	16.0	56.6
Allies Total	2.4	10.0	20.0	41.5	64.5	70.5	204.4
Germany	2.4	6.0	6.0	8.5	13.5	17.0	53.4
Japan	0.4	1.0	2.0	3.0	4.5	6.0	16.9
Axis Total	2.8	7.0	8.0	11.5	18.0	23.0	70.3

Commercial forces

	British Empire	USA	USSR	Germany	Hungary	Italy	Japan	Romania
Harbour craft	1,092
Cargo	1,361
Cargo tonnage	12,823,942	33,993,230 ^[15]				1,469,606	4,152,361 ^[16]

Resources

Country	Coal	Iron ore	Crude oil	Steel	Aluminium	Nickel	Zinc
a	-9999	-9999	-9999
USA	2,149.7	396.9	833.2
Britain^[17]	1,441.2	119.2	90.8	3.700	0.205
Australia	83.1						1.56
India	196.7	6.0		1.12
Canada	101.9	3.6	8.4	16.4	3.500^[18]
New Zealand^[19]	18	1.0
USSR	590.8	71.3	110.6		0.263	0.069	0.384
Total Allied	4581.4	597	1043
Germany	2,420.3	240.7	33.4^[20]		1.9^[21]	0.046	2.1
Japan	184.5	21.0	5.2
Italy	16.9	4.4	2.3
Hungary	6.6	14.1	3.1
Romania	1.6	10.8	25.0
Total Axis	2629.9	291
~z	99999999	99999999	99999999

All figures in millions of tonnes

See also: Swedish iron-ore mining during World War II.

Gross domestic product

Gross domestic product (GDP) provides insight into the relative strength of the belligerents in the run up to, and during the conflict.

Gross domestic product^{[22] [23]}

Country	1938	1939	1940	1941	1942	1943	1944	1945
United Kingdom	284	287	316	344	353	361	346	331
Dominions	115
Colonies	285
British Empire	684	687	716	744	753	761	746	731
France	186	199	82	130	116	110	93	101
Colonies	49
French Empire	235	248	131	179	165	159	142	150
Soviet Union	359	366	417	359	274	305	362	343
Occupied
Soviet Union Total	359	366	417	359	274	305	362	343
United States	800	869	943	1094	1235	1399	1499	1474
Colonies	24
United States Total	824	893	968	1118	1259	1423	1523	1498
Nationalist China	320.5
German Reich	351	384	387	412	417	426	437	310
Occupied		77	430	733	733	430	244
German Reich Total	351	461	817	1145	1150	856	681	310
Italy	141	151	147	144	145	137	117	92
Colonies	3
Occupied			20	20	20	20
Italian Empire	144	154	170	167	168	160	140	115
Japan	169	184	192	196	197	194	189	144
Colonies	63
Occupied
Japanese Empire	232	247	255	259	260	257	252	207
Romania	24
Hungary	24
Bulgaria	10
Albania	1

Romanian, Hungarian, Bulgarian and Albanian GDP calculated by multiplying the GDP per capita of the four countries in 1938 ($1,242 for Romania, $2,655 for Hungary, $1,595 for Bulgaria and over $900 for Albania)^[24] by their estimated populations in 1938: 19,750,000 for Romania,^[25] 9,082,400 for Hungary,^[26] 6,380,000 for Bulgaria^[27] and 1,040,400 for Albania.^[28]

Table notes

1. France to Axis: 1940:50% (light green), 1941–44:100% (brown)
2. USSR to Allies: 1941:44% (light green), 1942–1945:100%.
3. US direct support to the Allies begins with Lend Lease in March 1941, though the US made it possible for the Allies to purchase US-produced materiel from 1939
4. Italy to Allies and Axis: 1938:0%, 1939–1943:100% Axis (brown), 1944-1945:100% Allies
5. Japanese to Axis begins with Tripartite Pact in 1940
6. The Allied and Axis totals are not the immediate sum of the table values; see the distribution rules used above.

United States World War II GDP (compared to other countries)

GDP during World War II

• Debt and higher taxes led to GDP growth percentages over 17%. This trend continued throughout the war and stopped increasing after the war ended. For the United States, government spending was used as a positive indicator of GDP growth. However the high rates of government only was beneficial for a short period of time, a trend that can be seen in most wars.^[29]
• In 1939, Britain spent 9% of its GDP on defence; this rose drastically after the start of World War II to around 40%. By the year 1945 government spending had peaked at 52% of the national GDP.^[30]
• Before joining World War II US government spending in 1941 represented 30% of GDP, or about $408 billion. In 1944 at the peak of World War II, government spending had risen to over $1.6 trillion about 79% of the GDP. During this three-year period the total GDP represented by government spending rose 394%.

US unemployment during World War II

• During World War II unemployment by 1945 had fallen to 1.9% from 14.6% in 1940. 20% of the population during the war was employed within the armed forces.^[31]
• The beginning years of World War II shows a spike in employment, but towards the end of the war decreased significantly. The employment spike was in relation to the tremendous amount of production the United States was making. Examples of high numbers of employment could have been seen in at Gulf Shipbuilding which obtained 240 employees at the beginning of 1940 and increased to 11,600 employees in 1943. Alabama Dry dock also was an exemplary business in employment that raised number from 1,000 workers to 30,000 in the most productive years of the war. Demographics of employment consisted of eight million women including African Americans and Latinas, adding to the 24 million that searched for defensive jobs outside of the war.^{[32] [33]}

Price of war

Many concerns and political influence come from the price of war. While GDP can easily increase federal expenditures, it also can influence political elections and government decision making. No matter how much percentages of GDP increase or decrease we need higher amounts of GDP in order to pay for more investments, one of those investments being more wars. To pay for these wars, taxes are held at a very high rate. For example, by the end of World War II tax rates went from 1.5% to 15%. Along with tax percentages reaching high amounts, spending on non-defense programs were cut in half during the period of World War II. Tax cuts allow one to see GDP in effect for the average American. Still, almost ten years after World War II, in 1950 and 1951 congress raised taxes close to 4% in order to pay for the Korean War. After the Korean War, in 1968 taxes again were raised 10% to pay for the Vietnam War. This caused GDP to increase 1%. Although research can support positive relationship between production and jobs with GDP, research can also show the negative relationship with tax increases and GDP.^[34]

US wartime production

Prior to the Second World War, the United States was cautious with regard to its manufacturing capabilities as the country was still recovering from the Great Depression. However, during the war, President Franklin D. Roosevelt set ambitious production goals to fulfill. The early 1940s were set to have 60,000 aircraft increasing to 125,000 in 1943. In addition, targets for the production of 120,000 tanks and 55,000 aircraft were set during the same time period. The Ford Motor Company in Michigan built one motor car (comprising 15,000 parts) on the assembly lines every 69 seconds. Ford's production contributed to America's total production of vehicles totalling three million in 1941. American production numbers caused the US employed workforce to increase massively. America's yearly production exceeded Japan's production building more planes in 1944 than Japan built in all the war years combined. As a result, half of the world's war production came from America. The government paid for this production using techniques of selling war bonds to financial institutions, rationing household items and creating more tax revenues.

One part of the US wartime manufacturing boom can be ascribed to Alcoa's second major reduction plant in Mobile, Alabama starting in 1937. At first serving mainly the Japanese market, the plant prepared thousands of tons of aluminum for the production of aeroplanes during the war.https://mobilebaymag.com/ask-mcgehee-74/ The United States quickly adjusted to the levels of production required to equip its military with the millions of war products used during World War II.

Personnel – Allied – Britain, dominions and possessions

Including all non-British subjects in British services.^[35]

	Army	Army (female)	Navy	Navy (female)	Marines	Air Force	Air Force (female)	Auxiliary	Merchant marine	Partisans	Total combat	Other labour
Aden											1,200
Australia	727,703	24,026	36,976	3,000		124,007	27,000		4,500		942,712
Argentine volunteers^[36]	1,700		1,700			600					4,000
Basutoland/Bechuana/Swaziland	10,000										36,000
Free Belgian Forces	42,300		1,200			1,900					45,770	370
Britain	3,300,000	210,309	865,000	74,000	78,500	1,208,000	181,909	1,500,000	185,000		7,602,718
B. Indian Ocean	6,500										6,500
Canada	705,374	25,251	99,822	7,100		222,501	27,123	82,163	18,000		1,187,334
Caribbean / Bermuda											10,000
Ceylon											26,000
Chinese volunteers									10,000		10,000
Cyprus	30,000										30,000
Czech volunteers	4,000					2,000					6,000
East Africa	200,000										228,000
Egypt	100,000										100,000
Falklands											200
Fiji	7,000							1,071			7,000
Free French Forces			3,700			20					3,720
Free Greek	5,000		8,500			250					14,000
Gibraltar											700
Guiana, British	32	10	42			33		48			196	31
Hong Kong	2,200										2,200
India	2,500,000	11,000	45,947			30,000			50,000		2,586,957	14,000,000
Ireland	70,000										70,000
Lesotho	21,000										21,000
Free Luxembourg	80										80
Malaysia	1,500		1,450					3,215		4,800	10,965
Malta											8,200
Mauritius								6,800			3,500
Nepal	250,280										250,280
Free Dutch	4,000	1,000				1000			12.000		6,000
South Africa											?
78,575	1,674,532	252,863	1,717,297	281,300	4,800	14,692,644	14,004,001	Total	7,988,669	271,596	1,064,337	84,100	78,500	1,590,311	236,032	1,593,297	267,512	4,800	13,221,232	14,000,401

Note:

1. Auxiliary units include Home Guard, Reserves, Police regiments, etc.

Personnel – Axis – German Reich

This includes all German and non-German subjects serving within German Reich forces.

	Army	Army (female)	Navy	Navy (female)	Marines	Air force	Air force (female)	Auxiliary	Merchant marine	Partisans	Total combat	Other labour
Albania	9,000										9,000
Arab legion	20,000										20,000
Belgium	22,000										22,000
Bulgaria	30,000										90,000
Croatia^[37]	55,500		500			400		32,000			88,400
Czech	6,465										6,465
Denmark	12,000										12,000
Finland vol	2,500										2,500
France & territories	8,000		4,500					5,080			17,580	348,500
Germany & territories	14,793,200		1,500,000			3,400,000					19,693,200
Greece								22,000			22,000
Hungary	40,000										40,000
Italy	18,000										18,000
India	4,500										4,500
Luxembourg	12,035										12,035
Netherlands	45,000										45,000
Norway^[38]	5,000		1,500			1,500					4,500
Poland	75,000							45,000			120,000
Portugal	200										200
Romania	55,000										55,000
Serbia	10,000										10,000
Slovakia	45,000										45,000
Slovenia	6,000										6,000
Spain	47,000										47,000
Sweden	300										300
Switzerland	800										800
USSR	1,051,000					300		100,000			1,151,300
Total	16,336,755		1,506,500			3,402,200		204,080				21,582,300	348,000

Note:

1. Auxiliary units include Home Guard, Wehrmachtsgefolge, Reserves, Police regiments, etc.
2. USSR includes Armenia 4k SS, 14k Wehr, 7k Aux; Azerbaijan 55k SS, 70k Wehr; Belarus 12k Wehr, 20k Aux; Cossack 200k Wehr; Estonia 20k SS, 50k Wehr, 7k Aux; Georgia 10k SS; 30k Wehr; Kalmyk 5k Wehr; Latvia 55k SS; 87k Wehr, 300 Air, 23k Aux; Lithuania 50k Wehr, 10 Aux; North Caucuses 4k SS; Russia 60k SS, 26k Wehr; Turkestan 16k Wehr; Ukrainian 300k Wehr; 2k Aux; Tatar/Urals 12k Wehr

Aircraft – Allied – British Empire

See also: List of aircraft of the United Kingdom in World War II. Within the UK, initially aircraft production was very vulnerable to enemy bombing. To expand and diversify the production base the British set up shadow factories. These brought other manufacturing companies – such as vehicle manufacturers – into aircraft production, or aircraft parts production. These inexperienced companies were set up in groups under the guidance or control of the aircraft manufacturers. New factory buildings were provided with government money.^[39]

align=center width=21%	Fighters	align=center width=10%	Australia	align=center width=10%	Britain	align=center width=10%	Canada	align=center width=10%	India	align=center width=10%	New Zealand	align=center width=10%	South Africa	align=center width=10%	Total
Blackburn Roc (naval)		136					136
Boulton Paul Defiant		1,065					1065
CAC Boomerang	250						250
CAC Mustang	200						200
de Havilland Hornet^[40]		60					60
de Havilland Vampire		244					244
Fairey Firefly (naval)		872					872
Fairey Fulmar (naval)		600					600
Gloster Gladiator^[41]		98					98
Gloster Meteor		239					239
Hawker Hurricane		14,231	1,451				15,682
Hawker Tempest		1,702					1,702
Hawker Typhoon		3,330					3,330
Supermarine Seafire (naval)^[42]		2,334					2,334
Supermarine Spitfire		20,351					20,351^[43]
Westland Whirlwind		116					116
Total Fighters	450	50,897	2,077			!	53,424
Bombers	Australia	Britain	Canada	India	New Zealand	South Africa
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley		1,780					1,780
Avro Lancaster		7,307	430				7,377
Avro Lincoln^[44]		6	1				6
Avro Manchester		202					202
Fairey Barracuda (naval)		2,607					2,607
Blackburn Skua (naval)		192					192
Bristol Beaufighter	364	5,564					5,928
Bristol Beaufort	700	1,429					2,129
Bristol Blenheim		5,519	626				6,145
Bristol Buckingham^[45]		119					119
de Havilland Mosquito	212	6,199	1,134				7,545
Fairchild SBF &<br />CCF SBW Helldiver			1,134				1,134
Fairey Albacore (naval)		800					800
Fairey Swordfish^[46] (naval)		2,396					2,396
Handley Page Halifax		6,178^[47]					6,178
Handley Page Hampden		152	160				312
Short Stirling		2,383					2,383
Vickers Wellington		11,461					11,461
Total Bombers	1,349	44,391	3,019			!	54,577
Reconnaissance & patrol	Australia	Britain	Canada	India	New Zealand	South Africa
Bristol Bolingbroke^[48]			676				626
Bristol Bombay (bomber/transport)		51					51
Blackburn Botha		580					580
Blackburn Shark			17				17
Consolidated Canso			721^[49]				993
Piper Cub			150				150
Saro Lerwick		21					21
Supermarine Sea Otter		292					292
Short Seaford		10					10
Short Sunderland		767					767
Supermarine Stranraer			39				39
Supermarine Walrus		746					746
Taylorcraft Auster		1,800					1,800
Vickers Warwick		845					845
Total reconnaissance	!	5,112	882			!	6,937
Transport	Australia	Britain	Canada	India	New Zealand	South Africa
Airspeed Horsa		5,000					5,000
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle		602					602
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley		1,814					1,814
Avro Lancastrian		82	6				82
Avro York		259	1				259
CAC Gliders	8						8
De Havilland Australia DHA-G1/G2	8						8
de Havilland Dragon Dominie		474					474
de Havilland Flamingo		14					14
General Aircraft Hamilcar (glider)		412					412
General Aircraft Hotspur (glider)		1,015					1,015
Miles Messenger		93					93
Miles Monitor		22					22
Noorduyn Norseman			861				861
Northrop/Canadian-Vickers Delta^[50]			19				19
Percival Petrel		7					7
Short S.26		3					3
Slingsby Hengist (glider)		18					18
Westland Lysander (air observation, liaison, target tug)		1,445	225				1,670
total Transports	16	11,260	1,112			!	12,381
Trainers	Australia	Britain	Canada	India	New Zealand	South Africa
Airspeed Oxford		8,586					8,586
Avions Fairey Tipsy B		15					15
Avro Anson		8,488	3,197				11,685
Bristol Buckmaster		112					112
CAC Wackett	202						202
CAC Wirraway	755						755
de Havilland Don		30					30
de Havilland Moth Minor		100					100
de Havilland Tiger Moth	1,080	5,738	1,748		150		8,716
Fairchild Cornell (PT-19/26)			1,642				1,642
Fairey Battle^[51]		2,201					2,201
Fleet Finch			606				606
Fleet Fort			101				101
Hawker Henley		200					200
Harlow PC-5			5	50			55
Miles Magister		1,303					1,303
Miles Martinet		1,724					1,724
Miles Master		3,250					3,250
Miles Mentor		45					45
North American Harvard			3,985				3,985
Percival Proctor		1,143					1,143
Total Trainers	2,037	32,935	11,284	50	150	!	46,456
Other	Australia	Britain	Canada	India	New Zealand	South Africa	Empire
Prototypes^[52]	2	61	1
Other		78	2
Total other	2	139^[53]	3^[54]			!	144
Grand Total	3,854	144,734	18,377	50	150	0	173,759

Aircraft – Allies – France, Poland and minor powers

Production numbers until the time of the German occupation of the respective country.Some types listed were in production before the war, those listed were still in production at the time of or after the Munich crisis.

Allied aircraft production^[55]

Fighters	Belgium	Czechoslovakia	Denmark	France	Netherlands	Poland	Yugoslavia	Total
		274
				90
				403
			10		110			120
					20^[56]
Avions Fairey Fox VI/VII	106
					63
Hawker Hurricane I	15						20
							12
							12
				636
				1,077
				280
						(6)^[57]
						118^[58]
				40^[59]
Total	121	274	10	2,526	193	119 (+5)	44	3,287^[60]
Attack	Belgium	Czechoslovakia	Denmark	France	Netherlands	Poland	Yugoslavia	Total
				230
Latécoère 298 (naval torpedo bomber/dive bomber)				121
				68
			(12)^[61]
Rogožarski PVT^[62]							61
Total			(12)	419			61	480^[63]
Bombers	Belgium	Czechoslovakia	Denmark	France	Netherlands	Poland	Yugoslavia	Total
		64
		19
				80
		61
Fairey Battle I	18		^[64]
Fokker C.X/Fokker C.XI					53
Dornier Do 17K							70
				25
LeO 45				452
LWS-6 Żubr						17
				143
				79
				298
Potez 633				55
PZL.37						120
						54^[65]
						2^[66]
Rogožarski SIM-XIV-H							19
Fokker T.V					16
Fokker T.VIII					36
Total	18	144		1,132	105	193	89	1,681

Aircraft - Axis - All

Occupied countries produced weapons for the Axis powers. Figures are for the period of occupation only.

Axis aircraft production^[67]

Fighters	Belgium	Bulgaria	Czech	Netherlands	Finland	France	Germany	Hungary	Italy	Japan	Poland	Romania	Yugoslavia	Total
Mitsubishi A6M Zero										10,939
Nakajima A6M2-N										327
Arado Ar 240							14
Avia B-135			12
Avia B-534			78
Bachem Ba 349							36^[68]
Messerschmitt Bf 109							33,142	309						33,984
Messerschmitt Bf 110							6,170							6,170
Macchi C.200/Macchi C.202/Macchi C.205									2,766
Fiat CR.25									12
Fiat CR.42									1,782
Dewoitine D.520^[69]						440
Dornier Do 17Z-7/Z-10							12
Dornier Do 335							37
Caproni Vizzola F.5									14
Koolhoven F.K.52				6
							20,000
									666
									305
Heinkel He 100^[70]							25
Heinkel He 112							60
Heinkel He 162							320
Heinkel He 219							300
IAR 80												346
Nakajima J1N										479
										621
Kawasaki Ki-10										283
Nakajima Ki-27										3,399
Nakajima Ki-43										5,919
Nakajima Ki-44										1,227
Kawasaki Ki-45										1,701
										3,159
Nakajima Ki-84										3,514
Kawasaki Ki-100										395
						35
Messerschmitt Me 163 /Mitsubishi J8M							370			7				377
Messerschmitt Me 262							1,433
Mörkö-Morane^[71]						41
Morane-Saulnier MS.410^[72]						74
Kawanishi N1K										1,435
PZL P.24											25	25		50
Reggiane Re.2000, 2001, 2002 & 2005								204	531					735
IMAM Ro.44									35
IMAM Ro.57									75
Ambrosini SAI.207									14
							200							these are unrelated types.
					51
					41
Total			90	6	133	549	62,116	513	6,200	33,405	25	371		96,551
Attack	Belgium	Bulgaria	Czech	Netherlands	Finland	France	Germany	Hungary	Italy	Japan	Poland	Romania	Yugoslavia
Nakajima B5N										1,149
Nakajima B6N										1,268
Aichi B7A										114
Breda Ba.65									218
Breda Ba.88									149
Aichi D3A										1,486
Yokosuka D4Y										2,038
CANSA FC.12									11
CANSA FC.20									6
Heinkel He 115							138
Heinkel He 118^[73]							15
Henschel Hs 123^[74]							250
Henschel Hs 129							865
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka							6,500
Mitsubishi Ki-51										2,385
										238
Aichi M6A										28
Messerschmitt Me 210^[75]							400	272						672
Messerschmitt Me 410^[76]							1,189
Yokosuka MXY7										852
Fiat RS.14									188
Savoia-Marchetti SM.85									34
Total							9,092	272	606	9,558				30,903
Bombers	Belgium	Bulgaria	Czech	Netherlands	Finland	France	Germany	Hungary	Italy	Japan	Poland	Romania	Yugoslavia
Aero A.304			4
							210
Bloch MB.174/175^[77]							38
Fiat BR.20 Cicogna									602
Caproni Ca.135									140
Caproni Ca.309-314									1,516
Dornier Do 22							30
Dornier Do 17E/F							405
Dornier Do 17K							14
Dornier Do 17M/P/R/S/U							448
Dornier Do 17Z							875
Dornier Do 215							105
Dornier Do 217							1,025
Fieseler Fi 167							14
Focke-Wulf Fw 200							276
Mitsubishi G3M										1,048
Mitsubishi G4M										2,435
							7,300
Heinkel He 177							1,190
IAR 37												380
							16,517
Kaproni-Bulgarski KB.6		24
Mitsubishi Ki-21										2,064
Mitsubishi Ki-30										704
Kawasaki Ki-32										854
Kawasaki Ki-48										1,997
Nakajima Ki-49										819
Mitsubishi Ki-67/Mitsubishi Ki-109										767
LeO 45							162
Piaggio P.108								35
Yokosuka P1Y										1,102
Kyushu Q1W										153
Letov Š-328			80
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79									1,350			64
Savoia-Marchetti SM.82^[78]									379
Savoia-Marchetti SM.84									246
Weiss WM-21								128
CANT Z.506B									320
CANT Z.1007									660
CANT Z.1018									15
Total		24	84			200	28,409	128	5,263	11,943		380		44,802

See also

• Allied technological cooperation during World War II
• Combined Food Board
• Combined Munitions Assignments Board
• Combined Raw Materials Board
• Combined Shipping Adjustment Board
• War Production Board
• American armored fighting vehicle production during World War II
• British armoured fighting vehicle production during World War II
• German armored fighting vehicle production during World War II
• Soviet industry in World War II
  • Soviet armored fighting vehicle production during World War II
• United States aircraft production during World War II
• Forced labour under German rule during World War II
• Technology during World War II

Notes

Table data

Personnel -Allied - British Empire

• Wayback Machine Australia 2]
• This website is currently unavailable. "Facts & Information"] Canada at War July 4, 2009
• Book: Repatriation and Demoblization . Chapter XIX Conclusion . The Canadian Army 1939-1945: An Official Historical Summary . Colonel C.P. Stacey . hyperwar.
  • • • • • http://idsa.in/system/files/IndiaWorldWarII.pdf India 3 idsa.in
    • The Battle for Miri and Sarawak, Borneo, WW II (article) by Franz L Kessler on AuthorsDen Malay
• The Allied Merchant Navy - Their Legacy… Our Freedom
• http://abbekerk.files.wordpress.com/2007/12/the-fourth-ally-the-dutch2291007.pdf Netherlands
• Netherlands
• https://www.friends-amis.org/index.php/en/document-repository/english/research-papers/12-newfoundland-in-two-world-wars/file Newfoundland
• New Zealand
• http://www.onlinenigeria.com/links/adv.asp?blurb=159 Nigeria
  • South African Military History Society - Journal - The South African Corps of Marines South Africa
• Flying High: The Story of the Women's Auxiliary Air Force 1939-1945 - South African Military History Society - Journal South Africa

Personnel - Axis

• • Volunteers, Ailsby 2004

Raw materials

• The Mineral Industry of the British Empire and Foreign Countries, Statistical Summary 1938–1944, The Imperial Institute, HMSO, 1948
• The Mineral Industry of the British Empire and Foreign Countries, Statistical Summary 1941–1947, The Imperial Institute, HMSO, 1949

Official histories

• History of the Second World War (104 volumes), Her Majesty's Stationery Office, London 1949 to 1993
• Official History of Australia in the War of 1939–1945 (22 volumes), Australian Government Printing Service, 1952 to 1977
• Official History of the Canadian Army in the Second World War, Vol I Six Years of War, Stacey, C P., Queen's Printer, Ottawa, 1955
• Official History of the Indian Armed Forces in the Second World War 1939-45 (24 volumes), Combined Inter-Services Historical Section, India & Pakistan, New Delhi, 1956-1966
• Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–45, Historical Publications Branch, Wellington, New Zealand, 1965

Bibliography

• Ailsby, Christopher, Hitler's Renegades: Foreign Nationals in the Service of the Third Reich (Photographic Histories), Potomac Books, 2004
• Barnett, Correlli, The audit of war : the illusion & reality of Britain as a great nation, Macmillan, 1986
• Barnes, C.H.; James D.N. Shorts Aircraft since 1900, London, Putnam, 1989
• Bishop, Chris, The Encyclopaedia of Weapons of World War II, Sterling Publishing, 2002
• Bowyer, Michael J.F. Aircraft for the Royal Air Force: The "Griffon" Spitfire, The Albemarle Bomber and the Shetland Flying-Boat, London, Faber & Faber, 1980
• Boyd, David, (2009) "Wartime Production by the Commonwealth during WWII" British Equipment of the Second World War
  • Butler, Tony. British Secret Projects: Fighters and Bombers 1935–1950. Hinckley, UK: Midland Publishing, 2004
• Canada at War, "The Canadian War Industry"
• Dressel, Joachim and Manfred Griehl. Bombers of the Luftwaffe. London: DAG Publications, 1994
• Flint, Keith, Airborne Armour: Tetrarch, Locust, Hamilcar and the 6th Airborne Armoured Reconnaissance Regiment 1938-1950. Helion & Company Ltd., 2006
• Francillon, René J., Japanese Aircraft of the Pacific War, London, Putnam, 1970
• Gregg, W.A ed., Canada’s Fighting Vehicles Europe 1943-1945, Canadian Military Historical Society, 1980
• Green, William. War Planes of The Second World War:Volume Seven - Bombers and Reconnaissance Aircraft. London: Macdonald, 1967
• Harrison, Mark, "The Economics of World War II: Six Great Powers in International Comparison", Cambridge University Press, 1998 (Author's overview)
• Herman, Arthur. Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II, Random House, New York, 2012
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft (Part Work 1982–1985). London: Orbis Publishing, 1985
• Jackson, A.J., De Havilland Aircraft since 1909 (Third ed.), London, Putnam, 1987
• Jane's Fighting Aircraft of World War II, London, Studio Editions Ltd, 1989
• "Les luxembourgeois de la Brigade Piron". (in French) Armee.lu. Retrieved 29 June 2013
• Long, Jason, Lend Lease as a Function of the Soviet war Economy, sturmvogel.orbat.com, Retrieved June 12, 2014
• Mason, Francis K. The British Bomber since 1914, London: Putnam Aeronautical Books, 1994
• Milward, Alan S., War, economy, and society, 1939-1945, University of California Press, 1979
• Morgan, Eric B. "Albemarle" in Twentyfirst Profile, Volume 1, No. 11. New Milton, Hants, UK: 21st Profile Ltd.
• Munoz, A.J., For Croatia and Christ: The Croatian Army in World War II 1941–1945, Axis Europa Books, NY, 1996
• Mondey, David. The Concise Guide to Axis Aircraft of World War II. New York: Bounty Books, 1996
• Ness, Leland, Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles, The Complete Guide, HarperCollins, 2002
• Otway, Lieutenant-Colonel T.B.H. The Second World War 1939-1945 Army: Airborne Forces. London: Imperial War Museum, 1990
• Overy, Richard, Why the Allies Won (Paperback), W. W. Norton & Company, 1997
• Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies
• Smith, J.R. and Anthony L. Kay. German Aircraft of the Second World War. London: Putnam and Company Ltd.,
• Swanborough, Gordon. British Aircraft at War, 1939-1945. East Sussex, UK: HPC Publishing, 1997
• Tapper, Oliver. Armstrong Whitworth Aircraft since 1913. London: Putnam, 1988
• Tomasevich, Jozo, War and Revolution in Yugoslavia, 1941–1945: Occupation and Collaboration 2. San Francisco: Stanford University Press, 2001
• Veterans Affairs Canada, "Canadian Production of War Materials"
• Wilson, Stewart, Aircraft of WWII, 1998
• Wrynn, V. Dennis. Forge of Freedom: American Aircraft Production in World War II, Motorbooks International, Osceola, WI, 1995
• Zuljan, Ralph, "Allied and Axis GDP" Articles On War OnWar.com (2003)

External links

• Allies and Lend-Lease Museum, Russia
• Australia War Memorial official war history online archive
• Canada at War
• National War Museum, United States
• New Zealand in the Second World War, official war history online
• South Africa Journal of Military Studies

Notes and References

1. Herman, Arthur. Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II, p. IX, Random House, New York, NY, 2012. .
2. Parker, Dana T. Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II, p. 7, Cypress, CA, 2013. .
3. Wrynn, V. Dennis. Forge of Freedom: American Aircraft Production in World War II, pp. 4-5, Motorbooks International, Osceola, WI, 1995. .
4. Baldwin, Ralph B. The Deadly Fuze: Secret Weapon of World War II, pp. 4-6, 11, 50, 279, Presidio Press, San Rafael, California, 1980. .
5. Kumanev, G.A., "War and the evacuation of the USSR: 1941-1942", New Age, 2006
6. Sawyer, L. A. and Mitchell, W. H. The Liberty Ships: The History of the "Emergency" Type Cargo Ships Constructed in the United States During the Second World War, Second Edition, pp. vii, 1-8, Lloyd's of London Press Ltd., London, England, 1985. .
7. Parker, Dana T. Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II, pp. 5, 7, Cypress, CA, 2013. .
8. Parker, Dana T. Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II, p. 8, Cypress, California, 2013. .
9. Web site: US military numbers. www.dpaa.mil.
10. Book: Office of Statistical Control. Army Air Force Statistical Digest, World War II. 127.
11. Book: Office of Statistical Control. Army Air Force Statistical Digest. 16.
12. Web site: Royal Navy in 1939 and 1945. www.naval-history.net.
13. Web site: US PT Boats List: Numerical List of Boats.
14. "Expanding the Size of the U.S. Military in World War II". warfarehistorynetwork.com. 26 June 2017. Archived from the original on 12 August 2018. Retrieved 13 March 2019.
15. Web site: Why Japan Really Lost The War. Combined Fleet . 2018-06-18 .
16. Web site: Why Japan Really Lost The War . Combined Fleet . 2018-06-18 .
17. Mitchell, B.R. British Historical Statistics, 1988
18. http://www.thealuminiumdialog.com/en/aluminium--2/history/110-years-of-history-in-canada#date_3 Dialogue on Aluminium 110 years of history in Canada
19. Baker The New Zealand People at War: War Economy 1965
20. Including 23.4 synthetic.
21. http://wwiiarchives.net/servlet/document/149/121/0 Volume 3 -The Effects of Strategic Bombing on the German War Economy
22. Billions of international dollars, at 1990 prices. Adjusted annually for changing compositions within each alliance.
23. Harrison, 1998
24. Stephen Broadberry, Kevin H. O'Rourke, The Cambridge Economic History of Modern Europe: Volume 2, 1870 to the Present, p. 190
25. Web site: ROMANIA: historical demographical data of the whole country.
26. Web site: HUNGARY: historical demographical data of the whole country.
27. Web site: BULGARIA historical demographical data of the whole country.
28. Web site: ALBANIA: historical demographical data of the whole country.
29. Web site: Institute for Economics and Peace . The Economic Consequences of War on US Economy . June 2015 . 6 October 2017.
30. Web site: Defence Spending since 1900 . UK Public Spending . Christopher Chantrill . 2018-06-18 .
31. Web site: The Economic Consequences of War on US Economy . Institute of Economics and Peace . June 2015 . 6 October 2017.
32. Web site: THE WAR: At Home – War Production . The War At Home Production . PBS . 2017-04-12.
33. Web site: Graph of U.S. Unemployment Rate, 1930-1945. Bureau Of Labor Statistics. HERB: Resources for Teachers. 30 November 2017.
34. Web site: Bartlett. Bruce. The Cost Of War. Forbes. 2017-10-26 .
35. Book: Rose, Patrick. The Indian Army, 1939–47: Experience and Development. Routledge. 2012.
36. • Wings of Thunder – Wartime RAF Veterans Flying in From Argentina . London . 6 April 2005 . PRNewswire . The Anglo-Argentine Society in conjunction with the Argentine Embassy .
37. Munoz 1996, Tomasevich 2001
38. Web site: De norske frontkjemperne - Norgeshistorie.
39. Web site: ARMING THE NATION: CANADA'S INDUSTRIAL WAR EFFORT, 1939-1945. Granatstein. Dr. J. L.. May 27, 2005. Canadian Council of Chief Executives. April 5, 2016.
40. entered service after the war
41. wartime production only. Majority of Gladiators were built before the war. 165 additional to export customers. Sea Gladiator conversions and production in Sea Gladiator entry.
42. Includes some post-war production and conversions of Spitfires
43. Ethell, Jeffrey L. and Steve Pace. Spitfire. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 1997. . p117
44. 3 prototypes and 3 delivered to RAF
45. Not used as bombers but for other purposes
46. Includes pre-war production
47. includes transport and Coastal Command reconnaissance versions
48. Includes 457 trainers
49. Web site: Consolidated PBY Catalina production in Canada. www.historyofwar.org.
50. most built pre-war
51. Most production was pre-war
52. Of all types of aircraft not entering service
53. includes: Folland Fo.108 engine test bed (12), General Aircraft Cygnet (10), General Aircraft GAL-41 (1), Hawker Sea Fury (10), Miles Mercury (6), Percival Vega Gull (~20), Supermarine Spiteful fighter (19)
54. includes: CCF Maple Leaf Trainer II (2 plus 10 built in Mexico)
55. • Australian War memorial, Bristol Brigand, Free Dutch, New Zealand Official History, Barnes 1989, Bishop 2002, Bowyer 1980, Butler 2004, Flint 2006, Green 1967, Jackson 1987, Jane's 1989

    , Mason 1994, Morgan ?, Otway 1990, Swanborough 1997, Tapper 1988, The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, 1985

56. Delivered to France.
57. First prototype incomplete by German occupation.
58. Only 1 (designated P.11g) used by Poland in 1939. The remaining ones were exported to various Balkan countries.
59. Around 200 more airframes were in advanced production stage.
60. not counting uncompleted PZL.50
61. Production was started in Denmark, but not completed before the German invasion.
62. Originally an advanced fighter-training aircraft, this type was later used as a light attack plane, in particular by the Air Force of the Independent State of Croatia.
63. not counting P.4/34
64. According to some sources license production started in Denmark but not completed before the German invasion.
65. All but 5 delivered to Bulgaria.
66. Prototypes that were used in combat.
67. https://comandosupremo.com Comando Supremo: Italy at War
68. Never entered service
69. Number refers to production resumed after German occupation.
70. Produced shortly before the war and mainly used for testing and propaganda purposes.
71. Conversion from MS.406/410.
72. Conversion from MS.406.
73. Produced before the war and 2 used by Japanese for testing.
74. All produced before the war, but used until 1944.
75. Only 90 German-built Me 210 were completed and delivered, about 100 Hungarian-built were supplied to Germany
76. Also used as a fighter and for reconnaissance
77. Produced for Germany after German occupation.
78. Only bomber versions listed here.