Military production during World War II

Russian women working in city factory at the height of the Siege of Leningrad.

Assembly line of Messerschmitt Bf 109G-6s fighters in a German aircraft factory.

Military production during World War II includes the arms, ammunitions, natural resources, personnel and financing which were mobilized for the war. Military production, in this article, means everything produced by the belligerents 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 matériel 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. As formerly neutral powers (such as the United States) joined the escalating conflict, territory changed hands, combatants were defeated, the balance of power shifted in favour of the Allies (as did the means to sustain the military production required to win the war).

Historical context

German poster entitled "Designing and Building the East".

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 and supported 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 dynamic not found amongst the Allies.

British Commonwealth in 1921.

In 1938 the British Commonwealth was a global superpower, with political and economic control of a quarter of the world's population, industry and resources. 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 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 needed 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 defeated, held back or slowed the Axis powers for three years while mobilizing 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 first atomic bomb.

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 forces 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 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 the Axis defeat in Europe. Over one million women served in the Soviet armed forces.

Assembly line production of fighter aircraft near Niagara Falls, New York.

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 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

Service	Allies	Axis
Combat	25	24
Auxiliary	x23	x22
Merchant Marine	x21	x20
Irregulars	x19	x18
Total	80,000,000	30,000,000

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	229,331
Missiles	(only for test)	45,458
Ships	54,932	1,670

Economy

In thousands of international dollars, at 2014 prices.

Service	Allies	Axis
GDP	9,770,790,872.32	10,268,201,776.37
Expenditure

^[9]

Vital commerce and raw materials

To move raw materials and supply distant forces, large numbers of cargo ships had to be built

Category	Allies	Axis
Cargo ships	47,118	x
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

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	11,192,533
USA and territories	102,410		2,382,311	257,390	105,055	2,679,840	10,000,000
USSR	106,025		197,100	516,648	200,300	1,477,400	34,401,807
Other
Allies	256,297	47,420	4,054,932	1,000,151	544,895	5,247,650
Germany and territories	67,429	345,914	159,147	73,484	674,280	1,000,730	16,540,835
Hungary	908			447		4,583
Romania	91	251		2,800		10,000
Italian Empire	3,368		83,000	7,200	22,000
Japanese Empire	4,524		165,945	13,350	29,000	380,000
Other
Axis	76,320	346,165	408,092	97,281	725,280	1,395,313

Air forces

Power	Total	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	324,000	99,000		97,000		23,900	57,000		2,400,000
USSR	136,223	22,301	37,549	21,116		17,332	4,061
Other
Allies	637,248	164,087	71,360	156,274	7,014	52,917	107,317	420
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	6,157	34	3,381	388	2,471	968	3
Japanese Empire	71,580	26,548	21,639	13,839	3,709	1,073	3,420	1,376
Other	9,849	881	4	395	318	1,880	5,145	57
Axis	229,338	91,752	30,936	46,320	11,002	9,176	22,944	12,794

Naval forces

Power	Total large ships	Carriers	Battleships	Cruisers	Destroyers	Frigates	Corvettes	Sloops	Patrol boats	Submarines	De/ Mining	Landing craft	Personnel
British Empire	890	41(24)	6[note 1]	102	291	209	387	33	4,209	238	1,244	9,538	1,227,415
USA and territories	6,771	124(101)	8	48	349					245		35,000	x
USSR			2[note 2]	2	25					52
Other
Allies		165(125)	16	152	665	209	387	33	4,209	568	1,244	44,538
Germany & territories		1	2		17					1,152		540	1,500,000
Italian Empire		1	3	6	6					63
Japanese Empire		18	2	9	63					199
Romania									8	2	5
Other
Axis	'	'	'	'	'	'	'			1,416

During the war, Romania built the minelayer Amiral Murgescu, the submarines Rechinul and Marsuinul, a class of four minesweepers, a class of two gunboats^[10] and completed six British Power Boat motor torpedo boats.^[11][12]

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				1,469,606	4,152,361

Resources

Country	Coal	Iron ore	Crude oil	Steel	Aluminium	Nickel	Zinc
USA	2,149.7	396.9	833.2
Britain[13]	1,441.2	119.2	90.8	3.700	0.205
Australia	83.1						1.56
India[14]	196.7	6.0		1.12
Canada	101.9	3.6	8.4	16.4	3.500[15]
New Zealand[16]	18
USSR	590.8	71.3	110.6		0.263[17]	0.069[18]	0.384[18]
Total Allied	4581.4	597	1043
Germany	2,420.3	240.7	33.4[19]		1.9[20]	0.046[20]	2.1[20]
Japan	184.5	21.0	5.2
Italy	16.9	4.4
Hungary	6.6	14.1	3.1
Romania	1.6	10.8	25.0
Total Axis	2629.9	291

All figures in millions of tonnes

Reference data for summary tables

The relationship in GDP between the major Allied and Axis powers 1938-1945.

GDP

GDP provides insight into the relative strength of the belligerents in the run up to, and during the conflict.

Gross domestic product^{[nb 1][21][22]}

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
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	159	160	157	152	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)^[23] by their estimated populations in 1938: 19,750,000 for Romania,^[24] 9,082,400 for Hungary,^[25] 6,380,000 for Bulgaria and^[26] and 1,040,400 for Albania.^[27]

1. Billions of international dollars, at 1990 prices. Adjusted annually for changing compositions within each alliance.

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^[28]
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.

Personnel - Allied - British Empire

Including all non-British subjects in British services.^[29]

	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	0	124,007	27,000		4,500		942,712
Argentine volunteers	1,700		1,700			599	1				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
Lesoto	21,000										21,000
Free Luxembourg	80	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	80
Malaysia	1,500	0	1,450	0	0	0	0	3,215	0	4,800	10,965
Malta											8,200
Mauritius								6,800			3,500
Nepal	250,280	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	250,280
Free Dutch	4,000	1,000	0	0	0	1000	0	0	0	0	6,000
Newfoundland	3,503	500	2,889	0	0	712	0	0	10,000	0	21,204	3,600
New Zealand	125,000	3,905	10,139	700	0	37,250	4,750	124,000	3,000	0	308,744
Free Norway	4,000	0	7,500	0	0	2,700	0	0	0	0	14,200
Palestine	25,000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	25,000
Free Polish	215,000	0	4,000	0	0	20,000	0	0	0	0	239,000
Seychelles											1,500
Sudan	20,000	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	20,000
South Africa	334,000	0	13,269	280	75	0	12,000	0	0	0	359,624
Southern Africa	77,767	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	0	77,767
St Helena											250
Tonga											2,000
USA volunteers	0	0	0	0	0	8,000	0	0	0	0	8,000
West Africa	130,000	0	0	0	0	10,000	0	0	0	0	146,000
West Indies	10,000	0	40000	0	0	5,560	80	0	0	0	55,640
British Empire	9,122,660	276,001	1,142,335	85,080	78,575	1,674,532	252,863	1,717,297	281,300	4,800	14,692,644	14,004,001

Note:

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

Personnel - Axis - German Reich

Including all non-German subjects in German services.

	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
British Empire	3,500										3,500
Bulgaria	30,000										90,000
Croatia	55,500		500			400		32,000			88,400
Czech
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
Luxembourg	12,035										12,035
Netherlands	45,000										45,000
Norway	50,000		1,500			1,500					53,000
Poland	75,000							45,000			120,000
Portugal	200										200
Romania	55,000										55,000
Serbia	10,000										10,000
Slovakia
Slovenia	6,000										6,000
Spain	47,000										47,000
Sweden	300										300
Switzerland	800										800
USA	20										20
USSR	1,051,000					300		100,000			1,151,300
German Reich	16,336,755		1,506,500			3,402,200		204,080			21,449,535	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

Within the UK, initially aircraft production was very vulnerable to enemy bombing. To expand and diversify the production base the British setup "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.^[30]

Fighters	Australia	Britain	Canada	India	NZ	SA	Total
Bristol Blenheim[note 3]		5,519	626				6,145
CAC Boomerang	250						250
Bristol Brigand		147					147
Boulton Paul Defiant[note 4]		1,065					1065
Blackburn Firebrand		230					230
Fairey Firefly		872					872
Fairey Fulmar		600					600
Gloster Gladiator[note 5]		483					483
de Havilland Hornet[note 6]		197					197
Gloster Meteor		250					250
Curtiss Mohawk IV[31]				5			5
North American Mustang	200						200
Blackburn Roc		136					136
Supermarine Seafire[note 7]		2,334					2,334
Gloster Gladiator		98					98
Supermarine Spitfire		20,351					20,351[32]
Hawker Tempest		1,702					1,702
de Havilland Vampire		244					244
Westland Welkin		77					77
Westland Whirlwind[note 8]		116					116
	450	37,705	626	5			38,786
Attack	Australia	Britain	Canada	India	NZ	SA
Bristol Beaufighter	364	5,564					5,928
Curtiss SB2C Helldiver			1,134				1,134
Hawker Hurricane[note 9]		14,231	1,451				15,682
de Havilland Mosquito	212	6,199	1,134				7,545
Blackburn Skua		192					192
Hawker Typhoon		3,330					3,330
	576	29,516	3,719				33,811
Bomber	Australia	Britain	Canada	India	NZ	SA
Fairey Albacore		800					800
Fairey Barracuda		2,607					2,607
Bristol Beaufort	700	1,429					2,129
Bristol Buckingham		119					119
Handley Page Halifax		6,178[note 10]>					6,178
Handley Page Hampden[note 11]		1,270	160				1,430
Handley Page Hampden		152					152
Avro Lancaster		7,307	430				7,377
Avro Lincoln[note 6]	73	530	1				604
Avro Manchester		202					202
Short Stirling		2,383					2,383
Fairey Swordfish[note 11]		2,396					2,396
Vickers Wellington[note 11]		11,461					11,461
Armstrong Whitworth Whitley[note 11]		1,780					1,780
	773	36,794	591				38,158
Reconnaissance & patrol	Australia	Britain	Canada	India	NZ	SA
Taylorcraft Auster		1,800					1,800
Bristol Bolingbroke[note 12]			676				626
Bristol Bombay[note 13]		51					51
Blackburn Botha		580					580
Piper Cub			150				150
Saro Lerwick		21					21
Hawker Osprey		9					9
Consolidated Canso		272	721				993
Supermarine Sea Otter		292					292
Short Seaford		10					10
Blackburn Shark			17				17
Supermarine Stranraer		17	40				57
Short Sunderland		767					767
Supermarine Walrus		746					746
Vickers Warwick		845					845
		5,410	1604				7,014
Transport	Aus	Britain	Can	India	NZ	SA
de Havilland Albatross		7					7
Armstrong Whitworth Albemarle		602					602
CAC Gliders	8						8
Northrop/Canadian Vickers Delta			19				19
De Havilland Australia DHA-G1/G2	8						8
de Havilland Dragon	87						87
de Havilland Dragon Rapide/Dominie		474					474
Short Empire		42					42
Armstrong Whitworth Ensign		15					15
de Havilland Flamingo		14					14
Fleet 50 Freighter			5				5
General Aircraft Hamilcar[note 14]		412					412
Slingsby Hengist		18					18
Airspeed Horsa[note 14]		5,000					5,000
General Aircraft Hotspur		1,015					1,015
Avro Lancastrian		82	6				82
Westland Lysander		1,445	225				1,670
Miles Messenger		93					93
Miles Monarch		11					11
Miles Monitor		22					22
Noorduyn Norseman			861				861
Short S.26		3					3
Whitley		1,814					1,814
Avro York		259	1				259
Other
	103	11,380	1,117				12,600
Training	Aus	Britain	Can	India	NZ	SA
Avro Anson		8,488	3,197				11,685
Fairey Battle[note 15]		2,201
Bristol Buckmaster		112
Fairchild Cornell (PT-19/26)			1,642
de Havilland Don		30
Fleet Finch			606
Fleet Fort			101
Harlow PC-5			5	50
North American Harvard			3,985
Miles Magister		1,303
Miles Martinet		1,724
Miles Master		3,250
Miles Mentor		45
de Havilland Moth Minor		100
Airspeed Oxford		8,586
Percival Proctor		1,143
de Havilland Tiger Moth	1,080	5,738	1,748		150		8,716
Avions Fairey Tipsy B		15
CAC Wackett	202
CAC Wirraway	755
	2,037	32,735	11,284	50	150		46,256
Other	Australia	Canada	Britain	India	NZ	SA	Empire
Prototypes[note 16]	2	3	61
Other		10	339
	2	13[note 17]	400[note 18]				415
Total	'x	x	x	x	x	x	x

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.

Fighters	Belgium	Czechoslovakia	Denmark	France	Netherlands	Poland	Yugoslavia	Total
Avia B.534-IV/Bk.534		274
Caudron CR.714				90
Dewoitine D.520				403
Fokker D.XXI			10		110			120
Koolhoven F.K.58					20[note 19]
Avions Fairey Fox VI/VII	106
Fokker G.I					63
Hawker Hurricane I	15						20
Ikarus IK-2							12
Rogozarski IK-3							12
Bloch MB.151/152				636
Morane-Saulnier MS.406				1,077
Potez 630/631				280
PZL.50 Jastrząb						(6)[note 20]
PZL P.24						118[note 21]
Arsenal VG.33/36/39				40[note 22]
Total	121	274	10	2,526	193	119 (+5)	44	3,287[note 23]
Attack	Belgium	Czechoslovakia	Denmark	France	Netherlands	Poland	Yugoslavia	Total
Breguet Br.690				230
Laté 298				121
Loire-Nieuport LN.40				68
Fairey P.4/34			(12)[note 24]
Rogožarski PVT[note 25]							61
Total			(12)	419			61	480[note 26]
Bombers	Belgium	Czechoslovakia	Denmark	France	Netherlands	Poland	Yugoslavia	Total
Aero A.101		64
Aero A.304		19
Amiot 351/354				80
Avia B-71		61
Fairey Battle I	18		[note 27]
Fokker C.X/Fokker C.XI					53
Dornier Do 17K							70
Farman F.222.2/F.223				25
LeO 45				452
LWS-6 Żubr						17
Bloch MB.131				143
Bloch MB.174/175				79
Bloch MB.210				298
Potez 633				55
PZL.37						120
PZL.43						54[note 28]
PZL.46						2[note 29]
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.

Fighters	Belgium	Bulgaria	Czech	Netherlands	Finland	France	Germany	Hungary	Italy	Japan	Poland	Romania	Yugoslavia	Total
Mitsubishi A6M Zero										10,939
Arado Ar 240							14
Avia B-135			12
Avia B-534			78
Bachem Ba 349							36[note 30]
Messerschmitt Bf 109							33,142	309						33,984
Macchi C.200/Macchi C.202/Macchi C.205									2,766
Fiat CR.25									12
Fiat CR.42									1,782
Dewoitine D.520[note 31]						440
Dornier Do 17Z-7/Z-10							12
Dornier Do 335							37
Caproni Vizzola F.5									14
Koolhoven F.K.52				6
Focke-Wulf Fw 190							20,000
Fiat G.50									666
Fiat G.55									305
Heinkel He 100[note 32]							25
Heinkel He 112							60
Heinkel He 162							320
Heinkel He 219							300
IAR 80												346
Nakajima J1N										479
Mitsubishi J2M										621
Kawasaki Ki-10										283
Nakajima Ki-27										3,399
Nakajima Ki-44										1,227
Kawasaki Ki-61										3,159
Nakajima Ki-84										3,514
Kawasaki Ki-100										395
Kawasaki Ki-102										238
Bloch MB.150[note 31]						35
Messerschmitt Me 163							370			7				377
Messerschmitt Me 262							1,430
Mörkö-Morane[note 33]					41
Morane-Saulnier MS.410[note 34]						74
Yokosuka MXY7										852
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
Focke-Wulf Ta 152 & Focke-Wulf Ta 154							200							these are unrelated types.
VL Myrsky					51
VL Pyry					41
Total			90	6	133	549	55,934	513	6,200	26,548	25	371		91,728
Attack	Belgium	Bulgaria	Czech	Netherlands	Finland	France	Germany	Hungary	Italy	Japan	Poland	Romania	Yugoslavia
Nakajima A6M2-N										327
Breda Ba.65									218
Breda Ba.88									149
Aichi D3A										1,486
CANSA FC.12									11
CANSA FC.20									6
Heinkel He 115							138
Heinkel He 118[note 35]							15
Henschel Hs 123[note 36]							250
Henschel Hs 129							865
Junkers Ju 87 Stuka							6,500
Nakajima Ki-27										3,368
Mitsubishi Ki-30										704
Nakajima Ki-43										5,919
Kawasaki Ki-45										1,701
Kawasaki Ki-48										1,997
Mitsubishi Ki-51										2,385
Nakajima Ki-84										3,514
Kawasaki Ki-102										238
Messerschmitt Me 210[note 37]							400	272						672
Messerschmitt Me 410[note 38]							1,189
Fiat RS.14									188
Savoia-Marchetti SM.85									34
Total							9,092	272	606	21,904				30,903
Bombers	Belgium	Bulgaria	Czech	Netherlands	Finland	France	Germany	Hungary	Italy	Japan	Poland	Romania	Yugoslavia
Aero A.304			4
Arado Ar 234							210
Nakajima B5N										1,149
Nakajima B6N										1,268
Aichi B7A										114
Bloch MB.174/175[note 39]						38
Fiat BR.20									602
Caproni Ca.135									140
Caproni Ca.309-314									1,516
Yokosuka D4Y										2,038
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
Heinkel He 111							7,300
Heinkel He 177							1,190
IAR 37												380
Junkers Ju 88/188/388							16,517
Kaproni-Bulgarski KB.6		24
Mitsubishi Ki-21										2,064
Kawasaki Ki-32										854
Nakajima Ki-49										819
Mitsubishi Ki-67/Mitsubishi Ki-109										767
LeO 45[note 31]						162
Aichi M6A										28
Piaggio P.108							35
Yokosuka P1Y										1,102
Kyushu Q1W										153
Letov Š-328			80
Savoia-Marchetti SM.79									1,350
Savoia-Marchetti SM.82[note 40]									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	28,444	128	5,228	13,839		380		44,802

Propaganda posters

Vichy France poster: "At work in Germany you are an ambassador of French quality"  Japanese Organized Labour Service Corps poster  USSR: "Everything for the Front. Everything for Victory"  French-Canadian poster: "I'm making bombs and buying bonds!-Buy Victory Bonds."  Italy: "Work and Fight for your Country and Victory"  Australia: "He's coming south—it's fight, work or perish"

See also

• Allied technological cooperation during World War II
• Combined Food Board
• Combined Munitions Assignments Board
• Combined Raw Materials Board
• Combined Shipping Adjustment 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 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

References

1. the five King George V class were started prior to war, a further four battleships were cancelled to make resources available for construction of other ships (Gazarke & Dulin)
2. Two battlecruisers of Kronshtadt-class laid down but never progressed
3. The majority of Blenheims were built as light bombers
4. Total includes 140 unarmed Defiants produced as target tugs
5. Pre-war production. 165 additional to export customers. Sea Gladiator conversions and production listed in Sea Gladiator entry.
6. includes post-war production
7. Includes some post-war production and conversions of Spitfires
8. changed to ground attack role during war
9. up to 1942 the Hurricane was chiefly used as a fighter aircraft
10. includes transport and Coastal Command reconnaissance versions
11. Includes pre-war production
12. Blenheim variant, includes 457 produced as trainers
13. light bomber/transport used in Middle East and Mediterranean theatres
14. assault gliders generally not reusable following use
15. Initially used as light bomber e.g. during Battle of France
16. Including: Arpin A-1 (1) , Airspeed Cambridge (2), Airspeed Fleet Shadower (1), Avro Tudor (2), Blackburn B-20 (1), Boulton Paul P.92 (1), Burnelli CBY-3 (2), CAC Woomera, Australia (2), Chrislea Airguard (1) , de Havilland Dove (1), de Havilland T.K.5 (1) , Fairey Spearfish (5), Fane F.1/40 (1), General Aircraft Cagnet (1), General Aircraft Owlet (1), General Aircraft Fleet Shadower (1), General Aircraft GAL.47 (1), General Aircraft GAL.55 (2), General Aircraft GAL.56 (4), Canadian Car and Foundry FDB-1, Canada (1), Gloster F.5/34 (2) , Gloster F.9/37 (2) , Handley Page Manx (1), Hawker Hotspur (1), Hawker Tornado (4), Miles M.20 (2), Miles X Minor (1), Miles M.35 (1), Miles M.39 (1), Miles LR 5 (1), Parnall 382 (1), Reid and Sigrist R.S.1/2 (2), Saro A33 (1), Saro Shrimp (1), Short Shetland (2), Supermarine Type 322 (2), Vickers Type 432 (1), Vickers VC.1 Viking (1), Vickers Windsor (3)
17. includes: CCF Maple Leaf Trainer II (2 plus 10 built in Mexico )
18. includes: Folland Fo.108 engine test bed (12), General Aircraft Cygnet (10), General Aircraft Monospar ST-25 (30), Hawker Henley (200), Hawker Sea Fury (10), Miles M.15 (2), Miles M.18 (3) , Miles Mercury (6), Percival Petrel (27), Percival Vega Gull (~20), Supermarine Spiteful fighter (19)
19. Delivered to France.
20. First prototype incomplete by German occupation.
21. Only 1 (designated P.11g) used by Poland in 1939. The remaining ones were exported to various Balkan countries.
22. Around 200 more airframes were in advanced production stage.
23. not counting uncompleted PZL.50
24. Production was started in Denmark, but not completed before the German invasion.
25. 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.
26. not counting P.4/34
27. According to some sources license production started in Denmark but not completed before the German invasion.
28. All but 5 delivered to Bulgaria.
29. Prototypes that were used in combat.
30. Never entered service
31. Number refers to production resumed after German occupation.
32. Produced shortly before the war and mainly used for testing and propaganda purposes.
33. Conversion from MS.406/410.
34. Conversion from MS.406.
35. Produced before the war and 2 used by Japanese for testing.
36. All produced before the war, but used until 1944.
37. Only 90 German-built Me 210 were completed and delivered, about 100 Hungarian-built were supplied to Germany
38. Also used as a fighter and for reconnaissance
39. Produced for Germany after German occupation.
40. Only bomber versions listed here.

Notes

1. Herman, Arthur. Freedom's Forge: How American Business Produced Victory in World War II, p. IX, Random House, New York, NY, 2012. ISBN 978-1-4000-6964-4.
2. Parker, Dana T. Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II, p. 7, Cypress, CA, 2013. ISBN 978-0-9897906-0-4.
3. Wrynn, V. Dennis. Forge of Freedom: American Aircraft Production in World War II, pp. 4-5, Motorbooks International, Osceola, WI, 1995. ISBN 0-7603-0143-3.
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. ISBN 978-0-89141-087-4.
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. ISBN 1-85044-049-2.
7. Parker, Dana T. Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II, pp. 5, 7, Cypress, CA, 2013. ISBN 978-0-9897906-0-4.
8. Parker, Dana T. Building Victory: Aircraft Manufacturing in the Los Angeles Area in World War II, p. 8, Cypress, California, 2013. ISBN 978-0-9897906-0-4.
9. "Financial Calculators". dollartimes.com.
10. Cristian Crăciunoiu, Romanian navy torpedo boats, pp. 38-42
11. Cristian Crăciunoiu, Romanian navy torpedo boats, pp. 140-143
12. Robert Gardiner, Conway's All the World Fighting Ships 1922-1946, p. 362
13. Mitchell, B.R. British Historical Statistics, 1988
14. http://www.teindia.nic.in/mhrd/50yrsedu/15/8P/82/8P820T03.htm
15. Dialogue on Aluminium 110 years of history in Canada approximation
16. Baker The New Zealand People at War: War Economy 1965
17. Lend Lease as a Function of the Soviet war Economy
18. Accounting for War: Soviet Production, Employment and the Defense Burden, 1940-1945 Mark Harrison, 1996
19. Including 23.4 synthetic.
20. Volume 3 -The Effects of Strategic Bombing on the German War Economy 1940-1944 only, retrieved June 8, 2014
21. "Comparison of GDP adjusted for actual yearly shared contribution to war efforts after Zuljan, Ralph, Allied and Axis GDP", "Articles On War", OnWar.com, 2003, retrieved June 8, 2014
22. Harrison, 1998
23. Stephen Broadberry, Kevin H. O'Rourke, The Cambridge Economic History of Modern Europe: Volume 2, 1870 to the Present, p. 190
24. ROMANIA: historical demographical data of the whole country
25. HUNGARY: historical demographical data of the whole country
26. BULGARIA historical demographical data of the whole country
27. ALBANIA: historical demographical data of the whole country
28. General Article: Foreign Affairs, pbs.org
29. Rose, Patrick (2012). The Indian Army, 1939–47: Experience and Development. Routledge.
30. Granatstein, Dr. J. L. (May 27, 2005). "ARMING THE NATION: CANADA'S INDUSTRIAL WAR EFFORT, 1939-1945" (PDF). Canadian Council of Chief Executives. Retrieved April 5, 2016.
31. Baugher "Hawk 75A-5 for China" 1999
32. Ethell, Jeffrey L. and Steve Pace. Spitfire. St. Paul, Minnesota: Motorbooks International, 1997. ISBN 0-7603-0300-2. p117

Table data

Personnel -Allied - British Empire

• "Wings of Thunder - Wartime RAF Veterans Flying in From Argentina" (Press release). London: PRNewswire - The Anglo-Argentine Society in conjuction with the Argentine Embassy. April 6. Check date values in: |date= (help)
• Second World War Official Histories
• Australia 2
• "Facts & Information" Canada at War July 4, 2009
• Colonel C.P. Stacey. "Chapter XIX Conclusion". Repatriation and Demoblization. The Canadian Army 1939-1945: An Official Historical Summary.
• Daniel Owen Spence, Imperial Loyalties, 'Imagined Communities' and 'Britishness': The Royal Navy and the Cayman Islands
• Marika Sherwood (30 March 2011), Colonies, Colonials and World War Two, BBC History
• Gillespie, Oliver A. "I: New Zealand's Responsibility" The Pacific Historical Publications Branch, 1952, Wellington (The Official History of New Zealand in the Second World War 1939–1945)
• India
• "Officers Database FAQ" bharat-rakshak.com
• India 3 idsa.in
• India Pioneers defencejournal.com
• India RIAF
• Luxembourg
• Malay 2
• Merchant Navy
• Netherlands
• Netherlands 2
• Newfoundland
• New Zealand
• Nigeria
• Saunders, Hilary St. George (1954), "Volume III The Fight Is Won", Royal Air Force 1939-1945, London: HMSO
• South Africa 2
• South Africa 3
• South Africa 4
• Martin Plaut (11 March 2014), African troops who fought in World War Two, Martin Plaut
• West Africa 2
• West Africa 3
• "Fact File : Commonwealth and Allied Forces", WWII Peoples War, BBC

Personnel - Axis

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

• Croatia 2, Munoz 1996
• Croatia 3, Tomasevich 2001
• Croatia, feldgrau.com
• Czech
• Daniel Laurent, French Volunteers in the Wehrmacht in WWII, feldgrau.com
• Germany, feldgrau.com
• Poland 2
• Lt. Gen Wladyslaw Anders and Antonio Munoz, Russian Volunteers in the German Wehrmacht in WWII, feldgrau.com
• The Latvian Squadrons in the Luftwaffe, Latvianaviation.com
• Volunteers, Ailsby 2004
• Volunteers 2
• Volunteer Pilots

Aircraft - Allied

• Australia
• Bristol Brigand
• Free Dutch
• New Zealand
• General
• 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

Aircraft - Axis

• Italy
• Dressel and Griehl 1994
• Encyclopedia of weapons of World War Two
• Francillon 1970
• The Illustrated Encyclopedia of Aircraft, 1985
• Jane's 1989
• Mondey 1996
• Smith and Anthony ?

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
• Boyd, David (2009), "British Production of Aircraft By Year During The Second World War", 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, Harper Collins, 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