Most overrated WWII weapon

[gamerman01]

Even if an outlier, it still happened and the bombers still had that effect.
It’s not like there aren’t numerous other examples of tremendous bomber effectiveness in WWII

[BJCard]

I thought the discussion here wasn’t about the least effective weapon, but the most overrated?  Obviously the weapons not used were the least effective, else they would have used them.

I went into this thinking which weapons yielded the least ‘effectiveness/cost.’  The Germans were still a very capable fighting force when the allies landed in Italy and later France.  This after a couple years of strategic bombing.  Hard to say how much more effective they would have been otherwise.

Strategic bombing in the last year of the war was more effective than the early years because there were less air defenses, particularly enemy aircraft.

[gamerman01]

@BJCard:

Strategic bombing in the last year of the war was more effective than the early years because there were less air defenses, particularly enemy aircraft.

That’s one reason, but there were MANY more.  One is - the B-29’s could fly at 30,000 feet and had major armor plating.

Talking about what is overrated is not much different than talking about what was ineffective.  If it was considered nasty/effective but was actually ineffective, then it’s overrated.

[Derek]

@Gamerman01:

@Uncrustable:

gamerman you are an fn moron to compare 9/11 to strategic bombing in late ww2
that is all i have to say to that

and the japanese surrendered BECAUSE of loss of civilian life from strategic bombing,

you are just trolling at this point

Dude, you are the moron.

You misread both rjpeters and me

We are both agreeing with you.

Dude, I have been the one taking issue with people comparing 9/11 to strategic bombing THE WHOLE FREAKING TIME
How could you misinterpret me so badly?

My comment had been removed

My apologies to you gamerman

[Derek]

@Uncrustable:

On topic I’d say the most overrated weapons system in the war was the battleship.
WWII marked the end of an era on the high seas and the beginning of the new age of aircraft carriers.
Some of the largest and most expensive BBs (Bismarck, Yamamoto) were ineffective and sunk relatively easily by aircraft.

[gamerman01]

Thanks - I can remove mine too then

I would have made it clear I was being sarcastic, but thought it was obvious with the line of reasoning I had been continuing

Also, I think rjpeters was only conceding that the wind conditions and combustible materials greatly magnified the effectiveness of the bombers.

[Derek]

In many of the crucial battles of the Pacific, for instance Coral Sea and Midway, battleships were either absent or overshadowed as carriers launched wave after wave of planes into the attack at a range of hundreds of miles. The primary tasks for battleships in the Pacific became shore bombardment and anti-aircraft defense for the carriers. Even the largest battleships ever constructed, Japan’s Yamato class, which carried a main battery of nine 18.1-inch (460 millimetre) guns and were designed to be a principal strategic weapon, were seldom given a chance to fulfill their potential. They were hampered by technical deficiencies (slow battleships were incapable of operating with fast carriers), faulty military doctrine (the Japanese waited for a “decisive battle”, which never came), and defective dispositions (as at Midway).

[BJCard]

lotta name calling in this thread.

[Derek]

It seemed to me that you were denouncing the bomber due to conditions (saying it only killed that many people because of x)

[gamerman01]

@Gamerman01:

Also, I think rjpeters was only conceding that the wind conditions and combustible materials greatly magnified the effectiveness of the bombers.

Did you not see this, rj?  I think Uncrustable misunderstood your meaning and I tried to help clear it up so you wouldn’t have to light into him

[Derek]

@rjpeters70:

I saw it.  I also saw that he apologized to you, but not to me.

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=j–tixvta_g

As president of DP oil i want to say, I’m sorry. :D

[gamerman01]

I have got to tape me some Southpark again….

[Derek]

@Gamerman01:

I have got to tape me some Southpark again….

Or just stream them

http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes

[gamerman01]

@Uncrustable:

Or just stream them

http://www.southparkstudios.com/full-episodes

Yeah, that’s better, thanks

[aequitas-et-veritas]

@Omega1759:

The tiger tank. Great weapon, but insufficient numbers.

I also would say the Tiger tank.

[Witt]

Grr!
I am turning in my grave.

If the crews were untrained, it might have been and that happened late war.

In most Western battles the cry of “Tiger” would have the Allies quaking and running for cover. Then a MK III with a 50mm L60 trundles past and everyone feels silly!

I always wonder how Wittmann would have got along with a MkII, if he had survived Normandy.

[CWO Marc]

@wittmann:

I am turning in my grave.

Does this mean that what I’m quoting above is a post-mortem post?

[Derek]

Battleships were grossly overrated, especially by the axis in WWII. (In a losing effort mind you)
Germans never put anything into aircraft carriers but built the Bismarck class of BB! What a waste :P

Japanese were doomed from the start as they too put way too much emphasis on outdated naval tactics using BBs instead of CVs. And they built the Yamamota class, a colossal and worthless waste of resources.

Imagine if the Germans and Japanese both to use every penny they put into the Bismarck and Yamamoto BB classes to aircraft carriers instead!

[Witt]

@CWO:

@wittmann:

I am turning in my grave.

Does this mean that what I’m quoting above is a post-mortem post?
Afternoon Marc . Had you forgotten that I get through life by imagining I am dead people?

[Tall Paul]

Guys,

––As far as my thoughts on the most overrated WW2 weapon I would have to say the American Norden Bombsite. Although it was very useful and a quantitative leap forward in capabilities,…it was touted as "being able to drop a bomb in a pickle barrel from 30,000 feet.  :-o  It was not nearly that accurate, to say the least.

“Tall Paul”