I read where one of the Germans' big mistakes was handing out tank orders to companies who built locomotives and dockyard cranes. They were used to a much slower rate of production and didn't have the mindset to ramp things up.The Tiger was so big and so complicated it was not possible to manufacture them in vast numbers unlike the Allied tanks.The Germans used the same diesel engine to power all their different - and increasingly massive - tank models. Consequently, the bigger tanks were less mobile than their predecessors.
We, on the other hand, went to the automobile manufacturers, who were used to high production runs.
Very interesting book on the subject of American mass production of WWII weaponry:Basically, American mass production technology depended on precision to make interchangeable parts.
- Freedom's Forge:
- How American Business Produced Victory in World War II
Arthur HermanFDR didn’t wait for Pearl Harbor to start ramping up military production for WWII; that started in earnest after the fall of France in May 1940 and was well started at getting up to speed at the end of 1941. The bricks and mortar, and the precision machine tools, were already largely in place.
Due to his experience in administration during WWI, FDR knew that it would take time - he was advised 18 months - to gear up. Pearl Harbor was 18 months after the fall of France. What a coincidence!!
German Tanks used gasoline for fuel. not diesel. Only the Russians used diesel engines exclusively in their tanks.
We made a diesel engine variant of the Sherman. Half of these were sent to the Soviets and the remainder went to the U.S. Marine Corp. the U.S. Army Sherman’s were all gasoline powered.