What sort of Weapons did Africa have during WW2?

Hey,

I have been having a hard time pinning down what sort of Inventions or Weapons Africa originated and used around 1940's.

Sorry I know this might be slightly off topic but perhaps someone can help me.

 

some African forces were supplied with weapons from the Allies but i am unsure about what weapons they origionaly had before the Allies started supplying them

 

Many African countries are/were part of the commonwealth, those countries that took part were largely supplied by England...Countries like South Africa wre also supplied with surplus US equipment like P-40s

 

Most of the African countries were colonised by the European powers before World War II. At the time war broke out, these countries were controlled by the colonisers, and so almost all their troops were colonial recruits, equipped with weapons provided by their respective colonisers. As a consequence, their involvement in the war was largely as supplements to the foreign rulers who were fighting amongst themselves.

It was only in the decades following WWII that most of the colonies broke free from European domination, and were able to produce weapons of their own. Even then, many of them chose to buy weapons from experienced manufacturers overseas, rather than start from scratch. Two significant exceptions were Rhodesia/Zimbabwe and South Africa/Azania. The former produced some basic weapons in the post-war period, while the latter managed to create some very advanced artillery and armoured cars, as well as nuclear weapons. But all this happened long after the war.

 

Shite! You sure about the Nukes?? My understanding is that there aren't any nukes in the southern hemisphere...Started and abandoned?

 

South Africa produced six nuclear weapons in the 1980s, but disassembled them in the early 1990s. South Africa built their nuclear weapons in cooperation with Israel. In 1979 a possible nuclear detonation occurred in the Indian Ocean, which is believed to have been a test of a joint SA/Israeli weapon. The test, if such was the case, happened in the waters between Prince Edward Island (not PEI) and Marion Island, two uninhabited volcanic islands between South Africa and the Antarctic ice.

 

And the Curtiss Hawk 75, my favourite WW2 fighter.......
​

 

I can confirm the test took place..picked up by US sattelite. I myself was called in to HQBAOR int cell to receive US/UK eyes to be disseminated to various staffs. There was sheer panivc that morning in some quarters.

 

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errr...my last post should be in the enigma thread..sorry...

 

I'd have a close look at Ethiopia, since it was liberated in '43 (i have no idea if you'll find something... just a thought). But other than that, everywhere else was a colony and supplied by allies/spain/portugal.

 

There were little modern firearms in Africa before the Allies started supplying the non-Commonwealth countries, as far as I know. I'm sure in British East Africa (formerly German) there were lots of German weapons left over from the first world war, Battle at Tanga and all. But I'm sure most of them would have been using Lee Enfields for the most part in terms of infantry weapons.

Like some people said, the US Supplied P-40s to South Africa and they had thier own Hurricane squadron in the Mediterranean.

 

Not often I get to expound...Africa is a continent ... South Africa / post WW2 / had Gerald Bull who worked on their excellent artillery. Gerald Bull was a Canadian citizen and brilliant. So good, Iraq employed him. He was working on some amazing stuff that would bombard Israel....Gerald Bull died an untimely death in a hotel room. Great story.

 

Sorry Poppy...but "So good Iraq employed him..." Of course they hire only the best...
Okay im pis%ing off now... : )