Everyone knows that necessity is the mother of invention and that wars spur innovation sometimes into a dizzying frenzy. The tanks of 1939 bore little resemblance to those of 1945. Contrary to popular belief, the German army wasn't some heavily mechanised behemoth during the war, in fact, during the invasion of France, the French had more capable tanks, and during Operation Barbarossa (the invasion of the Soviet Union), the Soviets had better tanks.

Still, the Germans went on to design some of the war's best tanks. All tanks made by all parties had strengths, weaknesses, and trade-offs. There is no single best tank as it depends on a whole range of situational factors like climate, terrain, the composition of the enemy, etc. Some of the most important factors when considering tanks include; mobility, reliability, expense, armor, main gun, serviceability, production numbers, weight, and profile. Here are 10 of the most memorable tanks of WW2

10 Sherman Tank - American

The United States entered the war in December 1941 on the back foot in the tank department. America's interwar isolation and lack of apparent enemies had led it to not see any strong need to develop tank technology.

The iconic Sherman Tank was America's answer to that problem and this seriously mass-produced tank would go on to see more than 50,000 units produced during the course of the war (compare that to less than 500 of Germany's famed Tiger II tanks produced).

Related: Bring A BIG Trailer: Sherman Tank For Sale Out Of Los Angeles

9 Crusader Tank - British

Over 5,000 of these tanks were produced by the British during WW2, and it was one of their principal tanks in the North African Campaign - where it greatly contributed to British victories.

The first variant, the Crusader Mark 1, was very maneuverable, although it was lightly armored and under-armed. These were remedied in subsequent upgrades, and it proved to be a match for the German Panther tanks of the time.

8 Tiger I & II Tank - German

The Tiger I and Tiger II tanks of the German army were as over-engineered and feared as they are now shrouded in myth and legend. Only ever produced in low numbers, these incredibly expensive tanks would be unmatched on the battlefield.

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The Tigers were too much for the German army to handle, they were too costly and strained logistical supply chains as well as guzzled way too much of Germany's precious little gasoline. Still, once they were in the field, they were fierce beasts and struck fear into the Allied soldiers as they pressed on into France and Germany.

Related: 10 Tanks That Revolutionized The Battlefield (5 That Were Dead Weight)

7 Panther IV Tank - German

The Panther IV was the backbone of the German tank army for much of WW2, being the most-produced German tank with around 8,500 built.

The Panther IV was a medium tank and was the only German tank to remain in continuous production throughout the war. It was also Germany's most exported tank with its allies Bulgaria, Finland, Spain, and Romania all buying the tank.

6 T-34 Tank - Soviet

Perhaps the most iconic tank in Soviet history, the T-34 was mass produced, standardized, and hardy. In fact, it was just about everything a tank should be. They were reliable, had good maneuverability, and could be easily serviced. The Soviets tried many different tank models and when they hit on the T-34 design, boy did they embrace it!

Today it is as hard to picture the Red Army soldiers fighting in WW2 without a T-34 firing alongside them. In fact, it's as hard as it is to find a city in Russia that doesn't have a T-34 on display today.

Related: 25 Pics Of Tanks Left To Rust Around The World

5 Char B1 - France

France is easily forgotten when thinking about WW2 and tanks. But the French in 1939 actually had some of the best tanks in the world - and the Char B1 was better than anything that the Germans then had in service.

The Char B1 was a heavy tank and while we all know that France collapsed like a house of cards in 1940, the Char B1 was very effective in direct confrontations with the German panzers. Its weaknesses included being slow and being a gas guzzler, making it less suitable to wars of movement.

4 Panzer III - German

The Panzer III, or as it was actually called, the "Panzerkampfwagen III," was one of the mainstays of German tanks in the early parts of WW2.

It, however, proved to be incapable against the more advanced Soviet T-34, needing upgrades before being replaced by the Panzer IV.

3 Churchill Tank - British

The Churchill Tank was a British heavy infantry tank famous for its heavy armor and ability to climb steep slopes. It was one of the heaviest tanks of the war fielded by the Allies.

These tanks saw service in the North African Campaign, in the Invasion of France and Germany as well as the Italian Campaign. 250 Churchills were also sent to aid the Soviets on the Eastern Front.

2 M26 Pershing - American

The Americans fought WW2 mostly with the M4 Sherman tank, which was a medium tank. But with the German's heavy Tiger tanks rolling into the battlefield, and with more deep water ports in Allied hands allowing heavier vehicles to be shipped into Europe more easily, the Americans saw the need for a heavy tank.

The M26 Pershing only saw service toward the end of the world, although it saw extensive action in the Korean War. It was ranked in capabilities between the Tiger 1 and Tiger 2 heavy tanks.

1 L3/L5 Tank - Italian

Listing the L3 in this list of best and most memorable WW2 tanks is something of an April Fool's joke. This tiny little - but numerous - Italian tank was outclassed in every theater of war right at the outset. Its armor was incapable of protecting it against almost any threat - including machine guns.

This odd-looking tank (bordering on tankette) was, operationally speaking, as useless as Mussolini's strategic and tactical thinking. Oddly enough, while few remained in frontline service past 1940 they would continue to see use in some form throughout the war.

Next: 10 Of The Most Feared Tanks On The Battlefield