Weird Weapons of War That Totally Failed

During World War I & II weapon innovations were at an all-time high, but not every new weapon design was a hit, some were just plain stupid! Check out some of the worst weapons ever invented that were so bad they never made it to the battlefield!

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All videos are based on publicly available information unless otherwise noted.

[Shadowkey]

Fun fact: Project Habbakuk didn't actually fail, it just wasn't cost-effective. The model that they built on Patricia Lake, in Jasper, Alberta, Canada, actually worked (it floated), and took an entire summer to melt to the point of sinking. The wreckage was rediscovered in 1985, and has since become a popular diving attraction.

[geoffo]

Dale Brown has a series of books where they tested and perfected Tin Man armour, handheld rail guns, and even plane based lasers. All of which took place at the research and testing facility called Dreamland, which is actually a real place

[doujinloverXD]

I remember the flying platforms from MSG3, they were weirdly effective but also fun to shoot down.

[AuRoaraAnimations]

imagine beta testing weapons in the middle of a war

[fesco]

14:29
The Sturmgewehr 44 wasn't a machine gun it was an assault rifle, the first one in masses produced and inspiration for the ak-47 later.

[DrJoe-Future]

Actually, if I remember correctly, Project X-Ray (the bat bombs) were proven to be highly effective, more effective then they anticipated as they set blaze to an Army Air Base in New Mexico. In theory and operation they worked, and the technical aspects were being worked out for the bomb's mass production. Bomb production was greenlighted for a raid on Japan which probably would have been very deadly. However, at the time the Bat Bombs were being primed for combat, the nuclear bomb took top priority, and many Japanese cities have already been firebombed by General Curtis Lemay (about 66) who led the firebombing campaign over Japan. However, Bomber Command now needed untouched cities to test the effects of the nuclear bombs, and the number of remaining cities that met requirements were very limited. Thus between the extensive firebombing of Japan and preparation for a nuclear strike expected to end the War, the need for a bat bomb was overtaken by events and weapons of a higher priority. I would NOT consider them a "failed weapon."

[nicklatino]

I remember when I was a kid in the early 2000's, the forward mounted laser cannon and the heat ray that disperses crowds were treated as marvelous advances in technology. But, now in today's world, you call them failures. Interesting how times change

[TonyisKing]

I remember seeing something recently showcasing how far the active denial system has come and it seems much more effective

[joshmcmahon]

I haven't even seen the video yet but you know it's going to be good

[EricLeafericson]

I've heard of fans having their own head cannon, but this thumbnail takes it to a new level

[chazzerous]

The turret hat thing takes “that’s my head cannon” to a whole new level

[calmc]

5:55 the rotabuggy did NOT fly it was a propeller kite concept, the propellers served as kind of like a spining parachute that would slow the vehicle's decent, the wings and the propellers were supposed to be detachable, it was not meant to be some early helicopter. PLEASE please Infographics show, I love your channel, I have been following this channel for years but lately you've started to spit out wrong information about your World War weapons and medieval facts.

[Sheevlord]

Actually the GyroJet gun itself didn't have many complex moving parts. In fact it was a lot simpler than a typical self-loading firearm. The malfunctions were caused by the projectiles themselves.

Forgotten Weapons and Taofledermaus made videos showcasing this unusual firearm (the latter even got to shoot it).

[foxymetroid]

The Brits also used war balloons and were more successful. Some of the balloons carried metal wires that destroyed enemy powerlines or carried bombs that detonated over Germany. The balloons were phased out toward the end of the war, likely because of the whole "Having troops and equipment in the area" thing. Unfortunately, some of the balloons did manage to go off course and managed to do damage in more neutral countries.

[russchadwell]

In all fairness, the "tailsitter" could make a comeback. After all, when used for point-to-point earthbound trips, that's almost exactly what Spacex's Starship is.

[xx]

the krummlauf was intended to minimize the death spots for the tank crew, and that you can attack enemies near your tank (not all tanks had machineguns for defense). so the shattered bullets were not a negativ point at all.

[Warfighter-lftb]

Interestingly, the laser research from the plane mounted ball turret worked out for the US Navy and Army who made anti-aircraft turrets that were mounted on ships or could be towed as a trailer behind a HMMWV and set up with a generator. In principle, it works, it just requires power which the powerplant of a naval vessel can provide.

[ives]

"Every gun that is made, every warship launched, every rocket fired signifies in the final sense, a theft from those who hunger and are not fed, those who are cold and are not clothed. This world in arms is not spending money alone. It is spending the sweat of its laborers, the genius of its scientists, the hopes of its children. This is not a way of life at all in any true sense. Under the clouds of war, it is humanity hanging on a cross of iron." - Dwight D. Eisenhower

[DarknetDude]

Some of these weapons seem like they would be more at home in Metal Slug than in real life.

[swaggery]

The laser cannon doesn't seem like a failed weapon. Just with the current technology it isn't practical. Like with the vertical takeoff aircraft. All the research is done, just need a better power source and it can be put on the frontlines rapidly.