Gun Motor Carriage M36 (Jackson/Slugger)

Designation: Gun Motor Carriage M36 (Jackson / Slugger)
Classification Type: Tank Destroyer / Gun Motor Carriage
Contractor: Chevrolet Division of General Motors - USA
Country of Origin: United States
Initial Year of Service: 1944
Number Built: Not Available

The M36 was basically an enhanced version of the outdated M10 tank destroyer.

The M36 (sometimes "Jackson" or "Slugger") was an up-gunned upgrade of the M10 "Wolverine" design, both types appearing through World War 2. The M36 mostly differed from its predecessor by the fitting of a 90mm M3-type main gun, capable of defeating any German armor unit available. In the end, however, the M36 system was in some ways related too closely to the M10 as it took on many of the latter’s deficiencies including inadequate armor protection, and open top turret and similar performance characteristics. Despite this, the M36 would see some 2,324 units presents and many would go on to see combat well into the 1990's between Bosnian and Serbian forces alike.

The M36 first appeared as a modified M10A1 chassis with the 90mm gun mount in the T71 developmental designation. Power was derived from a Ford-brand GAA V-8 gasoline engine developing some 450 horsepower. Road speed was an acceptable 30 miles per hour - though much less off road - and range was limited to 150 miles. The internal design of the M36 was such that an extra generator was added to keep the vehicle powered when in idle. Fording for the M36 was also possible, though limited to three feet of water. Conversions began soon enough of existing M10 systems to the M36 and would take place in both the United States of America and in Canada. The M36B1 variant would appear and be designated as such due to the use of an M4A3 Sherman tank chassis as opposed to the M10 one. Likewise, a diesel-powered GMC M10 hull-type would appear with the designation of M36B2. Both of these variants also fielding the same 90mm M3 main gun with or without a visible muzzle break fitted to the barrel.

At its core, the 90mm main gun was a heavy hitting high-velocity system in heavy use with the US Army in a variety of roles and in a variety of forms. The turret was of a new design when compared to the M10 Wolverine as this was necessitated by the more powerful gun. Crew protection from low-flying aircraft and belligerent enemy infantry came about from the pintle mounted M2HB Browning .50 caliber machine gun which the crew operated from the open top. The turret could accommodate some 47 projectiles for the 90mm gun and 1,000 rounds of ammunition were available to the Browning.

The M36 proved itself a powerful tank killer when used until the need for dedicated tank destroying units was moot. The post-war life of the M36 continued through usage from a variety of operators effectively making it one of the more successful American armor designs of the Second World War. It should be noted that the M36 appeared as both new production and as modified versions of the existing base M10.