M36 Tank Destroyer
Aberdeen Tank Museum
On guard in a town in France.
M36 on right and M10 on left.
 |
| donated by: Chris Van Brunt |
Towards the end of 1942 a requirement for a tank destroyer to replace the M10 and carry a 90 mm antiaircraft gun was given. The design and development went slowly as other projects received higher priority. It wasn't completed until the end of 1943 and was put into production in 1944.
Declared Standard in June 1944.1
Prototypes were manufactured by Chevrolet Division of the General Motors Corporation.
AP shell had velocity of 2,670 ft/sec, range of 15,600 yards, penetrate 3" at 4,700 yards. The 90 mm gun could fire a 24.1 lb shell at a muzzle velocity of 2,800'/sec.4
The chassis was very similar to the M10A1, but it had the sponson stiffener brackets moved forward to provide more room for the 90 mm ammunition.
An auxiliary generator was installed in the engine compartment with a bracket to hold the trunnions of the slip ring. The electrical installation was modified to accommodate the auxiliary engine and slip ring.
The turret was a new design and had a partial turret basket. There were seats for the gunner (right side1), loader (left side1), and commander that revolved with the turret.
The fixed fire extinguisher cover was changed as was the sub-floor doors.
Was first used in action in July 1944 in Europe.
M36:
M4A3 chassis. Approximately 500 M10A1 hulls were converted by adding the M36 turret.1
M36B1:
Turret put on unconverted M4A3 chassis.1 None saw action.
M36B2:
Utilized M10 hulls.1
| M36 | M36B1 | M36B2 | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Crew | Commander, driver, gun crew (3)2 51,2,4 |
Commander, driver, gun crew (3)2 52 |
Commander, driver, gun crew (3)2 52 |
| Physical Characteristics | |||
| Weight | 62,000 lb2 26.4 tons3, 27.7 tons1, 30.5 tons4 28,123 kg1 |
68,000 lb | |
| Length w/gun | 19.6'4 5.97 m3 |
||
| Length w/o gun | 20' 2"1,2 6.14 m1 |
20' 2"2 | 20' 2"2 |
| Height | 8' 11"1,2, 10.4'4 2.71 m1, 2.72 m3 |
8' 11"2 | 8' 11"2 |
| Width | 10'1,2,4 3.04 m1, 3.05 m3 |
8' 8.5", 10'2 | 10'2 |
| Width over tracks | |||
| Ground clearance | 17 1/8", 17.4"4 | ||
| Ground contact length | 147"4 | ||
| Ground pressure | 12.7 psi, 12.95 psi4 | ||
| Turret ring diameter | |||
| Armament | |||
| Main | 90 mm M31,2 90 mm M13 90 mm M3, L/534 |
90 mm M32 | 90 mm M32 |
| Secondary | |||
| MG | .50 cal Browning M1919A4, AA 12.7 mm (.50 cal) MG1 .50 cal Browning MG AA.2 .50 cal MG, AA3 1: .50 cal M2 MG, AA4 |
.50 cal Browning MG AA.2 | .50 cal Browning MG AA.2 |
| Side arms | M3 Tripod mount MG 5: M1A2 Carbines Grenades Smoke Pots |
||
| Quantity | |||
| Main | 454, 472 (HE, APC, HVAP, Smoke) | 472 | 472 |
| Secondary | |||
| MG | 1,0002, 1,0504 | 1,0002 | 1,0002 |
| Side arms | .30: 450 Grenades: 12 Smoke Pots: 4 |
||
| Armor Thickness (mm) | 122, 502 (Actual thickness at horizontal) Front: 1.5"4, 553 Side: 0.75"4, 253 |
122, 502 | 122, 502 |
| Hull Front, Upper | 1.5" (3.25") | ||
| Hull Front, Lower | 2" (3.75") | ||
| Hull Sides, Upper | 0.75" (1 3/8") | ||
| Hull Sides, Lower | 1.5" | ||
| Hull Rear | 0.75-1.5" (1") | ||
| Hull Top | 0.75-3/8" | ||
| Hull Bottom | 0.5" | ||
| Turret Front | 0.75"4, 3" | ||
| Turret Sides | 0.75"4, 1.25" (1.5") | ||
| Turret Rear | 4" | ||
| Turret Top | 1 1/8" | ||
| Engine (Make / Model) | Ford GAA V81,2 Ford V84 |
Ford GAA V82 | Twin GM 6-712 |
| Bore / stroke | |||
| Cooling | Water4 | ||
| Cylinders | 84 | ||
| Capacity | |||
| Net HP | 3753, 450@2,600 rpm4 | ||
| Power to weight ratio | |||
| Compression ratio | |||
| Transmission (Type) | Synchromesh4 5 forward, 1 reverse4 |
||
| Steering | Controlled differential4 | ||
| Steering ratio | |||
| Starter | Electrical4 | ||
| Electrical system | 24-volt4 | ||
| Ignition | Magneto4 | ||
| Fuel (Type) | Gasoline4 | ||
| Octane | |||
| Quantity | 192 gallons4 | ||
| Road consumption | 0.8 mpg4 | ||
| Cross country consumption | 0.6 mpg4 | ||
| Performance | |||
| Traverse | 360°2,4, electric3, power and hand4 | 360°2 | 360°2 |
| Max speed | 26 mph4, 30 mph1,2 48 kph1, 50 kph3 |
26 mph, 30 mph2 | 30 mph2 |
| Cross country speed | 5-20 mph4, 18 mph2 | 18 mph2 | 18 mph2 |
| Road radius | 150 miles1, 155 miles4 240 km1 |
||
| Cross country radius | 110 miles4 | ||
| Turning radius | |||
| Elevation limits | -10° to +20°2, -10° to +30°4 | -10° to +20°2 | -10° to +20°2 |
| Fording depth | 3'2,4 | 3'2 | 3'2 |
| Trench crossing | 7' 6"2,4 | 7' 6"2 | 7' 6"2 |
| Vertical obstacle | 18"4, 2'2 | 2'2 | 2'2 |
| Climbing ability | 31° (60%) slope4 | ||
| Suspension (Type) | Vertical volute2,4 | Vertical volute.2 | Vertical volute.2 |
| Wheels each side | 6, 3 bogies of 2 wheels each4 | ||
| Return rollers each side | 3 | ||
| Tracks (Type) | Rubber block, rubber bushed, double pin shoes4 | ||
| Length | |||
| Width | 16.5"2, 16.6"4 | 16.5"2 | 16.5"2 |
| Diameter | |||
| Number of links | 774 | ||
| Pitch | 6"4 | ||
| Tire tread | |||
| Track centers/tread | 6.9'4, 6' 11"2 | 6' 11"2 | 6' 11"2 |
| Production | 1,5251 Grand Blanc Apr-July 1944: 300 American Loco Co Oct-Dec 1944: 413 Massey-Harris June - Dec 1944: 500 Montreal Loco Works May - June 1945: 85 American Locomotive Works, Grand Blanc Tank Arsenal, Massey Harris, Montreal Locomotive4 |
Grand Blanc Arsenal Oct - Dec 1944: 187 | American Loco Apr - May 1945: 237 |
Sources:
- The Encyclopedia of Tanks and Armored Fighting Vehicles - The Comprehensive Guide to Over 900 Armored Fighting Vehicles From 1915 to the Present Day, General Editor: Christopher F. Foss, 2002
- British and American Tanks of World War Two, The Complete Illustrated History of British, American, and Commonwealth Tanks 1933-1945, Peter Chamberlain and Chris Ellis, 1969
- Jane's World War II Tanks and Fighting Vehicles The Complete Guide, Leland Ness, 2002
- Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
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