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United States' M36 Gun Motor Carriage
British nickname: Jackson

Photos

M36 Gun Motor Carriage:
United States' M36 Gun Motor Carriage
donated by: Chris Van Brunt

M36 Gun Motor Carriage:
United States' M36 Gun Motor Carriage
Aberdeen Tank Museum

M36 Gun Motor Carriage:
United States' M36 Gun Motor Carriage
M36 Gun Motor Carriage on guard in a town in France.
United States' M36 Gun Motor Carriage

M36 Gun Motor Carriage:
United States' M36 Gun Motor Carriage

M36B1 Gun Motor Carriage
United States' M36B1 Gun Motor Carriage

M36B25 Gun Motor Carriage
United States' M36B2 Gun Motor Carriage
Fisher Body Division, General Motors Corporation

M36 on right and M10 on left.
United States' M36 and M10 Gun Motor Carriage

M36 Gun Motor Carriage
United States' M36 Gun Motor Carriage
Mark Holloway
M36 Gun Motor Carriage
United States' M36 Gun Motor Carriage
Mark Holloway

M36 Gun Motor Carriage
United States' M36 Gun Motor Carriage
Mark Holloway

M36 Gun Motor Carriage
United States' M36 Gun Motor Carriage
Mark Holloway

Design

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.

Tank Destroyer Armament Performance

Tank Destroyer Armament Performance

Production

  • M36: 1,5251
    • Manufacturer: Grand Blanc Tank Arsenal4 (300), American Locomotive Works4 (413), Massey-Harris4 (500), Montreal Locomotive Works4 (85)
    • Production:
      • April - July 1944 (Grand Blanc)
      • June - December 1944 (Massey-Harris)
      • October - December 1944 (American Loco Co)
      • May - June 1945 (Montreal Loco Works)
  • M36B1: 187
    • Manufacturer: Grand Blanc Arsenal
    • Production: October - December 1944
  • M36B2: 237
    • Manufacturer: American Loco
    • Production: April - May 1945

Production Comparison

Tank Destroyer Production Comparison

Variants

  • 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

Usage

Was first used in action in July 1944 in Europe.

Specifications

  M36
Crew Commander, driver, gun crew (3)2
51,2,4
Physical Characteristics  
Weight 62,000 lb2
27.7 tons1, 30.5 tons4
28,123 kg1
Length w/gun 19.6'4
Length w/o gun 20' 2"1,2
6.14 m1
Height 8' 11"1,2, 10.4'4
2.71 m1
Width 10'1,2,4
3.04 m1
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 M3, L/534
Secondary  
MG .50 cal Browning M1919A4, AA
12.7 mm (.50 cal) MG1
.50 cal Browning MG AA.2
1: .50 cal M2 MG, AA4
Side arms M3 Tripod mount MG
5: M1A2 Carbines
Grenades
Smoke Pots
Quantity  
Main 454, 472 (HE, APC, HVAP, Smoke)
Secondary  
MG 1,0002, 1,0504
Side arms .30: 450
Grenades: 12
Smoke Pots: 4
Armor Thickness (mm) 122, 502
(Actual thickness at horizontal)
Front: 1.5"4
Side: 0.75"4
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
Bore / stroke  
Cooling Water4
Cylinders 84
Capacity  
Net HP 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, power and hand4
Speed - Road 26 mph4, 30 mph1,2
48 kph1
Speed - Cross Country 5-20 mph4, 18 mph2
Range - Road 150 miles1, 155 miles4
240 km1
Range - Cross Country 110 miles4
Turning radius  
Elevation limits -10° to +20°2, -10° to +30°4
Fording depth 3'2,4
Trench crossing 7' 6"2,4
Vertical obstacle 18"4, 2'2
Climbing ability 31° (60%) slope4
Suspension (Type) Vertical volute2,4
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
Diameter  
Number of links 774
Pitch 6"4
Tire tread  
Track centers/tread 6.9'4, 6' 11"2
  M36B1
Crew Commander, driver, gun crew (3)2
52
Physical Characteristics  
Weight 68,000 lb
Length w/gun  
Length w/o gun 20' 2"2
Height 8' 11"2
Width 8' 8.5", 10'2
Width over tracks  
Ground clearance  
Ground contact length  
Ground pressure  
Turret ring diameter  
Armament  
Main 90 mm M32
Secondary  
MG .50 cal Browning MG AA.2
Side arms  
Quantity  
Main 472
Secondary  
MG 1,0002
Side arms  
Armor Thickness (mm) 122, 502
Hull Front, Upper  
Hull Front, Lower  
Hull Sides, Upper  
Hull Sides, Lower  
Hull Rear  
Hull Top  
Hull Bottom  
Turret Front  
Turret Sides  
Turret Rear  
Turret Top  
Engine (Make / Model) Ford GAA V82
Bore / stroke  
Cooling  
Cylinders  
Capacity  
Net HP  
Power to weight ratio  
Compression ratio  
Transmission (Type)  
Steering  
Steering ratio  
Starter  
Electrical system  
Ignition  
Fuel (Type)  
Octane  
Quantity  
Road consumption  
Cross country consumption  
Performance  
Traverse 360°2
Speed - Road 26 mph, 30 mph2
Speed - Cross Country 18 mph2
Range - Road  
Range - Cross Country  
Turning radius  
Elevation limits -10° to +20°2
Fording depth 3'2
Trench crossing 7' 6"2
Vertical obstacle 2'2
Climbing ability  
Suspension (Type) Vertical volute.2
Wheels each side  
Return rollers each side  
Tracks (Type)  
Length  
Width 16.5"2
Diameter  
Number of links  
Pitch  
Tire tread  
Track centers/tread 6' 11"2
  M36B2
Crew Commander, driver, gun crew (3)2
52
Physical Characteristics  
Weight  
Length w/gun  
Length w/o gun 20' 2"2
Height 8' 11"2
Width 10'2
Width over tracks  
Ground clearance  
Ground contact length  
Ground pressure  
Turret ring diameter  
Armament  
Main 90 mm M32
Secondary  
MG .50 cal Browning MG AA.2
Side arms  
Quantity  
Main 472
Secondary  
MG 1,0002
Side arms  
Armor Thickness (mm) 122, 502
Hull Front, Upper  
Hull Front, Lower  
Hull Sides, Upper  
Hull Sides, Lower  
Hull Rear  
Hull Top  
Hull Bottom  
Turret Front  
Turret Sides  
Turret Rear  
Turret Top  
Engine (Make / Model) Twin GM 6-712
Bore / stroke  
Cooling  
Cylinders  
Capacity  
Net HP  
Power to weight ratio  
Compression ratio  
Transmission (Type)  
Steering  
Steering ratio  
Starter  
Electrical system  
Ignition  
Fuel (Type)  
Octane  
Quantity  
Road consumption  
Cross country consumption  
Performance  
Traverse 360°2
Speed - Road 30 mph2
Speed - Cross Country 18 mph2
Range - Road  
Range - Cross Country  
Turning radius  
Elevation limits -10° to +20°2
Fording depth 3'2
Trench crossing 7' 6"2
Vertical obstacle 2'2
Climbing ability  
Suspension (Type) Vertical volute.2
Wheels each side  
Return rollers each side  
Tracks (Type)  
Length  
Width 16.5"2
Diameter  
Number of links  
Pitch  
Tire tread  
Track centers/tread 6' 11"2

Sources:

  1. 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
  2. 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
  3. -
  4. Tank Data, Aberdeen Proving Grounds Series, 1968?
  5. Profile: AFV Weapons 26: Hellcat, Long Tom and Priest and Complete Check List of all U.S. World War II Self-Propelled Weapons, Colonel Robert J. Icks, 1971
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