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M10 Gun Motor Carriage (Wolverine / Achilles)

1942 COLD WAR KOREAN WAR WORLD WAR 2

History of the M10 Gun (Wolverine/Achilles)

When the US Army successfully mated the M4 Sherman chassis with a 105mm field howitzer to create the new M7 Priest self-propelled gun, a similar idea was thought to create a dedicated tank destroyer. Introduced and fought from the deserts of Africa, the hills of Europe, and the vast expanses of the Pacific, the M4 Sherman became the backbone of British and American tank operations. It was so widespread that thousands were produced, and the chassis was used to facilitate other designs needed on the battlefield. American authorities then requested the construction of a special tank destroyer based on the legendary M4 Sherman series adaptable chassis, intended to be used in conjunction with anti-tank forces to conduct long-range attacks on incoming enemy armor.

This would free up the main battle tanks to advance and fight alongside the infantry, while the anti-tank detachments could directly attack enemy responses or counter breaches on the front lines. Therefore, the new tank destroyer must be maneuverable and well-equipped.

Armor protection will take a back seat to the reserve role the US envisions for their tank destroyer force. Development of the new weapon system began in 1942.

The M4A2 Sherman model was therefore chosen for conversion. The process will be conducted by Fisher Body, and the evaluation will be led by the American Tank Destroyer Committee. An open-top circular turret - originally developed for the obsolete T1/M6 heavy tank - was mounted on the hull of the M4A2 Sherman and mounted the 3" (76.2 mm) M7 gun as the primary weapon. The use of turrets allows unrestricted 360-degree traversal and attacking enemies from almost any attack angle. TDB reviewed Fisher's product, which it then dubbed the "3-inch Bolt T35," and found it was missing in a few key areas.

Modifications were ordered, including an improved sloping turret to provide the enemy with more ballistic protection and lower targeting. These changes became the "3" turret T35E1 prototype, which featured the new angled open turret we know today from the M10.

For such vehicles, the open approach has been accepted as it provides sufficient "elbow" room for the rifle crew to manage firing functions, while providing a clear field of view for battlefield observation and reducing the weight of additional armor. Only the driver will sit in a compartment, protected from the elements and dangers of the battlefield.

Following the trailer change, the design was officially accepted as the M10 GMC ("Gun Car") in June 1942. Production is scheduled to begin in September, at which point the M4 Sherman tank line has grown to the point of producing a new chassis - the M4A3.

It is widely believed that this new chassis will also form the underpinnings of the equally new M10A1 variant. About 5,000 M10s were produced - 4,993 of which were produced in the short period from September 1942 to December 1942 - and 1,700 M10A1s were soon added.

Early batches contained the inventory of the U.S. Army Standby Tank Battalion, which in early 1943 consisted of 106 cells, each armed with 76.2mm M7 guns. Each US battalion has 36 x M10 vehicles. The final 300 vehicles were equipped with the 76mm M1 gun, which had improved penetration characteristics over the original M7.

The M10 series will go down in history as the most produced American tank destroyer of the entire war, produced at General Motors and Ford plants from 1942 to 1943.

Externally, apart from the sharp angles and clean lines on the hull and turret, the M10 has a traditional look. The hull is nothing more than a modified M4 Sherman body with slightly sloping side panels and a large sloping glacis panel.

The track system is clearly Sherman-like in length and appearance. The drive sprocket is fixed forward and the chain idler is at the rear. On one side of the track are six rubber tire wheels, each paired with their own suspension system.

Like the M4 Sherman models, the chassis is suspended by a Vertical Volute Spring Suspension (VVSS) system. The turret is centered on the top of the superstructure and can rotate unimpeded 360 degrees, a marked departure from German tank destroyers that used fixed superstructures and limited pivoting main guns. However, turret rotation is entirely manual, and is rather slow in practice in response to rapidly changing combat scenarios. The sides of the turret look very angular, while a heavy turret sits at the bottom of the main gun mount.

The barrel extends to the front of the fuselage and no muzzle brake is installed. The top of the turret is open, giving the rifleman maximum combat space. Like the M4 Sherman, the M10 also has five people driving. This includes the driver located in front of the left side of the hull.

The commander was housed in the turret, while fire operations were managed by three rifle personnel - a gunner and two ammunition operators.

The M10 is powered by a General Motors GM6046 6-71 twin diesel engine producing 375 hp. This gives the vehicle a top speed of 30 mph on paved roads and a range of 200 miles. Both figures are good considering the vehicle weighs nearly 30 tons. The production M10A1 differed not only in the M4 Sherman chassis used, but also in the installation of a Ford GAA gasoline engine. Both versions have the engine mounted in the rear compartment (like the M4 Sherman).

Parts versatility for good logistics.

The primary armament of the American M10 was the 76.2mm M7 gun (later versions were fitted with an improved 76mm M1 series). Although lacking the penetration of similar German (75mm), Soviet and British systems, the weapon system is generally effective.

The ship carries a maximum of 54 rounds of 76.2mm ammunition. Secondary armament is the standard .50 caliber Browning M2HB machine gun, suitable for marking targets, attacking enemy personnel and light vehicles, or defending against low-flying enemy aircraft.

Two versions of the American tank destroyer, once available in quantity, were shipped overseas to waiting British Army units. The United States provided most of the military-industrial power throughout the war, as Britain's resources and industrial power were stretched to the limit by other issues. The M10 was called "Wolverine" by the British in its basic form, and the "Achilles" became a variant to match the British 17-pdr (76.2 mm) gun, as in the British Sherman "Firefly" tank killer As found on - tags are used. The use of locally made, proven weapons makes logistical sense and greatly increases the lethality of American originals. Easily recognizable by the addition of a muzzle brake to the barrel, this version is available in two variants - the diesel-powered Achilles Mk IC (M10) and the gasoline-powered Achilles Mk IIC (M10A1).

In the end, the armed British 17pdr variant proved to be the most effective M10 of the war.

The M10 fought British troops in France and Italy and proved effective in those places. This type was also used by the Free French Army when trying to retake their country from German control. After Italy's surrender as an Axis power in September 1943, Italy also used the ubiquitous M10 system to push German troops away from its borders during the war. The Polish Army received the M10 and dutifully and enthusiastically used it against their German invaders.

The Soviet Army also leased M10s, but it is not known how valuable these systems would be in subsequent battles with the Germans on the Eastern Front.

In practice, the M10 is a large, heavy vehicle that suffers from the fate of most American tank destroyers - its light armor makes it an easy target on the battlefield. Lack of overhead cover by riflemen is also at risk of injury from artillery or small arms fire. Only after gaining enough combat experience is the idea of ??a separate TD group to operate separately from the main battle tanks deemed inefficient - essentially the belief that specialized main battle tanks are needed to engage enemy main battle tanks.

This has resulted in US tank destroyer groups being used more in assault missions alongside close air support and reconnaissance units, or directly as part of main battle tank groups. The 76.2mm gun also proved to be less effective as the war dragged on and as German armor improved.

By the end of the war in 1945, nearly all major military powers, including the United States, had abandoned the concept of a special tank destroyera tank that could now defeat enemy tanks head-on without the need for such a special vehicle.

As early as October 1942, consideration was given to "upgrading" the M10 with a 90mm high-speed gun based on the proven anti-tank field gun. However, the M10's turret has proven that the existing 76.2mm mount is sufficient to exceed the recommended power. Subsequent comments reinforced the notion that the M10 was a developmental "dead end" in terms of a more effective weapon, leading to the creation of a similar system - the experimental "T71 GMC".

The T71 passed the evaluation period and entered production at the end of 1943, before hitting the market in large numbers in June 1944 - at this point it was known as the M36 GMC (nicknamed "Jackson" or "The Heavy").

The first combat operations of the M10 and the legendary M4 Sherman tanks took place in the North African campaign, where the German Afrika Korps maintained the overall initiative. The M10 was first heavily fired during operations in Tunisia in 1943, and after the Normandy landings, it proved a solid design for the Normandy breakout of the then-active Axis tanks - the lightly armed Italian medium tanks and German Panzers III and IV. , but fought hard against the newer German Panther and Tiger I-series tanks, which had significantly more armor protection - especially on their front fairings. The arrival of the newer M18 "Hellcat" series increased the firepower of the Allied tank destroyers during this period, but the real replacement came in late 1944, when the aforementioned M36 was introduced.

The M36 is far more effective against the latest German tank offerings. To a limited and less favorable range, the M10 was also used in the Pacific island hopping campaign.

Due to the general lack of competent medium tanks by the Japanese, the M4 Sherman was the largest thoroughbred tank in the theater. However, much of the fighting in the Pacific was determined by individual soldiers, not tanks.

In the post-war world, M10s lasted longer as the remaining M10s entered China. These were delivered without American main guns, giving the Chinese the opportunity to install captured Japanese 105mm field guns.

Essentially, these turned into makeshift self-propelled artillery platforms with some value to the resurgent Chinese military.