- Yes
- No
History
In 1942, the Ordnance Committee began studies of anti-tank gun superior to the 3 inch M7. While there was no user requirement yet, the German use of the 88 mm anti-aircraft gun as the anti-tank role spurred potential use of the 90 mm anti-aircraft gun. After the failure of initial effort, the T53 GMC, they tried to put 90 mm gun into existing tanks and tank destroyers.
In October 1942, the Ordnance Committee approved the modification of two 90 mm M1 guns into 90 mm T7, and each of them installed in the T1E1 heavy tank and the first pilot vehicle of the M10 GMC. Thankfully the M10’s gun trunnions were also to accommodate 105 mm howitzer or 17 pdr gun, it could also accept 90 mm gun. In late 1942, tests at Aberdeen Proving Ground showed that there are no significant problems with the installation of 90 mm gun in M10. The firing tests were also successful.
Unfortunately, it was not perfect; the 90 mm gun was about 290 pounds (131.5 kg) heavier than the 3 inch gun, and the M10 pilot vehicle lacked counterweights, so it aggravated the turret unbalance and increased the traversing hand wheel effort by 7 percent. Also the larger 90 mm ammunition led to the reduced ammo capacity.
So they picked a better solution: designing new powered turret optimized for the 90 mm gun. This effort eventually led to the development of T71 GMC, which standardized as a M36 GMC later.
Descriptions
The major difference between this vehicle and original M10 is an armament. The primary weapon is the 90 mm T7 gun, identical to the one mounted on the in-game T1E1. For the secondary weapon, the absence of the .50 caliber machine gun is evident in the photo.
Another difference is the absence of the counterweight mounted behind the turret. Since it weighs about 3,700 pounds, the weight reduction from removing it far outweighs the weight increase from the main armament change.
Specifications
Crew: 5
Length (w/o gun): 235.1 in (5.97 m)
Width: 120 in (3.05 m)
Height: 97.5 in (2.48 m)
Weight (combat loaded, approx.): 62,900 lb (28.5 t)
Armor: rolled and cast homogenous steel
Engine: General Motors 6046 (410 hp @ 2,900 rpm)
Transmission: 5 forward, 1 reverse
Armament: 90 mm gun T7 (42 rounds)
Sources
- TM 9-752 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10 (25 November 1943)
- Sherman: A History of American Medium Tank by R.P. Hunnicutt
- M10 and M36 Tank Destroyers 1942-53 by Steven J. Zaloga
- M10 Tank Destroyer vs Stug III Assault Gun, Germany 1944 by Steven J. Zaloga
- American Tanks and AFVs of World War II by Michael Green
