The 90 mm Gun Motor Carriage, M36 often refered to by its nicknames Jackson or Slugger, was an American Tank Destroyer first deployed in 1944 to counter the heavy tanks being field by nazi-Germany at the time. The US tank doctrine was built around the weak gunned Sherman tanks being supported by tank destroyers such as the M10, but as the war progressed the Germans introduced heavy tanks such as the Tiger and Panther tanks that even the M10 was incapable of defeating at larger distances. The M36 was with its 90mm gun able to penetrate heavy german tanks even at long distances. As common of US Tank Destroyers, it had an open topped turret to aid in observation, altough this left it vulnerable to artillery fragments and the like.
M36 Jackson[]
The M36 Jackson is an upgrade from the Wolverine in every way; from thicker armor, a better 90mm gun, and quicker turret rotation speed, the Jackson was the last of the tank destroyer class of American armed forces in World War II. However, the same downsides shown by other tank destroyers of not being able to attack infantry effectively has been passed on which is why the Jackson must be supported by other tanks. While it can match the firepower of heavy tanks, such as the Tiger and King Tiger, it does not have comparable armor and is thus easy to kill. Also, while the M18 Hellcat is built for speed and mobility, the M36 Jackson is built for sniping and hull-down positions.
Its gun depression is excellent, so it can often use small hills and terrain changes to expose only its turret to enemy fire. The 90mm gun is very accurate and aims fast by mid-tier American standards, enabling the M36 to snipe to good effect.
Although the M36 does have a turret, the standard tank-destroyer rules still apply: keep a distance, use camouflage or cover, and always watch your flanks. The M36 is fairly maneuverable, but the slow turret traverse means it can be circled and its response time is slow. Climbing hills may also be a problem to this tank destroyer.
On the Battle of the Bulge there are both static and mobile M36 tanks, they are vital in defending against the heavy armoured assault. On Bastogne there is only a static M36.
M36B1[]
M36B1 Jackson 90 mm Gun Motor Carriage, M36B1 | |
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General Historical Information | |
Place of origin | USA |
Category | Tank Destroyer |
Debut in FHSW | 0.6 |
Speed | 48 km/h |
Main armament | 90mm Cannon M3 |
General Ingame Information | |
Used by | USA |
Seat 2 | .50 M2HB Browning |
Seat 3 | .30-06 Browning M1919A4 MG |
Historical Picture | |
The U.S. military was nothing if not creative when it came to arming its troops during the war. The M36B1 is a case in point. In October 1944, there was a lack of M10A1 hulls to carry the M36 tank destroyer's turret with its powerful tank-busting 90mm gun. The plentiful Sherman M4A3 late hull was substituted with only minor alterations needed mainly to accommodate the TD's larger ammo rounds. This has resulted in a tough hybrid, known as the M36B1. It’s fast, better protected, and armed with a hull-mounted .30 cal machine-gun, making it an excellent support weapon.
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