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How good was the M36 tank destroyer?
The M36 was well-liked by its crews, being one of the few armored fighting vehicles available to US forces that could destroy heavy German tanks from a distance. Corporal Anthony Pinto of the 1st Platoon, Company A, 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion knocked out a Panther at 4,200 yards (3,800 metres).
Why is the M36 called Jackson?
This new tank hunter was known by the soldiers as “Jackson” in reference to the Confederate general of the Civil War Stonewall Jackson, or “Slugger”. Officially, it was named “M36 tank destroyer” or “90 mm Gun Motor Carriage M36” by the ordnance and US Army at large.
What tank has the thickest armor in WW2?
The Panzerkampfwagen VIII Maus (aka “Mouse”) is the heaviest fully enclosed armoured fighting vehicle ever built. The Germans might not have built the Ratte, but that didn’t stop them building monster tanks like this one. Nearly 200 tonnes of monstrous fighting machine that came into development in 1944.
What was the M36 Jackson used for?
The M36 Jackson was the last dedicated American tank hunter of the war. After the early, soon obsolete M10 Wolverine and the superfast M18 Hellcat, the US Army needed a more powerful gun and better armored vehicle to hunt down the latest developments in German tanks, including the Panther and Tigers.
What did the M36 replace in WW2?
By the end of 1944, seven tank destroyer battalions had converted to the M36. The M36 had mostly replaced the M10 by the end of the war. After World War II, the M36 was used in the Korean War. It could destroy any Soviet-made AFV deployed in that theater of operations.
When did the M36 tank destroyer come out?
Conceived in 1943, the M36 first served in combat in Europe in October 1944, where it partially replaced the M10 tank destroyer. It also saw use in the Korean War, able to defeat any of the Soviet tanks used in that conflict.
What do American soldiers call the M36 tank?
American soldiers usually referred to the M36 as a “TD”, an initialism of “tank destroyer”, however it should also be pointed out that there is evidence that to military planners and supply personnel this unit was designated as the “Jackson” or “General Jackson”.