The American designed tank destroyer 3-inch gun motor Carriage M10 (M10 GMC abbreviated) was a WW2 tank based on the M4 Sherman tank chassis. Basically there were two types of M10. The M10 GMC was based on the M4A2 Sherman tank chassis and the M10A1 used the M4A3 Sherman tank chassis.
The M10 was the most important tank destroyer for the United States during the war. The first prototypes appeared from early 1942 and in April 1942 finished combat units were delivered. After adjustments it was selected for production in June 1942.
The Fisher Tank Arsenal in Grand Blanc, Michigan manufactured the M10 and M10A1. Up to 4993 units were made here. Throughout the war changes and upgrades were being made to the M10.
In total 6406 M10’s were manufactured in the US. The M10 ‘s weighed 29,6 tons, M10A1 29 tons. It was 5,97 meter long (6,83 with the 3 inch M7 gun), 3,05 wide and 2,90 meters high and had a crew of five. The M10, M10A1 had an armor thickness varying from 9,5 to 57,2 mm. Its top speed on roads was between 40 and 48 km/h with an operational range of 320 km for the M10, and 260 for the M10A1.
Although a reliable tank destroyer and with a potent 3 inch (76 mm) anti-tank gun it was no match for the latest types of German armor like the Panther and the Tiger tanks. But it was effective enough vs the Panzer IV and Panzer III types. Which were far more common to encounter than a Tiger for example, there were only maximal 100 Tigers active on the entire European battlegrounds each day. Its secondary armament was a .50 caliber (12,7 mm) Browning M2HB machine gun with 300 rounds.
It was unofficially nicknamed Wolverine. The name appeared in a Chrystler advertisement but it was not an official name. Although it is in use even today the US troops simply referred to it as TD, short for Tank Destroyer.
The British Army used the M10 as well but changed the 3 inch gun for their own 17 pounder 76,2 mm gun which had a bigger punch, they named the converted M10: “17pdr SP Achilles“. The British received 1648 M10 tanks, 1017 M10’s were upgraded with 17 pounder guns and converted to the Achilles Tank Destroyer.
Eventually 724 American M10’s were converted into US M36 Tank Destroyers with a more powerful 90 mm gun.
This M10 GMC “Souffleur II” in the photos can be seen in MM Park, La Wantzenau in France, and is in running condition. It has a low serial number: 733. This M10 tank destroyer was built by the Fisher Tank Arsenal in January 1943.The angle of the gun on the photo’s was common when driving the M10. The driver could use his own hatch and pop out his head instead of using the periscopes when the gun was rotated slightly to the right.
