I have a question concerning the M10 Tank destroyer. I would like to build one that was used by the British in Italy using the Tamiya kit. However I am finding conflicting references. Did the British use M10s or M10A1s? Some references I have say just M10A1s were given to the British, however other references I have, say that they used both. The picture references I have make it hard to tell since none of them show closeups of the rear deck. I know the truth is out there!

Brett

Hi Brett

It's a very difficult�D

All of picture was side or front view on the books,
about CONCORD/British�@Armor in Sicily and Italy,
Squadron/U.S.Tank Destroyers in action and GRAND
POWER Vol.4/US �• BRITISH ARMY WEAPONS now I having.
But I can see M10 on page 51 CONCORD/British~,
my judgment from photo.

British used Wolverine and Achilles,
57,72,105th and 93rd Anti=Tank Regiments in Italy front.

I had build up Tamiya 1/48 M10, British use olso.

Sorry can't help your Q.

Best Work

Yokohama,Japan
Masanori Sato

Hi Brett I am in no way an expert or even a knowledgeable person on Allied armour having only recently begun to explore the field but I do have the Armor Photo Gallery by Progress covering the book #14 British Tank Destroyer Achilles 17-Pdr M10 S.P

In the book the facts are set out as follows:

The M10 was based on the M4A2 using the GM 6046 twin diesel engine and power train used in the earlier M3A3 and M3A5 medium tanks.

Production of the M10 began at the Fisher Body Corporation ( Grand Blanc Arsenal, MI ) in September 1942. Production continued until December 1943 with 4.993 M10 GMC’s being produced. To meet the highest priority orders for tank destroyers another contract was awarded to the Ford Motor Company to produce an alternate vehicle - the M10A1.

The M10A1 was essentially the same as the M10 except based on the M4A3 which used the Ford gasoline engine. Both the Ford Motor Company( Detroit, MI ) and the Fisher Body Corporation produced 1,713 vehicles between October 1942 and January 1944. This figure includes 300 vehicles delivered without turrets that were later completed as 90 mm GMC M36’s.

The “duck-bill” counter weight was introduced in late June 1943 and was used until the end of the M10/M10A1 production. Total production of the M10/M10A1 included about 650 vehicles without the turret counter weight, about 2,850 with the heavy wedge shaped counter weight and approx. 2,900 with the “duck-bill” counter weight.

The M10GMC was supplied to the British under the Lend-Lease program. A total of 1,128 vehicles were delivered in 1944 , with 520 delivered in 1945 - giving a grand total of 1,648.

The M10GMC supplied to Britain were almost identical to the U.S vehicles , only differing in the installation of British equipment and external stowage , radio sets and antennas.

The British sought to improve their AT ability by mounting the 17 Pdr in the M10. This conversion program began in the spring of 1944. The first converted vehicle was delivered in May 1944. From that time till April 1945 , the Royal Ordnance Factories converted 1,017 M10’s to carry the 17 Pdr. Most of these vehicles were of the “duck-bill” variety.

British designations for the M10 series-
3 inch M10 SPM Mk I ( with heavy wedge counter weight )
3 inch M10 SPM Mk II ( with “duck-bill” counter weight )
17-pdr M10 SP Mk IC (with heavy wedge counter weight )
17-pdr M10 SP Mk IIC ( with “duck-bill” counter weight )

There are 1/48th scale plans in the book. They show the 17-pdr M10 S.P engine deck. You can see 7 “filler” caps if that is the correct description. One is at the rear - between the engine hatch split doors. On the outer parts we have another filler cap - one each side. Then close by and near the turret overhang there are two pairs of filler caps. I hope you can get the gist of what I am trying to describe as I don't have my scanner handy.

That's the info so far. Looking at the numbers produced , time frames etc. I would “lean” towards the M10A1 - but as I have said I am no expert. Hopefully somebody with more info can fill in the blanks

Best regards
Paul

Hello Brett;
No M10A1's were used by the Allies as pure combat vehicles; they were kept in the states for training and were only eventually used as one of the three marks of Sherman based vehicles that made up the M36 TD; the M36, M36B1 and M36B2...one of which was based on an M4A3 hull. The other two were on the angular TD hull; one being diesel powered and the other the gasoline engined one (i.e. the M10A1 hull). Chris S.

is the engine deck detail for the diesel-powered M10 GMC. The two engine access doors are not the full width of the center engine deck panel, but they are on the M10A1 with the Ford GAA gasoline engine. The paired filler caps on the sides identify it as the standard M10. Unless you can see the engine deck or the rear hull, it's hard to tell the difference.