The American anti-tank self-propelled gun M36 Jackson began to be developed in October 1942, when it was decided to convert the 90-mm anti-aircraft gun to anti-tank. At the beginning of 1943, on an ACS M10, one such weapon was installed in an experimental manner, but it turned out to be too long and heavy for the existing tower.
In the spring of the same year, a modified version of the T71 was presented with a new tower, which turned out to be so successful that soon an order was made for 500 copies. In June 1944 it was adopted under the designation M36. There was also a variant of the self-propelled gun T72, which was equipped with a turret from the tank T23, but without a roof and with thinner armor. This self-propelled gun was armed with a 3-inch gun. The T72 was not accepted for service because the M18 MAS was more successful.
The serial ACS M36, also called “Jackson”, used the M10A1 chassis, which in turn represented the modified chassis from the M4A3 tank. A cylindrical turret open at the top with a well-developed feeding niche, which turns into a counterweight, has a 90-mm cannon, developed on the basis of an anti-aircraft gun. Part of the guns was supplied with a muzzle brake. In April-June 1944, Grand Blank Arsenal, by reworking the M10A1, built 300 cars, another 413 were built by American Locomotive Co., 500 – Massay-Harris, 85 – by Montreal Locomotive Works. Issue M36 completed in June 1945
Combat use.
On July 6, 1944, the command of the US Armed Forces at the European theater of military operations sent to the USA a request for the early rearmament of all anti-tank self-propelled gun battalions from M10 to M36. By September, based on the experience of the hostilities in North-Western Europe, the 12th Army Group requested rearmament of 20 out of 42 battalions involved in the anti-tank self-propelled guns on the M36. The first batch of 40 M36s arrived in Europe in the first week of September 1944 and entered service with the 1st Army.
Due to insufficient production and supply rates of the M36, the battalions were reequipped with new equipment. After the re-equipment of the first units to the new ACS, the M36 was first used in combat in October 1944, during the battles on the German border. Since after the losses suffered by the German tank forces during the summer battles, massive attacks from the latter were rare, in the autumn of 1944 Army interest in early rearmament on the M36 declined.
However, the massive use of armored vehicles during the German counteroffensive, accompanied by an increase in the number of heavy armored vehicles, such as the Tiger II, again demonstrated the inadequacy of the M10 as a tank destroyer and again made replacing them with the M36 a priority task. By January 1945, the West European theater had six battalions armed with M36, five in the 12th army group, and the sixth in the 6th army group. Unlike the M10, not one M36 was delivered to the US allies before the end of hostilities.
The command of the 6th Army Group in the spring of 1945 considered the possibility of transferring some M36 to the French troops, but it was decided to abandon this idea – while all French anti-tank battalions were self-propelled, part of the 6th Army battalions was still armed towed anti-tank guns
In the online game World Of Tanks, the American anti-tank self-propelled gun M36 Jackson is on level 6. It has a standard by the standards of PT-6 damage and a good rate of fire, so you can do about 1800 damage per minute, which is a good indicator. From the point of view of penetration parameters, everything is quite good. M36 Jackson tank can easily fight against the technology of the sixth and seventh level, using only armor-piercing shells.
As for accuracy, on this side our gun looks very profitable. It is understood that the gun in the M36 Jackson World of Tanks is endowed with good scatter, very fast mixing and even the lack of stabilization due to the advantages outlined are practically not felt.
At the beginning of the battle, you need as quickly as possible to find a secluded bush, standing in which we will be hidden from prying eyes and will be able to do damage without any obstacles in our own way or in allied light. It simplifies the process of taking a position in the case of PT-ACS M36 Jackson by the presence of a rotating tower and comfortable UVN, that is, it is convenient to implement your PDM.
Long-range shooting is also real thanks to the excellent accuracy, we can target the enemy’s armor at a distance of even 300 meters. However, it is not recommended to stand for too long in one place, the American tank M36 Jackson should look for more profitable places for firing, and, if necessary, there is enough mobility even to move to the other flank.
It is better not to enter into close combat, since the armor, although it is, is rather weak. However, thanks to good UVN, M36 Jackson World of Tanks can play from the terrain. Showing a small part of the tower, making a shot and rolling back, you can win even a stronger opponent.
