M36 Jackson

The 90 mm Gun Motor Carriage M36, developed by the U.S. Army Ordnance Department, entered production in 1944 to counter armored vehicles that resisted the 3-inch guns of preceding tank destroyers. Produced by General Motors, Massey-Harris, and the American Locomotive Company, the M36 utilized the M10A1 chassis and drivetrain. The design featured an open-topped turret engineered to house the 90 mm gun M3, incorporating a cast counterweight for balance and power traverse.

Armor protection includes a glacis plate sloped at 55 degrees and rolled armor on the turret sides. The hull armor configuration for the standard M36 is identical to the M10A1, while the M36B1 variant utilized the M4A3 Sherman hull. The M36B2 was constructed using M10 hulls and featured armored turret covers. The main armament fires armor-piercing, high-explosive, and high-velocity armor-piercing ammunition. Secondary armament consists of a turret-mounted .50 caliber Browning M2HB machine gun; the M36B1 variant also retains a bow machine gun. Mobility is provided by the Ford GAA V8 gasoline engine in the M36 and M36B1, or the General Motors 6046 twin diesel engine in the M36B2. The vehicle utilizes vertical volute spring suspension and a five-speed synchromesh transmission.

The M36 entered combat in Europe in October 1944, where it began replacing the M10. During the Korean War, it was operated by both U.S. and South Korean forces, performing fire support roles in engagements such as the Battle of White Horse and the Battle of Betty Hill. The vehicle was exported to several countries post-World War II. France deployed M36B2 units during the First Indochina War, and the Republic of China Army used them during the Second Taiwan Strait Crisis. Pakistan utilized M36B2 units in the Indo-Pakistani Wars of 1965 and 1971, including the battles of Phillora and Chawinda.

Yugoslavia operated a fleet of M36s, which were later retrofitted with diesel engines from T-55 tanks. These vehicles were used by various factions during the 1990s Yugoslav Wars, including conflicts in Slovenia, Croatia, and Bosnia, and served as decoys during the Kosovo War. Other operators have included Italy, Iran, and Turkey. Several units remained in service with the Republic of China Army into the 2000s.