In Box Review of Academy 1/35th Scale
U.S. Tank Destroyer M10 Gun Motor Carriage
Kit no. 1393
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2001
Available from a place in Canada for $29.18 or one place overseas.
By Ray Mehlberger
Copyright: 2001
Available from a place in Canada for $29.18 or one place overseas.
HISTORY:
The M10 tank destroyer was an American tank destroyer of World War II. After US entry into World War II and the formation of the Tank Destroyer Force, a suitable vehicle was needed to equip the new battalions. By November 1941, the Army requested a vehicle with a gun in a fully rotating turret after other interim models were criticized for being too poorly designed.
The prototype of the M10 was conceived in early 1942 and delivered in April that year. After appropriate changes to the hull and turret were made, the modified version was selected for production in June 1942 as the 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10.
It mounted a 3-inch (76.2 mm) gun M7 in a rotating turret on a modified M4A2 tank chassis. An alternate model, the M10A1, which used the chassis of an M4A3 tank, was also produced. Production of the two models ran from September 1942 to December 1943 and October 1942 to November 1943, respectively.
The M10 was numerically the most important U.S. tank destroyer of World War II. It combined thin but sloped armor with the M4's reliable drivetrain and a reasonably potent anti-tank weapon mounted in an open-topped turret.
Despite its obsolescence in the face of newer German tanks like the Panther and the introduction of more powerful and better-designed types as replacements, the M10 remained in service until the end of the war. During World War II, the primary user of the M10 tank destroyer was the United States, but many were Lend-Leased to the United Kingdom, Canada and Free French forces.
Several dozen were also sent to the Soviet Union. Post-war, the M10 was given as military surplus to several countries, such as Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, through the Mutual Defense Assistance Act or acquired through other means by countries like Israel and the Republic of China.
The M10 is often referred to by the nickname "Wolverine", but the origin of this nickname is unknown. It is possibly a postwar invention. Unlike other vehicles such as the M4 Sherman, M5 Stuart light tank, or M7 Priest self-propelled artillery (which picked up British service names but which were rarely used by US forces during the war), the M10 was never assigned a name or referred to with one when used by American soldiers. They simply called it a "TD" (a nickname for any tank destroyer in general) beyond its formal designation.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type : Tank destroyer
Place of origin: United States
Wars: World War II, 1948 Arab–Israeli War
Designer: U.S. Army Ordnance Department
Designed: 1942
Manufacturer: Fisher Body division of General Motors, Ford Motor Company
Unit cost: US$47,900 (equivalent to $758,693 in 2020)
Produced: September 1942 – December 1943
No. built: 6,406
(3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10/M10A1)
Mass: M10 – 65,200 lb (29.1 long tons; 29.6 t), M10A1 - 64,000 lb (29 long tons; 29 t)
Length: 19 ft 7 in (5.97 m) hull, 22 ft 5 in (6.83 m) including gun
Width: 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) over anti aircraft machine gun
Crew: 5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver)
Armor: 0.375 to 2.25 in (9.5 to 57.2 mm)
Main armament: 3-inch gun M7 (76.2 mm) in Mount M5 with 54 rounds
Secondary armament : 50 caliber (12.7 mm) Browning M2HB machine gun with 300 rounds
Engine: M10 – General Motors 6046 twin diesel of 375 hp (280 kW) at 2,100 rpm, M10A1 – Ford GAA V8-450 hp (340 kW) at 2,600 rpm
Power/weight: M10 – 12.68 hp (9.46 kW)/metric ton, M10A1 – 15.50 hp (11.56 kW)/metric ton
Transmission: Synchromesh, 5 speeds forward, 1 reverse
Suspension: Vertical volute spring suspension (VVSS)
Fuel capacity: M10 – 165 US gal (620 l), M10A1 – 192 US gal (730 l)
Operational range: M10 – 200 mi (320 km), M10A1 – 160 mi (260 km)
Maximum speed: M10 – 25–30 mi (40–48 km)/hr on road, M10A1 – 30 mi (48 km)/hr on road
The M10 tank destroyer was an American tank destroyer of World War II. After US entry into World War II and the formation of the Tank Destroyer Force, a suitable vehicle was needed to equip the new battalions. By November 1941, the Army requested a vehicle with a gun in a fully rotating turret after other interim models were criticized for being too poorly designed.
The prototype of the M10 was conceived in early 1942 and delivered in April that year. After appropriate changes to the hull and turret were made, the modified version was selected for production in June 1942 as the 3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10.
It mounted a 3-inch (76.2 mm) gun M7 in a rotating turret on a modified M4A2 tank chassis. An alternate model, the M10A1, which used the chassis of an M4A3 tank, was also produced. Production of the two models ran from September 1942 to December 1943 and October 1942 to November 1943, respectively.
The M10 was numerically the most important U.S. tank destroyer of World War II. It combined thin but sloped armor with the M4's reliable drivetrain and a reasonably potent anti-tank weapon mounted in an open-topped turret.
Despite its obsolescence in the face of newer German tanks like the Panther and the introduction of more powerful and better-designed types as replacements, the M10 remained in service until the end of the war. During World War II, the primary user of the M10 tank destroyer was the United States, but many were Lend-Leased to the United Kingdom, Canada and Free French forces.
Several dozen were also sent to the Soviet Union. Post-war, the M10 was given as military surplus to several countries, such as Belgium, Denmark, and the Netherlands, through the Mutual Defense Assistance Act or acquired through other means by countries like Israel and the Republic of China.
The M10 is often referred to by the nickname "Wolverine", but the origin of this nickname is unknown. It is possibly a postwar invention. Unlike other vehicles such as the M4 Sherman, M5 Stuart light tank, or M7 Priest self-propelled artillery (which picked up British service names but which were rarely used by US forces during the war), the M10 was never assigned a name or referred to with one when used by American soldiers. They simply called it a "TD" (a nickname for any tank destroyer in general) beyond its formal designation.
SPECIFICATIONS:
Type : Tank destroyer
Place of origin: United States
Wars: World War II, 1948 Arab–Israeli War
Designer: U.S. Army Ordnance Department
Designed: 1942
Manufacturer: Fisher Body division of General Motors, Ford Motor Company
Unit cost: US$47,900 (equivalent to $758,693 in 2020)
Produced: September 1942 – December 1943
No. built: 6,406
(3-inch Gun Motor Carriage M10/M10A1)
Mass: M10 – 65,200 lb (29.1 long tons; 29.6 t), M10A1 - 64,000 lb (29 long tons; 29 t)
Length: 19 ft 7 in (5.97 m) hull, 22 ft 5 in (6.83 m) including gun
Width: 10 ft 0 in (3.05 m)
Height: 9 ft 6 in (2.90 m) over anti aircraft machine gun
Crew: 5 (Commander, gunner, loader, driver, assistant driver)
Armor: 0.375 to 2.25 in (9.5 to 57.2 mm)
Main armament: 3-inch gun M7 (76.2 mm) in Mount M5 with 54 rounds
Secondary armament : 50 caliber (12.7 mm) Browning M2HB machine gun with 300 rounds
Engine: M10 – General Motors 6046 twin diesel of 375 hp (280 kW) at 2,100 rpm, M10A1 – Ford GAA V8-450 hp (340 kW) at 2,600 rpm
Power/weight: M10 – 12.68 hp (9.46 kW)/metric ton, M10A1 – 15.50 hp (11.56 kW)/metric ton
Transmission: Synchromesh, 5 speeds forward, 1 reverse
Suspension: Vertical volute spring suspension (VVSS)
Fuel capacity: M10 – 165 US gal (620 l), M10A1 – 192 US gal (730 l)
Operational range: M10 – 200 mi (320 km), M10A1 – 160 mi (260 km)
Maximum speed: M10 – 25–30 mi (40–48 km)/hr on road, M10A1 – 30 mi (48 km)/hr on road
THE KIT:
Academy is an old prolific model company based in Korea. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a jam-packed shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of the M-10 moving past battle-damaged-buildings It is overall olive-drab, with a dark-blue rectangle with a yellow letter Y on it and little yellow squares on 3 of its corners, a yellow letter E laying on its sides above the yellow Y. This is followed by a French flag and white “SIMOUN” and a white outlined circle with a white map of France with a black Cross of Lorraine on it.
Two crewmen are atop the tank. Two are in the upper turret hatch opening and the third man is standing on the engine deck and manning a machine gun on a pedestal.
All three wear steel helmets and khaki uniforms. These figures are not included in the kit.
One corner of the box art says: Fully detailed interior and exterior. Movable gun elevation and suspension. Includes various accessories. Selective open or closed hatches. Another corner says: This kit contains one tank model kit. Tank crew not included.
One side panel of the box shows a color side-view photo of the M-10 made up in the box art scheme and 4 walk-around type photos of it.
Academy is an old prolific model company based in Korea. They manufacture all manner of model subjects in the popular scales.
This kit comes in a jam-packed shrink-wrapped tray and lid type box.
The cover art shows a color illustration of the M-10 moving past battle-damaged-buildings It is overall olive-drab, with a dark-blue rectangle with a yellow letter Y on it and little yellow squares on 3 of its corners, a yellow letter E laying on its sides above the yellow Y. This is followed by a French flag and white “SIMOUN” and a white outlined circle with a white map of France with a black Cross of Lorraine on it.
Two crewmen are atop the tank. Two are in the upper turret hatch opening and the third man is standing on the engine deck and manning a machine gun on a pedestal.
All three wear steel helmets and khaki uniforms. These figures are not included in the kit.
One corner of the box art says: Fully detailed interior and exterior. Movable gun elevation and suspension. Includes various accessories. Selective open or closed hatches. Another corner says: This kit contains one tank model kit. Tank crew not included.
One side panel of the box shows a color side-view photo of the M-10 made up in the box art scheme and 4 walk-around type photos of it.
The other side panel shows another color side-view photo of the model made up in the cover art scheme. Followed by a repeat of features of the kit in 10 languages, including English. Each language is labeled with a color illustration of the flag of the country that speaks the language. Kit is designed for modelers age 10 and over.
Academy’s web address, copyright of the kit as 2001 and made in Korea.
Academy’s web address, copyright of the kit as 2001 and made in Korea.
WHAT’S IN THE BOX:
This kit contains 9 olive-drab part trees, an olive-drab hull tub and roof part, black vinyl tracks, a length of white string, the decal sheet and instructions. Only the decal sheet is cello bagged. The trees are not.
The instructions consists of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art, over the history of the M-10 in English and Korean and READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions in 4 languages, including English.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 14 gives a grand total of a whopping 31 assembly steps. WOW! That’s a lot!
Page 15 is a marking and painting guide, showing a side-view and three 3-views of the M-10. All are overall olive-drab.
The side-view is the box art scheme. It further shows victory marks as small white tank silhouettes down the side of the hull.
It is how it looked in France, in September of 1944.
The first 3-view has a large white letter V on its sides, followed by a triangle with red and blue corners and a white diamond in the center.
It is shown as how it looked in Germany, in January 1945.
The second 3-view has a white star on the sides of its turret ana hull sides and a yellow C 32 before the hull star.
It is shown as how it looked in France, in August 1944.
The third 2-view has a circled white star on the sides of its turret and hull and an un-circled star before the circled one on the hull sides.
It is shown as it looked on the Anzio Beachhead, May 1944.
Page 16 is the parts trees illustrations, over a color listing and listing of excess and accessory parts. Academy’s street address in Seoul, Korea and their telephone and FAX numbers and repeat of the copyright date for the kit as 2001.
Trees are alphabetized.
There are two identical olive-drab letter A trees that hold: road wheels, bogies, idler wheels etc. (55 parts each) 5 parts are excess and not needed to complete the kit.
This kit contains 9 olive-drab part trees, an olive-drab hull tub and roof part, black vinyl tracks, a length of white string, the decal sheet and instructions. Only the decal sheet is cello bagged. The trees are not.
The instructions consists of a staple-bound booklet of 16 pages in 8 ¼” x 11 ¾” page format.
Page 1 begins with a black and white repeat of the cover art, over the history of the M-10 in English and Korean and READ BEFORE YOU BEGIN instructions in 4 languages, including English.
The bottom of page 2 through to page 14 gives a grand total of a whopping 31 assembly steps. WOW! That’s a lot!
Page 15 is a marking and painting guide, showing a side-view and three 3-views of the M-10. All are overall olive-drab.
The side-view is the box art scheme. It further shows victory marks as small white tank silhouettes down the side of the hull.
It is how it looked in France, in September of 1944.
The first 3-view has a large white letter V on its sides, followed by a triangle with red and blue corners and a white diamond in the center.
It is shown as how it looked in Germany, in January 1945.
The second 3-view has a white star on the sides of its turret ana hull sides and a yellow C 32 before the hull star.
It is shown as how it looked in France, in August 1944.
The third 2-view has a circled white star on the sides of its turret and hull and an un-circled star before the circled one on the hull sides.
It is shown as it looked on the Anzio Beachhead, May 1944.
Page 16 is the parts trees illustrations, over a color listing and listing of excess and accessory parts. Academy’s street address in Seoul, Korea and their telephone and FAX numbers and repeat of the copyright date for the kit as 2001.
Trees are alphabetized.
There are two identical olive-drab letter A trees that hold: road wheels, bogies, idler wheels etc. (55 parts each) 5 parts are excess and not needed to complete the kit.
Olive-drab tree letter B holds: the hull rear wall, side panels, bulkheads, machine guns, air intake grills etc. (67 parts) 9 parts are excess.
Olive-drab tree letter C holds: more air intakes, engine deck, floor, interior parts, etc. (82 parts). 2 parts are excess.
Olive-drab tree letter D holds: tools, more machine guns etc. (45 parts) 11 parts are excess.
There is no letter E tree.
There is no letter E tree.
Olive-drab letter F tree holds: turret parts, ammo, main gun barrel etc. (53 parts)
Olive-drab letter G tree holds more turret parts and is co-joined with J tree. (49 parts)
Olive-drab letter H tree holds: jerry cans, tracks (69 parts) 13 are excess.
Lettering jumps to the olive-drab letter M tree. It holds ammo storage tubes (64 parts)
The upper and lower hulls.
The vinyl track set is well done with nice detail.
I have added 6 of my company’s (Armor Research Co.) metal accessory sets to the kit and Kornerstone Models brand’s resin Sherman transmission set.
The length of white string and the decal sheet complete the kits contents.
There are no clear parts in the kit or crew figures.
Detail is great.
Highly recommended.
Detail is great.
Highly recommended.