M36B1 converstion

[DaveS]

Here it is on a display base.

David S

[DaveS]

Tanks were to exploit any break in the enemy's line, and support the infantry.  Tank destroyers were not to seek the enemy out, but wait for the enemy to come to them. To foil the enemy armor's counter attack or break through.  We all know things often didn't turn out the way doctrine dictated.

David S

[Bill L2]

The 90mm was on par with the Tiger I's 88mm L56 gun.  The 88mm L71 out performed them both.  It could defeat more armor at 3000yds the the L56 could at 1000yrds.  The M36B1 came as a result of a production shortage of M10 chassis, which the M36 was based.  All M36B1's were used in NW Europe.  In the United States the army also had a small number of Sherman tanks factory built to Firefly standards with 17pdr's but they were never deployed to Europe.  I have found no accounts of the M36B1 service performance, or if it was popular with its crews.

I guess this is more of a defensive rather than offensive weapon. Late war Allied forces were committed soley to rapid flowing offensive operations and maybe the weapon was to cumbersome on the battlefield. The tactics were more of a swarm the Wermacht with Shermans and infantry and stay mobile.

[DaveS]

The 90mm was on par with the Tiger I's 88mm L56 gun.  The 88mm L71 out performed them both.  It could defeat more armor at 3000yds the the L56 could at 1000yrds.  The M36B1 came as a result of a production shortage of M10 chassis, which the M36 was based.  All M36B1's were used in NW Europe.  In the United States the army also had a small number of Sherman tanks factory built to Firefly standards with 17pdr's but they were never deployed to Europe.  I have found no accounts of the M36B1 service performance, or if it was popular with its crews.

[Bill L2]

Very nice looking kit Dave. I remember we were discussing this a few months back at one of the meetings. The Army must have got these together late war to counter the King Tiger. Thats a big gun!

[DaveS]

Here is a different view.   The hull and tracks are is from Dragon.  The turret and most of the interior is from Academy.  The rest is Tamiya and the parts box.  The sandbags are home made from modeling putty.

[Ryan K]

Very interesting, would like to see more of the build.

Are the sand bags stock or homemade?

[DaveS]

Add one M4A3 Sherman to one M36 Jackson and you get a Sherman with a 90MM gun.  178 of these were built for the Army in WWII.

David S