Description
35390 Tamiya 1/35 U.S. Tank Destroyer M36
As U.S. forces encountered the rapidly evolving armor of their German opponents, it became clear the the M10 tank destroyer and its 76.2mm gun were insufficient and in need of replacement. Their solution was to install the more powerful 90mm gun onto the M10A1 chassis in an open top turret: the M36, which first appeared in June 1944. Its first live action was in fighting on the French-German border that October, but if faced more concerted fighting as the German forces launched a desperate counter-attack in the Battle of the Bulge in December 1944. Over a thousand M36 vehicles had been manufactured by the time of the German surrender in May 1945, and after the end of hostilities many were given to allies such as France, which used it in the First Indochina War. It is even said to have been used in the Japanese development of their first domestic post-war tank: the Type 61.
Tamiya released the Tank Destroyer M36 with single motor in 1968 for the first time. Now, we are proud to announce the release of a new M36 kit with new parts except for the M2 heavy machine gun and transparent parts which were previously used in modern kits. During WWII, U.S. forces developed the M10 tank destroyer with 76.2mm gun, but it was not effective against powerful German counters such as Tiger and Panther. Perched upon the M10A1 chassis equipped with a 450hp petrol engine, the M36 employed a new open-top turret and a 90mm gun. The M36 saw the first action on the Franco-German border in October 1944, and until the German surrender in May 1945, over 1,000 M36s were deployed among 21 battalions and contributed to the Allied forces’ advance.
About the Model
- This is a 1/35 scale plastic model assembly kit. Length: 216mm, width: 88mm
- The form with open-top turret is faithfully captured in style based on extensive research of the actual tank
- Features new parts except for M2 heavy machine gun and transparent parts
- The turret interior has details such as 90mm gun breech and auxiliary machinery
- The jutting turret rear counterweight is realistically depicted with its curved form and cast surface patterns, and features ease of assembly thanks to use of slide moulding
- The full interior has realistic depictions such as shell racks, floor and bulkheads
- Includes parts to recreate exhaust deflector, towing hooks and tow cables
- Accessories such as ammunition cases and one full body tanker figure are included
- Assembly type tracks have one-piece straight sections
- Comes with two marking options to recreate a 3rd Army vehicle in Luxembourg or a 774th Tank Destroyer Battalion vehicle in Germany
