M36 Jackson (x2) 1/72 Tank plastic kit (US)

M36 Jackson (x2) 1/72 Tank plastic kit (US)

The 90-mm Gun Motor Carriage M36 tank destroyers, nick named Jackson for Confederate States of America general Thomas “Stonewall” Jackson, were designed to counter any potential heavily-armoured German tanks, which later came true in the form of Panther and Tiger tanks. The design based on the M10 chassis was first completed in 1942, and the first prototype was completed in Mar 1943 as the T71 Gun Motor Carriage; after testing, an order for 500 was issued.

In Jun 1944, the designation changed to its M36 final form. Like all American tank destroyers in this era, the turrets were open-topped as a weight-saving measure, while this feature also allowed better observation. They first saw combat in Sep 1944 in Europe, and immediately gained a good reputation for being one of the few models of Allied vehicles that could knock out heavy German tanks from a distance. About 1,400 M36 Jackson tank destroyers were produced during WW2.

After the war, folding armoured roof kits for the open-tops were manufactured to provide protection from shell fragments.M36 Jackson tank destroyers were used in the Korean War, and were effective in fighting all models of Russian-made armoured vehicles used in Korea. During the conflict in Indo-China, the French forces also employed some M36 Jackson tank destroyers. They were also used by forces in Yugoslavia (including Croatia and Bosnia in the 1990s) and Pakistan.