Why was the M10 open topped?

The open top also made escape easier when the vehicle was hit and improved communications with accompanying infantry. The M10 had a very slow turret rotation speed, as the turret traverse was unpowered and the crew had to use a hand crank to rotate the turret.

Why were US tank destroyers open topped?

Most of the tank-hull based designs used special open-topped turrets of a differing design to the original tank it was based on, which was meant to both save weight and to accommodate a larger gun. The open top and light armor made these tank destroyers vulnerable to anything greater than small-arms fire.

Why are there open top tanks?

Open top tanks are selected for collection systems, temporary liquid storage, or as secondary containment for vertical tanks in indoor or outdoor installations. Tanks are manufactured from medium or high-density polyethylene with U.V. inhibitors and designed for containment of liquids.

Why was the Hellcat open top?

The open-topped turret—a characteristic which it shared with all American tank destroyers—left the crew exposed to snipers, grenades, and shell fragments, however it gave the crew excellent visibility which was of importance in the killing of tanks, the intent of tank destroyers being primarily ambush weapons.

Is the M10 GMC good?

The powerful gun and potent ammunition make the M10 a good sniper vehicle at its battle rating, especially with its -10° gun depression, giving the M10 the ability to maximize a hull-down position.

Why was the M10 so vulnerable to German anti-tankers?

American tank destroyer doctrine emphasized speed and gun power over armor. As a result, the M10’s armor was thin, which made it vulnerable to most German anti-tank weapons.

Which American tank destroyers had open-topped turrets?

It wasn’t just the American tank destroyers that had open-topped turrets. The entire Marder series of German tank destroyers also had open tops as did the Russian Su-76 and other tank destroyers. Most of the German armoured FlaKpanzers like the Wirblewind and Mobelwagon were open-topped.

What kind of gun did the M10 tank destroyer use?

The M10 tank destroyer used an M4A2 medium tank chassis (M10A1s used an M4A3 chassis) with an open-topped manually traversed turret mounting the 3-inch Gun M7, in the M5 mount. The M7 gun weighed 1,990 pounds.

How many high explosive rounds do anti-tank destroyers fire?

For every anti-tank round the tank-destroyers fired, they fired 11 high-explosive rounds. Doctrinaire officers complained that the M10s, vehicles in most respects similar to a tank, were being employed as if they were tanks.