1:72 scale diecast model airplane by Hobby Master 1:72 Ground Power Series HG3408. M10 Wolverine Diecast Model US Army, "DuckBill", 1945.

Length 4 inches
Wingspan 2 inches

In WWII the U.S. Army philosophy was to use tanks for infantry support. When it came to taking on German tanks they wanted to leave that up to the Tank Destroyers that were designed specifically for that purpose. Thanks to combat in North Africa they found that the M3 half track used as TDs and equipped with the standard U.S. short barrel 36 caliber 75 mm cannon just wasn’t up to the task. Another realization was the half tracks weren’t mobile enough and lacked adequate armor compared to the German tanks. Since the M4A2 Sherman was already in production the lower chassis and power plant were adapted to create the new TD.

The new machine had a newly designed upper hull with a low profile. The vehicle still had relatively light armor but was angled to cause a greater chance of shot deflection. The military also depended on vehicles maneuverability and speed for defense. The crew was open to the elements because there was no top on the turret. The new vehicle was named the M10 and armed with a new powerful 50 caliber 76 mm cannon that fired armor piercing ammunition. The cannon was capable of penetrating 88 mm of armor at 1,000 meters which meant that almost any German tank could be destroyed. Because of the size and weight of the cannon a large counter-weight was mounted on the rear of the turret. Because of its tapered shape and viewed from the side the counter-weight looked similar to a duck’s bill so the M10 was given the nick name “Duck Bill”. The prototype of the M10 was the T35 and first appeared in November 1941 and went into immediate production. The M10 remained on the front line right to the end of WWII.