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M10 self-propelled artillery vehicle

The M10 self-propelled artillery vehicle is not US military standard equipment, but a self-propelled artillery built by the Republic of China with the M10 tank destroyer chassis equipped with a Japanese 91-type howitzer. The decommissioning time is unknown. The National Army received the US M10 during the mainland period and was incorporated into the gun regiment. However, the US Army had destroyed the main battery before the reception.

Afterwards, the National Army’s tank factory replaced the Japanese 105mm howitzer as the main battery and improved it into a closed turret. Instructor Chen Hu who participated in the modification dictated and the current research of the team, this type of national army M10-105 howitzer self-propelled artillery vehicle is known to have three types, this picture is the M10-105 howitzer II (medium type) and M10 -105 self-propelled howitzer III (late type), the M10 currently displayed in the Taiwan Armored Forces Academy is a restoration of the late-model hull of this vehicle.

Before the Kuomintang government retreated to Taiwan in 1949, although the U.S. government did not promise direct military assistance to the Republic of China, it did not prevent the national army from purchasing surplus materials from the war. In 1948, Jiang Weiguo was transferred to the Chief of Staff of the Armored Forces Command. The Joint Logistics Headquarters worked together to search for American vehicles that could be used on the Pacific battlefield, and transport them back to China for refurbishment at the tank manufacturing plant (also known as Shanghai Longhua Tank Plant) at the Shanghai Repair Office of the Ordnance Department.

The materials collected by the joint logistics included the M10 tank destroyer, the M5 Stuart light tank, and the LVT-2 amphibious landing vehicle. These vehicles were damaged by artillery and some of their fuel tanks were filled with asphalt, but the vehicle was still in condition. It can be repaired. In the civil war of the Kuomintang and the Communist Party of China, the armored forces were repeatedly wiped out and surrendered to the Communist Party.

In the winter of 1948 the Joint Logistics purchased the remaining supplies of the M10 tank destroyer. It was estimated that 34 vehicles were purchased from the United States. These vehicles were in complete normal condition except for the main guns that were destroyed by shelling. The Longhua factory purchased them in December 1948. Before the factory moved from Shanghai to Taiwan, it cooperated with the Research and Development Department of the Ordnance Administration to refit an M10 tank destroyer into a self-propelled gun. The main gun of this refitted self-propelled gun was a Type 94 mountain gun. The first vehicle after the transformation was tested by the armored force. There were many suggestions for improvement, and the relevant transformation continued after the Longhua plant moved to Taiwan.

On January 1, 1949, the Longhua factory was renamed the 61st Arsenal of Joint Logistics and resumed work in Taiwan, continuing the unfinished refitting operations in the Shanghai era; the main gun used for refitting in Taiwan was replaced with the 91-type howitzer developed by the Imperial Japanese Army. But the 105mm howitzer had a relatively large volume. It is too narrow when inserted into the battle cabin designed for the 76.2mm tank gun. The self-propelled gun will cover the original open-air turret, and an additional opening will be added. The steel cover was poorly designed, lacked bulletproof capability, and was easy to pinch the fingers of the crew at the entrance and exit. The Liuyi Factory later modified the height of the artillery to reduce the volume and optimize the movement of the battle cabin. The additional covered armor plate was replaced with a bulletproof steel plate to reduce weight and improve defense capacity, while then turret entrance and exit were re-modified to increase safety.

The improved M10 self-propelled gun armored in Taiwan was considered usable, and 16 were subsequently modified. In addition, 18 prototypes of the Shanghai era were finally modified; the modification time in Taiwan was between March and December of the year 38 of the Republic of China . This batch of M10 self-propelled artillery equipped with Japanese artillery participated in the New Year’s Day military parade and the National Day military parade in 1951 and 1952. After the M7 Priest-style self-propelled artillery force aided the country, these self-propelled artillery vehicles were quickly decommissioned, around 1955-1957, so the overall service period was not long. After retiring, most of the M10 self-propelled guns were destroyed, and only one remained at the Army Armored Training Headquarters (Armored Forces School) at Hukou, Hsinchu ; but only the hull was retained, and the modified artillery and turret were dismantled and replaced with completely distorted fake guns.