SWORD BEACH: M10 Tank Destroyer

M10 TANK DESTROYER

The American built M10 was a relatively lightly armoured tank destroyer, armed with a 3-inch gun. Apart from the longer barrel and attached muzzle break, the M10 and British Achilles version looked very similar externally. You can read an earlier post regarding my Achilles build here.

For the Sword 80 game in June I needed another M10 for 20th AT Regiment RA, here’s a quick build and paint overview.

WHAT ARE MY OPTIONS IN 20MM?

We’re quite well catered for in 20mm if you wanted an M10 or two. From detailed kits to wargaming kits, resin wargaming models to pre-built and painted diecast models, and 3D prints, there are a few options! I’m sure there are more, but these include:

Armourfast 1/72
Raventhorpe ‘Ready to Roll’ 20mm
Milicast 1/76
SHQ 1/76
Unimodels 1/72
Amercom 1/72
Hobbymaster 1/72

As I’ve used an Armourfast Achilles for my Achilles build, I’ve used Armourfast as the base model here. However as I wanted to represent an M10 landed on Sword Beach during the early hours of the D-Day Normandy landings I’ve also added an S&S Models conversion.

BUILD AND DETAILING

The kit goes together really easily and very quickly with less than 20 parts in the kit. As with all Armourfast kits it is not especially detailed but serves as a good base model. Once the kit is built I’ve added some stowage from the spares box and a wading exhaust by S&S Models. Crew figures and interior details are also from S&S Models.

PAINT SCHEME

I’ve followed the same technique as for the Achilles build as you can see here.

DECALS

If you’re a regular visitor here you’ll know I’m a big fan of Dan Taylor Modelworks decals, and again for this model I’ve used the excellent sent for Sword Beach Decals – good forward thinking of me to pick up two sets a year or two ago!

These markings represent an M10 which landed on Sword Beach with the 20th Anti Tank Regiment on 6th June 1944.