M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer - In The Movies

An overview of the M18 Hellcat and the movies/games it's featured in
More War Movie Content: / johnnyjohnsonesq
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Movies Featured:
Fury 2014
Saints and Soldiers: The Void 2014
7 Man Army 1976
Guns of War 1974
Games:
Heroes and Generals
Tank Mechanic Simulator
War Thunder
#ww2 #tanks #warthunder

[@themadmilitaryhistorian8113]

The one of the things I enjoyed about Saints and Soldiers: The Void, is that they talked alittle about the 827th Tank Destroyer Battalion, one of three African American tank destroyer battalions deployed to Europe during WWII and the only one that used self-propelled tank destroyers.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Absolutely. Thanks for adding this I'm surprised I overlooked this.

[@jordankaylor897]

It really is a good movie for its budget. Not only do they talk about the 827th and feature a hellcat, but I also think they get the dynamics of a tank crew down as well as the fact that you'll have all walks of life in one. The crew's reaction to Owens reflected it rather well. Sims who is prejudiced and more by the book(going off of the bad reports of african american battallions) has the most extremely negative reaction, Danny Boy while prejudiced is still just going off of what he's been told his entire life and Ramrod, the one who seems to be more educated, knows better. The film even portrays a few Germans more human than you typically see in war movies. It's not perfect though, I think Simms would have been better with a southern accent, they used the German tank sights incorrectly, and there is one shot where Owens manually cycles the m1 carbine after firing it, but it's only one time that happens so i guess we can call it a misfeed.

[@billyponsonby]

The misery of living in an open topped armoured vehicle during the European winter is made worse for the crews of M18s. The air cooled radial engine sucked out any warm air from the fighting compartment making it impossible to get warm even from a running motor.

[@bigblue6917]

And the winter of 1944/45 was bad. Tankers in the British Army were issued with padded overalls which I understood were very warm. As the British Army used the M10 it must have helped elevate some of the problems of being in an open topped turret.

[@airplanemaniacgaming7877]

@@bigblue6917 I'd just keep near the big 17-pounder's breech when it's had a couple rounds popped off, since I'm pretty sure that's what they mostly used in the M10s they had as opposed to the M7 Cannon. Less explosive power, but better armour defeating capabilities......

[@illyrian44]

Then piss off of Europe, they made things worse for everyone

[@keithbaker1951]

I didn't think of that I like riding my air cooled motorcycle in the colder months because it stays warmer than my water cooled ones but that does make sense.

[@annedejong1040]

Inside the tank was depending on the wind I guess sometimes colder than outside :-s

[@paleoph6168]

The M18 Hellcat was disappointed at seeing Patton tanks being used in classic WW2 movies instead of it, so it then proceeded to stand-in for Japanese tanks in 7-Man Army

[@garrisonnichols807]

Having an automatic transmission was definitely a big advantage in my opinion. It lets the driver relax a little bit more and not have to worry about shifting or stalling out the engine. Automatics are just easier to deal with especially if you're in a high stress situation like front line combat.

[@xxGravyBabyxx]

I am surprised it even worked since automatics were barely a thing for cars in 1940.

[@mckrunchytoast2469]

The local hardware store I worked in out of high school got me very familiar with local veterans and for one reason or another they seemed to enjoy my company. They'd share many stories, some I'm not sure they'd spoke of since seeing it unfold. One man I always knew as "Mr. Willis" or , "Just James son, I know you well enough to drop the formality crap" as he'd put it. He told me he was the gunner on an M18 that helped shore up Bastogne on Christmas 1944. Said "some German armor moved up to try and kick the ole' 101 (101st airborne) to the curb, since they'd been a pain in their backside since the 19th" he said they fired about half their shells in 2 hours, mainly at supporting mechanized infantry but did engage a few panzers. Said they (the 705th) knocked out at least 20 that day in total and damaged about 10 more just enough they pulled back. Hearing stories like his fill me with something I can't describe. A pride of sorts, in the pure grit these men showed. I couldn't imagine being in an open top, lightly armored vehicle in the middle of a brutally cold winter, being one hit away from "going home in a soup can" as he put it if a shell found its way to them.

[@BHuang92]

Interesting Fact: The M18 Hellcat chassis served as a basis for the M39 Armored Utility Vehicle (T41), an artillery tractor without a turret. Not only did it carry ammunition but also served as armoured ambulances and troop transport. It was deployed in wide use in the Korean War most notably in the Battle of Imjin River. Its vulnerabilities however was its open top which the crew was exposed to enemy fire as demonstrated in Imjin River where several T41 were lost.

[@teslashark]

It's basically an American kangaroo! The T-35 215 in War Thunder is the only Chinese/Korean side tank that took part in the battle you mentioned.

[@faatihh1130]

I think the german use them too right after ww2 right?

[@bobmetcalfe9640]

I remember reading - I think in Anthony Beevor's book about the Battle of the Bulge, that the M 18 crews knew how to fight German tanks, particularly on the defensive - i.e. shoot and scoot, but senior officers from other branches wouldn't let them do it their way, because they sort of thought of them as tanks.

[@aaronjohn6586]

Truly impressive you finding both historical and movie scenes to illustrate the points you make about the hellcat.

[@missingoperators7113]

Man finds everything

[@BobSmith-dk8nw]

One of the problems with the early days of tanks was that they tended to have a lot of different versions that were optimized to do different things. The problem with that was that when some one needed "A Tank" they got whatever was near at hand - regardless of whether it was optimized for that role. Tank Destroyers had been created by the US as an answer to the Blitzkrieg. The idea was that you had fast vehicles that could get ahead of an attacking enemy armor unit, get into position and then ambush it. If these vehicles got to play that role - they did fairly well. If they were called on to lead an attack however - their thin armor was a serious problem - but - if that was what they had - that was what they used. Thus - you had "Tank Destroyers" doing infantry support and Medium tanks attacking other tanks. Things could be relatively hard on such as Light Tanks that ended up engaging enemy vehicles that were out of their weight class. But - if that was what they had at hand - that was what they used. The post war result of all that was the"Main Battle Tank" concept - where you had one tank - and it did everything. .

[@djnotnice108]

I’m fairly certain the Germans had the concept of a tank destroyer way before the Blitzkrieg even happened

[@BreakerXXIV]

@@djnotnice108 I don't think they're saying they created Tank Destroyers first but that Americans created their own TD's to counter the blitzkrieg. As German TD's and American Td's were wildly different in design

[@donaldkellar459]

My late Uncle Glen was a scout in the I & R platoon of the 338th Infantry Regiment/US 85th Infantry Division in Italy in 1944/45. A few years before he died, he told me a war story: His team was advancing down a road in northern Italy and encountered a German antitank gun deployed near a farm building. He radioed for support, and was told a "tank" was being sent to assist. Expecting an M4/M4A1, they saw an unfamiliar tracked vehicle coming down the road. Thinking it was a German tank, his team took cover by the roadside. The vehicle stopped, and Glen saw that it had a white star on the turret. Glen approached the vehicle, and explained the situation to the CO. The "tank" fired two shells at the German AT gun, and knocked it out. I fetched on of my armor books, and showed him photos of various US AFVs from WW2. He identified the M18 as the vehicle.

[@patriotenfield3276]

some other users of M18 Hellcats are the Venezuelans and The Hellenic Army (Greek Army). from Wikipedia :- The Greek Army received 127 M18s from 1952-1954. Initially, these were organized in three Tank Destroyer Regiments numbered 397, 398 and 399. In 1959 the Tank Destroyer Regiments were reorganized in three Tank Destroyer Battalions with the same numbers. Most of the M18s were retired by the end of the 1960s, but a few remained in service until the mid-1970s for training. The hulls of the M18s were dismantled and the turrets were used as gun emplacements on the northern borders of Greece and the Aegean islands. One M18 is preserved in the Greek Army Tank Museum. The Venezuelan military operated M18s beginning in 1954, when they purchased 40. They were refurbished in 1983-1984, and at least one was heavily modernized by a Yugoslavian firm in the 1990s, but it is unclear if more conversions took place.

[@derf-vr1fc]

Thanks for the video: I just bought a Tamiya M18 and was just looking for references.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Happy modeling!

[@derf-vr1fc]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq Thanks again

[@Perfusionist01]

Hi Johnny! Don't forget the classic 1949 movie "Battleground"! The M18 is seen briefly in a couple scenes, but they are historically correct as at least one battalion of M18s supported the 101st Airborne during the defense of Bastogne in December 1944. A lot of print ink and internet space has been used about the US Tank Destroyer doctrine and equipment, but the M18 did represent the vehicle the founders of the force wanted, quick, well-armed, excellent visibility. M19s and other TDs were forced into other uses, such as infantry-support assault guns or mobile artillery. IF the Tank Destroyers had lasted, the M19 would probably have been the primary vehicle. There was one M18 that was experimentally fitted with the turret and 90mm gun of the M36. Supposedly worked well, but there was a LOT of rocking if the 90mm was fired straight to the side! The ex-Yigoslavian M18s are the basis for many of the restored vehicles held by collectors in the US and Europe. The M18 was not common in private hands until the break up of Yugoslvia into different regions who all seemed to want to shoot at each other. When US and European forces went in the various militia groups were disarmed and a big batch of M18s, M36s, etc became available for purchase. Many were carefully restored to WW2 condition. There was even one (or more) that had "live" 76mm guns. In 2015 two men were killed in Orgeon while firing home-loaded live ammo from an M18 (not the tank's fault, but the reloader's). One trivia about the M18, the engine was mounted on a "tray" that allowed it to be moved out of the rear of the hull for maintenance or replacement.

[@Perfusionist01]

Johnny, at 2:50 you spelled it as "Muzzle break", but it is "muzzle BRAKE". The device is intended to retard excess movement of the gun, so it's a BRAKE.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

@@Perfusionist01 dang! Good spot! Sorry I'm a one man crew so I usually have a few mistakes during the editing process =/

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

@@Perfusionist01 And thanks for the excellent additional info :)

[@johngetty3839]

Thanks for mentioning Battleground with it's short view of an M18. It took me years of watching that movie to figure out what it was. One of my favorite films.

[@BeefyRider]

1949's Battleground features some footage of WWII-era Hellcats defending Bastogne and is well worth the watch. Supposedly, the Hellcats could reach speeds of up to 70 MPH with their speed limiters removed and would beat Jeeps in drag races. Although I can't recall where I read that.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

A real Demolition Derby....

[@Foomba]

I really enjoy 1949's Battleground every time I watch it.

[@garfieldsmith332]

@@Foomba Great film.

[@Geniusinventor]

Man, we can all agree that the M18 commander is a chad and has Balls of pure homogeneous armour to sit on there. And if you play war thunder you know these famous words; Attack the D point

[@bigblue6917]

Balls of pure homogeneous armour. That explains the metallic clinking sound when he walks.

[@patriotenfield3276]

WOTB.

[@Geniusinventor]

@@bigblue6917 he can bounce Light MGs too

[@patriotenfield3276]

Some Interesting M18 Yugoslavian facts:- During the Yugoslav wars , All the 3 major factions 1) The Serb led JNA and paramilitaries in Krajina and Repulika Srpska (VRS/SAO/Arkans) ( + Montenegro territorial defense forces ) 2)The Croats led HVO-HOS-territorial defense forces 3) The Bosnian led ARBiH + Albanian volunteers were all major users of M18 Hellcat and M36 Jackson.Since the M18 and M36 were really good deal in AT Role and Indirect fire support (and Yugoslavia had lack of decent SPHs ) ,these old vehicles were preffered. plus their 76.2mm and 90mm gun (The 76.2mm NATO gun was way effective and larger than their Soviet 76.2 mm variant ) enough to knock most lightly armored vehicles , bunkers and even a T-55 from the side and rear. For added protection (myth to me) against thermal detection and other shaped rounds (Yugoslav have RPG-2 , RB-M57 rucni bacac , M79 OSA and M80 zolja instead of RPG-7 (only Bosnians used RPG-7 and that too Type 69 Chinese clone) , all factions used Rubber sheets , cement bags and metal grills ) specially the thin rubber sheets. Also they have some really crazy conversions taht for an instance I thought they were even using Panzer IVs with spaced armor (PZIV AusM and PZ-IVG) The Bosnians , since they were the lagging party of the Yugoslav wars with little to no armor in the beginning , make a Hybrid self propelled gun by fitting an M18 Turret in a T-54/55 Hull . The Serbs of Krajina (Krajina Serb defense forces) used the turret of both M18 Hellcat and M-36 Jackson in their famous "Krajina Express" armored Train which were used extensively in sieges. For anyone who needs more authentic sources, They can visit both Tank encyclopedia and most importantly search in Google using information from JMantime videos. Jmantime has done many excellent videos about rare weapons used worldwide , including numerous ones in Yugoslavia (during the kingdom time , WW1 , WW2, Cold war , Yugoslav split up, Kosovo war, NATO invasion of FR Yugoslavia) . The Serbian RTS productions also have some video archives. also a good source is the good ole Balkan Turbo Folk music where many songs were made even on weapons and ofcourse most of the songs have the M18 and M36 jackson as cameo . Also AP have some videos on them. including a voluntarily Serbian retreat from Kosovo which also included M36 Jackson and M18 Hellcat. passing by Challenger tanks. Also Yugoslav M18 Hellcat and M36 Jacksons were modified to use T-54/55 Engines instead . To All my Balkan Brothers, Please be Brothers .

[@survivor686]

7:52 - wait a second - is that SCOTT STERLING!

[@patriotenfield3276]

Some Interesting Yugoslav facts about Croatia: Croatia was the only faction in the war that used mostly American vehicles from the beginning till the end . They were the only faction to have all M47 Pattons of the JNA under the control of the territorial defense forces of Croatian SR . They also have a large number of Captured T-54/55 and also later got a large stock of Ex-NVA DDR/GDR T-54/55 stocks . Operation Storm is still one of my favorite massive military campaign so far ( despite it also came with the genocide and expulsion of Serbian Krajina population, but they had it it coming anyways ) .

[@firingallcylinders2949]

One of my favorite AFVs of WWII

[@patriotenfield3276]

More interesting facts about the M36 Jackson:- Both Iraq and Iran also was a major user of Major users of M36 Jackson and the Iranians especially. because Iran lacked armor seriously , and they are still high on religious fanaticism, (Plus they also fought a war for survival of half of Iran ) they literally threw everything at the Iraqis they got their hand on, including 75mm fitted M4A1 Shermans too. The Jacksons were also involved.

[@patriotenfield3276]

Also Iran received about 55-60 M18 Hellcats but their fates are uncertain.

[@panzerivausfg4062]

I watched The Void some months ago in KZbin with a little potato quality but it was a very good movie and the use of real M18s and the excellent Panzer III mock-ups made it even better

[@eamonnclabby7067]

Totally agree...

[@hschan5976]

What were the panzer iii mockups made from?

[@TheGV50]

Great video Johnny! In one my favorite WW2 movies Battleground (1949) W/Van Johnson & James Whitmore A few M18's were used In the defense of Bastogne!

[@patriotenfield3276]

Also Italy was one of a few lesser known users of the M18 Hellcat . It served under the designated name of "Cannone da 76/52 Semovente M18" and most likely it served till Mid 60s. Also There also exists a Super for everything in America. From Pershing to Pershing From Sherman to Super Sherman. Of course hellcat is not an exception too. Super hellcat saw service in Italy during WW2 . And it still sees service in WOT as Tier VII Premium Tank Destroyer . Also for very good Details on Hellcat checkout it's respective article on tank encyclopedia and support their work.

[@billsilver6429]

Going head to head with Panthers and Tigers, with no option to "Button up", that took real courage.

[@jackstecker5796]

There were a bunch of Hellcats sent to Taiwan after WW2. If memory serves, they replaced the turrets, and redesignated them M-46, or something like that.

[@lebenlarge5282]

they took the m42 duster body and put a m18 turret on it

[@scottkrater2131]

I've never seen the 7 Man army, probably won't since they have American vehicles with Japanese markings. But the battle scene with the sword guy reminded me of Raiders of the Lost Ark. When the sword swinging assassin tries to kill Indiana Jones, Jones is supposed to fight him with his whip. But Harrison Ford wasn't feeling well, so he just pulled his pistol and shot him. The director kept it. Seems the Japanese would have done the same in real life, instead of trying to bayonet the guy with the sword.

[@airplanemaniacgaming7877]

Lol.

[@BigboiiTone]

I wasn't even really aware this was a vehicle until I played that game and used the heck out of it. I'll be keeping an eye out for it if I watch these movies

[@patriotenfield3276]

Also cool Yugoslav facts :- The Yugoslav M18 Hellcat and M36 Jacksons were modified to use T-54/55 Engines instead . for Logistics off course .

[@Joshua_N-A]

Any record of how fast the Hellcat can go?

[@julesbenedictcatalan4904]

We have Patton tanks as German panzers, now we have M18 tanks standing in as Japanese Chi-Ha!

[@inductivegrunt94]

The M18 was the quintessential glass cannon of the American Tank Corps, but it may be a glass cannon but it was a powerful cannon that Tigers kneel to.

[@hschan5976]

At least it has a turret unlike the Marders used by the germans

[@jonathanzobel1662]

Thanks for giving the Saints and Soldier films a look! Fun fact one of the M18s can be seen in the previous film at the very end. The driver having been less experienced actually crushes a few crates in the background.

[@Orangefan77]

I can't remember the name of the movie, but there's a WW2 infantry movie in the Pacific somewhere that at the very end the infantry forces are relieved by M18 forces. I remember that the infantry leader is collecting the dog tags of all the fallen men of his platoon or company (I forget how big the force is), and at the end his pant leg is all ripped because of a leg wound. I know the M18s were authentic wartime footage though.

[@ak9989]

We had a m18 sitting out in front of my armor battalion headquarters along with an M24. Of course owned by the US Army

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Very cool!

[@reform-revolution]

loved the Hellcat for years now ever since I first saw it in an old video game and discovered it was a fast tank buster

[@sabrecatsmiladon7380]

Against German tanks I'd rather depend on speed than armor protection of the M10. The downfall- you better hope you are in terrain where one can use that speed

[@HandyMan657]

I'm gonna have to cool it with watching when I can't play war thunder straight away. Another informative vid man, thanks. Another cool low budget flick was 84 Charlie Mopic.

[@YOUSEFTECALB]

The Liberator tor showed just how vulnerable tank destroyers were from mines and heavy weapons.

[@brothercaptainwarhammer]

The M18 Hellcat was my Second Favorite Tank Destroyer, After the M10 Wolverine, its Certainly a Blast to use in World of Tanks and Quite the Nimble and Good TD for its Tier, it is also a Nice Unit for Ambush Tactics and Hit and Run Attacks in Company of Heroes! Certainly a Cat from Hell both in War Time and in Games, especially in the Hands of a Skilled and Effective Crew, these Feline Hunters are sure to Give the Enemy a Bad Day. There should be More Movies with M18s in it, even atleast as a Cameo of Some sort. Informative and Enjoyable as always Johnny! Thank you for Tackling one of my Favorite US Armored Vehicles/Tanks! Keep up the Amazing Work, my Friend!

[@gooraway1]

Another excellent video Johnny

[@mbryson2899]

Great content as usual, Johnny! I imagine you using the Ludovico Technique to pore over a zillion movies so you can find these gems for us. 😉

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Civilised my syphilised yarbles

[@eamonnclabby7067]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq yikes....!!

[@aaronluisdelacruz4212]

Tbh, i feel that the M18 is underrated especially when its a tiger killer.

[@ThommyofThenn]

Truly a shame this fine vehicle is so rare to see in media. I didn't even know this existed until I started using it in a game. Now I realise how faithfully the M18 served in WW2 AND beyond.

[@uprebel5150]

At the small Buick museum in Flint, Michigan is a M18 that was driven right there from the GM plant in Grand Blanc and never used. Definitely worth a visit.

[@goat1176]

I did not realize that Saints and Soldiers has that one actor from studio C.

[@patriotenfield3276]

Hello Johny. Some Interesting facts about M18 Hellcat and it's inseparable role with Yugoslavia. Following the Tito Stalin split in 1948 , Yugoslavia seeked to have some good old allied Armor against the aggression of Soviet union. which the US , France and UK agreed to. Under Informbiro period till the death of Stalin Yugoslavia received 1)M18 Hellcat 2)M36 Jackson 3)M4A1E6 and M4A3E4 shermans 4)M8 Greyhound 5)M3 Scout car 6)M3 and M5 Half track 7)M47 Patton 8)M15 Half track 9)Willys MB Jeep beside that Yugoslavia already have a tons of captured German vehicles and soviet vehicles Now while most of the vehicles i mentioned will be soon retired in favor of newer soviet and western inspired indigenious tech following good relations with the soviet , however three will still remain in active service of the JNA (The M18 Hellcat, The M36 Jackson, and the M47 Patton) . when all hell broke loose in Yugoslavia in 1990s , All the 3 major factions of the war The Serb led JNA and paramilitaries ( + Montenegro ) The Croats led HVO-HOS-territorial forces The Bosnian led ARBiH + Albanian volunteers were all major users of M18 Hellcat and M36 Jackson.Since the M18 and M36 were really good deal in AT Role and Indirect fire support (and Yugoslavia had lack of decent SPHs ) ,these old vehicles were preffered. plus their 76.2mm and 90mm gun (The 76.2mm NATO gun was way effective and larger than their Soviet 76.2 mm variant ) enough to knock most lightly armored vehicles , bunkers and even a T-55 from the side and rear. For added protection (myth to me) against thermal detection and other shaped rounds (Yugoslav have RPG-2 , RB-M57 rucni bacac , M79 OSA and M80 zolja instead of RPG-7 (only Bosnians used RPG-7 and that too Type 69 Chinese clone) , all factions used Rubber sheets , cement bags and metal grills ) specially the thin rubber sheets. Also they have some really crazy conversions The Bosnians , since they were the lagging party of the Yugoslav wars with little to no armor in the beginning , make a Hybrid self propelled gun by fitting an M18 Turret in a T-54/55 Hull The Serbs of Krajina (Krajina Serb defense forces) used the turret of both M18 Hellcat and M-36 Jackson in their famous "Krajina Express" armored Train which were used extensively in sieges. To All my Balkan Brothers, Please be Brothers .

[@robertking2580]

An M18 was featured in the mini-series "Waco" on Paramount.

[@TallDude73]

Great video, thanks.

[@rolfagten857]

Dear Johnny Look, I thought the Saints and soldiers the void (2014) was a bit like Band of brothers in terms of narrative structure and background music. But in the movies: Wasco (2018) and Paisa (1946) this Hellcat also appears.

[@mr_ThreeEight_1776]

"The most recognizable anerican tank destroyer" M10: am i a joke to you?

[@homie8437]

It's really fascinating how the M18 got pumped up so much while workhorses like the M4 got done dirty by the History Channel. It was an oddball design, and it represented the stubbornness of the TD Branch in having a fast light TD no matter what the feedback in the field was. The M36 very quickly became the preferred TD as it had a gun that could handle the Panther (something the 76mm struggled with), more armor than the M18 and the much more reliable and powerful Ford GAA powerplant. The M18 is a fascinating vehicle but tanks fought cross country, not on roads. Flat road speed was not something that frequently factored into tank-on-tank combat.

[@pendantblade6361]

Everyone wake up new Johnny video

[@geordiedog1749]

I love the wee Japanese flags on the M18s - just so you’re sure they’re the bad guys. Great video. I must admit I thought only about the M10s. I forgot about the 18s.

[@patriotenfield3276]

JSDF / JGSDF really have M18 Hellcats as their primary TD . They were retired quickly as the Type 61 Medium tank entered into service.

[@patriotenfield3276]

Some more interesting facts about Japan and it's relation with M18 Hellcat. Japan did get a lot of M18 Hellcat alongside Chaffees and M4AE38 76mm Shermans. They were primarily used as AT Gun (Shoot and Scoot tactics ) and despite the speed impressed the JGSDF , the armor was something they were really disappointed with (well ,It was a TD after all, supposed to ambush tanks not fight them head on) . Last Time in M24 Chaffee video I forgot to mention , but I will do it here. either from the Hellcat or from the Chaffee , The Type 56 105mm Self propelled gun prototype was created which was similar in appearance to the M37 105mm howitzer motor gun carriage "Priest" . From that chassis The Type 60 APC was born.

[@patriotenfield3276]

Oh my how could I forget the M41 Walker bulldogs and M42 Duster SPAAGs.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

@@patriotenfield3276 Man you need a channel! You always impress me

[@patriotenfield3276]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq Thanks man. But I find helping others more merrier.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

@@patriotenfield3276 well I'm happy to have your help then!

[@ak9989]

When I was younger a Korean War vet, my dad's friend, owned a m39 that he used to take us hunting in the Rockies And lmao, shoot the sword guy! That movie is so 😆LOL

[@kenc9236]

Awesome channel JJ.

[@StarsAndSnipes344]

This is the Hellcat I mean when people ask what I want to drive, this one or the F6F…..or the Dodge one too. Heck anything with the title Hellcat is just cool

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Damn rights

[@SomeRandomHuman717]

Designed and assembled by the Buick Division of General Motors. Amazing levels of serviceability built into the design, what you'd expect from mass production automobile engineers---the engine slid out the back on rails as did the transmission in the front. They avoided the Sherman's high profile by installing a transfer case to lower the driveshaft that runs under the turret. Notable for the first employment in an armored combat vehicle of a torque-converter equipped automatic transmission (M5 Stuarts had automatics but no torque converter). The torque converter along with the high power to weight ratio really allowed the M18 to accelerate from a standing start like no other armored vehicle of the time. One tank destroyer battalion commander wrote in an after-action report that the M18 was like a polo pony, not only fast but amazingly nimble and agile, which greatly meshed with American TD doctrine and tactics that emphasized "shoot and scoot."

[@Will-sq3ip]

So, let’s review: German tank destroyers (like the StuG III) don’t have a rotating turret and is vulnerable on the sides but have a powerful gun, strong armor, and smaller profile or height. American tank destroyers (like the M18 Hellcat) have a rotating turret with a gun powerful than most US tanks but has weak armor and higher profile. Require the right ammo and range to take out heavy German tanks. It seems they had to sacrifice something for better advantages such as speed and power. Otherwise, either tanks would’ve too big, heavy, and slow; more susceptible to enemy attack.

[@MrLolx2u]

I'm giving 2 fun facts. (Well.. One was more brutal but aaaanyway) Fun fact 1: The fact that the M18 resembles German armour was actually, correct. In fact, the whole issue got escalated up during the Battle of the Bulge into a big mess on both sides. So with Germany getting pinched on both sides and the Allies advance thru France was rapid, their supply lines got bogged down very quickly and hence their push to the Rhine got delayed which resulted in a tense lull during the winter while Patton's army and the entire US forces in France await more supplies to arrive before pushing. Sensing this, Hitler and a few of his top brass generals came up with a plan to bamboozle the Americans in Bastogne and towns across the Ardennes with their own forces disguised as US troops and gain intel or wreck havoc by sabotaging supplies and comm lines. They could bunch up uniforms or make them easily but one thing the Wermacht and the OKW (Oberkormmando "Vest" (West in German) soon realized was that they lacked American vehicles to disguise as a proper American troop. Somehow, they realized too that the Panther tanks that they had resembles the M10 Wolverine and M18 Hellcat tank destroyers respectively thus they soon came up with a bright idea to slap some metal pieces onto some Panther tanks, paint it the color scheme of the US Armour Corp, stick the military star on it and roll it towards Allied lines, disguising as a "stuck US Armour that pushed too much and now coming back for supplies" or simply as a FAO (Forward Armour Observatory, a role often given to light tanks and the rapid M18 Hellcat), falling back. Ruse worked as on record, these tanks did destroy at least a dozen of trucks and at least 5 tanks before the ruse got caught by the US forces and promptly destroyed or even captured. "Ersatz" basically meant "Imitation" which fits the specturm of what the Germans did to the counterfeit "M10/M18" as from the naked eye, without properly looking at it, it does resemble the US tank destroyers but once it gets close, soon people would realize that it's wider than the US TDs and also, it came with a freaking roof which both TDs at that time lacked. Fun fact 2: When the US was in Italy, they soon noticed that despite how strong their 76mm guns were on the M10 Wolverine TDs, the guns were not punchy enough for certain bunkers and worse still, seem to still be struggling with the Tiger I tanks that they faced in Morocco and the same thing was echoing from the British who had them too and the reports were identical. The US had just pushed out the M18 Hellcat with also the 76mm gun but still, the US Armour Corp still wasn't satisfied and they knew they needed a bigger gun thus they redrew a plan to have a gun carriage that could mount the 90mm gun and thus, they redrew it into the M36 Jackson in mid-1942. Various issues soon appeared but eventually, it was pushed into service in June 1944 and it became a reality that the US Ground Forces in Europe finally had something that they can bust Tigers and Panthers with reliably. Also, to prevent it from getting shrapnel and grenaded by dashing infantry with grenades and even mortars which was a massive concern from the companies with the other two TDs, they finally sealed the top up with a 1cm thick steel panel. M36 was great and arrived in France in September 1944 and reequipped 2 entire battalions with it immediately and the M36 also became the tank that had the longest killshot ever recorded during WWII when 2 separate records were made with the 814th Tank Destroyer Battalion with one of the record being as far as over 4km. M36 and M18 would soon see action post-war at Korea too and both tanks could destroy any Soviet armour reliably but the crew still prefer the M36 for it's bigger gun and now with a sealed top, protected from Soviet mortar and artillery attacks and most importantly, sealed them from the elements such as the cold.

[@crazeemunkee]

There's me again at 2:00 and 3:38, lol. 2nd from the camera crouching with the MP40

[@natejones902]

So many stories to tell about the hellcat, so get a coffee this is gonna take a min. I first remember the M18 on the news in the Bosnia Civil War in the 1990s. Back in 2000 the Americans in Wartime Museum aquire an M18. She was a brought back from Bosnia. In the 90s Clinton put a ban on importing WWII US tanks. So collectors got around the ban in the 90s when the M36s and M18 came out of Bosnia by noting on the import paperwork they were "motor gun carriages" which is what they were originally classified as. When it arrived it still had RPG hit holes in the front and rear of the turret. She was ground up restored and I got to ride in her on her premier event. They left the rear RPG hole in the turret. Very small hole tbh. In the mid 2000s I meet a Hellcat commander and had a good talk with him. One story he had was they got a new platoon commander. So Mr Leyte said "I was gonna get my own hellcat, so I moved to the other side of the turret and and the new commander took over. He said later that day we got hit by an 88. Round came through the gunners side of the turret, killed him and the new commander. All I remember was a flash and bang and then coming too next to the hellcat. The turret was blown off and 2 black medics picked me up. Which was interesting cause the army was segregated. I then passed out and then woke up in the hospital. All they ever found of the new commander was the top of his skull." He then told me he had a soviet pistol he took off a german officer who took it from a soviet officer. He started on the M3 Lee tanks. Well hope you all enjoyed. Thanks Johnny!

[@will_bill6663]

why are you uploading a vid this late? and why AM i up this late? its like 1:30am for me

[@felixbui9818]

timezones are a thing

[@will_bill6663]

@@felixbui9818 ik but hes based in canada

[@dougalbadger4918]

It’s 09:39am in the uk

[@felixbui9818]

@@will_bill6663 ohh

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Shift worker family in my house so my schedule is usually a mess plus we have a good thunder storm going here at the moment.

[@jackthunderbolt4307]

louis lamour (yes, THAT louis lamour) was a tank destroyer commander. i wonder if his ride was a hellcat?

[@DavidCowie2022]

"Remember that Saints and Soldiers is a low budget production." They clearly couldn't afford full colour.

[@greenlin8794]

I had ever enlisted as tank gunshooter M18 hellcat in 1974 ~ 1975 Taiwan !! It's deep impression !!!

[@renegadeleader1]

Clicked on video and the first clip is from Seven Man Army... Oh dear god this is gonna be good!

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Kung fu AND Hellcats? A winning combination

[@renegadeleader1]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq Don't forget the stick grenades! Hundreds and hundreds of stick grenades!

[@patriotenfield3276]

Some more interesting facts about Republic of China/ Taiwan as well as China and their relation with M18 Hellcat. The Republic of China Army (defending Taiwan, the Penghus, Kinmen and Matsu after 1950) used the M18 Hellcat (a total of 214 vehicles) in front-line service from 1952-1971. About 214- 218 were received and were salvaged in the 70s. Some M18 Hellcat turrets were fitted in the M42 Duster SPAAG (chassis based on M41 Walker bulldog) to create the Type 64 Tank destroyer . Any WOTB Player will understand the mixed feelings of having a Type 64 also :- The ROC Army did use the following U.S.-built "gun motor carriages" as follows: M-7: Used 1954-1967 (total of 90). M-8: Purchased in 1948, but arrived in Taiwan and used only there 1949-1963 (total of 257). M-10: A number were purchased in 1948 by the ROC Armor Command along with other US AFVs such as the M5A1 and LVT-4, ironically without their armament; others were probably delivered later (total postulated at 53). Another 34 (estimated) with original armament were only used on Taiwan--lack of ammunition precluded their use in the Civil War. Twelve were employed during the May 1949 defense of Shanghai against the PLA, equipped with 105mm howitzers taken from ex-IJA Type 38 field artillery; these were evacuated to Taiwan. M-36: Eight were procured in 1955. All eight employed on Kinmen Island during the "August 23" 1958 artillery campaign; the M-36 unit lost two men KIA.

[@Rusty_Gold85]

Those first 2 clips are so bad they looked like they were filmed in a studio. Reminds me not to play War Thunder simulations

[@Will-sq3ip]

This reminds me of a thought I have. A not-too-old tank that is slow but stronger armor and firepower vs. a newer tank that is faster in speed and rate of fire but with weak firepower and armor. I can’t tell which it’s better; both have their own benefits depending on the circumstance or condition.

[@grikkajunior]

So basically a late is series tank versus a modern ifv like a warrior without atgms?

[@thefury4424]

@@grikkajunior that wasn’t basic…lol

[@mansourbellahel-hajj5378]

the m18 hellcat was a tank destroyer meaning that it was armed a special gun that can penetrate a heavy armor and the hellcat was by all means a state-of-the-art tank destroyer and what made the US one of the best countries to produce the tank destroyers is that it's hull can be rotated without the driver unlike the other factions in ww2

[@postpwnmalone]

man when you look at kill/loss ratios of World War 2 vehicles you can only imagine all the destruction and death on both sides

[@spartagaming3404]

My great grandfather’s uncle was an M18 Hellcat driver.

[@deanstuart8012]

It was my grandparents generation who fought the war. You've just made me feel very old. 😉

[@miranha_boliviano]

My great grandfather's cousin was his tank

[@sabrecatsmiladon7380]

Gimme the m36 Jackson with that 90mm gun!

[@theannihilator9167]

As always nice vid! How about now the other Hellcat? ;) The flying one, the F6F...? :D

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Absolutely on my list

[@fifthcrusade4607]

the Hellcat is so cool my favorite tank destroyer

[@sincereeastman6972]

omg those Japanese M18’s at the start of the video, they just gave me an idea what to do in War Thunder 😂

[@infernoking7504]

Ive been up to a hellcat in florida they said it was from Vietnam I can't remember specifically

[@Joe-ch6mu]

took me a long time to realize the top was wide open on this thing

[@jjthesheep]

The M18 Hellcat is my Favourite Speedy Little Goober, Even though it has Thin Armor, It can go up to 55 MPH on Road.

[@petergray7576]

The M18 in 7 Man Army (1976) summarized: Japanese Soldier: We're using open top armored vehicles?! That's dangerous! Japanese Officer: Quit your moaning! What is the enemy going to do, toss an unending supply of stick grenades into the turrets? Nobody has THAT many grenades!

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

That about sums it up lol

[@theanimalguy7]

Don’t forget to assign the most ignorant gunners on top

[@bongodrumzz]

Nice one Johnny, well done. So an idea for a future video which might just interest you? How about doing a piece on KG-200? Now should I say anymore? Naaah see for yourself ..

[@Ruki1411]

that "7man army" look fun lol

[@tommykaung5882]

Seeing M18s with Japanese flags ... Me: Oh this must be an old Japanese movie about Kaiju or something. Seeing Nationalist Chinese Uniform... Me:I have several questions...

[@patriotenfield3276]

You don't need to. In chinese TV dramas they even used old Type 62 light tanks with barrel sawed off as Japanese tanks.

[@jnik_3234]

Do you think you could make an video about the ju52? It shows up in some nice movies like valkyrie and is a beautiful historic airplane wich doesnt get much attention.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Yes I love the ju52! Absolutely will make one in the near future.

[@jnik_3234]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq sounds great.

[@eamonnclabby7067]

@@JohnnyJohnsonEsq The ANZAC and British defenders of Crete wrecked quite a few Ju52,s ,

[@dingdongyo6018]

You are not Lebeef (claymore.) Great video all the same!

[@jayrey5390]

I think I just love your voice Johnny, I'll listen to you talk about anything 😅 😊

[@jodiarthur2448]

And thank you

[@brealistic3542]

Actually from what I have read the Hellcat ammo load out was hypervelocity rounds as standard kit. Only the Hellcat had this loadout.

[@11B30Inf]

This is one of many reasons why I don't watch any Hollywood movies that cut cost by using American tanks as enemy vehicles. HBO Bands of Brothers and Pacific did have or made authentic enemy tanks and amor vehicles.

[@t-90atank35]

Its my favorite ww2 tanks 2nd to a sherman and a pz4

[@Jermster_91]

An M18 Hellcat and Leopard 1 make an appearance in the Waco series, about the 1993 Waco Siege, although it is a anachronism. I suppose they are supposed to represent American government vehicles used during the siege such as the M1 Abrams or M728 Combat Engineer Vehicle.

[@AwesomeNinja1027]

I think I saw something like that in a video clip from an old TV show called The A-Team. Not sure if it's the Hellcat though or another tank.

[@anonymousdictator]

or, as I like to refer to it, the M18 HellYEAH

[@toasty8599]

Talking about the features of the Hellcat while that goofy ass War Thunder gameplay goes on in the background at 3:19 is hilarious.

[@DakotaofRaptors]

My favourite WoT vehicle

[@tannertaylor9432]

The weirdest and oddest appearance of the M18 was in the Waco docudrama There's two of them if I remember correctly

[@broadside5994]

Actually not the fastest armored vehicle or WW2, that title would rather go to the german sdkfz 234 also known as the Puma, its 8 wheels could make it move really fast.

[@JohnnyJohnsonEsq]

Yes true. Fastest tracked. Should have clarified. The Puma would be a fun vehicle to review.

[@waltuh11121]

7 man army looks like a "bruh moment" movie

[@Osbdisbvakdbsnfkab]

nice

[@robertfogelberg7538]

Thank i ölove it