Comparing: M8A1 vs. Marder 38T vs. SU-85B

The vehicle was intended as a self-propelled infantry support gun on the basis of the M5 tank. The M8A1 variant featured a modified turret and upgraded armament. From September 1943 through January 1944 a total of 1778 vehicles were manufactured.

Developed on the basis of the Pz.Kpfw. 38 (t) tank. Either a Pak 40 or Pak 36(r) gun was mounted in a cabin with an open top and back. The vehicle entered service at the end of 1942. This tank destroyer was mass-produced until the middle of 1944 and was used until the end of the war.

In April-May of 1943, the SU-85B tank destroyer designed by the Gorky Automobile Plant underwent trials. The vehicle was a modernization of the SU-85A and featured the artillery LB-2 gun, 160-hp engine, and SU-76M chassis. The cabin, drive wheels, and spare parts kits were redesigned. Only one prototype was built.