War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

F-4E Phantom II

2022-01-12T16:12:28Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]]. This twin-engine aircraft is powered by two General Electric J79-GE-17 jets, each producing an incredible 8,010 kgf on maximum afterburner. This multi-role vehicle is among the top fighter jets in the game and a supremely capable ground attacker.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,097 || 2,074 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 27.5 || 160.8 || 151.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,202 || 2,140 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 221.6 || 190.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-4E Phantom II deploying drogue chute.png|right|thumb|420x420px|A ROKAF F-4E Phantom II from to 153th Combat Squadron deploying its drogue chute for landing]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 607 || 584 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-17 || 2
| colspan="2" | 14,205 kg || colspan="2" | 408 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
|-
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 15,964 kg || 18,027 kg || 20,069 kg || 24,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,200 kgf || 8,010 kgf
| 1.00 || 0.89 || 0.80 || 0.67
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,200 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,170 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.27 || 1.13 || 1.01 || 0.85
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


The survivability features of the {{PAGENAME}} have grown compared to its [[F-4C Phantom II|predecessor]] with an armour plate and missile countermeasures attached.

By this stage in the high-rank battles, all the fuel tanks are self-sealing. While this will assist with any fuel tank punctures from machine gun calibre weapons, the presence of fast-firing autocannons and missiles mean that these self-sealing tanks are only an accessory to the overall survival of the aircraft.

The addition of an armour plate is a minor benefit as it is only an 8.5 mm steel plate just below the forward fuel tank in the fuselage. This is only thick enough to block a glancing shot to the fuselage. Its most effective use seems to when the {{PAGENAME}} as it is pulling up from an attack run, as it is in that angle where the armour plate can potentially block any shot threatening the fuselage fuel tanks and engine. However, considering the small size it is made up of and the large plane overall, this armour plate should not be relied upon for the overall survival of the aircraft.

The biggest change from previous version is the countermeasure flares, which are greatly useful at deterring incoming infrared-homing missiles like the [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] or [[R-60|R-60s]]. To utilise the flares, one must turn off their engine afterburners to eliminate that as a significant source of heat, deploy the flares in a suitable manner, then bank away from the flares to that the missile lock onto the remaining heat source rather than the plane's engine.

A survivability feature shared with its predecessor is the Radar Warning Receiver (RWR). The RWR will ping the player in the source of any incoming radar scans, and will also notify if the radar source have achieved a lock-on with the player. Keep an eye on this as it may signify to the player that an enemy semi-active radar homing missile may be launched soon and evasive actions should be taken.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon, chin-mounted (640 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon (640 rpg) + 90 x countermeasures

Due to this cannon's high rate of fire, trigger discipline is a must.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AIM-7E Sparrow|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder|AIM-9J Sidewinder}}
{{main|AGM-12C Bullpup|AGM-62A Walleye I (505 kg)|AGM-65B|GBU-15(V)1/B (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|M61 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 3 x 20 mm M61 cannons (1,200 rpg = 3,600 total)
* 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 11 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (11,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
* 285 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 60 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (6,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (6,000 lb total)
* 171 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 171 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 36 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 36 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon (1,200 rpg)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 11 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (11,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x AGM-65B missiles
* 2 x AGM-65B missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AGM-65B missiles + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs (2,020 kg total)
* 4 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs + 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles (2,020 kg total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs (2,020 kg total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon (1,200 rpg)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 11 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (11,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs + 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles (4,000 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==


The F-4E Phantom II is well-suited for any in-game situation. For attacking ground targets, the plane is armed with an assortment of bombs and rockets, and against air targets, players may employ the vehicle's deadly air-to-air missiles and frontal cannon. If desired, three externally-mounted gunpods may be equipped, but note that these may not be useful in certain situations. Although they will undoubtedly increase the vehicle's destructive capabilities, they also appreciably hinder flight performance through induced drag. In many situations, one front-facing cannon is all that is required to dispatch an opponent aircraft. As for the missiles, the ones used by this plane are among the best in the game, comparable to the [[R-60]] missiles equipped by the [[MiG-21MF (Germany)]] and the [[MiG-21SMT]]. The AIM-9J missiles are most effective when fired from between 1 to 3 km away from the target. Any closer and they will struggle to track and likely veer off target for a miss.

The F-4E has one of the highest rates of climb out of any vehicle in the game. This is however where most of its performance advantages end. Due to its weight, the Phantom has rather mediocre acceleration, and not the best top speed. It is not advised to dogfight anything other than Starfighters and other Phantom variants, as the F-4 has a very poor turn rate. Although the aircraft has better energy retention than most of its opponents, it still bleeds considerable amounts of speed while turning, which can't be regained very quickly due to the aircraft's heavy weight. It also performs quite poorly at low speeds, which is also caused by its weight.

In air realistic battles, it is recommended to take a balanced fuel load of 20 or 30 minutes, depending on how aggressive you fly. The most useful Air RB armament for the F-4E are the 4 AIM-9Js and 4 AIM-7Es. The best strategy is to accelerate to a speed of roughly 900-1100km/h and then zoom climb to altitude (5km or higher), where the pilot should accelerate to the highest speed possible. Lock on to targets with your radar and use your Sparrows to shoot down enemy aircraft when in range. Sparrows should ideally be launched above Mach 1 to take maximum advantage of their range and manoeuvrability. After using up all your sparrows, start using your AIM-9J's at targets below you. The missile will have much easier time following a target which is below it, simply due to gravity helping the missile keep its speed. It is important to note that because of its poor flight characteristics, the Phantom will struggle in one-on-one fights, making it vital to keep your teammates around. The Phantom should target enemies turnfighting its friendlies, as not only the enemy may be distracted and slow, but it provides you a chance to save your teammate, who in turn may down another enemy chasing you later in the match.

Dogfighting should be avoided as much as possible. The Phantom was designed around missiles, so they will naturally be your main way of getting kills, with the gun being a backup weapon for opportune targets. Try to avoid getting into dogfights with MiGs, since most of them will easily be able to outturn and out accelerate you.

;Notable Air RB enemies include:

* MiG-21MF and SMT, which will easily outturn all but the lightest fuel loads with full flaps on an F-4.
* MiG-21bis, which can use its amazing acceleration to catch you in a matter of seconds and evade missiles with flares.
* J35 Draken, which is faster than you by 100km/h and more at low altitudes, and will outmanoeuvre any other aircraft.
* Mirage, which is armed with two of the best infrared missiles in the game, the R.550 Magic, and a long-range radar-guided missile with similar performance to the AIM-7.
* FGR.2, which can out accelerate and outrun you, armed with 4 longer-ranged AIM-9Ds, while also having flares.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* AIM-9J and AIM-7E-2 air-to-air missiles are among the best in the game
* Can carry up to eight missiles, with up to four AIM-9Js and four AIM-7E-2s
* Equipped with flares for evading enemy missiles
* A wide range of suspended armaments, suitable for any play-style
* Deadly frontal armament with high burst mass is practically guaranteed to critically damage an enemy aircraft if hit
* Makes use of a ballistic computer for assisting in the aim of cannons, rockets, and bombs

'''Cons:'''

* Easily and frequently rips wings, especially when doing negative G manoeuvres or rolls
* Limited ammunition in the frontally-mounted cannon
* Large target for aircraft and AA alike
* The weight of the aircraft makes it have a lower turn rate
* Two engines make for a large heat signature, making it harder to dodge missiles
* Rate of climb suffers immensely when carrying large amounts of ordnance

== History ==

[[File:F-4E Phantom.jpg|thumb|400x400px|An F-4E of Holloman Air Force base.]]
The F-4E was initially designed as an incremental upgrade to the standard F-4C airframe used by the US Air Force. The aircraft carried a new radar in a redesigned radome, and more importantly, an internal M61 cannon mounted in the nose. As well, later-production aircraft featured the Agile Eagle upgrade, which gave the Phantom leading edge slats which improved manoeuvrability at the expense of top speed. The addition of an internal cannon was a highly anticipated upgrade, as it fixed a problem that F-4C squadrons faced when operating over Vietnam.

The first F-4Es entered service in the 1960s and were dispatched to serve in Vietnam, where they complemented the existing inventories of F-4C and D variant aircraft. The aircraft type was credited with 21 kills in Vietnam, most of which were achieved using the AIM-7E-2 'Dogfight Sparrow'. Several pilots achieved Ace status while flying the F-4 in Vietnam, including Charles B. DeBellevue, who was the highest-scoring American ace in Vietnam. The F-4 went on to form the backbone of the US fighter force for the bulk of the 1960s and 70s. As well, F-4E was flown by the USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration Team between 1969 and 1974. The large, noisy Phantom performed around the world until 1974, when rising fuel costs forced the Thunderbirds to convert to the smaller T-38 Talon.

The F-4E was exported to a variety of countries. Israel was the largest foreign user of the F-4 Phantom, having purchased 124 F-4 Phantoms from the United States betwen 1971 and 1974; the Israelis were credited with at least 115 kills using the F-4 Phantom during various conflicts. As well, Germany and Japan both procured modified versions of the F-4E, being the F-4F and F-4EJ, respectively. Other notable foreign users of the F-4E include Australia (24 aircraft), Egypt (35 aircraft), Greece (34 aircraft), and Turkey (40 aircraft).

During service, the Phantom gained a number of nicknames, including "Rhino" (referencing its titanium construction and long nose), "Double-Ugly", and even "The world's largest distributor of MiG Parts", referencing the 277 MiGs downed by the Phantom during various conflicts. The USAF retired the aircraft in 1996, and the aircraft was used as a target drone until 2016. The aircraft remains in service with Iran, Japan, South Korea, Greece and Turkey, 62 years after its maiden flight.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=aircraft&vehicleClass=fighter&vehicle=f-4e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|TWT-ETcU_No|'''The Shooting Range #198''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:33 discusses the F-4E Phantom II.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 (Family)]]
* SAAB [[J35D]] ''Draken''
* Dassault [[Mirage IIIC]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/479889-f-4e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}
[[ru:F-4E Phantom II]]

F-4E Phantom II

2022-01-12T16:12:04Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]]. This twin-engine aircraft is powered by two General Electric J79-GE-17 jets, each producing an incredible 8,010 kgf on maximum afterburner. This multi-role vehicle is among the top fighter jets in the game and a supremely capable ground attacker.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,097 || 2,074 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 27.5 || 160.8 || 151.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,202 || 2,140 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 221.6 || 190.0
|-
|}

==== Details ====
[[File:F-4E Phantom II deploying drogue chute.png|right|thumb|420x420px|A ROKAF F-4E Phantom II from to 153th Combat Squadron deploying its drogue chute for landing]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 607 || 584 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-17 || 2
| colspan="2" | 14,205 kg || colspan="2" | 408 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
|-
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 15,964 kg || 18,027 kg || 20,069 kg || 24,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,200 kgf || 8,010 kgf
| 1.00 || 0.89 || 0.80 || 0.67
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,200 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,170 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.27 || 1.13 || 1.01 || 0.85
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


The survivability features of the {{PAGENAME}} have grown compared to its [[F-4C Phantom II|predecessor]] with an armour plate and missile countermeasures attached.

By this stage in the high-rank battles, all the fuel tanks are self-sealing. While this will assist with any fuel tank punctures from machine gun calibre weapons, the presence of fast-firing autocannons and missiles mean that these self-sealing tanks are only an accessory to the overall survival of the aircraft.

The addition of an armour plate is a minor benefit as it is only an 8.5 mm steel plate just below the forward fuel tank in the fuselage. This is only thick enough to block a glancing shot to the fuselage. Its most effective use seems to when the {{PAGENAME}} as it is pulling up from an attack run, as it is in that angle where the armour plate can potentially block any shot threatening the fuselage fuel tanks and engine. However, considering the small size it is made up of and the large plane overall, this armour plate should not be relied upon for the overall survival of the aircraft.

The biggest change from previous version is the countermeasure flares, which are greatly useful at deterring incoming infrared-homing missiles like the [[AIM-9J Sidewinder|Sidewinders]] or [[R-60|R-60s]]. To utilise the flares, one must turn off their engine afterburners to eliminate that as a significant source of heat, deploy the flares in a suitable manner, then bank away from the flares to that the missile lock onto the remaining heat source rather than the plane's engine.

A survivability feature shared with its predecessor is the Radar Warning Receiver (RWR). The RWR will ping the player in the source of any incoming radar scans, and will also notify if the radar source have achieved a lock-on with the player. Keep an eye on this as it may signify to the player that an enemy semi-active radar homing missile may be launched soon and evasive actions should be taken.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon, chin-mounted (640 rpg)
** 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon (640 rpg) + 90 x countermeasures

Due to this cannon's high rate of fire, trigger discipline is a must.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AIM-7E Sparrow|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9E Sidewinder|AIM-9J Sidewinder}}
{{main|AGM-12C Bullpup|AGM-62A Walleye I (505 kg)|AGM-65B|GBU-15(V)1/B (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|M61 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 3 x 20 mm M61 cannons (1,200 rpg = 3,600 total)
* 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 11 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (11,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
* 285 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 60 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (6,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (6,000 lb total)
* 171 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 171 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 36 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 36 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon (1,200 rpg)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 11 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (11,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles + 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x AGM-65B missiles
* 2 x AGM-65B missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AGM-65B missiles + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs (2,020 kg total)
* 4 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs + 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles (2,020 kg total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs (2,020 kg total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon (1,200 rpg)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 16 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (12,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 11 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (11,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (9,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 10 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,500 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 7 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 4 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (7,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs + 4 x AIM-7E Sparrow missiles (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-15(V)1/B bombs + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles (4,000 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==


The F-4E Phantom II is well-suited for any in-game situation. For attacking ground targets, the plane is armed with an assortment of bombs and rockets, and against air targets, players may employ the vehicle's deadly air-to-air missiles and frontal cannon. If desired, three externally-mounted gunpods may be equipped, but note that these may not be useful in certain situations. Although they will undoubtedly increase the vehicle's destructive capabilities, they also appreciably hinder flight performance through induced drag. In many situations, one front-facing cannon is all that is required to dispatch an opponent aircraft. As for the missiles, the ones used by this plane are among the best in the game, comparable to the [[R-60]] missiles equipped by the [[MiG-21MF (Germany)]] and the [[MiG-21SMT]]. The AIM-9J missiles are most effective when fired from between 1 to 3 km away from the target. Any closer and they will struggle to track and likely veer off target for a miss.

The F-4E has one of the highest rates of climb out of any vehicle in the game. This is however where most of its performance advantages end. Due to its weight, the Phantom has rather mediocre acceleration, and not the best top speed. It is not advised to dogfight anything other than Starfighters and other Phantom variants, as the F-4 has a very poor turn rate. Although the aircraft has better energy retention than most of its opponents, it still bleeds considerable amounts of speed while turning, which can't be regained very quickly due to the aircraft's heavy weight. It also performs quite poorly at low speeds, which is also caused by its weight.

In air realistic battles, it is recommended to take a balanced fuel load of 20 or 30 minutes, depending on how aggressive you fly. The most useful Air RB armament for the F-4E are the 4 AIM-9Js and 4 AIM-7Es. The best strategy is to accelerate to a speed of roughly 900-1100km/h and then zoom climb to altitude (5km or higher), where the pilot should accelerate to the highest speed possible. Lock on to targets with your radar and use your Sparrows to shoot down enemy aircraft when in range. Sparrows should ideally be launched above Mach 1 to take maximum advantage of their range and manoeuvrability. After using up all your sparrows, start using your AIM-9J's at targets below you. The missile will have much easier time following a target which is below it, simply due to gravity helping the missile keep its speed. It is important to note that because of its poor flight characteristics, the Phantom will struggle in one-on-one fights, making it vital to keep your teammates around. The Phantom should target enemies turnfighting its friendlies, as not only the enemy may be distracted and slow, but it provides you a chance to save your teammate, who in turn may down another enemy chasing you later in the match.

Dogfighting should be avoided as much as possible. The Phantom was designed around missiles, so they will naturally be your main way of getting kills, with the gun being a backup weapon for opportune targets. Try to avoid getting into dogfights with MiGs, since most of them will easily be able to outturn and out accelerate you.

;Notable Air RB enemies include:

* MiG-21MF and SMT, which will easily outturn all but the lightest fuel loads with full flaps on an F-4.
* MiG-21bis, which can use its amazing acceleration to catch you in a matter of seconds and evade missiles with flares.
* J35 Draken, which is faster than you by 100km/h and more at low altitudes, and will outmanoeuvre any other aircraft.
* Mirage, which is armed with two of the best infrared missiles in the game, the R.550 Magic, and a long-range radar-guided missile with similar performance to the AIM-7.
* FGR.2, which can out accelerate and outrun you, armed with 4 longer-ranged AIM-9Ds, while also having flares.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* AIM-9J and AIM-7E air-to-air missiles are among the best in the game
* Can carry up to eight missiles, with up to four AIM-9Js and four AIM-7E-2s
* Equipped with flares for evading enemy missiles
* A wide range of suspended armaments, suitable for any play-style
* Deadly frontal armament with high burst mass is practically guaranteed to critically damage an enemy aircraft if hit
* Makes use of a ballistic computer for assisting in the aim of cannons, rockets, and bombs

'''Cons:'''

* Easily and frequently rips wings, especially when doing negative G manoeuvres or rolls
* Limited ammunition in the frontally-mounted cannon
* Large target for aircraft and AA alike
* The weight of the aircraft makes it have a lower turn rate
* Two engines make for a large heat signature, making it harder to dodge missiles
* Rate of climb suffers immensely when carrying large amounts of ordnance

== History ==

[[File:F-4E Phantom.jpg|thumb|400x400px|An F-4E of Holloman Air Force base.]]
The F-4E was initially designed as an incremental upgrade to the standard F-4C airframe used by the US Air Force. The aircraft carried a new radar in a redesigned radome, and more importantly, an internal M61 cannon mounted in the nose. As well, later-production aircraft featured the Agile Eagle upgrade, which gave the Phantom leading edge slats which improved manoeuvrability at the expense of top speed. The addition of an internal cannon was a highly anticipated upgrade, as it fixed a problem that F-4C squadrons faced when operating over Vietnam.

The first F-4Es entered service in the 1960s and were dispatched to serve in Vietnam, where they complemented the existing inventories of F-4C and D variant aircraft. The aircraft type was credited with 21 kills in Vietnam, most of which were achieved using the AIM-7E-2 'Dogfight Sparrow'. Several pilots achieved Ace status while flying the F-4 in Vietnam, including Charles B. DeBellevue, who was the highest-scoring American ace in Vietnam. The F-4 went on to form the backbone of the US fighter force for the bulk of the 1960s and 70s. As well, F-4E was flown by the USAF Thunderbirds Demonstration Team between 1969 and 1974. The large, noisy Phantom performed around the world until 1974, when rising fuel costs forced the Thunderbirds to convert to the smaller T-38 Talon.

The F-4E was exported to a variety of countries. Israel was the largest foreign user of the F-4 Phantom, having purchased 124 F-4 Phantoms from the United States betwen 1971 and 1974; the Israelis were credited with at least 115 kills using the F-4 Phantom during various conflicts. As well, Germany and Japan both procured modified versions of the F-4E, being the F-4F and F-4EJ, respectively. Other notable foreign users of the F-4E include Australia (24 aircraft), Egypt (35 aircraft), Greece (34 aircraft), and Turkey (40 aircraft).

During service, the Phantom gained a number of nicknames, including "Rhino" (referencing its titanium construction and long nose), "Double-Ugly", and even "The world's largest distributor of MiG Parts", referencing the 277 MiGs downed by the Phantom during various conflicts. The USAF retired the aircraft in 1996, and the aircraft was used as a target drone until 2016. The aircraft remains in service with Iran, Japan, South Korea, Greece and Turkey, 62 years after its maiden flight.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=aircraft&vehicleClass=fighter&vehicle=f-4e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|TWT-ETcU_No|'''The Shooting Range #198''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:33 discusses the F-4E Phantom II.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-21 (Family)]]
* SAAB [[J35D]] ''Draken''
* Dassault [[Mirage IIIC]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/479889-f-4e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}
[[ru:F-4E Phantom II]]

F-4J Phantom II

2022-01-12T16:07:21Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4j
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]].

The F-4J is something of a long range support for the much more manuverable F-4E and F-5E with its longer-ranged AIM-7F and AIM-9Gs, as well as a very powerful pulse doppler radar. Due to it not having the "Agile Eagle" upgrade like the F-4E and having to mount an external gunpod to be able to carry a cannon, it is less manuverable than the F-4E so dogfighting is not recommended.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 12,192 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,067 || 2,018 || rowspan="2" | 16,000 || 26.5 || 27.3 || 154.4 || 144.3 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,216 || 2,139 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 217.6 || 184.5
|-
|}
==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| _ || _ || _ || _ || _ || _ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J79-GE-10 || 2
| colspan="2" | 14,213 kg || colspan="2" | 408 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
|-
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 15,972 kg || 18,055 kg || 20,078 kg || 26,420 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,240 kgf || 8,090 kgf
|1.01|| 0.90 || 0.81 || 0.61
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,240 kgf (0 km/h) || 10,340 kgf (1,400 km/h)
|1.29|| 1.15 || 1.03 || 0.78
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}


The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* A choice between two presets:
** Without offensive armament
** 90 x countermeasures

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)}}
{{main|AIM-7E-2 Sparrow|AIM-7F Sparrow|AIM-9D Sidewinder|AIM-9G Sidewinder}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|Mk 11 mod 5 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon (750 rpg)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 12 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 12 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 12 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 12 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 12 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 12 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 12 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 228 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 48 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 228 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 48 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 228 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 48 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 228 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 228 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 48 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 48 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 228 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 48 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 228 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 48 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 228 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 48 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 228 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-9G Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AIM-7E-2 Sparrow missiles + 48 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets

== Usage in battles ==

When compared to the F-4E, the F-4J is rather slugish. It lacks the leading edge slats the F-4E has, and as such is less manoeuvrable. Therefore, the F4J should be used rather as a sniper due to its AIM-7F Sparrow missiles and long range pulse doppler radar, which allows it to snipe unsuspecting enemies up to 20 km in frontal attacks. Optionally the AIM-7E2 can be used for a shorter range but better manoeuvrability against dodging enemies. Always remember that most planes at the BR range will out-accelerate the F-4J, and as such, it is vital to maintain your speed.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Equipped with a pulse doppler radar, allowing targets close to the ground to be tracked and engaged
* Wide selection of multi-role payloads
* Good air-to-air missile combinations
* Upgraded Aim-7F Sparrow missiles with a longer burn time and as a result better range
* Aim-9G is a good IR missile with 18G turning capability

'''Cons:'''

* Big target
* No internal gun, but option to carry a 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 gunpod on the central pylon (which impacts your aircraft performance)
* Lacks the leading edge slats of the F-4E, therefore worse manoeuvrability
* Acceleration and top speed are mediocre; combined with the bad maneuverability, this makes it a very poor dogfighter
* No M-61 Vulcan

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

Maus

2021-11-02T15:43:57Z

U103667116: Added the link to 9th anniversary devblog/news

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pzkpfw_Maus
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]] as a main tree vehicle, however as of [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]] it was shifted to become a gift vehicle for players who previously owned it. It was later reopened to research for a limited time during [[wt:en/news/6907-special-8th-anniversary-of-war-thunder-en|War Thunder's 8th anniversary]] and again for the [[wt:en/news/7408-news-happy-birthday-war-thunder-en|9th anniversary]]. The Maus is the definitive tank of ''heavy armour'' in Rank V and is the largest ground vehicle in game. The Maus can be a menace in the battlefield and conversely also a bullet magnet, a double-edged sword that must be played correctly or else fall victim to heavy enemy fire.

The "Maus" lives up to its reputation as a mobile bunker. The dual guns do great damage, however, against high-rank tanks it is best to use the 128 mm main gun. It is important to protect the back armour on the Maus and to make sure it does not get outflanked. Preferable used at long range and choke points. Best used as an armoured beast able to destroy vehicles and take any shot.

Speed on the vehicle is roughly 20 km/h. The sheer mass of the vehicle and its speed makes the mobility difference from the road to off-road negligible. The vehicle can actually turn pretty fast once at Gear 6, which is better than the Jagdtiger and some other Rank V heavy counterparts. Keep that in mind and use it as an advantage in {{Annotation|CQC|Close Quarters Combat}}.

The 128 mm is a great gun in-game, very accurate and perfect for mid to long range engagements. The reload is very good too for its calibre (23-second stock) that is a big advantage versus IS-4s, because the Maus has three seconds for an extra shot. KwK44 has the second best penetration value of any APHE shell in-game surpassed only by the 130 mm on the [[IS-7]]. However, the APCR and HEAT shells of the T-54 and late US vehicles surpasses it. Damage wise the 128 mm PzGr.43 is equivalent to the [[IS-3|122 mm BR-471 of the D-25T]], where penetration usually means a knock-out.

Coaxial LMG? Pff, that's for normal tanks (But it is there anyway). On the Maus, everything is ''bigger''. The short 75 mounted alongside the main 128 originally served as anti-infantry and soft target weapon of choice. In War Thunder, these vehicle types are either not found on the battlefield or as latter only on certain maps. It comes without question that the 75 mm should be used against AAA, trucks and SPAA. However, the HEAT shell can be used to harass the enemy, lure them out/in of cover, or just damage medium tank's sides (T-54 and M46 do not exceed 80 mm of armour) tracks and even hull break some lightly armoured vehicles such as the BMP 1. In addition, the secondary cannon has a good reload rate of around 5 sec, thus it can be used to defeat [[:Category:Light_tanks|light tanks]] and [[:Category:Anti-aircraft_vehicles|SPAA]] without wasting the precious 128 mm ammo for more heavily armoured targets.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 200 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 200 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 180 mm ''Top'' 100 mm ''Bottom'' 300 mm ''Weld joints''|| 150 mm (36°) ''Top'' 150 mm (31°) ''Bottom'' || 50 mm ''General area'' 100 mm ''Front roof''
|-
| Turret || 232 mm (3-53°)''Turret front'' 240 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 205 mm (30°) || 200 mm (15°) || 60 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Armour on the Maus is quite complex, and definitely does not end with the above-mentioned values
** Gun mantlet is 240 mm thick and nicely rounded, right around both guns the armour is 300 mm thick
** Tracks at the front are protected by 100+60 mm plates (100mm basic plate + attached tracks)
** Behind the frontal upper plate on deck armour, there are many 60mm highly sloped plates of armour, protecting the engine vents and turret ring from HEAT/HE shells and some small-calibre fire
** Frontal part of the belly is also 100 mm thick (Would be probably good against mines/other explosives), the rest is 50mm
** Deck armour in front of these plates is also strengthened to an impressive 100 mm
** Side armour is split to two parts, top with 180 mm and bottom with 100 mm + tracks
** Even inside the tank there is armour - there are many 20 mm plates inside the tank, separating crew compartments from various modules, and partially protecting the interior from shrapnel that penetrated the tank from other areas
***One plate is at the rear of the tank, between the enormous transmission and the fighting compartment
*** Second one is more to the front, separating fighting compartment from the middle-mounted Engine and its radiators
*** Third is in the front between the driver's compartment and the Engine
*** Around the driver there are many more 20 mm plates, adding some protection to Fuel Tanks located there

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,549|rbMinHp=1,061}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK44 (128 mm)|128 mm KwK44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 68 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.6 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 12.0 || 12.8 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.30 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.8 || 5.6 || 6.8 || 7.5 || 8.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr || APC || 252 || 249 || 237 || 222 || 208 || 196
|-
| Sprgr. L/5 || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
| PzGr 43 || APCBC || 272 || 269 || 257 || 242 || 228 || 215
|-
|12,8/8,8 Pzgr.TS
|APCBC
|312
|307
|288
|266
|245
|226
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr || APC || 930 || 26.35 || 1.2 || 19 || 786.5 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr. L/5 || HE || 750 || 28 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 3,700 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| PzGr 43 || APCBC || 940 || 28.3 || 1.2 || 19 || 786.5 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|12,8/8,8 Pzgr.TS
|APCBC
|1230
|9.85
|1.2
|19
|108.8
|48°
|63°
|71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo parts
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''68''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants''|| 62 ''(+6)'' 62 ''(+6)'' || 55 ''(+13)'' 55 ''(+13)'' || 50 ''(+18)'' 50 ''(+18)'' || 45 ''(+23)'' 45 ''(+23)'' || 39 ''(+29)'' 39 ''(+29)'' || 33 ''(+35)'' 33 ''(+35)'' || 25 ''(+43)'' 25 ''(+43)'' || 17 ''(+51)'' 17 ''(+51)'' || 9 ''(+59)'' 9 ''(+59)'' || 1 ''(+67)'' 1 ''(+67)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
Turret empty: 45 (+23)

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|KwK44 L/36.5 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[KwK44 L/36.5 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK44 L/36.5]] || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 100 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 5.20 || 4.60 || 4.24 || 4.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| Hl.Gr 38B || HEAT || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80
|-
| Hl.Gr 38C || HEAT || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 420 || 5.74 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 686 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Hl.Gr 38B || HEAT || 450 || 4.4 || 0 || 0.1 || 872.1 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Hl.Gr 38C || HEAT || 450 || 4.8 || 0 || 0.1 || 875.5 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| K.Gr.Rot Nb. || 423 || 6.2 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|center|framed|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''100''' || 76 ''(+24)'' || 51 ''(+49)'' || 26 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}

Turret empty: 76 (+24)

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (150) || 900 || -7°/+23° || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Versus heavy tanks, the Maus has all the advantages. While slower it can make up for this in close combat thanks to the good turn rate of both tracks and turret. Just quickly angle the Maus (both turret and hull!) and ''turn'' it almost invincible heat shells can still penetrate the angled turret, be advised. Try angling the front drive wheel at the enemy tank and turn the turret so that the armour is at ~45 degrees to the enemy fire. The tanks that pose a threat are the [[M103]], the [[M48 Patton (Family)|M48]], the [[T-62 545 (China)|Chinese T-62]], and especially the BMPs, and the [[Object 120]], basically every tank that has got HEAT-FS, ATGM, and the APFSDS that can penetrate more than 320mm of armor. One other good strategy is to capture the objective and just defend it. This can be really helpful to the team.

Versus medium tanks, the Panzerkampfwagen VIII can fight in {{Annotation|CQC|Close Quarter Combat}} with its great turret rotation speed, but at the cost of exposing the side armour and getting flanked, this should be kept as one's last and or only option. Distance is the ally of the Maus, which should be easy to do considering that the top speed is 20 kph.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* One of the most armoured tanks in the game
** Practically invincible, if angled properly
** Capable of soaking a large amount of damage
* Only vulnerable to large-calibre HE shells
* Very resilient to bombs and rockets
* Turret sides are as strong as, if not stronger than, the front of the turret
* Access to smoke grenades
* Surprisingly good off-road manoeuvrability
* Makes decently fast turns in high gear movement or in neutral steering
* Very difficult to immobilize, due to extremely thick track skirts
* Powerful 128 mm cannon
* Secondary 75 mm coaxial cannon is surprisingly effective when using HEAT rounds

'''Cons:'''

* Very slow
* Struggles on hilly terrain
* Requires good teamwork to perform adequately
* Slow turret rotation
* The sides of the Maus are littered with ammo racks
* Very loud engine, players will be able to locate the Maus just by the engine sounds
* Vulnerable at all ranges to modern rounds such as sabot rounds
* Towing is practically impossible unless it is done by another Maus
* Large bombs will commonly cripple the Maus, or detonate its fuel tanks
* Optics have little zoom capability, making it difficult for hitting long range targets
* Big target for ATGMs
* No modern armour of any kind, relies completely on conventional armour plating
* Secondary 75 mm is hard to aim

== History ==

===Development===
This monster of a tank started development in 1942 on the suggestion of Ferdinand Porsche to Hitler, which was approved. The first prototype was to be completed by 1943 and the project vehicle was designated the ''Mammut'' (Mammoth). The name changed in December 1942 to ''Mäuschen'' (Little Mouse), then once more to the '''Maus''' (Mouse) in February 1943, which stayed as its designation (and perhaps proving that Germany does have a sense of humour).

The prototype used Ferdinand's "electric transmission" that was previously used on the rejected [[VK 45.01 (P)|Tiger(P)]], the vehicle would be powered by an MB 517 diesel engine. The Maus has a suspension design with 24 wheels on each side, 2 per bogie with two bogies side by side and six bogies lining up from front and back. The armour was perhaps the most defining feature at 220 mm thick at the hull front, the sides and rear were 190 mm thick. The turret was even thicker at 240 mm on the front and 200 mm on the sides and rear. The vehicle was to also have a 128 mm KwK 44 main gun with a 75 mm KwK 44 gun as a coaxial. The overwhelming design was approximated to weight 100 tons.

The production plan was to have the prototype completed by mid-1943 and for 10 vehicles per month after the prototype delivery. Work would be divided between Krupp and Alkett for the production of the machine. The wooden model of the tank was presented on May 1943 to Hitler. It was then approved for production and 150 of them were to be built. With the final design finished, it was estimated to weight 188 tons now. Though Hitler and his peers saw it with much favour, Heinz Guderian criticised the Maus design because there was a lack of machine guns, thus it was extremely vulnerable to infantry attacks at close-quarters for the same reason as the [[Ferdinand|Ferdinand tank destroyer]]. The anti-infantry problem was solved with the addition of a coaxial machine gun and a ''Nahverteidigungswaffe'' dischargers, firing smoke or high-explosive shells in its surrounding area, installed on the turret.

===Production and cancellation===
Two prototypes of the Maus were made in 1943 and 1944. The first one, called ''V1'' was turretless and assembled by Alkett in December 1943, it was fitted with a mock turret that helped finalise the turret design in 1944. Here they determine the Maus was definitely too heavy for any bridges in existence so the Maus would ford rivers with a snorkel. The second prototype called ''V2'' by Alkett again had the first produced Maus turret attached with the 128 mm gun, coaxial 75 mm gun, and coaxial machine gun. In July 1944, Krupp was producing four more hulls, but these were scrapped and the whole project stopped on August 1944, though tests with the ''V2'' continued. The weight of the tank meant that the power-to-weight ratio was extremely poor, resulting in the Maus' ideal speed of about 8 miles per hour maximum in ideal conditions.

However, the Maus was never fully produced because it was the only tank that seized production because of a strategic bombing campaign that would ruin its production facilities. Adding to this, by 1944, the Red Army was advancing deeper and deeper into what was previously German-controlled territory. The vision that the Red Army might capture the testing grounds of the Maus prototypes and the prototypes themselves seem to come closer to reality. The Germans were forced to destroy the prototypes to prevent their capture by the Soviets, placing charges onto the ''V2'' prototype (the ''V1'' was only a hull so it wasn't combat-effective). The second prototype had the entire hull damaged as there was ammunition still in the tank when the charges went off, but the turret was mostly intact. The Russians captured the damaged prototypes and held them until the end of the war. After World War II, the Soviet Commander of Armoured and Mechanized troops ordered for the V1 hull to be attached with the turret from the V2 prototype. They had to use six ''Sd.Kfz. 9'', the largest half-track vehicles produced by Germany, to move the 55-ton turret to the hull. The fixed prototype was sent back to the Soviet Union for testing and arrive on May 4, 1946. Once this is done, the prototype was sent to Kubinka Tank museum in Russia where it lays today on display for the public.

=== In-game description ===
An experimental super-heavy tank built in Germany towards the end of the war. The project was developed by Ferdinand Porsche.

The first tank was assembled at the Alkett factory in Berlin on August 1, 1943.

The first trial run of the Type 205/1 tank was conducted on December 24, 1943. The turret still wasn't ready, so a load equal to the weight of the turret was placed on top of the tank. The prototype turned out to be quite maneuverable once it was able to leave the assembly area, where it had been rather cramped. According to those who had the opportunity to drive the tank, the Maus was easier to drive than the Pz.Kpfw. IV.

In November, 1943 a 44 caliber, 128mm KwK 44 cannon was built that was intended for the tank. The cannon's designation was later changed to 12.8 cm KwK 82. The weapon was tested at the Meppen training ground. The turret was installed on the 205/1 prototype on July 6, 1944, and on October 3, 1944 the armament was installed and the fully-outfitted tank was tested at the training ground in Kummersdorf.

Both prototypes were tested in Kummersdorf, but no reliable information on these tests is available. Whether or not experimental firing was conducted is also unknown.

Toward the end of the war, bodies and turrets had begun to be produced in addition to the prototypes that had been built.

As the Soviet troops were approaching in 1945 both prototypes were blown up. Soviet specialists were able to reconstruct one Maus from the wreckage. This rebuilt tank was delivered to the training ground in Kubinka in 1946, where various tests were performed.

The Panzerkampfwagen Maus can currently be viewed on display at the tank museum in Kubinka.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_Maus Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Wallpaper MAUS 000012.jpg|thumb|none|300px|]] </li>
</ul></div>

;Videos

Gameplay/History:
{{Youtube-gallery|6ZtvfyAsmM4|'''The Shooting Range #68''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 09:31 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|B2woWvJK4ew|'''Top 7 most armoured vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:35 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|ly9JS6errQQ|'''Best secondary armaments''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:14 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|x97HKmhCRsE|'''The Maus''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|Zs9_u_plcSw|'''The Maus Super-Heavy Tank''' - ''Simple History''}}
Review:
{{Youtube-gallery|_x9vub-xk9Y|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|SfMT-d6Kez4|'''Mighty Maus''' - ''TheDevildogGamer''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/737/|[Devblog] Panzerkampfwagen VIII «Maus»]]
* <nowiki>[Historical]</nowiki> Panzerkampfwagen VIII "Maus", [[wt:en/news/2825-historical-panzerkampfwagen-viii-maus-part-i-en|Part I]], [[wt:en/news/2831-historical-panzerkampfwagen-viii-maus-part-ii-en|Part II]], and [[wt:en/news/2843/current/|Part III]]

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

Maus

2021-11-02T15:42:19Z

U103667116: /* Description */ Update to description because the maus came back for the 9th anniversary

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pzkpfw_Maus
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]] as a main tree vehicle, however as of [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]] it was shifted to become a gift vehicle for players who previously owned it. It was later reopened to research for a limited time during [[wt:en/news/6907-special-8th-anniversary-of-war-thunder-en|War Thunder's 8th anniversary]] and again for the 9th anniversary. The Maus is the definitive tank of ''heavy armour'' in Rank V and is the largest ground vehicle in game. The Maus can be a menace in the battlefield and conversely also a bullet magnet, a double-edged sword that must be played correctly or else fall victim to heavy enemy fire.

The "Maus" lives up to its reputation as a mobile bunker. The dual guns do great damage, however, against high-rank tanks it is best to use the 128 mm main gun. It is important to protect the back armour on the Maus and to make sure it does not get outflanked. Preferable used at long range and choke points. Best used as an armoured beast able to destroy vehicles and take any shot.

Speed on the vehicle is roughly 20 km/h. The sheer mass of the vehicle and its speed makes the mobility difference from the road to off-road negligible. The vehicle can actually turn pretty fast once at Gear 6, which is better than the Jagdtiger and some other Rank V heavy counterparts. Keep that in mind and use it as an advantage in {{Annotation|CQC|Close Quarters Combat}}.

The 128 mm is a great gun in-game, very accurate and perfect for mid to long range engagements. The reload is very good too for its calibre (23-second stock) that is a big advantage versus IS-4s, because the Maus has three seconds for an extra shot. KwK44 has the second best penetration value of any APHE shell in-game surpassed only by the 130 mm on the [[IS-7]]. However, the APCR and HEAT shells of the T-54 and late US vehicles surpasses it. Damage wise the 128 mm PzGr.43 is equivalent to the [[IS-3|122 mm BR-471 of the D-25T]], where penetration usually means a knock-out.

Coaxial LMG? Pff, that's for normal tanks (But it is there anyway). On the Maus, everything is ''bigger''. The short 75 mounted alongside the main 128 originally served as anti-infantry and soft target weapon of choice. In War Thunder, these vehicle types are either not found on the battlefield or as latter only on certain maps. It comes without question that the 75 mm should be used against AAA, trucks and SPAA. However, the HEAT shell can be used to harass the enemy, lure them out/in of cover, or just damage medium tank's sides (T-54 and M46 do not exceed 80 mm of armour) tracks and even hull break some lightly armoured vehicles such as the BMP 1. In addition, the secondary cannon has a good reload rate of around 5 sec, thus it can be used to defeat [[:Category:Light_tanks|light tanks]] and [[:Category:Anti-aircraft_vehicles|SPAA]] without wasting the precious 128 mm ammo for more heavily armoured targets.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 200 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 200 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 180 mm ''Top'' 100 mm ''Bottom'' 300 mm ''Weld joints''|| 150 mm (36°) ''Top'' 150 mm (31°) ''Bottom'' || 50 mm ''General area'' 100 mm ''Front roof''
|-
| Turret || 232 mm (3-53°)''Turret front'' 240 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 205 mm (30°) || 200 mm (15°) || 60 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Armour on the Maus is quite complex, and definitely does not end with the above-mentioned values
** Gun mantlet is 240 mm thick and nicely rounded, right around both guns the armour is 300 mm thick
** Tracks at the front are protected by 100+60 mm plates (100mm basic plate + attached tracks)
** Behind the frontal upper plate on deck armour, there are many 60mm highly sloped plates of armour, protecting the engine vents and turret ring from HEAT/HE shells and some small-calibre fire
** Frontal part of the belly is also 100 mm thick (Would be probably good against mines/other explosives), the rest is 50mm
** Deck armour in front of these plates is also strengthened to an impressive 100 mm
** Side armour is split to two parts, top with 180 mm and bottom with 100 mm + tracks
** Even inside the tank there is armour - there are many 20 mm plates inside the tank, separating crew compartments from various modules, and partially protecting the interior from shrapnel that penetrated the tank from other areas
***One plate is at the rear of the tank, between the enormous transmission and the fighting compartment
*** Second one is more to the front, separating fighting compartment from the middle-mounted Engine and its radiators
*** Third is in the front between the driver's compartment and the Engine
*** Around the driver there are many more 20 mm plates, adding some protection to Fuel Tanks located there

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,549|rbMinHp=1,061}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK44 (128 mm)|128 mm KwK44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 68 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.6 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 12.0 || 12.8 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.30 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.8 || 5.6 || 6.8 || 7.5 || 8.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr || APC || 252 || 249 || 237 || 222 || 208 || 196
|-
| Sprgr. L/5 || HE || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37 || 37
|-
| PzGr 43 || APCBC || 272 || 269 || 257 || 242 || 228 || 215
|-
|12,8/8,8 Pzgr.TS
|APCBC
|312
|307
|288
|266
|245
|226
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr || APC || 930 || 26.35 || 1.2 || 19 || 786.5 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr. L/5 || HE || 750 || 28 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 3,700 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| PzGr 43 || APCBC || 940 || 28.3 || 1.2 || 19 || 786.5 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|12,8/8,8 Pzgr.TS
|APCBC
|1230
|9.85
|1.2
|19
|108.8
|48°
|63°
|71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo parts
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''68''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants''|| 62 ''(+6)'' 62 ''(+6)'' || 55 ''(+13)'' 55 ''(+13)'' || 50 ''(+18)'' 50 ''(+18)'' || 45 ''(+23)'' 45 ''(+23)'' || 39 ''(+29)'' 39 ''(+29)'' || 33 ''(+35)'' 33 ''(+35)'' || 25 ''(+43)'' 25 ''(+43)'' || 17 ''(+51)'' 17 ''(+51)'' || 9 ''(+59)'' 9 ''(+59)'' || 1 ''(+67)'' 1 ''(+67)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
Turret empty: 45 (+23)

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|KwK44 L/36.5 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[KwK44 L/36.5 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK44 L/36.5]] || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 100 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 5.20 || 4.60 || 4.24 || 4.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
|-
| Hl.Gr 38B || HEAT || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80 || 80
|-
| Hl.Gr 38C || HEAT || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Sprgr. 34 || HE || 420 || 5.74 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 686 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Hl.Gr 38B || HEAT || 450 || 4.4 || 0 || 0.1 || 872.1 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Hl.Gr 38C || HEAT || 450 || 4.8 || 0 || 0.1 || 875.5 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| K.Gr.Rot Nb. || 423 || 6.2 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|center|framed|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''100''' || 76 ''(+24)'' || 51 ''(+49)'' || 26 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}

Turret empty: 76 (+24)

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (150) || 900 || -7°/+23° || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Versus heavy tanks, the Maus has all the advantages. While slower it can make up for this in close combat thanks to the good turn rate of both tracks and turret. Just quickly angle the Maus (both turret and hull!) and ''turn'' it almost invincible heat shells can still penetrate the angled turret, be advised. Try angling the front drive wheel at the enemy tank and turn the turret so that the armour is at ~45 degrees to the enemy fire. The tanks that pose a threat are the [[M103]], the [[M48 Patton (Family)|M48]], the [[T-62 545 (China)|Chinese T-62]], and especially the BMPs, and the [[Object 120]], basically every tank that has got HEAT-FS, ATGM, and the APFSDS that can penetrate more than 320mm of armor. One other good strategy is to capture the objective and just defend it. This can be really helpful to the team.

Versus medium tanks, the Panzerkampfwagen VIII can fight in {{Annotation|CQC|Close Quarter Combat}} with its great turret rotation speed, but at the cost of exposing the side armour and getting flanked, this should be kept as one's last and or only option. Distance is the ally of the Maus, which should be easy to do considering that the top speed is 20 kph.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* One of the most armoured tanks in the game
** Practically invincible, if angled properly
** Capable of soaking a large amount of damage
* Only vulnerable to large-calibre HE shells
* Very resilient to bombs and rockets
* Turret sides are as strong as, if not stronger than, the front of the turret
* Access to smoke grenades
* Surprisingly good off-road manoeuvrability
* Makes decently fast turns in high gear movement or in neutral steering
* Very difficult to immobilize, due to extremely thick track skirts
* Powerful 128 mm cannon
* Secondary 75 mm coaxial cannon is surprisingly effective when using HEAT rounds

'''Cons:'''

* Very slow
* Struggles on hilly terrain
* Requires good teamwork to perform adequately
* Slow turret rotation
* The sides of the Maus are littered with ammo racks
* Very loud engine, players will be able to locate the Maus just by the engine sounds
* Vulnerable at all ranges to modern rounds such as sabot rounds
* Towing is practically impossible unless it is done by another Maus
* Large bombs will commonly cripple the Maus, or detonate its fuel tanks
* Optics have little zoom capability, making it difficult for hitting long range targets
* Big target for ATGMs
* No modern armour of any kind, relies completely on conventional armour plating
* Secondary 75 mm is hard to aim

== History ==

===Development===
This monster of a tank started development in 1942 on the suggestion of Ferdinand Porsche to Hitler, which was approved. The first prototype was to be completed by 1943 and the project vehicle was designated the ''Mammut'' (Mammoth). The name changed in December 1942 to ''Mäuschen'' (Little Mouse), then once more to the '''Maus''' (Mouse) in February 1943, which stayed as its designation (and perhaps proving that Germany does have a sense of humour).

The prototype used Ferdinand's "electric transmission" that was previously used on the rejected [[VK 45.01 (P)|Tiger(P)]], the vehicle would be powered by an MB 517 diesel engine. The Maus has a suspension design with 24 wheels on each side, 2 per bogie with two bogies side by side and six bogies lining up from front and back. The armour was perhaps the most defining feature at 220 mm thick at the hull front, the sides and rear were 190 mm thick. The turret was even thicker at 240 mm on the front and 200 mm on the sides and rear. The vehicle was to also have a 128 mm KwK 44 main gun with a 75 mm KwK 44 gun as a coaxial. The overwhelming design was approximated to weight 100 tons.

The production plan was to have the prototype completed by mid-1943 and for 10 vehicles per month after the prototype delivery. Work would be divided between Krupp and Alkett for the production of the machine. The wooden model of the tank was presented on May 1943 to Hitler. It was then approved for production and 150 of them were to be built. With the final design finished, it was estimated to weight 188 tons now. Though Hitler and his peers saw it with much favour, Heinz Guderian criticised the Maus design because there was a lack of machine guns, thus it was extremely vulnerable to infantry attacks at close-quarters for the same reason as the [[Ferdinand|Ferdinand tank destroyer]]. The anti-infantry problem was solved with the addition of a coaxial machine gun and a ''Nahverteidigungswaffe'' dischargers, firing smoke or high-explosive shells in its surrounding area, installed on the turret.

===Production and cancellation===
Two prototypes of the Maus were made in 1943 and 1944. The first one, called ''V1'' was turretless and assembled by Alkett in December 1943, it was fitted with a mock turret that helped finalise the turret design in 1944. Here they determine the Maus was definitely too heavy for any bridges in existence so the Maus would ford rivers with a snorkel. The second prototype called ''V2'' by Alkett again had the first produced Maus turret attached with the 128 mm gun, coaxial 75 mm gun, and coaxial machine gun. In July 1944, Krupp was producing four more hulls, but these were scrapped and the whole project stopped on August 1944, though tests with the ''V2'' continued. The weight of the tank meant that the power-to-weight ratio was extremely poor, resulting in the Maus' ideal speed of about 8 miles per hour maximum in ideal conditions.

However, the Maus was never fully produced because it was the only tank that seized production because of a strategic bombing campaign that would ruin its production facilities. Adding to this, by 1944, the Red Army was advancing deeper and deeper into what was previously German-controlled territory. The vision that the Red Army might capture the testing grounds of the Maus prototypes and the prototypes themselves seem to come closer to reality. The Germans were forced to destroy the prototypes to prevent their capture by the Soviets, placing charges onto the ''V2'' prototype (the ''V1'' was only a hull so it wasn't combat-effective). The second prototype had the entire hull damaged as there was ammunition still in the tank when the charges went off, but the turret was mostly intact. The Russians captured the damaged prototypes and held them until the end of the war. After World War II, the Soviet Commander of Armoured and Mechanized troops ordered for the V1 hull to be attached with the turret from the V2 prototype. They had to use six ''Sd.Kfz. 9'', the largest half-track vehicles produced by Germany, to move the 55-ton turret to the hull. The fixed prototype was sent back to the Soviet Union for testing and arrive on May 4, 1946. Once this is done, the prototype was sent to Kubinka Tank museum in Russia where it lays today on display for the public.

=== In-game description ===
An experimental super-heavy tank built in Germany towards the end of the war. The project was developed by Ferdinand Porsche.

The first tank was assembled at the Alkett factory in Berlin on August 1, 1943.

The first trial run of the Type 205/1 tank was conducted on December 24, 1943. The turret still wasn't ready, so a load equal to the weight of the turret was placed on top of the tank. The prototype turned out to be quite maneuverable once it was able to leave the assembly area, where it had been rather cramped. According to those who had the opportunity to drive the tank, the Maus was easier to drive than the Pz.Kpfw. IV.

In November, 1943 a 44 caliber, 128mm KwK 44 cannon was built that was intended for the tank. The cannon's designation was later changed to 12.8 cm KwK 82. The weapon was tested at the Meppen training ground. The turret was installed on the 205/1 prototype on July 6, 1944, and on October 3, 1944 the armament was installed and the fully-outfitted tank was tested at the training ground in Kummersdorf.

Both prototypes were tested in Kummersdorf, but no reliable information on these tests is available. Whether or not experimental firing was conducted is also unknown.

Toward the end of the war, bodies and turrets had begun to be produced in addition to the prototypes that had been built.

As the Soviet troops were approaching in 1945 both prototypes were blown up. Soviet specialists were able to reconstruct one Maus from the wreckage. This rebuilt tank was delivered to the training ground in Kubinka in 1946, where various tests were performed.

The Panzerkampfwagen Maus can currently be viewed on display at the tank museum in Kubinka.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_Maus Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Wallpaper MAUS 000012.jpg|thumb|none|300px|]] </li>
</ul></div>

;Videos

Gameplay/History:
{{Youtube-gallery|6ZtvfyAsmM4|'''The Shooting Range #68''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 09:31 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|B2woWvJK4ew|'''Top 7 most armoured vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:35 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|ly9JS6errQQ|'''Best secondary armaments''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:14 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|x97HKmhCRsE|'''The Maus''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|Zs9_u_plcSw|'''The Maus Super-Heavy Tank''' - ''Simple History''}}
Review:
{{Youtube-gallery|_x9vub-xk9Y|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|SfMT-d6Kez4|'''Mighty Maus''' - ''TheDevildogGamer''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/737/|[Devblog] Panzerkampfwagen VIII «Maus»]]
* <nowiki>[Historical]</nowiki> Panzerkampfwagen VIII "Maus", [[wt:en/news/2825-historical-panzerkampfwagen-viii-maus-part-i-en|Part I]], [[wt:en/news/2831-historical-panzerkampfwagen-viii-maus-part-ii-en|Part II]], and [[wt:en/news/2843/current/|Part III]]

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

F-5C

2021-10-20T16:07:44Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-5c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|StoreImage F-5C 001.jpg|StoreImage F-5C 002.jpg|StoreImage F-5C 003.jpg|StoreImage F-5C 004.jpg|StoreImage F-5C 005.jpg}}
|store=10174
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-5C is generally an all-round good fighter. It's not the fastest plane and not the most manoeuvrable, but the combination of its decent speed, acceleration, and manoeuvrability make it a joy to fly and fight in.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,429 || 1,421 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 27.1 || 28.2 || 112.7 || 99.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,460 || 1,443 || 26.9 || 27.0 || 159.1 || 133.6
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 926 || 560 || 555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J85-GE-13 || 2
| colspan="2" | 4,051 kg || colspan="3" | 366 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 37m fuel
|-
| 271 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 4,580 kg || 4,992 kg || 5,463 kg || 5,814 kg || 9,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 37m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 960 kgf || 1,426 kgf
| 0.62 || 0.57 || 0.52 || 0.49 || 0.32
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 1,200 kgf (1,400 km/h) || 2,459 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.07 || 0.99 || 0.90 || 0.85 || 0.55
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 6.35 mm Steel - Below cockpit
* 6.35 mm Steel - Below engines
* Self-sealing fuel tanks (2 in fuselage)

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm M39A2 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bomb (500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==


In air RB, the F-5C can be played as both a support and offensive plane. In medium range engagements, it plays well as a support fighter, either baiting enemies to use up missiles with the large amount of flares/chaff or launching missiles at enemies who are chasing friendly aircraft to give a chance to let your teammate get in a better position. In close range engagements, with some effort you can stay on the tail of the enemy, if possible making the enemy pull as many manoeuvres as possible to slow them down so you can get a short burst from the respectable 20 mm cannons mounted in the nose. Due to the plane's characteristics, overshooting an enemy won't be the end of a dogfight, the F-5C is able bleed enough speed in a quick turn to get right back on the enemy if they don't take advantage of the overshoot or if they are going too slow to be able to make any quick counterattack.

In mixed ground battles (RB), the F-5C is able to function as a light strike aircraft, while also being able to maintain air supremacy. The F-5C's versatile loadout of air-to-ground ordnance allows the player to choose what range they want to do air support, for example the 4 x AGM-12B loadout is great for medium range engagements against enemy ground units.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good top speed
* Light and small
* Has countermeasures
* Has RWR
* Guns are effective
* Good turn rate
* Effective secondary armament
* Many effective secondary weapon loadouts

'''Cons:'''

* Only gets AIM-9Es while the Chinese equivalent gets AIM-9Ps
* No radar
* Many supersonic jet fighters at it's BR can outrun it

== History ==

In 1965, after the outbreak of the Vietnam War, the US government decided to send troops to South Vietnam to counter the threat of North Vietnamese forces. At that time, many tactical wings of USAF were sent to Thailand and South Vietnam for Operation Rolling Thunder, as well as to support the South Vietnam Army in countering the Viet Cong forces in the South Vietnam. In the meantime, many countries were reluctant to purchase the F-5, as it hadn't yet been adopted by the USAF. Thus, the USAF decided to let Colonel Frank Emory lead a special provisional squadron named 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron to take the new F-5 fighters into the Vietnam War, an excellent chance to prove that F-5 could do its job well in regional conflicts: this combat evaluation project was named "Skoshi Tiger".

[[File:Skoshi Tiger welcome banner AFHRA.png|left|thumb|343x343px|The welcome banner of F-5C Skoshi Tiger in Bein Hoa AFB, Vietnam.]]
To extend the combat capability of the Skoshi Tiger, Northrop made some modifications to the original F-5A Freedom Fighter, such as an external fixed refuelling probe on the left side of the forward fuselage that could receive fuel from a KC-135 tanker to extend the combat radius for some long-range missions. The total weight of the Skoshi Tiger's in-flight refuelling system was 85 pounds, but it could be removed if necessary. To improve the survivability of the Skoshi Tiger against enemy ground fire, two 1/4 inch-thick face-hardened steel armour plates were mounted externally on the fuselage, the function of the front plate was to protect the pilot and control mechanisms, and the aft plate protected vital hydraulic and control areas near the tail section, which added 236 pounds to the overall weight, there were five jettison-able pylons in total under the wings and fuselage like the original F-5A Freedom Fighter, other improvements such as better throttle linkage for improved afterburner modulation and the deletion of the rudder limiter were also implemented on the Skoshi Tiger.

The official name of "Skoshi Tiger" is F-5C. Five F-5A-15 and seven F-5A-20 originally destined to allied countries were withdrawn and sent to 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron after received those modifications. Some sources claim that USAF wanted 200 F-5 fighters which could be used in Vietnam War, in which the Skoshi Tiger program would be divided into three parts, and 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron was the first part who were sent to Bien Hoa AFB to attack the ground targets in South Vietnam.

On 23rd October 1965, Skoshi Tigers of 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron finally arrived at Bien Hoa AFB and started their combat evaluation missions. In their first combat evaluation mission on the same day, two Skoshi Tigers each carried four 500-pound bombs and 500 rounds of 20 mm ammunition to strike a Viet Cong concentration, they made five bomb runs and two strafing passes over the target, luckily these two F-5C Skoshi Tigers didn't encounter any anti-air fire in the combat zone at that time. The squadron worked as an independent combat unit until it was attached to the Bien Hoa AFB-based 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing which the latter was equipped with North American F-100D and F-100F Super Sabre fighter.

Through the end of December 1965, F-5C Skoshi Tigers usually flew their combat missions within 40 miles of their home base, and the only loss happened on 16th December 1965 due to the enemy's ground fire. By the end of the month, Skoshi Tigers had flown 1,531 sorties and finished 496 missions in total, they spent 3,110,886 pounds of ordnance against Viet Cong targets and claimed to destroy 1,377 structures with another 1,292 damaged in their Phase I combat evaluation test missions.

After that, 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron moved to Da Nang Forward Base for their Phase II combat evaluation test missions, which would test if F-5C Skoshi Tigers could survive in combat zones with heavy anti-air defense in North Vietnam, also providing a wonderful chance for Skoshi Tigers to prove their air combat capability by destroying any North Vietnamese aircraft in the air. However, because the combat operations near North Vietnam were forbidden by the order of the president, Skoshi Tigers lost their chance against the enemy's MiG fighters, so they changed their targets to Viet Cong troops in Laos, and air-refuelling were needed for these combat missions in Laos. From the start of the Phase II combat evaluation on 3rd January 1966 to their end on the 30th, Skoshi Tigers flew almost 400 sorties and successfully destroyed six bridges.

The Phase III combat evaluation tests started on 2nd February 1966 when the Skoshi Tigers returned to Bien Hoa AFB, and their primary mission was to support the third Army Corps. During these days (the duration of the Phase III combat test, depending on different source was 10 to 21 days), Skoshi Tigers made 348 combat sorties, the combat load carried by the Skoshi Tigers during this phase averaged 2,603 lbs per sortie.

Though the original plan was scheduled that the Skoshi Tiger program would be ended after the end of Phase III combat missions, 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron returned to Da Nang AFB on 20th February 1966 again because USAF still wanted to find chances to test the true survivability of F-5C fighters in combat zones with heavy anti-air defense in North Vietnam, also they wanted a chance to prove that F-5C fighters could counter any Communist MiG fighters, so the original Skoshi Tiger program was extended to Phase IV at that time. During the first week, because of bad weather conditions, F-5C fighters were driven away from Laos, but since the weather got better on 1st March 1966, they obtained permission to conduct their combat test missions on the borders of North Vietnam and South Vietnam for the first time. The Skoshi Tigers not only did ground attack role but some of them also carried two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles to perform air escort missions for allied aircraft, they logged 176 combat sorties on 45 missions over North Vietnam and Laos area, also they spent 5,923 rounds of 20 mm ammunition and 543 M117 750 lb bombs during these combat missions until 10th March 1966.

On 8th March 1966, the Skoshi Tiger program was finally ended, but another squadron called 10th Fighter Commando Squadron was established at Bien Hoa AFB soon after (some sources suggest that they just changed their name from the original 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron to the new 10th Fighter Commando Squadron). Seven additional F-5 fighters without air-refuelling equipment were assigned to the new squadron which increased the total amount of aircraft to 18. Some sources say that 10th Fighter Commando Squadron was assigned to 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing of USAF at Bien Hoa AFB until 17th April 1967 and their aircraft and equipment were transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force, but another source claimed that the reason that these F-5 fighters removed their air-refuelling equipment was because the Republic of Vietnam Air Force lacked tankers at that time, also Americans didn't want them to invade the North Vietnam area without a permit, which means it was assigned to Republic of Vietnam Air Force at that time. At that time, Skoshi Tiger's name was retained by the pilots of the 10th Fighter Commando Squadron, also some pilots decided to paint tiger stripes on their flight helmet.

Since the new 57 mm anti-air gun had been introduced into the North Vietnam Army by the end of 1966, the NVA finally found their approach to fight against the F-5C Skoshi Tiger formations at medium to high altitudes. From 8th March 1967 to 17th April 1967, the 10th Fighter Commando Squadron conducted 7,321 combat sorties, and 7,537 hours had been flown, including close air support and against missions enemy supply routes. A large amount of munitions had been expended by Skoshi Tigers for these combat missions, including 9,777 napalm canisters, 875 CBU bombs, and 778,566 20 mm rounds, and eight aircraft had been lost, including six aircraft due to ground fire and two aircraft due to engine failure. Seventeen aircraft had received battle damage.

In October 1966, the 10th Fighter Commando Squadron received a new mission at Bien Hoa AFB: to train new Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots to fly the F-5 fighters for combat missions, and maintenance personnel of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force were trained to maintain the F-5 fighters. At last, twelve remaining F-5A and F-5C fighters were turned over to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force at Bien Hoa AFB on 17th April 1967 from the deactivation of the USAF squadron.

[[File:F-5 fighter jet of NVA.png|thumb|356x356px|F-5 fighter in NVA service]]
Like their American ally, the Republic of Vietnam Air Force also used their F-5 fighters in close air support and supply route missions in the South Vietnam area, which helped the Republic of Vietnam Army a lot in many campaigns. From 1974 to 1975, the North Vietnam Army launched huge offensives from all directions into the Republic of Vietnam, which destroyed many Republic of Vietnam Army forces while occupying many of the Republic of Vietnam's territories, though in many cases, F-5 fighters, A-1 attackers, A-37 attackers and Armed helicopters successfully helped the allied army break the enemy's offensive or carry out retreat operations. However, as the North Vietnamese army gradually occupied the territories of South Vietnam, many Air Force bases were captured by the North Vietnamese army, and F-5 fighters that had not yet taken off or were damaged were captured by North Vietnamese army too. Because of the risk that the US government would send their Combat Forces back to Vietnam, the senior commander of North Vietnam Forces didn't want to use their MiG fighters during these invasion operations, therefore, some of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots who surrendered before were ordered to re-fly their F-5 fighters to attack the positions of the South Vietnamese army, even one time a F-5 fighter dropped a bomb on the square of the presidential palace in Saigon.

As the Vietnam War was finally ended in 1975, the new Vietnam government decided to transfer some American military equipment, such as F-5 fighters, A-37 attackers, and UH-1 helicopters, to the Soviet Union and China in exchange for more support. In China, the captured F-5A Freedom Fighter sent by the Vietnam government was tested with their own J-6 fighter, and it was found that the air combat performance of F-5A fighter not only could completely match their own J-6 fighter, but it also had much better ground attack capability, apart from that, the manufacturing process, aerodynamic design, airborne equipment and other parts of the F-5A fighter also had left a deep impression on Chinese aircraft engineers.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-5c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7166-development-top-gun-day-premium-f-5c-in-red-menace-camo-for-pre-order-en|[Devblog] Top Gun Day: Premium F-5C in Red Menace camo for pre-order!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/519024-f-5a/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Northrop}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

F-5C

2021-09-28T14:16:57Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F-5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-5c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|StoreImage F-5C 001.jpg|StoreImage F-5C 002.jpg|StoreImage F-5C 003.jpg|StoreImage F-5C 004.jpg|StoreImage F-5C 005.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

The F-5C is generally an all-round good fighter. It's not the fastest plane and not the most manoeuvrable, but the combination of its decent speed, acceleration, and manoeuvrability make it a joy to fly and fight in.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,429 || 1,421 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 27.1 || 28.2 || 112.7 || 99.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,460 || 1,443 || 26.9 || 27.0 || 159.1 || 133.6
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 926 || 560 || 555 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 680 || < 750 || < 700 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J85-GE-13 || 2
| colspan="2" | 4,051 kg || colspan="3" | 366 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 37m fuel
|-
| 271 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 4,580 kg || 4,992 kg || 5,463 kg || 5,814 kg || 9,000 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 11m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 37m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 960 kgf || 1,426 kgf
| 0.62 || 0.57 || 0.52 || 0.49 || 0.32
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 1,200 kgf (1,400 km/h) || 2,459 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.07 || 0.99 || 0.90 || 0.85 || 0.55
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 6.35 mm Steel - Below cockpit
* 6.35 mm Steel - Below engines
* Self-sealing fuel tanks (2 in fuselage)

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm M39A2 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bomb (500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==


In air RB, the F-5C can be played as both a support and offensive plane. In medium range engagements, it plays well as a support fighter, either baiting enemies to use up missiles with the large amount of flares/chaff or launching missiles at enemies who are chasing friendly aircraft to give a chance to let your teammate get in a better position. In close range engagements, with some effort you can stay on the tail of the enemy, if possible making the enemy pull as many manoeuvres as possible to slow them down so you can get a short burst from the respectable 20 mm cannons mounted in the nose. Due to the plane's characteristics, overshooting an enemy won't be the end of a dogfight, the F-5C is able bleed enough speed in a quick turn to get right back on the enemy if they don't take avantage of the overshoot or if they are going too slow to be able to make any quick counterattack.

In mixed ground battles (RB), the F-5C is able to function as a light strike aircraft, while also being able to maintain air supremacy. The F-5Cs versatile loadout of air to ground ordinance allows the player to choose what range they want to do air support, for example the 4x AGM-12B loadout is great for medium range engagements with the enemy ground units. Its largest downfall as a light strike aircraft is the lack of RWR, so SPAA are easily able to deal with a pilot that does not notice them fast enough.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good top speed
* Light and small
* Has countermeasures
* Has RWR
* Guns are effective
* Good turn rate

'''Cons:'''

* Only gets AIM-9Es while the Chinese equivalent gets AIM-9Ps
* No radar

== History ==

In 1965, after the outbreak of the Vietnam War, the US government decided to send troops to South Vietnam to counter the threat of North Vietnamese forces. At that time, many tactical wings of USAF were sent to Thailand and South Vietnam for Operation Rolling Thunder, as well as to support the South Vietnam Army in countering the Viet Cong forces in the South Vietnam. In the meantime, many countries were reluctant to purchase the F-5, as it hadn't yet been adopted by the USAF. Thus, the USAF decided to let Colonel Frank Emory lead a special provisional squadron named 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron to take the new F-5 fighters into the Vietnam War, an excellent chance to prove that F-5 could do its job well in regional conflicts: this combat evaluation project was named "Skoshi Tiger".

[[File:Skoshi Tiger welcome banner AFHRA.png|left|thumb|343x343px|The welcome banner of F-5C Skoshi Tiger in Bein Hoa AFB, Vietnam.]]
To extend the combat capability of the Skoshi Tiger, Northrop made some modifications to the original F-5A Freedom Fighter, such as an external fixed refuelling probe on the left side of the forward fuselage that could receive fuel from a KC-135 tanker to extend the combat radius for some long-range missions. The total weight of the Skoshi Tiger's in-flight refuelling system was 85 pounds, but it could be removed if necessary. To improve the survivability of the Skoshi Tiger against enemy ground fire, two 1/4 inch-thick face-hardened steel armour plates were mounted externally on the fuselage, the function of the front plate was to protect the pilot and control mechanisms, and the aft plate protected vital hydraulic and control areas near the tail section, which added 236 pounds to the overall weight, there were five jettison-able pylons in total under the wings and fuselage like the original F-5A Freedom Fighter, other improvements such as better throttle linkage for improved afterburner modulation and the deletion of the rudder limiter were also implemented on the Skoshi Tiger.

The official name of "Skoshi Tiger" is F-5C. Five F-5A-15 and seven F-5A-20 originally destined to allied countries were withdrawn and sent to 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron after received those modifications. Some sources claim that USAF wanted 200 F-5 fighters which could be used in Vietnam War, in which the Skoshi Tiger program would be divided into three parts, and 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron was the first part who were sent to Bien Hoa AFB to attack the ground targets in South Vietnam.

On 23rd October 1965, Skoshi Tigers of 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron finally arrived at Bien Hoa AFB and started their combat evaluation missions. In their first combat evaluation mission on the same day, two Skoshi Tigers each carried four 500-pound bombs and 500 rounds of 20 mm ammunition to strike a Viet Cong concentration, they made five bomb runs and two strafing passes over the target, luckily these two F-5C Skoshi Tigers didn't encounter any anti-air fire in the combat zone at that time. The squadron worked as an independent combat unit until it was attached to the Bien Hoa AFB-based 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing which the latter was equipped with North American F-100D and F-100F Super Sabre fighter.

Through the end of December 1965, F-5C Skoshi Tigers usually flew their combat missions within 40 miles of their home base, and the only loss happened on 16th December 1965 due to the enemy's ground fire. By the end of the month, Skoshi Tigers had flown 1,531 sorties and finished 496 missions in total, they spent 3,110,886 pounds of ordnance against Viet Cong targets and claimed to destroy 1,377 structures with another 1,292 damaged in their Phase I combat evaluation test missions.

After that, 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron moved to Da Nang Forward Base for their Phase II combat evaluation test missions, which would test if F-5C Skoshi Tigers could survive in combat zones with heavy anti-air defense in North Vietnam, also providing a wonderful chance for Skoshi Tigers to prove their air combat capability by destroying any North Vietnamese aircraft in the air. However, because the combat operations near North Vietnam were forbidden by the order of the president, Skoshi Tigers lost their chance against the enemy's MiG fighters, so they changed their targets to Viet Cong troops in Laos, and air-refuelling were needed for these combat missions in Laos. From the start of the Phase II combat evaluation on 3rd January 1966 to their end on the 30th, Skoshi Tigers flew almost 400 sorties and successfully destroyed six bridges.

The Phase III combat evaluation tests started on 2nd February 1966 when the Skoshi Tigers returned to Bien Hoa AFB, and their primary mission was to support the third Army Corps. During these days (the duration of the Phase III combat test, depending on different source was 10 to 21 days), Skoshi Tigers made 348 combat sorties, the combat load carried by the Skoshi Tigers during this phase averaged 2,603 lbs per sortie.

Though the original plan was scheduled that the Skoshi Tiger program would be ended after the end of Phase III combat missions, 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron returned to Da Nang AFB on 20th February 1966 again because USAF still wanted to find chances to test the true survivability of F-5C fighters in combat zones with heavy anti-air defense in North Vietnam, also they wanted a chance to prove that F-5C fighters could counter any Communist MiG fighters, so the original Skoshi Tiger program was extended to Phase IV at that time. During the first week, because of bad weather conditions, F-5C fighters were driven away from Laos, but since the weather got better on 1st March 1966, they obtained permission to conduct their combat test missions on the borders of North Vietnam and South Vietnam for the first time. The Skoshi Tigers not only did ground attack role but some of them also carried two AIM-9 Sidewinder missiles to perform air escort missions for allied aircraft, they logged 176 combat sorties on 45 missions over North Vietnam and Laos area, also they spent 5,923 rounds of 20 mm ammunition and 543 M117 750 lb bombs during these combat missions until 10th March 1966.

On 8th March 1966, the Skoshi Tiger program was finally ended, but another squadron called 10th Fighter Commando Squadron was established at Bien Hoa AFB soon after (some sources suggest that they just changed their name from the original 4503rd Tactical Fighter Squadron to the new 10th Fighter Commando Squadron). Seven additional F-5 fighters without air-refuelling equipment were assigned to the new squadron which increased the total amount of aircraft to 18. Some sources say that 10th Fighter Commando Squadron was assigned to 3rd Tactical Fighter Wing of USAF at Bien Hoa AFB until 17th April 1967 and their aircraft and equipment were transferred to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force, but another source claimed that the reason that these F-5 fighters removed their air-refuelling equipment was because the Republic of Vietnam Air Force lacked tankers at that time, also Americans didn't want them to invade the North Vietnam area without a permit, which means it was assigned to Republic of Vietnam Air Force at that time. At that time, Skoshi Tiger's name was retained by the pilots of the 10th Fighter Commando Squadron, also some pilots decided to paint tiger stripes on their flight helmet.

Since the new 57 mm anti-air gun had been introduced into the North Vietnam Army by the end of 1966, the NVA finally found their approach to fight against the F-5C Skoshi Tiger formations at medium to high altitudes. From 8th March 1967 to 17th April 1967, the 10th Fighter Commando Squadron conducted 7,321 combat sorties, and 7,537 hours had been flown, including close air support and against missions enemy supply routes. A large amount of munitions had been expended by Skoshi Tigers for these combat missions, including 9,777 napalm canisters, 875 CBU bombs, and 778,566 20 mm rounds, and eight aircraft had been lost, including six aircraft due to ground fire and two aircraft due to engine failure. Seventeen aircraft had received battle damage.

In October 1966, the 10th Fighter Commando Squadron received a new mission at Bien Hoa AFB: to train new Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots to fly the F-5 fighters for combat missions, and maintenance personnel of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force were trained to maintain the F-5 fighters. At last, twelve remaining F-5A and F-5C fighters were turned over to the Republic of Vietnam Air Force at Bien Hoa AFB on 17th April 1967 from the deactivation of the USAF squadron.

[[File:F-5 fighter jet of NVA.png|thumb|356x356px|F-5 fighter in NVA service]]
Like their American ally, the Republic of Vietnam Air Force also used their F-5 fighters in close air support and supply route missions in the South Vietnam area, which helped the Republic of Vietnam Army a lot in many campaigns. From 1974 to 1975, the North Vietnam Army launched huge offensives from all directions into the Republic of Vietnam, which destroyed many Republic of Vietnam Army forces while occupying many of the Republic of Vietnam's territories, though in many cases, F-5 fighters, A-1 attackers, A-37 attackers and Armed helicopters successfully helped the allied army break the enemy's offensive or carry out retreat operations. However, as the North Vietnamese army gradually occupied the territories of South Vietnam, many Air Force bases were captured by the North Vietnamese army, and F-5 fighters that had not yet taken off or were damaged were captured by North Vietnamese army too. Because of the risk that the US government would send their Combat Forces back to Vietnam, the senior commander of North Vietnam Forces didn't want to use their MiG fighters during these invasion operations, therefore, some of the Republic of Vietnam Air Force pilots who surrendered before were ordered to re-fly their F-5 fighters to attack the positions of the South Vietnamese army, even one time a F-5 fighter dropped a bomb on the square of the presidential palace in Saigon.

As the Vietnam War was finally ended in 1975, the new Vietnam government decided to transfer some American military equipment, such as F-5 fighters, A-37 attackers, and UH-1 helicopters, to the Soviet Union and China in exchange for more support. In China, the captured F-5A Freedom Fighter sent by the Vietnam government was tested with their own J-6 fighter, and it was found that the air combat performance of F-5A fighter not only could completely match their own J-6 fighter, but it also had much better ground attack capability, apart from that, the manufacturing process, aerodynamic design, airborne equipment and other parts of the F-5A fighter also had left a deep impression on Chinese aircraft engineers.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-5c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7166-development-top-gun-day-premium-f-5c-in-red-menace-camo-for-pre-order-en|[Devblog] Top Gun Day: Premium F-5C in Red Menace camo for pre-order!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/519024-f-5a/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Northrop}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

F-5C

2021-06-03T12:08:48Z

U103667116: /* Description */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f-5c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The F-5C '''{{Specs|F5C}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | _____ || _
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| ___ kg || colspan="2" | _____
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm M39A2 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bomb (500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

* Good top speed.
* Light and small.
* Has countermeasures.

*

'''Cons:'''

* Only gets Aim-9Es while the Chinese equivalent gets Aim-9Js.
* No radar.

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7166-development-top-gun-day-premium-f-5c-in-red-menace-camo-for-pre-order-en|[Development] Top Gun Day: Premium F-5C in Red Menace camo for pre-order!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/519024-f-5a/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

F-5C

2021-06-03T12:08:14Z

U103667116: /* Description */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f-5c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|F5C}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | _____ || _
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| ___ kg || colspan="2" | _____
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm M39A2 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bomb (500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

* Good top speed.
* Light and small.
* Has countermeasures.

*

'''Cons:'''

* Only gets Aim-9Es while the Chinese equivalent gets Aim-9Js.
* No radar.

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7166-development-top-gun-day-premium-f-5c-in-red-menace-camo-for-pre-order-en|[Development] Top Gun Day: Premium F-5C in Red Menace camo for pre-order!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/519024-f-5a/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

F-5C

2021-06-03T12:07:37Z

U103667116:

{{Specs-Card
|code=f-5c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|F5-C}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | _____ || _
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| ___ kg || colspan="2" | _____
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm M39A2 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bomb (500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

* Good top speed.
* Light and small.
* Has countermeasures.

*

'''Cons:'''

* Only gets Aim-9Es while the Chinese equivalent gets Aim-9Js.
* No radar.

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7166-development-top-gun-day-premium-f-5c-in-red-menace-camo-for-pre-order-en|[Development] Top Gun Day: Premium F-5C in Red Menace camo for pre-order!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/519024-f-5a/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

F-5C

2021-06-03T12:06:36Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f-5c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < ___ || < ___ || < ___ || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | _____ || _
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| ___ kg || colspan="2" | _____
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M39A2 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:

* 2 x 20 mm M39A2 cannons, nose-mounted (280 rpg = 560 total)

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9E Sidewinder|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 5 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (3,750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 8 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bomb (500 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 38 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 1 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bomb (1,000 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

* Good top speed.
* Light and small.
* Has countermeasures.

*

'''Cons:'''

* Only gets Aim-9Es while the Chinese equivalent gets Aim-9Js.
* No radar.

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7166-development-top-gun-day-premium-f-5c-in-red-menace-camo-for-pre-order-en|[Development] Top Gun Day: Premium F-5C in Red Menace camo for pre-order!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/519024-f-5a/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

Tiger II (P)

2021-05-19T15:36:14Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other variants
| link = Tiger II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_b_tiger_IIp
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or '''Tiger II (P)''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41.

The Tiger II (P) remains one of the more potent foes a player could face in the Rank IV battles.

The Tiger II's cannon can maintain a very nice penetration even at long ranges (1,200 m-1,800m) while American and Soviet cannons usually cannot keep such high penetration over distance, so they prefer 700 m or less engagements where their guns will most likely destroy you in the first hit, so get used to long range engagements. Being comfortable with kilometer long shots is a must in this tank. At 800m you should still be within a safe distance (depending on what you are facing) but going under that is getting into the Allied guns' effective range.

'''''Difference between the [[Tiger II (H)|Henschel (H)]] and the [[Tiger II (P)|Porsche (P)]] turrets''''' 
The "Henschel" turret is slightly more resistant since it has a flat but thick plate in the front and a more effective gun mantlet. The "Porsche" turret is less armoured, has an exposed turret ring and a shot trap that can and will deflect shells to the weaker upper plate of the chassis. Commander's cupola on the "Henschel" turret is also thicker (150 mm, opposed to 100 mm on "Porsche" turret). Other than that both tanks are identical, but for obvious reasons the "Henschel" turret is more popular than the "Porsche" turret. The initial design is often misleadingly called the "Porsche" turret due to the belief that it was designed by Porsche for their prototype; in fact it was the initial Krupp design for both prototypes.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola, Turret front)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 150 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (49°) ''Lower glacis''|| 80 mm (26°) ''Top'' 80 + 5 mm ''Bottom''|| 80 mm (28°) || 40 mm
|-
| Turret || 100 mm (17-57°) ''Turret front'' 120 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 82 mm (28-29°) || 80 mm (30°) 25 mm ''Turret underside'' || 40 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 100 mm || 40 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Turret front armour is only 100 mm thick, but it is rounded, with varying angles (between 0-55°). Middle part is unangled and is the weakest part of the turret.
* Turret has some major flaws, like a shot trap (''As mentioned in the "[[#Pros_and_cons|Pros and cons]]" section''), and exposed, vulnerable turret ring (80-100 mm thick and no angle at all).
* Commander's cupola on top of the turret is 100 mm thick, but quite well angled.
* Lower glacis is only 100 mm thick, but it is not a weakspot (over 200 mm effective angled).
* Machine gun port could be marked as close-range weakspot. Although most of it is still 150 mm thick, the angling is much worse. But targeting the turret is preferable.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=904|rbMinHp=619|AoAweight=|abMaxHp=1113}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK43 (88 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK43 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK43]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 70 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 15.4 || 21.3 || 25.8 || 28.6 || 30.4 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.3 || 13.3 || 16.1 || 17.9 || 19.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 237 || 234 || 222 || 207 || 194 || 181
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 279 || 273 || 252 || 227 || 205 || 185
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14 || 14
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/43 || APCBC || 1,000 || 10.16 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/43 || APCR || 1,130 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.64 || 0 || 0.3 || 1,100 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Sprgr.43 || HE || 820 || 9.4 || 0 || 0.1 || 1,000 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}. Note that racks 7 and 8 are ready racks.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''70''' || 65 ''(+5)'' || 59 ''(+11)'' || 48 ''(+22)'' || 37 ''(+33)'' || 30 ''(+40)'' || 23 ''(+47)'' || 12 ''(+58)'' || 1 ''(+69)'' || style="text-align:left" | Yes
|-
|}

Both sides empty: 23 ''(+47)''

Thanks to the ready rack feature found on this tank, the first and second ammo racks found in the back of the turret will always be full of ammo, making it the prime target for enemy tankers who are looking to detonate your ammo rack. Even solid shots like APCR and APDS that commonly pierce your front turret can make their way to the rear of the turret, potentially hitting the ready rack and can cause a critical hit to become a deadly one.

'''Notes:'''

* Recommended ammo load is 23 to keep the hull empty and both ready racks full.
* 7th and 8th ammo racks are ready racks, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills 1 through 6 in that order.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in either ready rack. If both ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing the main gun when it is loaded will load ammo from racks 1-6 into 8 then 7, as long as there is ammo in racks 1-6. Firing the main gun will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (150) || 900 || -10°/+25° || -55°/+160°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

====General play style====

The Tiger II is best used as a sniper (mainly due to its powerful gun); but when needed it can provide direct support for advancing units.

When used as a sniper, it is best that you find a position with a good overview of the battlefield. Keep your tank positioned directly towards the enemy and keep an eye out for any medium tanks trying to flank you (Tiger II has great frontal armour, do not be afraid to use it. However, keep in mind that the lower plate offers less protection and penetrations can easily cause fires due to the positioning of mechanical parts). It is best that you find cover behind a solid object and slightly rotate your vehicle e.g.: rotate your tank about 10-15 degrees from the enemy (your turret too). Positioning, combined with distance, can easily give you effective armour greater than 300 mm. When "sniping" it is best to wait for the enemy to expose their weak points, fire a steady, accurate shot and retreat to a safe position. Wait for your reload to be completed and slowly show your frontal plate (most of the players will engage even though the chances of penetration are low); once the enemy has fired, you can take your time and engage the tank while they reload.

Using the Tiger II to advance and to support the front line can be rather tricky. While this tank offers great firepower and superior frontal armour, you'll notice that it is hard to fight in urban areas. In situations like this, you will quickly realize that the high weight and sheer size of the tank can cause major problems. Almost any tank that is faster will easily outmaneouver the Tiger II and destroy it. To avoid this, it is best to stay in the back (not too far from your team), keeping your tank positioned at an angle and using "peek-a-boo" techniques. You should always look for a position that can protect you during the assault of small tanks, such as "U" shaped buildings where you can easily retreat and protect your weak points.

''Note that you have to find a tactic that suits your play style best; these are simple tips that should help you get started.''

'''''It is not a medium tank nor a tank destroyer:''''' 
This is a very heavy tank with an engine meant for a tank half its weight, so it moves slow and turns slow. It is not as reliable for close range combat as a medium tank and if you try brawl with it more than necessary you will find yourself quickly flanked by faster, more agile tanks and destroyed with side/rear shots. Also, soviet 122mm guns don't have the best penetration but if that shell gets into your tank you will not survive, and under 500m, it is going to get in.

This does not mean you should stay put in a single spot, or camp a location like a tank destroyer (which are designed to camp): you have mobility, so keep moving or you will attract a lot of attention, only to find out too late that someone took his sweet time to travel 1.5km to your position to deliver you a shell to the side.
====Tactics====
====== Know the specs======
'''''Know the gun and ammo:''''' 
Knowing what your gun and ammunition are capable of is very important; this translates into knowing what kind of ammo to use in every situation against any enemy tank.

Like most German tanks, the stock APCBC (PzGr 39/43) is a good all-around shell, effective at close and long range with good penetration and good fragmentation, it will be the one you will be using the most. For close range combat with very heavily armoured tanks you will need APCR shells (PzGr 40/43), its high penetration value at close range can be a threat even to some 8.0 BR tanks, but remember it is a solid shell with no explosive charge, so you will need to aim carefully for crew and vital components which means you will need to know where these are located exactly.

The recommended ammo ratio is 2/3 (two thirds) of APCBC and 1/3 (one third) of APCR.

In arcade battles ranging is quite easy since the game does it for you, in [[Realistic Battles|realistic]] and [[Simulator Battles|simulator]] however you do not have this advantage. Trying to "eyeball it" after 800m can be incredibly tricky in these game modes, but something you might not know is that your sights provide you with all the tools you need to land a shot on your first try on a target that can be as far as 2800m (2.8km). You just need to follow the formula: ''Target size in meters / mil number x 1000 = target range''

Your "target size" is the length or the width (depending on what side you are facing) of your target, the mils are displayed in your sights on the horizontal axis, you divide these 2 numbers and multiply the result by 1000 and you will get the exact distance in meters. Then you just have to adjust your aim using the vertical axis of your sights (that displays the bullet drop) and take the shot. If your numbers were correct, you will land the shot dead on.

'''''Know your enemy and know yourself:''''' 
This applies to all tanks in all honesty, you need to spend some time looking at the armour of any tank you might encounter and learning where possible weak spots are located and under what conditions (angle, distance) you can actually score a good hit; yes, the gun is extremely good, but '''don't expect miracles''', aim it right and it will serve you right.

Learning your enemies' reload rates, vital components and crew locations is also very important; if you learn where their ammunition is stored, you will be creating fireworks during the whole game.

Take care of reading about your enemy's different ammo options, remember that just looking at the penetration values under the short description is not enough, since most tanks will have better options when it comes to ammunition. Learn under what conditions (angle, distance) your tank is safe from all the available ammo for these certain tanks, then take measures to protect yourself.

====== Positioning ======
'''''Hide your noble parts:''''' 
Taking cover is very important for the Tiger II; if you happen to find a position where a piece of rubble covers your lower frontal hull plate you have just made yourself near indestructible from the front. You can also use some low profile friendly tank destroyers, however having enough clearance to shoot is important, so not all tank destroyers are suitable cover.

If you try to move ahead in the face of an enemy you will end with a dead transmission, a fire and possibly some knocked out crew members, or just destroyed. 
Explore the map, find places where craters, depressions in the ground, soft hills, rubble, rocks or artificial obstacles (such as trenches) will cover you while letting you shoot over it; the Tiger II has very nice gun depression, use it to your advantage. 
Remember that destructible environmental objects (like brick walls, fences, and even trees) will protect you from a single HEAT or HE shell hit, but nothing else, and you should not rely on it to cover your sides or as anything else than visual cover. 
Taking cover behind large rocks, hills, buildings or even ally heavy tanks while you perform repairs or reload can be very useful.

======Long range combat ======
'''''Tiger II+long distance =/= immortal:''''' 
An enemy that knows what he's doing will not engage you at distance with regular armour penetrating rounds, high calibre HEAT and HE rounds will very likely end your existence with a big boom if it manages to hit you.

A KV-2 or an ISU-152 shooting a 152mm HE shell will most likely destroy you on the first hit, the sheer size of the shell makes it extremely harmful to your tank at all distances, the vehicles capable of destroying your tank with HE rounds are however, most of the time, not very well armoured; Not armoured enough for your gun, at the very least, so you should be able to take them out at ease if you manage to shoot first. High caliber HEAT ammo is also unaffected by distance and if it penetrates it can cause heavy damage to your tank.

Remember a 122mm HE round hit can also cause you heavy damage or complete destruction.

======Teamplay======
'''''Don't be an easy-going loner, be a paranoid team-player:''''' 
Lone heavy tanks are dead heavy tanks, while on a game make sure to have some medium/light tank support to cover your sides and rear, you will be the one absorbing shots they cannot take and they will mop up whatever tries to come from the side (that will be, most of the time, medium or light tanks) and even if they can not take it out, they will warn you about it and you will be able to respond in time. If you can't get medium/light tank support, get yourself another heavy tank to support you, you know what's scarier than a Tiger II? Two of them.

Having support will give you peace of mind while shooting and let you concentrate on your target instead of being looking around you every 5 seconds like a paranoid, but then again, being paranoid is not a bad thing while driving this tank.

If you saw something rolling around and don't know what it is, assume the worst and act accordingly, if it happened to be an A.I T-26 you can laugh about it, but if you ignore it and it happened to be an enemy flanking wave you will regret it, since it will not only cost you your tank, it might cost you the game.

======Close quarter combat======
'''''While in close range, play it smart and always angle your tank. But not your turret:''''' 
Sometimes you have to get in close to the combat zone for many reasons, one of them being Urban combat where the abundance of cover denies you of very long range shooting. If you see yourself forced to close quarters combat (that is under 700m) you need to play smart, be mobile but take your time to wait for the enemy where they might be coming from, communicate enemy positions to your allies and have them communicate any enemy contacts back so you can set up ambushes and flanking maneuvers.

While in urban combat, long straight roads are a bane to the Tiger's health, look both sides before crossing and remember that your tank is capable of being the one delivering a penetrating blow, this allow for some long range shooting at certain locations. You might also find yourself suddenly in front of an enemy tank while turning around a corner, in this case a Tiger I would angle itself to maximize its effective armour thickness since it has flat armour, the Tiger II has the heavy armour of a Tiger I and the sloped armour of a Panther, so '''angling is usually unnecessary, but''' at this close range you will be easily destroyed from the front so you want to angle a bit so you have an increase in your effective armour thickness and this might save you from a shot in the lower frontal hull plate.

'''BUT, whatever you do, DO NOT''' angle your turret, your turret is not specially strong from the front, in fact the front of the turret is an all times favorite target for everyone and you'll get shot there a lot but it is far better to face the enemy directly since the plates on the side of the turret are very thin.

Being a fast and accurate shooter also helps while in close range, at this rank anything hitting you from under 500m will most likely destroy you, but you will also be able to penetrate anything so make sure to be the first one to shoot and make sure it lands where it hurts.

=====The stock Tiger II guide=====
Driving a recently unlocked tank is always difficult; the gun accuracy is terrible and the inability to repair in combat is extremely frustrating... but nothing is worse than the feeling impotence when watching your tank burn away even after defeating the enemy that caused the fire. In general the vehicle will underperform when stock, so don't say "I hate it" before you unlock all the modifications.

Only true effort can unlock the necessary modifications to remedy this or by utilising golden eagles. ''But let's assume you have more important things to buy with your golden eagles.''

Remember three very important points:

#You can not repair anything else than your tracks.
#Once you catch a fire, it is game over.
#All your research points should be prioritized into the Parts modifications. This modifications is number one priority.

Before entering the game '''make sure that you are researching parts''' and not Tracks or anything else, the ability to repair in combat is essential and will make your life far easier. But hey, if you don't have that modification yet, here are a few tips:

# Stay in or close by the capture circles.
#:Did you know that you can repair and replenish your ammo storage at the capture circles? No? Well, now you know it. Use this knowledge to your advantage.
#:If you get your gunshot, '''you can repair without the Parts modification''' by stopping your tank inside the capture zone. If you get your transmission or engine shot, and somehow you don't catch fire and happen to be near a capture zone, you can ask one of your allies to tow you to the capture zone. '''Remember''' that you must press the acceleration key (default: W) when someone is towing you, you won't move but it will unlock your brakes making you easy to move.
# Don't catch fire.
#:Don't, just don't. If you do it is game over, make sure to make as much damage as possible if you happen to catch fire.
# Sniping will depend largely on luck.
#:With a stock tank your accuracy will be terrible, so you will be forced to close quarters most of the time. Unlocking the modules that improve your accuracy will allow you to achieve 2000m long shots at ease so they should be your number 3 priority after Parts and FPE.
# Play smart.
#:If you use your tank in a smart way, take precautions and take advantage of its capabilities while keeping its limits in mind, you should not need to repair during a game at all
# Be helpful and merciful to your allies
#:Saw someone flip their tank? It reminds you of a turtle upside down struggling to set itself right, doesn't it? Funny, huh? Did you know that in nature, If a turtle flips and cannot right itself it dies slowly in desperation, an agony that can take several days? Not so funny anymore, huh?
#:Laugh out load, if you want when you see it, yes it is funny, but don't abandon the poor turtle to its fate, if you happen to be nearby, by all means please help the person in need for a friendly tow. The lesson here is: if you want help, be helpful.
#:If you want people to flip you over when you are upside down or pull you out of a trench, or pull your transmission-less self to a capture point so you can repair, do the same for others.

=====Performance in a 0.0 to 10.0 scale:=====

*3.0/10 Rusher: Trying to get to the cap point before a T-44 or a Panther? Keep dreaming. This is a slow slumbering beast that will struggle to achieve 40km/h even on a flat road, struggle to achieve 30km/h on flat cross country, struggle to achieve 20km/h on rough cross country and struggle to achieve 8km/h up a steep hill (that is, if you can climb it at all). Its engine was meant for a tank half its weight and size, so expect a slow tank.
*4.5/10 brawler: Its heavyweight, limited acceleration and high profile make it unsuitable for highly mobile close quarter battles, if the tank is on its own it will get easily flanked and destroyed by faster medium/light tanks better suited for these battles and most Allied tanks prefer close quarters while engaging the Tiger II, so it quickly becomes a turkey hunt. However, its great gun and heavy frontal armour add to its survivability and if the operator has medium tank support it can become a foothold for the team.
*6.0/10 flanker: Again, its high profile and low acceleration don't make it the best tank to flank and a medium tank is better suited for this, but it has a fairly good top speed (even if it takes a long time and a flat road to achieve it), its comparatively fast for a heavy tank, its heavy armour gives it extra survivability in case of a counter attack and if it manages to position itself on the enemy's flank, it can quickly reduce them to a pyrotechnia.
*7.4/10 Adamant: Its heavy frontal armour will often serve as a shield to your lighter allies, you will be capable of taking heavy hits and shrug off impacts that most medium tanks cannot take, it has some flaws and weak spots in the frontal armour that the enemy will take advantage of, but with some angling and planning this can be mitigated. Its side armour is, however, very weak.
*7.6/10 Sniper: Distance is this tank's friend, its gun has a very long effective range and its armour becomes impervious to most enemy weapons at long ranges, but not all of them and it is not by any means a tank destroyer which will have the upper hand over the Tiger II at very long ranges.
*9.0/10 Ambusher: Be it sitting still at the end of a street or waiting in the river while the enemy approaches the bridge, this tank will shoot 3 times or more before the enemy even realize what hit them, but you need to be accurate to be deathly and having support and/or a place to fall back to or a hull-down position is essential for an ambush.

====Specific enemies worth noting====

===== US Army vehicles =====
The Tigers' common enemies are going to be the [[M26|M26 Pershing]], an agile american medium tank with a 90 mm gun that can pierce some holes in your frontal armour from a medium range and can get in your flank in no time, but however has relatively low armour; the [[T32]], a heavier version of the Pershing with an impenetrable mantlet and night invulnerable upper glacis, and a far nastier version of that 90mm gun; the premium T28, american tank destroyer with incredibly strong frontal armour and a gun far superior to the Tiger II's (shoot the cupolas), the premium [[M26E1|M26E1]] and the [[M46_"Tiger"|Premium M46 "Tiger"]] American tanks which have very similar guns to the Tiger II.

A further nuisance is the [[M41A1|M41A1 Bulldog]]. While it will mostly only fire sub-calibre shells, these are a danger up to 1000m to the frontal turret armour. Experienced light tank drivers will try to flank the Tiger to get shots into the exposed hull ammo racks, the APDS shot usually setting these off with one shot, unlike the APCR the Bulldog also carries. If you are stuck in close quarters, try to get a shot off as fast as possible in order to immobilise or destroy it.

[[T95|T95]]: Use your ''medium tank'' to either outflank this enemy or put a few well aimed shots into the cupolas. Watch out for its traverse speed, as the ''Doom-turtle'' is shockingly fast to turn on the spot.

[[T29]]: Very good gun, penetrations are very deadly. Surprisingly resistant despite its weak hull armour, multiple shots will be necessary if you don't have a lucky shot. From the front, if you have the patience and finesse, a shot into the turret front to the right of the gun mantle will most likely result in an ammo rack.

===== Red Army vehicles =====
The [[IS-2_(1944)]] is a Soviet heavy tank with a large 122 mm cannon which you want to avoid. Both HE and APHE shells of the 122 mm cannon pose a threat and the turret armour can be quite trollish, often either bouncing shots or sometimes eating them up.

Succeeding the [[T-34-85]] is the [[T-44]], a sneakier and more armoured version of the former. It retains the excellent mobility while gaining better manoeuvrability and hull armour. Luckily it retains the 85mm, which however is quite enough to reliably deal with the Tiger's sides. Deal with them quickly before you need to turn the turret and expose you tank's weak side to the enemy. Like with the IS-2 the best place to shoot the T-44 is the turret and lower glacis, the T-44 also inheriting the bouncy turret, so aim well!

[[SU-100]]: Fast, mobile and armed with a gun rivaling that of your own tank, this tank destroyer is not to be underestimated. It can punch holes through your turret with ease. Fortunately they have little yet well angled armour, thus SU-100 drivers will often angle their armour to create areas of high angle equivalent to auto-bounce zones. In such cases aim for the less angled portion, side or front.

All three variants of the ISU series are big boxy targets with very nasty guns, yet are sluggish and have no angled armour. Look and sneeze at them, however often enough they will wait in ambush situations, so be prepared!

[[T-54_(1951)|T-54]] is rare but will still pop up in matches. If you have the time against them at close range, shoot at the turret front. At medium distances, you will need APCR or a very lucky shot.

===== British vehicles =====
British vehicles are some of the first to get APDS (The first being the [[Comet_I|A34 Comet]] at BR 5.3), and are therefore very dangerous due to their high penetration. The Tiger II will commonly face tanks like the [[FV4202]], [[Caernarvon|Caernarvon]] and the [[Centurion_Mk_3|Centurion Mk 3]], all of which have the [[Ordnance_QF_20-pounder_Mk.I_(84_mm)|84 mm 20-pdr gun]]. They can punch straight through your turret cheeks at long range with great accuracy. They also have sloped armour, which may bounce some of your shells if you aim poorly. You may also face tanks like the [[Tortoise|A39 Tortoise]], which is a very difficult penetrate from the front. It has thick, sloped armour and a high penetrating [[Ordnance_QF_32-pounder_(94_mm)|94 mm 32-pdr gun]]. At long range even your powerful 88 mm will struggle to take one out. You may also face tanks armed with the [[L7A1_(105_mm)|105 mm L7A1 gun]], like the [[Centurion_Mk_10|Centurion Mk 10]]. Tanks with this gun have massive penetration (over 300 mm) and so you will be an easy target for them. Luckily, most British tanks do not have explosive filler in their rounds. They will easily be able to take out your gunners/commander, but will struggle to incapacitate the driver from the front. This will give you the chance to use the tanks decent reverse speed to make your escape.

=====The worst enemy is yourself=====
This is true in a literal and figurative way if you keep telling yourself that you can't do it you won't do it. This tank is not easy to operate and it can be frustrating at times but it is a very good tank once you start using it properly and keep its limits and weaknesses in mind.

In the literal way, yes, '''your worst possible enemy is another Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B.''' They know the tank from the inside out just like you, long range and even taking cover wont help you since they have that same amazing gun and they know exactly where to hit, besides, when talking about distance: if you can hurt it, it can hurt you, and if it can't hurt you, you can't hurt it.

A Tiger II vs Tiger II fight usually ends in less than 25 seconds, sometimes lasting as little as 2 seconds using 2 shells or less to achieve the destruction of one of them. Sometimes you will find yourself exchanging shells for a whole game.

'''The only effective way to face a Tiger II with a Tiger II is to hit first''' and making sure the hit has a crippling effect on its firing capability (hitting the turret from the front for example, taking out the gunner and commander and possibly hitting ammo). If you happen to get hit like this from a Tiger II your only hope is to get to cover in less than 10 seconds (weapon reload time with an expert crew, maxed out loader and commander is 10.6 seconds) and run away to a safe location to repair since these hits will most likely destroy your turret ring and cannon breech.

You will be engaging the Tiger II with your Tiger II in arcade games for the most part, but also in realistic/simulator squadron battles where it is a very popular tank. Remember to read "how to destroy a Tiger II" below, there are more tips available on this topic there.

====Counter-tactics====

[[File:Tiger II Shooting Guide.jpg|400px|left|thumb|Colour-frames showing the viability of targets on the Königstiger.]]

A Tiger II is a formidable enemy when it's used correctly by its operator, but it's by no means indestructible under any conditions.

The first thing you want to do is deny the Tiger II of the advantage of its gun by getting as close as possible while keeping clear of its cannon (the closer you get, the better the penetration values for you and the Tiger II) most Tiger II operators will avoid getting flanked at all costs so you might find yourself forced to face one from the front. The biggest weak spot is the lower frontal hull plate, its slopped but only 100mm thick and behind it lies the transmission that likes to catch fires and create nasty shrapnel when destroyed, the shrapnel will fly inwards and if your shell is large enough they will take out the entire crew. However, this shot will most likely only leave the Tiger II unable to move for a minute and make his operator quite angry (at you) while his gun remains perfectly operational and before you have a chance reload you will most likely receive a very accurate shot from an irritated Tiger II operator.

The lower frontal plate is a good place to hit but it should be a second option, with this tank, you need to disable that gun as soon as possible, the turret is a very reliable target at close range, even with HEAT ammo you should be able to deliver a shot that will disable its firing capability for long enough for you to reload and shoot again. Using your best AP round for this is recommended since the frontal turret has a fairly thick (but flat) plate, if nothing else works try APCR.

Using high calibre HE rounds is also effective. The cupola is probably the best place to hit with a HE shell, since the explosion will deflect into the thin upper plate and destroy everything inside. It is not easy to hit, but if you manage to hit the cupola it's very unlikely it survives.

The Tiger II is very vulnerable to "Circling attacks", that means, running around it in circles and harass it with side shots. Its turret can turn quite fast (especially in arcade mode) but most medium tanks are fast enough to outrun it.

If you somehow manage to see an enemy Tiger II from the side, try to land a shot in the middle of the hull, near of the turret (not on the turret, the upper part of the hull), there's a good chance there will be ammo there, and if there isn't, you will either knock out the tank by taking out many crew members or cripple it heavily

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Upper glacis plate is extraordinarily tough, especially at a BR of 6.3. Don't expect anything but APDS or HEAT to get through it
* With its very high muzzle velocity, accuracy, penetration, post penetration damage, and fire rate, the KwK43 88mm cannon loaded with PzGr 39/43 is arguably the best gun at Rank 4
* One can argue that the KwK43 is infact a better overall cannon than the 105mm cannon on the the 10.5 Tiger II. While it doesn't have the post penetration damage of the 105, the KwK43 has nearly double the rate of fire, nearly the same penetration, and is still an APHE round
* PzGr 40/43 shells have extremely high muzzle velocity and armour penetration values at all ranges
* Turret is highly sloped and can cause some shots to bounce
* Good tank for one to master the Tiger II(H) while grinding its modules
* Despite its massive weight of 68 tons, the Tiger II P actually has a high top speed. You'll be right behind the medium tanks when when going into battle
* Provides a good learning curve for later German heavy tanks

'''Cons:'''

* While being sloped, the turret is this tanks biggest weakness. The armour thickness is underwhelming at best. There are even some Rank 2 tanks whose cannon are powerful enough to go right through the front of the turret face
* Unlike most tanks in the game, going hull down is not a valid tactic in this tank.
* If the tank is loaded with anything more than 48 rounds, the back of the turret will have ammunition in it. This can prove to be a fatal mistake
* Angling the turret doesn't always work
* This is a massive heavy tank. So unless you're going at the tanks top speed, don't expect to pull of any quick U-turns to deal with an unexpected threat
* Priority target by planes. Especially when in 6.3 BR games
* Large fuel tanks can cause frequent fires
* With the very low damage and penetration of the HEAT shells, they are essentially pointless to ever take into battle
* Tanks with APDS and HEAT/HEAT-FS, which are becoming increasingly common at its rank, can penetrate the frontal mantlet most of the time, only lower calibre guns can be stopped
* Rarely, if a shell strikes the lower portion of where the barrel and gun mantlet meet, the shell or shell fragments can ricochet off through the turret ring into the crew compartment, crippling or even destroying the vehicle.
* Turret cheeks are very weak and will rarely bounce shots.

== History ==

===Development===
Just before the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] entered service in 1942, work has already begun for its successor. In 1937, Henschel was ordered to develop a heavy tank design, with Porsche following suit in 1939. Porsche developed their new heavy tank off of the failed [[VK 45.01 (P)|VK 4501 (P)]], churning out two models designated VK 4502 (P) named Type 180 and 181. The Type 180 had its turret mounted centrally while 181 had the turret mounted on the rear with the engine in the center (akin to the [[Ferdinand|Ferdinand tank destroyer]] layout). Both designs used the same components of the VK 4501 (P) and both designs were visually similar except for the turret locations and some mechanical parts, but these two designs never passed wooden prototypes.

Henschel, on the other hand, used a more conventional design in their tank layout, but the end result look no way similar to their previous heavy tank design [[Tiger E|Tiger I]]. The VK 4503 (H) as designated by them resembled a [[Panther G|Panther]] tank layout, with the transmission in the front along with the driving compartment, the turret in the center, and the engine in the rear. The design used many components from the Panther and the [[Panther II|Panther II]] in order to standardize production. The suspension system was also different from anything produced at the time, though still using a torsion-bar suspension, the wheels were arranged only in the overlapping method, no interleaving. This new ''Schachtellaufwerk'' design simplified maintenance and increased production by using less wheels than interleaved (only 9 each side) and with full-steel wheels that the later Tiger I models used to save rubber. The first wooden mock-up of the design was presented on October 20, 1943 to Hitler, to which it was approved for further development as the '''Panzerkampfwagen Tiger Ausf. B''', or just '''Tiger II''' and '''Tiger B''' for short. The Henschel variant was more advantageous than the Porsche variant for being developed faster and has a faster production rate, thus it was destined to be approved for service. The Henschel design began production in the Henschel plant at Kassal and the first 3 working prototypes were churned out in December 1943. Full-scale production began on January 1944 and continued all the way until March 1945. Due to the late introduction and the amount of resources needed to construct the heavy tanks, only about 482 production models were produced in this time period, considerably less than its predecessor, Tiger I.

===Design===
The Tiger II is just massive in size. Weighing in at 68.5 tons, it is the heaviest tank to see service in World War II, beaten out as heaviest serving vehicle by the [[Jagdtiger|Jagdtiger]], which weighs 71.7 tons. The Tiger II front armour is 150 mm thick, and this is without sloping, with which it would be more than 200 mm thick ineffective. The thick front glacis armour was never penetrated by any Allied tank throughout the entire war. The side and rear armour is still 80 mm, which presented a weaker target, but still formidable at longer ranges. The gun on the Tiger II was the famous 8.8 cm KwK 43, which could defeat all Allied armour in World War II. The gun is sighted by the gunner with a ''Turmzielfernrohr 9d'' monocular sight that allows two magnifications, 2.5x and 5x. In practice, the gun is able to hit a target under 1 kilometers away 100% of the time.

The turret on this Tiger II is the production turret model by Krupp, colloquially known as the "Henschel" turret (hence the "H" in the name) despite that the Henschel company had no influence on the Krupp turret design. This turret replaced the flawed prototype ''[[Tiger II (P)|"Porsche" turret]]'', also by Krupp. The production model was a simplified turret, using more flat surfaces and a sleeker shape for easier production. The previously curved front of the turret is made into a thickened flat face that presents no shot trap and the protruding commander's cupola was flattened into the design. The turret is powered and could rotate under two settings, high and low. In low, the turret could be rotated a full 360 degrees in 60 seconds, and the same in 19 seconds at high. Though the engine could allow the turret to traverse in 10 seconds in full power, but this was not recommended to avoid straining the engine. The turret traverse is powered by pedals or a lever by the gunner and is fine enough with these methods that small adjustments with the manual traverse hand wheels are not necessary.

The Tiger II was still propelled by the V-12 Maybach HL230 gasoline engine, which powered the lighter [[Panther G|Panther]] and [[Tiger E|Tiger I]]. The increased weight of the tank made the engine underpowered, requiring extra care to make sure the engine does not fail. Despite that, the tank was capable of reaching a maximum speed of 41.5 kilometers per hour, making the Tiger II quite agile for its weight. However, the Tiger II consumes exorbitant amount of fuel and requires extensive maintenance to keep running, which impedes its combat effectiveness in the whole strategic viewpoint as it only had an operational range of about 120 kilometer per hour on cross country terrain. The heavyweight also causes multiple mechanical issues in the tank, the drive train is overburdened as it was intended for a lighter vehicle and multiple breakdowns were experienced in early Tiger II models. Though, these issues were ironed out over time with improvements, but still persist due to lack of supplies to maintain the tanks.

===Combat usage===
The Tiger II is organized into heavy tank battalions (''Schwere Panzer Abteilungen'') in the Wehrmacht and SS units, who first received them by February 1944. A standard battalion would have 45 Tiger IIs, with three in command and 14 in each of the three companies. A total of 14 battalions were employed during World War II in the Heer and SS, 11 assigned to the Heers and 3 to the SS. The original role of heavy tank battalions was to engage, breakthrough and destroy enemy armour on the offensive, but the changing war situation saw their role relegated to the defensive. The Tiger II's first recorded combat action was in the 1st Company of 503rd Heavy Panzer Battalion in Normandy in July 1944, fighting back the Canadians during their offensive in Operation Atlantic, three Tiger IIs were lost, two from combat and one from becoming irrecoverable after falling into a bomb crater. However, by the end of the Normandy Campaign, all of the Tiger IIs in the 503rd were lost. The 501st Heavy Panzer Battalion had the Tiger II see first action in the Eastern Front on August 1944, where it resisted the Soviet Lvov-Sandomierz Offensive. It was here on the road to Oględów in August 12, 1944 that an ambush by a few [[T-34-85]]s destroyed three Tiger IIs easily and some more disabled. The destroyed Tiger IIs were attributed to ammunition explosions. Due to this incident, it was ordered that the crew do not store the cannon ammunition in the turret, though the enforcement of this order varies between units. Still, 16 Tiger IIs in the 501st became disabled or destroyed in a span of more than two weeks.

The Tiger II also played a part in Operation Panzerfaust, where the 503rd Battalion was stationed in Hungary to ensure it stayed in the Axis Alliance. These tanks stayed for 166 days and claimed a large number of Soviet vehicle kills for the loss of 25 Tiger IIs. The Tiger II continued to see action in most of the offensive and defensive actions in the last few months of World War II, such as in the Ardennes Offensive in December 1944, the Soviet Vistula-Oder and East Prussian Offensives in January 1945, and the German Lake Balaton Offensive in March 1945, Battle of the Seelow Heights in April 1945, and the Battle of Berlin that lasted until VE Day.

Tiger II's performance in battle was quite favourable in firepower and achieved a disproportionate kill-loss ratio. The 503rd SS Battalion claimed 500 kills for the loss of 45 Tiger IIs in the time span of January to April 1945. However, most of the Tiger II's losses were due to mechanical breakdowns or lack of fuel, so the crew abandoned these tanks and destroyed them to avoid enemy capture. Ultimately, however, while these tanks proved a menace in the battlefield, its overall strategic effect to the war is negligible like its predecessor due to the low number available.

===Survivors===
Today, there are 10 Tiger IIs in varying conditions left in the world. The most well known is the one at Musée des Blindés museum at Samur, France. This Tiger II is the only working version left in the world, this variant has the "Henschel" turret attached. Other notable places around the world that have the Tiger II is at the Bovington Tank Museum at England (which has a Porsche and a Henschel variant), Kubinka Tank Museum at Russia, and the (future) National Armor and Cavalry Museum in America.

=== In-game description ===
In August 1942, the companies Nibelungenwerke, led by Ferdinand Porsche, and Henschel & Sohn AG, under the direction of Erwin Aders, received technical specifications for a tank with thicker armor than the Tiger I, placed at the same large angles of inclination as that on the T-34.

After testing, Porsche's prototype was rejected. However, by this point, 50 turrets had already been produced for the model. It was decided that these turrets would be used to equip the first 50 tanks with Henschel's hull design, which had equipment for underwater traversing. Porsche's turrets had a streamlined shape, and the commander's cupola was accommodated by a curved bulge on the turret's side. The turret's frontal armor had a thickness of 107 mm. All Tiger II(P) tanks had anti-magnetic Zimmerit paste applied on their vertical surfaces.

The first set of tanks, new vehicles with the Porsche turrets received on March 14, 1944, became the 316th company of the Panzer Lehr. Five tanks fought with the Panzer Lehr on the Western Front. The remaining tanks were received by the 503rd heavy tank battalion, which fought on the Western Front until 1944. After this, the two still-intact Tiger II(P) tanks fought in the battalion's battles on the Eastern Front during the autumn and winter of 1944–1945.

Thick armor plates, positioned at high angles of inclination, provided the tank very high protection against the majority of the anti-tank weapons of the time. However, the vehicle's high weight and lack of engine power caused the Tiger II to have low ride quality and overall low reliability. A serious drawback of the Porsche turret was its streamlined front, which was prone to making projectiles ricochet into the roof of the tank's hull.

The major opponent of the Tiger II(P) on the Western Front was enemy aircraft. Also, many vehicles were lost as a result of mechanical failure.

== Media ==


;Skins

Camouflages and skins for the Tiger B (H) from live.warthunder.com.

* [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23tiger_b #tiger_b]
* [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23pzkpfw_vi_ausf_b_tiger_iih #pzkpfw_vi_ausf_b_tiger_iih]
* [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23tiger_ii #tiger_ii] The entirety fo Tiger B skins, but containing Porsche turret versions too. Lookout for the ''boxy'' turret for the correct camouflage.

;Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|l1DTj5x40CY|'''The Shooting Range #57''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 07:03 discusses the two turrets of the Tiger II.|MOFu6PoiseE|'''Crouching Tiger, Hidden...OH TITS! Fun & Intense Tank Battle!''' - ''BaronVonGamez''|yn2q0E5vxqk|'''Sound Recording: Tiger II''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


* [[Tiger II (H)]]
* [[IS-2 (1944)]]

== External links ==


* Text of this page was written for the [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/232511-competition-wt-wiki-combat-training-closed/ Wiki competition "Combat training"] by [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/user/559224-remiak/ Remiak] [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/233326-wikicontest-panzerkampfwagen-tiger-ausf-b/ Link to original contest entry article.]
*[http://www.tankmuseum.org/museum-online/vehicles/object-e1952-33 Page of the Bovington Tank Museum on the "Sd Kfz 182 Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf B (E1952.33)"]

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

Tiger E

2021-05-19T15:30:15Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tiger I (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_e_tiger
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or '''Tiger E''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]]. The Tiger E is the late production model of the Tiger I featuring steel road wheels and ''Zimmerit'' paste on the armour. The Tiger E also introduces the more powerful APCR ammunition for the 88 mm KwK 36 gun.

The Tiger E is an improved variant of the previous [[Tiger H1|Tiger H1]], featuring a few small enhancements to its protection, firepower and mobility.

While the hull armour is largely unchanged, turret armour has been improved a bit - the large, flat commander's cupola has been replaced by a much smaller, angled variant. The turret roof armour has been increased to 40 mm (historically as a reaction to increasing numbers of Allied attack planes) and the gun mantlet is slightly more durable with a 140 mm thick armour plate on the area that used to be the weakest part. Spare tracks now cover the entire lower front glacis.

Firepower-wise, the Tiger E gains the access to the new '''PzGr 40 APCR''' ammunition, with penetration of up to 200 mm at average combat ranges. Lastly, in mobility-specifications, the Tiger E is powered by a slightly more powerful engine (700 HP, H1 has 650 HP).

It is easily differentiated from the Tiger H1 by its Zimmerit anti-mine coating.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

[[File:TigerIHTank Armour Angling.png|right|thumbnail|The ideal angling of hull armour on Tiger I for maximum effective armour all-around|300px]]
The armour of the Tiger E is decent at its rank for a heavy tank however if it is angled like the picture below ups its armour from the lacklustre 100 mm of flat homogeneous armour to an extreme 200-400 mm thick. The turret suffers from the same problem of flat armour but this is impossible to angle while still engaging an enemy tank. The side and rear armour are also pretty strong in comparison to the rest of the tanks in this rank however the armour will not protect you from most shells due to it being flat.

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 102 mm (9°) ''Front plate'' 62 mm (80°) ''Front glacis'' 102 + 30 mm (25°) ''Lower glacis''|| 82 mm ''Top'' 62 mm ''Bottom''|| 82 mm (9°)|| 26 mm
|-
| Turret || 100 mm ''Turret front'' 90 - 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 82 mm || 82 mm || 40 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 80 mm || 40 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Commander's cupola is smaller and nicely rounded for better protection compared to [[Tiger H1|Tiger H1]].
*Almost entire frontal lower plate is covered by attached tracks, adding 30 mm of armour.
*Turret front covered by gun mantlet has variable thickness depending on exact place, ranging from 90 to 200 mm of armour.
*Lower side hull armour is only 62 mm thick, exploitable when flanking the Tiger, or when facing them angled.
*Parts of the turret side armour are covered by attached tracks, adding additional 30 mm of armour.
*On paper, the best angle is roughly 38.8° with armour all-round being from the front 130mm.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=904|rbMinHp=619}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

For Tier I modifications obtained the vital ''Parts'' and ''Horizontal Drive'' modifications as the former will give the Tiger the ability to repair and the latter will provide a much-needed boost to the Tiger's slow turret traverse rate.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK36 (88 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK36 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK36]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 92 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+16° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 11.3 || 15.7 || 19.0 || 21.1 || 22.4 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.3 || 9.8 || 11.9 || 13.2 || 14.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''PzGr 39''': You should stick with this type of shell as it's the best. It will do incredible damage to any tank you encounter, except SPAA, AA guns, or AI artillery. You may struggle with some heavier tanks like the IS-1, IS-2, or American heavy tanks at long ranges, but well-placed shots from close range or sides will do the job; all other medium and light tanks will be history as soon as this shell make a contact with them. This shell, however, will almost always over-penetrate all but the most armoured SPAA vehicles, so it is best to use HE or machine gun fire.
* '''PzGr 40''': As the APCR round for the gun, this will give you the greater edge needed to take out heavily protected tanks at the cost of post-penetration damage.
* '''PzGr.''': This shell is also very useful. It has very similar characteristics as PzGr 39, but sacrifices some penetration for about 50% more Explosive Filler, meaning even more damage than already powerful PzGr 39. It is recommended to carry some of these shells and use them regularly, as the penetration is still enough to deal with most targets (at least when being top rank), and switch to PzGr 39 when shooting targets far away, or those that are heavily armoured.
* '''Hl.Gr. 39''': On paper the HEAT rounds don't bring anything new to the table, however they can be used as a substitute for the HE shells due to the greater explosive mass and still gives you a fighting chance if you get caught with your pants down.
* '''Sprgr. L/4.5''': The HE shell is completely ineffective against all but SPAA or the AI artillery on the Kursk and Ash River maps, and the machine gun mounted on the Tiger has proven quite capable of dealing with these. Keep a small supply of this shell on hand if you plan to flank the enemy and take out their SPAA or artillery, but avoid them for everything else.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39 || APCBC || 165 || 162 || 151 || 139 || 127 || 117
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 211 || 207 || 191 || 172 || 155 || 140
|-
| Pzgr. || APCBC || 153 || 151 || 140 || 128 || 116 || 106
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110 || 110
|-
| Sprgr. L/4.5 || HE || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39 || APCBC || 773 || 10.2 || 1.2 || 14 || 108.8 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 930 || 7.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Pzgr. || APCBC || 810 || 9.5 || 1.2 || 14 || 285.6 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Hl.Gr 39 || HEAT || 600 || 7.64 || 0 || 0.3 || 1,100 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
| Sprgr. L/4.5 || HE || 820 || 9 || 0 || 0.1 || 698 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''92''' || 77 ''(+15)'' || 61 ''(+31)'' || 45 ''(+47)'' || 29 ''(+63)'' || 25 ''(+67)'' || 21 ''(+71)'' || 17 ''(+75)'' || 13 ''(+79)'' || 7 ''(+85)'' || 1 ''(+91)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

Large sides empty: 29 ''(+63)''

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,350 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (150) || 900 || -10°/+25° || -55°/+160°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The main role of the ''Tiger'' tank was to eliminate enemy tanks at a far range, similar to behaving like a sniping tank, or a Tank Destroyer. Nonetheless, the Tiger can excel at brawling with other tanks at medium, even possibly against two [[Panther D|Panther]] tanks to close range and escape undamaged. It's recommended to not stay in one place for too long or risk getting outflanked, spotted, or bombed.

While guns like the Soviet [[D-5T (85 mm)|85 mm]] cannon can easily penetrate the Tiger at close range, the Tiger can stay nearly invulnerable at long range. The 88 can take out any tank on Rank 3 at any combat range but may have problems with the [[IS-1]]'s 120 mm front armour at some ranges. When having to close in a bit it is generally advisable to angle the hull to the sides by about 30°, improving the armour rating enough that it can keep away 85 mm shells very well, even at closer ranges. The Tiger is still vulnerable to the [[SU-152|SU-152s]] howitzer and its HE shell at any range. So whenever encountering these heavy-calibre vehicles, it should be prioritized and eliminated first.

'''Mobility'''-wise the Tiger is pretty good for a heavy tank. It is much faster than a [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]] and about as equally fast as the [[IS-1]], although medium tanks like the [[T-34-85]] can easily outmanoeuvre all three at close range. Try to use the Tiger's mobility to keep a distance rather than for closing in on a target. Don't be afraid to use the speed to fall back if necessary as the Tiger cannot survive close range engagements on open terrain vs. mediums, due to the slow turret and the vulnerability to the 85mm guns on Soviet medium tanks.

The Tiger E has a better turret traverse than the H1, but the same precaution of managing a lower than average turret traverse should be taken into consideration. It is still recommended to get the ''Turret Drive'' traverse modification as fast as possible. Even then, the Tiger will have to turn the tank in the direction of the traverse to make the most of the time to quickly engage a target. This, together with very exposed ammo racks on both sides (though one side can be emptied by reducing the ammo stowage) means that facing multiple enemies at once is almost a certain end to the Tiger tank. The best option is to take cover from one tank and fire on the other.

As far as ammo is concerned, the default ''PzGr 39'' will be the standard AP rounds many players will use. The second AP round available, the ''Pzgr.'', is also a good round to use against the enemy as the shell contains more explosive filler than the default, but suffers from a lower penetration value compared to the ''PzGr 39''. The HEAT rounds only offer more penetration at extreme ranges (>2000m) and do less damage upon penetration, so it should just be omitted from the Tiger's combat load. The best upgrade for the Tiger I E would be the ''PzGr 40'' APCR ammunition now available to the tank, necessary ammunition to fight the heavier vehicles in the Rank IV area, so always bring a few just in case. Upgrading the tank should mainly be dedicated to turret traverse, hull traverse (as this is needed even with the turret traverse upgrade) and engine upgrades. The Tiger's 88 has massive destructive power. Unlike the other German tank of its rank, all armed with 75 mm guns, the Tiger can easily one-shot all the mediums like the T-34s, M4 Shermans, and still be a threat against heavy tanks like the IS-1s. If it doesn't destroy a tank in one hit, most of the enemy crew will be wounded or incapacitated. The best place to aim with the 88 is either at the gunner's side of the enemy turret to incapacitate an enemy's firepower, or between the driver and the gunner which would usually wound or knock out most of the enemy crew at once. Attacking from the side also presents a good shot opportunity, as the best shot placement is right below the turret on the hull where most of the tank ammunition is stored, giving a big chance for an ammo-rack explosion.

When driving the Tiger, plan ahead on where it will drive. Even with engine and track modifications, the Tiger is still a heavy tank and a 90 degree or more turn will almost always mean an immediate standstill as the tank try to make the change in movement. Even small adjustments can knock the speed down a bit. Thus, knowing the terrain and destination is of the utmost importance to preserve its mobility to its fullest extent.

The Tiger is best used on the flanks of the current maps, as these are usually more open and allow good use of its armour and excellent gun. The centre of the map would seem more logical as there are a lot of enemies, but as has already been established a Tiger taking fire from multiple directions won't last long. Going in a flank and taking down light and medium tanks is an easy task for this beast, and thus a flank can be easily secured if the Tiger is driven carefully. Then, work the Tiger into the enemy sides and rear of the main force in the centre, doing much more damage than if the Tiger faced the force head-on because a shot to the side and rear will set most enemies alight if not outright exploding the ammunition. Quickly destroying enemies, the Tiger can quickly jump from target to target and eliminate a good number of enemies in its lifespan. During all this, make sure to always angle the hull armour to maximize longevity.

With a BR of 5.7, the Tiger E faces most of the enemies the Tiger H1 could face, meaning a BR matchmaking range of 4.7-6.7. Many of the enemies in this range could effectively engage the Tiger, like the [[Panther (Disambiguation)|Panther medium tanks]], the [[T-34-85]], and even as high as the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger IIs]].

* [[M26|M26 Pershing]]: The American medium tank has a 90 mm cannon comparable to the 88 mm plus with sloped 100 mm armour compared to the Tiger's vertical one. However, a clean shot on the centre of the front armour when it is not angled can have the 88 mm shell penetrate straight through. The turret front is also a weak point.
* [[T26E1-1|T26E1-1 "Super Pershing"]]: The "Super Pershing" has a 90 mm gun comparable to the 88 mm on the Tiger II, so extra caution must be exercised when on the business end of the gun. The added armour on the Super Pershing compared to the regular Pershing also improves its frontal resistance to shells. However, there is a big weak point on the right side on the front hull, with a large hull cut in the additional armour for the machine gun. A round through here would negate the extra armour and have the 88 mm only deal with the base armour.
* [[T29|T29]]: The T29 is on the same level as the Tiger II and as such outclasses the Tiger I by a large margin. If faced in the front, the only weak points present would be the commander's cupola, the gun optic on the right side of the gun mantlet, and the lower glacis armour. Facing this tank would require the use of the APCR or fancy manoeuvring to its side to plant a 88 mm onto its sides.
* Panther [[Panther D|D]], [[Panther A|A]], [[Panther G|G]], [[Panther F|F]]: At standard ranges, the weakest point on the Panther's front is the turret. Aim at the flat areas of the turret such as the bottom sides or straight into the curved gun mantlet. The Panther F presents a smaller turret target with its design, but the larger flat area still makes it a viable target for an 88 mm.
* Tiger II [[Tiger II (P)|(P)]]/[[Tiger II (H)|(H)]]: A menace to the Tiger I, the Tiger II outclasses its predecessor in armour and firepower. The biggest frontal weak point, the turret front, is invulnerable to standard AP rounds from the Tiger I. Thus, an APCR is a must to have a reasonable chance of penetrating the Tiger II from the front. However, if the Tiger I can get a good shot at its side armour, a standard PzGr 39 APCBC round can take it out with ease.
* [[T-34-85]]: The T-34-85 with it's 85 mm gun can take out a Tiger very easily if it gets a jump on its flat hull armour. However, an 88 mm shell onto the T-34-85 hull can take it out with ease.
* [[IS-1]]: The IS-1's front hull and turret armour can be penetrated by the 88 mm, but beware of the 85 mm cannon
* [[IS-2]] ([[IS-2 (1944)|1944]]): The IS-2's 122 mm cannon can ''very'' easily deal with the Tiger I with one shot. In the original IS-2 version, the front armour is still the same on the turret and hull so the same advice from the IS-1 applies. However, the 1944 version introduces a new front hull design that makes it impervious. In the 1944 version, aim for the lower glacis armour or the turret cheeks for a penetration.
* [[Centurion Mk 1]]/[[Centurion Mk 3|Mk.3]]: With the heavily sloped frontal armour, strong turret and access to APDS, the Centurion can easily take out a Tiger I at long range. If the enemy could target an ammo rack is, they will easily take out the Tiger in one shot.
* [[FV4202]]: This tank is a huge threat to the Tiger. Its turret has very thick armour and the frontal armour is well sloped. Then there is the gun, the 84 mm 20-pdr gun can penetrate the Tiger I anywhere, particularly with APDS.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The gun mantlet, MG port and driver's port are particularly hard to penetrate due to their complex, varying shape and thickness. Can absorb quite some shells sometimes. The copula also has a better shape which makes it not so vulnerable
* Decent cannon with adequate accuracy and a range of shells to choose. Stock shell has great penetration and damage, and can one-shot common opponents easily (eg. T-34-85, M4, IS-1, M6A1). Has access to a piercing APCR with 200+mm penetration, which is effective against thick, flat armour found on the Churchill mk.VII or [[Ho-Ri Production|Ho-Ri]] (mixed battle)
* One of the fastest heavy tanks with its top speed of 45 km/h, meaning it can get to some positions quickly alongside friendly medium tanks.
* The box-like hull shape gives the ability to angling tactic. When angling the hull at around 40° and placing yourself far from the enemies (at least 500m away) the Tiger E can resist common tanks like the 76mm Sherman, T-34-85 and [[M36 Jackson (Family)|M36]].
* Good reverse speed and hull traverse allows it to quickly angle for deflecting shells.
* -8° gun depression works well in most hilly terrain
* Smoke shells allow it to escape from danger or to cover allies.
* Has access to a pintle mounted MG which can fend off low-flying aircraft or knock out the exposed crew of some vehicles (eg. GAZ trucks, [[M18 GMC|M18]]'s commander)

'''Cons:'''

* Weak and unsloped armour protection. If not angling the Tiger E can get destroyed easily by the T-34-85 or 76mm Sherman. Even if the Tiger is angling, the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]] c<nowiki/>an still one-shot it with ease. Watch out for the IS-2!
* Might struggle to penetrate heavy targets frontally. For example the [[T29]], [[M26 (Family)|M26]], [[T26E1-1|T26E1]] and IS-2 1944.
* Rather slow acceleration limits its short range manoeuvrability.
* Slow turret traverse makes it hard to respond to flankers quickly. The [[M18 GMC|M18]] is very common at this BR
* Ammo storage at the hull sides are very easy to explode when hit.
* Is a big and tall target, easy to get spotted and shot at.
* Other then APCR, not much of a upgrade over the Tiger H1 despite a higher battle rating.

== History ==

===Development===
The '''Tiger I''' heavy tank was arguably the most infamous tank of World War II. The design for this tank began as early as January 1937 when Henschel & Sohn worked on a large "breakthrough" called the ''Durchbruchwagen'' that weighed about 30 tons on request by the German military.<ref name="ImagesOfWarTiger">Anthony Tucker-Jones. ''Images Of War Special: Tiger I & Tiger II'' Great Britain: Pen & Sword Military, 2013</ref> The request was modified over time for more armour and better gun that increased the weight to 36 tons, but this project was dropped in 1938 in favour of the better prototypes VK 30.01(H) and VK 36.01(H). These new prototypes were the start of the usage of the ''Schachtellaufwerk'' wheel arrangements, but these also never passed prototype stages and were both cancelled in 1942.

During the development of the prototypes above, the German invasion of France showed that the Allied tanks such as the Somua, Char B1, and [[Matilda Mk II|Matilda II]] were impervious to their current anti-tank weaponry and a need for better armoured and armed tanks was emphasized. So on May 26, 1941, Henschel and Porsche were asked to submit designs for a 45-ton heavy tank that was to be ready for demonstration by June 1942. During their development in June 1941, Germany initiated Operation Barbarossa against the Soviet Union and was shocked by appearance of the [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]] tanks that were invulnerable to all but the most potent anti-tank weapon in German inventory, one of which was the [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|88 mm FlaK cannon]]. The potency of the 88 mm cannon against the heavily armoured tanks that the Germans faced had Hitler ordered that the heavy tank design undertaken by Henschel and Porsche to utilize the 88 mm as its main armament instead of a 75 mm cannon.

The designs of the tank were finalized and ready for demonstration on April 20, 1942, Hitler's birthday, and showed the ''VK 45.01(H)'' and the [[VK 45.01 (P)|VK 45.01(P)]]. The demonstration and subsequent evaluations on the two designs determined that the Henschel variant was superior to the Porsche variant, proving more reliable, more mobile, and more easily produced than the Porsche. This caused the Henschel variant to be adopted as the '''Panzerkampfwagen VI Tiger''' and production started in August 1942. The Porsche variant had many chassis produced as Ferdinand Porsche thought the design would win, so the chassis was instead used in the [[Ferdinand|Ferdinand]] tank destroyer.

===Design===
What perhaps made the Tiger I so unique in tank development and German doctrine is a change of focus between the three characteristics of the tank; with more emphasis to firepower and armour than to mobility. The Tiger I contained the large [[KwK 36 (88 mm)|88 mm KwK 36 cannon]] which was very accurate and powerful, being able to penetrate every Allied armour present at its introduction. The armour on the Tiger I was also one of the greatest at the time, with an astounding 102 mm of armour on the front hull armour, 82 mm on the side superstructure and rear, and 120 mm on the gun mantlet. The armour was vertical faced so no sloping benefits were present like on the [[Panther D|Panther]]. All these armour thicknesses proved invulnerable to most Allied anti-tank weaponry at the time, requiring more creative methods in a shot placement to disable the tank. The mobility, while taken with less emphasis in the development, was still respectable at the time as the tank weighed about 57 metric tons, about 20 tons more than other country's main tanks, yet is able to keep up a speed of 38 km/h (Maximum speed was 45 km/h, but an engine governor was installed to preserve the engine life).

The tank utilized a torsion-bar suspension system in a ''Schachtellaufwerk'' overlapping pattern, making the Tiger one of the first German tank design to use the pattern. While the design gave the Tiger I great flotation due to the use of a wider track for lower ground pressure, it had disadvantages in environment and maintenance. In the Eastern Front, mud and other foreign objects could be jammed in between the overlapping wheels, which would freeze in the winter and jam the wheels; the overlapping wheels also were a hassle to change out, in order to replace one wheel in the inside of the suspension, it requires the removal of at least nine other wheels in order to access it. The first 250 Tiger tanks used a Maybach V-12 HL210 engine with 650 hp before switching over to the more powerful Maybach V-12 HL230 engine with 700 hp. The engine proved adequate in propelling the tank but was still considered underpowered for the tank weight.

The Tiger I, as innovative as it is to tank warfare, was a strain on German war production. The tank was over-engineered, taking much more man-hour and materials for its worth as a war machine. Cost-wise, two [[Pz.IV G|Panzer IVs]] or four [[StuG III G|StuG IIIs]] can be built for the cost of one Tiger I. The tank was also expensive to maintain and took lots of fuel to run. These attributed to the low number of only 1,354 Tiger Is produced from 1942 to August 1944.<ref name="ImagesOfWarTiger">Anthony Tucker-Jones. ''Images Of War Special: Tiger I & Tiger II'' Great Britain: Pen & Sword Military, 2013</ref>

===Variants===
There are three main production Tiger I variants known today, the "early-production", "mid-production", and "late-production" models. The ''Early-production'' model was designated as the '''[[Tiger H1|Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. H]]''' the first few batches and is distinguished by its drum-style cupola with over-swinging hatch, the model also had two vehicle lights on the front side of the tank. The ''Mid-production'' featured ''Zimmerit'' paste and a side-swinging cupola with accommodation for a machine gun mounted on the cupola, the vehicle light was also changed to just one placed right in the front of the hull armour. The mid-production was also redesignated in May 1943 as the '''[[Tiger E|Panzerkampfwagen VI Ausf. E]]'''. ''Late-production'' models featured the removal of the ''Zimmerit'' paste as there was an assumed flaw with it, and the overlapping wheels were instead made into interleaving with full-steel road wheels as well, in a manner similar to the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]].

Other specialized variants of the Tiger I was produced as well. A small number of demolition carrier models were field-made in Italy, where it had its main gun replaced by a crane to carry demolition to clear minefields or destroy obstacles. The demolition carrier version was interpreted by Allied intelligence as a ''BergeTiger'', an armoured recovery vehicle, though it is not known if it ever saw service in this role. Another specialized variant produced in 1944 in some numbers was the ''Sturmtiger'', an heavy assault gun with a 38 cm rocket launcher made from a depth charge. 19 of these were made and saw use in all fronts, though its most noteworthy combat action was in the Warsaw Uprising.

===Combat usage===
In its introduction, Hitler ordered the new Tigers to be used in the Leningrad siege in September 1942. However, as the faults of the tank were still not yet fully ironed out at this stage, the mechanical unreliability and the unsuitable terrain caused one of the Tiger Is to be stuck in the swamps and abandoned by its users. This example was then captured by the Red Army and tipped off the Allies of the development of the new Tiger tanks and so developments in countermeasures began. In North Africa, the Tigers saw the first action against the Western Allies in Tunisia in December 1942. Its impact there left an impression on the Allied armour forces, but its myth as an invulnerable tank was shattered when two Tigers were taken out by the British [[Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.III (57 mm)|6-pounder anti-tank guns]]. The total loss in that campaign was seven Tigers by February 1943.

Once mass-numbers of Tiger Is were available, they were employed in heavy tank battalions that were to be deployed in breakthrough operations or counter-attacks. Field experience with the Tiger showed that the Tiger's heavyweight proved a nuisance in operational mobility, an example being that small bridges were unable to support the Tiger tank's weight. An attempt to remedy this was to use a snorkel device so the tank could ford rivers as deep as four meters, however, this system was phased out of later production models for cost-savings. The Tiger suffered reliability problems in all of its service life that impeded its effectiveness and its high fuel usage limited its combat operations. Armour recovery of the vehicle was also terrible as three heavy recovery half-tracks were required to tow the tank away, causing a strain on the German support line to keep the Tiger tanks in running order. Despite that, the Tiger I proved superior in terms of armour and armament against the Allies and created massive losses among their armoured forces, causing many soldiers to keep an eye out for the infamous "Tigers".

The impact the Tiger had on the battlefield as the superior tank at its introduction created fame to the commanders and crew operating this tank, further fueling the Tiger's reputation in the war as a killing machine. Some Tiger units were able to achieve kill ratios up to 10:1, and some even higher. Some notable Tiger aces known were Kurt Knispel (168 tank kills), Otto Carius (150+), Johannes Bölter (139+), and Michael Wittmann (138).

However, as the war progressed and the impact of the Tiger's surprise in Kursk and Italy has dissolved, Allied developments gave forth more capable tanks able to defeat the Tiger I tanks. The Soviets solution was to up-gun their [[T-34 (1942)|T-34s]] with an [[D-5T (85 mm)|85 mm gun]] to make the [[T-34-85]], and the Western Allies with the [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm]] and [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|17-pounders]] on the [[M4A1 (76) W|M4 Sherman]] and [[Sherman Firefly|Firefly]] respectively.. The Tiger went as an highly-invulnerable tank design into a simple heavy tank as the war went on, and it was replaced by the more powerful and more heavily armoured [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]] in 1944. Despite its replacement, many Tiger I models still saw use up until the end of World War II.

===Survivors===
Due to the low number of Tiger Is made during the war (1354, compared to [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IV]]'s 8,550 and the [[M4|M4 Sherman]]'s ~50,000), very few intact Tiger Is are left in the world. Today, only seven tanks in various conditions exist in the world. The most famous of these is ''Tiger 131'', captured by the British in Tunisia in April 1943. The crew abandoned the tank due to a [[Ordnance QF 6-pounder Mk.III (57 mm)|6-pounder]] shot from a [[Churchill Mk III|Churchill tank]] jamming the gun mantlet and turret ring, causing it to be unable to aim. This intact tank is also famous for being the only fully operational Tiger I in the world due to a restoration effort by the Bovington Tank Museum in the 1990s. It is still there as a display and remains as the museum's most popular exhibit.

=== In-game description ===
A late modification to the Pz.Kpfw heavy tank. The VI Tiger was intended to reduce the expense of production and make the vehicle more easily adaptable to specific combat conditions.

Late-model Tigers had an upgraded track assembly, including full-metal rollers with internal amortization, which allowed them to be used for longer without degrading the smoothness of the ride. The number of rows of rollers was reduced from four to three on each side. The external row was removed. A new track adjusting wheel with a reduced diameter was installed.

The design of the turret was altered: the thickness of the armour at the top of the turret was increased to 45 mm, and a new gun mantlet was installed under the TFZ-9's monocular sight. To defend the tank in close combat a Nahvertiediegengswaffe bomb discharger was installed that fired anti-personal mines. A Zimmerit coating was used that was supposed to protect the tank against magnetic mines and grenades.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=heavy_tank&vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_VI_ausf_e_tiger Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|MhjI_h5FhG4|'''IS-2 vs Tiger E''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|9_txEPailKc|'''The Shooting Range #92''' - ''Tactics & Strategy'' section at 10:50 discusses the Tiger I.|kFQd8TYt6Ew|'''Tank Chats #17 Tiger I''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


;Common enemies

* [[M4A2 (76) W]] - USA medium tank
* [[M18 GMC]] - USA tank destroyer
* [[IS-1]] - USSR heavy tank
* [[SU-152]] - USSR tank destroyer
* [[T-34-85]] - USSR medium tank
* [[Avenger]] - British tank destroyer
* [[Achilles]] - British tank destroyer
* [[ARL-44]] - French tank destroyer

;Uncommon enemies (generally allied)

* [[Breda 501]] - Italy tank destroyer
* [[Chi-To Late]] - Japan medium tank
* [[Chi-Ri II]] - Japan medium tank
* [[Delat Torn]] - Sweden tank destroyer

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/745/|[Devblog] IL-2 AM-38 1941 and Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. E Tiger]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

Sd.Kfz.234/2

2021-05-19T15:28:05Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Sd.Kfz.234 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_sdkfz_234_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_Sd.Kfz.234_2.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (also known as the '''{{PAGENAME}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]].

A respectable armoured car, the {{PAGENAME}} presents great speed and a significant 50 mm KwK.39/1 cannon. Due to its status as a light tank, and thus have the ability to recon, it should put more emphasis on its speed to put itself in an advantageous position to sight targets for allies, with its gun only for emergencies should an enemy vehicle try to get an upper hand of the vehicle.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Vision ports)
* Structural steel (Side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (40°) ''Front plate'' 15 mm (70°), 30 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (34-35°) ''Top'' 8 (19-35°) + 4 mm || 10 mm (21-46°) || 5 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (20°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (1-79°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 14.5 mm (24-26°) || 14.5 mm (25°) 8 mm (21°) ''Pistol port'' || 8 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Wheels provide 10 mm thick protection.
* Vision ports on car body are 10 mm thick.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=325|rbMinHp=186}}

The Puma can reach a speed of around 45 km/h on flat terrain. Thanks to its transmission, it can drive in reverse with the same speed and manoeuvrability. Due to its wheeled design, it struggles in sand, snow and mud. It is also hard to keep going straight in a line at high speeds. The game does offer some degree of compensation for this via the "Activate Cruise Mode" control binding under the "Tank Driving" subsection. When using Cruise Mode, hold down the desired key you bound its activation to, and steer with mouse movements, allowing pinpoint steering while retaining speed. However, you cannot shoot while using Cruise Mode, so use it wisely.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK39 (50 mm)}}

The Puma fields the KwK.39/1 cannon, a similar cannon to that seen in the late Panzer III models, as well as the same ammunition. The cannon was designed for a, anti-tank role and it does its job well. It can select from a 106 mm pen APC shell, which should be your main round, two APCR shells with 130 mm and 137 mm pen respectively (you should carry a few of the better ones, especially if you uptier the Puma so it might see KV-1s, as well for long range sniping), and an HE shell witch can be used against AA trucks. As the APC shell has no ballistic cap, it might struggle against angled armour, so it is best to go for side shots. With a reload of 4.1 seconds and high velocity shells, this tank can do the job both in close-quarters and at long range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK39 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK39]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 55 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 13.3 || 18.4 || 22.4 || 24.8 || 26.4 || rowspan="2" | 4.81 || rowspan="2" | 4.25 || rowspan="2" | 3.92 || rowspan="2" | 3.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.3 || 9.8 || 11.9 || 13.2 || 14.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 106 || 102 || 85 || 68 || 54 || 43
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 130 || 121 || 90 || 62 || 43 || 29
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 137 || 126 || 88 || 56 || 36 || 23
|-
| Sprgr. 38 || HE || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39 || APC || 835 || 2.05 || 1.2 || 9 || 28.9 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/1 || APCR || 1,130 || 1.07 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| PzGr 40 || APCR || 1,180 || 0.9 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Sprgr. 38 || HE || 550 || 1.81 || 2 || 0.1 || 170 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''55''' || 33 ''(+22)'' || 29 ''(+26)'' || 25 ''(+30)'' || 21 ''(+34)'' || 17 ''(+38)'' || 13 ''(+42)'' || 9 ''(+46)'' || 5 ''(+50)'' || 1 ''(+54)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_Sd.Kfz.234-2.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG42 (7.92 mm)}}

The Puma has a coaxial MG42 that is only useful against exposed crew members.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG42 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG42]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,850 (150) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Puma adopts a lot of typical light tank tactics. To play this vehicle well, you must shoot and scoot. Your fast reload times in combination with a very fast reverse speed makes it ideal for firing around a corner then backing up and flanking. The tank is very fast on road, however it has poor performance off-road so it is not recommended on desert maps and muddy maps where you can get slowed down by the terrain. Due to the fact that you have weak armour and a compact crew module, penetrative shots typically result in your destruction. It is advised to not brawl with tanks and to flank whenever possible, using your speed and mobility versus enemy tanks as your armour. Use the terrain to your advantage, firing over hills and making good use of your gun depression. Sidescrape corners and do not hold angles, as you will most likely be destroyed.

The tank's speed in combination with its low spawn cost in RB as a light tank makes it ideal to spawn in at the start of the game and capture the objective in 2 or 3 point domination. This guarantees you spawn points for a respawn and gives you opportunities to flank the enemy.

The real beauty of the Puma is its ability to flank around different parts of the map very quickly. It is extremely manoeuvrable and can traverse most types of terrain very quickly (avoid mud). You should take up a covert play style with this vehicle. Even if you see an enemy, you should only fire at the perfect moment, where you are guaranteed a score. This especially applies to T-34s and KV-1's, where hits to the side or rear are far more effective. This being said, the 5cm gun is a great gun. It is easy to use, high velocity, accurate and has a good range of ammunition.

Notable enemies you will meet are the [[T-34 (1942)]] and [[M4|M4 Sherman]], along with armoured tanks like the [[Churchill I|Churchill]], [[Matilda III]], [[Valentine XI|Valentine]], and the [[KV-1_(L-11)|KV-1]] These tanks are difficult to penetrate and require advanced knowledge of weakspots, so it is advised to avoid these where possible. Medium tanks are easier to combat if flanked, however it is not always reliable due to the weak penetration of the PzGr 39 and the poor penetration to sloped armour for PzGr 40.

Out of all the enemies you will meet, the T-34s are probably the biggest threat. The sloped armour is difficult to penetrate and they have excellent mobility, meaning you will meet them often. The gun is also utterly devastating for the Puma. The high explosive filler and range of shells will make short work of your vehicle. If you encounter an T-34 (any variant), aim for the turret cheeks and take out the gunner. Aiming at the frontal hull armour is unreliable and often results in a ricochet. T-34s are also very, very mobile, so it is best to go for side shots on them if you insist on engaging them.

Shermans also present the problem of sloped frontal armour. The M4A1 isn't as much of a problem, but the M4/M4A2/M4A3 variants are more difficult to penetrate. From the side, Shermans have flat armour and tall profiles. They are easy to destroy when flanked, but they too have exceptionally good mobility, especially cross-country, so they can prove to be even more of a pain to deal with than T-34s. They also have short-stop stabilizers and .50 cals which make them even more of a threat.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Main cannon is powerful. It has great penetration, reload speed and nice trajectory. AP penetrates normal targets (T-34, M4) easily and APCR (up to 128 mm penetration) can also effectively pen heavy targets like the [[KV-1]]
* Extremely high forward and reverse speed makes it the fastest vehicle on road; can get to positions quickly or retreat fast
* Small and narrow frontal profile allows it to hide behind small bushes or rocks; it's also harder to get hit
* Can be a great scout vehicle in higher ranks due to its fast speed. Even the [[M18 "Black Cat"|M18]] cannot easily outrun it
* Only 8 mm side armour meaning some shells will go straight through without being detonated, for example, the BR-471 from the [[IS-2]]
* Has a wide range of good-looking camouflage to unlock. Suitable for almost every terrain/map
* Has 6 smoke grenades that create a wide frontal screen when launched; very useful when trying to cover up a general area
* Surprisingly durable at times, due to inexperienced players shooting at the front, ignoring the crew member lying in the back
* Gun mantlet is thick and covers most of the turret, which makes the turret surprisingly durable

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour overall, can get killed by almost anything including artillery strikes, strafing planes and [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]]
* Extremely slow turret rotation, combined with the sharp turns at high speed, it is hard to aim
* Relatively low calibre shells tend to bounce off angled armour, angled hull of the [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]] is almost impossible to penetrate
* Compact crew compartment, will be easily destroyed in one shot by a skilled player
* Starts to snake around at high speeds making it hard to control, needing counter-steering.
* Sluggish mobility on snowy (eg. Frozen pass) and desert (eg. Sinai) maps which take away its biggest advantage: speed
* Cannot turn in place due to wheels
* Smoke grenades can only be launched all at once which limits its effectiveness
* Can be hullbroken
* Hard to control at top speed

== History ==

===Development===
The blitzkrieg tactics in Poland and France gave the Germans a new appreciation of mobile and lethal reconnaissance vehicles. The Germans especially valued the armoured cars due to their speed, firepower, and their pre-war build-up as they were not restricted by the Versailles Treaty. The Germans started with armoured cars like the Sd.Kfz.231 family, each with different armaments. However, these vehicles had its flaws and in August 1940, Germany sought a replacement following the conclusion of the Battle of France.

The new vehicle was built off an improved Sd.Kfz.232 chassis made in monocoque construction by Büssing-NAG, its armoured body was made by Deutsche Edelstahlwerke, the turret by Daimler-Benz and Schichau, and air-cooled diesel engines by Ringhoffer-Tatra-Werke AG. The monocoque chassis design was built with an eight-wheel steering system, six forward and reverse gears, as well as having an additional driver seat in the rear for quick reversal get-aways. This construction led to '''Sd.Kfz.234''' family. Vehicle construction first started in 1943 as the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Sd.Kfz.234/2]], which had a turret originally intended for the VK 1602 Leopard mounting a [[KwK 39 (50 mm)|5 cm L/60]] gun, construction continued on this vehicle until mid-1944. The Sd.Kfz.234/2 earned the nickname "Puma" from the soldiers using it.

Production for Sd.Kfz.234/2 shifted towards other armaments in 1944 that replaced the original. This produced variants such as the Sd.Kfz. 234/1 which replaced the turret with an open-top one carrying a [[KwK 30 (20 mm)|2 cm KwK 38]], this was produced between mid-1944 to early 1945. Right besides that, the Sd.Kfz.234/3 was produced with an open-top structure to mount a [[KwK 37 (75 mm)|75 mm howitzer]], this was produced from mid-1944 until the end of 1944. At the Sd.Kfz.234/3's production end, it was replaced by the [[Sd.Kfz.234/4|Sd.Kfz.234/4]], also known as the "Pakwagen", that had the armament replaced by a [[KwK 40 (75 mm)|7.5 cm PaK 40]] anti-tank gun. This last variant was produced from the end of 1944 to the capitulation of Germany in World War II. A total of 478 Sd.Kfz.234 armoured cars were produced, 200 of the 234/1, 101 of the 234/2, 88 of the 234/3, and 89 of the 234/4.

===Combat usage===
The Sd.Kfz.234 cars were originally intended for the conflicts in North Africa. However, the engine development took abnormally long to complete and by the time it was ready, the North African theater had concluded. Nevertheless, they served in the Western and Eastern front with success, but was impeded by its low production count.

The Sd.Kfz. 234/2 variant was arguably the most popular, as the staple of the 234 family. The vehicle served in the Panzer Lehr Division, 1st and 2nd SS Panzer Division, 2nd, 7th, 13th, and 20th Panzer Division. The Sd.Kfz.234 in the recon companies were allocated in 19 or 25 vehicles per division, further split into platoons up to six vehicles and one as the headquarters. However, due to their low production numbers, this allocation was rarely kept in full strength in the war,

The Sd.Kfz.234 first saw combat in Normandy after D-Day in the stationed Panzer Lehr and 2nd Panzer Division in the Sd.Kfz.234/2 variant. The divisions used these vehicles in recon roles until their withdrawal behind the Seine River, with Panzer Lehr having 8 Sd.Kfz.234/2 of the original 26 it had. These divisions were rebuilt in the fall of 1944 with the Sd.Kfz.234/1 and Sd.Kfz.234/3 after the 234/2 ceased production.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=germ_sdkfz_234_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI] (Sd.Kfz.234/2 included)

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="250px">
File:Sdkfz. 2342 media 1.png|A {{PAGENAME}} engaging an M4A1 Sherman.
File:Sdkfz.2342 media 2.png|A {{PAGENAME}} and a T-50 performing a flanking attack on an M4A1 Sherman.
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|tpr7lZStsTs|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[Sd.Kfz.234/1]] - Light tank version of the Sd.Kfz.234, with a [[KwK38 (20 mm)|20 mm KwK38]] autocannon.
* [[Sd.Kfz.234/3]] - Tank destroyer version of the Sd.Kfz.234, with a [[K51 L/24 (75 mm)|75 mm K51]] howitzer.
* [[Sd.Kfz.234/4]] - Another tank destroyer version with the longer [[PaK 40/3 (75 mm)|75 mm PaK 40/3]] gun.

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[Pz.III J1]] / [[Pz.III L]] / [[Pz.III M]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[T18E2]]
* [[AEC Mk II]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4713-development-sd-kfz-234-2-puma-the-nimble-feline-predator-en|[Devblog] Sd.Kfz 234/2 Puma: The Nimble Feline Predator]]

{{Germany light tanks}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

Panther F

2021-05-19T15:25:52Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

Panther A

2021-05-19T15:24:05Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
|about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other uses
|link-1 = Panther (Disambiguation)
|usage-2 = other vehicles of the family
|link-2 = Panther tank (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pzkpfw_V_ausf_a_panther
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ('''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41.

Like any Panther, the Panther A features a broad, sloping upper glacis, and the curved gun mantle. Its main distinguishing factors from the [[Panther D]] or the [[Panther G]] are; A new cupola (compared to the Ausf. D), and the normal, rounded gun mantle (compared to the chinned one on the Ausf. G).

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 60 mm (56°) ''Lower glacis'' || 40 mm (40°) ''Top'' 40 + 5 mm ''Lower'' || 40 mm (29°) || 16 mm
|-
| Turret || 100 mm ''Turret front'' 65 -100 mm ''Gun mantlet''|| 45 mm || 45 mm || 16 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 80 mm || 16 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Tracks and lower side of the hull are covered by 5 mm thick armour plate, protecting them from HEAT and HE shells.
*Rear parts of the upper side hull armour have tracks attached to it, adding additional 20 mm of armour.

Due to its weak side armour (20 mm autocannons can penetrate it), flanking is the best option to deal with any Panther. However, should the Panther be forced to face it frontally, shoot the right turret cheek to take out the gunner. This is one of the weakest places frontally, only ("only") 100 mm thick. Heavier guns such as the 17 pdr can penetrate the lower glacis at short ranges, and any large calibre (100 mm and up) can penetrate the upper glacis.

Any British tank that fires APDS can penetrate the upper glacis. The 17 pounder can sometimes go through the lower glacis at shorter ranges too. Any standard AP or APHE shell of a calibre above the 80-90 mm range (aka 100 mm and above) will penetrate the Panther anywhere frontally.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,085|rbMinHp=619|AoAweight=0.45}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK42 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK42 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK42]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 79 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39/42 || APCBC || 192 || 188 || 173 || 156 || 140 || 126
|-
| PzGr 40/42 || APCR || 228 || 224 || 204 || 182 || 162 || 145
|-
| Sprgr. 42 || HE || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/42 || APCBC || 935 || 6.8 || 1.2 || 14 || 28.9 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| PzGr 40/42 || APCR || 1,120 || 4.75 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| Sprgr. 42 || HE || 700 || 5.74 || 0 || 0.1 || 725 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''79''' || 77 ''(+2)'' || 71 ''(+8)'' || 62 ''(+17)'' || 53 ''(+26)'' || 44 ''(+35)'' || 35 ''(+44)'' || 31 ''(+48)'' || 16 ''(+63)'' ||4 ''(+75)'' || 1 ''(+78)'' || Yes
|-
|}

Turret and large sides empty: 31 (+48)

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,700 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (150) || 900 || -10°/+25° || -60°/+160°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

As with all other Panther-series medium tanks, it is best played in a supporting role or as a front-line offensive Tank due to its agility. The Cannon mounted is more than forgiving and powerful enough to destroy any potential target, so use it to an advantage; Long-range shooting is effective as the muzzle velocity is extremely high, owing to the long-barreled 75mm, the penetration values are more than capable of punching through any opposing armour, and the shell weight will, if the Shell penetrates, consistently deal decent amounts of Crew and Module damage, if not immediately make the target on combat ineffective.

This tank, however, owing to its "Mailbox" gun mantlet design, is not good combatant frontally, especially at its BR; many enemy tanks will find the gun mantlet a juicy target. Never engage in extended frontal skirmishes with enemy tanks; instead, use the high mobility as much as possible. Don't stay in one place as much as possible, shoot and scoot before the enemy can react shoot through the mantlet.

'''Against a Panther A:'''

''Light tank/SPAA'': lighter vehicles will certainly find the Panther A much easier to kill than the Tiger, thanks to its much thinner sides and rear armour. The relative thickness of no more than 50 mm is very easily penetrated by common light tanks such as the M24, AMX-13, and SPAA like the M42. The side profile of th Panther is tall and long, making it even easier to spot and shoot at. Note that just like many other German tanks, the Panther is able to traverse the hull on the spot, allowing it to angle extremely quickly if they sense someone is aiming at their side armour, so you must be decisive, do not hesitate to open fire. Of course, when it is impossible to flank, you can disable its wide tracks or gun barrel and call an artillery strike on it.

''Medium tank'': the biggest strengths of the Panther shine at long range engagements as its frontal armour, cannon penetration and trajectory all outmatch medium tanks at similar BR. Thus it is always a good idea to close in the combat distance. This also eliminates the disadvantages of low penetration and poor gunsight magnification of Allied medium tanks. Against a Panther, it is always about targeting the mantlet quick and accurate, or flanking. In a close quarters encounter, target the Panther's gun mantlet as it is only 100 mm thick. It will usually knock out the gunner, cannon breech, commander, or loader. Utilise your advantage, for example [[M4]] Shermans have stabilisers meaning they can perform fire-on-the-move more stable, and [[T-34-85]] are more agile, allowing them to flank better. Sometimes the Panther will peek out of cover to shoot, and because their hull is long and the turret is placed in the middle, they may unintentionally expose a small, front section of the hull side armour out of the cover as they move forward. Do not miss this chance to give it a clean side-shot.

''Heavy tank/tank destroyer'': an enemy Panther A can be a very tough target to wipe out if the friendly team consists mostly of light/medium vehicles, so heavy tanks or tank destroyers who can frontally penetrate a Panther become very significant. Vehicles with powerful cannons, such as the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]] and [[Ikv 103]] can all punch through the upper front plate of a Panther easily. It is better to target the UFP if the Panther is not angling, since the turret is smaller thus harder to hit.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannon has a range of ammo for any type of enemy: great stock AP for common targets (eg. [[T-34-85]], [[M4 Sherman (Family)|M4 Sherman]] or even the [[M4A3E2]]), piercing APCR for early cold war tanks (eg. [[M26 (Family)|M26]], [[T-44]], early [[Centurion (Family)|Centurions]]) and HE for light vehicles. Great accuracy and velocity allows easy long-range sniping. Plenty of ammo capacity allows flexible ammo setups.
* Heavily armoured frontal hull is immune to most guns at 5.7 like the 85 mm D-5T and 76 mm M1.
* Almost 300% faster turret rotation than the previous D model. Is more responsive to flankers.
* Fast top speed, good hull traverse. Can get to positions in time.
* Engine has 50 more horsepower compared to the D variant, acceleration is noticeably faster and is on par, if not slightly faster, than T-34s.
* Adequate gun depression of -8° adapts most terrains well.
* Reasonably cheap repair cost.
* Has a wide range of good-looking camouflage to unlock. Suitable for almost every terrain / map.

'''Cons:'''

* Gun mantlet is only 100 mm, a huge and '''well-known''' weakspot to shoot at.
* Side ammo racks are prone to detonation when hit.
* Terrible reverse speed of only -4 km/h, can get the player killed.
* Weak side armor gets penetrated easily by Russian APHEBC. Cannot angle too much.
* Lower glacis often catches fire or breaks transmission when penetrated, leaving the tank immobile and vulnerable.
* High profile for a medium tank makes it harder to hide.
* Roof armour of 16 mm is vulnerable to [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Brownings]] which are widely seen on American planes.
* Although heavily armoured, it can still get frontally penetrated easily by a rather common heavy tank: [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]].
* Gun mantlet has shot trap (it may deflect shells into the weak hull roof armor).

== History ==

===Development===
The '''Panther''' development started as far back as 1938 as a replacement to the [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IVs]]. The program was called ''VK 20'' and it called for a 20 ton tracked vehicle design by Krupp, Daimler-Benz, and MAN. Krupp dropped out when the requirements changed to 30 tones in 1941 when the German encounters the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks where the Panzer III and Panzer IV's performance have little effect due to its superior armour, mobility, and armament. The ''VK 20'' was abandoned for the ''VK 30.02'' in April 1942. Daimler-Benz design for this project looks similar to the T-34 with the turret far forward in the hull, plus the use of a diesel engine and external leaf spring suspension. MAN's design had a twin torsion bar, the interleaved suspension system (like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]) with the turret situated in the middle of the hull, plus had a petrol Maybach engine. Hitler was reported to believe that the DB design was superior to the MAN design, and in a review between January to March 1942, Fritz Todt and Albert Speer also recommended the DB design. Then MAN revised their design, and a special commission by Hitler decided on the MAN design in May 1942, to which Hitler approved after reviewing it. One of the reasons the MAN was approved was that its turret was already in production while the DB used a completely new design. However, despite being built for a 30-ton design, Hitler decided to increase the armour on the MAN design and the weight went from 30 tons to 45 tons.

The MAN design was made into a prototype in September 1942, when it was officially accepted after testing and named the '''Panzerkampfwagen V Panther'''. Where it remained so until 1944, where Hitler removed the '''V''' in the designation for the name '''Panther'''. Production started in December 1942, though the early models suffered from reliability issues. The production plants expanded from MAN to Daimler-Benz, MNH, and Henschel for increased output. Despite that, production was often delayed due to Allied air bombing, which targeted the Maybach engine plant and DB, MAN, and MNH tank factories. Nevertheless, the total number of Panther tanks produced was 6,706, making the Panther the third most produced armoured fighting vehicle in Germany behind the Panzer IV and the StuG III.

===Design===
The MAN design for the Panther featured a heavily sloped armour design, with the front glacis plate being 80 mm thick (from the original 60 mm before the weight increase) and when sloped at 55 degrees, it was 140 mm effective in thickness. This made the Panther one of the best-armored vehicle in World War II. The side armour of the Panther was way thinner at 40 mm that could be pierced very easily. Additional side armour in the form of Schürzen could be placed on the sides hanging to cover the suspension and hull side from being penetrated by Soviet anti-tank rifle fire. The Panther used the same engine as the Tiger I, the Mayback HL 210 P30 engine, and had a similar suspension system, the ''Schachtellaufwerk'' interleaved wheel system, which complicated maintenance issues. The tank used the formidable 7.5 cm Kwk 42 cannon, which could destroy most of the allied tanks in service, only possess a mediocre HE shell.

The '''Ausf. A''' variant was the second variant designed for the Panther, The old drum-shaped cupola on the [[Panther D|Ausf. D]] had been replaced by a side-swinging hatch that didn't require the commander to expose himself to open or close the hatch. The Ausf. A introduced the standard ball mount for the assistant driver's machine gun, replacing the "letterbox" flap design on the Ausf. D. The Ausf. A also had the initial turret curved gun mantlet that was introduced to the Panther, though there were faults with the design as explained below. Other small improvements of the Ausf. A over the Ausf. D was improved reliability by ironing out several mechanical issues. 2,192 Panther Ausf. A was produced from August 1943 to June 1944.

The Panther's rushed development and commitment into battle caused the design to have many flaws inhibiting its full potential. The most prominent flaw that lasted throughout the war was the weak final drive due to using a double spur system that made it more prone to failure from the Panther's torque requirements, which is averaged at around 150 km before failing. The curved gun mantlet design had an unfortunate tendency to ricochet deflected rounds into the roof, it was, however, not fixed until a new gun mantlet design with a flat "chin" shape was introduced on the [[Panther G|Panther G]]. The ''Schachtellaufwerk'' suspension system, like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], suffered from over-engineering and complicating maintenance of the tank. Smaller problems in the tank included not having a dedicated periscope for the gunner, maintenance-heavy, fuel-hungry, and deteriorating armour quality as metal alloys in Germany began to run out.

Despite its heavier weight and slightly complex design, the cost of each Panther tank was not very high in relative to tanks with a price at 117,100 Reichmarks, compared to the 103,462 RM of Panzer IVs and 250,800 RM of the Tiger I. This made the tank rather economic for its fighting purposes despite being over-engineered.

===Combat usage===
The Panther was first issued to the Eastern Front, arming the 51st and 52nd Tank Battalions. Their usage presented mechanical problems of the Panther, forcing many of the early Panthers to be returned for rebuilding. Despite these issues, the Panther was deemed critical in the Battle of Kursk in ''Operation Citadel'', Hitler delayed the operation so more Panthers can reach the front. 200 Panthers were ready in June 1943, but its combat debut was disappointing. The Panthers, which arrived last minute before the operation started, meant that the crew serving the tanks had little time to train with the new tanks. Two tanks were lost to motor fires right after disembarking from the trains at the front lines. 184 were operational at the start of the operation on July 5, this dropped to 40 within two days. According to Heinz Guderian, five days into the offensive, only 10 operation Panthers were available with 25 completely lost, 100 in need of repairs, and 60 per cent of those mechanical breakdowns were easily repaired. Those that did work during the campaign were able to cause heavy casualties on the Soviet tank forces, but the Panther's lethality was mitigated by its low number available. When the operation turned and the Soviet counteroffensive pushed the Germans away from Kursk, the Panther loss rose to 156 on August 11, with many more lost as the Soviet kept gaining ground. Perhaps the Panther's biggest role in Operation Citadel was delaying the start of the operation by two months to allow the Soviet defences to be bolstered beyond the German's expectations, causing the failure of the offensive.

After the failure at Kursk, improvements on the Panther helped its reliability rate. By March 1944, Guderian reported that most of the Panther's flaws were ironed out, but the final drive and other mechanical issues were still a major issue to front-line units. The Panthers served the rest of the war as quick-reaction forces to fight off Allied offensives on both fronts. On the Eastern Front, some 700 Panthers were committed to the battle at all times, though the number of operational vehicles varies depending on the situation. The Panthers were also sent to suppress the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944. Two were captured by the Polish forces, who used them against the German forces. The captured Panthers were used until they became immobilized and were destroyed to prevent recapture by the Germans.

On the Western Front, the Panthers began being present in large numbers after the Invasion of Normandy. 156 Panthers were initially present between two Panzer regiments, but this increased by seven regiments after the Allied invasion, boosting the strength to 432 tanks. The high number of Panther situated in France, mostly around Caen, and their performance against the Allied armour caused many Allied tankers to fear it as much as the Tiger tanks. However, the Panther's reliability problem was still evident as many Panthers were left abandoned by the crew when they broke down. The mechanical breakdown, partly from the flaws in the machine, can also be attributed to the poor crew training given, which showed by crew overburdening the transmission or lacking regular maintenance on the tank. The Allied assessment of the Panther was that its mobility on soft grounds was superior due to its wider tracks giving more flotation over the ground, and armour and firepower value was superior to anything they had, though it was inferior in the bocage terrain of France due to the constrained nature of the environment. The Panther participated in the famed Battle of Arracourt, where a total of 262 German tanks were committed to battle. The battle, against the mostly [[M4|M4 Sherman]], equipped 4th Armored Division, routed the Germans after they suffered heavy casualties, while the Allies only losing 32 armoured fighting vehicles, a testament on how crew training and tactical advantage have a big impact on tank warfare. The highest concentration of Panthers on the Western Front was 471 Panthers (336 operational) in the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge), where it showed its prowess in open terrain due to its superior gun. The Panthers also took place in Operation Grief, being disguised as [[M10 GMC|M10 tank destroyers]] to trick American soldiers. All of these mocked up Panthers were destroyed in battle or scrapped after it. After the Ardennes Offensive, eight Panzer division with 271 Panthers were transferred to the Eastern Front to beat back the Soviet offensive. Only five Panther battalions, 96 Panthers for each battalion, remained on the Western Front to fight the Allies.

After the war, Panther still saw a use for some time in various countries. Bulgaria and Romania received Panthers from the Soviets as aid, which they used until the 1950s. France was the most notable user of the Panther tanks after World War II due to the large quantities of operable vehicles left behind by the Germans during the Normandy invasion. The French raised a regiment of 50 Panthers from 1944 to 1947, when they were replaced by the new ARL 44 tanks. The Panther also influenced the French AMX 50 tank design, and its gun was derived onto the AMX 13 light tank. In 1947, an evaluation was written by the French War Ministry on the Panthers which even made their own assessment of the Panther that pointed out most of the flaws of the Panthers, especially the mechanical failure and the deficiency of the armour later in the war due to alloy shortages.

=== In-game description ===
In the fall of 1943, production of the Ausf.A variant of the Pz.Kpfw. V tank began. The Verstandigungsoeffnung hatch, which allowed for communication with infantry and for pistol fire from inside, was removed from the new turret. Vehicles of this variant were given the simpler monocular TZF-12А sight, as well as the commander's cupola used by the Tiger I tank. The hull's front plate was equipped with a traditional ball-mount directional machine gun instead of the inefficient letterbox flap gun used earlier. To strengthen the chassis, the road wheels received an increased number of bolts. The engine and transmission cooling systems were improved. A viewport was installed on the roof of the turret, along with a close-combat device (antipersonnel fragmentation grenade launchers). Tanks released at a later date had a modified exhaust system. Some Panther Ausf. A tanks were equipped with experimental infrared night vision devices. All of the tanks of this variant had their vertical surfaces coated with Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste.

From August 1943 to May 1944, about 2,000 of these tanks were released.

Beginning in 1943, the Red Army captured a small number of Panther tanks (of several variants). These tanks were then used by several of the USSR's armored divisions, including, for example, Lieutenant Sotnikov's division. This tank was known as a dangerous enemy to Soviet tank forces, and captured vehicles were considered a thing of great luck. They were given to the most experienced and effective crews as recognition of their incredible merit. To keep the German tanks in good condition, Soviet tank divisions used captured German mechanics. In 1944, a technical manual for the Panther was published in Russian, for distribution to the crews.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23panther_a Skins and camouflages for the ''Panther A'' from live.warthunder.com.]

;Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|y1S7jHyFxdA|'''The Shooting Range #34''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 02:36 discusses the Panther I.|Bf1YWYfD_qk|'''The Shooting Range #135''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 01:12 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|oa26g25qqP4|'''Best medium tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:34 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|9rUocSj2dHc|'''Tank Chats #16 Panther''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Panther D

2021-05-19T15:14:06Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
|about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1 = other uses
|link-1 = Panther (Disambiguation)
|usage-2 = other vehicles of the family
|link-2 = Panther tank (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pzkpfw_V_ausf_d_panther
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ('''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41. Beginning a new generation of German tanks, the Panther medium tank was one of the most iconic tanks of World War II with its high power [[KwK 42 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]] and heavy front sloping armour.

The Panther is not like the [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IV]] you have become accustomed to in the line-up. The Panther D was historically made to fight in a long distance with its long 75 mm KwK 42 gun. Close distance is not the greatest ally for the Panther, with its weak side armour and gun mantlet, it can be easily penetrated by most other tanks at its rank if it can get these points. Thus, Panther should be played with a self-established "safe boundary" around the tank to stay safe from flankers. Despite that, as a front brawler, it excels due to the strong front armour and speed.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour
*Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 60 mm (56°) ''Lower glacis'' || 40 mm (40°) ''Top'' 40 + 5 mm ''Lower'' || 40 mm (29-31°) || 16 mm
|-
| Turret || 100 mm (11-12°) ''Turret front'' 60-100 (7-80°) + 10 mm ''Gun mantlet''|| 45 mm (0-25°) || 45 mm (20-30°) || 16 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 80 mm || 16 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick. The interleaved suspension wheels means that there are places where it will be a cumulative 20 + 20 mm extra armour.
*Belly armour is 16 mm thick.
*A 30 mm RHA plate separates the engine compartment from the crew compartment.
*Tracks and lower side of the hull are covered by 5 mm thick armour plate, protecting them from HEAT and HE shells.
*Rear parts of the upper side hull armour have tracks attached to it, adding additional 20 mm of armour.
*The gun mantlet ring around the gun barrel is 300 mm thick.
*[[Add-on Armor|Add-on armour]] adds tracks around the turret side and rear.
*Never try to angle the Panther, its side is too vulnerable, especially above the tracks

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,007|rbMinHp=575|AoAweight=0.45}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|KwK42 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK42 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK42]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 79 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 5.7 || 7.9 || 9.6 || 10.6 || 11.3 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 3.6 || 4.2 || 5.1 || 5.6 || 6.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| PzGr 39/42 || APCBC || 192 || 188 || 173 || 156 || 140 || 126
|-
| Sprgr. 42 || HE || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| PzGr 39/42 || APCBC || 935 || 6.8 || 1.2 || 14 || 28.9 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| Sprgr. 42 || HE || 700 || 5.74 || 0 || 0.1 || 725 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
|-
| '''79''' || 77 ''(+2)'' || 71 ''(+8)'' || 62 ''(+17)'' || 53 ''(+24)'' || 44 ''(+33)''
|-
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 35 ''(+42)'' || 31 ''(+46)'' || 16 ''(+61)'' ||4 ''(+73)'' || 1 ''(+78)'' || Yes
|-
|}
Note:

* Turret and large sides empty: 31 ''(+48)''

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,700 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Panther has a much stronger front glacis armour than its heavy tank companion [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]], with ~140 mm effective thickness with sloping compared to the Tiger's 100 mm armour. However, only the frontal glacis is nigh impenetrable, the side armour and turret is very vulnerable and care must be taken to keep this safe.

One method is to exploit the Panther's long gun range with distance. Fight from a long distance from 800 m to 2,000 m away. At this range, the enemy's gun shells will lose most of their penetrative qualities compared to the Panther's gun and will (hopefully) not be able to penetrate the Panther's weak point on the turret, plus you have the benefit on their lower aim accuracy due to distance. Of course, this scenario is very unlikely given the more close-oriented maps and games in War Thunder, so let's get to the alternative tactic...

In a more close-range tactic, stay with your allies. Allies will help you by covering your weak points on your sides. If you advance too far from your allies, the likelihood of your tank ending in a fiery ammunition explosion increases exponentially. Even in a close-range battle, try to maintain distance between you and the enemy tank to prevent them from easily flanking you and keep a range advantage to keep your weak points as small as possible. The slow turret traverse will also be a lower drawback at a longer range as you will not need to turn your turret as much to aim at different targets. Stay near the rear of the line while more mobile and aggressive allies charge forward and attract the enemy's attention so you can get the jump on them.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent cannon has a range of ammo for any type of enemy: great stock AP for common targets (eg. [[T-34-85]], [[M4 Sherman (Family)|M4 Sherman]] or even the [[M4A3E2]]), piercing APCR for early cold war tanks (eg. [[M26 (Family)|M26]], [[T-44]], early [[Centurion (Family)|Centurions]]) and HE for light vehicles. Great accuracy and velocity allows easy long-range sniping. Plenty of ammo capacity allows flexible ammo setups.
* Heavily armoured frontal hull is immune to most guns at its battle rating, e.g. the 85mm D5T or 76mm M1.
* Fast top speed, good hull traverse. Can get to positions in time.
* Adequate gun depression of -8° adapts most terrains well.
* Reasonably cheap repair cost
* Has a wide range of good-looking camouflage to unlock. Suitable for almost every terrain / map.
* Gun mantlet tends to sometimes absorb shells

'''Cons:'''

* Gun mantlet is only 100mm, a huge and '''well-known''' weakspot to shoot at.
* Very poor turret traverse making it hard to respond to flankers or to get the gun on target. For close-quarter combat, great situational awareness and fast reaction is required which isn't beginner friendly.
* Side ammo racks are prone to detonation when hit.
* Terrible reverse speed of only -4 km/h, can get the player killed.
* Weak side armour gets penetrated easily by Russian APHEBC (eg. BR-365A, BR-471). Cannot angle too much.
* Lower glacis often catches fire or brakes transmission when penetrated, leaving the tank immobile and vulnerable.
* High profile for a medium tank makes it harder to hide.
* Roof armour of 16 mm is vulnerable to [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Brownings]] which are widely seen on American planes.
* Although heavily armoured, it can still get frontally penetrated and one-shot easily by a rather common tank: [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]].
* The small calibre of the gun means the main APCBC shell has rather small amounts of explosive filler, resulting in it often being unable to one shot enemies.
* Gun mantlet has a shot trap (it can deflect shells into the thin hull roof armor).

== History ==

===Development===
The '''Panther''' development started as far back as 1938 as a replacement to the [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV E|Panzer IVs]]. The program was called ''VK 20'' and it called for a 20 ton tracked vehicle design by Krupp, Daimler-Benz, and MAN. Krupp dropped out when the requirements changed to 30 tones in 1941 when the German encounters the Soviet [[T-34 (1941)|T-34]] and [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tanks where the Panzer III and Panzer IV's performance have little effect due to its superior armour, mobility, and armament. The ''VK 20'' was abandoned for the ''VK 30.02'' in April 1942. Daimler-Benz design for this project looks similar to the T-34 with the turret far forward in the hull, plus the use of a diesel engine and external leaf spring suspension. MAN's design had a twin torsion bar, the interleaved suspension system (like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]]) with the turret situated in the middle of the hull, plus had a petrol Maybach engine. Hitler was reported to believe that the DB design was superior to the MAN design, and in a review between January to March 1942, Fritz Todt and Albert Speer also recommended the DB design. Then MAN revised their design, and a special commission by Hitler decided on the MAN design in May 1942, to which Hitler approved after reviewing it. One of the reasons the MAN was approved was that its turret was already in production while the DB used a completely new design. However, despite being built for a 30-ton design, Hitler decided to increase the armour on the MAN design and the weight went from 30 tons to 45 tons.

The MAN design was made into a prototype in September 1942, when it was officially accepted after testing and named the '''Panzerkampfwagen V Panther'''. Where it remained so until 1944, where Hitler removed the '''V''' in the designation for the name '''Panther'''. Production started in December 1942, though the early models suffered from reliability issues. The production plants expanded from MAN to Daimler-Benz, MNH, and Henschel for increased output. Despite that, production was often delayed due to Allied air bombing, which targeted the Maybach engine plant and DB, MAN, and MNH tank factories. Nevertheless, the total number of Panther tanks produced was 6,706, making the Panther the third most produced armoured fighting vehicle in Germany behind the Panzer IV and the StuG III.

===Design===
The MAN design for the Panther featured a heavily sloped armour design, with the front glacis plate being 80 mm thick (from the original 60 mm before the weight increase) and when sloped at 55 degrees, it was 140 mm effective in thickness. This made the Panther one of the best-armoured vehicle in World War II. The side armour of the Panther was way thinner at 40 mm that could be pierced very easily. Additional side armour in the form of Schürzen could be placed on the sides hanging to cover the suspension and hull side from being penetrated by Soviet anti-tank rifle fire. The Panther used the same engine as the Tiger I, the Mayback HL 210 P30 engine, and had a similar suspension system, the ''Schachtellaufwerk'' interleaved wheel system, which complicated maintenance issues. The tank used the formidable 7.5 cm Kwk 42 cannon, which could destroy most of the allied tanks in service, though only possess a mediocre HE shell.

The '''Ausf. D''' variant was the first variant designed for the Panther, easily distinguishable by its drum-shaped commander cupola. The Ausf. D can also be distinguished by a unique machine gun port with a shape of a vertical "letterbox" flap from where the machine gun was fired (this was replaced by a standard ball mount in later variants). The Ausf. D also had the initial turret curved gun mantlet that was introduced to the Panther, though there were faults with the design as explained below. 842 Panther Ausf. D was produced from January to September 1943.

The Panther's rushed development and commitment into battle caused the design to have many flaws inhibiting its full potential. The most prominent flaw that lasted throughout the war was the weak final drive due to using a double spur system that made it more prone to failure from the Panther's torque requirements, which is averaged at around 150 km before failing. The curved gun mantlet design had an unfortunate tendency to ricochet deflected rounds into the roof, it was, however, not fixed until a new gun mantlet design with a flat "chin" shape was introduced on the [[Panther G|Panther G]]. The ''Schachtellaufwerk'' suspension system, like the [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], suffered from over-engineering and complicating maintenance of the tank. Smaller problems in the tank included not having a dedicated periscope for the gunner, lack of ventilation to the engine due to waterproofing, maintenance-heavy, fuel-hungry, and deteriorating armour quality as metal alloys in Germany began to run out.

Despite its heavier weight and slightly complex design, the cost of each Panther tank was not very high in relative to tanks with a price at 117,100 Reichmarks, compared to the 103,462 RM of Panzer IVs and 250,800 RM of the Tiger I. This made the tank rather economic for its fighting purposes despite being over-engineered.

===Combat usage===
The Panther was first issued to the Eastern Front, arming the 51st and 52nd Tank Battalions. Their usage presented mechanical problems of the Panther, forcing many of the early Panthers to be returned for rebuilding. Despite these issues, the Panther was deemed critical in the Battle of Kursk in ''Operation Citadel'', Hitler delayed the operation so more Panthers can reach the front. 200 Panthers were ready in June 1943, but its combat debut was disappointing. The Panthers, which arrived last minute before the operation started, meant that the crew serving the tanks had little time to train with the new tanks. Two tanks were lost to motor fires right after disembarking from the trains at the front lines. 184 were operational at the start of the operation on July 5, this dropped to 40 within two days. According to Heinz Guderian, five days into the offensive, only 10 operation Panthers were available with 25 completely lost, 100 in need of repairs, and 60 per cent of those mechanical breakdowns were easily repaired. Those that did work during the campaign were able to cause heavy casualties on the Soviet tank forces, but the Panther's lethality was mitigated by its low number available. When the operation turned and the Soviet counteroffensive pushed the Germans away from Kursk, the Panther loss rose to 156 on August 11, with many more lost as the Soviet kept gaining ground. Perhaps the Panther's biggest role in Operation Citadel was delaying the start of the operation by two months to allow the Soviet defences to be bolstered beyond the German's expectations, causing the failure of the offensive.

After the failure at Kursk, improvements on the Panther helped its reliability rate. By March 1944, Guderian reported that most of the Panther's flaws were ironed out, but the final drive and other mechanical issues were still a major issue to front-line units. The Panthers served the rest of the war as quick-reaction forces to fight off Allied offensives on both fronts. On the Eastern Front, some 700 Panthers were committed to the battle at all times, though the number of operational vehicles varies depending on the situation. The Panthers were also sent to suppress the Warsaw Uprising in August 1944. Two were captured by the Polish forces, who used them against the German forces. The captured Panthers were used until they became immobilized and were destroyed to prevent recapture by the Germans.

On the Western Front, the Panthers began being present in large numbers after the Invasion of Normandy. 156 Panthers were initially present between two Panzer regiments, but this increased by seven regiments after the Allied invasion, boosting the strength to 432 tanks. The high number of Panther situated in France, mostly around Caen, and their performance against the Allied armour caused many Allied tankers to fear it as much as the Tiger tanks. However, the Panther's reliability problem was still evident as many Panthers were left abandoned by the crew when they broke down. The mechanical breakdown, partly from the flaws in the machine, can also be attributed to the poor crew training given, which showed by crew overburdening the transmission or lacking regular maintenance on the tank. The Allied assessment of the Panther was that its mobility on soft grounds was superior due to its wider tracks giving more flotation over the ground, and armour and firepower value was superior to anything they had, though it was inferior in the bocage terrain of France due to the constrained nature of the environment. The Panther participated in the famed Battle of Arracourt, where a total of 262 German tanks were committed to battle. The battle, against the mostly [[M4|M4 Sherman]], equipped 4th Armored Division, routed the Germans after they suffered heavy casualties, while the Allies only losing 32 armoured fighting vehicles, a testament on how crew training and tactical advantage have a big impact on tank warfare. The highest concentration of Panthers on the Western Front was 471 Panthers (336 operational) in the Ardennes Offensive (Battle of the Bulge), where it showed its prowess in open terrain due to its superior gun. The Panthers also took place in Operation Grief, being disguised as [[M10 GMC|M10 tank destroyers]] to trick American soldiers. All of these mocked up Panthers were destroyed in battle or scrapped after it. After the Ardennes Offensive, eight Panzer division with 271 Panthers were transferred to the Eastern Front to beat back the Soviet offensive. Only five Panther battalions, 96 Panthers for each battalion, remained on the Western Front to fight the Allies.

After the war, Panther still saw a use for some time in various countries. Bulgaria and Romania received Panthers from the Soviets as aid, which they used until the 1950s. France was the most notable user of the Panther tanks after World War II due to the large quantities of operable vehicles left behind by the Germans during the Normandy invasion. The French raised a regiment of 50 Panthers from 1944 to 1947, when they were replaced by the new ARL 44 tanks. The Panther also influenced the French AMX 50 tank design, and its gun was derived onto the AMX 13 light tank. In 1947, an evaluation was written by the French War Ministry on the Panthers which even made their own assessment of the Panther that pointed out most of the flaws of the Panthers, especially the mechanical failure and the deficiency of the armour later in the war due to alloy shortages.

=== In-game description ===
This combat vehicle was developed by the company MAN in 1941 and 1942 and was intended to become the Wehrmacht's primary tank. According to German classification, the Panther was considered a medium tank.

After the outbreak of war with the Soviet Union, German troops encountered the new Soviet T-34 and KV tanks, which were superior to all of the Wehrmacht's available models.

After examining the strengths and weaknesses of the Soviet tanks, German engineers added sloping armour and a new chassis with large rollers and wide treads to the project.

In the spring of 1942, MAN's prototype was approved and entered military service. This combat vehicle embodied the spirit of German tank construction: a front-mounted transmission compartment, rear engine compartment, and an individual, staggered torsion suspension designed by the engineer G. Kniepkamp. The tank's main armament was a 75 mm 7,5 cm KwK 42 L/70 tank gun produced by the company Rheinmetall-Borsig, with a long 70-caliber barrel.

The main advantage of this weapon was its high muzzle velocity, which gave it high accuracy and good penetration power. Its ability to knock tanks out was better than that of the majority of Soviet, American, and British tank guns. In this way, it even surpassed the famous 8,8 cm KwK 36 installed on the Tiger I.

Full-scale production of the tank began in January 1943. By September 1943, the companies Daimler-Benz AG, Henschel, and MAN had produced 850 Pz.Kpfw. V Ausf. D tanks.

The vehicle's combat debut was the Battle of Kursk, where the variant exhibited low technical reliability. For this reason, the tank's losses were very high. Hasty development and adoption of tanks featuring a new design contributed to numerous minor flaws.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=germ_pzkpfw_V_ausf_d_panther Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/675135/en/ RideR2's Realistic gunsight (TZF4a, TZF 5a/b/d/e/f/f2, TZF 9b/b1/c/d, TZF 12/a) for Pzkpfw II, Pzkpfw III, Pzkpfw IV, Pzkpfw V, Pzkpfw VI]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|E9574a7h9is|'''Panther D at BR 5.3 - Rewarding But Exhausting''' - ''Napalmratte''|y1S7jHyFxdA|'''The Shooting Range #34''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 02:36 discusses the Panther I.|QfSYTtUncF4|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''|9rUocSj2dHc|'''Tank Chats #16 Panther''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[Panzer V Panther (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Panther_tank|[Wikipedia] Panther tank]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/nazi_germany/Panzer-V_Panther.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Panzer V Panther]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Leopard I

2021-05-19T15:09:10Z

U103667116: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Leopard (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_I
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.51 "Cold Steel"]].

The main strengths of the Leopard I are its high mobility and the above-average rate of fire of the main cannon. In combination with a good gun depression of -9° (meaning, you can lower the gun quite extensively), an experienced Leopard I driver can exploit uneven terrain to effectively fight his enemies without showing much of his vehicle - or being in the inconvenient situation to leave his cover to return fire.

The MG3A1 is rapid firing rifle calibre GPMG equipped in a coaxial and pintle mount, but otherwise of little use against armoured vehicles. The occasional open top SPAA can be harassed, although some of the crew won't be accessible without a good angle. Most annoying on the [[ZSU-57-2]] with its tall crew shielding and more than 13 mm of armour. Therefore just above the machine gun's penetration ability at 10 m.

Considering everything, the Leopard 1 is not a bad vehicle in the right hands - unfortunately, the lack of a stabilizer and extremely sub-par armour will result in many less experienced players struggling to perform well when many of their opponents will have better, often stabilised guns and armour

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


The Leopard's armour is not thick enough in the game to defend itself from most incoming fire, as many shell types at its battle rating are able to easily penetrate and destroy the tank. The Leopard 1 was originally built with a "perfect standard tank" idea, similar to the Main Battle Tank concept, as during its development, the armour has been considered an expendable quality and that superior speed and firepower is most important. Therefore the Leopard's armour design was only meant to withstand 20 mm calibres from the front. A big threat is the [[ZSU-57-2]], which gives any Leopard 1 a hard time with its high rate of fire of effective 57 mm AP rounds.

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
*Cast homogeneous armour (Turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 70 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (51°) ''Bottom glacis'' || 35 (40-42°) mm ''Top hull side'' 30 mm ''Bottom hull side'' || 25 mm (12-47°) || 30 mm ''Front area'' 15 mm ''Rear area''
|-
| Turret || 65 mm ''Turret front'' 45 - 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 37-45 mm (28-31°) || 25-52 mm (26-72°) || 25-35 mm ''Turret roof'' 20 mm ''Cupola area''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The turret mantlet has varying thicknesses ranging from 45 - 200 mm. It is thickest near the centre in contrast to the borders where it is the thinnest.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,286|rbMinHp=734}}

The {{PAGENAME}} is powered by a MTU MB 838 CaM-500 engine, which produces a total of 830 hp (610 kW) at around 2,200-2,300 RPM.
The mobility is between the [[XM-1 (GM)]] and the [[T-55AM-1]]. Expect a speed of 40-50 km/h off-road. The reverse is about -15 km/h off-road. The neutral steering is amazing, you are able to swivel your tank easily. The suspensions are also great, very soft with great dampening effects, and give the tank a smooth drive. Overall, mobility is excellent and should be used to your advantage since the tank has limited armour.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|L7A3 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L7A3 (105 mm)|105 mm L7A3]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 60 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
'''DM13 ''APDS''''' (Armour-Piercing Discarding Sabot) will comfortably penetrate the armour of most foes; be aware however that some vehicles such as the IS-4 or M103 are only vulnerable in specific weak spots. APDS rounds do require some finesse with their placement, and because of the lack of explosive filler, unless you're confident you can destroy the enemy before they can respond, you should attempt to disable their weaponry first to ensure your own safety. Against targets with known ammunition storage, it's possible to try to detonate it with a well-placed shot; keep in mind, however, that ammo detonations always occur with a random chance, taking out crew members is more reliable to destroy your enemies. This, of course, requires knowledge about the vehicles you may face - so be sure to use the game's X-Ray view in the hangar and analyse your potential foes for their weak spots! Also, keep in mind that with increased armour thickness the amount of shrapnels shrinks.

'''DM502 ''HESH''''' (High-Explosive Squash-Head) works very differently than other shell types. It ignores any angle, except for ricochet and deals damage by metal-flakes which are blown off inside the armour by the exterior explosion. To create this deadly shrapnel inside the tank, make sure to only hit armour plates which are directly adjacent to the interior crew compartment of the tank. Hitting exterior parts of a tank like spaced armour, the suspension, tracks etc. will not harm crew members/modules at all. Unfortunately, HESH is particularly ineffective against particularly high true armour values (as opposed to high 'effective' armour values sourced from highly angled but thin armour - HESH loves angles!). Like all high-explosive shells, the fuse is very sensitive and can be set-off by most objects e.g. fences, trees, shrubbery. The low muzzle velocity of this shell can make it quite hard to hit targets at larger distances, although an experienced tanker may be able to use this to their advantage by lobbing a round over a small defilade or hill. It's also worth noting that HESH can be rather unreliable at times; it's best used as a fall-back ammo, or saved for particularly lightly armoured targets.

'''DM12 ''HEAT-FS''''' (High-Explosive Anti Tank Fin Stabilised): Knowledge of potential opponents vehicle layouts can be very handy - as you now have a round at your disposal that can penetrate essentially any vehicle's armour frontally. Like the APDS shot, increased armour thickness results in a reduced amount of shrapnel after penetration. You are able to take out enemies on any distance since the HEAT round does not lose penetration effectiveness with distance - very handy on big scaled maps like Kursk. There is, however, a significant downside to HEATFS: Given that it is a chemical energy round, its fuse is highly sensitive in regards to its practical application in battle. As a result, virtually anything, such as trees or even a fence, will set it off prematurely, so you cannot fire through obstructions with this kind of round. It's often a good idea to clear bushes and fences with your machine guns quickly before taking a shot. Finally, the HEATFS round is relatively expensive in terms of SL, so keep that in mind when loading up.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| DM13 || APDS || 303 || 302 || 296 || 277 || 257 || 252
|-
| DM502 || HESH || 127 || 127 || 127 || 127 || 127 || 127
|-
| DM12 || HEATFS || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400 || 400
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| DM13 || APDS || 1,478 || 4 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
| DM502 || HESH || 732 || 14.85 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 4,310 || 73° || 77° || 80°
|-
| DM12 || HEATFS || 1,173 || 10.5 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 1,270 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''60''' || 58 ''(+2)'' || 47 ''(+13)'' || 43 ''(+17)'' || 40 ''(+20)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || No
|-
|}
Note:

* Turret empty: 47 (+13)

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} mounts one coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun and one pintle-mounted 7.62 mm machine gun. These both have particularly high rates of fire, and can be used as a deterrent for close air support as well as clearing light obstacles and crew in open-top vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,500 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Scan and use the terrain to your advantage. Take into consideration the moderate vehicle height, which allows you to go turret down in certain locations, allowing you to safely use your commander's binoculars to locate targets. Then, after you have located the enemy, fire a few rounds in quick succession and relocate when spotted, especially when the enemy shots come dangerously close. The Leopard is quite fast, so taking hits from a distance while on the move is a risk that you may consider worth taking.

Always remember: The Leopard is not designed to take hits from any guns, nor fight in stand-off situations against heavier enemy vehicles. Frontally, the angle of the hull can bounce shots once in a while, but you're better off not to rely on this. The turret front is also the same, it's best to attempt to only fire when you can avoid receiving a shot or relocating to a position if possible. The main goal is to make the opponent incapable of returning fire. The majority of Russian rank V tanks ([[IS-3]], [[IS-4M]], [[T-10M]], [[T-54 (1951)|T-54s]], [[SU-122-54]], [[T-62]] or [[ZSU-57-2]]) gunners are disabled by penetrating the right side of the turret or hull, if they are faced towards you. If you have the possibility to hit a Russian tank's hull, which is again faced towards you, prioritize it, because it is likely to take it out with one shot to the right side of the hull (3 out of 4 crew member are sitting in a row), this does not work with the stock APDS round due to the poor damage output. American top rank tanks like the [[M103]], [[M47]] or [[M60]] are harder to take out. It is advised to take out the gunner first, which is located in the left side of the turret and then take out the rest of the remaining crew members. Hitting the ammo rack of your opponent is often the fastest way to take out an enemy vehicle, keep in mind though there is a small chance the ammo will not blow up (Best ammo types to ammo rack: HEAT-FS > HESH > APDS).
[[File:Leopard 1 vs T55AM.png|thumb|right|300px|{{PAGENAME}} engaging a T-55AM on Cargo Port]]
Sometimes moving is not an option, but remember, directly behind your hull front sits a large portion of your ammunition, at least if you're fully loaded. Always have that in mind when positioning yourself against the enemy - and don't forget that you don't have to stack all of your ammunition racks to their maximum capacity! Sometimes it can be wise to take less ammunition with you, as it will increase your survivability when taking hits - especially with the Leopard. The Leopards worst nemesis is the [[ZSU-57-2]] and the [[IT-1]]. The [[ZSU-57-2]] can be easily destroyed by hitting one of the many ammo racks in the big turret, which often leads to an explosion of the whole tank. The [[IT-1]] on the other hand can be quite hard to deal with, since they are able to operate perfectly hull down only exposing the roof mounted ATGM. Destroying (only black damage status counts, red damage does not prevent from firing ATGM) the rocket mount/cannon barrel forces the [[IT-1]] to repair for a whole 27 seconds (maxed out + expert crew).

The Leopard 1 holds a distinct advantage over almost every other tank it will face - it's almost always faster. While in a direct shoot-out, most other vehicles can take out the Leopard, using the mobility advantage of the Leopard will allow a good tanker to get into an advantageous position and take out targets before they get the opportunity to respond. However, ensure you are aware of your surroundings and have a fall-back option: getting caught off guard on the back of a hill with nowhere to back off to and with no real support is a death sentence.

Depending on the map and opponents, ammunition choices may vary however usually it's ideal to have HEATFS as primary ammunition (reasonably easy to use at range, reliable penetration values), APDS as a backup (extremely easy to use at range, particularly with the Leo's excellent optics) and a couple of HESH rounds to deal with any light targets you might encounter. Try to keep round storage to a minimum but keep in mind that with these ammunition choices often it will take a number of rounds to guarantee a destroyed target.

''In a nutshell:'' Use the superb mobility with the cannon's perfection to flank and spank enemies, wait and hunt for the perfect positions and pick off the enemy tanks one by one, while always maintaining a good situational awareness. Patience is the key to success.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fast and very agile when fully upgraded
* High-penetration APDS and HEAT rounds
* HESH rounds extremely effective against light targets
* Reasonably fast reload time, can be reduced to 6.7 seconds
* Good gun elevation and depression
* Reasonably good turret traverse rate
* Access to smoke grenades
* Relatively small, moderately low profile
* Excellent reverse speed
* A well coordinated squad of Leopards can effectively take over a match
* Potential to be an extremely efficient vehicle in the right hands
* Some parts of the turret (mainly the mantlet) can bounce rounds from the right angles
* Reasonably low repair cost

'''Cons:'''

* Essentially non-existent armour that can't stop any more than 20 mm rounds reliably
* No main gun stabiliser
* Tankers unaccustomed to APDS may struggle with the stock vehicle
* Stock accuracy is sub-par
* HEATFS shells are expensive at 920 SL
* Does not have the HESH round when stock
* Like all MBTs, there is ammunition stored adjacent to the driver
* 4-man crew complement, reasonably close-packed
* Easy prey for high-calibre autocannons such as those found on the ZSU-57-2
* HEATFS and APDS rounds have sub-par post-penetration effectiveness, often taking multiple rounds to destroy vehicles
* HEATFS detonates when it hits a fence or bush

== History ==

===Development===
The project for the Leopard started as far back as 1956 as an attempt to replace the American [[M41 (90 mm)|M47]] and [[M48A1|M48 Patton]] tanks in service at the time as they were becoming outdated to newer anti-tank technology. Specifications for the new tank came in July 1957 asking for a design weighing no more than 30 tons, with a power-to-weight ratio of 30 horsepower per ton and could withstand 20 mm gunfire alongside protection against chemical weapons and radiation fallout, which was becoming extremely common protection system for the modern tank designs. The design stressed mobility as the main focus, while firepower comes next and armour was relegated to minimum priority. The lack of focus on the armour was because of the belief that no matter how much armour a tank can have, it will eventually fall obsolete to the advent of newer anti-tank weapons such as the HEAT rounds, which was becoming stronger and stronger by the years.

In the initial stages of development, France and West Germany, interested in this tank design, worked on it from 1957 to build a common tank and the project was designated the ''Europa-Panzer''. France had AMX, SLD Lorraine, and SOMUA with FCM Renault working on the project, while Germany had Porsche, Rheinmetall with Henschel, and Borgward working on the project. In 1958, Italy entered into the development as well, though it's not sure if they provided much to the program. By 1960, Porsche and Rheinmetall had prototypes submitted, as well as AMX from France, all the others failed to provide a prototype in time. In 1963, the Porsche prototype was selected as the winner in 1963, though even before this decision the vehicle already has priority in being built in greater number than the others. Though a tank is set, France and Germany split in the joint tank project in 1963 after France opted out of standardization with the NATO forces. This left Germany alone with their Leopard tank development, which they continued.

The Porsche Prototype II was well received, though changes were made to the design such as a new cast turret, hull design change, and relocating the radiators. The tank now mounted the 105mm L7 gun over the Rheinmetall design, as well as adding an optical range-finding system for increased gunnery. The design finished trials by the end of 1963 and production started in Munich in February of 1964. The first batches began arriving at the Bundeswehr (German Army) in September of 1965 and were put into units by November of that same year. The tank was finally designated the '''Leopard 1''', with the prototype stage labelled as the ''Leopard 1A0''.

===Usage===
After the first delivery, many upgrades were made on the tank throughout its production and service life. The first few Leopards were designated ''Leopard 1A1'' and continued all the way to ''Leopard 1A6'' as it incorporates new technology such as sights, gun, radios, armour, or even small upgrades or redesigns on some parts. Some of these Leopards are even upgraded further in each variant form, for example, the ''[[Leopard A1A1|Leopard 1A1A1]]'' which had it fitted with new turret armour and night sights. Other than the different variants, the Leopard 1 was also extensively modified or made into derivatives in roles such as anti-aircraft guns, armour recovery vehicles, bridge layers, and such.

The versatility of the Leopard 1 design and its rather cheap cost in comparison to other tanks at the time made it a useful tank and it was sought out by many different countries in and out of the NATO force group. These countries put them into service in the conflict, such as Denmark, which is believed to be the first country to use the Leopard 1 in hostile engagement, when going against Bosnian Serb forces. Canada also used the Leopard 1C2 in the War in Afghanistan from 2006-2011. Greece also had Leopard 1s and is the largest user of it, with over 500 units of ''Leopard 1A5s'' still in service.

The Leopard 1 versatility and widespread use compared to other tanks in the NATO service made it a very useful weapon system for armies that couldn't afford the new American Pattons or Abrams tanks or the British Challengers and [[Chieftain Mk 3|Chieftains]]. The Leopard 1 in German service was eventually replaced by the Leopard 2 design, which entered into service in 1979 as the main battle tank with better armour and better gun compared to the Leopard 1, fully replacing it in 2003. Other countries followed suit by upgrading their tanks to either the Leopard 2, the American M1 Abrams, or their own domestic tank designs. The vehicle in its various modernized forms is still operated by third parties such as , Brazil, Turkey, and Greece. Some are kept in reserve in Chile and Ecuador due to their light frames and ease of use in soft soils like in the jungles in their countries.

In 1974, the Australian government purchased 101 Leopard 1 tanks (90 MBTs, 5 bridge-laying variants, and 6 recovery vehicles). the first leopard 1s arrived in Australia in 1976 and served with the 1st Armoured Regiment. The Leopard 1 was retired from service in July 2007.

The Belgian army received 334 Leopard 1s, equipping 8 tank regiments with 40 Leopard 1s each. The Belgian Leopards were retired from service in 2014.

Canada received 127 Leopard 1 C1 tanks in 1978-1979 to replace the Centurion tank. starting in 2000, the Canadian government upgraded the Leopard 1 C1 to Leopard 1 C2. the Leopard C2 is now obsolete and the Canadian government has opted to use the Leopard 2.

In 1976, Denmark acquired 120 Leopard 1A3 tanks. Denmark acquired another 110 Leopard 1A3 tanks in 1992, and upgraded all for a total of 230 Leopard 1A5-DKs tanks. Denmark no longer uses Leopard 1 tanks as an MBT (replaced by leopard 2), but still uses an armoured recovery vehicle variant.

Germany used a total of 2,437 Leopard 1 tanks, of various variants. The remaining Leopard 1s are in storage, replaced by the Leopard 2.

From 1971-1985, Italy obtained (Purchased from other countries or Built under license) 920 Leopard 1 tanks and 250 Special Variants. Italian Leopard 1 MBTs were retired from service by 2008, and are replaced with the native Italian C1-Ariele tank. Armoured recovery vehicles and bridge-laying variants remain in service.

The Netherlands operated 468 Leopard 1 tanks, and are replaced with Leopard 2 tanks. Armoured recovery vehicles and bridge-laying variants remain in service.

Norway operated 172 Leopard 1 tanks, the last Leopard 1 decommissioned in 2011, and are replaced with Leopard 2 tanks. Armoured recovery vehicles and bridge-laying variants remain in service.

Brazil currently operates 128 Leopard 1BE and 250 Leopard 1A5.

Chile used to operate 202 Leopard 1V, but sold some and currently have 120 in service.

Ecuador purchased all 60 of their Leopard tanks from Chile.

Greece bought 104 Leopard 1A3s in 1983. during 1992, Greece received a further 75 Leopard 1A5. Greece purchased another 192 used Leopard 1A5s. Greece is now the current operator of the most Leopard 1 tank.

Lebanon purchased 43 Belgian Leopard 1A5.

Turkey bought and upgraded 170 Leopard 1A1 tanks and upgraded all to Leopard 1T 'Volkan'. Turkey also purchased 227 A3 variants.

=== In-game description ===
Development of the tank began in 1957 in cooperation with France. However, this attempt to create a unified European tank was unsuccessful. The projects in both countries were conducted virtually in parallel, but in 1963, before the end of comparative testing of the French and German tanks, Germany declined to cooperate further with France. Each country began to build its own national tank — the Leopard in Germany, the AMX-30 in France.

During the development of the Leopard 1 among all combat characteristics preference was given to firepower and mobility. Later, due to the German engineers' changing perspective on the significance of tank defenses in modern combat, a number of steps were taken to increase it.

The first production order of 1,500 tanks was placed in 1963, and in September, 1965 the first serial Leopard 1 was delivered to the Bundeswehr.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=germany&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=medium_tank&vehicle=germ_leopard_I Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|GgC8UNa8dok|'''{{PAGENAME}} vs STB-1''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|qksBZwDbbvo|'''{{PAGENAME}} - Really Changed After The Changes/Buffs?''' - ''Napalmratte''|SKeFUWKudoY|'''The Shooting Range #63''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 00:33 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|ktBwlyherSY|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[Leopard 1 (Family)]]

;Vehicles equipped with the same gun

* [[M48A2 G A2]]
* [[Radkampfwagen 90]]
* [[M48 Super]]
* [[Type 74 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[AMX-30 (1972)]]
* [[AMX-30]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/792|[Devblog] Leopard 1]]
* [[wt:en/news/3325/current|[Vehicle Profile] Leopard 1]]
* [[wikipedia:Leopard_1|[Wikipedia] Leopard 1]]
* [https://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/West_Germany/leopard-i.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Leopard I MBT (1965)]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=58 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> Leopard 1]

{{Germany medium tanks}}