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Fw 190 F-8

2024-04-12T07:46:28Z

U114011768: /* General info */ Changing grammatical errors

{{About
| about = German strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Fw 190 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fw-190f-8
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The {{PAGENAME}} is the main serial production of the F-series [[Fw 190 (Family)|Fw 190]] fighter. The F-series is designed as a multirole ground attack fighter-bomber aircraft meant to replace the obsolete [[Ju 87 (Family)|Ju 87]] dive bomber. The F-8 variant is based on the [[Fw 190 A-8]], featuring reinforced airframe to allow it to carry its payload of up to a 1,000 kg bomb. To compensate for worsened flight performance, the F-8 features a slightly modified compressor injector which improves the engine's performance at low altitudes. Despite 6,143 F-8 models were produced it could never fully replace it this late into the war (1944), and as such the F-8 often ended being used as a low altitude fighter-interceptor instead of its ground attacking role.

Being in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. The {{PAGENAME}} is a Fw 190 who thought it was a Stuka. The F-8 version is a peculiar one, being classed as a strike aircraft due to its relatively heavy suspended armaments. As an attacker, this Focke-Wulf gains mid-air start on most maps which can either be used to get to ground targets quickly or get the jump on climbing fighters. While generally more sluggish than the A-8 variant, the F-8 features a 30 mm gun pods that allows it to dismantle the enemy planes in a few hits. The F-8 is perhaps one of the most versatile Fw 190s in the game, though it tends to be outperformed in most categories by more specialised planes.

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

Being essentially a modified [[Fw 190 A-8]] for ground attacking role, the {{PAGENAME}}'s general flight performance is generally similar to the A-8, though being noticably more sluggish to handle, especially while stock. The F-8 retains the typical handling of the Fw 190 series; good roll rate and high-speed handling, but mediocre climb rate and atrocious turn rate. Which means it can perform reasonably well as a boom-and-zoom fighter, though not as well as delicated fighter variant. The F-8's heavier airframe resulting into the plane often struggle in a prolonged dogfights, as it will herrmorage its energy much faster than other dedicated fighters.

A caveat worth noting is that, while the F-8 can perform as a boom-and-zoom fighter, it suffers from rudder lock-ups at higher speed (~650 km/h), which may results in a fatal failed-pull ups if the pilot are not careful. On the plus side, while the F-8 does not have dedicated combat flaps, the takeoff flaps can be used in place of it to improve its maneuverability due to its unusually high rip speed (~700 km/h).

As it was classified as a strike aircraft, the F-8 greatly benefits from its access to an air spawn, as it gains a headstart speed to help it climb up to medium altitudes (~3,000 - 4,000 m) at the start of the match. This allows the F-8 to gain an altitude advantage against most fighters, and even capable of intercepting bombers.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,400 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
| 605 || 585 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.5 || 25.5 || 11.7 || 11.7 || rowspan="2" | 453
|-
! Upgraded
| 670 || 635 || 21.9 || 23.2 || 21.7 || 15.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || X || 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}} || N/A || 700 || 310 || ~13 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 420 || < 300 || < 550 || > 320
|-
|}

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


* 6 mm Steel - Fore cowl ring
* 10 mm Steel - Cowl ring
* 6 mm Steel - Under engine armour
* 8 mm Steel - Under cockpit/fuel tank armour plate
* 5 mm Steel - Rear fuel tank armour
* 8 mm Steel - Pilot's chair armour
* 6 mm Steel - Pilot's chair armour
* 12 mm Steel - Headrest armour
* 57 mm Bulletproof glass - armoured windscreen

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

The attacker "Würger" has such awful responsiveness from the elevator that anything which improves turn rate should have the highest priority. Otherwise, it will kiss the ground more than cows do! Don't forget, it needs to dive-bomb to hit anything. And grinding the bombs cannot be forgotten!! This is an attacker, so it needs the payload unlocks, but without performance upgrades, it is just a pain to fly. A detour to the new belts could be considered, but two 20 mm cannons are enough to handle any ground units even with stock ammunition, especially as the other performance upgrades are necessary as well due the F-8's great weight.

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

{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|MG 131 (13 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 20 mm MG 151 cannons, wing-mounted (250 rpg = 500 total)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, nose-mounted (400 rpg = 800 total)

The 13 mm IAI belts are extremely potent against bomber and fighter aircraft alike; featuring a mere 1 g of explosive mass. The belts have a strong chance to simply rupture the airframe or disable many flammable modules at the same time.

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="15%" | 1 !! width="15%" | 2 !! width="15%" | 3
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Fw_190_D-9.png]]</div>
|-
! [[MK 103 (30 mm)|30 mm MK 103]] cannons (35 rpg)
| 1* || || 1*
|-
! [[SC50JA (50 kg)|50 kg SC50JA]] bombs
| 2 || 4 || 2
|-
! [[SC250JA (250 kg)|250 kg SC250JA]] bombs
| || 1 ||
|-
! [[SC500K (500 kg)|500 kg SC500K]] bombs
| || 1 ||
|-
! [[PC500 (500 kg)|500 kg PC500]] bombs
| || 1 ||
|-
! [[SC1000L2 (1,000 kg)|1,000 kg SC1000L2]] bombs
| || 1 ||
|-
! [[PC1000 (1,000 kg)|1,000 kg PC1000]] bombs
| || 1 ||
|-
! [[Flam C 250 incendiary]] bombs
| || 1 ||
|-
! [[Flam C 500 incendiary]] bombs
| || 1 ||
|-
! [[Pb2]] rockets
| 7 || || 7
|-
| colspan="4" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 1,220 kg
|-
| colspan="5" | * Cannon pods must be equipped together
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 14 x Pb2 rockets
* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (200 kg total)
* 8 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (400 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb (250 kg total)
* 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb (500 kg total)
* 1 x 500 kg PC500 bomb (500 kg total)
* 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bomb (1,000 kg total)
* 1 x 1,000 kg PC1000 bomb (1,000 kg total)
* 1 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb
* 1 x Flam C 500 incendiary bomb
* 2 x 30 mm MK 103 cannons (35 rpg = 70 total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

The Fw 190 F-8 possesses below average speed, acceleration and climb ability for its rank. If you spot a bandit at the same altitude, a recommended tactic is to head-on attack, followed by an evasive manoeuvre and then extending away to repeat the processes. If a bandit has superior energy/altitude and is trying to attack you, try to drag them to friendlies, but don't sacrifice too much altitude to do so. If you are skilled enough, another tactic would be to initiate scissors; either rolling or flat, and then break away when he goes to yo-yo to control his overshoot. The scissors manoeuvre is a highly effective manoeuvre in the 190s. Many good pilots have dismembered many superior aircraft simply because of the roll rate and firepower this plane possesses. If you are clever enough to press for a gun solution when scissoring an enemy, you could be greatly rewarded.

In summary for the unintended fighter-role, climb to the side or continue climbing when starting mid-air, Boom & Zoom like a champion, never get in a sustained turn fight, and use the rate of roll to free yourself when cornered. The F-8 is most likely to be successful in realistic battles when used as a ground-attacker or bomber hunter. [[B-17 (Family)|B-17s]] and [[Halifax B Mk IIIa|Halifaxes]] are unlikely to fly at higher altitudes than the F-8 can perform at, which allows for the F-8s armament (especially with the 30 mm gunpods) and decent durability to be useful while not being held back by its relatively poor dogfighting capability. It is best to make quick, diving attack passes targeting the wings and engines before extending out to avoid return fire from the bomber's defensive guns. Do not turn back until you are at least 1 km away from the bomber to avoid being an easy target. Until the frontal gunpods are unlocked, 2-3 passes may be required to fully destroy a bomber. Frontal attacks can also be effective especially with the engines and cockpit both viable targets, but with the trade-off being less time to shoot at the target (this goes both ways, you won't be in the range of defensive guns for very long either).

In combined forces battles, the Fw 190 F-8 can carry a wider range of ordnance than most other German fighters, allowing for ground-attack using rockets, gun pods, bombs or equipping them together because of the ability to make custom load-outs. The 1,000 kg bomb is unique to F-8 among German fighters; while the [[Do 335 (Family)|Do 335 (A-1 & B-2 variants)]] and [[Me 410 (Family)|Me-410 (A1 & B1 variants)]] can carry 1,000 kg worth of bombs, they can only carry 250 kg and 500 kg bombs. The F-8 combines the ability to carry heavy ordnance while still retaining decent fighting capability after dropping said ordnance.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Not controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Combined || Not controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Retains most of the positive flight qualities of the Fw 190 series: Good roll rate and high speed handling
* While the plane does not have a delicated combat flaps, the take-off flaps can be used in place of it due to its very high rip speed (~700 km/h)
* Has an airspawn, allows the plane to easily get a headstart above most fighters and intercept bombers
* Heavy suspended weapon options, including up to 1,200 kg of bombs or 30 mm gun pods with an access to anti-tank rounds
* Powerful main armaments with high ammo capacity, the 30 mm gun pods can further augmented the plane's firepower with minimal performance loss
* Very durable airframe, capable of taking a lot of punishments

'''Cons:'''

* Awful stock grind; the plane is essentially a worse [[Fw 190 A-8]] when its offensive armaments and flight performances were not upgraded
* Heavier and more sluggish than other Fw 190 variants, resulting into worsened handling, often got beaten by delicated fighters in a dogfight
* As with other Fw 190 variants, the plane's climb rate is rather mediocre and the turn rate is terrible
* Carrying heavy payload will significantly reduces the plane's flight performance
* Rudder is unresponsive at higher speeds (~650 km/h), which may causes the plane to crash into the ground, especially while stock

== History ==


{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}|expand=true}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Wuerger (Shrike) was a single-seat single-engine monoplane fighter used by the Luftwaffe in WWII. One of the best fighters of the time, it was widely used during the Second World War. A total of over 20,000 were produced, including some 6,000 fighter-bomber variants. The 190 remained in production from 1941 until the end of the war, going through multiple redesigns. The Fw 190 made a name for itself as a true Luftwaffe workhorse and was used in a wide variety of roles, including a high-altitude interceptor (especially the Fw 190D), escort fighter, fighter-bomber and night fighter.

The Fw 190 F-8 was the most mass-produced variant of the Fw 190 F series, based on the Fw 190 A-8. By March 1944, Fw 190 F-8s were also produced by the Arado company in Warnemuende, and by April the NDW company in Wismar. The aircraft was powered by the BMW 801 D-2 engine with improved injector on the compressor, which provided emergency power for up to 10-15 minutes at 1,000 m of altitude. Otherwise, the plane's equipment was largely similar to the A-8, although the FuG 16 ZY radio was replaced with the FuG 16 ZS in April 1944. This allowed direct communication with ground troops on the battlefield. A distinctive characteristic of the F-8 was a widened rear canopy. The new canopy was introduced in the latter half of 1944. It improved forward and downward visibility, which was very important for ground attack. On-board armament consisted of twin MG 131 machine guns in the fuselage and two MG 151/20E cannon in the wings.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fw-190f-8 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|1cmaBp6AAzc|'''The Shooting Range #253''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:27 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|F08iy59P2_U|'''The Brilliance of Kurt Tank! Fw 190 F-8 - Germany - Review!''' - ''Jengar''|pNNDfnXOMSo|'''Fw 190 Defensive Techniques Tutorial I''' - ''Green Fury''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Fw 190 A-8]]{{-}}[[Fw 190 A-8 (USA)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Focke-Wulf_Fw_190_Würger|[Wikipedia] Focke-Wulf Fw 190 Würger]]
* [http://www.airvectors.net/avfw190.html#m4 <nowiki>[Air Vectors]</nowiki> The Focke-Wulf Fw 190 - Fw 190F / Fw 190G]

{{AirManufacturer Focke-Wulf}}
{{Germany strike aircraft}}

Me 264

2024-02-29T07:04:47Z

U114011768:

{{Specs-Card
|code=me_264
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Me 264''' was Messerschmitt's submission to the German Air Ministry's specification for a long-range heavy bomber. Hitler reportedly boasted to Mussolini that Germany would have bombers that could fly all the way to the east coast of the United States by 1941. Messerschmitt had thought of creating a long-range aircraft before and finally saw the Amerika Bomber project as a way to design and produce them. Messerschmitt had tough competition like Junkers and Dornier who had an immense amount of experience building bombers. The final design included four engines and had a range of around 7,000 miles (11,265 km). Eventually, the Me 264 failed to compete with the performance of competition like the Junkers 390, Junkers' proposal with six engines. The Kriegsmarine expressed interest in the project and planned to repurpose the Me 264 as a reconnaissance aircraft for the U-boats. However, Doenitz saw the failures of the program and managed to talk Hitler out of it. Finally, after the prototypes were damaged by the Allied bombing campaigns and constant setbacks, Hermann Göring ordered work be stopped on the Me 264.

Introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]], the Me 264 is a powerful and strong heavy bomber. It features an excellent bomb load of up to two 1,800 kg bombs and three 250 kg bombs totalling 4,350 kg. It also has strong defensive capabilities, with two 13 mm turrets and three 20 mm turrets. Combined with the very high altitude bomber air spawn, the Me 264 is a very difficult aircraft for opponents to attack. It's also quite fast for a bomber with an impressive top speed of 519 km/h (324 mph). Players will be satisfied with its performance and capability against both ground targets and enemy aircraft.

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

The first thing the player will notice is the plane's similarity to the famed B-29, as it shares a similarly designed fuselage and glazed nose, but a different twin tail instead of the large single tail on the B-29. Despite being a heavy bomber, the Me 264 is quite responsive and manoeuvrable. However, you are still a heavy bomber and you shouldn't try to turn with anyone. It is also quite speedy for its rank and classification, able to out-speed some of the planes at its BR when at altitude.
In addition to its powerful engines, the Me 264 can be equipped with rocket boosters that provide additional thrust for a short time. The keybind to activate the feature can be set in Controls > Aircraft > Mechanization > Ignite boosters. These boosters will only appear if the bomber spawns on an airfield.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 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
| 494 || 477 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 38.4 || 39.4 || 1.2 || 1.2 || rowspan="2" | 900
|-
! Upgraded
| 546 || 519 || 35.8 || 37.0 || 6.6 || 3.5
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 609  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 370 || 357 || 290 || ~6 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 340 || < 350 || < 290 || > 290
|-
|}

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


* 7 mm steel behind and to the left of pilot
* 9 mm steel to the right of pilot
* Self-sealing fuel tanks located throughout the wings
* Unarmoured pilots (can be knocked out in head-ons)

Despite not being well armoured, the Me 264 Amerikabomber can take quite a beating and has a knack for surviving fires. Due to its four engines, it can lose one or two and still make it back to base for repairs. However, it is one of the largest planes in the game and thus is impossible to miss, so while you can take a lot of damage, you will be receiving a lot as well.

Although it doesn't have a lot of armour, it has the guns to make up for it. With 3 x MG 151/20's that have access to the dreaded Minengeschoß high-explosive incendiary round complemented by another 3 x MG 131 heavy machine guns, as a few well-placed shots will make short work of any attacker that recklessly tails you.

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

The stock payload is quite poor, so pick up the ETC 500/II modification first, followed by the 20 mm belts to add more Minengeschoß rounds, then the ETC 1000/I and ETC 1800. The rest of the modules are up to you, but survivability modules are recommended to withstand the beating you will be getting.

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

{{main|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)|SC1000L2 (1,000 kg)|SC1800B (1,800 kg)}}
{{main|PC1000 (1,000 kg)|PC1600 (1,600 kg)}}

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

* 9 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (2,250 kg total)
* 6 x 500 kg SC500K bombs + 3 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (3,750 kg total)
* 4 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 2 x 1,800 kg SC1800B bombs + 3 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (4,350 kg total)
* 4 x 1,000 kg PC1000 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 2 x 1,600 kg PC1600 bombs + 3 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (3,950 kg total)

With a massive 4,000 kg payload, the Me 264 has the second-best payload of any non-premium German bomber and one of the best payloads at its battle rating. Ideally, you should use the 4 x 1,000 kg bombs for destroying bases, as this payload has more TNT (2,400 kg TNT) than 2 x 1,800 kg + 3 x 250 kg payload (2,375 kg TNT) despite being lighter. But keep in mind that you cannot destroy a base in one go in Arcade Battles no matter the payload you choose even if you drop all of your bombs a little percentage of the base's health will remain and you have to drop another bomb to finish the base but in Realistic Battles you can destroy up to 2 bases with your 4 x 1,000 kg bombs.

For the mixed bomb loads, the rule of thumb is that the heaviest bombs drop first and the lighter 250 kg bombs drop last.

=== Defensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Defensive}}

{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|MG 131 (13 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is defended by:

* 1 x 13 mm MG 131 machine gun, nose turret (750 rpg)
* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, front dorsal turret (450 rpg)
* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, rear dorsal turret (450 rpg)
* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, ventral turret (750 rpg)
* 1 x 13 mm MG 131 machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (500 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==


The Me 264 plays like your typical heavy bomber: a slow and lumbering beast that has amazing defensive armament and a good payload. While you may have one of the best defensive armaments in the German bomber line (or out of bombers in general), it is best to avoid engagements all together to minimize potential damage due to your massive size. However, if an enemy gets on your tail, they're as good as dead thanks to your superb defensive armament that can shred through planes like paper. Never allow a plane to head-on you. Be sure to face your tail towards the attacker, as more than half of your guns face towards the back and your glazed nose makes it easy to snipe your pilot out.

Due to the Me 264's painfully slow turning circle, fly for a bit before turning around in case you miss a base. Turning around prematurely can result in the base being missed once again. Once you have expended all your bombs, reduce throttle to 0-20% and gradually descend towards your airfield. Unlike other German bombers of this rank, its wings are surprisingly tolerant of higher speeds but it is still important to monitor speeds to avoid overload.

Notable enemies include any heavily armed interceptor that has at least semi-decent performance, but notably the [[P-61C-1|P-61]], [[P-38J-15|P-38J]], [[Mosquito FB Mk VI|Mosquito]] and the [[P-47D-28|P-47D]]s, as all of these planes can climb to your altitude and destroy you with their heavy armament.

The P-61 and P-38J are some of the most deadly, as their powerful armament can tear you in half, especially the P-61 with its quad AN/M2 20 mm cannons. Focus fire on the cockpit in order to snipe the pilot.

The Mosquito is a sort of push-pull. While you can down it easily due to its wooden construction, it can do the same to you with its quad Hispano Mk.II's. Aim for a centre mass near the cockpit, as this is the most vulnerable area or aim for the wings where the fuel tanks are stored and can cause fires.

You can deal with the P-47D's in a similar fashion as the P-61 and P-38J, but you should focus fire on the engine and wings as this can result in fires, broken engines and snapped wings. Watch out for its 8 x .50 cals, as most of the pilots run the Tracer belt which is entirely API-T and is known for starting fires.

'''Playstyles'''

There are three playstyles the 264 can cater to, although the second one is very risky and is not recommended.

'''High-Altitude Strategic Bomber''' - The role the 264 was designed for, and the role it excels the most at. Firstly climb to altitude, anywhere from 6-7 km and then maintain that altitude through a level flight and gain some speed, as would-be attackers will struggle to catch you by keeping a constant speed of 400-435 km/h or 250-270 mph. Make your way towards the bases and drop your bombs.

'''Gunship''' - While being significantly more dangerous to the player, the "Gunship" playstyle is infinitely more fun. It is only recommended to use this playstyle when the plane is spaded. Stay relatively low to the ground and attack ground troops, and if any player comes to attack you, focus your guns on them and let them tail you. The main bonus for flying in this way is that your extremely vulnerable belly is covered, preventing anybody from attacking you from there. The only reason this playstyle is viable is that the lower rank players you will encounter are more likely to make mistakes such as tailing you, allowing you to shoot them down for points.

'''Bomber Hunter''' - Climb to meet enemy bombers at high-altitude. While the enemy bombers will acknowledge the Me 264, they will rarely react against the Me 264 aside from keeping some air space. Deny their evasive manoeuvres and close-in to the enemy bombers. Once in range, use the 20 mm HEI-T belts and attack the enemy. Attempt to approach the target to make use of as many turrets as possible at a time for a quick end to the engagement. If the bomber's defensive is formidable, try to enter and exit the engagement as fast as possible to avoid significant damage to the Me 264.

'''When attacking''':

Never tail a Me 264. Tailing a 264 is basically suicide unless all of their gunners are knocked out. You can treat the 264 almost like a B-29 or B-17 as the planes are very similar in both design and defensive capabilities. It is best to head-on the bomber if you can as you can easily knock out the pilots due to its glazed nose while also taking minimal damage. However, the bomber lacks a ventral turret on its belly, making it easy to deal damage from below, but be wary of the downwards facing rear 20 mm cannon near the tail. When at a higher altitude, it is best to make a dive from an oblique angle and focus fire on the wings and nose.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Not controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Combined || Not controllable 3 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Deadly and accurate defensive armament
* Great payload, unmatched by any non-premium until the [[He 177 A-5]]
* Decent speed and acceleration for a bomber
* Good manoeuvrability
* Surprisingly responsive
* Fast and very hard to catch once it's at altitude
* Durable, can take a beating
* Engines do not overheat at all when using WEP

'''Cons:'''

* Gunners have a lot of dead zones
* Massive size, one of the biggest planes in the game
* Has trouble diving at high speeds
* No significant armour protection
* Incredibly hard to land, even harder with a damaged airframe
* No air brake
* Very hard to pull the nose down due to high lift
* Limited WEP duration

== History ==

Development of the Me 264 began in the late 1930s when Messerschmitt conducted work on developing a long-range reconnaissance aircraft, designated P.1061. In early 1941, six prototypes of the P.1061 were ordered and the aircraft received the formal designation of Me 264. However, the initial order for six prototypes would shortly afterwards be dropped to three.

Progress on constructing the ordered prototypes was slow at start, but development quickly picked up the pace with the start of the Amerikabomber project in spring 1942. The project called for new very long range strategic bomber designs, resulting in several designs being proposed, among them also the Me 264.

It soon became clear that despite all the advantages of the Me 264 the aircraft would not be able to demonstrate acceptable flight characteristics due to the lack of more powerful engines at that time. Apart from the Amerikabomber project, the Me 264 was also briefly considered by the Kriegsmarine as a possible replacement for the dated Fw 200 in the maritime reconnaissance role.

The first and only prototype of the Me 264 which saw completion, flew on 23 December 1942. While undergoing modifications, the Me 264 project had its further development halted, with the sole completed prototype being used as a transport machine. In 1943, the second prototype was destroyed during an allied bombing raid. The same fate also struck the first and unfinished third prototype in July 1944. After all prototypes were lost, the Me 264 project was officially cancelled in September 1944.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6190-development-me-264-the-teutonic-superfortress-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=me_264 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 001.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 002.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 003.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 004.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 005.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 006.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 007.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|lBTQGGr-Kxs|'''The Shooting Range #149''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:10 discusses the Me 264.}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Boeing [[B-29A-BN|B-29]] Superfortress
* Tupolev [[Tu-4]]
* Avro [[Lincoln B Mk II|Lincoln]]
* Nakajima [[G8N1]]
* Piaggio [[P.108B serie 1|P.108]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6190-development-me-264-the-teutonic-superfortress-en|[Devblog] Me 264: The Teutonic Superfortress]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/453535-me-264 Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/amerikan-bomber-1942/ <nowiki>[Rare Historical Photos]</nowiki> Messerschmitt Me 264 Amerika bomber]

{{AirManufacturer BFW}}
{{Germany bombers}}

Me 264

2024-02-28T20:48:18Z

U114011768: the pros. added the rocket boosters as a pro

{{Specs-Card
|code=me_264
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Me 264''' was Messerschmitt's submission to the German Air Ministry's specification for a long-range heavy bomber. Hitler reportedly boasted to Mussolini that Germany would have bombers that could fly all the way to the east coast of the United States by 1941. Messerschmitt had thought of creating a long-range aircraft before and finally saw the Amerika Bomber project as a way to design and produce them. Messerschmitt had tough competition like Junkers and Dornier who had an immense amount of experience building bombers. The final design included four engines and had a range of around 7,000 miles (11,265 km). Eventually, the Me 264 failed to compete with the performance of competition like the Junkers 390, Junkers' proposal with six engines. The Kriegsmarine expressed interest in the project and planned to repurpose the Me 264 as a reconnaissance aircraft for the U-boats. However, Doenitz saw the failures of the program and managed to talk Hitler out of it. Finally, after the prototypes were damaged by the Allied bombing campaigns and constant setbacks, Hermann Göring ordered work be stopped on the Me 264.

Introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]], the Me 264 is a powerful and strong heavy bomber. It features an excellent bomb load of up to two 1,800 kg bombs and three 250 kg bombs totalling 4,350 kg. It also has strong defensive capabilities, with two 13 mm turrets and three 20 mm turrets. Combined with the very high altitude bomber air spawn, the Me 264 is a very difficult aircraft for opponents to attack. It's also quite fast for a bomber with an impressive top speed of 519 km/h (324 mph). Players will be satisfied with its performance and capability against both ground targets and enemy aircraft.

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

The first thing the player will notice is the plane's similarity to the famed B-29, as it shares a similarly designed fuselage and glazed nose, but a different twin tail instead of the large single tail on the B-29. Despite being a heavy bomber, the Me 264 is quite responsive and manoeuvrable. However, you are still a heavy bomber and you shouldn't try to turn with anyone. It is also quite speedy for its rank and classification, able to out-speed some of the planes at its BR when at altitude.
In addition to its powerful engines, the Me 264 can be equipped with rocket boosters that provide additional thrust for a short time. The keybind to activate the feature can be set in Controls > Aircraft > Mechanization > Ignite boosters. These boosters will only appear if the bomber spawns on an airfield.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 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
| 494 || 477 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 38.4 || 39.4 || 1.2 || 1.2 || rowspan="2" | 900
|-
! Upgraded
| 546 || 519 || 35.8 || 37.0 || 6.6 || 3.5
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 609  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 370 || 357 || 290 || ~6 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 340 || < 350 || < 290 || > 290
|-
|}

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


* 7 mm steel behind and to the left of pilot
* 9 mm steel to the right of pilot
* Self-sealing fuel tanks located throughout the wings
* Unarmoured pilots (can be knocked out in head-ons)

Despite not being well armoured, the Me 264 Amerikabomber can take quite a beating and has a knack for surviving fires. Due to its four engines, it can lose one or two and still make it back to base for repairs. However, it is one of the largest planes in the game and thus is impossible to miss, so while you can take a lot of damage, you will be receiving a lot as well.

Although it doesn't have a lot of armour, it has the guns to make up for it. With 3 x MG 151/20's that have access to the dreaded Minengeschoß high-explosive incendiary round complemented by another 3 x MG 131 heavy machine guns, as a few well-placed shots will make short work of any attacker that recklessly tails you.

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

The stock payload is quite poor, so pick up the ETC 500/II modification first, followed by the 20 mm belts to add more Minengeschoß rounds, then the ETC 1000/I and ETC 1800. The rest of the modules are up to you, but survivability modules are recommended to withstand the beating you will be getting.

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

{{main|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)|SC1000L2 (1,000 kg)|SC1800B (1,800 kg)}}
{{main|PC1000 (1,000 kg)|PC1600 (1,600 kg)}}

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

* 9 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (2,250 kg total)
* 6 x 500 kg SC500K bombs + 3 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (3,750 kg total)
* 4 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 2 x 1,800 kg SC1800B bombs + 3 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (4,350 kg total)
* 4 x 1,000 kg PC1000 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 2 x 1,600 kg PC1600 bombs + 3 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (3,950 kg total)

With a massive 4,000 kg payload, the Me 264 has the second-best payload of any non-premium German bomber and one of the best payloads at its battle rating. Ideally, you should use the 4 x 1,000 kg bombs for destroying bases, as this payload has more TNT (2,400 kg TNT) than 2 x 1,800 kg + 3 x 250 kg payload (2,375 kg TNT) despite being lighter. But keep in mind that you cannot destroy a base in one go in Arcade Battles no matter the payload you choose even if you drop all of your bombs a little percentage of the base's health will remain and you have to drop another bomb to finish the base but in Realistic Battles you can destroy up to 2 bases with your 4 x 1,000 kg bombs.

For the mixed bomb loads, the rule of thumb is that the heaviest bombs drop first and the lighter 250 kg bombs drop last.

=== Defensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Defensive}}

{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|MG 131 (13 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is defended by:

* 1 x 13 mm MG 131 machine gun, nose turret (750 rpg)
* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, front dorsal turret (450 rpg)
* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, rear dorsal turret (450 rpg)
* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, ventral turret (750 rpg)
* 1 x 13 mm MG 131 machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (500 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==


The Me 264 plays like your typical heavy bomber: a slow and lumbering beast that has amazing defensive armament and a good payload. While you may have one of the best defensive armaments in the German bomber line (or out of bombers in general), it is best to avoid engagements all together to minimize potential damage due to your massive size. However, if an enemy gets on your tail, they're as good as dead thanks to your superb defensive armament that can shred through planes like paper. Never allow a plane to head-on you. Be sure to face your tail towards the attacker, as more than half of your guns face towards the back and your glazed nose makes it easy to snipe your pilot out.

Due to the Me 264's painfully slow turning circle, fly for a bit before turning around in case you miss a base. Turning around prematurely can result in the base being missed once again. Once you have expended all your bombs, reduce throttle to 0-20% and gradually descend towards your airfield. Unlike other German bombers of this rank, its wings are surprisingly tolerant of higher speeds but it is still important to monitor speeds to avoid overload.

Notable enemies include any heavily armed interceptor that has at least semi-decent performance, but notably the [[P-61C-1|P-61]], [[P-38J-15|P-38J]], [[Mosquito FB Mk VI|Mosquito]] and the [[P-47D-28|P-47D]]s, as all of these planes can climb to your altitude and destroy you with their heavy armament.

The P-61 and P-38J are some of the most deadly, as their powerful armament can tear you in half, especially the P-61 with its quad AN/M2 20 mm cannons. Focus fire on the cockpit in order to snipe the pilot.

The Mosquito is a sort of push-pull. While you can down it easily due to its wooden construction, it can do the same to you with its quad Hispano Mk.II's. Aim for a centre mass near the cockpit, as this is the most vulnerable area or aim for the wings where the fuel tanks are stored and can cause fires.

You can deal with the P-47D's in a similar fashion as the P-61 and P-38J, but you should focus fire on the engine and wings as this can result in fires, broken engines and snapped wings. Watch out for its 8 x .50 cals, as most of the pilots run the Tracer belt which is entirely API-T and is known for starting fires.

'''Playstyles'''

There are three playstyles the 264 can cater to, although the second one is very risky and is not recommended.

'''High-Altitude Strategic Bomber''' - The role the 264 was designed for, and the role it excels the most at. Firstly climb to altitude, anywhere from 6-7 km and then maintain that altitude through a level flight and gain some speed, as would-be attackers will struggle to catch you by keeping a constant speed of 400-435 km/h or 250-270 mph. Make your way towards the bases and drop your bombs.

'''Gunship''' - While being significantly more dangerous to the player, the "Gunship" playstyle is infinitely more fun. It is only recommended to use this playstyle when the plane is spaded. Stay relatively low to the ground and attack ground troops, and if any player comes to attack you, focus your guns on them and let them tail you. The main bonus for flying in this way is that your extremely vulnerable belly is covered, preventing anybody from attacking you from there. The only reason this playstyle is viable is that the lower rank players you will encounter are more likely to make mistakes such as tailing you, allowing you to shoot them down for points.

'''Bomber Hunter''' - Climb to meet enemy bombers at high-altitude. While the enemy bombers will acknowledge the Me 264, they will rarely react against the Me 264 aside from keeping some air space. Deny their evasive manoeuvres and close-in to the enemy bombers. Once in range, use the 20 mm HEI-T belts and attack the enemy. Attempt to approach the target to make use of as many turrets as possible at a time for a quick end to the engagement. If the bomber's defensive is formidable, try to enter and exit the engagement as fast as possible to avoid significant damage to the Me 264.

'''When attacking''':

Never tail a Me 264. Tailing a 264 is basically suicide unless all of their gunners are knocked out. You can treat the 264 almost like a B-29 or B-17 as the planes are very similar in both design and defensive capabilities. It is best to head-on the bomber if you can as you can easily knock out the pilots due to its glazed nose while also taking minimal damage. However, the bomber lacks a ventral turret on its belly, making it easy to deal damage from below, but be wary of the downwards facing rear 20 mm cannon near the tail. When at a higher altitude, it is best to make a dive from an oblique angle and focus fire on the wings and nose.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Not controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Combined || Not controllable 3 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Deadly and accurate defensive armament
* Great payload, unmatched by any non-premium until the [[He 177 A-5]]
* Decent speed and acceleration for a bomber
* Good manoeuvrability
* Surprisingly responsive
* Fast and very hard to catch once it's at altitude
* Durable, can take a beating
* Rocket assisted takeoff

'''Cons:'''

* Gunners have a lot of dead zones
* Massive size, one of the biggest planes in the game
* Has trouble diving at high speeds
* No significant armour protection
* Incredibly hard to land, even harder with a damaged airframe
* No air brake
* Very hard to pull the nose down due to high lift
* Limited WEP duration

== History ==

Development of the Me 264 began in the late 1930s when Messerschmitt conducted work on developing a long-range reconnaissance aircraft, designated P.1061. In early 1941, six prototypes of the P.1061 were ordered and the aircraft received the formal designation of Me 264. However, the initial order for six prototypes would shortly afterwards be dropped to three.

Progress on constructing the ordered prototypes was slow at start, but development quickly picked up the pace with the start of the Amerikabomber project in spring 1942. The project called for new very long range strategic bomber designs, resulting in several designs being proposed, among them also the Me 264.

It soon became clear that despite all the advantages of the Me 264 the aircraft would not be able to demonstrate acceptable flight characteristics due to the lack of more powerful engines at that time. Apart from the Amerikabomber project, the Me 264 was also briefly considered by the Kriegsmarine as a possible replacement for the dated Fw 200 in the maritime reconnaissance role.

The first and only prototype of the Me 264 which saw completion, flew on 23 December 1942. While undergoing modifications, the Me 264 project had its further development halted, with the sole completed prototype being used as a transport machine. In 1943, the second prototype was destroyed during an allied bombing raid. The same fate also struck the first and unfinished third prototype in July 1944. After all prototypes were lost, the Me 264 project was officially cancelled in September 1944.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6190-development-me-264-the-teutonic-superfortress-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=me_264 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 001.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 002.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 003.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 004.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 005.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 006.jpg
File:Me 264 WTWallpaper 007.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|lBTQGGr-Kxs|'''The Shooting Range #149''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:10 discusses the Me 264.}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Boeing [[B-29A-BN|B-29]] Superfortress
* Tupolev [[Tu-4]]
* Avro [[Lincoln B Mk II|Lincoln]]
* Nakajima [[G8N1]]
* Piaggio [[P.108B serie 1|P.108]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6190-development-me-264-the-teutonic-superfortress-en|[Devblog] Me 264: The Teutonic Superfortress]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/453535-me-264 Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [https://rarehistoricalphotos.com/amerikan-bomber-1942/ <nowiki>[Rare Historical Photos]</nowiki> Messerschmitt Me 264 Amerika bomber]

{{AirManufacturer BFW}}
{{Germany bombers}}