War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Fw 190 D-13

2023-07-23T21:03:10Z

U118607379: An Effective manoeuvre in Air RB to stall your enemies.I also have personal experience with the D13

{{About
| about = German fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Fw 190 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fw-190d-13
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|store=3528
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. The Fw 190 D-13 is very similar to the [[Fw 190 D-12|Fw 190 D-12]] in the German tech tree, with the only difference being the 20 mm MG 151 "Motorkanone" firing through the centre of the propeller, rather than the 30 mm Mk 108 cannon on the D-12.

As the final in-game variant of the [[Fw_190_(Family)|Fw 190 series]] (excluding the later [[Ta_152_H-1|Ta 152 H-1]]) the Fw 190 D-13's main attributes include a very high top speed, heavy armament with a large ammunition pool, a fantastic engine built for high-altitude performance and it features hydraulic ailerons for an amazing high-speed roll rate. It is one of the only prop driven aircraft able to reach speeds exceeding 450 mph (725 km/h) while still retaining some ability to manoeuvre. This being said, the Fw 190 D-13 bears a heavy reliance on speed and [[Guide_to_manual_engine_controls|engine power]] to be successful. Although constructed by the Germans during World War Two to be a bomber interceptor, the D-13 is more than capable of downing any aircraft it faces, even some first-generation jets such as the [[Meteor_F_Mk 3|Meteor F. Mk.3]] and the [[F-80A-5|F-80A-5]].

The Fw 190 D-13 is, however, plagued by some downfalls; namely, its ability to recover from a dive and its ability (or lack thereof) to turn fight. Because of these deficits, the Fw 190 D-13 is best utilized as an "energy fighter" capable of swift and deadly dive attacks in which no harm is put on the pilot. This is precisely how to effectively fly the D-13, as when caught in a sticky situation it can be difficult to evade potential assailants, especially Spitfires.

One of the most known abilities of the Fw 190 series is their ability to out roll enemies such as the [[Spitfire_(Family)|Spitfire]] that "lock up" at higher speeds. If attacked from above and if the enemy is at a higher speed than the D-13, it is possible to perform a series of rolls called a "scissors". The goal of this manoeuvre is to both avoid the enemy's guns by rolling out of the way as well as allowing that enemy to overshoot, resulting in the D-13 pilot tailing the pursuer. Although difficult, manoeuvres such as these can turn the tables in a one-on-one dogfight and ensure survival.

The D-13 variant can be flown in a versatile fashion, as was already mentioned. With the destructive power of the Minengeschoß rounds, no bomber or fighter in the game can survive more than 50 cannon hits. Against fighters, the MG 151 cannons wielded by the D-13 and its predecessors get the job done, albeit it can be worse to aim them than the Hispanos.

Due to the extreme reliability of the MG 151 cannon attempt every shot possible. These cannons can often cut off an enemy's wing with a single shell. No matter which aircraft wielding the MG 151 cannon, a few successful hits with the ''Minengeschoß'' round will cause critical damage. Attempt every deflection shot possible, and if the rounds are not hitting the target pull harder. It is better to have rounds fly in front of an enemy plane than miles behind them. In order to pull ahead, make good use of combat/landing flaps. However, remember not to activate them at high speeds as they will rip off causing a momentary loss of control.

The role of the "Bomb Dora" can be done by any Fw 190 D. A wide array of payload options are available, but take a long time to research. None of them is powerful enough to destroy strategic bomb zones. In addition, the 50 kg bombs can only be dropped in pairs in RB & SB. In combination with the lack of an aiming reticle, it is recommended to only carry a ''main'' payload consisting of larger bombs. Bridges, heavy tanks, and heavy pillboxes should be the primary target for the 500 kg bomb. The other targets can be destroyed with ease by allied attackers.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 9,700 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 696 || 675 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.8 || 23.7 || 12.9 || 12.9 || rowspan="2" | 317
|-
! Upgraded
| 761 || 725 || 20.4 || 21.6 || 22.4 || 17.1
|-
|}

==== 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 || ~12 || ~6
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,600 m || 1,750 hp || 2,074 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 6,800 m || 1,540 hp || 1,825 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 3
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 9,700 m || 1,230 hp || 1,458 hp
|-
|}

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


* 5 mm Steel - Fuel tank plate
* 8 mm Steel - Under fuel tank plate
* 6 mm Steel - Pilot seat
* 8 mm Steel - Pilot seat
* 12 mm Steel - Headrest
* 3 mm Steel - Engine cowling
* 57 mm Bulletproof glass

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

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

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

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, nose-mounted (250 rpg)
* 2 x 20 mm MG 151 cannons, wing-mounted (250 rpg = 500 total)

The three cannons are arranged with one in each wing and the third in the propeller shaft, firing through the propeller hub. Each are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire together until empty.

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)|Flam C 250 incendiary|Flam C 500 incendiary}}

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

* Without load
* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (200 kg total)
* 8 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (400 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb + 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (450 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb (250 kg total)
* 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb (500 kg total)
* 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb + 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (700 kg total)
* 1 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb
* 1 x Flam C 500 incendiary bomb

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:Cockpit_Fw190d12.jpg|thumbnail|right|The Fw 190 D-13's instrument panel.]]

====Tactics====

Generally, upon entering a match the D-13 is best utilized as a "side climber". Instead of climbing towards the enemy, take a different route. Once you reach a reasonable altitude, turn back towards the fray. By doing this, you end up arriving at the fight above both your teammates and your enemies, which is very helpful. Although this method takes more time, you can not only dive on unsuspecting enemies but you can also help other pilots on your team. If a teammate looks like he is having trouble shaking an enemy or pulling the lead, you can swoop in and help out.

In Realistic Battles, it is very important to have situational awareness while using D-13. Once at a good altitude (7-8,000 m) you can consider engaging the enemy. Ideally, this aircraft should never get into low altitude and low-speed engagements. That being said, make use of the D-13's good climbing abilities. Instead of trying to drag enemies lower to the ground, keep them high and with low energy.You can use a very effective manoeuvre considering this aircraft's play style which is called the Energy Trap,to realise this manoeuvre ,You must first be higher than the Enemy and keep them climbing after You,once that is done,You can stall them out and dive down and use your powerful MG 21 cannons to shoot him down.Remember it is only effective when the enemy is lower and has less energy than You. This becomes more and more possible the higher the altitudes go, especially when facing off against planes built for low-altitude combat. Many of the enemy aircraft the Fw 190 D-13 faces are not designed for fighting at high altitudes. If found at a low altitude and in a vulnerable state, use cloud cover to your advantage. Even if an enemy is within metres behind you it is possible to lose them in thick clouds.

Another facet of the D-13's success lies in head-on attacks. Utilize the "fake out" - this entails lining the plane up with the enemy's and firing the cannons at a distance starting at around 1.0 mile or 1.60 km away. Unless the enemy plane is using stealth belts, you can judge when to pull off by watching for their tracers. By doing this, it becomes possible to completely avoid enemy fire while dishing out a deadly barrage of shells at a long range.

In order to successfully down a plane using this method, it is recommended to have the "20 mm belts" module unlocked for your aircraft. The ''Minengeschoß'' belt for MG 151 cannons is considered by many to be the best aircraft belt in the game. Unlike other cannon shells, the ''Minengeschoß'' is a thin-walled shell comprised of a high amount of HE filler. Instead of filling a metal round with high explosive, the Germans built an ammunition round out of HE and applied a thin layer of metal around it.

The main points:<br />

* Use Boom & Zoom tactics
* Attempt every shot possible
* Never turn fight with any plane, unless you are 100% sure, that enemy is in much lower energy state, and you can turn inside him, or when you are baiting for your teammates.
* Always have an altitude advantage
* Attempt every SAFE head on attack
* Utilize "zoom climbing"

=== 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<br>Auto control available || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Combined || Not controllable<br>3 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent energy retention
* Excellent dive acceleration
* Great speed on both low and high altitudes
* Very high top speed in a dive
* Great high-speed manoeuvrability
* Impressive high altitude performance
* Great aileron control and roll rate especially at higher speeds
* Heavy-hitting armament
* High ammunition supply
* Heavily armoured, especially around the fuel tanks
* Good climb rate
* Water injection (MW50) - WEP lasts at least 30 minutes
* Flaps have a very high rip speed

'''Cons:'''

* Awful turn rate at low speeds
* Enormous turn circle
* Any engine damage whatsoever reduces the ability to dogfight and gain speed by a high degree
* Poor elevator authority at high speeds (can be difficult to pull out of a dive)

== 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}}
Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-13 "Dora" single-engine high-altitude fighter

The Fw 190 D-13 was the last production variant in the family of Fw 190D aircraft with Junkers Jumo 213 engines. The first two prototypes were converted from production Fw 190 A-8s in October and November 1944. Both machines differed from the Fw 190 D-12 only in their armament. In the V of the Jumo 213E engine, a 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 cannon with 220 rounds was mounted instead of the 30 mm Rheinmetall-Borsig MK 108 cannon. There were also two 20 mm synchronized Mauser MG.151/20 cannons in the wing roots.

Later, the Jumo 213 F-1 engine was installed on these planes, equipped with a 9-8213 H supercharger and an MW 50 injection system. Since the plan was to use aircraft from the D-13 series as high-altitude fighters, both prototypes were equipped with airtight cockpits.

The Fw 190 D-13 was not launched into full-scale production until March 1945. Planes were produced in the Fw 190 D-13/R11 variant, an all-weather interceptor fighter, and equipped with a PKS 12 automatic pilot, a FuG 125 Hermine radio system, and a heated cockpit canopy windscreen.

About 30 of these aircraft were built by the end of the war, and 20 were delivered to the JG 26 Fighter Wing.

The Fw 190 D-13/R5 variant was supposed to be equipped with a TSA-2D sight and a ventral ETC 504 rack and underwing ETC 71 racks for 50 kg SC 50 bombs. German forces planned for Fw 190 D-13/R5s to be subsequently armed with two Ruhrstahl X-4 air-to-air missiles.

Distinctive features of the Fw 190D included a rational layout of the engine components and the engine-propeller power plant and a well-designed automatic cooler temperature regulator. A well-tested fire control system was developed for the aircraft. When all gun positions fired simultaneously, aim was stable, and the pilot felt virtually no recoil. Extensive electrification of the equipment simplified the pilot's work.

These final German fighters, the Fw 190D and the Ta 152, were the swan song of the era of piston-engined machines.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fw-190d-13 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|fNDrBysixQM|'''The Shooting Range #41''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 02:47 discusses the Fw 190 D-13.}}

== 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 ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.ru/index.php?/topic/197184-fw-190-d-13/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance (Russian Forum)]

{{AirManufacturer Focke-Wulf}}
{{Germany fighters}}
{{Germany premium aircraft}}

Po-2

2023-07-23T20:55:39Z

U118607379: I have edited the usage in battles further and I added a Fact on the Description category for readers to know more about how could you obtain this vehicle!

{{About
| about = gift Soviet bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the premium version
| link-1 = Po-2M
| usage-2 = the race event version
| link-2 = Po-2 Night Witch
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=po-2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_po-2.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. One of the more infamous planes in War Thunder, the Po-2 has a rather affectionate palindrome nickname of "2-OP" from the community for its history in the game. This plane is no longer obtainable unless it is given out during events (during every Halloween event since 2013).You had to be in the top 1000 players to obtain it.

The Po-2 is a very slow aircraft, earning a reputation of affection thanks to its poor characteristics. The Po-2 is about nine times as slow as the jets, and its maximum speed is one-third of a good amount of its opponents at BR 1.0. Being so, it is flown mostly for sheer fun with no intent of competitiveness. It does not come without its strengths, though - the Po-2 can carry a very effective bombload, and it can be very evasive against enemy aircraft, thanks to its slow speed and impressive manoeuvrability. The rear gunner is also decent, being in charge of a very effective machine gun. Unfortunately for the Po-2's enthusiasts, this is also the only armament it has, and the aircraft is so fragile that even a fast-firing gun does not often suffice to rid the Po-2 of a sad fate. Whenever confrontation with fighters is avoidable, one should avoid it and stay safe.The Po 2 can use its excellent agility to stay out of the enemy's line of fire due to its excellent agility.If you are close to the ground, you can drop bombs to successfully destroy your attacker.

When the Po-2 was added, it was originally unlockable by research as a non-premium vehicle. However, it is currently hidden in the tech tree. The Po-2 can still be acquired, though. Once in a while, there is usually an event that rewards the Po-2 for completing it. It should be noted that while it appears before the BB-1 in the tech tree, users who have not unlocked the Po-2 via events or researching it before it was hidden will not see it in the tech tree. Additionally, the Po-2 is separate from the attacker line, and you do not need to have the Po-2 unlocked to research the BB-1 and the aircraft that follow it.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 130 || 126 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 30.5 || 31.4 || 1.8 || 1.7 || rowspan="2" | 258
|-
! Upgraded
| 138 || 134 || 29.6 || 30.0 || 2.8 || 2.3
|-
|}

==== 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 || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 190  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~5 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 200 || < 200 || < 200 || > 295
|-
|}

====Engine performance====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine Name
! colspan="3" | Number present
|-
| colspan="3" | Shvetsov M-11D 5-cylinder || colspan="1" | 1
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine characteristics
|-
! colspan="2" | Weight (each)
! colspan="1" | Type
! colspan="1" | Cooling
|-
| colspan="2" | 170 kg || Radial || Air
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Stock)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 117 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 116 hp
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Upgraded)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 123 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 120 hp
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | WEP Duration
|-
! colspan="2" | Arcade
! colspan="2" | Realistic/Simulator
|-
| colspan="2" | 25 seconds || colspan="2" | Infinite
|-
|}

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


The Po-2 lacks any form of armour plating or bulletproof glass. In Air RB, the Po-2's airframe is surprisingly reliable and is perfectly controllable even with serious damage, however, past a certain amount of damage (yellow all over and worse) you will not have enough power to keep airborne for much longer. At this point, you can make an emergency landing and act as an anti-aircraft gun for the rest of the match.

It also has a small, self-sealing fuel tank, as well as a tiny oil tank in from of it, both just behind the engine. This leads to a low chance of catching on fire, however, if you are set on fire you have very little chance of putting it out due to your slow speed.

* Small, single, self-sealing fuel tank.

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

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

{{main|FAB-50sv (50 kg)|FAB-100sv (100 kg)|RBS-82|ROS-82|ROS-132}}

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

* 6 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs (300 kg total)
* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (200 kg total)
* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs + 2 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs (300 kg total)
* 8 x ROS-82 rockets
* 8 x RBS-82 rockets
* 8 x ROS-132 rockets

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="7" width="35%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs
| || || 1 || || 1 || ||
|-
! RBS-82 rockets
| 4 || || || || || || 4
|-
! ROS-82 rockets
| 4 || || || || || || 4
|-
! ROS-132 rockets
| 4 || || || || || || 4
|-
| colspan="8" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 100 kg
|-
|}

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

{{main|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, dorsal turret (200 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

The Po-2 does at times shine in Ground Realistic Battles, being potentially useful at any battle rating. Its slow speed makes it very easy to dive-bomb accurately with, and its 100 kg bombs are sufficient to put any tank out of order. A Po-2 pilot can even cause great humiliation to [[Maus]] commanders. However, tanks' light machine guns are no small threat for the small biplane, and even tanks' main guns can give it a very bad day, let alone dedicated AA platforms. To avoid this, Po-2 pilots should fly low and try their best to not fly in a straight line, and plan their attacks ahead, looking at the map to see where enemies were marked and inferring the enemies' locations from cap points.

In Air RB, your best bet is probably to spawn at bomber altitude as opposed to the airfield which, while presenting the risk of wing ripping, is better than struggling for speed at the altitude which most of the fighting at this rank takes place (that is, low altitude). Furthermore, you should take the 6 x 50 kg bombs as, despite being smaller, they mean you have the chance to destroy 3 higher value targets instead of 2. You should choose a group of ground targets to attack, stationary tanks are good to bomb as any bomb can destroy them and they yield a decent reward. Moving targets are horrible and not worth it as short fuses lead to you being hit by your own bombs and long fuses lead to a very low hit probability since your bombs are small and must detonate very close to the target to have any effect, which is incredibly difficult to guarantee with a fuse.

After using up your bombs, find some vehicles, artillery, or AA emplacements you want to destroy and approach them. Be sure to use evasive manoeuvres as you approach, as your slow speed leads to AA hitting you far more often than it would on other planes. Flyover, but slightly to the side of your targets at a very low altitude, then switch to your rear gunner and destroy them (if you fly directly over then your tail will prevent your tail gunner from getting a shot). After destroying 2 targets using this method you should fire off your remaining bullets and let your gunner reload, as otherwise, you will probably run out of ammo halfway through your third strafing run. Since you can reload as many times as you like, this is a sustainable way of doing decently well, and you can destroy upwards of 20 targets (with some luck, on the right map.)

If attacked by enemy aircraft, you stand a small but appreciable chance of destroying them. When approached, point your aircraft directly away from the enemy and shoot at them with your rear gunner, preferably once they are within half a kilometre, though your gun can be effective out to 800 metres with some luck. If you have them unlocked, Universal belts are the best for almost all situations, since they make aiming far easier and more importantly have a higher chance of setting the attacker on fire, which will down them almost every time. As well as this, some pilots will break off once they are set on fire or seriously damaged, since they don't judge the effort to be worth it, but most pilots don't tend to think like this and require a "Significant Emotional Event" in order to stop shooting at you.

It should be noted that some people up-tier Po-2s into jet battles, which can be a valid strategy with the right tactics, if You use precision to your advantage ,You can get the most out of this aircraft in an up tier Ground RB Battle.You can take out SPAA with your incendiary bombs and use your 100ib bombs to destroy enemy tanks or Armoured cars.You should always fly low in jet battles because most jets will not waste their altitude and energy on a Po-2 flying at treetop level. "Most" is the operative word here and even if you don't get downed, many jet battles are over before you even reach your intended target, even on smallish maps such as Malta. It has been noted that a North Korean Po-2 was credited with a jet-kill during the Korean war when an attacking F-94 Starfire stalled out trying to line up a shot at a Po-2 and crashed.

Thanks to its short landing distance, you can land at a helipad in mixed ground battles (at top-tier), repair and rearm and get an air spawn.

=== 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
|-
| Controllable || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Combined || Not controllable<br>1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very manoeuvrable
* Very capable rudder, useful for quick evasive manoeuvres
* Difficult to tail due to low speed
* Very low stall speed
* Has bombsight
* Decent bomb load
* Slow speed helps with accurate bombing
* Rear gunner is armed with a machine gun with a good rate of fire
* Very short landing distance

'''Cons:'''

* No forward-firing armament
* Fragile (wood and fabric)
* Horribly slow
* Very hard to gain altitude
* Low service ceiling
* No armour or bulletproof glass protection for the pilot or the gunner
* Can not exceed ~200 km/h without over-revving engine and ~190 km/h for structural integrity
* Low amount of ammunition for rear gun

== History ==


The Po-2 was the primary aircraft of the infamous 588th Night Bomber Regiment of the Soviet Armed Forces. The Regiment, commonly nicknamed "Night Witches" was the only regiment in the world to entirely consist of women. The regiment was often looked down upon by their male counterparts, but as the Second World War raged, they earned the undying respect of the Soviet Army. Their nickname "Night Witches" comes from the characteristic sound of their Po-2's, that was all that could be heard during their nightly raids as their engines were set to idle and they would glide through to Night to their victims, completely silent. This sound, or lack thereof, brought their enemy's thoughts to the broomsticks of Witches and thus called them "Nachthexen". Meaning Night Witches in English.

Every single member of the Night Witches had by the end of the war flown at least 800 missions, which was completely unheard of. Especially considering that an American pilot was generally allowed to retire if he survived 25 missions. Some of the most famous Night Witches, Yekaterina Ryabova and Nadezhda Popova were reported to once have completed 18 ground attack missions in a single night. Not only was it extremely humiliating for the German Army to be defeated by the outdated Po-2, but the fact that they were piloted by women added insult to injury. It went on to the degree that German High Command offered to award the Iron Cross to anyone that shot down a Night Witch. Only 30 people claimed that bounty in the entire war.

Twenty-three Night Witches were awarded the "Hero of the Soviet Union" title, 2 the "Hero of Russia" title and 1 the "Hero of Kazakhstan" title. 24,000 sorties and 23,000 tons of bombs dropped on target is also on their résumé. As the war went on and they became Heroes in the Soviet Union, they were offered better planes, but they refused. They stuck with the Po-2, they flew it when the war started and they continued to fly it when they participated in the Battle of Berlin in 1945.

The Po-2 was used in the Korean War by the North Koreans, where it inflicted considerable damage against airbases. United Nations forces found it incredibly difficult to track and shoot down Po-2s, due to the wood and fabric construction of the plane giving it a very small radar signature. The top speed of the Po-2 was well below the stall speed of most aircraft at the time. It's also the only biplane credited with a jet kill, achieved when a Lockheed F-94 Starfire attempted to attack a low-flying Po-2 and stalled in the process, losing control and crashing.

{{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'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The U-2, or Po-2, was a multi-role biplane, created by Nikolay Polikarpov in 1928. The U-2 was designed as a primary civilian trainer and was forgiving and easy to fly. Its inaugural flight took place on 7th January 1928, with M. M. Gromov at the controls. As designed, the U-2 was a conventional biplane with an air-cooled 100-HP M-11 engine. The aircraft was widely used in agriculture, transport and other roles. Staff plane and ambulance variants also existed, as well as reconnaissance, passenger, floatplane and many other versions.

By 1932, a new military trainer variant, U-2VS was designed. It could carry six 8 kg dummy bombs on underwing pylons and had a gunner turret in the rear seat. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, many existing U-2s were converted to light night bombers. Modifications were made by both the Polikarpov Design Bureau, directly at the factories, and even in the field, by mechanics at front-line squadrons. As a result, the number of operational variants was high. The plane could carry from 100 to 350 kg of bombs. By 1943, the number of frontline Po-2 regiments reached its peak of up to 70 night bomber regiments. After Nikolay Polikarpov died in 1944, the aircraft was redesignated Po-2 in his memory. The aircraft remained in serial production until 1953, with over 33,000 built.
{{Navigation-End}}

=== Notable pilots ===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="400">
File:Ivan_Kozhedub_2.jpg|link=User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|[[User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|Kozhedub's]] first flying experience was as a teenager when he learned to fly the Polikarpov U-2 (trainer versions of the Po-2).
File:Lydia_Litvyak_profile.jpg|link=User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|[[User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|Litvyak]] first soloed in a Polikarpov Po-2 at the age of 15 and would later pilot Yak-1 and Yak-1B fighters in the Great Patriotic War.
</gallery>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=po-2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|tEytRULfHfw|'''Spade Review. {{PAGENAME}}. A strange learning experience.''' - ''Joseph 2000''|8q0PXrB632g|'''The Polikarpov {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''SirKittalot''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[OS2U-1]] / [[OS2U-3]]
* [[Swordfish Mk I]] / [[Swordfish Mk II]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/888/current|[Ugly Ducklings] Polikarpov U-2/Po-2]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/275626-polikarpov-po-2vs/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [[wikipedia:Polikarpov_Po-2|[Wikipedia] Polikarpov Po-2]]

{{Sp-begin|Obtainable events}}
<div align="left">
* [[wt:en/news/7939-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2022]]
* [[wt:en/news/7397-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2021]]
* [[wt:en/news/6920-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2020]]
* [[wt:en/news/6460-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2019]]
* [[wt:en/news/5856-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2018]]
* [[wt:en/news/5062-special-halloween-update-winners-list-en|Halloween 2017]]
* [[wt:en/news/4305-event-halloween-mischief-updated-01-11-2016-en|Halloween 2016]]
* [[wt:en/news/3393--en|Halloween 2015]]
* [[wt:en/news/2595/current|Halloween 2014]]
* [[wt:en/news/321--en|Halloween 2013]]
</div>
{{Sp-end}}

{{AirManufacturer Polikarpov}}
{{USSR bombers}}

Po-2

2023-07-23T20:34:32Z

U118607379: changed one word for that makes more sense to readers.Ps. I love the Po 2

{{About
| about = gift Soviet bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the premium version
| link-1 = Po-2M
| usage-2 = the race event version
| link-2 = Po-2 Night Witch
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=po-2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_po-2.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. One of the more infamous planes in War Thunder, the Po-2 has a rather affectionate palindrome nickname of "2-OP" from the community for its history in the game. This plane is no longer obtainable unless it is given out during events (during every Halloween event since 2013).

The Po-2 is a very slow aircraft, earning a reputation of affection thanks to its poor characteristics. The Po-2 is about nine times as slow as the jets, and its maximum speed is one-third of a good amount of its opponents at BR 1.0. Being so, it is flown mostly for sheer fun with no intent of competitiveness. It does not come without its strengths, though - the Po-2 can carry a very effective bombload, and it can be very evasive against enemy aircraft, thanks to its slow speed and impressive manoeuvrability. The rear gunner is also decent, being in charge of a very effective machine gun. Unfortunately for the Po-2's enthusiasts, this is also the only armament it has, and the aircraft is so fragile that even a fast-firing gun does not often suffice to rid the Po-2 of a sad fate. Whenever confrontation with fighters is avoidable, one should avoid it and stay safe.The Po 2 can use its excellent agility to stay out of the enemy's line of fire due to its excellent agility.If you are close to the ground, you can drop bombs to successfully destroy your attacker.

When the Po-2 was added, it was originally unlockable by research as a non-premium vehicle. However, it is currently hidden in the tech tree. The Po-2 can still be acquired, though. Once in a while, there is usually an event that rewards the Po-2 for completing it. It should be noted that while it appears before the BB-1 in the tech tree, users who have not unlocked the Po-2 via events or researching it before it was hidden will not see it in the tech tree. Additionally, the Po-2 is separate from the attacker line, and you do not need to have the Po-2 unlocked to research the BB-1 and the aircraft that follow it.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 130 || 126 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 30.5 || 31.4 || 1.8 || 1.7 || rowspan="2" | 258
|-
! Upgraded
| 138 || 134 || 29.6 || 30.0 || 2.8 || 2.3
|-
|}

==== 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 || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 190  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~5 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 200 || < 200 || < 200 || > 295
|-
|}

====Engine performance====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine Name
! colspan="3" | Number present
|-
| colspan="3" | Shvetsov M-11D 5-cylinder || colspan="1" | 1
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine characteristics
|-
! colspan="2" | Weight (each)
! colspan="1" | Type
! colspan="1" | Cooling
|-
| colspan="2" | 170 kg || Radial || Air
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Stock)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 117 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 116 hp
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Upgraded)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 123 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 120 hp
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | WEP Duration
|-
! colspan="2" | Arcade
! colspan="2" | Realistic/Simulator
|-
| colspan="2" | 25 seconds || colspan="2" | Infinite
|-
|}

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


The Po-2 lacks any form of armour plating or bulletproof glass. In Air RB, the Po-2's airframe is surprisingly reliable and is perfectly controllable even with serious damage, however, past a certain amount of damage (yellow all over and worse) you will not have enough power to keep airborne for much longer. At this point, you can make an emergency landing and act as an anti-aircraft gun for the rest of the match.

It also has a small, self-sealing fuel tank, as well as a tiny oil tank in from of it, both just behind the engine. This leads to a low chance of catching on fire, however, if you are set on fire you have very little chance of putting it out due to your slow speed.

* Small, single, self-sealing fuel tank.

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

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

{{main|FAB-50sv (50 kg)|FAB-100sv (100 kg)|RBS-82|ROS-82|ROS-132}}

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

* 6 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs (300 kg total)
* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (200 kg total)
* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs + 2 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs (300 kg total)
* 8 x ROS-82 rockets
* 8 x RBS-82 rockets
* 8 x ROS-132 rockets

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="7" width="35%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs
| || || 1 || || 1 || ||
|-
! RBS-82 rockets
| 4 || || || || || || 4
|-
! ROS-82 rockets
| 4 || || || || || || 4
|-
! ROS-132 rockets
| 4 || || || || || || 4
|-
| colspan="8" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 100 kg
|-
|}

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

{{main|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, dorsal turret (200 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

The Po-2 does at times shine in Ground Realistic Battles, being potentially useful at any battle rating. Its slow speed makes it very easy to dive-bomb accurately with, and its 100 kg bombs are sufficient to put any tank out of order. A Po-2 pilot can even cause great humiliation to [[Maus]] commanders. However, tanks' light machine guns are no small threat for the small biplane, and even tanks' main guns can give it a very bad day, let alone dedicated AA platforms. To avoid this, Po-2 pilots should fly low and try their best to not fly in a straight line, and plan their attacks ahead, looking at the map to see where enemies were marked and inferring the enemies' locations from cap points.

In Air RB, your best bet is probably to spawn at bomber altitude as opposed to the airfield which, while presenting the risk of wing ripping, is better than struggling for speed at the altitude which most of the fighting at this rank takes place (that is, low altitude). Furthermore, you should take the 6 x 50 kg bombs as, despite being smaller, they mean you have the chance to destroy 3 higher value targets instead of 2. You should choose a group of ground targets to attack, stationary tanks are good to bomb as any bomb can destroy them and they yield a decent reward. Moving targets are horrible and not worth it as short fuses lead to you being hit by your own bombs and long fuses lead to a very low hit probability since your bombs are small and must detonate very close to the target to have any effect, which is incredibly difficult to guarantee with a fuse.

After using up your bombs, find some vehicles, artillery, or AA emplacements you want to destroy and approach them. Be sure to use evasive manoeuvres as you approach, as your slow speed leads to AA hitting you far more often than it would on other planes. Flyover, but slightly to the side of your targets at a very low altitude, then switch to your rear gunner and destroy them (if you fly directly over then your tail will prevent your tail gunner from getting a shot). After destroying 2 targets using this method you should fire off your remaining bullets and let your gunner reload, as otherwise, you will probably run out of ammo halfway through your third strafing run. Since you can reload as many times as you like, this is a sustainable way of doing decently well, and you can destroy upwards of 20 targets (with some luck, on the right map.)

If attacked by enemy aircraft, you stand a small but appreciable chance of destroying them. When approached, point your aircraft directly away from the enemy and shoot at them with your rear gunner, preferably once they are within half a kilometre, though your gun can be effective out to 800 metres with some luck. If you have them unlocked, Universal belts are the best for almost all situations, since they make aiming far easier and more importantly have a higher chance of setting the attacker on fire, which will down them almost every time. As well as this, some pilots will break off once they are set on fire or seriously damaged, since they don't judge the effort to be worth it, but most pilots don't tend to think like this and require a "Significant Emotional Event" in order to stop shooting at you.

It should be noted that some people up-tier Po-2s into jet battles, which can be a valid strategy with the right tactics. You should always fly low in jet battles because most jets will not waste their altitude and energy on a Po-2 flying at treetop level. "Most" is the operative word here and even if you don't get downed, many jet battles are over before you even reach your intended target, even on smallish maps such as Malta. It has been noted that a North Korean Po-2 was credited with a jet-kill during the Korean war when an attacking F-94 Starfire stalled out trying to line up a shot at a Po-2 and crashed.

Thanks to its short landing distance, you can land at a helipad in mixed ground battles (at top-tier), repair and rearm and get an air spawn.

=== 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
|-
| Controllable || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Combined || Not controllable<br>1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very manoeuvrable
* Very capable rudder, useful for quick evasive manoeuvres
* Difficult to tail due to low speed
* Very low stall speed
* Has bombsight
* Decent bomb load
* Slow speed helps with accurate bombing
* Rear gunner is armed with a machine gun with a good rate of fire
* Very short landing distance

'''Cons:'''

* No forward-firing armament
* Fragile (wood and fabric)
* Horribly slow
* Very hard to gain altitude
* Low service ceiling
* No armour or bulletproof glass protection for the pilot or the gunner
* Can not exceed ~200 km/h without over-revving engine and ~190 km/h for structural integrity
* Low amount of ammunition for rear gun

== History ==


The Po-2 was the primary aircraft of the infamous 588th Night Bomber Regiment of the Soviet Armed Forces. The Regiment, commonly nicknamed "Night Witches" was the only regiment in the world to entirely consist of women. The regiment was often looked down upon by their male counterparts, but as the Second World War raged, they earned the undying respect of the Soviet Army. Their nickname "Night Witches" comes from the characteristic sound of their Po-2's, that was all that could be heard during their nightly raids as their engines were set to idle and they would glide through to Night to their victims, completely silent. This sound, or lack thereof, brought their enemy's thoughts to the broomsticks of Witches and thus called them "Nachthexen". Meaning Night Witches in English.

Every single member of the Night Witches had by the end of the war flown at least 800 missions, which was completely unheard of. Especially considering that an American pilot was generally allowed to retire if he survived 25 missions. Some of the most famous Night Witches, Yekaterina Ryabova and Nadezhda Popova were reported to once have completed 18 ground attack missions in a single night. Not only was it extremely humiliating for the German Army to be defeated by the outdated Po-2, but the fact that they were piloted by women added insult to injury. It went on to the degree that German High Command offered to award the Iron Cross to anyone that shot down a Night Witch. Only 30 people claimed that bounty in the entire war.

Twenty-three Night Witches were awarded the "Hero of the Soviet Union" title, 2 the "Hero of Russia" title and 1 the "Hero of Kazakhstan" title. 24,000 sorties and 23,000 tons of bombs dropped on target is also on their résumé. As the war went on and they became Heroes in the Soviet Union, they were offered better planes, but they refused. They stuck with the Po-2, they flew it when the war started and they continued to fly it when they participated in the Battle of Berlin in 1945.

The Po-2 was used in the Korean War by the North Koreans, where it inflicted considerable damage against airbases. United Nations forces found it incredibly difficult to track and shoot down Po-2s, due to the wood and fabric construction of the plane giving it a very small radar signature. The top speed of the Po-2 was well below the stall speed of most aircraft at the time. It's also the only biplane credited with a jet kill, achieved when a Lockheed F-94 Starfire attempted to attack a low-flying Po-2 and stalled in the process, losing control and crashing.

{{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'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The U-2, or Po-2, was a multi-role biplane, created by Nikolay Polikarpov in 1928. The U-2 was designed as a primary civilian trainer and was forgiving and easy to fly. Its inaugural flight took place on 7th January 1928, with M. M. Gromov at the controls. As designed, the U-2 was a conventional biplane with an air-cooled 100-HP M-11 engine. The aircraft was widely used in agriculture, transport and other roles. Staff plane and ambulance variants also existed, as well as reconnaissance, passenger, floatplane and many other versions.

By 1932, a new military trainer variant, U-2VS was designed. It could carry six 8 kg dummy bombs on underwing pylons and had a gunner turret in the rear seat. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, many existing U-2s were converted to light night bombers. Modifications were made by both the Polikarpov Design Bureau, directly at the factories, and even in the field, by mechanics at front-line squadrons. As a result, the number of operational variants was high. The plane could carry from 100 to 350 kg of bombs. By 1943, the number of frontline Po-2 regiments reached its peak of up to 70 night bomber regiments. After Nikolay Polikarpov died in 1944, the aircraft was redesignated Po-2 in his memory. The aircraft remained in serial production until 1953, with over 33,000 built.
{{Navigation-End}}

=== Notable pilots ===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="400">
File:Ivan_Kozhedub_2.jpg|link=User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|[[User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|Kozhedub's]] first flying experience was as a teenager when he learned to fly the Polikarpov U-2 (trainer versions of the Po-2).
File:Lydia_Litvyak_profile.jpg|link=User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|[[User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|Litvyak]] first soloed in a Polikarpov Po-2 at the age of 15 and would later pilot Yak-1 and Yak-1B fighters in the Great Patriotic War.
</gallery>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=po-2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|tEytRULfHfw|'''Spade Review. {{PAGENAME}}. A strange learning experience.''' - ''Joseph 2000''|8q0PXrB632g|'''The Polikarpov {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''SirKittalot''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[OS2U-1]] / [[OS2U-3]]
* [[Swordfish Mk I]] / [[Swordfish Mk II]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/888/current|[Ugly Ducklings] Polikarpov U-2/Po-2]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/275626-polikarpov-po-2vs/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [[wikipedia:Polikarpov_Po-2|[Wikipedia] Polikarpov Po-2]]

{{Sp-begin|Obtainable events}}
<div align="left">
* [[wt:en/news/7939-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2022]]
* [[wt:en/news/7397-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2021]]
* [[wt:en/news/6920-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2020]]
* [[wt:en/news/6460-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2019]]
* [[wt:en/news/5856-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2018]]
* [[wt:en/news/5062-special-halloween-update-winners-list-en|Halloween 2017]]
* [[wt:en/news/4305-event-halloween-mischief-updated-01-11-2016-en|Halloween 2016]]
* [[wt:en/news/3393--en|Halloween 2015]]
* [[wt:en/news/2595/current|Halloween 2014]]
* [[wt:en/news/321--en|Halloween 2013]]
</div>
{{Sp-end}}

{{AirManufacturer Polikarpov}}
{{USSR bombers}}

Po-2

2023-07-23T20:33:10Z

U118607379: I described 1 way of getting away from an enemy attacker.

{{About
| about = gift Soviet bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the premium version
| link-1 = Po-2M
| usage-2 = the race event version
| link-2 = Po-2 Night Witch
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=po-2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_po-2.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. One of the more infamous planes in War Thunder, the Po-2 has a rather affectionate palindrome nickname of "2-OP" from the community for its history in the game. This plane is no longer obtainable unless it is given out during events (during every Halloween event since 2013).

The Po-2 is a very slow aircraft, earning a reputation of affection thanks to its poor characteristics. The Po-2 is about nine times as slow as the jets, and its maximum speed is one-third of a good amount of its opponents at BR 1.0. Being so, it is flown mostly for sheer fun with no intent of competitiveness. It does not come without its strengths, though - the Po-2 can carry a very effective bombload, and it can be very evasive against enemy aircraft, thanks to its slow speed and impressive manoeuvrability. The rear gunner is also decent, being in charge of a very effective machine gun. Unfortunately for the Po-2's enthusiasts, this is also the only armament it has, and the aircraft is so fragile that even a fast-firing gun does not often suffice to rid the Po-2 of a sad fate. Whenever confrontation with fighters is avoidable, one should avoid it and stay safe.The Po 2 can use its excellent agility to stay out of the enemy's line of fire due to its excellent mobility.If you are close to the ground, you can drop bombs to successfully destroy your attacker.

When the Po-2 was added, it was originally unlockable by research as a non-premium vehicle. However, it is currently hidden in the tech tree. The Po-2 can still be acquired, though. Once in a while, there is usually an event that rewards the Po-2 for completing it. It should be noted that while it appears before the BB-1 in the tech tree, users who have not unlocked the Po-2 via events or researching it before it was hidden will not see it in the tech tree. Additionally, the Po-2 is separate from the attacker line, and you do not need to have the Po-2 unlocked to research the BB-1 and the aircraft that follow it.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 130 || 126 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 30.5 || 31.4 || 1.8 || 1.7 || rowspan="2" | 258
|-
! Upgraded
| 138 || 134 || 29.6 || 30.0 || 2.8 || 2.3
|-
|}

==== 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 || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 190  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~5 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 200 || < 200 || < 200 || > 295
|-
|}

====Engine performance====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine Name
! colspan="3" | Number present
|-
| colspan="3" | Shvetsov M-11D 5-cylinder || colspan="1" | 1
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine characteristics
|-
! colspan="2" | Weight (each)
! colspan="1" | Type
! colspan="1" | Cooling
|-
| colspan="2" | 170 kg || Radial || Air
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Stock)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 117 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 116 hp
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Upgraded)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 123 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 120 hp
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | WEP Duration
|-
! colspan="2" | Arcade
! colspan="2" | Realistic/Simulator
|-
| colspan="2" | 25 seconds || colspan="2" | Infinite
|-
|}

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


The Po-2 lacks any form of armour plating or bulletproof glass. In Air RB, the Po-2's airframe is surprisingly reliable and is perfectly controllable even with serious damage, however, past a certain amount of damage (yellow all over and worse) you will not have enough power to keep airborne for much longer. At this point, you can make an emergency landing and act as an anti-aircraft gun for the rest of the match.

It also has a small, self-sealing fuel tank, as well as a tiny oil tank in from of it, both just behind the engine. This leads to a low chance of catching on fire, however, if you are set on fire you have very little chance of putting it out due to your slow speed.

* Small, single, self-sealing fuel tank.

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

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

{{main|FAB-50sv (50 kg)|FAB-100sv (100 kg)|RBS-82|ROS-82|ROS-132}}

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

* 6 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs (300 kg total)
* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (200 kg total)
* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs + 2 x 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs (300 kg total)
* 8 x ROS-82 rockets
* 8 x RBS-82 rockets
* 8 x ROS-132 rockets

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="7" width="35%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 50 kg FAB-50sv bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs
| || || 1 || || 1 || ||
|-
! RBS-82 rockets
| 4 || || || || || || 4
|-
! ROS-82 rockets
| 4 || || || || || || 4
|-
! ROS-132 rockets
| 4 || || || || || || 4
|-
| colspan="8" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 100 kg
|-
|}

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

{{main|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, dorsal turret (200 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

The Po-2 does at times shine in Ground Realistic Battles, being potentially useful at any battle rating. Its slow speed makes it very easy to dive-bomb accurately with, and its 100 kg bombs are sufficient to put any tank out of order. A Po-2 pilot can even cause great humiliation to [[Maus]] commanders. However, tanks' light machine guns are no small threat for the small biplane, and even tanks' main guns can give it a very bad day, let alone dedicated AA platforms. To avoid this, Po-2 pilots should fly low and try their best to not fly in a straight line, and plan their attacks ahead, looking at the map to see where enemies were marked and inferring the enemies' locations from cap points.

In Air RB, your best bet is probably to spawn at bomber altitude as opposed to the airfield which, while presenting the risk of wing ripping, is better than struggling for speed at the altitude which most of the fighting at this rank takes place (that is, low altitude). Furthermore, you should take the 6 x 50 kg bombs as, despite being smaller, they mean you have the chance to destroy 3 higher value targets instead of 2. You should choose a group of ground targets to attack, stationary tanks are good to bomb as any bomb can destroy them and they yield a decent reward. Moving targets are horrible and not worth it as short fuses lead to you being hit by your own bombs and long fuses lead to a very low hit probability since your bombs are small and must detonate very close to the target to have any effect, which is incredibly difficult to guarantee with a fuse.

After using up your bombs, find some vehicles, artillery, or AA emplacements you want to destroy and approach them. Be sure to use evasive manoeuvres as you approach, as your slow speed leads to AA hitting you far more often than it would on other planes. Flyover, but slightly to the side of your targets at a very low altitude, then switch to your rear gunner and destroy them (if you fly directly over then your tail will prevent your tail gunner from getting a shot). After destroying 2 targets using this method you should fire off your remaining bullets and let your gunner reload, as otherwise, you will probably run out of ammo halfway through your third strafing run. Since you can reload as many times as you like, this is a sustainable way of doing decently well, and you can destroy upwards of 20 targets (with some luck, on the right map.)

If attacked by enemy aircraft, you stand a small but appreciable chance of destroying them. When approached, point your aircraft directly away from the enemy and shoot at them with your rear gunner, preferably once they are within half a kilometre, though your gun can be effective out to 800 metres with some luck. If you have them unlocked, Universal belts are the best for almost all situations, since they make aiming far easier and more importantly have a higher chance of setting the attacker on fire, which will down them almost every time. As well as this, some pilots will break off once they are set on fire or seriously damaged, since they don't judge the effort to be worth it, but most pilots don't tend to think like this and require a "Significant Emotional Event" in order to stop shooting at you.

It should be noted that some people up-tier Po-2s into jet battles, which can be a valid strategy with the right tactics. You should always fly low in jet battles because most jets will not waste their altitude and energy on a Po-2 flying at treetop level. "Most" is the operative word here and even if you don't get downed, many jet battles are over before you even reach your intended target, even on smallish maps such as Malta. It has been noted that a North Korean Po-2 was credited with a jet-kill during the Korean war when an attacking F-94 Starfire stalled out trying to line up a shot at a Po-2 and crashed.

Thanks to its short landing distance, you can land at a helipad in mixed ground battles (at top-tier), repair and rearm and get an air spawn.

=== 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
|-
| Controllable || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Not controllable<br>Not auto controlled || Combined || Not controllable<br>1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very manoeuvrable
* Very capable rudder, useful for quick evasive manoeuvres
* Difficult to tail due to low speed
* Very low stall speed
* Has bombsight
* Decent bomb load
* Slow speed helps with accurate bombing
* Rear gunner is armed with a machine gun with a good rate of fire
* Very short landing distance

'''Cons:'''

* No forward-firing armament
* Fragile (wood and fabric)
* Horribly slow
* Very hard to gain altitude
* Low service ceiling
* No armour or bulletproof glass protection for the pilot or the gunner
* Can not exceed ~200 km/h without over-revving engine and ~190 km/h for structural integrity
* Low amount of ammunition for rear gun

== History ==


The Po-2 was the primary aircraft of the infamous 588th Night Bomber Regiment of the Soviet Armed Forces. The Regiment, commonly nicknamed "Night Witches" was the only regiment in the world to entirely consist of women. The regiment was often looked down upon by their male counterparts, but as the Second World War raged, they earned the undying respect of the Soviet Army. Their nickname "Night Witches" comes from the characteristic sound of their Po-2's, that was all that could be heard during their nightly raids as their engines were set to idle and they would glide through to Night to their victims, completely silent. This sound, or lack thereof, brought their enemy's thoughts to the broomsticks of Witches and thus called them "Nachthexen". Meaning Night Witches in English.

Every single member of the Night Witches had by the end of the war flown at least 800 missions, which was completely unheard of. Especially considering that an American pilot was generally allowed to retire if he survived 25 missions. Some of the most famous Night Witches, Yekaterina Ryabova and Nadezhda Popova were reported to once have completed 18 ground attack missions in a single night. Not only was it extremely humiliating for the German Army to be defeated by the outdated Po-2, but the fact that they were piloted by women added insult to injury. It went on to the degree that German High Command offered to award the Iron Cross to anyone that shot down a Night Witch. Only 30 people claimed that bounty in the entire war.

Twenty-three Night Witches were awarded the "Hero of the Soviet Union" title, 2 the "Hero of Russia" title and 1 the "Hero of Kazakhstan" title. 24,000 sorties and 23,000 tons of bombs dropped on target is also on their résumé. As the war went on and they became Heroes in the Soviet Union, they were offered better planes, but they refused. They stuck with the Po-2, they flew it when the war started and they continued to fly it when they participated in the Battle of Berlin in 1945.

The Po-2 was used in the Korean War by the North Koreans, where it inflicted considerable damage against airbases. United Nations forces found it incredibly difficult to track and shoot down Po-2s, due to the wood and fabric construction of the plane giving it a very small radar signature. The top speed of the Po-2 was well below the stall speed of most aircraft at the time. It's also the only biplane credited with a jet kill, achieved when a Lockheed F-94 Starfire attempted to attack a low-flying Po-2 and stalled in the process, losing control and crashing.

{{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'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The U-2, or Po-2, was a multi-role biplane, created by Nikolay Polikarpov in 1928. The U-2 was designed as a primary civilian trainer and was forgiving and easy to fly. Its inaugural flight took place on 7th January 1928, with M. M. Gromov at the controls. As designed, the U-2 was a conventional biplane with an air-cooled 100-HP M-11 engine. The aircraft was widely used in agriculture, transport and other roles. Staff plane and ambulance variants also existed, as well as reconnaissance, passenger, floatplane and many other versions.

By 1932, a new military trainer variant, U-2VS was designed. It could carry six 8 kg dummy bombs on underwing pylons and had a gunner turret in the rear seat. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, many existing U-2s were converted to light night bombers. Modifications were made by both the Polikarpov Design Bureau, directly at the factories, and even in the field, by mechanics at front-line squadrons. As a result, the number of operational variants was high. The plane could carry from 100 to 350 kg of bombs. By 1943, the number of frontline Po-2 regiments reached its peak of up to 70 night bomber regiments. After Nikolay Polikarpov died in 1944, the aircraft was redesignated Po-2 in his memory. The aircraft remained in serial production until 1953, with over 33,000 built.
{{Navigation-End}}

=== Notable pilots ===
<gallery mode="packed" heights="400">
File:Ivan_Kozhedub_2.jpg|link=User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|[[User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|Kozhedub's]] first flying experience was as a teenager when he learned to fly the Polikarpov U-2 (trainer versions of the Po-2).
File:Lydia_Litvyak_profile.jpg|link=User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|[[User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|Litvyak]] first soloed in a Polikarpov Po-2 at the age of 15 and would later pilot Yak-1 and Yak-1B fighters in the Great Patriotic War.
</gallery>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=po-2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|tEytRULfHfw|'''Spade Review. {{PAGENAME}}. A strange learning experience.''' - ''Joseph 2000''|8q0PXrB632g|'''The Polikarpov {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''SirKittalot''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[OS2U-1]] / [[OS2U-3]]
* [[Swordfish Mk I]] / [[Swordfish Mk II]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/888/current|[Ugly Ducklings] Polikarpov U-2/Po-2]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/275626-polikarpov-po-2vs/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [[wikipedia:Polikarpov_Po-2|[Wikipedia] Polikarpov Po-2]]

{{Sp-begin|Obtainable events}}
<div align="left">
* [[wt:en/news/7939-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2022]]
* [[wt:en/news/7397-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2021]]
* [[wt:en/news/6920-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2020]]
* [[wt:en/news/6460-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2019]]
* [[wt:en/news/5856-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en|Halloween 2018]]
* [[wt:en/news/5062-special-halloween-update-winners-list-en|Halloween 2017]]
* [[wt:en/news/4305-event-halloween-mischief-updated-01-11-2016-en|Halloween 2016]]
* [[wt:en/news/3393--en|Halloween 2015]]
* [[wt:en/news/2595/current|Halloween 2014]]
* [[wt:en/news/321--en|Halloween 2013]]
</div>
{{Sp-end}}

{{AirManufacturer Polikarpov}}
{{USSR bombers}}