War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

M4A3 (76) W

2024-02-24T20:50:23Z

U120654901: Undo revision 182108 by U120654901 (talk)

M4A3 (76) W

2024-02-24T20:49:48Z

U120654901:

M4A2

2024-02-24T20:46:54Z

U120654901:

{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other M4 Shermans
| link-1 = M4 Sherman (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M4 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m4a2_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''M4A2 Sherman''' is the third variant of the early-generation [[M4 Sherman (Family)|Medium Tank M4 (Sherman) family]]. In April 1942, the M4A2 was designed with a new General Motors 6046 engine (two GM 6-71 General Motors Diesel engines combined together), welded hull with increased appliqué armour on the hull sides, and gunner position (left side of the turret). Approximately 8,053 units were manufactured till May 1944. Early M4A2s had small hatches and protruding drivers' and co-drivers hoods (similar to the previous [[M4|M4 variant]]), a 57° sloped hull's upper front armour plate, and dry ammo stowage bins. The Fisher Body Tank Plant later improved the M4A2 design, adding a one-piece hull's upper front armour plate with a 47° slope, but retained dry ammo bins and appliqué armour. Late-production M4A2s were equipped with an upgraded General Motors 6046 diesel engine with 410 horsepower and were primarily used by the British Army and US Marine Corps. The M4A2 variant saw very limited combat in the US Army, with the majority transferring to the British Army, with some transferring to the Soviet Army and the US Marine Corps. Since the USSR only used diesel-powered tanks, this was the primary chosen variant for the Soviet lend-lease programme. From April 1942 to July 1945, 10,968 units of all turret types were built in six facilities.

Introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]], the M4A2 variant is without a doubt one of the best of the early-generation M4 Sherman variants. The M4A2 is one of the few early M4 Sherman variants having an uninterrupted, fully welded hull's upper front armour plate that slopes at 47°. This eliminates the earlier M4A1 and M4 variants' key frontal hull weak points. However, this is insignificant since the majority of adversaries have greatly upgraded their firepower and will easily penetrate the M4A2 regardless. The appliqué armour on the right side of the frontal turret gun mantlet has also been removed. As a result, a weak area on the turret cheek appears, which can be easily penetrated by even weak and small calibre tank guns.

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

The M4A2 has above-average survivability, with improved armour protection over previous Sherman models against common enemy tanks like the early T-34 and Panzer IV. If angled, hull down, and firing from a higher elevation, the armour can protect the crew and bounce a few shells from the 76 mm cannon found on early Soviet T-34 tanks, but it can still be easily penetrated by German Panzer IV tanks from any distance. Despite having five crew members, the close placement of the crews frequently results in the tank being destroyed immediately if enemy shells successfully penetrate. The tank's armour along its add-on armour allow for slightly more aggressive gameplay than previous Sherman tanks, but do not think it makes the M4A2 impervious to any enemy fire. When placed in an uptier, where enemies have increasingly powerful cannon that can easily penetrate the M4A2's armour, the survivability will decrease significantly.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, lower glacis, MG port)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) ''Upper glacis'' 51-108 mm (12-56°) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm (7-10°) || 19.5 mm
|-
| Turret || 76 mm (3-65°) ''Turret front'' 89 + 51 mm (2-62°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 51 mm (2-64°) || 51 mm (2-60°) || 19.5 mm
|-
| Cupola || 51 mm || 51 mm || 51 mm || 19.5 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, the bogies are 10 mm, and the tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Small applique panels are placed on the side hull armour over the ammunition, increasing armour by 25.4 mm.
* A small patch on the turret front right side is thinner (51 mm) than the rest (76 mm).
* There is a 9.5 mm thick sheet of armour dividing the engine bay and crew compartment.

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


The M4A2's mobility is good, with a quick acceleration and a high top speed. Because it lacks neutral steering, turning in this tank can be slow from stationary.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=635|rbMinHp=363|AoAweight=1.15|weight=32.45}}

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

It is advisable to research Parts first, then Fire Protection Equipment, then the M61 shot round. Following that, engine upgrades are advisable, as the tank is much less manoeuvrable than it could be when it is stock.

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 97 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24 km/h}} || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M3 (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M48 shell, M61 shot, T45 shot, M89}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''97''' || 91 ''(+6)'' || 88 ''(+9)'' || 86 ''(+11)'' || 78 ''(+19)'' || 63 ''(+34)'' || 45 ''(+52)'' || 31 ''(+66)'' || 1 ''(+96)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_M4.png|right|thumb|x200px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M4 Sherman.]]
'''Notes''':

* To go into battle with the turret basket empty of ammo, pack 78 ''(+19)'' shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied).
* To go into battle with the turret basket and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 31 ''(+66)'' shells (Racks 1 to 7 empty).
* The 8th rack is large and located at a weak spot: the bottom section of the armour. In case of penetration, there is a high risk of ammo rack detonation. Make sure not to expose your flanks unnecessarily.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 400 (200) || 577 || -10°/+25° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The general playstyle of this tank is to be a support tank. This tank does not have the armour to function effectively on the front lines. Surviving on the front lines will be quite hard, though not impossible. Try to stay in the 2nd or 3rd line and support the team, or hide behind heavily armoured teammates and help them assault the enemy. Capturing objectives is also a good use for this vehicle, thanks to its speed. Be wary of German tanks, as well as T-34s. German vehicles have guns that can easily penetrate the {{PAGENAME}}'s armour even if angled well. It is best to use hull down tactics, or shoot first and knock-out their gunner. T-34s are much tougher, but have weaker guns. They can still very easily one shot the {{PAGENAME}} from the side, so keep the sides protected. T-34s have fairly thin armour but it is highly sloped, and if angled are hard to destroy with hull shots. It i advised to aim for the turret ring for a consistent knock-out of the enemy vehicle, or the turret cheeks to knock out the turret crew, and most likely the breech.

The best tactic to use is to not stay in the same place. Move after every shot so the enemy has to relocate you or potentially move themselves, leaving them exposed. Any accurate return fire from tanks at your tier will likely result in your incapacitation or destruction, so try to keep enemies from knowing where you are at all, and aim to kill with the first shot.

[[Arcade Battles]] 
When in this game mode: The tank is fast, but weakly armoured. Its gun is pretty decent with enough penetration to take on most opponents with accurate fire. Capture zones and support the team by firing at enemy medium tanks.

[[Realistic Battles]] and [[Simulator Battles]] 
The tank performs its role as medium tank very well. Both speed and strong frontal armour give this tank an edge over the enemy in a head-on engagement. However, it has very thin side armour that can be penetrated by essentially any tank, as well as many vehicles armed with autocannons. Watching the sides and rear is very important, and neglecting to protect them can often result in a destroyed {{PAGENAME}}.

When engaging enemy vehicles it is recommended to turn into their fire with the front of the tank. The {{PAGENAME}}'s glacis is thicker than most installed on tanks at its BR, and this can often save the tank from an untimely end. However, if the engagement begins with you taking a shot to the side it is unlikely you will get the chance to fight back, so always try to have your front toward the enemy to begin with.

When fighting against the {{PAGENAME}}, try to flank it if possible, as a side shot under the turret will be an almost guaranteed kill. A shot to the side of the turret will kill the turret crew, and a second shot once the crew has replenished will generally kill the tank. If forced to engage from the front, remember that you need about 110 mm of penetration to get through the upper glacis reliably. If you have this, you will be able to kill the tank easily. With a weaker gun, you will have to aim. Weak points include the very top of the lower glacis, which is almost flat; the machine gun port, which will result in a kill of at least half the crew if penetrated; the bottom right turret cheek (left from the attacker's viewpoint), which is much thinner than the rest of the turret; and the cupola, which if hit with an APHE shell will result in a kill of most of the turret crew. All of these weak points are quite difficult to hit, especially from range, and it may be better to retreat if you don't feel confident in your shot or if the Sherman is hull down.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

M4A2/[[M4A4 (1st PTG)]]: these Sherman tanks are widely used by both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For an M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there can guarantee a knock out most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's an M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenceless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

[[KW I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KW I C 756 (r)]] - An opponent the M4 Sherman will have trouble with is this upgunned German KV-1. Although the earlier KV-1's L-11 cannon lacks power, the newly-equipped German KwK40 cannon is more than enough to penetrate the Sherman's front, while the Sherman still cannot reliably penetrate the KV-1's thick armour, especially when it has additional armour plates. If you see this heavy tank angling its hull, aim for the gun mantlet as it is only 50 mm thick. You can easily take out his gunner, gun breech, etc. Or shoot at the thin commander's cupola, there is a chance to knock out the gunner too. Of course, the best method is to shoot from the side and from behind without angling, where the KV-1's armour is not angled, although you still need to get as close as possible to penetrate its armour. Additionally, side shots are likely to damage its fuel tank or ammunition storage and cause a fire or ammunition explosion. In a standoff, you can try angling your hull to make your well-sloped frontal hull more effective.

[[Churchill (Family)|Churchill]] heavy tanks - The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to penetrate at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the ideal distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

[[Pz.IV F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]]/[[Pz.IV H|H]]/[[Pz.IV J|J]] - The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Shermans biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75 mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80 mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500 m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50 mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

[[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]] - Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75 mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to incapacitate the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly knock out this vehicle with a single shot. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500 m to ensure penetration.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
* Great firepower: adequate penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and knock out most opponents like the [[Pz.IV F2]], [[Chi-Nu]] and [[StuG III F]] with a single shot. It also has APCR for hitting thick, flat armour up close, for example the [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
* Well angled frontal hull provides protection against small calibre / low-penetration guns (e.g. 75 mm M3, 50 mm KwK39), and even large calibre guns when angled correctly. The side armour can be boosted with add-on armour
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
* Pintle-mounted HMG provides an anti-aircraft defence or anti-tank duty against tanks like [[Marder III]]
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics

'''Cons:'''

* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get penetrated and knocked out by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]]/G, [[StuG III F]]/G, [[M10 (Family)|M10]] by a single shot
* M61 and T45 all struggle to penetrate angled targets like [[StuG III G]], Churchill Mk.III or even the T-34 and M10
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn. Also the narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces
* Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to airstrikes with AP cannons. For example the widely used MG151 15/20 mm
* Acceleration even more sluggish than previous Shermans due to the two tons weight increase

== History ==

===Development===
The Battle of France in 1940 proved to America that their current tank arsenal would not be able to withstand a German assault. The only tanks in their inventory at that time was the [[M2A4|M2 Light Tanks]] and the [[M2|M2 Medium Tank]], both are inadequate against the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]]. The US Army, in response, ordered for a tank armed with a 75 mm gun. While a 75 mm gun was available for use, a turret able to mount the gun was not. So while the turret and tank design underwent development, the 75 mm would be mounted on the stopgap design, the [[M3 Lee|M3 Lee]] tank in a sponson mount. This interim design put the 75 mm on a lower and limited traverse mount that restricted its firing angle, but it did give the Allies a tank with the gun, so it was issued by the thousands until a better design could be made.

During the M3's development, the designs of the 75 mm armed vehicle were being drawn up and submitted by the Ordnance Department. Specifications on the tank design were strict, with restrictions made on the tank's height, width, and weight in order to make it able to be transported over bridges, roads, railroads, and on ships. These specifications would help the army by making the tank be very flexible on strategic, logistical, and tactical grounds. On April 1941, the Armored Force Board chose the simplest of the designs, which was a redesigned M3 hull and chassis with a turret mounting the 75 mm gun designated the T6, completed in September 1941. This tank would then designated the Medium Tank M4 in American service. The tank would become the most used Allied tank during World War II as it was lent out by the thousands in the Lend-Lease program to the Allied countries. The British called the M4 the "Sherman", which coined into the tank's name M4 Sherman that it would be known as in history. The production for the Shermans began on October 1941 and would continue to be produced until the end of the war in 1945 with around 50,000 units produced, making it the second most-produced tank in World War II before the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34 tank]].

===Design===
Many variants of the Shermans were produced, but they all followed a similar layout. The driver and bow gunner sat in the front driving compartment, the fighting compartment in the middle housed the turret its three crew member, and in the back was the engine compartment. The Sherman used many features present in previous American tank designs, the vertical volute suspension system (VVSS) and radial engine from the M2 light tanks, and the sloping armour of the M2 Medium. This became a contributing factor on Sherman's reliability on the field, as most of the design flaws were ironed out with the previous tank designs. The tank-mounted the [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3 gun]], giving the tank very good AP and HE capabilities. The Sherman's turret traverse speed was very fast, able to traverse a full 360 degrees in only 15 seconds, which is considerably faster than the traverse speed on most German tanks. Another unique feature on the Sherman was the installation of a [[Gun stabilizer|gyroscopic stabilizer]] on the gun and sight, making the Sherman one of the first produced tanks to incorporate those features. While the stabilization was only done for the vertical plane, it kept the gun stable enough to be able to shoot on the move effectively, with a study showing a 70 % hit probability on an enemy 300 to 1,200 yards away when moving at a speed of 15 mph. However, this feature was controversial among the crew and experiences with it vary.

The M4A2 Sherman model ran on a GM 6046 diesel engine. The Sherman model in-game is one of the later production models, featuring improvements on the turret and hull design to maximize armour thickness. The tank's hull was welded, with the earlier models having the front armour plate placed on a 56-degree sloping angle. However, this design had protrusions on the driver and assistant driver hatches that created "shot traps" as these protrusions gave less protection than the frontal armour plate. This was fixed on later models with a 47-degree angling instead, which eliminated the shot traps and made the frontal armour more effective than before. Up to 8,053 M4A2s were produced from April 1942 to May 1944, out of the 49,234 Sherman units produced in the war. Throughout the war, the M4A2 was mostly given out to other allies or used by the US Marine Corps as the US Army doctrine called for the use of only gasoline-engine Shermans such as the M4A3.

===Combat usage===
====European theater====
The Shermans first saw combat in the North African Campaign in the Second Battle of El Alamein on October 1942 in the hands of the British. It was much quicker to reinforce the British armoured divisions with the more than 300 M4 Shermans sent to North Africa than it was to create new American ones. It proved much better than the German [[Pz.III F|Panzer IIIs]] and [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IVs]], able to eliminate them at distances more than 2,000 yards away. The Americans received their first Shermans in the next month in Operation Torch. However better the Shermans were to the German tanks at the time, the Allied armoured units still suffered casualties against the German tanks and anti-tank guns, most notably in the Battle of Kasserine Pass. In Italy, the Shermans proved much more mobile than the German Panzers, able to travel cross-country on the hilly terrain with ease. However, it was at this stage that the Sherman's shortcoming began to take face in the advent of the newer German tanks, the [[Tiger H1|Tiger Is]] and [[Panther D|Panthers]]. These two tanks featured armour that proved impenetrable when fired at the front, and with guns that could take out the Shermans from farther than the Sherman's effective combat range. The Shermans have to hit the side of these tanks for penetration, and at ranges that were considered suicidal. Although programs were initiated to [[M4A1 (76) W|up-gun the Sherman with a 76 mm gun]], American leaders determine that the Panther and Tigers would not be produced in large quantities and were not as great as a threat as these two vehicles could still be destroyed by the 75 mm gun and standard anti-tank equipment.

During the Invasion of France, it was clear that the Sherman's current build with a 75 mm gun was no longer going to cut it against the German armoured forces. While the Sherman was adequate against what little Panzer III and IVs the Germans have left and against infantry and fortifications with the 75 mm gun, the Panthers and Tigers were in much large quantity than expected, and proved better in armour and firepower to the Shermans. Though in the bocage country of France, the Allies lost more tanks to hidden anti-tank guns and infantry weapons than to tanks. Despite these losses, the mass production of M4 Sherman back in the United States ensured that enough tanks were available for the Allied Forces as they spearhead through France, plus the lack of any other capable tanks meant they had to use the Shermans for the time being. The large quantities of Shermans produced during the war gave the Allied armoured units a major advantage of being fully equipped as the German panzer divisions were rarely in full strength, with some US infantry divisions having more tracked vehicles than some of the panzer divisions. Due to the high attrition rates, tank crews sometimes add [[Add-on Armor|improvised armour]] onto their Shermans in the form of sandbags and logs in hopes of increased survival, but these were determined to be ineffective from evaluations. A more effective method was to have metal armour welded on in improvisation, and an official project was made for such "assault tanks" that ended with the [[M4A3E2|M4A3E2 "Jumbos"]] with 250 made for the Battle of Normandy. During the Battle of Normandy, the first 76 mm Shermans on the M4A1 were put into combat in Operation Cobra in limited numbers. The Allies continued to primarily use the 75 mm Shermans until the Battle of the Bulge in Winter 1944, when the commanders request only 76 mm Shermans to be brought into Europe as the battle showed the intense armour disparity with the German's large numbers of [[Panther G|Panthers]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II's]]. While new units arriving in Europe were armed exclusively with 76 mm armed-Shermans, the veteran units kept the 75 mm Shermans, to which it continued to do well against softer targets with little threat from German armour due to their extreme declining numbers.

====Pacific theater====
The M4 Sherman's importance in the Pacific theatre was less than that of the European theatre due to the different tactical doctrine established from the amphibious nature of combat. Only about 20 tank battalions fielded by the US Army were sent to support the Pacific theatre of operations, compared to the total of 16 armoured divisions and 70 tank battalions they have in service. The low priority in tanks was due to the following reasons. Firstly, the jungle terrain on most of the islands fought for against the Japanese were unsuitable for the deployment of large-scale armoured units, relegating armour support to light tanks such as the [[M3 Stuart|M3 Stuarts]]. Secondly, the Japanese forces' armoured units were rather inferior to the American tank forces by 1943. While the Japanese Type 95 Ha-Go tank was comparable to the M2A4 light tank, the Shermans out gun these tanks by a large margin. Such a large margin that the tank crew prefer to use high-explosive shots against the Japanese tank than regular armour-piercing as the AP rounds would penetrate straight through without causing much damage in the interior of the tank. The Japanese developed the Type 3 Chi-Nu and the Type 4 Chi-To to fight back the Shermans, but these two never saw combat as they were kept at the Japanese Homeland for the defence against the Allied invasion.

The Shermans, when deployed, were superior to most of the Japanese anti-tank equipment and often were essential to some of the Marine's advances on some of the island assaults. In 1945, the equipping of flamethrower Shermans known as M4A3R3, nicknamed "Zippos", were a significant boost to the infantry's firepower in having a very long range of fire compared to the standard infantry-modelled flamethrowers with the benefit of being in an armoured vehicle. The Zippos are able to flush out enemy combatants from within heavily fortified bunkers and caves that would be dangerous for even flamethrower infantry to take out. The Japanese solution against the Shermans, other than with their 47 mm anti-tank guns, were often suicidal tactics ranging from placing satchel charges right onto the tank, using pole-mounted anti-tank mines to reach and destroy the tank or even simply throwing oneself underneath a tank with mine or other explosive and triggering it manually.

====Lend-Lease====
The Sherman tank was given out in large numbers to American Allies during World War II under the Lend-Lease policy. While America retained about 20,361 Shermans in the Army and Marine Corps, 17,184 went to Britain (about 34% of Shermans produced and 78% of Shermans given out) and the Soviet Union obtained 4,102 Shermans.<ref name="ZalogaArmorT2">Zaloga Steven. ''Armored Thunderbolt: The U.S. Army Sherman in World War II'' Stackpole Books, 2008, "The British Sherman"</ref> China obtained 812 Shermans, Brazil with 53, and New Zealand and Australia for 153 Shermans total. Other countries using the Shermans were Poland, Free France, and Czechoslovakia. The British deployed the Sherman among their armoured squadrons in such a large number to become the standard tank of their armoured forces. The increased threat of German tanks in the European theatre also provoked the British to up-gun the M4 Sherman with a more capable gun, resulting in the [[Sherman Firefly|Firefly]].

====Post-War====
After the war, the Shermans continued serving America and its allies as the [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8]] with a new suspension and 76 mm gun. The [[M26|M26 Pershing]] that was introduced late in World War II was phased out for the Shermans due to its unreliability, and the Sherman stayed until the [[M46|M46 Patton]] was introduced. After being phased out of American service, many other countries still used the Sherman as their main tank, mainly Israel where they up-gun the tank with the much powerful post-war French [[SA50 (75 mm)|75 mm]] and [[CN-105-F1 (105 mm)|105 mm]] guns as the [[M4A4 (SA50)|M-50]] and M-51 respectively (nicknamed "Super Shermans"). These proved successful as they were able to fight against the Soviet-supplied [[T-54 (1947)|T-54 tanks]] and [[T-34-85]]s in Middle East service, proving the Sherman as a successful and adaptable design for many years to come.

{{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 second mass produced modification differed from the M4 in that two GMC 671 diesel engines were installed to make up for the Continental's insufficiencies. The engine and transmission were pulled from M3A3 and M3A5 medium tanks. In April 1942 the first M4A2 prototype was tested, with full-scale production subsequently beginning.

The tank had a welded hull, and the front plate initially had viewing slits cut out, though armour covers were later welded on and periscopes added. From the beginning of 1944 the front plate was made from a single piece, while the driver and gunner hatches were moved to the roof of the hull. The angle of the frontal armour went from 56° to 47° from vertical. The low-revving diesel engine gave the M4A2 better off-road ability and significantly more range as opposed to carburetor engines.

Approximately 8,000 M4A2s were produced between April 1942 and December 1943.

The tanks saw action in Africa and Italy, on the Western and Eastern fronts, and on Pacific islands through 1945. Lend-Lease included 1,992 of them delivered to the USSR.

In 1943 problems with the M4A2 were exposed by the Russian winter: those sent to the USSR had a smooth rubber protector for their tracks that made it tough to move across frozen roads. The difficulty finding traction was further complicated by a high center of gravity, giving the tank a habit of flipping over. Overall, it was the equivalent of the Soviet T-34 and was used similarly. The Sherman was much quieter than Soviet tanks, also lending itself to more effective infantry fire from behind its armour while on the move due to its lighter suspension.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m4a2_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis (M4A2)

* [[M4A2 (76) W]]
* [[M4 748 (a) (Germany)]]
* [[M4A2 (USSR)]]

== External links ==


=== References ===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{USA medium tanks}}

Leopard 2A7V

2024-02-07T17:05:04Z

U120654901:

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2a7v
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

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

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

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2032|rbMinHp=1327|AoAweight=2.4|abMaxHp=2862|rbMaxHp=1500|weight=66.5|abForwardSpeed=68|rbForwardSpeed=61|abReverseSpeed=31|rbReverseSpeed=27.7}}

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

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

{{main|Rh120 L/55 A1 (120 mm)}}

''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/55 A1 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/55 A1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 37 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/55 A1 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12A1, DM33, DM11, DM53}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''37''' || 16 ''(+21)'' || 1 ''(+36)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

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

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* A very well-armoured MBT with even fewer weak spots (UFP).
* Deadly firepower, incredibly powerful DM53 APFSDS round.
* Gen 3 thermals.
* Spall liners in turret & hull armour.
* Extremely good gun handling for an MBT: 40°/s for both turret rotation and gun elevation speed (with Ace crew) and -9°/+20° of maximum vertical guidance.
* Cannon barrel and cannon breech can absorb impact rounds which may otherwise penetrate the turret and injure crew members.
* Has access to the DM11 HE round.

'''Cons:'''

* Decent mobility, but inferior to its predecessors.
* Lower frontal plate is weak and relatively huge, most penetrations from here are deadly.
* Huge hull ammo rack that can be shot easily, just like on the other Leopard 2 variants, if more than 16 shells are carried makes the tank vulnerable to HE shells and presents an annoying hull weak spot.
* Hull penetrations are likely fatal; a penetrating shot on the left side of the hull will most likely knock out the driver, gunner and commander, while a penetrating shell on the right side of the hull will most likely hit the ammo-rack, in both cases destroying the tank.
* The wedges can be shot off with several hits, though the turret cheeks alone provide armor against KE.
* Despite all the added armour, the turret ring and the mantlet are both easily penetrated, and the enemy will most likely aim at these two spots to disable or destroy the tank.

== History ==
In the mid 2010s, the German government backtracked on plans to reduce the size of the armored force in the Bundeswehr. Instead, a plan was formulated with Krauss-Maffei-Wegmann, the manufacturer of the Leopard 2 MBT, to produce additional vehicles under a new and improved standard.

The Leopard 2A7V, as it became known, featured improved protection thanks to a modular armor package bolted on the front of the hull as well as improved optics and a new transmission adapted to the increased weight. The new vehicle was officially presented in October 2019 and entered service with the Bundeswehr in September 2021. Presently, all 104 Leopard 2A7Vs ordered by Germany are in active service with the Bundeswehr.

''- From [[wt:en/news/8636-development-leopard-2a7v-the-ultimate-evolution-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==

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

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

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Leopard 2A7V

2024-01-25T22:44:57Z

U120654901: correct weight

Strv 122B+

2024-01-25T22:43:07Z

U120654901: correct weight and RB max speed

{{Specs-Card
|code=sw_strv_122b_plus
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an testing bench and technology demonstration unit for improved protection on existing [[Strv 122]] units. The proposed prototype was to be produced around 2010-2011 and form part of a modernization programme for the Strv 122. The {{PAGENAME}} was designed to improve protection against threats in urban combats and got additional protection against different type of explosive threats that can be lethal for an vehicle in urban situations and close combat. However, these additional protection kits were never put in the modernization of the Strv 122s.

The {{PAGENAME}} was introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]] as a new top tier MBT for Sweden, coming with improved protection against chemical rounds and shaped charged ATGMs bolstering the survivability of the vehicle. Still having the same 120 mm L/44 gun compared to the [[Leopard 2A6]] and [[Leopard 2A7V]] with their 120 mm L/55, it would seem the {{PAGENAME}} is inferior in terms of firepower and penetration, but this is not an issue for it due to it still being competitive at top tier. Even with additional armour, the {{PAGENAME}} is still highly manoeuvrable with its additional weight and doesn't affect the speed at all. The {{PAGENAME}} still has vulnerable areas on the hull against kinetic rounds and, like its predecessors, excels in a hull-down playstyle, exposing only the well armoured and protected turret to peek out and fire at enemy units. Angling the armour of the hull with the additional armour gives it better chance to survive close combat engagements than other Leopard 2s.

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

The outward of Strv 122B+ looks pretty like its predecessor [[Strv 122B PLSS]]. There are a few of upgrades on the armour protection. The turret sides are now covered with 80 mm thick of composite screen, which makes the ammo rack in the turret more resistant to most autocannon shells with lower penetration of 130 mm. The frontal part of hull sides is also covered with 260~270 mm thick of composite armour, which can now devour some most powerful tandem ATGMs when the Strv 122B+ is angling itself. Although the Strv 122B+ isn't equipped with the Saab commander CITV from the Strv 122B PLSS, it also has the mine protection modification which adds additional 30 mm thick of RHA on its belly. In sum, the Strv 122B+ remains most features of armour protection from the Strv 122B PLSS while enhencing the side protection against autocannon shells and ATGMs.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (sides, back and roof of hull, back and roof of turret, turret ring, underbody, commander optics, driver cupola)
* High hardness rolled armour (hull front, front and sides of turret, side skirts)
* Structural steel (applique armour on turret roof)
* Composite screen (turret cupolas, frontal part of side skirts, applique armour on hull front, external armour on front and sides of turret)
* External composite armour with NERA elements (gun mantlet)
* Cast homogeneous armour (upper front of turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 + 45** mm (81°) ''Upper glacis'' 35 + 100** mm (53°) ''Upper junction of glacises'' 45 + 100** mm (54°) ''Lower junction of glacises'' 40 + 10 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' || 10 + 270** mm ''Top front'' 20 + 10 mm (5°) ''Top rear'' 35 + 260** mm ''Bottom front'' 20 + 10 mm ''Bottom rear''|| 20 mm (11°) ''Top'' 20 mm (16°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm 10 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 35 mm (40°) + 80** mm (60°) ''Cheeks'' 650 mm (18°) + 80** mm (60°) ''Sides of gun mantlet'' 400 mm (0°) + 80** mm (63°) ''Top of gun mantlet'' 400 mm (0, 73°) ''Bottom of gun mantlet'' || 35 mm (0°) + 80** mm (22°) ''Front'' 15 + 80** mm ''Rear'' || 25 + 10 + 10 mm || 40 + 20 mm ''Front'' 40 mm (82°) + 10 mm (74°) ''Frontal glacis'' 20 + 14 mm ''Around the cupolas'' 20 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || 150 mm (0°) + 10 mm (74°) || 45 mm (0°) + 10 mm (56°) || 10 mm || 60** + 20 mm
|-
|}
<nowiki>**</nowiki> Composite screens

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Frontal effective protection !! Sides
|-
| Hull
| '''Upper glacis:''' 600-750 mm ''Kinetic'' / 800-1,200 mm ''Chemical'' '''Lower glacis:''' 200-500 mm ''Kinetic'' / 200-800 mm ''Chemical''
| '''Frontal part of top:''' 300 mm ''Kinetic'' / 1,100 mm ''Chemical''
|-
| Turret
| '''Cheeks:''' 800-1000 mm ''Kinetic'' / 1300-1400 mm ''Chemical'' '''Sides of gun mantlet:''' 600-800 mm ''Kinetic'' / 600-1000 mm ''Chemical'' '''Top of gun mantlet:''' 300-600 mm ''Kinetic'' / 500-900 mm ''Chemical'' '''Bottom of gun mantlet:''' 300-400 mm ''Kinetic'' / 300-600 mm ''Chemical'' || '''Front:''' 300-400 mm ''Kinetic'' / 400 mm ''Chemical'' '''Rear:''' 130 mm ''Kinetic'' / 150-200 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick, and the underbody is 20 mm thick.
* There is an 8 mm thick internal RHA screen that separates the crew compartment from the engine. The two exterior fuel tanks at the frontal part of the hull sides are separated from the crew compartment by two 35 mm thick of internal RHA screens.
* The ammo rack in the turret is separated by a 35 mm thick of internal RHA screen.
* There are a few 10 mm thick attached tracks mounted on the rear of the turret.
* The external arrow-shaped armour and the applique armour on the turret are 80 mm thick and can be torn down.
* There is 140 mm thick roof composite armour around two turret cupolas, and several 10 and 20 mm thick structural steel plates cover the composite armour inside.
* The smoke dispensers are protected by a RHA shell.
* With the modification of Mine Protection, a 30 mm thick external RHA plate is attached to the underbody.
* There are several plates of spall liner at the frontal hull sides, top of turret, and around the hull ammo rack.

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

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=|rbMinHp=|AoAweight=2.4|rbForwardSpeed=68|rbReverseSpeed=31|weight=65.3}}

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

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

{{main|kan Strv 122 (120 mm)}}

''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[kan Strv 122 (120 mm)|120 mm kan Strv 122]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 37 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:kan Strv 122 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM23, DM33, slsgr m/95, slpprj m/95}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''37''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|ksp 94 (7.62 mm)}}

''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[ksp 94 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm ksp 94]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very few weak spots
* Hard to penetrate its upper front plate
* Powerful and high damage APFSDS
* Decent speed and manoeuvrability
* New composite screen to hold from high-explosive ammunition on its side

'''Cons:'''

* Turret ammo rack is easy to explode
* Gen 1 gunner thermal
* Lower front plate and turret ring still one of the weak spots
* High possibility to get destroyed by High Explosive from turret roof

== History ==

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

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==

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

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

{{Sweden medium tanks}}

T-80B

2024-01-23T16:14:36Z

U120654901:

{{About
| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = T-80 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_80b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Object 219R) was one of the spearhead MBTs of the Soviet Union built by the Leningrad Kirov Plant and Omsk Transmash. The Soviet Union had been developing gas turbine engines for tanks as early as 1955, and previous efforts before the T-80 became valuable experience for future engines. After the development of the costly T-64 series MBT, there were plans from other tank design bureaus and factories to upgrade the T-64A with a gas turbine engine and new suspension that could withstand the operational needs of the tank. This led to the Object 219 prototypes, and later tests with the second certified prototype (Object 219 Sp2) alongside the Object 172M (T-72) and [[T-64A (1971)|T-64A]] showed superiority in terms of mobility. The Object 219 almost failed to join the Soviet Army due to its high fuel consumption and low reliability, but changes in leadership saved the project, where the soon-to-be T-80 would become the spearhead of the Soviet Army while the T-72 would serve as the economical alternative to previous fleets of tanks. The T-80B series received technological upgrades based on the T-64B, including improved FCS for gun-launched ATGMs, as well as the new "K" ceramic composite armour for better protection. Starting its production in 1976, the T-80B, alongside the later T-80BV with revised protection and Kontakt-1 ERA, has served as the spearhead of the Soviet armoured corps with fleets of T-80U as well. The tank is still serving the Russian Army, accompanied with its latest upgrade [[T-80BVM]] with overhaul upgrades on protection and FCS.

Introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]], the T-80B is visually similar to the [[T-64B]], retaining the same rounded turret, sloped frontal armour, and skirted sides, as well as the same jacketed 125 mm smoothbore gun. The turret bears different kit, however, such as the use of rounded storage bins and a snorkel tube. The same NSVT 12.7 mm machine gun is fitted, but this time it is used with 150-round boxes instead of the 100-round boxes found on the T-64B. The T-80B retains the same rubber-mesh screens covering the upper portion of the tracks. The frontal glacis has an additional 30 mm plate of HHRA welded onto it. This replaces the regular V-shaped "splash plate" found on the T-64B. The primary difference between the T-80B and its predecessor is the significantly improved engine which offers increased mobility.

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

The T-80B encounters the same weaknesses and strengths as the T-64 line does - extremely strong turret cheeks, an average upper front glacis with a large weak spot around the driver's port, and a lack of composite on the lower front plate. It's also vulnerable to the same incoming fire as the T-64B - turret shots will often disable the gun breech; penetrating shots on the hull will often detonate the ammunition in the carousel.

As with the T-64B, the T-80B is best used in hull-down positions where only the turret is exposed - and unlike the T-64B, it has an acceptable reverse speed for utilising cover.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,705|rbMinHp=973|AoAweight=0.5|weight=43|abReverseSpeed=12.2}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has a turbine engine which produces significantly more power than the T-64B's diesel - top speed and manoeuvrability are both improved thanks to this but the most significant change is the acceleration - the {{PAGENAME}} is able to achieve reasonable speeds both off- and on-road and maintain them much better than the T-64B. More importantly, the reverse speed is nearly tripled from the measly -4 km/h on the T-64B to -11 km/h, still not ideal but a big improvement.

Thanks to the improvements, the {{PAGENAME}} is a much better match for the Abrams/Challenger/Leopard series - it's still not the fastest but it's a much closer race.

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

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

{{main|2A46M-1 (125 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A46M-1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 38 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:2A46M-1 (125 mm)/Ammunition|3BK18M, 3OF26, 3BM22, 9M112, 3BM42}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty*
! 6th rack empty*
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''38''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 38 ''(+0)'' 38 ''(+0)'' || 36 ''(+2)'' 37 ''(+1)'' || 35 ''(+3)'' 30 ''(+8)'' || 30 ''(+8)'' 29 ''(+9)'' || 29 ''(+9)'' 1 ''(+37)'' || 1 ''(+37)'' N/A|| No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* The {{PAGENAME}} main ammo rack consists of a mechanized carousel at the bottom of the turret. Such ammo stowage carries 28 propellants and projectiles.
* The 6th projectile rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.
* The 5th propellant rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.

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

{{main|NSVT (12.7 mm)|PKT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[NSVT (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm NSVT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 300 (150) || 700 || -5°/+75° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,250 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The T-80B should be played like a T-64B, using your powerful gun and decent armour to pick off enemies in the distance. When needed, the T-80B can perform flanking runs with its decent speed. However, the T-80B should not be played like an M1 Abrams, as the tank will explode when anything penetrates your armour.

When playing in large maps such as "Kursk" and "Maginot Line" use the mobility of the T-80B to get into a hull-down position and make use of the T-80B's armament as well as its phenomenal turret armour to pick-off faraway enemy tanks. When playing in small maps such as "Normandy" and "Poland", use the mobility of the T-80B to flank enemy tanks as you would with the "M1 Abrams" or similar western MBT.

Make sure to always keep your front facing the enemy, when any top BR vehicle gets a glance at your side the round will penetrate through the fairly weak side armour and have a good chance at hitting your ammo rack or your engine which will result in a loss of the vehicle or a critical hit to the vehicle's powerplant. The T-80B has fairly poor gun handling compared to its western counterparts in both the gun elevation and traverse speeds, which can get you destroyed or severely damaged in close range engagements.

Some threats to be worried about:

* [[Type 90]] can penetrate any part of your tank and any plausible range. So don't get hit by it. The same goes for AMX-40.
* An ATGM will result in an ammunition detonation or crew kill. It is extremely important to get the Kontakt-1 ERA modification as soon as possible because those ERA blocks will save you from helicopters. If you do not have the ERA modification, pay attention to the skies, try to maintain some sort of cover, as you will usually have 1-3 seconds of reaction time from detecting an ATGM and getting hit by one.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very good composite armour
* Powerful main gun with great stabilizers and accuracy
* Very good mobility
* Small vehicle
* Decent reverse speed of 12 km/h
* Autoloader like the T-64
* Good chemical munitions protection with the ERA upgrade
* Has access to thermal vision

'''Cons:'''

* Same autoloader as the T-64, same rate of fire and weak spot
* 3 crew member makes it hard to survive on the battlefield
* Bad gun depression, the generic trouble of Soviet tanks
* Not a very fast turning turret
* Lower frontal hull armour devoid of composite armour
* Breech is easily damaged

== History ==


The T-80B is an improved variant of the T-80 main battle tank that debuted in 1978. It received a laser rangefinder, a new fire-control system, and a new autoloader; these modifications allowed the firing of 9M112-1 Kobra anti-tank guided missiles. The ATGMs could be launched at any speed, and they were fired out of the gun barrel. The T-80B also featured new composite armour. In 1980, the T-80B received a new 1,100 hp engine. In 1982 a new gun was fitted, and fittings for ERA were added in 1985. The ERA increased protection against chemical warheads significantly, at an estimated 400 mm of additional chemical protection.

The T-80B was not used in Afghanistan during the 1980s in order to keep it a secret from the Western nations. Its first combat usage was during the First Chechen War. They were used to capture cities, and they often suffered casualties because of how dangerous urban environments are for tanks. Many T-80B tanks were lost during the attack on Grozny, where more than 450 Chechen rebels were killed. Throughout 3 months of combat, 84 T-80 tanks were used. The 133rd Tank Battalion used 53 T-80s and lost 12. The 3rd Tank Battalion used 31 T-80s and lost 6. During that operation, the T-80Bs were crewed with insufficiently trained crews, and the T-80B was not equipped with ERA. The tanks were not prepared for their enemies, some of whom were veterans from the Soviet-Afghan War.

During the war, T-80s fought several tank-to-tank battles. During December of 1994 and January of 1995, Russian T-80 tanks destroyed six rebel tanks. Two T-80s were damaged; one was destroyed by a 125 mm anti-tank round and another was damaged by 3-4 rounds but repaired. One rebel tank was destroyed in August 1995.

During the operation in Grozny, the Russian tank crews had no knowledge of the city's layout. The rebels attacked the tanks with RPGs from cellars and the tops of buildings. The anti-tank attacks were aimed at the weakest points in the armour, and each tank had three to seven RPGs fired at it. A number of tanks exploded with hits to the ammunition in the autoloader. The T-80's performance in these situations prompted General-Lieutenant A. Galkin, the head of the Armored Directorate, to convince the Minister of Defense to never again produce a tank with a gas turbine engine.

After those operations, the T-80 was never again used to capture cities, but instead to support the infantry at long range. It was pointed out that the T-72 performed just as badly in those situations, and additionally the tanks had been deployed without supporting infantry to cover them. The crews were also insufficiently trained. It has been said that these factors influenced the outcome of the operations more than the characteristics of the tank.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_80b '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the T-80B from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Q6sYNcaVVO0|'''The Shooting Range #88''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 07:34 discusses the T-80.|Kn5rIoPjHuA|'''The Shooting Range #118''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:35 discusses the T-80B.|CJ9sCL1BGy4|'''M1 Abrams vs T-72A vs T-80B''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5713-development-char-25t-and-t-80b-en|[Devblog] Char 25t and T-80B]]
* [[wt:en/news/5844-development-explosive-reactive-armor-for-the-t-80b-en|[Devblog] Explosive Reactive Armor for the T-80B]]

{{TankManufacturer Kirov}}
{{USSR medium tanks}}

[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

T-80B

2024-01-23T16:12:47Z

U120654901: correct AOA weight and AB reverse speed

{{About
| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = T-80 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_80b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Object 219R) was one of the spearhead MBTs of the Soviet Union built by the Leningrad Kirov Plant and Omsk Transmash. The Soviet Union had been developing gas turbine engines for tanks as early as 1955, and previous efforts before the T-80 became valuable experience for future engines. After the development of the costly T-64 series MBT, there were plans from other tank design bureaus and factories to upgrade the T-64A with a gas turbine engine and new suspension that could withstand the operational needs of the tank. This led to the Object 219 prototypes, and later tests with the second certified prototype (Object 219 Sp2) alongside the Object 172M (T-72) and [[T-64A (1971)|T-64A]] showed superiority in terms of mobility. The Object 219 almost failed to join the Soviet Army due to its high fuel consumption and low reliability, but changes in leadership saved the project, where the soon-to-be T-80 would become the spearhead of the Soviet Army while the T-72 would serve as the economical alternative to previous fleets of tanks. The T-80B series received technological upgrades based on the T-64B, including improved FCS for gun-launched ATGMs, as well as the new "K" ceramic composite armour for better protection. Starting its production in 1976, the T-80B, alongside the later T-80BV with revised protection and Kontakt-1 ERA, has served as the spearhead of the Soviet armoured corps with fleets of T-80U as well. The tank is still serving the Russian Army, accompanied with its latest upgrade [[T-80BVM]] with overhaul upgrades on protection and FCS.

Introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]], the T-80B is visually similar to the [[T-64B]], retaining the same rounded turret, sloped frontal armour, and skirted sides, as well as the same jacketed 125 mm smoothbore gun. The turret bears different kit, however, such as the use of rounded storage bins and a snorkel tube. The same NSVT 12.7 mm machine gun is fitted, but this time it is used with 150-round boxes instead of the 100-round boxes found on the T-64B. The T-80B retains the same rubber-mesh screens covering the upper portion of the tracks. The frontal glacis has an additional 30 mm plate of HHRA welded onto it. This replaces the regular V-shaped "splash plate" found on the T-64B. The primary difference between the T-80B and its predecessor is the significantly improved engine which offers increased mobility.

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

The T-80B encounters the same weaknesses and strengths as the T-64 line does - extremely strong turret cheeks, an average upper front glacis with a large weak spot around the driver's port, and a lack of composite on the lower front plate. It's also vulnerable to the same incoming fire as the T-64B - turret shots will often disable the gun breech; penetrating shots on the hull will often detonate the ammunition in the carousel.

As with the T-64B, the T-80B is best used in hull-down positions where only the turret is exposed - and unlike the T-64B, it has an acceptable reverse speed for utilising cover.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,705|rbMinHp=973|AoAweight=0.5|weight=42.5|abReverseSpeed=12.2}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has a turbine engine which produces significantly more power than the T-64B's diesel - top speed and manoeuvrability are both improved thanks to this but the most significant change is the acceleration - the {{PAGENAME}} is able to achieve reasonable speeds both off- and on-road and maintain them much better than the T-64B. More importantly, the reverse speed is nearly tripled from the measly -4 km/h on the T-64B to -11 km/h, still not ideal but a big improvement.

Thanks to the improvements, the {{PAGENAME}} is a much better match for the Abrams/Challenger/Leopard series - it's still not the fastest but it's a much closer race.

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

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

{{main|2A46M-1 (125 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A46M-1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 38 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:2A46M-1 (125 mm)/Ammunition|3BK18M, 3OF26, 3BM22, 9M112, 3BM42}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty*
! 6th rack empty*
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''38''' || style="text-align:right" | ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 38 ''(+0)'' 38 ''(+0)'' || 36 ''(+2)'' 37 ''(+1)'' || 35 ''(+3)'' 30 ''(+8)'' || 30 ''(+8)'' 29 ''(+9)'' || 29 ''(+9)'' 1 ''(+37)'' || 1 ''(+37)'' N/A|| No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* The {{PAGENAME}} main ammo rack consists of a mechanized carousel at the bottom of the turret. Such ammo stowage carries 28 propellants and projectiles.
* The 6th projectile rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.
* The 5th propellant rack is the carousel at the bottom of the turret; it serves as first-stage ammo stowage.

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

{{main|NSVT (12.7 mm)|PKT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[NSVT (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm NSVT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 300 (150) || 700 || -5°/+75° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,250 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The T-80B should be played like a T-64B, using your powerful gun and decent armour to pick off enemies in the distance. When needed, the T-80B can perform flanking runs with its decent speed. However, the T-80B should not be played like an M1 Abrams, as the tank will explode when anything penetrates your armour.

When playing in large maps such as "Kursk" and "Maginot Line" use the mobility of the T-80B to get into a hull-down position and make use of the T-80B's armament as well as its phenomenal turret armour to pick-off faraway enemy tanks. When playing in small maps such as "Normandy" and "Poland", use the mobility of the T-80B to flank enemy tanks as you would with the "M1 Abrams" or similar western MBT.

Make sure to always keep your front facing the enemy, when any top BR vehicle gets a glance at your side the round will penetrate through the fairly weak side armour and have a good chance at hitting your ammo rack or your engine which will result in a loss of the vehicle or a critical hit to the vehicle's powerplant. The T-80B has fairly poor gun handling compared to its western counterparts in both the gun elevation and traverse speeds, which can get you destroyed or severely damaged in close range engagements.

Some threats to be worried about:

* [[Type 90]] can penetrate any part of your tank and any plausible range. So don't get hit by it. The same goes for AMX-40.
* An ATGM will result in an ammunition detonation or crew kill. It is extremely important to get the Kontakt-1 ERA modification as soon as possible because those ERA blocks will save you from helicopters. If you do not have the ERA modification, pay attention to the skies, try to maintain some sort of cover, as you will usually have 1-3 seconds of reaction time from detecting an ATGM and getting hit by one.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very good composite armour
* Powerful main gun with great stabilizers and accuracy
* Very good mobility
* Small vehicle
* Decent reverse speed of 12 km/h
* Autoloader like the T-64
* Good chemical munitions protection with the ERA upgrade
* Has access to thermal vision

'''Cons:'''

* Same autoloader as the T-64, same rate of fire and weak spot
* 3 crew member makes it hard to survive on the battlefield
* Bad gun depression, the generic trouble of Soviet tanks
* Not a very fast turning turret
* Lower frontal hull armour devoid of composite armour
* Breech is easily damaged

== History ==


The T-80B is an improved variant of the T-80 main battle tank that debuted in 1978. It received a laser rangefinder, a new fire-control system, and a new autoloader; these modifications allowed the firing of 9M112-1 Kobra anti-tank guided missiles. The ATGMs could be launched at any speed, and they were fired out of the gun barrel. The T-80B also featured new composite armour. In 1980, the T-80B received a new 1,100 hp engine. In 1982 a new gun was fitted, and fittings for ERA were added in 1985. The ERA increased protection against chemical warheads significantly, at an estimated 400 mm of additional chemical protection.

The T-80B was not used in Afghanistan during the 1980s in order to keep it a secret from the Western nations. Its first combat usage was during the First Chechen War. They were used to capture cities, and they often suffered casualties because of how dangerous urban environments are for tanks. Many T-80B tanks were lost during the attack on Grozny, where more than 450 Chechen rebels were killed. Throughout 3 months of combat, 84 T-80 tanks were used. The 133rd Tank Battalion used 53 T-80s and lost 12. The 3rd Tank Battalion used 31 T-80s and lost 6. During that operation, the T-80Bs were crewed with insufficiently trained crews, and the T-80B was not equipped with ERA. The tanks were not prepared for their enemies, some of whom were veterans from the Soviet-Afghan War.

During the war, T-80s fought several tank-to-tank battles. During December of 1994 and January of 1995, Russian T-80 tanks destroyed six rebel tanks. Two T-80s were damaged; one was destroyed by a 125 mm anti-tank round and another was damaged by 3-4 rounds but repaired. One rebel tank was destroyed in August 1995.

During the operation in Grozny, the Russian tank crews had no knowledge of the city's layout. The rebels attacked the tanks with RPGs from cellars and the tops of buildings. The anti-tank attacks were aimed at the weakest points in the armour, and each tank had three to seven RPGs fired at it. A number of tanks exploded with hits to the ammunition in the autoloader. The T-80's performance in these situations prompted General-Lieutenant A. Galkin, the head of the Armored Directorate, to convince the Minister of Defense to never again produce a tank with a gas turbine engine.

After those operations, the T-80 was never again used to capture cities, but instead to support the infantry at long range. It was pointed out that the T-72 performed just as badly in those situations, and additionally the tanks had been deployed without supporting infantry to cover them. The crews were also insufficiently trained. It has been said that these factors influenced the outcome of the operations more than the characteristics of the tank.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_80b '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the T-80B from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Q6sYNcaVVO0|'''The Shooting Range #88''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 07:34 discusses the T-80.|Kn5rIoPjHuA|'''The Shooting Range #118''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:35 discusses the T-80B.|CJ9sCL1BGy4|'''M1 Abrams vs T-72A vs T-80B''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5713-development-char-25t-and-t-80b-en|[Devblog] Char 25t and T-80B]]
* [[wt:en/news/5844-development-explosive-reactive-armor-for-the-t-80b-en|[Devblog] Explosive Reactive Armor for the T-80B]]

{{TankManufacturer Kirov}}
{{USSR medium tanks}}

[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

M41D

2024-01-23T16:07:06Z

U120654901:

{{About
| about = Chinese light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m_41d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Chinese: M41D輕型戰車) is the overhaul upgrade of the ROCA's fleet of M41A1/A2 Walker Bulldogs during the 1990s as an alternative to new imported light tanks. As a long-time user of M41 tanks, the ROCA previously attempted to reverse-engineer the tank under the name Type 65 with M41A3 equivalent designs. After attempts to import light tanks to replace the fleet of Bulldogs failed and the increasing tension of cross-strait relationships, they sought upgrades for the existing fleet of M41s including a domestic gun with the capability to fire APFSDS, FCS upgrades, and a new engine for better logistic maintenance. 50 tanks were upgraded, and peacefully served the ROCA for around 2 decades. A few continue to serve on Kinmen Island, after fatal accidents involving the M41A2.

Introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]] as the most modern variant of the M41 in-game, this Taiwanese upgrade features APFSDS, thermals, and a laser rangefinder, but trades for a less powerful (but more economical) engine. The high gun depression and laser rangefinder, combined with its poor armour and lack of stabilizer, make this tank well-suited for hull-down sniping, and its good reverse speed allows it to quickly retreat if spotted. Compared to its PLA light tank counterpart, the [[PTL02]], the M41D trades a stabilizer and some firepower for superior reverse mobility, a slightly smaller profile, and increased gun depression.

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

Although the M41D underwent an overhaul from the original Walker Bulldog, protection wasn't part of the upgrade. The M41D retains the very same protection like any other member of the M41 family of tanks, other than the addition of side skirts. The protection all-round is not enough to protect the tank from any shells found at the rank, autocannons are also a deadly foe for the M41D as they can penetrate it with ease. Since it is a light tank in nature, the crew is also cramped into a confined space, any penetration from shells with explosive filler or large-calibre HE shells means a very quick demise for the crew.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Upper'' 31.7 mm (45°) ''Lower''
| 25.4 mm ''Front'' 19 mm ''Back'' || 12.7 mm (58°) ''Top'' 19 mm (32 - 37°) ''Bottom''
| 10 - 19 mm
|-
| Turret || 25.4 mm ''Turret front'' 31.7 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 19 mm
|-
| Cupola || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 5 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Tracks and suspension wheels are 15 mm thick

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

For upgrades in terms of mobility, most vehicles would go for higher power output from the engine or replacing the transmission system.

The upgrade for M41D did neither. ROCA decided to downgrade the original 500 hp Continental AOS 895-3 petrol engine to a Detroit Diesel 8V-71T engine for better fuel economy and torque. The statistic that matters the most is the engine output, and after downgrading the engine, the M41D can barely reach 50 km/h on road, let alone reached the claimed 72 km/h top speed. Handling is still identical, oddly, to the original M41.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=697|rbMinHp=398|rbReverseSpeed=18.2|abReverseSpeed=20.2|rbMaxHp=450}}

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

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

{{main|M32K1 (76 mm)}}

The M32K1 cannon on M41D, to a certain extent, is the very first tank cannon made in Republic of China. Based on the original M32 76 mm gun found on other M41s, it can fire HEATFS, HE, APFSDS and smoke shells. It comes with a 2nd generation Texas Instruments TVD and a laser rangefinder which boosts the tank's search-and-destroy capabilities, though it has no stabilizer of any form, so firing accurately on the move is virtually impossible.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M32K1 (76 mm)|76 mm M32K1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 65 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The stock shell is M496 HEATFS, which is the top shell for the German M41 and US T92; at its tier, it can handle medium tanks it might face, such as M48 Pattons or Soviet T-54/T-62 series. It might still need careful shots when facing any Cold War heavy tanks like T-10M; some other heavies can be penetrated up front, but the damage might be minimal.

The other stock shell, M352 HE, can be neglected as a means to knock out any tanks at all, it doesn't have enough explosive mass to even trigger overpressure against most targets. It might be sufficient for vehicles with open combat compartment, but anything that is thicker than a sheet of steel or aluminium more than half an inch (12.7 mm) can stop this shell with ease.

The M464 APFSDS serving as the M41D's top shell is another story. It is still the go-to ammunition for M41Ds in service, this dart imported from Israel can penetrate 280 mm of armour at point blank range, which does fit ROCA's requirement to penetrate PLAGF's masses of ZTZ59s; and many tanks at the same BR don't even come with any darts; which means M41D can finally handle most tanks it might face at similar BR.

The M361 smoke shell also comes available to M41D, serving as a long-range option to blind enemies or cover your team's movement.

{{:M32K1 (76 mm)/Ammunition|M496 shell, M352 shell, M361, M464}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''65''' || 33 ''(+32)'' || 12 ''(+53)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 3 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 11 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 1 - 2.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 and 2 into rack 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
* Although having the minimal survivability of a light tank, it is still suggested to bring only 12 rounds as the standby ammo; in case of concerns over missed shots or non-lethal shots on enemies, bring 32 shells at most, which will be located in the lower hull by the center mass.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M240 (7.62 mm)}}

The M41D retains the same M2HB as its anti-air machine gun; all the characteristics for the machine gun itself are identical to any other M2HB as well. It can be good for handling lightly armoured APCs, IFVs or SPAAGs; it is also a good for gunning down early helicopters with very limited protection in this BR range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,200 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
The M240 coaxial machine gun is only good for gunning down exposed crew of vehicles and marking enemies, alternatively as a makeshift rangefinder before the laser rangefinder becomes available.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M240 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M240]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,000 (200) || 941 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M41D may be one of the most challenging light tanks at this tier, perhaps even among other non-stabilized light tanks in-game; however, taking a less aggressive approach can ensure that it can at least contribute to the team by harassing or crippling enemies, helping the team to advance.

==== Harassing enemies ====
Players should remember one thing for the M41D in general: it is a light tank and never designed for head-on assaults against masses of enemies. Some inferior features of the M41D also make it a struggle to grind through the basic equipment for survivability, notably the underpowered engine and rather wobbly main cannon; players who are already used to the PLAGF's Type 69 or PTL02 with stabilizers will have to adapt a completely new doctrine. The M41D has neither the armour of the former or the crisp clear TVD of the latter, but it does have the best gun depression of any Chinese gun-equipped vehicle at -10° and a rather fast gun traverse speed for its tier. So for any chance to utilize the M41D, remember to never be the first one on the frontline; it's better off staying behind the lines or taking cover near the frontline for the early grind - taking enemies from the sides is much less risky as the stock M496 HEATFS is nowhere close to reliable due to its lesser penetration and calibre to most HEATFS of the tier. Be sure to aim for their gunnery crews or ammunition; although it has a sufficiently fast reload time (7.7 second stock) for a second chance, if it happens that the shell didn't do lethal damage, the M41D is very unlikely survive the retaliatory shot from enemies. And make sure to hide from any aircraft - you could fight back with the pintle-mounted M2HB, but this is more likely to draw their attention to you and they will make sure you will have a bad day from either their cannons or any other explosive ordnances.

Once the thermal sight and laser rangefinder modifications are installed, your life will much be easier as they mean you can finally stay way behind the lines for scouting or harassing enemies thanks to the automatic ballistic solution; only fire once the gun has stabilized since the ballistic solution will still make the gun vibrate. Both the stock M496 and the researchable M464 dart are nowhere near the best shells for quick kills; but careless players or those who showed their sides will be likely to have some trouble finding the flanker. Another note is to pick your targets carefully, "doomsday" heavy tanks and those of the early Cold War will occasionally absorb the damage from the shells, this is especially true for long-range engagements when the shell happens to land on different weld joints on the tank.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The APFSDS round can penetrate most common tanks it will face, like the [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[T-55A|T-55]], or [[M60 (Family)|M60]]
* Gunner thermals allows efficient target searching especially at night, as most other counterparts only have NVD
* Laser rangefinder can quickly target distant foes and provide an automatic ballistic solution
* -10° gun depression means good hull-down and hilly terrain performance
* -18 km/h reverse allows it to retreat from danger quickly
* Smoke grenades and smoke shells allow it to protect itself or blind enemies
* Good gunner optics with 3-10x magnification
* Pretty low tier with a scout UAV

'''Cons:'''

* Cannon is not stabilised, significantly reducing its ability to fire on the move or to shoot first during an encounter against stabilised guns
* APFSDS is not strong enough to penetrate certain well-protected tanks, e.g. [[M48 Super|Object 279]], [[T-55AM-1]]
* The small calibre of the main gun results in frustratingly little spalling/post penetration damage
* Mobility can become rather sluggish on soft surfaces like mud
* Somewhat tall profile, worsening its concealment
* Poor survivability. Can be easily penetrated by autocannons, or destroyed by cannons and missiles with overpressure

== History ==

The ROCA, after their retreat to the island of Taiwan, used various imported tanks from different military aids, mostly US-built tanks such as earlier [[M24 (China)|M24 Chaffee]] and some [[M18 (China)|M18 GMC]]. Since 1958, during the heat of 1st Taiwan Strait Crisis, ROCA purchased 700 [[M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)|M41A1/A2 Walker Bulldogs]] and 300 [[M48A1 (China)|M48A1s]] to strengthen their defences in case the turmoil intensified into all-out warfare; these tanks replaced the older tanks in different armoured units. In 1975 (ROC Year 64，民國64年), ROCA started to reproduce a complete hull of M41, with some efforts made to reproduce the gun as well, the reverse-engineered light tank was first named Type 64 Light Tank (國造64式輕戰車) then renamed Type 65 Light tank (國造65式輕戰車) to avoid confusion with [[M64|the other Type 64 (M64)]]. While the tank didn't go into mass production, it gave ROCA the chance to build a domestic tank and some designs were retained for further use.

Later, in the 1980s and 1990s, ROCA decided to opt for a NATO retrofit of their M41s, after a long shot plan to buy the new [[XM8|M8 AGS]] to replace the fleet was scrapped due to budget issues.

The idea for M41D started during the 2nd Taiwan Strait Crisis. In view of aggressive PLA exercises aimed to protest against the talks given by the new ROC government, ROCA was in dire need for an overhaul upgrade of the M41 against possible landing operations from PLANMC, along with the insufficient amount of [[CM11]] and [[M60A3 TTS (China)|M60A3 TTS]] on hand.

=== The M41"D" upgrade ===
The M41 light tank improvement project mainly focused on night vision/fire control system and the adaptation of the diesel engine. Two corporations participated in the M41 tank improvement project and 2 prototype vehicles were built and tested. The prototype No. 1 was equipped with a Texas Instruments (TI) CVTTS night vision FCS and a 4-stroke VTA-903TR diesel engine produced by Cummins company, No. 2 vehicle is equipped with the 'M41 tank night vision fire control system' of the domestic Kunyi company and a two-stroke 8V-71T diesel engine produced by Napco company (the letter D of M41D stands for diesel engine modification).

After the bids for the improvements were determined, the first M41D prototype was composed of the chassis of the No. 2 prototype and the turret of the No. 1. The assembly took about a week and cost about NT$20 million to transform a regular M41 into M41D. Only 50 M41D were modified as the first batch due to insufficient funding, but the budget was expected to increase in the future.

The original M32A1 cannon was replaced with a M32K1 gun produced by Joint Logistics Command. The new cannon slightly enlarged the original cylindrical smoke evacuator and moved it backward 44 cm, while the original T-shaped muzzle brake was removed, and a pepper-pot type depressor was installed.

Although the calibre of the M32K1 cannon remained 76 mm, it could fire the high-pressure M464 APFSDS due to the self-tightening design of the cannon, and the muzzle velocity of the projectile could reach 1,433 m/s. The new ammunition could penetrate the frontal armour of Type 59 and Type 69 MBTs that the Communist forces equipped at that time. The M41D light tank was planned to be assigned to the armoured cavalry, the main task of which was to perform search, alert, and cover tasks on the battlefield, or to sweep the beach and annihilate the enemy's lightly armed forces during the initial stage of the enemy's landing, instead of engaging the heavy armour face-to-face. So the new main gun of the M41D tank should be sufficient for future missions.

The CVTTS (Combat Vehicle Thermal Targeting System) night vision FCS equipped by the M41D light tank could identify the enemy and aim at a target from 1,000 m away at night. In addition, a periscope in front of the driver's seat was modified with Starlight night vision goggles to facilitate night driving. The original mechanical ballistic compensator was converted to a digital ballistic computer; the optical rangefinder was also replaced with a laser rangefinder.

M41D employed a two-stroke DDC 8V-71T diesel engine, the maximum net output of which was 450 hp and the maximum net torque was 806 ft/lb. As the new diesel engine was more fuel-efficient than the original gasoline one, while the fuel capacity was increased from the original 530L to 760L, the maximum cruising range was greatly increased from the original 160 km to 450 km. The 8V-71T diesel engine of the M41D can also be found in the M108, M109, M110, and other self-propelled artillery vehicles in the ROCA, which helped to reduce pressure on logistics.

The original Allison CD500 gearbox of M41 was replaced, and the improvement in the suspension system lay in the replacement of a new torsion bar produced by Joint Logistics Command. Thus, the general manoeuvrability of the M41D tank was greatly improved compared with the original M41A series.

=== M41D in ROCA service ===
The Ministry of National Defence passed a 20 billion NTD budget for emergency upgrades of existing equipment, where 400 M41A1/A2s with better hull condition would undergo the new M41D upgrade program; after more M60A3 TTS were delivered to ROCA, the whole program shrunk to a 1.2 billion NTD budget and only 50 of these Walker Bulldogs were upgraded into M41D. 6 out of the 50 upgraded tanks were retained at military academies, the remaining ones were deployed on Kinmen Island just off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian; the closest Nationalist-controlled area to Mainland China. Later military reforms decided to have them return to the main island and serve in different units. A recent fatal incident at Kinmen raised concerns as to whether the remaining few M41A2s were safe enough for training, let alone fighting the now-modernized PLA with masses of MBTs. Around 20 M41Ds returned to Kinmen and replaced these old tanks, after the decommission ceremony of the remaining M41A in ROCA on 2022/2/25, the remaining M41Ds have to struggle until the new CM34 "Project Leopard (獵豹專案)" and M1A2T could eventually replace them.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_m_41d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Research Development Center}}
{{China light tanks}}

M41D

2024-01-23T16:05:25Z

U120654901: correct horsepower and reverse speed

{{About
| about = Chinese light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m_41d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Chinese: M41D輕型戰車) is the overhaul upgrade of the ROCA's fleet of M41A1/A2 Walker Bulldogs during the 1990s as an alternative to new imported light tanks. As a long-time user of M41 tanks, the ROCA previously attempted to reverse-engineer the tank under the name Type 65 with M41A3 equivalent designs. After attempts to import light tanks to replace the fleet of Bulldogs failed and the increasing tension of cross-strait relationships, they sought upgrades for the existing fleet of M41s including a domestic gun with the capability to fire APFSDS, FCS upgrades, and a new engine for better logistic maintenance. 50 tanks were upgraded, and peacefully served the ROCA for around 2 decades. A few continue to serve on Kinmen Island, after fatal accidents involving the M41A2.

Introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]] as the most modern variant of the M41 in-game, this Taiwanese upgrade features APFSDS, thermals, and a laser rangefinder, but trades for a less powerful (but more economical) engine. The high gun depression and laser rangefinder, combined with its poor armour and lack of stabilizer, make this tank well-suited for hull-down sniping, and its good reverse speed allows it to quickly retreat if spotted. Compared to its PLA light tank counterpart, the [[PTL02]], the M41D trades a stabilizer and some firepower for superior reverse mobility, a slightly smaller profile, and increased gun depression.

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

Although the M41D underwent an overhaul from the original Walker Bulldog, protection wasn't part of the upgrade. The M41D retains the very same protection like any other member of the M41 family of tanks, other than the addition of side skirts. The protection all-round is not enough to protect the tank from any shells found at the rank, autocannons are also a deadly foe for the M41D as they can penetrate it with ease. Since it is a light tank in nature, the crew is also cramped into a confined space, any penetration from shells with explosive filler or large-calibre HE shells means a very quick demise for the crew.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Upper'' 31.7 mm (45°) ''Lower''
| 25.4 mm ''Front'' 19 mm ''Back'' || 12.7 mm (58°) ''Top'' 19 mm (32 - 37°) ''Bottom''
| 10 - 19 mm
|-
| Turret || 25.4 mm ''Turret front'' 31.7 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 19 mm
|-
| Cupola || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 5 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Tracks and suspension wheels are 15 mm thick

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

For upgrades in terms of mobility, most vehicles would go for higher power output from the engine or replacing the transmission system.

The upgrade for M41D did neither. ROCA decided to downgrade the original 500 hp Continental AOS 895-3 petrol engine to a Detroit Diesel 8V-71T engine for better fuel economy and torque. The statistic that matters the most is the engine output, and after downgrading the engine, the M41D can barely reach 50 km/h on road, let alone reached the claimed 72 km/h top speed. Handling is still identical, oddly, to the original M41.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=697|rbMinHp=398|rbReverseSpeed=18.2|abReverseSpeed=20.2}}

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

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

{{main|M32K1 (76 mm)}}

The M32K1 cannon on M41D, to a certain extent, is the very first tank cannon made in Republic of China. Based on the original M32 76 mm gun found on other M41s, it can fire HEATFS, HE, APFSDS and smoke shells. It comes with a 2nd generation Texas Instruments TVD and a laser rangefinder which boosts the tank's search-and-destroy capabilities, though it has no stabilizer of any form, so firing accurately on the move is virtually impossible.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M32K1 (76 mm)|76 mm M32K1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 65 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The stock shell is M496 HEATFS, which is the top shell for the German M41 and US T92; at its tier, it can handle medium tanks it might face, such as M48 Pattons or Soviet T-54/T-62 series. It might still need careful shots when facing any Cold War heavy tanks like T-10M; some other heavies can be penetrated up front, but the damage might be minimal.

The other stock shell, M352 HE, can be neglected as a means to knock out any tanks at all, it doesn't have enough explosive mass to even trigger overpressure against most targets. It might be sufficient for vehicles with open combat compartment, but anything that is thicker than a sheet of steel or aluminium more than half an inch (12.7 mm) can stop this shell with ease.

The M464 APFSDS serving as the M41D's top shell is another story. It is still the go-to ammunition for M41Ds in service, this dart imported from Israel can penetrate 280 mm of armour at point blank range, which does fit ROCA's requirement to penetrate PLAGF's masses of ZTZ59s; and many tanks at the same BR don't even come with any darts; which means M41D can finally handle most tanks it might face at similar BR.

The M361 smoke shell also comes available to M41D, serving as a long-range option to blind enemies or cover your team's movement.

{{:M32K1 (76 mm)/Ammunition|M496 shell, M352 shell, M361, M464}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''65''' || 33 ''(+32)'' || 12 ''(+53)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 3 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 11 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 1 - 2.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 and 2 into rack 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
* Although having the minimal survivability of a light tank, it is still suggested to bring only 12 rounds as the standby ammo; in case of concerns over missed shots or non-lethal shots on enemies, bring 32 shells at most, which will be located in the lower hull by the center mass.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M240 (7.62 mm)}}

The M41D retains the same M2HB as its anti-air machine gun; all the characteristics for the machine gun itself are identical to any other M2HB as well. It can be good for handling lightly armoured APCs, IFVs or SPAAGs; it is also a good for gunning down early helicopters with very limited protection in this BR range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,200 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
The M240 coaxial machine gun is only good for gunning down exposed crew of vehicles and marking enemies, alternatively as a makeshift rangefinder before the laser rangefinder becomes available.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M240 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M240]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,000 (200) || 941 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M41D may be one of the most challenging light tanks at this tier, perhaps even among other non-stabilized light tanks in-game; however, taking a less aggressive approach can ensure that it can at least contribute to the team by harassing or crippling enemies, helping the team to advance.

==== Harassing enemies ====
Players should remember one thing for the M41D in general: it is a light tank and never designed for head-on assaults against masses of enemies. Some inferior features of the M41D also make it a struggle to grind through the basic equipment for survivability, notably the underpowered engine and rather wobbly main cannon; players who are already used to the PLAGF's Type 69 or PTL02 with stabilizers will have to adapt a completely new doctrine. The M41D has neither the armour of the former or the crisp clear TVD of the latter, but it does have the best gun depression of any Chinese gun-equipped vehicle at -10° and a rather fast gun traverse speed for its tier. So for any chance to utilize the M41D, remember to never be the first one on the frontline; it's better off staying behind the lines or taking cover near the frontline for the early grind - taking enemies from the sides is much less risky as the stock M496 HEATFS is nowhere close to reliable due to its lesser penetration and calibre to most HEATFS of the tier. Be sure to aim for their gunnery crews or ammunition; although it has a sufficiently fast reload time (7.7 second stock) for a second chance, if it happens that the shell didn't do lethal damage, the M41D is very unlikely survive the retaliatory shot from enemies. And make sure to hide from any aircraft - you could fight back with the pintle-mounted M2HB, but this is more likely to draw their attention to you and they will make sure you will have a bad day from either their cannons or any other explosive ordnances.

Once the thermal sight and laser rangefinder modifications are installed, your life will much be easier as they mean you can finally stay way behind the lines for scouting or harassing enemies thanks to the automatic ballistic solution; only fire once the gun has stabilized since the ballistic solution will still make the gun vibrate. Both the stock M496 and the researchable M464 dart are nowhere near the best shells for quick kills; but careless players or those who showed their sides will be likely to have some trouble finding the flanker. Another note is to pick your targets carefully, "doomsday" heavy tanks and those of the early Cold War will occasionally absorb the damage from the shells, this is especially true for long-range engagements when the shell happens to land on different weld joints on the tank.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The APFSDS round can penetrate most common tanks it will face, like the [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[T-55A|T-55]], or [[M60 (Family)|M60]]
* Gunner thermals allows efficient target searching especially at night, as most other counterparts only have NVD
* Laser rangefinder can quickly target distant foes and provide an automatic ballistic solution
* -10° gun depression means good hull-down and hilly terrain performance
* -18 km/h reverse allows it to retreat from danger quickly
* Smoke grenades and smoke shells allow it to protect itself or blind enemies
* Good gunner optics with 3-10x magnification
* Pretty low tier with a scout UAV

'''Cons:'''

* Cannon is not stabilised, significantly reducing its ability to fire on the move or to shoot first during an encounter against stabilised guns
* APFSDS is not strong enough to penetrate certain well-protected tanks, e.g. [[M48 Super|Object 279]], [[T-55AM-1]]
* The small calibre of the main gun results in frustratingly little spalling/post penetration damage
* Mobility can become rather sluggish on soft surfaces like mud
* Somewhat tall profile, worsening its concealment
* Poor survivability. Can be easily penetrated by autocannons, or destroyed by cannons and missiles with overpressure

== History ==

The ROCA, after their retreat to the island of Taiwan, used various imported tanks from different military aids, mostly US-built tanks such as earlier [[M24 (China)|M24 Chaffee]] and some [[M18 (China)|M18 GMC]]. Since 1958, during the heat of 1st Taiwan Strait Crisis, ROCA purchased 700 [[M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)|M41A1/A2 Walker Bulldogs]] and 300 [[M48A1 (China)|M48A1s]] to strengthen their defences in case the turmoil intensified into all-out warfare; these tanks replaced the older tanks in different armoured units. In 1975 (ROC Year 64，民國64年), ROCA started to reproduce a complete hull of M41, with some efforts made to reproduce the gun as well, the reverse-engineered light tank was first named Type 64 Light Tank (國造64式輕戰車) then renamed Type 65 Light tank (國造65式輕戰車) to avoid confusion with [[M64|the other Type 64 (M64)]]. While the tank didn't go into mass production, it gave ROCA the chance to build a domestic tank and some designs were retained for further use.

Later, in the 1980s and 1990s, ROCA decided to opt for a NATO retrofit of their M41s, after a long shot plan to buy the new [[XM8|M8 AGS]] to replace the fleet was scrapped due to budget issues.

The idea for M41D started during the 2nd Taiwan Strait Crisis. In view of aggressive PLA exercises aimed to protest against the talks given by the new ROC government, ROCA was in dire need for an overhaul upgrade of the M41 against possible landing operations from PLANMC, along with the insufficient amount of [[CM11]] and [[M60A3 TTS (China)|M60A3 TTS]] on hand.

=== The M41"D" upgrade ===
The M41 light tank improvement project mainly focused on night vision/fire control system and the adaptation of the diesel engine. Two corporations participated in the M41 tank improvement project and 2 prototype vehicles were built and tested. The prototype No. 1 was equipped with a Texas Instruments (TI) CVTTS night vision FCS and a 4-stroke VTA-903TR diesel engine produced by Cummins company, No. 2 vehicle is equipped with the 'M41 tank night vision fire control system' of the domestic Kunyi company and a two-stroke 8V-71T diesel engine produced by Napco company (the letter D of M41D stands for diesel engine modification).

After the bids for the improvements were determined, the first M41D prototype was composed of the chassis of the No. 2 prototype and the turret of the No. 1. The assembly took about a week and cost about NT$20 million to transform a regular M41 into M41D. Only 50 M41D were modified as the first batch due to insufficient funding, but the budget was expected to increase in the future.

The original M32A1 cannon was replaced with a M32K1 gun produced by Joint Logistics Command. The new cannon slightly enlarged the original cylindrical smoke evacuator and moved it backward 44 cm, while the original T-shaped muzzle brake was removed, and a pepper-pot type depressor was installed.

Although the calibre of the M32K1 cannon remained 76 mm, it could fire the high-pressure M464 APFSDS due to the self-tightening design of the cannon, and the muzzle velocity of the projectile could reach 1,433 m/s. The new ammunition could penetrate the frontal armour of Type 59 and Type 69 MBTs that the Communist forces equipped at that time. The M41D light tank was planned to be assigned to the armoured cavalry, the main task of which was to perform search, alert, and cover tasks on the battlefield, or to sweep the beach and annihilate the enemy's lightly armed forces during the initial stage of the enemy's landing, instead of engaging the heavy armour face-to-face. So the new main gun of the M41D tank should be sufficient for future missions.

The CVTTS (Combat Vehicle Thermal Targeting System) night vision FCS equipped by the M41D light tank could identify the enemy and aim at a target from 1,000 m away at night. In addition, a periscope in front of the driver's seat was modified with Starlight night vision goggles to facilitate night driving. The original mechanical ballistic compensator was converted to a digital ballistic computer; the optical rangefinder was also replaced with a laser rangefinder.

M41D employed a two-stroke DDC 8V-71T diesel engine, the maximum net output of which was 450 hp and the maximum net torque was 806 ft/lb. As the new diesel engine was more fuel-efficient than the original gasoline one, while the fuel capacity was increased from the original 530L to 760L, the maximum cruising range was greatly increased from the original 160 km to 450 km. The 8V-71T diesel engine of the M41D can also be found in the M108, M109, M110, and other self-propelled artillery vehicles in the ROCA, which helped to reduce pressure on logistics.

The original Allison CD500 gearbox of M41 was replaced, and the improvement in the suspension system lay in the replacement of a new torsion bar produced by Joint Logistics Command. Thus, the general manoeuvrability of the M41D tank was greatly improved compared with the original M41A series.

=== M41D in ROCA service ===
The Ministry of National Defence passed a 20 billion NTD budget for emergency upgrades of existing equipment, where 400 M41A1/A2s with better hull condition would undergo the new M41D upgrade program; after more M60A3 TTS were delivered to ROCA, the whole program shrunk to a 1.2 billion NTD budget and only 50 of these Walker Bulldogs were upgraded into M41D. 6 out of the 50 upgraded tanks were retained at military academies, the remaining ones were deployed on Kinmen Island just off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian; the closest Nationalist-controlled area to Mainland China. Later military reforms decided to have them return to the main island and serve in different units. A recent fatal incident at Kinmen raised concerns as to whether the remaining few M41A2s were safe enough for training, let alone fighting the now-modernized PLA with masses of MBTs. Around 20 M41Ds returned to Kinmen and replaced these old tanks, after the decommission ceremony of the remaining M41A in ROCA on 2022/2/25, the remaining M41Ds have to struggle until the new CM34 "Project Leopard (獵豹專案)" and M1A2T could eventually replace them.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_m_41d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Research Development Center}}
{{China light tanks}}

Talk:Main Page

2023-12-30T09:40:50Z

U120654901: /* Tank vertical drive，max speed and weight */

== '''Important information:''' ==
{{Notice|'''Please do not add anything: to any tech tree tables, when updates happen.''' Not because we don't want you to, because every time a change happens. It indirectly changes some important information which you can't see - Thus causes the table updates to be delayed, which isn't what anyone wants. - So please do not change, add images or pages which relate to any update. Have a great day! War Thunder: Wiki Team }}



== ==
Stay tuned we have some big news coming soon! - we are sure you are going like it! [[User:U1619975|U1619975]] ([[User talk:U1619975|talk]])

== date ==
''Wiki news 30.Jan.2018'' 
The year is 2019.--[[User:U30585107|U30585107]] ([[User talk:U30585107|talk]]) 06:49, 31 January 2019 (MSK)
:Dont'cha know? We time-traveling 2-OP's now. (Fixed) -[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 07:26, 31 January 2019 (MSK)

==Images==
I have a question: Is there a set way/schedule that we are obtaining pictures for vehicles, is it actively being done? I have a bunch of the previous ones from the older version of the wiki, used them for myself. Being that Im a PS4 player, I would gladly do it if I had the resources (if I can get it working on my laptop.) Or should I disregard that and wait? --[[User:U30853183|U30853183]] ([[User talk:U30853183|talk]]) 16:21, 20 February 2019 (UTC) '''Remove this when finished'''
:There is no schedule or active project at the moment regarding the pictures of vehicles. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 16:25, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
::Then I shall see what I can do in regards to the pictures--[[User:U30853183|U30853183]] ([[User talk:U30853183|talk]]) 16:43, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

== I can´t buy GE with my Steam acc! ==

I tried today to buy some GE with my Steam acc but for some reason it didnt work.Can anyone help me?
: Hello, please consult [https://support.gaijin.net/hc/en-us/articles/200069881-How-To-Purchase-Eagles- this page] to see if you are doing it correctly. If so and it is still not working, please contact [https://support.gaijin.net/hc/en-us Gaijin support]. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 06:51, 27 May 2019 (UTC)

==Specs-Card==
I noticed in-game that the Specs-Card for the Sherman IC "Scorpion" now has the Polish flag rather than the British one. I would change it on here myself but I dont know how. Just giving you a heads up if someone could do it, or show me how (my main problem is trying to access the specs cards themselves)--[[User:U30853183|U30853183]] ([[User talk:U30853183|talk]]) 05:21, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
:(oops, somehow this got deleted): I will try to bring this up and see if it is possible to adapt the spec-cards to the new flag images. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 06:21, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
:*I don't believe there is a way for you to change the data on the Specs-Card (to include which flag icon is displayed). The Specs-Card is a set of parsers and switches which all tie back to the vehicle code (<nowiki>uk_sherman_ic_firefly</nowiki>). All of the linked data exists on a database outside of the reach of us wiki editors/moderators. Sometimes data in-game changes and the wiki lags behind in updating some of those changes. That which we can change we do (thanks to you guys!), unfortunately, other data we have to wait for the Gaijin magic to make changes on the back end. - [[User:U64962917|U64962917]] ([[User talk:U64962917|talk]]) 10:50, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
::It shouldn't be possible for the polish flag to show up. There has to be a picture on with wiki with the formate File:countryname_flag.png. The only flags available are [https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?search=flag.png&title=Special%3ASearch&profile=advanced&fulltext=1&ns6=1 these]--[[User:U30585107|U30585107]] ([[User talk:U30585107|talk]]) 14:15, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
::*I believe there are separate teams working on the in-game stat cards and the wiki stat cards, things will get rolled out in-game before the in the wiki. Many things like the flag icons will be rolled out on the .ru wiki and then copied to ours. The .ru moderators will need to add the image and update the stat card template to reflect the option for the Polish flag on the .ru wiki and then it will be updated on ours soon after (hopefully soon after, depends on what fires they are having to put out). - [[User:U64962917|U64962917]] ([[User talk:U64962917|talk]]) 14:37, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
:::Oh wait I misread the question. I dunno why but I though he said the wiki card somehow had the polish flag not the ingame one.
:To answer the original question, the flags in Specs-Card is currently tied to the vehicle tree country. So all vehicles in a tech tree have the same flag. For example the entire Japanese tech tree has the postwar Japan flag. The Russian Wiki guys would need to add a new 'flag' parameter to the Specs database and adjust Specs-Card to use that parameter.--[[User:U30585107|U30585107]] ([[User talk:U30585107|talk]]) 16:10, 11 July 2019 (UTC)

== can we do something about the search function? ==

It's so bad that it's practically useless. I write panzer 2 in the search field, and the first result is the sd. Kfz. 234/2. No sign of the panzer 2 on the first page. It seems to take into account the CSS code of the page, which is.. perplexing to say the least.

Hello The search function is working, i have just tested it. Please clear your cookies and cache, If that still does not work for you. Please [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/forum/909-war-thunder-wikipedia/&ct=1567683350 Click here] Make a post, list your browser + version you are using, and explain the full process you do on how you perform the search. So we can further investigate this. Kindest Regards --[[User:U1619975|U1619975]] ([[User talk:U1619975|talk]]) 11:41, 5 September 2019 (UTC)

:The issue with your search is that it is searching for the most occurrences of "panzer" and "2". Most pages referring to the panzer 2 on the wiki refer to it by its shortened name Pz. so none of those pages will be found. Since we use "Pz." instead of "panzer", there are basically no pages with "panzer" so you are basically looking for the page with the most occurrences of "2". If you want to improve your search results you can either use "Pz." or search "panzer 2" in quotes. You can find more details on how searching on the wiki works [[mw:Help:searching|here]]. --[[User:U30585107|U30585107]] ([[User talk:U30585107|talk]]) 12:36, 5 September 2019 (UTC)
:: The usage of roman numerals in the Panzer names (Pz. II, Pz. III, etc.) probably doesn't help at all with "Panzer 2" being able to find "Panzer II". However, as BlastedRyan said, you would have to use the shortened "Pz." in place of "Panzer" to find the desired tanks.--[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 15:23, 5 September 2019 (UTC)
::: Is it maybe worth creating a few redirect pages for the Panzer series?
:::: I'd say it's definitely worth it. It's a chore to have to remember the nomenclature for each vehicle, which kinda defeats the purpose of a search bar, which is to help you get to the page you want in as few inputs as possible. --[[User:U19353526|U19353526]] ([[User talk:U19353526|talk]]) 20:18, 9 September 2019 (UTC)
::::: We are currently working on some ideas, to improve this, based on this feedback! it's really great you are leaving feedback. We hope you have a great day! --[[User:U1619975|U1619975]] ([[User talk:U1619975|talk]]) 21:35, 9 September 2019 (UTC)

== Add tutorials ==

Shouldn't we have pages about tutorials for certain situations, like flying with one wing, and dealing with multiple enemies at once ETC? [[User:U56907291|U56907291]] ([[User talk:U56907291|talk]]) 16:23, 10 January 2020 (UTC)
: Each plane has their own unique handling characteristics so it makes it kind of hard to make one general page that can encompass every flight characteristics and models present. As such, if they exist, these details have been constrained to within the vehicle page in question. However, I would not begrudge the drafting of such specific pages for the situations, as we do have pages regarding aerobatic maneuvres like Boom-n-Zoom so these specific instructional pages are not forbidden (just needs approval). --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 16:43, 10 January 2020 (UTC)

==Decals==
Question for the moderators or anyone whom this applies: Do you think we should add a page that has all the decals that can be found in the game. There are many so it would take a while, but seeing as this wiki has separate pages for armaments at this point (well, in the works at least, I know there is still much to be done), I don't see why a decal compilation area could be created. Further beyond from that, perhaps there could be small excerpts or pages for each decal explaining its significance if it applies (historical or fictional)--[[User:U30853183|U30853183]] ([[User talk:U30853183|talk]]) 23:20, 22 May 2020 (UTC)
: A Decals page is permissible. There are just other priorities at the moment that decals haven't been looked into yet. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 07:33, 23 May 2020 (UTC)

== Rank 4 US tank repair cost ==

I just want to know why U.S rank 4 heavy tanks have such a high repair cost (9,400-10,000 sl) while German heavy tanks cost about 3-4,000 sl to repair. This is bad because everyone playing U.S is light tank only so its hard to win when everyone is one shot. It's not even like U.S heavies of this rank are good, they get ammo racked no matter how little ammo u carry plus the long reload. --[[User:U75486897|U75486897]] ([[User talk:U75486897|talk]]) 21:42, 14 October 2020‎ (UTC)

== Broken squad system ==

With the newest update 30th of 10th 2020, the squad system was changed but there is a single problem when trying to invite a friend it says that "you are not squad leader" now normally I wouldn't reprimand the gaijin team for this kind of stuff as it was not a functional mistake but this time around my whole friends list and squadron was unable to invite anyone and I do not know the prerequisite to be a squad leader or how to even find it. Gaijin what the hell did you do? I and every single of the 46 people I play with hate this new system I can only imagine how many people are complaining about this as you read this
I have tried to look for help but you guys do not update your help section or you information in the posts its simply disgraceful and a shame to all the people who cannot play with their friends now thank you very much! --[[User:U50694601|U50694601]] ([[User talk:U50694601|talk]]) 05:17, 31 October 2020‎ (UTC)
: Hello, according to the this ''[[wt:en/news/6921-squads-are-temporarily-unavailable-en|announcement]]'', the squads functionality had been temporarily disabled due to technical issues and is planned to be restored tomorrow (October 31st). --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 06:40, 31 October 2020 (UTC)

== WSP info ==

So, does anyone know when the team for the Wiki Share program usually replies? I did my app. a few days ago. Any info? -WentTo_Bruv 12/25/20

== Suggestion: More detailed reload times. ==

I'd like to suggest that the information about reload times be expanded to include reloading under non-ideal circumstances, for instance for many tanks, if the loader is knocked out, it takes longer to reload the gun, it would also be useful to detail reload times when the ammo in the first stage ammo racks have been spent or if loader is knocked out and the ammo on the first stage is also spent, and it would also be good to write the time it takes for the loader to replenish a round onto the ready rack, i personally believe that this kind of information would be quite useful for people who wish to have more of an idea of how their vehicle performs as it faces combat.

==Nakajima G10N==

This is a japanese super heavy bomber. The Nakajima G10N Fugaku was a planned Japanese ultra-long-range heavy bomber designed during World War II. It was conceived as a method for mounting aerial attacks from Japan against industrial targets along the west coast and in the Midwest and the northeast the United States. Japan's worsening war situation resulted in the project's cancellation in 1944 and no prototype was ever built.
Here is the Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_G10N
Japan doesnt have a good heavy bomber with good bomb loads. In my opinion I whould put it at a Br. of 5.3-6.3.
Sorry for my bad english Gaijin Entertainment. Its hard for a hungarian boy.

Thank you for reading my suggestion.
Here is also a video about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ1ZZBDrU-A&ab_channel=War%26History --[[User:U65528830|U65528830]] ([[User talk:U65528830|talk]]) 15:30, 6 March 2022 (UTC)
: Hello. Thank you for your suggestion. However, this Wiki is not the place for that, nor will there be much action happening if posted here. Please send game suggestions to the War Thunder Forums (relevant section [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/forum/611-suggestions/ here]). --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 17:09, 6 March 2022 (UTC)

Oh... Okay, thank you for telling me.

== Organized Communication ==

Is there a discord or a means of organized communication? I have many articles I want to create just want to talk to people regarding it, might need some assistance. --[[User:U43710362|U43710362]] ([[User talk:U43710362|talk]]) 03:13, 12 February 2023‎ (UTC)
: You can reach out to me on the [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/profile/597011-inceptor57/ War Thunder forums] with your questions. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 03:19, 12 February 2023 (UTC)

== No articles about Warthunder ost? ==

Is there any specific reason there isn't even a single article about the soundtrack of the game? --[[User:U103446284|U103446284]] ([[User talk:U103446284|talk]]) 10:27, 13 July 2023 (UTC)
: All information about the OST is available here: https://warthunder.com/en/soundtrack/ --[[User:U44629479|U44629479]] ([[User talk:U44629479|talk]]) 17:41, 13 July 2023 (UTC)

== Tank vertical drive，max speed and weight ==

Is there any chance to show tank vertical drive data? I think it's as much important as horizontal drive. Maybe correct tank max speed and weight data too? Some of the data isn't correct to 1 decimal places. --[[User:U120654901|U120654901]] ([[User talk:U120654901|talk]]) 09:40, 30 December 2023 (UTC)

Talk:Main Page

2023-12-30T09:38:16Z

U120654901: /* Tank vertical drive，max speed and weight */ new section

== '''Important information:''' ==
{{Notice|'''Please do not add anything: to any tech tree tables, when updates happen.''' Not because we don't want you to, because every time a change happens. It indirectly changes some important information which you can't see - Thus causes the table updates to be delayed, which isn't what anyone wants. - So please do not change, add images or pages which relate to any update. Have a great day! War Thunder: Wiki Team }}



== ==
Stay tuned we have some big news coming soon! - we are sure you are going like it! [[User:U1619975|U1619975]] ([[User talk:U1619975|talk]])

== date ==
''Wiki news 30.Jan.2018'' 
The year is 2019.--[[User:U30585107|U30585107]] ([[User talk:U30585107|talk]]) 06:49, 31 January 2019 (MSK)
:Dont'cha know? We time-traveling 2-OP's now. (Fixed) -[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 07:26, 31 January 2019 (MSK)

==Images==
I have a question: Is there a set way/schedule that we are obtaining pictures for vehicles, is it actively being done? I have a bunch of the previous ones from the older version of the wiki, used them for myself. Being that Im a PS4 player, I would gladly do it if I had the resources (if I can get it working on my laptop.) Or should I disregard that and wait? --[[User:U30853183|U30853183]] ([[User talk:U30853183|talk]]) 16:21, 20 February 2019 (UTC) '''Remove this when finished'''
:There is no schedule or active project at the moment regarding the pictures of vehicles. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 16:25, 20 February 2019 (UTC)
::Then I shall see what I can do in regards to the pictures--[[User:U30853183|U30853183]] ([[User talk:U30853183|talk]]) 16:43, 20 February 2019 (UTC)

== I can´t buy GE with my Steam acc! ==

I tried today to buy some GE with my Steam acc but for some reason it didnt work.Can anyone help me?
: Hello, please consult [https://support.gaijin.net/hc/en-us/articles/200069881-How-To-Purchase-Eagles- this page] to see if you are doing it correctly. If so and it is still not working, please contact [https://support.gaijin.net/hc/en-us Gaijin support]. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 06:51, 27 May 2019 (UTC)

==Specs-Card==
I noticed in-game that the Specs-Card for the Sherman IC "Scorpion" now has the Polish flag rather than the British one. I would change it on here myself but I dont know how. Just giving you a heads up if someone could do it, or show me how (my main problem is trying to access the specs cards themselves)--[[User:U30853183|U30853183]] ([[User talk:U30853183|talk]]) 05:21, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
:(oops, somehow this got deleted): I will try to bring this up and see if it is possible to adapt the spec-cards to the new flag images. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 06:21, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
:*I don't believe there is a way for you to change the data on the Specs-Card (to include which flag icon is displayed). The Specs-Card is a set of parsers and switches which all tie back to the vehicle code (<nowiki>uk_sherman_ic_firefly</nowiki>). All of the linked data exists on a database outside of the reach of us wiki editors/moderators. Sometimes data in-game changes and the wiki lags behind in updating some of those changes. That which we can change we do (thanks to you guys!), unfortunately, other data we have to wait for the Gaijin magic to make changes on the back end. - [[User:U64962917|U64962917]] ([[User talk:U64962917|talk]]) 10:50, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
::It shouldn't be possible for the polish flag to show up. There has to be a picture on with wiki with the formate File:countryname_flag.png. The only flags available are [https://wiki.warthunder.com/index.php?search=flag.png&title=Special%3ASearch&profile=advanced&fulltext=1&ns6=1 these]--[[User:U30585107|U30585107]] ([[User talk:U30585107|talk]]) 14:15, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
::*I believe there are separate teams working on the in-game stat cards and the wiki stat cards, things will get rolled out in-game before the in the wiki. Many things like the flag icons will be rolled out on the .ru wiki and then copied to ours. The .ru moderators will need to add the image and update the stat card template to reflect the option for the Polish flag on the .ru wiki and then it will be updated on ours soon after (hopefully soon after, depends on what fires they are having to put out). - [[User:U64962917|U64962917]] ([[User talk:U64962917|talk]]) 14:37, 11 July 2019 (UTC)
:::Oh wait I misread the question. I dunno why but I though he said the wiki card somehow had the polish flag not the ingame one.
:To answer the original question, the flags in Specs-Card is currently tied to the vehicle tree country. So all vehicles in a tech tree have the same flag. For example the entire Japanese tech tree has the postwar Japan flag. The Russian Wiki guys would need to add a new 'flag' parameter to the Specs database and adjust Specs-Card to use that parameter.--[[User:U30585107|U30585107]] ([[User talk:U30585107|talk]]) 16:10, 11 July 2019 (UTC)

== can we do something about the search function? ==

It's so bad that it's practically useless. I write panzer 2 in the search field, and the first result is the sd. Kfz. 234/2. No sign of the panzer 2 on the first page. It seems to take into account the CSS code of the page, which is.. perplexing to say the least.

Hello The search function is working, i have just tested it. Please clear your cookies and cache, If that still does not work for you. Please [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/forum/909-war-thunder-wikipedia/&ct=1567683350 Click here] Make a post, list your browser + version you are using, and explain the full process you do on how you perform the search. So we can further investigate this. Kindest Regards --[[User:U1619975|U1619975]] ([[User talk:U1619975|talk]]) 11:41, 5 September 2019 (UTC)

:The issue with your search is that it is searching for the most occurrences of "panzer" and "2". Most pages referring to the panzer 2 on the wiki refer to it by its shortened name Pz. so none of those pages will be found. Since we use "Pz." instead of "panzer", there are basically no pages with "panzer" so you are basically looking for the page with the most occurrences of "2". If you want to improve your search results you can either use "Pz." or search "panzer 2" in quotes. You can find more details on how searching on the wiki works [[mw:Help:searching|here]]. --[[User:U30585107|U30585107]] ([[User talk:U30585107|talk]]) 12:36, 5 September 2019 (UTC)
:: The usage of roman numerals in the Panzer names (Pz. II, Pz. III, etc.) probably doesn't help at all with "Panzer 2" being able to find "Panzer II". However, as BlastedRyan said, you would have to use the shortened "Pz." in place of "Panzer" to find the desired tanks.--[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 15:23, 5 September 2019 (UTC)
::: Is it maybe worth creating a few redirect pages for the Panzer series?
:::: I'd say it's definitely worth it. It's a chore to have to remember the nomenclature for each vehicle, which kinda defeats the purpose of a search bar, which is to help you get to the page you want in as few inputs as possible. --[[User:U19353526|U19353526]] ([[User talk:U19353526|talk]]) 20:18, 9 September 2019 (UTC)
::::: We are currently working on some ideas, to improve this, based on this feedback! it's really great you are leaving feedback. We hope you have a great day! --[[User:U1619975|U1619975]] ([[User talk:U1619975|talk]]) 21:35, 9 September 2019 (UTC)

== Add tutorials ==

Shouldn't we have pages about tutorials for certain situations, like flying with one wing, and dealing with multiple enemies at once ETC? [[User:U56907291|U56907291]] ([[User talk:U56907291|talk]]) 16:23, 10 January 2020 (UTC)
: Each plane has their own unique handling characteristics so it makes it kind of hard to make one general page that can encompass every flight characteristics and models present. As such, if they exist, these details have been constrained to within the vehicle page in question. However, I would not begrudge the drafting of such specific pages for the situations, as we do have pages regarding aerobatic maneuvres like Boom-n-Zoom so these specific instructional pages are not forbidden (just needs approval). --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 16:43, 10 January 2020 (UTC)

==Decals==
Question for the moderators or anyone whom this applies: Do you think we should add a page that has all the decals that can be found in the game. There are many so it would take a while, but seeing as this wiki has separate pages for armaments at this point (well, in the works at least, I know there is still much to be done), I don't see why a decal compilation area could be created. Further beyond from that, perhaps there could be small excerpts or pages for each decal explaining its significance if it applies (historical or fictional)--[[User:U30853183|U30853183]] ([[User talk:U30853183|talk]]) 23:20, 22 May 2020 (UTC)
: A Decals page is permissible. There are just other priorities at the moment that decals haven't been looked into yet. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 07:33, 23 May 2020 (UTC)

== Rank 4 US tank repair cost ==

I just want to know why U.S rank 4 heavy tanks have such a high repair cost (9,400-10,000 sl) while German heavy tanks cost about 3-4,000 sl to repair. This is bad because everyone playing U.S is light tank only so its hard to win when everyone is one shot. It's not even like U.S heavies of this rank are good, they get ammo racked no matter how little ammo u carry plus the long reload. --[[User:U75486897|U75486897]] ([[User talk:U75486897|talk]]) 21:42, 14 October 2020‎ (UTC)

== Broken squad system ==

With the newest update 30th of 10th 2020, the squad system was changed but there is a single problem when trying to invite a friend it says that "you are not squad leader" now normally I wouldn't reprimand the gaijin team for this kind of stuff as it was not a functional mistake but this time around my whole friends list and squadron was unable to invite anyone and I do not know the prerequisite to be a squad leader or how to even find it. Gaijin what the hell did you do? I and every single of the 46 people I play with hate this new system I can only imagine how many people are complaining about this as you read this
I have tried to look for help but you guys do not update your help section or you information in the posts its simply disgraceful and a shame to all the people who cannot play with their friends now thank you very much! --[[User:U50694601|U50694601]] ([[User talk:U50694601|talk]]) 05:17, 31 October 2020‎ (UTC)
: Hello, according to the this ''[[wt:en/news/6921-squads-are-temporarily-unavailable-en|announcement]]'', the squads functionality had been temporarily disabled due to technical issues and is planned to be restored tomorrow (October 31st). --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 06:40, 31 October 2020 (UTC)

== WSP info ==

So, does anyone know when the team for the Wiki Share program usually replies? I did my app. a few days ago. Any info? -WentTo_Bruv 12/25/20

== Suggestion: More detailed reload times. ==

I'd like to suggest that the information about reload times be expanded to include reloading under non-ideal circumstances, for instance for many tanks, if the loader is knocked out, it takes longer to reload the gun, it would also be useful to detail reload times when the ammo in the first stage ammo racks have been spent or if loader is knocked out and the ammo on the first stage is also spent, and it would also be good to write the time it takes for the loader to replenish a round onto the ready rack, i personally believe that this kind of information would be quite useful for people who wish to have more of an idea of how their vehicle performs as it faces combat.

==Nakajima G10N==

This is a japanese super heavy bomber. The Nakajima G10N Fugaku was a planned Japanese ultra-long-range heavy bomber designed during World War II. It was conceived as a method for mounting aerial attacks from Japan against industrial targets along the west coast and in the Midwest and the northeast the United States. Japan's worsening war situation resulted in the project's cancellation in 1944 and no prototype was ever built.
Here is the Wikipedia page: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Nakajima_G10N
Japan doesnt have a good heavy bomber with good bomb loads. In my opinion I whould put it at a Br. of 5.3-6.3.
Sorry for my bad english Gaijin Entertainment. Its hard for a hungarian boy.

Thank you for reading my suggestion.
Here is also a video about it:
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=DZ1ZZBDrU-A&ab_channel=War%26History --[[User:U65528830|U65528830]] ([[User talk:U65528830|talk]]) 15:30, 6 March 2022 (UTC)
: Hello. Thank you for your suggestion. However, this Wiki is not the place for that, nor will there be much action happening if posted here. Please send game suggestions to the War Thunder Forums (relevant section [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/forum/611-suggestions/ here]). --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 17:09, 6 March 2022 (UTC)

Oh... Okay, thank you for telling me.

== Organized Communication ==

Is there a discord or a means of organized communication? I have many articles I want to create just want to talk to people regarding it, might need some assistance. --[[User:U43710362|U43710362]] ([[User talk:U43710362|talk]]) 03:13, 12 February 2023‎ (UTC)
: You can reach out to me on the [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/profile/597011-inceptor57/ War Thunder forums] with your questions. --[[User:U28580205|U28580205]] ([[User talk:U28580205|talk]]) 03:19, 12 February 2023 (UTC)

== No articles about Warthunder ost? ==

Is there any specific reason there isn't even a single article about the soundtrack of the game? --[[User:U103446284|U103446284]] ([[User talk:U103446284|talk]]) 10:27, 13 July 2023 (UTC)
: All information about the OST is available here: https://warthunder.com/en/soundtrack/ --[[User:U44629479|U44629479]] ([[User talk:U44629479|talk]]) 17:41, 13 July 2023 (UTC)

== Tank vertical drive，max speed and weight ==

Is there any chance to show tank vertical drive data? I think it's as much important as horizontal drive.
Maybe correct tank max speed and weight data too? Some of the data isn't correct to 1 decimal places.

T-80BVM

2023-10-03T01:08:39Z

U120654901: correct vehicle weight

{{About
| about = Russian medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = T-80 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_80bvm
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Object 219RV-M) is the current spearhead of the Russian Army as the T-80BV upgraded in the late 2010s by Omsktransmash. The idea for such upgrade was likely based on the other latest MBT of Russian Army, the T-90M, which was first shown in the early 2010s as the future baseline of T-90 tanks with improved FCS, gun-laying motors, and new gun system compatible with new ammunition. In the T-80BVM's case, all front-side ERA is replaced by new Relikt ERA with better overall protection and it now shares the similar, arrowhead design of ERA placement as the T-72B3, while the sides were covered by 4S24 ERA packages (for more recent productions). The gun system is also revised to fit the latest Russian ammunition, new full-electric gun laying motors to update the tank to latest MBT standards, new French-based/domestic TVD gun sights, as well as replacing the original gas turbine engine with the higher output GTD-1250 from T-80U. Since 2018, the new T-80BVM has become the new standard for the remaining fleet of T-80BV in Russian arsenal and one of the icons of Russian Army in the 2020s.

Introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]], the T-80BVM is a significantly upgraded [[T-80B]]. Although the T-80B is an older variant than the previous [[T-80U]], this upgrade package is more than enough to bring it to par. Distinctive arrays of third-generation "Relikt" ERA offer high protection against both chemical and kinetic rounds, the gun can now fire top-notch 3BM60 "Svinets" APFSDS and 9M119M1 "Refleks" ATGMs with improved handling, and the engine has been upgraded to the T-80U's 1,250 horsepower. The T-80BVM once again achieves a triple threat of high protection, firepower, and mobility on top of a low profile, making it an excellent capstone for the T-64/T-80 line.

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

The armour protection of the T-80BVM is one of the best, especially if the incoming round hits one of the Relikt ERA plates which are twice as effective as Kontakt-5 against kinetic projectiles (meaning that the Leopard 2A6, one of the most dangerous opponents, cannot easily penetrate the UFP). The strongest parts of the tank are the turret front and a majority of the upper front plate. It does, however, have some weaker areas, the most important being the driver's hatch, the immediate areas of the turret surrounding the gun and its breech, and its lower frontal plate. These weak spots are however pretty small targets at range, and thus by hiding them properly, the risk of being hit can be minimized. Owing to its very low profile, a hull-down T-80BVM is a small target in itself; the weaker parts of its armour are even smaller.

Fuel tanks on either side of the driver can soak up some shrapnel and add to the overall survivability. However, as with all Russian auto-loaded MBTs, there are only three crew members so a well-placed shot is capable of causing a crew knock-out. It's also worth noting that the placement of the ammo rack, below the turret in a carousel-style setup, leaves the T-80BVM particularly vulnerable to side shots causing ammunition detonation. The protection of the T-80BVM is very similar to the T-80U in terms of the size and placement of the weak areas. The sides of your tank should always be protected, and when engaging an enemy, your front armour should always be aligned directly towards him to reduce the risks of a shot tearing through your weaker side. The tank does, however, have some Relikt ERA plates on its upper front skirts, meaning that you have some extra protection against KE penetrators, and a lot against chemical shells, until the ERA bricks are detonated (leaving the area vulnerable for another hit).

As mentioned above, the T-80BVM also benefits from the typical low silhouette Russian tankers will be accustomed to, with the vehicle being significantly smaller than its competitors. This allows the T-80BVM to be hidden behind small terrain deformities which other MBTs would otherwise be visible. It's also harder for an enemy tank commander to immediately tell which area is the most vulnerable.

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola, gun mantlet)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (gunner hatch)
* High-hardness rolled armour (hull)
* Rubber-fabric (mudguards)
* Alloy BT-6 (engine roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (68°) || 80 mm ''Top'' 20 mm ''Bottom'' || 50 mm || 20-30 mm
|-
| Turret || Variable thickness ''Turret front'' Variable thickness ''Gun mantlet'' || Variable Thickness || Variable Thickness || 30-45 mm
|-
| Cupola || 80 mm || 80 mm || 80 mm || 45 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Relikt: 20 mm High Hardness Rolled Armour
* Tracks: 20 mm

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

Overall mobility is good, it can easily keep up with most top-tier MBTs.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1937|rbMinHp=1106|AoAweight=1|weight=47}}

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

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

{{main|2A46M-1 (125 mm)}}
The T-80BVM has access to the 2A46M-1 125 mm smoothbore main gun. This gun fires the same ammunition as the previous [[T-64 (Family)|T-64]] and [[T-80 (Family)|T-80]] models but with new projectiles such as the 3BM60 "Svinets-2" APFSDS round and the 9M119M1 "Invar-M" ATGM, a modernized 9M119 "Svir" with a tandem charge and a slightly reduced speed. The T-80BVM has excellent gun handling on par with tanks such as the [[M1A2 Abrams|M1A2]] and [[Leopard 2A6]]. It also has a steady reload rate at 6.5 seconds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A46M-1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 38 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The T-80BVM has access to capable rounds, able to destroy any enemy tank or vehicle it faces at the battle rating. Its most notable round is the powerful 3BM60 "Svinets-2" APFSDS.

'''3BK18M''', HEAT-FS - The 3BK18M is one of the first rounds the T-80BVM has access to, it can be considered a mediocre round for close to medium range as most of the enemies which will be faced will be able to withstand it due to composite armour. However, it is particularly useful when facing light armoured vehicles which are prompt to overpressure (SPAA, light tanks, etc) and useful when facing enemy helicopters as it has enough explosive mass and flight speed to be competitive as last resort. As a hollow charge, it is prompt to detonate mid air due to trees, bushes and fences. This makes the round difficult to use when in long range engagements as some field elements (forage, objects, etc.) may not be rendered and the round's velocity make aiming harder.

'''3OF26''', HE-FS - A familiar and useful stock round of 125 mm gun, the 3OF26 pack big amount of explosive filler that can kill light vehicles and overpressure hull down MBT with precision shots. As a high explosive, it is prompt to detonate mid air due to trees, bushes and fences. Its suitable for close range combat and terrain with less trees and bushes.

'''3BM42, 3BM60''', APFSDS - The T-80BVM has access to 2 types of APFSDS: the 3BM42 and 3BM60. The 3BM42 is a decent round with decent penetration and stopping power. While it lacks penetration to penetrate Leopard 2 tanks, Leclercs or M1A1/2 turret plates, it has enough penetration to hit and cause critical damage in weak spots and side shots. The 3BM60 however, different from the 3BM42, has much more penetration which can penetrate all tanks from all sides (be aware of Leopard 2 turret wedges and firing at M1A2 turret with an obliquity greater than 45°).

'''9M119M1''', ATGM (tandem) - The 9M119M1 is a tandem version of the previously seen 9M119 ATGM. The main upgrade is the tandem charge, everything else remains practically the same with exception of reduction of flight speed.

{{:2A46M-1 (125 mm)/Ammunition|3BK18M, 3OF26, 3BM42, 9M119M1, 3BM60}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''38''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|NSVT (12.7 mm)|PKT (7.62 mm)}}
The 12.7 mm NSVT machine gun, seen on all previous Soviet MBTs, can help take out some lightly armoured vehicles from the side as well as to destroy low-flying aircraft and helicopters.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[NSVT (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm NSVT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 300 (150) || 700 || -5°/+60° || ±180°
|-
|}
The coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun however is lacking against enemy vehicles, it still can mow down some small bushes and fences to provide better view or use it to help pin enemies.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,250 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

==== The "Flying Fortress" on Tracks ====
The T-80 family is known to be the first serial tanks to use gas turbine engines to propel the tank itself, earning its nickname "Flying Tank" and also marked one of its good traits - its mobility. T-80BV retained the same GTD-1000 from the previous B series while BVM upgraded its engine packs to '''GTD-1250''' used on T-80U at higher engine output; not only this migrates the weight problem caused by extra protection and new gun systems, it can still push T-80BVM at up to 70 km/h on road. This might not be the fastest MBT in-game, but the output and power-to-weight ratio ensures T-80BVM will arrive the battle at a relatively fast pace than the T-72 series. The other traits of T-80 series is the overall good protection, especially against HEAT shells; some might even refer the tank as a fortress thanks to all the '''Relikt (Relics)''' ERA packages on the UFP and turret front, the baseline T-80BV has T-80U equivalent base protection while BVM further enhance the protection at average of 780 mm RHAe; this is currently the highest protection among all Russian-era MBTs in-game, tanks at lower tier, especially when stock, will be hopeless against T-80BVM with its lower glacis hidden from sight; the sides are covered by Relikt packages at lesser protection, but once upgraded to the "UBH" packages, the sides will also be covered by the "soft" '''4S24 ERA packages''' extended to the center of the tank which protected the tank even from the sides at angles. While the turret is covered by Relikt as mentioned, the turret is in fact the same design from T-80B with lesser composite armor coverage, oncoming shots will still have the chance to completely disable the turret or the gun. For firepower, the gun is now replaced by the new 2A46M-1 and revised autoloader for new Russian ammunitions including the '''3BM60 APFSDS''' and '''9M119M1 ATGM'''; in most cases, unless T-80BVM runs into [[ZTZ99 (Family)|ZTZ99]] series or [[Strv 122]] series, the selection of both high-velocity APFSDS and tandem ATGM is more than enough to defeat NATO tanks from long distance, which is further enhanced by the new FCS with 3rd generation TVD and sufficient magnification. Sometimes, when players run into a sudden strike, some enemies will leisurely turn their gun onto T-80BVM from the stereotypes of the inferior gun handlings, this problem has been eliminated on T-80BVM thanks to the new electric gun laying motors that could travel up to 40° bi-directional. With these traits, some might even consider T-80BVM as an undefeatable fortress; but there are still some Achilles heels to be exploited with.

A tradition for Warsaw-Pact tanks are the rather poor gun-depression due to the low-profile turret design, at only -5° in this case; it will cause problems at complicated terrains or when the tank is crossing road embankments if players did not traverse the turret fast enough, enemies behind terrains will also take this as an exploit to defeat T-80BVM as the lower glacis is nowhere as protected. Another problem goes to the long-lasting design philosophy; Soviet tankers has referred their crew of 3 as the result of Tri Tankista ''(Three Tankers; a song in 1939)'' since T-64, for a tank with autoloader, 3 tankers are more than enough to engage enemies with even one less crew; but this also means that 2 crew losses equal to a knock-out, this is especially true when the tank was hit from the sides as the tank is rather cramped and the turret crews are parallel to each other. While the carousel autoloader maintained consistent reload rate at around 6.5 seconds, it is also infamous for being the most dangerous part of the tank; any hits on the propellent will very likely cause chain reactions and detonates the remaining propellent, either knocking out the crews right away or in the worst case: jack-in-the-box effect ''(catastrophic kill or k-kill)'' that vaporize the vehicle and sending the turret hundreds of meters away. This further worsen by the relatively slow reverse speed at only 12 km/h as this gives enemies enough time to aim for the lower glacis where the carousel is just behind the driver.

Overall, T-80BVM does fit its purpose to assault enemies at high crossroad speed and higher power-to-weight ratio thanks to its weight, as well as good overall protection and sufficient gun systems; but players would have to be extra careful not exposing the sides to the enemies or keeping the gun operational at all cost - either mistakes will end the service of T-80BVM rather quickly.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Equipped with composite armour and Relikt ERA, protection and survivability is superb from the front, especially against HEAT rounds and when hull down
* UBH upgrade enables increased side protection on the hull and turret
* Access to the powerful 3BM60 APFSDS shell
* Autoloader grants a short and constant reload time
* Most of the rounds are placed in the autoloader which helps the tank stay in active combat longer
* Good mobility
* Good gun handling
* Has 3rd generation thermal sights for the gunner

'''Cons:'''

* While the front is covered with ERA plates, gaps between plates present small weak spots
* A tightly packed crew in a cramped interior means low survivability in case of a successful penetration
* Poor gun depression of -5° due to the low turret height, making it difficult to perform well in hilly terrain
* High risk of ammo rack detonation due to the vertical orientation of propellant charges in the carousel
* Relatively low reverse speed, hard to fall back when flanked or damaged
* Base turret armor can easily be penetrated by the APFSDS rounds it encounters

== History ==

The T-80BVM is a current program for the Russian army in the modernization of Soviet T-80BV tanks to the level of the T-72B3 and T-90M main battle tanks, as well as unification with them. The modernization includes an up-to-date fire control system with a duplicate sight for the commander, and the ability to operate the 9M119 tandem ATGMs, as well as the "Relikt" ERA pack instead of outdated "Kontakt-1". Thanks to the latter, the protection of the vehicle from HEAT and AP projectiles was significantly increased.

The modernization of the T-80BVM takes place at the facilities of the Omsk heavy machinery plant (Omsktransmash) and enter service with units of the marines and motorized infantry of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

''- Taken from [[wt:en/news/7192-development-t-80bvm-era-of-improvements-en|Devblog.]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_80bvm Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|LufGqZTfvoI|'''MBTs with Best Armor''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 05:10 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|X08w5IAydF4|'''The Shooting Range #258''' - ''Round Study'' section at 08:34 discusses how to penetrate the {{PAGENAME}}.|4NPt7dr-fKo|'''The Shooting Range #256''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7192-development-t-80bvm-era-of-improvements-en|[Devblog] T-80BVM: ERA of improvements]]

{{TankManufacturer Kirov}}
{{USSR medium tanks}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Panzer IV/70(A)

2023-08-15T09:50:22Z

U120654901:

{{About
| about = German tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = Panzer IV/70(V)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pz_IV_L70_A
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_PanzerIV70(A).jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|German armoury designation:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 162/1''') is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced as a [[wt:en/news/668--en|premium pack]] in [[Update_1.41#19.06.2014_-_1.41.27.12|Update 1.41.27]] and was removed from the store after the [[wt:en/news/5232-shop-winter-sales-special-bundle-and-gift-certificates-en|2018 Winter sale]]. It was reintroduced in 2018 for [[wt:en/news/5852-special-news-war-thunder-s-birthday-discounts-and-gifts-en|War Thunder's 6th Anniversary]] as a premium purchasable for Golden Eagles {{ge}} and again removed after the [[wt:en/news/7408-news-happy-birthday-war-thunder-en|9th Anniversary Sale]].

The Jadgpanzer IV/70 is an effective anti-tank weapon. It is armed with a 75 mm gun and is very capable of taking out the armour it faces at its rank, with only one shot needed to dispatch them. Taking advantage of its good speed of 40 km/h, head over to sniping locations, and using its good frontal armour at distance, can easily knock out enemy vehicles easily with little danger and risk.

However, the Panzer IV/70 (A), is arguably less effective than its counterpart built by Vomag, the [[Panzer_IV/70(V)|Panzer IV/70(V)]]. The vehicle's tall profile has positive and negative aspects. It means it is more visible, especially at longer ranges. However, it does allow the player to see and shoot over taller obstructions that the Panzer IV/70(V) would be unable to.

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


The IV/70 (A) is strong but has weak armour for the rank. Try to trade blows with most enemy vehicles as the armour simply doesn't provide comprehensive protection. This, coupled with the very vulnerable, large flanks makes it highly unsuitable as a front line assault vehicle.

All in all, the side of the IV/70 (A) is a goldmine of weak spots for an accurate player. The tall-slab sided IV/70 (A) is very vulnerable to flanking fire as the side armour is only 40 mm thick. For those aiming at the sides, it is very easy to search for ammunition rack, using the rods on the side of the hull as reference points. From there, aim down a tad below the top of the mesh skirts, and an ammunition hit/detonation is almost certain.

Even parts of the front armour are a little lacking; certainly inferior to the Panzer IV/70(V). The sloped upper superstructure gives an effective thickness of around 125 mm, very good for this battle rating, but it has an unsloped 80 mm hull and an 80 mm lower hull that is only very slightly sloped. Avoid firing at the gun mantlet. It is heavily sloped and in excess of 200 mm equivalent flat armour.

From behind, it is advisable to aim for the large, flat rear superstructure above the engine deck. The Commander and Gunner can be eliminated with a single well-placed shot. After the Gunner is taken out, aim for the engine to prevent the vehicle from turning to engage {{PAGENAME}}.

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle)!! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm (84°), 80 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 80 mm (55°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 + 5 mm || 22 mm (5-16°) || 20 mm
|-
| Superstructure || 80 mm (9-50°) ''Front plate'' 75 + 75 mm''Gun mantlet'' || 40 mm (18°) || 30 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The hull sides are protected by an extra 5 mm thick plate to provide protection against HEAT and HE rounds.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=426|rbMinHp=265|AoAweight=0.45|weight=28.45|rbReverseSpeed=7.5}}

Forward speed is sufficient, topping out at 40 km/h (approximately 25 mph) but the reverse speed of -7.5 km/h (approximately -4 mph), while acceptable, isn't anything special. This vehicle isn't a speed demon and isn't built for lightning fast flanking manoeuvres. It's much more comfortable behind the lines, acting like an anti-tank gun with treads that responds to threats rather than spearheading assaults.

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

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

{{main|PaK42 (75 mm)}}

At this rank, the L/70 cannon can punch through almost any vehicle that may be encountered, with the US Sherman Jumbo and Soviet IS tanks being the only real tough nuts.

The lack of a turret means the player should not be overly aggressive. The vehicle cannot turn particularly fast. The gun traverse is limited, so a fast vehicle can easily get behind it. This tank should stay back and use the excellent muzzle velocity and penetration of the L/70 cannon to destroy targets from afar. Stay in cover, or behind the team's mediums and heavies, and provide fire support. But don't be an obvious target.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PaK42 (75 mm)|75 mm PaK42]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 60 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±10° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 7.04 || 9.75 || 11.84 || 13.09 || 13.93 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.76 || 5.60 || 6.80 || 7.52 || 8.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:KwK42 (75 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39/42, Sprgr. 42, PzGr 40/42}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_PanzerIV70(A).jpg|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''60''' || 34 ''(+26)'' || 7 ''(+53)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
* To go into battle with the left flank empty of ammo, pack fewer than 34 ''(+26)'' shells (rack 1 empty).

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

{{main|MG42 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG42 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG42]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull || 600 (150) || 1,200 || -2°/+5° || ±5°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

This vehicle is very much a defensive weapon that should only be on the offensive if the situation is desperate. The gun it is armed with is one of the best at this rank. In terms of penetration and muzzle velocity, it will make short work of all but the toughest tanks. When taking fire, however, the IV/70(A)'s protection is inconsistent at best. Shots that strike the sloped upper superstructure are likely to bounce, but anywhere else and the shell will almost certainly penetrate at closer ranges. It is best to avoid confrontation if possible and let the other members of the team take the damage to allow the player to pick and choose the engagement. Ideally, the enemy won't have a chance to return fire. Allow room between the {{PAGENAME}} and the enemy, and avoid traversing high-traffic areas; instead, keep an eye on them from a distance and let the enemy come towards the {{PAGENAME}}.

Urban areas should be avoided if possible. Entering such an area is an invitation for the enemy to flank, and the closeness of the engagements negates the main advantage of this tank: the gun. Engaging the enemy at close range doesn't utilise the L/70's excellent penetration at range.

===Arcade battles===
In Arcade battles, with the shot indicator showing the player where shots will land, the high-velocity L/70 can accurately hit targets at long ranges, and targets on the move as the shells arrive quickly at the target.
The penetration indicator, which changes colour based on the chance of successful penetration, is a problem for the IV/70 (A). It highlights the weak areas of the tank to enemy players, making the weak spots obvious.

Arcade tends to be faster-paced than Realistic and Simulator, so the lack of a turret may be a large detriment as being flanked is quite common in this mode.

===Realistic/Simulator battles===
With a lack of markers above tanks and larger combat zones, Realistic and Simulator suit this vehicle well. Taking up a concealed firing position and engaging enemies from a distance is what this tank excels at. Be mindful of flanking attacks though, if consideration of exposed flanks and careful checking of these areas is not performed, it will likely be too late to respond to an enemy on a flank or behind. Keeping with the 'anti-tank gun with treads' analogy, zooming across the map and looking for enemies is not how this tank should be played. Let the enemy do the work because this tank is very poorly suited to assaulting. Usage of the binoculars is highly advised as they allow a zoomed-in 360-degree view without having to move the vehicle.

At the start of the match, the Panzer IV/70(A) is best used as a sniper for most of the times. The player can adapt their tactics from the StuG IIIs and the Jgdpz. 38t. A good way to get kills is to find a spot that:

* provides hard cover
* overlooks a key street / passage way
* has bushes to hide in
* is not too close to the frontline

This way the player can use the bushes to hide the Pz IV/70. If any opponent appears in the sight, the player can kill it easily with the great penetration, velocity and damage of the main cannon. If the enemy notices the player, either go back in cover until they are distracted, or utilise the sturdy frontal armour and be a "heavy tank". It can bounce quite some shells, given that the enemy's guns aren't strong enough.

As the match progresses, the player can use the Pz IV/70 as a medium tank since it has good top speed and traverse. Go cap some points and help the teammates to push. With its low profile, the Pz IV/70 can find a comfortable corner around a point and ambush any point-cappers. Now the situational awareness comes into place, as this vehicle is turretless, meaning it cannot respond quickly to close-quarter sudden encounters. Also note that the side armour is extremely thin, so even if the player thinks they're just angling a little bit, shells like the Soviet 85 or 122 mm will still penetrate with ease.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[IS-2]], [[ISU-122]], [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152]]: The Pz IV/70 relies on its frontal armour a lot to survive, so the biggest threats are generally the vehicles with high penetration. These machines with high calibre guns pose the biggest threat, as their APHEBC shells will slice through the Pz IV/70's frontal armour like butter, and their damage is more than enough to kill all the crew inside. Try and finish them off first before they see you. If they do, quickly go to a nearby cover and either call for help, or wait until they fire / are distracted.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent firepower: decent rate of fire and good accuracy for the main gun. Stock shell has great penetration and damage, and can easily penetrate and one-shot most opponents like T-34-85, [[M4A2]] / A3, [[IS-1]], etc
* Low profile provides excellent concealment.
* Sloped 80 mm frontal armour provides great protection against most opponents, and is especially boosted with add-on armour. It is frontally immune to 76 mm Shermans, T-34-85 and [[M18 GMC|M18]].
* Decent top speed of 40 km/h with good acceleration means excellent cross country performance
* Adequate gun depression of 7 degrees for a compact hull.

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks a turret which limits its combat potential and makes it vulnerable to flankers like [[M18 GMC|M18]]
* Closely packed crew meaning a penetration from any angle will likely to destroy the tank.
* Poor side armour, extremely weak against APBCs like the Soviet 85 or 122 mm cannons.
* The downward side of the gun mantlet is prone to trapshots (shell ricocheting down into the hull roof) which is lethal.
* Although frontal armour is thick, it can still get one-shot by the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]] regardless the angle and distance

== History ==


===Development===
In September 1942, the Wehrmacht arms bureau called for a new type of assault vehicles. The specifications listed were 100 mm front armour, 40-50 mm on the sides, wide tracks, a top speed of 26 km/h, ground clearance of 50 cm, and a very low firing position. The design was to be armed with the 75 mm Pak 42 mounted on the [[Panther D|Panther]] tanks. Though this project was originally conceived over a completely new chassis, the [[Pz.IV G|Panzer IV]] was chosen to be used instead. The design was to have a low silhouette and an enclosed casemate fighting compartment after experiences with the [[Marder III H|Marder IIIs]] showed that such features were necessary for a successful fighting vehicle.

The Panzer IV chassis was converted into the '''Jagdpanzer IV''', which featured new designs to the original. The utilization of the Panzer IV chassis was met with much criticism by General Heinz Guderian, who saw the diverting of Panzer IV tank resources as unnecessary since the current assault gun [[StuG_III_G|StuG III]] was more than adequate in the role and Germany still needed reliable tanks that it could use. The vertical front hull armour was replaced with large sloped armour plates, ammunition and fuel were moved to accommodate the new superstructure design, and the auxiliary engine that once powered the Panzer IV turret was removed. The superstructure had 80 mm thick sloping armour that gives it an effective 100 mm thick. To simplify the production of this vehicle, the superstructure was essentially made of large interlocking plates that are welded together. The vehicle had a crew of four, the commander, gunner, loader, and driver. The vehicle was armed with a 75 mm gun, though originally suppose to be the one from the Panther, shortages forced the mounting of older guns such as the 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 cannon, which were less powerful than the Panther's PaK 42, but were still lethal. Due to the different gun mounts, three main variants were produced from the Jagdpanzer IV, the original [[Jagdpanzer IV|Jagdpanzer IV]] (with the 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 cannon), the [[Panzer IV/70(V)|Panzer IV/70 (V)]], and the '''Panzer IV/70 (A)''' (Both of which have the 75 mm Pak 42 L/70 cannon).

The Panzer IV/70 (A), mounting the 75 mm Pak 42, was produced by Alkett, a manufacturer of the [[StuG III G|StuG III]] (hence the "A"). It was produced from August 1944 to March 1945 and was made for the purpose of simplifying the design for easier manufacturing and increased the production rate. To make production easier, the design used an unmodified Panzer IV chassis, while the previous two used a modified superstructure built up from the suspension. The unmodified chassis gave the Panzer IV/70(A) the flat frontal hull known on the Panzer IV design, with which the sloped armour is built on top of. This, in turn, caused the overall height of the vehicle to be increased by 50 cm, which gave it a much bigger silhouette, but was done to simplify production and send more of the 75 mm Pak 42 L/40 to the front lines as quickly as possible. The Panzer IV/70 (A) was more of an interim solution in order to fulfil battlefield demands, only about 278 units were produced before production ended. The early version had Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste added to the vehicle. However, the Zimmerit was removed after September 1944 due to rumours that they were causing vehicle fires. Other modifications were made to the design over time, but the biggest change in its production was the addition of Schürzen side armour plates.

===Combat usage===
The Jagdpanzer IV (the name was interchangeable between all of its variants) was first issued on March 1944 and was employed in an anti-tank role in the Western and Eastern Front. The Jagdpanzer IV participated in the Normandy Campaign, Battle of the Bulge, and the Soviet Offensives on the Eastern Front. Their overall performance was very successful as tank destroyers and only sub-par in other roles that are usually taken by tanks or assault guns, as the high-velocity 75 mm cannon it mounts were unsuitable for anti-infantry and fortification purposes. However, they were soon put in positions of tanks due to shortages of capable fighting vehicles in German inventory. One of the popular Jagdpanzer IV aces was SS-Oberscharführer Rudolf Roy who was attached to the 12th SS Tank Destroyer Battalion. He was killed while looking out of his Jagdpanzer IV hatch during the Battle of the Bulge.

After World War II ended, the Jagdpanzer IV's design still saw service with the German Bundeswehr as the ''[[JPz 4-5|Kanonenjagdpanzer]]'', which has nearly the same design as the Jagdpanzer IV, but most notably with a 90 mm gun. Some captured Jagdpanzer IVs were given out by the Soviet Union to Romania and Syria, but Romania scrapped all the German armour by 1954 and Syria used them in conflicts against Israel until 1967.

{{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}}
This variant of the anti-tank gun was developed in two different versions by the companies Vomag AG and Alkett. Though similar in combat power and armour protection, these machines were significantly different in appearance.

Alkett's variant was designated the Panzer IV/70 (A). It featured a highly-armoured cabin mounted on the chassis and hull of a Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J tank. Its combat weight was 28 tons, with a height of 2350 mm. The sides of the chassis were covered with Schurzen side skirts, which were initially all-metal and later mesh. From August 1944 to March 1945, the Nibelungenwerke factory produced 278 of these vehicles.

The Panzer IV, Panzer IV/70 (A), and Panzer IV/70 (V) also had a commander's version produced, with a crew of five men, reduced ammunition, and an additional radio station.

The powerful armament of these vehicles made them quite popular with the Wehrmacht's anti-tank divisions. These self-propelled guns were widely used in combat operations during the final part of the war.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pz_IV_L70_A Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7114-shop-restoration-of-original-content-en|[Shop] Restoration of original content]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

Panzer IV/70(A)

2023-08-15T09:47:22Z

U120654901: correction on mobility part

{{About
| about = German tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = Panzer IV/70(V)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_pz_IV_L70_A
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_PanzerIV70(A).jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|German armoury designation:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 162/1''') is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced as a [[wt:en/news/668--en|premium pack]] in [[Update_1.41#19.06.2014_-_1.41.27.12|Update 1.41.27]] and was removed from the store after the [[wt:en/news/5232-shop-winter-sales-special-bundle-and-gift-certificates-en|2018 Winter sale]]. It was reintroduced in 2018 for [[wt:en/news/5852-special-news-war-thunder-s-birthday-discounts-and-gifts-en|War Thunder's 6th Anniversary]] as a premium purchasable for Golden Eagles {{ge}} and again removed after the [[wt:en/news/7408-news-happy-birthday-war-thunder-en|9th Anniversary Sale]].

The Jadgpanzer IV/70 is an effective anti-tank weapon. It is armed with a 75 mm gun and is very capable of taking out the armour it faces at its rank, with only one shot needed to dispatch them. Taking advantage of its good speed of 40 km/h, head over to sniping locations, and using its good frontal armour at distance, can easily knock out enemy vehicles easily with little danger and risk.

However, the Panzer IV/70 (A), is arguably less effective than its counterpart built by Vomag, the [[Panzer_IV/70(V)|Panzer IV/70(V)]]. The vehicle's tall profile has positive and negative aspects. It means it is more visible, especially at longer ranges. However, it does allow the player to see and shoot over taller obstructions that the Panzer IV/70(V) would be unable to.

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


The IV/70 (A) is strong but has weak armour for the rank. Try to trade blows with most enemy vehicles as the armour simply doesn't provide comprehensive protection. This, coupled with the very vulnerable, large flanks makes it highly unsuitable as a front line assault vehicle.

All in all, the side of the IV/70 (A) is a goldmine of weak spots for an accurate player. The tall-slab sided IV/70 (A) is very vulnerable to flanking fire as the side armour is only 40 mm thick. For those aiming at the sides, it is very easy to search for ammunition rack, using the rods on the side of the hull as reference points. From there, aim down a tad below the top of the mesh skirts, and an ammunition hit/detonation is almost certain.

Even parts of the front armour are a little lacking; certainly inferior to the Panzer IV/70(V). The sloped upper superstructure gives an effective thickness of around 125 mm, very good for this battle rating, but it has an unsloped 80 mm hull and an 80 mm lower hull that is only very slightly sloped. Avoid firing at the gun mantlet. It is heavily sloped and in excess of 200 mm equivalent flat armour.

From behind, it is advisable to aim for the large, flat rear superstructure above the engine deck. The Commander and Gunner can be eliminated with a single well-placed shot. After the Gunner is taken out, aim for the engine to prevent the vehicle from turning to engage {{PAGENAME}}.

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle)!! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm (84°), 80 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 80 mm (55°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 + 5 mm || 22 mm (5-16°) || 20 mm
|-
| Superstructure || 80 mm (9-50°) ''Front plate'' 75 + 75 mm''Gun mantlet'' || 40 mm (18°) || 30 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The hull sides are protected by an extra 5 mm thick plate to provide protection against HEAT and HE rounds.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=426|rbMinHp=265|AoAweight=0.45|weight=28|rbReverseSpeed=7.5}}

Forward speed is sufficient, topping out at 40 km/h (approximately 25 mph) but the reverse speed of -7.5 km/h (approximately -4 mph), while acceptable, isn't anything special. This vehicle isn't a speed demon and isn't built for lightning fast flanking manoeuvres. It's much more comfortable behind the lines, acting like an anti-tank gun with treads that responds to threats rather than spearheading assaults.

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

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

{{main|PaK42 (75 mm)}}

At this rank, the L/70 cannon can punch through almost any vehicle that may be encountered, with the US Sherman Jumbo and Soviet IS tanks being the only real tough nuts.

The lack of a turret means the player should not be overly aggressive. The vehicle cannot turn particularly fast. The gun traverse is limited, so a fast vehicle can easily get behind it. This tank should stay back and use the excellent muzzle velocity and penetration of the L/70 cannon to destroy targets from afar. Stay in cover, or behind the team's mediums and heavies, and provide fire support. But don't be an obvious target.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PaK42 (75 mm)|75 mm PaK42]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 60 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±10° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 7.04 || 9.75 || 11.84 || 13.09 || 13.93 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.76 || 5.60 || 6.80 || 7.52 || 8.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:KwK42 (75 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39/42, Sprgr. 42, PzGr 40/42}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_PanzerIV70(A).jpg|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''60''' || 34 ''(+26)'' || 7 ''(+53)'' || 1 ''(+59)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
* To go into battle with the left flank empty of ammo, pack fewer than 34 ''(+26)'' shells (rack 1 empty).

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

{{main|MG42 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG42 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG42]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull || 600 (150) || 1,200 || -2°/+5° || ±5°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

This vehicle is very much a defensive weapon that should only be on the offensive if the situation is desperate. The gun it is armed with is one of the best at this rank. In terms of penetration and muzzle velocity, it will make short work of all but the toughest tanks. When taking fire, however, the IV/70(A)'s protection is inconsistent at best. Shots that strike the sloped upper superstructure are likely to bounce, but anywhere else and the shell will almost certainly penetrate at closer ranges. It is best to avoid confrontation if possible and let the other members of the team take the damage to allow the player to pick and choose the engagement. Ideally, the enemy won't have a chance to return fire. Allow room between the {{PAGENAME}} and the enemy, and avoid traversing high-traffic areas; instead, keep an eye on them from a distance and let the enemy come towards the {{PAGENAME}}.

Urban areas should be avoided if possible. Entering such an area is an invitation for the enemy to flank, and the closeness of the engagements negates the main advantage of this tank: the gun. Engaging the enemy at close range doesn't utilise the L/70's excellent penetration at range.

===Arcade battles===
In Arcade battles, with the shot indicator showing the player where shots will land, the high-velocity L/70 can accurately hit targets at long ranges, and targets on the move as the shells arrive quickly at the target.
The penetration indicator, which changes colour based on the chance of successful penetration, is a problem for the IV/70 (A). It highlights the weak areas of the tank to enemy players, making the weak spots obvious.

Arcade tends to be faster-paced than Realistic and Simulator, so the lack of a turret may be a large detriment as being flanked is quite common in this mode.

===Realistic/Simulator battles===
With a lack of markers above tanks and larger combat zones, Realistic and Simulator suit this vehicle well. Taking up a concealed firing position and engaging enemies from a distance is what this tank excels at. Be mindful of flanking attacks though, if consideration of exposed flanks and careful checking of these areas is not performed, it will likely be too late to respond to an enemy on a flank or behind. Keeping with the 'anti-tank gun with treads' analogy, zooming across the map and looking for enemies is not how this tank should be played. Let the enemy do the work because this tank is very poorly suited to assaulting. Usage of the binoculars is highly advised as they allow a zoomed-in 360-degree view without having to move the vehicle.

At the start of the match, the Panzer IV/70(A) is best used as a sniper for most of the times. The player can adapt their tactics from the StuG IIIs and the Jgdpz. 38t. A good way to get kills is to find a spot that:

* provides hard cover
* overlooks a key street / passage way
* has bushes to hide in
* is not too close to the frontline

This way the player can use the bushes to hide the Pz IV/70. If any opponent appears in the sight, the player can kill it easily with the great penetration, velocity and damage of the main cannon. If the enemy notices the player, either go back in cover until they are distracted, or utilise the sturdy frontal armour and be a "heavy tank". It can bounce quite some shells, given that the enemy's guns aren't strong enough.

As the match progresses, the player can use the Pz IV/70 as a medium tank since it has good top speed and traverse. Go cap some points and help the teammates to push. With its low profile, the Pz IV/70 can find a comfortable corner around a point and ambush any point-cappers. Now the situational awareness comes into place, as this vehicle is turretless, meaning it cannot respond quickly to close-quarter sudden encounters. Also note that the side armour is extremely thin, so even if the player thinks they're just angling a little bit, shells like the Soviet 85 or 122 mm will still penetrate with ease.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[IS-2]], [[ISU-122]], [[SU-152|SU]]/[[ISU-152]]: The Pz IV/70 relies on its frontal armour a lot to survive, so the biggest threats are generally the vehicles with high penetration. These machines with high calibre guns pose the biggest threat, as their APHEBC shells will slice through the Pz IV/70's frontal armour like butter, and their damage is more than enough to kill all the crew inside. Try and finish them off first before they see you. If they do, quickly go to a nearby cover and either call for help, or wait until they fire / are distracted.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent firepower: decent rate of fire and good accuracy for the main gun. Stock shell has great penetration and damage, and can easily penetrate and one-shot most opponents like T-34-85, [[M4A2]] / A3, [[IS-1]], etc
* Low profile provides excellent concealment.
* Sloped 80 mm frontal armour provides great protection against most opponents, and is especially boosted with add-on armour. It is frontally immune to 76 mm Shermans, T-34-85 and [[M18 GMC|M18]].
* Decent top speed of 40 km/h with good acceleration means excellent cross country performance
* Adequate gun depression of 7 degrees for a compact hull.

'''Cons:'''

* Lacks a turret which limits its combat potential and makes it vulnerable to flankers like [[M18 GMC|M18]]
* Closely packed crew meaning a penetration from any angle will likely to destroy the tank.
* Poor side armour, extremely weak against APBCs like the Soviet 85 or 122 mm cannons.
* The downward side of the gun mantlet is prone to trapshots (shell ricocheting down into the hull roof) which is lethal.
* Although frontal armour is thick, it can still get one-shot by the [[IS-2 (Family)|IS-2]] regardless the angle and distance

== History ==


===Development===
In September 1942, the Wehrmacht arms bureau called for a new type of assault vehicles. The specifications listed were 100 mm front armour, 40-50 mm on the sides, wide tracks, a top speed of 26 km/h, ground clearance of 50 cm, and a very low firing position. The design was to be armed with the 75 mm Pak 42 mounted on the [[Panther D|Panther]] tanks. Though this project was originally conceived over a completely new chassis, the [[Pz.IV G|Panzer IV]] was chosen to be used instead. The design was to have a low silhouette and an enclosed casemate fighting compartment after experiences with the [[Marder III H|Marder IIIs]] showed that such features were necessary for a successful fighting vehicle.

The Panzer IV chassis was converted into the '''Jagdpanzer IV''', which featured new designs to the original. The utilization of the Panzer IV chassis was met with much criticism by General Heinz Guderian, who saw the diverting of Panzer IV tank resources as unnecessary since the current assault gun [[StuG_III_G|StuG III]] was more than adequate in the role and Germany still needed reliable tanks that it could use. The vertical front hull armour was replaced with large sloped armour plates, ammunition and fuel were moved to accommodate the new superstructure design, and the auxiliary engine that once powered the Panzer IV turret was removed. The superstructure had 80 mm thick sloping armour that gives it an effective 100 mm thick. To simplify the production of this vehicle, the superstructure was essentially made of large interlocking plates that are welded together. The vehicle had a crew of four, the commander, gunner, loader, and driver. The vehicle was armed with a 75 mm gun, though originally suppose to be the one from the Panther, shortages forced the mounting of older guns such as the 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 cannon, which were less powerful than the Panther's PaK 42, but were still lethal. Due to the different gun mounts, three main variants were produced from the Jagdpanzer IV, the original [[Jagdpanzer IV|Jagdpanzer IV]] (with the 75 mm Pak 39 L/48 cannon), the [[Panzer IV/70(V)|Panzer IV/70 (V)]], and the '''Panzer IV/70 (A)''' (Both of which have the 75 mm Pak 42 L/70 cannon).

The Panzer IV/70 (A), mounting the 75 mm Pak 42, was produced by Alkett, a manufacturer of the [[StuG III G|StuG III]] (hence the "A"). It was produced from August 1944 to March 1945 and was made for the purpose of simplifying the design for easier manufacturing and increased the production rate. To make production easier, the design used an unmodified Panzer IV chassis, while the previous two used a modified superstructure built up from the suspension. The unmodified chassis gave the Panzer IV/70(A) the flat frontal hull known on the Panzer IV design, with which the sloped armour is built on top of. This, in turn, caused the overall height of the vehicle to be increased by 50 cm, which gave it a much bigger silhouette, but was done to simplify production and send more of the 75 mm Pak 42 L/40 to the front lines as quickly as possible. The Panzer IV/70 (A) was more of an interim solution in order to fulfil battlefield demands, only about 278 units were produced before production ended. The early version had Zimmerit anti-magnetic paste added to the vehicle. However, the Zimmerit was removed after September 1944 due to rumours that they were causing vehicle fires. Other modifications were made to the design over time, but the biggest change in its production was the addition of Schürzen side armour plates.

===Combat usage===
The Jagdpanzer IV (the name was interchangeable between all of its variants) was first issued on March 1944 and was employed in an anti-tank role in the Western and Eastern Front. The Jagdpanzer IV participated in the Normandy Campaign, Battle of the Bulge, and the Soviet Offensives on the Eastern Front. Their overall performance was very successful as tank destroyers and only sub-par in other roles that are usually taken by tanks or assault guns, as the high-velocity 75 mm cannon it mounts were unsuitable for anti-infantry and fortification purposes. However, they were soon put in positions of tanks due to shortages of capable fighting vehicles in German inventory. One of the popular Jagdpanzer IV aces was SS-Oberscharführer Rudolf Roy who was attached to the 12th SS Tank Destroyer Battalion. He was killed while looking out of his Jagdpanzer IV hatch during the Battle of the Bulge.

After World War II ended, the Jagdpanzer IV's design still saw service with the German Bundeswehr as the ''[[JPz 4-5|Kanonenjagdpanzer]]'', which has nearly the same design as the Jagdpanzer IV, but most notably with a 90 mm gun. Some captured Jagdpanzer IVs were given out by the Soviet Union to Romania and Syria, but Romania scrapped all the German armour by 1954 and Syria used them in conflicts against Israel until 1967.

{{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}}
This variant of the anti-tank gun was developed in two different versions by the companies Vomag AG and Alkett. Though similar in combat power and armour protection, these machines were significantly different in appearance.

Alkett's variant was designated the Panzer IV/70 (A). It featured a highly-armoured cabin mounted on the chassis and hull of a Pz.Kpfw. IV Ausf. J tank. Its combat weight was 28 tons, with a height of 2350 mm. The sides of the chassis were covered with Schurzen side skirts, which were initially all-metal and later mesh. From August 1944 to March 1945, the Nibelungenwerke factory produced 278 of these vehicles.

The Panzer IV, Panzer IV/70 (A), and Panzer IV/70 (V) also had a commander's version produced, with a crew of five men, reduced ammunition, and an additional radio station.

The powerful armament of these vehicles made them quite popular with the Wehrmacht's anti-tank divisions. These self-propelled guns were widely used in combat operations during the final part of the war.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_pz_IV_L70_A Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7114-shop-restoration-of-original-content-en|[Shop] Restoration of original content]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

T-54 (1951)

2023-08-07T20:05:21Z

U120654901: update reloading rate

{{About
| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = T-54/55 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_54_1951
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]].

In 1951, a new hemispherical turret with improved ballistic shaping was introduced for the T-54 medium tank. This turret eliminated the turret shot-traps of earlier models and became the definitive one for all T-54 and T-55 variants that followed. A new telescopic gunsight was also introduced.

In-game, the 1951 model plays similarly to the 1949 model. It has the same reduced hull armour compared to the 1947 model but makes up for this with its better mobility and turret, which is not vulnerable to shot-traps like the 1947 and 1949 models are. The 1951 model also has access to a powerful HEATFS round.

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

The armour of the T-54 leaves nothing to be desired. While it does not get the 120 mm frontal plate of the [[T-54 (1947)]], it is one of the strongest frontal plates seen in an early MBT and is able to withstand full calibre solid shots from all nations (Obus de rupture for example, the French solid shot seen in most post war designs such as the [[Lorraine 40t]], [[AMX-50 (Family)|AMX-50]], etc). However, the armour is nonexistent for HEAT and ATGM which are the main ammunition used in 7.7 to 8.7. The tank is practically immune to low calibre autocannon fire with exception of APDS rounds to the sides (seen in [[Warrior]] and [[AMX-30 DCA]]).

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 100 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (54°) ''Lower glacis'' || 80 mm || 45 mm (16°) ''Upper'' 30 mm (72°) ''Lower'' || 30 mm ''Front'' 20 mm ''Back''
|-
| Turret || 160 mm (14-39°) ''Turret front'' 200 mm (4-78°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 115 mm (45-50°) ''Upper'' 155 mm (10-30°) ''Lower'' || 65 mm (9-35°) || 30 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspensions wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=806|rbMinHp=460}}

As a relatively heavily armoured tank and part of the Soviet doctrine, the mobility of the T-54 leaves much to be desired. Not only is top speed the lacklustre, but turn rate is not great and reverse speed is mediocre. Overall, the mobility is not the best and should not be relied on to be used to play as a fast paced vehicle. However, the power-to-weight ratio on the T-54 is impressive and is able to climb and move through rough territory with ease as well as push and pull tanks.

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

It's a priority to research Parts and FPE. After that, the player should focus on mobility upgrades or the Horizontal Drive modification, since both mobility and turret rotation are limited when the tank is stock. Also, the 3BK-5 HEATFS shell greatly increases the tank's damage output, and should be considered quite important as well. When grinding the first modifications, Arcade Battles might be more fun, because of faster-paced gameplay and the ability to see all threats. It may also be a good idea to activate 3-5 universal vehicle back-ups to be able to respawn twice in one match. General tips for the stock grind are the same as those for the [[T-54 (1947)]], read that article.

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

{{main|D-10T (100 mm)}}

The T-54 has access to the powerful D-10T. As seen in prior vehicles and other vehicles in the tree, the 100 mm is a reliable calibre for all situations with amazing ammunition for all cases. The T-54 (1951) also has access to APDS and HEATFS ammunition for use against everything. Both are impressive ammunition which require little to no practice in terms of use but they do require more trigger discipline and accurate aiming as they make much less spalling that the BR-412D. Despite not having great penetration which will be sort of required when facing heavily armoured targets like the Tiger II, it is able to decimate every vehicle it sees from all angles due to the explosive power. At 7.7 and above, the threats that will be seen (especially Europeans) have little to no armour, able to be easily penetrated by even the BR-412. However, some of the frontal plates of said vehicles are meant to stop the ammunition at certain distances (AMX-30 can stop BR-412 at past 500 m). Using 3BM-8 and 3BK-5 makes frontal engagements easier and with greater results due to the increased armour penetration. But again, they barely cause spalling and will most likely take more than one shot to fully disable and destroy an enemy tank.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-10T (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 34 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+17° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:D-10T (100 mm)/Ammunition|BR-412, BR-412B, BR-412D, BR-412P, 3BM-8, 3BK-5, OF-412, 3D3}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''34''' || 33 ''(+1)'' || 28 ''(+6)'' || 24 ''(+10)'' || 23 ''(+11)'' || 21 ''(+13)'' || 1 ''(+33)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 6 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 20 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
** This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 6 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 5.
** Full reload speed will be realized as long as shells are available in the ready rack 6. If the ready rack is empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-5 into rack 6. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
* If you pack 28 ''(+6)'' shells, it will keep the turret empty of ammo.
* If you pack 21 ''(+13)'' shells, it will fill only the frontal ready rack.

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

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 250 (50) || 600 || -4°/+82° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SGMT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm SGMT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,500 (250) || 600 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The T-54 (1951) is practically the same tank as the [[T-54 (1949)]], it has the same armour as the T-54 (1949) and the only difference is the addition of the new HEATFS round capable of going through 380 mm of armour (the War Thunder community generally accepts the T-54 (1951) as having the best ammunition overall). Again, the new round should be taken as a back-up option for the most armoured enemies, while the BR-412D should remain the main round.

The T-54 (1951) is simply the better tank than the T-54 (1949), because it has the same armour, and the only difference is the addition of HEATFS round, which penetrates through 380 mm. (Read the [[T-54 (1947)]] and the [[T-54 (1949)]] articles, as they cover the T-54 playstyle).

Major gameplay differences from the T-54 (1949) (Read the [[T-54 (1947)]] and the [[T-54 (1949)]] articles prior to reading this!)

* You can now penetrate all vehicles that you can see.
* If the map is very big, and you are forced to snipe, you may prefer to take APDS ammunition because it's much easier to aim.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Improved turret shape and armour thickness, with no shot-traps (Same turret as the T-54 (1949))
* Lighter than the 1947 model, with improved mobility
* Wide ammunition selection, including 380 mm penetration 3BK-5 HEATFS and powerful APHE rounds
* Well-sloped hull glacis plate, resistant to most full-bore AP rounds
* Roof-mounted DShK heavy machine gun for use against aircraft or light vehicles

'''Cons:'''

* Unstabilised main gun and very slow turret traverse make it vulnerable to being flanked in close combat
* Relatively low rate of fire
* Small magazine size of the DShK heavy machine gun
* Weaker hull armour than the 1947 model
* Poor penetration with APHE rounds

== History ==


The T-54 mod. 1951 was the final product of the T-54 family and the transition to early T-55 models. It featured the exact same hull, gun, NBC systems and fire control systems of the previous T-54 but with the TSh-2-22 telescopic gunner's sight. The mod. 1951 featured a turret redesign which removed the turret side undercuts, replaced radio with a new R-113 radio, reduced weight as the extra 20 mm has been removed, additional fuel tanks, fume extractor and addition of the TDA smoke generating system.

{{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 new 1951 tank model received a cast semi-spherical turret without shot traps and with improved traverse sealing and an apparatus for attaching a minesweeper. Its two SG-43 machine guns were replaced with a 7.62 mm SGMT machine gun. The T-54's main armament remained as before - a 100 mm D-10T cannon with a 56 calibre barrel length. This weapon was developed in the No. 9 artillery factory's design bureau under the direction of F.F. Petrov. The 100 mm cannon's armour-piercing round was able to penetrate a 125 mm thick vertical armour plate at a range of 2,000 m. After the Second World War, improved variants of this tank served for forty years after the basic model was developed. From 1946, all the characteristics of the T-54 and its variants surpassed those of foreign medium tanks, and its weapon had the best armour-piercing properties.

In total, 7,009 of them were made between 1952 and 1955.The T54 Mod. 1951 became widespread outside the USSR's borders and was licensed for production in Poland, Czechoslovakia and China. Its Chinese variant was designated Type 59.

Tanks of this type were used in a multitude of armed conflicts in the 20th century. These vehicles are still in service in many countries in Asia and the Middle East.

A disadvantage of the tank was the hull layout it inherited from the T-44. It ensured the Soviet tank's advantages over its foreign counterparts, but also restricted opportunities for further increasing the tank's defences, particularly against the new 90 and 105 mm high-explosive anti-tank warheads and armour-piercing subcalibre rounds. The unstabilised tank cannon's accuracy and rate of fire were too low when firing on the move. The T-54's transmission and undercarriage restricted opportunities to increase its mobility after installing a more powerful weapon or increasing its armour.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_54_1951 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|B6ZsuPjSuNo|'''T-54/T-55 family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:19 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|KUSnuNXASxE|'''Most produced tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:38 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

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

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

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

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

{{TankManufacturer Morozov}}
{{USSR medium tanks}}

T-54 (1947)

2023-08-07T20:04:38Z

U120654901: update reloading rate

{{About
| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = T-54/55 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_54_1947
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.43]]. The T-54 mod. 1947 is one of the three T-54 variants in the Soviet tree, and it features the best frontal hull armour of its variants albeit with the weakest turret and gun ammunition. The T-54 is a tank that excels in close-range engagements, where its relatively poor gun performance is less of an issue, and its frontal armour and stopping power can be used to its greatest potential.

A good throw-back to player's experience is in the gun, which is the same as the one on the [[T-44-100]], though with a better APCR ammunition. The firepower, speed, and armour of the T-54 makes it an amazing tank and can be played in a variety of roles, ranging from a short-range brawler, a support tank, and a sniper. Basically, the tank has a Jack-of-all-Trade characteristic and can be easily exploited to the player's advantage on the battlefield.

The T-54 is a beautifully armoured tank. Unlike its [[T-54 (1949)|successors]], the model 1947 has more armour at 120 mm thick front hull compared to the 100 mm in the next variants. This means that the front hull armour is vastly superior, but keep in mind that despite that the side armour is still only 80 mm thick. Thus it is actually best to minimize hull angling so the enemy cannot hit the weak side armour and cripple the tank.

The T-54 mod. 1947 does have an "Achille's heel". The biggest weakness is the "trap shot" under the gun mantlet, and the enemy will know about it from experience. Take note of this weakness and hide it by only exposing the top part of the turret if possible. The significance of the trap shot is that tanks like the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]] and [[Panther II]], which cannot penetrate through the front hull, can indeed penetrate through the shot trap.

The T-54 mod. 1947 position on the battle rating scale has it gets put into a lower battle rating bracket frequently, making it likely to fight tanks that don't have powerful guns to obliterate it. However, if up tiered, the T-54 will have to start being played conservatively as there will suddenly be a lot of enemy tanks able to destroy the T-54.

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

The armour of the T-54 leaves nothing to expect. It is the strongest frontal plate seen in an early MBT and is able to withstand full calibre solid shots from all nations (Obus de rupture for example, the French solid shot seen in most post war designs such as the [[Lorraine 40t]], [[AMX-50 (Family)|AMX-50]], etc). However, the armour is nonexistent for HEAT and ATGM which are the main ammunition used in the BR range. The tank is practically immune to low calibre autocannon fire with exception of APDS rounds to the sides (seen in [[Warrior]] and [[AMX-30 DCA]]).

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 120 mm (61°) ''Front glacis'' 120 mm (53°) ''Lower glacis'' || 80 mm || 45 mm (18°) ''Upper'' 30 mm (73°) ''Lower'' || 30 mm
|-
| Turret || 200 mm (2-74°) ''Turret front'' 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 160 mm (19-46°) ''Lower'' 125 mm (34-42°) ''Upper'' || 50 mm (6-54°) || 30 mm
|-
| Cupola || 100 mm || 100 mm || 100 mm || 30 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The first series of the legendary T-54 has got the strongest frontal armour, 120 mm instead of the later version's 100 mm. Albeit the turret is the weakest one. The big side profile and a rather flat side and rear turret form.
* Suspensions wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The turret side armour is not all equally the same armour thickness. As it goes toward the top, it gradually becomes thinner with 160 mm to 125 mm.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=806|rbMinHp=460}}

As a relatively heavily armoured tank and part of the Soviet doctrine, the mobility of the T-54 leaves much to be desired. Not only is top speed the lacklustre, but turn rate is not great and reverse speed is mediocre. Overall, the mobility is not the best and should not be relied on to be used to play as a fast paced vehicle. However, the power-to-weight ratio on the T-54 is impressive and is able to climb and move through rough territory with ease as well as push and pull tanks.

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

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

{{main|D-10T (100 mm)}}

The T-54 has access to the powerful D-10T. As seen in prior vehicles and other vehicles in the tree, the 100 mm is a reliable calibre for all situations with amazing ammunition for all cases. Being at this BR gives the T-54 an advantage and disadvantage when we talk about firepower. It does not get access to HEATFS or APDS as seen in the other [[T-54/55 (Family)|T-54]] but has access to one of the must underestimated shell the Soviets have access to which is able to kill everything with a well placed shot, the BR412D. Despite not having great penetration which will be sort of required when facing heavily armoured targets like the Tiger II, it is able to decimate every vehicle it sees from all angles due to the explosive power. At this BR and above, the threats that will be seen (specially Europeans) have little to no armour that is able to be penetrated by even the BR412. However, some of the frontal plates of said vehicles are meant to stop the ammunition at certain distances (AMX-30 can stop BR412 at past 500 m).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-10T (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 34 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+17° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 12.4 || 17.1 || 20.8 || 23.0 || 24.5 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.5
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.7 || 9.1 || 11.1 || 12.2 || 13.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:D-10T (100 mm)/Ammunition|BR-412, BR-412B, 3D3, BR-412D, BR-412P, OF-412}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''34''' || 34 ''(+0)'' || 27 ''(+7)'' || 24 ''(+10)'' || 23 ''(+11)'' || 21 ''(+13)'' || 1 ''(+33)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* If you pack 27 ''(+7)'' shells, it will keep the turret empty of ammo.
* Rack 6 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 20 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
** This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 6 - 2 - 3 - etc. until 5.
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 2-5 into rack 6. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

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

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 250 (50) || 600 || -4°/+82° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SGMT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm SGMT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,500 (250) || 600 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The T-54 (1947) is a great starting tank for rank V Soviets. It has armour, a good gun and decent mobility, all traits similar to pre-modern MBTs. However, you should still use any available cover, and it's even better if you can remain unseen. The turret of the '47 can be quite hard to penetrate, due to awkward bounces, and wiggling it can make it even more difficult for enemies to do any damage. In a down-tier, this tank is almost over-powered, because BR-412D can penetrate everything, while the T-54 is mobile and well-protected. You still need to play smart, mind you, but it's easy to get over 5k research points in a match (without premium) in a down-tier.

=== General Playstyle ===
The T-54 is often described as a Jack-of-All-Trades, similar to late-game MBTs. However, at its current battle rating, its armour still plays an important role, so the title 'Medium Tank' fits better. In Arcade Battles, the T-54 (1947) is a joy to play. It can be compared to a Leopard with armour and, arguably, a better gun, because of improved mobility in Arcade. This iteration of the T-54 doesn't get high-penetration rounds, but BR-412D is usually enough to deal with the vast majority of enemies, especially when flanking is so easy in Arcade. In Realistic Battles, this tank is less mobile, but it is still able to cause a lot of damage when played to its strengths, notably the bouncy turret and the high explosive rounds that knock enemies out with a single shot - obviously this hints at an ambush or flanking playstyle.

'''Arcade Battles'''

In Arcade Battles, T-54 (1947) is very capable even in an up-tier. You should never rely on attacking enemies upfront, rather by flanking and getting to their sides, which shouldn't be a problem because even when stock this tank is quite fast (upgrades mostly improve mobility, rather than raw speed). Flanking is much easier in city combat because there are paved roads and a lot of covers. Flanking on hilly maps is difficult because the T-54 has very little depression, so be cautious on those maps and use any cover you can find (e.g. rocks, buildings etc).

You should use the speed to push forward and gain capture points, because when at speed, it's harder for opponents to penetrate you, or even hit you. After capturing a point you can choose to move into an ambush position to defend it, or you can choose to traverse the map to another objective or to help a teammate. This choice depends on your playstyle, and whether you're playing for fun or for research points.

Using your speed to make it harder for enemies to hit you is a strategy that can be used to get into any strategic position, not just objectives.

You don't have a stabilizer, so it can be difficult to take fast shots and to shoot on the move. Basically, don't play reactively in this tank, because some tanks (especially the British) can easily outplay you.

If you find yourself in a stand-off, aim for the enemy's weak spots (turret rings and lower plates are usually penetrable). Remember to wiggle your turret (and even the hull), because it can be quite difficult to penetrate, especially with conventional rounds. If you don't know how to penetrate the enemy, it's best to retreat and either try to flank or run away from that enemy hoping that your team can handle them.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In Realistic Battles, T-54 (1947) behaves much more like a heavy tank. At the range, it's hard for opponents to hit your turret, but it's also hard for you to hit them, due to bullet drop. Overall, you should play by using cover and by getting behind the enemy lines. This can be easily accomplished by pushing up to objectives, and waiting for the enemies to push past you. This way, you will have the advantage, and your armour can help you survive some shots from other enemies or if your prey survives your shot. However, you should adapt to the game situation - if your team stomps the enemy on one objective, it might be better to flank to another objective and help out your team there, instead of pushing for the enemy spawn (attacking enemies head-on from spawn vs. attacking enemies from behind/side).

When upgraded, the T-54 becomes much faster, and the strategy of rushing can work, especially in a down-tier, where most enemies also have conventional rounds. Generally, your armour can be relied upon against certain enemies, which allows you to be a breakthrough tank, especially when there are teammates pushing with you. For example, on Fulda, the B point can be easily captured or overrun with 2-3 T-54s, because usually, enemies cannot deal with that much armour and firepower (attacking from the lower side proved more effective, too).

Important: your armour is most effective on the move, standing in the open trying to snipe an enemy will make it easier for them to hit you. Using any sort of cover to advance is still the better option.

=== The Stock Grind ===
When grinding the first modifications, Arcade Battles might be more fun, because of faster-paced gameplay and the ability to see all threats. Now, it's a priority to research Parts and FPE, and it may also be a good idea to activate 3-5 universal vehicle back-ups to be able to respawn twice in one match. In this case, it's worth it, because the T-54 (1947) is a grinder for rank V and first rank VI vehicles - the faster you spade it, the faster you can grind!

General tips for the stock grind are these:

* In the case of T-54, it can be a good idea to let enemies shoot at you because it gives the "Adamant" award and also quite a decent amount of research points.
** In Arcade, you can hide your turret, but show your angled front plate. Enemies will see your marker, and try to shoot at you, but they will bounce and just give you points. Then you can just drive out and return fire to try to get a kill or two.
* Don't try to penetrate tanks frontally with stock rounds - it's no use. You have to flank around and try to get in the rear of the enemies. If you're successful, it usually grants multiple kills.
* Play the objectives - they award points, and if you stay to defend them, you will be able to get some easy kills for those who try to get it back (by ambushing them).
** You can also set up ambushes before the objective so that enemies will push past you and you can shoot their sides.

The American [[M60|M60]], German [[Leopard I|Leopards]] and the British [[Chieftain Mk 3|Chieftain]] are perhaps the biggest worry the T-54 has against medium tanks. These tanks with their [[L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm guns]] ([[Ordnance BL Tk. L11 (120 mm)|120 mm]] in the Chieftain's case) can penetrate through the T-54's armour at longer ranges with their APDS and HEATFS rounds. Once heavy tanks are taken into the equation with the [[M103]], [[T-10M]], and [[Conqueror|Conqueror]], suddenly the T-54's armour no longer sounds very sufficient against their heavy-hitting rounds. Be wary of many tanks in the BR range.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Strongest frontal armour of the T-54 series at 120 mm
* Angled armour is particularly bouncy when on the move
* AP-HE filled rounds are particularly devastating upon a penetration
* Good mobility and speed
* Good reload for a gun
* Pintle 12.7 mm machine gun for fighting soft or air targets
* Low profile
* Access to smoke shells and canisters

'''Cons:'''

* Relatively poor penetration at the rank with only AP type rounds to work with
* Terrible gun depression of -4 degrees
* Weak gun mantlet
* Slow turret traverse hampers reaction times
* No stabilizer
* Only one reverse gear
* Flat side armour tend to be penetrated easily and can be overmatched by some guns
* Hits to the frontal fuel tanks and ammunition can cause an ammo detonation, loss, or a fire
* Highly vulnerable to HEATFS or Sabot shells
* Low profile makes it possible for tall vehicles to shoot down at less angled armour during a brawl

== History ==

===Predecessors===
During World War II, the Soviet Union fielded the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]] in large numbers to overrun the German tanks. The initial T-34 variant with the 76 mm gun soon became insufficient due to further German development on potent anti-tank weaponry. The response was the development of the [[T-34-85]] with the more powerful 85 mm gun. However, the T-34-85 was still insufficient fighting against the German "big cats" tanks. This prompted for further tank development to make a more protected medium tank for the Soviet armoured forces. This developed into the [[T-44]], which proved superior to the T-34 in armour, but retained the same 85 mm gun.

===Development===
The army then requested that the gun on the tank be increased for additional firepower. This developed into adding the 100 mm gun onto the T-44 and was designated the [[T-44-100]]. The T-44-100 proved successful in testing, but still suffered drawbacks that impeded its efficiency. It was decided that instead of quickly sending the tank into production, further development and modernization on the overall tank design should be made to make the tank the full transition from a World-War-II-era tank into the next generation. This developed into the '''T-54''' tank that was accepted into service on 29 April 1946.

The tank would enter production at Nizhni Tagil in 1947 and Kharkov in 1948. However, the initial production was slow as the serial production models underwent 1,490 different modifications. The first model produced was designated the [[T-54 (1947)|T-54-1]] (Object 137), which had a thicker hull armour than its future model. This production model suffered a quality deficiency, and was cancelled and upgraded into the [[T-54 (1949)|T-54-2]] (Object 137R) in 1949 that featured a new turret and other changes to the hull, transmission, and track design. In 1951, another change was made to the design and was designated the [[T-54 (1951)|T-54-3]] (Object 137Sh). The T-54-3 design featured a new turret design that removed shot traps. New gun sight and the smoke generating system were also installed into the tank. The T-54-3 would become the basis of future T-54 design, with the turret design staying in all of its successors.

Despite the T-54's great performance in its design, the T-54 did not stop at its base model. The first upgrades done was in 1953 and 1955 when the tank's D-10 gun was given stabilization gear, first with a vertical stabilizer in 1953 before upgrading again with a 2-plane stabilizer in 1955. These tank upgrades renamed the T-54 to T-54A and T-54B for the respective years. While an improvement in the tank's performance, the biggest jump came with the advent of nuclear technology in the Soviet arsenal. When testings show that a T-54 can survive the blast of a 2 - 15 kt nuclear charge at 300 m (700 m for crew survival), the T-54 was slated for the instalment of a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) protection system to protect the crew from the weapons of mass destruction. This project was given to the KB-60 design bureau in Kharkov and this was finished in 1956. Along with many other changes to the tank interior, such as a new engine, heating system, fuel tanks, ammo storage, and new guns sights, the tank became the more common T-55 tank, which would replace the T-54 design in production past 1958. The difference in the T-54 and the T-55 other than the mechanical differences in the presence of a dome-shaped ventilator in front of the loaders hatch, it is a T-54 if present as it was removed in order to seal the tank with NBC protection. All in all, the T-54/55 tank series became the most widely produced tank ever, surpassing the T-34 with an estimated 100,000+ built, many due to the export market and licensed manufacturing the Soviets gave to their allies.

===Design===
The T-54 is a simple and reliable, yet deadly machine compared to its contemporaries at its introduction. The T-54 retained the same interior compartments as traditional designs, with the driving in the front, fighting and turret in the centre, and the engine at the rear. The most distinctive features on the T-54 is the dome turret and the space between the first and second road wheels in the front, which would be absent in its successor, the [[T-62]].

The T-54 simplicity and reliability made it a very easy tank to operate, not requiring a thoroughly trained crew to operate (though a better crew can give better performance). The T-54 also presents a very low profile compared to the American and British tank, which makes it a smaller target to hit. The lightweight of the design at only 36 tons made it very easy to transport around on flatbed. The tank also features extra abilities like a cold-weather starting system and a snorkel for deep-wading that were mostly absent on similar vehicles. Finally, the [[D-10T (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T gun]] was much better than anything fielded as tank armament, able to defeat the American [[M47|Patton]] and the British [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurions]], which were their mainstay tanks. Even after the introduction of superior tanks like the [[M60|M60 tank]] with the 105 mm M68 gun, the T-54 is able to keep up with new HEAT and APDS rounds.

However, the T-54 design suffered from some of these advantages. The small profile gave the tank a small interior volume, which causes such a constraint to crew space that a height limit had to be set. The low turret silhouette also made the tank unable to depress the gun in a large angle due to the gun's breech hitting the roof, which restricts the T-54 ability to enter a hull-down position. Like other tanks in its generation, the T-54 also had unprotected ammo storage, which increased the chance of a catastrophic explosion of the ammunition if the tank is penetrated in battle.

Despite that, the T-54 design, upgraded into the T-55, proved very successful as a cost-effective weapon of war that can still stand on its own today. Its utility is further demonstrated by the many variants created from the chassis, such as bridge-layers, fire-fighting vehicles, flamethrowers, armoured-personnel carriers, engineer vehicles, and [[ZSU-57-2|anti-aircraft vehicles]].

===Combat usage===
Most of the service recorded in the T-54 and the T-55 are interchangeable as the two are essentially identical aside from the NBC protection. They will be referred to as the "T-54/55" unless specified otherwise.

The Soviets main tank during the course of the Cold War was the T-54/55 and the T-62 tanks, comprising about 85% of the Soviet armoured force in the mid-1970s. The first combat usage of the T-54 was in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. During the conflict, one T-54A was captured by the Hungarian rebels and delivered it to the British embassy. This act inspired the production of the [[L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm L7 gun]] and the [[M60|M60 MBT]] when tests on this T-54 found it superior in firepower and armour. Afterwards, the Soviets did not have many activities with the T-54/55, but they are still in reserve status after being replaced by the Soviet [[T-72A|T-72]] and T-90 tanks.

The Middle East region saw more usage of the T-54/55 in the conflicts that ensured there, notably in the Israel-Arab conflicts in the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War. Israel was able to beat back the T-54/55 in both conflicts due to superior tactics and air superiority in the Six-Day War, and the presence of superior tanks such as the 105 mm equipped M60 and Centurion tanks, which could more easily deal with the T-54/55 in the Yom Kippur War. Israel was able to capture many T-54/55 tanks intact in both wars and upgraded these tanks with the 105 mm L7 gun, designated as the ''Tiran-5''. The T-54/55 also saw usage in the Jordanian Civil War of 1970 on the Syrian side, the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, and even as recent as Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, a testament to the utility and reliability of the T-54/55 tanks to still be in use 60 years after its introduction despite its inferiority to the American [[M1A1 Abrams]] and the British [[Challenger 2]]'s.

The T-54/55 also saw use in the Vietnam War on the North Vietnamese side, equipping the NVA 203rd Armoured Regiment and many other divisions. The T-54/55 also made an appearance in Angola and Mozambique, which were supplied from the Soviets to support the rising Marxist influences in South Africa. These T-54/55s saw use in the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War, but many were lost against the turreted armoured car with HEAT rounds. Many other countries in the world used the T-54/55 as well, whether given by the Soviets and their allies or licensed to produce in-country, up to 50 countries in the world used the T-54/55 in their military, including irregular forces in these countries. Notable conflicts using the T-54/55 was in the Indo-Pakistani War in the Indian Army, in the Ugandan-Tanzanian War, Yugoslav Wars, Sino-Vietnamese War, and the Sri Lankan Civil War. The T-54/55 is still being used today in the modern century, such as the Libyan Civil War in 2011, and the ongoing conflicts of the Syrian Civil War in many sides, including ISIS and the Syrian Army.

{{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 first mass-produced post-war Soviet tank. Developed in 1945-1946 using the hull, transmission and a number of other technical solutions from the T-44.

The driver's compartment had an altered observation instrument layout. Instead of a viewing slot in the frontal hull plate, two periscopes were placed directly in front of the hatch. This decision had a positive affect on the upper frontal plate's durability and improved vision of the surrounding area from the driver's seat. The engine compartment underwent the most significant changes.

Instead of the old B-2 diesel engine, the vehicle was equipped with its modernised 520 hp B-54 model. The tank received a new rounded turret similar to that of the IS-3, but with a shot trap all along its perimeter, particularly prominent in the rear. The turret's frontal armour was 200 mm thick, and the side armour between 125 mm and 160 mm thick. The turret's vertical slope reached 45°. The undercarriage received toothed track action. Additionally, the capacity of the internal fuel tanks was increased to 545 litres.

The tank was equipped with a 100 mm D-10T cannon with a 56 calibre barrel length, two 7.62 mm SG-43 machine guns mounted on the track fenders in armoured boxes and used by the driver to lay down unaimed fire, and a 12.7 mm DShK anti-aircraft gun installed in a turret on the roof by the loader's hatch. The vehicle was outfitted with semi-automatic carbon-dioxide fire suppression equipment. Two MDSh smoke canisters were mounted outside on the frontal hull.

In April 1946, the T-54 tank was put into service and began to be mass-produced the following year. In total, 713 of them were built in 1947-1949.

These vehicles were supplied to Vietnam and took part in suppressing the Hungarian Uprising of 1956 in Budapest.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_54_1947 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|B6ZsuPjSuNo|'''T-54/T-55 family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:39 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|jnmiilHoaWE|'''Fun while stock? T-54 (1949) RB Gameplay''' - ''Virus''|jHX54-P-RNk|'''T-54 (1949) - Tank Review - How to deal with it!''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/622|[Devblog] T-54 (1947)]]

{{TankManufacturer Morozov}}
{{USSR medium tanks}}

T-54 (1949)

2023-08-07T20:04:03Z

U120654901: update reloading rate

{{About
| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = T-54/55 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_54_1949
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]].

The T-54 (1949) is one of the three T-54s in the tech tree available to the player, along the [[T-54 (1947)]] and the [[T-54 (1951)]]. The 1949 features a redesigned turret to strengthen the frontal armour effectiveness and removing the shot traps. The hull armour layout was also adjusted, reducing the front 120 mm armour plate to 100 mm. Aside from the armour differences, the T-54 (1949) has a firepower improvement with access to the 3BM-8 APDS ammunition.

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 100 mm (61°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (53°) ''Lower glacis'' || 80 mm || 45 mm (18°) ''Upper'' 30 mm (73°) ''Lower'' || 30 mm
|-
| Turret || 200 mm (7-64°) ''Turret front'' 200 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 90 - 160 mm (9-48°) || 50 mm (16-52°) || 30 mm
|-
| Cupola || 100 mm || 100 mm || 100 mm || 30 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 18 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=806|rbMinHp=460}}

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

After Parts and FPE, the player should focus on mobility upgrades or the Horizontal Drive modification, since both mobility and turret rotation are limited when the tank is stock.

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

{{main|D-10T (100 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-10T (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 34 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+17° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.5
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:D-10T (100 mm)/Ammunition|BR-412, BR-412B, 3D3, BR-412D, BR-412P, 3BM-8, OF-412}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''34''' || 33 ''(+1)'' || 27 ''(+7)'' || 24 ''(+10)'' || 23 ''(+11)'' || 21 ''(+13)'' || 1 ''(+33)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* If you pack 27 ''(+7)'' shells, it will keep the turret empty of ammo.
* Rack 6 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 20 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
** This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 6 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 5.
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-5 into rack 6. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

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

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 250 (50) || 600 || -4°/+82° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SGMT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm SGMT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,500 (250) || 600 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The T-54 (1949) is an upgraded version of the [[T-54 (1947)]], it has a turret without the shot-trap, and it has generally more armour, however this is counteracted with weaker hull armour, and this does make a difference for some early APFSDS and some HEAT rounds (the War Thunder community generally accepts the T-54 (1947) as having the best armour overall). Another upgrade is the new APDS round, which has superior penetration. This round should be used to take on only the most armoured targets frontally because it does minimal damage - BR-412D still is considered the better round because it has enough penetration and it knocks out vehicles with a single shot easily.

=== General Playstyle ===
The T-54 (1949) continues in the steps of its predecessor, still being a Jack-of-All-Trades tank, on the same platform with the same gun. Importantly, it has improved turret armour, although at the cost of hull armour, which promotes hull-down gameplay. In Arcade, the T-54 (1949) retains the mobility of the T-54 (1947), but now you have the back-up option of using APDS. (Read the [[T-54 (1947)]] article, as it covers general playstyle with more depth)

For the major gameplay differences from the T-54 (1947), read the [[T-54 (1947)]] article prior to reading this.

* You are now able to snipe more accurately, because of your APDS round that goes over 1,400 m/s. This can be taken advantage of at the start of matches, especially in Realistic Battles.
* Your upgraded turret is now able to outright block some rounds, especially in a downtier, and it's not worth wiggling or angling it.

=== The Stock Grind ===
When grinding the first modifications, Arcade Battles might be more fun, because of faster-paced gameplay and the ability to see all threats. Now, it's a priority to research Parts and FPE. (Activating universal back-ups for this vehicle to speed up the grind is an option, but it is not an exceptional vehicle, and it's best to just research the [[T-54 (1951)]], as it has more ammunition choices).

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Potent D-10 100 mm gun
* Access to APDS ammunition
* Fast reload rate
* New elliptical turret removes the frontal turret shot trap found on the T-54 (1947)
* Good mobility

'''Cons:'''

* Armour is not as thick in comparison to the T-54 (1947)
* Angling the armour is not advised, as the side armour will be exposed
* Ammo racks can be detonated fairly easily from the side
* Slow turret traverse speed in general

== History ==

===Predecessors===
During World War II, the Soviet Union fielded the [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]] in large numbers to overrun the German tanks. The initial T-34 variant with the 76 mm gun soon became insufficient due to further German development on potent anti-tank weaponry. The response was the development of the [[T-34-85]] with the more powerful 85 mm gun. However, the T-34-85 was still insufficient fighting against the German "big cats" tanks. This prompted for further tank development to make a more protected medium tank for the Soviet armoured forces. This developed into the [[T-44]], which proved superior to the T-34 in armour, but retained the same 85 mm gun.

===Development===
The army then requested that the gun on the tank be increased for additional firepower. This developed into adding the 100 mm gun onto the T-44 and was designated the [[T-44-100]]. The T-44-100 proved successful in testing, but still suffered drawbacks that impeded its efficiency. It was decided that instead of quickly sending the tank into production, further development and modernization on the overall tank design should be made to make the tank the full transition from a World-War-II-era tank into the next generation. This developed into the '''T-54''' tank that was accepted into service on 29 April 1946.

The tank would enter production at Nizhni Tagil in 1947 and Kharkov in 1948. However, the initial production was slow as the serial production models underwent 1,490 different modifications. The first model produced was designated the [[T-54 (1947)|T-54-1]] (Object 137), which had a thicker hull armour than its future model. This production model suffered a quality deficiency, and was cancelled and upgraded into the [[T-54 (1949)|T-54-2]] (Object 137R) in 1949 that featured a new turret and other changes to the hull, transmission, and track design. In 1951, another change was made to the design and was designated the [[T-54 (1951)|T-54-3]] (Object 137Sh). The T-54-3 design featured a new turret design that removed shot traps. New gun sight and the smoke generating system were also installed into the tank. The T-54-3 would become the basis of future T-54 design, with the turret design staying in all of its successors.

Despite the T-54's great performance in its design, the T-54 did not stop at its base model. The first upgrades done was in 1953 and 1955 when the tank's D-10 gun was given stabilization gear, first with a vertical stabilizer in 1953 before upgrading again with a 2-plane stabilizer in 1955. These tank upgrades renamed the T-54 to T-54A and T-54B for the respective years. While an improvement in the tank's performance, the biggest jump came with the advent of nuclear technology in the Soviet arsenal. When testings show that a T-54 can survive the blast of a 2 - 15 kt nuclear charge at 300 m (700 m for crew survival), the T-54 was slated for the instalment of a Nuclear, Biological, and Chemical (NBC) protection system to protect the crew from the weapons of mass destruction. This project was given to the KB-60 design bureau in Kharkov and this was finished in 1956. Along with many other changes to the tank interior, such as a new engine, heating system, fuel tanks, ammo storage, and new guns sights, the tank became the more common T-55 tank, which would replace the T-54 design in production past 1958. The difference in the T-54 and the T-55 other than the mechanical differences is the presence of a dome-shaped ventilator in front of the loaders hatch, it is a T-54 if present as it was removed in order to seal the tank with NBC protection. All in all, the T-54/55 tank series became the most widely produced tank ever, surpassing the T-34 with an estimated 100,000+ built, many due to the export market and licensed manufacturing the Soviets gave to their allies.

===Design===
The T-54 is a simple and reliable, yet deadly machine compared to its contemporaries at its introduction. The T-54 retained the same interior compartments as traditional designs, with the driving in the front, fighting and turret in the centre, and the engine at the rear. The most distinctive features on the T-54 is the dome turret and the space between the first and second road wheels in the front, which would be absent in its successor, the [[T-62]].

The T-54 simplicity and reliability made it a very easy tank to operate, not requiring a thoroughly trained crew to operate (though a better crew can give better performance). The T-54 also presents a very low profile compared to the American and British tank, which makes it a smaller target to hit. The lightweight of the design at only 36 tons made it very easy to transport around on flatbed. The tank also features extra abilities like a cold-weather starting system and a snorkel for deep-wading that were mostly absent on similar vehicles. Finally, the 100 mm D-10T gun was much better than anything fielded as tank armament, able to defeat the American [[M47|Patton]] and the British [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurions]], which were their mainstay tanks. Even after the introduction of superior tanks like the [[M60|M60 tank]] with the 105 mm M68 gun, the T-54 is able to keep up with new HEAT and APDS rounds.

However, the T-54 design suffered from some of these advantages. The small profile gave the tank a small interior volume, which causes such a constraint to crew space that a height limit had to be set. The low turret silhouette also made the tank unable to depress the gun in a large angle due to the gun's breech hitting the roof, which restricts the T-54 ability to enter a hull-down position. Like other tanks in its generation, the T-54 also had unprotected ammo storage, which increased the chance of a catastrophic explosion of the ammunition if the tank is penetrated in battle.

Despite that, the T-54 design, upgraded into the T-55, proved very successful as a cost-effective weapon of war that can still stand on its own today. Its utility is further demonstrated by the many variants created from the chassis, such as bridge-layers, fire-fighting vehicles, flamethrowers, armoured-personnel carriers, engineer vehicles, and [[ZSU-57-2|anti-aircraft vehicles]].

===Combat usage===
Most of the service recorded in the T-54 and the T-55 are interchangeable as the two are essentially identical aside from the NBC protection. They will be referred to as the "T-54/55" unless specified otherwise.

The Soviets main tank during the course of the Cold War was the T-54/55 and the T-62 tanks, comprising about 85% of the Soviet armoured force in the mid-1970s. The first combat usage of the T-54 was in the Hungarian Revolution of 1956. During the conflict, one T-54A was captured by the Hungarian rebels and delivered it to the British embassy. This act inspired the production of the 105 mm L7 gun and the [[M60|M60 MBT]] when tests on this T-54 found it superior in firepower and armour. Afterwards, the Soviets did not have many activities with the T-54/55, but they are still in reserve status after being replaced by the Soviet T-72 and T-90 tanks.

The Middle East region saw more usage of the T-54/55 in the conflicts that ensured there, notably in the Israel-Arab conflicts in the Six-Day War and the Yom Kippur War. Israel was able to beat back the T-54/55 in both conflicts due to superior tactics and air superiority in the Six-Day War, and the presence of superior tanks such as the 105 mm equipped M60 and Centurion tanks, which could more easily deal with the T-54/55 in the Yom Kippur War. Israel was able to capture many T-54/55 tanks intact in both wars and upgraded these tanks with the 105 mm L7 gun, designated as the ''Tiran-5''. The T-54/55 also saw usage in the Jordanian Civil War of 1970 on the Syrian side, the Iran-Iraq War in the 1980s, and even as recent as Operation Desert Storm in 1991 and Operation Iraqi Freedom in 2003, a testament to the utility and reliability of the T-54/55 tanks to still be in use 60 years after its introduction despite its inferiority to the American M1A1 Abrams and the British Challenger II's.

The T-54/55 also saw use in the Vietnam War on the North Vietnamese side, equipping the NVA 203rd Armoured Regiment and many other divisions. The T-54/55 also made an appearance in Angola and Mozambique, which were supplied from the Soviets to support the rising Marxist influences in South Africa. These T-54/55s saw use in the South African Border War and Angolan Civil War, but many were lost against the turreted armoured car with HEAT rounds. Many other countries in the world used the T-54/55 as well, whether given by the Soviets and their allies or licensed to produce in-country, up to 50 countries in the world used the T-54/55 in their military, including irregular forces in these countries. Notable conflicts using the T-54/55 was in the Indo-Pakistani War in the Indian Army, in the Ugandan-Tanzanian War, Yugoslav Wars, Sino-Vietnamese War, and the Sri Lankan Civil War. The T-54/55 is still being used today in the modern century, such as the Libyan Civil War in 2011, and the ongoing conflicts of the Syrian Civil War in many sides, including ISIS and the Syrian Army.

{{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 tank received a streamlined cast turret with an improved shape designed to reduce ricochets to the hull roof. Its weapon was equipped with a new gun mantlet. One fender-mounted SG-43 machine gun was removed from the driver's compartment. The upper frontal hull plate was reduced to 100 mm thickness and the lower armour plate's slope was increased. The engine cooling system was modernised. The 500 mm wide tracks were replaced by new 580 mm wide tracks, which reduced ground pressure to acceptable levels.

The tank's wheels received independent torsion-bar suspension, reducing its weight by 1,700 kg. This lead to a significant increase in the tank's durability, a height reduction of 30 cm and an increase in its driving performance. The T-54's armoured hull was fully welded from rolled plates and homogeneous steel sheets.

The tanks were manufactured until 1951, and around 2,523 of them were made.

The T-54 tank was noted for its adequate mobility, well-designed hull and turret and greater firepower in comparison to vehicles of this class made by other countries.

However, although the hull's configuration ensured the Soviet tank's advantages over its foreign counterparts, it also restricted opportunities for further increasing the tank's defences, particularly against the new 90 and 105 mm high-explosive anti-tank warheads and armour-piercing subcalibre rounds. The unstabilised 100 mm D-10T tank cannon's accuracy and rate of fire were too low when firing on the move. In addition, it became necessary to introduce new armour-piercing subcalibre rounds and high-explosive rounds in particular to the cannon's ammunition complement.

These vehicles served in the armies of the former Warsaw Pact member states. Additionally, they were supplied to many countries in Asia and the Middle East.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_54_1949 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|B6ZsuPjSuNo|'''T-54/T-55 family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:53 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|SJLZnp9eMtU|'''Optional, Yet Potent - T-54 (1949)''' - ''Virus''}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/750/|[Devblog] A-20G-25 and T-54 1949]]

{{TankManufacturer Morozov}}
{{USSR medium tanks}}

VT1-2

2023-08-07T20:00:29Z

U120654901:

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_vt_1_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=VT1-2 (Germany)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (lit. Double-barreled casemate test vehicle) is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6409-special-operation-shipyard-en|2019 Operation "Shipyard"]] event.

The VT1-2 was the outcome of a project envisioned to create a successor for the Leopard 1. Its main focus was on the importance of firepower and speed, hence the dual [[Rheinmetall L44 (120 mm)]] cannons and non-existent armour. However the VT1-2 is still a very effective tank at its battle rating, with the left cannon possessing an auto-loader the VT1-2 can shoot 3 shells in 5 seconds. Not to mention the type of shells the VT1-2 possess, in this case the DM12 HEAT-FS which has 480 mm of penetration. The VT1-2 has a very fast hull traverse rate and can reach the speeds of 70 km/h in a matter of seconds.

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

The VT1-2 has essentially no armour. With only 50 mm at the front, most incoming fire at its battle rating will result in the tank being potentially rendered useless or destroyed. Also the survivability of the crew is non-existent as all 3 crewmen are neatly lined up in a row, 1 nicely lined up shell would be enough to knock the crew out.

{| class="wikitable"
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 80 mm ''Front glacis'' 110 mm ''Lower glacis'' || 50 mm ''Front'' 30 mm ''Rear'' || 30 mm || 30 mm ''Front'' 20 mm ''Rear''
|-
|}

[[File:VT1-2 12.7 mm incapacitation.png|right|thumb|400px]]
'''Notes''':

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* 10 mm structural steel located behind ammunition racks.
* 10 mm structural steel located on the right side of the auto-loader rack.
* 12.7 mm machine guns can penetrate the the side armour at a specific point and possible kill the driver and gunner.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 2782|rbMinHp= 1946|}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has the ability to climb to speeds of 70 km/h in a matter of seconds, with the help of 8 reverse gears, the reversing top speed is also 70 km/h. One of its features is the ability to adjust its suspension to allow it to change only its pitch (i.e lower the front and raise the back or vice versa), the height and roll cannot be adjusted. If the {{PAGENAME}} pitches up or down too much its top speed and manoeuvrability is significantly reduced, so it is recommended that the be lowered up to a point where speed and manoeuvrability is not negatively reduced to maximise gun depression and mobility.

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

Recommended research path:

# Parts
# FPE
# Adjustment of Fire (absolutely necessary for sniping)
# Brake System (in order to be able to react and aim)
# Filters
# Elevation Mechanism
# DM23
# Laser rangefinder

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Dual [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Left''
| 18 || rowspan="2" | N/A || rowspan="2" | N/A || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 5.00 || 5.00 || 5.00 || 5.00
|-
! ''Right''
| 12 || 9.75 || 8.63 || 7.95 || 7.5
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM13, DM12, DM23}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''30''' || 6 ''(+12)'' || 12 || 12 || No
|}
'''Notes''':

* The first ammo rack is for the auto-loader
* The first rack will replenished with the 2nd ammo rack's ammunition

== Usage in battles ==


The VT1-2 excels when it comes to acceleration, high speed and low profile. This provides the opportunity to move into sniping positions early in the game or even capture midpoints. The tank is easily destroyed and should be played as if it was a glass cannon, i.e. you stay behind cover/concealment and scan the area using binoculars and/or the third-person view and then only moving into firing position when the coast is clear.

'''Engaging the enemy'''

Since the left barrel reloads at a constant 5 second rate and the right barrel in around 7 seconds, you can fire 3 shots within 5 seconds (left, right, left again) in the first engagement which lets you easily correct any error in distance estimation and/or finish off immobilized tanks. Using a custom sight from live.warthunder.com (such as [https://live.warthunder.com/post/861278/en/ this sight] by ''shangxiang'') is recommended in order to be able to quickly fire the second barrel without having to switch between armaments.

'''Things to be aware of'''

Be aware of guided missiles from helicopters on open maps. If you see helicopters, you might need to change plans and hide. Furthermore, if you have sniped 2+ enemies, the revenge plane is a common sight and you are an easy target for them unless you change position and move into a forest or populated area. In addition, the VT1-2 is often described as a "glass cannon", meaning that you must be wary of your surroundings as anything from an anti-air autocannon to any tank round poses a real threat to you, not to mention that your crew is seated in between your guns. This area is very lightly armoured just like the sides, so close range engagements with your sides exposed is not recommended.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Incredibly good mobility on and off road, courtesy of its extremely powerful engine
* Twin 120 mm cannons are unrivalled at its rank:
** HEAT-FS and APFSDS can penetrate almost any tank it encounters
** Able to shoot 3 times within 5 seconds
** One cannon is equipped with an autoloader
* Very quick hull traverse
* Due to the gun layout, the {{PAGENAME}} can position itself to fire one cannon while the other is behind cover

'''Cons:'''

* Thin, mild steel armour cannot resist anything resembling anti-tank fire as low as 12.7 mm machine guns
* 3 crew members are grouped together in the front of the tank, poor survivability
* Cannons cannot traverse horizontally, hull aiming mechanic must be used for precise fire
* Very difficult to fire on the move
* No machine guns for fending off aircraft, highly vulnerable to air attack
* No access to smoke grenades/shells/systems
* Due to hull aiming, the hull tends to roll back or forward depending on terrain
* When loading ammo on a capture point, the left ammo rack is fully loaded first, then the right ammo rack.

== History ==


The project for an experimental turretless tank was started for development in Germany in the early 70's as part of the replacement program for the Leopard 1. The unusual layout of the "casemate" tank type had several advantages: the possibility of installing two cannons at once, increased protection due to low silhouette and enhanced protection in the hull front profile and also increased mobility due to a reduced weight compared to traditional tanks. As part of this innovative project, two vehicles were built under the general name of Versuchsträger (German: experimental platform). The first VT1-1 prototype was placed on a shortened chassis and was equipped with two 105mm rifled cannons with manual loading.

On the second VT1-2, two 120 mm calibre smoothbore cannons were used - the left cannon mounted with an automatic loader mechanism. Both of these prototypes used a number of parts and assemblies from the European "long-term production" experimental [[KPz-70]]. Since both vehicles were intended exclusively for the testing and development of new battle tactics, they were made from structural non-armour steel. Tests carried out by several NATO block countries, but they all left the project one by one and in 1985, Germany itself refused further development in favour of developing the Leopard 2 which was created according to a classic tank scheme.

- ''From [[wt:en/news/6400-operation-shipyard-vt1-2-doppelrohr-kasemattpanzer-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_vt_1_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Sights

* [https://live.warthunder.com/post/861278/en/ shangxiang's gunsight for the {{PAGENAME}}]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|o_425jH2a48|'''Double Trouble - VT1-2 Review''' - ''TheEuropeanCanadian''}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6400-operation-shipyard-vt1-2-doppelrohr-kasemattpanzer-en|Operation "Shipyard": VT1-2 - Doppelrohr-Kasemattpanzer]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Sd.Kfz.234/1

2023-06-29T13:43:40Z

U120654901:

{{About
| about = German light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Sd.Kfz.234 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_sdkfz_234_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_Sd.Kfz.234-1.jpg}}
|market=Sd.Kfz.234/1 (Germany)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was the second production model of the [[Sd.Kfz.234 (Family)|Sd.Kfz.234]] after the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] and was a heavily armoured car reconnaissance vehicle with a simple open-top turret providing a 20 mm autocannon next to an MG42 machine gun to deal with infantry and light combat vehicles. The Sd.Kfz 234 series were primarily built as a further improvement to Germany's reconnaissance vehicles after learning of the effectiveness of said type of vehicle with combat reports of the Sd.Kfz. series 231/232/233.

It was introduced during [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6669-special-space-race-en|"Space Race" event]]. The Sd.Kfz.234/1 combines the familiar chassis of the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]] with the turret of the [[Sd.Kfz. 140/1]]. While not as heavily armoured as the latter, the mobility presented by the former's chassis gives the Sd.Kfz.234/1 excellent map manoeuvrability to utilise the 20 mm autocannon against unsuspecting opponents.

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


'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (40°) ''Front plate'' 15 mm (70°), 30 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 8 mm (34-35°) ''Top'' 8 (19-35°) + 4 mm || 10 mm (21-46°) || 5 mm
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (33-37°) ''Turret front'' 8 mm (0-8°) ''Gun shield'' || 8 mm (26-27°) || 8 mm (34-37°) || N/A
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Wheels provide 10 mm thick protection.
* Vision ports on car body are 10 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.

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


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

The Sd.Kfz.234/1 has the same manoeuvrability as the rest of its Puma brethren. It has a maximum speed of 100 km/h, both forward and reverse in Arcade and 90 km/h forward and reverse in Realistic.

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

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

{{main|KwK38 (20 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[KwK38 (20 mm)|20 mm KwK38]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 250 (10) || rowspan="2" | 450 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+70° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28 || 34 || 37.6 || 40
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''Sprgr.:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''PzGr:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
* '''PzGr 40:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}

{{:KwK38 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T*, API-T, HVAP-T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_Sd.Kfz.234-1.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''25''' || 17 ''(+8)'' || 9 ''(+16)'' || 1 ''(+24)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Ammunition is modelled as 25 clips of 10 shells.
* Racks disappear after you've fired all clips in the rack.

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

{{main|MG42 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG42 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG42]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,800 (150) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Even though the armour of the Sd.Kfz.234/1 is lacking, it can still bounce a hit or two from low-calibre guns from the front if lucky and when played to its advantages it can become a vital part of achieving victory over the other team. This armoured car has two main things going for it: excellent mobility (with max speeds of 90 km/h RB, 100 km/h AB) and a very effective, fast-firing autocannon with Pzgr 40 rounds that have exceptional armour penetration, where it can decimate enemies at both close and medium ranges.

With these advantages in mind, there are several playstyles for this vehicle. The first of these is to play a harasser role. Using the excellent mobility, the Sd.Kfz.234/1 can get to the best positions on the map early and lie in ambush for enemy vehicles. Once you have struck and eliminated an enemy, use the vehicle's mobility to get yourself to a new position and repeat the process.

A second option is to play it so as to get to cap zones before the other teams do, and afterwards use your vehicle as a support tank along with your teammates' tanks taking up a position behind them.

The third option, if playing in a squad (two or more) you can also use this vehicle for flanking operations.

'''Notable opponents''':

* [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1]]'s - Very well armoured for its BR and can be very dangerous (avoid if possible)
* [[T-70]] / [[T-80]] - Strong frontal armour that will be hard to penetrate (but thinner side and rear armour), if you find yourself fighting one of these try to flank its position and catch it off guard.
* [[:Category:USA ground vehicles|USA]] - Most tanks of this tier can be penetrated easily by your autocannon, but be careful as some of these tanks especially BR 3.0 and up will carry .50 cal machine guns which can penetrate your armour so be careful when engaging them. Other nations tanks are relatively similar in their potency, so the same rules should be applied when engaging them.

To conclude, this armoured car is very useful when used in a harasser role, and in the other roles stated above. To make it even more useful, check the specs of other tanks & vehicles of the same BR to get a better idea on what vehicles you can pen and what you can't.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* HVAP belts has a full composition of HVAP, able to penetrate most light tanks (e.g. [[T-26]], [[M3A1 Stuart|M3A1]], [[BT-5|BT-5,]] [[A13 (Family)|A13]]) and side armour of heavier targets (e.g. [[B1 bis|B1]]) easily
* The KwK38 is coupled with an MG42 with a blistering fire rate which allows quite effective suppressive fire capability on light-skinned vehicles
* The 20 mm cannon can shoot down aircraft due to a very high elevation angle which means it can, in a pinch, act as a pseudo-SPAA
* The quick speed (100 km/h in AB, 90 km/h in RB) allows the Sd.Kfz.234/1 to be one of, if not the first vehicle, to both, make contact with the enemy team and capture zones
* Very fast acceleration both forward and reverse, getting out of a sticky situation is very easily if your driver is alive
* It can average around 40 km/h off-road, which is quite fast for a wheeled vehicle
* The front hull and turret have 30 mm of armour which is sloped to increase the thickness
* The thin armour on the sides and rear mean that most solid shot rounds will go right through without causing much damage, which is useful against tanks with only solid shells, like all the [[M3 Stuart (Family)|M3]]/[[M5 Stuart (Family)|M5]] Stuarts

'''Cons:'''

* The 20 mm cannon belt consists of only 10 rounds and it gets exhausted very quickly, so reloads are very frequent
* Weak armour from the sides and rear can be penetrated by lighter weapons like autocannons and machine guns (e.g. [[M13 MGMC]], [[GAZ-AAA (DShK)]])
* Can be destroyed with overpressure by HEAT projectiles like the [[M8 General Scott (Family)|M8 Scott]]
* Poor damage of 20 mm shells means that it can be difficult effectively destroy spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Tall wire mesh fencing on the turret sides can give it away if attempting to hide or play stealthily while providing no armour benefits
* The wheeled suspension makes controlling the vehicle in turns very hard as it has a tendency to drift
* It is a wheeled vehicle so, while being racecar-like on hard surfaces, mud, water, snow and sand really slow it down (to around 20-30 km/h)
* It is open-topped so artillery is deadly and aircraft ramming the vehicle can knock it out
* Turret traverse speed is average, this, coupled with its tendency to drift in turns makes taking out a target after turning quite the chore
* Unlike the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]], the Sd.Kfz.234/1 does not have access to smoke grenades, thus cannot safely retreat from danger
* Ammunition detonations are very frequent

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_sdkfz_234_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|RGeu2yLGeTU|'''Best armored cars''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:03 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]], equipped with a turreted [[KwK39 (50 mm)|50 mm KwK39]] gun.
* [[Sd.Kfz.234/3]], tank destroyer version of the Sd.Kfz.234, with a [[K51 L/24 (75 mm)|75 mm K51]] howitzer.
* [[Sd.Kfz.234/4]], tank destroyer version equipped with the longer [[PaK40/3 L46 (75 mm)|75 mm PaK40/3]] gun.

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Sd.Kfz.222]]
* [[Sd.Kfz.222 (China)]]

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

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

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

T-80BVM

2023-06-11T09:52:27Z

U120654901: Undo revision 163997 by U120654901 (talk)

{{About
| about = Russian medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = T-80 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_80bvm
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

The T-80BVM is a significantly upgraded [[T-80B]]. Although the T-80B is an older variant than the previous [[T-80U]], this upgrade package is more than enough to bring it to par. Distinctive arrays of third-generation "Relikt" ERA offer high protection against both chemical and kinetic rounds, the gun can now fire top-notch 3BM60 "Svinets" APFSDS and 9M119M1 "Refleks" ATGMs with improved handling, and the engine has been upgraded to the T-80U's 1250 horsepower. The T-80BVM once again achieves a triple threat of high protection, firepower, and mobility on top of a low profile, making it an excellent capstone for the T-64/T-80 line.

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

The armour protection of the T-80BVM is one of the best, especially if the incoming round hits one of the Relikt ERA plates which are twice as effective as CONTACT-5 ERA against kinetic projectiles (meaning that the Leopard 2A6, one of the most dangerous opponents, cannot easily penetrate the UFP). The strongest parts of the tank are the turret front and a majority of the upper front plate. It does, however, have some weaker areas, the most important being the driver's hatch, the immediate areas of the turret surrounding the gun and its breech, and its lower frontal plate. These weak spots are however pretty small targets at range, and thus by hiding them properly, the risk of being hit can be minimized. Owing to its very low profile, a hull-down T-80BVM is a small target in itself; the weaker parts of its armour are even smaller.

Fuel tanks on either side of the driver can soak up some shrapnel and add to the overall survivability. However, as with all Russian auto-loaded MBTs, there are only three crew members so a well-placed shot is capable of causing a crew knock-out. It's also worth noting that the placement of the ammo rack, below the turret in a carousel-style setup, leaves the T-80BVM particularly vulnerable to side shots causing ammunition detonation. The protection of the T-80BVM is very similar to the T-80U in terms of the size and placement of the weak areas. The sides of your tank should always be protected, and when engaging an enemy, your front armour should always be aligned directly towards him to reduce the risks of a shot tearing through your weaker side. The tank does, however, have some Relikt ERA plates on its upper front skirts, meaning that you have some extra protection against KE penetrators, and a lot against chemical shells, until the ERA bricks are detonated (leaving the area vulnerable for another hit).

As mentioned above, the T-80BVM also benefits from the typical low silhouette Russian tankers will be accustomed to, with the vehicle being significantly smaller than its competitors. This allows the T-80BVM to be hidden behind small terrain deformities which other MBTs would otherwise be visible. It's also harder for an enemy tank commander to immediately tell which area is the most vulnerable.

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola, gun mantlet)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (gunner hatch)
* High-hardness rolled armour (hull)
* Rubber-fabric (mudguards)
* Alloy BT-6 (engine roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (68°) || 80 mm ''Top'' 20 mm ''Bottom'' || 50 mm || 20-30 mm
|-
| Turret || Variable thickness ''Turret front'' Variable thickness ''Gun mantlet'' || Variable Thickness || Variable Thickness || 30-45 mm
|-
| Cupola || 80 mm || 80 mm || 80 mm || 45 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Relict: 20 mm High Hardness Rolled Armour
* Tracks: 20 mm

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

Overall mobility is good, it can easily keep up with most top-tier MBTs.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1937|rbMinHp=1106}}

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

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

{{main|2A46M-1 (125 mm)}}
The T-80BVM has access to the 2A46M-1 125 mm smoothbore main gun. This gun fires the same ammunition as the previous [[T-64 (Family)|T-64]] and [[T-80 (Family)|T-80]] models but with new projectiles such as the 3BM60 "Svinets-2" APFSDS round and the 9M119M1 "Invar-M" ATGM, a modernized 9M119 "Svir" with a tandem charge and a slightly reduced speed. The T-80BVM has excellent gun handling on par with tanks such as the [[M1A2 Abrams|M1A2]] and [[Leopard 2A6]]. It also has a steady reload rate at 6.5 seconds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A46M-1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 38 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The T-80BVM has access to capable rounds, able to destroy any enemy tank or vehicle it faces at the battle rating. Its most notable round is the powerful 3BM60 "Svinets-2" APFSDS.

'''3BK18M''', HEAT-FS - The 3BK18M is one of the first rounds the T-80BVM has access to, it can be considered a mediocre round for close to medium range as most of the enemies which will be faced will be able to withstand it due to composite armour. However, it is particularly useful when facing light armoured vehicles which are prompt to overpressure (SPAA, light tanks, etc) and useful when facing enemy helicopters as it has enough explosive mass and flight speed to be competitive as last resort. As a hollow charge, it is prompt to detonate mid air due to trees, bushes and fences. This makes the round difficult to use when in long range engagements as some field elements (forage, objects, etc.) may not be rendered and the round's velocity make aiming harder.

'''3OF26''', HE-FS - A familiar and useful stock round of 125 mm gun, the 3OF26 pack big amount of explosive filler that can kill light vehicles and overpressure hull down MBT with precision shots. As a high explosive, it is prompt to detonate mid air due to trees, bushes and fences. Its suitable for close range combat and terrain with less trees and bushes.

'''3BM42, 3BM60''', APFSDS - The T-80BVM has access to 2 types of APFSDS: the 3BM42 and 3BM60. The 3BM42 is a decent round with decent penetration and stopping power. While it lacks penetration to penetrate Leopard 2 tanks, Leclercs or M1A1/2 turret plates, it has enough penetration to hit and cause critical damage in weak spots and side shots. The 3BM60 however, different from the 3BM42, has much more penetration which can penetrate all tanks from all sides (be aware of Leopard 2 turret wedges and firing at M1A2 turret with an obliquity greater than 45°).

'''9M119M1''', ATGM (tandem) - The 9M119M1 is a tandem version of the previously seen 9M119 ATGM. The main upgrade is the tandem charge, everything else remains practically the same with exception of reduction of flight speed.

{{:2A46M-1 (125 mm)/Ammunition|3BK18M, 3OF26, 3BM42, 9M119M1, 3BM60}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''38''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|NSVT (12.7 mm)|PKT (7.62 mm)}}
The 12.7 mm NSVT machine gun, seen on all previous Soviet MBTs, can help take out some lightly armoured vehicles from the side as well as to destroy low-flying aircraft and helicopters.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[NSVT (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm NSVT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 300 (150) || 700 || -5°/+60° || ±180°
|-
|}
The coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun however is lacking against enemy vehicles, it still can mow down some small bushes and fences to provide better view or use it to help pin enemies.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,250 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The T-80BVM has a higher protection and better ammunition than the T-80U, meaning it is able to hold much more fire and deal more damage with the Svinets APFSDS than with the Mango APFSDS. The most dangerous enemy to the T-80BVM is helicopters, although the Relikt will usually protect against one or two missiles. However, it is still ERA, and will be blown off after it is detonated. Since the interior of the tank is so compact, this makes it easy for good pilots to knock you out in 2-3 rapid missile shots. To avoid helicopters, stay close to buildings or hide next to trees/large bushes and wait for an anti-air vehicle or a plane to take it out. Or use the ATGM or rangefinder to shoot down the enemy yourself.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Equipped with composite armour and Relikt ERA, protection and survivability is superb from the front, especially against HEAT rounds and when hull down
* UBH upgrade enables increased side protection on the hull and turret
* Access to the powerful 3BM60 APFSDS shell
* Autoloader grants a short and constant reload time
* Most of the rounds are placed in the autoloader which helps the tank stay in active combat longer
* Good mobility
* Good gun handling
* Has 3rd generation thermal sights for the gunner

'''Cons:'''

* While the front is covered with ERA plates, gaps between plates present small weak spots
* A tightly packed crew in a cramped interior means low survivability in case of a successful penetration
* Poor gun depression of -5° due to the low turret height, making it difficult to perform well in hilly terrain
* High risk of ammo rack detonation due to the vertical orientation of propellant charges in the carousel
* Relatively low reverse speed, hard to fall back when flanked or damaged
* Base turret armor can easily be penetrated by the APFSDS rounds it encounters

== History ==

The T-80BVM is a current program for the Russian army in the modernization of Soviet T-80BV tanks to the level of the T-72B3 and T-90M main battle tanks, as well as unification with them. The modernization includes an up-to-date fire control system with a duplicate sight for the commander, and the ability to operate the 9M119 tandem ATGMs, as well as the "Relikt" ERA pack instead of outdated "Kontakt-1". Thanks to the latter, the protection of the vehicle from HEAT and AP projectiles was significantly increased.

The modernization of the T-80BVM takes place at the facilities of the Omsk heavy machinery plant (Omsktransmash) and enter service with units of the marines and motorized infantry of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

''- Taken from [[wt:en/news/7192-development-t-80bvm-era-of-improvements-en|Devblog.]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_80bvm Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|LufGqZTfvoI|'''MBTs with Best Armor''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 05:10 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|X08w5IAydF4|'''The Shooting Range #258''' - ''Round Study'' section at 08:34 discusses how to penetrate the {{PAGENAME}}.|4NPt7dr-fKo|'''The Shooting Range #256''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7192-development-t-80bvm-era-of-improvements-en|[Devblog] T-80BVM: ERA of improvements]]

{{TankManufacturer Kirov}}
{{USSR medium tanks}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

T-80BVM

2023-06-11T09:51:11Z

U120654901: /* Mobility */

{{About
| about = Russian medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = T-80 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_80bvm
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]].

The T-80BVM is a significantly upgraded [[T-80B]]. Although the T-80B is an older variant than the previous [[T-80U]], this upgrade package is more than enough to bring it to par. Distinctive arrays of third-generation "Relikt" ERA offer high protection against both chemical and kinetic rounds, the gun can now fire top-notch 3BM60 "Svinets" APFSDS and 9M119M1 "Refleks" ATGMs with improved handling, and the engine has been upgraded to the T-80U's 1250 horsepower. The T-80BVM once again achieves a triple threat of high protection, firepower, and mobility on top of a low profile, making it an excellent capstone for the T-64/T-80 line.

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

The armour protection of the T-80BVM is one of the best, especially if the incoming round hits one of the Relikt ERA plates which are twice as effective as CONTACT-5 ERA against kinetic projectiles (meaning that the Leopard 2A6, one of the most dangerous opponents, cannot easily penetrate the UFP). The strongest parts of the tank are the turret front and a majority of the upper front plate. It does, however, have some weaker areas, the most important being the driver's hatch, the immediate areas of the turret surrounding the gun and its breech, and its lower frontal plate. These weak spots are however pretty small targets at range, and thus by hiding them properly, the risk of being hit can be minimized. Owing to its very low profile, a hull-down T-80BVM is a small target in itself; the weaker parts of its armour are even smaller.

Fuel tanks on either side of the driver can soak up some shrapnel and add to the overall survivability. However, as with all Russian auto-loaded MBTs, there are only three crew members so a well-placed shot is capable of causing a crew knock-out. It's also worth noting that the placement of the ammo rack, below the turret in a carousel-style setup, leaves the T-80BVM particularly vulnerable to side shots causing ammunition detonation. The protection of the T-80BVM is very similar to the T-80U in terms of the size and placement of the weak areas. The sides of your tank should always be protected, and when engaging an enemy, your front armour should always be aligned directly towards him to reduce the risks of a shot tearing through your weaker side. The tank does, however, have some Relikt ERA plates on its upper front skirts, meaning that you have some extra protection against KE penetrators, and a lot against chemical shells, until the ERA bricks are detonated (leaving the area vulnerable for another hit).

As mentioned above, the T-80BVM also benefits from the typical low silhouette Russian tankers will be accustomed to, with the vehicle being significantly smaller than its competitors. This allows the T-80BVM to be hidden behind small terrain deformities which other MBTs would otherwise be visible. It's also harder for an enemy tank commander to immediately tell which area is the most vulnerable.

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola, gun mantlet)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (gunner hatch)
* High-hardness rolled armour (hull)
* Rubber-fabric (mudguards)
* Alloy BT-6 (engine roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (68°) || 80 mm ''Top'' 20 mm ''Bottom'' || 50 mm || 20-30 mm
|-
| Turret || Variable thickness ''Turret front'' Variable thickness ''Gun mantlet'' || Variable Thickness || Variable Thickness || 30-45 mm
|-
| Cupola || 80 mm || 80 mm || 80 mm || 45 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Relict: 20 mm High Hardness Rolled Armour
* Tracks: 20 mm

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

Overall mobility is good, it can easily keep up with most top-tier MBTs.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1937|rbMinHp=1106|AoAweight=1}}

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

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

{{main|2A46M-1 (125 mm)}}
The T-80BVM has access to the 2A46M-1 125 mm smoothbore main gun. This gun fires the same ammunition as the previous [[T-64 (Family)|T-64]] and [[T-80 (Family)|T-80]] models but with new projectiles such as the 3BM60 "Svinets-2" APFSDS round and the 9M119M1 "Invar-M" ATGM, a modernized 9M119 "Svir" with a tandem charge and a slightly reduced speed. The T-80BVM has excellent gun handling on par with tanks such as the [[M1A2 Abrams|M1A2]] and [[Leopard 2A6]]. It also has a steady reload rate at 6.5 seconds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A46M-1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 38 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The T-80BVM has access to capable rounds, able to destroy any enemy tank or vehicle it faces at the battle rating. Its most notable round is the powerful 3BM60 "Svinets-2" APFSDS.

'''3BK18M''', HEAT-FS - The 3BK18M is one of the first rounds the T-80BVM has access to, it can be considered a mediocre round for close to medium range as most of the enemies which will be faced will be able to withstand it due to composite armour. However, it is particularly useful when facing light armoured vehicles which are prompt to overpressure (SPAA, light tanks, etc) and useful when facing enemy helicopters as it has enough explosive mass and flight speed to be competitive as last resort. As a hollow charge, it is prompt to detonate mid air due to trees, bushes and fences. This makes the round difficult to use when in long range engagements as some field elements (forage, objects, etc.) may not be rendered and the round's velocity make aiming harder.

'''3OF26''', HE-FS - A familiar and useful stock round of 125 mm gun, the 3OF26 pack big amount of explosive filler that can kill light vehicles and overpressure hull down MBT with precision shots. As a high explosive, it is prompt to detonate mid air due to trees, bushes and fences. Its suitable for close range combat and terrain with less trees and bushes.

'''3BM42, 3BM60''', APFSDS - The T-80BVM has access to 2 types of APFSDS: the 3BM42 and 3BM60. The 3BM42 is a decent round with decent penetration and stopping power. While it lacks penetration to penetrate Leopard 2 tanks, Leclercs or M1A1/2 turret plates, it has enough penetration to hit and cause critical damage in weak spots and side shots. The 3BM60 however, different from the 3BM42, has much more penetration which can penetrate all tanks from all sides (be aware of Leopard 2 turret wedges and firing at M1A2 turret with an obliquity greater than 45°).

'''9M119M1''', ATGM (tandem) - The 9M119M1 is a tandem version of the previously seen 9M119 ATGM. The main upgrade is the tandem charge, everything else remains practically the same with exception of reduction of flight speed.

{{:2A46M-1 (125 mm)/Ammunition|3BK18M, 3OF26, 3BM42, 9M119M1, 3BM60}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''38''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|NSVT (12.7 mm)|PKT (7.62 mm)}}
The 12.7 mm NSVT machine gun, seen on all previous Soviet MBTs, can help take out some lightly armoured vehicles from the side as well as to destroy low-flying aircraft and helicopters.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[NSVT (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm NSVT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 300 (150) || 700 || -5°/+60° || ±180°
|-
|}
The coaxial 7.62 mm PKT machine gun however is lacking against enemy vehicles, it still can mow down some small bushes and fences to provide better view or use it to help pin enemies.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,250 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The T-80BVM has a higher protection and better ammunition than the T-80U, meaning it is able to hold much more fire and deal more damage with the Svinets APFSDS than with the Mango APFSDS. The most dangerous enemy to the T-80BVM is helicopters, although the Relikt will usually protect against one or two missiles. However, it is still ERA, and will be blown off after it is detonated. Since the interior of the tank is so compact, this makes it easy for good pilots to knock you out in 2-3 rapid missile shots. To avoid helicopters, stay close to buildings or hide next to trees/large bushes and wait for an anti-air vehicle or a plane to take it out. Or use the ATGM or rangefinder to shoot down the enemy yourself.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Equipped with composite armour and Relikt ERA, protection and survivability is superb from the front, especially against HEAT rounds and when hull down
* UBH upgrade enables increased side protection on the hull and turret
* Access to the powerful 3BM60 APFSDS shell
* Autoloader grants a short and constant reload time
* Most of the rounds are placed in the autoloader which helps the tank stay in active combat longer
* Good mobility
* Good gun handling
* Has 3rd generation thermal sights for the gunner

'''Cons:'''

* While the front is covered with ERA plates, gaps between plates present small weak spots
* A tightly packed crew in a cramped interior means low survivability in case of a successful penetration
* Poor gun depression of -5° due to the low turret height, making it difficult to perform well in hilly terrain
* High risk of ammo rack detonation due to the vertical orientation of propellant charges in the carousel
* Relatively low reverse speed, hard to fall back when flanked or damaged
* Base turret armor can easily be penetrated by the APFSDS rounds it encounters

== History ==

The T-80BVM is a current program for the Russian army in the modernization of Soviet T-80BV tanks to the level of the T-72B3 and T-90M main battle tanks, as well as unification with them. The modernization includes an up-to-date fire control system with a duplicate sight for the commander, and the ability to operate the 9M119 tandem ATGMs, as well as the "Relikt" ERA pack instead of outdated "Kontakt-1". Thanks to the latter, the protection of the vehicle from HEAT and AP projectiles was significantly increased.

The modernization of the T-80BVM takes place at the facilities of the Omsk heavy machinery plant (Omsktransmash) and enter service with units of the marines and motorized infantry of the Armed Forces of the Russian Federation.

''- Taken from [[wt:en/news/7192-development-t-80bvm-era-of-improvements-en|Devblog.]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_80bvm Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|LufGqZTfvoI|'''MBTs with Best Armor''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 05:10 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|X08w5IAydF4|'''The Shooting Range #258''' - ''Round Study'' section at 08:34 discusses how to penetrate the {{PAGENAME}}.|4NPt7dr-fKo|'''The Shooting Range #256''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7192-development-t-80bvm-era-of-improvements-en|[Devblog] T-80BVM: ERA of improvements]]

{{TankManufacturer Kirov}}
{{USSR medium tanks}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J

2023-06-06T05:57:22Z

U120654901: /* Armaments */

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Pz.IV (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_panzerbefelhswagen_IV_ausf_J
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 161/2''') is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.43]].

The '''Panzerbefehlswagen IV Ausf. J''' was a command vehicle based on the [[Pz.IV J]], equipped with three radios – the FuG 8 and FuG 5 for communication with headquarters and with tanks and the FuG 7 for communication with aircraft. Each of these radios needed its own antenna – the FuG 8 had a star aerial at the right-rear of the tank, the FuG 5 a 2-meter rod aerial on the turret roof and the FuG 7 a 1.4 meter aerial at the rear left.

While the turret skirts are nothing new in the late Panzer IV series, the hull skirts are the wire mesh designs also known as Thoma-Schürzen which were easier to produce in the German industry, not to mention were lighter and could fulfil the same role as the regular plates.

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (11°) ''Front plate'' 20 mm (72°) ''Front glacis'' 80 mm (12-64°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm || 30 mm (4-15°) || 26 mm ''Front'' 10 mm ''Rear and hatches''
|-
| Turret || 50 mm (11°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (7-29°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 30 (23-26°) + 5 (0-1°) mm || 30 (15-17°) + 5 mm || 16 mm ''Front'' 10 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || 95 mm || 95 mm || 95 mm || 10 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The hull and turret sides are protected by an extra 5 mm thick plate to provide protection against HEAT and HE rounds.
* Belly armour is 10 mm thick.
* Barrel shroud around gun barrel is 20 mm thick.
* [[Add-on Armor|Add-on Armour]] gives an additional 15 mm of armour can be added to the front facing surfaces.

The Pz.Bfw IV is vulnerable to most front shot engagement, especially so if no serious attempt is made in compound angling. The front plate in its unsloped format is an enticing target, but beware to not hit the front sloping glacis right in front of it as that area has a tendency to bounce everything. Also, avoid hitting straight into the ball machine gun and driver's port in the front as these also have a tendency to nullify an armour-piercing shot. When using APHE rounds, simply hit centre mass of the front plate and let the post-penetration effect do the rest.

In the case of a vehicle with a gun simply unable to penetrate this front plate, aim towards the turret that still retains a 50 mm front plate. Even the weaker non-autocannon armaments can penetrate through this front plate and incapacitate the turret crew. Aim for the turret left side (right side when shooting it) to knock out the gunner and deny their firepower, then chip away at weak spots until the threat is destroyed.

Alternatively, aim at the Panzer IV from its long vulnerable sides in cases where its slow turret traverse cannot keep up with a flanking manoeuvre or catching it in an ambush. The interior is fully stocked with ammo racks even when the user is taking a minimum load. Moreover, the fuel tank resides at the very bottom of the centre of the tank, so a penetrating shot with APHE will either detonate the ammunition, set the tank on fire, or knock out a good portion of the crew, if not fully destroy the tank with all three effects.

In every case scenario, it is to the benefit of the surviving player to fire the first shot against the Pz.Bfw IV above all else, as it would deny the Pz.Bfw IV even a chance to use its high-penetrating 75 mm gun.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265|AoAweight=0.4}}

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

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

{{main|KwK40 L48 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK40 L48 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK40 L48]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 87 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

*'''PzGr 39''' - {{Annotation|APCBC|Armour Piercing Ballistic Cap}} shell - This is the main ammo type, always use this if confident it can penetrate enemy armour. It deals the most damage because of its explosive filler.
*'''Hl.Gr 38B''' - {{Annotation|HEAT|High Explosive Anti-Tank}} shell - it is recommended to completely avoid this kind of shell as its performance is vastly inferior in all aspects compared to APCBC or APCR ammo used by this tank.
*'''PzGr 40''' - {{Annotation|APCR|Armour Piercing Composite Rigid}} shell - This type of ammo should be used only if there is trouble penetrating the opponent, or trying to hit a fast moving tank at some distance. However, its damaging potential is much lower because it has no explosive filler to further enhance damage after the penetration.
*'''Sprgr. 34''' - {{Annotation|HE|High Explosive}} shell - Carry only very few of these. They are useless against anything other than unarmoured AA vehicles, to which it is lethal.
* '''K.Gr.Rot Nb.''' - Smoke shells are useful to blind enemy vehicles that block your advance while being being too remote for you to disable.

{{:KwK40 L48 (75 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr 39, Hl.Gr 38B, PzGr 40, Sprgr. 34, K.Gr.Rot Nb.}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''87''' || 84 ''(+3)'' || 82 ''(+5)'' || 80 ''(+7)'' || 72 ''(+15)'' || 63 ''(+24)'' || 54 ''(+33)'' || 46 ''(+41)'' || 38 ''(+49)'' || 30 ''(+57)'' || 24 ''(+63)'' || 1 ''(+86)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_Pz.IV_H.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the Pz.IV H (identical)]]
'''Notes''':

* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
* Sides empty: 30 ''(+57)'' shells.

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

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,150 (150) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,100 (150) || 900 || -10°/+20° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Like the Panzer IV J, the Pz.Bfw. IV suffers compared to its other variants due to its slow, manual turret traverse rate. This causes the Pz.Bfw IV to lose flexibility in reacting to close encounters without turning the entire hull around. As such, it is recommended not to use the Pz.Bfw IV as a front-line assaulter in combat.

Tactics-wise, the Pz.Bfw IV is perfect for sniping and ambushes, where the slower turret traverse rate affects its combat performance less. Attack from a distance, especially while that enemy is focused on other allies in the team. Ambushes can also work in close-range events when watching corners, street intersections, and checkpoints, but be wary of any enemies trying to outmanoeuvre the Pz.Bfw IV as it would require drastic action with the slow turret rate. Try not to engage the enemy in a straight-up front confrontation as most enemies would be able to easily cleave through the front armour and end the vehicle.

Although most tanks in Rank III can destroy the {{PAGENAME}} pretty quickly, the tanks the {{PAGENAME}} need to avoid in open combat (if possible) are [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2s]], [[SU-152|SU-152s]], [[T-34-85 (D-5T)|T-34-85(D-5T)s]], [[M4A3E2|M4A3E2 Jumbos]].

* For KV-2s, if it's looking at the {{PAGENAME}} (And hopefully reloading), shoot at the flat of the turret below the mantlet. It's flat, relatively thin armour, and the 75 mm shell should go right through and take out everyone and everything in the turret. From the side, shoot it in the side of the hull (At a 90-degree angle for best effects) to ignite the fuel tanks and maybe even detonate the ammo. Shooting the turret isn't recommended unless for knocking out the gunner or the breech, as there are a lot of crew members in there, and the shells in the turret rarely ignite. Trying to destroy it that way will take time.

* For SU-152s, shoot to the right of the gun, above the driver's viewport, and it will wreck everything inside. If that's an option, try to get around it. It is a casemate after all. Once the tank is on its side, shoot it in the crew compartment to obliterate it.

* For T-34-85(D-5T)s, it is imperative that the {{PAGENAME}} gets the first shot off, as their 85 mm will go through the {{PAGENAME}} 85 ways from Sunday, and nuke the entire tank interior. Don't shoot the turret unless there is no other option, as it's incredibly prone to ricochet shells. Instead, shoot the hull centre. Pay close attention not to hit the driver's hatch as it's actually more armoured than the glacis itself.

* M4A3E2 Jumbo's will give the {{PAGENAME}} the hardest time, as their frontal armour is nigh impenetrable, aside from the machine gun port. It's a small, unreliable target, but it's the only chance of penetrating the Jumbo from the front. If lucky, and catch a Jumbo on its side, shoot it in its hull. As its Turret side (and rear!) armour is still thick enough to block the 75 mm shots. Also, keep in mind, that if the Jumbo is showing its side while angling toward the {{PAGENAME}}, that the side armour behind its tracks is very thinly armoured. Try shooting there if possible.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The KwK40 L/48 cannon provides enough muzzle velocity to penetrate most contemporary enemies at far range
* PzGr 40 (APCR) offers great penetration in case PzGr 39 (APCBC) fails
* Heavily sloped area in front of the front flat plate has a tendency to bounce most shots aimed towards it
* Turrets and side have Schürzen (Spaced Armour), which can offer some protection from HEAT or HE rounds
* Good acceleration from a stop
* Satisfactory performance over cross-country and road terrains
* 5 crew members are present in the tank. (Commander, gunner, driver, loader, machinegunner)

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turret traverse rate can be fatal in certain situations
* Box armour structure has no benefits from sloping except for a section in the front
* Generally, most AP rounds will effortlessly penetrate the Panzer IV, weaker rounds can also easily hit at weak points
* Lacks a large gun mantlet for turret protection
* Armour protection is poor, able to be penetrated by all the tanks it encounters even frontally
* Generally outperformed by vehicles it faces and fights with

== History ==

The '''Panzerbefehlswagen IV''' is a command tank variant of the Panzer IV. While nearly the same exterior wise, the inside has been refitted with new equipment to enhance communication, thus fighting is not its purpose role. About 105 Panzerbefehlswagen IV were made during the war, with 17 from the [[Pz.IV J|Panzer IV Ausf. J]] variant and the rest from refurbished chassis adapted to the role.

The conversion allowed the tank to mount additional radio sets for communicating with the tank, infantry, and even aircraft units, or back to headquarters. The loader of the tank doubled as a radio operator as well to maintain all the radios in the tank. As well as the radios, mounting racks, transformers, junction boxes, antennas, and an auxiliary electrical engineer are also installed into the tank. This new equipment takes up space in the tank and so the ammunition stowage is reduced from the usual 87 rounds to 72 rounds, but this is mitigated by the fact that it should not be the front-line weapon against the enemy.

Other than that, the tank is nearly the same as the original Panzer IV tank. The tank featured a 75 mm KwK40 main gun with a coaxial MG34 machine gun. The tank had about 80 mm of armour on the front hull, plus additional armour in the form of Schürzen side skirts. Unlike the [[Pz.IV H|Ausf. H]] variant, this variant had the skirts made from wire-meshes rather than metal plates to decrease weight, yet keep the same protection against HEAT rounds.

{{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}}
Commander vehicles for the commanders of medium tank battalions were built based on the standard Pz.IV Ausf.J tank equipped with additional radio stations. There were two varieties, the Sd.Kfz.267 and Sd.Kfz.268, which had different numbers of radio stations. The commander tanks were equipped with Fu 5, Fu 7, and Fu 8 radio stations. The tanks were used in battles on the Eastern and Western Fronts in 1944-1945. 97 tanks were produced between March and September of 1944.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Sights

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

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|aiYBpRJtIA0|'''Pz.Bef.Wg.IV J - Unenjoyable Premium Tank''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Other command vehicles

* [[Pz.Bef.Wg.VI P]]
* [[Bfw. Jagdpanther]]

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

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

{{Germany medium tanks}}
{{Germany premium ground vehicles}}

File:Ammoracks Type 89.png

2023-05-21T18:41:32Z

U120654901: U120654901 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks Type 89.png

Last checked: 2.15.1.30
[[Category:Ammo racks]]

Type 89

2023-05-21T18:27:24Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{About
| about = Japanese light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = equipment of the same adoption year
| link = Type 89 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_89
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].

The full name is known as the Mitsubishi Type 89 {{Annotation|IFV|Infantry Fighting Vehicle}} ({{Annotation|三菱89式装甲戦闘車|Mitsubishi 89-shiki sōkō-sentō-sha}}), the Type 89 provides an autocannon weapon combined with an anti-tank guided missile for a diverse range of attack methods.

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


While the Type 89's armour consists of rolled homogeneous armour, it is not any better than modern light tanks of other factions, which use double or even triple the amount of aluminium to give roughly the same amount of protection. This means that its sides and even angled turret will still be vulnerable to all autocannons and will trigger overpressure damage easily if hit in a weak spot, such as the back half of the tank.

The armour profile can be closely compared to [[Merkava Mk.1 (USA)|Merkava Mk.1]], it has a long hull with turret on the back, and the entirety of it is sloped as much as possible. This means that inaccurate frontal hull shots will likely bounce and this tank should always face the opponent. Unfortunately, due to how big the turret is, the bounced shell might actually fly straight into it, and there aren't any special shields or additional armour for the turret crew on this tank.

Internal module placement is rather smart on paper, with the driver and MG operator hiding on the right side of the tank, and main weapon crew hiding at the back along with ammunition, while the rest of the tank is one giant engine compartment, sealed off with a 5 mm RHA screen, meaning that most hull shots should not be able to deal overpressure damage. In reality, the means of protecting the crew and critical weak points are insufficient. Most notably, the driver isn't completely sealed away from tank's front and the turret, meaning that any chemical shot coming to suspension from the right can overpressure the entire tank. Direct artillery hits will usually destroy the tank instantly. Frontal shots also tend to destroy the gun breech, rendering the main gun useless.

Due to overall low thickness of armour Type 89 can get [[Damage_mechanics#Breach_.2F_Overmatch_.2F_Stamping|overmatched]]. Whenever the tank hull side is even slightly opened, it will get easily penetrated by big guns, the armour is thick enough to trigger APHE fuses and even if it's a slow 19 mm fuse it will trigger off hitting the engine and RHA screen, then cause violent explosions next to ammo rack. Pure AP shells even of a small calibre autocannon will fly straight through the entire engine compartment, likely hitting the turret crew or ammo rack in the very back of the tank. It is also possible to lose the entire tank crew to a single coaxial autocannon spray from the right side, as nothing is protecting the driver there.

The one scenario in which the sealed compartment can truly work against kinetic shells is when the Type 89 is driving around the town, or hiding from snipers behind buildings, and someone suddenly shoots engine compartment into direction opposite from the crew, then enemy APHE may simply get stuck there, doing reduced damage to the turret crew. This does not make the situation any better though, as without team help or a very unlikely ATGM counterattack, Type 89 will still get repeatedly set on fire until it explodes.

Recommendations: Keep your opponents in front of you, if you can't - at least keep them on your left to reduce chances of an overpressure damage. Avoid being shot directly by 120+ mm shells. Do not needlessly taunt enemy SPAA. In close quarters you can be extremely aggressive and destroy enemy weapon or gunner as soon as possible. Otherwise try to scout enemies and hope to fire first or that there is a sniper to cover your back.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 15 mm - 20 mm (81°) ''Upper Glacis'' 5 mm (81°) ''Ventilation'' 35 mm (26°-57°) ''Lower Glacis'' 20 mm (0°-50°) ''Sponson Front'' || 20 mm ''Upper'' 15 mm (Base) +10 mm (Sideskirts) ''Lower'' || 15 mm || 5 mm - 20 mm
|-
| Turret ||35 mm (11°-12°) ''Turret Front Sides'' 25 mm + 25 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 20 mm || 15 mm (Base) + 5 mm (Storage Rack) || 10 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="4" | 10 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Fenders, Storage - 5 mm
* Turret Ring - 25 mm
* Tracks - 15 mm
* Suspension - 10 mm
* There are 10 mm or armour protection between the engine compartment and the crew compartment inside the vehicle

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=930|rbMinHp=531}}

On hard, flat terrain, the Type 89 will easily keep pace or out-speed many other vehicles due to its reasonable power-to-weight ratio of 23 hp/t.

On soft, uneven or hilly terrain the Type 89 loses a lot of its speed advantage. This is due to the fact that the gearbox only provides 4 separate forward speeds. Due to the long gearing the Type 89 will often find itself unable to climb hills in gear 2 and will have to change to gear 1, which provides a top speed of just 9 km/h for hill-climbing. This means the Type 89 is often less mobile on hilly terrain than medium tanks. This problem can be mitigated to some extent by maintaining a good amount of speed (30+ km/h) and not stopping when travelling up hills.

As with [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]], reverse gear is much more responsive and will allow you to manoeuvre and retreat back around the corner during combat - use it if tank was forcibly stopped.

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|Oerlikon KDE (35 mm)}}

The Type 89 is equipped with a 35 mm Oerlikon KDE autocannon, which is similar to the [[Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)|KDA]] variant used by the [[Gepard]], the [[Type 87]], and the [[Chieftain Marksman]], and is widely considered to be one of the most effective guns in regards to damage output and reliability. This is due to their moderate calibre and rate of fire: 35 mm is the largest of the small autocannons which allows it to have a much higher rate of fire than any 40 mm or 57 mm system.

The difference between them is that KDE cannon fires slower than KDA, but it uses tank-specific ammunition instead. This particular tank also has an autoloader magazine of 34 shells. Each shell is reloaded for about 5 seconds when not firing, unless you rearm on the capture point, which injects shells directly into the magazine every ~0.1 sec regardless of firing, which allows the gun to fire forever.

It is very important to remember that even 3-5 direct APDS hits to a cannon barrel can neutralize almost any medium tank Type 89 can face, and should anything impenetrable suddenly attack, one can just destroy their gun to avoid being shot at. The APDS can also easily hit tanks from further than 1.2 km away, so it's worth looking around for unaware opponents with their sides exposed.

Overall, the autocannon allows the Type 89 to deal with most lightly armoured vehicles in the game. The APDS ammunition allows it to deal with Main Battle Tanks from the side, sometimes even from the front, though this should be carefully planned, as running out of autoloader ammo will almost definitely result in Type 89's demise.

The tank can use conventional HE to attack helicopters, if it must. Remember to use the laser rangefinder to target them quicker when it's researched. HE can also be used to demolish buildings, but every building piece will take at least 3 shots, which severely undercuts already limited autoloader ammo pool, therefore it should only be done when rearming from a capture point and only if you want to see and fire over cover (for example, to use the Type 79 ASM efficiently).

Whenever you see that the main gun can't deal with an enemy target, or someone caught you off guard, consider using the ATGMs instead.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Oerlikon KDE (35 mm)|35 mm Oerlikon KDE]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 251 || rowspan="2" | 200 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+35° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 0.30 || rowspan="2" | 0.30 || rowspan="2" | 0.30 || rowspan="2" | 0.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Oerlikon KDE (35 mm)/Ammunition|DM23, DM11A1}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''251''' || 163 ''(+88)'' || 103 ''(+148)'' || 69 ''(+182)'' || 35 ''(+216)'' || 1 ''(+250)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Racks 1 and 2 are modeled as sets of 2 rounds. The rounds disappear from the rack only after you've fired both rounds in the set.
* Racks 3 and 4 are modeled as sets of 4 rounds; they disappear from the rack only after you've fired all rounds in the set.
* Rack 5 is modeled as individual rounds which disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 5 (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 34 rounds.
** This rack gets filled first when loading up the tank and is also emptied first.
** As the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
** Once the autoloader magazine has been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader with at least one round. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun, so take this into account when playing.
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 4 into rack 5. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Type 79}}

The Type 79 default ATGM has around 700 mm flat penetration at any range and has start velocity of 200 m/s, while retaining the high explosive mass of the [[Type 64 MAT]], making it one of the better ATGMs of the rank. This ATGM can deal with most tanks from the front, but be sure to avoid hitting modern NATO NERA composite armour, as these composite armours will minimise the damage done or even negate it entirely. When facing tanks with active ERA screens like [[M60A1 RISE (P)]], attack the screen with the cannon first if possible, as such ERA plating may reduce the damage taken by the hostile tank and force you to use both missiles to take them down.

Two missile launchers are located on the sides of the turret, with two reserve missiles being stored in the back of the hull (four total). Due to their placement, they only really arrive at crosshair location if the target is over 500 m away, so use them on targets which are away from the tank and practice aim in test drive to be able to use them at melee ranges, instead of relying on the targeting reticle. The second missile can be immediately fired after the first one, but firing it will cut off guidance for the first one, so '''only''' do this if you are sure it's on the correct course. Missile reload is only possible after '''both''' missiles are fired.

Type 79 ASM is a proximity HE modification of the Type 79 ATGM. You can only have 10 magazines of ASM modification per battle (20 shots). When you aim at an enemy tank, it will automatically fly above the designated target to explode at about 3 m range from the tank roof. You can't directly control how far it will go, but aiming lower will usually increase the damage output, until the missile starts hitting the target directly. It is generally recommended to aim around the enemy turret base for maximum damage, as missile then tends to explode right above the target's roof.

This missile can be used to obliterate hostile ATGM tanks or to counter superior proximity ATGM carriers, but it is not very effective against medium and heavy tanks. While it technically can breach the roof even of the most feared tanks (like [[IS-6]]) and can be spammed offensively until spent completely off the capture point, if aimed incorrectly the missile tends to detonate too early and hit plates with 35+ mm thickness, doing superficial or no damage. It can also be very difficult to use in the heat of battle, where even a fraction of a second spent aiming may be the difference between victory and defeat. The missile is also too weak to breach roof ERA or NERA, so tanks with the full 360° roof protection (like rank VII Soviet tanks) will not take any damage from it, easily enduring even double direct hits.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Type 79]] missile || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 4 (2) || 0°/+20° || N/A || N/A || 13.00 || 11.50 || 10.60 || 10.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type 79/Ammunition|Type 79, Type 79 ASM}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''2''' || 1 ''(+1)'' || 0 ''(+2)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* ATGMs are modeled by sets of 2. You can carry either 2 or 4 missiles.
* The left ATGM is fired first.
* The reload process will only begin when both ATGM have been fired off the {{PAGENAME}}'s side launchers

=== Optics and night vision ===
The Type 89 receives night vision imagers once the tier 3 modification 'NVD' is researched. This unlocks standard 500 x 300 resolution thermal sights for the gunner, as well as standard image intensifiers for all crew (available in third person view in AB/RB additionally).
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" |{{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! rowspan="3" |Type of optic
! rowspan="3" |Magnification
! colspan="5" |[[Night Vision Devices]]
|-
! colspan="3" |Image Intensifier
! rowspan="2" |{{Annotation|Thermal Imager Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! rowspan="2" |Notes
|-
!{{Annotation|Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
!{{Annotation|Light Mult|By how much the image intensifier amplifies the existing light, primarily useful for comparing image intensifiers}}
!{{Annotation|Noise Level|How much noise is present in the image (how grainy the image is)}}
|-
!Gunner's Sight
|2.0x - 8.0x||--||--||--||500 x 300||Intensifier & thermal sights unlocked by 'NVD' modification (tier 3)
|-
!Commander's View
|6.0x||1600 x 1200||9.0||High||N/A||Intensifier unlocked by 'NVD' modification (tier 3)
|-
!Driver's View
|1.0x||800 x 600||5.0||High||N/A||Intensifier unlocked by 'NVD' modification (tier 3)
|}

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

{{main|Type 74 (7.62 mm)}}

Type 74 machine gun isn't doing anything special on this tank, as Type 89 can "scout" tanks directly without making any noise, but it can be sometimes used together with main gun when fighting other ATGM tanks or helicopters, as to add a chance of survival against ATGM by shooting them down mid-flight.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 74 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 74]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 701 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


While the tank has a lot of weapons, it is a bit on a slower side. Since it is not able to fire ATGMs on the move and its autoloader has a very limited ammo pool, the Type 89 has to rely on cover and area denial to move around and fight.

One way to avoid ammo starvation is to stand on a capture point, which will reload the weapons for you, but capture points often provide really poor cover and must be captured first to provide ammo, which may not even happen.

Even if you managed to get to a really good capture point, which does not allow enemies to suddenly attack you and you carry type 79 ASM to destroy them before they can even get into a line of sight, enemies will very soon grow tired of the endless 35 mm KDE noises and the ATGMs hitting them, then call their entire artillery supply in your general direction. An artillery strike can destroy the Type 89 in one hit and must be avoided.

If you clearly can't capture a point (there is a lot of tanks or snipers have it on lockdown), work as a support or a flanker to avoid situations in which you are overwhelmed and can't retreat to reload. Getting into enemy squad side can be difficult, but generally provides an opportunity to take out two tanks with a gun before ATGMs have be used.

Despite having low ammo count, the main gun itself can deal a lot of damage to the crew or weapons if aimed properly, working as a decent deterrent for many tanks. It won't be able to beat [[Begleitpanzer 57]] or [[IT-1]] because it does not have APHE option and only does marginal damage to such tanks if they are careful, so use ATGM to destroy them if you can.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has 2 ATGM loaded at the same time and can fire them in quick succession
* The Type 79 ATGM is hard to dodge, have high penetration power of 700 mm and higher explosive mass than average ATGM
* The Type 79 ASM can be used to defeat proximity ATGM carriers of higher rank, although it's not nearly as effective against regular targets
* The Type 89's hull technically can survive some HEAT, HESH or even ATGM if they hit its engine compartment (left side), but it's not very reliable
* Highly accurate stabilized main weapon
* Can very efficiently exchange speed to manoeuvrability at gears 2 and 3
* Neutral steering
* Good reverse speed, turns better in reverse than forward
* Has thermal sight

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour - It has worse protection from overpressure damage than [[TAM (Family)|TAM]] or [[Warrior]] with add-on composite shields and also can lose an entire crew to a single 23 mm API-T or even APDS shot from the right side
* Low ammo count for the main gun autoloader and only 4 ATGM - will often get stuck for a long time hiding behind cover to reload
* Due to placement of ATGM launchers on turret, firing them in close combat is awkward and may result in a non-fatal hit
* Unlike [[Type 60 ATM]], ATGM only reloads after you fired both of loaded missiles
* ATGM launchers have zero gun depression, which can make close range encounters even more difficult
* Very poor turn rate at gear 1

== History ==

At the beginning of the 1980s, the JSDF wanted to replace its outdated Type 60 and Type 73 APCs with more modern IFVs, similar to the American Bradley and the German Marder. The JSDF drew up a set of requirements and tasked the Mitsubishi company with developing a suitable replacement.

In 1984, funding was approved to build four different prototypes, all of which underwent testing until 1986. By 1989, one prototype design was selected and was adopted within the armed forces under the designation of Type 89.

Initially, the JSDF estimated the need for about 300 Type 89s to be built. However, the end of the Cold War in the 1990s combined with a limited budget prevented a rapid mass-production of Type 89 to take place. In fact, production was proceeding at a very low rate, with just over 50 vehicles entering service with the JSDF by 1999.

Although production of Type 89 was discontinued in 2004, the vehicle is still in service with the JSDF today. As of 2016, a total of 68 vehicles were present in the JSDF's inventory from the initially planned 300.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5936-development-type-89-the-fire-dragon-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_89 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
{{Skin-gallery
|market|ugcitem_1000386|Type 89 IFV urban camouflage.png|Camo "Urban camouflage"
}}

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|2h5kFyznXKU|'''Best IFVs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:30 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


* [[M3 Bradley]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5936-development-type-89-the-fire-dragon-en|[Devblog] Type 89: The Fire Dragon]]

{{Manufacturer MHI}}
{{Japan light tanks}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Type 75 SPH

2023-05-21T18:03:21Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_75
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].

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


The armour of Type 75 SPH resists 7.62 mm machine gun fire from any side and can sustain 12.7 mm rounds when angled from any side, however, the hull is made out of aluminium, so it's actual effective armour is around 15 mm. Because of that, the tank can be knocked out by large-calibre HE shells.

For that reason, it is not recommended to drive to hostile tanks closer than 300 m and slightly angle to avoid being shot with MG from the side and about 700 m to avoid unnecessary damage. Slightly angle the tank towards passageways to have a chance of making a reply shot. Do not angle too much, to avoid exposing your sides or triggering fuses on rank V APHE, which mostly has 19 mm trigger with exception of German and some US tanks which have 14 mm sensitive fuse.

Front of the hull can take the most of the MG punishment due to various modules taking damage for the crew, with high chance of just being set on fire instead, however, if enemy aims for the turret they will eventually hit weaker flat parts and hit the non-critical crew with a chance of taking out the gunner. Keep your opponents on your left to prevent that from happening.

The right front side of the hull houses the driver. They are sealed away from turret compartment by the engine and fuel tanks. The turret houses the rest of the crew. Quite often, explosive damage to one section does nothing to the other, however, pure AP shells can potentially penetrate modules and destroy crew in both of the sections, or hit the charges on the floor of the turret.

'''Armour type:'''

* Aluminium alloy 7039 (hull, turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (13°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (52°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm ''Top'' 30 mm ''Bottom'' || 30 mm (1°) || 25 mm 5 mm ''Radiators''
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (13-16°) ''Turret front'' 30 mm ''Gun mantlet'' 20 mm ''Barrel shroud'' || 30 mm (13-47°) || 30 mm (1°) || 25 mm 30 mm ''Gun mantlet''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 25 mm thick.
* Belly armour above tracks is 35 mm thick.
* One 8 mm structural steel plate separates the engine compartment from the crew compartments.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 639|rbMinHp= 398}}

The {{PAGENAME}} can move surprisingly fast and can challenge the [[T-54 (1947)]] when driving on flat terrain.

The problems start when the terrain is less than perfectly flat, as {{PAGENAME}}'s suspension is very stiff. Something as mundane as trenches will not just slow down stock {{PAGENAME}}, but stop it entirely and leave it struggling to drive over it. Upgrades to chassis make this problem less jarring but it still exists.

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

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

{{main|NSJ L/30 (155 mm)}}

[[File:Type 75 SPH firing over cover long range AB.jpg|thumb|x250px|right|In arcade mode, Type 75 SPH can act even as artillery - find a target about 1,200 meters away, go to sniper seat, aim at them, adjust the gun distance to their position and fire. There is nothing they can do about it because you can fire like this even over mountains. This trick is unlikely to work in RB due to inferior rangefinding capability.]]
155 mm cannon of this tank destroyer is capable of launching High Explosive shells at the enemy. It does not carry any other offensive ammunition, however, it carries three different types of HE. What separates its gun from most of other "Demolition tanks" is that it has the autoloader, which allows it to reload at least three times faster than the ones that do not, which is insane. As a side effect, the reload speed is not affected by the crew skills and status and will always remain the same.

The gun is surprisingly accurate even when stock at up to ~700 m ranges and can still hit even past 1 kilometre away. While it does not hit the exact mark, it is usually good enough. However, when braking, the gun can bounce, so some care should be taken when fighting at close range.

When compared to the clearly similar artillery tanks, the {{PAGENAME}}'s weapon claims the middle ground with a focus on combat support and versatility.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[NSJ L/30 (155 mm)|155 mm NSJ L/30]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 28 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+65° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 10.6 || 14.6 || 17.8 || 19.6 || 20.9 || rowspan="2" | 10.00 || rowspan="2" | 10.00 || rowspan="2" | 10.00 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.1 || 8.4 || 10.2 || 11.3 || 12.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''M107''': Your stock HE shell. It can essentially destroy almost any tank that doesn't have ERA shielding in one hit. As with other HE tanks, like the [[Ho-Ro]], it can't penetrate armour directly on many tanks, so one has to aim for cupolas, machine guns, chassis and other weak spots. For example the [[M103]] have great frontal armour, but it can be simply shot at the turret base, and the shockwave will breach hull roof armour and hit the ammo rack located just below the turret in the hull, resulting in instant destruction.
* '''M107 (PF)''': Also an HE shell like the M107, but with a 3 m proximity fuse, so it does not explode upon impact but earlier instead, when the radio fuse (inside the shell) detects an obstacle nearby. Notice that this is a proximity fuse, and not a radio fuse. This means that the fuse will not detect the aircraft unless in immediate proximity (3 m radius).
* '''Type 75''': This HE shell doesn't have a proximity fuse, but its muzzle velocity is faster, which make it more reliable at over 1 km range and allows for significantly easier and faster aim in RB. It was achieved by reducing its penetration power.
* '''M110''': It is also possible to fire a smoke shell to blind enemy snipers or to hide someone on your team.

{{:NSJ L/30 (155 mm)/Ammunition|M107, M107 (PF), Type 75, M110}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''28''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 19 ''(+9)'' 15 ''(+9)'' || 10 ''(+18)'' 1 ''(+27)'' || 1 ''(+27)'' N/A || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Projectiles and propellant bags are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.

Projectiles:

* Racks 2 and 3 (autoloader magazines) are first stage ammo racks. They total 18 shells.
* These racks get filled first when loading up the tank and are also emptied first.
* As it is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
* Once the autoloader magazines have been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into racks 2 and 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
* The depletion order at full capacity is: 2 - 3 - 1.

Propellants:

* Rack 2 contains 18 propellant bags (14 from the forward rack + 4 from the rear rack)
* Rack 1 contains only 10 bags on the rear rack.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
* The depletion order at full capacity is: 2 - 1.

==== Optics and night vision ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! rowspan="3" |Type of optic
! rowspan="3" |Magnification
! colspan="5" |[[Night Vision Devices]]
|-
! colspan="3" |Image Intensifier
! rowspan="2" |{{Annotation|Thermal Imager Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! rowspan="2" |Notes
|-
! {{Annotation|Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! {{Annotation|Light Mult|By how much the image intensifier amplifies the existing light, primarily useful for comparing image intensifiers}}
! {{Annotation|Noise Level|How much noise is present in the image (how grainy the image is)}}
|-
! Gunner's Sight
| X8 - X16 || N/A || N/A || N/A || Not Fitted ||
|-
! Commander's View
| X6 || N/A || N/A || N/A || Not Fitted ||
|-
! Driver's View
| X1 / 3PV || 800X600 || ___ || high || Not Fitted || Only useable with an upgrade
|-
|}

* Zoom level specified in X-ray. Type 75 SPH has optics similar to [[ST-A1]] and they are same as the German sniper scopes of the rank.

While optics are very powerful on this tank, they may be inconvenient to use in RB until the type 75 shell is researched due to low velocity of the standard shell. In arcade mode, unless you are trying to launch the top shell at a distance over 1,000 m it rarely matters.

Even in the worst cases, the excessive magnification power can still be exploited if the user manually zero-in gun scope to 300-X m distance, so they can directly aim at tanks even with maximum zoom. This helps to target out their weak spots and launch HE exactly where it hurts when the tank is spaded. This comes with a disadvantage of the scope being too high for close combat, so keep the "reset" button or third-person view aim ready.

Use Rangefinder and zero-in the gun distance manually wherever necessary to make operating the tank easier. For example, to use proximity shell against a tank in cover, range-find the object which they hide behind, set scope distance to that exact number and intentionally overshoot it by a few meters.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 577 || -8°/+45° || ±180°
|-
|}

* The roof mounted 12.7 mm M2HB machine gun can be used to repel hostile light tanks and low flying aircraft.

== Usage in battles ==


This vehicle is very powerful with its high explosive and fuze shells, however it comes at a cost. The Type 75 is the very definition of a glass cannon: this vehicle is incredible at close range engagements, but can not snipe long distances as it is an artillery howitzer. It is recommended that you watch your surroundings as this vehicle has so little armour that machines guns alone can penetrate your armour. Used right, this vehicle can dominate the battlefield as its proximity fuze shell can easily take out an enemy behind cover.

It is highly recommended to become familiar with large maps. Experiment on large maps using some landmarks to help with long distance aiming.

The Type 75 has an almost unique ability to annihilate tanks that are hiding behind cover completely, which is usually something only an ATGM carrier can do. Its HE shells allow to exploit weak spots and openings in the armour of battle tanks, which are normally not penetrable by contact explosives, although it's not 100% reliable and might take several shots. The HE-VT shell with a proximity fuse is perfect to engage targets while staying behind cover. Keep in mind that it must still fly at least 300 m away from your tank to activate, so it will not work at close range.

<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="250px">
File:Type 75 SPH proximity fuse used on Ho-Ri.jpg|Proximity fuse of type 75 explodes mid-air before hitting Ho-Ri armour and penetrates ventilation to hit ammo rack. Ho-Ri explodes. Normally, the HE shell would hit the gun mantlet and set the engine on fire and nothing else, or just ricochet off the hull and away.
File:Type 75 SPH proximity fuse used on Type 60 ATM.jpg|Type 75 SPH uses proximity fuse on type 60 ATM that is completely hidden behind a hill. It exploded above the vertical ATGM tank, surprising and destroying it. Normally the shot would be impossible to land and type 60 ATM would just continue destroying any passing by tank - like nothing happened.
</gallery>

It will also react to the ground surface, so try to overshoot your opponent so that the shell remains higher than 3 m from the ground before it reaches your target. In many cases, the proximity fuse shell will detonate before reaching the enemy, due to nearby obstacles accidentally triggering the fuse.

Not every tank should be attacked with a proximity shell, as it's not always beneficial. For example, Soviet medium and heavy tanks do not have any glaring weak spots, which can be potentially hit by an airburst shockwave, so they should only be attacked by normal HE ammo. On contrary, their SPAA and light tanks are as vulnerable as they are dangerous, and so it is reasonable to try and spend some proximity shells to weed them out, instead of leaving your cover and risking being annihilated by suppressing fire.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Unlike almost all other heavy demolition tanks, like the [[FV4005]] and the [[2S3M]], the Type 75 has a fully automatic autoloader and will always reload about as fast as a medium tank
* The low velocity of the stock shell makes it possible to fire from behind some hills while keeping most of the Type 75 hidden
* Has the privilege of the proximity fuse shell, which allows tank destroyers to take out enemies behind cover and exploit their normally untouchable weaknesses
* 8X to 16X zoom can be used to locate and annihilate hostile tanks, however, rangefinding and manual gun scope adjustments are necessary for comfortable use
* Angled turret can sustain a point-blank fire of 12.7 mm and some damage can be taken without instantly exploding the tank or reducing reload speed down to 1.5 minutes like in the case of [[FV4005]], although an enemy should be kept on the left side to have a chance of survival

'''Cons:'''

* Can be destroyed easily by large-calibre explosive shells or ATGM hitting the turret or the back of the tank, the operator can't be oblivious of their surroundings
* Most of critical components and crew are located in the turret, meaning it can be destroyed or incapacitated in one good hit to the turret
* Turret is rather slow, though movements are mostly smooth
* 12.7 mm rounds have no problem penetrating the front of the turret
* Noticeably bouncy when braking

== History ==

Development of the Type 75 self-propelled howitzer began in the late 1960s, when Japan sought to procure a mobile self-propelled artillery unit alongside a smaller caliber SPG. This resulted in the creation of the Type 75 and Type 74, respectively.

The Type 75's design was largely based on that of the existing Type 74 SPG and Type 73 APCs, sharing many components and even assembly lines, all in an effort to reduce costs and save resources. Development was split between two Japanese companies, with Mitsubishi Heavy Industries developing the chassis, while Japan Steel Works developed the turret and cannon.

Two prototypes were ready by the early 1970s, differing only in the type of loading mechanism used. Trials of these prototypes were conducted between 1973 - 1974. In October 1975, based on the test results, the prototype with a drum-fed autoloading mechanism was picked for series production.

Production of the Type 75 commenced in 1975 and went on until 1988, when all of the initially ordered 201 units were built. Although the Type 75 is still in active service with the JGSDF since their initial introduction in 1975, the number of units has gradually been decreasing in recent years as the Type 75 is slowly being phased out and replaced by the Type 99 155mm self-propelled howitzer.

The Type 75 has not yet participated in any combat operations during its service life and has been exclusively operated by the JGSDF thus far.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6361-development-type-75-the-pulverizer-en/|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_75 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
{{Skin-gallery
|market|ugcitem_1000479|Type 75 SPH of the Fuji Artillery School Corps.png|Camo "Fuji Tank Instructor Corps"
|market|ugcitem_1001419|Type 75 SPH of the 7th Artillery Regiment.png|Camo "7th Artillery Regiment"
}}

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ux3UJ8qg8Go|'''The Shooting Range #268''' - ''Round Study'' section at 06:45 compares the rounds of the {{PAGENAME}}.|e2VsOCEhzy4|'''The Shooting Range #170''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the Type 75 SPH.}}

== See also ==


* [[2S3M]]
* [[Bkan 1C]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6361-development-type-75-the-pulverizer-en/|[Development] Type 75: The Pulverizer]]

{{Manufacturer MHI}}
{{Japan tank destroyers}}

User talk:U120654901

2023-05-21T12:47:52Z

U120654901: /* Ammo rack image uploads */

== Ammo rack image uploads ==

Hello, could you re-upload your new ammo rack images as new versions of the existing images please? (Scroll to the bottom of [[:File:Ammoracks ARL-44.png]] and [[:File:Ammoracks E.B.R. (1963).png]] respectively and click the link to "Upload a new version of this file"). Thanks, [[User:U38088265|U38088265]] ([[User talk:U38088265|talk]]) 10:14, 21 May 2023 (UTC)
: Hello and sorry for the inconvenience I caused, I re-uploaded those images as you asked, but I noticed the rack empty table is still the old version, can you help with that?Thanks, [[User:U120654901|U120654901]] ([[User talk:U120654901|talk]]) 12:40, 21 May 2023 (UTC)

User:U120654901

2023-05-21T12:43:49Z

U120654901: Created page with "{{DISPLAYTITLE:Ebony__Warrior - ''Nobody''}} Welcome to my user page."

{{DISPLAYTITLE:Ebony__Warrior - ''Nobody''}}

Welcome to my user page.

File:Ammoracks E.B.R. (1963).png

2023-05-21T12:19:07Z

U120654901: U120654901 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks E.B.R. (1963).png

Last checked: 2.7.0.235
[[Category:Ammo racks]]

File:Ammoracks ARL-44.png

2023-05-21T12:19:05Z

U120654901: U120654901 uploaded a new version of File:Ammoracks ARL-44.png

Last checked: 2.9.0.17
[[Category:Ammo racks]]

E.B.R. (1963)

2023-05-20T09:29:41Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{About
| about = French light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = E.B.R. (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_panhard_ebr_1963
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=id50145_e_b_r__1963_france
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} French light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Red Skies"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season IV, "Fearless Voltigeur"]].

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, turret bustle)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet, turret front)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm (56°) ''Upper glacis'' 35 mm (16°) ''Lower plate'' || 15 mm || 20 mm (56°) ''Upper glacis'' 35 mm (16°) ''Lower plate''
| 20 mm (34°) ''Front and rear glacis'' 15 mm ''Centre''
|-
| Turret || 40 mm (36-70°) ''Turret front'' 60 mm (conical) ''Gun mantlet'' 20 mm (15-75°) ''Barrel shroud'' || 20 mm (0-34°) ''Turret'' || 20 mm (10-33°) || 10 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" | 20 mm (conical) ''Base'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Dome'' || 20 mm (conical) ''Outer ring'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Wheels are 10 mm thick and suspension bars are 5 mm thick.
* Mudguards are 4 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=310|rbMinHp=177}}

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

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

{{main|CN90 F2 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[CN90 F2 (90 mm)|90 mm CN90 F2]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 47 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 24.8 || 34.3 || 41.6 || 46.0 || 48.9 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 15.5 || 18.2 || 22.1 || 24.4 || 26.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:CN90 F2 (90 mm)/Ammunition|OCC 60-62, OE 90 F1, OFUM PH90-F2}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:E.B.R.1963 ammo rack.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''47''' || 45 ''(+2)'' || 42 ''(+5)'' || 33 ''(+14)'' || 24 ''(+23)'' || 21 ''(+26)'' || 18 ''(+29)'' || 12 ''(+35)'' || 1 ''(+46)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 7 and 8 are first stage ammo racks. They total 17 shells.

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

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,950 (150) || 551 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,100 (150) || 551 || -10°/+20° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The E.B.R. (1963), similarly to its [[E.B.R. (1954)|1954 variant]], is an excellent scout and flanking vehicle due to its good speed and gun handling.

Compared to its older brother, it becomes harder to use at range due to the lower gun muzzle velocity (750 m/s) alongside the higher drop rate, it also is unable to engage multiple enemies simultaneously due to the lack of autoloader, meaning that if the loader gets hurt or incapacitated the reload time will be longer. To compensate from these setbacks, it gets access to a HEATFS round capable of penetrating the great majority of enemy vehicles it will face from the front, reducing the chances of running into a vehicle that you are unable to penetrate. It is worth noting that the 90 mm HEATFS has comparably less post pen damage than the 75 mm solid shot shells, even though its a bigger caliber shell, so aiming for weak spots, ammo racks and crew members becomes even more important, as well as the need to take in mind foliage, spaced armour and the chances of the shell being caught by external parts of the tank such as sprockets and tracks, which will detonate the shell prematurely diminishing or eliminating any potential damage dealt to the enemy.

Due to the change in muzzle velocity, post-penetration damage and shell type, the EBR 1963 is best used in close quarters, hit-and-run tactics, and as a scout vehicle similar to a more manoeuvrable [[AML-90]]. Staying on the sidelines of the enemies is highly advised.

'''Enemies worth keeping:'''

* [[Marder A1-]]/[[Marder 1A3|1A3]]: Armed with an automatic 20 mm autocannon with high fire rate, this IFV can easily mow down the EBR if caught off guard, the later variant armed with APDS capable of going through its turret with ease. The Milan ATGMs will easily overpressure the EBR, sending you to the hangar screen
* [[BMP-1]]/[[SPz BMP-1]]: The ATGM will overpressure the EBR, and the 73 mm cannon has a shorter reload rate, meaning that it can shoot you twice before you complete the reload.
* [[Eland 90 Mk.7|Eland 90]]: Virtually the same as the allied AML-90, you might encounter this vehicle on the same flanks you would want to be due to similar playstyles, armed with the same gun as you, being on the lookout for these sneaky vehicles is advised.
* [[Centurion (Family)|Centurions]]: Fully stabilized, being caught in the move against such vehicles will most likely result in losing the battle.
* SPAA vehicles: Any SPAA vehicle armed with 20 mm autocannons and higher caliber are to be dealt with caution, since they will be able to mow you down before you even set your sights on target. Special caution is to be placed to SPAAs wielding 40 mm Bofors and the ZSU-57-2, since they have short reload rates and can remove the EBR in a couple of shots.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fast and very mobile vehicle
* HEATFS round has high penetration power
* Both the front and back wheels steer, resulting in a pretty small turning radius.
* The hull armour, in the front (and back), is enough to stop .50 cal AP fire, as well as 14.5 mm AP-I(c) from 200 me or more; the turret front may be even able to stop some autocannon fire.
* Access to scouting due to being a light vehicle

'''Cons:'''

* Due to its shape, a penetration in the front (or back) by any actual tank cannon will mean losing the vehicle.
* The massive radio antennas will make you visible even when the rest of the vehicle is hidden behind a hill or small building.
* Very easy to spot and recognize from the side due to its size and shape; in addition, the side armour won't really stop anything more than small calibre machine gun fire.
* The roof of the turret is thin, making it vulnerable to airborne attacks.
* Very slow when moving in soft terrain (mud, snow, sand).
* High risk of ammunition explosion if the hull is penetrated, thanks to the large ammo rack in the middle of the vehicle.
* Below average post-penetration damage due to the low-calibre HEATFS round

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/7248-development-battle-pass-vehicles-e-b-r-1963-en|Devblog]] ===

Before the outbreak of World War II, Panhard created a prototype of an 8x8 army wheeled all-terrain vehicle, with the first and last swivel wheel pairs having rubber tires, the middle pairs were metal and not swivel. The army placed an order for the production of 600 of these vehicles, but the outbreak of the war and the occupation of France did not allow the vehicle to be put into production. They returned to an interesting project after the war - the wheelbase received an oscillating turret with a 75 mm gun, which turned the all-terrain vehicle into a light wheeled tank. Later, the base of this vehicle became the basis for several curious army vehicles. It is interesting that it was the Panhard all-terrain vehicle that served as a carriage for the farewell ceremony for the President of the Fifth Republic, General Charles de Gaulle.

The 75 mm APC rounds had problems with the penetration of particularly tough targets from the front, and the Soviet heavy tanks or German self-propelled guns of the late period of the war remained a difficult target for the French car. The Model E.B.R. (1963) retains most of the the positive features of the earlier version and offers the commanders a new, more powerful 90 mm gun with HEATFS shells as the main means of destruction of armoured vehicles.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_panhard_ebr_1963 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|477cgrAHIQg|'''Battle Pass "Fearless Voltigeur"''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 03:43 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


* [[Eland 90 Mk.7]]
* [[AML-90]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7248-development-battle-pass-vehicles-e-b-r-1963-en|[Devblog] Battle Pass vehicles: E.B.R. (1963)]]

{{TankManufacturer Panhard}}
{{France light tanks}}
{{France premium ground vehicles}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

E.B.R. (1963)

2023-05-20T09:19:58Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{About
| about = French light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = E.B.R. (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_panhard_ebr_1963
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=id50145_e_b_r__1963_france
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} French light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Red Skies"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season IV, "Fearless Voltigeur"]].

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, turret bustle)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet, turret front)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm (56°) ''Upper glacis'' 35 mm (16°) ''Lower plate'' || 15 mm || 20 mm (56°) ''Upper glacis'' 35 mm (16°) ''Lower plate''
| 20 mm (34°) ''Front and rear glacis'' 15 mm ''Centre''
|-
| Turret || 40 mm (36-70°) ''Turret front'' 60 mm (conical) ''Gun mantlet'' 20 mm (15-75°) ''Barrel shroud'' || 20 mm (0-34°) ''Turret'' || 20 mm (10-33°) || 10 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" | 20 mm (conical) ''Base'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Dome'' || 20 mm (conical) ''Outer ring'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Wheels are 10 mm thick and suspension bars are 5 mm thick.
* Mudguards are 4 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=310|rbMinHp=177}}

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

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

{{main|CN90 F2 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[CN90 F2 (90 mm)|90 mm CN90 F2]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 47 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 24.8 || 34.3 || 41.6 || 46.0 || 48.9 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 15.5 || 18.2 || 22.1 || 24.4 || 26.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:CN90 F2 (90 mm)/Ammunition|OCC 60-62, OE 90 F1, OFUM PH90-F2}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''47''' || 45 ''(+2)'' || 42 ''(+5)'' || 33 ''(+14)'' || 24 ''(+23)'' || 21 ''(+26)'' || 18 ''(+29)'' || 12 ''(+35)'' || 1 ''(+46)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 7 and 8 are first stage ammo racks. They total 17 shells.

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

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,950 (150) || 551 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 2,100 (150) || 551 || -10°/+20° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The E.B.R. (1963), similarly to its [[E.B.R. (1954)|1954 variant]], is an excellent scout and flanking vehicle due to its good speed and gun handling.

Compared to its older brother, it becomes harder to use at range due to the lower gun muzzle velocity (750 m/s) alongside the higher drop rate, it also is unable to engage multiple enemies simultaneously due to the lack of autoloader, meaning that if the loader gets hurt or incapacitated the reload time will be longer. To compensate from these setbacks, it gets access to a HEATFS round capable of penetrating the great majority of enemy vehicles it will face from the front, reducing the chances of running into a vehicle that you are unable to penetrate. It is worth noting that the 90 mm HEATFS has comparably less post pen damage than the 75 mm solid shot shells, even though its a bigger caliber shell, so aiming for weak spots, ammo racks and crew members becomes even more important, as well as the need to take in mind foliage, spaced armour and the chances of the shell being caught by external parts of the tank such as sprockets and tracks, which will detonate the shell prematurely diminishing or eliminating any potential damage dealt to the enemy.

Due to the change in muzzle velocity, post-penetration damage and shell type, the EBR 1963 is best used in close quarters, hit-and-run tactics, and as a scout vehicle similar to a more manoeuvrable [[AML-90]]. Staying on the sidelines of the enemies is highly advised.

'''Enemies worth keeping:'''

* [[Marder A1-]]/[[Marder 1A3|1A3]]: Armed with an automatic 20 mm autocannon with high fire rate, this IFV can easily mow down the EBR if caught off guard, the later variant armed with APDS capable of going through its turret with ease. The Milan ATGMs will easily overpressure the EBR, sending you to the hangar screen
* [[BMP-1]]/[[SPz BMP-1]]: The ATGM will overpressure the EBR, and the 73 mm cannon has a shorter reload rate, meaning that it can shoot you twice before you complete the reload.
* [[Eland 90 Mk.7|Eland 90]]: Virtually the same as the allied AML-90, you might encounter this vehicle on the same flanks you would want to be due to similar playstyles, armed with the same gun as you, being on the lookout for these sneaky vehicles is advised.
* [[Centurion (Family)|Centurions]]: Fully stabilized, being caught in the move against such vehicles will most likely result in losing the battle.
* SPAA vehicles: Any SPAA vehicle armed with 20 mm autocannons and higher caliber are to be dealt with caution, since they will be able to mow you down before you even set your sights on target. Special caution is to be placed to SPAAs wielding 40 mm Bofors and the ZSU-57-2, since they have short reload rates and can remove the EBR in a couple of shots.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fast and very mobile vehicle
* HEATFS round has high penetration power
* Both the front and back wheels steer, resulting in a pretty small turning radius.
* The hull armour, in the front (and back), is enough to stop .50 cal AP fire, as well as 14.5 mm AP-I(c) from 200 me or more; the turret front may be even able to stop some autocannon fire.
* Access to scouting due to being a light vehicle

'''Cons:'''

* Due to its shape, a penetration in the front (or back) by any actual tank cannon will mean losing the vehicle.
* The massive radio antennas will make you visible even when the rest of the vehicle is hidden behind a hill or small building.
* Very easy to spot and recognize from the side due to its size and shape; in addition, the side armour won't really stop anything more than small calibre machine gun fire.
* The roof of the turret is thin, making it vulnerable to airborne attacks.
* Very slow when moving in soft terrain (mud, snow, sand).
* High risk of ammunition explosion if the hull is penetrated, thanks to the large ammo rack in the middle of the vehicle.
* Below average post-penetration damage due to the low-calibre HEATFS round

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/7248-development-battle-pass-vehicles-e-b-r-1963-en|Devblog]] ===

Before the outbreak of World War II, Panhard created a prototype of an 8x8 army wheeled all-terrain vehicle, with the first and last swivel wheel pairs having rubber tires, the middle pairs were metal and not swivel. The army placed an order for the production of 600 of these vehicles, but the outbreak of the war and the occupation of France did not allow the vehicle to be put into production. They returned to an interesting project after the war - the wheelbase received an oscillating turret with a 75 mm gun, which turned the all-terrain vehicle into a light wheeled tank. Later, the base of this vehicle became the basis for several curious army vehicles. It is interesting that it was the Panhard all-terrain vehicle that served as a carriage for the farewell ceremony for the President of the Fifth Republic, General Charles de Gaulle.

The 75 mm APC rounds had problems with the penetration of particularly tough targets from the front, and the Soviet heavy tanks or German self-propelled guns of the late period of the war remained a difficult target for the French car. The Model E.B.R. (1963) retains most of the the positive features of the earlier version and offers the commanders a new, more powerful 90 mm gun with HEATFS shells as the main means of destruction of armoured vehicles.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_panhard_ebr_1963 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|477cgrAHIQg|'''Battle Pass "Fearless Voltigeur"''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 03:43 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


* [[Eland 90 Mk.7]]
* [[AML-90]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7248-development-battle-pass-vehicles-e-b-r-1963-en|[Devblog] Battle Pass vehicles: E.B.R. (1963)]]

{{TankManufacturer Panhard}}
{{France light tanks}}
{{France premium ground vehicles}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

ARL-44

2023-05-20T09:07:04Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{About
|about= French tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage= the heavy tank version
|link= ARL-44 (ACL-1)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_arl_44
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]]. As a rank III turreted tank destroyer, it performs very well in its role. With a very good gun and appreciable armour, this tank is deemed to be a long-range sniper on the battlefield. Its only downside lies with its mobility: it is slower than most tanks at this BR.

The ARL-44 bears very distinctive characteristics, with a WWI-style track system (similar to the Churchill) which runs across the whole side of its chassis. This tank is a mix of different inspirations, mainly late war German tank technology such as the [[Panther D|Panther series]] or the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], from which it takes its sloped frontal armour and tall profile. As France was reviving from WW2, its engineers were hard at work to catch up with tank technology, the ARL-44 series was a training ground for them. This is why this tank has rather weird design choices, coming from both experience and experimentation. This final iteration of the series is comparable to the famous King Tiger in aesthetics and the Panther performance-wise, while not as good.

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


'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 120 mm (48°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 50 mm ''Hull compartment between the tracks'' 50 mm (63°) ''Lower glacis'' || 50 mm 25 mm ''Tracks cover'' || 35 mm (32°) ''Rear glacis'' 35 mm (20°) ''Hull compartment between the tracks'' || 20 mm 5 mm ''Radiator vents'' 5 mm (18°) ''Engine access panel''
|-
| Turret || 110 mm (0-70°) ''Turret front'' 66 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 60 mm (14°) || 20 mm (8°) || 20 mm (11°) ''Front'' 10 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="4" style="text-align:center" | 60 mm (spherical)
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick and bogies are 10 mm thick.
* An additional 25 mm RHA plate separates the engine from the crew compartment.

In spite of its armour the {{PAGENAME}} still has weak spots easy to target. Avoid showing your sides and/or your back to enemy tanks and you should be mostly fine. Because of the large weak spots like the turret cheeks or the hull between the tracks, it is better to stay as far as possible from the frontline, using the very powerful gun to knock down enemies.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=852|rbMinHp=531}}

While the {{PAGENAME}} suffers from poor traction and a low top speed for a tank destroyer, the powerful engine and good transmission allows the {{PAGENAME}} to accelerate quickly and turn effectively despite its immense size. The vehicle has decent mobility even in close quarters, however at these ranges your armour is ineffective and your gun impractical, so it is ill-advised to fight at close range, even if you have the mobility to support it.

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

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

{{main|SA45 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA45 (90 mm)|90 mm SA45]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 37 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 21.1 || 29.2 || 35.5 || 39.3 || 41.8 || rowspan="2" | 13.00 || rowspan="2" | 11.50 || rowspan="2" | 10.60 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

The gun is clearly the biggest quality of the {{PAGENAME}} as it can take down anything at this battle rating from a good distance. Keep in mind that your reload rate is rather slow. The shells have no explosive filler but every penetrating shot carries a very large amount of shrapnel. Destroying enemies with one shot is thus a frequent occurrence, even if this tanks only has solid shots.

==== Ammunition ====
{{:SA45 (90 mm)/Ammunition|90 mm Obus de rupture, 90 mm Obus explosif}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:ARL-44 ammo rack.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''37''' || 25 ''(+12)'' || 1 ''(+36)'' || Yes
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* The visual discrepancy concerns the crossed out shells: they are modeled but missing when in-game.
* Hull empty: 25 ''(+12)'' shells.

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

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,100 (150) || 551 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

The small calibre of the MAC 31 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==


;Combat tactics

The {{PAGENAME}} is a not a well enough armoured vehicle to play as a frontline or support tank and should be played as a sniper: take advantage of your very good gun to disable enemies with well placed shots while staying at a distance guaranteeing your survivability. Your frontal glacis is strong enough to resist most enemy guns beyond 800 m but there are obvious weak spots your opponents will prioritize: the turret cheeks, the MG port, the turret cupola and the lower glacis to a lesser extent. Staying far (between 800 m and 1,000 m) will make it difficult for enemy players to target your weak spots with accuracy and will give you time to react on incoming shots.

Your gun has a very good penetration power allowing you to stay at a distance but the lack of explosive filler is detrimental to your performance as you'll need two to three shells to take down enemies. Your reload time is a bit longer than most opponents, so aim precisely and make every shot count. Make sure to target modules and crew positions to maximise the damage. Disabling the enemy gunner on your first shot will also be critical to win engagements as the enemy vehicle could return fire before your second shot. Use the "sight distance control" feature to increase your chances of successfully hitting enemy tanks from long distance.

Refrain from fighting in close quarters: your sides are weak and your turret traverse speed is too slow to react to an unexpected encounter. Staying at a distance from the frontline will also prevent from being taken in a pincer move. Your mobility is rather poor, with a rigid suspension, outdated tracks, a long and cumbersome chassis and a poor traction. Terrain irregularities will make you slow down and hinder your progress. Position your hull carefully when getting to a shooting spot to avoid hull twitching that will impact your targeting process.

;Notable enemies

* Tank destroyers with powerful guns that can penetrate you from afar: Sturer Emil, Panzer IV/70(V), Nashorn, Waffenträger, VFW, ISU-122, ISU-122S, Charioteer Mk VII or ISU-122 (China). The IS-2 and the IS-2 (China) can be added to the list as they sport as gun identical in performance to the ISU-122
* Tanks firing HEAT/HEATFS shells that can defeat your frontal glacis: PT-76B, PT-76 (China) or Ikv 103.
* Tanks firing APDS shots that can defeat your frontal glacis: Challenger, Comet I, Iron Duke IV, Centurion Mk 1, Sherman Vc (Italy), Pvkv m/43 (1963) or Strv 74.
* Tanks whose cannon is powerful enough to penetrate your frontal glacis once closer to your vehicle (500 m distance): M36 GMC, Tiger H1, Tiger E, Panther D, Panther A, T-34-85, SU-85M, IS-1, KV-85, Chi-Ri II, M4A3 (76) W HVSS, T-34-85 (S-53) (China), T-34-85 Gai or M36 (China).

;How to defeat an {{PAGENAME}}

[[File:ARL-44 weakspot.png|thumb|As seen in this picture, this weak spot only has less than 100 mm effective thickness, meaning that even 3.7 tanks can easily penetrate there, let alone 5.7 tanks with better penetration and more explosives]]

* Behind the track and the front sprocket wheel, there is a thin, vertical armour plate of only 50 mm thick. Behind that is the 3rd ammo rack. Thus if an ARL-44 is facing you frontally, shoot at either of the two front sprocket wheels. An average gun with at least 110 mm penetration (at 0°) on a shell with explosive filler (e.g. an [[M10 (Family)|M10]] tank destroyer) will certainly punch through the track, wheel, the armour, then ultimately explode inside the hull. The spot is quite small from a distance.
* Do not attack the {{PAGENAME}} frontally unless you have enough armour to afford it.
* Sneak around it and target the turret from the back or the side. The {{PAGENAME}} has a slow turret traverse and flat side and rear armour, making it especially vulnerable to flanking.
* If you have no other option than to attack it frontally, blind it with smoke before closing the gap. Target the turret cheeks or the cupola as they are weak spots.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Mobility is good as long as you don't push it
** Good acceleration at low speed
** Good hull turning rate
* Frontal armour is thick with 120 mm of sloped armour on the glacis.
* Complex side armour negates occasional HEAT shells.
* Potent gun
** Very high penetration power
** Good spalling
** High muzzle velocity round: easy to aim at distances
* Can be played a little like a heavy tank when facing weaker enemies.

'''Cons:'''

* Large silhouette
** Angling often doesn't help
* Overall weak turret armour
** Turret armour is underwhelming at 100-110 mm of flat armour. Most 75 mm guns can penetrate at range.
** Weak gun mantlet is only 60 mm flat armour
** Turret back is only 20 mm thick, vulnerable to HMG fire.
* Hull armour has many weak spots
** Extremely thin roof armour (10 mm on the turret and 5 mm on the engine deck). Strafing planes are deadly.
** Side vulnerable to solid shots.
** Weak lower plate is only 50 mm, a major shot trap.
** A hit to a track from the front has a high chance of both knocking out the track and some crew members. High calibre guns may be able to one shot.
* Moving can be unpleasant with the outdated suspension
** Tracks have poor ground traction
** Hill climbing is hard
** Struggles reaching top speed
* Wall of ammo behind the upper glacis plate, penetrating it can result in an ammo rack

== History ==

Development of the ARL-44 began shortly after the Liberation of France in 1944. The established provisional government was keen on restoring France's influence and power to what it used to be before the war. This involved, among other things, the revival of all French military branches. The situation was looking particularly desperate for the army, as most indigenous equipment and tanks were manufactured in the 1930s and the most advanced in use at the time was equipment left behind by the Germans. The French Ministry of War decided to remedy this issue by starting the production of a so called "transitional tank". This project was intended to bolster the number of indigenous tanks in use with the army, reuse existing tank parts and, most importantly, provide French engineers with a base on which they could "experiment" on to gain valuable experience for future tank development. Thus, in November 1944, the decision was made to design a heavy tank with relatively modest specifications. Staff from several design and manufacturing state companies were assigned to the project and work on what would become the ARL-44 began.

Initially, the new tank was required, apart from using existing tank parts, to have a weight of 30 tonnes, a top armour thickness of 60 mm and a primary gun of the 75 mm calibre. As the engineers were limited to using existing parts for their new machine, it very quickly became apparent that the amount of innovation that was possible for the new machine was equally limited. Thus, the ARL-44 soon took on the resemblance of a Char B1, with the exception of the turret and gun. The end of the war in 1945 didn't stop development however, quite the opposite in fact. The design went through several changes, from increasing the armour thickness to the installation of a new engine and the new 90 mm French cannon, despite the fact that there was no longer a need for such a vehicle. At that point, the further development and subsequent limited production run of the ARL-44 was only used for "propaganda" purposes, with the aim of increasing the morale of the French people in the post-war period. In the end, only 60 ARL-44s were constructed and no sooner than they were introduced into service, they were also decommissioned due to, unsurprisingly, unsatisfactory performance, at the beginning of the 1950s. Despite this, the project did fulfill one of its major goals - generate experience for a new generation of French tank designers. Thanks to experiences gained from projects like the ARL-44, France would build its first true modern MBT only a decade later, serving as proof that the ARL-44 was not in vain after all.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5205-development-arl-44-a-battleship-in-disguise-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_arl_44 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|CFmL0qG0bB4|'''The Shooting Range #231''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:35 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|kKzzN3pzLSI|'''The Shooting Range #86''' - ''War Machines'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Panther A]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5205-development-arl-44-a-battleship-in-disguise-en|[Devblog] ARL-44 - A Battleship in Disguise]]
* [[wikipedia:ARL_44|[Wikipedia] ARL 44]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/ARL-44.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> ARL-44]

{{France tank destroyers}}

ARL-44

2023-05-20T09:03:17Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{About
|about= French tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage= the heavy tank version
|link= ARL-44 (ACL-1)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_arl_44
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]]. As a rank III turreted tank destroyer, it performs very well in its role. With a very good gun and appreciable armour, this tank is deemed to be a long-range sniper on the battlefield. Its only downside lies with its mobility: it is slower than most tanks at this BR.

The ARL-44 bears very distinctive characteristics, with a WWI-style track system (similar to the Churchill) which runs across the whole side of its chassis. This tank is a mix of different inspirations, mainly late war German tank technology such as the [[Panther D|Panther series]] or the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], from which it takes its sloped frontal armour and tall profile. As France was reviving from WW2, its engineers were hard at work to catch up with tank technology, the ARL-44 series was a training ground for them. This is why this tank has rather weird design choices, coming from both experience and experimentation. This final iteration of the series is comparable to the famous King Tiger in aesthetics and the Panther performance-wise, while not as good.

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


'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 120 mm (48°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (spherical) ''MG port'' 50 mm ''Hull compartment between the tracks'' 50 mm (63°) ''Lower glacis'' || 50 mm 25 mm ''Tracks cover'' || 35 mm (32°) ''Rear glacis'' 35 mm (20°) ''Hull compartment between the tracks'' || 20 mm 5 mm ''Radiator vents'' 5 mm (18°) ''Engine access panel''
|-
| Turret || 110 mm (0-70°) ''Turret front'' 66 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 60 mm (14°) || 20 mm (8°) || 20 mm (11°) ''Front'' 10 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="4" style="text-align:center" | 60 mm (spherical)
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick and bogies are 10 mm thick.
* An additional 25 mm RHA plate separates the engine from the crew compartment.

In spite of its armour the {{PAGENAME}} still has weak spots easy to target. Avoid showing your sides and/or your back to enemy tanks and you should be mostly fine. Because of the large weak spots like the turret cheeks or the hull between the tracks, it is better to stay as far as possible from the frontline, using the very powerful gun to knock down enemies.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=852|rbMinHp=531}}

While the {{PAGENAME}} suffers from poor traction and a low top speed for a tank destroyer, the powerful engine and good transmission allows the {{PAGENAME}} to accelerate quickly and turn effectively despite its immense size. The vehicle has decent mobility even in close quarters, however at these ranges your armour is ineffective and your gun impractical, so it is ill-advised to fight at close range, even if you have the mobility to support it.

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

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

{{main|SA45 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA45 (90 mm)|90 mm SA45]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 37 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 21.1 || 29.2 || 35.5 || 39.3 || 41.8 || rowspan="2" | 13.00 || rowspan="2" | 11.50 || rowspan="2" | 10.60 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

The gun is clearly the biggest quality of the {{PAGENAME}} as it can take down anything at this battle rating from a good distance. Keep in mind that your reload rate is rather slow. The shells have no explosive filler but every penetrating shot carries a very large amount of shrapnel. Destroying enemies with one shot is thus a frequent occurrence, even if this tanks only has solid shots.

==== Ammunition ====
{{:SA45 (90 mm)/Ammunition|90 mm Obus de rupture, 90 mm Obus explosif}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''37''' || 25 ''(+12)'' || 1 ''(+36)'' || Yes
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* The visual discrepancy concerns the crossed out shells: they are modeled but missing when in-game.
* Hull empty: 25 ''(+12)'' shells.

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

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,100 (150) || 551 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

The small calibre of the MAC 31 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==


;Combat tactics

The {{PAGENAME}} is a not a well enough armoured vehicle to play as a frontline or support tank and should be played as a sniper: take advantage of your very good gun to disable enemies with well placed shots while staying at a distance guaranteeing your survivability. Your frontal glacis is strong enough to resist most enemy guns beyond 800 m but there are obvious weak spots your opponents will prioritize: the turret cheeks, the MG port, the turret cupola and the lower glacis to a lesser extent. Staying far (between 800 m and 1,000 m) will make it difficult for enemy players to target your weak spots with accuracy and will give you time to react on incoming shots.

Your gun has a very good penetration power allowing you to stay at a distance but the lack of explosive filler is detrimental to your performance as you'll need two to three shells to take down enemies. Your reload time is a bit longer than most opponents, so aim precisely and make every shot count. Make sure to target modules and crew positions to maximise the damage. Disabling the enemy gunner on your first shot will also be critical to win engagements as the enemy vehicle could return fire before your second shot. Use the "sight distance control" feature to increase your chances of successfully hitting enemy tanks from long distance.

Refrain from fighting in close quarters: your sides are weak and your turret traverse speed is too slow to react to an unexpected encounter. Staying at a distance from the frontline will also prevent from being taken in a pincer move. Your mobility is rather poor, with a rigid suspension, outdated tracks, a long and cumbersome chassis and a poor traction. Terrain irregularities will make you slow down and hinder your progress. Position your hull carefully when getting to a shooting spot to avoid hull twitching that will impact your targeting process.

;Notable enemies

* Tank destroyers with powerful guns that can penetrate you from afar: Sturer Emil, Panzer IV/70(V), Nashorn, Waffenträger, VFW, ISU-122, ISU-122S, Charioteer Mk VII or ISU-122 (China). The IS-2 and the IS-2 (China) can be added to the list as they sport as gun identical in performance to the ISU-122
* Tanks firing HEAT/HEATFS shells that can defeat your frontal glacis: PT-76B, PT-76 (China) or Ikv 103.
* Tanks firing APDS shots that can defeat your frontal glacis: Challenger, Comet I, Iron Duke IV, Centurion Mk 1, Sherman Vc (Italy), Pvkv m/43 (1963) or Strv 74.
* Tanks whose cannon is powerful enough to penetrate your frontal glacis once closer to your vehicle (500 m distance): M36 GMC, Tiger H1, Tiger E, Panther D, Panther A, T-34-85, SU-85M, IS-1, KV-85, Chi-Ri II, M4A3 (76) W HVSS, T-34-85 (S-53) (China), T-34-85 Gai or M36 (China).

;How to defeat an {{PAGENAME}}

[[File:ARL-44 weakspot.png|thumb|As seen in this picture, this weak spot only has less than 100 mm effective thickness, meaning that even 3.7 tanks can easily penetrate there, let alone 5.7 tanks with better penetration and more explosives]]

* Behind the track and the front sprocket wheel, there is a thin, vertical armour plate of only 50 mm thick. Behind that is the 3rd ammo rack. Thus if an ARL-44 is facing you frontally, shoot at either of the two front sprocket wheels. An average gun with at least 110 mm penetration (at 0°) on a shell with explosive filler (e.g. an [[M10 (Family)|M10]] tank destroyer) will certainly punch through the track, wheel, the armour, then ultimately explode inside the hull. The spot is quite small from a distance.
* Do not attack the {{PAGENAME}} frontally unless you have enough armour to afford it.
* Sneak around it and target the turret from the back or the side. The {{PAGENAME}} has a slow turret traverse and flat side and rear armour, making it especially vulnerable to flanking.
* If you have no other option than to attack it frontally, blind it with smoke before closing the gap. Target the turret cheeks or the cupola as they are weak spots.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Mobility is good as long as you don't push it
** Good acceleration at low speed
** Good hull turning rate
* Frontal armour is thick with 120 mm of sloped armour on the glacis.
* Complex side armour negates occasional HEAT shells.
* Potent gun
** Very high penetration power
** Good spalling
** High muzzle velocity round: easy to aim at distances
* Can be played a little like a heavy tank when facing weaker enemies.

'''Cons:'''

* Large silhouette
** Angling often doesn't help
* Overall weak turret armour
** Turret armour is underwhelming at 100-110 mm of flat armour. Most 75 mm guns can penetrate at range.
** Weak gun mantlet is only 60 mm flat armour
** Turret back is only 20 mm thick, vulnerable to HMG fire.
* Hull armour has many weak spots
** Extremely thin roof armour (10 mm on the turret and 5 mm on the engine deck). Strafing planes are deadly.
** Side vulnerable to solid shots.
** Weak lower plate is only 50 mm, a major shot trap.
** A hit to a track from the front has a high chance of both knocking out the track and some crew members. High calibre guns may be able to one shot.
* Moving can be unpleasant with the outdated suspension
** Tracks have poor ground traction
** Hill climbing is hard
** Struggles reaching top speed
* Wall of ammo behind the upper glacis plate, penetrating it can result in an ammo rack

== History ==

Development of the ARL-44 began shortly after the Liberation of France in 1944. The established provisional government was keen on restoring France's influence and power to what it used to be before the war. This involved, among other things, the revival of all French military branches. The situation was looking particularly desperate for the army, as most indigenous equipment and tanks were manufactured in the 1930s and the most advanced in use at the time was equipment left behind by the Germans. The French Ministry of War decided to remedy this issue by starting the production of a so called "transitional tank". This project was intended to bolster the number of indigenous tanks in use with the army, reuse existing tank parts and, most importantly, provide French engineers with a base on which they could "experiment" on to gain valuable experience for future tank development. Thus, in November 1944, the decision was made to design a heavy tank with relatively modest specifications. Staff from several design and manufacturing state companies were assigned to the project and work on what would become the ARL-44 began.

Initially, the new tank was required, apart from using existing tank parts, to have a weight of 30 tonnes, a top armour thickness of 60 mm and a primary gun of the 75 mm calibre. As the engineers were limited to using existing parts for their new machine, it very quickly became apparent that the amount of innovation that was possible for the new machine was equally limited. Thus, the ARL-44 soon took on the resemblance of a Char B1, with the exception of the turret and gun. The end of the war in 1945 didn't stop development however, quite the opposite in fact. The design went through several changes, from increasing the armour thickness to the installation of a new engine and the new 90 mm French cannon, despite the fact that there was no longer a need for such a vehicle. At that point, the further development and subsequent limited production run of the ARL-44 was only used for "propaganda" purposes, with the aim of increasing the morale of the French people in the post-war period. In the end, only 60 ARL-44s were constructed and no sooner than they were introduced into service, they were also decommissioned due to, unsurprisingly, unsatisfactory performance, at the beginning of the 1950s. Despite this, the project did fulfill one of its major goals - generate experience for a new generation of French tank designers. Thanks to experiences gained from projects like the ARL-44, France would build its first true modern MBT only a decade later, serving as proof that the ARL-44 was not in vain after all.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5205-development-arl-44-a-battleship-in-disguise-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_arl_44 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|CFmL0qG0bB4|'''The Shooting Range #231''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:35 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|kKzzN3pzLSI|'''The Shooting Range #86''' - ''War Machines'' section at 00:25 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Panther A]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5205-development-arl-44-a-battleship-in-disguise-en|[Devblog] ARL-44 - A Battleship in Disguise]]
* [[wikipedia:ARL_44|[Wikipedia] ARL 44]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/ARL-44.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> ARL-44]

{{France tank destroyers}}

M42 (China)

2023-04-24T17:35:52Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{About
| about = SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other versions
| link-1 = M42 (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M42 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m42_duster
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]].

The Chinese M42 Duster is identical to the US version. Compared to other SPAA vehicles (like the [[Phòng không T-34]], [[Wirbelwind]], [[M16 MGMC|Multiple Gun Motor Carriage M16]], etc.), the M42 is typically regarded as one of the less effective SPAAs, due to its very exposed crew and mediocre rate of fire of 120 rounds per minute.

If used as a light tank, the M42 does not have the armour to stand up directly to many of the other vehicles which it will face on the battlefield, especially against tanks which may fire high-explosive shells. The Duster will fare better against machine gun fire and potentially against some of the lighter autocannon fire which it may encounter, though not for long. Due to the M42's lightweight nature, it is best to stay around cover to help shield the Duster. It is also essential to only expose the vehicle when necessary to get a shot. If discovered, it is best to have a contingency location to which to fall back and regroup.

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

Armour may as well be non-existent on the M42. Built off the chassis of the [[M41A1|M41 Walker Bulldog]], the SPAA can be penetrated by anything in the game, except for those few tanks armed with only machine guns, of course. In this tank, speed is your armour. A stationary Duster is a scrapped Duster unless you're firing on an aircraft, in which you should stop behind some cover.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 12.7 mm (33°) ''Front glacis'' 25.7 mm (39°) ''Bottom glacis'' || 12.7 mm || 12.7 mm ''Top'' 19 mm ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 12.7 mm || 8 mm || 8 mm || N/A
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=710|rbMinHp=442}}

This tank can go about 72 km/h forwards and -20 km/h backwards. Either way, it's fast. Being built with neutral steering and lighter than the M41A1. It should take no difficulty to get out of a situation in a pinch.

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

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

{{main|Dual Automatic Gun M2 (40 mm)}}

The M42 Duster is armed with two 40 mm anti-aircraft guns. They have a decent rate of fire and you will seldom have to stop and wait for a reload - more likely, you'll have to wait for the gun barrel to cool down. Against aircraft, these guns are deadly. A shot or two will be more than enough to shoot down an enemy. They are also quite deadly against lightly armoured vehicles, such as enemy SPAAs or light tanks such as the [[Ru 251|Spähpanzer Ru 251]] or [[M41A1|M41 Walker Bulldog]], and you can penetrate the side of [[Panther A|Panthers]], too. However, they require direct hits. Against the Soviet heavy or British medium tanks you are likely to encounter, however these guns will do nothing for you. You will rarely get an opportunity to use the Bofors on another tank, as they simply lack the penetration to do so - 72 mm doesn't get you very far at Rank IV. If you can get the guns to hit, you should have no trouble knocking aircraft out of the sky.

Since the reload speed is so fast, it is very easy to switch between belts even in combat, so taking a mix of anti-air and anti-armour rounds for a more specialised use instead of a multi-purpose belt is probably a better idea.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Dual Automatic Gun M2 (40 mm)|40 mm Dual Automatic Gun M2]] (x2) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 480 (8) || rowspan="2" | 120 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A ||35.22||48.75||59.20||65.47||69.65|| rowspan="2" | 0.65 || rowspan="2" | 0.58 || rowspan="2" | 0.53 || rowspan="2" | 0.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.80 || 28.00 || 34.00 || 37.60 || 40.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|FI-T*|Fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - These work fine, a hit on an aircraft means instant disassembly for it and still is able to hurt ground vehicles, especially if it is side into the side of a enemy tank.
* '''Mk.II:''' {{Annotation|FI-T*|Fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - These mean bad news for aircraft, what should be used for AA work.
* '''M81A1:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}} - These are the worst belts against airplanes. However, they are able to hurt ground vehicles especially if shot into the side of an enemy tank. If you plan on penetrating tanks, load this and flank, since side shots are almost a necessity.

{{:Dual Automatic Gun M2 (40 mm)/Ammunition|Mk.II, M81A1}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:New Ammoracks M42.png|thumb|307x307px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M42 Duster.]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''60''' || 30 ''(+30)'' || 4 ''(+56)'' || 2 ''(+58)'' || Yes
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


This tank has no armour, but a lot of speed and guns that do nothing against anything with actual armour. Refrain from attacking enemies that can take a hit from you, unless you like getting "Hit +10SL +5RP". You can roam around the battlefield with your insane speed and act as a scout. Ironically, shooting enemies you know will bounce, you have a reason for it because it makes them show up on the mini-map for all players to see, although it will also expose you. However, you could stay with your teammates and shoot down planes that will be harassing them - they will see you, with your open-top and exposed crew, and think of you as an easy target. They know the danger of the Bofors guns but for some pilots that is a gamble, they are willing to take. A good way to lure planes toward you is the act like you don't see them - shoot off at some distant (ground) target, at which the plane will notice you are "distracted" and dive to attack you, where you can show them the error of their ways in the form of the 40 mm Bofors cannon.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 40 mm cannons are devastating to planes
* AP rounds able to penetrate roughly 60 mm can be used against some tanks' side armour it could face, like the [[M4]], [[Chi-Ri II]] or [[Panther A]]/[[Panther D|D]]
* Unsynchronized firing helps improve overall fire rate
* Outside from default belts, the other belt options are made of a single type of shell that can be relied on
* Relatively fast vehicle with good mobility due to the [[M41A1]] light tank basis
* Fast turret traverse rate helps track aircraft

'''Cons:'''

* Despite 40 mm cannons and the unsynchronized firing, the overall fire rate is still lower than its contemporaries
* 40 mm AP rounds are not the best AP rounds to use overall due to relatively low penetration; cannot penetrate all-round protected heavy tanks like the [[IS-2]] or [[Tiger H1]]/[[Tiger E|E]]
* Open turret allows aerial attacks and machine guns to decimate the exposed crew
* Very thin armour hull, can be penetrated by .50 cal found on the [[M4]]
* Is hull-breakable
* Careless driving can damage the vehicle
* Ammo can be used up rather quickly due to the dual-gun firing, prolonged combat can find the ammo stowage run empty
* Easily ammo-racked due to racks scattered all around the turret, aerial autocannons could set it off if hit

== History ==

{{main|M42_Duster_(Family)#History|l1=History of the M42 Duster}}
=== Thrive in calamity... ===
The M42 "Duster" self-propelled anti-aircraft gun began its service in the ROC army in the second Taiwan Strait crisis (the Artillery Battle of August 23rd, 1958). In order to prevent the CCP from invading the Republic of China by force, the United States assisted Taiwan with a wide-range of military equipment including the TM-61 "Matador" surface-to-surface missiles, the M42 Self-Propelled Anti-Aircraft Guns, and the M55 self-propelled howitzers. After receiving the M42 SPAAG, the ROC armed forces assigned it to the divisional Air Defense Battalion units and the Marine Corps for low-altitude air defense tasks.

=== ...Perish in soft living ===
In 1998, the 205 arsenal of the ROC Joint Logistics Command developed the T82 twin 20 mm Air Defense Cannon. At the same time, the Army purchased the Avengers Air Defense Missile System from the United States to construct a new air defense system. Thus, the outdated M42 SPAAGs started to retire from service. However, due to the insufficient number of the Army's field air defense missiles, some of the M42 SPAAGs in the air defense battalion of the Army's Artillery Group were still in service along the "Jaeger" anti-aircraft missile system until around 2012. By 2012, all M42 SPAAGs in the Army were replaced by T82T towed Air Defense Cannons. However, the Marine Corps units stationed on the outer islands such as Matsu kept using M42 SPAAG as infantry support vehicle until at least 2017.

''(Thrive in calamity and perish in soft living is a Chinese saying.)''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_m42_duster Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

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

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

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

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

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{China anti-aircraft vehicles}}

M551

2023-04-24T17:16:23Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m551
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]]. It is armed with a 152 mm cannon, which has a missile launcher to fire 152 mm ATGMs and a .50 calibre machine gun.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Aluminum Alloy 7039
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Turret)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope Angle°) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (70°), 12.7 mm (87°) ''Front Glacis'' 31.7 mm (33°) ''Lower Glacis'' 25.4 mm (2-80°) ''Driver's port'' || 19 + 2 mm ''Top'' 25.4 mm (0-56°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm (49-50°) ''Top'' 19 mm (32-55°) ''Bottom'' || 19 mm 12.7 mm ''Engine grilles''
|-
| Turret || 25.4 mm (6-78°) ''Turret front'' 31.7 mm (1-81°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (50-55°) || 25.4 mm (46-54°) || 19 mm
|-
| Cupola || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.

Against most opponents, the M551 can be destroyed with a single shot. It's best to just stay in one spot along a road and wait for an enemy to pass by where so that they present their vulnerable side armour and vitals to target at. Once the ATGMS are unlocked then the player can stay out of range from everything but ATGMs.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265}}

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

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

{{main|M81 (152 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M81 (152 mm)|152 mm M81]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 30 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+19° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 15.60 || rowspan="2" | 13.80 || rowspan="2" | 12.72 || rowspan="2" | 12.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M81 (152 mm)/Ammunition|M409A1, M657A2, MGM-51B Shillelagh}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
!6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''30''' || 28 ''(+2)'' || 26 ''(+4)'' || 21 ''(+9)'' || 14 ''(+16)'' || 8 ''(+22)''
|1 ''(+29)''|| No
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M73 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M73 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M73]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Sheridan, even with the ability to fire ATGMs, is an extremely difficult tank to use due to it having no armour. Even some high-power MGs can penetrate the armour easily. The stock heat round while having high penetration drops like a rock at range and bounces a lot. Immediately upon reaching the tier 2 modifications research the ATGM missiles. Once those are unlocked the Sheridan becomes a fast and mobile missile platform that out ranges most vehicles in game. With only the stock HEAT always aim for ammo racks. This is pretty much the only way to destroy the heavier tanks. The mobile AAs will be the M551's biggest problems. While the Sheridan can drive circles around most of its heavy opponents, the fast anti-air turret can keep up with the M551, able to tear the armour to pieces. The ATGMs are a vast improvement over the HEAT rounds, knocking pretty much everything with a single shot and extending the Sheridan's range past that of most of its opponents.

Stay in the back, everything will knock out the tank in one hit. Use the M551's speed and manoeuvrability to get around enemies. Don't be afraid to get in real close to the enemy, because with only HEAT, the 152 mm's effective range is very limited. Once ATGMs are usable, the Sheridan becomes an extremely formidable sniper. Able to fire on target, destroy a target, then move position for another opportunity. In Arcade, the Sheridan is an easy target for everyone, but in realistic and simulator its speed makes it a very hard target to hit.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Dual-purpose cannon which can fire either regular shells or [[Anti-tank guided missiles|guided missiles]]
* Very fast turret traverse
* The ATGM usually knocks out tanks in one hit
* Rather small profile in comparison to other Rank V vehicles
* Can unlock NVD (Night Vision Devices) as a Tier 4 modification.
* The ATGM has 431 mm of penetration and therefore can easily penetrate most enemy tanks frontally

'''Cons:'''

* Very thin armour
* No kinetic rounds, only chemical rounds are available (which detonates on obstacles such as fences and therefore cannot shoot through them)
* Low ammunition storage at only 30 rounds
* ATGMs reload several seconds longer than normal ammunition
* Can only hold 10 ATGM ammunition total
* All non-ATGM shells have low velocity; the absence of a rangefinder worsens this problem
* At his BR it can find some tanks equipped with reactive armour that neutralizes the ATGM

== History ==

{{main|M551/History|l1=History of the M551}}

===Development===
In the post-war period, U.S. Army specified for a new light tank that is light enough for air-transportation and have a large cruising range. The first resulting light tank, the [[M41A1|M41 ''Walker Bulldog'']], did not meet these specifications and the following development such as the [[T92]] were cancelled after the discovery of the amphibious Soviet [[PT-76B|PT-76]] tank, which added a requirement for the light tank to also be amphibious. A new tank design began development, using aluminum alloy to save weight, a fabric screen for flotation, and a controversial [[M81 (152 mm)|152 mm gun/launcher]] for firepower with the Shillelagh missiles. However, the design's lightweight and mobility made it favorable and so the tank was approved for Army standard in May 1966 and designated the '''M551 ''Sheridan'''''. Between 1966 to 1970, 1,662 Sheridans were produced at a program cost of $1.3 billion.<ref name="ZalogaM551">Zaloga, 2009</ref>

===Deployment===
The Sheridan first saw service in June 1967 in the 1/63rd Armor Regiment at Fort Riley. The first air usage of the Sheridan came from the 1/17th Cavalry at Fort Bragg. Its first overseas deployment was to South Korea in November 1968 and Europe in January 1969. 800 Sheridans were deployed worldwide by 1971. Troubles with the 152 mm Gun/Launcher plagued the M551's early service life as attempts were made to fix the issues in the weapon's ammo propellant and ability to fire missiles.<ref name="ZalogaM551" />

The Sheridan's tank's first combat would be seen in Vietnam under the urging of General Creighton Abrams. The tank first arrived in January 1969 modified for the environment in a configuration dubbed "Two-Box M551" with many complex mechanical instrument boxes removed (save for two), as well as the ability to fire the Shillelagh missiles disabled and the production of a fletchette ammunition for the 152 mm gun/launcher. First impressions of the Sheridan were positive due to the weapon's effectiveness in anti-infantry and bunker busting roles, as well as the mobility able to maintain speed with the M113 armoured personnel carriers. However, experience soon soured when the lack of armour became apparent compared to the [[M48A1|M48 Pattons]] employed in the theater, with the M551 vulnerable to mines and the numerous hand-held anti-tank weaponry.<ref name="ZalogaM551" />

Post-Vietnam, the M551 Sheridans underwent a product improvement program (PIP) that upgraded the design. The next combat operation would be in Operation Just Cause in Panama, featuring the first and only time tanks were parachuted into a combat zone. Inserted with the 82nd Airborne Division, the M551 proved a popular psychological weapon against the opposing forces. After Panama, the M551 were also deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of the Gulf War in both Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, where in the latter they fought Iraqi units equipped with [[T-55A|T-55s]] and [[T-72A|T-72s]] in the only time in the M551's history that the gun-launched Shillelagh missiles were used against an enemy.<ref name="ZalogaM551" />

Back in the United States, the M551 also found use in the U.S. Army's National Training Center at the Mojave desert in California, where they are dressed up to look like Soviet vehicles to play as the "opposing forces" to train the army units on tactics in the battlefield. After the Gulf War, the Sheridan's combat career came to an end and so they remained in service at the National Training Center until 2004. The Sheridans were retired without any replacement in the airborne tank role. Though attempts had been made in the late 1990's for a replacement, the Army decided that an airborne tank was simply not worth the cost for a specialized vehicle.<ref name="ZalogaM551" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m551 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|YuBjyMQLRy0|'''Airmobile tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:53 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/3736-development-m551-sheridan-en|[Devblog] M551 Sheridan]]

=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Zaloga Steven. ''M551 Sheridan: US Airmobile Tanks 1941-2001'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2009

{{USA light tanks}}

{{TankManufacturer Cadillac}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

BMP-2

2023-04-24T17:10:48Z

U120654901:

{{About
| about = Soviet light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = BMP (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_bmp_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_BMP-2D.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].

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

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 15 mm (57°) || 13 mm (15°), 5 mm (68°) ''Top'' 15 mm (0-25°) ''Bottom'' || 13 mm (13-64°) 16 mm (17-44°) || 5 mm (66-90°) ''Rear'' 8 mm (81°) 7 mm (90°) ''Hatches'' 12 mm (81°) 5 mm ''Engine grille''
|-
| Turret || 30 mm (32°) 25 mm (1-89°) ''Gun mantlet'' 20 mm (31-83°) 20 mm (30-82°) || 16 mm (32-26°) 30 mm (18°) ''Top right'' 20 mm (30-82°) || 10 mm (21-°) || 6 mm (0-89°)
|-
| Cupola || colspan="4" | 6 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* 6 mm side skirts added with BMP-2D
* 6 mm armour layer added to the turret side
* 6 mm armour added to hull top sides
* The amphibious ability is lost after the armour modifications are installed
* Tracks and wheels are 10 mm thick

'''BMP-2:'''

The BMP-2 armour layout consists of mostly High Hardness Rolled Armour. The front plate and turret armour is sufficient to stop anything short of a small auto cannon. The sides are generally resistant to machine gun fire, although larger calibre rounds such as those fired from the 12.7 mm .50 calibre machine guns on many American tanks can penetrate the side and rear of the BMP-2. Depending on where it is hit, the BMP-2 is generally not very survivable due to the low crew count. Having only 3 crew means that if any penetrating round kills 2 of them, you are dead. Some shots might hit empty space, but you should not rely on it. Generally it is best practice to be very careful when driving the BMP-2. Even if you have disabled the enemy vehicle's main cannon, they may still be able to damage you with their heavy machine gun. The BMP-2 is also vulnerable to overpressure, it will be destroyed by large-calibre HE shells and by ATGMs.

'''BMP-2D:'''

The BMP-2 has optional add-on armour which improves its resistance to heavy machine gun and some light cannon fire from the sides and rear of the turret, at the cost of losing its amphibious ability. This armour means that you are safe from enemy tanks once you have disabled their main gun. This modification has little effect on the overpressure vulnerability mechanics of the BMP-2.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265|AoAweight=0.8|weight=14|rbReverseSpeed=10.5}}

The {{PAGENAME}}'s mobility is reasonable, albeit not excellent, at a maximum of 72/65 km/h (AB\RB) on-road, however, the vehicle's acceleration and off-road performance leave something to be desired.

The {{PAGENAME}} can swim at 7 km/h.

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|2A42 (30 mm)}}

The Shipunov 2A42 30 mm autocannon is a very versatile weapon - it is possible to change its fire rate based on the situation and it has vertical guidance of +74 degrees, which makes it effective not only against tanks but for planes and helicopters as well.

The main concern with this powerful main weapon is the ammo capacity. The gun has two firing modes - relatively slow (~200/minute) and extremely fast (~550/minute), while your ammo capacity is 500. To not run out of ammo during the battle, one should use full auto mode only when facing certain doom, or when sitting in an ambush position against an unknown enemy.

Its reload rate for the belts is quite fast at 1 second and it gets a choice of HEF-T, AP-T, and HVAP in belts. Every belt is universal and has at least 1 AP and 1 HE in them, HE belt carrying 2 of HEF-T for 1 AP-T per cycle.

The HVAP belts have enough penetration to obliterate lighter tanks such as [[Leopard A1A1|Leopard A1A1s]], [[AMX-30B2 BRENUS]] and [[Warrior]] frontally, however, when engaging other larger targets it's only possible to completely defeat them from the side, though you can still cripple enemy tanks frontally by shooting cannon barrels and tracks.

The main difference of the HVAP compared to the APDS of other autocannon-equipped vehicles is that it is '''very''' bad against angled tanks and when attacking tanks on high ground (Refer to the table, to see how bad it can get). Because of that, targets usually easily dealt with such as the [[Striker]] may deflect fire from your main gun when heavily angled. When facing something the main gun cannot deal with, you'll need to use the secondary weapon:

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[2A42 (30 mm)|30 mm 2A42]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 500 (250) || rowspan="2" | 550 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+74° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 1.30 || rowspan="2" | 1.15 || rowspan="2" | 1.06 || rowspan="2" | 1.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary (self-destroying)}}
* '''30 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T*|High-explosive fragmentation tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''30 mm APT:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T*|High-explosive fragmentation tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''30 mm APDS:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T*|High-explosive fragmentation tracer (self-destroying)}}

{{:2A42 (30 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-I*, AP-T, HEF-T*, APDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x350px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''2''' || 0 ''(+2)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|9M113 Konkurs}}

BMP-2 also has an ATGM launcher. Its guidance system is semi-automatic, so it's easier to use in RB. It is a default modification on the vehicle, unlike the BMP-1, so doesn't need to be researched.

The ATGM is able to penetrate most tanks BMP-2 will face at its BR and often above when aimed well. The 9M113 is also fairly useable at range, although it generally won't reach sniping helicopters. The BMP only has 4 ATGMs, so it's a good idea to be stringent with them.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[9M113 Konkurs]] ATGM || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 4 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | -15°/+37° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | N/A || rowspan="2" | N/A || rowspan="2" | N/A || rowspan="2" | N/A
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:9M113 Konkurs/Ammunition|9M113}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x350px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || 3 ''(+1)'' || 2 ''(+2)'' || 1 ''(+3)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|PKT (7.62 mm)}}

7.62 mm PKT is only useful for destroying light obstacles to avoid losing momentum. Alternatively, it can be used to mark the enemy in Realistic battle. Using it for anything else is pointless, as your 30mm is far more effective otherwise, and the 7.62mm won't cause damage to anything but early aircraft or open-top vehicles with exposed crew.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

'''The BMP-2 is best played as a light support vehicle''', avoiding being a primary target in the front of the battle.

Where possible, scout opposing vehicles for teammates while staying near heavier friendly vehicles, helping repair and support them as necessary. By staying mostly in cover and near more threatening targets, you'll avoid being a target yourself. The BMP isn't particularly fast for a light tank, but if you can move into a position that enemy tanks will be passing, you'll be able to make quick work of them with the 30 mm gun.

Before the armour modification has been researched, the players can take advantage of the amphibious capacities of the BMP-2 to either infiltrate in the enemy territory to scout or to flank that enemy access and retain the enemy advance; at least for a short time.

As an advance from the BMP-1, the BMP-2 offers a great improvement in combat usage, as there's no need to research the better ATGM armament. Another upgrade in the playstyle is the possibility of close range anti-air duties thanks to the 30 mm Shipunov cannon, particularly to the omnipresent helicopters at this rank, such as the American [[AH-1G]]. The cannon is also useful for light and medium ground targets with slightly sloped armour, however, the stock HE performance against armour is poor and the need for the APDS belt will be evident. Therefore the anti-air duties are an essential part of the early playstyle and module research.

'''Anti-air role'''

The BMP is somewhat vulnerable to aircraft fire, particularly larger cannons will make quick work of the vehicle through its near non-existent top armour. Where possible, find positions with a good overhead cover or minimal visibility for overhead aircraft (beneath over-arching rocks, near or in buildings, under dense tree cover). If for any reason you do become the target of a strafing run, don't be afraid to fire back - the 30 mm will make quick work of most aircraft, and in head-on engagements is particularly easy to get on target.

It is recommended to improve the turret targeting speed with the modifications, as this provides faster target acquisition. The ATGM can also be put in use against any helicopter hovering close to the battlefield, remember the 3 km range when engaging them.

{{Notice|Tip: The BMP-2 offers the ability to switch the cannon firing rate, useful for saving ammunition or quickly dispatching air targets!}}

'''Close support'''

The BMP-2 is a light combat vehicle with good offensive power, as such, a recommended combat tactic is to remain near the tougher tank comrades assaulting and capturing points in the core of the action. Not only because of the proficient anti-air capabilities of the BMP-2 or the mighty Konkurs' ability to deal with any heavily armoured targets like the [[Maus]]. But also because '''the BMP-2 can act as a field mechanic''' for allied tanks along the frontline.

Acting as a team-player also entails using every mean of protection to ensure the teammates' safety, this will be usually achievable thanks to the various smoke discharges available.

'''Scouting'''

The BMP-2 is not only capable of fiercely defending itself but is also '''capable of providing scouted targets for the whole allied team'''. Becoming the force of change in any assault or defence and a decisive piece in the road for victory.

A single BMP-2 can find a suitable covered position on a hill or a ditch deep enough (like on the [[Kursk (Ground Forces)|Kursk]] map) and proceed to scout any enemy in the binoculars sight. It doesn't matter if the BMP does not have a gun solution, the purpose is to relay the enemy's position to the team while remaining in secret. This not only helps the teammates on anticipating any threats, but once the airstrike modification has been researched, it also enables the player to jump into any suited aircraft and continue supporting the team.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Can easily destroy other light vehicles with both its main gun and its ATGM launcher
* At times is surprisingly survivable, the vehicle's internals are largely non-critical components
* Can ford rivers/canals to get to locations that are normally difficult or sometimes impossible to reach
* Somewhat effective as an AA with fast-firing 30 mm
* ATGMs will comfortably destroy almost any vehicle with a well placed missile
* 30 mm HVAP can quickly disable tracks/gun barrel on any target

'''Cons:'''

* The 30 mm HVAP is not as powerful as APDS on other AFVs and has extremely bad angled performance
* Small maximum ammo load, can only take a single APDS belt, exactly 160 shells (Changing to low rate of fire is recommended)
* Vulnerable to HMGs and light cannons at close ranges, particularly without add-on armour
* Vulnerable to overpressure (HE shells, bombs, rockets, ATGMs and artillery strikes).
* Konkurs ATGM is highly ineffective against vehicles with ERA like the [[Sho't Kal Dalet (Great Britain)]] or the [[M60A1 RISE (P)]]

== History ==

'''Development'''

After the Yom Kippur War, it became clear that the armament of the BMP-1 was proven to be insufficient, as well as the protection. Egyptian and Syrian BMP-1's had been knocked out by 12.7 mm (.50 in) machine gun fire through the sides and rear. The BMP-1P was developed in order solve some of the problems with the BMP-1, but a new model was needed. Work began on creating an improved version of the BMP-1, called the BMP-2.

'''Design'''

The hull of the BMP-2 was nearly identical to the hull of the BMP-1. The armour was unchanged - other than the side armour which could now withstand 12.7 mm machine guns - as was the shape of the hull itself. The turret, on the other hand, was of a new design. It was the same general shape as the turret of the BMP-1, but it was much larger. The commander sat to the right of the gun breech and the gunner sat to the left of the gun breech. The main armament consisted of a 2A24 30 mm autocannon, with a secondary armament of a co-axial 7.62 mm machine gun, with some models receiving a 40 mm automatic grenade launcher. There is also a 9M111 and 9M113 anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) launcher on the roof of the turret. There were some other differences as well. The infantry hatches on the roof of the troop compartment was reduced to 2 from 4. In addition, only 7 infantry soldiers could be carried, instead of the 8 that could be carried by the BMP-1. The BMP-2 was also heavier than the BMP-1, but received a more powerful engine, and as such had similar mobility to the BMP-1.

'''Production and Service'''

The BMP-2 entered service in 1980, and it is unknown how many have been produced. It is thought that at least 20,000 BMP-2 have been produced so far, but some estimates have the total production at up to 35,000. These numbers are for the Soviet/Russian military alone, not including license built copies or export models. BMP-2's have seen combat in a number of conflicts, although not so much as the BMP-1 as it entered service later.

'''BMP-2D'''

The BMP-2D was an upgrade package that could be installed on a regular BMP-2. It consisted of applique armour on the sides of the vehicle and under the driver and commander positions, and 6 mm of applique armour on the turret. It also added the ability to attach a mine clearing device on the front of the vehicle. Because of the added weight of the upgrade package, the BMP-2D was not amphibiously capable.

=== [[wt:en/news/5750-development-bmp-2-experienced-support-en|Devblog]] ===

The arrival of the BMP-1 infantry combat vehicle in the Soviet Army greatly increased the firepower and mobility of infantry formations on the battlefield. However, there were also significant shortcomings, mainly in the armament department. The 73 mm Grom gun, which was installed on the BMP-1 wasn't particularly efficient against infantry units, tanks and low flying air targets. In addition to this, the flight of the trajectory became impossible to predict if even a small crosswind was present. To account for these issues, a decision was made to create a new vehicle based on the BMP-1 with the automatic rifled gun. Among the several projects carried out, the vehicle designed by Kurganmashzavod engineers was acknowledged to be superior to the rest. The BMP-2, which was put into service in 1977, had a similar design to the BMP-1 in terms of the layout and general configuration. However, the turret underwent significant changes. It now had space for two crew members – the gunner and the commander, and the automatic 30 mm 2A42 gun became its primary armament. Just like its predecessor, the BMP-2 was fitted with a launcher capable of firing either the Konkurs or Fagot anti-tank guided missiles, which the vehicle could deploy when engaging tank units. The vehicle was regarded as fairly successful, and over the years of its service, the BMP-2 underwent a series of modernizations and modifications directed at improving the vehicle's defences and increasing its destructive capability. The BMP-2 remains in service till now and is in great demand abroad.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_bmp_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|25_5geR39Zw|'''BMP Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 04:14 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|SJoW-2_6J6o|'''Amphibious tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:15 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|2h5kFyznXKU|'''Best IFVs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:00 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5750-development-bmp-2-experienced-support-en|[Devblog] BMP-2: Experienced Support]]

=== References ===

;Bibliography

* David B. (2016, December 12). BMP-2. Tank Encyclopedia. https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/USSR/BMP-2.php
* BMP-2. (2020, April 27). In ''Wikipedia''. https://en.wikipedia.org/w/index.php?title=BMP-2&oldid=953499108

{{USSR light tanks}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

SMK

2023-04-20T08:50:22Z

U120654901: /* Additional armament */

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. The SMK was named after Sergei Mironovich Kirov, an early Communist Party official who was assassinated in 1934. A twin-turret heavy tank, the SMK provides an interesting playstyle to its users. Only one prototype was built before the project was dropped.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret fronts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 75 mm (30°) ''Front plate'' 75 mm (76°) ''Front glacis'' 75 mm (48-74°)|| 60 mm || 55 mm (26-71°) ''Top'' 55 mm (9-63°) ''Bottom'' || 30 mm
|-
| Main Turret || 60 mm (4-70°) ''Turret front'' 60 mm (3-56°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 60 mm (14-17°) || 60 mm (15-16°) || 30 mm
|-
| Secondary Turret || 60 mm (11-47°) ''Turret front'' 60 mm (4-59°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 60 mm (9-16°) || 60 mm (15°) || 30 mm
|-
| Cupola || 60 mm || 60 mm || 60 mm || 30 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick and tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Column elevating main turret is 60 mm thick with a range of 12-18° of slope.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,097|rbMinHp=752}}

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

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

{{main|L-11 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L-11 (76 mm)|76 mm L-11]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 113 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+35° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 12.1 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0 || rowspan="2" | 8.19 || rowspan="2" | 7.25 || rowspan="2" | 6.68 || rowspan="2" | 6.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.9 || 10.5 || 12.8 || 14.1 || 15.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:L-11 (76 mm)/Ammunition|BR-350SP, OF-350M, Sh-354T, BR-350A (MD-5 fuze)}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''113''' || 108 ''(+5)''|| 102 ''(+11)''|| 90 ''(+23)'' || 78 ''(+35)'' || 1 ''(+112)'' || Yes
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* The visual discrepancy concerns the number of shells in rack 5: 60 shells are modeled but it contains 77 shells.
* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
* Turret rear empty: 102 (+11)

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

{{main|20-K (45 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[20-K (45 mm)|45 mm 20-K]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 300 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±135° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 12.1 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0 || rowspan="2" | 3.77 || rowspan="2" | 3.34 || rowspan="2" | 3.07 || rowspan="2" | 2.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.9 || 10.5 || 12.8 || 14.1 || 15.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:20-K (45 mm)/Ammunition|O-243, BR-240SP, BR-240P, BR-240}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''300''' || 245 ''(+55)'' || Yes
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* The visual discrepancy concerns the total number of 45 mm shells: only 56 shells are modeled but 300 shells can be taken into battle.
* Once the 56 modeled shells are depleted (either from shooting or from packing fewer shells), the rack disappears.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|DK (12.7 mm)|DT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Turret rear || 600 (50) || 600 || -10°/+1° || ±15°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial with 45 mm || 1,890 (63) || 600 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Confidently stand against most enemy tanks especially if they are without support, use caution against engaging multiple targets from a distance however as a track hit will end any day on the battlefield, the SMK packs its biggest punch up close and cannot expect to survive against sniping units if caught in the open. Keep the tank moving as much as possible and slightly angled facing enemies directly. When engaging heavies it's best to not go toe to toe head on however by disabling a track or turret the SMK can hold itself up in close proximity to most heavy enemy tanks. HE and shrapnel shells are not this tanks forte, rather its APHE rounds usually due to the trick against most enemy units. The SMK can also fool enemies by shooting the 45 mm cannon, then letting the opponent peek out when they think that the cannon is reloading, and shoot them with the 76 mm cannon instead.

Attack and break enemy lines, The SMK is very much a tank worthy of entitling "Not one step back"! A fast load rate and dual turret firing system allow this tank multiple scores even when surrounded or disabled, and the sizeable crew enables quick repair, which is great as its size makes the SMK a juicy target that is more than capable of withstanding incredible amounts of damage. Great at providing weaker units cover and protection from enemy fire, the one-two punch of its cannons reward players that love using more aggressive playing styles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Two turrets, two guns. A punchy 45 mm and a slow, but steady 76 mm
* Consistent armour all-round, effective against circling low rank tanks like [[Flakpanzer 38]]
* Outstanding Mobility for a heavy tank (15 hp/t)
* Can defend itself even when one gunner is injured thanks to the two turrets
* Very difficult to destroy in one hit thanks to the large interior

'''Cons:'''

* Gigantic size, very easy target
* The additional turret won't really help when being circled
* Armour isn't strong against tanks at the same BR like the [[Pz.IV (Family)|Pz.IV]]
* Somewhat unique playstyle which may need practice
* Big ammo rack in the second turret (cannot be removed)
* Bad reverse gear

== History ==

===Development===
The development of the '''SMK''' began after the [[T-35]] heavy tank flaws came to light. The T-35 was unreliable and expensive, so the project was made to replace it. The project was headed by former OKMO designer N. Barykov and started in 1937 at the Bolshevik Plant with a specification that the tank could withstand 45 mm hits from point-blank ranges and 75 mm artillery at 1,200 m. The design drawn up in 1938 was still a multi-turret design like the T-35, but the number of turrets was reduced to just two and a wide-track torsion-bar suspension was utilized instead of a spring suspension. The SMK was also redesigned to two different prototypes, the one with two turrets and the other with a single turret installed instead. These two designs were approved by Stalin and the single turret one was named after then Soviet Defense Commissar Kliment Voroshilov as the KV, the forerunner for the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1 heavy tanks]].

The SMK design weighed 55 tons and had two turrets mounted with one in front of the other, with the one in the mid-hull area as the main turret and the one in front as the secondary turret. The main turret was mounted higher than the secondary and had the 76.2 mm L-11 gun mounted while the smaller one had a 45 mm 20-K gun mounted. The design was powered by a GAM-34BT engine that produces 850 hp for the vehicle. The tank suspension was a torsion-bar suspension for improved smoothness over other suspension designs. Armour on the front hull was 75 mm thick in the front and 60 mm on the sides.

===Testing===
As part of the heavy tank evaluations, the designs submitted for the project were to be battle-tested. The SMK, two KV-1, and two T-100 prototypes were sent to Finland during the Winter War and took part in the Battle of Summa. These vehicles formed the 91st Tank Battalion in the 20th Heavy Tank Brigade. The SMK, however, was immobilized by a Finnish anti-tank mine during combat and because of its heavy 55-ton weight, an attempt at recovering the vehicle failed and had to be left behind for two months before Soviet forces could break the Finnish defences to secure it. Before being recovered, the Finnish were able to document and photograph the SMK thoroughly. When German intelligence discovered the SMK, it was designated the ''T-35C'', which caused the misunderstanding that the T-35 also took part in the Winter War when it did not.

The failure of the SMK in the Winter War in contrast to the success of the KV-1 prototypes caused the KV-1 design to be accepted into service on December 19, 1939, as the Soviet's main heavy tank. The SMK thus never reached pass the development stage and was left with only one prototype produced.

{{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 SMK heavy tank was designed and built at the Kirov Factory in Leningrad. In January, 1939 work began on building the tank itself, and the SMK's first test trip around the factory courtyard took place on April 30, 1939. After getting broken in at the factory, the tank was sent to testing grounds, where it underwent testing beginning on the night of July 31 and ending on August 1. Only one model was ever built. It was used in the Finnish War.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|RyA5KcS2hAw|'''Multi-turreted Tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:37 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [http://russian-tanks.com/heavy-soviet-tank-smk.php [Russian Tanks<nowiki>]</nowiki> Heavy Soviet Tank SMK]

{{TankManufacturer Kirov}}
{{USSR heavy tanks}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

SU-57

2023-04-06T08:02:27Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{About
| about = Soviet tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other half-track vehicles based on the M3
| link = M3 Half-Track (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_su_57
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]]. The vehicle is similar to the American [[M3 GMC|75 mm GMC M3]] by mounting a gun on the back of a half-track. The 57 mm gun can nearly penetrate most tanks at its battle rating range, nearly 100 mm at 500 meters away with regular AP rounds.

The most distinctive feature of this vehicle is its gun. Armed with very accurate 57 mm M1 gun with penetration of almost 90 mm on 2000m and fast reload speed, SU-57 is very effective long-range tank destroyer. Aside from that, SU-57 is very mobile, fast and agile. This, however, is vital for its survival as the vehicle basically lacks adequate armour protection. In order to use the SU-57 effectively, it is essential to combine its firepower with its mobility - attack selected targets from distance and be prepared for rapid relocation, as one well-placed enemy shot can tear the vehicle apart. On the other hand, one well-placed shot of the 57mm gun can tear apart almost everything SU-57 encounters, especially when aiming for weak spots.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Structural steel

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 6.35 mm (31°) ''Engine grille'' 6.35-12.7 mm (84°) ''Hood'' 6.35 mm (29-30°) ''Front plate'' || 6.35 mm (1-2°) || 6.35 mm (1°) || N/A
|-
| Turret (Gun shield) || 12.7 mm (24-79°) || 12.7 mm (16°) || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 7 mm thick.
* Wheels in the front are 2 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 6.35 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=210|rbMinHp=131}}

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

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

{{main|M1 (57 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1 (57 mm)|57 mm M1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 99 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±27° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.2 || 8.5 || 10.4 || 11.5 || 12.2 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.2 || 4.9 || 6.0 || 6.6 || 7.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M1 (57 mm)/Ammunition|M70, M86}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammo rack of su57.png|thumb|right|Ammo rack of su57]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
!5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''99''' || 80 ''(+19)'' || 60 ''(+39)'' || 40 ''(+59)'' || 20 ''(+79)''
|1 ''(+98)''|| No
|-
|}

Bottom empty: 80 ''(+19)''

== Usage in battles ==


The SU-57 is an excellent tank destroyer that is capable of effectively and quickly destroying any enemy vehicle, even when in battles several BRs above its own. The 57 mm gun is excellent, and able to quickly deal with any foe you might face. The mobility is technically excellent, with good acceleration and top speed, however there are two issues. Being a half track, the SU-57 steers mostly like a conventional car, which is not ideal for a tank destroyer where the ability to neutral steer is preferable. Additionally the gun has very little depression, and the armour is only resistant to rifle-calibre rounds. These features mean that the SU-57 must seek to get the first shot on enemies. While rushing can be tempting, it will take a long time to get the gun on target when coming to a stop, so it is best to remain stationary when near enemy vehicles. Ambush tactics are very effective with this vehicle, as it is able to quickly reach good locations and deal damage effectively.

'''Close Range Engagements:'''

The SU-57 struggles at close range due to its limited turret rotation and half track steering. It is best to avoid close range engagements as it will be difficult to get the gun on target, and most enemies will be able to quickly disable the SU-57 due to its lack of armour.

'''Long Range Engagements:'''

The SU-57 does well at long range due to the quick reload, high penetration, and high velocity of its main gun. However, SU-57 players should not stay in the exact same spot for too long, as once the enemy vehicles have found the right firing solution, the SU-57 will not last long.

'''Arcade Battles:'''

In Arcade battles, the SU-57 will not generally do well. This is because in Arcade, the enemy will have a much easier time spotting and getting a good shot on the SU-57. Ambush tactics are not viable in Arcade, and the high speed nature of Arcade will pose a big challenge for the limited turret traverse of the SU-57.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Accurate and powerful gun capable of penetration even on vast distances
* Can destroy basically everything it encounters very easily
* Great mobility and speed of the half-track vehicle compared to tanks
* Ability to snipe from distance and relocate quickly if needed
* Enemy shells often fly through its thin armour without dealing any serious damage
* Crew has better protection compared to the American [[M3 GMC|75 mm M3 GMC]]

'''Cons:'''

* Lack of armour protection - vulnerable even to machine gun fire
* Vulnerable to shrapnel and artillery shelling due to its open top
* Rather limited gun arc
* Cannot turn on one spot as tracked SPG can due to its half-track configuration

== History ==

===Development===
The '''SU-57''' began as the ''T48 57 mm Gun Motor Carriage'' from the United States. This is similar to their previous anti-tank vehicle the [[M3 GMC|75 mm GMC M3]], which mounted a 75 mm M1897A4 gun instead. The development started from a British and American requirement for a vehicle mounting the 6-pounder gun. This was fulfilled with the 57 mm gun M1 (A US version of the 6-pounder) and this was installed on the rear of an M3 Half-track. Orders came in at April 1942, but the Americans soon drop theirs after the [[M10 GMC|M10 GMC]] was put into production. Thus, the T48 was to be lend-leased to Allied countries and was never classified in the American inventory.

The vehicle was tested at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in May 1942 and was upgraded along the way with new mounting and recoil mechanism. A gun shield with 5/8 inches of armour on the front and 1/4 inch armour on the sides and top provided protection for the crew but was relatively low in height. The employment of the 75 mm GMC M3 had the T48 equipped with headlights that were demountable. The vehicle was approved for production in 1942 and was built until 1943 with 962 vehicles produced total.

===Combat usage===
The vehicle was delivered to the British and the Soviet Union as part of the Lend-Lease Act. The British were to use it in the Western Desert Campaign around Egypt and Libya, but the victory was achieved before the vehicles could arrive and do anything. After that, the 57 mm gun on the T48 was being superseded by the 75 mm gun from the US and the 17-pounder from the British. The T48 became surplus in British inventory and some were shipped to the Soviet Union as aid as well. The T48 in Soviet service was called '''SU-57''' (Samokhodnaya ustanovka 57 - Self-propelled gun 57) and they received about 650 units in the course of the war. Some went to the Polish People's Army as well. Aside from that, British and Americans still retained several T48s but were all converted back into regular M3 Half-track carriers except for one in 1944. The German Wehrmacht also operated a few T48 as Half-track carriers due to being captured by the British and Soviet Union.

The Soviet Union employed the weapon most notably in their Summer 1944 offensive Operation Bagration. It was widely used by the Soviet 16th Separate Tank Destroyer Brigade in 1943 at the Dnieper River and the 19th Brigade in 1944 at the Baranow bridgehead. These vehicles would continue to serve in various units up until the Berlin and Prague offensives into Germany and Poland. They were allocated to 60 vehicles per brigade and the SU-57s were used as mobile fire support for the infantry due to their mobility. The 57 mm proved very well in this role as it could effectively hide behind a hill and fire from a long range due to the 57 mm gun.

{{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}}
A self-propelled artillery/anti-tank mount based on the M3 semitrack transporter. Its weapons system included a six-pound British anti-tank cannon. The entire project was completed based on an order by Great Britain in 1942. The SPG was released between December 1942 and May 1943. In the end, Great Britain determined that the project was unnecessary, so this mount was used most widely in the USSR, where most of the SPGs produced were provided as part of the lend-lease program.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_su_57 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[M3 GMC]]
* [[Sd.Kfz.251/10]]

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

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

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{USSR tank destroyers}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}
[[Category:Half-tracks]]

File:Ammo rack of su57.png

2023-04-06T08:00:49Z

U120654901:

Ammo rack of su57

SU-57

2023-04-06T07:52:18Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{About
| about = Soviet tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other half-track vehicles based on the M3
| link = M3 Half-Track (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_su_57
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]]. The vehicle is similar to the American [[M3 GMC|75 mm GMC M3]] by mounting a gun on the back of a half-track. The 57 mm gun can nearly penetrate most tanks at its battle rating range, nearly 100 mm at 500 meters away with regular AP rounds.

The most distinctive feature of this vehicle is its gun. Armed with very accurate 57 mm M1 gun with penetration of almost 90 mm on 2000m and fast reload speed, SU-57 is very effective long-range tank destroyer. Aside from that, SU-57 is very mobile, fast and agile. This, however, is vital for its survival as the vehicle basically lacks adequate armour protection. In order to use the SU-57 effectively, it is essential to combine its firepower with its mobility - attack selected targets from distance and be prepared for rapid relocation, as one well-placed enemy shot can tear the vehicle apart. On the other hand, one well-placed shot of the 57mm gun can tear apart almost everything SU-57 encounters, especially when aiming for weak spots.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Structural steel

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 6.35 mm (31°) ''Engine grille'' 6.35-12.7 mm (84°) ''Hood'' 6.35 mm (29-30°) ''Front plate'' || 6.35 mm (1-2°) || 6.35 mm (1°) || N/A
|-
| Turret (Gun shield) || 12.7 mm (24-79°) || 12.7 mm (16°) || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 7 mm thick.
* Wheels in the front are 2 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 6.35 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=210|rbMinHp=131}}

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

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

{{main|M1 (57 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1 (57 mm)|57 mm M1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 99 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±27° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.2 || 8.5 || 10.4 || 11.5 || 12.2 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.2 || 4.9 || 6.0 || 6.6 || 7.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M1 (57 mm)/Ammunition|M70, M86}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
!5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''99''' || 80 ''(+19)'' || 60 ''(+39)'' || 40 ''(+59)'' || 20 ''(+79)''
|1 ''(+98)''|| No
|-
|}

Bottom empty: 80 ''(+19)''

== Usage in battles ==


The SU-57 is an excellent tank destroyer that is capable of effectively and quickly destroying any enemy vehicle, even when in battles several BRs above its own. The 57 mm gun is excellent, and able to quickly deal with any foe you might face. The mobility is technically excellent, with good acceleration and top speed, however there are two issues. Being a half track, the SU-57 steers mostly like a conventional car, which is not ideal for a tank destroyer where the ability to neutral steer is preferable. Additionally the gun has very little depression, and the armour is only resistant to rifle-calibre rounds. These features mean that the SU-57 must seek to get the first shot on enemies. While rushing can be tempting, it will take a long time to get the gun on target when coming to a stop, so it is best to remain stationary when near enemy vehicles. Ambush tactics are very effective with this vehicle, as it is able to quickly reach good locations and deal damage effectively.

'''Close Range Engagements:'''

The SU-57 struggles at close range due to its limited turret rotation and half track steering. It is best to avoid close range engagements as it will be difficult to get the gun on target, and most enemies will be able to quickly disable the SU-57 due to its lack of armour.

'''Long Range Engagements:'''

The SU-57 does well at long range due to the quick reload, high penetration, and high velocity of its main gun. However, SU-57 players should not stay in the exact same spot for too long, as once the enemy vehicles have found the right firing solution, the SU-57 will not last long.

'''Arcade Battles:'''

In Arcade battles, the SU-57 will not generally do well. This is because in Arcade, the enemy will have a much easier time spotting and getting a good shot on the SU-57. Ambush tactics are not viable in Arcade, and the high speed nature of Arcade will pose a big challenge for the limited turret traverse of the SU-57.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Accurate and powerful gun capable of penetration even on vast distances
* Can destroy basically everything it encounters very easily
* Great mobility and speed of the half-track vehicle compared to tanks
* Ability to snipe from distance and relocate quickly if needed
* Enemy shells often fly through its thin armour without dealing any serious damage
* Crew has better protection compared to the American [[M3 GMC|75 mm M3 GMC]]

'''Cons:'''

* Lack of armour protection - vulnerable even to machine gun fire
* Vulnerable to shrapnel and artillery shelling due to its open top
* Rather limited gun arc
* Cannot turn on one spot as tracked SPG can due to its half-track configuration

== History ==

===Development===
The '''SU-57''' began as the ''T48 57 mm Gun Motor Carriage'' from the United States. This is similar to their previous anti-tank vehicle the [[M3 GMC|75 mm GMC M3]], which mounted a 75 mm M1897A4 gun instead. The development started from a British and American requirement for a vehicle mounting the 6-pounder gun. This was fulfilled with the 57 mm gun M1 (A US version of the 6-pounder) and this was installed on the rear of an M3 Half-track. Orders came in at April 1942, but the Americans soon drop theirs after the [[M10 GMC|M10 GMC]] was put into production. Thus, the T48 was to be lend-leased to Allied countries and was never classified in the American inventory.

The vehicle was tested at the Aberdeen Proving Grounds in May 1942 and was upgraded along the way with new mounting and recoil mechanism. A gun shield with 5/8 inches of armour on the front and 1/4 inch armour on the sides and top provided protection for the crew but was relatively low in height. The employment of the 75 mm GMC M3 had the T48 equipped with headlights that were demountable. The vehicle was approved for production in 1942 and was built until 1943 with 962 vehicles produced total.

===Combat usage===
The vehicle was delivered to the British and the Soviet Union as part of the Lend-Lease Act. The British were to use it in the Western Desert Campaign around Egypt and Libya, but the victory was achieved before the vehicles could arrive and do anything. After that, the 57 mm gun on the T48 was being superseded by the 75 mm gun from the US and the 17-pounder from the British. The T48 became surplus in British inventory and some were shipped to the Soviet Union as aid as well. The T48 in Soviet service was called '''SU-57''' (Samokhodnaya ustanovka 57 - Self-propelled gun 57) and they received about 650 units in the course of the war. Some went to the Polish People's Army as well. Aside from that, British and Americans still retained several T48s but were all converted back into regular M3 Half-track carriers except for one in 1944. The German Wehrmacht also operated a few T48 as Half-track carriers due to being captured by the British and Soviet Union.

The Soviet Union employed the weapon most notably in their Summer 1944 offensive Operation Bagration. It was widely used by the Soviet 16th Separate Tank Destroyer Brigade in 1943 at the Dnieper River and the 19th Brigade in 1944 at the Baranow bridgehead. These vehicles would continue to serve in various units up until the Berlin and Prague offensives into Germany and Poland. They were allocated to 60 vehicles per brigade and the SU-57s were used as mobile fire support for the infantry due to their mobility. The 57 mm proved very well in this role as it could effectively hide behind a hill and fire from a long range due to the 57 mm gun.

{{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}}
A self-propelled artillery/anti-tank mount based on the M3 semitrack transporter. Its weapons system included a six-pound British anti-tank cannon. The entire project was completed based on an order by Great Britain in 1942. The SPG was released between December 1942 and May 1943. In the end, Great Britain determined that the project was unnecessary, so this mount was used most widely in the USSR, where most of the SPGs produced were provided as part of the lend-lease program.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_su_57 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[M3 GMC]]
* [[Sd.Kfz.251/10]]

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

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

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{USSR tank destroyers}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}
[[Category:Half-tracks]]

2S38

2022-11-22T23:50:02Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_2s38
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Fire and Ice"]].

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

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility}}

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

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

{{main|2A90 (57 mm)}}

''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[2A90 (57 mm)|57 mm 2A90]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 148 || rowspan="2" | 120 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+75° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| BR-281 || APCBC || 151 || 147 || 132 || 114 || 100 || 87
|-
| OR-281U || HE* || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5
|-
| 3UBM22 || APFSDS || 225 || 221 || 209 || 193 || 177 || 161
|-
| 3UO8 || HE-VT* || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5 || 5
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| BR-281 || APCBC || 1,000 || 2.8 || 1.2 || 9 || 20.02 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| OR-281U || HE* || 1,000 || 2.8 || 0 || 0.1 || 235.62 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 3UBM22 || APFSDS || 1,500 || 0.95 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 78° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="12" | Proximity-fused shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Arming distance (m)
! rowspan="2" | Trigger radius (m)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 3UO8 || HE-VT* || 1,000 || 2.8 || 0 || 0.1 || 500 || 6 || 231 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

[[File:2S38 Ammo Racks.png|thumb]]

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''148''' || 78 ''(+70)'' || 21 ''(+127)'' || 1 ''(+147)'' || Yes
|-
|}

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

{{main|PKTM (7.62 mm)}}

''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKTM (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKTM]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The 2S38 is played like a standard light tank: use your mobility and speed to flank enemies, and your gun is powerful enough to penetrate most tank's side and back armour. The gun has a very short reload time, at an astounding 0.5 s. The 2S38 has proximity-fused HE shells, allowing it to fire at helicopters and other aircraft to some effect.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely fast reload
* High mobility
* IRST target tracking system and HE-VT round allow for good anti-air capability
* Unmanned turret
* APCBC is great for other IFVs, SPAAs, MBT sides, and APFSDS good for almost all frontal armour for MBTs at its BR

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour
* High rate of fire depletes ammo rather quickly
* All crew in the front so knock-outs are common

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|n1VVzWsVeKs|'''The Shooting Range #328''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==

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

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

{{USSR light tanks}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

File:Ammoracks 2S38.png

2022-11-22T23:49:46Z

U120654901:

2S38 Ammo Racks

Object 122MT "MC"

2022-11-06T22:05:44Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_object_122tm
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a squadron rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Danger Zone"]].

Also known to the Chinese community as the 三机样车 ("triple-mechanical" prototype; mechanical suspension, transmission and control), it was the Chinese attempt to build new MBT during the heat of Sino-Soviet conflicts with their latest technology available. This version of 122MT introduced the very first 120 mm smoothbore gun in the world as well as a new ATGM welded onto the turret for extra firepower, as well as sporting their latest FCS with laser rangefinder and new diesel engine.

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

At longer distance, 122TM looks exactly like any other Warsaw Pact or Chinese tanks in early Cold War with its iconic oval shape cast turret and sloped chassis; but in 122TM's case, it has higher slope angle at 67° that gives it more protection against late APCBC shells, while the turret itself is slight thinner than T-54s/Type 59. The sides look somewhat similar to a Leopard 1 with sloped plates that gives 122TM slightly higher protection on the sides, but the lower plate is the same 80 mm flat, it could stop autocannons from a distance (around 500m and above), but do not expect it can do miracle at close quarter brawling.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 100 mm (67°) UFP
80 mm (60°) LFP
| 5 mm (49°)+ 80 mm ''Top'' 80 mm ''Bottom'' || 30 mm (25°) || 30 mm
|-
| Turret || 214 mm ''Turret front (Volumetric)''
___mm ''Gun mantlet''
| 165 mm ''(Volumetric)'' || 65 mm ''(Volumetric)'' || 30 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="4" | 30 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

An important aspect of 122TM is the overall upgrade on mobility, therefore Weifang Diesel developed a new 8V160 engine for the tank with higher output at 650 hp. It might not sound much against NATO tanks, but its design also makes sure the overall mobility is sufficient to move around at higher acceleration against Warsaw Pact tanks- which is the main enemy proposed by the engineers.

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

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

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

{{main|122TM (120 mm)}}

Based on the 115 mm [[U-5TS (115 mm)|U-5TS]] gun captured on [[T-62 545 (China)|Soviet T-62]], Chinese engineers up-gunned the cannon into a stabilized 120 mm smoothbore cannon with automatic ballistic solution thanks to its laser rangefinder; although the overall gun handling is similar to a WZ120 (Type 59) or a T-62, the larger cannon with varieties of shells will make sure it can make short work of enemies at its rank.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[122TM (120 mm)|120 mm 122TM]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane ||__._
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" |12.0|| rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
|__._
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| 120-I || APFSDS || 285 || 279 || 263 || 243 || 222 || 202
|-
| 120-HE || HE || 33 || 33 || 33 || 33 || 33 || 33
|-
| 120-II || APFSDS || 350 || 347 || 322 || 300 || 283 || 270
|-
| 120-HEAT || HEATFS || 440 || 440 || 440 || 440 || 440 || 440
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 120-I || APFSDS || 1,610 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 72° || 76° || 78°
|-
| 120-HE || HE || 940 || 16.5 || 0 || 0.1 || 2,760 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 120-II || APFSDS || 1,610 || 4.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 76° || 77° || 80°
|-
| 120-HEAT || HEATFS || 1,000 || 15 || 0.052 || 0.1 || 1,750 || 65° || 72° || 77°
|-
|}
Thanks to its higher gun pressure and the development of new shells, 122MT also has a few varieties of shells at disposal.

The 120-I is among one of the stock shells for the tank, due to the fact that it was a steel core dart and statically similar to Soviet 3BM4, although being labeled an APFSDS, it might sometimes have problem facing tanks with rounded hull such as American [[M48 Patton (Family)|M48 Patton]] series or [[Object 279]]; but in most cases it is sufficient to defeat most tanks at its rank.

The 120-HE is another stock shell for it as well, although the caliber might sound tempting and does has slightly higher mass and penetration from 3OF11, but the explosive content and penetration also means that only light vehicles or SPAAG will have a bad day facing this HE shell; well-armored targets are likely immune to it unless being hit from gun ports (overpressure) while some NATO tanks also have chances of being blasted by the shell from the roof.

The first researchable shell is the 120-II, a tungsten rod APFSDS; thanks to its tungsten core, it has higher flat penetration from its stock counterpart and performs similarly in terms of damage but also trades sloped penetration; it will have problem facing Soviet tanks at uptier.

The final shell awaits the 120-HEAT, performs similarly to 3BK4 but at slightly higher velocity and mass; but like many HEATFS of the era, it might face ERA or composite armor and do very little on them, as well as its jet stream doesn't have as much spalling as darts. Optionally this can replace HE shells and take it as a way to defeat light vehicles.

[[File:Object 122MT MC Ammo Racks.png|thumb]]

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
!6th
rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''40''' || 37 ''(+3)'' || 35 ''(+5)'' || 33 ''(+7)'' || 31 ''(+9)'' || 15 ''(+35)''
|1(+39)|| No
|-
|}

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

{{main|302}}

A unique feature of 122MT is the 2 pairs of 302 ATGMs welded onto the turret; as the ancestor of the later HJ-8 missiles, although it might not have the highest penetration and speed among ATGMs at its rank, 4 ATGMs can make sure most enemies will not have the chance to retaliate or in case players do not feel confident with its gun.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[302]] ATGM
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
|-
| 4 || -6°/+25° || ±180° || N/A
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| 302 Anti-tank Missile || ATGM || 480 ||480
|480
|480
|480
|480
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Missile details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 302 Anti-tank Missile || ATGM || 250 || 3000 || 11.2 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 1960 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}

Although it has a slightly different DShK (Type 54) design with an anti-aircraft reticle, the overall performance of it is identical to any other DShK which is good for gunning down light vehicles or helicopters that get too close.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
|Pintle||500 (50)||600||-10°/+60°||±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SGMT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm SGMT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
|Coaxial||3,000 (250)||600||N/A||N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

At first glance, some players might consider it as a reverse-engineered T-62 of Mainland China with 4 tubes welded next to the turrets; but as soon as they read the statcard, there are some major differences, namely the gun at 120 mm and those tubes are in fact ATGMs. The overall playstyle of 122MT is very similar to T-62 or previous T-54/55 family aside from the overall mobility being better thanks to the upgraded 650 hp engine; the steep slope on the UFP also helps it for a slightly better protection against full-caliber kinetic rounds from late WWII or early Cold War tanks; even if players are not confident with the darts onboard against "doomsday" tank such as the infamous Maus or bowl-shaped hull tanks like M103, it still comes with 4 ATGMs at its disposal with more than enough penetration against most targets of its rank. All of these features above makes it a fearsome brawler at its rank.

But do note that, although it has better power-to-weight ratio to US tanks, British tanks or Warsaw Pact tanks of its era, it is still not the fastest tank, targets like Leopards and AMX-30 will likely outrun 122TM for vantage point; wheeled vehicles started to be common by this rank as well as APFSDS where it will have few problem penetrating 122TM's armor. Do also be well prepared for enemies by turning the turret to where they might appear- the turret traverse speed is slow (albeit better than original T-54s). The "302" missiles onboard are also relatively inferior to its counterparts and flies slow, in some occasions it will be jammed by either IRCM on certain tanks or being intercepted by hard-kill APS on namely [[T-55AMD-1]], sometimes even by bullets. So either utilize them on unnoticed targets or those who had already been crippled by your 120 mm gun, they will very unlikely survive the upcoming missile; if any helicopters do show up within its 3 km radius, taking them out with "302" is also viable but do make sure you lead enough onto the target.

Overall, the 122MT is a very versatile tank of its rank, both sniping and brawling works fine with 122MT depending on the map and the playstyle of players.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Powerful 120mm APFSDS can frontally penetrate common foes (eg. [[M60 (Family)|M60]], [[T-54/55 (Family)|T-55]], [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]])
* 4 ATGM are a very useful backup (or primary) armament to finish off enemies
* Slightly better frontal protection than T-55/62, making angling a more effective tactic
* Low profile, harder to get spotted & hit
* Has a range of useful protective features like 12.7mm HMG and ESS.
* Access to laser rangefinder and 2-plane stabiliser for effective target acquisition

'''Cons:'''

* Awful reverse speed of -7 km/h, can sometimes put the player in a fatal situation
* While cannon and missiles are powerful, they still cannot penetrate well armoured tanks like [[T-55AM-1|T-55AM]]
* Insufficient gun depression
* Long reload, can be dangerous if the player fails to one-shot target
* No thermal imaging, a disadvantage in night battles against more advanced tanks like [[Leopard A1A1 (L/44)|Leopard]] A1A1
* No ERA or composite armour, will get easily penetrated by HEAT (eg. [[M551]], [[M901]])
* 120-II APFSDS doesn't offer any substantial upgrade, trading worse angled penetration for a slightly more flat penetration

== History ==

Somewhere in the corner of the YTO Group Factory in Luoyang, Henan is the home of some medium tanks of Mainland China as this factory (coded Factory 081) was known as the other tank factory other than Factory 617 (Norinco Inner Mongolia First Machinery Group) and the home of some batches of Type 59 and its variants; one of these stored tanks stood out among these tank prototypes: the Factory 704 prototype of Project 122 medium tank, the first attempt to design a new tank from scratch.

=== Project 122 (122工程) ===
After the capture of a Soviet Border Troops' [[T-62 545 (China)|T-62]] at Darmansky/Zhenbao Island on the Sino-Russian border, the tank engineers of Mainland China soon found themselves lagging severely behind the mainstream tanks (which by the time were already the dawn of MBTs such as the [[T-64A (1971)|T-64A]]); the introduction of smoothbore cannons, two-plane stabilizers as well as active/passive night-vision devices were all new technologies for Mainland China which by the time only has relatively outdated Type 59s at its disposal. By the time WZ121 (Type 69) made it into commission, most of the aforementioned technologies were already been reverse-engineered onto the new tank. In parallel, way before the Darmansky Island Incident in April 1967, the COSTIND have already started the development of a brand-new MBT as well as new combat vehicles later known by its project name '''"Campaign 2-4" (二四会战)'''.

Alongside with new amphibious tank, APC, the new MBT was dubbed '''Project 122''' under the "Campaign 704" (704会战, issued 1970/4) in this case with the provision for 100/115/120 mm gun where the 120 mm was selected as the main cannon and became the very first 120 mm smoothbore cannon decade before the Rheinmetall L/44 gun made into commission. Due to the lack of experience on building smoothbore guns, most of the technology was the result of the reverse-engineering of U-5TS gun on T-62; the result wasn't pleasing either due to its low bore-pressure (312 MPa instead of the standard of 379 MPa for a high-pressure gun) as the tests in late 1970s showed the gun and its APFSDS didn't meet the requirements to penetrate the mock-up UFP plates of a T-72. Another feature of the early prototypes of Project 122 are the 2 pairs of 302 ATGMs onboard which might have been affected by the philosophy of tank-launched ATGMs. The 4 missiles welded onto the turret are the ancestor of the 2nd generation ATGM of PLAGF before HJ-8. Other features including a heavily-slopped UFP, shorter turret for a low-profile, new FCS with integrated optics, automatic ballistic solution and stabilizer, as well as sporting new suspension system (in case of the "triple-hydraulic prototype") and engine.

The new prototypes passed in an internal inspection for PLAGF in October 1970; however, due to the changes in design philosophy in 1972 which also led to a completely revoke of tank designs before Project 784 (predecessor of WZ123, later ZTZ99), most of the Project 122 MBTs bit the dust alongside with all the other planned vehicles of Campaign 2-4 other than the '''1225 prototype''' (which later became the approved version of WZ122, aka ZTZ80). But all the efforts during this 5-years of research also marked a new start for Chinese MBTs where both the WZ122 (ZTZ80/85/88/96) and even WZ123 (ZTZ99) family utilized the technologies from Project 122.

=== [[wt:en/news/7809-development-squadron-vehicles-object-122tm-en|Devblog]] ===
The experimental Chinese medium tank Object 122TM is a new squadron vehicle for all War Thunder players. This is a classic layout tank with a cast domed turret and a Chinese-made 120-mm cannon. The vehicle features four launchers for anti-tank guided missiles, which may be used in battles not only against armored vehicles, but also against enemy helicopters. The gun itself has a fairly good flatness and is equipped with a stabilizer and night vision device in the gunner's sight. At the commander's disposal there are two types of armor-piercing fin-stabilized rounds, as well as high-explosive and shape-charged rounds. The tank has a good maximum speed, but most importantly, a high power-to-weight ratio. Coupled with a good turret traverse speed, this makes it an excellent close quarter duelist!

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7809-development-squadron-vehicles-object-122tm-en|[Devblog] Squadron vehicles: Object 122TM]]

{{China medium tanks}}
{{Squadron ground vehicles}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

File:Ammoracks Object 122MT "MC".png

2022-11-06T22:05:10Z

U120654901:

Ammo Racks of Object 122MT MC

Battle Pass Seasons

2022-07-19T06:56:10Z

U120654901: /* Other benefits from Golden Eagles */

{{Frame-card
|img=File:BP main.png
|text='''Battle Pass''' is an event during which you will earn progress points and use them to open new levels. Each opened level brings you a valuable reward, from Silver Lions and boosters to exclusive season prizes: decorations, profile icons and premium vehicles.

You can join the Battle Pass seasons immediately after purchase of any researchable vehicle of rank II of any gaming nation.
You can access the “Battle Pass” window through the promo block on the right side in the hangar screen.
}}

== Battle Pass ==
[[File:BP awards.jpg|thumb|Examples of awards]]
Battle pass allows you to pick up awards from all already opened season levels. It can be purchased for Golden Eagles in the game at any time and pick up all awards from already opened levels.

You can also open levels and receive awards with the mark “Free” without the “Battle Pass”.

=== Other benefits from Golden Eagles ===
Improved battle pass - works like a normal battle pass but its purchase opens 15 season levels and prizes from them can be picked up immediately.

Battle Pass season levels can be opened for Golden Eagles but this option is only available after the purchase of a Battle Pass or an improved Battle Pass.

The cost of level purchasing for Golden Eagles increases according to the number of levels purchased previously.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Already purchased levels (including levels from an improved Battle Pass) !! Level cost
|-
| Until 15 || 75
|-
| 16 – 25 || 125
|-
| 26 – 35 || 175
|-
| 36 and higher || 250
|}

{{Notice
|In terms of Golden Eagles, buying levels as part of an improved Battle Pass may be more profitable than buying levels individually. For 15 levels it will be 500 Golden Eagles.
|+
}}

During the first four weeks of the season you can purchase 15 levels (but not more than 150 progress points). The levels purchased as part of the improved Battle Pass or the purchase of separate levels will be taken into account. The opportunity to purchase the remaining levels of the Battle Pass will be opened from the 29th day of the season.

== Season ==
Each Battle Pass season lasts a minimum of 13 weeks. The level lineup is endless and after receiving all exclusive awards you can continue to participate in the “Battle Pass” season and receive new awards.

Seasons have exclusive awards and their duration can be adjusted to suit other game events.

* [[Battle Pass: Season VII, "Armoured Elephant"]]
* [[Battle Pass: Season VI, "Firepower"]]
* [[Battle Pass: Season V, "River Hunter"]]
* [[Battle Pass: Season IV, "Fearless Voltigeur"]]
* [[Battle Pass: Season III, "Strength athletics"]]
* [[Battle Pass: Season II, "Steel Centurion"]]
* [[Battle Pass: Season I, 75th Anniversary of the Great Victory]]

== Progress points ==
Progress points are required to open each season's levels. Each level opens for 10 progress points. Points will be awarded for entering the game daily, completing Battle tasks and Season tasks.

=== Entering the game ===
Progress points will be awarded together with daily entry rewards. The more often you visit the game during the season (only one login daily), the more progress points you will receive for the next entrances.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Days logged into the game !! Award in progress points
|-
| 1 – 21 || 1
|-
| 22 – 42 || 2
|-
| 43 – 63 || 3
|-
| 64 – 77 || 4
|-
| 78 – 91 || 5
|}

{{Notice
|The progress points counter will work independently of the daily login counter and will not be reset if you don’t attend the game regularly.
}}

=== Battle Tasks ===
Completing Battle Tasks brings you Progress points!

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Task complexity !! Award in progress points
|-
| Easy task || 2
|-
| Medium task || 3
|-
| Special task || 5 + “Battle trophy” award
|}

Special tasks must first be purchased in the [[Warbonds]] shop. You can do this if you have a special permit that will be issued together with an award for performing a battle task of medium complexity.
Permits will be collected during the season and can be used when convenient. When the season ends, unused permits and unperformed battle tasks will disappear.

=== Season Challenges ===
Season tasks are tasks of high complexity which can be performed in battles in the main game modes. Task completion will be awarded with 30 Progress points. Completion of all 14 tasks will be awarded with an additional prize of 45 Progress points.

Season tasks are listed on the additional “Tasks” tab in the main “Battle Pass” window.

There are 14 tasks available in one single season. They are not immediately available:

* At the season start, you will have 1 task.
* Each week, you will be issued one new task.
* 3 tasks can be received among the prizes for opened levels.

== F.A.Q. ==

* ''Can I earn progress points and receive prizes after a season ends?''

: No, after the season ends any earning of progress points will be disabled until the start of a new season. Please note also that all earned in the current season permissions for performing (Special) tasks will be reset. So you will not be able to “stockpile” them between seasons.

* ''Will it be possible to use the awards after a season ends?''

: Yes, all rewards will remain with you after a season ends. Some of the prizes are exclusive and can be received only during the season, but you can use them without any restrictions.

* ''How do I purchase a “Battle Pass”?''

: The "Battle Pass" and "Improved Battle Pass" can be purchased for Golden Eagles on the special in-game page. You can also purchase “Battle Pass” levels for Golden Eagles.

* ''What will happen if I purchase a “Battle Pass” after a season has started, in the middle or at the end of the season?''

: You will receive all the rewards you have earned, both exclusive and free, up to your current “Battle Pass'' level at the end of the event. Taking into account that the speed of earning progress points is not reliant on the purchase of a “Battle Pass” nor is it necessary to purchase a “Battle Pass” immediately. However it is not advisable to delay its purchase as a late receipt of the part of the “Battle Pass” rewards may deprive you of your well-deserved competitive advantage in the peak season. ''

* ''Why is it preferable to purchase the “Improved Battle Pass”? Does it give any special prize?''

: An “Improved Battle Pass” doesn't give access to any special new prizes, but it does open 15 levels of the “battle Pass” immediately, which is 20% of the entire basic prize table.

* ''Do I have to purchase a "Battle Pass"? Is it possible to receive rewards for free?''

: It isn’t necessary to purchase a “Battle Pass”. In any season, a significant part of the prize fund is free, including one of the exclusive premium vehicles. Also all the Warbonds within the main part of the prize table are free.

* ''Can I earn progress points on any vehicles and in any game modes?''

: The process of earning progress points is universal in terms of awards for entering the game. Earning the Daily Battle Tasks are traditionally connected with random battles with restrictions on low rank vehicles. Accordingly, earning on Season Сhallenges of the “Battle Pass” is made by analogy with daily tasks and are also connected to random battles and has restrictions on the Battle Rating of the vehicles. On some vehicle types there are no restrictions at all: you can earn progress points in all vehicle types; aircraft, ground vehicles, naval vessels and helicopters.

* ''As the known number of Warbonds that you can collect is limited. What will happen if my prize in the Warbonds exceeds this limit? Will it just “expire” to nowhere?''

: No, earned Warbonds will not “expire”. The awarding of a prize will just be postponed until you have spent an amount of Warbonds to fit the limit for the selected prize.

* ''Will I be able to trade received coupons on the market?''

: Yes, after the coupon becomes tradable. You must make the coupon tradable with the Coupon Upgrade prize item, then wait until the resulting tradable coupon becomes available for sale. The date the coupon becomes tradable may vary per season, but will not be less than 75 days after upgrade. [[Category:Game mechanics]]

SAV 20.12.48

2022-07-03T12:11:49Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{Specs-Card
|code=sw_sav_fm48
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

[[File:SAV 20.12.48 firing POV.png|thumb|300px|A SAV 20.12.48 firing]]
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Swedish tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]] as a [[wt:en/news/6510-development-sav-20-12-48-nordic-sledgehammer-en|premium pack]] in the Gaijin store. It was removed from sale after the [[wt:en/news/7674-shop-may-sale-en|2022 May sale]] and is currently unobtainable in-game.

The {{PAGENAME}} was a private venture by Bofors to design a next generation assault gun for both export purposes and indigenous use following WWII. The main goal was to make a light and manoeuvrable armoured vehicle with a 12 cm autocannon, capable of dealing with both soft targets and enemy tanks. A prototype was built during the late 1940s but no one was willing to buy it in a world that was littered in cheap surplus military vehicles and the project was scrapped.

In-game it is a very fast vehicle with a low silhouette and can easily manoeuvre around the map and flank enemies. It is armed with the aforementioned 12 cm autocannon of Bofors design and has a fire rate of 50 rounds per minute, meaning a reload speed of 1.2 seconds between shots, which is the highest in the game for its calibre. The gun's velocity however is subpar and requires good aim and close quarters combat to be effective. Another result of the low velocity is subpar penetration, but because of the vehicle's high mobility, coupled with the gun's high rate of fire and powerful ammunition, it has no trouble taking on any type of vehicle that it may come across during conventional matches.

== General info ==
[[File:Destroyed SAV 20.12.48.png|thumb|300px|A destroyed SAV 20.12.48]]

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


The SAV 20.12.48 is very lightly armoured, sacrificing protection for mobility. The highly sloped glacis is 30 mm thick, and can sometimes cause rounds to ricochet, but it is not reliable in any sense of the word. The rest of the tank is vulnerable to even heavy machine guns, and the open top is extremely vulnerable to strafing aircraft. Ammunition is stored in two primary deposits at the back of the crew compartment and is easily hit if the vehicle is penetrated.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
[[File:SAV 20.12.48 moving.png|thumb|300px|A SAV 20.12.48 on its way]]
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=568|rbMinHp=354}}

The SAV 20.12.48 has excellent mobility for a tank destroyer, featuring a high top speed as well as a fast reverse. The result is a highly agile tank destroyer that is capable of taking positions or retreating into cover quickly.

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
[[File:SAV 20.12.48 top view.png|thumb|300px|Top view of the SAV 20.12.48]]

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

{{main|automatkanon (120 mm)}}

The 120 mm automatkanon is a potentially devastating weapon. It is fitted with an automatic loader that is fed by a six-round clip, for a total of seven shots ready to go once fully loaded (including one in the gun barrel). The autoloader has an extremely fast reload of only 1.2 s, allowing the SAV 20.12.48 to engage up to seven targets in under 10 s. Once the clip has been expended, a new round must be loaded into the clip before the autoloader may be cycled and the gun made ready to fire. However, this process only takes a few seconds. The gun also has a good amount of gun depression, allowing the Sav 20.12.48 to abuse hills when combined with the high reverse speed.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[automatkanon (120 mm)|120 mm automatkanon]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 62 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±15° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 13.2 || 18.3 || 22.2 || 24.6 || 26.1 || rowspan="2" | 1.20 || rowspan="2" | 1.20 || rowspan="2" | 1.20 || rowspan="2" | 1.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.9 || 10.5 || 12.8 || 14.1 || 15.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The primary shell is the '''hpgr m/50''' APCBC round. With nearly 1 kg of explosive filler, it is extremely deadly and almost guaranteed to knock out anything with a single shot if it penetrates the crew compartment. Its penetration is quite respectable; although not quite enough to frontally penetrate everything the Sav 20.12.48 can encounter, it has more than enough penetration to kill most tanks from the side. It has a relatively low muzzle velocity, however, and is thus hard to hit with at long range.

The SAV 20.12.48 also has a capable HE shell; '''sgr M/50Z''', with over 2 kg of explosive filler. This shell is capable of penetrating and overpressuring the roofs of most of the vehicles and is a great alternative if the APCBC doesn't cut it. It is especially effective at taking out hull-down opponents who attempt to hide their hull's weak spots.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| hpgr M/50 || APCBC || 95 || 94 || 89 || 84 || 79 || 75
|-
| sgr M/50Z || HE || 28 || 28 || 28 || 28 || 28 || 28
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| hpgr M/50 || APCBC || 525 || 23.5 || 1.2 || 19 || 890 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| sgr M/50Z || HE || 525 || 23.5 || 0 || 0.1 || 2,250 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
|-
| '''62''' || 35 ''(+27)'' || 7 ''(+55)'' || 1 ''(+61)''
|-
|}
[[File:20.12.48-ammorack.png|thumb]]

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:SAV 20.12.48 ambush.png|thumb|300px|A SAV 20.12.48 ready to ambush]]
The combination of high mobility, powerful explosive filler APCBC shells, and autoloader make the Sav 20.12.48 an extremely dangerous tank destroyer to face. It is fast enough to quickly setup ambush positions near where the enemy team is likely to pass by, and a careless team can quickly find itself losing up to seven tanks in less than 10 s to the Sav 20.12.48 lying in ambush. Ideally, the Sav 20.12.48 would also be in a hull down position, where most of the tank can be hidden since the gun is mounted near the top of the vehicle and the high reverse speed allows it to back into cover quickly.

The vehicle itself is very fragile, however, and if it is caught out of position it is very easily destroyed. It is also very vulnerable to aircraft due to the open top, and has no means of defending itself from aircraft.

It can also be very tempting to fire off all seven rounds at once, but as with all autoloaders, trigger discipline is a very important skill to develop in order to use the vehicle to its full potential.

Most of the heavy tanks that the SAV 20.12.48 is able to face are largely resistant to your shells, especially if they're angled. If you see a KV-1 or Churchill, disengage and let your allies with better firepower take these out.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Highly lethal APCBC explosive filler shells
* Good mobility and high reverse speed
* Can fire seven rounds within 9 s using the autoloader
* Excellent gun depression
* Small silhouette, especially when hull down
* High hp/ton ratio - not many enemy or allied vehicles are as quick to accelerate or able to reach high speeds as quickly
* Penetration usually is a one-shot due to the high amount of explosive filler in the APCBC shells
* Extremely effective in an ambush role - an SAV 20.12.48 left unchecked can destroy an entire flank in rapid succession

'''Cons:'''

* Very thin armour
* Open crew compartment, highly vulnerable to strafing aircraft
* Must reload at least one round into clip before the gun can be fired
* Low shell velocity
* Sustained firing decreases accuracy
* Struggles to penetrate heavy tanks like the KV-1 and Churchill series of tanks, even at close range or from the sides
* Magazine can quickly be depleted - replenishing the entire magazine takes up a lot of time
* Only 3 crew members - low survivability

== History ==

[[File:SAV 20.12.48 firing.png|thumb|300px|A SAV 20.12.48 firing]]
=== [[wt:en/news/6510-development-sav-20-12-48-nordic-sledgehammer-en|Devblog]] ===
In 1948, Bofors began work on developing a new self-propelled gun as part of a private venture in an effort to realize a long-lasting goal of establishing itself as a manufacturer of armoured fighting vehicles, alongside its already proven reputation in arms production.

To do so, Bofors came up with a design for a new SPG, which incorporated a 12cm cannon, whose design was heavily inspired by those used on destroyer vessels, along with a highly effective autoloading mechanism. The design was ready by the end of 1948 and a single prototype was constructed in the following year.

However, while test results didn't seem to impress the Swedish military enough to consider placing an order for the vehicle, the factor that certainly sealed the vehicle's fate for good was its price. Namely, being developed with the use of its own funding, Bofors had to demand a high production price for the vehicle, a price deemed too high by the Swedish military considering the vehicle's most probable role being an infantry support vehicle.

As a result of the lacking interest, the SAV 20.12.48 never went into production. Despite its failure, the project wasn't a complete loss for Bofors, as some of the experiences gained during its development later found application in other vehicles, such as the far more successful Strv 103.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sw_sav_fm48 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:SAV 20.12.48 WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:SAV 20.12.48 WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:SAV 20.12.48 WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:SAV 20.12.48 WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:SAV 20.12.48 WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:SAV 20.12.48 WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|1Wx-xUnIqyI|'''The Shooting Range #182''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|xF4-TcnyWw0|'''Best tank destroyers''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:17 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 7:08 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6510-development-sav-20-12-48-nordic-sledgehammer-en|[Devblog] SAV 20.12.48: Nordic Sledgehammer]]

{{TankManufacturer AB Bofors}}
{{Sweden tank destroyers}}
{{Sweden premium ground vehicles}}

File:Ammoracks SAV 20.12.48.png

2022-07-03T12:11:19Z

U120654901:

20.12.48-ammorack

AS 42

2022-07-02T16:53:38Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

{{Specs-Card
|code=it_as_42_metropolitana
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (shortened as just '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian self-propelled anti-aircraft gun {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Structural steel (chassis, gun breech, gun mount)
* Wheel (tires & spares)
* Gun Steel (cannon barrel)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Chassis || colspan="4" style="text-align:center" | 3 mm
|-
| Gun mount || colspan="3" | 150 mm ''Gun Breech'' 20 mm ''Gunner's Seat'' 20 mm ''Elevation and Traverse Mechanisms'' || N/A
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Tires are 10 mm thick. * There is a spare tire on the front and on the rear of the vehicle.
* Storage boxes, fuel containers and fenders are 3 mm thick.
* Storage Boxes and fuel Containers cover much of the flanks in addition to the chassis armour.
* The belly of the car is 3 mm thick.

The {{PAGENAME}} lacks in armour and is very vulnerable to attacks from the air. While the sloped 3 mm of armour may be sufficient against standard machine guns, most heavy machine guns are able to shred this vehicle and as such it is not recommended to engage in slugging matches.

Though the armour itself is not sufficient against heavy machine guns, it is possible to use the rear engine compartment as armour to protect the crew from the heavy machine guns projectiles. The ammunition compartments at the sides of the vehicle may stop machine guns from penetrating all the way through to harm the crew, but these have dubious protection values in the long run. However, due to these extreme thin armour thickness, standard armour-piercing rounds tend to penetrate straight through with minimal damage.

The {{PAGENAME}} has 2 crew with ammo located in the flanks of the car. In rare cases, the gun's armour can protect the gunner.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=156|rbMinHp=97}}

The tank has very high mobility with speeds exceeding 80 km/h on concrete and 35 km/h offroad.

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

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

{{main|Breda Mod.35 (20 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Breda Mod.35 (20 mm)|20 mm Breda Mod.35]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 1,200 (12) || rowspan="2" | 240 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+90° || rowspan="2" | ±150° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 30.8 || 42.7 || 51.8 || 57.3 || 60.9 || rowspan="2" | 3.90 || rowspan="2" | 3.45 || rowspan="2" | 3.18 || rowspan="2" | 3.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 20.8 || 24.5 || 29.8 || 32.9 || 35.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - The belt composition means that 75% of the shells (HEFI-T*) are useless against tanks. However, this belt is reliable against open-topped or lightly armoured targets like SPAA vehicles.

* '''Granata mod.35:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - This belt does little damage against armoured targets and should be used especially against aircraft or open-topped vehicles. The high-explosive filler is deadly to crew members.

* '''Perforante mod.35:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}} - This belt offers a good transition from the Default to the PzGr 40 belt. The round offers decent damage against lightly armoured tanks, especially at close range. Due to lack of high-explosive filler, however, it is better to focus on the PzGr 40 belt to maximize penetration power.

* '''PzGr 40:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}} - Probably the belt with the best penetrating shell for the vehicle. While the damage effects post-penetration can be quite poor, the rapid fire from the autocannon can remedy this problem by following up quickly with another penetrating shot. In close combat, these shells should be used against modules and crew member to make the most of each shell. Against angled armour, however, the HVAP ammo may not be very effective.

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Belt
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Default || API-T/HEFI-T* || 38 || 36 || 27 || 19 || 14 || 10
|-
| Granata mod.35 || HEFI-T || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2 || 2
|-
| Perforante mod.35 || API-T || 38 || 36 || 27 || 19 || 14 || 10
|-
| PzGr 40 || HVAP-T/API-T || 48 || 45 || 31 || 20 || 14 || 10
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Belt details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Belt
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| Granata mod.35 || HEFI-T* || 830 || 0.14 || 0 || 0.1 || 3 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| Perforante mod.35 || API-T || 832 || 0.14 || 1.2 || 9 || 1.7 || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! 13th rack empty
! 14th rack empty
! 15th rack empty
! 16th rack empty
! 17th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''100''' || 94 ''(+6)'' || 88 ''(+12)'' || 82 ''(+18)'' || 76 ''(+24)'' || 70 ''(+30)'' || 64 ''(+36)'' || 58 ''(+42)'' || 52 ''(+48)'' || 46 ''(+54)'' || 40 ''(+60)'' || 34 ''(+66)'' || 28 ''(+72)'' || 22 ''(+78)'' || 16 ''(+84)'' || 10 ''(+90)'' || 4 ''(+96)'' || 0 ''(+100)'' || Yes
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
'''Notes''':

* The visual discrepancy is the rack 17. It contains 4 clips whereas only one is modeled.
* Racks 1 to 16 contain 6 clips each.
* Clips are modeled by sets of 2 and disappear from the rack after you've fired/loaded both clips in the set.

== Usage in battles ==


;Combat tactics

The main role of the {{PAGENAME}} is as an anti-air asset. Position the vehicle in an open space to be able to detect aircraft from a distance, usually near your spawn point. You can move forward and stay close to your teammates to offer the best AA support but you'll then become target to enemy tanks (especially with artillery strikes and MG fire). Engage approaching aircraft only under 1,000 m to increase your chances of hitting (ideal distance is 500-700 m) and avoid being detected too early. Your fire rate is poor for an AA gun so you have to shoot precisely and make every shot count. Your vehicle's protection is non-existent: plan to have an obstacle nearby you can use as cover (building, rock formation, etc).

You can also play as a scout car on some maps: use your speed to flank enemy forces and ambush them. Retreat and relocate after destroying an enemy. Avoid frontal engagements at all cost as your vehicle and your crew are fully unprotected. Keep in mind that you have good mobility on hard terrain (solid ground, roads, etc.) but not on soft terrain (mud, sand, snow) because of your tires. The big turn radius of the {{PAGENAME}} also prevents it from sneaking through narrow passages in urban maps. Drive precisely: any obstacle will immobilize you very quickly if you don't pay attention and your mobility is key to your survival in this role.

;Notable enemies

Pretty much any enemy can destroy the {{PAGENAME}} in seconds. The most lethal enemies are:

* Strafing planes. The biggest threat is enemy aircraft, as even a 7.62 mm MG can kill your SPAA in one burst.
* Vehicles equipped with heavy machine guns. They will destroy you from 1 km distance in a heartbeat.
* Tanks firing HEAT or HE shells. The blast effect is deadly to your already limited and unprotected crew.
* Heavily armoured tanks that are immune to your gun, even if you catch them by surprise.

;How to defeat a {{PAGENAME}}

Being a vehicle without any armour, it remains a vehicle easy to destroy: the 2 quickest ways to deal with the {{PAGENAME}} are MG/autocannons and HEAT/HE projectiles. But any shell with explosive filler will do.
Avoid close quarters and engage from long distance to increase your armour advantage while decreasing the {{PAGENAME}}'s firepower.
You can also force your opponent to play on a terrain hindering its mobility (mud, snow, sand) to negate its main advantage. Aim for the driver or the engine to immobilize it, meaning almost certain death for a barely protected vehicle.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High top speed
* Access to PzGr 40 rounds
* Sloped frontal armour, may deflect some rounds
* High penetration for the 20 mm cannon
* Small profile helps when flanking the enemy

'''Cons:'''

* Small magazine for SPAA
* Virtually no protection at all, even rifle rounds will penetrate the armour
* Only has two crew members
* Crew is exposed

== History ==


The AS (Autosahariana) 42 was derived from the AB 41 armoured car. It was, however, unarmoured and did not have the rear driver position. Designed for long-range reconnaissance in North Africa, it had a cross country range of almost 500 miles (800 km). It was also known as the Camionetta Desertica (Desert Weapons Carrier) mod. 42, or "la Sahariana" (the Saharan). The main armament varied: 20 mm anti-aircraft cannons, 20 mm anti-tank rifles, and machine guns were common alternatives. About 200 were built and saw service in North Africa, Sicily and Italy. After the armistice, some continued in use with Fascist Italian forces and Germany, including on the Eastern Front, and in the Ardennes in 1944-5.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=it_as_42_metropolitana Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ND8CwYH8-io|'''{{PAGENAME}} Review: Great with the CR42 as backup! Not so much at taking hits...''' - ''Joseph 2000''|nR4lecy5CBA|'''Camionetta SPA-Viberti AS42 Light Italian Truck - The Italian Desert Raider''' - ''Tanks Encyclopedia''}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Type 94]]
* [[Flakpanzer I]]
* [[Pvlvv fm/42]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:SPA-Viberti_AS.42|[Wikipedia] SPA-Viberti AS.42]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/italy/Camioneta_AS-42_Sahariana.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Camionetta SPA-Viberti AS42]

{{Italy anti-aircraft vehicles}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

BTR-ZD

2022-06-19T10:34:09Z

U120654901: /* Ammo racks */

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]].

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

With the max thickness of the armour being 32mm on the front and two crew members completely exposed almost anything can take you out. The speed of the vehicle acts as a substitute to the low armour. İf the vehicle is shot from the side by an AP round it likely wont do much damage and wont hit the ammo but an HE round will almost certainly take out at least 2 crew members. The spacing of the crew members is disadvantageous as they are all close together and 1 good shot might be able to take them all out.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility}}

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

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

{{main|ZU-23 (23 mm)}}

''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[ZU-23 (23 mm)|23 mm ZU-23]] (x2) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 500 (50) || rowspan="2" | 800 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+90° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''HEI-T:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
* '''API-T:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="7" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Belt
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Default || __ || __ || __ || __ || __ || __
|-
| HEI-T || __ || __ || __ || __ || __ || __
|-
| API-T || __ || __ || __ || __ || __ || __
|-
|}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''10''' || 8 ''(+2)'' || 6 ''(+4)'' || 4 ''(+6)'' || 2 ''(+8)''
|0 ''(+10)''|| Yes
|-
|}

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

{{main|PKT (7.62 mm)}}

''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
| || ___ (___) || ___ || __° || __°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Due to being made out of Aluminium and the thickest area of the armour being 32mm at the front of the vehicle a head on engagement with a ground vehicle is not recommended. If used against ground targets its best to use its mobility to flank and have a higher chance of avoiding the hangar. HE rounds will decimate the vehicle, especially the exposed loader and gunner. When facing heavier targets (such as Churchills) either take out the tracks and drive away or just simply drive away as you wont be able to pierce their frontal armour. When encountering vehicles with strong frontal armour but weak side armour (such as the jagdpanzer 38t) try to flank and take them out by shooting at their sides.

When engaging air targets try to take out the target before it shoots back, because if it does the gunner and loader are will almost certainly be unconscious and will leave you vulnerable to follow up attacks. A strategy can be used in maps with water and bridges (in maps like European Province) to peek out under the bridge to fire and go back under it to reload or use the water to surprise the enemy from unexpected angles. As any SPAA it is also suggested to stay close to cover to avoid strafing, bombs and rockets. Lastly it is advised to stay near trees so that you can quickly go behind them and make it harder to spot you while you are reloading or using your mobility to quickly change positions.

[[File:Btr-zd Belarus.jpg|thumb]]

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Very good fire rate
* All ammo types have enough bullet penetration for most light and medium tanks
* Night vision capabilities
* Amphibious
* Fast for a SPAA
* Has 2 forward facing 7.62 mm machine guns

'''Cons:'''

* Exposed gunner and loader
* Big target for enemy planes to strafe at
* Can be pierced by 12.7 mm machine guns
* Guns overheat fast if not fired in bursts

== History ==


A variant of the BTR-D, the BTR-ZD (with ZD standing for ''zenitnaya ustanovka)'' is used as a SPAA while also being designed to be able to carry man-portable surface to air missiles. It was originally designed by the Soviet Union in late 1970's and entered production in 1984. It was used by the Soviet Union and the Russian Federation. It features the twin 23 mm ZU-23 cannons to be used on enemy planes and helicopters, but it also proved useful to be against soft ground targets. It was most well-known for it use in the Soviet-Afghanistan conflict.

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==


* http://www.military-today.com/artillery/btr_zd.htm
* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/BTR-D#cite_note-fas.org-2
* https://weaponsystems.net/system/64-BTR-ZD%20%22Skrezhet%22

{{USSR anti-aircraft vehicles}}