War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

F-15A

2024-01-19T17:45:38Z

U122626793:

{{Specs-Card
|code=f_15a
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

Towards the end of the Vietnam War, the United States saw their major shortcoming in dogfighting performance, as the heavy [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)|F-4 Phantom]] operated by most branches at the time was garnering an unsatisfactory kill-death ratio. Meanwhile, the far more manoeuvrable "gunfighter" [[F-8E|F-8 Crusader II]] was achieving a far better track record. As a result, not long after the end of the conflict, two new development projects were started by the USAF, one of which was the F-X program to develop a "next generation" fighter that favoured manoeuvrability over top speed. However, the F-X program would take a sharp turn not long after, as multiple radar reports from Turkey and Israel observed an unknown Soviet aircraft flying overhead at speeds above Mach 3. Quick investigation through spy satellites and high altitude reconnaissance aircraft brought the discovery of the Soviet's latest MiG-25 aircraft, which at the time was assumed by the West as a high tech, next generation fighter made of the latest composite materials. What scared the United States the most, was that the design of this MiG-25 was dangerously similar to the initial prototypes of the F-X program, which had not even flown yet. Eventually, development of the F-X program was accelerated into its latter phases, resulting in the venerable F-15 Eagle, an absolute best of all worlds, no compromises held, air superiority fighter to combat this new Soviet threat. However, the defection of Viktor Belenko to Japan with his MiG-25 shortly after showed the world that the MiG-25 was overestimated, being in reality constructed out of heavy metals and armed with weaker avionics suited for long range combat, making the MiG-25 merely a heavy interceptor, and not the "next generation super-fighter" that was feared before. The same cannot be said about the indomitable Eagle however, as the F-15 and its later variants would go on to establish the most widely regarded air-to-air combat kill-death ratio of any modern jet fighter: '''at least 103 aircraft kills without a single confirmed loss.'''

Introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' succeeds the equally famous [[F-4E Phantom II]] in the tech tree. The F-15A is represented as a mid-life variant, being outfitted with 240 countermeasures, but lacking its upgraded radar or AIM-120 missiles. Even without such upgrades, the Eagle is still a very fearsome monster in top tier jet battles, utilizing its great avionics and incredible missile selection, including the lethal [[AIM-9M Sidewinder|AIM-9M]] with IRCCM flare-rejection, to prey on enemy aircraft at a safe distance. More importantly, unlike the earlier Phantoms, when push comes to shove, the Eagle can reliably dogfight most enemies it may face thanks to its stable airframe design and absurd engine power giving it incredible acceleration and TWR. One must still be wary however that the Eagle is not completely undefeatable, and proper usage of this aircraft requires training and discipline just like its real life counterpart. Some enemies to be aware of are the [[Mirage 4000]] and early [[F-16A]]s for their ability to win an extended dogfight over the Eagle, but moreso cautious when engaging players flying the [[JAS39A|JAS 39]], [[J-11]], and [[Su-27]], as these aircraft not only possess an unstable airframe allowing them to perform impressive manoeuvres (and defeat the Eagle) at low speeds, but they also carry lethal close range missiles with IRCCM, which when coupled with their helmet-mounted targeting systems, can prove to be very dangerous for any enemy, Eagle or not, which gets close and slow in a dogfight.

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

The Eagle on full fuel can be a very sluggish fighter, and this is especially noticeable with a full weapons load. On low fuel however, the F-15A is no slouch and can easily contend with anything in its BR range. The high speed pull is quite good for a jet of its size, and it can sustain up to 20 degrees per second at lower speeds (450 km/h). At speeds above Mach 1, the jet can sustain up to 13G, and won't experience wing overload until 15-16G. The Eagle is best described as rocket-like, as its high thrust-to-weight ratio give it an excellent climb rate, and allows it to stay in prolonged dogfights. In terms of speed, the aircraft reaches its top speed fairly quickly, but is slower than contemporaries like the F-16C or Mirage 2000 at lower altitudes.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,563 || 2,531 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.9 || 20.9 || 288.1 || 273.6 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,657 || 2,592 || 19.9 || 20.5 || 383.4 || 330.0
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,629  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || - || 548 || 481 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

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

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney F100-PW-100 || 2
| colspan="2" | 12,500 kg || colspan="3" | 314 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel
|-
| 1,470 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning low-bypass turbofan
| 14,065 kg || 15,528 kg || 17,042 kg || 17,715 kg || 27,571 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 6,140 kgf || 8,510 kgf
| 1.21 || 1.10 || 1.00 || 0.96 || 0.62
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 7,061 kgf (1,629 km/h) || 13,939 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 1.98 || 1.80 || 1.64 || 1.57 || 1.01
|-
|}

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

Even though the aircraft possesses no armour, the Eagle is very durable, even tanking missiles at times, and can continue to fly in a severely crippled state. Minor structural damage is in some cases negligible to stability or performance. This doesn't mean you should brush off damage however, and like several other jets in this BR range, the F-15A can easily destabilize if missing even a wing tip. If badly hurt, you should almost never stay aggressive and attempt to repair at your nearby airfield.

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! Lead indicator
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, wing root-mounted (940 rpg)
* 240 x countermeasures

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10 !! width="4%" | 11
| rowspan="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || 1, 6 || || || || 1, 6 || || || || 1, 6 ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| || 1, 6 || || || || 1, 6 || || || || 1, 6 ||
|-
! [[GBU-8 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb GBU-8]] bombs
| || 1 || || || || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || 1 || || || || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
! [[BLU-27/B incendiary]] bombs
| || 3 || || || || 3 || || || || 3 ||
|-
! [[AIM-7M Sparrow]] missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || || 1 || || || || || || 1 || || 1
|-
! [[AIM-9M Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || || 1 || || || || || || 1 || || 1
|-
! 610 gal drop tanks
| || 1* || || || || 1 || || || || 1* ||
|-
| colspan="12" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 5,448 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,000 kg
|-
| colspan="13" | * Wing-mounted drop tanks must be equipped together
|-
|}

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

* 3 x 610 gal drop tanks
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9M Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-7M Sparrow missiles
* 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 18 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb GBU-8 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 9 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

'''Air Realistic Battles'''

The F-15A is very capable as a frontline fighter, and has a large number of countermeasures at its disposal in case of any threats. The AIM-9M is likely going to be your primary armament, as the AIM-7M is limited in use. The combination of a very capable platform and IRCCM make the Eagle a deadly fighter. However, you should avoid engaging a group of enemies, as this is where the jet struggles. Even though it retains speed very well, it can easily slow down when backed into a corner. As always, stay with your team and don't head into furballs blindly. Avoid drawn-out dogfights as this can easily lead to a third-party situation, and the off-boresight capability of enemies like the Su-27, JAS-39, J-11, and later MiG-29 variants can best the Eagle even if in the disadvantageous position. The F-14 Tomcat can also be a formidable opponent in BVR combat due to its long-range Phoenix air-to-air missiles that utilizes active-radar homing. The F-15A is no slouch, however, as it can hold its own in a BVR fight. Be sure to pay attention to your RWR and defend accordingly.

'''Air Simulator Battles'''

In simulator battles, the F-15 is very formidable due to its smokeless AIM-9M air-to-air missiles, but is limited by the seeker range and speed of the AIM-7M. The cockpit allows for excellent visibility and provides great situational awareness to the pilot, but the jet does lack HMD, so you must point your nose at targets. The biggest advantage the F-15A has in a simulator battle is its high speed manoeuvrability and smokeless missiles, allowing for stealthy kills.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Quite manoeuvrable at all speeds
* Very fuel-efficient engines
* High TWR and amazing acceleration
* AIM-9M missiles are very effective with IRCCM

'''Cons:'''

* The aircraft is much more sluggish at higher fuel loads
* Large and easy to hit target
* Prone to wing overload until "Airframe" modification
* No TWS mode hinders BVR capabilities

== History ==

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

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==

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

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

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

F4U-4B

2024-01-19T00:54:33Z

U122626793: /* Pros and cons */ : Fixed grammar issue

{{About
| about = American naval fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other variants
| link = F4U (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f4u-4b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f4u-4b.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American naval fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.71 "New E.R.A."]].

The F4U-4B is similar to the [[F4U-4]] which precedes it, mainly in handling, but the main difference and the reason why it sits at a higher BR is the vastly more powerful armament of 4 x 20 mm AN/M3 cannons and an up-rated engine, giving it much more flexibility in its playstyle.

While it retains the standard Corsair traits of excellent performance in the horizontal, namely speed, energy retention, and instantaneous turn, its improved engine allows some fighting to be done in the vertical. This is to an extent of course and you don't want to try and out vertical a Griffon Spitfire or a Bf 109 K-4 unless you absolutely know what you're doing, but you can easily stall out planes like Fw 190 As which don't excel in the vertical. This is also aided by the flaps which are very good; the takeoff and landing flaps lower the stall speed immensely but rip easily above 250 km/h (155 mph) IAS, and the combat flaps boosting the turning significantly and can be used up to about 450 km/h (279 mph) IAS. Even without flaps, F4U-4B is an impressive turner despite its weight and can turn with many planes at high speeds (above ~500 km/h/~300 mph), at least enough to get a shot off. With flaps it can turn with a surprising number of planes at low speeds, although as before this is to an extent. Also, be wary of the rudder which rapidly loses effectiveness above 550 km/h (340 mph) and makes shots difficult against evading enemies, although this is alleviated a bit by the powerful armament and fairly good roll rate.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 5,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 662 || 634 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.1 || 21.9 || 13.8 || 13.8 || rowspan="2" | 200
|-
! Upgraded
| 739 || 697 || 19.2 || 20.0 || 26.5 || 19.0
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 885  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 388 || 300 || 252 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 200 || < 500 || > 450
|-
|}

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


* 3 mm Steel - Upper cowling engine protection plates x 2
* 8 mm Steel - Pilot's seat back protection plate
* 12.7 mm Steel - Pilot's seat headrest
* 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Windshield

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

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

{{main|M3 (20 mm)}}

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

* 4 x 20 mm M3 cannons, wing-mounted (246 rpg = 984 total)

The 4 x 20 mm cannons are excellent at inflicting damage and their high muzzle velocity allows for long range snipes. Even very short bursts can be lethal against aircraft. Belts with AP-T shells are quite good against ground targets, even the Air Targets belts can make short work of medium tanks in air battles.

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F4U-4.png]]</div>
|-
! [[AN-M57 (250 lb)|250 lb AN-M57]] bombs
| || 1 || || 1 || || || 1 || || 1 ||
|-
! [[AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|500 lb AN-M64A1]] bombs
| || || || || 1 || 1 || || || ||
|-
! [[AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb AN-M65A1]] bombs
| || || || || 1 || 1 || || || ||
|-
! [[HVAR]] rockets
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 1,400 kg
|-
|}

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

* Without load
* 8 x HVAR rockets
* 4 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

The F4U-4B should be flown primarily at low altitude because its engine lacks power at higher altitudes. Here, it boasts an impressive climb rate (about 25 m/s when spaded), very good acceleration, and a high top speed. You should aim to be around 3-4km at the start of the battle and go after low enemies using boom and zoom tactics, then use your speed to outrun anyone who dives on you. You can then use your engine power and energy retention to gain an energy advantage over them and easily kill them. If you find yourself in a tough situation, don't be afraid to go a bit aggressive because this plane accelerates very well at low altitude and the extremely powerful guns makes it easy to secure kills quickly, but don't stall yourself out at the deck amidst a cloud of enemies since you'll be an easy kill.

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

This plane can easily dogfight with Fw 190 Ds/152s, Tempest Mk Vs, Sea Furies, and similar planes, can dogfight with difficulty with Bf 109s and similar, and should avoid dogfighting unless as an absolute last resort against Spitfires, Ki-84s, A7Ms, N1Ks, and similar. Fortunately, the F4U-4B is usually faster than most planes it can't dogfight. It's far faster than most Japanese and Italian props and all Spitfires up to the Mk 22 at low altitude. In an up-tier against superprops like Tempest IIs, Spitfire Mk 24s, and P-51Hs and F8Fs if you get a mixed battle, you have to rely on coming in with an advantage as with any other plane in an uptier, though this is made easier with the F4U-4B's excellent top speed.

The F4U-4B is devastating in the right hands, and is one of the best planes the US tech tree has to offer.

====Counter-tactics====

You're best off engaging the F4U-4B at higher altitudes where its performance suffers. You can also try bleeding their energy in hard vertical manoeuvres where it struggles, but be careful while doing this especially at low altitude since a potential opponent can still use the Corsair's stall characteristics combined with its engine power to get a shot off, which can be devastating no matter how short a burst.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent guns with high damage and high muzzle velocity allowing long range snipes
* Large ammo capacity
* Very good performance at low altitude, acceleration and climb rate are much better than previous corsairs
* Increased engine power below 2,000 m improves sustained turn performance; this plane can outmanoeuvre many German planes it faces, especially if manoeuvres begin at medium to high speed
* Extremely fast at low altitude, no Axis prop can outrun it at sea level (only [[Do 335 B-2]] is as fast)
* Good roll rate at all speeds
* Fantastic stall characteristics, especially with flaps
* Very good instantaneous turn at high speeds
* Lenient stock grind
* Fully-featherable propeller and low stall speed make this plane a competent glider in emergencies

'''Cons:'''

* Does not turn well at lower speeds
* Rudder loses effectiveness at high speed, making it difficult to hit shots
* Rapidly loses performance at high altitude, should avoid engagements above 6,000 m if possible
* Still fast at higher altitudes, but German planes (e.g. [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109s]], [[Fw 190 (Family)|Fw 190 Ds]], [[Ta 152 C-3|Ta 152s]], and other similar aircraft) that are slower at low altitudes can outrun it at high altitude
* Flaps deploy very quickly, which can lead to them breaking if not careful
* Stock guns are inaccurate and easily jam
* Engine is very vulnerable to cannons
* Fuselage can burst into flames quite easily

== History ==

{{main|F4U (Family)|l1=History of the F4U Corsair}}

The F4U-4B was a modification of the F4U-4. The F4U-4 was based on the F4U-1A Corsair. In order to improve and modernize the Corsair, so it would be able to fight the new Japanese planes in the Pacific, a number of changes were made. One of the major changes was the engine. The Pratt and Whitney R-2800-8W engine was replaced by the more powerful R-2800-18W engine. This -18W engine boosted the speed of the Corsair by up to 46.3 km/h (25 kn, 28.76 mph). When injected with an alcohol/water mixture, the performance could be boosted even further. In order for the propeller to be able to handle the more powerful engine, the propeller had to be changed from 3 blades to 4 blades. Modifications to the fuselage were required, including the addition of a scoop to the lower engine cowling. In addition, the cockpit was completely redesigned. The F4U-4 was armed with six .50 in machine guns, up to 4,000 lbs of bombs and/or eight 5 in rockets.

A variant was to be created for the British Fleet Air Arm of the Royal Navy. It was called the F4U-4C, but none were delivered to the Fleet Air Arm, for whatever reason. The F4U-4C was then redesignated the F4U-4B. The only major difference between the F4U-4 and the F4U-4B was a change of primary armament. The -4B replaced the six .50 in machine guns with four 20 mm cannons. The F4U-4B was used by the US Navy and Marine Corps. Notably, they were used by VMF-214 (Marine Fighter Squadron 214) of the Marine Corps, nicknamed "Blacksheep". VMF-214 flew F4U-4B strikes off USS ''Sicily'' (CVE-118) between August and November 1950 during the Korean War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f4u-4b Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|LW_BVvR7CIg|'''The Shooting Range #122''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:50 discusses the fate of the F4U Corsair after WW2.}}

== See also ==


* [[F4U (Family)|F4U Family]]
** [[F4U-1A]]
** [[F4U-4]]
** [[F4U-4B VMF-214]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4960-development-f4u-corsair-sky-pirates-are-back-en|[Devblog] F4U Corsair: Sky pirates are back!]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/378370-f4u-4b/ [Forum<nowiki>]</nowiki> Vought F4U-4B Corsair - Aircraft Data Sheets]

=== References ===

;Bibliography

* "[https://www.jdsf4u.be/f4u-4b-vought-corsair F4U-4B Vought Corsair]", ''F4U Corsair - The Bent Wing Bird plane site'', Retrieved on 28 March 2020.
* "[https://www.jdsf4u.be/type-of-plane-f4u Types of Plane F4U - Variants]", ''F4U Corsair- The Bent Wing Bird plane site'', Retrieved on 28 March 2020.

{{AirManufacturer Vought}}
{{USA fighters}}

F4U-1A

2024-01-19T00:49:04Z

U122626793: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = American fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = F4U (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f4u-1a
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f4u-1a.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American naval fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

This is the first plane available in the [[F4U (Family)|F4U Corsair family]] of the naval aircraft line and it will give a pilot a good idea of the flight characteristics pertinent to this family of aircraft. Sporting a very distinctive silhouette due to its inverted gull wings, it's never hard to pick a Corsair out of a crowd. However, the inverted gull wings are a "double-edged sword", as it enables the Corsair to turn well at high speeds and have a good roll rate, but makes it turn mediocrely at low speeds. While not as powerful as its later siblings, the Pratt & Whitney R-2800-8W 18-cylinder radial can still propel the Corsair to a respectable 646 km/h at around 6,800 m. The Corsair also has a weak airframe that is very susceptible to incendiary rounds, so make sure to use the plane's roll rate and good high-speed performance in order to survive.

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

The Corsair should be used as a medium-to-high altitude Boom & Zoomer as flying at these altitudes is where the R-2800-8W radial makes the most power. It is very important to keep the plane's speed up as the Corsair haemorrhages energy at lower speeds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 7,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 656 || 633 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 25.1 || 25.9 || 8.8 || 8.8 || rowspan="2" | 251
|-
! Upgraded
| 715 || 683 || 23.0 || 24.0 || 16.8 || 12.3
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 388 || 330 || 252 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 450 || < 500 || > 450
|-
|}

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


* 3 mm steel - above the front fuel tank
* 8 mm steel - behind pilot's body
* 12.7 mm steel - behind pilot's head
* 38 mm bulletproof glass - armoured windscreen

Critical components, namely the pilot and large fuel tanks, as well as the oil cooling system and wing spar roots, are clustered very close together in the centerline. One fire set in any given section in this area will usually result in the other sections also being set on fire.

There are two unarmoured fuel tanks in the wings close to wing spars and wing control cables. Once set on fire, the wing spar will usually be destroyed and the wing control cable will be lost.

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

In the first tier of unlocks, there is nothing of interest in the performance department, other than the radiator, which will allow you to use WEP for longer while in combat, as well as providing a slight boost to speed and climb rate due to the streamlining effect it provides. ''Offensive 12.7 mm'' should be researched first to get rid of the lacking stock ammo.

Starting from tier 2, all performance unlocks become necessary and useful. As a fighter, the Corsair rarely utilises bombs, which justifies researching them last.

Payloads unlocked by modules are:

* BMBC mk.1: One 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb
* BLBC mk.1: One 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb

While having these might be useful for Ground RB, its actual utility in Air RB combat is quite limited since it can only drop one bomb, rather than two, meaning that it only has one chance when dropping ordnance on ground targets. Novice pilots may find it difficult when trying to destroy pillboxes and the like.

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

{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 6 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (375 rpg outer + 400 rpg centre + 400 rpg inner = 2,350 total)

The F4U-1A is the first aircraft in the US Tech Tree armed with M2 Brownings that possess Armour-Piercing Incendiary rounds. These potent rounds are able to set fire to enemy aircraft as well as causing fatal pilot snipes and engine damage. However, they are not explosive rounds and rely on luck and/or good aim on the part of the pilot to cause damage to critical modules and cause enough damage to destroy the plane or knock out the pilot.

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

{{main|AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)}}

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

* Without load
* 1 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb (500 lb total)
* 1 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb (1,000 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==


When flying an F4U, use Boom-n-Zoom tactics to excel with the aircraft's performance. This means that the {{PAGENAME}} should climb immediately and then dive on lower flying aircraft, then use its speed and momentum from the dive to climb. The Corsair does turn well but loses energy and speed rapidly, so avoid turn fights or flat manoeuvres. However, this aircraft only has eight minutes of WEP time, so pilots should limit its use to only when needing an extra boost of power while in a fight or while running away.

Remember: the F4U Corsair cannot absorb/"tank" gunfire like the P-36G and the P-40 do. The F4U is weaker structurally than the P-36 and P-40, with an engine and airframe that is highly sensitive to damage. In addition to this, at battle-rating 2.7, pilots will face a variety of cannon-armed planes that can obliterate the F4U aircraft should they be able to get a shot in. The F4U's large R-2800 radial engine, while powerful, loses performance dramatically as it takes damage. These performance reductions can mean the difference between whether the {{PAGENAME}} can out-run enemy aircraft, or when it leaves the plane a flying brick for enemies to shoot at. The F4U-1A does not have even a bit of armour that protects the pilot from the side, unlike the P-40, which has small 8mm plates protecting part of the pilot. In addition to this, the F4U is very sensitive to damage in the airframe, as even slight damage to the wings can cause adverse roll characteristics. Damage to ailerons significantly reduces the ability of an F4U to control its roll and keep stable. All these vulnerable parts on the planes make the Corsair highly vulnerable to being crippled or destroyed by cannon fire. The Corsair's self-sealing fuel tanks are still easily punctured and seal very slowly, leaving the F4U vulnerable to fires. This is only exacerbated by the fact that there are fuel tanks in the wings that are located precariously close to both wing spars and the control cables for the ailerons.

However, unlike its contemporaries and predecessors in the US tree, the F4U-1A has two key differences. First, it has highly potent Armour-Piercing Incendiary (API) ammunition, which has enough armour-penetrating characteristics to punch holes into the enemy's airframe, modules, and pilot; at the same time the ammo can easily start fires in the enemy plane. Second, the F4U-1A performs better at higher speeds- speeds that would cause P-40s to begin having control issues. The F4U-1A performs very well above 350km/h, but its superiority to other aircraft really starts showing at 400km/h and above. At these speeds, its roll rate and elevator authority remain relatively unaffected while contemporary aircraft have issues with control lockups at this speed. At speeds above 350 km/h, it can easily out-roll enemy aircraft other than [[Fw 190 (Family)|Fw 190]]s, allowing it to perform scissor manoeuvres very well.

[[File:Rolling Scissors.png|thumb|left|The Rolling Scissors, illustrated. The flat scissors is a variation on this manoeuvre that is done "flat"- meaning that the aircraft do not go vertical.]]

Apart from the standard flat scissors, pilots should ideally use the Rolling Scissors manoeuvre to take advantage of the F4U-1A's good high-speed manoeuvrability (see left image). Dive on a target and once the target turns towards the {{PAGENAME}}, pitch up as illustrated in the diagram while using the aileron control keys/joystick to roll the plane so that the aircraft is facing the ground, but not at a 90-degree angle. Pull back on the elevator, bringing the aircraft down in a chandelle that brings the aircraft's nose into a lead-aspect curve on the enemy. To counter this, the enemy will have to bring their nose up and enter a loop, and thus bleeding energy. At this moment, a {{PAGENAME}} pilot may be able to get a snapshot off on the enemy. Generally, the {{PAGENAME}} will have superior energy retention to the enemy, and thus the enemy will continually lose more energy than the {{PAGENAME}} in the Rolling Scissors. If a {{PAGENAME}} pilot execute it correctly and gain sufficient speed in the initial dive, it should bleed enough energy from the enemy so that they are slow and/or low, making them an easy target.

Generally, if the {{PAGENAME}} dives on an aircraft on the tail of another aircraft, the pilot will likely be able to shoot down the enemy plane. The Corsair is highly manoeuvrable, and when played to its strengths (armament, and roll rate/elevator authority at high speeds), will be nearly impossible to shake off.

One of the planes that should concern any Corsair pilot are [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109s]]. They are very dangerous foes to anyone who fights by their rules. The {{PAGENAME}} will commonly encounter [[Bf 109 E-1|E-1]]s, [[Bf 109 E-3|E-3]]s, [[Bf 109 E-4|E-4]]s/[[Bf 109 E-7/U2|E-7]]s and [[Bf 109 F-1|F-1]]s, but the {{PAGENAME}} will also occasionally come across the rare [[Bf 109 F-2|F-2]] when being up-tiered. The E-series aircraft aren't as demanding to fight, as the {{PAGENAME}} can outspeed them by a large margin and in some cases out-dive. The {{PAGENAME}} will also be able to use the rolling scissors quite successfully against them. However, the E-4 variant can still shred the {{PAGENAME}} apart easily with their twin MG FF/M cannons, which possess the potent Minengeschoß round. However, the F-variants are very powerful foes. The [[Bf 109 F-1|first in the Friedrich line]] climbs better, turns better, and is fast enough to keep up with the {{PAGENAME}}, while still sporting a single MG FF/M mounted in the nose. The {{PAGENAME}} will have trouble trying to turn with them, or using high/low yo-yo turns to try and get a shot on them. However, they are not very good at rolling, and while they have greater energy retention than the {{PAGENAME}} does, a {{PAGENAME}} pilot can use a flat scissors manoeuvre to get the better of them. The F-2 sports a 15 mm MG151 cannon that, while containing less filler in its explosive rounds, can still deal enough damage to cripple the {{PAGENAME}}. Seek teammate's support if one of the Bf 109 F-2 tries to force an engagement. If an encounter is a must, the {{PAGENAME}} can attempt to out-turn the Bf 109 or try to force an overshoot by pulling the throttle back and using its gears as airbrakes. However, while bleeding speed might induce an overshoot, novice pilots should not attempt this tactic as this means slowing the plane down to very slow speeds, rendering the {{PAGENAME}} an easy target.

The {{PAGENAME}} may also see Fw 190s when up-tiered. These aircraft dive faster, accelerate faster in a dive, travel nearly as fast as the {{PAGENAME}} does, as well as possessing the ability to make lightning-quick changes of direction due to its superb roll-rate. If one of these aircraft is spotted, the best tactic is to either try and force a head-on and break as soon as possible or attempt to lure it towards team-mates. Fighting one of these planes without proper knowledge of its strengths and weaknesses in a fight is sheer lunacy and will result in the {{PAGENAME}}'s demise. The {{PAGENAME}} pilot can attempt to out-turn it, but smart Fw 190 pilots will simply use their superior energy retention to bleed all of the {{PAGENAME}}'s speed. If a {{PAGENAME}} attempts to engage a Fw 190 in a head-on, make sure to get hits in before getting too close as when within 500 m of an Fw 190, its armament can easily cripple an aircraft.

Occasionally, the {{PAGENAME}} will see [[SM.91]]s. the SM.91 is easily one of the most heavily-armed foes the {{PAGENAME}} will ever face as it mounts 6 MG151/20 20 mm cannons in the nose, as well as having one in a turret to the rear for defensive purposes. The trick is to stay mobile when facing an SM.91. SM.91s are twin-engined fighters and thus cannot manoeuvre as quickly as the {{PAGENAME}} does. However, should they even be able to make a single successful shot at the {{PAGENAME}}, the {{PAGENAME}} will most likely be shredded by the sheer weight of cannon fire. This aircraft is also one of the few at the 2.7-3.7 BR range that has enough firepower to beat the {{PAGENAME}} in a head-on attack. Many Corsair pilots make the mistake of trying to chase the SM.91 from the rear. Smart SM.91 pilots will purposefully activate the airbrakes so that the F4U-1A can catch up faster, before using the rear turret's MG151/20 to cause engine and fuel fires or even snap the {{PAGENAME}}'s weak wings off. In addition, for a twin-engine fighter, it is surprisingly manoeuvrable and the {{PAGENAME}} may have issues trying to out-manoeuvre it depending on how much fuel the {{PAGENAME}} has left and how many upgrades the {{PAGENAME}} has. The SM.91, however, has no armour- not even a bullet-proof windscreen. the fuel tanks near the centre of the aircraft are not self-sealing, and if set on fire, the SM.91 will have to break off and dive to put out the fire or will be incinerated. At the very least, it will be heavily crippled enough and will struggle to fight back once set on fire.

This plane is a very successful ground attacker when utilizing the ground belt ammunition against light pillboxes, unarmoured targets and some tanks. It is important to remember that this planes biggest asset is its energy retention; don't hang around near the ground or the {{PAGENAME}}will become a slow, heavy and easy target. However, ground-attack should never be the first priority in this fighter, especially since its payload is restricted to just one bomb, limiting its effectiveness as a fighter-bomber. Pilots should leave ground-attack to dedicated attackers, such as the [[A-35B (France)|A-35B]], the [[A-20G-25]] and the [[B18A]].

==== Counter-tactics ====
When fighting an F4U-1 in the air, any smart Corsair pilot will use their high speed and good high altitude performance to Boom & Zoom and will use their solid roll rate to avoid shots if they miss their first pass. However, a pilot can force them to overshoot by using various defensive manoeuvres and challenge for a shot on target due to the weak airframe of the Corsair.

The F4U-1A, like many other American aircraft, is a sitting duck when travelling at low speeds while excelling at high speeds, usually above 300 km/h. While not the most agile aircraft, the F4U-1A possesses the R-2800 radial engine, which has superb thrust and power at altitudes beginning at 3,000 metres and going up to around 6,500 metres (though it can still excel at lower altitudes). Due to possessing 6 x M2 Browning .50 calibre machine guns with M8 API ammunition, the Corsair also excels in head-ons against enemies. One of the things to never do against a Corsair is engaging in a head-on. This is simply asking to suffer a fiery, explosive deconstruction at the hands of the 6 powerful guns of the Corsair. Even a successful head-on can still result in critical damage to one own plane's wings, engine, or even a pilot-snipe. Head-ons should be avoided at all costs.

The primary tactics of someone who aims to counter this aircraft should be tactics that will bleed energy from the F4U-1A, making it slow, low or a combination of both. This can be accomplished in many ways, but the two main methods are:

# Turning: In an aircraft that turns better, bait the F4U-1A into a turning fight. Gradually eat away at its speed while out-turning it in order to acquire a shot. However, smart pilots will usually break off the turn and start climbing. Should this happen, either try to follow it in the climb (Spitfires and zeroes should be able to do this) or stay low to bait the F4U-1A down again and repeat the process.
# Energy-Fighting: In planes such as the Bf 109 F-1, which are not as nimble as the Corsair, turning against the Corsair is not a viable option. In planes such as this, one should try to cause a stall by using manoeuvres that cause the Corsair to lose energy faster than the other plane. One method of doing this by simply being above it, and to the front quarter. Pretend to engage in a head-on pass with it. Corsair pilots will usually engage a target in a head-on and attempt to follow through to destroy its enemy. Once around 2.5 km/1.5 miles away from the Corsair, gradually begin making the dive shallower by aiming above the Corsair (if using mouse-aim) or by pulling up on the elevator slightly. Gradually intensify it, until once at 1 km away from the Corsair, it is aiming upwards at a steep angle. Once this happens, break into a chandelle (An Immelmann turn done while banking the plane slightly), using the energy that has been built up in the dive, and dive back down onto the Corsair. The enemy pilot, should he have continued to try to track its target through the entire process, should have lost energy and entered a low-energy state. This means that he/she is a sitting duck. Bring guns to bear and destroy them.

When attempting deflection shots, try to aim at the centre-section so shots will hit the pilot and the fairly large forward fuel tanks. While the tanks are self-sealing, it takes some time to seal up if punctured. This means that when set on fire, the fire will usually spread to other critical modules like the engine and the wing fuel tanks before it gets put out, even if the aircraft is put into a steep dive. Other weak spots include the oil cooling system tanks located in the front of the wings, which may be set on fire. One of the biggest weaknesses, however, is in its construction. The large gull wings that give the Corsair its manoeuvrability are also highly vulnerable to well-aimed cannon-fire, meaning that even a few hits can end up completely destroying the wing, or at the very least, critically damage the spars so that other players can finish off the job. In addition to this, there are fuel tanks in the wings placed close to where the wing spars and wing control cables are in the middle of the wing. If set on fire, they will result in the wing spar damage, as well as the loss of control to the wing, thus either destroying or at least crippling enemy aircraft.

Even slight damage to the engine will result in the Corsair's performance being reduced dramatically. In planes like the [[Bf 109 F-1]], where the armament is mounted centrally, a good way to destroy an F4U-1A is to pursue a head-on and critically damage the engine from outside 700 metres, where the Corsair's wing-mounted armament need for convergence will mean that the enemy pilot cannot bring their guns to bear. This will at least slow the aircraft down enough for team-mates to shoot it. This is, however, a very risky manoeuvre. It is better to get hits on the engine in a deflection shot or a snap-shot rather than to actively seek one.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great top speed for its rank
* Good high-speed manoeuvrability
* Powerful armament with high ammo count
* Can mount bombs for use against ground targets and bases
* M2 guns can penetrate pillboxes with AP bullets
* Decently strong; can take a few hits
* Great diving characteristics
* Good speed, acceleration and energy retention
* Gears can withstand 730 km/h, useful as a makeshift airbrake
* Relatively lethal armament against planes

'''Cons:'''

* Turn time isn't very good; try to avoid turning fights
* View to the rear is somewhat obstructed; be wary of this in SB
* Very vulnerable to incendiary rounds
* Inverted gull wings are easy to knock off
* Big target, easy to hit
* Climb rate is a huge downgrade from the F4F-3 and F4F-4 when stock
* Can be easily taken out by other players from behind
* Airframe is relatively weak

== History ==

The F4U Corsair was designed by Chance Vought as a response to a request by the U.S. Navy Bureau of Aeronautics in February 1938 for twin and single-engined fighters. The single-engined fighters would need to reach the maximum obtainable speed, have a stall speed of no more than 70 mph and a range of 1,000 miles. The fighter also had to carry 4 guns, or 3 with increased ammo capacity and had to be able to carry bombs.

In June of the same year, the U.S navy signed a contract with Vought for a prototype, designated "XF4U-1" and after a mock-up inspection, the prototype was to be powered by an extremely powerful Twin-row, 18 cylinder engine created by Pratt & Whitney designated as the "Double Wasp". Reports from Europe indicated that two .30 cal machine guns and two .50 cal HMGs proved inefficient, and as a result, the U.S. Navy issued a new production proposal requesting heavier armament. Vought responded to this request by added 3 Browning .50 cal AN/M2 machine guns with 400 rounds per gun in each wing.

{{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 single-engine Chance Vought F4U Corsair was designed in 1938 for a U.S. Navy single-seater carrier-based fighter competition. The prototype showed excellent performance characteristics but was in need of substantial improvement. Even after the completion and launch of the F4U-1, a number of problems were discovered which prevented the aircraft from being used as a carrier-based fighter, and the Navy was forced to use the first F4U-1s for Marine Corps ground-based operations.

In the middle of 1943, the F4U-1A variant made its debut. To improve visibility, which was especially important when landing on an aircraft carrier, the cockpit canopy was modified to a convex shape, and the pilot's chair was raised 17.8 cm. Dive speed problems were solved with a stall strip just outboard of the gun ports on the starboard wing's leading edge.

The plane's armament consisted of six 12.7 mm guns, three in each wing.

The F4U-1A was produced not only at the Chance Vought factory, where the aircraft was designed, but also at the Brewster and Goodyear factories (with the designations F3A-1A and FG-1A, respectively). The latter model differed in that its wings were not folding.

The Chance Vought factory produced a total of 2,126 F4U-1As.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f4u-1a Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:F4U-1A Rework Model.jpg|Reworked model of the F4U-1A
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|g4R3iiCmiBQ|'''The Shooting Range #1''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:26 discusses the F4U Corsair.|4hSjkacg4CQ|'''The Shooting Range #98''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the F4U-1a.}}

== See also ==


'''Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era:'''

* Messerschmitt [[Bf 109 E-3]]
* Hawker [[Typhoon Mk Ia]]
* Macchi [[C.202|C.202 Folgore]]
* Reggiane [[Re.2001 (Family)|Re.2001]] Falco II
* Kawasaki [[Ki-61-I ko|Ki-61-I ko Hien]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/325083-f4u-1ausmccd/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Vought}}
{{USA fighters}}

Bf 109 B-1

2024-01-19T00:44:08Z

U122626793: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
|about=German fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage=other variants
|link=Bf 109 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=bf-109b_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

In the early 1930s, a competition was held to replace the aging He 51 and other biplane fighters. Out of four designs, the Bf 109 was selected and would mark the beginning of the fabled Bf 109. At first, it was powered by a Rolls-Royce engine, but later developments switched out the engine for the Junkers Jumo. Although the Bf 109 A might be thought of by some as the first production variant of the 109, it was actually the Bf 109 B. The 109 A production run was abandoned because the planned version of the B variant would've included a 20 mm cannon firing through the propeller hub. However, cooling issues prevented the use of the cannon and instead another 7.92 mm machine gun was added. The Bf 109 B-1 would be powered by the Junkers Jumo 210D, and it propelled the 109 to speeds up to ~467 km/h (292 mph). It was far slower than the Merlin-powered Hawker Hurricane, and the 109 wouldn't receive a major engine upgrade until the Bf 109 D, which introduced the Daimler-Benz engines.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"|Update 1.49 (aka 1.70.1945) "Weapons of Victory"]]. Being the first production variant of the 109, the B-1 is quite lacklustre when it comes to performance and armament. It lacks any cannons, and the Jumo engine only produces around 650 hp. With a maximum climb rate of only 10.2 m/s, players should practice side climbing to gain an altitude advantage over enemy aircraft. Many opponents will be in biplanes, and they will easily outturn the 109 in a dogfight. Thus, players should use its excellent structural limit of 790 km/h (493 mph) to make boom and zoom passes on enemy fighters. Also, the B-1 comes armed with only two 7.92 mm machine guns, so it will take many rounds to down an enemy aircraft. Targeting the pilot will be the best option to quickly and efficiently take down enemy aircraft.
== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 443 || 434 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.9 || 23.7 || 7.6 || 7.6 || rowspan="2" | 210
|-
! Upgraded
| 486 || 465 || 21.1 || 22.0 || 13.2 || 10.2
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 387 || 371 || 250 || ~13 || 7
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 390 || < 450 || > 312
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 1,250 m || 670 hp || 704hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 3,200 m || 600 hp || 660 hp
|-
|}

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


Despite lacking in armour protection and self-sealing fuel tanks, this aircraft is surprisingly resilient and can withstand significant damage. Although it is vulnerable to being hit, its design allows for it to absorb incoming rounds, particularly when facing head-on attacks or gunners on bombers. In battles against early tier aircraft such as biplanes, the bullets from their weapons are not as effective unless they are fired at close range or aimed at vital components. As most pilots at this level are new to the game, they may not be proficient in aiming their weapons, giving you an added advantage. To increase your chances of survival, it's essential to master good evasive manoeuvres. By doing so, you can out manoeuvre low-powered planes and make a narrow escape, thus saving your life. However, the engine is a vulnerable part of the aircraft, and you may have to lose it before losing any other vital component. Overall, despite its lack of armour protection and self-sealing fuel tanks, this aircraft can be a formidable fighter in the right hands. It requires a skilled pilot who knows how to exploit its strengths and weaknesses to emerge victorious in battle.

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

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

{{main|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

== Usage in battles ==

When facing fighters that have a high tolerance for 7.92 mm rounds, it's crucial to adopt a specific strategy to take them down quickly. In this scenario, targeting the pilot becomes the best option as it can bring the enemy down with fewer rounds fired. This approach requires exceptional aiming skills and a quick trigger finger. However, it can be a game-changer when facing a tough opponent.

On the other hand, the Bf 109 B-1 does not fare well when engaging bombers. In this scenario, it's essential to aim for the engine or pilot to deal critical damage. The engine has a larger hit box, making it the preferable target. A well-placed shot can result in an engine or fuel tank fire, making it easier to take down the bomber.

When targeting the engines, it's important to note that propellers take some time to stop spinning. Firing all your rounds into a single engine can be misleading, and a few well-timed bursts should be enough to get the job done. Once you feel that an engine has taken enough damage, you can switch to the other engines to maximize your chances of success.

Another strategy when engaging bombers is to target the gunners. Taking them out can enable you to stay behind the bomber, targeting a specific area or engine. However, this approach requires exceptional aiming skills and can cost you valuable time if you miss your shots. It's best to target the gunners during your initial pass, and if you miss, switch to targeting the engine or pilot.

Overall, engaging fighters and bombers requires a different approach, and it's essential to understand the strengths and weaknesses of your aircraft and those of your opponents. With practice and experience, you can become an expert in taking down tough enemies, even with a weaker aircraft like the Bf 109 B-1.

'''Realistic Battles'''

The Bf 109 B-1 is a strong performer in Realistic Battles (RB), although it lacks the outstanding climb rate of later 109 models. Despite this, it still manages to get to altitude quickly and efficiently. Its biggest asset is its incredible high-speed turn, which allows it to cut inside the turning circles of other planes, particularly in a high-speed engagement. This maneuverability can give you an edge over your opponents, especially if you can make use of your speed to reset the engagement in your favor.

However, it's important to remember that if you drag the fight on for too long, you may lose your advantage. This is especially true when facing opponents with better armament or maneuverability. To maximize your chances of success, you need to be aware of your strengths and weaknesses and use them to your advantage. Against early tier biplanes and other monoplanes, you can use your speed to outmaneuver and outpace them.

One significant drawback of the Bf 109 B-1 is its armament. Its weapons lack the firepower of other aircraft in its class, requiring prolonged periods of time on target to down or critically damage an enemy. As with other 109 models, the roll rate is subpar, and the rudder needs to be utilized to maximize its potential. A skilled pilot can make up for these deficiencies by using proper tactics and making the most of the plane's strengths.

Overall, the Bf 109 B-1 can be a formidable fighter in RB when flown by an experienced pilot. It may not have the same outstanding climb rate as its successors, but its incredible high-speed turn and speed make it a valuable asset in dogfights. Despite its limited armament, a skilled pilot can make the most of it, using proper tactics to outmaneuver and outpace opponents.

'''Simulator Battles'''

In Simulator battles, the Bf 109 B-1 is a versatile fighter that is easy to fly and fights well. The aircraft's smooth handling, combined with adequate speed against biplanes and impressive climb rate and turn rate, make it a friendly fighter for newcomers. Its nose-mounted machine guns have a lot of ammo and do not require any convergence settings, making it very easy to aim. The nose gently slopes down from the windscreen, offering a great over-the-nose vision, which is helpful when maneuvering the aircraft. Despite having a razorback, the B model actually has great visibility towards the tail, increasing the pilot's situational awareness, which is important in a simulator battle.

However, the B model's main drawback is its poor firepower given by the mere 2 x 7.92 mm MGs. Shooting windows in Simulator battles are much smaller than in RB, which reduces its effectiveness even more. As a result, you will need to bring at least 30 minutes of fuel for prolonged patrolling and fighting. The convergence does not really matter, and it might be anywhere between 250-600 m. To improve over-the-nose visibility, you can set keys for vertical head movement, allowing you to lift up your head a little.

When dogfighting in Simulator battles, you can utilise common manuevers such as Immelmann, Split-S, scissor, barrel roll, etc. However, note that the Bf 109 handles very sluggishly in the roll axis at low speed, so take this into account if dogfighting at low speed/altitude. You can pull the elevator fully for maximum agility, but only if you pull gently and gradually will the 109 manoeuvre as you wish. If maximum elevator input is harsh and sudden, the plane will start swaying around and enter a flat spin. The aircraft can quite easily recover from a flat spin by fully deflecting elevators downward and rudder to the opposite side of which the plane is spinning, and wait until it starts a dive and gather some speed to pull up.

Finally, landing the Bf 109 B-1 may need some practice for some. At first, it is easy: decelerate and descent towards the runway, deploy combat, takeoff, landing flaps, and gears in order, and fly at ~230 km/h before touchdown. However, if the plane bounces up with landing flaps, use takeoff/combat flaps instead to reduce lift. Note that you must align the plane with the airstrip correctly prior to touchdown and do not yaw/break one side too much when breaking, as the main landing gears are so close together that they cannot support such sideways force, causing the plane to wobble dangerously or even tilt towards one side, striking a wingtip into the ground.

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

The Bf 109 B-1 runs the risk of meeting [[Hurricane_(Family)|Hurricanes]], a plane introduced to the [[:Category:Britain_aircraft|RAF]] in 1935 that has a far heavier armament and shorter snap turns. Against better performing enemies, the Bf 109 B-1 is not hopeless, but it will be tough. It is not exactly sturdy and will be quickly stitched to death by heavily armed enemies. Here, manoeuvrability is key, allowing you to roll out of an incoming attack quickly, setting up overshoots to keep the enemy at bay. A surprising number of players will lose their patience in such moments, making mistakes and thus nullifying their performance advantage. Nearly all planes of superior performance turn worse than a B-1, so if you manage to bleed their speed and pull them to the deck, you will be able to win a turning engagement. However, keep a watchful eye for better turning enemies such as biplanes.

====Counter-tactics====

The Bf 109 B-1 is going to be a rude awakening for those that flock to the 109s due to their historic reputation. While a capable pre-war fighter, it is severely lacking in firepower. Its two [[MG 17 (7.92 mm)|MG 17]]s 7.92 mm are just about adequate when engaging biplanes or [[I-16 type 5|I-16]]s, but lack punch against tougher opponents such as [[Hurricane Mk I/L|Hawker Hurricanes]]. Just about any enemy you might meet has either comparable or better armament.

What the plane lacks in firepower, it makes up in manoeuvrability, with the later trademark Bf 109 energy fighting capabilities displayed. A capable pilot can make this aircraft dance like any Messerschmitt, but it requires discipline, precision and effective use of the two MG 17's. When engaging planes that are of the Spanish Civil War Era, the B-1 does best by using its speed and superior climb rate to place itself into an advantageous attack position, and then launching one concentrated attack after the other on its target. Remember to always recycle your speed into altitude and back as the fight progresses. Before zoom climbing back up from an attack, remember to extend a little bit to avoid getting picked off from a prop-hang. As you zoom up, check your surroundings to keep good situational awareness.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent agility, able to do very sharp turns
* Good energy conservation
* Very useful during dogfights since it is able to outmanoeuvre the opponent
* Has excellent control during slow speed

'''Cons:'''

* Not the fastest option at its rank
* Considerably weak armament
* May be too responsive for some players
* Slow roll rate

== History ==

The Bf 109 B-1 came out of the prototype V series of the Bf 109s and saw combat in the Spanish Civil War. While the Bf 109s faced various performance and reliability issues from their engine to an obvious lack of "punch", the experience proved to yield valuable data allowing for design improvement, ensuring the success of later Bf 109 models.

While the B-1 was the only production model of the 109 carrying the "Bertha" designation, later models that saw improvements to the variable pitch carried the unofficial designation of B-2.

A subvariant of the Bf 109 B called the "V13" was powered by a boosted Daimler-Benz 601 engine. It produced well over 1,600 hp; a massive increase over the Merlin found in the Hawker Hurricane. The boosted engine allowed the Bf 109 to set a world speed record of 606 km/h (379 mph) in 1937. Unfortunately, the DB series of engines would never be put in a production variant of the 109 until the Bf 109 D variant.

A notable feature of the Bf 109 B-1 is its massive opening in the cowling. While production models carried a third MG 17 firing out of said cowling, this was nearly always removed after combat trials during the Spanish Civil War. Although the fixed gun was cooled by the air coming in through the hole, it proved unreliable and a detriment to the plane. The in-game Bf 109 B-1 does not have this MG 17.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=bf-109b_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|TaiwDTpA9AQ|'''How To Fly #7 the Bf 109 B-1''' - ''WickedWilliWonka''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Bf 109 (Family)]]
** [[Flegel's Bf 109 A]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[MiG-3-15]]

== External links ==


* [https://me109.info/ <nowiki>[Falcon's Messerschmitt Bf 109 Hangar]</nowiki> Bf 109B]
* [[Wikipedia:Messerschmitt_Bf_109_variants#Bf_109_A.2FB.2FC.2FD|[Wikipedia] Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants - Bf 109 A/B/C/D]]

{{AirManufacturer BFW}}
{{Germany fighters}}

Bf 109 F-1

2024-01-19T00:42:32Z

U122626793: /* Usage in battles */

{{About
| about = German fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Bf 109 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=bf-109f-1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.37]]. Setting the basis for the definitive version of the Bf 109, the F-4, the Bf 109 F-1 saw substantial improvement over the earlier Emil.

Having picked up their Bf 109 trade in the earlier [[Bf 109 B-1/L|Bf 109 B-1]] and the [[Bf 109 E-1|Emil series]], the player will be presented with the Bf 109 F-1. Even though it's not the definitive version of the Friedrich, the F-1 is still a good starter plane for the series. If the player has done their best to understand how to handle the 109 during their time with the B-1 and Emils, they will rejoice at the performance of the F-1. Likewise, if the player has not gone through the trouble of learning the ins and outs of the Bf 109s with the earlier models, they will slowly realize the error of their ways when flying the Friedrichs.

The F-1 is the perfect starting point for the Friedrich line. The most notable change of the Friedrich over the Emil is its performance. Having a more aerodynamically efficient design, especially in the nose, the plane is propelled forward by a powerful DB 601 N producing up to 1175 hp. Reaching speeds up to 615 km/h at 5.2 km altitude, the Friedrich is testimony to the trademark acceleration and speed found in the Bf 109s. A powerful climber, the F-1 quickly reaches altitude and can easily out climb most of its historic counterparts. As with all Bf 109s, the optimal climbing speed is 270 km/h (IAS). As such, the Bf 109 F-1 should largely be played like the Emils, with the bonus of additional performance making the flying and fighting even easier. As with the Emil, fluid and speedy transitions between altitude and speed, together with well-timed uses of flaps, throttle and manoeuvres, enable the Friedrich to quickly change an engagement to its favour.

That said, the player should keep in mind that the Bf 109 F-1 has less of a punch than the preceding E-3. While mounting a [[MG FF/M (20 mm)|20 mm MG FF/M]] cannon in the nose make the aiming somewhat easier, it does lose out on the two MG FFs that had previously been mounted in the wings. This downgrade is somewhat offset by the fact that the Friedrich's MG FF/M can shoot deadly Mineshells, but careful aiming and trigger discipline is required to make the most out of the 60 available shots. Attempting shots at range is a significant waste of ammo. Luckily, the F-1 holds a respectable amount of [[MG 17 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 17]] rounds (500 per gun, 1,000 total), allowing you to spray when needed. Using the "Stealth" ammunition belt for the machine guns may help aim, due to less visual interference from the machine-gun tracers, but this is personal preference.

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

The climb rate of this aircraft is amazing, with a 16.7 m/s stock climb rate. Once fully upgraded, it can have reach a 20 m/s climb rate, out-performing fighters even a BR spread higher. The engine won't overheat if you keep it on 100%, only if you use WEP for a long time. Once fully upgraded it can out-climb almost anything it faces. However, its turn and roll rate is somewhat disappointing, though with enough energy you can turn fight someone. Just be careful because this plane bleeds a lot of energy when turning at high speed. The energy retention of this aircraft will outmatch most opponent at its BR. However, American aircraft can generally still out-dive you. The engine is also somewhat durable. If the radiator gets hit, the engine can still fly at 100% for a bit before it starts to deteriorate. The flaps can give you a bit of help in turn fighting but they will rip when going beyond 400 km/h (249 mph), so it's important to only use them for a short periods of time.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 592 || 576 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 18.9 || 19.7 || 16.7 || 16.7 || rowspan="2" | 358
|-
! Upgraded
| 640 || 614 || 17.1 || 18.0 || 24.1 || 20.0
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 437 || 408 || 260 || ~13 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 390 || < 450 || > 715
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,850 m || 1,050 hp || 1,168 hp
|-
|}

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


* 8 mm Steel - Plating behind and below the seat
* No armour glazing
* Critical components located at front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)

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

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

{{main|MG FF/M (20 mm)|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG FF/M cannon, nose-mounted (60 rpg)
* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

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

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

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

* Without load
* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (200 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb (250 kg total)
* 1 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb

== Usage in battles ==

Just as the with the [[Bf 109 E-1|E-1]], new players should adopt a hit and run tactic with the Bf 109s (also known as Boom and Run). While often called a Boom & Zoom aircraft, the Bf 109s are not dedicated Boom & Zoomers, and many other aircraft such as the [[Fw 190 (Family)|Fw 190]] do it much better. While it is true that a pure Boom & Zooming approach can be used for the Bf 109s, limiting oneself to this enormously undermines plane efficiency. It is a pure breed energy fighter.

Keep in mind that while the B-1 and Emil were respectable turners, the Friedrichs turn somewhat worse, so you should begin to think twice before going into a turning engagement. Should you be shot down often and struggle when fighting enemies with the F-1, consider it a helpful and fair warning: you are most likely using the plane wrongly and need to brush up on your flying before attempting the later Bf 109s that nearly all have tough matchmaking.

While the Bf 109 F-1 loses out on the second cannon of the E-3, it still has a good punch. Use the 20 mm only at close range when you are sure to hit (like if you are in a close turn with another aircraft). When necessary, use the [[MG 17 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG 17]] to hose down an enemy or force them to break off from a friendly when you can't get a sure shot in with your cannon. Engaging bombers in the F-1 is a thankless task since they will most likely soak up a great number of hits. Unless you enjoy being out of ammo and thus defenceless, bombers are just about your lowest priority in the F-1. If you are forced to attack one, aim for its wings, engines and fuel tanks, not the centre.

The F-1 can load either 4 x 50 kg or 1 x 250 kg bombs. Unless you like to fly at a severe disadvantage, do not use the bombs unless you have to in order to win a match, for example after refuelling/restocking at the base. The bomb load is nowhere near large enough to make a fighter bombing trip worth it. Additionally, save the bomb unlocks while grinding out the plane for last and focus on performance.

The F-1 can be particularly effective when used in air realistic battles on account of its reasonable battle rating. The flight performance of the F-1 is excellent for this BR allowing it to outperform many aircraft that it is likely to go up against. This is conjunction with the heavy-hitting HEI (Minengeschoß) round from the 20 mm Motorkanone make for a very powerful fighter if you can get your rounds on target.

'''Simulator Battles'''

In Simulator, the Bf 109 F-1 is quite a friendly fighter that can perform many tasks. It offers great flight performance with its smooth handling, adequate speed, and impressive climb rate and turn rate. The F and all later models enjoy concentrated firepower over the E models, which does not require any convergence setting, making it very easy to aim. The nose gently slopes down from the windscreen, offering great over-the-nose vision. There are also a few bomb options to choose from which are beneficial for ground-pounding or base-bombing, although these are not its primary objectives. However, the Friedrichs do have worse views comparing to early models due to their thicker canopy frames. It also starts to behave poorly during takeoffs due to an increase in engine horsepower and thus propeller torque.

You can bring the least fuel amount, since the 60-round drum runs out fast, making you constantly return to base to rearm so there is no point bringing more fuel. The convergence does not really matter, it might be anywhere between 250-600 m depending on your preferences.

Taking off in a Bf 109 F is considerably harder than its predecessors. When taking off, the Bf 109 will shift severely to the left side due to the huge torque, so consider setting keybinds for left and right brakes, as they are more effective at directional control than the rudder while on the ground. As the plane is just lifting off the ground it will start rolling to the left due to the torque, so you must immediately roll a little right to keep it level, or the left wingtip will strike the ground.

Dogfighting in SB involves everyday RB tactics. Utilise common manoeuvres such as Immelmann, Split-S, scissor, barrel roll, etc. You may want to practice smoothing the aim to make every shell count. Get close and "let the enemy fill up your windscreen". A good distance to open fire is when their wingtips fully fill up the reticule circle. Note: the Bf 109 handles very sluggishly in the roll axis at low speed, so take this into account if dogfighting at low speed/altitude. You can even pull the elevator fully for maximum agility, but only if you pull gently and gradually will the Bf 109 manoeuvre as you wish. If maximum elevator input is harsh and sudden, the plane will start swaying around and enter a flat spin. The aircraft can quite easily recover from a flat spin by fully deflecting elevators downward and rudder to the opposite side of which the plane is spinning, and wait until it starts a dive and gather some speed to pull up.

Landing may need practice for some. It is easy at first: decelerate and descent towards the runway, deploy combat, takeoff, landing flaps and gears in order, fly at ~200 km/h before touchdown. If the plane bounces up with landing flaps, use takeoff/combat flaps instead to reduce lift. Note that you must align the plane with the airstrip correctly prior to touchdown and do not yaw/break one side too much when breaking, as the main landing gears are so close together that they cannot support such sideways force, causing the plane to wobble dangerously or even tilt towards one side, striking a wingtip into the ground.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Not controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Superb climb rate and acceleration
* Great speed
* All weaponry mounted on the nose, allowing easy aiming without having to worry about convergence
* Very damaging cannon utilizing Minengeschoß ammo
* Ammo counter in the cockpit (useful in Simulator Battles)
* Good energy retention

'''Cons:'''

* Less turning ability than a lot of its opposition
* Low ammo
* Low rate of fire
* Low cannon muzzle velocity
* In Sim, the numerous canopy frames and razorback greatly limit the all-round view, and the huge engine torque causes severe turning when taking off

== History ==

While the Emil saw combat during the Poland and France campaigns and was used as the mainstream German fighter during the Battle of Britain, it had reached its zenith with the E-4. While arguably still a better performer than its historic counterparts, with enemy planes being either as good or worse than the Emil, Messerschmitt began to reevaluate the E-design and attempt to improve upon its design. Drawing on data provided by pilots, the industry and in line with the wishes of the German High Command, the Friedrich was developed.

The Bf 109 F saw major improvement over the Bf 109 E. Its complete front section was overhauled with a more streamlined look and a more aerodynamically efficient profile developed. The wings were improved, ending in a semi-elliptical design reminiscent of the Spitfire. Due to the various changes, it became heavier than the Emil, yet its DB 601 N engine and the better design allowed it to considerably outperform the Emil.

Quite a few Bf 109 F-1 were lost in aerial engagements without battle damage, due to pilots having been unused to its performance. The lack of an accurate speed display that compensated for altitude also complicated matters. Later Bf 109s would have such a display installed. As such, the maximum allowed speed of 750 km/h was often by-passed in the heat of engagements; with the overall structure of the plane not able to withstand outside forces of such magnitude, the plane was lost unless the pilot could somehow recover the plane in time.

While complimentary of its performance, many pilots were somewhat disappointed with the Friedrich due to its armament 'downgrade'. Most notably, Adolf Galland would often critique the lack of additional cannon armament. His Friedrich was eventually upgraded with two additional MGFFs in the wings, similar to the E-3.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=bf-109f-1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Lavochkin [[LaGG-3-66]]
* Yakovlev [[Yak-1 (Family)|Yak-1]]
* Yakovlev [[Yak-9]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/155547-messerschmitt-bf-109-f-1-and-f-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [[wikipedia:Messerschmitt_Bf_109_variants#F-0.2C_F-1.2C_F-2|[Wikipedia] Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants – Bf 109 F]]
* [http://kurfurst.org/#Friedrich <nowiki>[kurfurst.org]</nowiki> Performance Information Bf 109F]
* Radinger, Willy & Otto, Wolfgang, Messerschmitt Me 109 - Das meistgebaute Jagdflugzeug der Welt - Entwicklung, Erprobung, Technik - Bf 109A bis 109K, Aviatic Verlag, Oberhachingen: 2011

{{AirManufacturer BFW}}
{{Germany fighters}}

Galer's F3F-2

2024-01-19T00:33:42Z

U122626793: /* Description */

{{About
|about= premium American fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage= the regular version
|link= F3F-2
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f3f-2_galer
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f3f-2_galer.jpg
}}

== Description ==

Bob Galer was a naval aviator in the USMC. While flying in his F3F-2 for a landing on the USS Saratoga, a mishap occurred and his F3F-2 was ditched into the ocean. Galer would later become a double ace during the battle of Guadalcanal and would survive the war. He also served in Korea until he retired in the late 1950s. Galer was shot down four times and managed to survive every time. Galer’s F3F-2, still resting at the bottom of the Pacific, was discovered by an American submersible in 1988 and recovered three years later. His plane is currently on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum.

Introduced as a premium fighter in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]], '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a special version of the F3F-2. It mainly differs in the livery and higher reward modifiers compared to the regular F3F-2. Fitted with the 950 hp version of the Wright R-1820 Cyclone, the F3F is a relatively quick bi-plane and can reach an astounding ~506 mph (810 km/h) before overspeeding. Its armament consists of one 12.7 mm and one 7.62 mm machine gun mounted in the nose. Although lacklustre, the F3F-2’s performance more than makes up for it.

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

[[File:Galer's F3F screenshot 5.jpg|thumb]]
The F3F-2 is a highly manoeuvrable aircraft as would be expected from its biplane configuration, this allows it to competitively turn with majority of the enemy aircraft that it encounters, the energy retention is good at lower speeds (<250 km/h), but at higher speeds the F3F-2 will lose energy quickly when in a hard turn, problems will be found when facing higher BR monoplane fighters which will have a considerably superior top speed this can cause problems due to the slower speed of the F3F.

Despite the slower speed of the F3F-2 it does have good early acceleration (0-240 km/h) and will usually be one of the first aircraft in the air at the start of the match thanks to its 210 m needed takeoff distance, the 16 m/s climb rate will also allow for the F3F-2 to have an altitude against majority of the enemy fighters that it will face.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,300 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 407 || 392 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 13.5 || 13.9 || 11.9 || 11.9 || rowspan="2" | 57
|-
! Upgraded
| 444 || 425 || 12.8 || 13.0 || 19.9 || 15.6
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~13 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 220 || < 280 || < 420 || > 250
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 1,600 m || 850 hp || 952 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,214 m || 750 hp || 840 hp
|-
|}

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


* 8.5 mm steel boxes in the rear fuselage
* Critical components located in front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
* Two self-sealing fuel tanks located in the fuselage

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

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

{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|Browning (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, nose-mounted (200 rpg)
* 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, nose-mounted (500 rpg)

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

{{main|AN-M30A1 (100 lb)}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (200 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:Galer's F3F screenshot 3.jpg|thumb]]
The F3F is first and foremost a fighter aircraft, this is a role in which it thrives with its brilliant manoeuvrability allowing it to deal with majority of enemy aircraft in a turn fight, trying to get an enemy aircraft to turn with you will be the best way to engage and win a fight, if the enemy is a monoplane they will usually have worse performance at slower speeds, so making them turn and lose energy is a good way to gain an advantage with your superior slow speed performance, if the enemy aircraft is also a biplane your main focus should be preventing them from getting guns onto your aircraft, if you can gain a turning advantage you should move into position and attempt to down the enemy aircraft, your two guns can end up putting lots of rounds into an enemy, but a hit to any critical component such as the pilot or engine will either end the fight or put it strongly in your favour. It is best to avoid "head on" engagements with enemy aircraft, as the engine on the F3F has a large frontal profile (Radial engine) along with the engine front being exposed, this makes the engine being hit a common occurrence and without your engine survival is unlikely.

The F3F will commonly come across aircraft with superior top speed, such as many of the early Bf 109 variants (A,B-1,E-1 & F-1), these aircraft will usually attempt to use a "boom & zoom" attack style against your aircraft, the best you can do is to keep a good amount of energy and be ready to evade when the commit to an attack run, if you can evade them for long enough you will hopefully receive some help from some of your other team members or you might be able to make the enemy try and commit to a turn fight where you should have an advantage and be able to critically damage or down their aircraft.

As for using the F3F for close air support (CAS) you will have a few possibilities, the most popular choice will be to take the two 100 lb bombs (AN-M30A1), these only contain 24.5 kg of explosive mass so you will need to land them very close to the intended target to do any meaningful damage. A second option is to use your .50 cal (12.7 mm) Browning M2 machine gun to destroy ground targets, all belts for this gun have 26 mm of penetration, although the ground targets belts are best as they contain more AP rounds, these will be able to go through SPAA (Self Propelled Anti Aircraft) vehicles as well as some light & medium tanks, firing for the upper armour or side armour on enemy vehicles will usually prove to be the most effective way of going through enemy armour.

It is recommended not to hold the brakes on landing, as the F3F will likely flip over, it is best to tap the breaks on and off to avoid this occurring.

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

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:Galer's F3F screenshot 4.jpg|thumb]]

'''Pros:'''

* Excellent manoeuvrability
* Very low stalling speed
* Controls are extremely responsive
* Powerful .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine gun
* Climb rate is competitive against aircraft of similar [[Battle ratings|BR]]
* Two 100 lb bombs for attacking ground targets

'''Cons:'''

* Small primary armament which can be inadequate against large targets
* Low ammunition count for the 12.7 mm machine gun
* Can flip over the nose when landing if the brakes are held down too long
* The 100 lb bombs have a small explosive warhead and therefore aren't very effective against ground targets

== History ==

[[File:Grumman F3F-2 BuNo 0976 displayed at NMNA, NAS Pensacola.jpg|thumb|Galer's F3F-2 on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, after being recovered from the Pacific Ocean.]]
Galer’s F3F-2 is the F3F-2 flown by then-First-Lieutenant Bob Galer, USMC, who was forced to bail out during landing operations. Lt. Galer would become a double-ace during WWII, having survived being shot down four times, received the Medal of Honor for heroism at Guadalcanal, and retired as a brigadier general. Galer’s F3F-2 was recovered in 1988 from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean; following a reunion with the aircraft’s former pilot, the plane is now on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum of the United States.

Robert ‘Bob’ E. Galer was a naval aviator in the United States navy, having joined the navy in 1936. While assigned to Marine Fighting Squadron two (VMF-2), he was attempting a landing on the USS Saratoga (CV-3) when his F3F-2 failed; as a result, he was forced to ditch the aircraft into the ocean. He was later stationed in Hawaii for most of 1941, promoted to the rank of captain. He was stationed with VMF-211 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour on December 7th, 1941.

Galer was given command of VMF-224 in May of 1942 and later fought at the Battle of Guadalcanal; it was during this conflict that he shot down 11 enemy aircraft, becoming a double-ace and receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions. Galer was also awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross, a rare occurrence for the time. Afterwards, Galer served as assistant operations officer at Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar; he was not permitted to fly in combat due to his status as a medal-of-honor recipient, exacerbated by the fact that he had been shot down three times already.

By 1945, Galer had obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Staying with the navy, he was sent to Korea in 1952 as a full Colonel, received a Gold Star (in lieu of a second Distinguished Flying medal) for leading an aerial attack on Pyongyang. He was shot down once more in August of 1952 after being hit by anti-aircraft fire. Galer returned to the United States after the end of the Korean conflict and retired in 1957 at the rank of Brigadier-General; he later served as vice-president of Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) later as an executive with Bright & Co. He would be reunited with his former F3F-2 in 1988 after the aircraft was recovered from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Brigadier General Galer died of a stroke on 27 June 2005 in Dallas, Texas; he is survived by his wife, four children and six grandchildren. Galer’s F3F-2 is now on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum, restored to its markings when flown by Galer in 1940.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f3f-2_galer Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px">
File:Galer's F3F screenshot 1.jpg
File:Galer's F3F screenshot 2.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|YZtAEsSpwNM|'''The Shooting Range #96''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 08:18 discusses the F3F-2.}}

== See also ==


* [[F3F-2]] - the normal tech tree version of the F3F
* [[Zhukovsky's I-153-M62]] - similar Soviet biplane

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

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

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA fighters}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

Galer's F3F-2

2024-01-19T00:33:08Z

U122626793: Added a link to the original F3F-2

{{About
|about= premium American fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage= the regular version
|link= F3F-2
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f3f-2_galer
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_f3f-2_galer.jpg
}}

== Description ==

Bob Galer was a naval aviator in the USMC. While flying in his [[F3F-2]] for a landing on the USS Saratoga, a mishap occurred and his F3F-2 was ditched into the ocean. Galer would later become a double ace during the battle of Guadalcanal and would survive the war. He also served in Korea until he retired in the late 1950s. Galer was shot down four times and managed to survive every time. Galer’s F3F-2, still resting at the bottom of the Pacific, was discovered by an American submersible in 1988 and recovered three years later. His plane is currently on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum.

Introduced as a premium fighter in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]], '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a special version of the F3F-2. It mainly differs in the livery and higher reward modifiers compared to the regular F3F-2. Fitted with the 950 hp version of the Wright R-1820 Cyclone, the F3F is a relatively quick bi-plane and can reach an astounding ~506 mph (810 km/h) before overspeeding. Its armament consists of one 12.7 mm and one 7.62 mm machine gun mounted in the nose. Although lacklustre, the F3F-2’s performance more than makes up for it.

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

[[File:Galer's F3F screenshot 5.jpg|thumb]]
The F3F-2 is a highly manoeuvrable aircraft as would be expected from its biplane configuration, this allows it to competitively turn with majority of the enemy aircraft that it encounters, the energy retention is good at lower speeds (<250 km/h), but at higher speeds the F3F-2 will lose energy quickly when in a hard turn, problems will be found when facing higher BR monoplane fighters which will have a considerably superior top speed this can cause problems due to the slower speed of the F3F.

Despite the slower speed of the F3F-2 it does have good early acceleration (0-240 km/h) and will usually be one of the first aircraft in the air at the start of the match thanks to its 210 m needed takeoff distance, the 16 m/s climb rate will also allow for the F3F-2 to have an altitude against majority of the enemy fighters that it will face.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,300 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 407 || 392 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 13.5 || 13.9 || 11.9 || 11.9 || rowspan="2" | 57
|-
! Upgraded
| 444 || 425 || 12.8 || 13.0 || 19.9 || 15.6
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~13 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 220 || < 280 || < 420 || > 250
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 1,600 m || 850 hp || 952 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,214 m || 750 hp || 840 hp
|-
|}

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


* 8.5 mm steel boxes in the rear fuselage
* Critical components located in front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
* Two self-sealing fuel tanks located in the fuselage

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

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

{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|Browning (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, nose-mounted (200 rpg)
* 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, nose-mounted (500 rpg)

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

{{main|AN-M30A1 (100 lb)}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (200 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:Galer's F3F screenshot 3.jpg|thumb]]
The F3F is first and foremost a fighter aircraft, this is a role in which it thrives with its brilliant manoeuvrability allowing it to deal with majority of enemy aircraft in a turn fight, trying to get an enemy aircraft to turn with you will be the best way to engage and win a fight, if the enemy is a monoplane they will usually have worse performance at slower speeds, so making them turn and lose energy is a good way to gain an advantage with your superior slow speed performance, if the enemy aircraft is also a biplane your main focus should be preventing them from getting guns onto your aircraft, if you can gain a turning advantage you should move into position and attempt to down the enemy aircraft, your two guns can end up putting lots of rounds into an enemy, but a hit to any critical component such as the pilot or engine will either end the fight or put it strongly in your favour. It is best to avoid "head on" engagements with enemy aircraft, as the engine on the F3F has a large frontal profile (Radial engine) along with the engine front being exposed, this makes the engine being hit a common occurrence and without your engine survival is unlikely.

The F3F will commonly come across aircraft with superior top speed, such as many of the early Bf 109 variants (A,B-1,E-1 & F-1), these aircraft will usually attempt to use a "boom & zoom" attack style against your aircraft, the best you can do is to keep a good amount of energy and be ready to evade when the commit to an attack run, if you can evade them for long enough you will hopefully receive some help from some of your other team members or you might be able to make the enemy try and commit to a turn fight where you should have an advantage and be able to critically damage or down their aircraft.

As for using the F3F for close air support (CAS) you will have a few possibilities, the most popular choice will be to take the two 100 lb bombs (AN-M30A1), these only contain 24.5 kg of explosive mass so you will need to land them very close to the intended target to do any meaningful damage. A second option is to use your .50 cal (12.7 mm) Browning M2 machine gun to destroy ground targets, all belts for this gun have 26 mm of penetration, although the ground targets belts are best as they contain more AP rounds, these will be able to go through SPAA (Self Propelled Anti Aircraft) vehicles as well as some light & medium tanks, firing for the upper armour or side armour on enemy vehicles will usually prove to be the most effective way of going through enemy armour.

It is recommended not to hold the brakes on landing, as the F3F will likely flip over, it is best to tap the breaks on and off to avoid this occurring.

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

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:Galer's F3F screenshot 4.jpg|thumb]]

'''Pros:'''

* Excellent manoeuvrability
* Very low stalling speed
* Controls are extremely responsive
* Powerful .50 cal (12.7 mm) machine gun
* Climb rate is competitive against aircraft of similar [[Battle ratings|BR]]
* Two 100 lb bombs for attacking ground targets

'''Cons:'''

* Small primary armament which can be inadequate against large targets
* Low ammunition count for the 12.7 mm machine gun
* Can flip over the nose when landing if the brakes are held down too long
* The 100 lb bombs have a small explosive warhead and therefore aren't very effective against ground targets

== History ==

[[File:Grumman F3F-2 BuNo 0976 displayed at NMNA, NAS Pensacola.jpg|thumb|Galer's F3F-2 on display at the National Museum of Naval Aviation, NAS Pensacola, after being recovered from the Pacific Ocean.]]
Galer’s F3F-2 is the F3F-2 flown by then-First-Lieutenant Bob Galer, USMC, who was forced to bail out during landing operations. Lt. Galer would become a double-ace during WWII, having survived being shot down four times, received the Medal of Honor for heroism at Guadalcanal, and retired as a brigadier general. Galer’s F3F-2 was recovered in 1988 from the bottom of the Pacific Ocean; following a reunion with the aircraft’s former pilot, the plane is now on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum of the United States.

Robert ‘Bob’ E. Galer was a naval aviator in the United States navy, having joined the navy in 1936. While assigned to Marine Fighting Squadron two (VMF-2), he was attempting a landing on the USS Saratoga (CV-3) when his F3F-2 failed; as a result, he was forced to ditch the aircraft into the ocean. He was later stationed in Hawaii for most of 1941, promoted to the rank of captain. He was stationed with VMF-211 when the Japanese attacked Pearl Harbour on December 7th, 1941.

Galer was given command of VMF-224 in May of 1942 and later fought at the Battle of Guadalcanal; it was during this conflict that he shot down 11 enemy aircraft, becoming a double-ace and receiving the Medal of Honor for his actions. Galer was also awarded the British Distinguished Flying Cross, a rare occurrence for the time. Afterwards, Galer served as assistant operations officer at Naval Air Station (NAS) Miramar; he was not permitted to fly in combat due to his status as a medal-of-honor recipient, exacerbated by the fact that he had been shot down three times already.

By 1945, Galer had obtained the rank of Lieutenant Colonel. Staying with the navy, he was sent to Korea in 1952 as a full Colonel, received a Gold Star (in lieu of a second Distinguished Flying medal) for leading an aerial attack on Pyongyang. He was shot down once more in August of 1952 after being hit by anti-aircraft fire. Galer returned to the United States after the end of the Korean conflict and retired in 1957 at the rank of Brigadier-General; he later served as vice-president of Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) later as an executive with Bright & Co. He would be reunited with his former F3F-2 in 1988 after the aircraft was recovered from the depths of the Pacific Ocean. Brigadier General Galer died of a stroke on 27 June 2005 in Dallas, Texas; he is survived by his wife, four children and six grandchildren. Galer’s F3F-2 is now on display at the National Naval Aviation Museum, restored to its markings when flown by Galer in 1940.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f3f-2_galer Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200px">
File:Galer's F3F screenshot 1.jpg
File:Galer's F3F screenshot 2.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|YZtAEsSpwNM|'''The Shooting Range #96''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 08:18 discusses the F3F-2.}}

== See also ==


* [[F3F-2]] - the normal tech tree version of the F3F
* [[Zhukovsky's I-153-M62]] - similar Soviet biplane

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

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

{{AirManufacturer Grumman}}
{{USA fighters}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

Tor-M1

2022-10-27T21:51:59Z

U122626793: One spelling mistake

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_tor_m1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ''(GRAU: '''9K331'''; NATO: '''SA-15 Gauntlet'''; commonly known in Chinese as '''道尔-M1''')'' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Fire and Ice"]].

Sitting at the end of the Chinese SPAA line and one of the more recent military purchases of Russian equipment by the PLAGF, the TOR-M1 also marked the introduction of SPAA systems that can track and engage multiple targets at once; with its 8 cell VLS onboard and great mobility even at such a huge size, as well as its 9M331 SAMs, the TOR-M1 will strike fear to any aerial targets and provides a vital long-range anti-aircraft measure for the Chinese tech tree.

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

The chassis of the TOR-M1 (GM-5955) is based on the GM-335 universal chassis, the same as the [[ZPRK 2S6]] in Soviet service. What makes it stands out is the huge size of the battery system; not only does it have overall large dimensions that are barely smaller than the German [[FlaRakRad]], the huge 9K330 "Scrum Half" radar system also easily gives it away during operation so fold down the search radar after confirmed detection for concealment. Its nature of a mobile SPAA battery also means that it does not have any protection against oncoming shots, the overall protection was only rated for rifle-calibre fire or shrapnel so hiding from enemies' guns and cannons is again crucial for its survival.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 9 mm ''Upper'' (45°) 9 mm ''Lower'' (37°)
| 9 mm ''Top'' 9 mm ''Bottom'' || 9 mm || 9 mm
|-
| Turret || 6 mm ''Turret front'' || 6 mm || 6 mm || 6 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

Thanks to the V12 diesel engine and transmission with the same gear ratios on both directions, the TOR-M1 is one of the fastest tracked SPAAs, particularly in reversing (almost twice faster than the wheeled [[Type 93]]!). This allows the TOR-M1 to keep up with the team for field air-defense, while having more than enough speed to retreat into cover when necessary.

{{tankMobility}}

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

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

{{main|9M331}}

The TOR-M1 system has only one type of missile at its disposal - the eight 9M331 missiles inside its 8 VLS cells; thanks to its sufficient speed and advanced electronics, along with the ability to track-while-scan and track 2 targets at once, the TOR-M1 is extremely efficient at long-range anti-aircraft operations.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[9M331]] missile || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 8 (8) || rowspan="2" | N/A || rowspan="2" | N/A || rowspan="2" | N/A || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== 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
|-
| 9M331 || SAM || 60 || 60 || 60 || 60 || 60 || 60
|-
|}
{| 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" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 9M331 || SAM || 850 || 167 || 1 || 0.1 || 8.16 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''1''' || 0 ''(+8)'' || No
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

As the long-awaited long-range SPAA for Chinese TT players, TOR-M1 also introduces some unique features from its counterparts in different countries- the most iconic feature is the unique cold-launch VLS cells onboard that ejects the missile vertically, then turn and ignite its motors from a safe distance. While some players enjoy the aesthetic feature of TOR-M1, this also indicated that it has a minimal firing range unlike its counterparts with "direct-fire" SAMs; this 1 km blind-spot from the radius of the vehicle can be embarrassing when aircraft show up in the radius at tree-top altitude in very rare occasions, though the high elevation can make sure targets that are directly overhead will face a miserable end. The other feature of the TOR-M1 is the capability of TWS with up to 2 tracked targets, if in any occasion when there are multiple targets in range, the system can quickly take down two of the locked targets before moving on to the next wave. The speed of the GM-5955 chassis also makes it very satisfactory at changing position while the extreme reverse speed can make sure it can retreat to safety with ease.

But do remember that the TOR-M1 is also a huge vehicle (one of the tallest even with radar mast folded, at 5.1 m), both ground vehicles or aircraft can see such a huge vehicle from a distance; so hide the vehicle at all costs and never move in plain open fields - the speed itself most likely won't save the vehicle, and hits from enemy explosives will very likely overpressure the crew.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent mobility for such a huge vehicle with very high reverse speed
* 8 powerful, long-range SAMs
* Radar system with up to 30 km detection range
* IRST tracking for better concealment against enemy RWR

'''Cons:'''

* Lightly protection rated up to rifle-calibre fire, easily overpressured
* Huge size with radar raised
* Only NVD available, no thermal sights
* The missile system has blind spots within 1 km due to its unique trajectory

== 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.''

{{China anti-aircraft vehicles}}

M4A3 (76) W

2022-10-11T04:53:54Z

U122626793: /* Description */

{{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_m4a3e8_76w_sherman
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (also known as the '''M4A3E8''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was one of the first American tanks to be released with the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. This tank gives the M4 Sherman the best upgrades possible, with a new suspension and a high-penetrating [[M1 (76 mm)|76 mm cannon]] with access to APCR rounds.

Compared to the previous Shermans, this one presents better mobility than the last few due to the new horizontal volute suspension system (HVSS). The suspension, like in real life, also seems to give the vehicle a much smoother ride across terrain, making it easier to acquire targets while on the move due to the stability. Another feature about this Sherman is the access to the HVAP rounds (APCR) for the 76 mm gun. The HVAP rounds give the tank a much greater firepower boost to fight the tanks at its rank.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (Front, Side, Rear, Roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Gun mantlet, Transmission area)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5-107.9 mm (13-77°) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm (22°) ''Top'' 38.1 mm (13-44°) ''Bottom''|| 19.5 mm
|-
| Turret || 63.5 mm (10-62°) ''Turret front'' 88.9 mm (1-74°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 63.5 mm (1-72°) || 63.5 mm (0-80°) || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" | 63.5 mm (55-56°) || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442|AoAweight=0.65}}

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

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

{{main|M1 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1 (76 mm)|76 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" | 71 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24 km/h}} || 20.0 || 27.7 || 33.6 || 37.2 || 39.5 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 12.5 || 14.7 || 17.9 || 19.7 || 21.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 134 || 132 || 121 || 109 || 99 || 89
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 149 || 146 || 133 || 119 || 106 || 95
|-
| M93 shot || APCR || 190 || 186 || 167 || 146 || 128 || 112
|-
|}
{| 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%
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 792 || 6.8 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 823 || 5.84 || 0 || 0.1 || 390 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 792 || 7 || 1.2 || 14 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M93 shot || APCR || 1,036 || 4.22 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M88 || 274 || 3.44 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks M4A1 (75) W (China).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M4A1 (75) W (China) (identical)]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''71''' || 66 ''(+5)'' || 31 ''(+40)'' || 1 ''(+70)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear from the rack after having been shot or loaded.

=== 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 || 600 (200) || 577 || -10°/+30° || ±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 ==

Playing as the M4A3 can be tricky since it features armour that can't stop most calibres at its rank such as the German 8.8 cm or the Soviet 85 mm, including the fact that it isn't the fastest tank. The M4A3 plays more of a support role, use its powerful 76 mm as you assist your teammates during an advance or defense. The number one rule of this tank is to never fight alone with it, always be with a teammate and use cover when available since it will give you a great advantage.

Use manual transmission, as using "Cruise Control 1" will give you a speed that is 1 km/h above the speed the stabilizer works at. A gear level of 2 will land you at 9 km/h but allows the stabilizer to do its job.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good handing thanks to HVSS suspension and wide tracks
* Single-plane gun stabilizer allows firing on the move (below a certain speed)
* Very fast turret traverse
* Short reload time for the 76 mm gun
* The M62 shell has explosive filler, which deals good post-penetration damage
* Wet ammo storage (indicated by the "W" in its name) greatly reduces the change of ammo rack detonation
* Access to APCR round for increased penetration and smoke shells
* Top-mounted .50 cal machine gun is useful against aircraft and open-topped or lightly-armoured vehicles

'''Cons:'''

* Armour is very weak against most cannons
* 76 mm gun has trouble frontally penetrating armoured opponents (such as the Tiger II and T-44)
* Tall profile makes it a big target

== History ==

===Development===
The [[M4|M4 Sherman]] has become a proven and well-respected tank design by 1944. It was highly reliable, adequately armoured, and could be produced in a very large number with a dedicated support arm to ensure that all of the ones in the field could be kept operational. It was also by 1944 that the Sherman's faults were becoming a more defining trait than its advantages, namely with the increased prevalence of German anti-tank weaponry and tanks, such as the [[Panther A|Panther]] tank. The German anti-tank abilities, ranging from rocket launchers, anti-tank guns, mines, and tank guns, all became more capable of penetrating the frontal armour or disabling the Sherman. This resulted in an increased Allied tank attrition rate of nearly double during the Normandy Campaign than that of the Allies' previous campaigns. Criticisms were raised on the Sherman's inability to destroy the heavier tanks with its [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm gun]], the tendency of catching fire easily when a penetrating round hits an ammo stowage bin scattered in the Sherman interior, and the lack of mobility on the muddy terrain due to the track design. The first and second criticism was addressed with the [[M1 (76 mm)|high-velocity 76 mm gun]] and a "wet stowage" ammo containers, but mobility became a big issue especially once the Allied front in France reached the Siegfried Line on the border of Germany, where the ground became very muddy in the fall season. An attempt to fix this was improvising "extensions" on the tracks, but these were difficult to add and there were never enough to go around. The problem had to be addressed in the manufacturing plant and Ordnance Department set to work finding a better solution to fix the track flotation for better mobility.

The result was to be the basis of the next generation of Sherman models. Under the E8 program, new suspension was trialled on the Sherman, one was the horizontal-volute suspension system (HVSS) taken from the [[T20]] program. The trials showed that the new suspension gave the Sherman a ground pressure that is even less than the heavier Panther, and this model was approved for production in March 1944, beginning in August 1944. Despite the time of production, the distance of the Atlantic Ocean between the American factories and Europe cause the delivery time of the first batch of the new models to be three months, meaning they would not see service until December 1944 the soonest. Nevertheless, the new Sherman, dubbed the '''M4A3 (76) W HVSS Sherman''' on papers and shortened as the '''M4A3E8''', was considered the best overall Sherman design with its new upgrades.

===Design===
Aside from the enlarged T23 turret, the Sherman interior layout was largely unchanged from the original design. The driver and bow gunner still sat in the front, the three-man turret crew in the center, and the engine compartment in the back. The exterior was changed with the new horizontal-volute suspension system (HVSS), which presented a different bogie system with larger road wheels that allow the usage of a wider track for better mobility cross-country. The new suspension system helped defeat the problems the Sherman's original tracks had with sinking in the mud from poor flotation and poor traction on slippery terrain. Another advantage the HVSS gave was the ability to change out individual road wheels on the bogie rather than replace the entire bogie, easing maintenance and repairs. The suspension was also reported to be a very smooth ride in comparison with the vertical-volute suspension system (VVSS), leading tankers to nickname the tank the "Easy Eight" from the tank's experimental designation M4A3E8, with the E8 corresponding to the usage of the HVSS.

The M4A3(76)W HVSS ran on a gasoline Ford GAA V8 engine, which was the standard engine used in all M4A3 Sherman variants. The tank construction was welded and had a frontal armour plate sloping at a 47 degree angle. The (76) in the name indicated that the tank was armed with the more powerful 76 mm gun as a counter to the heavier German armour. The "W" designation on the Sherman indicated that the vehicle had the "wet stowage" feature in response to complaints that the Sherman can easily catch fire due to exploding ammunition. The "wet stowage" encased the ammo containers in a liquid mixture that would douse the flames when penetrated or block flaming shrapnels due to penetrating shots from hitting the ammunition. The containers also placed all the ammunition in the bottom center of the tank, reducing the likeliness of it being hit by a shell as the penetrating shell must go through every armour and obstacle to hit the tank center. This feature was only present after February 1944 and severely decreased the rate of Sherman fires. The "HVSS" indicated the usage of the horizontal-volute suspension system on the tank. The M4A3E8 started production in August 1944 and its production life ended around the end of World War II, probably September 1945. M4A3(76)W HVSS production consisted of 4,542 tanks out of the total 49,234 Shermans produced in its production life.

===Combat usage===
As a newly developed Sherman late in the war, the M4A3E8 did not see much use in the European theater until near the end of the war. Earlier deployment of such tanks did not take priority as military commanders did not take the 76 mm gun with much enthusiasm as the 75 mm gun could fire a much better high-explosive round to fight softer targets, which consists of more than half of the engagements the Shermans typically face. Another reason why these tanks did not see service earlier was the lack of battle need. The 75 mm gun was doing its job well and there were already a few [[M4A1 (76) W|76 mm Shermans]] going around fine with the older VVSS. These opinions changed with the Battle of the Bulge, where the German offensive with large numbers of their heavy tanks such as the [[Panther G|Panthers]] and [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger IIs]] decimated armoured units stationed in the Ardennes. The M4A3E8 saw its first service in the Battle of the Bulge in low numbers, but their prevalence increased after December 1944 when the Battle of the Bulge urged many military commanders, even Eisenhower, to request further deliveries of Shermans to only be armed with the 76 mm cannons. The new units deploying in Europe afterwards had exclusively 76 mm Shermans and as standardization in the suspension went on, the HVSS became more and more common in the European theater.

When World War II ended, many tank units and their Shermans were decommissioned and put out of service, distributed out to NATO allies. Of the 10,000 Shermans the US Army had in 1945, only about 3,202 units were left by 1950 with almost half unserviceable. The need of such tanks returned with the advent of the Korean War in 1950, which had the US military scrounge up whatever tanks they had in their storage to assist the South Koreans and their troops on the ground. This allowed them to build up units with the M4A3E8 and the heavier, but better armed [[M26|M26 Pershing]], building up around five tank battalions. The 8072nd Tank Battalion was raised from Shermans from the occupational forces of Japan and were the first to be sent to Korea in July 1950. By the end of the year, 1,326 tanks were on the ground, of which half were the M4A3E8. The M26 Pershing and M4A3E8 served alongside in the tank battles ensuing from August to October 1950. The most common enemy tank the Allies faced were the Soviet-supplied [[T-34-85]] medium tank. Between the M4A3E8 and the T-34-85, they were nearly identical in statistics as both were able to take each other out easily. Of the two, the Shermans prevailed with the better crew training and gun optics, allowing for an edge in a combat scenario. After these months, tank-vs-tank combat dropped significantly and the tank soon returned to the role of infantry support. It was this role that the Sherman won out against the M26 Pershing as the Pershing suffered from mechanical issues due to weighing ten tons more than a Sherman, but used the same engine. The Sherman was a proven design and was easier to maintain, more mobile, and reliable. It wasn't until the [[M46|M46 Patton]], an upgraded Pershing with improved reliability, that the Shermans were formally replaced in US service.

While the Shermans were finally replaced in American service, many other countries that received the Shermans still used them all the way to the turn of the century. The most famous is Israel, who received a large handful of Shermans from the British to fight for its war of independence in 1948. When the Soviet started aiding the Middle East countries with tanks like the [[T-34-85]], [[PT-76B|PT-76]], and even the [[T-54 (1951)|T-54s]], Israel launched a program with cooperation with France to upgrade the Shermans. The result was the implementation of the AMX-13's 75 mm gun, based off the [[Panther G|Panther]]'s [[KwK42 (75 mm)|KwK42]] gun, onto the Sherman turret. Another program in the 1960s attached the larger 105 mm Modèle F1 French gun from their AMX-30 into the Sherman. The upgraded 75 mm and 105 mm Shermans were designated the M-50 and [[M-51]] respectively, both more well known as the "Super Sherman" abroad. These tanks served in the Middle East conflicts that Israel had to deal with such as the 1956 Suez Crisis, 1967 Six-Day War, and the 1973 Yom Kippur War, where the "Super Shermans" proved itself as adequate against the superior and more modern Soviet tanks. These Shermans serve as a symbol of how desperate Israel's situation is with their neighbors, and also an example of how the Sherman is a proven design able to keep up with the arms race with adequate upgrades in its armaments.

=== In-game description ===
Installing heavy weaponry and making other changes increased the tank's weight, also sacrificing manoeuvrability. In 1943 builders widened the T80 track to 23" and added a ridge down the center. The new HVSS suspension with its horizontal volute springs replaced the VVSS and its vertical alignment. Bogies had two paired wheels, and the supporting rollers were attached to the side of the hull. The HVSS suspension was developed such that individual wheels could be replaced without taking apart the entire bogie. The new suspension was installed beginning in the mid-1944. Wide-tracked tanks equipped with the new suspension were also fitted with wings and shelves with screens above the tracks.

The initial M4 tracks got a rubber-coated internal band, though the rubber shortage forced the use of two types of steel tracks, all of which were interchangeable. There were three types of tracks on the M4, and they could be fitted with spikes to make traveling across soft earth easier. The spikes were not used with the T80 tracks at the beginning, though they were later developed for them as well.

The prototypes were designated M4E8, M4A1E8, M4A2E8, and M4A3E8. Their weight grew somewhat, though widening the tracks to 584 mm counteracted that by spreading the weight across a wider surface. As a result, manoeuvrability not only did not decrease, it actually enjoyed an uptick. At the end of March 1945 all M4 Shermans began to be fitted with the new suspension.

Between August 1944 and May 1945, 1,217 M4А3E8 (76) Ws were produced.

M4A3 (76) Ws fought on the Western Front in 1945 and in the Korean War from 1950 to 1953.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m4a3e8_76w_sherman Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|e_Dd2U6vjlw|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''NUSensei''}}

== See also ==


;Other M4A3 tanks in the game

* [[M4A3 (105)]]
* [[M4A3 (105) (France)]]
* [[M4A3 (76) W (Japan)]]

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

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

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