War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

A-4E Early

2022-05-24T18:24:03Z

U123298818: Review video

{{About
| about = American strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = A-4 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=a_4e_early
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a squadron rank {{Specs|rank}} American strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "New Power"]].

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

The A-4E behaves like the A-4B, with excellent manoeuvrability at speed, aided by the automatic wing slats. However, the aircraft's poor energy retention during turns is profound, and airspeed will drop down to about 320 km/h (200 mph) after more than a 90 degree turn. Overall, it can turn with [[G.91 (Family)|G.91s]] and MiG-15s without issue, however extended dogfights should be avoided. If uptiered, flight performance leaves much to be desired, it can be outmanoeuvred even by the [[Yak-38 (Family)|Yak-38]] or [[F-104 (Family)|F-104]] in a dogfight.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,066 || 1,057 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 37.9 || 39.0 || 29.5 || 26.7 || rowspan="2" | 900
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,096 || 1,081 || 36.5 || 37.0 || 51.4 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== 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 
|-
|}

{| 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}} || 592 || 562 || 410 || ~8 || ~3
|-
|}
These wings are well-known to be fragile and to easily snap at relatively normal speeds. To prevent this, always pitch positive relative to the wing. Pitching negative, or yawing too violently, are easy ways to tear one or both of your wingtips. Use the plane's high roll rate to your advantage, and make it a habit to preemptively bank into your turns.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 700 || < 490 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic Mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6A || 1
| colspan="2" | 4,679 kg || colspan="3" | 296 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 12m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 40m fuel
|-
| 900 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 5,419 kg || 5,913 kg || 6,530 kg || 7,147 kg || 11,113 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 (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 12m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 40m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,470 kgf || N/A
| 0.64 || 0.59 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.31
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 3,470 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.64 || 0.59 || 0.53 || 0.49 || 0.31
|-
|}

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


* 2.54 mm steel surrounding bottom half of the pilot
* 50 mm bulletproof glass in front of the cockpit

The front half of the plane holds the pilot and a self-sealing fuel tank. The wings hold non self-sealing fuel tanks, and the back half of the plane holds the engine.

One single well-placed round from an [[ADEN (30 mm)|ADEN]] cannon can completely cripple the plane by taking out the pilot or an engine. It is completely open to attack from the side and front although it can be armed with flares. Overall, survivability is quite poor, and players should minimize their chance of being hit.

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

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

{{main|Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 0 (20 mm)}}

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

* A choice between two presets:
** 2 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 0 cannons, wing-mounted (100 rpg = 200 total)
** 2 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 0 cannons + 60 x countermeasures

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

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AGM-62A Walleye I (505 kg)|AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12C Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|Mk 11 mod 5 (20 mm)}}

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

* Without load
* 3 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannons (750 rpg = 2,250 total)
* 20 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 14 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (7,000 lb total)
* 3 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (2,250 lb total)
* 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total) + 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total) + 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total) + 4 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (750 lb total) + 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 5 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (5,000 lb total)
* 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 5 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AGM-12C Bullpup missiles
* 171 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 36 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 133 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 28 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 12 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 1 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bomb (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 3 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 95 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 20 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles + 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon (750 rpg)
* 2 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs (1,010 kg total)
* 2 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs + 6 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,727 lb total)
* 2 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs + 6 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (5,227 lb total)
* 2 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs + 1 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb (2,977 lb total)
* 2 x 505 kg AGM-62A Walleye I bombs + 3 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (5,227 lb total)

== Usage in battles ==

In Air Realistic battles, one can use this plane in a wide array of roles due to the wide array of armament.

The one role the A-4E can serve is as an air-to-air fighter. The A-4E can equip either the 2 x [[AIM-9B Sidewinder]]s, the 2 x [[AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9Bs]] and the 20 mm gunpod, or triple gunpods for this role. The A-4E's standard 20 mm cannons can easily shred any plane in the sky with a handful of well-placed rounds, however it only comes with 200 bullets, so short controlled bursts must be used, and only should be fired sparingly. The missiles can easily supplement the cannon, however these early missiles have a narrow tracking cone, and can easily miss targets that fly erratically, so they too must be used sparingly. If one prefers to be a gun fighter, a single gunpod (or three) can be attached to spray down targets, however they drag down the plane's climb and turn performance (especially the triple gunpods, which eliminate this plane's climbing ability in a fight).

General tactics with the A-4E is to keep altitude until one finds a target to pounce on, preferably fighters trying to climb, low flying aircraft, or distracted aircraft. Always attempt to fight aircraft flying alone; attacking an aircraft within a group is risky, as your low energy retention will make it hard to escape if the attack goes unfavorably. It is also best to turn off if your target starts to evade; If you try to chase, you can quickly bleed energy. However, when uptiered, especially versus planes like the British [[Harrier GR.1]], fighting offensively may not work at all, as these planes can easily outclimb and outrun you, and they will bounce you. In cases like these, it is best to stay back and play as a supporting fighter to your team, or simply switch to ground attack roles.

Your best defense is to not engage in fights where you are clearly outnumbered. However, if you are chased, there are little options for evasive maneuvering. The plane's high roll rate will make it incredibly easy to dodge bullets, and the flares will help the plane dodge missiles. However, the low energy retention will make it extremely hard to escape the fight altogether, especially if perused by multiple aircraft. In such situations, your best bet is to have a friendly plane to pounce the chasing enemy fighters, which can give you a window to escape or fight back.

If using this place as a ground attacker, equip either [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|FFAR]] or [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|Zuni]] rocket pods or [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12]] Bullpups, and attack ground targets. Another option is to use the wide array of bombs, preferably the 14 x 500 lb loadout, and destroy enemy bases (typically you can only destroy one, sometimes two) with them. Then, when you return to base, you could rearm with bombs, or rearm with [[AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9's]] and fly as a late-game fighter to finish off remaining players.

In Ground RB, the preferable secondary armaments are the [[FFAR Mighty Mouse|FFAR]] or [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP|Zuni]] rocket pods, or the 5 x [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] missiles. These missiles, with enough practice, function like a precision 250 lb bomb that is guided to the target, most of the time destroying it. The 2 x AGM-62A Walleye bombs can also be used very effectively with practice, however with only two bombs, it is better to use the five [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] missiles instead. The A-4E can be well paired with the [[XM-803]], [[MBT-70]], or the [[XM-1 (GM)|XM-1]] to form a good lineup.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Access to countermeasures
* Excellent roll rate
* [[Ballistic Computer#CCRP Usage|CCRP]]
* Strong multi-role capability, extremely versatile
* Access to [[AIM-9B Sidewinder]] missiles, which can be carried in tandem with a gun pod for strong air-to-air capability
* Decent acceleration

'''Cons:'''

* Subsonic
* High speed maneuvers can easily cause it to rip
* Atrocious energy retention
* Mediocre climb rate compared to planes it can face
* Low ammo on primary armament
* Using the Walleye TV-guided bomb requires you to fly straight toward enemies and expose your aircraft to retaliatory fire (SAMs)

== History ==

The A4D-5 Skyhawk was an improved model of the A4D-2N (designated A-4C in 1962). The main improvement came in the form of the more powerful Pratt & Whitney J52-P-6A engine, producing 8,400 pounds of thrust. In addition to the new powerplant, the A4D-5 also received two more wing-mounted stores pylons, for a total of five. The avionics were also improved, including a new TACAN system and a toss-bombing computer. Later in their service life, many A-4E Skyhawks were upgraded with the fuselage avionics pod J52-P-8 engine (with 9,300 pounds of thrust) from the A-4F.

The A4D-5 first flew in July 1961, and was renamed to A-4E in 1962 after the Tri-Service Aircraft Designation System came into effect. The A-4E entered production in December of 1962; a total of 499 A-4E Skyhawks would be delivered to the US Navy and Marine Corps starting in January 1963.

The A-4E began to see combat in Vietnam after arriving in early 1965, but it did not fully replace the earlier Skyhawks such as the A-4C. After opening in June 1965, the Chu Lai Short Airfield for Tactical Support (SATS) housed Marine A-4E Skyhawks. The Skyhawks landed using arrestor wires and took off by rocket-assisted takeoff (RATO). Throughout the Vietnam War, A-4 Skyhawks were used to provide close air support (CAS) for Marine Corps ground forces, primarily using bombs and rockets. A total of 362 A-4s of all types were lost during the Vietnam War, including non combat losses. 271 were from the US Navy, and 91 were from the Marine Corps.

During the war, many A-4Es and A-4Fs were used in the United States for training purposes. They had their armament - including external stores - removed and their slats fixed, and were used as aggressors (where they would act as enemy aircraft for training). In the aggressor role, an A-4 was called 'Mongoose'.

;1965 Philippine Sea Incident

It was December 5, 1965. This was the time of the Cold War and Vietnam War. Sailing 70 miles from the nearest island, 200 miles from Okinawa, was the USS ''Ticonderoga'', carrying Attack Squadron 56 (VA-56) consisting of A-4E attack jets that were carrying nuclear bombs. Lieutenant (Junior Grade) Douglas M. Webster, pilot of Douglas A-4E BuNo 151022 was performing a training exercise in his jet, rolling from hangar 2 to elevator 2. The jet was carrying a one megaton B43 thermonuclear bomb. An unspecified accident occurred, and the jet rolled off the deck. After a search, neither the pilot, the jet, nor the bomb was ever found, they likely sank the 16,000 ft (4,900 m) to the ocean floor. This was just one of the many "broken arrow" incidents during the Cold War.

The incident was acknowledged in 1981, but was misleading and it was fully revealed in 1989 due to a diplomatic inquiry by Japan. Lt. Cmdr. James Culda said on May 8, 1989 that "the environmental impact is expected to be nil", as the bomb was not armed and poses no threat at 4,900 m under the sea.

=== [[wt:en/news/6963-development-a-4e-skyhawk-heinemann-s-hot-rod-grows-up-en|Devblog]] ===
The beginning of the jet era and the escalation of the Cold War forced the US naval aviation command to look for a replacement for the very successful carrier-based piston-engine AD Skyraider, with the possibility of delivering a tactical nuclear weapon in the area of operation of an aircraft carrier group. With the beginning of the military campaign in Korea, the Douglas Aircraft Company began developing a carrier-based attack aircraft with an unconventional approach - instead of pursuing engine power, usually bringing weight and large size to the aircraft, Ed Heinemann's team concentrated on finding ways to lighten the construction, keeping it under 12,000 lbs.

The projected aircraft was a fairly compact, lightweight jet fighter-attacker with a delta-shaped wing and a competently lightweight design. This is how the A-4A "Skyhawk" was born, one of the first jet-based carrier-based aircraft capable of carrying a nuclear bomb. The aircraft was distinguished by its simplicity of design, practical controls with excellent flight characteristics for its time. Soon, in 1956, the A-4B version appeared, capable of carrying a huge variety of mounted weapons on three suspension points, including guided missiles.

Thus, the Skyhawk had become a truly universal carrier-based aircraft, capable of solving the entire spectrum of tasks for US Naval Aviation. A rather noticeable drawback of the attack aircraft was still the limited range of action, also army types always wanted to increase the weapon load. In 1961, Douglas presented an improved version of the aircraft with five pylons for armament and a new engine, which compensated for a heavier combat load, and also increased the range of the attack aircraft. It was the A-4E that became one of the most massive Skyhawk modifications and formed the image of a modern carrier-based attack aircraft. The "E" version was actively involved in the Vietnam War, and later, up till the end of the 80's, was used to simulate enemy aircraft in training dogfights.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=a_4e_early Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="A-4E Early Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:A-4E Early WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|KdpicoF_WJI|'''The Scary Scooter: A-4E Early Skyhawk Review''' - ''Sako Sniper''|1Zaxu0b_Yvo|'''Wing Snapper KING! A-4E_Early - USA - Review!''' - ''Jengar''|mcT2ytbzvSM|'''{{PAGENAME}} - ABSOLUTE GROUND WIPE''' - ''SUSLIK GAMING''}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6963-development-a-4e-skyhawk-heinemann-s-hot-rod-grows-up-en|[Devblog] A-4E Skyhawk: Heinemann's Hot-Rod grows up]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/538311-douglas-a-4e/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/A-4E_Skyhawk_SAC_-_1_July_1967.pdf Standard Aircraft Characteristics of the A-4E]

=== References ===

;Bibliography

* A-4E Skyhawk: Pacific Coast Air Museum: Navy Attack Plane. (2019, December 17). Retrieved December 12, 2020, from https://pacificcoastairmuseum.org/aircraft/a-4e-skyhawk/
* A-4 Skyhawk Production. (n.d.). Retrieved December 12, 2020, from http://skyhawk.org/content/douglas-4-skyhawk-production-history
* Standard Aircraft Characteristics Navy Model A-4E Aircraft. (n.d.). Retrieved from http://www.alternatewars.com/SAC/A-4E_Skyhawk_SAC_-_1_July_1967.pdf

{{AirManufacturer Douglas}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{Squadron aircraft}}

BMP-2M

2022-05-24T04:16:38Z

U123298818: /* Media */

{{About
| about = squadron Soviet light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = BMP (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_bmp_2m
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|BMP-2M WebsiteImage 1.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a squadron rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet light tank (infantry fighting vehicle) {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Starfighters"]]. The BMP-2M is a light, mobile yet lethal light tank. Although its survivability and armour are not remarkable, its armament and utility are unmatched at its battle rating.

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

The vehicle's playstyle is relatively similar to the [[BMP-2]]s. The fast turret traverse speed, wide field of view, and thermals for the optics combined with a fast-firing 2A42 autocannon and four 9M133 ATGMs makes it an excellent close range combat IFV and good front line scout at open fields. Armour on this vehicle can only protect the crew from 7.62 mm fire at all angles and sometimes 12.7 mm or even 20 mm when being shot from the front. The BMP-2M can sometimes survive AP rounds such as APFSDS as they can penetrate the vehicle without significant damage due to its large empty space inside. The overpressure mechanic will mean that often even a poorly placed HEAT round may immediately knock out the crew. Overall, survivability is poor, and the BMP-2M should use its manoeuvrability to flank opponents and strike before the enemy can locate you and return fire.

'''Armour type:'''

* High hardness rolled armour (hull and turret)
* Alloy ABT-101 (engine deck)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 12 mm (81°) || 13 mm ''Top'' 15 mm ''Bottom'' || 16 mm ''Doors'' 13 mm ''Door frame'' || 5 mm 12 mm ''Engine deck''
|-
| Turret || 20 mm ''Turret front'' 25 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 12 - 16 mm || 10 mm || 6 mm
|-
|}

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=558|rbMinHp=318}}

With 60 extra horsepower, the BMP-2M has excellent mobility compared to the BMP-2. The acceleration of the BMP-2M in off road conditions is excellent, and it is able to keep up with top tier MBTs like the [[T-80U]], [[M1A2 Abrams]] and [[Leopard 2A5]]. The reverse speed however is still -10 km/h and it still has no neutral steering. Its amphibious capabilities can be useful to cross deep water sections to reach places normally unreachable for other vehicles.

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

For module research, the following order is recommended:

* Parts & FPE to increase the durability
* 9M133FM-3 and NVD
* 30 mm APDS, Laser rangefinder and Filters
* 30 mm APDS-FS and Smoke grenade
* Pick the next modules you wish to research depending on your needs

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|2A42 (30 mm)}}

As this tank has a similar playstyle to its 8.3 counterpart, the [[BMP-2]], the main armament of the Shipunov 2A42 30 mm autocannon is a very versatile weapon, considering its vertical guidance, traverse speed, and large selection of ammo belts.

It is not recommended to engage in long-term combat without ATGMs using only the autocannon with any tank heavier than a light tank or an Anti-Tank Missile Carrier unless using the APDS ammo selection. If not using APDS, for heavier tanks it is recommended to cripple it by shooting its tracks and the main armament.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[2A42 (30 mm)|30 mm 2A42]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 500 (250) || rowspan="2" | 550 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+74° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 57.1 || 79.1 || 96.0 || 106.2 || 112.9 || rowspan="2" | 1.30 || rowspan="2" | 1.15 || rowspan="2" | 1.06 || rowspan="2" | 1.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary (self-destroying)}}
* '''30 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T*|High-explosive fragmentation tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''30 mm APT:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T*|High-explosive fragmentation tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''30 mm APDS:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T*|High-explosive fragmentation tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''30 mm APDS-FS:''' {{Annotation|APFSDS|Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APFSDS|Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APFSDS|Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="7" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Belt
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Default || 65 || 63 || 54 || 44 || 36 || 30
|-
| 30 mm HE || 65 || 63 || 54 || 44 || 36 || 30
|-
| 30 mm APT || 65 || 63 || 54 || 44 || 36 || 30
|-
| 30 mm APDS || 82 || 81 || 79 || 75 || 72 || 69
|-
| 30 mm APDS-FS || 102 || 99 || 94 || 88 || 81 || 75
|-
|}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''2''' || 0 ''(+2)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|AG-30 (30 mm)}}

{{Notice|It is recommended to fire the main and additional armaments separately, using separate keybinds for "Fire from secondary guns" and "Fire from the main calibre gun" or by setting keybinds to select the different weapon groups, as this 30 mm grenade launcher has a very different shell trajectory to the main 30 mm autocannon.}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[AG-30 (30 mm)|30 mm AG-30]] || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 300 (300) || 400 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 1.8 || 1.8 || 1.8 || 1.8
|-
|}

==== 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
|-
| VOG-30 || VOG* || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3 || 3
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" 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%
|-
| VOG-30 || VOG* || 185 || 0.28 || 0 || 0.1 || 55.44 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

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


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

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|9M133}}

Unlike the BMP-2 which only has one ATGM launcher and takes some time to reload, the ATGMs on the BMP-2M are arranged in 4 slots, 2 on either side of the tank. If all 4 are expended, an extra 4 will be able to reload if chosen in the battle start up.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[9M133]] missile || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 8 (4) || -5°/+10° || N/A || N/A || 26.00 || 23.00 || 21.20 || 20.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| 9M133 || ATGM (tandem) || 1,200 || 1,200 || 1,200 || 1,200 || 1,200 || 1,200
|-
| 9M133FM-3 || ATGM-VT || 61 || 61 || 61 || 61 || 61 || 61
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 9M133 || ATGM (tandem) || 300 || 5,500 || 26 || 0.4 || 0.01 || 6,160 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
| 9M133FM-3 || ATGM-VT || 320 || 10,000 || 28 || 0.2 || 0.01 || 9,240 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''2''' || 1 ''(+1)'' || 0 ''(+2)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Racks are modeled as 2 loadouts of 4 missiles
* Missiles are fired from A to D (see picture).

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|PKT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


During the stock grind, the vehicle is best played as a scout, as the stock ammo with the exception of the ATGMs is poor. Once it is spaded, the vehicle is basically a complete lineup in itself. It can play the part of a light tank, with excellent manoeuvrability, the ability to scout and repair, and the fast-firing autocannon to flank and destroy light to medium armoured targets.
Along with its scout capability to mark enemy armoured targets for allies or eliminate them with its ATGMs. If played cautiously, it can be played as a true IFV, supporting MBTs in close-quarters battle (CQB).

However, when playing close-quarter battle this, it is a support vehicle, and should not engage in frontal brawls with MBTs, as it will quickly be destroyed, due to its thin armour. It can be played at long range, using its scouting ability and ATGMs to knock out targets at long ranges.
While not its purpose, the BMP-2M can also be played as a last resort SPAA with its fast firing 30 mm autocannon and proximity fuse ATGMs in case there is no dedicated vehicle to perform this role.

===Combat tactics===

Avoid frontal confrontation with enemies of any kind, due to the very thin armour, high density of ammunition and crew and vulnerability to overpressure. Any weapon of calibre .50 cal or larger will absolutely shred the BMP-2M to pieces. The vehicle can be played in different roles:

'''Long-range engagement:''' it can use its scouting ability and ATGMs to mark and track targets at long distance. Unlike the BMP-2, this improved variant carries an ATGM with a tandem shaped warhead. This weapon can easily deal with any armour found at its battle rating and even above it. Furthermore, 4 out of the total 8 missiles can be simultaneously fired and controlled at any given time, allowing to engage multiple targets standing close by launching each missile in quick succession before the initial one impacted. This is only further reinforced through the ability to fire on the move at any speed, unlike almost all other ATGM carrying systems. Even in the case that only one missile is left, a 6-second reload will help a quick re-engagement. Be aware that your ATGMs have a lower velocity than the common APFSDS and HEAT-FS round that your enemies will fire: if you and your enemy fire at the same time, you will most likely be killed first. Once the laser rangefinder is unlocked, one can use APFSDS rounds at range as it can easily penetrate the side and roofs of most enemies it will face, and the high volume of rounds will quickly disable if not destroy the target.

'''Support and repair:''' this style of gameplay is most useful in close quarters environments especially when the vehicle is stock, making use of the autocannon, seeking out flanks and assisting with fast repairs. Good communication about targets is possible through the scouting feature. Adding to the support role is the 9M133FM-3 missile equipped with a HE warhead and proximity most effective against helicopters in particular.

'''Flanking:''' the main features of this strategy are the BMP-2's mobility and the 30 mm APFSDS belt which easily punches through the sides of any vehicle at its BR. The main focus is on targeting crew members and modules, as the post penetration damage is very localized. Basic knowledge about crew positions is most useful to get the most out of the rather short APFSDS belt (160 shells).

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 2A42 autocannon can punch through most vehicles at its battle rating from the back, side and sometimes front with the APDS and APFSDS rounds
* Fast turret traverse speed and gun elevation speed
* Gen-2 thermal optics for the gunner, wide field of view and 2.5 to 12 times zoom for gun sight, suitable for combat at any range
* 1,200 mm penetration power for the standard 9M133 missile; can fire and guide all four missiles simultaneously while on the move
* Can equip 9M133FM-3 HE missiles with proximity fuses, useful for SPAA purposes
* Laser rangefinder for the 30 mm APFSDS belt
* Amphibious ability can be useful for crossing the water to areas hard-to-reach for other vehicles
* Roof-mounted grenade launcher can clear obstacles that typically machine guns can not
* Relatively easy stock grind
* Can be played as a light tank, long range tank, CQB support vehicle, or SPAA

'''Cons:'''

* Missiles mounted on the turret have a chance to explode from shrapnel if too close to any form of explosion
* Chassis can only protect the crew from 7.62 mm and with limited 12.7 mm or bigger calibre ammunition protection from the front
* No neutral steering, and a slow reverse speed of -10 km/h
* Grenade launcher has only 3 mm of pen and generally can't destroy opponents, instead being used against obstacles and clearing ERA at close range, sometimes damaging tracks or exposed ammo racks (e.g. ATGMs) at very close range
* ATGMs require discipline to use, as the urge to fire all four of them on contact is near irresistible. While firing all four ATGM ensures that the target tank is absolutely annihilated, it is a waste of ammunition if operator does not redirect remaining missiles away from already destroyed tank towards next target
* Destroying the grenade launcher belt kills the vehicle

== History ==

In 2017, the Russian Ministry of Defense signed a contract with KBP Instrument Design (Konstruktorskoe Buro Priborostroeniya) for the modernization of BMP-2 and BMD-2 to the BMP-2M ICV "Berezhok" and "Bereg" (not to be confused with the BMP-2M made by Kurganmashzavod. The M is the general designator for modernized units). It is meant to be a cost-effective update which will augment a clear sophistication compared to the BMP-3. It equipped the B05Ya01 Berezhok turret keeping the same autocannon of the BMP-2, the 2A42 30 mm autocannon, a PKTM 7.62 mm coaxial machine gun (tank version of the PKM), an AGS-30 30 mm grenade launcher, 2 B05S011 guided weapon system which made the BMP-2M capable of firing 4 9M113M Kornet ATGM (2 launchers per turret side), new NVD from the BMD-4, 1PZ-13 commander's periscope, the BPK-3-42 gunner's primary sight (GPS), PL-1 laser illuminator, a 370-horsepower UDT-23 engine, new armament stabilizers, ballistics computer and a laser rangefinder. The "Berezhok" variant was preferred by Algeria while the Russian MoD decided for the BMP-2M made by Kurganmashzavod. Currently, the production of the BMP-2M is still kept with the first 18 units being delivered in 2020.

=== [[wt:en/news/6758-development-squadron-vehicles-bmp-2m-berezhok-en|Devblog]] ===
In the early 2000's, aside from the development of the new BMP-3, the Russian military had been looking into modernization of the widespread BMP-2 combat vehicles to face the challenges of the time. Amongst other projects proposed to the Russian Ministry of Defense under this program, an idea was raised to install the Berezhok combat complex on the BMP-2 chassis. Berezhok was a combat module created on the basis of the BMP-2 turret, but significantly increasing the overall fire potential of the vehicle. The main changes that Berezhok brought were the modern fire control system, the new highly capable Kornet ATGM, and the 30 mm automatic grenade launcher on the top of the turret. The BMP-2M with the Berezhok module was produced for export to the Algerian army, and also purchased by the Russian Ministry of Internal Affairs.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_bmp_2m Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="BMP-2M Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:BMP-2M_WTWallpaper_001.jpg|
File:BMP-2M_WTWallpaper_002.jpg|
File:BMP-2M_WTWallpaper_003.jpg|
File:BMP-2M_WTWallpaper_004.jpg|
File:BMP-2M_WTWallpaper_005.jpg|
File:BMP-2M_WTWallpaper_006.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|25_5geR39Zw|'''BMP Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 05:33 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|3MvXhKo9llU|'''Should You Buy The {{PAGENAME}}?''' - ''Sako Sniper''|SXxz6_3D82w|'''{{PAGENAME}} - Squadron Effort to Top Tier''' - ''Napalmratte''|qSQ9o2nQdBg|'''{{PAGENAME}} - The Russian Death Kornet''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|DAcSbCz0csY|'''{{PAGENAME}} - Review''' - ''SUSLIK GAMING''}}

== See also ==


* [[BMP-2]] - Base variant for the BMP-2M.

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6758-development-squadron-vehicles-bmp-2m-berezhok-en|[Devblog] Squadron vehicles: BMP-2M "Berezhok"]]

{{USSR light tanks}}
{{Squadron ground vehicles}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Begleitpanzer 57

2022-05-21T20:01:40Z

U123298818:

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_begleitpanzer_57
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.73 "Vive la France"]].

At first glance, the Begleitpanzer 57 may be confused for a SPAA due to the light armoured chassis and the rapid-firing 57 mm autocannon. On the turret is also a TOW launcher with SACLOS guidance, meaning it will automatically align itself with where the crosshair is pointing.

As it shares the same chassis, the Begleitpanzer 57's construction is similar to that of the [[Marder A1-|Marder A1-,]] with light armour all around and sides that heavy machine guns can penetrate. The main cannon's exterior mounting also means it can be disabled by machine guns and shrapnel.

As a light tank, the Begleitpanzer 57 carries great firepower and high mobility. The 57 mm autocannon has a penetration power close to that of the the [[ZSU-57-2]]'s, but the addition of a TOW launcher system makes this vehicle able to engage heavier targets.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 11 mm (76°), 32 mm (32°) ''Front glacis'' 32 mm (31-61°) ''Lower glacis'' || 15 mm (30°) ''Top'' 15 mm || 11 mm (24°) ''Top'' 11 mm (26°) || 11 mm
|-
| Turret || 25 mm (39°) ''Turret front'' 25 mm (0-9°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 15 mm (12-16°) ''Left side'' 15 mm ''Right side'' || 15 mm (39°) || 11 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 11 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,116|rbMinHp=637}}

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|Bofors L/70 Mk.1 (57 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Bofors L/70 Mk.1 (57 mm)|57 mm Bofors L/70 Mk.1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 148 || rowspan="2" | 200 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 52.4 || 72.5 || 88.0 || 97.3 || 103.5 || rowspan="2" | 0.30 || rowspan="2" | 0.30 || rowspan="2" | 0.30 || rowspan="2" | 0.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 32.7 || 38.5 || 46.8 || 51.7 || 55.0
|-
|}

==== 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
|-
| 57x438 AP-T || APCBC || 137 || 133 || 119 || 103 || 89 || 77
|-
| 57x438 SAP-T || SAPHEI || 47 || 46 || 41 || 35 || 31 || 26
|-
| 57x438 HE-T || HE* || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11
|-
| 57x438 HE-VT || HE-VT* || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 57x438 AP-T || APCBC || 950 || 2.7 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| 57x438 SAP-T || SAPHEI || 950 || 2.7 || 1.2 || 9 || 510 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 57x438 HE-T || HE* || 1,020 || 2.4 || 0 || 0.1 || 765 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="12" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Arming distance (m)
! rowspan="2" | Trigger radius (m)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 57x438 HE-VT || HE-VT* || 1,020 || 2.4 || 0 || 0.1 || 500 || 6 || 765 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''96''' || 48 ''(+48)'' || 24 ''(+72)'' || 0 ''(+96)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Racks 2 and 3 are first stage ammo racks. They total 48 shells and get filled first when loading up the tank.
* As the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with mechanized magazines, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
* Once racks 2 and 3 have been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the mechanized magazines. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 into rack 3 then 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
* The depletion order at full capacity is: 2 - 3 - 1.



=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|BGM-71B TOW|BGM-71C I-TOW}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[BGM-71B TOW]]/[[BGM-71C I-TOW]] ATGM || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 6 || -6°/+20° || N/A || N/A || 10.00 || 10.00 || 10.00 || 10.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| TOW || ATGM || 430 || 430 || 430 || 430 || 430 || 430
|-
| I-TOW || ATGM || 630 || 630 || 630 || 630 || 630 || 630
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| TOW || ATGM || 299 || 3,000 || 18.82 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 3,210 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
| I-TOW || ATGM || 296 || 3,750 || 19.05 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 2,720 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''6''' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* It is not possible to select how many missiles to bring into battle.
* The missiles are listed from 1 to 6.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

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

== Usage in battles ==


The Begleitpanzer 57 is a very capable light tank and support vehicle. With proximity fuse HE shells in its 57 mm cannon, it can effectively engage air targets, and can destroy enemy IFVs and even MBTs with its high-penetration rounds. However, when shooting at enemy planes, it is best to wait until they are close before firing, since the vehicle does not have a very high ammo count. Alternatively, the vehicle carries missiles which can be used very effectively to destroy both helicopters and tanks at long ranges. The missile's travel time must be taken in to consideration, but it is nice to have when the enemy is too far away to engage with the 57 mm cannon.

The Begleitpanzer's main cannon can sometimes destroy MBTs from the front, but does damage much more consistently when shooting the enemy's weaker armoured side. For this reason, it is often wise to adopt an ambushing or flanking playstyle. This is helped by the vehicle's small profile and good mobility. It is easy to reach good firing positions and manoeuvre around the enemy quickly and without being seen. (And since the vehicle has poor armour, avoiding being seen will be very important for survival).

While the cannon shares its calibre with the Soviet [[S-68 (57 mm)|57 mm S-68 cannon]], it is quite different in performance with a slower rate of fire and a lesser accuracy. The penetration power is considerably inferior compared to the APCBC belt of the S-68 at 1 km distance. The HE round can be completely ignored as it can not reliably go through the side armour of most MBTs it faces. All of this means that long range firepower relies mainly on your ATGM, of which you only have 6. Upgrading to the better ATGM is highly encouraged due to its increased penetration.

At the end of the day, the Begleitpanzer can be played as a light tank scout. It can't engage the enemy front-on, but it can be a valuable asset to the team and is lethal when played in the correct positions. Be sure to use the scouting ability to help friendly players locate enemy tanks. During night battles, the NVD modification will make scouting both easier to do and even more helpful to the team.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Effective against tanks and aircraft/helicopters
* Has ability to utilise scouting mechanic
* Lethal when shooting enemies from the side
* 1st generation gunner thermals
* Proximity HE shells are very good against helicopters (proxy fuse is only active after 500 m)
* Has access to a laser rangefinder

'''Cons:'''

* Low gun elevation (45 degrees) when dealing with enemy planes
* Cannot destroy many enemies frontally
* Fairly low ammunition count
* Gun breech is easily destroyed
* Must stop to fire AGTMs
* Loses accuracy when firing continuously

== History ==


=== [[wt:en/news/5069-development-begleitpanzer-57-bofors-marder-united-at-last-en|Devblog]] ===
The armoured fire-support vehicle Begleitpanzer 57 is a combined project from the Thyssen-Henschel and Bofors companies, developed for scouting and destroying lightly armoured Soviet APCs and IFVs without needing tank divisions for support. To achieve this, the engineers chose the chassis of the German Marder infantry fighting vehicle and installed an adapted version of an automatic 57mm ship cannon on it. Moreover, for fighting with enemy tanks, the Begleitpanzer was equipped with American TOW guided anti-tank rockets and a reloading system for the rocket launcher was developed and placed inside the vehicle's hull.

The result was a fast and light infantry fighting machine capable of destroying enemy tanks and armoured personnel carriers at impressive ranges. At the same time, it could also land a small group of 3 infantry scouts. Sounds like a great idea! But it was the very universality of the Begleitpanzer 57 that prevented the vehicle from going into series production. The Begleitpanzer 57 turned out to be too lightly armoured for an infantry fighting machine, and too heavily armoured for a scout tank, plus it was not adapted for overcoming significant water obstacles. The military commission rejected the experimental prototype and the project was closed.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_begleitpanzer_57 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ZQ0XIBPcF4E|'''The Shooting Range #73''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:30 discusses the Begleitpanzer 57.|2h5kFyznXKU|'''Best IFVs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:41 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|9vKiwK-vjTk|'''{{PAGENAME}} - UBER BEGLEITPANZER 57''' - ''SUSLIK GAMING''}}

== See also ==


;Light tanks based on the same chassis

* [[Marder A1-]]
* [[Marder 1A3]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5069-development-begleitpanzer-57-bofors-marder-united-at-last-en|[Devblog] Begleitpanzer 57: Bofors/Marder united at last!]]

{{Germany light tanks}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Begleitpanzer 57

2022-05-21T19:59:20Z

U123298818:

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_begleitpanzer_57
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.73 "Vive la France"]].

At first glance, the Begleitpanzer 57 may be confused for a SPAA due to the light armoured chassis and the rapid-firing 57 mm autocannon. On the turret is also a TOW launcher with SACLOS guidance, meaning it will automatically align itself with where the crosshair is pointing.

As it shares the same chassis, the Begleitpanzer 57's construction is similar to that of the [[Marder A1-|Marder A1-,]] with light armour all around and sides that heavy machine guns can penetrate. The main cannon's exterior mounting also means it can be disabled by machine guns and shrapnel.

As a light tank, the Begleitpanzer 57 carries great firepower and high mobility. The 57 mm autocannon has a penetration power close to that of the the [[ZSU-57-2]]'s, but the addition of a TOW launcher system makes this vehicle able to engage heavier targets.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 11 mm (76°), 32 mm (32°) ''Front glacis'' 32 mm (31-61°) ''Lower glacis'' || 15 mm (30°) ''Top'' 15 mm || 11 mm (24°) ''Top'' 11 mm (26°) || 11 mm
|-
| Turret || 25 mm (39°) ''Turret front'' 25 mm (0-9°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 15 mm (12-16°) ''Left side'' 15 mm ''Right side'' || 15 mm (39°) || 11 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 11 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,116|rbMinHp=637}}

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|Bofors L/70 Mk.1 (57 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Bofors L/70 Mk.1 (57 mm)|57 mm Bofors L/70 Mk.1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 148 || rowspan="2" | 200 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 52.4 || 72.5 || 88.0 || 97.3 || 103.5 || rowspan="2" | 0.30 || rowspan="2" | 0.30 || rowspan="2" | 0.30 || rowspan="2" | 0.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 32.7 || 38.5 || 46.8 || 51.7 || 55.0
|-
|}

==== 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
|-
| 57x438 AP-T || APCBC || 137 || 133 || 119 || 103 || 89 || 77
|-
| 57x438 SAP-T || SAPHEI || 47 || 46 || 41 || 35 || 31 || 26
|-
| 57x438 HE-T || HE* || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11
|-
| 57x438 HE-VT || HE-VT* || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 57x438 AP-T || APCBC || 950 || 2.7 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| 57x438 SAP-T || SAPHEI || 950 || 2.7 || 1.2 || 9 || 510 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| 57x438 HE-T || HE* || 1,020 || 2.4 || 0 || 0.1 || 765 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="12" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Arming distance (m)
! rowspan="2" | Trigger radius (m)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| 57x438 HE-VT || HE-VT* || 1,020 || 2.4 || 0 || 0.1 || 500 || 6 || 765 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''96''' || 48 ''(+48)'' || 24 ''(+72)'' || 0 ''(+96)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Racks 2 and 3 are first stage ammo racks. They total 48 shells and get filled first when loading up the tank.
* As the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with mechanized magazines, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
* Once racks 2 and 3 have been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the mechanized magazines. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 into rack 3 then 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
* The depletion order at full capacity is: 2 - 3 - 1.



=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|BGM-71B TOW|BGM-71C I-TOW}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[BGM-71B TOW]]/[[BGM-71C I-TOW]] ATGM || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 6 || -6°/+20° || N/A || N/A || 10.00 || 10.00 || 10.00 || 10.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| TOW || ATGM || 430 || 430 || 430 || 430 || 430 || 430
|-
| I-TOW || ATGM || 630 || 630 || 630 || 630 || 630 || 630
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| TOW || ATGM || 299 || 3,000 || 18.82 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 3,210 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
| I-TOW || ATGM || 296 || 3,750 || 19.05 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 2,720 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''6''' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* It is not possible to select how many missiles to bring into battle.
* The missiles are listed from 1 to 6.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

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

== Usage in battles ==


The Begleitpanzer 57 is a very capable light tank and support vehicle. With proximity fuse HE shells in its 57 mm cannon, it can effectively engage air targets, and can destroy enemy IFVs and even MBTs with its high-penetration rounds. However, when shooting at enemy planes, it is best to wait until they are close before firing, since the vehicle does not have a very high ammo count. Alternatively, the vehicle carries missiles which can be used very effectively to destroy both helicopters and tanks at long ranges. The missile's travel time must be taken in to consideration, but it is nice to have when the enemy is too far away to engage with the 57 mm cannon.

The Begleitpanzer's main cannon can sometimes destroy MBTs from the front, but does damage much more consistently when shooting the enemy's weaker armoured side. For this reason, it is often wise to adopt an ambushing or flanking playstyle. This is helped by the vehicle's small profile and good mobility. It is easy to reach good firing positions and manoeuvre around the enemy quickly and without being seen. (And since the vehicle has poor armour, avoiding being seen will be very important for survival).

While the cannon shares its calibre with the Soviet [[S-68 (57 mm)|57 mm S-68 cannon]], it is quite different in performance with a slower rate of fire and a lesser accuracy. The penetration power is considerably inferior compared to the APCBC belt of the S-68 at 1 km distance. The HE round can be completely ignored as it can not reliably go through the side armour of most MBTs it faces. All of this means that long range firepower relies mainly on your ATGM, of which you only have 6. Upgrading to the better ATGM is highly encouraged due to its increased penetration.

At the end of the day, the Begleitpanzer can be played as a light tank scout. It can't engage the enemy front-on, but it can be a valuable asset to the team and is lethal when played in the correct positions. Be sure to use the scouting ability to help friendly players locate enemy tanks. During night battles, the NVD modification will make scouting both easier to do and even more helpful to the team.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Effective against tanks and aircraft/helicopters
* Has ability to utilise scouting mechanic
* Lethal when shooting enemies from the side
* 1st generation gunner thermals
* Proximity HE shells are very good against helicopters (proxy fuse is only active after 500 m)
* Has access to a laser rangefinder

'''Cons:'''

* Low gun elevation (45 degrees) when dealing with enemy planes
* Cannot destroy many enemies frontally
* Fairly low ammunition count
* Gun breech is easily destroyed
* Must stop to fire AGTMs
* Loses accuracy when firing continuously

== History ==


=== [[wt:en/news/5069-development-begleitpanzer-57-bofors-marder-united-at-last-en|Devblog]] ===
The armoured fire-support vehicle Begleitpanzer 57 is a combined project from the Thyssen-Henschel and Bofors companies, developed for scouting and destroying lightly armoured Soviet APCs and IFVs without needing tank divisions for support. To achieve this, the engineers chose the chassis of the German Marder infantry fighting vehicle and installed an adapted version of an automatic 57mm ship cannon on it. Moreover, for fighting with enemy tanks, the Begleitpanzer was equipped with American TOW guided anti-tank rockets and a reloading system for the rocket launcher was developed and placed inside the vehicle's hull.

The result was a fast and light infantry fighting machine capable of destroying enemy tanks and armoured personnel carriers at impressive ranges. At the same time, it could also land a small group of 3 infantry scouts. Sounds like a great idea! But it was the very universality of the Begleitpanzer 57 that prevented the vehicle from going into series production. The Begleitpanzer 57 turned out to be too lightly armoured for an infantry fighting machine, and too heavily armoured for a scout tank, plus it was not adapted for overcoming significant water obstacles. The military commission rejected the experimental prototype and the project was closed.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_begleitpanzer_57 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ZQ0XIBPcF4E|'''The Shooting Range #73''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:30 discusses the Begleitpanzer 57.|2h5kFyznXKU|'''Best IFVs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:41 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Light tanks based on the same chassis

* [[Marder A1-]]
* [[Marder 1A3]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5069-development-begleitpanzer-57-bofors-marder-united-at-last-en|[Devblog] Begleitpanzer 57: Bofors/Marder united at last!]]

{{Germany light tanks}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Begleitpanzer 57

2022-05-21T19:56:26Z

U123298818: /* Media */