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PBY-5A Catalina (USSR)

2023-10-15T16:09:50Z

U142791519: /* Description */ details

{{About
| about = bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = PBY-5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=pby-5a_ussr
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

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

Although technically a medium bomber, the PBY-5's strategies are much like that of heavy bombers in higher tiers such as the Pe-8. It is best to fly high, as flying low will make you an easy target for fighters and AA. The best tactic for fending off enemy fighters is to use the rudder to direct one of the side gunners towards the attacking plane. It is also smart to use the guns manually in this situation, as the AI is often very inaccurate and will refuse to fire beyond a certain distance. In the worst case scenarios, a dive can be used to greatly increase the plane's speed to get to attack a ground target before a pursuing enemy fighter shoots it down.

The PBY-5A Catalina is slow and clunky amphibious aircraft, but it offers a heavy payload that is sure to be a game changer if used properly. It also has a very good defensive armament for its tier, which can occasionally be a saviour against an enemy fighter.

The plane is quite unmanoeuvrable, and its wings are very weak, being able to snap just by turning just a little too tight at higher speeds in a realistic battle. This version has landing gear, facilitating the task of landing and enabling it to capture bases in Airfield Domination mode in Arcade Battles. The PBY-5A Catalina is a variant of the PBY Catalina family, which was the United States’ highest scoring U-boat destroyer in history.

== 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 2,135 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
| 259 || 249 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 31.0 || 31.9 || 2.6 || 2.6 || rowspan="2" | 364
|-
! Upgraded
| 310 || 282 || 29.1 || 30.0 || 8.7 || 5.1
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || X || 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 || ~3 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 220 || < 220 || < 230 || > 200
|-
|}

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


* 9.5 mm Steel - Plates behind pilot and co-pilot seats
* 4.7 mm Steel - Plates between fuel tanks
* 6.3 mm Steel - Plates behind fuel tanks
* 6.35 mm Steel - Ventral gunner hatch/door
* No armour glazing
* Critical components located in front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
* More fuel tanks located in wings near fuselage

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

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

{{main|AN-M30A1 (100 lb)|AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)}}
{{main|Mk.13-6 (2,216 lb)|Mk.13-6 Case (2,216 lb)|Type A Mark I mine}}

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

* 16 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (1,600 lb total)
* 4 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x Type A Mark I mines
* 2 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 torpedoes
* 2 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 Case torpedoes

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

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

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (478 rpg)
* 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, nose turret (1,000 rpg)
* 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

Climb off to the side immediately and attempt to avoid all contact with enemy aircraft for as long as possible. The large bomb load will allow you to take care of bases easily, but the fact that this is a flying boat will prevent you from defending yourself in all directions. Never forget this aspect of the Catalina: It's defenceless against attacks from below.

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

Any vehicle with a 12.7 mm guns or higher or anything with a majority tracer filled belt. The .50 cals can easily disable your very much exposed engines and control surfaces, and tracer belts quickly ignite the exposed fuel tanks.

====Counter-tactics====

Many enemies, due to your low rate of climb and slow speed, will engage you from above and in front. As the Catalina only has a weak gunner on the front, it is vital to engage them early if they approach from this direction. Scaring off enemies should be your main tactic if they approach you in any other direction, though using the rudder to twist your plane will allow you to use the rear gunners effectively against enemies behind you.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Multiple turrets allow for good coverage of the bomber in all directions but directly above and below
* Massive bomb load for Tier I
* Can carry torpedoes unlike most bombers in the Soviet Tree
* Landing gear

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible roll rate
* Slow
* Cannot defend itself from attacks directed at it from above or below
* Wings are extremely fragile

== History ==

The PBY-5 flying boat and the PBY-5A amphibious aircraft, all-metal parasol monoplanes, were developed in the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation's design bureau under the direction of Isaac Laddon under the designation of Model 28. A prototype XP3Y-1 flying boat made its first flight on March 21, 1935. Full-scale production began in September 1936.

Full-scale production of the PBY-5В version began in 1939. This variant of the flying boat had a new tail assembly with a more angular rudder and 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp fourteen-cylinder, air-cooled engines. The plane's defensive armament was reinforced: The 7.62 mm Browning M2.3 machine guns in the aircraft's gun placements were replaced with large-calibre 12.7 mm Colt-Browning M2.5 machine guns with 800 rounds each. Transparent drop-shaped blisters were installed on each side of the boat instead of sliding hatches. The aircraft's equipment was also upgraded.

At the same time as the PBY-5, Consolidated Aircraft designers developed an amphibious variant with retractable tricycle landing gear. The main wheels were hydraulically raised and stored in open bays between struts connected to the wing. The XPBY-5A prototype made its first flight on November 22, 1939.
The amphibious variant proved heavier than the PBY-5 flying boat, losing speed, ceiling height, and flight range, but these disadvantages were fully compensated for by the aircraft's increased combat capabilities.

Catalinas of various versions were in service with the USA and countries of the Anti-Hitler Coalition, including the USSR, where they were delivered as part of the Lend-Lease program.

The Soviets' naval aviation suffered a heavy crisis in the second half of the war. The enormous losses from the first years of the war went practically unremedied by any deliveries of new seaplanes from the aircraft industry. What the Soviet naval aviation industry could offer did not meet the standards of the time, either. Unable to provide their troops with domestically produced planes, the Soviet leaders had to ask for help from the Allies.

Catalinas were delivered to the USSR beginning in 1944. As part of the Soviet Naval Aviation force, these flying boats ran anti-submarine defence and long-distance reconnaissance missions and participated in rescue and landing operations. A total of 185 Catalinas of the PBN-1 and PBY-6A versions were delivered from the USA to the USSR. In addition, several PBY-5A amphibians were delivered to the Soviet Union: these aircraft were handed over to Soviet crews in 1944 at the Vancouver Island base.

The Catalinas that served with the Soviet Naval Aviation force were discarded from 1954 to 1957.

{{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}}
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina twin-engine, long-distance naval scout aircraft

The PBY-5 flying boat and the PBY-5A amphibious aircraft, all-metal parasol monoplanes, were developed in the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation's design bureau under the direction of Isaac Laddon under the designation of Model 28. A prototype XP3Y-1 flying boat made its first flight on March 21, 1935. Full-scale production began in September 1936.

Full-scale production of the PBY-5В version began in 1939. This variant of the flying boat had a new tail assembly with a more angular rudder and 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp fourteen-cylinder, air-cooled engines. The plane's defensive armament was reinforced: The 7.62 mm Browning M2.3 machine guns in the aircraft's gun placements were replaced with large-calibre 12.7 mm Colt-Browning M2.5 machine guns with 800 rounds each. Transparent drop-shaped blisters were installed on each side of the boat instead of sliding hatches. The aircraft's equipment was also upgraded.

At the same time as the PBY-5, Consolidated Aircraft designers developed an amphibious variant with retractable tricycle landing gear. The main wheels were hydraulically raised and stored in open bays between struts connected to the wing. The XPBY-5A prototype made its first flight on November 22, 1939.

The amphibious variant proved heavier than the PBY-5 flying boat, losing speed, ceiling height, and flight range, but these disadvantages were fully compensated for by the aircraft's increased combat capabilities.

Catalinas of various versions were in service with the USA and countries of the Anti-Hitler Coalition, including the USSR, where they were delivered as part of the Lend-Lease programme.

The Soviets' naval aviation suffered a heavy crisis in the second half of the war. The enormous losses from the first years of the war went practically unremedied by any deliveries of new seaplanes from the aircraft industry. What the Soviet naval aviation industry could offer did not meet the standards of the time, either. Unable to provide their troops with domestically produced planes, the Soviet leaders had to ask for help from the Allies.

Catalinas were delivered to the USSR beginning in 1944. As part of the Soviet Naval Aviation force, these flying boats ran anti-submarine defence and long-distance reconnaissance missions and participated in rescue and landing operations.

A total of 185 Catalinas of the PBN-1 and PBY-6A versions were delivered from the USA to the USSR. In addition, several PBY-5A amphibians were delivered to the Soviet Union: these aircraft were handed over to Soviet crews in 1944 at the Vancouver Island base.

The Catalinas that served with the Soviet Naval Aviation force were discarded from 1954 to 1957.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=pby-5a_ussr Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|HjD-qAz3EOE|'''Premium Review. Russian PBY-5A Catalina. Infused with Soviet Might!''' - ''Joseph 2000''}}

== 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 ==


* [http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/18963-pby-5a-catalina-official-thread/ <nowiki>[Forum]</nowiki> PBY-5A Catalina Official Thread]

{{AirManufacturer Consolidated}}
{{USSR bombers}}
{{USSR premium aircraft}}

Pe-3bis

2023-10-15T16:02:58Z

U142791519: /* Description */ charcteristics described better

{{About
| about = Soviet strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Pe-3 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=pe-3_bis
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} long-range Soviet strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

The Pe-3bis is the final aircraft in the Pe-3 family of strike aircraft, and shares similar characteristics with its other brethren.It isn’t a very manoeuvrable aircraft, and has mediocre handling characteristics even for a twin-engined heavy fighter.It features an impressive array of secondary weapons, making it an effective ground attacker. It can also be used in as an effective air-defence fighter and bomber hunter, taking advantage of its airspawn and powerful frontal armament. Overall, this aircraft is a great multirole fighter suitable for both Air and Mixed battles.

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

The Pe-3bis has similar handling characteristics as its predecessor, the Pe-3. It isn't a very manoeuvrable aircraft, and has mediocre handling characteristics even for a twin-engined heavy fighter. The plane can attain a top speed of roughly 430 km/h at sea level when spaded, and up to 530 km/h at higher altitudes. This means that the aircraft is much slower than most enemy single-engine fighters and some of its twin-engined brethren (for example, the [[Me 410 A-1|Me 410]]). The plane also has a slow climb rate, meaning that gaining altitude is always going to be a pain.

This aircraft benefits from having control surfaces that are relatively large and responsive. In particular, the aircraft's roll rate is actually quite satisfactory for an aircraft of its size. However, being a heavy fighter, the Pe-3bis suffers from relatively bad energy retention and turning capacity. The aircraft is equipped with leading-edge slats which can help improve manoeuvrability, but still cannot out-manoeuvre almost every single-engine fighter it faces at the BR. The aircraft suffers from slight control-surface lockup at higher speeds, but this isn't severe enough to prevent the aircraft from pulling out from a steep dive.

The aircraft's engines are another weak point, as their oil coolers are rather ineffective. As a result, the aircraft's engines will begin to overheat after just 30 seconds of WEP, even when spaded.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,100 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
| 512 || 495 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 35.1 || 36.3 || 6.4 || 6.4 || rowspan="2" | 326
|-
! Upgraded
| 549 || 530 || 32.6 || 33.8 || 11.9 || 8.9
|-
|}

==== 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}} || 500 || 470 || 320 || ~10 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 380 || < 380 || < 440 || > 307
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,000 m || 1,100 hp || 1,186 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,000 m || 1,050 hp || 1,132 hp
|-
|}

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

[[File:Pe-3bis Armour Layout (2).png|thumb|Pe-3 Armour layout seen from the side.]]

* 6 mm steel plate in front of the pilot
* 7 mm steel plate in front / partially below the pilot
* 45 mm bulletproof glass in front of pilot
* 13 mm armoured seat for pilot
* 6 mm steel protecting sides of gunner cabin
* 10 mm steel underneath gunner
* 12 mm steel behind gunner
* Fuel tanks are located behind the gunner and in the wing, are self-sealing and feature a neutral gas pressurization system

This aircraft benefits from strong armour protection for both crew members, featuring 6-13 mm steel plating for the pilot cabin. As well, the pilot has a 45 mm bulletproof glass plate in the front of the aircraft. The fuel tanks in the wing can often survive fires due to their pressurization system.

However, the plane is still rather fragile. The central fuel tank (behind the gunner) is well-protected but can often cause structural failure if set alight. As well, the engines are unprotected and can easily be knocked out.

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

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

{{main|ShVAK (20 mm)|Berezin UB (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon, nose-mounted (250 rpg)
* 2 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine guns, belly-mounted (265 rpg left + 230 rpg right = 495 total)

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Pe-3.png]]</div>
|-
! [[FAB-100sv (100 kg)|100 kg FAB-100sv]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[FAB-250sv (250 kg)|250 kg FAB-250sv]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[M-13UK]] rockets
| 3 || || || || || 3
|-
! [[RBS-132]] rockets
| 3 || || || || || 3
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 720 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 360 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 280 kg
|-
|}

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

* Without load
* 4 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (400 kg total)
* 2 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bombs (500 kg total)
* 6 x M-13UK rockets
* 6 x RBS-132 rockets
{{Navigation-End}}

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

{{main|Berezin UB (12.7 mm)|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, dorsal turret (200 rpg)
* 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, tail turret (250 rpg)

It should be noted that the 7.62 mm machine gun has a tiny firing arc making it almost useless in all engagements. Thus, the main line of defence of the Pe-3bis is its 12.7 mm machine gun. This weapon has decent coverage over the upper hemisphere, but cannot fire underneath the aircraft. As a result, the aircraft is completely undefended against attacks from below.

== Usage in battles ==

The Pe-3bis is a very effective multirole aircraft that can be configured for a variety of missions. Firstly, the aircraft benefits from an airspawn, allowing it to reach the battlefield much faster. As well, the aircraft is decently-armoured and has great armament options, meaning that it can be used in both bomber-hunting and ground-attack roles. These two main paths will be discussed below:

'''Ground Attack:'''

Though initially configured as a bomber-hunter, the Pe-3bis benefits from a strong set of secondary payload options. These include up to 700 kg of bombs (2x250 kg mounted underwing and 2 x 100 kg in the engine-nacelle bays). The aircraft can also carry up to six RS/RBS-132 rockets for use against armoured ground targets. These secondary armaments make the aircraft very effective against ground targets.

In Air RB, one option is to bring the attack load and skim the ground, with the aim of reaching the ground targets as fast as possible. The 2 x 100 kg + 2 x 250 kg load is quite effective against hard targets, but can only hit 3 targets due to the 250 kg bombs dropping in pairs. The 100 kg bombs drop one-by-one out of each engine nacelle bay (don't forget to open the bomb bay before attacking), but have a smaller blast radius meaning that it will be harder to kill Tanks and pillboxes with it. The RS/RBS-132 rockets are very effective against harder targets, but take some time to get used to aiming - however, the RBS-132 lacks an explosive charge and typically does less damage. Take note that the rockets fire in pairs, meaning that you have three shots total (six rockets).

In mixed battles, the aircraft can be effectively used as a multirole aircraft, utilizing its strong armaments. The aforementioned rockets and bombs can be used to deal with tanks and harder targets - however, note that the 20 mm ShVak cannon can also be used against softer targets. The cannon is capable of penetrating 27 mm of armour when using Armoured Target belts, which is more than enough to deal with softer targets such as SPGs and SPAAs.

'''Bomber Hunter / Heavy Fighter:'''

The Pe-3 can also be used as a bomber hunter. The aircraft carries a decent frontal armament of 2 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine guns (located on the belly) and a 20 mm ShVak Cannon in the nose. Though not as powerful as the weapons found on its contemporaries (like the [[Ki-108]], [[Mosquito (Family)|Mosquito]] or the [[Me 410 (Family)|Me 410]]), they are equipped with big ammo reserves and can easily deal with any air targets, whether large or small.

An ideal strategy is to begin side-climbing at the start of a match. Due to the Pe-3's relatively bad climb rate, the aircraft will take relatively long to get to altitude, though this is remedied by the aircraft's airspawn. Once at altitude, look for any bombers to destroy, and engage them first as the Pe-3's poor manoeuvrability makes it lacklustre when used against agile fighters. If there are no bombers to engage, feel free to Boom & Zoom on any unsuspecting fighters. However, '''never''' engage in a turnfight as the smaller, more agile fighters will quickly make short work of you. Note that you have access to a rear gunner, with an effective defensive turret. However, the bottom of the plane is completely unprotected (unlike the Pe-2) meaning that you cannot defend yourself against fighters approaching from below.

'''Specific Enemies worth noting:'''

* '[BV 238]] - The German mega-boat-plane is one common enemy that can be encountered in uptiers. Though slow, its formidable defensive armament will turn you into mincemeat if you stay on their tail for too long. When engaging this aircraft, approaching for a head-on is the best strategy, as the BV 238 only has a single quad turret at the front. Aim for the wings and engines, as they are much more vulnerable than the BV 238's fuselage.
* [[SB2C-4]] - The Helldiver can often be encountered in uptiers flying at altitude. However, don't underestimate this plane as it wield a strong set of forward weapons that can be augmented with underwing gun pods (on the SB2C-4). Thus, don't take any head-ons as the SB2C's cannons can easily break a wing or set the engines on fire. Instead, dive on them when they're unaware, as the rear quadrant of the SB2C isn't well protected.
* [[Mosquito (Family)|Mosquito]] - The Mosquito, another twin-engined fighter that can be encountered, is also a dangerous enemy. It wields a quad pack of 20 mm Hispanos that will rip the Pe-3bis apart. As with the Helldiver, don't take head-ons. Instead, dive on them from the upper quadrant. Their airframe is fragile as it is made of wood, and will not take many hits.

=== 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 || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent frontal armament with large ammunition reserves
* Relatively sturdy, and can potentially survive some fires due to its self-sealing and pressurized fuel tanks
** Pilot and gunner are both fairly well protected
* Gets an airspawn in RB meaning that it can reach the battlefield much faster
* Can carry a decent amount of suspended ordnance making ground-pounding a viable option

'''Cons:'''

* Frontal armament isn't nearly as powerful as similar aircraft such as the [[Mosquito (Family)|Mosquito]] or [[Ki-108]]
* Ordnance options are rather limited and doesn't have access to heavy bombs (500 kg+)
* Lacklustre flight characteristics including poor manoeuvrability and slow top speed
* FAB-250 bombs and rockets drop in pairs, severely limiting the maximum amount of targets
* Aircraft lacks a ventral gunner, and the tailcone machine gun is essentially useless as a self-defence weapon
* Has a large minimum fuel option of 52 minutes - you'll almost never need that much fuel
* Terribly long turn time, even when fully upgraded; you will have a tough time manoeuvring

== History ==

After the initial introduction of the Pe-3 fighter to frontline units, pilots reported several issues with the aircraft. Importantly, the flash from the forward guns frequently blinded the pilot, due to the aircraft's frequent use as a night fighter. As a result, the Petlyakov design bureau began working on an improved version of the Pe-3, called the Pe-3bis. The first prototype was developed in September and October of 1941.

The aircraft featured an improved main armament over the original Pe-3, now carrying a pair of 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine guns and a 20 mm ShVak cannon. The wing was equipped with leading-edge slats, and the fuel tanks were given a gas pressurization system using engine exhaust gases. Combat testing of the aircraft revealed additional problems - importantly, the nose-mounted machine guns still frequently blinded the pilot. As a result, a redesign of the weapons mountings led to the guns being moved underneath the fuselage, near the bomb bay location of the original Pe-2.

The new Pe-3bis aircraft began entering service in early 1942, serving alongside previous Pe-3 aircraft in reconnaissance, patrol and convoy escort missions. A single Pe-3 was captured by the Finnish, who renamed it the Pe-301 and used it as a reconnaissance platform as well. A total of 152 Pe-3bis aircraft were produced.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
Petlyakov Pe-3bis Heavy Twin-Engine Fighter.

In April 1942, the Pe-3bis, an improved version of the Pe-3, began full-scale production. The most significant improvements concerned the main armament: a 20 mm ShVAK cannon with 250 rounds was installed in the nose fuselage section. Two 12.7 mm Berezin UBK machine guns were placed under the center wing section where the Pe-2's bomb bay once had been. The starboard gun had 230 rounds, whereas the port gun was given 265 rounds. A VUB-1 defensive turret was mounted at the navigator's station and had a 12.7 mm UBK machine gun with a pneumatic reloading system and 200 rounds. A 7.62 mm fixed ShKAS machine gun with 250 rounds was put in the tail cone.

Various changes and improvements were introduced into the airframe structure and the plane's equipment. The wing panels of the Pe-3bis were equipped with automatic leading edge flaps. The crash pylon was removed from the crew cockpit to improve the navigator's working conditions, and the cockpit armour was reinforced. Only a part of the glazing on the nose fuselage section was left, namely a pair of narrow side blisters and a small navigator's porthole to aim when bombing. Blackout shutters were provided for the whole of the cockpit glazing.

The nitrogen fuel tank pressurization system was replaced with one that used cooled inert gases fed to the tanks from the engine exhaust. Transferring the battery of guns to the center wing section required reduction of the capacity of fuselage fuel tank No. 7 by 100 liters. An asbestos bulkhead separated the tank from the machine guns and, at the same time, protected the weapons from dripping gasoline.

121 Pe-3bis aircraft were built in 1942. The industry provided the front lines with 13 more planes at the beginning of 1943. Due to the relatively small production volume, different changes were introduced occasionally in the Pe-3bis design and were subsequently applied to full-scale production Pe-2s, if these changes had proven to be effective. The following items appeared and were tested on production Pe-3bis planes: a VUB-1 upper turret, a new canopy for the pilot's cockpit, increased forward projection of the main landing gear legs, an advanced fuel supply system, and an inert gas fuel tank pressurization system.

An attempt to resume the production of Pe-3 fighters was made at the beginning of 1944. For a variety of reasons, this version of the fighter did not meet the Air Force's requirements. Its armament was outright weak: one 12.7 mm UBK machine gun in the nose fairing and only one 20 mm ShVAK cannon in the center wing section.

Since the DEU-1 remote-controlled defensive mount which had been planned for installation was not ready, two DAG-10 grenade launchers with AG-2 aerial grenades were fitted in the rear fuselage section, instead.

Due to the aircraft's obvious non-compliance with the requirements of the specification, only 19 production Pe-3 planes of this variant were built.

Pe-3/Pe-3bis fighters were in service only with the Air Force of the Workers' and Peasants' Red Army and naval aviation. As part of the Air Force of the Northern Fleet, several planes outlasted the war and served until 1946, and the final Pe-3s survived up to the beginning of the 50s.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=pe-3_bis Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Pe-3bis at sunset with rockets.png|thumb|none|300px|]] </li>
</ul></div>

== See also ==


'''Aircraft of a comparable role, configuration or era:'''

* [[Me 410 (Family)|Me 410 ''Hornisse'']]
* [[Mosquito (Family)|Mosquito]]
* [[Ki-108]]
* [[SM.91]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Petlyakov_Pe-3|[Wikipedia] Petlyakov Pe-3]]

{{AirManufacturer Petlyakov}}
{{USSR strike aircraft}}

MiG-3-34

2023-10-15T15:57:28Z

U142791519: /* Description */ constructor exp added

{{About
| about = Soviet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = MiG-3 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mig_3_series_34
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.41]].

The MiG-3-34 was built with the intention of making a fighter capable of fighting at high altitudes. The MiG-3 series are one of the few Soviet planes that fly decently at high altitudes, although still not as well as German or American planes.It was developed by the OKO (opytno-konstruktorskij otdel — Experimental Design Department).

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

The MiG 3-34 is not a turnfighter, it's a Boom & Zoom aircraft. It is a bit sluggish when turning, although the flaps can be used to turn better. This aircraft has a good climb rate for its BR. Once upgraded, the plane is enjoyable, though it may be a bit challenging to master.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 7,800 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
| 587 || 569 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 23.2 || 24.1 || 12.8 || 12.8 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 641 || 612 || 20.8 || 22.0 || 20.2 || 16.0
|-
|}

==== 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}} || 457 || 428 || 280 || ~12 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 350 || < 280 || < 350 || > 370
|-
|}

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

The plane's protection is average overall. The placement of critical components is good, with fuel tanks being self-sealing and close to the cockpit. The pilot has 8 mm armour in the back of the seat, and 8.5 mm armour under the seat which prevent stray bullets but do not protect against large calibre cannons. The lack of armoured glass and side protection for the cockpit makes it easy to take out the pilot.

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

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

{{main|ShVAK (20 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 20 mm ShVAK cannons, nose-mounted (200 rpg = 400 total)

== Usage in battles ==


The MiG-3-34 is an interceptor which are mainly used to ''intercept'' bombers and strike aircraft, and take them out quickly with its 2 x 20 mm ShVAK cannons which can deal large amounts of damage in close range. Be mindful of bombers with large fuselages which are designed to take large amounts of damage; these can drain your ammo quickly. All interceptors get an air spawn behind the base, use this to your advantage and find a good climb ratio that lets you gain both altitude and speed, and keep in mind that MiG series interceptors work best at high altitudes.

Use the high-powered 20 mm cannons wisely, because they have limited ammo try to aim for critical components such as engines and crew members. Avoid getting in direct line of sight of a bomber, as you can easily get the pilot taken out by defensive turrets on a bomber. Try to intercept from the side and aim for the bomber tail, wing or the pilot.

The plane can to a lesser extent be used as a ground attacker, but it is advised against this due to its lack of armour, low ammo count and the fact that it doesn't have any ordnance.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 2 x 20 mm ShVAK cannons which are powerful at close range
* Durable construction which can handle high speeds
* A great climb rate of climb for its BR
* Strong flaps which can be used to decrease turn time
* Roll rate is good at high altitudes.

'''Cons:'''

* Limited ammunition
* Not very manoeuvrable in turns
* Pilot and engine are vulnerable due to lack of armour
* No additional armament other than 20 mm cannons

== History ==


Though riddled with shortcomings, the I-200/MiG-1 fighter/interceptor aircraft proved to be both a popular and capable aircraft with pilots that had experience flying them. To address the oft-cited shortcomings, aircraft designers Mikoyan and Gurevich set out to rectify these issues, not only to make the aircraft more pilot-friendly but to make it a more effective fighter/interceptor.

By utilizing a full-sized model of the aircraft in a wind tunnel, designers quickly set about documenting necessary changes in the aircraft's configuration. The increase of the outer wing dihedral improved the wing's overall stability and lengthening the fuselage by just four inches improved the horizontal stability of the aircraft. By happenstance, the minute change in length created enough space for an additional 66 gallon (250 litres) fuel tank installation behind the pilot seat. Inert exhaust gases were routed to the fuel tanks to help improve the survivability of the aircraft and pilot by reducing the likelihood of fuel fires if enemy gunfire punctured the fuel tanks. Other improvements included strengthening the landing gear, larger main wheels, extending the canopy glazing aft for better visibility, improved gunsight, updated configuration of the instrument panel and an overall increase to 750 rounds of ammunition per machine gun.

After making the recommended updates and changes, the heavily modified I-200/MiG-1 (fourth revision) made its maiden flight on 29 October 1940. The Soviet state accepted this version of the aircraft during December 1940 State acceptance trials and due to the significant changes made to the plane was renamed to MiG-3. Though the Mikoyan-Gurevich design bureau rectified many of the MiG-1's deficiencies, unfortunately, the resulting aircraft ended up being 550 lbs (250 kg) heavier and reduced service ceiling by 1,500 ft (457 m). They also took approximately a minute longer to reach 16,000 ft (4,900 m) than the original MiG-1s. Two other positive outcomes for the MiG-3 was an overall increase in the aircraft's speed at altitude and sea-level along with an increase in its service range.

Many of the initial MiG-3 airframes pushed out to the VVS regiments which were considered poor quality and unusable. After an inquiry completed, a panel found that the Soviet Air Force Research Institute was negligent in their duty to monitor the quality of the aircraft coming off the assembly line. After several demotions of senior managers and the execution of the institute head, new management set to address the problems with the MiG-3.

Though designed as a high-altitude bomber-interceptor, the MiG-3's pilot's oxygen supply was woefully inadequate, both fuel and oil pumps failed to keep necessary pressure at altitude and pilot inexperience with high altitude flying all played against the aircraft's abilities. Once again, the MiG Design Bureau set out to fix these deficiencies and when complete, the MiG-3 design teams optimized it for high altitude operations above 20,000 ft (6,000 m). Here the MiG-3 boasted almost a 20 mph (26 km/h) speed advantage over the German Bf 109E, though at sea-level, this advantage disappeared and the MiG-3 had roughly the same top speed as the Bf 109.

The weapons of the MiG-3 always seemed lacking compared to other aircraft such as the Bf 109 which typically sported a 20 mm canon along with machine guns. MiG-3s of all iterations only had machine guns in the 12.7 mm and 7.62 mm varieties. Though experiments with wing-mounted gun pods and rockets took place, reduction of airspeed due to them often resulted in the pilots having them removed, one of the few times where fighter pilots prefered streamlined aircraft over firepower. Ultimately the new gun sight was not fit for the task, so pilots often relied on getting as close to the enemy aircraft as possible before opening fire, sometimes within point-blank range to ensure a hit.

Leading up to the German invasion titled Operation Barbarossa, MiG-3s found homes at front-line regiments. Here, they could ideally intercept any hostile bomber or reconnaissance aircraft that flew over such as the German Ju-86P. Unfortunately, at the beginning of the German invasion, the MiG-3, though one of the best fighters available to Soviet pilots, proved to be unsuited for the task at hand. Instead of intercepting bombers and reconnaissance aircraft, they instead fought more agile Bf 109s and such in a fashion which negated all of the MiG-3's advantages, and it struggled. With the Bf 109 being more agile and had better weapons, the MiG-3 fought for a foothold but often lost. It was around this time that other Soviet fighters such as the Yak and LaGG series aircraft were debuting and showing their effectiveness at lower altitude combat with more agility and better weapon options. Forcing the aircraft to work as a bomber and ground attack aircraft proved to be an, even more, less effective than as a low-altitude fighter.

Some Soviet pilots did find success while flying the MiG-3. Aleksander Pokryshkin was one such pilot, as his initial foray into air combat was at the controls of a MiG-3. It was while flying the MiG-3 that Pokryshkin scored several victories against the German Bf 109. However, it was also during this time he realized that Soviet air combat doctrine was outdated, and he took detailed notes of his and other's accounts at air combat to determine a better way to fight. Pokryshkin's experience in the MiG-3 helped shape future Soviet air combat tactics for pilots flying more capable aircraft such as the Yak-1B, P-39K and Lavochkin fighters. Pokryskin was quoted as saying, "''The operational advantage of the MiG-3 seemed to be obscured by its certain defects. However, these advantages could undoubtedly be exploited by a pilot able to discover them''."

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mig_3_series_34 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

[[File:MiG-3-34 Sanya V. Litvyak.mp4|thumb|"Sanya V. Litvyak" collaboration camouflage|none]]

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Curtiss [[P-40 (Family)|P-40]]
* Dewoitine [[D.520]]
* Kawasaki [[Ki-61 (Family)|Ki-61]]
* Messerschmitt [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109]]
* Yakovlev [[Yak-1 (Family)|Yak-1]]

== External links ==


* [https://old-forum.warthunder.ru/index.php?/topic/100791-mig-3-34-serii/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance (Russian Forum)]

{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
{{USSR fighters}}

I-16 type 5

2023-10-15T11:27:04Z

U142791519: /* Description */ fun fact */

{{About
| about = Soviet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = I-16 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=i-16_type5
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.43]].

The I-16 Type 5 is the earliest instalment of the Polikarpov I-16 family available in the game. A rather solid if somewhat temperamental pre-war fighter that, while extremely dangerous if used right against biplanes and other pre-war fighters, can get in quite a struggle to deal with later aircraft such as the [[Ki-43-I]] and the [[Hurricane (Family)|Hurricane]], and being wholly outmatched by aircraft like the [[Spitfire Mk Ia]] and the [[Bf 109 E-1]].Fun fact: Ishak in Russian means donkey.

== 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 2,700 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
| 428 || 408 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 15.9 || 16.5 || 14.6 || 14.6 || rowspan="2" | 210
|-
! Upgraded
| 467 || 445 || 14.1 || 15.0 || 23.7 || 18.5
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 700  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 700 || 700 || 700 || ~14 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 300 || < 320 || < 320 || > 190
|-
|}

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


* No armour
* Self-sealing fuel tanks (1 in front of pilot)

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

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

{{main|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns, wing-mounted (900 rpg = 1,800 total)

The I-16 Type 5 is equipped with two wing-mounted ShKAS machine guns chambered with the 7.62 x 54R cartridge, a cyclic rate of fire of 1,800 rpm and with an ammo loadout of 900 rounds each.

Since both machine guns are mounted pretty far apart, they are more effective at convergence range which, being rifle calibre machine guns should be set to a relatively low distance (from 150 to 400 m). The weapons have a rather standard firing time of 30 seconds and had a very high throw for a rifle calibre machine gun due to its very high rate of fire. This particular feature makes overheating a pretty big problem, so it is recommended to fire the weapons in short burst since the jamming of one of them would result in the loss of half of the aircraft's effective armament. It's also of note, particularly in Simulator Battles, that the I-16 Type 5 modelled in-game is fitted with the original-for-the-type enclosed cockpit and OP-1 telescopic sight which may prove problematic for players who are not fond of telescopic sights for aiming. The I-16 Type 5 low weight, high roll rate and somewhat unstable centre of gravity make it a slightly inaccurate gun platform, though its high roll rate and pressure of fire somewhat mitigates its effects.

As for the armament effectiveness it can be considered of moderate power against most fighter aircraft at its rank, it can be quite complicated to kill an enemy in a single glancing attack and sometimes it would take quite a bit of time to finish a particularly resilient foe, incendiary ammunition or Stealth belts can be very helpful for boosting the lethality of the planes armament. Against bombers however, the armament loses a lot of its effectiveness with only shots to the pilot's cockpit or the engines proving somewhat effective and even then normally taking several hundreds of bullets to bring them down.

== Usage in battles ==

The I-16 Type 5's biggest asset is its versatility. This aircraft is considerably faster than most biplanes which allows it to use superior speed (both in level flight and in dives) and energy to engage them safely, while at the same time it can outmanoeuvre a lot of its faster opponents if not by turn rate at least by using its breakneck roll rate. It also has a significantly fast climb-rate of over 14 m/s to up to 3,000 m which is only beaten at its battle rating by [[Bf 109 E-1]]/[[Bf 109 F-1|F-1s]], [[Spitfire Mk Ia|Spitfire Mk Is]] and by the [[Ki-27 otsu|Ki-27]]/[[Ki-43-I|43]]/[[Ki-44-I|44]]. As previously mentioned the plane has a phenomenal roll rate of up to 150°/s. On the other hand, the roll rate can under some circumstances cause the plane to lose control, particularly while performing high G pull ups after recovering on a dive which in some circumstances may prove fatal.

When confronting slower but more manoeuvrable planes, energy tactics are to be favoured over turning and burning, in contrast when facing faster monoplanes the use of horizontal manoeuvres, particularly the use of scissors due to the aircraft rapid roll rate in a combination of short vertical movements such as Immelmanns and chandelles. While the plane's light weight means that it is relatively slow at building up speed in a dive and also causes it to have lacklustre energy retention for a monoplane. Even though pairing this aircraft with a rather powerful engine helps to alleviate this shortfall, the aircraft can initially out-accelerate planes which otherwise outperform it in the speed department.

Your biggest threat when flying the I-16 Type 5 comes from aircraft with a significant top speed advantage (like the previously mentioned [[Spitfire Mk Ia]] and [[Bf 109 E-1]]) as well as from low rank Japanese monoplanes. Against the former your best chance is to use defensive tactics and hope that they make a mistake or an ally comes to your aid, rolling scissors and sudden changes of direction through rolling the plane axis are the most effective evasive manoeuvres for this particular plane. Against the latter, the tactic would depend on the specific model you encounter. When flying against the Ki-27, the use of rolls is the most desired if not a nigh obligatory form of evasion. There is minimal chance to turn out or outrun the Ki-27, but you can out-roll it, particularly at high speeds. On the other hand, zoom climbs are a bit of a mixed bag. While the Type 5 sometimes can get away with it through its superior power-to-weight ratio, the Ki-27 has a much lower stall speed which sometimes allows it to stay all the way through the zoom climb with early I-16s (later, heavier variants of the plane are more effective at using this tactic). Against the Ki-43 things become quite complicated since the Ki-43-I and the Type 5 are pretty well matched in roll rate (where the latter has a slight advantage) and turn rate (where the former has a slight edge), a combination of turns and rolls is the best way to evade the Ki-43s though it has to be done carefully in order to be effective, the latter Ki-43-II with its considerably higher top speed but reduced manoeuvrability is confronted more effectively by use of horizontal manoeuvres while trying to prevent it from reaching high rates that would allow it to use energy tactics against you.

The I-16 Type 5 is not a very effective interceptor, not being much faster than most monoplane bombers in its rank while having both a rather weak armament and protection.

'''Simulator Battles:'''

This model of I-16 can only be used in turnfighting. Its characteristics appear to be quite conflicting. It is excellent in turning tightly and continuously, yet when manoeuvring it easily gets into uncontrollable spins which isn't beginner friendly. Also the rather big nose blocks the visibility a lot, offering very poor over-the-nose visibility which is a disadvantage in a turn fight, because when leading a shot the enemy will always get obstructed by the engine, making you guess the shot. Plus, it has an awful telescope-like gunsight, so when zoomed in the I-16's nimbleness is magnified, making the aim super wobbly. You cannot see anything around which greatly reduces you situational awareness. More ever, there is no trim control available in a sim battle and the I-16 always pitch up and down. Although not a lot, it is still annoying when trying to get a precise aim.

It is recommended to set the convergence within 300 m, with vertical convergence on, because the majority of turnfights happen at that range or closer. Also, in a turnfight you must get used to shooting without zooming in, as you really can't see anything with its awkward scope when zoomed it. However when tailing a straight-flying plane that scope doesn't seem that bad.

Sim is different from Realistic, so discard the habit of bringing the least fuel. Bring at least 30 minutes of fuel, although it decreases the plane's performance a bit, it prevents constant refuelling which saves time for patrolling and fighting.

As your I-16 roars down the runway, you will notice that it shifts severely to the side, and the nose will tip down. If you don't correct it it will eventually strike the ground, causing a failed takeoff. Thus you must put rudder input as opposed to the side it's shifting towards, and apply positive pitch to keep the propeller off the ground. You do not want to use flaps anywhere except takeoff and landing, since they are very weak and will rip at more than 260 km/h, while the average speed during a battle tends to be around 300 km/h. Once one or both flaps are gone it creates an imbalance in the roll axis, making spins more common. It also makes landing harder.

Before engaging a fight, it is better to have an altitude advantage first. When approaching the fight try to figure out which is your teammate and which is the enemy, to avoid going for a second pass, as the energy retention of the I-16 is rather slow. Also pick your target carefully. For easier aiming, you want to go for those unmanoeuvrable twin engine aircraft like [[Ju 88 (Family)|Ju 88]] or [[Ki-45 (Family)|Ki-45]], or bombers if there are any. Given the bad forward visibility of the I-16, these are the best options as they are quite slow and sluggish, and are a bigger target to hit. However getting hits on them tend to do nothing, as your MG has very bad damage. When dealing with fighters, it is way harder to aim. The elevator control of the I-16 is extremely sensitive, giving it good manoeuvrability, but at the same time, bad handling. The I-16 will respond in a very fast turn upon moving your stick/mouse by a little bit, which makes tracking nimble planes quite hard. But once you get used to it, try to lure every enemy into a turnfight, as that is where the I-16 shines. It requires lots of bullets to effectively damage even a fighter, so you have to be patient with this aircraft. If you find an enemy at your 6, utilise your great roll rate to do defensive manoeuvres like scissors to make them overshoot. Or you can simply do tight turns, most monoplanes won't be able to cut inside your turn and they might disengage. Important note: DO NOT put too much rolling and pitching input at once, as aforementioned the I-16 tend to enter spins easily.

Just like the SB 2M, the I-16 can still fly when it's extremely slow, causing it to bounce up during landing which can lead to a fatal crash. The trick is similar: slow it down more than other aircraft. Make sure you are around 1 km from the start of the runway and is no more than 300 m high. When the runway fills up your gunsight, drop speed to around 210 km/h and deploy landing flaps. The good thing is, the I-16 will not pitch up drastically upon using its flaps so you don't need to counter the extra lift. Make sure that you extend landing gears early as they move very slow (takes around 15 seconds to deploy). When you are about to touch down you should be flying at around 140 km/h. You must control your rate of descent (I-16's gears are fragile) and make sure that you are slightly pitching upwards with the nose obstructing the horizon. This way the I-16 should land gently without having to brake for too long. Once you are sliding on the ground, fully deflect your elevators upwards to counter the momentum that can push the nose into the ground. You must release brakes once every 4 seconds, because if you only release them as the nose dips down, it's too late.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[Ki-27 otsu|Ki-27]], [[N1K1]], [[He 51 (Family)|He 51]], [[Gladiator (Family)|Gladiator]]: those commonly seen planes are equally good at turnfights and will be a hard target to down since they are very small and agile. To deal with them you need to practice leading and deflection shots, plus manoeuvres like barrel rolls and scissors. They need lots of bullets to get damaged so you have to be patient.

* [[He 111 H-6]]: this bomber is not only quite durable, but also pretty fast. In level flight it can outrun the I-16 rather easily. Avoid being on its 6 as it will have at least 2x 7.92 mm MG facing its tail, and their rapid rate of fire and good penetration is a big threat. Either go for a head-on or use deflection shooting and aim for its engines. If you cannot keep up with it, disengage. If it flies way higher than you, change your target.

* [[Sunderland Mk IIIa]]: this flying boat is like a low-tier [[Be-6]]. Its huge fuselage is very spacious and can absorb lots of bullets and shells. It also has lethal defensive firepower: two 7.7mm in the nose, four forward-facing, two on the top and four at the tail, so attacking from behind, in front or above aren't the best options. Dive under it and suddenly pull up to shoot its defenceless underpart. Aim at the large wings and engines, avoid shooting the fuselage.

* [[He 100 D-1|He 100]], [[Bf 109 E-1|Bf 109 E]]/[[Bf 109 F-1|F]], [[A6M2]]: these planes might not be able to out-turn the I-16, but they can easily outrun it as the I-16 is very slow. These fighters will usually perform Boom-and-Zoom attacks, so you must constantly look above and behind you. If they are diving on you, do what you do in realistic: use your roll rate and dodge under their negative G areas. Most players will try to follow up, if not immediately losing track of you. Several dodges might make them impatient and if they really start to turn with you, they are already dead.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent turning ability - with combat flaps deployed it can out-turn any [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109]] and even turn-fighters like the [[Spitfire (Family)|Spitfire]]
* Extreme roll rate allows it to do offensive/defensive scissors easily, which is an advantage over Bf 109 and [[Spitfire (Family)|Spitfire]] as their roll rates aren't as good
* 2 x ShKAS machine guns have good fire rate, adequate velocity and accuracy, and plenty of ammo for longer fights
* Suspended armament provides rockets and bombs which, to an extent, allows some ground attack ability
* Very short and small plane, offering the enemy a harder target to hit

'''Cons:'''

* Extremely poor level speed, climb rate, dive acceleration and energy retention- will get outran, out-climbed and out-dived easily by Bf 109 E, [[He 100 D-1|He 100]], and can even struggle to keep up with bombers like [[He 111 (Family)|He 111]]
* Engine tends to overheat when diving at more than 500 km/h
* Control surfaces are unresponsive over 450 km/h
* Flaps are very weak and will break over 250 km/h, severely limiting its sharp-turning potential at higher speeds
* Hard to fly in SB -- very unstable in pitch, no manual trim controls, poor over-the-nose visibility and is prone to enter flat spins
* Although manoeuvrable, it can still get out-turned by the [[Ki-10 (Family)|Ki-10]] or biplanes like [[He 51 (Family)|He-51]]
* 2 x 7.62 machine guns are not the best armament for its rank

== History ==

Development which started from the early I-16 Type 4, the I-16 Type 5 was the first version of the I-16 to incorporate the M-25 engine (which produced 700 HP in contrast with the previous M-22 engine that produced just 480 HP) and receiving ShKAS machine guns in place of Type 4's slower firing PV-1s. Testing of the new power-plant in the I-16 airframe started in October 1935 with serial production of the aircraft starting in early 1936 and continued up to late 1937. Throughout its production, several changes were done to the production model based on feedback obtained by the operational and combat experience through 1936-1937, most notably the removal of the sliding canopy in favour of an open cockpit and the addition of the PAK-1 reflector sight in place of the older OP-1 telescopic sight. It was substituted in production by the I-16 Type 10 and by that time over 2,000 units were produced.

By mid 1936 the I-16 Type 5 had just begun to be put into service with several units of the VVS when the Spanish Civil War broke out. After receiving an economic loan from the Spanish Republican government, the Soviet Union started to supply the government forces with war equipment and resources to oppose the fascist supported Nationalist. The first batch of I-16 Type 5s were deployed in November 1936. The I-16 Type 5 would soon prove to be a formidable aircraft being easily able to intercept the Ju-52 utility/bomber aircraft while proving superior to the German He-51s deployed by the Condor Legion. At the time only the Italian built Cr.32 stood a chance against the Soviet monoplane fighter due to its superior armament, manoeuvrability and its excellent dive performance and stability for biplane standards, the Republican Air Force would soon start to refer to them as "Moscas" (Fly, though the nickname may actually have derived from Москва, the spelling of Moscow in cyrillic script) while the Nationalists nicknamed it the "Rata" (Rat). The I-16 Type 5 did however show some issues including limited cockpit visibility, unreliable armament and a tendency to suffer structural damage when flying at high speeds. While some of this issues were ironed out later on, the I-16 would remain a rather challenging aircraft to fly due to its relatively high take-off and landing speed and its subpar stability, making the aircraft quite prone to stalls and flat spins.

By 1937 the Condor Legion started to deploy the first models of Jumo powered Bf 109s as well as the first variants of high-performance levels bombers including the Ju-86, He-111 and the Do-17. The early Jumo powered 109s and the I-16 Type 5 were well matched, with the Bf 109 B having a slight advantage in top speed, high altitude performance and dive performance, while the I-16 boasted superior manoeuvrability, power to weight ratio and climb-rate up to medium attitudes. Both aircraft had comparable armament which generally consisted of two rifle calibre machine guns, although both types sometimes sport a third machine gun. Although superseded by the I-16 Type 10 by 1938 some models of the Type 5 variation would stay in operational service until the end of the Spanish Civil War and would remain operational service by the Spanish Air Force up to 1953.

The I-16 Type 5 also played a crucial role during the initial stages of both the battle of Khalkhin Gol and the Winter War, by the time the aircraft had started to show its age and were generally considered inferior to the Ki-27 fielded by the IJAAF in the former conflict and, while its performance was more evenly matched with that of the [[Fokker D.XXI]] and superior to most other types fielded by the Finnish Air Force, the attrition rates in the later engagement were still high. In both conflicts, the Type 5 was later complemented or partially replaced with the later Type 10 and Type 17 (as well as a few Type 18s during the Winter War) which would prove to be more effective against the opposing aircraft. The Type 5 was still in service with the VVS at the start of the Great Patriotic War in the Summer of 1941, with many of them being captured or destroyed during the opening weeks of Operation Barbarossa. Most Type 5s that survived the initial onslaught were quickly withdrawn in favour of newer models of fighter aircraft like the Yak-1 and LaGG-3 as well as later and more powerful variants of the I-16.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=i-16_type5 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[P-26 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/520551-i-16-type-5/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [http://www.airpages.ru/eng/ru/i16_5.shtml Aviation of WWII: I-16 type 5]

{{AirManufacturer Polikarpov}}
{{USSR fighters}}