War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

F-8E

2023-02-21T08:40:49Z

U15685966: rwr was added in most recent patch

{{Specs-Card
|code=f-8e
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]].

The F-8E is a later model of the Crusader. Compared to the preceding [[F8U-2]], it has largely the same flight performance but improved ordnance options. The infrared-guided AIM-9D Sidewinder returns as a good option for dogfights and sneak attacks, but it can now utilize the radar-guided AIM-9C, which may be useful during head-on engagements. The ground attack options are vastly superior because of the addition of wing pylons; while the F8U-2 was limited to cheek-mounted Zuni rockets and its internal FFAR rocket tray, the F-8E can carry a decent bombload and AGM-12 Bullpup air-to-ground missiles, making it more capable as a multirole fighter.

The F-8E can really be considered "The Last Gunfighter" in War Thunder, because the succeeding [[F-4J Phantom II|F-4J Phantom]] is a very different aircraft to cap off the US naval jet line: a heavy twin-engine fighter lacking an internal gun and relying on powerful long-range missiles.

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


The F-8E, as a development of the previous [[F8U-2]], will feel very similar to the pilot in command. The Crusader is a highly agile aircraft, capable of dogfighting most enemy aircraft at its rank, blending initial pull with surprising energy retention. This allows the F-8E to pull inside enemy aircraft without bleeding massive amounts of speed like the delta wing aircraft at this rank are prone to doing. The wings have been strengthened to allow for this, so pilots should feel free to perform harsher manoeuvres than while flying the previous F8U-2, albeit the F-8E will still rip in some extreme turns. The engine has been upgraded as well, the extra 560 kgf making up for the slight additional weight of the wings and increasing the climb rate and speed of the aircraft. The F-8E is particularly strong at lower speeds, where the extra engine thrust allows it to sustain turns and accelerate quicker, and it also inherits the unique landing flaps of the Crusader: the wing detaching from the fuselage and angling upwards. This gives large amounts of extra lift, giving the F-8E a sharp advantage at very low speeds, although the plane will "wallow" in the air from the extra lift, and has a difficult time dropping the nose in this flap configuration.

That manoeuvrability and energy retention comes at a cost though, and that is speed. The F-8E is slow for its rank, and struggles to break past mach 1 at sea level. With missiles loaded, it will top out at exactly mach 1, and with any other ordnance loaded it is unable at sea level. At higher altitudes the F-8E is able of exceeding the speed of sound, though not by much and once past mach 1 the acceleration drops dramatically. The plane also compresses around mach .98, so pilots should be wary when diving on targets, as the aircraft may compress and be unable to pull as hard as the pilot may be accustomed to.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 10,668 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,094 || 2,087 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 29.4 || 30.6 || 108.5 || 98.1 || rowspan="2" | 1,828
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,132 || 2,110 || 28.6 || 29.0 || 158.0 || 131.4
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,555  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 1,070 || N/A || 583 || ~10 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 1,000 || < 590 || < 500 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="6" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="3" | {{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 J57-P-20 || 1
| colspan="3" | 8,953 kg || colspan="3" | 376 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="5" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 15m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 52m fuel
|-
| 1,592 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 10,200 kg || 10,550 kg || 11,348 kg || 12,545 kg || 13,109 kg || 15,468 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="6" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 15m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 45m fuel || 52m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,562 kgf || 8,520 kgf
| 0.84 || 0.81 || 0.75 || 0.68 || 0.65 || 0.55
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 4,804 kgf (1,000 km/h) || 9,543 kgf (1,200 km/h)
| 0.94 || 0.91 || 0.84 || 0.76 || 0.73 || 0.62
|-
|}

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

Like the earlier [[F8U-2]] (F-8C), the only armour on the F-8E is 25 mm of bulletproof glass on the front windscreen. Most of the central fuselage and wing is filled with large fuel tanks which makes gunfire from above or behind likely to cause fuel leaks and fires. Near enough the entire rear fuselage is taken up by the engine, making engine damage likely from rear attacks. Despite these drawbacks, the F-8E is still more durable than some jets and can often make it back to base with light to moderate damage.

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

As with most high tier jets, the first modification you want to pick up will be the flares/chaff in order to let you effectively counter enemy missiles. From there you want to progress though the missile upgrades as fast as possible, taking your pick of flight performance upgrades in order to unlock each tier (you could also use the ordnance upgrades to unlock each modification tier, but as the F-8E is primarily a fighter flight performance is usually the best pick). Once you have all missiles unlocked your focus will probably be on the remaining flight performance upgrades, although the cannons upgrades are certainly useful if you enjoy gun fighting.

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

{{main|Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 3 (20 mm)}}

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

* A choice between two presets:
** 4 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 3 cannons, nose-mounted (144 rpg = 576 total)
** 4 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 3 cannons + 60 x countermeasures

The offensive armament of the F-8E consists of 4 x 20 mm Browning-Colt Mk12 Mod 3 autocannons, grouped into 2 selectable groups. The guns replaced the 20 mm M3 commonly used from the end of WW2 until the Korean war, and has a quick fire rate of 1,000 rpm, outputting 7.30 kg of shells per second towards the enemy. With 144 rounds per gun, this gives pilots of the F-8E 8.64 seconds of trigger time. If ammo capacity is a concern, pilots can select one group of 20 mm to fire at a time, doubling their trigger time. The guns do reliable damage and have a good velocity of 1012 m/s, only slightly less than the [[M61 (20 mm)|20 mm M61]] found on later jets. This makes getting reliable gun kills easy for pilots.

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

{{main|LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|MK 77 Mod 4 incendiary}}
{{main|AGM-12B Bullpup|AIM-9B Sidewinder|AIM-9C Sidewinder|AIM-9D Sidewinder}}
{{main|FFAR Mighty Mouse|Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 76 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 24 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles
* 4 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets + 2 x AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 12 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x MK 77 Mod 4 incendiary bombs

The F-8E has a much more extensive selection of multirole weaponry when compared to the preceding [[F8U-2]], although it is still intended for use mainly as an air supremacy aircraft.

Beginning with the unguided rockets, it gets access to both FFAR Mighty Mouse and Zuni Mk32 rockets. The Mighty Mouse is a small rocket, weighing only 8 kg and with only 290 mm penetration, but it makes up for this in quantity. The F-8E can carry 4 x pods of 19 rockets each, 2 mounted under each wing pylon, for a total of 76 rockets. As for the Zuni rockets, these are much larger at 56 kg and have 457 mm penetration, much more suited for taking out heavier targets. The placement is rather unique however. 4 can be mounted stock, 2 on each side of the fuselage behind the cockpit; however this is not recommended as it takes up the missile rails and greatly limits the anti-air capability of the plane. Once the modification is researched, it gains access to 16 more, mounted in 2 pods of 4 each under the wing pylons.

The F-8E also gains access to unguided bombs: 250 lb, 500 lb, 1,000 lb, 2,000 lb and of course the Mk 77 incendiary bomb. These are all mounted on the wing pylons, and pilots are recommended to use 500 lb or greater bombs if attacking enemy armour. The incendiary bombs work well against open topped vehicles, so these should be used if attacking large groups of open topped vehicles. They can also be used to shield allies from sight or deny a crucial area from open-topped vehicles while the napalm continues to burn.

The last anti-surface weapon is the AGM-12B Bullpup. This is the only guided air-to-ground munition the F-8E can carry, albeit it is manually guided, unlike later weapons like the later [[AGM-65A|Maverick]] missiles. These will take some practice for pilots to get accustomed to aiming, but with 8 km range these are the recommended option for use in ground battles against the long range AA common at this rank. Pilots are recommended to turn off "Relative Control' in the controls for the weapon, as with this setting on the missile will continue pulling in the same direction as the last input until another correction is given.

Now for anti-aircraft missiles, the original purpose of the F-8E. It gains access to three types: the AIM-9B, AIM-9C, and AIM-9D missiles.

The AIM-9B is the most basic missile that planes of this rank get. It is an IR missile with a caged seekerhead, limited range, and only 10Gs of pull. This is one of the two missiles pilots will get with an un-upgraded aircraft. It does not pull very well and is recommended for use against slow or unaware targets, although it can also be used to force enemy pilots to go evasive to allow the F-8E time to close to gun range.

The AIM-9C is a basic {{Annotation|SARH|Semi-Active Radar-Homing}} missile, and the other stock option for the F-8E: it has very similar flight performance to the AIM-9D IR missile also found on this aircraft, with good range, 18Gs of pull, however it does have an uncaged seekerhead and since it is a radar missile, is all-aspect. This missile works well, only limited by the radar set which is rather prone to ground clutter. Pilots are recommended to only use the missile at high altitude, or while below the enemy aircraft. Also, pilots should be aware that this missile uses "pulse" guidance; this means that unlike more advanced radar missiles like the [[AIM-7 Sparrow (Family)|AIM-7 Sparrow]], any amount of chaff from the enemy will immediately decoy it. It is recommended to use this missile against planes without countermeasures or enemy pilots which choose to not equip chaff, as it is more difficult to kinematically dodge the missile without the use of chaff.

The final missile the F-8E gains access to is the AIM-9D. A later evolution of the AIM-9B, this has much better range and pull, especially at altitude where hits from over 6 km can reasonably be expected. It still has a caged seekerhead like the AIM-9B, so pilots may find it slightly difficult to fire the missile at a manoeuvring target, but once off the rails the missile performs admirably and is one of the better IR missiles at its rank. It is recommended to run 2 of the AIM-9D along with 2 of the AIM-9C if the pilot wishes to engage both with radar and IR missiles, or just the AIM-9D if the pilot prefers no warning to enemy pilots.

==== Custom loadout options ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="11%" | 1 !! width="11%" | 2 !! width="11%" | 3 !! width="11%" | 4
| rowspan="12" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs
| 3, 6 || || || 3, 6
|-
! 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs
| 3, 4 || || || 3, 4
|-
! 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs
| 1, 2 || || || 1, 2
|-
! 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs
| 1 || || || 1
|-
! MK 77 Mod 4 incendiary bombs
| 1 || || || 1
|-
! FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
| 7, 19, 38 || || || 7, 19, 38
|-
! Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
| 4, 8 || 2*, 4 || 2*, 4 || 4, 8
|-
! AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
| 1 || || || 1
|-
! AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
| || 1*, 2 || 1*, 2 ||
|-
! AIM-9C Sidewinder missiles
| || 1*, 2 || 1*, 2 ||
|-
! AIM-9D Sidewinder missiles
| || 1*, 2 || 1*, 2 ||
|-
| colspan="6" | * Single missiles can be carried concurrently with dual Zuni rockets on the same hardpoint
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The way you start a battle in the F-8E will depend on what you think the likely composition of the enemy team is. If the battle rating of the match and the countries you are up against lead you to believe that the enemy team will have few (if any) SARH missile-equipped jets then a good start would be to climb to high altitude (around 5,000 m). Once at altitude, you can use your AIM-9C missiles to engage any other high altitude enemies you find head-on; as the AIM-9C is a rare weapon (only used on the F-8E), most people are not aware of its capabilities and are not expecting to receive a front-aspect missile. This allows you to pick up a couple of easy kills from safely outside the range of enemy cannon fire. If there are no more enemy aircraft to engage at high altitude, you can use your speed and altitude to dive down upon lower altitude enemy aircraft for gun/missile attacks. After completing your attack you can either use your energy to go back to high altitude and prepare for another attack or use the F-8E's great manoeuvrability to stay at lower altitudes to engage in dogfights with enemy aircraft.

If you judge the enemy team to likely have SARH-equipped jets then your lack of an RWR makes going to high altitude very risky; in this case it is better to fly at a lower altitude, probably no more than 2,000 m. This gives you a little bit of altitude to play with and puts you in a position where you can potentially use your AIM-9C missiles against targets above you, while being somewhat protected against enemy SARH missiles (aircraft with pulse-Doppler radars will still be able to hit you though, so stay vigilant and be prepared to dodge). At low altitude you can use the F-8Es great manoeuvrability and powerful armament to win out against many enemies in a dogfight, though you must always keep an eye out for enemy missiles.

The flight performance of the {{PAGENAME}} is similar enough to the preceding [[F8U-2]] that similar tactics should apply in a dogfight. The F-8E's instantaneous turn isn't the best, but it has great energy retention and sustained turn rate. Avoid scissors or any turn radius fight as the {{PAGENAME}}'s energy retention ability in this case will put the plane at a disadvantage because in a scissors, you will bleed less speed than the enemy and will end up in front of their guns. The plane's low-speed maneouvrability also isn't a strong point, so avoid using the air brakes to bleed speed. Rate fighting makes the most of the {{PAGENAME}}'s ability as in these extended, longer-lasting dogfights, the F-8E's superior energy retention will see that it has kept more speed than an enemy aircraft. In this case, even if the enemy has a better initial turn rate, they will lose significantly more speed until they won't be able to keep up in a sustained turn. The {{PAGENAME}} will start gaining on them, and they will either be forced to pitch down to gain speed and try to gain on you, or they will run away. In these cases, you can simply pitch down too and stay on their tail. Eventually, the dogfight will move to a very low altitude, where there is no longer anywhere for the enemy to pitch down, and you will outrate them and get guns on them. If you haven't noticed yet, a rate dogfight like this will last a while depending on your position, so it is recommended not to engage in one when there are other enemies in the area.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Can carry four useful air-to-air missiles
** AIM-9C air-to-air missiles are radar guided and can be launched in head-ons to surprise opponents
** AIM-9D air-to-air missiles have above average range (around 3 km)
* Landing flaps activate its variable-incidence wings, which provides a lot of lift
* Very good sustained turn rate
* Good acceleration and climb rate
* Has an Infrared Search and Track (IRST) sensor which assists in locating targets by finding their heat signatures
* Has a variety of suspended air-to-ground ordnance

'''Cons:'''

* Fragile wings which can easily rip at high speeds and in high-G turns
* Very likely to set on fire because of the fuel tank placement
* Below average low level top speed compared to other supersonic competitors; can barely break Mach 1 at low altitude
* Lacks a ballistic computer, which greatly limits its ground attack potential

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-8e Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|tQhEl042QE8|'''The Shooting Range #275''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==


* [https://www.avialogs.com/aircraft-v/vought/item/5195-f-8e-crusader-standard-aircraft-characteristics-1-july-1967 Standard Aircraft Characteristics of the F-8E]

{{AirManufacturer Vought}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}

G.56

2021-12-13T13:08:53Z

U15685966: at 6.3 meets jets in both arcade and RB such as attacker fb1

{{Specs-Card
|code=g_56
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_g_56.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]] and represents the penultimate modification of the G.55 ''Centauro''.

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

Loved by its pilots and despised by the enemies that get in its crosshairs, the G.56 is an excellent plane at its tier. It takes the already very solid G.55 airframe, extends the fuselage and places a powerful DB 603 engine in place of the already good DB 605, and drops the two Breda 12.7 mm HMG's, which were fairly useless, to begin with. The improved power of the 603 combined with overall weight deductions allows the aircraft to both literally and figuratively propel itself to new heights and gives it more than a fighting chance when facing other aircraft in the 5.0-6.3 range. Generally speaking, it is a very responsive aircraft with good overall flight characteristics that can dominate the airspace if given the chance. These traits have gained the aircraft the affectionate nickname of ''Super Centauro'' by the community.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 7,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 676 || 659 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.8 || 21.4 || 18.0 || 18.0 || rowspan="2" | 250
|-
! Upgraded
| 724 || 700 || 19.5 || 20.0 || 26.2 || 21.7
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 437 || 408 || 260 || ~12 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 400 || < 420 || < 450 || > 314
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 6,000 m || 1,500 hp || 1,650 hp
|-
|}

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


* 8 mm Steel plate behind the pilot
* 50 mm Bulletproof glass

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

Focus on performance upgrades to remedy a few of the G.56's weaknesses that are more pronounced when stock, such as manoeuvrability. Do not worry about researching the bomb options, as they are next to useless and only hampers the aircraft's performance.

Upgrades should follow a similar path as this:

* Fuselage repair
* Radiator
* Compressor
* Airframe
* Offensive 20 mm
* Engine
* Wings repair
* Engine injection
* Cover
* New 20 mm cannons

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

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

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, nose-mounted (300 rpg)
* 2 x 20 mm MG 151 cannons, wing-mounted (250 rpg = 500 total)

Two of the cannons are mounted one each in the wings with the remaining cannon being nose-mounted through the propeller spinner. Each wing-mounted cannon is armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all wing-mounted guns will fire together until empty. The nose cannon contains 50 more rounds of ammo than the wing-mounted cannons and will continue to fire after the wing-mounted cannons have run out of ammunition.

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

{{main|GP 50 (50 kg)|GP 100 (100 kg)}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (100 kg total)
* 2 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (200 kg total)

Unless the situation is extremely dire, it is never a wise move to use bombs on the G.56, as it wastes the aircraft's potential and puts it in its most vulnerable altitude where it can't use its excellent dive speed and top-end speed to get away from opponents.

== Usage in battles ==

Thanks to the powerful DB 603 and general aerodynamic improvements from the previous [[G.55 serie 1|G.55]], the G.56 will be a competitive aircraft in almost any role you put it in. Low-altitude, medium-altitude, high-altitude, energy fighting, Boom-&-Zoom, or (in some cases) turn-fighting, the ''Super Centauro'' can do it all! However, your ideal flying style should be as a more reserved medium to high altitude energy fighter, as this is the area the aircraft excels. One should always keep their speed up, a minimum of 370 km/h (230 mph), as this allows you to whip your nose around with alarming speed and bug out of unfavorable scenarios. It is important to note that the G.56 can very quickly bleed velocity in high-speed horizontal turns, and you may find yourself struggling to regain it.

One does not have to worry about the aircraft's ammunition, as you are given an absurd 800 rounds total (300 in the nose-mounted gun plus 500 rounds, 250 in each of the two wing-mounted cannons) and have access to the universally feared ''minengeschoß'' round that will destroy anything in a few well-placed hits

=== Playstyles ===
Beneath the sleek and eye-pleasing design of the ''Super Centauro'' lies a monster of a plane if piloted well. The aircraft's main strength is not its armament, speed, maneuverability, or climb rate (which are excellent in their rights), but how easily it can set up an attack on an enemy. Your primary method of battle should be energy fighting at a middle or high altitude so you can keep up your potential energy while also making the most out of the aircraft's engine. You can dictate the flow of the battle by staying around 5,000 - 6,000 meters due to the ability to choose your fights easily; you can dive in and shred your targets, then be gone before anyone knows what happened. If an enemy tries to intercept you, pay attention to the aircraft they're flying, adjust accordingly, and then engage on your terms. If they are approaching from below, pull up into a stall climb or vertical spiral to make them waste their energy and then pounce while they're recovering. If they are approaching from above, attempt to get them to overshoot and follow through.

The weakest flying style the G.56 can be put into is in a low-altitude combat scenario, where it can't abuse its excellent supercharged engine and doesn't have the altitude to dive so it can escape. It is a generally safe idea to avoid these scenarios and climb to get your advantages back, and you won't be torn to shreds by the hordes of enemies that will flock to your location due to seeing you as easy prey.

The G.56 is adept at dealing with bombers thanks to its excellent performance and powerful armament layout that can easily tear through the large bodies of strategic bombers. When engaging a bomber, it is best to either approach the front to get a pilot snipe or approach from below and aim for the wings or engines, as it can't get very far without them. '''"Oh, it has weak guns, I can tail it."''' If these words enter your mind, throw them out immediately. No matter how "weak" its defensive armament may be, never tail any bomber, as this mindset can lead to some embarrassing deaths regardless of the skill of the pilot in question.

=== Specific enemies worth noting ===
While the G.56 can out-perform a good portion of enemies it will face, there are a few enemies that one should pay attention to.

* '''Late Griffon Spitfires ([[Spitfire F Mk XIVe|MkXIV]], [[Spitfire F Mk XVIIIe|MkXVIII]], [[Spitfire F Mk 22|Mk22]] and [[Spitfire F Mk 24|Mk24]]):''' '''These are the kind of plane a {{PAGENAME}} pilot would want to deal with immediately.''' Griffon spitfires are faster than the {{PAGENAME}}, turn slightly better without flaps, roll just as good, and have similar compression. There are two things factors for the {{PAGENAME}}: for one, the {{PAGENAME}} has slightly better Maneuvering Energy Retention. On the other hand, the {{PAGENAME}} has adjustable flaps, whereas Spitfires do not. If the {{PAGENAME}} should find the Spitfire during a head-on, exploit the nose-mounted 20 mm cannon for an easier hit on the Spitfire, then break off and use the combat flaps to get behind the Spitfire. Do not get caught doing flat horizontal turns near sea level, as the {{PAGENAME}} will be inevitably trapped by the Spitfire's shorter turn time and higher top speed. Though, if the {{PAGENAME}} gets behind one, the plane's slightly higher Thrust-to-Weigh ratio and flaps will help the {{PAGENAME}} stay behind it. (Still, the {{PAGENAME}} should not attempt to stall a Spitfire with equal energy states if the pilot does not have enough experience, as the {{PAGENAME}}'s elevator authority below 300 km/h is worse that that of the Spitfire's, and the {{PAGENAME}} will be shot down while stalling right in front of the Spitfire).
* '''[[N1K2-Ja|N1K2]] and [[Ki-84 hei|Ki-84]]''': The best of the Japanese air tree in terms of fighters. The N1K2 and the Ki-84 are both highly maneuverable, and in the case of the Ki-84, are faster that the G.56. A {{PAGENAME}} pilot should either use the nose-mounted cannon in a head-on, or dive and exploit their worse high speed compression to get behind them, and then deploy the combat flaps when necessary to stay behind them and shoot them down. It is important to take this technique into account. One issue is that in Air Realistic Battles, the Japanese and the Americans can be found on the same side in matches, while the Italian {{PAGENAME}} will be in the other with everyone else. This means that while the diving portion of the technique may work against the Japanese fighters, if any accompanying American fighters with similar or better dive characteristics show up, the {{PAGENAME}} should prepare to play flexibly against the different enemy fighter's traits.
* '''[[Bf 109 K-4]]:''' The ''Kurfürst'' is the penultimate modification of the legendary Bf 109 and plays surprisingly similar to the G.56, even sharing the same armament layout (2 x 13.2 mm HMGs and 3 x 20 mm cannons, as this is the setup most pilots use). However, it does outclimb and out speed the {{PAGENAME}} by a relatively large margin, but the {{PAGENAME}} beats it at higher altitudes and have more responsive controls at lower speeds. The result of the dogfight comes down to pilot skill, as the planes are extremely similar, but the {{PAGENAME}} should try to Boom & Zoom against it to avoid the danger the aircraft presents. It is worthwhile to note that the {{PAGENAME}} can outturn every 109 except the earlier ones such as the [[Bf 109 F-4|F-4]], and can turn around them even more so when the 109's pilot uses the gun pod attachments, which is more than common.
* '''[[F8F-1B]]:''' The Bearcat is also a very dangerous opponent that the {{PAGENAME}} can encounter. Its roll rate is comparable to the Fw 190 series, its speed and acceleration are almost unparalleled, and its armament is very effective in all forms of combat. The {{PAGENAME}} under no circumstances should try to engage a Bearcat that is aware of the {{PAGENAME}}'s presence, as it will easily beat the {{PAGENAME}} in almost every scenario. If Bearcat forces an engagement onto the {{PAGENAME}}, seek assistance from teammates or attempt to bleed his speed with safe manoeuvres.
* '''[[I-225]]:''' The I-225 is the king of Russian props and excels in a high altitude, energy-based flying style. While the G.56 itself is very solid at higher altitudes thanks to its DB 603 combined with a supercharger, it is nothing compared to the I-225, which loses almost no performance flying anywhere above 6 km. Combined with its amazing speed and relatively powerful armament, the Russian menace is a fear to any aircraft it comes into contact with. However, if the {{PAGENAME}} can engage it with an energy advantage via Boom & Zoom, it is an easy target thanks to its very vulnerable airframe and almost total lack of armour. The aircraft is also inferior in low-speed engagements, an area the G.56 does well in and can take advantage of.
* '''[[Re.2005 serie 0|Re.2005]]:''' While Realistic Battles will never have the {{PAGENAME}} go against the ''Saggitario'', Arcade and Mixed Battles poses this challenge. The Re.2005 is an amazing prop fighter with a turning circle that embarrasses a Spitfire and makes a A6M Zero blush, plus it has the armaments to back up said manoeuvrability. These traits make 2005 one of the most universally feared threats to anyone in its airspace. However, it lacks the speed to compete with its contemporaries and has a very weak airframe that cannot afford to take many central hits. The {{PAGENAME}}'s amazing dive speed is its friend in these scenarios, always engage 2005 with a speed advantage and never turn after a run.

=== When Engaging the Aircraft ===
The G.56 is an enemy that you need to dispatch as soon as you possibly can, as even a singular one can be the most painful thorn in your side for the rest of the game. It would be best if you never let them gain an altitude advantage, as this allows them to singlehandedly dictate the flow of the battle with its high diving speed and excellent top-end speed. If one is diving on you, you should take advantage of the aircraft's reduced roll rate due to high-speed compression, force an overshoot, and light them up during their zoom climb.

Unless you're in a Re.2005, Ki-84, Zero, Ki-61, Reppu, or Spitfire, you should never engage a G.56 in a turn-fight. Despite the aircraft's stat card saying otherwise, the G.56 turns better than almost every aircraft it faces and turns especially well with energy. Your go-to tactic for engaging the aircraft should be Boom-&-Zoom, as it allows you to blitz them and take advantage of their relatively weak airframe.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful engine gives it great acceleration and great top speed
* Can easily set and rack up kills in the hands of a skilled pilot
* Fast firing, an accurate triad of MG 151 cannons with access to the dreaded ''minengeschoß'' explosive round
* Large ammo reserve (800 rounds total)
* Above average climb rate
* Superb manoeuvrability at all speeds
* Competitive flight performance at most altitudes
* Arguably the best 6.0 Axis aircraft that can deal with most Allied props with relative ease
* Excellent top speed, although slightly slower than its competitors
* Lenient stock grind
* Great manoeuvre energy retention

'''Cons:'''

* Mediocre roll rate
* Control surfaces function poorly at high speeds
* Stays in take-off settings while using Automatic Engine Controls, overheating the plane quickly
* Open radiator affects plane's top speed more than typical fighters
* Can face early jets
* Has a high repair cost in RB/SB for a vehicle in its rank

== History ==

The concept of the G.56 traces back to 1942, when the ''Stato Maggiore dell Aeronautica'' requested Fiat to develop an aircraft based on the G.55 airframe, which would allow it to mount recently available DB 603 engine that produced 1,750 horsepower, 275 more horsepower than the DB 605. Giuseppe Gabrielli designed it in 1944. The design was proven to be an all-around improvement from the already excellent G.55, with Commander Valentino Cus reaching nearly 710 km/h (450 mph) and official records stating a maximum speed of roughly 685 km/h (426 mph). The two Breda-SAFAT Machine guns that were mounted in the nose were removed to make room for the massive engine, reducing the weight slightly and allowing more 20 mm ammunition to be carried.

Leader of the Luftwaffe Hermann Goering saw the potential in the prototype and immediately proposed it to Hitler and Galland as an alternative to the Me 309, a similarly designed Bf 109 with a DB 603 engine. He described that due to the state of the war, Germany could not afford to make such radical changes to the Bf 109, as it was already difficult enough to go from the [[Bf 109 E-3|E series]] to the [[Bf 109 F-4|F series]], let alone the [[Bf 109 G-10|G series]]. Thus, he proposed that Germany would take over the aircraft production, giving them a fighting chance versus the myriad of enemy fighters that started to outclass the 109. However, engine production of the DB 603 was put on the back burner to focus on the DB 605 that powered most of German aircraft, so there was only a handful of DB 603's to go around. Despite showing excellent flight characteristics and was able to compete with every allied fighter at the time, it was never put into production due to the lack of DB 603 engines and Italy's horrible economic status, with only two prototypes being made before the war's end.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=italy&vehicleType=aircraft&vehicleClass=fighter&vehicle=g_56 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|94S5XQwnX2I|'''The Shooting Range #108''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:16 discusses the G.56.|4v3fxupuZPA|'''Last piston fighters''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:45 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


* [[G.55 (Family)]]: the family the G.56 comes from
* [[Fw 190 D-9]], [[Fw 190 D-12|D-12]]/[[Fw 190 D-13|D-13]] and [[Ta 152 H-1]]: equivalent fighter aircraft using the same engine

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/364976-fiat-g56/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Fiat}}
{{Italy fighters}}