War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Leopard 2K

2019-10-17T15:43:19Z

U2613427: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_leopard_2k}}
{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Leopard (Family)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The Leopard 2K is one of the most thinly armoured MBT in the German tree, having only 50 mm of actual thickness and 144 mm of effective thickness upper frontal plate and actual 59 mm with an effective thickness of 118 mm for its lower frontal plate. Thin armour would tend to cause concern for the tanker, however, much of this is negated due to the angles in the armour. For survivability, it is almost comparable to the T-64s but without blowing up, playing this tank is a 50/50.

=== Mobility ===

The Mobility of the Leopard 2K is astonishing, making it one of the most agile MBTs in its BR, reaching the speed of 70km/h on road.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|Rheinmetall L44 (120 mm)}}

The Leopard 2Ks gun is a 120 mm Rheinmetall L44 It can be found on the later models of the tank, such as the Leopard 2A4, and Leopard 2A5. But this does not mean it gets all of the later rounds, the rounds that the Leopard 2K gets is a DM12 and DM13 just like the Leopard A1A1 L/44. Being fitted with a 120 mm Rheinmetall gun it is effective at all ranges, capable of Penetrating tanks 1,000 m away

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="8" |Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" |Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Type of warhead
! colspan="6" |'''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
!10m
!100m
!500m
!1000m
!1500m
!2000m
|-
|DM12
|HEATFS
|650
|650
|650
|650
|650
|650
|-
|DM13
|APFSDS
|393
|390
|384
|376
|367
|359
|}

=== Additional armament ===

{{main|Rh202 (20 mm)}}

The tank has a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun which can be used to knock out Gun Barrels, Light Tanks, Helicopters and Planes. The belts are alternating AP-IT/HEF-IT, with 47 mm of penetration at 90 degrees at 0 m. The 20 mm has quite good elevation, and rotates independently from the turret, able to surprise light tanks attempting to flank following turret ring immobilization. m.

=== Machine guns ===
{{main|MG 3A1 (7.62 mm)}}
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

== Usage in battles ==

As mentioned earlier, the Leopard 2K is very agile, well equipped and thinly armoured. Overall the tank fits well into both flanker and sniper roles. The mobility of the tank can take you to places where the enemy will not expect a tank to be in such a short period of time. It is not a good idea to lead the advance or brawl because of the lack of armour on this vehicle, and it's best to instead let the well-armoured tanks take the lead. This tank is just an M18, but has a good gun and is even faster if you utilize its speed, doing so will allow for potential domination of the matches

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 120 mm gun with effective rounds
* APFSDS is a tier 1 modification - high-velocity rounds allow for long-range shots with ease
* Sloped armour has a tendency to bounce shots, somewhat making up for the lack of actual thickness
* 20 mm cannon very effective against light armour and aircraft
* Excellent mobility - one of the most mobile tanks on the battlefield

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour, ineffective if angles and cover not utilized
* Relatively large profile, the 20 mm Rh 202 gun often sticks out behind cover, making an easy target for Russian HE-Frag-FS shells
* Slow reload time relative to tanks with smaller guns or autoloaders
* Stock round is HEAT-FS, and struggles against allied vehicles, especially ones outfitted with ERA blocks (such as the T-64BV it often faces)
* Infrared imager is less effective than thermal imager during night battles
* Thin top armor is and autocannon means becoming a priority target by rocket helicopters and aircraft

== History ==

In the 1960s, Germany and the United States were jointly-developing the MBT-70, and Germany was contractually prevented from developing any new MBTs independently until the joint project with the US was completed.

But development problems plagued the MBT-70 project, and it appeared that the vehicle would not be finished within an acceptable time frame—so Germany found a way to bypass contractual limitations for the MBT-70 development.

Instead of ordering the development of a new tank, the German government issued an order to the Porsche company to research ways to improve the Leopard I tank already in service with the German army. This enabled Germany to research a more advanced fighting vehicle without breaching the contract signed with the US.

Porsche’s first study of the Leopard I revealed a lot of room for improvement, and second study focusing on upgrading the Leopard I to match the MBT-70’s firepower was launched almost immediately. This eventually resulted in the construction of two prototype vehicles—one in 1969 and one in 1970—nicknamed Keiler (tusker).

In the early 1970s, Germany was able to back out of the MBT-70 project due to spiraling development costs. Instead, they continued work on the development of the Keiler, which was renamed to Leopard 2.

The Leopard 2 project was expected to yield two versions: the Leopard 2K armed with a cannon, and the Leopard 2FK armed with a gun/launcher similar to the MBT-70. In 1971, ten prototypes were ordered, and seven more orders followed shortly thereafter.

To get the most out of their prototypes, German engineers equipped each one with different components to determine what worked best. Some Leopard 2 versions were equipped with a 105mm smoothbore cannon, whereas others were fitted with 120mm smoothbore cannons. Some prototypes received a hydraulic suspension while others didn’t, and there was even a version equipped with the 20mm anti-air mount on the turret (similar to the one found on the Kpz-70).

Sixteen out of seventeen Leopard 2 prototypes were built and tested, yielding many refinements to the Leopard 2 design. Subsequent models further increased the Leopard 2’s capabilities, with each variant making it more powerful—and ultimately into the Leopard 2 known today.

''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en Devblog]''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

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

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

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Leopard 2K: A Legend In The Making]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Leopard 2K

2019-10-17T15:01:33Z

U2613427: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=germ_leopard_2k}}
{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Leopard (Family)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]].

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

The Leopard 2K is one of the most thinly armoured MBT in the German tree, having only 50 mm of actual thickness and 144 mm of effective thickness upper frontal plate and actual 59 mm with an effective thickness of 118 mm for its lower frontal plate. Thin armour would tend to cause concern for the tanker, however, much of this is negated due to the angles in the armour. For survivability, it is almost comparable to the T-64s but without blowing up, playing this tank is a 50/50.

=== Mobility ===

The Mobility of the Leopard 2K is astonishing, making it one of the most agile MBTs in its BR, reaching the speed of 70km/h on road.

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|Rheinmetall L44 (120 mm)}}

The Leopard 2Ks gun is a 120 mm Rheinmetall L44 It can be found on the later models of the tank, such as the Leopard 2A4, and Leopard 2A5. But this does not mean it gets all of the later rounds, the rounds that the Leopard 2K gets is a DM12 and DM13 just like the Leopard A1A1 L/44. Being fitted with a 120 mm Rheinmetall gun it is effective at all ranges, capable of Penetrating tanks 1,000 m away

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable"
! colspan="8" |Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" |Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Type of warhead
! colspan="6" |'''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
!10m
!100m
!500m
!1000m
!1500m
!2000m
|-
|DM12
|HEATFS
|650
|650
|650
|650
|650
|650
|-
|DM13
|APFSDS
|393
|390
|384
|376
|367
|359
|}

=== Additional armament ===

{{main|Rh202 (20 mm)}}

The tank has a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun which can be used to knock out Gun Barrels, Light Tanks, Helicopters and Planes. The belts are alternating AP-IT/HEF-IT, with 47 mm of penetration at 90 degrees at 0 m. The 20 mm has quite good elevation, and rotates independently from the turret, able to surprise light tanks attempting to flank following turret ring immobilization. m.

=== Machine guns ===
{{main|MG 3A1 (7.62 mm)}}
''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

== Usage in battles ==

As mentioned earlier, the Leopard 2K is very agile, well equipped and thinly armoured. Overall the tank fits well into both flanker and sniper roles. The mobility of the tank can take you to places where the enemy will not expect a tank to be in such a short period of time. It is not a good idea to lead the advance or brawl because of the lack of armour on this vehicle, and it's best to instead let the well-armoured tanks take the lead. This tank is just an M18, but has a good gun and is even faster if you utilize its speed, doing so will allow for potential domination of the matches

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 120 mm gun with effective rounds
* APFSDS is a tier 1 modification - high-velocity rounds allow for long-range shots with ease
* Sloped armour has a tendency to bounce shots, somewhat making up for the lack of actual thickness
* 20 mm cannon very effective against light armour and aircraft
* Excellent mobility - one of the most mobile tanks on the battlefield

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour, ineffective if angles and cover not utilized
* Relatively large profile, the 20 mm Rh 202 gun often sticks out behind cover, making an easy target for Russian HE-Frag-FS shells
* Slow reload time relative to tanks with smaller guns or autoloaders
* Stock round is HEAT-FS, and struggles against allied vehicles, especially ones outfitted with ERA blocks (such as the T-64BV it often faces)
* Infrared imager is less effective than thermal imager during night battles
* Thin top armor is and autocannon means priority by rocket helicopters and aircraft

== History ==

In the 1960s, Germany and the United States were jointly-developing the MBT-70, and Germany was contractually prevented from developing any new MBTs independently until the joint project with the US was completed.

But development problems plagued the MBT-70 project, and it appeared that the vehicle would not be finished within an acceptable time frame—so Germany found a way to bypass contractual limitations for the MBT-70 development.

Instead of ordering the development of a new tank, the German government issued an order to the Porsche company to research ways to improve the Leopard I tank already in service with the German army. This enabled Germany to research a more advanced fighting vehicle without breaching the contract signed with the US.

Porsche’s first study of the Leopard I revealed a lot of room for improvement, and second study focusing on upgrading the Leopard I to match the MBT-70’s firepower was launched almost immediately. This eventually resulted in the construction of two prototype vehicles—one in 1969 and one in 1970—nicknamed Keiler (tusker).

In the early 1970s, Germany was able to back out of the MBT-70 project due to spiraling development costs. Instead, they continued work on the development of the Keiler, which was renamed to Leopard 2.

The Leopard 2 project was expected to yield two versions: the Leopard 2K armed with a cannon, and the Leopard 2FK armed with a gun/launcher similar to the MBT-70. In 1971, ten prototypes were ordered, and seven more orders followed shortly thereafter.

To get the most out of their prototypes, German engineers equipped each one with different components to determine what worked best. Some Leopard 2 versions were equipped with a 105mm smoothbore cannon, whereas others were fitted with 120mm smoothbore cannons. Some prototypes received a hydraulic suspension while others didn’t, and there was even a version equipped with the 20mm anti-air mount on the turret (similar to the one found on the Kpz-70).

Sixteen out of seventeen Leopard 2 prototypes were built and tested, yielding many refinements to the Leopard 2 design. Subsequent models further increased the Leopard 2’s capabilities, with each variant making it more powerful—and ultimately into the Leopard 2 known today.

''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en Devblog]''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

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

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

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Leopard 2K: A Legend In The Making]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

M41A1

2019-10-17T14:57:13Z

U2613427: /* Tactics */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_m41_walker_bulldog}}
{{About
| about = American '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the version in the Japanese tree
| link = M41A1 (Japan)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_M41A1WalkerBulldog.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced at the same time as the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. A large improvement over its predecessor, the [[M24|M24 ''Chaffee'']], it features a gun that can more adequately fight the tanks at its tier with an APDS round and has very good mobility and low profile to move quickly against the enemy.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Lower glacis)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 28.5 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (33-37°) ''Lower glacis'' || 28.5 mm || 28.5 mm (46°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (1°) ''Middle'' 25.4 mm (20°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 44.4 mm (11-13°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (2-43°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm (1°) || 31.75 mm (1°) || 12.7 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Tracks are placed on the turret side and rear that can provide about 10 mm of extra armour.
* An extra 12.7 mm RHA metal plate is present on the right side of the turret near the pintle 7.62 mm machine gun.
* A 5 mm Structural steel box is present, mounted on the vehicle rear.

There aren't any specific targets worth noting as the M41A1 will be hurt by pretty much anything. Be extra careful with [[:Category:Anti-aircraft_vehicles|SPAAs]] as they can knock out the ''Walker Bulldog's components with ease and even destroy the tank.''

If at all possible, try only to expose the turret. If using the terrain to the M41A1's advantage, it'll usually be able to fire one to three shots, then start moving forwards and backwards, thus making it a lot harder for the enemy to hit the tank. Generally, the M41A1 be able to get in two shots on most targets before they can fire back, and the M41A1 accelerates from 0 to 30 km/h fast enough to become a hard target to hit if only the turret is exposed!

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 15.6 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 62 (AB)
|-
|56 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|459
|565
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|262
|296
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|29.42
|36.22
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|16.79
|18.79
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|M32 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[M32 (76 mm)|76 mm M32]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 65 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 34.27 || 47.44 || 57.60 || 63.69 || 67.76
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 21.42 || 25.20 || 30.60 || 33.70 || 36.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 7.67 || 6.79 || 6.2 || 5.9
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| M339 Shot || AP || 175 || 173 || 159 || 143 || 128 || 115
|-
| M352 Shell || HE || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12
|-
| M319 Shot || APCR || 208 || 207 || 187 || 170 || 144 || 123
|-
| M331A2 Shot || APDS || 232 || 231 || 212 || 193 || 163 || 137
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| M339 Shot || 975 || 6.6 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M352 Shell || 732 || 6.8 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 867.22 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M319 Shot || 1,262 || 3.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| M331A2 Shot || 1,231 || 1.49 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| M361 || 713 || 7.1 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks M41A1.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo rack]] of the M41A1 Walker Bulldog.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''65''' || 55 ''(+10)'' || 39 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 2,175 (200) || 576 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Browning (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 4,900 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

Like the tanks that come before it, the ''Bulldog'' should be used as a rapid-deployment support vehicle in conjunction with heavier vehicles like the [[T32|T32]]. It is best used to run rapid insertion and flanking operations while allowing the heavier tanks to absorb the brunt of the enemy attack. The ''Walker Bulldog'' works well with [[M26|M26 Medium tanks]] as the M26 has a harder hitting gun to support the light tank's advance, but the M41A1 maintain a much better climb rate for hills and a much faster acceleration. The ''Bulldog's'' top speed does cap off-road, requiring good knowledge of the map to make the most of the terrain.

Always remember that the ''Bulldog'' lacks any effective armour. In a frontal attack, it will be easily penetrated by almost anything the enemy throws at it. Try to use the terrain to hide the tank and relocate after shots. Also, attempt to engage targets who are busy or already engaged with teammates. The ''Bulldog's'' 76 mm gun has great penetration, but due to the solid shot armour-piercing rounds it has it is necessary to make each shot count by hitting either ammo racks or fuel tanks/engines to disable and or destroy an enemy vehicle. Equipping HVAP rounds, later on, makes it easier to destroy vehicles with better side armour such as the [[IS-3]] which has a fairly strong side profile.

===Tactics===
The ''Bulldog'' is best playing a mobile role; trail the outskirts of the map and take shots at the enemy from a distance and keep relocating. Don't stand still for too long as one or two hits are usually enough to completely disable the tank.

While playing this tank, the biggest concern should be not to get hit ''by anything''. Given its thin armour, anything that the Bulldog is facing will be able to deal heavy damage. In summary, the ''Bulldog'' is a very manoeuvrable tank and with practice is a very potent threat to enemies.

If up against heavy tanks, such as the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II H]], don't bother trying to hit its front chassis armour even with APDS. The chances to penetrate this tank's upper glacis are very low. It is better to try and either ignoring him or aiming for his lower glacis and turret. Should the round penetrate the lower glacis, the transmission is likely to catch on fire. When attacking the turret, aim for the gunner on the left (player's right) of the gun. After that, disengage as the gunner will be replaced faster than the M41A1 can reload. Fighting off heavily armoured targets takes a lot of practice, but the gun's accuracy and good penetration can be used to the M41A1's advantage. Ambushing tanks as such as the Panther V series which many variants have slow slew rates will be highly effective as you can get two-three shots off and disable the gunner when you get a flank.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely agile tank
* Top speed of 72 km/h
* Fast turret traverse
* Fast reload rate
* Respectable firepower when loaded with APDS
* APDS has high muzzle velocity, easy to hit targets at longer ranges
* Good flanker
* Good suspension; can drive away from steep downhills and jumps
* .50 cal AA machine gun with good coverage
* AP is highly lethal to most tanks of all-tiers post pen

'''Cons:'''

* Low torque, without downhill the tank won't reach higher speeds than 50 km/h
* Thin armour, even SPAA tanks will take out the tank given the opportunity
* Its poor engine is its biggest weakness, makes it a bad scouting unit
* Ammo storage in the front, next to the driver.
* APDS shot causes only punctual damage (aim carefully)
* No explosive filler on any AP shells
* Quite tall for a light tank

== History ==

===Development===
The U.S. Army light tank in the later part of World War II, the [[M24|M24 ''Chaffee'']], was a promising design but was deemed not effective for the future of armour encounters. Though its role as a scout was seen as needing the 75 mm gun, the army wanted a tank with a better gun to have a more equal chance against tanks. The project began as the ''T37'' program in 1947 with the focus of being air-transportable with an anti-tank capability in the form of a 76 mm gun and a rangefinder. The adoption of a simplified rangefinder had the project designation changed to the ''T41''. After testings and evaluations, the ''T41'' model was accepted into service as the '''M41 ''Little Bulldog'' ''', with production starting at Cadillac Cleveland Tank Plant in 1951. The name ''Little Bulldog'' stayed until General Walton Walker, the first commander of the 8th US Army in Korea, died in a car accident, so the tank was renamed into the '''M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' ''' in remembrance. Production went from 1953 to somewhere in the late 1960s with about 3,728 units produced.

The M41 light tank would go on to replace the M24 ''Chaffees'' by 1953. The M41 had a crew of four, commander, gunner, loader, and driver. The tank had a profile of under 9 feet and 19 feet long. The tank was lightweight at 23.5 tons and thus had rather thin armour, with the front armour only 25.4 mm thick (sloped at 60 degrees for about 50 mm effective). However, the tank was very agile with its torsion bar suspension and Continental AOS 895-3 series 6-cylinder gasoline engine of 500 hp which could deliver a road speed of 45 mph with a 100 miles operating range. Unfortunately, the tank was criticized for being noisy, a fuel-guzzler, rather heavy, and the American crewman found the ''Bulldog's'' interior to be quite cramped. Despite that, it delivered speed, firepower, and reliability in a light tank format. Several upgrades were made on the M41 with better technology, the '''M41A1''' had a hydraulic turret traverse with more ammo storage, the ''M41A2'' had a new fuel system, and the ''M41A3'' are old M41A1 tanks with the new fuel system from the M41A2.

===Combat usage===
The M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' first saw use in Korea in a limited combat run. The tanks, still labelled their experimental designation T41, were sent for field testing on design deficiencies. It is unknown what other purposes they served there except for the tests. Their first major conflict once adopted by the U.S. Army was in Vietnam, mainly by replacing the M24 ''Chaffees'' in service with the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) at the time. The M41A3 tanks arrived in January 1965 and were instantly popular; not only for their advantages, but the previously cramped interior for American crews were actually a perfect fit for the smaller Vietnamese armour crewman. The ''Bulldog'' went on to fight in the Vietnam War as a reliable war machine. The ''Bulldog'' had an advantage due to its lightweight in manoeuvring in the jungle terrain of the region. In 1971, Operation Lam Son 719, the disruption of the North Vietnamese Army supply lines had the M41 ''Bulldogs'' play a major role, accompanied by two airborne battalions and two cavalry regiments. Penetrating deep into enemy lines, the 17 M41 tanks engaged and destroyed six Soviet-designed [[T-54 (1951)|T-54 tanks]] and other lighter armoured vehicles. This engagement came at a loss of 5 M41 and 25 armoured personnel carriers. By 1973, the ARVN still used about 200 M41 tanks while the transition of the American unit over to the [[M48A1|M48A3 ''Patton'' tanks]] in Europe and Stateside. The M41 light tanks were also exported to various other countries. Today, Guatemala, Somalia, Taiwan, Uruguay, and Vietnam still use the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'', some via upgrading the tanks to extend their service life.

The M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' design was advanced for the time, giving a relatively lightweight tank the firepower to take on other tanks of its time period. The chassis was even used on the ''[[M42|M42 ''Duster'' Anti-Air gun]]'' and the ''M75 Armored Personnel Carrier''. The drive, engine, transmission, and auxiliary engine also were used in the ''M44/M52 155 howitzer''. By 1969, the US Army began replacing the M41 with the newer [[M551|M551 ''Sheridan'' Armored Airborne Reconnaissance Assault Vehicle]] (officially not a "light tank") which had a [[M81 (152 mm)|152 mm cannon]] that could fire shells and [[Anti-tank_guided_missiles|anti-tank missiles]]. The M551 ''Sheridan'' could be used in roles that the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' couldn't do, such as be air-dropped and amphibious but was rather unreliable. This made the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' to be the last American "light tank" produced and the last made before the classification between tank classes based on weight and role ended.

=== In-game description ===
"In 1946 the Americans began looking for a replacement for the M24 Chaffee. The design for the new tank was to lean on experiences drawn from the Second World War.

In 1953 deliveries of the M41 Walker Bulldog to the US army began, with 5,500 units ultimately released.

The M41 Walker Bulldog featured a traditional layout with a welded hull and rationally sloped frontal plates. The turret was welded from cast and rolled armor elements. The running gear on each side was made up of five road wheels and three track return rollers in addition to guiding and leading wheels. The road wheels were independent of the torsion bar suspension, while the suspension for the first, second, and fifth rollers was equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers. The 500 hp air-cooled Continental AOS-895-3 engine featured a fire extinguishing system.

The tank's armament consisted of a 76 mm M32 cannon, a coaxial 7.62 mm Browning M1919A4E1 machine gun, and a turret-mounted 12.7 mm Browning M2HB anti-aircraft gun. The weapon was not stabilized and was equipped with a muzzle brake to reduce recoil. The battle compartment featured 24 rounds for fast reloading, along with 33 more in the tank hull that were only accessible when the turret was rotated hard to the rear.

Practice showed that the new tanks were poorly suited for reconnaissance, and their heavy weight and large dimensions made them just as difficult to transport as medium tanks. Those removed from active duty were quickly handed over and sold to allies and dependent governments.

M41 Walker Bulldogs saw combat in Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, the UK, North (captured) and South Vietnam, Guatemala, and Greece."

== Media ==

[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m41_walker_bulldog '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the M41A1 from live.warthunder]

*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/95846/ '''"US ARMY" 532''' by ''JoKeR_BvB09'']
*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/101650/ '''"German Bundeswehr 3tone skin - 2nd Co of Panzeraufklärungsbataillon 5 ( ReconBn )" fictional''' by ''JoKeR_BvB09'']
*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/95835/ '''"(Fictional) M41 Flecktarn <nowiki>[Germany 1985]</nowiki>"''' by ''Tiger_VI'']

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

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

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/3018/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> M41 Walker Bulldog [Decal Included<nowiki>]</nowiki>]

{{USA light tanks}}

M41A1

2019-10-17T14:56:38Z

U2613427: /* Tactics */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_m41_walker_bulldog}}
{{About
| about = American '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the version in the Japanese tree
| link = M41A1 (Japan)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_M41A1WalkerBulldog.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced at the same time as the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. A large improvement over its predecessor, the [[M24|M24 ''Chaffee'']], it features a gun that can more adequately fight the tanks at its tier with an APDS round and has very good mobility and low profile to move quickly against the enemy.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Lower glacis)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 28.5 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (33-37°) ''Lower glacis'' || 28.5 mm || 28.5 mm (46°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (1°) ''Middle'' 25.4 mm (20°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 44.4 mm (11-13°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (2-43°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm (1°) || 31.75 mm (1°) || 12.7 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Tracks are placed on the turret side and rear that can provide about 10 mm of extra armour.
* An extra 12.7 mm RHA metal plate is present on the right side of the turret near the pintle 7.62 mm machine gun.
* A 5 mm Structural steel box is present, mounted on the vehicle rear.

There aren't any specific targets worth noting as the M41A1 will be hurt by pretty much anything. Be extra careful with [[:Category:Anti-aircraft_vehicles|SPAAs]] as they can knock out the ''Walker Bulldog's components with ease and even destroy the tank.''

If at all possible, try only to expose the turret. If using the terrain to the M41A1's advantage, it'll usually be able to fire one to three shots, then start moving forwards and backwards, thus making it a lot harder for the enemy to hit the tank. Generally, the M41A1 be able to get in two shots on most targets before they can fire back, and the M41A1 accelerates from 0 to 30 km/h fast enough to become a hard target to hit if only the turret is exposed!

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 15.6 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 62 (AB)
|-
|56 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|459
|565
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|262
|296
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|29.42
|36.22
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|16.79
|18.79
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|M32 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[M32 (76 mm)|76 mm M32]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 65 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 34.27 || 47.44 || 57.60 || 63.69 || 67.76
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 21.42 || 25.20 || 30.60 || 33.70 || 36.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 7.67 || 6.79 || 6.2 || 5.9
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| M339 Shot || AP || 175 || 173 || 159 || 143 || 128 || 115
|-
| M352 Shell || HE || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12
|-
| M319 Shot || APCR || 208 || 207 || 187 || 170 || 144 || 123
|-
| M331A2 Shot || APDS || 232 || 231 || 212 || 193 || 163 || 137
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| M339 Shot || 975 || 6.6 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M352 Shell || 732 || 6.8 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 867.22 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M319 Shot || 1,262 || 3.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| M331A2 Shot || 1,231 || 1.49 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| M361 || 713 || 7.1 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks M41A1.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo rack]] of the M41A1 Walker Bulldog.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''65''' || 55 ''(+10)'' || 39 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 2,175 (200) || 576 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Browning (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 4,900 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

Like the tanks that come before it, the ''Bulldog'' should be used as a rapid-deployment support vehicle in conjunction with heavier vehicles like the [[T32|T32]]. It is best used to run rapid insertion and flanking operations while allowing the heavier tanks to absorb the brunt of the enemy attack. The ''Walker Bulldog'' works well with [[M26|M26 Medium tanks]] as the M26 has a harder hitting gun to support the light tank's advance, but the M41A1 maintain a much better climb rate for hills and a much faster acceleration. The ''Bulldog's'' top speed does cap off-road, requiring good knowledge of the map to make the most of the terrain.

Always remember that the ''Bulldog'' lacks any effective armour. In a frontal attack, it will be easily penetrated by almost anything the enemy throws at it. Try to use the terrain to hide the tank and relocate after shots. Also, attempt to engage targets who are busy or already engaged with teammates. The ''Bulldog's'' 76 mm gun has great penetration, but due to the solid shot armour-piercing rounds it has it is necessary to make each shot count by hitting either ammo racks or fuel tanks/engines to disable and or destroy an enemy vehicle. Equipping HVAP rounds, later on, makes it easier to destroy vehicles with better side armour such as the [[IS-3]] which has a fairly strong side profile.

===Tactics===
The ''Bulldog'' is best playing a mobile role; trail the outskirts of the map and take shots at the enemy from a distance and keep relocating. Don't stand still for too long as one or two hits are usually enough to completely disable the tank.

While playing this tank, the biggest concern should be not to get hit ''by anything''. Given its thin armour, anything that the Bulldog is facing will be able to deal heavy damage. In summary, the ''Bulldog'' is a very manoeuvrable tank and with practice is a very potent threat to enemies.

If up against heavy tanks, such as the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II H]], don't bother trying to hit its front chassis armour even with APDS. The chances to penetrate this tank's upper glacis are very low. It is better to try and either ignoring him or aiming for his lower glacis and turret. Should the round penetrate the lower glacis, the transmission is likely to catch on fire. When attacking the turret, aim for the gunner on the left (player's right) of the gun. After that, disengage as the gunner will be replaced faster than the M41A1 can reload. Fighting off heavily armoured targets takes a lot of practice, but the gun's accuracy and good penetration can be used to the M41A1's advantage. Ambushing tanks as such as the Panther V series which many variants have slow slew rates will be highly effective as you can get 2-3 shots off and disable the gunner when you get a flank.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely agile tank
* Top speed of 72 km/h
* Fast turret traverse
* Fast reload rate
* Respectable firepower when loaded with APDS
* APDS has high muzzle velocity, easy to hit targets at longer ranges
* Good flanker
* Good suspension; can drive away from steep downhills and jumps
* .50 cal AA machine gun with good coverage
* AP is highly lethal to most tanks of all-tiers post pen

'''Cons:'''

* Low torque, without downhill the tank won't reach higher speeds than 50 km/h
* Thin armour, even SPAA tanks will take out the tank given the opportunity
* Its poor engine is its biggest weakness, makes it a bad scouting unit
* Ammo storage in the front, next to the driver.
* APDS shot causes only punctual damage (aim carefully)
* No explosive filler on any AP shells
* Quite tall for a light tank

== History ==

===Development===
The U.S. Army light tank in the later part of World War II, the [[M24|M24 ''Chaffee'']], was a promising design but was deemed not effective for the future of armour encounters. Though its role as a scout was seen as needing the 75 mm gun, the army wanted a tank with a better gun to have a more equal chance against tanks. The project began as the ''T37'' program in 1947 with the focus of being air-transportable with an anti-tank capability in the form of a 76 mm gun and a rangefinder. The adoption of a simplified rangefinder had the project designation changed to the ''T41''. After testings and evaluations, the ''T41'' model was accepted into service as the '''M41 ''Little Bulldog'' ''', with production starting at Cadillac Cleveland Tank Plant in 1951. The name ''Little Bulldog'' stayed until General Walton Walker, the first commander of the 8th US Army in Korea, died in a car accident, so the tank was renamed into the '''M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' ''' in remembrance. Production went from 1953 to somewhere in the late 1960s with about 3,728 units produced.

The M41 light tank would go on to replace the M24 ''Chaffees'' by 1953. The M41 had a crew of four, commander, gunner, loader, and driver. The tank had a profile of under 9 feet and 19 feet long. The tank was lightweight at 23.5 tons and thus had rather thin armour, with the front armour only 25.4 mm thick (sloped at 60 degrees for about 50 mm effective). However, the tank was very agile with its torsion bar suspension and Continental AOS 895-3 series 6-cylinder gasoline engine of 500 hp which could deliver a road speed of 45 mph with a 100 miles operating range. Unfortunately, the tank was criticized for being noisy, a fuel-guzzler, rather heavy, and the American crewman found the ''Bulldog's'' interior to be quite cramped. Despite that, it delivered speed, firepower, and reliability in a light tank format. Several upgrades were made on the M41 with better technology, the '''M41A1''' had a hydraulic turret traverse with more ammo storage, the ''M41A2'' had a new fuel system, and the ''M41A3'' are old M41A1 tanks with the new fuel system from the M41A2.

===Combat usage===
The M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' first saw use in Korea in a limited combat run. The tanks, still labelled their experimental designation T41, were sent for field testing on design deficiencies. It is unknown what other purposes they served there except for the tests. Their first major conflict once adopted by the U.S. Army was in Vietnam, mainly by replacing the M24 ''Chaffees'' in service with the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) at the time. The M41A3 tanks arrived in January 1965 and were instantly popular; not only for their advantages, but the previously cramped interior for American crews were actually a perfect fit for the smaller Vietnamese armour crewman. The ''Bulldog'' went on to fight in the Vietnam War as a reliable war machine. The ''Bulldog'' had an advantage due to its lightweight in manoeuvring in the jungle terrain of the region. In 1971, Operation Lam Son 719, the disruption of the North Vietnamese Army supply lines had the M41 ''Bulldogs'' play a major role, accompanied by two airborne battalions and two cavalry regiments. Penetrating deep into enemy lines, the 17 M41 tanks engaged and destroyed six Soviet-designed [[T-54 (1951)|T-54 tanks]] and other lighter armoured vehicles. This engagement came at a loss of 5 M41 and 25 armoured personnel carriers. By 1973, the ARVN still used about 200 M41 tanks while the transition of the American unit over to the [[M48A1|M48A3 ''Patton'' tanks]] in Europe and Stateside. The M41 light tanks were also exported to various other countries. Today, Guatemala, Somalia, Taiwan, Uruguay, and Vietnam still use the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'', some via upgrading the tanks to extend their service life.

The M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' design was advanced for the time, giving a relatively lightweight tank the firepower to take on other tanks of its time period. The chassis was even used on the ''[[M42|M42 ''Duster'' Anti-Air gun]]'' and the ''M75 Armored Personnel Carrier''. The drive, engine, transmission, and auxiliary engine also were used in the ''M44/M52 155 howitzer''. By 1969, the US Army began replacing the M41 with the newer [[M551|M551 ''Sheridan'' Armored Airborne Reconnaissance Assault Vehicle]] (officially not a "light tank") which had a [[M81 (152 mm)|152 mm cannon]] that could fire shells and [[Anti-tank_guided_missiles|anti-tank missiles]]. The M551 ''Sheridan'' could be used in roles that the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' couldn't do, such as be air-dropped and amphibious but was rather unreliable. This made the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' to be the last American "light tank" produced and the last made before the classification between tank classes based on weight and role ended.

=== In-game description ===
"In 1946 the Americans began looking for a replacement for the M24 Chaffee. The design for the new tank was to lean on experiences drawn from the Second World War.

In 1953 deliveries of the M41 Walker Bulldog to the US army began, with 5,500 units ultimately released.

The M41 Walker Bulldog featured a traditional layout with a welded hull and rationally sloped frontal plates. The turret was welded from cast and rolled armor elements. The running gear on each side was made up of five road wheels and three track return rollers in addition to guiding and leading wheels. The road wheels were independent of the torsion bar suspension, while the suspension for the first, second, and fifth rollers was equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers. The 500 hp air-cooled Continental AOS-895-3 engine featured a fire extinguishing system.

The tank's armament consisted of a 76 mm M32 cannon, a coaxial 7.62 mm Browning M1919A4E1 machine gun, and a turret-mounted 12.7 mm Browning M2HB anti-aircraft gun. The weapon was not stabilized and was equipped with a muzzle brake to reduce recoil. The battle compartment featured 24 rounds for fast reloading, along with 33 more in the tank hull that were only accessible when the turret was rotated hard to the rear.

Practice showed that the new tanks were poorly suited for reconnaissance, and their heavy weight and large dimensions made them just as difficult to transport as medium tanks. Those removed from active duty were quickly handed over and sold to allies and dependent governments.

M41 Walker Bulldogs saw combat in Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, the UK, North (captured) and South Vietnam, Guatemala, and Greece."

== Media ==

[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m41_walker_bulldog '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the M41A1 from live.warthunder]

*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/95846/ '''"US ARMY" 532''' by ''JoKeR_BvB09'']
*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/101650/ '''"German Bundeswehr 3tone skin - 2nd Co of Panzeraufklärungsbataillon 5 ( ReconBn )" fictional''' by ''JoKeR_BvB09'']
*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/95835/ '''"(Fictional) M41 Flecktarn <nowiki>[Germany 1985]</nowiki>"''' by ''Tiger_VI'']

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

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

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/3018/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> M41 Walker Bulldog [Decal Included<nowiki>]</nowiki>]

{{USA light tanks}}

M41A1

2019-10-17T14:55:18Z

U2613427: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_m41_walker_bulldog}}
{{About
| about = American '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the version in the Japanese tree
| link = M41A1 (Japan)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_M41A1WalkerBulldog.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced at the same time as the American ground tree in [[Update 1.45 "Steel Generals"]]. A large improvement over its predecessor, the [[M24|M24 ''Chaffee'']], it features a gun that can more adequately fight the tanks at its tier with an APDS round and has very good mobility and low profile to move quickly against the enemy.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Lower glacis)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 28.5 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (33-37°) ''Lower glacis'' || 28.5 mm || 28.5 mm (46°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (1°) ''Middle'' 25.4 mm (20°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm
|-
| Turret || 44.4 mm (11-13°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 mm (2-43°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm (1°) || 31.75 mm (1°) || 12.7 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, bogies, and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Tracks are placed on the turret side and rear that can provide about 10 mm of extra armour.
* An extra 12.7 mm RHA metal plate is present on the right side of the turret near the pintle 7.62 mm machine gun.
* A 5 mm Structural steel box is present, mounted on the vehicle rear.

There aren't any specific targets worth noting as the M41A1 will be hurt by pretty much anything. Be extra careful with [[:Category:Anti-aircraft_vehicles|SPAAs]] as they can knock out the ''Walker Bulldog's components with ease and even destroy the tank.''

If at all possible, try only to expose the turret. If using the terrain to the M41A1's advantage, it'll usually be able to fire one to three shots, then start moving forwards and backwards, thus making it a lot harder for the enemy to hit the tank. Generally, the M41A1 be able to get in two shots on most targets before they can fire back, and the M41A1 accelerates from 0 to 30 km/h fast enough to become a hard target to hit if only the turret is exposed!

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 15.6 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 62 (AB)
|-
|56 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|459
|565
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|262
|296
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|29.42
|36.22
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|16.79
|18.79
|-
|}

== Armaments ==
=== Main armament ===

{{main|M32 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[M32 (76 mm)|76 mm M32]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 65 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 34.27 || 47.44 || 57.60 || 63.69 || 67.76
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 21.42 || 25.20 || 30.60 || 33.70 || 36.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 7.67 || 6.79 || 6.2 || 5.9
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| M339 Shot || AP || 175 || 173 || 159 || 143 || 128 || 115
|-
| M352 Shell || HE || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12 || 12
|-
| M319 Shot || APCR || 208 || 207 || 187 || 170 || 144 || 123
|-
| M331A2 Shot || APDS || 232 || 231 || 212 || 193 || 163 || 137
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| M339 Shot || 975 || 6.6 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M352 Shell || 732 || 6.8 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 867.22 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M319 Shot || 1,262 || 3.2 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
| M331A2 Shot || 1,231 || 1.49 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 75° || 78° || 80°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke characteristic
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity in m/s
! Projectile Mass in kg
! ''Screen radius in m''
! ''Screen time in s''
! ''Screen hold time in s:''
! ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
|-
| M361 || 713 || 7.1 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks M41A1.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo rack]] of the M41A1 Walker Bulldog.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''65''' || 55 ''(+10)'' || 39 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 2,175 (200) || 576 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[Browning (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 4,900 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

Like the tanks that come before it, the ''Bulldog'' should be used as a rapid-deployment support vehicle in conjunction with heavier vehicles like the [[T32|T32]]. It is best used to run rapid insertion and flanking operations while allowing the heavier tanks to absorb the brunt of the enemy attack. The ''Walker Bulldog'' works well with [[M26|M26 Medium tanks]] as the M26 has a harder hitting gun to support the light tank's advance, but the M41A1 maintain a much better climb rate for hills and a much faster acceleration. The ''Bulldog's'' top speed does cap off-road, requiring good knowledge of the map to make the most of the terrain.

Always remember that the ''Bulldog'' lacks any effective armour. In a frontal attack, it will be easily penetrated by almost anything the enemy throws at it. Try to use the terrain to hide the tank and relocate after shots. Also, attempt to engage targets who are busy or already engaged with teammates. The ''Bulldog's'' 76 mm gun has great penetration, but due to the solid shot armour-piercing rounds it has it is necessary to make each shot count by hitting either ammo racks or fuel tanks/engines to disable and or destroy an enemy vehicle. Equipping HVAP rounds, later on, makes it easier to destroy vehicles with better side armour such as the [[IS-3]] which has a fairly strong side profile.

===Tactics===
The ''Bulldog'' is best playing a mobile role; trail the outskirts of the map and take shots at the enemy from a distance and keep relocating. Don't stand still for too long as one or two hits are usually enough to completely disable the tank.

While playing this tank, the biggest concern should be not to get hit ''by anything''. Given its thin armour, anything that the Bulldog is facing will be able to deal heavy damage. In summary, the ''Bulldog'' is a very manoeuvrable tank and with practice is a very potent threat to enemies.

If up against heavy tanks, such as the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II H]], don't bother trying to hit its front chassis armour even with APDS. The chances to penetrate this tank's upper glacis are very low. It is better to try and either ignoring him or aiming for his lower glacis and turret. Should the round penetrate the lower glacis, the transmission is likely to catch on fire. When attacking the turret, aim for the gunner on the left (player's right) of the gun. After that, disengage as the gunner will be replaced faster than the M41A1 can reload. Fighting off heavily armoured targets takes a lot of practice, but the gun's accuracy and good penetration can be used to the M41A1's advantage.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Extremely agile tank
* Top speed of 72 km/h
* Fast turret traverse
* Fast reload rate
* Respectable firepower when loaded with APDS
* APDS has high muzzle velocity, easy to hit targets at longer ranges
* Good flanker
* Good suspension; can drive away from steep downhills and jumps
* .50 cal AA machine gun with good coverage
* AP is highly lethal to most tanks of all-tiers post pen

'''Cons:'''

* Low torque, without downhill the tank won't reach higher speeds than 50 km/h
* Thin armour, even SPAA tanks will take out the tank given the opportunity
* Its poor engine is its biggest weakness, makes it a bad scouting unit
* Ammo storage in the front, next to the driver.
* APDS shot causes only punctual damage (aim carefully)
* No explosive filler on any AP shells
* Quite tall for a light tank

== History ==

===Development===
The U.S. Army light tank in the later part of World War II, the [[M24|M24 ''Chaffee'']], was a promising design but was deemed not effective for the future of armour encounters. Though its role as a scout was seen as needing the 75 mm gun, the army wanted a tank with a better gun to have a more equal chance against tanks. The project began as the ''T37'' program in 1947 with the focus of being air-transportable with an anti-tank capability in the form of a 76 mm gun and a rangefinder. The adoption of a simplified rangefinder had the project designation changed to the ''T41''. After testings and evaluations, the ''T41'' model was accepted into service as the '''M41 ''Little Bulldog'' ''', with production starting at Cadillac Cleveland Tank Plant in 1951. The name ''Little Bulldog'' stayed until General Walton Walker, the first commander of the 8th US Army in Korea, died in a car accident, so the tank was renamed into the '''M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' ''' in remembrance. Production went from 1953 to somewhere in the late 1960s with about 3,728 units produced.

The M41 light tank would go on to replace the M24 ''Chaffees'' by 1953. The M41 had a crew of four, commander, gunner, loader, and driver. The tank had a profile of under 9 feet and 19 feet long. The tank was lightweight at 23.5 tons and thus had rather thin armour, with the front armour only 25.4 mm thick (sloped at 60 degrees for about 50 mm effective). However, the tank was very agile with its torsion bar suspension and Continental AOS 895-3 series 6-cylinder gasoline engine of 500 hp which could deliver a road speed of 45 mph with a 100 miles operating range. Unfortunately, the tank was criticized for being noisy, a fuel-guzzler, rather heavy, and the American crewman found the ''Bulldog's'' interior to be quite cramped. Despite that, it delivered speed, firepower, and reliability in a light tank format. Several upgrades were made on the M41 with better technology, the '''M41A1''' had a hydraulic turret traverse with more ammo storage, the ''M41A2'' had a new fuel system, and the ''M41A3'' are old M41A1 tanks with the new fuel system from the M41A2.

===Combat usage===
The M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' first saw use in Korea in a limited combat run. The tanks, still labelled their experimental designation T41, were sent for field testing on design deficiencies. It is unknown what other purposes they served there except for the tests. Their first major conflict once adopted by the U.S. Army was in Vietnam, mainly by replacing the M24 ''Chaffees'' in service with the South Vietnamese army (ARVN) at the time. The M41A3 tanks arrived in January 1965 and were instantly popular; not only for their advantages, but the previously cramped interior for American crews were actually a perfect fit for the smaller Vietnamese armour crewman. The ''Bulldog'' went on to fight in the Vietnam War as a reliable war machine. The ''Bulldog'' had an advantage due to its lightweight in manoeuvring in the jungle terrain of the region. In 1971, Operation Lam Son 719, the disruption of the North Vietnamese Army supply lines had the M41 ''Bulldogs'' play a major role, accompanied by two airborne battalions and two cavalry regiments. Penetrating deep into enemy lines, the 17 M41 tanks engaged and destroyed six Soviet-designed [[T-54 (1951)|T-54 tanks]] and other lighter armoured vehicles. This engagement came at a loss of 5 M41 and 25 armoured personnel carriers. By 1973, the ARVN still used about 200 M41 tanks while the transition of the American unit over to the [[M48A1|M48A3 ''Patton'' tanks]] in Europe and Stateside. The M41 light tanks were also exported to various other countries. Today, Guatemala, Somalia, Taiwan, Uruguay, and Vietnam still use the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'', some via upgrading the tanks to extend their service life.

The M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' design was advanced for the time, giving a relatively lightweight tank the firepower to take on other tanks of its time period. The chassis was even used on the ''[[M42|M42 ''Duster'' Anti-Air gun]]'' and the ''M75 Armored Personnel Carrier''. The drive, engine, transmission, and auxiliary engine also were used in the ''M44/M52 155 howitzer''. By 1969, the US Army began replacing the M41 with the newer [[M551|M551 ''Sheridan'' Armored Airborne Reconnaissance Assault Vehicle]] (officially not a "light tank") which had a [[M81 (152 mm)|152 mm cannon]] that could fire shells and [[Anti-tank_guided_missiles|anti-tank missiles]]. The M551 ''Sheridan'' could be used in roles that the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' couldn't do, such as be air-dropped and amphibious but was rather unreliable. This made the M41 ''Walker Bulldog'' to be the last American "light tank" produced and the last made before the classification between tank classes based on weight and role ended.

=== In-game description ===
"In 1946 the Americans began looking for a replacement for the M24 Chaffee. The design for the new tank was to lean on experiences drawn from the Second World War.

In 1953 deliveries of the M41 Walker Bulldog to the US army began, with 5,500 units ultimately released.

The M41 Walker Bulldog featured a traditional layout with a welded hull and rationally sloped frontal plates. The turret was welded from cast and rolled armor elements. The running gear on each side was made up of five road wheels and three track return rollers in addition to guiding and leading wheels. The road wheels were independent of the torsion bar suspension, while the suspension for the first, second, and fifth rollers was equipped with hydraulic shock absorbers. The 500 hp air-cooled Continental AOS-895-3 engine featured a fire extinguishing system.

The tank's armament consisted of a 76 mm M32 cannon, a coaxial 7.62 mm Browning M1919A4E1 machine gun, and a turret-mounted 12.7 mm Browning M2HB anti-aircraft gun. The weapon was not stabilized and was equipped with a muzzle brake to reduce recoil. The battle compartment featured 24 rounds for fast reloading, along with 33 more in the tank hull that were only accessible when the turret was rotated hard to the rear.

Practice showed that the new tanks were poorly suited for reconnaissance, and their heavy weight and large dimensions made them just as difficult to transport as medium tanks. Those removed from active duty were quickly handed over and sold to allies and dependent governments.

M41 Walker Bulldogs saw combat in Austria, Argentina, Belgium, Brazil, the UK, North (captured) and South Vietnam, Guatemala, and Greece."

== Media ==

[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=light_tank&vehicle=us_m41_walker_bulldog '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the M41A1 from live.warthunder]

*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/95846/ '''"US ARMY" 532''' by ''JoKeR_BvB09'']
*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/101650/ '''"German Bundeswehr 3tone skin - 2nd Co of Panzeraufklärungsbataillon 5 ( ReconBn )" fictional''' by ''JoKeR_BvB09'']
*[http://live.warthunder.com/post/95835/ '''"(Fictional) M41 Flecktarn <nowiki>[Germany 1985]</nowiki>"''' by ''Tiger_VI'']

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

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

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/3018/current/ Official War Thunder forum article: [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> M41 Walker Bulldog [Decal Included<nowiki>]</nowiki>]

{{USA light tanks}}

AH-1Z

2019-10-17T14:51:09Z

U2613427: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ah_1z}}
{{About
| about = American attack helicopter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = AH-1 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in the garage]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American attack helicopter {{Battle-rating}}. This helicopter was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight Performance ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="4" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
|-
| 394 || 383 || {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! colspan="4" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
|-
|426|| 411 || {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===

* ''12 mm steel - engine''
* ''20 mm composite boron-carbide - pilot/gunner seats''
* ''12 mm steel - pilot seat''

''When fighting the AH-1Z, it is always a good bet to get the "High Ground" or altitude advantage of this vehicle. Try to strafe it and get around to its blinds spot, as it can't use the tail rotor effectively when moving, and will yaw and flip when making a strong attempt to turn-on-target. Always aim for the cockpit, as one the gunner is knocked out the turret becomes unusable. When coming up against a Zulu with gun pods, or and secondary weapons (Especially the lethal AIM-9L), know that the pilot can still fire these even if the Gunner in knocked out. However, it is unlikely that a Zulu will take a gun pod over a full missile rack.''

== Armaments ==
=== Offensive armament ===

{{main|M197 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is outfitted with the following offensive weapons:

1 x 20 mm M197 Minigun (750 total rounds)

=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|Hydra-70 M247|AGM-114B Hellfire|BGM-71 TOW-2|BGM-71 TOW|M134 Minigun (7.62 mm)}}

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

* Without load
* 76 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
* 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 4 x BGM-71 TOW missiles
* 8 x BGM-71 TOW missiles
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x BGM-71 TOW missiles
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 8 x BGM-71 TOW missiles
* 4 x BGM-71 TOW missiles + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 8 x BGM-71 TOW missiles + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 4 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles
* 8 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 8 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles
* 4 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 8 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 16 x BGM-71 TOW missiles
* 16 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles
* 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 16 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles

==Usage in battles==
Using the AH-1Z Viper after the AH-1F requires learning time, the playstyle between this and the AH-1F has some unique differences such as ammunition, views and overall playstyle.

The AH-1Z is an attack helicopter, it does this role very well, in fact, it is one of the best attack helicopters in the game, with speed up to 411 kph (255 mph). The AH-1Z offers a large array of ordnance selections, from mini-guns, rockets, TOW, TOW-2 and Hellfire missiles. In addition, the AH-1Z Can carry a combination of missiles, rockets or mini-guns together.
To get one of the best configurations, specialize in what you want to do, air protection or ground attack, either way, this attack helicopter can do it.

To utilize the AH-1Z viper, make sure to adjust the tactics to the map, for example, maps, with rocks and hilly terrain, stay low and use it as cover whilst you get to into a position which will allow you to dominate the battlefield. For maps which are open and flat, climb to a high altitude and assess the situation, just make sure to scan the map and not get fixed on a location.

The AH-1Z has three main playstyles, the playstyles of this attack helicopter are focused around dominating in the following roles: Air Protection/Support, Medium & Close Range and Long Range.

However, the AH-1F does have one drawback, due to the increase in size changes to the centre of gravity in high pitch and tight turns, it is possible to lose control. It is advisable to always counteract by keeping the nose of the helicopter level or to lessen the turn radius. If required to do one, such as evading surface to air missiles, make sure that there is enough room to recover the helicopter in – ideally at least 1000 feet and make sure to increase the pitch of the blades to a 100% adjust for yawing.

====Close/medium Range====
The AH-1Z offers a combination of wing-mounted ordnance and ordnance packages which are available from TOW, TOW-2, Rocket pods, Machine guns.

The AH-1Z has the BGM-71 TOW and BGM-71 TOW-2 ATGM missile systems which perform very well. The BGM-71 TOW-2. The BGM-71 TOW-2 is faster than the BGM-71 TOW And in addition, it contains a higher explosive amount. Nevertheless, both versions of the TOW missile system are able to be very decisive in combat, it is ideal to use the BGM-71 TOW-2 system over the BGM-71 TOW since it is a better system, due to its higher explosive and speed.

It can carry up to 16 TOW or TOW-2 missiles, that is enough lethality to terminate up to 16 enemy units. The TOW missiles work in the same way as on the other series of Cobra attack helicopters, they are able to hit, fast and hard. Combined with the speed of the AH-1Z, these make a lethal combination. The AH-1Z can find a great tactical location, engage the targets and knock them out of the fight without them even knowing.

An AH-1Z also can carry additional ordnances which are wing-mounted only, these are rocket pods & machine guns or a combination of Hellfire’s, TOW’s, Rockets & machine guns. The rockets are standard FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets which are equipped on the version of the Cobras and Huey helicopters. A good choice of combined ordnance are Mighty Mouse and TOW's or just Mighty Mouse. That way you can increase the engagement range when you are flying in combat after consuming all the TOW missiles or getting at close range and blasting the enemy with Mighty Mouse rockets which will cause a lot of damage and could destroy up to 76 enemy units

====Long Range - Hellfire missiles====
To utilize the long-range performance of the AH-1Z, hover outside of the combat zone. It is important that you check and make sure that there are no threats in the vicinity which could shoot you down. Once the combat zone has been declared safe from vehicles which could destroy you. Increase altitude, until you have a good visual on the objectives. Hover the helicopter, change the view to the gun camera and locate a target ground vehicle and fire! The Hellfire missiles offer up to 1100mm of penetration with a speed of 475 meters per second.

Firing the Hellfire missiles, you will notice that you cannot see them compared to the previous TOW missiles. This is normal, you need to keep the laser designator on the target. On the HUD, left-hand side, you will see a countdown, it takes 10 seconds for the missile to hit the target. When the Hellfire gets close to the target you will see the rocket, this where you can adjust the missile trajectory.

It is very important that after a few Hellfire missile launches that, you disengage the hover and relocate to another part of the battle zone. Performing this action will substantially reduce the chances of being shot down by enemy vehicles.

One of the drawbacks of the Hellfire missiles is, at close range they cannot engage a target, due to how the Hellfires are launched from the wing racks. The Hellfire missile drops from the wing rack then engages the rocket motor and immediately ascend in height, making it impossible to track from launch.

{{Notice|The hellfire missiles require time to adapt, however once learnt they become one of the most potent missiles in the game.|!!!}}

====Air Protection/support====
Best role armament selection: Sidewinder missiles and machine guns

An AH-1Z Viper offers a unique set of capabilities compared to any other helicopter on the battlefield! It can be equipped with Sidewinder air to air missiles. The Sidewinder missiles provide great capacity to shoot down up to two enemy aircraft. They can shoot down other rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters) or fixed-wing aircraft (airplanes). The missiles can also be equipped with the additional payloads, such as Hellfire, TOW missile, machine gun and rocket pod configurations, providing a versatile offensive and defensive solution.

The AH-1Z can outmanoeuvre and outperform, many of the rivals in air to air combat. The AH-1Z has a triple rotary M197 cannon with 750 rounds. Combined with a twin 7.62 mm M134 mini-gun, which also has 1500 Rounds per gun. That’s 3000 rounds plus the 750 rounds that’s 3750 Rounds of ammunition! Then the wing-mounted AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles which are installed on both wings.
To attack other helicopters with the Sidewinders, come in the from the side or rear – get a lock on and fire one of the Sidewinder missiles! Bang the enemy aircraft explodes.

To attack using the cannon and mini-guns, line up with the foe, come in fast and slow down – align your angle of attack with the side of the enemy, this will yield the best chance of success since the enemy unit has exposed the largest elements of the air-frame to your firepower. Aim for the critical components such as cockpit, engine, fuel tanks and rear rotor elements.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! Flight performance
! Survivability
! colspan="4" |Weaponry
|-
| I
| Compressor
| Flak jacket
| Offensive 20 mm||TOW||Flares||
|-
| II
|
| Helicopter frame
| New 20 mm cannons||TOW-2||AIM-9||M261
|-
| III
| Engine
|
| Gun pod XM-18||TOW 4||TOW-2 4||AGM-114
|-
| IV
| Replacing helicopter blades
| Cover
| New 7 mm MGs||TOW 8||TOW-2 8||AGM-114 2
|-
|}

===Pros and cons===

'''Pros:'''

* Can carry up to 16 TOW ATGMs (TOW-2 with modification)
* Flares
* One of the fastest helicopters in the game
* Can carry air-to-air missiles to take down aircraft
* Excellent ground attack capabilities

'''Cons:'''

* Weak airframe can be taken down even by roof-mounted MGs from enemy tanks
* Cannon fodder for dedicated SPAAGs
* Making strong banks causes the aircraft to flip rotor down
* Very slow, easy target when maneuvering for SPAAs and aircraft
* Priority target for the enemy team as you are extremely dangerous
* No armour whatsoever

== History ==

In 1996, the USMC launched the H-1 program in cooperation with the Bell company. The H-1 program was a plan to upgrade and modernize the Navy’s existing fleets of AH-1 and UH-1 helicopters, in order to extend their service life and lower future operating costs. This was achieved by developing a new version of each helicopter model respectively. The new AH-1Z Viper, also known as “ZuluCobra”, received upgraded avionics, fire control systems, engines and an improved four-blade rotor system, among other improvements. Furthermore, both the new Viper and UH-1Y were designed in a way to use mostly identical parts, achieving the desired reduction in operating costs and ease of maintenance as a result. The AH-1Z Viper conducted its maiden flight in December 2000, with three prototypes being built for testing in 2002. Small-scale production began in 2003 before the Viper was approved for full-scale production in November 2010. The USMC has ordered for 189 Vipers to be delivered to the fleet by 2021, with only a few dozen machines being in service today.

''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5756-development-ah-1z-viper-a-lasting-legacy-en Devblog]''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

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

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

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5756-development-ah-1z-viper-a-lasting-legacy-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> AH-1Z Viper - A Lasting Legacy]

{{USA helicopters}}
[[Category:Countermeasures]]

AH-1Z

2019-10-17T14:49:43Z

U2613427: /* Survivability and armour */

{{Specs-Card|code=ah_1z}}
{{About
| about = American attack helicopter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = AH-1 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in the garage]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American attack helicopter {{Battle-rating}}. This helicopter was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].

== General info ==
=== Flight Performance ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="4" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
|-
| 394 || 383 || {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! colspan="4" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 1,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
|-
|426|| 411 || {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===

* ''12 mm steel - engine''
* ''20 mm composite boron-carbide - pilot/gunner seats''
* ''12 mm steel - pilot seat''

''When fighting the AH-1Z, it is always a good bet to get the "High Ground" or altitude advantage of this vehicle. Try to strafe it and get around to its blinds spot, as it can't use the tail rotor effectively when moving, and will yaw and flip when making a strong attempt to turn-on-target. Always aim for the cockpit, as one the gunner is knocked out the turret becomes unusable. When coming up against a Zulu with gun pods, or and secondary weapons (Especially the lethal AIM-9L), know that the pilot can still fire these even if the Gunner in knocked out. However, it is unlikely that a Zulu will take a gun pod over a full missile rack.''

== Armaments ==
=== Offensive armament ===

{{main|M197 (20 mm)}}

The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is outfitted with the following offensive weapons:

1 x 20 mm M197 Minigun (750 total rounds)

=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|Hydra-70 M247|AGM-114B Hellfire|BGM-71 TOW-2|BGM-71 TOW|M134 Minigun (7.62 mm)}}

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

* Without load
* 76 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
* 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 4 x BGM-71 TOW missiles
* 8 x BGM-71 TOW missiles
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x BGM-71 TOW missiles
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 8 x BGM-71 TOW missiles
* 4 x BGM-71 TOW missiles + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 8 x BGM-71 TOW missiles + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 4 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles
* 8 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 4 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 8 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles
* 4 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 8 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 16 x BGM-71 TOW missiles
* 16 x BGM-71 TOW-2 missiles
* 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles + 2 x 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns
* 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets + 8 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles
* 16 x AGM-114B Hellfire missiles

==Usage in battles==
Using the AH-1Z Viper after the AH-1F requires learning time, the playstyle between this and the AH-1F has some unique differences such as ammunition, views and overall playstyle.

The AH-1Z is an attack helicopter, it does this role very well, in fact, it is one of the best attack helicopters in the game, with speed up to 411 kph (255 mph). The AH-1Z offers a large array of ordnance selections, from mini-guns, rockets, TOW, TOW-2 and Hellfire missiles. In addition, the AH-1Z Can carry a combination of missiles, rockets or mini-guns together.
To get one of the best configurations, specialize in what you want to do, air protection or ground attack, either way, this attack helicopter can do it.

To utilize the AH-1Z viper, make sure to adjust the tactics to the map, for example, maps, with rocks and hilly terrain, stay low and use it as cover whilst you get to into a position which will allow you to dominate the battlefield. For maps which are open and flat, climb to a high altitude and assess the situation, just make sure to scan the map and not get fixed on a location.

The AH-1Z has three main playstyles, the playstyles of this attack helicopter are focused around dominating in the following roles: Air Protection/Support, Medium & Close Range and Long Range.

However, the AH-1F does have one drawback, due to the increase in size changes to the centre of gravity in high pitch and tight turns, it is possible to lose control. It is advisable to always counteract by keeping the nose of the helicopter level or to lessen the turn radius. If required to do one, such as evading surface to air missiles, make sure that there is enough room to recover the helicopter in – ideally at least 1000 feet and make sure to increase the pitch of the blades to a 100% adjust for yawing.

====Close/medium Range====
The AH-1Z offers a combination of wing-mounted ordnance and ordnance packages which are available from TOW, TOW-2, Rocket pods, Machine guns.

The AH-1Z has the BGM-71 TOW and BGM-71 TOW-2 ATGM missile systems which perform very well. The BGM-71 TOW-2. The BGM-71 TOW-2 is faster than the BGM-71 TOW And in addition, it contains a higher explosive amount. Nevertheless, both versions of the TOW missile system are able to be very decisive in combat, it is ideal to use the BGM-71 TOW-2 system over the BGM-71 TOW since it is a better system, due to its higher explosive and speed.

It can carry up to 16 TOW or TOW-2 missiles, that is enough lethality to terminate up to 16 enemy units. The TOW missiles work in the same way as on the other series of Cobra attack helicopters, they are able to hit, fast and hard. Combined with the speed of the AH-1Z, these make a lethal combination. The AH-1Z can find a great tactical location, engage the targets and knock them out of the fight without them even knowing.

An AH-1Z also can carry additional ordnances which are wing-mounted only, these are rocket pods & machine guns or a combination of Hellfire’s, TOW’s, Rockets & machine guns. The rockets are standard FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets which are equipped on the version of the Cobras and Huey helicopters. A good choice of combined ordnance are Mighty Mouse and TOW's or just Mighty Mouse. That way you can increase the engagement range when you are flying in combat after consuming all the TOW missiles or getting at close range and blasting the enemy with Mighty Mouse rockets which will cause a lot of damage and could destroy up to 76 enemy units

====Long Range - Hellfire missiles====
To utilize the long-range performance of the AH-1Z, hover outside of the combat zone. It is important that you check and make sure that there are no threats in the vicinity which could shoot you down. Once the combat zone has been declared safe from vehicles which could destroy you. Increase altitude, until you have a good visual on the objectives. Hover the helicopter, change the view to the gun camera and locate a target ground vehicle and fire! The Hellfire missiles offer up to 1100mm of penetration with a speed of 475 meters per second.

Firing the Hellfire missiles, you will notice that you cannot see them compared to the previous TOW missiles. This is normal, you need to keep the laser designator on the target. On the HUD, left-hand side, you will see a countdown, it takes 10 seconds for the missile to hit the target. When the Hellfire gets close to the target you will see the rocket, this where you can adjust the missile trajectory.

It is very important that after a few Hellfire missile launches that, you disengage the hover and relocate to another part of the battle zone. Performing this action will substantially reduce the chances of being shot down by enemy vehicles.

One of the drawbacks of the Hellfire missiles is, at close range they cannot engage a target, due to how the Hellfires are launched from the wing racks. The Hellfire missile drops from the wing rack then engages the rocket motor and immediately ascend in height, making it impossible to track from launch.

{{Notice|The hellfire missiles require time to adapt, however once learnt they become one of the most potent missiles in the game.|!!!}}

====Air Protection/support====
Best role armament selection: Sidewinder missiles and machine guns

An AH-1Z Viper offers a unique set of capabilities compared to any other helicopter on the battlefield! It can be equipped with Sidewinder air to air missiles. The Sidewinder missiles provide great capacity to shoot down up to two enemy aircraft. They can shoot down other rotary-wing aircraft (helicopters) or fixed-wing aircraft (airplanes). The missiles can also be equipped with the additional payloads, such as Hellfire, TOW missile, machine gun and rocket pod configurations, providing a versatile offensive and defensive solution.

The AH-1Z can outmanoeuvre and outperform, many of the rivals in air to air combat. The AH-1Z has a triple rotary M197 cannon with 750 rounds. Combined with a twin 7.62 mm M134 mini-gun, which also has 1500 Rounds per gun. That’s 3000 rounds plus the 750 rounds that’s 3750 Rounds of ammunition! Then the wing-mounted AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles which are installed on both wings.
To attack other helicopters with the Sidewinders, come in the from the side or rear – get a lock on and fire one of the Sidewinder missiles! Bang the enemy aircraft explodes.

To attack using the cannon and mini-guns, line up with the foe, come in fast and slow down – align your angle of attack with the side of the enemy, this will yield the best chance of success since the enemy unit has exposed the largest elements of the air-frame to your firepower. Aim for the critical components such as cockpit, engine, fuel tanks and rear rotor elements.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! Flight performance
! Survivability
! colspan="4" |Weaponry
|-
| I
| Compressor
| Flak jacket
| Offensive 20 mm||TOW||Flares||
|-
| II
|
| Helicopter frame
| New 20 mm cannons||TOW-2||AIM-9||M261
|-
| III
| Engine
|
| Gun pod XM-18||TOW 4||TOW-2 4||AGM-114
|-
| IV
| Replacing helicopter blades
| Cover
| New 7 mm MGs||TOW 8||TOW-2 8||AGM-114 2
|-
|}

===Pros and cons===

'''Pros:'''

* Can carry up to 16 TOW ATGMs (TOW-2 with modification)
* Flares
* One of the fastest helicopters in the game
* Can carry air-to-air missiles to take down aircraft
* Excellent ground attack capabilities

'''Cons:'''

* Weak airframe can be taken down even by roof-mounted MGs from enemy tanks
* Cannon fodder for dedicated SPAAGs
* Very slow, easy target for SPAAs and aircraft
* Priority target for the enemy team as you are extremely dangerous
* No armour whatsoever

== History ==

In 1996, the USMC launched the H-1 program in cooperation with the Bell company. The H-1 program was a plan to upgrade and modernize the Navy’s existing fleets of AH-1 and UH-1 helicopters, in order to extend their service life and lower future operating costs. This was achieved by developing a new version of each helicopter model respectively. The new AH-1Z Viper, also known as “ZuluCobra”, received upgraded avionics, fire control systems, engines and an improved four-blade rotor system, among other improvements. Furthermore, both the new Viper and UH-1Y were designed in a way to use mostly identical parts, achieving the desired reduction in operating costs and ease of maintenance as a result. The AH-1Z Viper conducted its maiden flight in December 2000, with three prototypes being built for testing in 2002. Small-scale production began in 2003 before the Viper was approved for full-scale production in November 2010. The USMC has ordered for 189 Vipers to be delivered to the fleet by 2021, with only a few dozen machines being in service today.

''- From [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5756-development-ah-1z-viper-a-lasting-legacy-en Devblog]''

== Media ==
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''

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

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

== External links ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5756-development-ah-1z-viper-a-lasting-legacy-en [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> AH-1Z Viper - A Lasting Legacy]

{{USA helicopters}}
[[Category:Countermeasures]]