War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Ju 88 A-4 (Sweden)

2024-05-29T07:47:05Z

U2767883: /* Description */ grammar

{{About
| about = bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Ju 88 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ju-88a-4_finland
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was a multirole combat aircraft with a twin engine configuration, this specific variant was placed under Finnish service in 1943. The A-4 variant was a very much needed improvement, longer wingspan, redesigned wingtips, stronger defensive armament, a more powerful engine, external bomb racks and reinforced undercarriage. Finland bought 24 Ju 88s during April 1943 and they were assigned to the No.44 squadron that was already experienced in twin engine bombers. The aircraft wasn't liked by the crews however, due to its complexity, crews stayed on the ground during most of 1943 in training, doing just a handful of raids and bombing missions into enemy territory.

It was introduced in [[Update "Fire and Ice"]]. The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is just like its German counterpart, being very capable at dive bombing and horizontal bombing, it has good speed for a bomber as well as air brakes to lose that speed quickly. It is a formidable bomber that its even capable of destroying bases in air matches, with a total payload of 2,400 kg, the defensive armament is also very decent and you can destroy some aircraft that try to intercept you. However it has some downsides, for example, while the defensive armament is good, it has a blind spot below the fuselage, since it does not have ventral gunners aiming down, the offensive armament is also extremely bad, with a single light machine gun facing forward.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 5,600 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 432 || 416 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 31.4 || 32.7 || 4.2 || 4.2 || rowspan="2" | 530
|-
! Upgraded
| 479 || 455 || 28.7 || 30.0 || 10.2 || 6.8
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 457 || 428 || 280 || ~8 || ~8
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 350 || < 360 || < 370 || > 330
|-
|}

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


* 58 mm and 60 mm Bulletproof glass around the dorsal turret
* 12 mm Steel plate behind the pilot
* 12 mm Steel plates around the ventral turret
* 20 mm Steel plate behind the cockpit

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

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

{{main|MG 81 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun, nose-mounted (750 rpg)

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)|SC1000L2 (1,000 kg)}}
{{main|Flam C 250 incendiary|Flam C 500 incendiary}}

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

* 10 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (500 kg total)
* 28 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,400 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs + 10 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs + 28 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (2,400 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg SC500K bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg SC500K bombs + 10 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg SC500K bombs + 28 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (2,400 kg total)
* 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb + 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bomb (1,500 kg total)
* 4 x Flam C 250 incendiary bombs
* 2 x Flam C 500 incendiary bombs

The Ju 88 A-4 can destroy 3 bases in Air Realistic without rearming .

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

{{main|MG 81 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine guns, dorsal turret (1,000 rpg = 2,000 total)
* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine guns, ventral turret (900 rpg = 1,800 total)

== Usage in battles ==

The Finnish Ju 88 A-4 works just like its [[Ju 88 A-4|German counterpart]], being able to both dive bomb and do horizontal bombing. The bomber has decent defensive armament and has a single offensive 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun, which unfortunately won't really come in handy. You are able to carry up to 2,400 kg of bombs with this plane, making it a formidable bomber.

'''Air Battles:'''

In Air battles, you should either bring the 2 x 500 kg + 28 x 50 kg payload or the 4 x 250 kg + 28 x 50 kg payload as they fully use the Ju 88 A-4's potential and will do a great job at damaging enemy bases, airfields and even ground targets. As soon as you spawn in, start climbing to make sure you are safe from enemy fighters. The greatest threats to you will be the German [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109s]] with their astonishing climb rate, so remember to always check your surroundings.

'''Ground Battles:'''

In Ground battles you should ignore the 50 kg bombs as they won't do much against tanks and will only add weight to your plane, instead, bring 250 kg bombs, 500 kg bombs or the 1,000 kg bomb, these payloads won't use the Ju 88 A-4's full bomb capacity but they will make it more manoeuvrable and faster. Additionally, it is easier to hit ground targets with dive bombing tactics, so when you approach your target, extend the airbrakes ("H" by default) and reduce throttle if necessary to avoid too much speed which could result in your wings being ripped off.

'''Facing the Ju 88 A-4:'''

If you come across a Junkers 88 A-4, you will either be facing its cockpit or its tail most of the time. Attacking the bomber from below is also an option as it does not have any ventral gunners aiming down. If you are facing its cockpit, aim for the pilot as this will cause the plane to instantly be destroyed. If you are facing its tail, however, be careful with the gunners and aim for the engines, bombers won't go far without them. Since the Ju 88 A-4 gets a bomber spawn, it is recommended to use planes with good climb rates, such as the aforementioned Bf 109s.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent payload options
* Capable of dive bombing
* The 28 x 50 kg bombs are effective against light vehicle columns
* Fast-firing defensive armament
* Fast for a bomber aircraft

'''Cons:'''

* Limited offensive armament
* No ventral gunners aiming down, making it vulnerable to attacks from below

== History ==

[[File:Ju 88A-4.jpg|thumb|348x348px|A Finnish Junkers Ju 88A-4/R. Served with LeLv.44 and PLeLv.43 until being put into storage on 17 October 1945.]]
Finland acquired 24 Ju 88s during April 1943, at this time, the Continuation War was raging and Finland needed a new bomber to aid in the frontline and conduct operations deep in enemy territory. The bombers were assigned to the No.44 squadron that was experienced in twin engine bombers, since it had previously operated the Bristol Blenheim.

The pilots and rest of the crew stayed on the ground during most of the year, training and dealing with the complexity of the aircraft, which gained it a bad reputation between ground crews. Since this was the case, just a handful of missions were conducted in the form of raids and bombing runs. Some of this missions had mediocre results, with seven Ju 88s damaged in a raid on the Lavansaari air field. The aircraft was being used in dive bombing, which damaged the wings, and thus restrictions were placed, to avoid accidents, crews were only allowed to dive at a 45-degree angle, and they removed the air breaks to ensure this procedure was followed.

In 1944 the squadron was much more active, with a bombing raid on 9 March 1944 against Soviet Long Range Aviation bases near Leningrad, in this operation several Finnish aircraft, followed Soviet bombers to their bases, catching the Soviets unprepared and destroying many bombers and their fuel reserves. The most tense moment happened during Soviets fourth strategic offensive, in this situation the entire regiment was placed at high alert at all times and the aircraft provided air cover and damaged the logistics of the Soviet Union, flying several sorties every day.

The Ju 88s actually participated in the Lapland War against Germany, the now experienced crews targeted mostly vehicle columns that were retreating to Norway. Other units flew reconnaissance missions with photographic equipment, some of those missions required the pilots to fly into German air space in occupied Norway, were they gathered very important data on the German retreating progress.

After the wars, Finland was prohibited from using bomber aircraft with internal bomb stores. Consequently, the Finnish Ju 88s were used for training until 1948. After that they were scrapped during many years, no aircraft survived unfortunately, but some parts are on display at the Central Finland Aviation Museum and at the Finnish Aviation Museum in Vantaa.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ju-88a-4_finland Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;[[Ju 88 (Family)|Related development]]

* [[Ju 88 A-4]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Junkers_Ju_88#Finnish_Air_Force|[Wikipedia] Junkers Ju 88]]

{{AirManufacturer Junkers}}
{{Sweden bombers}}

J21A-1

2024-05-15T08:11:30Z

U2767883: /* Flight performance */ typo

{{About
| about = Swedish fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = J21 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=saab_j21a_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_saab_j21a_1.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Swedish fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]] along with the initial Swedish air tree.

The J21A-1 is the first production series SAAB 21, quite sluggish but a heavily durable fighter. It has a top speed of 640 km/h, courtesy of the Daimler-Benz DB-605B engine; however, the speed and manoeuvrability are not the most impressive characteristics of the aircraft: it's the weaponry it comes armed with. A total of four 13.2 mm [[Akan m/39A (13.2 mm)|Akan m/39A]] and a 20 mm [[Akan m/41A (20 mm)|Akan m/41A]] makes it a heavy firepower-reliant fighter able to eliminate any enemy aircraft with ease.

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

The J21 series is arguably the most iconic propeller-engined aircraft to ever come out of Sweden. For the time, they were underpowered, slow aircraft that were outclassed by nearly all opponents it could have faced. Its distinctive twin-boom, rear-engined fascia is easy to recognize and its performance is nothing to scoff at either, though the climb rate is poor and the engine overheats quickly when using WEP. The [[Akan m/39A (13.2 mm)|Akan m/39A]]'s are some of the most effective non-cannon aircraft weaponry in the game, boasting superior aspects to even the famed [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]], specifically in terms of raw stopping power and muzzle velocity. The [[Akan m/41A (20 mm)|Akan m/41A]]'s are quite powerful as well. The challenge for the pilot is to manoeuvre this aircraft into a solid shooting solution which can be difficult especially against more agile aircraft. Although suffering from a relatively low rip speed, skilled and new pilots can use this somewhat to their advantage, mainly by diving on opponents and climbing again, although this shouldn't be attempted at extreme speeds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,300 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 616 || 599 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.0 || 21.9 || 12.6 || 12.6 || rowspan="2" | 300
|-
! Upgraded
| 666 || 640 || 19.0 || 20.0 || 19.0 || 15.5
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 445 || 425 || 325 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 390 || < 420 || > 715
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
[[File:J21 Armour Plating.png|450px|thumb|right|Protective components found in the '''{{PAGENAME}}'''.]]
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}


* 10 mm steel - Firewall armour plate
* 10 mm steel - Firewall cover armour plate
* 10 mm steel - Pilot's back armour plate
* 60 mm bulletproof glass
* Engine fire system (EFS)

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

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

{{main|Akan m/41A (20 mm)|Akan m/39A (13.2 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 20 mm Akan m/41A cannon, nose-mounted (140 rpg)
* 2 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39A machine guns, nose-mounted (350 rpg = 700 total)
* 2 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39A machine guns, wing-mounted (325 rpg = 650 total)

The automatkanon m/41A is essentially a slower firing [[Hispano 404 (20 mm)|Hispano 404]] with more ammunition, with all the advantages and disadvantages that come with it. While one might think that the slower firing speed is a disadvantage, it is just high enough to still be effective and is very beneficial for conserving ammunition. When stock, the cannon is very inaccurate and overheats quickly, but becomes quite accurate after modifications.

The complimentary automatkanon m/39A heavy machine guns are, as mentioned previously, arguably the best non-cannon weapons in the game. Their high muzzle velocity, very high fire rate and reasonable accuracy allow them to saturate the sky with lead. The higher calibre of 13.2 mm allows for more stopping power than the typical 12.7 mm and converts them from just being a nuisance to a threat to be heeded. It is interesting to note that due to their HEF-T rounds, they technically fall under the category of "cannon", as normally exploding rounds typically start at 20 mm.

== Usage in battles ==


For pilots just beginning to learn this aircraft's flight characteristics, it is best used as a support aircraft, it is too slow to take into dives reliably and suffers from Yak-like rip speeds, without any of the benefits that the Yaks have in agility. For pilots with more experience, you can successfully push this aircraft to its limits and beyond and eliminate lesser experienced pilots in more agile aircraft or even other more experienced pilots through strong counter-manoeuvres.

Climb to about 1,000 m then use boom and zoom tactics to pick on enemies. Due to the powerful nose-mounted armaments, head-ons are quite easy.

==== Specific Enemies Worth Noting: ====

* [[P-47D-25]]/[[P-47D-28|28]] - The high-speed Thunderbolts are a menace in any game mode. They are some of the fastest things in the bracket and sport an octet of the late M2 Brownings that will set you ablaze in a few short bursts. While they are already quick at medium altitudes, they become even faster at high altitudes, easily blitzing past the poor J21. However, they have incredibly poor turn rates and climb just as badly. The go-to tactic versus a P-47 is to turn with it in order to get on its tail then shred it with your guns.
* [[M.B.157]] - The 157 is one of the worst enemies you can come across as it is basically a Thunderbolt that can turn and climb. Its ludicrous speed along with excellent climb rate and its above-average manoeuvrability make for an enemy that you cannot face in a 1-on-1. Your best bet is to try to head-on it if you can manage to do so. The one Achilles heel of the 157 is its low ammunition count, so try to get it to waste as much ammo as possible before it needs to disengage. At this point, you can either try to gun it down or attempt to regain altitude so you may catch it later.
* [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109 F series]] - The F series of Bf 109s are noteworthy adversaries whose strengths change with the model. The F-1 and F-2 will turn better than you and climb quite as well as you do. the F-4 is almost a hard counter depending on if it runs gunpods. Without gunpods, the F-4 outspeeds, outclimbs, outturns and outaccelerates the J21, outclassing it in every way. But since most F-4s carry gunpods, their decreased performance helps even the odds. Boom & Zoom the F-1 and F-2, head on the F-4 only as a last resort.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very stable, does not stall in level flight even with the throttle set to zero
* Engine protected from head-on attacks
* Highly effective and accurate armament layout that will tear through enemies like paper
* Can take quite a few hits and still fly reasonably well
* Very high energy retention
* Easy to land thanks to its tricycle landing gear
* Rear-mounted engine are less prone to take damage in head-ons

'''Cons:'''

* Pusher aircraft, engine mounted facing rear, can be hit by tailing aircraft
* Fuel tanks can take damage if you pull up from a dive on an enemy plane
* Required to set convergence due to wing-mounted machine guns
* Agility is quite poor, it is subpar to most aircraft
* Engine overheats during takeoff and during flight at WEP even with full modifications
* Very low rip speed - cannot push past 640 km/h (400 mph) without threatening to rip off wings
* The back of the aircraft is quite weak and most enemy fighters if they get behind will be able to destroy it causing you to spin out and crash

== History ==

The SAAB 21 is a twin-boom pusher fighter and attacker designed by the famed Swedish engineer Frid Wänström, who also worked on the SAAB 29 ''Tunnan'', 32 ''Lansen'', 35 ''Draken'' and 37 ''Viggen''. In the anticipation and wake of World War 2, Sweden was concerned over its neutrality policy coming under threat by the other European countries, specifically hostile ones such as Nazi Germany. In order to deter belligerent forces and potential aggressors, the Swedish Air Force created a major plan to modernize their fleet, which included the import of foreign models such as the Italian [[J11|CR.42]] and [[J20|Re.2000]] as a stopgap measure.

Meanwhile, Swedish corporation SAAB began studying designs for the possible development of a new, high-performance fighter aircraft. Most of the designs were based around the Bristol Taurus two-row 14 cylinder radial engine developing around 1,000~1,100 horsepower. The most promising design was a twin-boom pusher layout and made use of many new features unfamiliar to the SAAB technicians and engineers at the time, but was able to compete with the other fighter aircraft at the time while also maintaining several advantages such as a heavy amount of nose-mounted armament and superior pilot visibility, along with ease of maintenance. The design was kept dormant until 41, as Sweden was beginning to see that it would not be able to procure improved foreign models as a result of the war, they started another rearmament program to adopt advanced indigenous fighter aircraft.

Accordingly, SAAB blew the dust off of their old twin-boom design and set to work. Earlier on, it was decided to replace the Bristol Taurus with an American Pratt-&-Whitney Twin Wasp, but this was changed when the engine manufacturer ''Svenska'' was requested to provide an alternative engine, which was difficult due to the time constraints. Thus, they decided that a licensed engine would be the best course of action. The legendary German Daimler-Benz DB 605 that powered many famous designs was chosen and modified to fit Swedish needs. Three prototypes were completed and its maiden flight was completed in 1942.

The type was delivered in 1945, and a total of 300 models were produced.

=== [[wt:en/news/6530-development-saab-j21a-1-nordic-exotic-en|Devblog]] ===
In 1941, Sweden started a domestic rearmament program in order to bolster the strength of its armed forces in an effort to ensure its neutrality during the ongoing war. Among the branches intended for reinforcement was the Swedish Air Force, which up until this point had mainly been operating foreign, partially outdated aircraft.

The SAAB company had already been working on a design study for a modern fighter aircraft since the early 1940s. Their project had a rather unorthodox design - a single-engine, twin-boom aircraft in a pusher configuration. With the arrival of the 1941 rearmament program, sparking a great interest for domestic aircraft production, SAAB began working on refining their design for mass production.

After further work, three full prototypes were constructed for testing, two of which were fully functional. In July 1943, the prototype of the SAAB 21 first took to the skies for its maiden flight. Production of the SAAB 21 began some time after its maiden flight, with the first aircraft reaching their units in December 1945.

Overall, over 50 J21A-1s were produced before production of the first model stopped by December 1946. In total however, close to 300 piston-engined J21s of all variants were produced before the production run of the type ended in 1949.

Due to the J21's introduction to service coinciding with the dawn of the jet age, the type didn't remain in active service for too long. In fact, the J21 was retired in 1954 - some ten years after its initial introduction - and its only operator remains the Swedish Air Force.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=saab_j21a_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:J21A-1 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:J21A-1 WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:J21A-1 WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:J21A-1 WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:J21A-1 WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:J21A-1 WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:J21A-1 WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
File:J21A-1 WTWallpaper 008.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|F2XyFpa4YEE|'''The King from Above! J21A-1 - Sweden - Review!!''' - ''Jengar''|f_fK6YbMH_Y|'''THE Must-Have Swedish Plane: J21A-1''' - ''Spit_flyer''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[J21 (Family)]]

;Aircraft of comparable role and configuration

* [[S.O.8000 Narval]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6530-development-saab-j21a-1-nordic-exotic-en|[Devblog] SAAB J21A-1: Nordic Exotic]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/474726-saab-j21a-1/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Saab}}
{{Sweden fighters}}

Valentine I

2024-05-13T04:53:12Z

U2767883: /* Ammo racks */ Changed outdated ammo rack info. And yes, the 2nd rack empties at 0 shells, as little sense as that makes.

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Valentine (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_valentine_mk_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]] along with the initial British ground tree. Britain's solution for a cheaper infantry tank, the Valentine boasts good armour, decent mobility, and a great gun to use against its foes.

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


With flat 60 mm thick armour all around, this vehicle can soak up shots, even flanked, provided the enemy shoots from a distance. Although, make sure to avoid directly facing tank destroyers since they tend to have powerful guns able to easily knock the Valentine out. The crew compartment is rather cramped so the crew can usually get knocked out by a single shot if the armour is penetrated. Angle the hull to increase your survivability: the enemy will even have a harder time to penetrate your armour.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Front turret, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 60 mm ''Front plate'' 30 mm (65-67°) ''Front glacis'' 60 mm (18°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm (42°) ''Top'' 60 mm ''Bottom'' || 10 mm (59°) ''Top'' 60 mm ''Joint plate'' 15 mm (65°) ''Bottom'' || 10 mm
|-
| Turret || 65 mm (9-50°) ''Turret front'' 65 mm (7-78°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 60 mm || 65 mm (0-2°) || 16-65 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

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

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 209|rbMinHp= 119}}

The Valentine is not a fast tank to say the least. It reaches its max speed pretty fast... and stays there, like an old runner taking its beat. It struggles a bit climbing hills and decelerates a lot when turning. This vehicle's driving is comparable to that of a [[Churchill III]], but it does not turn on the spot. The Valentine series share a common British characteristic: painfully slow reverse speed (-3 km/h). The key with such a tank is to anticipate the paths while moving towards the front lines so as to not need to reverse.

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

Suggested research order:

# Parts can be researched first as the Valentine will often get shot and damaged without dying too soon, so it is important to repair damaged components and rejoin the fight;
# Tracks improve the Valentine I's terrible stock hull traverse speed;
# Mobility modifications can be researched to further increase the subpar manoeuvrability;
# The Shell Mk.1 AP/T is useful for engaging vehicles with its good post-penetration damage;
# Others modules such as Horizontal Drive and Adjustment of Fire to improve firepower.

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

{{main|QF 2-pounder (40 mm)}}

The 40 mm QF 2-pounder begins to encounter some difficulties at this rank as the Valentine will face some better-armoured opponents. Still, its fast rate of fire can save the day by plundering the enemy with a shot every 3 seconds, almost twice the average rate of fire of its adversaries. This allows quick follow-up shots if the first shot missed, didn't penetrate or didn't destroy the enemy. The Valentine I also has an awesome gun depression of -15° allowing it to fight in the most uneven terrains. Combined with the shoulder stabiliser it is very comfortable to hull-down and engage enemies while moving/wiggling slowly. Its turret is small, bouncy, and sturdy so use it towards your advantage.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[QF 2-pounder (40 mm)|40 mm QF 2-pounder]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 61 || rowspan="2" | -15°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Shoulder|up to 10 km/h}} || 15.23 || 21.08 || 25.60 || 28.31 || 30.12 || rowspan="2" | 3.64 || rowspan="2" | 3.22 || rowspan="2" | 2.97 || rowspan="2" | 2.80
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 9.52 || 11.20 || 13.60 || 15.04 || 16.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The player should be familiar with the ammunition choices, with the most used ones being the Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T APCBC and the Shell Mk.1 AP/T APHE. Generally it is a good idea to bring both the Shell Mk.1 AP/T and the Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T.

* '''Shell Mk.1 AP/T; APHE''': due to the uparmoured targets the Valentine I will be facing, the explosive APHE might no longer be the most effective, as its penetration of 66 mm at most will struggle to go through common tanks' frontal armour (e.g. [[M3 Lee]], [[T-80]], [[StuG III A]]). However against lightly armoured tanks (e.g. [[Sd.Kfz.234/2]], [[SU-76M]], [[Pz.IV F1]]) the APHE will still be handy.
* '''Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T; APCBC''': this APCBC shell with 89 mm maximum penetration will be more useful, though it loses the ability to hurt/knock out crew that are not in its path. This prepares you for the classic British playstyle though, which is about knocking out crew one by one with high precision and penetration, rather than knocking out everyone with a single shot.
* '''Shot Mk.1 AP/T; AP''' and Shot '''Mk.1 APHV/T; AP''': the 2 remaining shells are not very useful as they don't offer anything better. Not recommended to bring any once you gain access to the previous 2 shells.

{{:QF 2-pounder (40 mm)/Ammunition|Shot Mk.1 AP/T, Shot Mk.IXB APCBC/T, Shot Mk.1 APHV/T, Shell Mk.1 AP/T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks Valentine I.png|thumb|295x295px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''61''' ||53 ''(+8)''||0 ''(+61)''|| Yes
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* The large ring of ammunition is present until all rounds are expended, so there is little reason not to take full ammo.

==== [[Optics]] ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} Optics
|-
!
! Default magnification
! Maximum magnification
|-
! Main Gun optics
| x1.8 || x3.5
|-
! Comparable optics
| colspan="2" | [[Pz.III J1]]
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}
The Valentine I is equipped with a coaxial 7.92 mm BESA machine gun. It has large ammo capacity of 225 rounds per belt. Its rate of fire of 600 rounds/min is quite fast which is good for wiping out the crew of open vehicles when catching them from their side/rear, like [[ZiS-30]], [[Sd.Kfz. 6/2]], [[Chi-Ha LG]], etc. This can sometimes save you by eliminating their gunner if you encounter them. This MG can also destroy map obstacles like fences to clear a path. But that's about it, its low penetration of only 13 mm cannot go through even sheet metal armour found on vehicles like [[Marder III]] and [[Flakpanzer 38]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,600 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Valentine Mk.1 is a bit of a hit or miss due to its relatively high BR: when downtiered, it plays like a British heavy tank, using its raw armour value to soak up shots. Having that much armour when matched against low-ranked tanks also means that the Valentine can take its time to aim at the weak spots/vital modules of the enemy. Otherwise, it plays like a pretty slow medium tank and should avoid the front lines since its cannon do so little damage.

The Valentine I is a team player, relying on its allies to provide damage while dragging attention from the enemy. It is a situational vehicle, its gameplay depends much on what it faces.

'''Heavy tank'''

When against Rank I tanks, play it like an heavy tank: follow light and medium tanks and seek attention from the enemies by firing at many of them , preferably the ones with a light weapon (shoot the gunner for a better effect). This way, many enemies will try to shoot the Valentine down and will get outflanked by light tank allies (inexperienced players often suffer from "tunnel vision" when shooting at an enemy, the Valentine for instance). Stay at a distance, angle the armour a bit to maximise protection and preferably show only the turret, which is thicker and bouncy. Keep in mind to anticipate a fast exit way so that when an enemy with a good gun shows up, the Valentine could retreat as fast as possible.

'''Close range support'''

Otherwise, facing low Rank II tanks, the Valentine should play as a support role, on the second line, preferably on the sides of the enemy. The main task here will be to distract enemies from stronger allies, making them turn their turret to shoot at the Valentine, only to realise they exposed their weak side armour to the allies. The 40 mm cannon does not allow for easy one-shot knock-outs: prepare to collect assists and support fire medals. Although, good close range penetration and fast firing rate can provide the Valentine with easy scores.

'''Use the terrain'''

Utilizing the great gun depression of the Valentine will increase the firing effectiveness greatly in battle. Find a hill on the battle field and peak the turret over the top. The gun depression should allow for full coverage of the battle field, whilst the hill will keep the hull covered. The turret will be exposed, angled and a very hard target due to its small size and angulation. This can make the Valentine an almost immovable object on the battlefield, allowing it to pick off most targets. If any damage is taken, reverse behind the slope to recover. Be aware of flankers.

=== Enemies worth noting ===

* [[ZiS-30]]: this is a small but deadly Soviet tank destroyer. It carries a long 57 mm cannon with ~140 mm penetration which is more than enough to go through the armour of Valentine I at any range. It is also very narrow and short, making it very hard to spot especially when camouflaged. Its great firepower and concealment will thus be constantly used to its advantage. If it sets up an ambush, then unfortunately there is no way to detect it unless it fires at someone else and exposes its location. When it is revealed, target these 2 main areas: if it's facing you, shoot the right side of the fighting compartment to disable its gunner; if it's facing away, shoot the frontal hull to disable its driver or transmission so it cannot traverse the hull to aim at you. A ZiS-30 on the move is also very vulnerable, because if it wants to stop and shoot you it will experience a ~3-second gun wobbling before being able to fire, as its centre of mass is high, making it shaky.
* [[Ka-Chi]]: this is an amphibious Japanese medium tank with the option of mounting huge pontoons at the front and back of the hull. With the pontoons attached, it resembles a boat. The pontoons act as effective spaced armour and can absorb plenty of kinetic and chemical ammunition around this BR, including the Valentine I's 40 mm shells, meaning the Ka-Chi's hull is impenetrable. The turret is 50-25 mm which can be penetrated although it is smaller. The turret top has a tall copula that seems like a weak spot but it is not, as there is nothing inside. Without the pontoons, the hull front is 50 mm and is penetrable when not angling. The Ka-Chi's 47 mm cannon will penetrate Valentine I's armour perpendicularly, but not when you are angling. Though it can still go through your gun mantlet.

=== Against the Valentine I ===

* '''Light tanks & SPAAs''': against the Valentine I, light vehicles must utilise their superior manoeuvrability to get as close as possible, and be in an appropriate location to target certain areas on the Valentine. Most light tanks have over 65 mm of penetration at 10 m, thus a good tactic is to manoeuvre to point blank range or at least within 100 m from the Valentine. Then, either wait until the Valentine turns its hull or turret so that an area is perpendicular to you, or reposition to a spot that counters its angling. Its hull and turret armour are ~60 mm, mostly unsloped, making it very easy for the majority of light vehicles (e.g. [[M5A1]], [[BT-7]], [[AS 42]], [[Flakpanzer 38]]) to penetrate. Do not shoot if it's angling though, its effective thickness can go way beyond the capacities of conventional firepower at this BR. If your vehicle has low penetration (e.g. [[H.35]], [[M16 MGMC]]), try breaking the Valentine's tracks or gun barrel if it is safe to do so, then pin it out on the minimap or drop an artillery strike on it.
* '''Medium tanks''': most common medium tanks at this BR such as [[Chi-Ha Kai]], [[M3 Lee]], [[T-28]], etc have way better speed and agility than the Valentine I so flanking like a light tank can work too. But thanks to the increased armour and firepower you can now engage the Valentine I frontally with some more confidence. Angle yourself, the Valentine I's 40 mm shells are quite likely to bounce off most medium tanks like [[M3 Lee]] and [[Chi-He (Family)|Chi-He]]. Medium tanks with worse armour (e.g. [[T-28 (Family)|T-28]], [[Chi-Ha Kai]]), however, need to either angle more or remain passive. Target the Valentine's unangled armour like gun mantlet and driver's port. There is a great chance to knock out most if not all of its closely packed crew.
* '''Heavy tanks & tank destroyers''': for heavy tank players, you can usually take hits from the Valentine especially when you are angling, hull down, far away, or using a combination of these. Its maximum penetration of 89 mm does not work well when hitting distant and/or sloped armour. Do note that if you have any weak spots (e.g. [[B1 bis|B1]]'s turret ring) you may need to be more careful as the Valentine I has a very quick reload of ~3 seconds which might hit your weak spot while you peek out thinking it is reloading. Tank destroyers can usually one-shot the Valentine I from any angle, but do avoid the Valentine's gun or even MG if you are thinly armoured. Avoid shooting at the Valentine's upper glacis and the sloped parts besides its driver's port since these areas are more likely to bounce shells.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very good armour for its battle rating
* Gun has a good penetration for its BR
* Very short reload time, even with an incapacitated crew member
* Good turret rotation speed
* While it is a medium tank, it plays like a heavy tank and can call in artillery strikes which can be useful in certain situations
* Has smoke launchers
* Low profile
* Very small weak spots
* Can act as a distraction for teammates to flank around

'''Cons:'''

* Very slow due to underpowered engine
* Handling is poor especially on rough terrain
* It is incredibly slow when navigating over hills
* Gun is inaccurate at longer ranges
* Only 3-man crew
* 40 mm AP shells may require multiple shots to down enemy tank
* Ammo rack is directly under the turret and easily set off if hit
* No access to HE shells
* Though small, the driver's port is a weak spot
* Large part of the rear armour is only 17 mm thick despite being sloped
* Terrible reverse speed
* Weak to HEAT and APCR shells
* Its poor speed makes it a perfect target for bombers as it can't escape quickly enough.

== History ==

===Development===
The experiences taken from the development of the A9, A10 cruiser tanks and the A11 infantry tank prompted Vickers-Armstrongs to begin development of a new tank. As a private venture, the design did not receive any designations from the British General Staff during its creation. The designing of the tank focused on the tank having the weight of a cruiser, but with the armour comparable to the infantry tanks. The basis was to have the vehicle with 60 mm of frontal armour and a 2-pounder gun in a two-man turret. To make it as light as possible, it was small and featured a cramped interior. The design used features taken from the A9 and A10 tanks so the design was easier to produce and cheaper to make. Vickers unveiled the design to War Office at February 10, 1938. While they initially viewed it unfavourably for its tiny two-man turret, they took it in April 1939 due to the growing tense situation in Europe with Nazi Germany, with the first order coming in May 1940 after the losses suffered by the British Expeditionary Forces in the Battle of France. The name '''Valentine''' was given to the tank sometime between its introduction to War Office and its adoption. The origin of the name is disputed, some say it was due to its introduction on February 14 in 1938 or 1940, other say it was the middle name of Sir John V. Carden, who helped design the Valentine's predecessors. Other sources say it is a name from the Vickers' company full name (Vickers-Armstrong Ltd Elswick & [Newcastle-upon] Tyne), and David Fletcher from Bovington Tank Museum says that "Valentine" was a code name used by the company for its development.

The Valentine was put into service as quickly as possible under the designation "Tank, Infantry, Mk.III". Vickers, Metropolitan-Cammell Carriage & Wagon, and Birmingham Railway Carriage & Wagon Company were all involved in the construction of this vehicle. During World War II, Canada was also contracted to build the Valentine to build up their own tank forces. The United Kingdom produced a total of 6,855 Valentines during the war between the three company while Canada built 1,420 Valentine tanks in their factories, for a total of 8,275 tanks produced, making the Valentine the most produced British tank in the entire war.

===Variants===
The Valentine is one of the most modified British tank in World War II, up to eleven variants were made during its entire production life.

* [[Valentine Mk I|Mark I]]: The first one, it was built with a rivet construction, a 135 hp petrol engine, and a 2-pounder, but was not sent to combat due to mechanical problems.
* Mark II: Uses a 131 hp diesel engine and has an auxiliary fuel tank added to the left hull.
* Mark III: Has a slightly thinner side armour (60 mm to 50 mm) and a modified turret design, giving room for a loader in the tank, freeing the commander to do his job.
* Mark IV A modified Mk.II using an American 138 hp GMC diesel engine and an American-produced transmission, making the tank more reliable.
* Mark V: The same as Mk.IV, except using the Mk.III as the basis.
* Mark VI: A Canadian built Valentine, using Canadian and American parts and a GMC diesel engine, plus later switching the BESA machine gun into a Browning machine gun.
* Mark VII: A Canadian Mk.VI with a new radio set and a modified interior. Another Mk.VII named the Mark VIIA has jettisonable fuel tanks and new tracks, oil cooler, and headlights.
* Mark VIII: Uses a British AEC diesel engine and a modified turret to use the 6-pounder. The modification eliminated the coaxial machine gun from the design.
* [[Valentine Mk IX|Mark IX]]: A Mk.V modified to take the 6-pounder as well, but with an armour reduction. Later version also had a stronger 165 hp GMC diesel engine installed.
* Mark X: Features another modified turret design using the 6-pounder, but made it able to use a coaxial machine gun again and still uses the 165 hp diesel engine. Uses a welded construction
* [[Valentine Mk XI|Mark XI]]: The Mk.X using the QF 75 mm gun instead of a 6-pounder, with the 210 hp diesel engine. However, these tanks only served as a command tank in the battlefield. Uses a welded construction

===Combat usage===
The Valentine mostly saw service in the North African Campaign, where the crew reported on it very favourable as a reliable and well-protected tank. The first unit who saw action with the Valentine was the 8th Royal Tank Regiment in Operation Crusader, where it was in the process of replacing the [[Matilda III]]. The reliability is expressed when some Valentine were reported to have travelled a distance of 4,800 km by the time the British reached Tunisia. The Valentine tanks soon saw wide-spread use by mid-1941 when they were issued out widely to armoured regiments due to the lack of cruiser tanks available to fill in the ranks.

However, the biggest weakness of the Valentine tank is the lack of high-explosive rounds for the 2-pounder, a weakness suffered by every other tank using the 2-pounder. This and the 2-pounder's growing deficiency against tank armour was remedied by the usage of the 6-pounder on the Valentine after the Mark VIII version, and then the QF 75 mm gun. However, these larger guns were harder to mount on the small Valentine turret and made for a cramped interior, even removing the established loader's position made in an enlarge turret for the 2-pounder. By the time these larger guns were introduced for the tank, better tanks were being introduced, such as the [[Churchill Mk III|Churchill heavy tanks]] from Britain and the [[M4|M4 Shermans]] from the Americans. Despite the better tanks, the Valentine's low height is able to exploit small cover on the battlefield and take up a good hull-down position behind hills.

Some Valentines were sent to the Soviet Union as part of the Lend-Lease program, most of the Valentines came from Canada's production lines. The Valentines saw use from the time of Battle of Moscow in 1941 all the way until the end of the war, though the Valentines saw use more as a second-line tank due to its relative weakness. It was criticized for its slow speed and weak gun, but was liked for its small size, reliability, and armour protection and thus the Soviet Supreme Command continue asking for it and its production to continue until the end of the war.

By 1944, the Valentine is mostly taken out from the front-line services and replaced by the newer tanks. A few were retained for special purposes and command vehicles for [[Archer]] units, which is a tank destroyer based off the Valentine chassis. The tank continue to see use in the Pacific in limited numbers until May 1945 in the 3rd New Zealand Division, some had their armaments changed to the larger 3-inch howitzer to use it stronger high-explosive ammunition against the Japanese. New Zealand kept the normal and modified Valentines all the way until 1955. The last known combat usage of the Valentine was on Cyprus in early 1960s when a turret-less Valentine was used by the Greek militia, added with a make-shift armour and a machine gunner position with a Bren gun.

===Survivors===
About forty Valentines and vehicles based off the Valentine chassis exist in various conditions in the world. Valentines in running condition exist in the Bovington Tank Museum and in private hands in New Zealand and United Kingdom. The Valentines survivors can be seen in UK, Canada, Belgium, France, Russia, Australia, and New Zealand.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_valentine_mk_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|4_cJ1CpEatw|'''Best gun depression''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:01 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|xIrVVhdC9ac|'''Tank Chats #11 Valentine''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== 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 ==


* [[wt:en/news/3566-profile-small-slow-and-tough-valentine-mk-i-en|[Vehicle Profile] Small, Slow and Tough: Valentine Mk.I]]

{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

M4A3 (105) (France)

2020-08-05T15:13:46Z

U2767883: /* Ammo racks */ Added ammo rack info. I'll make a picture later

{{Specs-Card|code=fr_m4a3_105_sherman}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]]. Armed with a [[M4 (105 mm)]] instead of the standard [[M3 (75 mm)]] cannon, the howitzer grants the Sherman a much more powerful high-explosive shell to use against lightly-armoured enemies. When the HEAT round is unlocked for the cannon, its firepower against more heavily armoured vehicle increases substantially.

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


* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Transmission area)

{| class="wikitable"
!Armour
!Front (Slope angle)
!Sides
!Rear
!Roof
|-
|Hull
|63.5 mm (47º) Front glacis
|38.1 mm
|38.1 mm (22º) Top
38.1 mm (13-44º)

Bottom
|19.5 mm
|-
|Turret
|76.2 mm (3-67º) Turret front
|50.8 mm (2-69º)
|50.8 mm (2-66º)
|25.4 mm
|-
!Armour
! colspan="2" |Sides
! colspan="2" |Roof
|-
|Cupola
| colspan="2" |63.5 mm
| colspan="2" |25.4 mm
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension Wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick;
* Lower part of the hull ("break") is 107.9 mm thick;
* A small patch on the turret front right side is thinner (50.8 mm) than the rest (76.2 mm);

The M4A3 (105) has certain flaws that can be exploited quite well. First of all, the howitzer armament means that the shell travels in a low-velocity, meaning the M4A3 (105) will be unlikely to engage at a long distance. Another is the fact that the M4A3 (105)'s gun has a long reload and a slow traverse speed, meaning it is also not very good in a close-range encounter. Despite these flaws, the M4A3 (105) is a formidable foe with its armament. The HE and HEAT shell the 105 mm can dish out has a real possibility to knock out friendly crew and teammates, if not absolutely destroying light tanks. These high-explosives can also break tracks easily, causing the player tank to be immobilized and exposed not only to the M4A3 (105), but to the other enemies as well, and the M4A3 (105) will most likely not be alone.

To engage the M4A3 (105), try not to engage its frontal armour if in a tank with BR lower than 3.7. It's frontal armour, despite what most will say about the Sherman's armour, is quite formidable and can deflect most incoming enemy round from light and medium tanks. This is why it is recommended to bring high-velocity guns like the [[M7 (76 mm)]] on the [[M10 GMC]] or the [[KwK40 (75 mm)]] on the later Panzer IV. If it can't be engaged from the front, manoeuvre to its side and rear armour, as these armour plate are extremely vulnerable to even 37 mm guns. When manoeuvring around the M4A3 (105), try not expose the tank for a prolonged time and move faster than the M4A3 (105)'s slow turret traverse rate (though beware that the M4A3 can compensate this slow turn by turning the entire body). If fast enough, a tank could also move past the 105 mm low-velocity shell and mess up the enemy's lead. This will eventually lead to a good shot on the M4A3's weak points. Another simpler and less mobile way is to lie in wait in a tank destroyer such as the StuG III for the M4A3 to move tight into the TD's line of fire, giving a clean shot to a vulnerable armour part. A good shot on a general part of the hull can ignite one of the many ammo racks strewn around the interior.

=== Mobility ===


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

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

{{main|M4 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M4 (105 mm)|105 mm M4]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 66 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+35° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 5.7 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || rowspan="2" | 13.0 || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 3.6 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M1 shell || HE || 27 || 27 || 27 || 27 || 27 || 27
|-
| M67 shot || HEAT || 130 || 130 || 130 || 130 || 130 || 130
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M1 shell || HE || 472 || 14.85 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 2,180 || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M67 shot || HEAT || 381 || 13.14 || N/A || 0.1 || 1,609 || 62° || 69° || 73°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
|-
! Ammunition
! Velocity (m/s)
! Projectile Mass (kg)
! Screen radius (m)
! Screen deploy time (s)
! Screen hold time (s)
! Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
|-
| M84 || 457 || 14.9 || 20 || 5 || 25 || 50
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''66''' || 54 ''(+12)'' || 34 ''(+32)'' || 22 ''(+44)'' || 13 ''(+53)'' || 1 ''(+65)'' || Yes (1)
|-
|}
<nowiki>*43---*
<--Front-- | 2 1 |
*5----*
</nowiki>

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 576 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount
! Capacity (Belt capacity)
! Rate of fire (shots/minute)
! Vertical guidance
! Horizontal guidance
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

This tank plays best as a support tank, stay with other tanks that have better side armour while using the relatively thick front armour to soak a few shots. Use the HEAT rounds to penetrate most armour of the M4A3 (105)'s rank and above, and remember that the M4A3 (105) is no brawler, so staying in the front line too close to hostiles will most likely spell a K.O. by ammo or crew. This tank gun has a very low velocity, so make sure to compensate for a large amount of drop

Having in mind the large calibre of this tank's main weapon, one can conclude that the HE shell (M1 shell) is big enough to dispatch some tanks. However, any armour larger than 28 mm won't let the explosion result in penetration. So for firing at strong armour plates, the HEAT shell (M67 shot) is required. It should be a top priority to research it. The HE shell will, however, be the most effective option whenever this Sherman's controller can find a suitably soft spot in the enemy vehicle's armour. Against soft vehicles, like most [[:Category:Anti-aircraft vehicles|SPAA]], the choice of ammunition for the main gun is fairly irrelevant, since a single shot should be enough to dispatch one of these, and remaining crew members can be taken down with one of the tank's [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|Browning]] machine guns, although HE is certainly the most effective at dishing out damage when armour is absent.

The HEAT round, unlike the HE one, has a tracer charge, which facilitates aiming. This is not critical, however, since the HE shell's sheer size allows for it to be seen without too much effort.

==== Tactics ====
The M4A3 (105) HVSS Sherman is a support tank, not a front-line brawler. Its adequate armour protection and a powerful gun put it on about the level of the [[M10 GMC|M10 Tank Destroyer]], but it has certain flaws and qualities that make it different than the usual Sherman tanks. Due to the 105 mm howitzer, knocking out the enemy crew in lightly armoured vehicles is a piece of cake. Aim for the enemy tank's lower turret to cause the most damage possible with the HE shells, as the HE shrapnel can be deflected down onto the hull roof and mess up the enemy crew. The 105 mm HE could also be aimed at the enemy tracks to blow it off, immobilizing the enemy. If none of the HE shells does damage to the target (which shouldn't happen most of the time), a well-placed HEAT shell, once unlocked, can easily set a tank aflame or blow up ammo stores. Don't get to close to enemy vehicles '''unless''' it is a limited traverse gun tank destroyer, in which case blow up its tracks with a HE that should do the trick.

A downfall(s) of the M4A3 (105) HVSS Sherman is its average mobility, slow turret traverse, and slow reload. Therefore, it is recommended to stick to allied tanks like glue or rely on hit-and-run tactics. The low velocity makes long-range shots relatively difficult. Never stay in the sights of tanks such as the [[KwK 40 (75 mm)|long-barrel 75 mm]] Panzer IV [[Pz.IV F2|F2]]/[[Pz.IV G|G]], StuG III [[StuG III F|F]]/[[StuG III G|G]] or [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]]/[[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|KV-1]]. These tanks can penetrate the M4A3 (105) HVSS Sherman's front armour, some more easily than others. Try not to get hit in the rear area as it will set the tank on fire and immobilize it, putting it in an extremely disadvantageous situation.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="3" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
| M67 shot
|
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
|
|
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
| M84
| Smoke grenade
|-
|}

* ''Parts'', ''M67 shot'' and ''FPE'' are key! Followed by all accuracy improvements, everything else is optional, but ''Artillery'' and all mobility upgrades are welcomed.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Devastating against lightly armoured tanks
* HE shells can cause serious damages even with a non-penetrating hit
* HEAT shell option with approximately 130 mm of penetration at any range, making it able to take on even the KV-1 from the front
* Both HE and HEAT shells have a high chance of causing hull breaks on lightly armoured foes
* .50 cal machine gun on top can provide AA defence
* Good mobility, best hp/weight ratio of any Sherman
* HVSS suspension gives good cross-country mobility
* Wide tracks makes it easier to brake at high speeds and climb steep mountains
* Better sloped frontal armour that can withstand lots of punishment
* Smoke grenades (only USA Sherman equipped with them) and smoke shells are very useful for team support and self-protection

'''Cons:'''

* Poor ballistics, especially with HEAT shells, long-range fighting is not recommended, due to its extremely low shell velocity
* Slow reverse speed, retreating from dangerous situations may be a hassle
* Stock HE ineffective against even moderately armoured tanks
* HEAT shell post-penetration damage is somewhat punctual, follow up shots may be required at times
* Often targeted due to the large 105 mm gun
* Side and rear armour are very weak in comparison to the front
* Very slow turret traverse rate, relies on turning hull to get gun onto targets away from turret front
* Poor stationary turning ability combined with slow turret traverse makes flanking enemies a dangerous foe
* Long reload of more than 10 seconds

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

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

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

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

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

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

{{France medium tanks}}

M3A3 Stuart (France)

2020-08-05T15:05:51Z

U2767883: /* Ammo racks */ Fixed the image embedding

{{Specs-Card|code=fr_m3a3_stuart}}
{{About
| about = light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other vehicles of the family
| link-1 = M3 Stuart (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M3 (Disambiguation)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]].

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


The frontal armour on the M3A3 is pretty tough for a light tank with 25 mm on the front & sides of the hull, and a large, 50 mm thick gun mantlet covering up most of its frontal turret. When angled correctly it can bounce off quite a few shots. However it can still be easily penetrated by average guns on its BR. From the front the 4 crews are sitting pretty close together, thus making it highly possible to get one-shotted by shells with explosives like the Soviet 45 mm AP or the German short 75 mm APHE. The transmission and the engine are all quite small and low, and the ammoracks are also small, reducing the chance of being immobile or ammoracked. There is also an empty area under the turret crews and in front of the driving compartment, which will absorb those shells with weak damage.

{| class="wikitable"
!Armour
!Front (Slope angle)
!Sides
!Rear
!Roof
|-
|Hull
|25 - 50 mm (46'''°'''- 49'''°''') ''Upper Glacis''
44.4 mm (30'''°''') ''Lower Glacis''
|25.4 mm
|25.4 mm
|12.7 mm
|-
|Turret
|38.1 mm ''Turret front''
50.8 mm ''Gun mantlet''
|31.75 mm
|31.75 mm
|12.7 mm
|}

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=406|rbMinHp=232}}

One of the best aspects of the M3A3 is its superior mobility. It has a top speed of 58 km/h and doesn't lose too much speed on soft terrains as it's tracked, making it one of the fastest tanks at the BR alongside with the famous BT series tanks. The turning ability is also amazing, since the hull is short and wide enough, allowing it to turn agilely. However, when trying to stop the tank while it is travelling at full speed, the brakes tend to be inefficient, giving it a long braking distance and making it very sluggish when stopping.

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

{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}

The M3A3 is armed with a 37 mm M6 cannon as its main armament, the same gun as the preceding [[M8 LAC (China)|M8]]. While being 1.3 BR higher than the M8, the M3A3's gun still packs a fierce punch if aiming at the correct area and firing at the correct distance. It is a small calibre fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1/B2 shell), being able to penetrate most of the opponents it will face. While it lacks the post-penetration damage to one-shot most enemy, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. The penetration and trajectory drop a lot beyond 500 m. Note that the gun has a vertical stabiliser, giving the player a huge advantage in some cases, but keep in mind that the stabiliser only works when the tank is slower than 10 km/h.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M6 (37 mm)|37 mm M6]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 174 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_M3A3 Stuart (France).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the M3A3 Stuart (France)]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''174''' || 131 ''(+43)'' || 87 ''(+87)'' || 44 ''(+130)'' || 1 ''(+173)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The M3A3 has two [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]] machine guns, one being coaxial to the main gun and the other roof-mounted. The two machine guns can quickly incapacitate the exposed crews on some vehicles or do some serious damage to those low-passing planes. The machine gun is only enough to destroy poorly protected vehicles such as AS 42, FlakPz I and GAZ-AAA. The penetration of around 10 mm is not enough to go through the frontal armour of those not-so-weakly-armoured tanks like SU-5-1, Panzerjager 1 or 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl. If you are skilled the two machine gun can effectively damage low-flying biplanes.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 4,300 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || -60°/+15°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M3A3 Stuart is best used as a point-capper and a hit-n-run tank. Its extreme mobility gives the player uncountable ways to play with the enemy. At the start of a battle, it can quickly cap a nearby point first, but note that some wheeled vehicles, like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Sd.Kfz.234]] series in a mixed battle can still outrun the M3A3 on-road, therefore posing a great threat. Or it can get to an ambush position near the point and wait until the prey comes. With its reliable gun, the M3A3 should be able to destroy the first wave of enemies easily and quickly.

In the middle stages of a battle, the M3A3 can utilise its excellent mobility and get to wherever needs help while carefully looking around. If the M3A3 unexpectedly encounter an enemy in its path, don't panic! Circle around the enemy and try to force it to turn, this way it usually cannot aim at the M3A3 accurately, then reduce the M3A3's speed down under 10 km/h and keep moving. Now the M3A3's stabiliser will give the tank a great chance to hit while on the move as it stabilises the gun when the tank is under 10 km/h, making it easier time to put the gun on target while moving compared to the enemy.

The frontal armour of this tank is also quite good at a distance. Find a building or a big rock as cover and angle the hull for about 40 degrees. When ready to fire, go out of cover and stop once the 37 mm gun is exposed, don't go out too much or the thin side armour will be exposed to be hit. Keep in mind that with this tactic the player should only engage the low-penetrating enemies at more than 400 m, as their penetration will drop significantly at that distance while the M3A3 can still penetrate 73 mm of armour, which is enough to go through most of its opponents like the [[T-50]], [[SU-76M]] or [[Crusader Mk III]].

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

Specific enemy vehicles that bear mentioning are firstly any Germans with the [[KwK38 (20 mm)|20 mm KwK/FlaK38]] cannon, this gun might be small but can have up to 64 mm of penetration, which is enough to go through the M3A3 almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry an APHEBC round that will destroy you in one shot with little difficulty, to counter you should use your speed to attempt to get a side shot into either the turret or engine. If the T-50 cannot move you can outrun its turret and finish it without much difficulty.

It is likely that the M3A3 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the M3A3's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the M3A3's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3A3. While charging, use the M3A3's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3A3. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is perpendicular to their armour. Do not shoot if the enemy is angling! The small calibre 37 mm gun is very likely to bounce off or not penetrate against sloped armour.

For the Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For the best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, either aim for the near-vertical frontal armour plate at the right side of the hull, or the turret ring to incapacitate the commander/gunner, or simply move to its side and knock out the crews one by one by hitting its flat side armour.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
| M51B1/B2
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Airstrike
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
| Improved optics
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great firepower: cannon has good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression of -10 degrees, allowing the M3 to manoeuvre to any terrain and adapt to it well
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns common opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]] and Crusader
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, giving it an advantage in a sudden encounter
* Respectable sloped armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance, such as the 37 mm M6 on other M3 Stuarts
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like the 76 mm F-34/ZIS-5
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability
* While fast, it is still slower than the Sd.Kfz.234 series on the road

== History ==


The US lend-leased a total of 651 light tanks to the Free French forces, including 273 M3A3s, delivered prior to D-Day. All the light tanks of 2nd French Armoured Div. were M3A3s during the 1944 fighting in France. 1st and 5th Divisions had a mix of M3A3 and M5A1. Three of the five armoured recon battalions integral to the Free French infantry divisions also had a mixed fleet, while the 2 non-divisional armoured recon battalions, the 1st and 2nd Spahis Algeriens, were entirely M3A3-equipped. They would continue in service from D-Day until the end of the war in Europe.

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

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{France light tanks}}

M3A3 Stuart (France)

2020-08-05T13:02:40Z

U2767883: /* Ammo racks */ Added ammo rack info

{{Specs-Card|code=fr_m3a3_stuart}}
{{About
| about = light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other vehicles of the family
| link-1 = M3 Stuart (Family)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M3 (Disambiguation)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]].

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


The frontal armour on the M3A3 is pretty tough for a light tank with 25 mm on the front & sides of the hull, and a large, 50 mm thick gun mantlet covering up most of its frontal turret. When angled correctly it can bounce off quite a few shots. However it can still be easily penetrated by average guns on its BR. From the front the 4 crews are sitting pretty close together, thus making it highly possible to get one-shotted by shells with explosives like the Soviet 45 mm AP or the German short 75 mm APHE. The transmission and the engine are all quite small and low, and the ammoracks are also small, reducing the chance of being immobile or ammoracked. There is also an empty area under the turret crews and in front of the driving compartment, which will absorb those shells with weak damage.

{| class="wikitable"
!Armour
!Front (Slope angle)
!Sides
!Rear
!Roof
|-
|Hull
|25 - 50 mm (46'''°'''- 49'''°''') ''Upper Glacis''
44.4 mm (30'''°''') ''Lower Glacis''
|25.4 mm
|25.4 mm
|12.7 mm
|-
|Turret
|38.1 mm ''Turret front''
50.8 mm ''Gun mantlet''
|31.75 mm
|31.75 mm
|12.7 mm
|}

=== Mobility ===


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=406|rbMinHp=232}}

One of the best aspects of the M3A3 is its superior mobility. It has a top speed of 58 km/h and doesn't lose too much speed on soft terrains as it's tracked, making it one of the fastest tanks at the BR alongside with the famous BT series tanks. The turning ability is also amazing, since the hull is short and wide enough, allowing it to turn agilely. However, when trying to stop the tank while it is travelling at full speed, the brakes tend to be inefficient, giving it a long braking distance and making it very sluggish when stopping.

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

{{main|M6 (37 mm)}}

The M3A3 is armed with a 37 mm M6 cannon as its main armament, the same gun as the preceding [[M8 LAC (China)|M8]]. While being 1.3 BR higher than the M8, the M3A3's gun still packs a fierce punch if aiming at the correct area and firing at the correct distance. It is a small calibre fast-firing gun with a maximum penetration of 84 mm at 100 m (M51B1/B2 shell), being able to penetrate most of the opponents it will face. While it lacks the post-penetration damage to one-shot most enemy, it can quickly finish them off with its fast reload. The penetration and trajectory drop a lot beyond 500 m. Note that the gun has a vertical stabiliser, giving the player a huge advantage in some cases, but keep in mind that the stabiliser only works when the tank is slower than 10 km/h.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M6 (37 mm)|37 mm M6]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 174 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 79 || 76 || 65 || 54 || 45 || 37
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 87 || 84 || 73 || 60 || 50 || 41
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="10" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile Mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| M74B1 || AP || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M51B1/B2 || APCBC || 883 || 0.87 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''174''' || 131 ''(+43)'' || 87 ''(+87)'' || 44 ''(+130)'' || 1 ''(+173)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

The M3A3 has two [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]] machine guns, one being coaxial to the main gun and the other roof-mounted. The two machine guns can quickly incapacitate the exposed crews on some vehicles or do some serious damage to those low-passing planes. The machine gun is only enough to destroy poorly protected vehicles such as AS 42, FlakPz I and GAZ-AAA. The penetration of around 10 mm is not enough to go through the frontal armour of those not-so-weakly-armoured tanks like SU-5-1, Panzerjager 1 or 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl. If you are skilled the two machine gun can effectively damage low-flying biplanes.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 4,300 (250) || 500 || -10°/+70° || -60°/+15°
|-
| Coaxial || 3,200 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M3A3 Stuart is best used as a point-capper and a hit-n-run tank. Its extreme mobility gives the player uncountable ways to play with the enemy. At the start of a battle, it can quickly cap a nearby point first, but note that some wheeled vehicles, like the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Sd.Kfz.234]] series in a mixed battle can still outrun the M3A3 on-road, therefore posing a great threat. Or it can get to an ambush position near the point and wait until the prey comes. With its reliable gun, the M3A3 should be able to destroy the first wave of enemies easily and quickly.

In the middle stages of a battle, the M3A3 can utilise its excellent mobility and get to wherever needs help while carefully looking around. If the M3A3 unexpectedly encounter an enemy in its path, don't panic! Circle around the enemy and try to force it to turn, this way it usually cannot aim at the M3A3 accurately, then reduce the M3A3's speed down under 10 km/h and keep moving. Now the M3A3's stabiliser will give the tank a great chance to hit while on the move as it stabilises the gun when the tank is under 10 km/h, making it easier time to put the gun on target while moving compared to the enemy.

The frontal armour of this tank is also quite good at a distance. Find a building or a big rock as cover and angle the hull for about 40 degrees. When ready to fire, go out of cover and stop once the 37 mm gun is exposed, don't go out too much or the thin side armour will be exposed to be hit. Keep in mind that with this tactic the player should only engage the low-penetrating enemies at more than 400 m, as their penetration will drop significantly at that distance while the M3A3 can still penetrate 73 mm of armour, which is enough to go through most of its opponents like the [[T-50]], [[SU-76M]] or [[Crusader Mk III]].

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

Specific enemy vehicles that bear mentioning are firstly any Germans with the [[KwK38 (20 mm)|20 mm KwK/FlaK38]] cannon, this gun might be small but can have up to 64 mm of penetration, which is enough to go through the M3A3 almost anywhere. These guns can also fire 10 rounds at 280 rounds/min before having to reload the clip, meaning that they will very easily take out your crew before you have a chance to respond. To counter, the best chance you have is to angle your frontal armour which can make it difficult for the PzGr 40 rounds to penetrate. The Russian [[T-50]] and [[T-126]] are vehicles you will also see commonly, these have fairly thick and angled frontal armour that will prevent you from easily getting through. These tanks can also carry an APHEBC round that will destroy you in one shot with little difficulty, to counter you should use your speed to attempt to get a side shot into either the turret or engine. If the T-50 cannot move you can outrun its turret and finish it without much difficulty.

It is likely that the M3A3 will encounter some rough heavies, like the [[Matilda III]] and the [[B1 bis]]. The best tactic against these types of targets is to use the M3A3's fast speed, get within 200 m from them and attack, with shooting at point-blank range being the most effective way. Before conducting an attack, check the M3A3's and the enemy's surroundings to make sure no one will ambush the M3A3. While charging, use the M3A3's quick turns to suddenly change direction to avoid being shot if they are aiming and firing at the M3A3. Once the tank is at the ideal distance, manoeuvre so that the gun is perpendicular to their armour. Do not shoot if the enemy is angling! The small calibre 37 mm gun is very likely to bounce off or not penetrate against sloped armour.

For the Matilda III, shoot at the middle of the near-vertical frontal plate to knock out the driver first, since the 37 mm shell is not enough to knock out the gunner after penetrating. Once it is immobile, go to its side and finish it by shooting its hull sides. Or, shoot the right side of the gun mantlet to disable its gunner. For the best chance of penetration, do not shoot its turret side.

For the B1, either aim for the near-vertical frontal armour plate at the right side of the hull, or the turret ring to incapacitate the commander/gunner, or simply move to its side and knock out the crews one by one by hitting its flat side armour.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Mobility
! Protection
! colspan="2" | Firepower
|-
| I
| Tracks
|
| Parts
| Horizontal Drive
| M51B1/B2
|-
| II
| Suspension
| Brake System
| FPE
| Adjustment of Fire
| Airstrike
|-
| III
| Filters
|
| Crew Replenishment
| Elevation Mechanism
|
|-
| IV
| Transmission
| Engine
|
| Artillery Support
| Improved optics
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great firepower: cannon has good penetration, excellent rate of fire and gun depression of -10 degrees, allowing the M3 to manoeuvre to any terrain and adapt to it well
* Excellent acceleration, top speed and turning ability on all terrains; easily outruns common opponents like the [[Pz.III (Disambiguation)|Pz.III]] and Crusader
* Access to a vertical stabiliser which most tanks don't have, giving it an advantage in a sudden encounter
* Respectable sloped armour that, if angled, might bounce some shells from a distance, such as the 37 mm M6 on other M3 Stuarts
* Small turret profile makes it harder to get hit

'''Cons:'''

* Weak armour against high-penetration shells like the 76 mm F-34/ZIS-5
* Its shells do not have explosive filler, severely limiting the post-penetration effect especially against spacious tanks like the [[LVT(A)(1)]]
* Inefficient brakes when trying to stop the tank at full speed
* Hull is fairly tall for a light tank and the crews are closely packed, reducing its survivability
* While fast, it is still slower than the Sd.Kfz.234 series on the road

== History ==


The US lend-leased a total of 651 light tanks to the Free French forces, including 273 M3A3s, delivered prior to D-Day. All the light tanks of 2nd French Armoured Div. were M3A3s during the 1944 fighting in France. 1st and 5th Divisions had a mix of M3A3 and M5A1. Three of the five armoured recon battalions integral to the Free French infantry divisions also had a mixed fleet, while the 2 non-divisional armoured recon battalions, the 1st and 2nd Spahis Algeriens, were entirely M3A3-equipped. They would continue in service from D-Day until the end of the war in Europe.

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

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
* ''other literature.''

{{France light tanks}}

File:Ammoracks M3A3 Stuart (France).png

2020-08-05T12:54:56Z

U2767883: Category:Ammo racks

[[Category:Ammo racks]]