War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

BI

2020-10-07T05:16:10Z

U28485461: Guide

{{Specs-Card
|code=bi
|market=items_BI (USSR)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Raining Fire"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6878-event-wargame-strategist-en|2020 Wargame "Strategist" event]], and is currently available for sale on the Marketplace.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,500 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
| 793 || 787 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.2 || 21.2 || 84.9 || 79.4 || rowspan="2" | 400
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || 320 || ~9 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 400 || < 410 || < 550 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="3" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="1" | {{Annotation|Basic Mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Isaev D-1a || 1
| colspan="1" | 924 kg || colspan="2" | 233 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="2" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 0m fuel || 1m fuel
|-
| 300 kg || colspan="2" | Liquid-fuel rocket
| 1,134 kg || 1,629 kg || 1,650 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="3" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 0m fuel || 1m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 1,121 kgf || N/A
| 0.99 || 0.69 || 0.68
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 1,121 kgf (any speed) || N/A
| 0.99 || 0.69 || 0.68
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


* 5.5 mm steel behind pilot
* 64 mm bulletproof glass in front of pilot
* Self-sealing fuel tanks* (7 under the cannon barrels, 8 behind pilot, 3 in rear fuselage)

<nowiki>*</nowiki>The fuel tanks are cylinder-shaped, not rectangular, like most planes' fuel tanks, allowing for more fuel tanks.

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

{{main|ShVAK (20 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 20 mm ShVAK cannons, nose-mounted (45 rpg = 90 total)

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

The BI is similar to the [[Me 163 B|Me 163]] - small amounts of fuel and ammo (low flight endurance) but very good performance, being able to climb almost vertically. As such it excels in the interceptor role, climbing very high very fast to shoot down bombers, before exhausting its fuel supply and landing again. Don't be fooled by it's acceleration into thinking it has a high top speed - the wings will fall off before it matches speed with many planes at it's battle rating. As such, don't try to outrun enemies but use your maneuverability and acceleration to fight them.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! Flight performance
! Survivability
! Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage repair
|
| Offensive 20 mm
|-
| II
|
| Airframe
|
|-
| III
| Wings repair
|
| New 20 mm cannons
|-
| IV
| Engine
| Cover
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Amazing acceleration.
* Great roll rate.
* Excellent manoeuvrability.
* Takes off is very fast.
* Incredible climb rate.

'''Cons:'''

* Not very well armoured or crew protection.
* Only has landing flaps.
* Can reach rip speed (Mach 0.81) while travelling in a straight line.
* Maximum load of fuel is only ~2 minutes (1:57) .
* Limited armament, only two ShVAK cannons with 45 rounds each.

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|llVOukVt1A4|'''The Shooting Range #218''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==

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

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

{{USSR jet aircraft}}

MiG-21F-13

2020-04-28T03:49:33Z

U28485461: what bombers?

{{Specs-Card|code=mig-21_f13}}
{{About
| about = Russian jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the Chinese license-built version
| link = J-7II
}}
== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].

After the Korean War, several nations came out with various aircraft which would out-fly opposing aircraft, especially in a dogfight. The U.S. introduced the Lockheed F-104 Starfighter and Northrop F-5 Freedom Fighter while European nations France, England and Sweden rolled out the Dassault Mirage F-1, Mirage III, English Electric Lightning, Hawker Hunter and the Saab Draken. At this time the Soviet Union was working on further developing the twin-engine MiG-19 but realized what it actually needed was a fast, single-engine light-weight fighter in what ultimately became the most highly produced supersonic fighter in the world and used by over 60 countries. This fighter was the Ye-66a (‘‘Ye’’ stands for “Yedinitsa” or single-unit), later changed to MiG-21 F-13 or as dubbed by NATO, the Fishbed-C. The F-13 designation identifies that this is an updated (Forsirovannyy) version which can equip the K-13 missile system capable of using the R-3S air-to-air missiles.
[[File:MiG-21_smigol_chat_bann.png|400px|thumb|left|The sleek and aerodynamic '''{{PAGENAME}}'''.]]
The {{PAGENAME}} was built to be a point defence interceptor not an air-defence fighter slated for combat missions, basically a short-range day fighter. Essentially it was a missile which houses a pilot, one 30 mm cannon and two R-3S air-to-air missiles. The sleek airframe was made with aluminium alloys, steel, magnesium and fibreglass. The air-intake cone automatically adjusts during the flight to help the aircraft remain aerodynamic. The fighter sported a delta wing with a 57° leading edge and even the all-moving tailplane utilizes the swept feature. Everything about this jet focus on speed which lends it reaching out to the Mach 2 range. The strength of the aircraft is its speed in a straight line whether in a climb, level flight or a dive, however, when it turns at all, it haemorrhages its energy and when it gets below 700 kph, it is difficult to get back up to speed without diving to make up that speed. When caught near the ground and going slow will be extremely frustrating for a MiG-21 pilot.

The {{PAGENAME}} as-built shaped like a missile excels in air-to-air combat, but beware of turning or manoeuvres, though they will slow you enough to get behind an enemy fighter, it may also slow you enough for another enemy fighter to get a missile lock or gun solution on you. Always be aware of your surroundings. Though this fighter can be outfitted with rockets or bombs (250 and 500 kg), these options should be reserved for special situations as the attacker/bomber function was never designed as a multi-role function as it was with the [[F-4C Phantom II|F-4C]]. The R-3S missiles can be a challenge to get used to, so newer pilots may elect to outfit the S-5K rockets and use them to go after bombers. With only 60 rounds of 30 mm cannon ammunition, trigger control is a must or else you will be waiting often for a reload timer to count down or will be frequently returning to base to reload.
Suggestion: What bombers? This thing is at 10.3

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===

[[File:Mig 21 wtwallpaper 003.jpg‎|450px|thumb|right|Looking at the business end of a '''{{PAGENAME}}'''.]]
Due to the {{PAGENAME}} being an interceptor fighter, its main purpose is to interdict enemy aircraft. For this purpose, a jet fighter should meet certain criteria such as being light-weight, fast, aerodynamic and cheap to build and maintain. The {{PAGENAME}} fits all of these criteria to a tee. Sitting at a take-off weight of 9.5 tons and an afterburner thrust output from the R-11F-300 jet engine of 5480 kgf, the MiG was a rocket compared to other contemporary fighters/interceptor aircraft. The closest comparable aircraft in-game are the Hunter F 1, Hunter F.6 and the Super Mystere B2. Pound for pound and thrust for thrust, the Hunter F 1 is the closest with a take-off weight of 9.5 tons and power output from a Rolls-Royce Avon Mk. 113 engine with 3188.1 kgf, however, the final thrust output was no contest with the {{PAGENAME}} able to fly 1,000 kph faster than the Hunter at top speed.

Manoeuvrability in the MiG, for the most part, is non-existent. Due to the shape of the wings and the aerodynamics of the entire aircraft, it is built mostly for high-speed low-drag in a straight flight and that becomes apparent when it enters into a manoeuvre or a turn where it begins to bleed speed at a horrendous rate. With no adjustment to the throttle, a {{PAGENAME}} can drop from 1,000 kph to 600 - 700 kph just by making a turn or manoeuvring from flying in a straight line. MiG pilots must take into account when they attempt evasive manoeuvres after a missile is fired at them as doing so they may avoid the missile, but they may also end up flying under 700 kph which is a bad place to be and can be difficult to return from if there is no room to dive to build up speed. The best bet to use the {{PAGENAME}} is up at higher altitudes where the jet flies faster and has room to dive if the speed needs to be built up after turning or manoeuvring.

While the {{PAGENAME}} can be outfitted with 250 kg or 500 kg bombs, adding the extra weight impacts this fighter even more. With the bombs placed on under-wing pylons, it decreases the roll-rate of the aircraft having that weight away from the centre of the aircraft (or in comparison to a clean aircraft – without bombs). Bombs are an option for the aircraft, however, due to needing to maintain speeds above 700 kph using the MiG as a bomber is less effective and can expose this aircraft to other fighters which prey on low and slow aircraft.

[[File:MiG-21_kohler_001.jpg|450px|thumb|right|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in an agressive power-climb ready to intercept.]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 13,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,209 || 2,194 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 34.6 || 35.2 || 98.3 || 90.7 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,313 || 2,235 || 32.8 || 33.7 || 129.2 || 110.2
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || 450 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 650 || < 600 || < 780 || N/A
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="2" | Clean Configuration Lift Performance
|-
! Zero-Thrust, 1G Stall speed (km/h)
! Corner speed
(km/h)
|-
| 210-244 || 757
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | Empty mass || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Tumansky R-11F-300 || 1
| colspan="2" | 5,110 kg || colspan="3" | 311 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel
|-
| 1,120 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 5,676 kg || 6,352 kg || 6,967 kg || 7,152 kg || 9,500 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 3,484 kgf || 5,226 kgf
| 0.92 || 0.82 || 0.75 || 0.73 || 0.55
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 3,484 kgf (0 km/h) || 5,226 kgf (0 km/h)
| 0.92 || 0.82 || 0.75 || 0.73 || 0.55
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


;Armour

* 16 mm Steel – behind the pilot's seat
* 25 mm Steel – pilot’s headrest
* 65 mm Bulletproof glass – forward canopy windscreen

With the {{PAGENAME}} configured for and operated as an interceptor, not much thought was put into protecting the aircraft as it was relatively cheap and easy to build and maintain. However, protections were put in place for the pilot which on the other hand was a valuable asset. Protective steel behind the seat and pilot’s headrest along with the 65 mm bulletproof glass helped protect the pilot from defensive fire coming from bomber turrets or from smaller calibre guns found on many Western fighters of the time.

The {{PAGENAME}}’s role as an interceptor basically had it scramble from the airfield when enemy fighters/bombers entered the area and it went full afterburner to reach attack altitude where it would make several passes, down the aircraft and return to the airfield. Due to its speed and limited weapon load-out, further protections for the aircraft’s critical component were not necessary and thus left off the aircraft to allow for its light-weight and quick intercept capability.

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

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

This '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' has the following offensive weapons:

* 1 x 30 mm NR-30 cannon (60 RPG)

The {{PAGENAME}} has been outfitted with a single 30 mm Nudelman-Rikhter NR-30 cannon. This gun is the perfect weapon for an interceptor class aircraft as it is large enough calibre to do some serious damage, however, this cannon only houses 60 rounds of ammunition. While the small ammunition pool appears to be a negative point to the aircraft, minimizing weight is necessary to ensure this aircraft can intercept inbound enemy aircraft. Trigger control is a necessary skill the pilot must use to ensure enough rounds available to make the necessary shots before returning to base to reload.

=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|S-5K|S-24|R-3S|OFAB-250-270 (250 kg)|FAB-500M-54 (500 kg)}}

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

* 32 x S-5K rockets
* 2 x S-24 rockets
* 2 x R-3S air-to-air missiles
* 2 x 250 kg OFAB-250-270 bombs (total 500 kg)
* 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs (total 1,000 kg)

While classed and built as a fighter-interceptor with the purpose of attacking enemy aircraft invading the homeland, the {{PAGENAME}} can be outfitted with air-to-air ordnance to support this fighting tactic or it can also load up on ground-attack ordnance which can inflict some damage. Though available, this is not a strong suit for this aircraft.

;Air-to-air combat

As a true fighter-interceptor, the {{PAGENAME}} in conjunction with its 30 mm NR-30 autocannon, it can also be outfitted with two additional air-to-air combat options. First is the R-3S air-to-air missiles of which only two are allocated at a time. When on the tail of an enemy aircraft there are two tones which will be emitted when attempting a missile lock, the first tone is the system searching for a target, once the target is locked onto, the tone will noticeably change. Once changed to the second tone, the missile can be fired. An enemy fighter which is paying attention to any notifications for an inbound missile does have a chance to avoid the missile, however, the longer they wait to initiate, the harder it will be for them to avoid being hit by the missile.

Secondary air-to-air armament comes in the package of 32 S-5K unguided rockets. Though less than accurate when fired off singly, salvos of these rockets will increase the chance that at least one or two rockets may hit the intended target. This ordnance is difficult to use against faster fighters, however, it may be ideal to utilise against slower bombers which may have a more difficult time out flying or outmanoeuvring these rockets.

;Ground attack combat

Though developed as a fast interceptor, the {{PAGENAME}} can carry ordnance which is more specifically used for ground attack than aerial attack. Two options for rockets are available, the 32 x S-5K rockets already mentioned in the air-to-air combat section and the 2 x S-24 240 mm unguided rockets. The S-5K rockets can be used to great effect on anti-aircraft artillery, lightly armoured vehicles and aircraft landing, taking-off or parked on runways waiting for repairs or reloading. Since the S-5K is unguided and therefore not highly accurate, especially being launched from the {{PAGENAME}} and low altitudes, it is best to launch large salvos at the intended targets to increase the chances a hit is made. The S-24 rocket is just over two metres long and therefore only two can be outfitted on the aircraft. This rocket has its similarities to the U.S. unguided rocket the [[Tiny Tim]]. These larger rockets pack a punch and can be used for enemies on the ground clustered together, harder targets such as medium and heavy tanks, reinforced pillboxes and can even whittle away at the enemy bases.

A final ground attack option is to outfit bombs to the aircraft in either total weight of 500 kg or 1,000 kg. Either 250 kg or 500 kg bombs can be mounted to underwing pylons to be used on ground targets, however, while these are attached to the aircraft, its overall speed and manoeuvrability will suffer. Bombing with the {{PAGENAME}} can be a bit of a challenge without a bombsight or trying to hit a target while in a dive. Attempting a horizontal attack reduces the overall speed of the aircraft and makes it an easier target for enemy fighters waiting to pounce.

== Usage in battles ==

The {{PAGENAME}} was designed to be a fighter-interceptor and thus all of its design features shape it into virtually a missile with a cockpit. This aircraft wasn't designed to carry the load the [[F-4C]], [[G.91 YS]] or the [[Super Mystere B2]], but it was built for speed and to bring along the minimal amount of armament to do its job.

As a fighter-interceptor, the {{PAGENAME}} needed to get from Point A (the airbase) to Point B (the inbound enemy aircraft) in the shortest amount of time possible, shoot it and return to base to get ready for the next one. This jet can remain fast if it is flying in a straight line, however do not try to sustain dogfights in it. Despite this MiG receiving a new FM update on the 7th of Nov. 2019 (weight reduction, aerodynamics and climb rate improved), it still has a high AoA, meaning it bleeds a good amount of speed in hard turns.

The best use of this aircraft is to utilise its excellent speed and rate of climb and gain altitude and begin to level off when you are either at bomber altitude or just above any enemy fighters flying around. It is here you can use the great [[Boom & Zoom]] qualities of the aircraft and select a target and begin to dive on it. It is during this phase when you can attempt to get a lock with the R-3S air-to-air missiles and launch it or you can strafe any unwary targets with the 30 mm NR-30 autocannon. Extremely short bursts are a must in order to conserve ammunition (only 60 rounds total), but this powerful gun only needs one or two good shots to remove a wing, take out a pilot or disable an engine. Once shots have been taken, regardless if they hit or missed, engage the afterburner and return to higher altitudes and set up for another Boom & Zoom run. [[Boom & Run]] techniques also work in that you can use the phenomenal speed of the {{PAGENAME}} to outrun just about any aircraft on the map (however beware of the [[F-4C]] which can keep pace if not outrun the {{PAGENAME}}).

Options are available to use this aircraft in the role of ground-attack, however, this may be an extreme challenge, especially to any novice fighter jet pilots. While the 30 mm autocannon is standard in all of the ordnance load-outs, when adding a secondary suspended armament, you are limited to only one type. In this case, you will need to choose from 32 light-weight S-5K rockets, two S-24 rockets, two 250 kg bombs or two 500 kg bombs. The added weight and loss of aerodynamics when adding any of this ordnance can be difficult to overcome, especially since this aircraft is built for speed over manoeuvrability.

When attacking ground targets, it is best to place the {{PAGENAME}} into a relatively shallow dive, it is important to remember to properly line up for the target ahead of time because with the external ordnance fine-tune manoeuvring can be difficult especially when corrections need to be made at the last minute. Lack of a bombsight makes bombing smaller targets a bit more difficult to hit. When flying low to take on ground targets, make sure you leave yourself an out when the situation turns bad. The best practice here is to ensure you keep your speed up, slow enough to hit the target, but fast enough to get away when the situation turns.

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" |Flight performance
! Survivability
! colspan="3'" |Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage repair||Compressor
|
| Offensive 30 mm||||S5K
|-
| II
| New boosters||
| Airframe
| ||FAB-250||C-24
|-
| III
| Wings repair||
|
| New 30 mm cannons||||R-3S
|-
| IV
| G-suit||Engine
| Cover
| ||FAB-500||
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great top speed (true interceptor)
* Moderately high acceleration
* Has access to air-to-air missiles (R-3S)
* Hard-hitting 30 mm cannon, quick bursts make 60 rounds last long and are enough for kills
* Great maneuverability at high speeds (and low speeds as of Update 7.11.2019), can sustain 11G - 12G even at 1,200 km/h IAS (can also pull 13G for a second), best-used with Boom & Zoom tactics
* Fairly small target; as of November 2019 the MiG-21F-13 has the smallest wingspan for a playable aircraft in the entire game
* Multiple choices for suspended armaments depending on the map being played
* Very good roll rate at all speeds
* Has access to one of the larges rockets with a timed fuse, the S-24 which may be used against aircraft.
* Does not spin easily in a positive G-load stall
* Rapid energy bleeding can allow you to go from mach 1 to landing speeds in a single hard 90 degree turn with trimming controls, allowing for rapid base return and landings
* Can perform a Cobra maneuver with full real controls

'''Cons:'''

* Only one gun with 60 rounds of ammunition, a minuscule 3.6 seconds total firing time (compared to 24 seconds of the 3x gunpod loadout of the F4 Phantom)
* Quirky rudder characteristics on mouse aim
* Missiles have a short lock-on range and are unreliable due to firing orientation requirements for a consistent hit
* Mediocre when used against ground targets and as an air defence interceptor
* Single cannon (no back up during jams)
* Single type suspended armament, no multi-role options such as missiles + bombs or rockets + bombs
* Stable unstalled inverted spin with awkward recovery technique for joystick pilots
* Abnormally strong up-righting torque (for a jet) can be annoying when aiming
* Weak engine; the [[CL-13B Mk.6]] has more thrust when spaded compared to a stock MiG-21's dry stock thrust.
* Negative pitch stability above 500 kph
* Deepstalled flatspinning MiG-21s cannot recover from spin

== History ==


The MiG-21 series of planes would become the most widely-used family of fighter jets in the world, with over 4,000 produced, including license-built copies in China, India and Czechoslovakia. The roots of this highly successful combat aircraft started in the mid-1950s, with the Soviet desire to create a Mach-2 capable light fighter. The first MiG-21F prototypes were presented at the Tushino air show in June 1956, and deliveries started in 1958. The model, "Fishbed C" in NATO parlance, was widely exported. In the Soviet Union, it was replaced by the MiG-21PF model after 1961.

===[[wt:en/news/6350-development-mig-21f-13-the-silver-swallow-en|Devblog]]===
Development of the MiG-21 dates back to the early 1950s, when the Mikoyan design bureau was conducting development work on a design study for a new swept-wing jet aircraft. Further work on the project led to the creation of a seperate, delta wing prototype, designated ‘Ye-4’. With test flights showing promising results, but also much room for improvement, work on the Ye-4 resumed. Further tweaks and modifications to the design eventually lead to the Ye-5 prototype, which conducted its maiden flight in January 1956.

During testing, the Ye-5 received its new designation ‘MiG-21’ and was officially ordered into production. However, production of this initial batch of MiG-21s was rather short, with only a handful of machines being built. In the meantime, an improved version of the aircraft - the Ye-6 - was being worked on. By May 1958, testing of the Ye-6 was deemed to be completed. Shortly afterwards, in July, the Ye-6 was ordered into mass production under the designation MiG-21F and was to replace the initial MiG-21 as the standard production model. The aircraft weaponry consists of two 30 mm automatic cannons. The next step was to equip the aircraft with guided “air-to-air” missiles but in to do this one of the cannons had to be removed.

From there on, the MiG-21 would go on to be produced in enormous numbers and in various different variants, both for the needs of the Soviet Union, as well as for export. Around 60 countries have or still use the MiG-21 in various capacities and modifications today.

Well over 11,000 MiG-21s have been produced, including licence-built versions (more than 2,400 models were built in China under the J-7 designation), since the start of production in 1959, with the legendary ‘Fishbed’ becoming the most mass produced combat aircraft since the Korean War and taking part in more armed conflicts than a single devblog would ever be able to cover. But as an example we can mention its participation in the Vietnam War where the MiG-21 was able to push back against the latest U.S. aircraft (which were in majority).

== Media ==


;Images
<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Mig 21 wtwallpaper 001.jpg|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Mig 21 wtwallpaper 002.jpg|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Mig 21 wtwallpaper 004.jpg|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Mig 21 wtwallpaper 005.jpg|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Mig 21 wtwallpaper 006.jpg|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
</ul></div>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|E941IRtmZdE|'''The Shooting Range #165''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:35 discusses the MiG-21.|dskugw7Ofk8|'''Slick Plays''' - ''How to Mig 21 - using the [[J-7II]]''|1psFOw8yTY4|'''Spit_flyer''' - ''They Made MiG-21 Mode Into A Real Thing!''|t8WZHks0N9U|'''Spicysauced''' - ''War Thunder Sim - MiG-21 - First Impressions''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* Chengdu [[J-7II]]
*{{Specs-Link|mig-21_mf}}
*{{Specs-Link|mig-21_smt}}

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6350-development-mig-21f-13-the-silver-swallow-en|[Development<nowiki>]</nowiki> MiG-21F-13: The Silver Swallow]]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=68 militaryfactory.com website - Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-21 (Fishbed)]
* [https://www.historynet.com/the-iconic-mig-21-fishbed.htm historynet.com website - The Iconic MiG-21 "Fishbed"]
* [https://nationalinterest.org/blog/buzz/russias-mig-21-fighter-could-keep-flying-and-fighting-100-years-85466 nationalinterest.org website - Russia's MiG-21 Fighter Could Keep Flying and Fighting for 100 Years]
* Bridgewater, S., & Gibbs, R. (Eds.). (2019). MiG's Fabulous Fishbed. MiG - Red Star Fighters, 52–61. ISBN ''9781912205127''

{{AirManufacturer MiG}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

MiG-15

2019-11-06T05:07:19Z

U28485461: Added a con

{{Specs-Card|code=mig-15_ns23}}
{{About
| about = Russian jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = MiG-15 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in the garage]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. This aircraft was introduced in Update 1.35. The main differences between this aircraft and the [[MiG-15bis|MiG-15 bis]] are weaker engine performance and [[NR-23 (23 mm)|NR-23 23 mm]] autocannons.

== General info ==
[[File:CockpitImage_MiG-15.jpg|thumbnail|right|The '''MiG-15''''s instrument panel.]]

=== Flight Performance ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - Sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 1,009 || 975 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.4 || 23.7 || 34.2 || 32.5 || 600
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - Sea level)
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 1,067 || 1,050 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.8 || 22.1 || 50.8 || 42.0 || 600
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| {{Specs|разрушение|конструкции}} || {{Specs|разрушение|шасси}} || 650 || ~20 || ~8
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 600 || < 700 || < 750 || > 250
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 0 m || 2150 kgf || No WEP
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


* 64 mm Bulletproof glass in the cockpit front
* 10 mm Steel plate in front of the pilot in the nose
* 6 mm Steel plate in pilot's seat
* 10 mm Steel plate behind the pilot's head

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

{{main|N-37 (37 mm)|NS-23 (23 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 37 mm N-37D Cannon, nose mounted (40 RPG = 40 total)
* 2 x 23 mm NS-23 Cannon, nose mounted (80 RPG = 160 total)

Both the N-37 and the NS-23 cannons have the muzzle velocity of 690 m/s.

=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|FAB-100 (100 kg)|FAB-250M43 (250 kg)}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (200 kg = total)
* 2 x 250 kg FAB-250M43 bombs (500 kg = total)

== Usage in battles ==

At higher ranks of the Soviet aviation line, the MiG-15 series is one of the most iconic jet fighter aircraft designs from after the Second World War. Earning its reputation on fame over the skies of Korea against its US contemporary, the [[F-86A-5|F-86 ''Sabre'']].

The MiG-15 can be researched from its predecessor, the [[MiG-9_/L|MiG-9/L]]. The MiG-15 features a powerful cannon arrangement of 2 x 23 mm and 1x 37 mm, excellent high altitude performance and is highly effective in vertical maneuvers. Unlike the MiG-9, the MiG-15 is also the first Soviet jet aircraft to feature an air brake which is extremely useful in combat situations. The jet fighter does, however, have its downsides. The lack of an “All-flying tailplane” (such as that featured on the [[F-86F-25|Sabre]]) leads to less control over the aircraft at higher speeds approaching 1,000 kph. While the MiG is initially faster in acceleration by comparison to the Sabre, this does mean that once both aircraft are up at higher speeds, the Sabre will hold some advantages over the MiG-15. It should be noted that if you load 8 minutes of fuel instead of the regular (for most pilots) 20, it drastically improves your performance. However, this is not recommended to be done at the beginning of the match as most matches last longer than 8 minutes, and should instead be done when you land mid-match.

The combination of 37 mm and 23 mm cannons creates aiming issues for pilots not familiar with their ballistic properties or velocity. Due to the size of these cannons, ammunition pools are restricted by comparison to other top tier jet aircraft. To help compensate the two different trajectories of the armament, it is recommended to use 'rolling' maneuvers, as the rudder may lock in high speeds. To aim with these cannons, it is best to estimate the lead with the experience built up with planes beforehand (ie.: Yak-9T / La-9) and add extra distance over the estimated lead (about double from the estimated).

Once pilots have learned to use the MiG-15s excellent rate of climb, acceleration and high altitude capabilities to their advantage, the downsides of the aircraft are far less significant than the positives. In the right hands, the MiG-15 can be a devastating combatant, capable of dealing with any aircraft in game swiftly. Teamwork, Squads and communication will also be beneficial when flying the MiG-15 as effective coordination between multiple pilots allow you to use this aircraft to its maximum potential. After mastering the MiG-15, you can research its improved variant, the [[MiG-15bis|MiG-15Bis]]. As the MiG-15 is essentially a slightly merged MiG-15bis, it shares much of its performance issues and abilities.

===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 || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
|-
|}

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="1" | Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! colspan="1" | Survivability
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage Repair
| Compressor
|
| Offensive 23 mm
|
|-
| II
|
|
| Airframe
| New 23 mm Cannons
|
|-
| III
| Wings Repair
|
|
| Offensive 37 mm
| BD-2-48
|-
| IV
|
| Engine
| Cover
| New 37 mm Cannons
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Flaps can be deployed at high speeds
* Capable and useful air brake
* High rate of climb
* Great acceleration
* Deadly armament capable of making snapshots

'''Cons:'''

* Worse energy retention than the Sabre
* Poor roll rate
* Poor turning circle
* Compression at high speeds
* Suffers from a moderate stock syndrome
* Armament difficult to use (low velocities, low ammo and two different trajectories)
* Guns tend to spark a lot (the N-37 in particular)
* No G-Suit, so maintaining control is difficult when turning at high speeds

== History ==

First taking to the air in December of 1947, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet fighter aircraft came as a massive shock to the west when it appeared in the skies over Korea in the early 1950s. The swept wing fighter quickly proved itself as a capable and effective combat aircraft and forged a fearsome reputation.

The prototype I-310 was designed around the British Rolls Royce Nene engine which was purchased under license from Great Britain as the RD-45. Featuring sleek swept back wings,tricycle undercarriage and the same armament as its predecessor, the [[MiG-9]], in the form of 2 x 23mm NS-23 cannons (Later replaced by NR-23 cannons in the [[MiG-15bis|MiG-15Bis]] model) and a single 37mm N-37D cannon all mounted centrally under the nose intake. The new aircraft was designed as an interceptor with heavy armament capable of quickly taking out bomber formations and was one of the most advanced aircraft in the world at the time.

Entering service between 1949-50, the MiG-15 made its operational combat debut in the Korean War, completely outclassing the first generation jet fighter aircraft of the UN forces such as the [[F-80C-10|F-80]] and [[F-84B-26|F-84]]. The MiG’s excellent rate of climb, high-speed performance and deadly weaponry proved superior to the early jets and was only challenged by the arrival of the [[F-86A-5|North American F-86 Sabre]]. At the time, the Sabre was the only aircraft capable of effectively combating the MiG in aerial combat and the pair became synonymous with the conflict.

From 1950, the MiG-15 was later developed into the Bis model, featuring a new engine, armament changes and minor overall improvements. However, the aircraft would ultimately lead to the development of the MiG-17. The MiG-15 was also a hugely successful export aircraft, operated by many nations such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, [[MiG-15bis_(Germany)|East Germany]], China, North Korea and Vietnam to name but a few. Licence built versions of the MiG-15 also existed such as the Chinese J-2, Czech S-102/3 and Polish Lim-1.

The MiG-15 is a true icon of aviation and will provide experienced pilots with an impressive top tier jet fighter when employed to its strengths, being more than a match to any other aircraft in the game.

=== In-game description ===
"A single-seat all-metal cantilever monoplane fighter.
Continuing the line of the La-5/La-7 fighters, the designers of the Lavochkin Design Bureau wanted to remove all of the wood from the aircraft's construction and create an all-metal fighter. In early 1946, prototype fighter 130 was built, to be launched into full-scale production under the designation of La-9 (Product 48) after the tests had been passed.

The La-9 was a new plane, not just an upgrade of the La-7 with metal parts instead of wooden ones. The La-9 had differently shaped monospar wings with laminar flow airfoils. This plane did not have leading edge slats. The weight savings gained by replacing wood with duralumin enabled the designers to mount five fuel tanks on the aircraft and increase the total fuel capacity.

The La-9's cockpit was more spacious than the La-7's, and its canopy required less framing and provided better visibility. By pressurizing the cockpit and the power unit compartment, one of the main shortcomings of the Lavochkins - the high temperature in the pilot's cockpit during engine operation - was finally overcome. Also, the aircraft's instrumentation system was brought into line with worldwide standards. A radio compass, an attitude indicator, and an identification-friend-or-foe transponder enabled the aircraft to be piloted and engage in dogfights even in difficult weather conditions.

The La-9 had a Shvetsov ASh-82FN fourteen-cylinder two-row radial air-cooled fuel-injected engine producing a maximum power of 1,850 hp.
The plane's armament consisted of four synchronous 23mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23S cannons with 300 rounds each. A Fairchild gun camera mounted on the right wing panel was used to direct shooting and for training purposes. Later it was replaced with an S-13, its Soviet counterpart, which was placed in the fairing over the cockpit windshield.

Production of the La-9 continued until 1949. A total of 1,882 planes were manufactured. Troops in the Soviet Air Force began to receive the new fighters in 1947. The La-9 did not remain in service for long, since the Air Force quickly switched to jet technology. The early 1950s saw the beginning of the mass handover of piston fighters for warehousing and conservation, as well as the re-equipping of fighting troops with MiG-15 jet aircraft.

In addition to flying with the Soviet Air Force, La-9 fighters remained in service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force of China until 1959, laying the foundation for the new Chinese Air Force. When the Korean War began, the La-9 was being supplied to the North Korean Air Force. The first planes were received in September and October 1950. During the final stage of the war, the Koreans used the La-9s as light night bombers. When bomb racks were mounted, the fighter could carry two 50-kg bombs. After the war, La-9s were in service with the Korean People's Army Air Force until the end of the 50s."

== 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/3054/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> MiG-15]

{{USSR jet aircrafts}}

MiG-15

2019-10-02T01:25:18Z

U28485461: /* Usage in battles */ i talked about fuel

{{Specs-Card|code=mig-15_ns23}}
{{About
| about = Russian jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = MiG-15 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in the garage]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. This aircraft was introduced in Update 1.35. The main differences between this aircraft and the [[MiG-15bis|MiG-15 bis]] are weaker engine performance and [[NR-23 (23 mm)|NR-23 23 mm]] autocannons.

== General info ==
[[File:CockpitImage_MiG-15.jpg|thumbnail|right|The '''MiG-15''''s instrument panel.]]

=== Flight Performance ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - Sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 1,009 || 975 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.4 || 23.7 || 34.2 || 32.5 || 600
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - Sea level)
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 1,067 || 1,050 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.8 || 22.1 || 50.8 || 42.0 || 600
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| {{Specs|разрушение|конструкции}} || {{Specs|разрушение|шасси}} || 650 || ~20 || ~8
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 600 || < 700 || < 750 || > 250
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 0 m || 2150 kgf || No WEP
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


* 64 mm Bulletproof glass in the cockpit front
* 10 mm Steel plate in front of the pilot in the nose
* 6 mm Steel plate in pilot's seat
* 10 mm Steel plate behind the pilot's head

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

{{main|N-37 (37 mm)|NS-23 (23 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 37 mm N-37D Cannon, nose mounted (40 RPG = 40 total)
* 2 x 23 mm NS-23 Cannon, nose mounted (80 RPG = 160 total)

Both the N-37 and the NS-23 cannons have the muzzle velocity of 690 m/s.

=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|FAB-100 (100 kg)|FAB-250M43 (250 kg)}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (200 kg = total)
* 2 x 250 kg FAB-250M43 bombs (500 kg = total)

== Usage in battles ==

At higher ranks of the Soviet aviation line, the MiG-15 series is one of the most iconic jet fighter aircraft designs from after the Second World War. Earning its reputation on fame over the skies of Korea against its US contemporary, the [[F-86A-5|F-86 ''Sabre'']].

The MiG-15 can be researched from its predecessor, the [[MiG-9_/L|MiG-9/L]]. The MiG-15 features a powerful cannon arrangement of 2 x 23 mm and 1x 37 mm, excellent high altitude performance and is highly effective in vertical maneuvers. Unlike the MiG-9, the MiG-15 is also the first Soviet jet aircraft to feature an air brake which is extremely useful in combat situations. The jet fighter does, however, have its downsides. The lack of an “All-flying tailplane” (such as that featured on the [[F-86F-25|Sabre]]) leads to less control over the aircraft at higher speeds approaching 1,000 kph. While the MiG is initially faster in acceleration by comparison to the Sabre, this does mean that once both aircraft are up at higher speeds, the Sabre will hold some advantages over the MiG-15. It should be noted that if you load 8 minutes of fuel instead of the regular (for most pilots) 20, it drastically improves your performance. However, this is not recommended to be done at the beginning of the match as most matches last longer than 8 minutes, and should instead be done when you land mid-match.

The combination of 37 mm and 23 mm cannons creates aiming issues for pilots not familiar with their ballistic properties or velocity. Due to the size of these cannons, ammunition pools are restricted by comparison to other top tier jet aircraft. To help compensate the two different trajectories of the armament, it is recommended to use 'rolling' maneuvers, as the rudder may lock in high speeds. To aim with these cannons, it is best to estimate the lead with the experience built up with planes beforehand (ie.: Yak-9T / La-9) and add extra distance over the estimated lead (about double from the estimated).

Once pilots have learned to use the MiG-15s excellent rate of climb, acceleration and high altitude capabilities to their advantage, the downsides of the aircraft are far less significant than the positives. In the right hands, the MiG-15 can be a devastating combatant, capable of dealing with any aircraft in game swiftly. Teamwork, Squads and communication will also be beneficial when flying the MiG-15 as effective coordination between multiple pilots allow you to use this aircraft to its maximum potential. After mastering the MiG-15, you can research its improved variant, the [[MiG-15bis|MiG-15Bis]]. As the MiG-15 is essentially a slightly merged MiG-15bis, it shares much of its performance issues and abilities.

===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 || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
|-
|}

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="1" | Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! colspan="1" | Survivability
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage Repair
| Compressor
|
| Offensive 23 mm
|
|-
| II
|
|
| Airframe
| New 23 mm Cannons
|
|-
| III
| Wings Repair
|
|
| Offensive 37 mm
| BD-2-48
|-
| IV
|
| Engine
| Cover
| New 37 mm Cannons
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Flaps can be deployed at high speeds
* Capable and useful air brake
* High rate of climb
* Great acceleration
* Deadly armament capable of making snapshots

'''Cons:'''

* Worse energy retention than the Sabre
* Poor turning circle
* Compression at high speeds
* Suffers from a moderate stock syndrome
* Armament difficult to use (low velocities, low ammo and two different trajectories)
* Guns tend to spark a lot (the N-37 in particular)
* No G-Suit, so maintaining control is difficult when turning at high speeds

== History ==

First taking to the air in December of 1947, the Mikoyan-Gurevich MiG-15 jet fighter aircraft came as a massive shock to the west when it appeared in the skies over Korea in the early 1950s. The swept wing fighter quickly proved itself as a capable and effective combat aircraft and forged a fearsome reputation.

The prototype I-310 was designed around the British Rolls Royce Nene engine which was purchased under license from Great Britain as the RD-45. Featuring sleek swept back wings,tricycle undercarriage and the same armament as its predecessor, the [[MiG-9]], in the form of 2 x 23mm NS-23 cannons (Later replaced by NR-23 cannons in the [[MiG-15bis|MiG-15Bis]] model) and a single 37mm N-37D cannon all mounted centrally under the nose intake. The new aircraft was designed as an interceptor with heavy armament capable of quickly taking out bomber formations and was one of the most advanced aircraft in the world at the time.

Entering service between 1949-50, the MiG-15 made its operational combat debut in the Korean War, completely outclassing the first generation jet fighter aircraft of the UN forces such as the [[F-80C-10|F-80]] and [[F-84B-26|F-84]]. The MiG’s excellent rate of climb, high-speed performance and deadly weaponry proved superior to the early jets and was only challenged by the arrival of the [[F-86A-5|North American F-86 Sabre]]. At the time, the Sabre was the only aircraft capable of effectively combating the MiG in aerial combat and the pair became synonymous with the conflict.

From 1950, the MiG-15 was later developed into the Bis model, featuring a new engine, armament changes and minor overall improvements. However, the aircraft would ultimately lead to the development of the MiG-17. The MiG-15 was also a hugely successful export aircraft, operated by many nations such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, [[MiG-15bis_(Germany)|East Germany]], China, North Korea and Vietnam to name but a few. Licence built versions of the MiG-15 also existed such as the Chinese J-2, Czech S-102/3 and Polish Lim-1.

The MiG-15 is a true icon of aviation and will provide experienced pilots with an impressive top tier jet fighter when employed to its strengths, being more than a match to any other aircraft in the game.

=== In-game description ===
"A single-seat all-metal cantilever monoplane fighter.
Continuing the line of the La-5/La-7 fighters, the designers of the Lavochkin Design Bureau wanted to remove all of the wood from the aircraft's construction and create an all-metal fighter. In early 1946, prototype fighter 130 was built, to be launched into full-scale production under the designation of La-9 (Product 48) after the tests had been passed.

The La-9 was a new plane, not just an upgrade of the La-7 with metal parts instead of wooden ones. The La-9 had differently shaped monospar wings with laminar flow airfoils. This plane did not have leading edge slats. The weight savings gained by replacing wood with duralumin enabled the designers to mount five fuel tanks on the aircraft and increase the total fuel capacity.

The La-9's cockpit was more spacious than the La-7's, and its canopy required less framing and provided better visibility. By pressurizing the cockpit and the power unit compartment, one of the main shortcomings of the Lavochkins - the high temperature in the pilot's cockpit during engine operation - was finally overcome. Also, the aircraft's instrumentation system was brought into line with worldwide standards. A radio compass, an attitude indicator, and an identification-friend-or-foe transponder enabled the aircraft to be piloted and engage in dogfights even in difficult weather conditions.

The La-9 had a Shvetsov ASh-82FN fourteen-cylinder two-row radial air-cooled fuel-injected engine producing a maximum power of 1,850 hp.
The plane's armament consisted of four synchronous 23mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23S cannons with 300 rounds each. A Fairchild gun camera mounted on the right wing panel was used to direct shooting and for training purposes. Later it was replaced with an S-13, its Soviet counterpart, which was placed in the fairing over the cockpit windshield.

Production of the La-9 continued until 1949. A total of 1,882 planes were manufactured. Troops in the Soviet Air Force began to receive the new fighters in 1947. The La-9 did not remain in service for long, since the Air Force quickly switched to jet technology. The early 1950s saw the beginning of the mass handover of piston fighters for warehousing and conservation, as well as the re-equipping of fighting troops with MiG-15 jet aircraft.

In addition to flying with the Soviet Air Force, La-9 fighters remained in service with the People's Liberation Army Air Force of China until 1959, laying the foundation for the new Chinese Air Force. When the Korean War began, the La-9 was being supplied to the North Korean Air Force. The first planes were received in September and October 1950. During the final stage of the war, the Koreans used the La-9s as light night bombers. When bomb racks were mounted, the fighter could carry two 50-kg bombs. After the war, La-9s were in service with the Korean People's Army Air Force until the end of the 50s."

== 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/3054/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> MiG-15]

{{USSR jet aircrafts}}

BB-1

2019-09-06T00:52:03Z

U28485461: usage

{{Specs-Card
|code=bb-1
|cockpit=333206/1106249
}}
{{About
| about = Russian attacker '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Su-2 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in the garage]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian attacker {{Battle-rating}}. This aircraft has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,600 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 444 || 435 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.2 || 24.7 || 7.5 || 7.5 || 420
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,600 m)
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 490 || 467 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.1 || 23.0 || 15.2 || 9.8 || 420
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| {{Specs|разрушение|конструкции}} || {{Specs|разрушение|шасси}} || ??? || ~?? || ~?
|-
|}

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

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

|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


* No armour plating
* No armour glazing
* Critical components located at the front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
* More fuel tanks located in wings near the fuselage

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




== Usage in battles ==
The BB-1 is one of the best low-BR ground attackers available. It can take up to 12 50kg bombs, with 8 of these being carried on the wings and an additional 4 in the bomb bay. These 4 can be dropped individually instead of 2 at a time like the wing-mounted ones. The aircraft also has a bombsight, which can be very useful for precise bombing and allows you to set a 0 second fuse as you don't have to get close enough to be injured by it. It can also fight other fighters, having decent performance and a good turn rate, as well as quite a lot of firepower.

This aircraft is an all-rounder, able to destroy almost all ground targets. It has a rear gunner, but it's usefulness is limited due to it's limited firepower combined with the plane's already good turn rate, making the plane able to turnfight. It can still be used, however, and if you are lucky you might score a few extra ground kills with it once your ammo has run out.

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

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="1" | Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! colspan="1" | Survivability
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage Repair
| Radiator
|
|
|-
| II
|
| Compressor
| Airframe
|
|-
| III
| Wings Repair
| Engine
|
|
|-
| IV
|
| Engine Injection
| Cover
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

* Very effective guns
* Large bombload
* Bomb bay
* Decent performance
* Has Bombsight
* Good maneuverability and responsive controls
* Has tail gunner

*

'''Cons:'''

* No armour
* Has tail gunner

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an 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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''

=== In-game description ===
"OKB Sukhoi BB-1 (Su-2) ""Ivanov"" Short-Range Bomber with M-87 engine.

A single-engine, mixed-construction monoplane light bomber with retractable landing gear and tail wheel.
This project was developed as an entry in the 1936 competition for the best high-speed long-range ground-attack reconnaissance plane, to be known as the ""Ivanov."" The design and construction were completed in a record time of 6 months. The first flight of the SZ-1 (SZ: ""Stalin's Mission""), with an M-62 engine, was made on August 25, 1937.

The prototype selected for mass production was the SZ-3, equipped with an M-87 engine. In March of 1939, even before government tests were completed, the ""Ivanov"" airplane (with the M-87A engine) was accepted by the Red Army Air Force. It entered mass production under the designation BB-1 (short-range bomber one).

Unlike the prototypes, the production model had a mixed construction. The fuselage was a wooden monocoque with plywood paneling, and the wings and stabilizer were metal. This choice was made because, due to the many all-metal aircraft in the USSR at the time, metal was in short supply.

The first production aircraft were fitted with air-cooled radial 14-cylinder OKB Tumansky M-87 engines, rated at 950 hp.
The aircraft's armament included a battery of 4 fixed ShKAS 7.62mm machine guns with 850 rounds each, mounted in pairs on each wing. To protect the aircraft's rear, the navigator had a rotating MB-5 turret with another 7.62mm machine gun with 900 rounds of ammunition.
The prototypes had a ventral MB-2 turret with a ShKAS machine gun, but this was removed as it seemed unlikely that any enemy fighter attacks would come from below when the plane was flying at a low altitude. However, it was soon shown that this was a poor decision, as such attacks were frequent in actual combat.

The plane's usual bomb load, when flying at its maximum range, was 400 kilograms. Overweight capacity was up to 600 kilograms. The maximum bomb load was 1200 kilograms. Bombs of up to 100 kilograms could be placed both in the internal bomb bay and suspended under the outer wings. KD-1 or KD-2 bomb racks were used to carry and drop these bombs. Rockets were not carried."

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

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

{{USSR attackers}}

BB-1

2019-09-05T06:43:49Z

U28485461: guide

{{Specs-Card
|code=bb-1
|cockpit=333206/1106249
}}
{{About
| about = Russian attacker '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Su-2 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in the garage]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian attacker {{Battle-rating}}. This aircraft has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,600 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 444 || 435 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.2 || 24.7 || 7.5 || 7.5 || 420
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,600 m)
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 490 || 467 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.1 || 23.0 || 15.2 || 9.8 || 420
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| {{Specs|разрушение|конструкции}} || {{Specs|разрушение|шасси}} || ??? || ~?? || ~?
|-
|}

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

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

|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


* No armour plating
* No armour glazing
* Critical components located at the front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
* More fuel tanks located in wings near the fuselage

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




== Usage in battles ==
The BB-1 is one of the best low-BR ground attackers available. It can take up to 12 50kg bombs, with 8 being carried on the wings and an additional 4 in the bomb bay. These 4 can be dropped individually instead of 2 at a time like the wing-mounted ones. The aircraft also has a bombsight, which can be very useful for precise bombing and allows you to set a 0 second fuse as you don't have to get close enough to be injured by it. It can also fight other fighters alright, having decent performance and a good turn rate, as well as quite a lot of firepower.

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

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="1" | Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! colspan="1" | Survivability
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage Repair
| Radiator
|
|
|-
| II
|
| Compressor
| Airframe
|
|-
| III
| Wings Repair
| Engine
|
|
|-
| IV
|
| Engine Injection
| Cover
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

* Very effective guns
* Large bombload
* Bomb bay
* Decent performance
* Has Bombsight
* Good maneuverability and responsive controls
* Has tail gunner

*

'''Cons:'''

* No armour
* Has tail gunner

*

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an 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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''

=== In-game description ===
"OKB Sukhoi BB-1 (Su-2) ""Ivanov"" Short-Range Bomber with M-87 engine.

A single-engine, mixed-construction monoplane light bomber with retractable landing gear and tail wheel.
This project was developed as an entry in the 1936 competition for the best high-speed long-range ground-attack reconnaissance plane, to be known as the ""Ivanov."" The design and construction were completed in a record time of 6 months. The first flight of the SZ-1 (SZ: ""Stalin's Mission""), with an M-62 engine, was made on August 25, 1937.

The prototype selected for mass production was the SZ-3, equipped with an M-87 engine. In March of 1939, even before government tests were completed, the ""Ivanov"" airplane (with the M-87A engine) was accepted by the Red Army Air Force. It entered mass production under the designation BB-1 (short-range bomber one).

Unlike the prototypes, the production model had a mixed construction. The fuselage was a wooden monocoque with plywood paneling, and the wings and stabilizer were metal. This choice was made because, due to the many all-metal aircraft in the USSR at the time, metal was in short supply.

The first production aircraft were fitted with air-cooled radial 14-cylinder OKB Tumansky M-87 engines, rated at 950 hp.
The aircraft's armament included a battery of 4 fixed ShKAS 7.62mm machine guns with 850 rounds each, mounted in pairs on each wing. To protect the aircraft's rear, the navigator had a rotating MB-5 turret with another 7.62mm machine gun with 900 rounds of ammunition.
The prototypes had a ventral MB-2 turret with a ShKAS machine gun, but this was removed as it seemed unlikely that any enemy fighter attacks would come from below when the plane was flying at a low altitude. However, it was soon shown that this was a poor decision, as such attacks were frequent in actual combat.

The plane's usual bomb load, when flying at its maximum range, was 400 kilograms. Overweight capacity was up to 600 kilograms. The maximum bomb load was 1200 kilograms. Bombs of up to 100 kilograms could be placed both in the internal bomb bay and suspended under the outer wings. KD-1 or KD-2 bomb racks were used to carry and drop these bombs. Rockets were not carried."

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

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

{{USSR attackers}}

Yak-9T

2019-09-05T01:04:30Z

U28485461: Added more information regarding ground attack

{{Specs-Card|code=yak-9t}}
{{About
| about = Russian fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the French version
| link-1 = Challe's Yak-9T (France)
| usage-2 = other versions
| link-2 = Yak-9 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
| 577 || 560 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 18.8 || 19.5 || 13.7 || 13.6 || 366
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
| 610 || 593 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 17.2 || 18.0 || 18.5 || 16 || 366
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|constructions}} || {{Specs|destruction|chassis}} || 410 || ~12 || ~9
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 380 || < 420 || < 490 || > 340
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 700 m || 1,260 hp || N/A
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,900 m || 1,175 hp || N/A
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


* 64 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front
* 64 mm Bulletproof glass pilot's headrest
* 8 mm Steel plate in the pilot's seat.

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

{{main|NS-37 (37 mm)|Berezin UB (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 37 mm NS-37 cannon, nose-mounted (30 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, nose-mounted (200 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:Cockpit_Yak-9.jpg|thumbnail|right|The Yak-9T's instrument panel.]]
The Yakovlev 9-T or Yak-9T as it is most popularly referred to in game, being the most popular of the Yak-9 variants, is best played differently depending on the situation the pilot finds themselves in.

To begin, don't set any gun convergence. Since this aircraft only has 2 guns, a 37mm in the middle of the engine and a 12.7mm Berezin UB to the side of it (though not enough to the side to need convergence). If you set convergence, it will actually tilt the 37mm to one side and throw off your aim.

After this, take off and make sure that you take off and '''immediately''' climb. A twenty degree angle may be too much to handle depending on the upgrades purchased on the aircraft, so a fifteen degree climb is recommended. With it, the pilot keeps much needed speed and agility. Altitude advantage over your opponent is '''always''' preferred, and most pilots of the tier that the Yak-9T fights do not choose to climb over 2,000 m (6,561 ft). A good altitude to climb to is 3,000 m (9,842 ft). In this way, altitude advantage is achieved. Be advised this will not '''always''' be the case and some enemies will climb above you. If this happens, try to make them bleed energy until they are slower than you and turn fight them.

At high altitude, the Yak-9T is best suited to energy fighting, which means using the Yak's good energy retention to zoom at an opponent, shoot at them, and then climb up and turn back to your opponent and give chase. The Yak at mid to low altitude is best suited to turn-fighting against all nations except for the Japanese. If facing the Japanese, use the same energy fight tactics as stated above, as Japanese planes will be '''unable''' to give chase due to the low energy retention of their lightweight aircraft. The Yak-9T comes equipped with '''flaps''', it is critical you use them, as performance is greatly increased in a turn-fight with them extended.

The Yak-9T and all Yak's suffer from constant engine overheat, properly watching this temperature is critical, because if let go too long, the engine will die and the Yak falls fast. Keep eyes on temp at all times. Best advice is to keep throttle at 90% or lower when not in combat. The Yak-9T is best suited to colder maps, if on a hot map, gain altitude and cruise at 85-90% throttle.

The Yak-9T is also famed for it's ability to crack open tanks like cheap cans of tuna - in air battles, it can penetrate even heavy tanks from the back. If you are going to attempt this, load Ground Targets belts (if you only have default belts, half the shells aren't armour-piercing and won't be able to penetrate tanks), look for some tanks and start shooting them, though you must shoot from behind with heavy and medium tanks. Try to avoid convoys going down roads, as those usually have AA vehicles and the longer you loiter over then the higher chance of being hit, developing oil and/or water leaks, and having to return to base. Ammo conversation is the name of the game here, as you only have 230 rounds in total and 200 of those are for your machine gun. If you want to only fire your machine gun, the key is "1" by default, and for the cannon it's "2". If you are attacking soft targets the machine gun (loaded with Ground Targets ammunition) may be better and less of a waste of ammo, roughly a dozen shots can be enough. Likewise, your machine gun is useless for attacking medium and heavy tanks, so only fire the cannon when you attack those.

In Ground RB, the Yak is also quite feared, being able to penetrate most if not all tanks at it's BR, providing you aim for behind. Your small size combined with your relatively high speed makes you difficult to shoot down for AA vehicles, and your pilot does have bulletproof glass around and some armour plating behind the pilot, making pilot snipes unlikely.

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

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! Survivability
! colspan="1" | Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage repair
| Radiator
|
| Offensive 12 mm
|-
| II
|
| Compressor
| Airframe
| New 12 mm MGs
|-
| III
| Wings repair
| Engine
|
| Offensive 37 mm
|-
| IV
|
|
| Cover
| New 37 mm cannons
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Cannon is powerful
* 37 mm has a reasonably high rate of fire for its calibre
* Berezin UB is hard hitting
* Decent manoeuvrability
* Cannon can knock out medium tanks with several hits in the side or rear.
* Good energy retention
* Outperforms most planes under 4000m

'''Cons:'''

* Once the 37 mm runs out of ammo you have a single .50 cal MG
* 37 mm has high recoil
* 37 mm is fairly inaccurate even in short bursts.
* Lousy high-altitude performance.
* Not very fast
* Low rip speed

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

=== In-game description ===
The Yak-9 was a Soviet single-engine fighter of the WWII era. It was the first combat aircraft designed by Alexander Yakovlev's construction bureau. The most mass-produced Soviet fighter of the war, it remained in production from October 1942 to December 1948, with a total of 16,769 built.

The Yak-9 was a further modification of the Yak-1 and Yak-7. In its core design, it was a redesign of the Yak-7. With few external differences, Yak-9 was at the same time much more advanced internally. This is not unexpected, as almost two years of design and combat experience of the Yak series went into the Yak-9. Also, at the time aluminium was in much greater supply than it had been two years previously at the start of the war. Amongst other things, the use of metal allowed the plane's weight to be significantly reduced, meaning that more fuel could be stored and that the aircraft could be equipped with more powerful armament and more specialized equipment.

The Yak-9T variant, for instance, had an incredibly powerful 37mm NS-37 cannon firing through the propeller hub. Due to the length of the gun barrel, the pilot's seat had to be moved 40 cm aft, and the airframe was strengthened. The variant carried 30 to 32 cannon shells, as well as 200-220 rounds for the synchronized UB machine gun. Salvo weight for the variant was a whopping 3.74 kg (8.24 lbs). The 37mm gun allowed for fire at increased ranges, up to 1,200 yards against bomber formations, and 500-600 yards against single non-maneuvering bombers. The Yak-9T was also successful against ground targets. Armor-piercing shells, fired from 500 yards at an angle of 45 degrees, could penetrate 30mm of armor. In late 1943, the Yak-9T was used in an anti-shipping role in the Black Sea. A total of 2,748 Yak-9s were built between March 1943 and June 1945.

== 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 aircraft;''
* ''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 aircraft;''
* ''other literature.''

{{USSR fighters}}

MiG-15bis

2019-09-04T19:44:01Z

U28485461: Small referance

{{Specs-Card|code=mig-15}}
{{About
| about = Russian jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = MiG-15 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' in the garage]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian jet fighter {{Battle-rating|1}}. This aircraft has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.

The Mikoyan–Gurevich MiG-15bis is an upgraded variant of the [[MiG-15]] jet fighter. It utilizes an improved version of the RD-45 (imported British Rolls–Royce Nene) turbojet engine, the Klimov VK-1, for increased performance. The MiG-15bis also has better ground attack capability with underwing hardpoints for bombs and rockets.

Ingame, the MiG-15bis fulfills the same role as the MiG-15, primarily serving as an air superiority fighter and bomber interceptor. It is blessed with excellent high-altitude performance and powerful armament, but suffers from controllability problems at high Mach numbers. It excels in vertical combat maneuvers, taking advantage of its high thrust-to-weight ratio. The MiG-15bis also has a limited ground attack capability.

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at ?,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| ? || ? || {{Specs|ceiling}} || ??.? || ??.? || ??.? || ??.? || ???
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at ?,000 m)
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| ? || ? || {{Specs|ceiling}} || ??.? || ??.? || ??.? || ??.? || ???
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| {{Specs|разрушение|конструкции}} || {{Specs|разрушение|шасси}} || 650|| ~?? || ~?
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 600 || < 700 || < 750 || > ???
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 0 m || 2450 kgf || No WEP
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


* 10 mm steel armour plates in front of the cockpit and behind the pilot's head rest.
* 6 mm steel armour under the pilot's seat.
* 64 mm bulletproof front windshield.
* Self-sealing fuel tanks behind the pilot and under the jet engine nozzle.
* Jet engine located in the rear of the aircraft, pilot seated in front.

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

{{main|N-37D (37 mm)|NR-23 (23 mm)}}

* 2 x 23 mm Nudelman–Rikhter [[NR-23 (23 mm)|NR-23]] cannon (80 rounds/gun)
* 1 x 37 mm Nudelman [[N-37D (37 mm)|N-37D]] cannon (40 rounds/gun)

In line with its originally designed role of bomber interception, the MiG-15bis is armed with three powerful nose-mounted autocannons. The 37 mm N-37D cannon is particularly noteworthy, as even a small number of hits are usually fatal to any aircraft unfortunate enough to be on the receiving end, with the twin 23 mm NR-23 cannons also being quite respectable in terms of lethality.

The trade-off is that these cannons do not have large ammunition reserves, especially compared to the American planes armed with heavy machine guns, and it is very easy to run out of ammunition without careful aim. In addition, the N-37D has a significantly lower muzzle velocity than the NR-23, with a more pronounced ballistic arc. This makes obtaining hits with both types of cannon at the same time quite challenging; using only the 37 mm or the 23 mm cannons at one time may be more efficient with regards to ammunition usage.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{main|:Category:Suspended armaments|l1=Suspended armaments}}

* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs
* 2 x 250 kg FAB-250 bombs
* 2 x ORO-57K rocket pods
** 2 x 8 x 57 mm S-5M rockets (HE)
** 2 x 8 x 57 mm S-5K rockets (HEAT)
* 2 x 210 mm S-21 rockets

The MiG-15bis is capable of carrying up to 500 kg of bombs on underwing hardpoints. While this pales in comparison to the American or British fighter-bombers, it is enough for taking out isolated ground targets, if needed.

The S-5M HE rockets are most effective against light ground units, while the S-5K HEAT rockets are capable of penetrating the top armour of most vehicles.

The massive S-21 rocket has a considerable blast radius, and a single hit on a tank is usually fatal. The rocket may also be set with a distance fuze (up to 1,000 m), which can be very effective against large aircraft, such as bombers, or tightly bunched groups of smaller aircraft.

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

The MiG-15bis is very similar to the MiG-15 and should be played as you would that aircraft, using boom-and-zoom style attacks and keeping your energy high - speed is life in jet battles.

===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 || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not ontrollable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
|-
|}

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="1" | Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! colspan="1" | Survivability
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage Repair
| Radiator
|
|
|-
| II
|
| Compressor
| Airframe
|
|-
| III
| Wings Repair
| Engine
|
|
|-
| IV
|
| Engine Injection
| Cover
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent climb rate and acceleration.
* Above average manoeuvrability.
* Powerful main armament, especially effective against bombers.
* Ability to carry massive S-21 rockets, unlike the earlier [[MiG-15]].

'''Cons:'''

* Somewhat slow roll rate.
* Poor controllability due to compression at high Mach numbers (> Mach 0.9).
* Inhomogeneous main armament with different ballistic characteristics can make aiming difficult.
* Limited ammunition capacity.

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an 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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.''

=== In-game description ===
"After World War II was over, the leaders of the USSR realized that they were behind the leading states of the world in the sphere of jet aircraft construction, most notably in the full-scale production of turbojet engines. Consequently, a delegation including the designers A. I. Mikoyan and V. Y. Klimov was sent to Great Britain towards the end of 1946. Their negotiations were successful, resulting in the purchase of two of the most advanced turbojet engines at that time: the Rolls-Royce Derwent Mk.V and the Rolls-Royce Nene I/Nene II. The British consented to sell their newest strategic designs easily enough, since they believed that the Soviet industrial/technological apparatus could not handle the mass production of sophisticated assemblies. However, very soon that the Rolls-Royce engines were launched into full-scale Soviet production under the designations RD-500 and RD-45.

The emergence of the new engines led to the creation of Soviet jet fighters able to compete with the leading models of the world. In 1947, the Mikoyan Design Bureau started the development of a front line fighter with a Nene (RD-45) turbojet engine and an airtight cockpit: the I-310 (""S""). The first S-01 prototype aircraft made its first flight on December 30, 1947, and, after working on the test results, was launched into full-scale production in 1948 under the designation MiG-15. The plane's airframe was an all-metal monoplane configuration with mid-swept wings and empennage. Thus the MiG-15 became the first production swept-wing fighter.

The MiG-15 was equipped with a RD-45F single-shaft turbojet engine rated at 2,270 kg of thrust with a double-entry centrifugal compressor. The plane's armament included a 37mm Nudelman N-37D cannon with 40 rounds and two 23mm Nudelman-Suranov NS-23KM guns with 160 rounds in total. The cannons were mounted in the forward fuselage on a lowerable carriage. Two 100-kg or 50-kg bombs could be suspended under the wings. To increase its flight range, the aircraft could carry two external fuel tanks with a capacity ranging from 250 to 600 liters.

The MiG-15 fighter was notable for its simple and reliable structure, high flight and operating characteristics, and powerful armament. Its maximum speed, rate of climb, ceiling, and flight range were the best among Soviet fighters at the time and superior to many foreign aircraft, as well.

The first production MiG-15s with RD-45F engines began to leave the factory floor in early 1949. In 1950, more advanced MiG-15bis fighters replaced them in the factory assembly lines."

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

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

{{USSR jet aircraft}}

Po-2

2019-09-04T02:16:17Z

U28485461: spelling

{{Specs-Card
|code=po-2
|cockpit = 197156/525962
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Po-2.jpg|450px|thumbnail|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} gift Soviet biplane bomber {{Battle-rating}}. This bomber has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29. One of the more infamous planes in War Thunder, the Po-2 has a rather affectionate palindrome nickname of "2-OP" from the community for its history in the game. This plane is no longer obtainable unless it is given out during events.

The Po-2 is a very slow aircraft, earning a reputation of affection thanks to its poor characteristics. The Po-2 is about nine times as slow as the jets, and its maximum speed is one-third of a good amount of its opponents at BR 1.0. Being so, it is flown mostly for sheer fun with no intent of competitiveness. It does not come without its strengths, though - the Po-2 can carry a very effective bombload, and it can be very evasive against enemy aircraft, thanks to its slow speed and impressive manoeuvrability. The rear gunner is also decent, being in charge of a very effective machine gun. Unfortunately for the Po-2's enthusiasts, this is also the only armament it has, and the aircraft is so fragile that even a fast-firing gun does not often suffice to rid the Po-2 of a sad fate. Whenever confrontation with fighters is avoidable, one should avoid it and stay safe.

When the Po-2 was added, it was originally unlockable by research as a non-premium vehicle. However, it is currently hidden in the tech tree. The Po-2 can still be acquired, though. Once in a while, there is usually an event that rewards the Po-2 for completing it. It should be noted that while it appears before the BB-1 in the tech tree, users who have not unlocked the Po-2 via events or researching it before it was hidden will not see it in the tech tree. Additionally, the Po-2 is separate from the attacker line, and you do not need to have the Po-2 unlocked to research the BB-1 and the aircraft that follow it.

[[File:TechTree Po-2.jpeg|thumbnail|If the user has the Po-2 unlocked, this is how it will appear in the tech tree.]]

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

====Stat card====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 130 || 126 || 1,500 || 30.5 || 31.4 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 258
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 138 || 134 || 1,500 || 29.6 || 30.0 || 1.5 || 1.0 || 258
|-
|}

====Details====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| 190 || 450 || N/A || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 200 || < 200 || < 200 || > 95
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
|-
| 700 m || colspan="2" |114 hp
|-
|}

====Engine performance====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine Name
! colspan="3" | Number present
|-
| colspan="3" | Shvetsov M-11D 5-cylinder || colspan="1" | 1
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine characteristics
|-
! colspan="2" | Weight (each)
! colspan="1" | Type
! colspan="1" | Cooling
|-
| colspan="2" | 170 kg || Radial || Air
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Stock)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 117 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 116 hp
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Upgraded)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 123 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 120 hp
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | WEP Duration
|-
! colspan="2" | Arcade
! colspan="2" | Realistic/Simulator
|-
| colspan="2" | 25 seconds || colspan="2" | Infinite
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

The Po-2 has a 13 mm steel plate in the nose, which is something but not useful as if you are attacked from the front you cannot retaliate. In Air RB, the Po-2's airframe is surprisingly reliable and is perfectly controllable even with serious damage, however, past a certain amount of damage (yellow all over and worse) you will not have enough power to keep airborne for much longer. At this point, you can make an emergency landing and act as an anti-aircraft gun for the rest of the match.

It also has a small, self-sealing fuel tank, as well as a tiny oil tank in from of it, both just behind the engine. This leads to a low chance of catching on fire, however, if you are set on fire you have very little chance of putting it out due to your slow speed.

* 13 mm Steel plate in the nose.
* Small, single, self-sealing fuel tank.

== Armaments ==
=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|FAB-50 (50 kg)|FAB-100 (100 kg)}}

The options available for the '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' are:

* 4 x 50 kg bombs
* 6 x 50 kg bombs
* 2 x 50 kg bombs + 2 x 100 kg bombs

=== Defensive armament ===

{{main|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.62 mm [[ShKAS (7.62 mm)|ShKAS]] machine gun, dorsal turret (200 rpg) but can be reloaded by the rear gunner, making the ammo count practically infinite.

== Usage in the battles ==

The Po-2 does at times shine in Ground Realistic Battles, being potentially useful at any battle rating. Its slow speed makes it very easy to dive-bomb accurately with, and its 100kg bombs are sufficient to put any tank out of order. A Po-2 pilot can even cause great humiliation to [[Maus|Maus]] commanders. However, tanks' light machine guns are no small threat for the small biplane, and even tanks' main guns can give it a very bad day, let alone dedicated AA platforms. To avoid this, Po-2 pilots should fly low and try their best to not fly in a straight line, and plan their attacks ahead, looking at the map to see where enemies were marked and inferring the enemies' locations from cap points.

In Air RB, your best bet is probably to spawn at bomber altitude as opposed to the airfield which, while presenting the risk of wing ripping, is better than struggling for speed at the altitude which most of the fighting at this rank takes place (that is, low altitude). Furthermore, you should take the 6x50kg bombs as, despite being smaller, they mean you have the chance to destroy 3 higher value targets instead of 2. You should choose a group of ground targets to attack, stationary tanks are good to bomb as any bomb can destroy them and they yield a decent reward. Moving targets are horrible and not worth it as short fuses lead to you being killed by your own bombs and long fuses lead to a very low hit probability since your bombs are small and must detonate very close to the target to have any effect, which is incredibly difficult to guarantee with a fuse.

After using up your bombs, find some vehicles, artillery, or AA emplacements you want to destroy and approach them. Be sure to use evasive manoeuvres as you approach, as your slow speed leads to AA hitting you far more often than it would on other planes. Fly over, but slightly to the side of your targets at a very low altitude, then switch to your rear gunner and destroy them (if you fly directly over then your tail will prevent your tail gunner from getting a shot). After destroying 2 targets using this method you should fire off your remaining bullets and let your gunner reload, as otherwise, you will probably run out of ammo halfway through your third strafing run. Since you can reload as many times as you like, this is a sustainable way of doing decently well, and you can destroy upwards of 20 targets (with some luck, on the right map.)

If attacked by enemy aircraft, you stand a small but appreciable chance of destroying them. When approached, point your aircraft directly away from the enemy and shoot at them with your rear gunner, preferably once they are within half a kilometre, though your gun can be effective out to 800 metres with some luck. If you have them unlocked, Universal belts are the best for almost all situations, since they make aiming far easier and more importantly have a higher chance of setting the attacker on fire, which will kill them almost every time. As well as this, some pilots will break off once they are set on fire or seriously damaged, since they don't judge the kill to be worth it, but most pilots don't tend to think like this and require a "Significant Emotional Event" in order to stop shooting at you.

It should be noted that some people up-tier Po-2s into jet battles, which can be a valid strategy with the right tactics. You should always fly low in jet battles because most jets will not waste their altitude and energy on a Po-2 flying at treetop level. "Most" is the operative word here and even if you don't get killed many jet battles are over before you even reach your intended target, even on smallish maps such as Malta. It has been noted that a North Korean Po-2 was credited with a jet-kill during the Korean war when an attacking F-94 Starfire stalled out trying to line up a shot at a Po-2 and crashed.

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

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Difficult to tail due to low speed
* Decent bomb load
* Rear Gunner is armed with one of the best machine guns in terms of rate-of-fire in-game
* Very manoeuvrable
* Has bombsight
* Slow speed helps with accurate bombing bombing
* Very capable rudder, useful for quick evasive manoeuvres
* Low stall speed

'''Cons:'''

* No forward-firing armament
* Fragile (wood and fabric - though very immune to radar)
* Horribly slow
* Very hard to gain altitude
* Low service ceiling
* No armour or bulletproof glass protection for the pilot or the gunner

== History ==


The Po-2 was the primary aircraft of the infamous 588th Night Bomber Regiment of the Soviet Armed Forces. The Regiment, commonly nicknamed "Night Witches" was the only regiment in the world to entirely consist of women. The regiment was often looked down upon by their male counterparts, but as the Second World War raged, they earned the undying respect of the Soviet Army. Their nickname "Night Witches" comes from the characteristic sound of their Po-2's, that was all that could be heard during their nightly raids as their engines were set to idle and they would glide through to Night to their victims, completely silent. This sound, or lack thereof, brought their enemy's thoughts to the broomsticks of Witches and thus called them ''"Nachthexen"''. Meaning ''Night Witches'' in English.

Every single member of the Night Witches had by the end of the war flown at least 800 missions, which was completely unheard of. Especially considering that an American pilot was generally allowed to retire if he survived 25 missions. Some of the most famous Night Witches, Yekaterina Ryabova and Nadezhda Popova were reported to once have completed 18 Ground attack missions in a single night. Not only was it extremely humiliating for the German Army to be defeated by the outdated Po-2, but the fact that they were piloted by women added insult to injury. It went on to the degree that German High Command offered to award the Iron Cross to anyone that shot down a Night Witch. Only 30 people claimed that bounty in the entire war.

Twenty-three Night Witches were awarded the "Hero of the Soviet Union" title, 2 the "Hero of Russia" title and 1 the "Hero of Kazakhstan" title. 24,000 sorties and 23,000 tons of bombs dropped on target is also on their résumé. As the war went on and they became Heroes in the Soviet Union, they were offered better planes, but they refused. They stuck with the Po-2, they flew it when the war started and they continued to fly it when they participated in the Battle of Berlin in '45.

The Po-2 was used in the Korean War by the North Koreans, where it inflicted considerable damage against airbases. United Nations forces found it incredibly difficult to track and shoot down Po-2s, due to the wood and fabric construction of the plane giving it a very small radar signature. The top speed of the Po-2 was well below the stall speed of most aircraft at the time. It's also the only biplane credited with a jet kill, achieved when a Lockheed F-94 Starfire attempted to attack a low-flying Po-2 and stalled in the process, losing control and crashing.

=== In-game description ===
"The U-2, or Po-2, was a multi-role biplane, created by Nikolay Polikarpov in 1928. The U-2 was designed as a primary civilian trainer and was forgiving and easy to fly. Its inaugural flight took place on 7th January 1928, with M. M. Gromov at the controls. As designed, the U-2 was a conventional biplane with an air-cooled 100-HP M-11 engine. The aircraft was widely used in agriculture, transport and other roles. Staff plane and ambulance variants also existed, as well as reconnaissance, passenger, floatplane and many other versions.

By 1932, a new military trainer variant, U-2VS was designed. It could carry six 8-kg dummy bombs on underwing pylons and had a gunner turret in the rear seat. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, many existing U-2s were converted to light night bombers. Modifications were made by both the Polikarpov Design Bureau, directly at the factories, and even in the field, by mechanics at front-line squadrons. As a result, the number of operational variants was high. The plane could carry from 100 to 350 kg of bombs. By 1943, the number of frontline Po-2 regiments reached its peak of up to 70 night bomber regiments. After Nikolay Polikarpov died in 1944, the aircraft was redesignated Po-2 in his memory. The aircraft remained in serial production until 1953, with over 33,000 built."

=== Notable pilots ===

<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Ivan_Kozhedub_2.jpg|thumb|none|200px|link=User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|[[User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|Kozhedub's]] first flying experience was as a teenager when he learned to fly the Polikarpov U-2 (trainer versions of the Po-2).]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Lydia_Litvyak_profile.jpg|thumb|none|200px|link=User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|[[User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|Litvyak]] first soloed in a Polikarpov Po-2 at the age of 15 and would later pilot Yak-1 and Yak-1B fighters in the Great Patriotic War.]] </li>
</ul></div>

== Media ==
[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23po_2 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Po-2 from live.warthunder]

[https://youtu.be/YyGy8bV22T0 A video guide to the Po-2]

==Obtainable events==

* The Po-2 could be obtained is the [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5062-special-halloween-en 2017 Halloween event], where the top 1,000 players in the ground and air events will earn the Po-2.
* The same could be said for the [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5856-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en 2018 Halloween event], though only the top 1,000 players in the air races could earn the plane.

== Read 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.''

[[Swordfish Mk I]]

[[OS2U-1]] and [[OS2U-3]]

''ETC.''

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

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

{{USSR bombers}}

Po-2

2019-09-01T06:22:03Z

U28485461: added something to survivability

{{Specs-Card
|code=po-2
|cockpit = 197156/525962
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Po-2.jpg|450px|thumbnail|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} gift Soviet biplane bomber {{Battle-rating}}. This bomber has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29. One of the more infamous planes in War Thunder, the Po-2 has a rather affectionate palindrome nickname of "2-OP" from the community for its history in the game. This plane is no longer obtainable unless it is given out during events.

The Po-2 is a very slow aircraft, earning a reputation of affection thanks to its poor characteristics. The Po-2 is about nine times as slow as the jets, and its maximum speed is one-third of a good amount of its opponents at BR 1.0. Being so, it is flown mostly for sheer fun with no intent of competitiveness. It does not come without its strengths, though - the Po-2 can carry a very effective bombload, and it can be very evasive against enemy aircraft, thanks to its slow speed and impressive manoeuvrability. The rear gunner is also decent, being in charge of a very effective machine gun. Unfortunately for the Po-2's enthusiasts, this is also the only armament it has, and the aircraft is so fragile that even a fast-firing gun does not often suffice to rid the Po-2 of a sad fate. Whenever confrontation with fighters is avoidable, one should avoid it and stay safe.

When the Po-2 was added, it was originally unlockable by research as a non-premium vehicle. However, it is currently hidden in the tech tree. The Po-2 can still be acquired, though. Once in a while, there is usually an event that rewards the Po-2 for completing it. It should be noted that while it appears before the BB-1 in the tech tree, users who have not unlocked the Po-2 via events or researching it before it was hidden will not see it in the tech tree. Additionally, the Po-2 is separate from the attacker line, and you do not need to have the Po-2 unlocked to research the BB-1 and the aircraft that follow it.

[[File:TechTree Po-2.jpeg|thumbnail|If the user has the Po-2 unlocked, this is how it will appear in the tech tree.]]

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

====Stat card====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 130 || 126 || 1,500 || 30.5 || 31.4 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 258
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 138 || 134 || 1,500 || 29.6 || 30.0 || 1.5 || 1.0 || 258
|-
|}

====Details====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| 190 || 450 || N/A || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 200 || < 200 || < 200 || > 95
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
|-
| 700 m || colspan="2" |114 hp
|-
|}

====Engine performance====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine Name
! colspan="3" | Number present
|-
| colspan="3" | Shvetsov M-11D 5-cylinder || colspan="1" | 1
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine characteristics
|-
! colspan="2" | Weight (each)
! colspan="1" | Type
! colspan="1" | Cooling
|-
| colspan="2" | 170 kg || Radial || Air
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Stock)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 117 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 116 hp
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Upgraded)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 123 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 120 hp
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | WEP Duration
|-
! colspan="2" | Arcade
! colspan="2" | Realistic/Simulator
|-
| colspan="2" | 25 seconds || colspan="2" | Infinite
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

The Po-2 has a 13 mm steel plate in the nose, which is something but not useful as if you are attacked from the front you cannot retaliate. In Air RB, the Po-2's airframe is surprisingly reliable and is perfectly controllable even with serious damage, however, past a certain amount of damage (yellow all over and worse) you will not have enough power to keep airborne for much longer. At this point, you can make an emergency landing and act as an anti-aircraft gun for the rest of the match.

It also has a small, self-sealing fuel tank, as well as a tiny oil tank in from of it, both just behind the engine. This leads to a low chance of catching on fire, however, if you are set on fire you have very little chance of putting it out due to your slow speed.

* 13 mm Steel plate in the nose.
* Small, single, self-sealing fuel tank.

== Armaments ==
=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|FAB-50 (50 kg)|FAB-100 (100 kg)}}

The options available for the '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' are:

* 4 x 50 kg bombs
* 6 x 50 kg bombs
* 2 x 50 kg bombs + 2 x 100 kg bombs

=== Defensive armament ===

{{main|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.62 mm [[ShKAS (7.62 mm)|ShKAS]] machine gun, dorsal turret (200 rpg) but can be reloaded by the rear gunner, making the ammo count practically infinite.

== Usage in the battles ==

The Po-2 does at times shine in Ground Realistic Battles, being potentially useful at any battle rating. Its slow speed makes it very easy to dive-bomb accurately with, and its 100kg bombs are sufficient to put any tank out of order. A Po-2 pilot can even cause great humiliation to [[Maus|Maus]] commanders. However, tanks' light machine guns are no small threat for the small biplane, and even tanks' main guns can give it a very bad day, let alone dedicated AA platforms. To avoid this, Po-2 pilots should fly low and try their best to not fly in a straight line, and plan their attacks ahead, looking at the map to see where enemies were marked and inferring the enemies' locations from cap points.

In Air RB, your best bet is probably to spawn at bomber altitude as opposed to the airfield which, while presenting the risk of wing ripping, is better than struggling for speed at the altitude which most of the fighting at this rank takes place (that is, low altitude). Furthermore, you should take the 6x50kg bombs as, despite being smaller, they mean you have the chance to destroy 3 higher value targets instead of 2. You should choose a group of ground targets to attack, stationary tanks are good to bomb as any bomb can destroy them and they yield a decent reward. Moving targets are horrible and not worth it as short fuses lead to you being killed by your own bombs and long fuses lead to a very low hit probability since your bombs are small and must detonate very close to the target to have any effect, which is incredibly difficult to guarantee with a fuse.

After using up your bombs, find some vehicles, artillery, or AA emplacements you want to destroy and approach them. Be sure to use evasive manoeuvres, as your slow speed leads to AA hitting you far more often than it would on other planes. Flyover, but slightly to the side of your targets at a very low altitude, then switch to your rear gunner and destroy them. After destroying 2 targets using this method you should fire off your remaining bullets and let your gunner reload, as otherwise, you will probably run out of ammo halfway through your third strafing run. Since you can reload as many times as you like, this is a sustainable way of doing decently well, and you can destroy upwards of 20 targets (with some luck, on the right map.)

If attacked by enemy aircraft, you stand a small but appreciable chance of destroying them. When approached, point your aircraft directly away from the enemy and shoot at them with your rear gunner, preferably once they are within half a kilometre, though your gun can be effective out to 800 with some luck. If you have them unlocked, Universal belts are the best for almost all situations, since they make aiming far easier and more importantly have a higher chance of setting the attacker on fire, which will kill them almost every time. As well as this, some pilots will break off once they are set on fire or seriously damaged, since they don't judge the kill to be worth it, but most pilots don't tend to think like this and require a "Significant Emotional Event" in order to stop shooting at you.

It should be noted that some people up-tier Po-2s into jet battles, can be a valid strategy with the right tactics. You should always fly low in jet battles because most jets will not waste their altitude and energy on a Po-2 flying at treetop level. "Most" is the operative word here and even if you don't get killed many jet battles are over before you even reach your intended target, even on smallish maps such as Malta. It has been noted that a North Korean Po-2 was credited with a jet-kill during the Korean war when an attacking F-94 Starfire stalled out trying to line up a shot at a Po-2 and crashed.

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

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Difficult to tail due to low speed
* Decent bomb load
* Rear Gunner is armed with one of the best machine guns in terms of rate-of-fire in-game
* Very manoeuvrable
* Has bombsight
* Slow speed helps with accurate bombing bombing
* Very capable rudder, useful for quick evasive manoeuvres
* Low stall speed

'''Cons:'''

* No forward-firing armament
* Fragile (wood and fabric - though very immune to radar)
* Horribly slow
* Very hard to gain altitude
* Low service ceiling
* No armour or bulletproof glass protection for the pilot or the gunner

== History ==


The Po-2 was the primary aircraft of the infamous 588th Night Bomber Regiment of the Soviet Armed Forces. The Regiment, commonly nicknamed "Night Witches" was the only regiment in the world to entirely consist of women. The regiment was often looked down upon by their male counterparts, but as the Second World War raged, they earned the undying respect of the Soviet Army. Their nickname "Night Witches" comes from the characteristic sound of their Po-2's, that was all that could be heard during their nightly raids as their engines were set to idle and they would glide through to Night to their victims, completely silent. This sound, or lack thereof, brought their enemy's thoughts to the broomsticks of Witches and thus called them ''"Nachthexen"''. Meaning ''Night Witches'' in English.

Every single member of the Night Witches had by the end of the war flown at least 800 missions, which was completely unheard of. Especially considering that an American pilot was generally allowed to retire if he survived 25 missions. Some of the most famous Night Witches, Yekaterina Ryabova and Nadezhda Popova were reported to once have completed 18 Ground attack missions in a single night. Not only was it extremely humiliating for the German Army to be defeated by the outdated Po-2, but the fact that they were piloted by women added insult to injury. It went on to the degree that German High Command offered to award the Iron Cross to anyone that shot down a Night Witch. Only 30 people claimed that bounty in the entire war.

Twenty-three Night Witches were awarded the "Hero of the Soviet Union" title, 2 the "Hero of Russia" title and 1 the "Hero of Kazakhstan" title. 24,000 sorties and 23,000 tons of bombs dropped on target is also on their résumé. As the war went on and they became Heroes in the Soviet Union, they were offered better planes, but they refused. They stuck with the Po-2, they flew it when the war started and they continued to fly it when they participated in the Battle of Berlin in '45.

The Po-2 was used in the Korean War by the North Koreans, where it inflicted considerable damage against airbases. United Nations forces found it incredibly difficult to track and shoot down Po-2s, due to the wood and fabric construction of the plane giving it a very small radar signature. The top speed of the Po-2 was well below the stall speed of most aircraft at the time. It's also the only biplane credited with a jet kill, achieved when a Lockheed F-94 Starfire attempted to attack a low-flying Po-2 and stalled in the process, losing control and crashing.

=== In-game description ===
"The U-2, or Po-2, was a multi-role biplane, created by Nikolay Polikarpov in 1928. The U-2 was designed as a primary civilian trainer and was forgiving and easy to fly. Its inaugural flight took place on 7th January 1928, with M. M. Gromov at the controls. As designed, the U-2 was a conventional biplane with an air-cooled 100-HP M-11 engine. The aircraft was widely used in agriculture, transport and other roles. Staff plane and ambulance variants also existed, as well as reconnaissance, passenger, floatplane and many other versions.

By 1932, a new military trainer variant, U-2VS was designed. It could carry six 8-kg dummy bombs on underwing pylons and had a gunner turret in the rear seat. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, many existing U-2s were converted to light night bombers. Modifications were made by both the Polikarpov Design Bureau, directly at the factories, and even in the field, by mechanics at front-line squadrons. As a result, the number of operational variants was high. The plane could carry from 100 to 350 kg of bombs. By 1943, the number of frontline Po-2 regiments reached its peak of up to 70 night bomber regiments. After Nikolay Polikarpov died in 1944, the aircraft was redesignated Po-2 in his memory. The aircraft remained in serial production until 1953, with over 33,000 built."

=== Notable pilots ===

<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Ivan_Kozhedub_2.jpg|thumb|none|200px|link=User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|[[User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|Kozhedub's]] first flying experience was as a teenager when he learned to fly the Polikarpov U-2 (trainer versions of the Po-2).]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Lydia_Litvyak_profile.jpg|thumb|none|200px|link=User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|[[User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|Litvyak]] first soloed in a Polikarpov Po-2 at the age of 15 and would later pilot Yak-1 and Yak-1B fighters in the Great Patriotic War.]] </li>
</ul></div>

== Media ==
[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23po_2 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Po-2 from live.warthunder]

==Obtainable events==

* The Po-2 could be obtained is the [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5062-special-halloween-en 2017 Halloween event], where the top 1,000 players in the ground and air events will earn the Po-2.
* The same could be said for the [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5856-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en 2018 Halloween event], though only the top 1,000 players in the air races could earn the plane.

== Read 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.''

''ETC.''

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

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

{{USSR bombers}}

Po-2

2019-08-31T12:56:58Z

U28485461: /* Usage in the battles */ completed a decent guise to the po-2 in air rb

{{Specs-Card
|code=po-2
|cockpit = 197156/525962
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Po-2.jpg|450px|thumbnail|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} gift Soviet biplane bomber {{Battle-rating}}. This bomber has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29. One of the more infamous planes in War Thunder, the Po-2 has a rather affectionate palindrome nickname of "2-OP" from the community for its history in the game. This plane is no longer obtainable unless it is given out during events.

The Po-2 is a very slow aircraft, earning a reputation of affection thanks to its poor characteristics. The Po-2 is about nine times as slow as the jets, and its maximum speed is one-third of a good amount of its opponents at BR 1.0. Being so, it is flown mostly for sheer fun with no intent of competitiveness. It does not come without its strengths, though - the Po-2 can carry a very effective bombload, and it can be very evasive against enemy aircraft, thanks to its slow speed and impressive manoeuvrability. The rear gunner is also decent, being in charge of a very effective machine gun. Unfortunately for the Po-2's enthusiasts, this is also the only armament it has, and the aircraft is so fragile that even a fast-firing gun does not often suffice to rid the Po-2 of a sad fate. Whenever confrontation with fighters is avoidable, one should avoid it and stay safe.

When the Po-2 was added, it was originally unlockable by research as a non-premium vehicle. However, it is currently hidden in the tech tree. The Po-2 can still be acquired, though. Once in a while, there is usually an event that rewards the Po-2 for completing it. It should be noted that while it appears before the BB-1 in the tech tree, users who have not unlocked the Po-2 via events or researching it before it was hidden will not see it in the tech tree. Additionally, the Po-2 is separate from the attacker line, and you do not need to have the Po-2 unlocked to research the BB-1 and the aircraft that follow it.

[[File:TechTree Po-2.jpeg|thumbnail|If the user has the Po-2 unlocked, this is how it will appear in the tech tree.]]

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

====Stat card====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 130 || 126 || 1,500 || 30.5 || 31.4 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 258
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 138 || 134 || 1,500 || 29.6 || 30.0 || 1.5 || 1.0 || 258
|-
|}

====Details====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| 190 || 450 || N/A || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 200 || < 200 || < 200 || > 95
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
|-
| 700 m || colspan="2" |114 hp
|-
|}

====Engine performance====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine Name
! colspan="3" | Number present
|-
| colspan="3" | Shvetsov M-11D 5-cylinder || colspan="1" | 1
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine characteristics
|-
! colspan="2" | Weight (each)
! colspan="1" | Type
! colspan="1" | Cooling
|-
| colspan="2" | 170 kg || Radial || Air
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Stock)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 117 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 116 hp
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Upgraded)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 123 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 120 hp
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | WEP Duration
|-
! colspan="2" | Arcade
! colspan="2" | Realistic/Simulator
|-
| colspan="2" | 25 seconds || colspan="2" | Infinite
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

The Po-2 has a 13mm steel plate in the nose, which is something but not useful as if you are attacked from the front you cannot retaliate. In Air RB, the Po-2's airframe is quite reliable and is perfectly controllable even with serious damage, however past a certain amount of damage (yellow all over and worse) you do not have enough power to keep yourself airbourne for much longer. At this point, you shall make an emergency landing and act as an AA gun for the rest of the match.

* 13 mm Steel plate in the nose.

== Armaments ==
=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|FAB-50 (50 kg)|FAB-100 (100 kg)}}

The options available for the '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' are:

* 4 x 50 kg bombs
* 6 x 50 kg bombs
* 2 x 50 kg bombs + 2 x 100 kg bombs

=== Defensive armament ===

{{main|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.62 mm [[ShKAS (7.62 mm)|ShKAS]] machine gun, dorsal turret (200 rpg) but can be reloaded by the rear gunner, making the ammo count practically infinite.

== Usage in the battles ==

The Po-2 does at times shine in Ground Realistic Battles, being potentially useful at any battle rating. Its slow speed makes it very easy to dive bomb accurately with, and its 100kg bombs are sufficient to put any tank out of order. A Po-2 pilot can even cause great humiliation to [[Maus|Maus]] commanders. However, tanks' light machine guns are no small threat for the small biplane, and even tanks' main guns can give it a very bad day, let alone dedicated AA platforms. To avoid this, Po-2 pilots should fly low and try their best to not fly in a straight line, and plan their attacks ahead, looking at the map to see where enemies were marked and inferring the enemies' locations from cap points.

In Air RB, your best bet is probably to spawn at bomber altitude as opposed to airfield which, while presenting the risk of wing ripping, is better than struggling for speed at the altitude which most of the fighting at this rank takes place (that is, low altitude). Furthermore, you should take the 6x50kg bombs as, despite being smaller, they mean you have the chance to destroy 3 higher value targets instead of 2. You should choose a group of ground targets to attack, stationary tanks are good to bomb as any bomb can destroy them and they yield a decent reward. Moving targets are horrible and not worth it as short fuses lead to you being killed by your own bombs and long fuses lead to a very low hit probability, since your bombs are small and must detonate very close to the target to have any effect, which is incredibly difficult to guarantee with a fuse.

After using up your bombs, find some vehicles, artillery, or AA emplacements you want to destroy, and approach them. Be sure to use evasive manouvers, as your slow speed leads to AA hitting you far more often than it would on other planes. Fly over, but slightly to the side of your targets at a very low altitude, then switch to your rear gunner and destroy them. After destroying 2 targets using this method you should fire off your remaining bullets and let your gunner reload, as otherwise you will probably run out of ammo halfway through your third strafing run. Since you can reload as many times as you like, this is a sustainable way of doing decently well, and you can destroy upwards of 20 targets (with some luck, on the right map.)

If attacked by enemy aircraft, you stand a smal but appreciable chance of destroying them. When approached, point your aircraft directly away from the enemy and shoot at them with your rear gunner, preferably once they are within half a kilometre, though your gun can be effective out to 800 with some luck. If you have them unlocked, Universal belts are the best for almost all situations, since they make aiming far easier and more importantly have a higher chance of setting the attacker on fire, which will kill them almosy every time. As well as this, some pilots will break off once they are set on fire or seriously damaged, since they don't judge the kill to be worth it, but most pilots don't tend to think like this and require a "Significant Emotional Event" in order to stop shooting at you.

It should be noted that some people uptier Po-2s to jet battles, which apart from great memes can be a valid strategy with the right tactics. You should always fly low in jet battles, because most jets will not waste their altitude and energy on a Po-2 flying at treetop level. "Most" is the operative word here, and even if you don't get killed many jet battles are over before yoi even reach your intended target, even on smallish maps such as Malta.

Meme on, my comrades.

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

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Difficult to tail due to low speed
* Decent bomb load
* Rear Gunner is armed with one of the best machine guns in terms of RoF in-game
* Very manoeuvrable
* Has bombsight
* Slow speed helps with accurate bombing bombing
* Very capable rudder, useful for quick evasive manoeuvres
* Low stall speed

'''Cons:'''

* No forward firing armament
* Fragile
* Horribly slow
* Very hard to gain altitude
* Low service ceiling
* No armour or bulletproof glass protection for the pilot or the gunner

== History ==


The Po-2 was the primary aircraft of the infamous 588th Night Bomber Regiment of the Soviet Armed Forces. The Regiment, commonly nicknamed "Night Witches" was the only regiment in the world to entirely consist of women. The regiment was often looked down upon by their male counterparts, but as the Second World War raged, they earned the undying respect of the Soviet Army. Their nickname "Night Witches" comes from the characteristic sound of their Po-2's, that was all that could be heard during their nightly raids as their engines were set to idle and they would glide through to Night to their victims, completely silent. This sound, or lack thereof, brought their enemy's thoughts to the broomsticks of Witches and thus called them ''"Nachthexen"''. Meaning ''Night Witches'' in English.

Every single member of the Night Witches had by the end of the war flown at least 800 missions, which was completely unheard of. Especially considering that an American pilot was generally allowed to retire if he survived 25 missions. Some of the most famous Night Witches, Yekaterina Ryabova and Nadezhda Popova were reported to once have completed 18 Ground attack missions in a single night. Not only was it extremely humiliating for the German Army to be defeated by the outdated Po-2, but the fact that they were piloted by women added insult to injury. It went on to the degree that German High Command offered to award the Iron Cross to anyone that shot down a Night Witch. Only 30 people claimed that bounty in the entire war.

Twenty-three Night Witches were awarded the "Hero of the Soviet Union" title, 2 the "Hero of Russia" title and 1 the "Hero of Kazakhstan" title. 24,000 sorties and 23,000 tons of bombs dropped on target is also on their résumé. As the war went on and they became Heroes in the Soviet Union, they were offered better planes, but they refused. They stuck with the Po-2, they flew it when the war started and they continued to fly it when they participated in the Battle of Berlin in '45.

The Po-2 was used in the Korean War by the North Koreans, where it inflicted considerable damage against airbases. United Nations forces found it incredibly difficult to track and shoot down Po-2s, due to the wood and fabric construction of the plane giving it a very small radar signature. The top speed of the Po-2 was well below the stall speed of most aircraft at the time. It's also the only biplane credited with a jet kill, achieved when a Lockheed F-94 Starfire attempted to attack a low-flying Po-2 and stalled in the process, losing control and crashing.

=== In-game description ===
"The U-2, or Po-2, was a multi-role biplane, created by Nikolay Polikarpov in 1928. The U-2 was designed as a primary civilian trainer and was forgiving and easy to fly. Its inaugural flight took place on 7th January 1928, with M. M. Gromov at the controls. As designed, the U-2 was a conventional biplane with an air-cooled 100-HP M-11 engine. The aircraft was widely used in agriculture, transport and other roles. Staff plane and ambulance variants also existed, as well as reconnaissance, passenger, floatplane and many other versions.

By 1932, a new military trainer variant, U-2VS was designed. It could carry six 8-kg dummy bombs on underwing pylons and had a gunner turret in the rear seat. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, many existing U-2s were converted to light night bombers. Modifications were made by both the Polikarpov Design Bureau, directly at the factories, and even in the field, by mechanics at front-line squadrons. As a result, the number of operational variants was high. The plane could carry from 100 to 350 kg of bombs. By 1943, the number of frontline Po-2 regiments reached its peak of up to 70 night bomber regiments. After Nikolay Polikarpov died in 1944, the aircraft was redesignated Po-2 in his memory. The aircraft remained in serial production until 1953, with over 33,000 built."

=== Notable pilots ===

<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Ivan_Kozhedub_2.jpg|thumb|none|200px|link=User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|[[User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|Kozhedub's]] first flying experience was as a teenager when he learned to fly the Polikarpov U-2 (trainer versions of the Po-2).]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Lydia_Litvyak_profile.jpg|thumb|none|200px|link=User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|[[User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|Litvyak]] first soloed in a Polikarpov Po-2 at the age of 15 and would later pilot Yak-1 and Yak-1B fighters in the Great Patriotic War.]] </li>
</ul></div>

== Media ==
[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23po_2 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Po-2 from live.warthunder]

==Obtainable events==

* The Po-2 could be obtained is the [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5062-special-halloween-en 2017 Halloween event], where the top 1,000 players in the ground and air events will earn the Po-2.
* The same could be said for the [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5856-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en 2018 Halloween event], though only the top 1,000 players in the air races could earn the plane.

== Read 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.''

''ETC.''

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

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

{{USSR bombers}}

Po-2

2019-08-31T12:29:05Z

U28485461: I am writing more on the use of this plane in air RB, and want to save my progress.

{{Specs-Card
|code=po-2
|cockpit = 197156/525962
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Po-2.jpg|450px|thumbnail|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} gift Soviet biplane bomber {{Battle-rating}}. This bomber has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29. One of the more infamous planes in War Thunder, the Po-2 has a rather affectionate palindrome nickname of "2-OP" from the community for its history in the game. This plane is no longer obtainable unless it is given out during events.

The Po-2 is a very slow aircraft, earning a reputation of affection thanks to its poor characteristics. The Po-2 is about nine times as slow as the jets, and its maximum speed is one-third of a good amount of its opponents at BR 1.0. Being so, it is flown mostly for sheer fun with no intent of competitiveness. It does not come without its strengths, though - the Po-2 can carry a very effective bombload, and it can be very evasive against enemy aircraft, thanks to its slow speed and impressive manoeuvrability. The rear gunner is also decent, being in charge of a very effective machine gun. Unfortunately for the Po-2's enthusiasts, this is also the only armament it has, and the aircraft is so fragile that even a fast-firing gun does not often suffice to rid the Po-2 of a sad fate. Whenever confrontation with fighters is avoidable, one should avoid it and stay safe.

When the Po-2 was added, it was originally unlockable by research as a non-premium vehicle. However, it is currently hidden in the tech tree. The Po-2 can still be acquired, though. Once in a while, there is usually an event that rewards the Po-2 for completing it. It should be noted that while it appears before the BB-1 in the tech tree, users who have not unlocked the Po-2 via events or researching it before it was hidden will not see it in the tech tree. Additionally, the Po-2 is separate from the attacker line, and you do not need to have the Po-2 unlocked to research the BB-1 and the aircraft that follow it.

[[File:TechTree Po-2.jpeg|thumbnail|If the user has the Po-2 unlocked, this is how it will appear in the tech tree.]]

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

====Stat card====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 130 || 126 || 1,500 || 30.5 || 31.4 || 0.5 || 0.4 || 258
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 138 || 134 || 1,500 || 29.6 || 30.0 || 1.5 || 1.0 || 258
|-
|}

====Details====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| 190 || 450 || N/A || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 200 || < 200 || < 200 || > 95
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
|-
| 700 m || colspan="2" |114 hp
|-
|}

====Engine performance====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine Name
! colspan="3" | Number present
|-
| colspan="3" | Shvetsov M-11D 5-cylinder || colspan="1" | 1
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine characteristics
|-
! colspan="2" | Weight (each)
! colspan="1" | Type
! colspan="1" | Cooling
|-
| colspan="2" | 170 kg || Radial || Air
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Stock)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 117 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 116 hp
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Upgraded)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="4" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="4" | 123 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="4" | 120 hp
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | WEP Duration
|-
! colspan="2" | Arcade
! colspan="2" | Realistic/Simulator
|-
| colspan="2" | 25 seconds || colspan="2" | Infinite
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

The Po-2 has a 13mm steel plate in the nose, which is something but not useful as if you are attacked from the front you cannot retaliate. In Air RB, the Po-2's airframe is quite reliable and is perfectly controllable even with serious damage, however past a certain amount of damage (yellow all over and worse) you do not have enough power to keep yourself airbourne for much longer. At this point, you shall make an emergency landing and act as an AA gun for the rest of the match.

* 13 mm Steel plate in the nose.

== Armaments ==
=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|FAB-50 (50 kg)|FAB-100 (100 kg)}}

The options available for the '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' are:

* 4 x 50 kg bombs
* 6 x 50 kg bombs
* 2 x 50 kg bombs + 2 x 100 kg bombs

=== Defensive armament ===

{{main|ShKAS (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.62 mm [[ShKAS (7.62 mm)|ShKAS]] machine gun, dorsal turret (200 rpg) but can be reloaded by the rear gunner, making the ammo count practically infinite.

== Usage in the battles ==

The Po-2 does at times shine in Ground Realistic Battles, being potentially useful at any battle rating. Its slow speed makes it very easy to dive bomb accurately with, and its 100kg bombs are sufficient to put any tank out of order. A Po-2 pilot can even cause great humiliation to [[Maus|Maus]] commanders. However, tanks' light machine guns are no small threat for the small biplane, and even tanks' main guns can give it a very bad day, let alone dedicated AA platforms. To avoid this, Po-2 pilots should fly low and try their best to not fly in a straight line, and plan their attacks ahead, looking at the map to see where enemies were marked and inferring the enemies' locations from cap points.

In Air RB, your best bet is probably to spawn at bomber altitude as opposed to airfield which, while presenting the risk of wing ripping, is better than struggling for speed at the altitude which most of the fighting at this rank takrs place (that is, low altitude).

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

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Difficult to tail due to low speed
* Decent bomb load
* Rear Gunner is armed with one of the best machine guns in terms of RoF in-game
* Very manoeuvrable
* Has bombsight
* Slow speed helps with accurate bombing bombing
* Very capable rudder, useful for quick evasive manoeuvres
* Low stall speed

'''Cons:'''

* No forward firing armament
* Fragile
* Horribly slow
* Very hard to gain altitude
* Low service ceiling
* No armour or bulletproof glass protection for the pilot or the gunner

== History ==


The Po-2 was the primary aircraft of the infamous 588th Night Bomber Regiment of the Soviet Armed Forces. The Regiment, commonly nicknamed "Night Witches" was the only regiment in the world to entirely consist of women. The regiment was often looked down upon by their male counterparts, but as the Second World War raged, they earned the undying respect of the Soviet Army. Their nickname "Night Witches" comes from the characteristic sound of their Po-2's, that was all that could be heard during their nightly raids as their engines were set to idle and they would glide through to Night to their victims, completely silent. This sound, or lack thereof, brought their enemy's thoughts to the broomsticks of Witches and thus called them ''"Nachthexen"''. Meaning ''Night Witches'' in English.

Every single member of the Night Witches had by the end of the war flown at least 800 missions, which was completely unheard of. Especially considering that an American pilot was generally allowed to retire if he survived 25 missions. Some of the most famous Night Witches, Yekaterina Ryabova and Nadezhda Popova were reported to once have completed 18 Ground attack missions in a single night. Not only was it extremely humiliating for the German Army to be defeated by the outdated Po-2, but the fact that they were piloted by women added insult to injury. It went on to the degree that German High Command offered to award the Iron Cross to anyone that shot down a Night Witch. Only 30 people claimed that bounty in the entire war.

Twenty-three Night Witches were awarded the "Hero of the Soviet Union" title, 2 the "Hero of Russia" title and 1 the "Hero of Kazakhstan" title. 24,000 sorties and 23,000 tons of bombs dropped on target is also on their résumé. As the war went on and they became Heroes in the Soviet Union, they were offered better planes, but they refused. They stuck with the Po-2, they flew it when the war started and they continued to fly it when they participated in the Battle of Berlin in '45.

The Po-2 was used in the Korean War by the North Koreans, where it inflicted considerable damage against airbases. United Nations forces found it incredibly difficult to track and shoot down Po-2s, due to the wood and fabric construction of the plane giving it a very small radar signature. The top speed of the Po-2 was well below the stall speed of most aircraft at the time. It's also the only biplane credited with a jet kill, achieved when a Lockheed F-94 Starfire attempted to attack a low-flying Po-2 and stalled in the process, losing control and crashing.

=== In-game description ===
"The U-2, or Po-2, was a multi-role biplane, created by Nikolay Polikarpov in 1928. The U-2 was designed as a primary civilian trainer and was forgiving and easy to fly. Its inaugural flight took place on 7th January 1928, with M. M. Gromov at the controls. As designed, the U-2 was a conventional biplane with an air-cooled 100-HP M-11 engine. The aircraft was widely used in agriculture, transport and other roles. Staff plane and ambulance variants also existed, as well as reconnaissance, passenger, floatplane and many other versions.

By 1932, a new military trainer variant, U-2VS was designed. It could carry six 8-kg dummy bombs on underwing pylons and had a gunner turret in the rear seat. After the German invasion of the Soviet Union in 1941, many existing U-2s were converted to light night bombers. Modifications were made by both the Polikarpov Design Bureau, directly at the factories, and even in the field, by mechanics at front-line squadrons. As a result, the number of operational variants was high. The plane could carry from 100 to 350 kg of bombs. By 1943, the number of frontline Po-2 regiments reached its peak of up to 70 night bomber regiments. After Nikolay Polikarpov died in 1944, the aircraft was redesignated Po-2 in his memory. The aircraft remained in serial production until 1953, with over 33,000 built."

=== Notable pilots ===

<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Ivan_Kozhedub_2.jpg|thumb|none|200px|link=User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|[[User:U64962917#Kozhedub,_Ivan_N.|Kozhedub's]] first flying experience was as a teenager when he learned to fly the Polikarpov U-2 (trainer versions of the Po-2).]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Lydia_Litvyak_profile.jpg|thumb|none|200px|link=User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|[[User:U64962917#Litvyak, Lydia V.|Litvyak]] first soloed in a Polikarpov Po-2 at the age of 15 and would later pilot Yak-1 and Yak-1B fighters in the Great Patriotic War.]] </li>
</ul></div>

== Media ==
[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23po_2 '''Skins''' and '''camouflages''' for the Po-2 from live.warthunder]

==Obtainable events==

* The Po-2 could be obtained is the [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5062-special-halloween-en 2017 Halloween event], where the top 1,000 players in the ground and air events will earn the Po-2.
* The same could be said for the [https://warthunder.com/en/news/5856-event-halloween-in-war-thunder-en 2018 Halloween event], though only the top 1,000 players in the air races could earn the plane.

== Read 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.''

''ETC.''

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

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

{{USSR bombers}}