War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

SRAAM

2021-04-07T07:17:39Z

U41237270: /* Pros and cons */

[[File:SRAAM Fired.jpg|thumb|x250px|SRAAM fired from a [[Hunter F.6]]]]

== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage SRAAM.png|thumb|left|420px|The SRAAM missile with fins folded and deployed (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''SRAAM''', or '''Short Range Air-to-Air Missile''' is a British [[Air-to-air_missiles#Infrared_homing_.28heat-seeking.29_missiles|Infrared homing air-to-air missile]], it was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]], along with the Hunter F.6 (the first aircraft to carry it). As the name suggests the SRAAM has a short range compared to other missiles, however this is made up for by it being by far the most manoeuvrable and hardest to avoid air-to-air missile carried by any fixed wing aircraft in the game.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|hunter_f6}}
* {{Specs-Link|harrier_gr1}}

== General info ==

The SRAAM is a highly manoeuvrable infrared homing air-to-air missile. The missile's use of thrust vectoring, and an IR seeker with very wide gimbal limits, means that it can track targets incredibly well compared to other air-to-air missiles. The missile has an uncaged seeker with a very wide gimbal limits, which makes maintaining locks on targets prior to launch much easier. The uncaged seeker also means that once the missile has been locked you can turn the plane and "lead" the missiles, as if you would an aircraft's guns, making them much more likely to hit.

Thrust vectoring also allows the missiles to start manoeuvring immediately after launch, unlike more traditional missiles which need to gain speed before their fins become fully effective; making the SRAAM much better suited for short range combat.

The SRAAMs are carried in launch tubes, mounted in pairs under the wings.

=== Effective damage ===

The SRAAM has a relatively small warhead consisting of 4 kg of TNT with a 5 m proximity fuse. Most of the time this is adequate to outright destroy an enemy aircraft, however depending on the location of the missile when it explodes it is possible the target will only receive a varying amount of damage. While it is not uncommon for the enemy aircraft to eventually crash due to the damage they receive, some can make it back to the airfield or even continue fighting.

=== Comparison with analogues ===

The main standout feature of the SRAAM, which sets it apart from all other infrared homing missiles (carried by fixed-wing aircraft at least) is its astonishingly good manoeuvrability. The SRAAM can pull a maximum overload of 20 G, the joint highest value along with the [[AIM-9L]], and double that of the next best missiles found on fixed-wing aircraft (the [[AIM-9D]] and [[AIM-9E]]). Despite having the same maximum overload the SRAAM is still capable of out-manoeuvring the AIM-9L, owing to its thrust vectoring system. The SRAAM also powers up its IR seeker faster than other missiles (taking 3 seconds while most others take closer to 5), and can keep its seeker active for longer at 20 seconds (Sidewinders can do it for 10 seconds, and most Russian missiles 15 seconds).

The drawback of the SRAAM, however, is its short range, it is largely ineffective at ranges greater than 1 km; by comparison, other missiles such as the [[AIM-9E]] can hit targets from well over 2 km in a good situation. The SRAAM also has lower explosive mass than other missiles, at 4 kg of TNT. By comparison, the AIM-9B, D and E have 4.5 kg, the [[R-13M]] has 5.5 kg, and the [[R-3S]] has 11 kg.

== Usage in battles ==

The SRAAM is one of the most forgiving air-to-air missiles in the game because of their superb manoeuvrability; however, there are still things you need. to learn and practice in order to use them to their full potential. The first thing you need to learn when using the SRAAMs is their range; as a general rule, to start with you should not fire the missiles when you are more than 1 km from the target. SRAAMs have a very short range and generally firing them from further away will result in the missile exploding before it reaches the target. If you have a significant speed advantage over your target you can push the firing range up to around 1.2 km, but ultimately you have to learn to tell from experience when you can fire from in excess of 1 km.

Just because you shouldn't fire the missile from outside 1 km does not mean that you shouldn’t try to lock on to targets from outside 1 km. The SRAAM can lock on to targets up to 4 km away; you should be trying to obtain a lock once you are within about 2.5 km of your target; it is also possible to lock on to aircraft when approaching them from almost 90 degrees (directly to their side), under ideal conditions. Once the seeker is active, it will stay active for 20 seconds, giving you plenty of time to close the distance. Once you have a lock the seeker will be able to maintain the lock so long as the target is still somewhere within the outer ring on your screen. Once you have closed the distance to within 1 km if the target is turning (or you are approaching from an angle) then you will want to "lead" the missile, in the same manner, you would lead your guns if you were using them to attack. This will make the missiles much more like to hit, as they will not have to try to do a sharp turn immediately after leaving the tube.

If an enemy gets on your tail then activate the missile seeker and force an overshoot, as they pass you attempt to get a lock on and fire the missile as soon as possible; this will often result in a kill.

=== Counter tactics ===
The old adage "prevention is better than cure" is certainly true when trying to dodge SRAAMs. Once an SRAAM is on its way to you it is going to be very hard to avoid (baring a mistake on the part of the person who fired it), therefore it is always best to take preventative action when facing aircraft armed with SRAAMs. As is always a good practice, the first step to countering SRAAMs is to maintain good situational awareness, if the first time you are aware of an SRAAM is when you get the missile warning at the top of your screen (AB & RB), you are usually as good as dead. To avoid an SRAAM most of the work you do will have to take place before the missile is launched.

To start with you need to keep an eye out for enemy aircraft that can hold the SRAAM; you need to identify any of them lining up for an attack run as soon as possible and take action accordingly. The main drawback of the SRAAM is its short-range, missiles fired much outside of 1 km have a significantly reduced chance of hitting their target, and by the time you get to more than 1.2 km hitting a target is exceedingly rare (unless the attacker has a significant speed advantage over you). With this in mind, your best tactic is to keep your distance from the enemy aircraft, if you are in a supersonic aircraft this should be relatively easy, however for other subsonic aircraft this can be difficult. If simply outrunning your attacker is not possible then your options are limited, but still there.

Like all heat-seeking missiles, the SRAAM will lock onto the sun if its IR seeker passes to close to it. If you see an SRAAM-armed aircraft on your tail then flying towards the sun (not necessarily directly at it but within 10 or so degrees of it) will prevent the enemy obtaining a lock on you; obviously this is often not possible in-game, but can certainly buy you time in some situations.

Another key thing to note is that despite its incredible manoeuvrability the SRAAM is not an all-aspect missile, so can only keep track of you from behind.

* Hunter pilots will often fly in from angles up to 90+ degrees from the side of you and turn into you until they achieve a lock (the SRAAM can lock on to a target from quite extreme angles); once a lock is achieved they will turn hard into you to "lead" the missile before firing it. If you see a Hunter moving in for this manoeuvre your best hope is to turn hard in the same direction they are. The effects of this are twofold, you will direct your engine exhaust (your main source of infrared light) away from the missile reducing its chance of tracking you, and will rapidly close the distance between you and your attacker, often creating a turn too tight for even the SRAAM to pull.
* Harrier GR.1 pilots follow a similar playbook as the Hunters in their attack angles with SRAAM. However, due to their VTOL configuration, the Harrier GR.1 can more easily cause jets on their six o'clock to overshoot during their pursuit. If overshooting the Harrier, quickly make distance and follow evasive manouvres like when dealing a Hunter as the Harrier can quickly orient itself to fire a SRAAM into a fleeing plane's engine exhaust.

If the missile is already on its way to you, and you are not already doing something about it, then you are usually going to end up back in the hangar within the next few seconds; however there are some last-ditch attempts you can try (although don't expect them to work every time, or even most the time). If the missile was fired from around 1 km away then by turning one way, then hard the other once the SRAAM begins to turn you can sometimes throw it off or keep it flying long enough that it exceeds its maximum flight time (3.7 seconds) and explodes. If however the missile was fired from a closer range you will have to just try to dodge it and hope for the best. Usually, the best way to dodge the SRAAM is to pull into a sort of barrel roll, or otherwise carry out a manoeuvre, which involves rolling the aircraft; SRAAMs generally find it much harder to follow you through these manoeuvres than through a simple turn.

If you overshoot a target, carrying SRAAMs then pull hard up immediately; if you carry on straight, or go below the target you are just asking to get an SRAAM fired at you. Likewise, if you pull away to the side then your opponent will find it much easier to turn after you and get a lock than if you pull into the vertical.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Incredibly good manoeuvrability make it extremely hard for enemy aircraft to dodge.
* Has the joint highest maximum overload of any missile in the game (shared with the [[AIM-9L]] at 20 G)
* One of the best tracking missiles in the game, rarely loses its target (compared to other missiles
* Has an uncaged seeker with an extremely wide field of view, allowing you to "lead" the missiles very well
* IR seeker powers up quickly and can stay active for a long time
* Faster than some other missiles

'''Cons:'''

* Very short range, missiles fired outside of 1 km are unlikely to hit unless you have a notable speed advantage over your opponent.
* Relatively small explosive mass means hits are not always fatal (at least immediately)
* Flares can easily fool the SRAAM due to it's high FOV

== History ==

Following the widespread use of early air-to-air missiles in the Vietnam War, it became apparent that such weapon systems had major limitations. They would frequently lose targets due to their IR seekers having a narrow field of view, or the missile not being manoeuvrable enough to keep on the tail of the target. In 1968, a team of engineers working at Hawker Siddeley Dynamics (the missiles division of Hawker Siddeley) began work on a new short-range air-to-air missile to address these shortcomings; the company funded the project as a private venture under the name "Taildog". The missile was to have an IR seeker with a wide field of view, capable of keeping track of targets under all conditions and would have to be extremely manoeuvrable.

The Taildog missile would be 2 m long and make use of thrust vectoring to give it excellent manoeuvrability. In 1970, the Ministry of Defence (MoD) decided that a new air-to-air missile with better manoeuvrability than the other missiles that were in service at the time was required. Hawker Siddeley Dynamics adapted their Taildog missile design to meet the new requirements and after evaluation, they were awarded the contract in 1972. Work on the programme continued under the name of Short Range Air-to-Air Missile or SRAAM. The SRAAM would be bigger than the Taildog (2.75 m long instead of 2 m) and feature a better thrust vectoring system. Due to budget cuts, the government cancelled the SRAAM program in 1974, instead choosing to pursue the Skyflash missile (a British upgrade to the United States AIM-7 Sparrow missile). The SRAAM program continued however until 1978 as a technology demonstrated.

In 1977, Hawker Siddeley Dynamics merged with the missiles division of British Aircraft Corporation (BAC) to form BAe Dynamics (other companies, including the rest of Hawker Siddeley, merged to form the remainder of British Aerospace (BAe). Starting in 1980 BAe Dynamics used research from the SRAAM programme to help with the development of the Advanced Short Range Air-to-Air Missile (ASRAAM), which is still in use to this day.

The SRAAM was 2.75 m long and weighed 70 kg. In-flight the missile was carried in a lunch tube to protect it until it was fired; once fired the missile had a series of small fins which unfolded to air stability (although they were fixed in place once deployed so did not help control the missile). In the life of the programme eight missiles were fired, some of which from Hawker hunter F.6 XG210. There was an incident during testing where immediately after launch the missile turned sharply after launch and almost collided with the Hunter that fired it.

The SRAAM has also been seen on the Trainer 2 seat version of the [[Harrier GR.1]], they were only mounted for exhibition purposes.

== Media ==

{{Youtube-gallery|kxWhI8VTd14|How to use the SRAAMS in Warthunder ''-hachersk_Anon'' '''([https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/454482-wiki-war-thunder-wiki-short-guides-competition/ Short Guides] Competition Winner)'''|3Zgt3Ep2ADM|'''The Shooting Range #150''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:06 discusses the SRAAM.}}

== See also ==


* [[AIM-9L]] a missile with the joint highest overload in the game (20 G)
* [[AIM-9D]] / [[AIM-9E]] other fixed-wing aircraft-mounted missiles with an uncaged seeker

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6206-development-hunter-f-6-winged-comfort-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Hunter F.6: Winged Comfort]] (has section on SRAAM)
* [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/SRAAM Wikipedia - SRAAM]

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Harrier GR.1

2021-04-06T14:43:50Z

U41237270: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = British strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Harrier (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=harrier_gr1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} British strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]]. Like all members of the [[Harrier (Family)|Harrier family]], the Harrier GR.1 is a [[VTOL]] aircraft with thrust vectoring nozzles, which allow it to take off and land vertically.

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

The Harrier GR.1 has an impressive climb rate, though it is put down by Soviet jets that it may face, like the [[MiG-19PT]], [[Su-7B]], and [[Su-7BKL]]. The Harrier's climb rate also suffers the more armament it carries; even just 4 [[SRAAM]]s drops the climb rate from 80 m/s to 68.2 m/s. Equipping 4 x 1,000 lb [[G.P. Mk.I (1,000 lb)|G.P. Mk.I]] bombs cuts the climb rate by more than half. Because the Pegasus engine loses thrust at higher altitudes, the climb rate decreases with it.

The Pegasus engine has amazing low-altitude acceleration, but continues to suffer more at higher altitudes. In the early game, the [[Harrier (Family)]] planes will usually be seen pulling ahead of planes with afterburner (From the airfield, air spawns start the planes with a higher top speed at a higher start speed), but the subsonic status makes the planes with a higher speed catch up after a bit.

The turn rate of the GR.1 is mediocre compared to other planes it may face, especially planes from the [[F-86 (Family)]] and the previously mentioned Soviet planes. The rate of turn suffers the higher it climbs, as with the climb rate. Takeoff flaps, with their very high limit, can be utilized to turn sharper, as well as using the [[VTOL]] function correctly.

'''''Controls tend to lock up at altitudes over 7,000 m (23,000 feet), because of the massive lost of thrust in the Pegasus engine.'''''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! 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
| 1,124 || 1,118 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.5 || 33.9 || 63.0 || 61.5 || rowspan="2" | 550
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,143 || 1,133 || 31.5 || 32.0 || 98.5 || 80.0
|-
|}

==== 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 
|-
|}

{| 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 || 829 || 556 || ~14 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 648 || < 950 || < 790 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic Mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot, engine oil, and full water tank; but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Rolls-Royce Pegasus Mk.101 || 1
| colspan="2" | 5,868 kg || colspan="3" | 439 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel
|-
| 1,640 kg || colspan="2" | Vectored-thrust low-bypass turbofan
| 6,542 kg || 7,216 kg || 7,890 kg || 8,160 kg || 12,679 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
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 8,708 kgf || 9,240 kgf
| 1.41 || 1.28 || 1.17 || 1.13 || 0.73
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 8,708 kgf (0 km/h) || 9,240 kgf (0 km/h)
| 1.41 || 1.28 || 1.17 || 1.13 || 0.73
|-
|}
{{Notice|The Pegasus engine loses a significant amount of thrust as your speed increases}}

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


The Harrier GR.1 has no armour. The engine and all fuel tanks are packed in a tight cluster in the centre of the fuselage. However, a Harrier with critical damage, even losing both wings, can often still make it back to the airfield. This has to be done at VTOL speeds, meaning under 300 km/h, making you a big target.

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

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

{{main|ADEN Mk.4 (30 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 30 mm ADEN Mk.4 cannons, belly-mounted (200 rpg = 400 total)

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

{{main|H.E. M.C. Mk.II (500 lb)|G.P. Mk.I (1,000 lb)|SRAAM|SNEB type 23}}

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

* Without load
* 5 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 4 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 3 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 108 x SNEB type 23 rockets
* 4 x SRAAM missiles
* 4 x SRAAM missiles + 3 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (1,500 lb total)
* 4 x SRAAM missiles + 3 x 1,000 lb G.P. Mk.I bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 4 x SRAAM missiles + 72 x SNEB type 23 rockets

== Usage in battles ==


Despite having a weaker engine than other members of the [[Harrier (Family)|Harrier family]], the Harrier GR.1 still possesses exceptional acceleration and rate of climb. Coupled with a decent selection of load-outs (including the extremely powerful [[SRAAM]] missiles), and VTOL capability; this makes the Harrier GR.1 a very potent aircraft for both air-to-air combat and ground attack.

Generally a good way to start the game in the Harrier GR.1, when you are are facing aircraft around your BR or lower, is to takeoff and use your incredible accelerate and climb rate to get up and above the enemy aircraft. Climb slightly to the side of the battle and once you have sufficient altitude begin to swoop down on enemy aircraft below you, dispensing of them with your SRAAMs, or ADEN cannons. When climbing it is best to keep the throttle at only 90-95%, and to not use WEP; even at 90% throttle the mighty Pegasus engine is still capable of giving the Harrier a very impressive climb rate. This is advisable as the Harrier only has about 90 seconds of total WEP time, and there are better uses for it than climbing; in addition the Pegasus engine is not designed to be run a full power for extended periods of time and will overheat if left on 100% throttle for too long. As the battle goes on you can drop down to lower altitude to engage your enemies; you should generally avoid turn fighting, instead opting to make high speed attacks from the side of enemies. How much fuel you take is up to you: the minimum load of 10 minutes gives you an incredible thrust to weight ratio and can be enough for short battles, however it is not enough to last longer battles without refuelling.

When facing enemy aircraft which are mostly above your BR (i.e. top tier jets) you need to be much more cautious when taking the climbing approach. Against top tier jets the Harrier's climb rate is less impressive, and being at high altitude leaves you vulnerable to attack from long range [[Air-to-air_missiles#Semi-Active_Radar_Homing_.28SARH.29_missiles|semi-active radar homing air-to-air missile]], an issue exacerbated by the Harrier GR.1's lack of a radar warning receiver. In such battles it is better to stay low and fast, picking off top tier jets with fast approaches from the side, or by forcing an overshoot (thrust vectoring helps with this).
[[File:Harrier SRAAM Kill.mp4|thumb|400px|right|Getting a side-attack kill with an SRAAM. When launched in this way the SRAAMs are extremely hard to dodge.]]
The primary air-to-air weapon of the Harrier GR.1 are its four incredibly powerful [[SRAAM]] missiles. The SRAAMs are missiles of extremes, outside of 1.0 - 1.2 km they are near useless, however once you get to within 1.2 km of your target they transform into one of the hardest missiles in the game to dodge. The thrust vectoring nature of SRAAMs make them extremely manoeuvrable and hard to dodge, but mean the missiles cannot manoeuvre at all after the motor burns out, significantly limiting their range. To get the most out of SRAAMs you need to play to their advantages, the SRAAMs' poor range means that firing them from directly behind a target while chasing them is not the best idea unless you are very close, have a speed advantage, or the target is manoeuvring. Instead, the optimal way to use SRAAMs is to approach perpendicular to the target and attempt to obtain a lock from as far out as possible. With a lock obtained you should close on the target from the side; as you approach the 1.2 km mark you should turn into the target and "lead" the missile like you would your guns. Fire the missile within 1 km of the target and there is little they will be able to do about it; the SRAAM's extreme manoeuvrability allows them to follow the target through most evasive manoeuvres. A video of this method can be seen to the right. A key weakness of the SRAAMs (other than their limited range) is that they are highly susceptible to flares. You should either pick targets not equipped with flares, or if a target is equipped with flares try to attack when they are distracted or approach from an angle where you will hopefully not be noticed until it is too late.

While the addition of SRAAMs makes the Harrier GR.1 a potent fighter, it was designed as a ground attack aircraft, and it is very capable at filling this role in-game. The Harrier GR.1 has a good selection of bombs or rockets, coupled with a [[Ballistic Computer|ballistic computer]] providing CCIP this makes the Harrier a powerful ground attacker in both air and ground battles. In air battles the two ADEN cannons are very effective at killing ground targets up to medium tanks and light pillboxes (a task made easier with the ballistic computer), and have a plentiful ammo supply. The ability to reliably kill ground targets is useful for both opportunistic attacks for extra RP and for winning matches (if it comes to it).

The defining feature of the Harrier GR.1 is of course its [[VTOL]] (Vertical Take Off and Landing) capability; while this might at first seem like a "party trick" with limited utility there are situations where it can be surprisingly useful. Obviously VTOL allows for short/vertical takeoffs, and while conventional takeoffs are usually the better option (you typically get up to speed quicker) there are occasions where such capability is desirable (e.g. getting out of the way of players strafing the airfield). A more useful feature of VTOL on takeoff is that it allows the Harrier to take-off from aircraft carriers. Taking off from carriers allows you approach the battle from a different angle, sometimes this an be tactically useful depending on how you want to play the match. Where carriers particularly come in useful is if you need to rearm, but suspect the enemy is waiting for you at your main airfield. Some maps allow you to chose from multiple aircraft carriers to spawn on. These will be one of the [[wt:en/news/6925-development-new-ai-aircraft-carriers-en|three modern carriers]]; there is little to choose from between USS Forrestal and HMS Ark Royal (the Forrestal is a bit larger), however Baku is a little more interesting. If you go with USS Forrestal and HMS Ark Royal you get a speed boost on conventional takeoff (simulating a catapult launch); on Baku you get no such boost, requiring you to use your VTOL capability, but the Baku does have significantly better anti-air protection than the other carriers. Regardless of which aircraft carrier you land on the Harrier has no tail hook or drogue chute, so you will need to make use of your VTOL capability when landing.

Where the Harrier's VTOL capability makes the aircraft unique is in the ability to vector the exhaust nozzles to any angle you want during forward flight, at any speed. Vectoring the nozzles will typically lead to very rapid speed loss and therefore should only be done in certain situations. The most basic use of thrust vectoring is for forcing an overshoot, with the air brake deployed and nozzles fully vectored (so pointing slightly in reverse) the Harrier will slow down quite a bit faster than other aircraft; you can use this to make the aircraft on your tail overshoot then hit them with an SRAAM as they fly past. This technique should only be used as a last resort in one-on-one battles though, as you will lose all of your energy and leave you vulnerable to any other enemy aircraft in the area. A more advanced use is to vector the nozzles during turns to enhance turning performance; while deflecting the nozzles will make you lose speed quicker and thus hurt sustained turning performance it can sometimes give you the little bit extra instantaneous turning performance you need to get guns on target, or dodge an enemy attack. You will need to practice and find for yourself the correct balance between turning performance and speed loss in different situations. A more obscure situation in which thrust vectoring can help is when pulling out of a dive, if you have left it too late then pointing the nozzles downwards can sometimes give you enough lift to avoid hitting the ground.

In Ground RB, usually planes have to fly back to their airfield to rearm/repair. In the Harrier, the VTOL capability can be used to land on helicopter pads which are closer to the battlefield, saving precious time, but exposing the aircraft to hostile CAS and helicopters.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Exceptional thrust to weight ratio
* Extremely good acceleration
* Is a thrust vectoring VTOL aircraft
** Can take off/land vertically
** Nozzles can be deflected in flight to help with manoeuvring
** In Ground RB, it can land on helicopter pads to get back into the battle faster
* Extremely powerful [[SRAAM]] missiles
* Has a [[Ballistic Computer]]

'''Cons:'''

* Limited WEP duration of ~90 seconds
* Engine overheats if left at high throttle setting for too long
* Although deflecting nozzles in flight can help with manoeuvrability doing so bleeds a lot of speed
* Weaker engine than other [[Harrier (Family)|Harriers]]
* Many opponents have flares which can effectively counter [[SRAAM]] missiles
* Engine performance declines as the altitude increases

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/6918-development-jump-jets-arrive-in-war-thunder-meet-the-harrier-en|Devblog]] ===
In the late 1950's, the Bristol company was conducting work on developing an engine featuring innovative thrust vectoring technology. Hawker, impressed with the new engine, began closely working with Bristol to develop an aircraft which could successfully harness the full potential of the Pegasus thrust vectoring engine. The basic idea was to design an aircraft with V/STOL capabilities. From that point, the project became known as the P.1127.

In the early 1960's, a growing interest for V/STOL strike aircraft could be observed among most NATO member states. This resulted in an agreement between the US, Great Britain and West Germany in 1961 to order nine modified versions of the P.1127 - the first versions of which were test flown in the previous year - as evaluators. At the same time, the British evaluation aircraft received the designation Kestrel FGA.1.

Despite suffering setbacks with the P.1154 - a supersonic version of the aircraft developed by Hawker in parallel - evaluations of the Kestrel continued as planned during the early 1960's and concluded in November of 1965. After the P.1154 was ultimately cancelled, the RAF, pleased with the evaluation results of the Kestrel, put up a requirement to modify the Kestrel and placed an order for six pre-production aircraft, designated P.1127 (RAF). Following its maiden flight in August of 1966, the RAF extended the purchase order to 60 production aircraft, now receiving the official designation Harrier GR.1.

The Harrier GR.1 undertook its maiden flight in December 1967 and officially entered service with the RAF in April of 1969. Being involved early on with the aircraft's development, the US also expressed interest in procuring the Harrier. This ultimately resulted in a partnership agreement between Hawker Siddeley and McDonnell Douglas in the late 1960's for a large delivery of Harriers to the USMC in the early 1970's. In US service, the aircraft would receive the designation 'AV-8 Harrier'.

The Harrier was initially deployed with British forces in West Germany in the early 1970's. However, the Harrier saw the peak of its service career during the Falkland War in 1982, flying both ground attack as well as combat air patrol missions (modification Sea Harrier FRS.1) with great success, thus earning itself a high reputation.

Apart from British and American service, variants of the Harrier were also operated by Spain, Thailand and India. In total, around 270 Harriers were produced across all variants with the last being decommissioned from active service in the early 2000's. The original Harrier was subsequently succeeded by a further developed variant - the Harrier II - but more importantly, it had successfully proven the viability of V/STOL aircraft, thus generating a sustained interest in such designs which can still be seen today.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=britain&vehicleType=aircraft&vehicleClass=fighter&vehicle=harrier_gr1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:Harrier GR.1 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Harrier GR.1 WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Harrier GR.1 WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Harrier GR.1 WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Harrier GR.1 WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Harrier GR.1 WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
</gallery>
<gallery mode="packed" heights="250">
File:Harrier GR.1A XV755.png|A Harrier GR.1A (XV755) pulling away from the burning wreck of an enemy after firing an SRAAM at close range.Note the port side missile cover missing, indicating a fired missile
File:Harriers XV755 & XZ145.png|2 Harrier GR.1s of No.1 Sqn RAF (marketplace camo) & 899 Naval Air Squadron (user skin) are seen flying in formation during a battle
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|-Z0ihOEb1tw|'''The Shooting Range #230''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


*[[Harrier GR.3]]
*[[AV-8A]]
*[[AV-8C]]
*[[Yak-38]]
*[[Yak-38M]]
*[[Jaguar GR.1]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6918-development-jump-jets-arrive-in-war-thunder-meet-the-harrier-en|[Devblog] Jump Jets arrive in War Thunder: Meet the Harrier]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/504155-harrier-gr1/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Hawker}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}
{{Britain premium aircraft}}

M3 Browning (12.7 mm)

2020-08-06T13:23:06Z

U41237270: /* Pros and cons */

== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


{{Navigation-Start|Vehicles equipped with this weapon}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|b_48_firecrest}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Twin-engine fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|f-82e}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Jet fighters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-80}}{{Specs-Link|f-80}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-84}}{{Specs-Link|f-84b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g_italy}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-86}}{{Specs-Link|f-86_cl_13_mk4_italy}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86_canadair_german}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86_cl_13b_mk6}}
{{Navigation-Line| }}{{Specs-Link|f-86a-5}}
{{Navigation-Line| }}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-25}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-30_japan}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-30_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-35}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-40_japan}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-40_japan_blue_impulse}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-40_china}}
{{Navigation-Line|G.91}}{{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_ps}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r4}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r4_german}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Jet bombers'''}}{{Specs-Link|b-57b}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Attack helicopters'''}}{{Specs-Link|h_34}} (Suspended)

{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==
''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.''

=== Available ammunition ===
''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).''

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the cannon/machine gun in the game - its distinctive features, tactics of usage against notable opponents. Please don't write a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought.''

=== Pros and cons ===
''Summarise and briefly evaluate the weaponry in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark pros and cons as a list.''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon 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 weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-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>.''

== 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 article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by 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 weapon;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Aircraft machine guns}}

[[Category:Aircraft machine guns]]

M3 Browning (12.7 mm)

2020-08-06T13:22:23Z

U41237270: /* Pros and cons */

== Description ==
''Write an introduction to the article in 2-3 small paragraphs. Briefly tell us about the history of the development and combat using the weaponry and also about its features. Compile a list of air, ground, or naval vehicles that feature this weapon system in the game.''

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


{{Navigation-Start|Vehicles equipped with this weapon}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|b_48_firecrest}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Twin-engine fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|f-82e}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Jet fighters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-80}}{{Specs-Link|f-80}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-84}}{{Specs-Link|f-84b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g_italy}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-86}}{{Specs-Link|f-86_cl_13_mk4_italy}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86_canadair_german}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86_cl_13b_mk6}}
{{Navigation-Line| }}{{Specs-Link|f-86a-5}}
{{Navigation-Line| }}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-25}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-30_japan}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-30_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-35}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-40_japan}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-40_japan_blue_impulse}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-40_china}}
{{Navigation-Line|G.91}}{{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_ps}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r4}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r4_german}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Jet bombers'''}}{{Specs-Link|b-57b}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Attack helicopters'''}}{{Specs-Link|h_34}} (Suspended)

{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==
''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the cannon or machine gun.''

=== Available ammunition ===
''Describe the shells that are available for the weapon and their features and purpose. If it concerns autocannons or machine guns, write about different ammo belts and what is inside (which types of shells).''

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of cannons/machine guns that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the cannon/machine gun in the game - its distinctive features, tactics of usage against notable opponents. Please don't write a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought.''

=== Pros and cons ===
''The M3 Brownings are weak but they make up for it in fire rate and a high muzzle velocity''

'''Pros:'''

* High fire rate
* Access to the flamethrower API-T rounds
* Relatively high muzzle velocity

*

'''Cons:'''

* Deals relatively low damage compared to cannons.

*

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon 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 weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-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>.''

== 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 article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by 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 weapon;''
* ''other literature.''

{{Aircraft machine guns}}

[[Category:Aircraft machine guns]]

F-86F-40 JASDF (Japan)

2020-08-06T12:12:07Z

U41237270: /* Usage in battles */

{{Specs-Card
|code=f-86f-40_japan_blue_impulse
|store=6681
}}
{{About
| about = premium jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the regular version
| link-1 = F-86F-40 (Japan)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = F-86 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]].

== 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" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level)
! 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
| 1,095 || 1,088 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.4 || 24.9 || 38.8 || 36.3 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,115 || 1,106 || 22.1 || 23.0 || 55.8 || 46.5
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 620 || 620 || 350 || ~11 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 850 || < 600 || < 650 || N/A
|-
|}

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | Empty mass || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | General Electric J47-GE-27 || 1
| colspan="2" | 5,490 kg || colspan="2" | 232 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 7m fuel || 20m fuel || 26m fuel
|-
| 1,150 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 5,848 kg || 6,490 kg || 6,786 kg || 9,530 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="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 7m fuel || 20m fuel || 26m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 2,626 kgf || N/A
| 0.45 || 0.41 || 0.39 || 0.28
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 2,626 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.45 || 0.41 || 0.39 || 0.28
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===

The plane is equipped at the front with 2 steel plates, each 6.35mm thick. The cockpit has a 38mm bullet proof glass that protects the pilot's torso and head. The backseat is made of 12.7mm of steel which protects the pilot's back while his head is further protected by another 20mm steel plate.

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

{{main|M3 Browning (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 6 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,800 total)

The F86F-40 JASDF were U.S. airframes assembled by Mitsubishi in Japan, and they offered the same offensive armament of many of it's Saber brethren, namely the 6 x M3 Browning 12.7 mm/.50 calibre machine guns. These machine guns are similar in performance to their predecessor, the M2 Browning; however, they excelled with a significantly higher rate of fire. The total ammunition count for this aircraft is 1,800 rounds, divided up with 300 rounds per gun. Ammunition belts for this aircraft are conventional 12.7 mm belts found on U.S. aircraft, and typically the tracer belts permit for the quickest correction of aim. Other belts may be utilised as necessary and depending on play-style such as the Stealth belts; however, these should be used by skilled pilots who already understand the firing aspects of the M3 Brownings and bullet performance. One challenge with the Stealth belts is the lack of tracers, making it much harder to correct aim when solely relying on visual clues.

=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|AN-M65A1 Fin M129 (1,000 lb)|AIM-9B Sidewinder|HVAR}}

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

* Without load
* 16 x HVAR rockets
* 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles

The unguided rockets out-fitted on this aircraft are the familiar American HVARs, which can be used against slow-moving bombers or ground target vehicles and anti-aircraft guns. Since the HVARs are a fire-and-forget rocket, they work best against either stationary targets or against slow-moving targets which may not be able to avoid inbound rockets. Another option for suspended ordnances includes bombs, namely the 1,000 lbs AN-M65A1 bombs. Two of these bombs is all that this aircraft can safely carry, but these bombs will do considerable damage against ground units, ships and bases. While performing bombing runs, always be on the lookout for enemy fighters attempting to swoop in and eliminate the F-86F-40 which may be flying slower and lower than typical. For air-to-air combat, using the Aim-9B missiles to complement the M3 Browing machine guns makes for a deadly combination. These missiles are best used in close quarters, anywhere from 600 - 800 m which minimizes the opportunity for the enemy pilot to evade or out-fly the missiles. It is quite possible for the enemy to avoid the in-bound missile; however, this provides the attacking aircraft with the opportunity to manoeuvre in and take out the fighter with its machine guns. Hopefully, the enemy fighter has bled any energy advantage it may have had presenting itself as an ideal target for the machine guns.

== Usage in battles ==

While the F-86F-40's acceleration and top speed are lacking compared to its contemporaries, the F-86F-40's slats allow the plane to have an outstanding maneuvrability. That said, one must beware of their speed as pulling high maneuvres at high and max speed can put the plane under great stress which leads to the wings falling appart. The outstanding maneuvrability comes at the cost of speed. Pulling hard turns will bleed your air speed. Try to climb up before engaging the enemy to ensure you have enough energy to get out of a sticky situation. Hopefully, there will be a furball underneath you where you would be able to pounce on low-energy fighters with your guns or the AIM-9B. One advantage the F-86 has over the jets of other nations is the large ammo count of its 6 x 50 cals (1,800) although it would be wise to hit most of your shoots. Try staying above 500 km/h as any slower and you would lose a significant amount of energy in a pro-longed turn.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! Survivability
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage repair
| Compressor
|
| Offensive 12 mm
|
|-
| II
| New boosters
|
| Airframe
|
| FRC mk.2
|-
| III
| Wings repair
| Engine
|
| New 12 mm MGs
| FLBC mk.1
|-
| IV
| G-suit
|
| Cover
|
| AIM-9B
|-
! colspan="6" | This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Outstanding manoeuvrability
* Can wield air-to-air missiles
* Lot of ammo for the 12.7 mm M3
* Air-to-ground armament, such as bombs and missiles

'''Cons:'''

* Mediocre acceleration
* Mediocre top speed
* Weak armament
* High speed manoeuvres can lead to wings breaking apart

== History ==

Following the formal founding of the JASDF in 1954, the North American F-86F was selected as the nascent air force's day-fighter jet. Originally, the USAF expected to be able to deliver all of the JASDF's fighters from its stocks of surplus aircraft since the Sabre was slated for replacement by supersonic fighter jets, but with production of the F-86F-35-NA having been wound down in August of 1954 it was soon realised that existing stocks would be insufficient to cover the orders for the Sabre made by many of the Allied nations. Additionally, negotiations between Japan and the United States resulted in a license agreement being struck which would eventually see Mitsubishi cover production of the F-86F for the JASDF. However, as production facilities would first have to be set up for this, a first block of F-86Fs would be delivered to the JASDF.

To cover the shortfall of F-86s for export, production of the F-86 was restarted by North American. The new production block, the F-86F-40-NA, differed from the preceding production block in having a new wing. While Blocks 25 to 35 had been equipped with the slatless 6-3 wing, the Block 40 saw the airframe retain the 6-3 proportioned wing, but with an introduction of the slats in order to improve low-speed handling, and the wingtips extended so the overall span was increased from 37.12 to 39.11 ft. This lowered the stall speed of the F-86F-40-NA from 144 to 124 mph, and decreased the take-off run by 800 ft. Despite these modifications adding 250 lb to the F-86F-40-NA's weight when compared with the earlier F-86F-35-NA, overall performance remained the same.

Production of a first block of 'export' F-86F-40-NA's was approved on June 27th 1955, with a block of 215 aircraft being ordered for delivery to the Japanese and Spanish Air Forces. As these aircraft were purchased with MDAP funds, they were assigned USAF serial numbers 55-3816 to -4030. In 1956 an additional 65 aircraft were added to the order, with some aircraft intended for delivery to Pakistan: these aircraft received USAF serial numbers 55-4983 to 5047.

Of these 280 aircraft, 150 were slated for delivery to Japan. In Japanese service, this first block of aircraft was assigned the serial numbers 62-7431 to -7580, with deliveries taking place between April and December of 1956. Due to a lack of pilots, the last 45 aircraft from this block - 7536 to 7580 - were directly put into storage; in 1959 they were returned to the USAF.

The next block of 70 aircraft was the first batch assembled by Mitsubishi from North American-produced knock down kits, known as the F-86F-40-MIT. As these aircraft too had been funded by the MDAP program, they were assigned USAF serials 55-5048 to -5117; in JASDF service they were renumbered as 62-7701 to -7704; and 72-7705 to -7770. The first Japanese-assembled F-86F flew on August 9th 1956; the last of this block was delivered on December 17th 1957.

The second block of Mitsubishi-built F-86Fs was once again assembled by Mitsubishi from North American-produced knock down kits; the 110 aircraft were assigned USAF serial block 56-2773 to -2882, and received JASDF serial numbers 72-7771 to -7772; 82-7773 to -7868; and 92-7869 to 7880. The first aircraft from this block was accepted into service on December 28th 1957; the last was delivered on February 14th 1959.

The third and final block of 120 Mitsubishi-built F-86Fs was assigned USAF serial block 57-6338 to -6457, and received JASDF serial numbers 92-7881 to -7940; 02-7941 to -7991; and 12-7992 to -7999; the last aircraft delivered was - oddly - given the serial number 12-7000 instead of 12-8000. The first aircraft of this last production block was handed over to the JASDF on February 28th 1959; the last aircraft delivered - and very last F-86 Sabre built - was delivered on February 24th 1961.

(Under the JASDF numbering scheme, aircraft from the 62- serial block were accepted into service in 1956; 72- in 1957, etc.)

In all, 480 F-86Fs were delivered to the JASDF: 10 USAF-surplus F-86F-25-NHs; 20 USAF-surplus F-86F-30-NAs; 150 North American-built F-86F-40-NAs (of which 45 were returned to the USAF without being used); and 300 Mitsubishi-built F-86F-40-MITs. These aircraft were used to equip 17 Squadrons of the JASDF, these being the JASDF GHQ Squadron at Iruma; 103rd, 201st and 203rd Squadrons of the 2nd Fighter Wing at Chitose; the 101st, 102nd and 105th Squadrons of the 3rd Fighter Wing at Matsushima; the 5th and 7th Squadrons of the 4th Fighter Wing at Matsushima; the 4th and 205th Squadrons of the 6th Fighter Wing at Komatsu; the 206th and 207th Squadrons of the 7th Fighter Wing at Hyakuri; the 202nd and 204th Squadrons of the 5th Fighter Wing at Nyutabaru; the 82nd Squadron at Iwakuni; and the 501th Squadron of Reconnaissance Command at Iruma, the latter unit using a mixture of F-86F fighters and RF-86F reconnaissance fighters.

From 1959 onwards, the F-86F-40s of the JASDF were modified so they could carry the Philco-Ford GAR-8 (AIM-9B) Sidewinder.

The F-86Fs of the JASDF were supplemented by the F-86D Sabre Dog in the night/all weather interceptor role from 1957 onwards; from 1964 onwards numerous of the F-86F units started converting to the Lockheed/Mitsubishi F-104J Starfighter. Even so, the Japanese F-86F was destined for a very long service life, remaining in service as a combat trainer long after they had been replaced in front-line service. The very last JASDF F-86F-40 was withdrawn from active service on March 15th 1982. As the JASDF F-86Fs had been procured under the MDAP program, the aircraft nominally remained USAF property even during their JASDF service; following their retirement many of these aircraft were returned to USAF control and 'returned' to the United States, where most were converted to unmanned QF-86F target drones.

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

== See also ==


;Related development

* Canadair [[F-86 (Family)|Sabre]] (those Sabres manufactured with the designator "CL")
* North American [[F-86K (France)|F-86D]] Sabre
* North American [[F-100D|F-100]] Super Sabre
* North American [[FJ-4B|FJ-4]] Fury

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Dassault [[Super Mystere B2|Super Mystère]]
* Grumman [[F9F-8|F-9]] Cougar
* Hawker [[Hunter F.1|Hunter]]
* Lavochkin [[La-15]]
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-15]]
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-17]]
* Saab [[J29D|J29]] Tunnan

== External links ==


* [http://dansa.minim.ne.jp/His-Mil-F86F-000-Index.htm <nowiki>[dansa.minim.ne.jp]</nowiki> Aviation History Museum - Short history of the F-86F]
* [http://www.joebaugher.com/usaf_fighters/p86_13.html <nowiki>[joebaugher.com]</nowiki> North American F-86F-40-NA]

{{Manufacturer MHI}}
{{AirManufacturer NAA}}
{{Japan jet aircraft}}
{{Japan premium aircraft}}