War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

M4 (WT Mobile)

2024-08-13T17:34:19Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m4_sherman_promo
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "La Royale"]] as a [[wt:en/news/8405-a-sound-of-thunder-the-release-of-war-thunder-mobile-en|promotional reward for the release of War Thunder Mobile]].

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

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:'''



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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50.8 mm (56°) ''Front glacis'' 50.8 mm (12-56°) ''Transmission area'' 50.8 (13-20°) + 25.4 mm (35°) ''Protruding hatches'' || 38.1 mm 38.1 + 25.4 mm ''Appliqué addition'' || 38.1 mm (0-10°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (33-64°) ''Bottom'' || 19.5 mm ''Sides'' 12.7 mm ''Engine deck and center''
|-
| Turret || 76.2-88.9 mm (4-67°) ''Turret front'' 50.8 + 88.9 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 50.8 mm (0-68°) || 50.8 mm (2-66°) || 25.4 mm
|-
| Cupola || 50.8 mm || 50.8 mm || 50.8 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, bogies are 10 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Front armour has two protruding areas for driver and co-driver hatches. These are weak points as they present a flat armour surface.
* Belly armour is 12.7 mm thick.

Though most high-end anti-tank weapons can cleave through the M4 Sherman's front armour rather easily, some smaller-calibre weapons less than 75 mm would have some trouble going against the front armour. In these cases, aim for weak points like the protruding hatches in the front sloping armour, the crest of the transmission housing, where the slope is minimum in both areas or the machine gun port from the hull. The turret has a very robust construction so if there is no faith in penetrating through the front hull easily, don't bother trying to penetrate the turret from the front except for the very small weak point on the gunner's position of the turret.

If a shot can be made to the M4 Sherman's sides, send it towards the front half of the tank where it would either cripple the crew or ignite one of the ammunition racks strewn all over the internals.

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

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}

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

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

{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 97 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Vertical|up to 24 km/h}} || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M3 (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M48 shell, M61 shot, M89}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''97''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 575 || -10°/+25° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The M4 Sherman is an effective medium-range combat tank. Equipped with a fast-firing 75 mm gun and with good handling characteristics, the M4 can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.

In battle the M4 performs well as an all-rounder; the thick turret front and 10 degrees of gun depression make the tank ideal for taking hull-down positions which protect the thinner hull armour from being penetrated by enemy fire. The sloped front upper glacis, when angled, also provides good protection against enemy fire. An unusual - and useful - difference is that the upper glacis is sloped at 56 degrees rather than the standard 45 degrees, making it more of a threat and more powerful due to improving the chances of a round ricochet. The only downfall may be the 2 crew member position in the front that protrudes out to form a flat surface, but both are covered with an additional 20 mm plate. The reasonable mobility of the Sherman makes flanking a viable tactic. The main weakness of the M4 is the side armour - not only is it vertical and thin, but behind it most of the ammunition is stowed. The tall silhouette of the tank also makes finding suitable cover difficult. Overall, the M4 Sherman can be considered as an armoured jack-of-all-trades - it will serve a tanker well, however it will not excel in any particular role.

In battle, try to use terrain as cover. Hull-down positions are especially strong in the M4 Sherman, as it has a good 10 degrees of gun depression. The gun mantlet and turret are reasonably strong, but avoiding shots is still the best strategy. In this respect, a hull-down position hides the vulnerable hull. If this is not available, then angling the hull armour to present a greater slope is often a good idea, as this can bounce some low-powered cannon at any range and at longer ranges, render the hull impenetrable.

Another way to play the M4 Sherman is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The M4 Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the M4 instantly. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre the KV tank. An organized attack will increase the M4 chances on the battlefield and success.

The presence of a pivot-mounted .50 calibre machine gun gives the Sherman some flexibility. It can engage softer targets such as some tank destroyers and many SPAAGs at short ranges when loading a HE shell would be inconvenient. While not ideal, they provide the Sherman tank with some measure of protection against aircraft- sometimes enough to dissuade a pilot from making another pass. It can be an effective rang-finder for targets at longer ranges where the M1919 in the turret would be less effective. While it pales in comparison to the destructive effect of tank guns, it provides the Sherman with some flexibility over other comparable vehicles, who are restricted to their rifle-calibre coaxial machine guns.

There will be concerns about certain vehicles:

* [[M4A2]] / [[M4A4 (1st PTG)|A4]] - These Sherman tanks are widely used by over 3 nations that spread across both the Allied and the Axis side, so no matter which nation you play they can be quite tough to destroy in the hands of a skilled tanker. Given the rather weak penetration of your short 75 mm gun, their hull can be almost impossible to penetrate when angled, hull down or 300 m away. For a M4A4, there are 2 apparent bulges on the upper front plate, a penetration through there can guarantee a knock-out most of the times. But in case the opponent covers them up or when it's a M4A2, aim for the middle parts of the gun mantlet or the turret armour unprotected by the mantlet, you can at least make them defenseless. Note that their guns are equally weak against you, so wiggle around to disrupt their aim while you reload, you have a good chance of bouncing some shells.

* [[Churchill (Family)]] - The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to penetrate at range. Again, manoeuvre as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200 m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89 mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armour, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.

* [[KV-1 (Family)]] - A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is the KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick frontal armour. If this heavy tank is encountered, try to shoot it in its sides and rear, where its armour is thinner and unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.

* [[Pz.IV (Family)]] - The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Shermans biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75 mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80 mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500 m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50 mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.

* [[StuG III F]]/[[StuG III G|G]] - Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75 mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to knock out the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly knock out this vehicle with a single shot. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges over 500 m to ensure penetration.

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a 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 - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==

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

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

'''Related development'''

* [[M4 Sherman (Family)]]
** [[M4]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{USA medium tanks}}

LVT(A)(4)

2024-08-13T17:31:26Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = American light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = LVT (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_lvt_a_4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Amphibious Vehicle, Tracked, Armoured, Mark 4 - LVT(A)(4)''' is the fourth armoured, infantry support variant of the [[LVT (Family)|Amphibious Vehicle, Tracked (LVT) family]]. The 37 mm M6 tank gun of the [[LVT(A)(1) (USA)|LVT(A)(1)]] was deemed insufficient for fire support by the U.S. Marines, thus the turret of the 75 mm Howitzer Motor Carriage M8 (HMC), also known as the [[M8 Scott|M8 "Scott"]], was modified to produce the LVT(A)(4). A 12.7 mm M2HB Browning heavy machine gun was mounted on the ring mount above the turret's rear. The two 7.62 mm M1919A4 light machine guns mounted on ring mounts on the aft deck behind the turret were removed. During World War II, a total of 1,890 units were built. The U.S. Army received 1,307 units, the British Army received 50, and the remaining units were used by the U.S. Marines.

Introduced during [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6703-event-winner-vehicles-for-the-victory-anniversary-en|2020 Victory Day]] event, the LVT(A)(4) is a premium beginner light tank under the U.S. Army ground forces. It has similar firepower to the M8 "Scott" but has the unique ability to traverse across water, which most tanks do not have. To keep afloat in the water, the tank is made of relatively thin steel plates and provides little protection against anything heavier than light machine gun fire. Due to the low muzzle velocity of the rounds, it is possible to shoot over low obstacles in some situations, allowing players to damage other lightly armoured vehicles without exposing themselves. Finally, the 12.7 mm M2HB Browning heavy machine gun can be highly effective while dealing with other lightly armoured vehicles as well as low and slow-flying aircraft in the beginner ranks.

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


Like its [[LVT(A)(1)|reserve rank brother]], the LVT(A)(4) is a big tank with lots of space between modules and crew. This allows some surprising survivability when facing tanks that have low-calibre single shot guns, and even some automatic cannons such as the ones equipped on the Panzer II's. The LVT(A)(4)'s biggest adversary is HE or HEAT ammunition, such as the kind fired from the Chi Ha's 57 mm and Panzer IV's 75 mm. The LVT(A)(4)'s hull armour is very thin, and is only effective against rifle-calibre machine guns. The turret armour is a different story. With decent angles and relatively good thickness the turret can cause a fair amount of shots to ricochet or bounce. The turret is open-topped however, and is vulnerable to artillery and air attacks.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 6.35 mm (84°) ''Upper glacis'' 12.7 mm (31°) ''Upper plate'' 6.35 mm (40°-80°) ''Lower glacis''
|6.35 mm ''Top'' 6.35 + 6.35 mm ''Bottom'' || 6.35 mm || 6.35 mm
|-
| Turret || 38.1 mm ''Turret front'' 12.7 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4-38.1 mm || 25.4 mm
!
|-
| Commander's MG Ring || colspan="4" | 25.4 + 11.75 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The gun barrel (10 mm) is wrapped in 12.7 mm of armour
* The turret for the most part is open-topped, but at the very rear there are 9.5 mm of armour
* Tracks and Suspension - 15 mm
* Turret Ring - 12.7 mm + 6.35 mm Turret Ring Guard (Hull)
* Fenders - 6.35 mm

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=387|rbMinHp=221}}

The LVT's mobility is adequate. On hard surfaces it easily reaches its top speed of around 38 km/h. On soft surfaces it needs more time to accelerate, and the top speed is lowered. The reverse speed is extremely poor, which can cause you to take unnecessary hits. The hull traverse is great, allowing you to quickly change direction, however a downside is that when you turn the hull to aim, you might over-turn and swing the gun past the target, increasing the aiming time which can be fatal.

Due to its big and tall tracks, the LVT can drive over some obstacles that are too tall for normal-sized tanks.

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

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

{{main|M2 Howitzer (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2 Howitzer (75 mm)|75 mm M2 Howitzer]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 46 || rowspan="2" | -20°/+40° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 5.71 || 7.91 ||9.60||10.62|| 11.29 || rowspan="2" | 4.29 || rowspan="2" | 3.80 || rowspan="2" | 3.50 || rowspan="2" | 3.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 3.57 || 4.20 || 5.10 || 5.64 || 6.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M2 Howitzer (75 mm)/Ammunition|M48 shell, M66, M64}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''46''' || 41 ''(+5)'' || 32 ''(+14)'' || 12 ''(+34)'' || 1 ''(+45)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 400 (200) || 576 || -5°/+70° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The LVT(A)(4) is a fantastic fighting vehicle, it has a powerful 75 mm cannon attached to an LVT chassis is a great platform to fire on and giving its high profile, it is well built to fire over walls and other impediments. It is easy to hide the hull on some maps, like Abandoned Factory or Poland. One of the biggest issues, however, is that the vehicle is very easy to destroy with overpressure, so be very wary of vehicles firing powerful HE or HEAT shells such as the [[Spj fm/43-44]] or the [[Sturmpanzer II]], because if they get a shot off on your tank it will be destroyed. However, with the .50 cal machine gun, if enemies miss or do not destroy your vehicle, you can fire off a few bursts and destroy their vehicles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good speed and manoeuvrability
* Five crew members with huge space between them increases survivability, especially when most guns it faces have small calibre and little explosive filler (e.g. the [[M3 Stuart (Family)|Stuart's]] 37 mm)
* Amphibious, meaning it can launch surprise attacks using rivers
* Amazing -20° gun depression allows excellent mountain combat ability
* Short reload time
* High penetration HEAT projectile
* High explosive filler will overpressure open-topped vehicles
* Heavy MG can effectively damage light vehicles and low-flying planes

'''Cons:'''

* Huge and tall hull makes it easy to be seen/shot at
* Very thin armour, can be penetrated by any cannon/heavy MG
* Easily destroyed with overpressure by large-calibre HE or HEAT shells, artillery strikes or air-dropped bombs
* Shells have low velocity which is a disadvantage in long range combat
* The crew in the open topped turret are very close together, meaning they can be taken out in a single shot or by aircraft
* Bad turret rotation, meaning it cannot respond to flankers in time
* Very slow reverse speed can prevent it from retreating back to cover in time

== History ==


=== Development and Design ===
The vehicle's origins is from a swamp-access vehicle called the ''Alligator'' made for civilians. Donald Roebling, its developer, built an improved version of his vehicle with better speed in water. The United States Marine Corps became interested in this amphibious design as they began drawing up their amphibious warfare doctrine. They requested a more sea-worthy version of the vehicle for use in their military operations. Though Roebling and the Navy were reclusive on that idea (the Navy believes they have the current vehicle in store already), the idea brought fruit when World War II broke out in Europe and Roebling created a military version. After a few trials with improvements like a stronger engine, the Bureau of Ships placed a contract for 100 of these vehicles with all-steel armour. The first ones arrive in July 1941, with 200 more ordered before the initial contract was finished. The vehicle design was adopted and designated the '''LVT''', with many different variants of the vehicle being produced throughout the war.

The first version of the LVT, the ''LVT-1'', could carry 18 men or 4,500 pounds of equipment. The Marines first used the LVT-1 in Guadalcanal with 128 available to 1st Marine Division. Usage in the field revealed that the LVT was too thinly armoured for a rapid deployment back and forth the ships and landing site, but the Marines saw the vehicle's potential as an assault vehicle. So in June 1941, the Marines push forward with a Roebling design of the LVT armed with a gun turret. In order for this to be possible, the LVT underwent a redesign into the ''LVT-2 "Buffalo"'', which had a new powertrain and suspension to allow better performances on land and able to carry up to 6,950 pounds in equipment.

Early on it became clear that the LVTs that were in production - which were usually armed with only machine guns - did not have the firepower necessary to support the infantry, especially when facing enemy pillboxes, bunkers, and other entrenched positions used by the Japanese Army. In order to solve this problem, a fire support vehicle based on the LVT-2 was designed. It had a turret that was very similar to the turret of the M3 Stuart light tank. Before the introduction of the better armed LVT(A)-4 in 1944, 510 LVT(A)-1 were built by the Food Machinery Corporation.

The LVT(A)-1 was based on the LVT-2, but with a number of changes to make it a support vehicle. The LVT(A)-1 was fitted with a turret very similar to that of the M3 Stuart, and it was armed with the same 37 mm M6 cannon with 10 degrees of gun depression and 25 degrees of elevation. The main gun was fitted in the M4 mount, and there was a coaxial .30 cal (7.62 mm) machine gun. At the rear of the vehicle, two .30 cal Browning M1919A4 machine guns were fitted, and the gunners were protected by standard Navy gun shields. The deck was armoured, and the vehicle was fully enclosed. The front of the turret had 51 mm (2-in) of armour, and the ammunition was stored a number of racks throughout the vehicle. The vehicle had a crew of six; a commander and gunner in the turret, the driver and machine gunner in the front of the crew compartment, and two machine gunners at the rear of the vehicle. The LVT(A)-1 was a pure fire support vehicle, as there was no room inside to transport personnel or cargo. All the other features of the LVT(A)-1 were the same as on the LVT-2.

The LVT(A)-4 was essentially just an LVT(A)-1 but equipped with a different turret. It was still based on the LVT-2, but it has the turret of the 75 mm Gun Motor Carriage M8 "Scott" instead of the turret of the M3 Stuart light tank. Additionally, the two rear machine gun positions were removed; this reduced the crew to five, with the commander, gunner, and loader in the turret and the driver and co-driver in the front crew compartment. In total, 1,890 LVT(A)-4 vehicles were built, and they largely replaced the LVT(A)-1 in service. The 75 mm gun was more effective against fortified positions, but the 37 mm gun of the LVT(A)-1 was as effective or more effective against enemy armour. But, the main goal of the LVT(A)-1 and -4 was to support the infantry, not to destroy enemy armour - which is why the LVT(A)-4 was more effective.

The LVT(A)-4 was itself the basis of an improved fire support version of the LVT, the LVT(A)-5. This was an improved model of the LVT(A)-4. It featured a gyro-stabilizer for the main gun, and a powered turret. In the late 1940s many LVT(A)-5 received additional armour plating. A total of 269 LVT(A)-5 were produced.

=== Service ===
The first usage of the LVT family is as a cargo carrier in Guadalcanal, it was unarmoured at the time and only had machine guns as their main armaments. Their next usage was in Tarawa, which saw the first usage of the newly designed LVT-2. The vehicles in both cases carried ammunition, troops, and wounded back and forth the ships and the beach. After Tarawa, the LVT inventory increased by the battalion, as well as the appearance of the gun-armed ''LVT(A)-1'' and ''LVT(A)-4''. The LVT family continued to see service in Bougainville, the Marshall Islands, Saipan, Peleliu, Leyte (its largest usage in the war), Iwo Jima, and Okinawa. The LVTs also saw use in South East Asia in use by the British, but they never saw combat action.

Outside the Pacific, the LVT also saw use in the European Theater of Operations. Their first usage was in North Africa in November 1942 during Operation Torch to land troops, where its best usage was to get stranded landing boats back into action. The LVTs were also given to the British as part of Lend-Lease. The LVTs were used in the Normandy landings and other operations in Europe such as crossing the Rhine River in Germany and Po River in Italy.

After World War II, the LVTs continued to see action in the multiple conflicts in the world. A number were given to the Chinese Nationalists in the Chinese Civil War by America. Many of these were captured by the Chinese PLA, with some converted to use a 75 mm howitzer or a ''[[ZiS-2 (57 mm)|ZIS-2]]'' anti-tank gun. The Americans used a number of LVT vehicles in the Korean War, notably the landing at Inchon and the attack on Seoul. The French also used American-supplied LVTs during the Indochina War and the Suez Crisis.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_lvt_a_4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
Image:LVT(A)(4) crossing tropical river.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zXMzZUi8_9I|'''The LVT(A)(4) Light Tank''' - ''Orangefan''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[LVT (Family)]]

'''Vehicles with similar weapon systems'''

* [[M8 Scott]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6703-event-winner-vehicles-for-the-victory-anniversary-en|[Event] Winner vehicles for the Victory anniversary]]
* [http://www.wardrawings.be/WW2/Files/1-Vehicles/Allies/1-USA/06-LVT/File/LVT(A)-4.htm <nowiki>[War Drawings]</nowiki> LVT(A)-4]

{{TankManufacturer Food Machinery Corporation (FMC)}}
{{USA light tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

Bf 109 E-7/U2

2024-08-11T01:03:37Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = German fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Bf 109 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=bf-109e-7
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_Bf_109_E-7_U2.jpg|ArtImage_Bf_109_E-7-U2.png}}
|market=Bf.109E-7/U2
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.53 "Firestorm"]]. It was a reward in the [[wt:en/news/3480--en|2015 Thunder League]] and later became available as a trophy chest reward in the [[Warbonds]] shop in [[wt:en/news/5432-news-how-can-you-get-premium-vehicles-warbonds-en|April 2018]], but is currently a rare vehicle that can only be obtained through the [[War Thunder Market|Marketplace]].

The Bf 109 E-7 offers little difference from its historic predecessor, the [[Bf 109 E-4]], but is a model produced from the experience gained from the E-4. Notable differences include a newly designed aerodynamic propeller hub and additional bomb racks, the bomb racks also allowing the usage of drop tanks to extend its combat range.

While essentially the same plane as the [[Bf 109 E-3]], the E-7 trades the inadequate MG FF for the MG FF/M, featuring the fantastic Minengeschoß round. With two wing-mounted [[MG FF/M (20 mm)|MG FF/M]] with 60 rounds each, the plane has an even more deadly punch, attributed solely to the new installed 20 mm HE shell. Fighting in the E-7/U2 is essentially the same as with all E-frame 109s.

Remaining a great energy fighter versus its historical opposition, the E-7 is somewhat troubled by the fact that it often faces mid-to-later war planes such as the [[P-47D-25]]. To engage these, make sure you have a clear energy advantage or, if attacked, fly defensively and attempt to bleed the enemies speed while pulling him down. The Bf 109 E-7/U2 is often not regarded as a good turner, a reputation coming out of the fact that its main rival, the [[Spitfire (Family)|Spitfire]], simply did it better. However, especially with combat flaps, the E-7 is a respectable turner able to out turn most planes that outperform it. Keep in mind though that one of the changes from E-3 to E-7 increased the frame's weight. Flat turning should only be reserved for extreme situations.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 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
| 554 || 543 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.3 || 22.7 || 11.8 || 14.0 || rowspan="2" | 390
|-
! Upgraded
| 604 || 580 || 20.1 || 21.0 || 22.4 || 17.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || 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}} || 487 || 471 || 280 || ~12 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 390 || < 400 || > 318
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 3,550 m || 1,050 hp || 1,172 hp
|-
|}

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


* 10 mm Steel - pilot's seat
* 10 mm Steel - pilot's headrest
* Self-sealing fuel tank (behind pilot's seat)

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

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

{{main|MG FF/M (20 mm)|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 20 mm MG FF/M cannons, wing-mounted (60 rpg = 120 total)
* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (1,000 rpg = 2,000 total)

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|SC250JA (250 kg)|Flam C 250 incendiary}}

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

* Without load
* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (200 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb (250 kg total)
* 1 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:Cockpit_Bf109e3.jpg|x250px|thumb|right|Click to enlarge]]
The main armament is identical to that of the [[Bf 109 E-3]]. However, there is one critical difference. The [[MG FF/M (20 mm)|MG FF/M]] can fire Minengeschoß shells. Mine shells have a thin shell, allowing more incendiary material to be used; however the very same characteristics prevent these shells to be fired from older MG FF versions (like on the predecessor, E-3). Thus, the MGFF/Ms are far more powerful than the MG FFs.

The E-7 is able to load bombs, either 4 x 50 kg or 1 x 250 kg. Unless you like to fly at a severe disadvantage, do not use the bombs unless you have to in order to win a match - for example after refuelling/ restocking at the base. The bomb load is nowhere near big enough to make a fighter bombing trip worth it.

The DB 601N engine provides its maximum performance around 2,000 m to 5,000 m (6,500 ft to 16,500 ft respectively) and comes with WEP, providing +150 hp upon activation. The boost will last about one minute from normal operating temperatures.

====Tactics====

Just as the with the [[Bf 109 E-1]], new players should adopt a hit and run tactic with the Bf 109s. While often called Boom & Zoom aircraft, the 109s are not dedicated Boom & Zoomers and many other aircraft such as the [[Fw 190 A-1]] do it much better. While it is true that a pure Boom and Zooming approach can be used in the 109s, limiting oneself to this undermines ones plane efficiency enormously. That said, the 109s does build up speed fast in a dive and they have a respectable zoom climb that ends in a strong sustained climb at ~270 km/h [optimal climbing speed 260 km/h - 280 km/h]. Doing so will often see the player with the maximum speed or altitude advantage he can have over his chosen target. A straight-up bounce, with a short extend from the target and a slowly increasing climb leading into an Immelmann tends to work best for rookie pilots. Remember to check your six and surroundings during the climb and just before diving back on your target.

With mounting experience on the side of the player, the energy fighting abilities of the Bf 109 E-7/U2 come to the forefront. Fluid and speedy transitions between altitude and speed, together with well timed uses of flaps, throttle and manoeuvres enable the Emil to quickly change the nature of the engagement in its favour.

When firing at enemies, be aware that your 20 mm cannons only hold a 60 round drum magazine each. They empty quick and many a new pilot has seen himself on pitiful low ammunition even after his first attack run. Once you emptied your cannons, the E-7 will be hard-pressed to down a plane with just the machine guns. In your own interest, do not waste your cannons on ground targets and when firing at planes, fire in short, controlled and well aimed bursts. Luckily, the E-7 holds 1,000 rounds in each of its two [[MG 17 (7.92 mm)|MG 17s]]. Use these if you are inclined to spray and pray or are are about to engage ground targets.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great overall manoeuvrability
* Good acceleration
* Good rate of climb
* Good continuous turn rate
* Good roll rate
* Good sustained turn rate
* Excellent MG ammunition load
* Powerful 20 mm cannons
* Can perform negative-G manoeuvres
* Better cockpit visibility than Bf 109 F-series

'''Cons:'''

* Less than average instantaneous turn rate
* Control stiffening above 400 km/h IAS
* Cannons have a limited amount of ammo
* Low muzzle velocity compared to other cannons (Hispano, [[MG 151/20 (20 mm)|MG 151/20]], etc.)
* Relatively poor durability
* Harsh matchmaking
* Engine overheats relatively quick
* Water radiator is prone to being damaged and leaking, compounding the overheating problem
* Missing its historical radiator and glass armour

== History ==

The E-7 was used extensively in "Operation Barbarossa" (invasion of USSR), it was eventually replaced by the [[Bf 109 F-4]]. Old machines remained in use though by other Axis nations, such as Romania and Hungary.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=bf-109e-7 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


'''Related development'''

* [[Bf 109 (Family)]]
** [[Bf 109 E-7 (Japan)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/287348-messerschmitt-bf-109-e-7u2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* Radinger, Willy & Otto, Wolfgang, Messerschmitt Me 109 - Das meistgebaute Jagdflugzeug der Welt - Entwicklung, Erprobung, Technik - Bf 109A bis 109K, Aviatic Verlag, Oberhachingen: 2011
* [http://www.messerschmitt-bf109.de/web.php?lang=de&auth=e&name=bf109b&versionscategory=6 "Falcon's Messerschmitt Bf 109 Hangar" Bf 109E subpage]
* [[wikipedia:Messerschmitt_Bf_109_variants#Bf_109E|[Wikipedia] Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants – Bf 109 E]]
* [http://kurfurst.org/#Emil "Performance Information Bf 109E"]

{{AirManufacturer BFW}}
{{Germany fighters}}
{{Germany premium aircraft}}

Bf 109 E-1

2024-08-11T01:01:20Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = German fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Bf 109 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=bf-109e-1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.35]]. The second [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109]] in the German aviation tech tree, introducing the Emil airframe to the player, it improves from its predecessor [[Bf_109_B-1/L|Bf 109 B]] in every regard. The E-1 is better in armament, climb rate, sustained turn rate and top speed. The Bf 109 E-1 is succeeded by the cannon-armed [[Bf 109 E-3|E-3]] variant.

The Bf 109 E-1 will most likely not be an immediate success for new players. While sporting a very respectable climb rate and good acceleration over its historic counterparts, the Bf 109 E-1 is not an easy plane to fly. That said, its light weight in relation to its engine performance allows the player to wield a pure-breed energy-fighter. However, it is lacking in two regards that often make it hard for new players to perform well in. First, while the Emil does have a good turn, its main historic enemies either turn equally well or better. Second, its armament (four MG 17 7.92 mm, 3,000 rounds) is usually insufficient to reliably dispatch enemies in a quick burst.

That being said, learning how to do well in the E-1 (and later E-3) will pay great dividends to the player in the long run. Alongside its main strength of a good power-to-weight ratio, the Bf 109 E sports a good roll rate, allowing for excellent manoeuvrability. This helps the plane during manoeuvres of all kinds, both in defensive or offensive situations. With this, a seasoned pilot will be able to get on the six of even the tightest turning Spitfire long enough to get their shots in. However, do not overextend for the latter, lest you end up with no speed to escape with.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 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
| 549 || 536 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.0 || 21.8 || 14.7 || 14.7 || rowspan="2" | 358
|-
! Upgraded
| 591 || 570 || 19.0 || 20.0 || 21.5 || 17.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || 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}} || 477 || 448 || 300 || ~12 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 390 || < 400 || > 312
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,500 m || 960 hp || 1,037 hp
|-
|}

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


There is no armour protection on the Bf 109 E-1, and the fuel tank is not self-sealing. The fuel tank is located behind the pilot's seat. The engine and cooling systems are located in the nose of the plane. This layout allows the pilot some protection, but the lack of real armour still leaves the pilot vulnerable.

* No armour protection
* Fuel tanks are not self-sealing (1 behind pilot)

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

It is recommended to unlock all flight performance and survivability upgrades at first. The default 7.92 mm belts are good enough. Energy fighters require acceleration, they live and die by it. Therefore most of flight performance upgrades are advised: Compressor, Engine and Engine injection.

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

{{main|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (1,000 rpg = 2,000 total)
* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, wing-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

Of the four machine guns, two are mounted in the upper nose section just in front of the pilot, each armed with 1,000 rpg. The other two machine guns are mounted with one in each wing with a total of 500 rpg.

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|SC250JA (250 kg)}}

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

* Without load
* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (200 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb (250 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==

When fighting in the Bf 109, the player needs to understand the concept of energy and maintain energy superiority over their foe at all times, while also keeping an eye on their surroundings and incoming bandits. To do this, use speed and altitude to your advantage, constantly shifting between the two in a fight. This calls for discipline on the side of the pilot, as you will often be tempted to bleed away speed or forgo attempts at gaining back altitude in hopes for a few more shots on targets. As your experience with the Emil grows, you will be able to more reliably judge when you can bleed speed/forsake altitude to obtain a positional advantage and when not to, but newer players with a too gung-ho attitude often get themselves into more trouble than they can handle.

Sadly, the E-1, with its limited armament, will often take too long to dispatch an enemy and thus prove unrewarding to one's efforts. Four 7.92 mm machine guns are mounted on this plane, providing a very different experience from Messerschmitt fighters in the game that follow it. The centre-mounted guns hold 1,000 rounds each, while the wings hold 500 each. This means that after some shooting, your effective firepower is halved. The 7.92 mm can be effective against enemy fighters when the pilot is accustomed to them, but they require certain patience to handle. Once accustomed to the ballistics, the player can opt to use stealth ammunition belts. This will ensure that the target moves less while being shot at (especially since the lower tiers have many new pilots), providing better and longer opportunities for shots. Also, the 7.92 mm bullets that the E-1 fires when using stealth belts are slightly visible, facilitating target adjustment while still being inconspicuous to the prey.

At engaging large and/or armoured targets such as bombers, the E-1's guns struggle hard. On bombers, specifically, aim for the engines and fuel tanks. The ammunition might not destroy the plane itself, but knocking out an engine or two helps other fighters with heavier armament and can also cause the plane to crash and attribute you the kill.
That said, if done well and left alone, the E-1 will stitch an enemy to death in many well-timed and executed attacks, which makes for a fulfilling experience. If you happen to mess up, extend from the bandit going into a very slight dive to help acceleration. Unless they are right on you, this allows you to gain distance and sets up a nice climbing match in which the Bf 109 E holds all the cards (unless it is facing enemies of later years). Diving away straight down can be done as a last resort but usually leads to you wasting way too much altitude.

New players should adopt a hit and run tactic with the Bf 109s (also known as Boom and Run). While often called a Boom and Zoom aircraft, the Bf 109s are not dedicated Boom & Zoomers, and many other aircraft such as the [[Fw 190 (Family)|Fw 190]] do it much better. That said, the 109s do build up speed quickly in a dive, and they have a respectable zoom climb that ends in a strongly sustained climb at ~270 km/h (optimal climbing speed 260, and dash 280 km/h). Doing so will often give the player the maximum speed or altitude advantage they can have over their chosen target. A straight-up bounce, with a short extension from the target and a slowly increasing climb leading into an Immelmann, tends to work best for rookie pilots. Remember to check your six and surroundings during the climb and just before diving back on your target.

'''Simulator Battles'''

In Simulator, the Bf 109 E-1 is quite a friendly fighter that can perform many tasks. It offers great flight performance with its smooth handling, adequate speed, and impressive climb rate and turn rate. Its guns are scattered around the nose, which require little convergence setting, making it very easy to aim. The nose gently slopes down from the windscreen, offering great over-the-nose vision. There are also a few bomb options to choose from which are beneficial for ground-pounding or base-bombing, although these are not its primary objectives. Despite having a razorback, the Emils actually have great visibility towards the tail, increasing the pilot's situational awareness. Finally, the engine is not as powerful as the later models, making takeoff easier. However the E-1 does suffer from rather poor one-second burst mass given by the 4 x 7.92 mm MGs.

Bring at least 30 minutes of fuel for prolonged patrolling and fighting. The convergence does not really matter, it might be anywhere between 250-600 m. You can also set keys for vertical head movement, as lifting up your head a little helps improving the over-the-nose visibility.

Dogfighting in SB involves everyday RB tactics. Utilise common manuevers such as Immelmann, Split-S, scissor, barrel roll, etc. Note: the Bf 109 handles very sluggishly in the roll axis at low speed, so take this into account if dogfighting at low speed/altitude. You can even pull the elevator fully for maximum agility, but only if you pull gently and gradually will the 109 manoeuvre as you wish. If maximum elevator input is harsh and sudden, the plane will start swaying around and enter a flat spin. The aircraft can quite easily recover from a flat spin by fully deflecting the elevator downward and rudder to the opposite direction to which the plane is spinning, then wait until it starts a dive and gathers some speed to pull up.

Landing may require practice for some. It is easy at first: decelerate and descend towards the runway, deploy combat, takeoff, landing flaps and landing gear, in order, fly at ~190 km/h before touchdown. If the plane bounces up with landing flaps, use takeoff/combat flaps instead to reduce lift. Note that you must align the plane with the airstrip correctly prior to touchdown and do not yaw or brake to one side too much when braking, as the main landing gears are so close together that they cannot support such sideways force, causing the plane to wobble dangerously or even tilt towards one side, striking a wingtip into the ground.

'''Usage of bombs'''

The Bf-109 E-1 has a small array of bombs. With the options for four 50 kg bombs or one 250 kg bomb, it won't be winning any any awards for bomb load. However these bombs are not useless. They can be used for ground-pounding, with varying levels of effectiveness depending on battle type and pilot skill. It is particularly effective in AB, where the target shows where the bombs will hit, resulting in very accurate drops.

Unlike bombers, the Bf 109 has the advantage that after dropping bombs from a low altitude, it can turn around and defend itself from any fighters that decide to prey on it.

Despite that, it should be primarily used in the fighter role, with bombing as an extra.

====Specific enemies worth noting====

[[Spitfire (Family)|Spitfire]]- the great nemesis: Fast, agile and with a powerful punch. This recurrent enemy will change its traits in its development, but even in this early era, the Spitfire possesses them. The Spitfire Mk.I and Mk.II is on par in top speed above 2,000 m, but near sea-level, the E-series has 20 km/h more speed. Further, the 109 can get to these top speeds faster, due to its superior power-to-weight ratio. The latter also allows it to duel the Spitfire in defensive dogfights. In extended manoeuvres, the Spitfire can run out of energy, which the Bf 109 E-1 has fewer issues in regaining. Getting there can be done via scissoring, where the Emil also benefits from its far better roll rate. Yet at these close to stall speed dogfights (~230 km/h), the Spitfire can more easily pull high angle of attack manoeuvres, as it stalls way later than the 109. An alternative defensive manoeuvre is a spiral climb, followed up by a rope-a-dope, although this is only executable in [[Simulator_Battles|Simulator]].

The late LaGG-3s ([[LaGG-3-35|35]] and [[LaGG-3-66|66]] series) are a serious threat featuring many of the Bf 109 traits, including top speed, climb rate and manoeuvrability. For defensive manoeuvres, scissoring is one of the few options. In Simulator, the chance of throwing off the opponent by making them lose the sight of you is hard, as the LaGG has great frontal cockpit visibility but a bad rear view, coincidentally like the Bf 109 E-1.
Early LaGG-3s such as the [[LaGG-3-8|8]] and [[LaGG-3-11|11]] series are much easier to deal with. They are equal in manoeuvrability, but their engine performance is sub-par in every regard. Out-climbing or simply out-running after breaking off in scissors can help rid this pursuer. However, it can be hard to distinguish the different LaGG-3 series, especially in game modes without HUD.

The [[MiG-3-15|MiG-3]] is a high-altitude fighter. Do not fight it above 5,000 m. It lacks manoeuvrability but possesses great top speed and good energy retention at altitude.

The [[Yak-1B]] and [[Yak-7B]] are generally superior to the Emil series in turning and low altitude speed. The [[Yak-1]] is around equal in performance.

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

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:FighterImage_Bf109E-1.jpg|thumbnail|right|In the hangar.]]

'''Pros:'''

* Great climb rate and acceleration
* Great energy fighter
* Good top speed
* Overall performance compares favourably against historic counterparts
* Good ammunition count
* Decent high-altitude performance
* Can double as a fighter-bomber, although not recommended
* Can carry 250 kg of bombs

'''Cons:'''

* Water overheats quickly if WEP is used for too long
* Unrewarding for newer pilots
* Average rear cockpit visibility (SB)
* Only small calibre guns, lacking in armament, compared to similar tier planes of other nations

== History ==

The Bf 109 E-1 is essentially the first "modern" Bf 109. While the earlier models (V [Prototype], A, B, C) were tested during the Spanish Civil War and developed out of the experiences made in that conflict, it took a few more years for it to develop into a true front-line fighter. The E-1 was the first of a new breed of [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109]] fighters. Entering production in late 1938, the "Emil" quickly replaced its earlier brethren in service with the Luftwaffe. The distinctive chin radiator of the Jumo powered variants was replaced with two much subtler underwing-mounted versions integrated with flaps, and the cowling was redesigned to carry the Daimler-Benz 601 series of engines. The result was a much more aerodynamically efficient aircraft that was more than a match for the new Supermarine Spitfire that was entering service with the RAF around the same time the first Emils were rolling off the production lines. The Bf 109 E-1 was also sent into action with the Condor Legion in the Spanish Civil War during its twilight stages.

Entering service in 1939, the E-1 would see combat in the early phases of WW2, quickly obtaining aerial supremacy over the skies of Europe. The Bf 109 E was able to outclass many of the standard fighters of the day and was a key component of the German Blitzkrieg tactics that dominated the early years of WW2. A small run of E-1B Jagdbomber versions were also created, capable of mounting up to 250 kg of bombs on a centreline pylon. The Bf 109 "Emil" would finally meet its match in the RAF's Hawker Hurricane and Supermarine Spitfire fighters that intercepted German formations during the Battle of Britain (where its limited fuel supply restricted combat effectiveness). By the beginning of the Battle, the Bf 109 E-1 was already being replaced or upgraded to the [[Bf 109 E-3]] MG FF cannon armed variant and improved E-4; however, some E-1s would still see combat before the end of the year. After the Battle of Britain's conclusion, the "Emil" series would ultimately lead to another major variant, the [[Bf_109_F-1|Bf 109 F]] or "Friedrich" that would form the basis of all following Bf 109s.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=bf-109e-1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|XYQEDmFkMF8|'''Realistic: Bf 109 E-1 [Born Excellence!]''' - ''Jengar''|xV8bQU5m_iA|'''Bf 109 E-1 Gameplay and Review''' - ''DigitalDigging''}}

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''
;* [[Bf 109 (Family)]]
;'''Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era'''

* [[He 112 B-0]]

* [[C.R.714]]
* [[C. 202]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.ru/index.php?/topic/105629-pasport-bf-109-e1e3/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* Radinger, Willy & Otto, Wolfgang, Messerschmitt Me 109 - Das meistgebaute Jagdflugzeug der Welt - Entwicklung, Erprobung, Technik - Bf 109A bis 109K, Aviatic Verlag, Oberhachingen: 2011
* [https://me109.info/ <nowiki>[Falcon's Messerschmitt Bf 109 Hangar]</nowiki> Bf 109E]
* [[wikipedia:Messerschmitt_Bf_109_variants#Bf_109E English|[Wikipedia] Messerschmitt Bf 109 variants - Bf 109 E]]
* [http://kurfurst.org/#Emil <nowiki>[Kurfürst]</nowiki> Performance Information Bf 109E]
* [http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/271405-vehicle-profile-bf-109-e-1/ <nowiki>[Vehicle Profile]</nowiki> Bf 109 E-1]

{{AirManufacturer BFW}}
{{Germany fighters}}

Bf 109 C-1

2024-08-11T00:56:19Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = fighter aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Bf 109 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=bf-109c_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]].

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

It has the same manouverablility as the Bf-109 E-3

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 4,000 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
| 465 || 449 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.0 || 20.9 || 8.1 || 8.1 || rowspan="2" | 210
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || 484 || __._ || 19.0 || __._ || 10.8
|-
|}

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

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

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


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

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

{{main|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, wing-mounted (420 rpg = 840 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).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 4 x 7.92 mm machine guns with a large ammo count
* Adequate for boom'n zoom tactics

'''Cons:'''

* In uptiers, it will face opponents armed with 12.7 mm MGs which are more powerful than its rifle-calibre machine guns
* No suspended armament, confined to an air-to-air role
* Relatively low ammo count compared to how weak the armament is. You might have to head back to base(RB/SB)/reload (AB) after killing even up to 2 people.

== 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).''

=== [[wt:en/news/8785-development-bf-109-c-1-the-caesar-variant-en|Devblog]] ===
While taking on experience from combat in the Spanish Civil War, one evident drawback of the Bf 109B was its armament. With a pair of twin 7.92 machine guns being its only offensive weaponry, this was quickly deemed outdated, and efforts to improve its weaponry began.

Designers quickly came across several hurdles in this process, experiments were trialled equipping these early 109s with a nose mounted cannon or machine gun to no success, with the only remaining space being the wings. Though even equipping the wings with additional weaponry proved difficult. Accommodating for the comparatively low wing area in addition to the spars and wheel wells, only space for one gun in either wing was possible. But with some adjustments and ingenuity, the designers managed to cram in one machine gun into each wing, effectively doubling the firepower of the Bf 109 at the time.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=bf-109c_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

'''Related development'''

* [[Bf 109 (Family)]]

'''Aircraft of similar configuration or role'''

* [[He 100 D-1]]
* [[He 112 B-0]]
* [[LaGG-3-8]]
* [[C.R.714]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8785-development-bf-109-c-1-the-caesar-variant-en|[Devblog] Bf 109 C-1: The Caesar Variant]]

{{AirManufacturer BFW}}
{{Germany fighters}}

Type 5 No.6 Mod.9

2024-08-10T23:34:43Z

U43191476: /* See also */

== Description ==
[[File:WeaponImage Type 5 No.6 Mod.9.png|thumb|left|420px|The Type 5 No.6 Mod.9 rocket (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
''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 ===


* {{Specs-Link|a7m2}}
* {{Specs-Link|j2m3}}
* {{Specs-Link|n1k2_j}}
* {{Specs-Link|n1k2_jko}}

== General info ==
''Tell us about the tactical and technical characteristics of the rocket.''

=== Effective damage ===
''Describe the type of damage produced by this type of rocket (high explosive, splash damage, etc)''

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of rockets that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this rocket in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Can be fired individually
* Incredible explosive mass (10 kg, 62 mm equivalent RHA penetration), comparable to a modern Sidewinder missile
* Airburst setting makes it useable against both aircraft and ground targets

'''Cons:'''

* Extremely slow travel speed of 230 m/s (828 km/h): even the maximum fuse length of 1,000 m requires you to close to short range on tail chases
* Heavy: carrying 2 rockets adds 168 kg to the aircraft's combat weight
* Only 2 rockets can be carried at a time

== 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 ==

[[File:P-38 hit by Type 5 No.6 Mod.9 rocket.jpg|thumb|A P-38 Lightning is blown up by a Japanese interception rocket bomb.]]

== See also ==

'''Weapons of similar configuration or role'''

*[[Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1]]
*[[Type 5 No.1 Mod.9]]
*[[Type 3 No.1 Mod.28 Mk.1]]

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

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

{{Rockets}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1

2024-08-10T23:30:11Z

U43191476: /* See also */

== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1.png|thumb|left|420px|The Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1 rocket (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''Type 3 No.6 Mod.27 Mk.1''' is a late war rocket bomb used when intercepting bomber formations. The Type 3 No.6 originally used a white phosphorus incendiary warhead intended to set bombers alight, with a customisable ground-set timed fuse.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|a6m5hei}}
* {{Specs-Link|a6m6c}}
* {{Specs-Link|a7m2}}
* {{Specs-Link|j2m3}}
* {{Specs-Link|n1k2_j}}
* {{Specs-Link|n1k2_jko}}

== General info ==

The Type 3 No.6 rocket bomb is a moderately slow projectile with a maximum speed of 270 m/s with 2.5 kg of equivalent TNT explosiveness with approximately 30 mm RHA equivalent penetration and an anti-air splash radius of approximately 30 metres, comparable to the American [[HVAR]] rocket. All aircraft that feature this projectile also feature the superior [[Type 5 No.6 Mod.9]] rocket, with exception of the [[A6M5 Hei]].

== Usage in battles ==

This rocket is a rather mediocre ordnance capable of destroying only aerial and lightly armoured targets. Where available, research and utilise the Type 5 No.6 Mod.9 rocket instead, however this rocket is sufficiently light as an intermediary addition to your fighter aircraft.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Light and has minimal drag
* Minimal parabolic drop
* Launches straight on all equipped aircraft
* Minor spread
* Single-launches

'''Cons:'''

* It is only loaded in a pair of two
* Rather mediocre for air-to-air usefulness due to the small fragmentation radius
* Rather mediocre for destroying ground units
* Acts as a regular HE rocket with minimal incendiary properties

== History ==

In the late war period, Japan started redirecting aircraft priorities towards the destruction of enemy bombers and fleet. To assist with the defence, several rocket designs were approved for use, one of which was the Type 3 No.6 pyrophoric rocket bomb.

It has been said by the history team behind the production of the anime series The Magnificent Kotobuki (荒野のコトブキ飛行隊) that they may have been loaded with up to 6 or 8 pairs on the [[Ki-43 (Family)|Ki-43]] "Hayabusa" and [[Ki-84 (Family)|Ki-84]] however such documents proving the historical usage by said aircraft are either absent or have not been found by the international community, or could have been misinterpretated such as in the case of the jet-powered J7W2 theoretical adaption of the [[J7W1]].

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

== See also ==
'''Weapons of similar configuration or role'''

* [[Type 5 No.6 Mod.9]]
* [[Type 5 No.1 Mod.9]]
* [[Type 3 No.1 Mod.28 Mk.1]]

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

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

{{Rockets}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Hydra-70 M247

2024-08-10T23:22:14Z

U43191476: /* See also */

== Description ==
[[File:WeaponImage Hydra-70 M247.png|thumb|left|420px|The Hydra-70 M247 rocket with fins folded and deployed (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The Hydra-70 rocket is an American 70mm unguided rocket found on helicopters and planes. Utilizing a HEAT warhead, it is able to penetrate most modern tanks and vehicles from the roof and sides. When used in conjunction with a ballistic computer, these rockets are able to deal with most targets quite easily. The Hydra rockets are most notably found on the AH-64 Apache helicopters and the A-10 strike aircraft.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


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

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Jet fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|f-104g}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-104g_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-104j}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f_16c_block_50}}

{{Navigation-Line|'''Strike aircraft'''}}{{Specs-Link|a_10a_early}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a_10a_late}}

{{Navigation-Line|'''Attack helicopters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|A129}}{{Specs-Link|a_129_a}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a_129_cbt}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a_129_d}}
{{Navigation-Line|AH-1}}{{Specs-Link|ah_1f}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_1f_iaf}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_1z}}
{{Navigation-Line|AH-6}}{{Specs-Link|ah_6m}}
{{Navigation-Line|AH-64}}{{Specs-Link|yah_64}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_64a}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_64a_greece_usa}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_64a_peten}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_64a_iaf}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_64a_peten_iaf}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_64d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_64d_japan}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_64d_i_saraph}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ahs}}
{{Navigation-Line|MD500}}{{Specs-Link|md_500_tow_late}}
{{Navigation-Line|MH-60}}{{Specs-Link|mh_60l_dap}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|ah_60_iaf}}
{{Navigation-Line|OH-58}}{{Specs-Link|oh_58d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|oh_58d_china}}

{{Navigation-Line|'''Utility helicopters'''}}{{Specs-Link|g_lynx}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|lynx_ah_mk1}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Medium tanks'''}}{{Specs-Link|il_magach_6_rocket}}
{{Navigation-Line|'''SPAA'''}}{{Specs-Link|us_lav_ad}}

{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Rocket characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 10 kg
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 739 m/s
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 1.19 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Warhead type''' || HEAT
|-
| '''Armour penetration'''|| 290 mm
|}

=== Effective damage ===
The Hydra rocket is able to penetrate most armored vehicles from the sides and the roof thanks to the HEAT warhead. The rocket has a good explosive mass so open-top vehicles or lightly armored ones are able to be taken out by near misses via overpressure. Hydra rockets are also able to be fired very quickly by binding the "Fire Rocket Series" control to a key, allowing the user to "spam" the rockets in large quantities.

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of rockets that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==
In GRB, players must always have the element of surprise to minimize the amount of damage they take. Approaching from the sides or rear of the enemy is advised, as getting in and out of battle will be relatively quick and most enemies will not realize you are there until it is too late. Target any SPAA or lightly armored vehicles, then move onto MBTs. Make sure to not expend all rockets on one target and do not stay in place/hover on the battlefield; if the rockets are unable to destroy one specific target, leave it and move on.

The Hydra rockets are mostly obsolete for top rank battles as most enemies will either have large-caliber autocannons or missiles that will put you in significantly more danger. If able to carry long-range munitions (such as the Hellfire AGMs on AH-64 Apaches), use those instead of the Hydras as they are usually more effective and will keep the player alive longer.

In Heli PvE, the Hydra rockets can deal with bases and ground units fairly quick. However, keep an eye on Gepards in convoys and normal enemy waves and the Rolands guarding the base (Rolands have a 10km range, so mind your distance). Most SPAA will be stationary however, so you can use your ballistic computer and fire accurately from afar.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Good explosive mass and penetration, able to deal with most armored targets (MBTs) when fired from an upwards angle.
* Able to be spammed en-masse, will eventually obliterate any target through the sheer number of rockets.
* With a ballistics computer, extremely lethal against ground units.
* Able to deal splash damage, near misses can take out open-tops and lightly armored vehicles (BMPs, truck-based SPAA such as the Pantsir or Flakrad)

'''Cons:'''

* Requires a direct hit for armored targets to deal damage/penetrate.
* Short range requires user to get near to target to fire, can be dangerous.
* "Spamming" the rockets usually required for most targets.
* Most tanks have composite and ERA armor, dealing with MBTs from the front and even the sides may be difficult.

== History ==
The Hydra-70 rocket is a 70mm unguided "dumb" rocket meant to be used to engage ground targets. Developed from the FFAR "Mighty Mouse", a new motor produces more thrust and increases the effective range of the Hydra, and a new fin design improves accuracy and reduces spin. It is able to be mounted on planes, helicopters, and it has been adapted for ground vehicles also. The Hydra rocket has different models for different uses, including anti-personnel, anti-armor, marking, and practice models.

There are several ongoing attempts by military contractors to turn the Hydra into a precision-guided-munition (PGM), being more accurate but cheaper than conventional guided weaponry.

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

== See also ==

'''Weapons of similar configuration or role'''

* [[CRV7 M247]]
* [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]]
* [[S-8KO]]
* [[SNEB type 23]]
* [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP]]

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

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

{{Rockets}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Tiny Tim

2024-08-10T22:48:37Z

U43191476: /* See also */

[[File:Tiny-tim-1.jpg|thumbnail|right|x250px|]]

== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage Tiny Tim.png|thumb|left|420px|The Tiny Tim rocket (scale is approximate)]]
[[File:Tiny_Tim_sideview.png|520px|thumb|right|Side view of a {{PAGENAME}} unguided rocket.]]
{{break}}
During World War II, many attackers and dive-bomber aircraft were lost to anti-aircraft fire when attempting to bomb enemy ships. A hail of bullets and explosive shells attempted to knock these aircraft out of the sky before they could deliver their payload. In response to these challenges, the United States Navy sought to develop a weapon in which to be able to sink a ship while minimizing the threat of anti-aircraft fire to inbound aircraft. The outcome of this development resulted in the Tiny Tim anti-shipping rocket, the largest rocket produced at the time, even dwarfing the German Nebelwerfer-based [[Wfr.Gr.21|BR 21]].

To help speed up the development process of the Tiny Tim rocket, engineers scrapped together existing parts and equipment where they could to help save time. The rocket body was manufactured from 11.75 in (298 mm) used oil field pipe and available in abundance and specifically because it was the perfect size to adapt existing 500 lb (226.7 kg) semi armour-piercing bombs in the military's arsenal. Fitted with a 24-nozzle engine firing on solid rocket propellant, the 10.25 ft (312 cm) Tiny Tim could travel at 548 mph (245 m/s). Utilising its TNT warhead, it was used to take out coastal defence guns, bridges, pillboxes, tanks and was credited with sinking one Japanese ship and damaging another.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


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

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|f2g-1}}
{{Navigation-Line|F6F}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-3}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|hellcat_fmk1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-5_france}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-5n}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-5n_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|F8F}}{{Specs-Link|f8f1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f8f1b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f8f1b_france}}

{{Navigation-Line|'''Twin-engine fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|f7f3}}

{{Navigation-Line|'''Jet fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|f9f-2}}

{{Navigation-Line|'''Strike aircraft'''}}{{Specs-Link|am_1_mauler}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-6_au-1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f3d_1}}
{{Navigation-Line|AD-4}}{{Specs-Link|douglas_ad_2}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|douglas_ad_4}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|douglas_ad_4_france}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|douglas_ad_4na_france}}
{{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}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g-31-re_china}}

{{Navigation-Line|'''Bombers'''}}{{Specs-Link|pv_2d}}

{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==

[[File:Tiny_Tim_3in_armour_test.jpg|300px|thumb|right|Testing the {{PAGENAME}} rocket against a 3-inch armoured target.]]
The Tiny Tim was a massive rocket weighing around 1,285.3 lbs (583 kg) and could only effectively be carried by more stout fighters, dive-bombers and attackers/medium bombers. The 3,000 lbf (13 kN) blast from the ignition of the solid rocket propellant could damage the delivery aircraft so the rocket was modified to be dropped like a bomb, attached to the rocket was a lanyard which would snap off after the rocket dropped several feet which would initiate the rocket motor safely away from the aircraft.

Due to the size and weight of the missile, the main function as a semi-armour piercing rocket was to not explode on the surface of an object, but rather to partially burrow into the object before exploding. This would allow the warhead to penetrate the hull of a ship, the concrete of a bunker or even weaken tank armour through blunt force before exploding sending shock waves from the inside-out rather than just from the outside-inward.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Rocket characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 534 kg
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 274 m/s
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 67.36 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Warhead type''' || SAP-HE
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===


* Embeds into an object (brute force through the hull of a ship, reinforced concrete or tank armour)
* Delayed explosive damage
* Delayed shockwave damage

=== Comparison with analogues ===


* [[S-24]]{{-}}[[S-24B]] - Soviet rocket used on jets, has only about a third the explosive mass of the Tiny Tim, but planes can carry double to triple the amount of rockets
* [[Uncle Tom]] - British Anti-ship rocket, is slower and has less explosive mass, but is lighter
* [[Red Angel]] - Another British Anti-ship rocket, has slightly less explosive mass than the Uncle Tom, but is faster than the Tiny Tim

== Usage in battles ==


;Primary targets for Tiny Tim rockets

* Tanks
* Pillboxes
* Ships
* Bridges

[[File:Tiny_Tim_view_of_rocketmotor.png|450px|thumb|right|A {{PAGENAME}} unguided rocket mounted to a [[F6F-5N]]. Notice the detail of the rocket motor.]]

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Formidable firepower with a massive rocket that delivers a devastating impact.
* Equipped with a semi-armour-piercing warhead, making it effective against hardened targets.

'''Cons:'''

* Limited compatibility with aircraft due to its substantial size and weight.
* The weight of 534 kg imposes restrictions on the additional payloads an aircraft can carry.
* Acquiring proficiency in aiming the Tiny Tim rockets can pose a challenging learning curve.
* Caution must be exercised to avoid inadvertently damaging or destroying the host aircraft by firing the rockets at close range.

== History ==

Towards the end of World War II saw the invention of equipment and weapons intending to help spare the lives of military personnel and their equipment while still inflicting damage on the enemy. One such invention was the United States Navy's Tiny Tim rocket which could hit a ship while the attacking aircraft remained safely outside of the range of the anti-aircraft fire. The massive 1,285.3 lbs (583 kg), 10.25 ft (312 cm) TNT tipped rocket fit the bill. To expedite the manufacturing of this rocket, available resources were used. 500-lb semi armour-piercing bombs already in the inventory were fitted to used oil-well casing pipe which could be found in abundance at abandoned oil wells.

Tiny Tim saw limited service in World War II and was used in the battle of Okinawa and later during the Korean War. Targets selected included bridges, concrete reinforced pillboxes, tanks, ships and other hardened targets as the rocket specialized in embedding itself into an object before exploding causing both explosive and shock damage from within the target.

The rocket would later also be used during the early American space programme as a booster stage for the WAC Corporal sounding rocket.

== Media ==


;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:F-84_Tiny_Tim.JPG|Image of a {{PAGENAME}} rocket mounted on an under-wing pylon of an [[F-84 (Family)|F-84]] while stationed in Korea in 1952.
File:Tiny Tim Info pg48.png|Diagram of the {{PAGENAME}} rocket.
File:Tiny Tim Info pg49.png|Description of the {{PAGENAME}} rocket.
File:Tiny Tim Info pg50.png|Further diagram of {{PAGENAME}} rocket.
File:Tiny Tim Info pg51.png|Continued description of the {{PAGENAME}} rocket.
File:F6F_FN_and_Tiny_Tim.png|An underaircraft view of a [[F6F-5N]] carrying two {{PAGENAME}} rockets.
File:F6F_FN_firing_Tiny_Tim.png|A view of a [[F6F-5N]] firing off a {{PAGENAME}} rocket at an enemy target.
File:Tiny_Tim_shackle.png|thumb|A side view of the shackle connection of the {{PAGENAME}} rocket to the external pylon of the [[F6F-5N]]
</gallery>

== See also ==

'''Weapons of similar configuration or role'''

* [[S-24]]
* [[S-25O]]
* [[Uncle Tom]]
* [[Red Angel]]
* [[Hprak m/49]]

== External links ==


* [http://bulletpicker.com/pdf/USNBD%20-%20US%20Rockets%20and%20Fuzes.pdf US Rockets and Fuzes - United States Navy Bomb Disposal Manual, 15 May 1945, pg. 48-51]

{{Rockets}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

HVAR

2024-08-10T03:13:20Z

U43191476: See also section

[[File:WeaponImage HVAR.png|thumb|x250px|The HVAR rocket. The highest quality model is shown, some aircraft use a lower quality model (scale is approximate)]]

== Description ==

The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' (High-Velocity Aircraft Rocket) was developed to be an American unguided rocket utilised for attacking ground targets from aircraft. This rocket began production towards the end of World War II and saw action through the Korean War. The HVAR was developed as an improvement upon the 5-inch Forward Firing Aircraft Rocket (FFAR) which had the same size warhead, however, it also sported an underwhelming 3.25 in (8.3 cm) rocket motor. The rocket was a good size; however, adaptations were needed to make it a faster rocket especially in a flatter trajectory, being fired from an external mount on an aircraft. Increasing the rocket motor's size allowed for the rocket to take on the 5 in diameter throughout the entire length of the rocket thereby increasing the propellant capacity from 8.5 lb to 23.9 lb. This rocket was outfitted with Ballistite for the propellant which had a greater specific impulse greater than the British, German or Soviet versions of rocket propellant. The ∆V (Delta 'Vee') for the new HVAR increased from 216 m/s to 420 m/s (1,400 ft/s), more than enough to provide the flat trajectory the designers and the military wanted.

The 5 in HVAR rocket was able to penetrate 4 ft of reinforced concrete and could be effectively used at sinking transport ships, destroying pillboxes, ammunition dumps, tanks, and railroad locomotives. It was demonstrated that pilots inexperienced with the HVAR had decreased chances of hitting their target whereas experienced pilots could utilise them with deadly and almost pinpoint accuracy. Often HVAR and [[Tiny Tim]] rockets were used together with [[F-84 (Family)|F-84]] jets loading out up to 24 HVAR rockets and two Tiny Tims for an astounding rocket weight of 5,800 lb (2,600 kg).

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


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

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Fighters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|F2G}}{{Specs-Link|f2g-1}}
{{Navigation-Line|F4U}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-1c}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-1d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-4}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-4b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-4b_vmf_214}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-7}}
{{Navigation-Line|F6F}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-3}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-5_france}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|hellcat_fmk1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-5n}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-5n_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|F8F}}{{Specs-Link|f8f1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f8f1b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f8f1b_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-47}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d-28}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d_30_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47m-1-re_boxted}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47m-1-re}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47n-15}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f_47n_25_re_china}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-51}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-5}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-10}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-20_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-20-na}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-30_usaaf_korea}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51h-5_na}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51k}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Twin-engine fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|f7f3}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-82e}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-38l_1_china_rocaf}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-38l}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Jet fighters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|CL-13}}{{Specs-Link|f-86_cl_13_mk4_italy}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86_canadair_german}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86_cl_13b_mk6}}
{{Navigation-Line|F2H}}{{Specs-Link|f2h-2}}
{{Navigation-Line|F9F}}{{Specs-Link|f9f-2}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f9f-5}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-80}}{{Specs-Link|f-80a}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-80}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-86}}{{Specs-Link|f-86a-5}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-2}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-25}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-30_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-30_japan}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-35}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-40_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-40_japan}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-86f-40_japan_blue_impulse}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-89}}{{Specs-Link|f-89d}}
{{Navigation-Line|Meteor}}{{Specs-Link|meteor_fmk8}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Strike aircraft'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|A2D}}{{Specs-Link|a2d}}
{{Navigation-Line|A-1H}}{{Specs-Link|douglas_a_1h}}
{{Navigation-Line|A-26}}{{Specs-Link|a-26b}}
{{Navigation-Line|AD-2}}{{Specs-Link|douglas_ad_2}}
{{Navigation-Line|AD-4}}{{Specs-Link|douglas_ad_4}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|douglas_ad_4_france}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|douglas_ad_4na_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|AM-1}}{{Specs-Link|am_1_mauler}}
{{Navigation-Line|AU-1}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-6_au-1}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-84B}}{{Specs-Link|f-84b}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-84F}}{{Specs-Link|f-84f}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84f_germany}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84f_italy}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84f_france}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84f_iaf}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84f_israel_iaf}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-84G}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g_italy}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g_france}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-84g-31-re_china}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Bombers'''}}{{Specs-Link|a-26c-45-dt}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|mb_175t}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|pv_2d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|sb2c_4}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|sb2c_5_france}}

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

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Attack helicopters'''}}{{Specs-Link|h_34}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|h_34_france}}

{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==

[[File:HVAR armorers mounting warhead.JPG|400px|thumb|right|Aircrews installing a warhead on a '''{{PAGENAME}}''' rocket. Laying on the ground below the centre person is the rocket body protection plug which is removed from the rocket body when installing a warhead, to the left on the ground is the fuse for the rocket which will be installed after the warhead is in place.]]

In-game, there are actually 2 different HVAR rockets, one filled with TNT and the other with "Composition B", the difference being that the one with Composition B has a higher explosive mass of 4.52 kg to the TNT's 3.45 kg.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | Rocket characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || colspan="2" | 62 kg
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || colspan="2" | 403 m/s
|-
| '''Explosive type''' || TNT || Comp. B
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 3.45 kg || 4.52 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Warhead type''' || colspan="2" | SAP-HE
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===


;Targets

* Smaller ships
* Anti-aircraft artillery
* Pillboxes
* Light to medium armoured tanks
* Locomotives
* Bunkers

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of rockets that have firepower equal to this weapon.''

== Usage in battles ==

The HVAR rocket has an effective punch for a 5 in. rocket. This rocket can be utilised against hardened targets such as pillboxes, anti-aircraft artillery and light to medium tanks with positive results. Rockets scoring a direct hit will blast through concrete and armour while nearby hits will also score splash damage. The HVAR can be a tricky rocket to get on target as it is unguided, once it is fired, it will continue to fly until it either hits the target, hits the ground nearby or runs out of fuel. Typically multiple HVAR rockets are fired off a the same time to ensure some contact with the target. While not as unpredictable as the 2.75 in. [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]], it never hurts to fire off an extra rocket when available when attacking a target.

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:B-25_HVAR_hit.png|400px|thumb|right|A [[B-25 (Family)|B-25]] about to be hit by an HVAR unguided rocket.]]

'''Pros:'''

* HVARs were rail launched, no drag from empty launchers as in the case of the [[M8]]'s M-10 launch tubes
* Effectively used against semi-hardened and hardened ground targets
* Fitted to fighters, helicopters, attackers and some bombers
* Effective when used in conjunction with [[Tiny Tim]] rockets
* Can penetrate roof of most medium tanks, even top-tier ones.

'''Cons:'''

* Unguided, typically need to fire several to ensure the target is hit
* Difficult to use against moving vehicles unless at very low altitude
* Low accuracy.

== 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 ==


;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150">
File:HVAR and RAM rockets.jpg|Image of HVAR and HVAR RAM rockets mounted to a [[F4U (Family)|F4U]]
File:Loading HVAR.JPG|Aircrews loading HVAR rockets on [[P-51 (Family)|P-51Ds]]
File:F-51D Napalm and HVAR.JPG|Aircrews loading a napalm bomb next to two HVAR rockets
File:PB4Y-2 Privateer with HVAR mounts.jpg|A [[PB4Y-2]] Privateer with an unusual fuselage mounted HVAR rocket rails
File:HVAR_sideview.jpg
File:HVAR_sideview_WT.jpg|Side view of an {{PAGENAME}} unguided rocket
</gallery>

== See also ==


'''Weapons of similar configuration or role'''

* [[RP-3]]
* [[AR]]
* [[Srak m/51]]
* [[T10 140]]
* [[RBS-132]]
* [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP]]

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

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

{{Rockets}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

ZSL92

2024-08-09T05:47:11Z

U43191476: See also and Pros and Cons sections

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_zsl_92
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (ZSL92式轮式装甲输送车; industrial code WZ551) was the first mass-produced in-service variant of the [[WZ551 (Family)|WZ551 vehicle family]]. Although there had been earlier attempts to produce a new wheeled APC for the PLAGF as early as 1970, the eventual cancellation of the vehicles under Campaign 704 halted the development of wheeled APCs for almost a decade until Factory 256 (NORINCO Chongqing Tiema Industries) unveiled plans to modify Mercedes-Benz NG 2026 trucks into the new APC program. Evaluations in the 1980s established a 25 mm weapons system and a revised APC chassis. The earliest variant entered PLAGF evaluation as the ZSL90, while the revised and improved variant entered service as ZSL92. The ZSL92 also set the foundation for the future [[AFT09]] and the [[PTL02]]/[[WMA301]] series which are still in PLAGF service to this day.

Introduced in [[Update "Seek & Destroy"]], the ZSL92 has sufficient elevation limits to gun down enemy aircraft with its main cannon inherited from the [[ZSD63/PG87]] while having sufficient penetration to end the service of vehicles at its tier from their sides. However, players must be extremely cautious about the minimal protection of ZSL92 and plan carefully for any assaults, as the poor reverse speed will not allow the vehicle to retreat quickly in a pinch.

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

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.''

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=455|rbMinHp=283|AoAweight=}}

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

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

{{main|ZPT90 (25 mm)}}

''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[ZPT90 (25 mm)|25 mm ZPT90]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 400 (200) || rowspan="2" | 500 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+52° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 39.6 || 54.8 || 66.6 || 73.6 || 78.4 || rowspan="2" | 32.50 || rowspan="2" | 28.75 || rowspan="2" | 26.50 || rowspan="2" | 25.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 26.8 || 31.5 || 38.2 || 42.3 || 45.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|FI-T*|Fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''Type 87 HE:''' {{Annotation|FI-T*|Fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''Type 87 AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}

{{:ZPT90 (25 mm)/Ammunition|FI-T*, AP-T}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''2''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|Type 86 (7.62 mm)}}

''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 86 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 86]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (250) || 700 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the 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. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 25 mm autocannon with a high rate of fire and sufficient armor penetration for its tier
* Sufficiently mobile for flanking operations
* Sufficient gun elevation to attack incoming aircraft
* Generous ammunition pool
* Roof weapon mounting in unmanned turret, allowing the vehicle to be positioned hull-down
* Smoke grenades
* Amphibious

'''Cons:'''

* Large chassis
* Thin armor
* Relatively low reverse speed for its class
* Lacks high penetration rounds for use against heavy tanks
* Crew of three: higher likelihood of being knocked-out quickly by enemy fire

== History ==

In the 1970s, in view of a possible invasion by the Soviet Union and realising the lag in development of armoured vehicles, the Central Military Commission issued a number of different campaigns to develop new vehicles ranging from medium tanks to wheeled APCs. However, circumstances of the time caused many of these, including the WZ522 project with influences from the BTR-60 and a BTR-70 from Romania, to be cancelled.

However, the need for a wheeled APC to serve as part of a quick-response unit and the modernisation of PLAGF units again called for the development of such a vehicle in the early 1980s. While the Second Automotive Works (now Dongfeng) developed WZ522 with a domestic truck chassis as the future ZSL93, the Factory 256 ''(NORINCO Chongqing Tiema Industries)'' opted for the chassis of the Mercedes-Benz NG 2026 truck both for reverse engineering and evaluation of wheeled vehicles. This also led to the extension of the chassis of Factory 256's prototype for the overall layout of the new APC with a 6x6 layout, which showed vastly improved performance compared to Dongfeng's solution, but some flaws were still present in the prototype. Thanks to the efforts of the engineer team to persuade the vehicle to be included in the next Five-Year Plan as part of national defence upgrades, the vehicle with a revised suspension for simplified yet reliable maintenance could now be evaluated with three different schemes: one with the turret of the [[ZBD86]] (aka WZ551F), one with a 25 mm autocannon, and a .50 calibre turret solution. Although there were also solutions provided from NATO countries, namely from France, sanctions in the late 1980s eliminated any possibilities of foreign solutions.

Meanwhile, the 25 mm calibre turret was revised after the introduction of the PG87-25, as part of the would-be Project 8910 (40th Anniversary), which was certified as the ZSL90 in 1990. However, it would be two years later when the PLAGF eventually adopted WZ551 as their new wheeled APC, which is now known as ZSL92 and was first spotted in the 1999 National Day parade. Thanks to the reliable chassis, NORINCO also developed various vehicles under this chassis, such as the [[PTL02]]/[[WMA301]] wheeled assault gun, [[AFT09]] ATGM launcher, PLL05 gun-mortar system, ZSL92A with a .50 calibre turret and ZSL92B with a ZPT99 turret as well as HJ-73 ATGMs.

=== [[wt:en/news/8924-development-zsl92-rapid-firepower-en|Devblog]] ===
In the early 1980s, the PLA recognized the need for the development of a new IFV design to meet the requirements of more dynamic warfare tactics. This led to the development of a new wheeled armored vehicle under the designation WZ551, based on a licensed chassis of the Mercedes-Benz 2060 truck. Development and testing of prototypes with various armament options continued throughout the '80s until the vehicle was officially adopted by the PLA in 1988 under the designation ZSL-90, in both an IFV and APC configuration.

Despite entering service, development on the vehicle continued, especially as the first model was plagued by teething issues chiefly surrounding its engine. The succeeding variant, designated ZSL-92, introduced a new water-cooled diesel engine as well as improvements to the vehicle's chassis in 1994. As a result, performance and reliability improved drastically, leading to the vehicle being ordered in much greater numbers by both the PLA as well as foreign operators. Furthermore, the chassis was a popular platform for the development of several spinoff variants, including missile carriers and assault guns. The ZSL-92 equips the PLA's mechanized units and is still in active service to this date.

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

'''Related development'''

* [[WZ551 (Family)]]

'''Vehicles of similar configuration or role'''

* [[Type 87 RCV]]
* [[R3 T20 FA-HS]]
* [[AMX-10P]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8924-development-zsl92-rapid-firepower-en|ZSL92: Rapid Firepower! [Devblog]]]

{{China anti-aircraft vehicles}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

ZSU-23-4M4

2024-08-09T01:29:58Z

U43191476: See also and edits to Pros and Cons

{{About
| about = Soviet SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other versions
| link = ZSU-23-4 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_zsu_23_4m4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is the modernization of the decades-old Shilka SPAAG in 1999. Although Russia has inherited the extensive field air-defense systems from Soviet Union alongside with the [[2S6|ZPRK 2S6]] system, the need for upgrading the reserves of Shilka also arose, likely due to the lack of funding during the Shock Therapy era in Russia; the M4 upgrade introduced digital computer to replace the obsolete analogue computer, introduction of datalink via the PPRU-1 "Ovdo" command vehicle and improved mechanical systems to modern standards, as well as adding addition pairs of Igla MANPADS (NATO: SA-18 Grouse'')'' to further improve its engagement range.

Introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]] as the latest family member of the Shilka SPAAG systems, although the vehicle still gives deja vu to players with its infamously inferior radar system, the new pairs of 9K38 Igla MANPADS will be certainly a good friend of players with its sufficiently high accuracy and now has better range than the AZP-23 quad 23 mm guns.

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

Like any Shilka in service, to put the overall protection in simple words: next to none. As a SPAA, in most cases the vehicle would not likely need to advance to the most heated frontline, thus the overall protection is nowhere sufficient to stop any bullets above .50 cal, let alone cannon or autocannon shells; protection is not one of the upgraded parts of ZSU-23-4M4 in this case, thus it retains identical protection to previous serial production Shilka with no armor plates thicker than 10 mm RHA, be extra careful on where the vehicle appear and always find good cover to hide away from any possible threats before delivering the fatal blow.

The M4 variant also still retains mostly identical interior design of previous Shilka with a crew of four inside the ASU-85 based chassis and turret systems, aside from the extra Igla MANPADS located on the rear sides of the turret; in many cases any penetrated shots on the Shilka will lead to critical damage to the turret system if now detonated right away due to the huge ammo storage with around 2000 rounds of 23 mm shells onboard.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
|Hull||9.4 mm (57°)||9.4 mm||9.4 mm (46°) ''Upper''
9.4 mm (22°) ''Lower''
|9.4 mm
|-
| Turret ||8.9 mm (23°)||8.9 mm (8-10°)||8.9 mm (1°)||8.9 mm
|-
| Cupola ||8.9 mm
|8.9 mm
|8.9 mm
|8.9 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

Although the upgrade introduced mechanical improvements to modern standards, the overall mobility is still identical to the previous Shilka with a V-6R engine at up to 280 hp output and mechanical transmission; it could somewhat keep up with Soviet/Russian MBTs at its tier, but it would have a hard time retreating back into cover.

{{tankMobility}}

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|AZP-23 (23 mm)}}

The ZSU-23-4M4 still retains the AZP-23 quad-mount autocannons onboard; known as the ''sewing machine'' due to its iconic firing sound. By the time of the introduction of this upgrade, there were field modifications which even has its radar systems removed to store extra ammunition against insurgents; this also somewhat showed a major downside of the system - inferior, or perhaps old-school radar system. Although the sound from the firing can sometimes deter enemy aircrafts, for players who understand the rather curved trajectory of the 23 mm autocannon, they will have easy time taking down the Shilka; sudden attack with the autocannons is always the best idea to utilize the vehicle. Leave the shells for aircrafts instead as the penetration of 23 mm shells are rather disappointing, sometimes barely able to penetrate NATO tanks from their sides.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[AZP-23 (23 mm)|23 mm AZP-23]] (x4) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 2,000 (500) || rowspan="2" | 850 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__ || rowspan="2" | _.__
|-
! ''Realistic''
| __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''HEFI-T:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
* '''APIT:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:AZP-23 (23 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-I, API-T, HEFI-T}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|9M39}}

To boost Shilka's combat capabilities in modern times and reuse the fleet of reserves, the M4 upgrade introduced two pairs of 9M39 Igla MANPADS as secondary weapon, although the missile has a rather small reticle and lacks any off-bore capabilities, but the overall maneuverability of the missile is sufficient enough to guide itself back on track and slap enemy aircrafts onto the ground.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[9M39]] missile
|-
! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
|-
| 4 (4) || -5°/+45° || - || -
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:9M39/Ammunition|9M39}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''1''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

When players first heard of the name ZSU-23-4M4, they might have some first thought or bad memories from the previous version with inferior electronics, which is indeed true due to the upgrade didn't include the upgrade of the radar itself; to put it in a more positive way, players can get on hand with the handling of this vehicle rather quickly, this time with pairs of 9M38 Igla to extend the engage range.

Considering that the vehicle is designated as a SPAA for aerial targets, bring Shilka to the frontline is one of the last thing players should ever consider during combat - the overall profile of Shilka is still large for a Soviet/Russian vehicle and the protection is next to none which is only rated for up to rifle-caliber bullets, anything beyond those calibers is a sure penetration even from distance, let alone cannon shells; if the shell ever hits the ammo storages at the sides of turret front, the next thing will be the complete destruction and vaporize the vehicle from existence. Using it as a makeshift IFV isn't viable as well due to the poor penetration of 23 mm autocannon shells - way below its competitor in the past, ZSU-37-2 by more than half of its penetration; let alone PLAGF's PGZ04A with 63 mm penetration at point-blank range just by enlarging the caliber by 2 millimeter. But hunting down enemy SPAAs or IFVs is still a viable last-ditch option, in case of intensive brawling between vehicles for victory, strafing enemy IFVs from their sides are much safer than going head-on as some IFVs are already rated to withstand 23 mm autocannons even at close range.

To make the maximum efficiency of Shilka, players have to be hidden as much as they can, due to the inferior performance of the 4-decade-old radar system, it would be much more efficient by just searching with naked eyes and hearing; pay attention to any black spots that appeared on the screen and use the gunsight to further confirm the identity, do NOT lock onto the target just yet as this gives the position of Shilka right away (sometimes even the exact model and make of the vehicle if equipped with more advanced RWR system). Depending on the entry altitude of enemy aircrafts, players can deploy different tactics against them as well as follows:

* '''Diving in''' - this is mostly performed by jets with rockets, AGMs or low-drag bombs as they need a very clear LOS to any designated targets; depending on player's decision, they can either warm-up the Igla early, then wait until they enters around 3 km range or bait the aircraft within 2 km, then lock-onto the target with radar for gun solution cue. In most cases, they might not have enough reaction time to evade the oncoming attacks.
* '''Low fly-pass''' - in case the enemy brings high-drag (retard) bombs for low altitude drops with the help of CCRP, players must keep a high situational awareness, especially from the radio commands or any means of target search; once players confirm their attack route, aim at the possible route it takes ''(best if players can tell the direction of entry point with ears)'', then spray long bursts into the skies - this gives little to none reaction time to enemy jets. Radar lock is optional depending on the map terrain as long as the radar has clear LOS to the target.

In case the following failed, it is a good idea to warm up the Igla when the likelihood of failed interception rises; make sure the target is within the reticle of Igla, then launch the missile onto the target ''(best if it is in maneuver at slower speeds)'' - let the heat signature guide the missile seeker onto the target.

Overall, although the ZSU-23-4M4 has rather inferior electronics for its era and the gun performance isn't the best among equivalents, sneak attacks with considerations for enemy CAS entry can give players as much reaction time as possible, what looks like a calm sea can hide lethal predators to CAS aircrafts.

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire with quad-mount 23 mm autocannons which can be devastating to light vehicles
* Generous ammunition pool for prolonged firing
* Igla MANPADS for attacking aircraft outside of gun range
* Chassis is mobile enough to navigate in the battlefield
* Sufficient turret traverse speed for quick targeting

*

'''Cons:'''

* Large vehicle profile
* Little armor protection: heavy machine guns can penetrate the turret and hull
* Huge ammo rack by the front of the turret with a high risk of detonation
* Obsolete radar systems that hinders overall search capabilities: visual and aural searches may be more reliable

*

== History ==

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

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

'''Related development'''

* [[ZSU-23-4 (Family)]]

'''Vehicles of similar configuration or role'''

* [[SIDAM 25 (Mistral)]]
* [[Machbet]]
* [[PGZ04A]]
* [[Gepard 1A2]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{USSR anti-aircraft vehicles}}

ZSU-23-4

2024-08-09T01:13:09Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Soviet SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other versions
| link = ZSU-23-4 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_zsu_23_4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


Arguably the single most iconic self-propelled anti-aircraft gun of the Soviet Union during the Cold War, the '''ZSU-23-4 ''Shilka''''' is a force to be reckoned with. First fielded in 1965, the Shilka completely superseded its predecessor, the antiquated [[ZSU-57-2]] by the 1970s. Notable upgrades were a radar fire control system to assist gunners in aiming the gun, a gun stabilizer to enable firing on the move, as well as the search radar itself which greatly assisted in awareness. Designed on the [[ASU-85]] hull, the Shilka was almost fielded alongside its competitor, the [[ZSU-37-2]] Yenisei, but the Yenisei was cancelled during a hearing and the Shilka became the backbone of the Soviet air defense suite. The Shilka served a long and illustrious career with the Soviet Armed Forces and many other militaries around the world, seeing combat across the globe. One notable use was in the Soviet-Afghan War, where Shilkas had their radars removed and additional ammunition was added and were used against enemy guerilla fighters to devastating effect.

Introduced in [[Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]], the "Shilka" presents a much higher rate of fire than its predecessor [[ZSU-57-2]], and allows the user to oversaturate a given area of the sky to increase the odds of hitting an enemy aircraft. The Shilka is unlocked after the [[ZSU-37-2]] Yenisei, its unproduced rival, and usage cases between the two differ. The Yenisei deals a heavier, crippling blow with its 37 mm cannon, but lacks the volume of fire of the Shilka to saturate an area, while the Shilka lacks comparative engagement range as well as the penetration to go through enemy armour from the side consistently. The Shilka is best used at sub-2 km ranges, when enemies have little room to manoeuvre from the sheer amount of shells being thrown in the air, and is second to none in this role.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 9.4 mm (57°) || 9.4 mm || 9.4 mm (46°) ''Upper'' 9.4 mm (22°) ''Lower'' || 9.4 mm
|-
| Turret || 8.9 mm (23°) || 8.9 mm (8-10°) || 8.9 mm (1°) || 8.9 mm
|-
| Cupola || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 9.4 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=398|rbMinHp=248}}

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

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

{{main|AZP-23 (23 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[AZP-23 (23 mm)|23 mm AZP-23]] (x4) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 2,000 (500) || rowspan="2" | 850 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 61.6 || 85.3 || 103.6 || 114.6 || 121.9 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 41.6 || 49.0 || 59.5 || 65.8 || 70.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''HEFI-T:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
* '''APIT:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:AZP-23 (23 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-I, API-T, HEFI-T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Radars ===
{{main|1RL33}}
The ZSU-23-4 is equipped with a [[1RL33]] search and tracking radar, mounted on top of the turret, at the rear. The radar system lacks track while scan, but can track targets in a full 360° area around the turret (instead of just to the front of the turret). The radar has very slow scan speed.
{{Notice|By default the radar will scan a 60° arc, this can be changed to a 360° scan if desired, using the "change radar search mode" key.}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="5" | [[1RL33]] - Target Detection Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Detection Range|The range, below which, a target cannot be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be detectable by the radar}}
|-
| 20,000 m || 100 m || ±30° (optionally 360°) || -9°/+87° || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
|-
! colspan="5" | [[1RL33]] - Target Tracking Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be tracked by the radar}}
|-
| 16,000 m || 100 m || 360° || -9°/+87° || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The ZSU-23-4 should be played entirely as an AA vehicle. Do not go tank hunting in this vehicle, as you do not have the armour or the penetration. Focus on keeping the skies clear, something that this vehicle does very well. A high rate of fire and very fast turret traverse means that you should be able to target and destroy even the fastest jets.

You have a high ammo count with this vehicle, meaning that you can afford to find a good spot away from the main fight in order to pick off enemy planes. Unless you need to reload your ammo, avoid spawn points. They are usually the hub of most of the fighting and going to them will put you in the firing line.

While it is fully enclosed, the ZSU-23-4 has armour which makes the M18 Hellcat look like a heavy tank. Even 7.62mm machine guns stand a fair chance of penetrating this vehicle, although the slightly increased angle provides marginally better protection over the Yenisei. This makes you a primary target for aircraft, which at this vehicles BR are usually armed with cannons or high penetration machine guns, which will easily take you out.

Top rank helicopters and the FJ-4B VMF 232 are the greatest threat to your existence. They are both capable of sitting comfortably outside your firing range while firing lethal ATGMs at you. Hide from them until they are either dealt with by an allied plane or they come close enough to be dealt with by your 23 mm cannons.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire; allows for area saturation
* Relatively high top speed
* High ammo count
* Fast turret traverse
* Can penetrate lightly armoured vehicles (other SPAAs)
* Radar-assisted fire control; a lead indicator is shown in Realistic.

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour; aircraft cannons will cause severe damage
* Low power to weight ratio; struggles with slopes and off-road
* Low penetration for 23 mm cannons; means troubles penetrating certain MBTs from the side
* Radar has very low scan speed

== History ==


===Development===
The main Soviet self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle [[ZSU-57-2]], in service since 1955, did not perform satisfactory due to the lack of radar tracking, low rate of fire, and small ammo count for its high-power autocannons. Its firepower was supplemented by the ZPU and ZU series of anti-aircraft mounts using the 14.5 mm and 23 mm armaments respectively. The ZPU and ZU were towed or truck-mounted and had a high rate of fire, but suffered from low mobility when not on a truck and lack of protection if mounted on a truck for a mobile role. It became desirable to combine the traits of these two type of anti-aircraft weaponry together for a tracked anti-aircraft vehicle to be protected, have good mobility, contain a good amount of ammo, and deliver a high rate of fire with heavy-hitting calibre.

Development started in 1957 for this vehicle, ready to be evaluated in 1962. The vehicle went under the name '''ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"''', named after the Shilka River in South-Eastern Russia. The first set of digits signifies the calibre, 23 mm, and the second signifies the number of cannons, 4. Equipped with four water-cooled 23 mm autocannons, the ZSU-23-4 is aimed via manual optics or with a radar that can track aircraft up to 6 km away and guide the armaments to a estimated coordinate. The vehicle can carry up to 2,000 rounds of 23 mm ammunition and each cannon has a fire rate of between 850-1,000 rpm. The ZSU-23-4 was built on a GM-575 chassis, which itself is based off the [[PT-76B|PT-76]]. It was accepted for service by the Soviet Army in 1965 and proceeded to replace all the ZSU-57-2 still in stock by the 1970s. From the time period 1964 to 1982, up to 6,500 ZSU-23-4 were produced at the Mytishchi Engineering Works.

===Combat usage===
The Soviet Army used the ZSU-23-4 as their main anti-aircraft defense weapon. It was intended that the ZSU-23-4 only guard military bases and mechanized formations while the ZSU-37-2, a side development during the Shilka's development period, guard the low-altitude area unable to be hit by surface-to-air missiles. However, the ZSU-23-4 Shilka eventually replaced it to keep a logistics simple. From Soviet doctrine, the Shilkas were organized in anti-aircraft artillery batteries with two platoons of four vehicles each. Initially, one platoon was filled with ZSU-57-2's and the other with Shilkas, but the ZSU-57's were replaced in service by the Shilkas in the 1970s. In the 1970s, the batteries were also reorganized to one platoon of Shilkas and one platoon of anti-air missile systems, both meant to supplement the dead zone from the divisional surface-to-air missile systems. The Shilkas, being very lightly armoured, mainly stay behind the main forces and the front line, ranging between 400 to 1,000 m away from the fighting. Though each Shilka unit fought with their own radar system initially, the implementation of the PPRU-1 allowed for coordinated targeting between the Shilka and missile units against enemy aircraft. Despite their intended role as an anti-aircraft, the high rate of fire, heavy calibre, and ability to elevate the guns at a high angle made it a very popular ground support weapon. This utility made it a very useful weapon in the Soviet occupation of Afghanistan, being able to fight the Mujaheddin ambushing from mountainous terrain. The Soviets also used it during the War against Chechnya, fighting the Chechens in the mountains. The ZSU-23-4 still sees use in the Russian Naval Infantry.

The ZSU-23-4 saw more usage in the hands of the Soviet Union's allies. 2,500 of the Shilkas produced were given out to up to 23 nations. It's most infamous records would come from the hands of the Arabs in the Yom Kippur War in 1973. Using the SA-6 surface-to-air missiles, they forced the Israeli planes to fly low to avoid missile detection and then blasted them away with the Shilkas. The Shilkas also saw use in the later part of the Vietnam War, where they are used nearly the same way by attacking aircraft forced low by missiles. Past that, the ZSU-23-4 saw usage in multiple conflicts in the Third World countries and are still in use today in the Syrian Civil War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_zsu_23_4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


'''Related development'''

* [[ZSU-23-4 (Family)]]
** [[ZSU-23-4M4]]

'''Vehicles with similar weapon systems'''

* [[BTR-ZD]]

'''Vehicles of similar configuration or role'''

* [[ZSU-37-2]]
* [[SIDAM 25]]
* [[AMX-30 DCA]]
* [[M163]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4243-development-zsu-23-4-shilka-river-of-fire-en/|[Devblog] ZSU-23-4 Shilka: River of Fire]]

{{USSR anti-aircraft vehicles}}

ZSU-23-4 (Italy)

2024-08-08T20:47:18Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other versions
| link = ZSU-23-4 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=it_zsu_23_4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Hungarian SPAA {{Battle-rating}} in the Italian research tree. It was introduced in [[Update "Sons of Attila"]] as part of the Hungarian subtree of the Italian tech tree. This is a "suppressing fire" style of SPAA, providing insane fire rate at the cost of accuracy, penetrating power and mobility.

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


The armour of ZSU-23-4 is better characterized as "paper". There are a lot of openings for even 7.62 mm MG to penetrate. Even other 20 mm SPAA HE belts can penetrate it at places and damage the crew inside.

Still, the SPAA is fully enclosed and armour sometimes manage to miraculously block overpressure damage at weird angles, so it's not always an instant death for the entirety of the crew upon being hit, but it will fail to do literally anything else.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 9.4 mm (57°) || 9.4 mm || 9.4 mm (46°) ''Upper'' 9.4 mm (22°) ''Lower'' || 9.4 mm
|-
| Turret || 8.9 mm (23°) || 8.9 mm (8-10°) || 8.9 mm (1°) || 8.9 mm
|-
| Cupola || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 9.4 mm thick.

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


The SPAA is rather slow even when fully upgraded. It can only really go 30-40 km/h, very rarely reaching the advertised 50 km/h when driving forward for a long time. It can go -8 in reverse, which isn't fast enough considering its armour. Overall, operating it in the heat of battle requires a lot of quick thinking, and it is unlikely to outmanoeuvre medium tanks unless it is a 1 on 1 duel at short range.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=398|rbMinHp=248}}

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

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

{{main|AZP-23 (23 mm)}}

This ZSU is armed with four 23 mm autocannons, all being fed by one giant belt (technically, 4 separate belts). AP shells for these have rather low penetration values and can only threaten very lightly armoured tanks (and maybe European and Soviet medium tank sides at close range), but cannons have very high fire rate and thus can saturate air with so many shells that even decently agile vehicles have to actually evade the lead wall to avoid being shredded.

Due to how the game is coded, any "potential" penetration (yellow crosshair in aim assist) will happen if the same point is hit over 100 times, so even such "weakspots" are worth researching. For example, sometimes, weakspots like the typical USSR MBT fuel tanks will spontaneously explode when fired at from the side, even when penetration should not be possible due to an extreme angle. Another great weak spot is enemy tank engine deck - much like with BTR before, it is possible to push an obscene amount of AP through the engine compartment in hopes that it has a small random hole somewhere that will allow the shell to explode into the crew compartment.
[[File:Zsu 23 4 ambushes medium tank.jpg|thumb|right|While the cannons aren't very powerful, if penetration is possible at all, they will get through eventually.]]
Even the belt with minimal amount of HE in it can deal catastrophic damage to aircraft simply through sheer amount of critical hits, so taking API belt is generally the best idea. That being said, the cannons are extremely inaccurate, with dispersion being a gigantic circle around where the SPAA aims, rather than a proper square. Radar aim is required to achieve even a semblance of accurate aircraft interception.

Although the overwhelming fire suggests that the SPAA can easily intercept ATGM and bombs, it is very much not recommended to rely on it when fighting ground based ATGM tanks, as more often than not the shells just bounce off the ATGM and any attack from below 1 km range will bypass the lead wall anyway.

Due to low shell velocity, SPAA can fire on other SPAA and light tanks over hills. At about 800 m range half of guns will fail to get over and enemy light tanks can respond with HEAT or HESH, at about 1200 m range the shells will start losing their punch, but all of the guns will have a chance to hit a target and they will be less likely to fire back. For the same reason, it is sometimes necessary to fire ahead of the radar aiming circle, as sometimes shells just fail to fight gravity and barely miss the aircraft.

Guns overheat after firing 400 shells (about 100 per gun), so despite having an absurd amount of ready ammunition without having to reload, it is still necessary to give them some rest. Every encounter needs to be planned ahead of time.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[AZP-23 (23 mm)|23 mm AZP-23]] (x4) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 2,000 (500) || rowspan="2" | 850 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 61.6 || 85.3 || 103.6 || 114.6 || 121.9 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 41.6 || 49.0 || 59.5 || 65.8 || 70.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''HEFI-T:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
* '''APIT:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:AZP-23 (23 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-I, API-T, HEFI-T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_ZSU-23-4.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+4)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Radars ===
{{main|1RL33}}
The ZSU-23-4 is equipped with a [[1RL33]] search and tracking radar, mounted on top of the turret, at the rear. The radar system lacks track while scan, but can track targets in a full 360° area around the turret (instead of just to the front of the turret). The radar has very slow scan speed.
{{Notice|By default the radar will scan a 60° arc, this can be changed to a 360° scan if desired, using the "change radar search mode" key.}}

This radar is quite weak and aim solution will practically always wobble around the target unless it dives directly onto the SPAA, so paying attention to lock-on square position is necessary to not miss the volley entirely. Juxtapose the aim back towards the target to hit anyway.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="5" | [[1RL33]] - Target Detection Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Detection Range|The range, below which, a target cannot be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be detectable by the radar}}
|-
| 20,000 m || 100 m || ±30° (optionally 360°) || -9°/+87° || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
|-
! colspan="5" | [[1RL33]] - Target Tracking Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be tracked by the radar}}
|-
| 16,000 m || 100 m || 360° || -9°/+87° || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The ZSU-23-4 should be played entirely as an AA vehicle if possible. Do not go tank hunting in this vehicle unless you have perfect intel, as you do not have the armour, speed or even penetration to win direct fights. Lurk around allies and focus on keeping the skies clear - something that this vehicle does very well. A high rate of fire and very fast turret traverse means that you should be able to target and destroy even the fastest jets.

You have a high ammo count with this vehicle, meaning that you can afford to find a good spot away from the main fight in order to pick off enemy planes and helicopters. Unless you need to reload your ammo, avoid spawn points. They are usually the hub of most of the fighting and going to them will put you in the firing line.

While it is fully enclosed, the ZSU-23-4 has armour which makes the M18 Hellcat look like a heavy tank. Even 7.62 mm machine guns stand a fair chance of penetrating this vehicle. This makes ZSU a primary target for aircraft, which at this BR are usually armed with cannons or high penetration machine guns, which will easily take you out. To avoid that, keep moving around while firing, as the radar lock should keep your aim true.

Top rank helicopters and high BR jets like the FJ-4B VMF 232 are the greatest threat to your existence. They are both capable of sitting comfortably outside your firing range, while firing lethal ATGMs at you. Hide and slowly creep up onto them until they are either dealt with by an allied plane or they come close enough to be dealt with by your 23 mm cannons. If you can clearly see that enemy ATGM is approaching you, attempt to shoot it down. You can even alternate between ATGM and the helicopter that is guiding it, as generally firing more than a 100 shells in a single burst at any given aircraft is a waste of ammunition.

If you know that there are light tanks in your vicinity, or something like a Leopard 1 is driving nearby, you can plot to remove them. Ambush tactics and artillery style shenanigans are most of the time your only option due to the lack of armour and speed. Even if you know how to obliterate T-54, it's not like they will just give up and let you dismantle them, so know your place and wait for the proper moment.
[[File:ZSU 23 overhead fire.jpg|thumb|right|While ZSU-23-4 can't really fight enemy tanks directly, it can certainly mess up their plans by thinking out of the box.]]
For light tanks and SPAA, simply make sure that you can get a gun on them before they fire (focus on the turret first) and push them. For medium tanks, try to position yourself in such a way, that they drive past you while being completely flat towards your cannons (maybe they are busy trying to rush your allies somewhere else). Try to not get spotted while waiting. Due to the stupidly high fire rate, ZSU should be able to melt them before they can react, but if they manage to answer by spinning their hull towards you (as opposed to just stopping), there isn't much that can be done other than attempting to ruin their cannon and cut your losses by moving away.

If a light or artillery tank is camping on a hill and is bullying your teammates (or even you), you can actually help by damaging it with indirect fire, preferrably with the AP belt. Obviously, it is difficult to pull it off without help of an allied light tank, but at least in AB you can find such targets by paying attention to the minimap or using binoculars when not firing at the aircraft. Take aim at ranges between 800-1300 m and unload until they explode or you feel like they had learned their lesson. This will become increasingly less useful as the BR increases, but should work until at least 9.3. Be aware that some light tanks are armed with shells slow enough to actually fire back at the ZSU, even if this situation is going to shock them for a few seconds.

If you are hiding behind a corner, and you are pretty sure that the approaching tank will easily obliterate you, try to break their further track to make them flip over and neutralize the gun as they frantically try to stabilize themselves, then break the second track and either run or wreck the tank by firing at any available weak spot.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire; allows for area saturation
* Relatively high top speed
* High ammo count
* Fast turret traverse
* Can penetrate lightly armoured vehicles (like other SPAAs) even with indirect fire
* Radar-assisted fire control; a lead indicator is shown in Realistic.

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour; aircraft cannons will cause severe damage
* Low power to weight ratio; very slow; struggles with slopes and off-road
* Low penetration for 23 mm cannons; means troubles penetrating certain MBTs from the side
* Radar has very low scan speed
* Low shell speed compared to other SPAA sometimes makes intercepting aircraft harder than it should be

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=it_zsu_23_4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[ZSU-23-4 (Family)]]

'''Vehicles of similar configuration or role'''

* [[ZSU-37-2]]
* [[M163]]
* [[SIDAM 25]]
* [[AMX-30 DCA]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{Italy anti-aircraft vehicles}}

ZSU-23-4 (Israel)

2024-08-08T20:44:06Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other versions
| link = ZSU-23-4 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=il_zsu_23_4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

Israel captured a total of 60 ZSU-23-4 from Egypt and Syria, who acquired them from the Soviet Union shortly after its introduction, during the Yom Kippur War and other conflicts. While there is very limited data surrounding Israel's usage of ZSU-23-4s in combat or even in active service, some captured units were used for personal training in a very limited number. Currently there is a ZSU-23-4 in display at the Yad la-Shiryon Museum, Israel.

Introduced in [[Update "Fire and Ice"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' "Shilka" presents a higher rate of fire and more powerful ammunition than its predecessor [[Hovet]], allowing the user to saturate the airspace to increase the chance of hitting a low-flying aircraft. It has the same performance as the Soviet [[ZSU-23-4]], thus it has a very good fire rate, a mediocre cannon for dealing with ground units and an average mobility. Like many other SPAAGs of its rank, it lacks access to any kind of guided missile to deal with air threats.

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


'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 9.4 mm (26-57°) || 9.4 mm || 9.4 mm (46°) ''Upper'' 9.4 mm (21-54°) ''Lower'' || 9.4 mm
|-
| Turret || 8.9 mm (21-23°) || 8.9 mm (8-10°) || 8.9 mm (1°) || 8.9 mm
|-
| Cupola || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is only 9.4 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=398|rbMinHp=248}}

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

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

{{main|AZP-23 (23 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[AZP-23 (23 mm)|23 mm AZP-23]] (x4) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 2,000 (500) || rowspan="2" | 850 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 61.6 || 85.3 || 103.6 || 114.6 || 121.9 || rowspan="2" | 5.20 || rowspan="2" | 4.60 || rowspan="2" | 4.24 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 41.6 || 49.0 || 59.5 || 65.8 || 70.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''HEFI-T:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
* '''APIT:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:AZP-23 (23 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-I, API-T, HEFI-T}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The ZSU-23-4 should be played entirely as an AA vehicle. Do not go tank hunting in this vehicle, as you do not have the armour or the penetration. Focus on keeping the skies clear, something that this vehicle does very well. A high rate of fire and very fast turret traverse means that you should be able to target and destroy even the fastest jets.

You have a high ammo count with this vehicle, meaning that you can afford to find a good spot away from the main fight in order to pick off enemy planes. Unless you need to reload your ammo, avoid spawn points. They are usually the hub of most of the fighting and going to them will put you in the firing line.

While it is fully enclosed, the ZSU-23-4 has armour which makes the M18 Hellcat look like a heavy tank. Even 7.62 mm machine guns stand a fair chance of penetrating this vehicle. This makes you a primary target for aircraft, which at this vehicles BR are usually armed with cannons or high penetration machine guns, which will easily take you out.

Missile-equipped aircraft are the greatest threat to your existence. They are capable of sitting comfortably outside your firing range while firing lethal AGMs at you. Hide from them until they are either dealt with by an allied plane or they come close enough to be dealt with by your 23 mm cannons.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire; allows for area saturation
* Relatively high top speed
* High ammo count
* Fast turret traverse
* Can penetrate lightly armoured vehicles (other SPAAs)
* Radar-assisted fire control; a lead indicator is shown in Realistic.

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour; aircraft cannons will cause severe damage
* Low power to weight ratio; struggles with slopes and off-road
* Low penetration for 23 mm cannons; means troubles penetrating certain MBTs from the side
* Radar has very low scan speed

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=il_zsu_23_4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


'''Related development'''

* [[ZSU-23-4 (Family)]]

'''Vehicles of similar configuration or role'''

* [[ZSU-37-2]]
* [[SIDAM 25]]
* [[AMX-30 DCA]]
* [[Hovet]]

== External links ==

* https://warthunder.com/en/game/changelog/current/1427

{{Israel anti-aircraft vehicles}}

BV 138 C-1

2024-08-07T20:34:11Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{Specs-Card
|code=bv-138c-1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

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

The first regular tree seaplane for the Germans was the main unit of the Luftwaffe for ocean patrols from nearly the beginning of the war. Called the "Flying Clog" by her crew, it was capable and versatile machine although under powered, unique in using opposed-piston diesel engines and a steel tube spar. The C-1 model chosen for the game comes with a formidable defensive armament and average bomb load for Rank I.

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


Even though the plane has 3 engines, it is very slow and its top speed is not high enough to escape from enemies. Take-off from water takes a good deal of distance, and the plane does not manoeuvre well on rudder alone, so give yourself room. In the air, save flaps for when absolutely needed, it is better to keep airspeed. If trying to land in a naval cap point, fly very low and start slowing well before cap zone, drop flaps when possible. It is recommended to practice water landing in Test Flight to learn landing distance and how far the plane will drift (there is no water brake).

{| 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
| 266 || 253 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 41.0 || 44.2 || 0.6 || 0.6 || rowspan="2" | 700
|-
! Upgraded
| 302 || 283 || 37.3 || 39.0 || 4.0 || 2.2
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || X || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 405  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 405 || 320 || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 220 || < 220 || < 210 || > ___
|-
|}

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

The plane has no dedicated armour, but its sturdy airframe makes it pretty survivable. When one of the engines is damaged, the plane can keep flying with the two remaining engines. A hit to the self-sealing fuel tanks will cause a fire and some damage to the airframe but the fire will not last long enough to destroy the plane.

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

It is most important to unlock the MG 131 and MG 151 belts to select the best ammo, with the Compressor, Engine, and Wings repair being next. After that, you can unlock the rest as you please.

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)}}

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

* 6 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (300 kg total)

Being a small bomb, precision is important, however it is dangerous to get close to player vehicles. Fixed targets are the preferred choice.

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

{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|MG 131 (13 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, nose turret (1,000 rpg)
* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, tail turret (900 rpg)
* 1 x 13 mm MG 131 machine gun, dorsal-rear turret (1,450 rpg)

This is exceptional defensive armament for this aircraft, especially for its BR. Most opponents one will face have rifle or heavy calibre machine guns, rarely will it be 20 mm, let alone Minegeschoß shells. Be familiar with the blind spots for the rear guns and manoeuvre for the best advantage, you might have a good chance to punish an attacker who dares to attack you!

== Usage in battles ==

With a small bomb load of six 50 kg bombs, do not expect to play a big role in Air battles in terms of bombing; however the 20 mm and 13 mm defensive weapons makes up with a potent sting if attacked. Be familiar of the turret arcs, and fly low to cover your unprotected belly. The BV 138 can be used as a low-altitude slugger in Air RB where its powerful turret-based cannons are able to blast through any monoplane or biplane it may face at its BR. Uptiers with the BV 138 can be much more unforgiving with this tactic, but the potency of its defensive armament still remains.

It is naval missions where "the Clog" will shine, capping unguarded points or sinking boats with its armament, being more durable than the single-engine seaplanes often used. Make sure to have this in your Naval lineup!

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* One engine can be knocked out and can still fly fine
* Good manoeuvrability
* Effective glider with a low stall speed, even with all engines knocked out
* Excellent defensive armament
* Can capture naval points

'''Cons:'''

* Can't land on runways since it is a hydroplane
* Poor climb rate
* Slow flight speed
* No offensive armament
* Small bomb load

== History ==

Not immediately obvious, the BV 138 is one of the more unique vehicles in game: a twin boom fuselage is very rare for a seaplane design, the Sikorsky S-38 the closest analogue and possibly inspiration for this one. The little known but brilliant aircraft designer Dr Richard Vogt was hired away from Kawasaki Aircraft in Japan to join the Hamburger Flugzeugbau (HFB), bringing with him some highly innovative aircraft technologies. One of his first projects was the '''Ha 138''', a twin-engine seaplane with gull wing similar to the PBM or the Be-6 but with twin booms to the tail plane, all to keep them high above the water. Unfortunately, the also highly innovative Jumo 205 diesel engines were underperforming so a third engine was mounted on the fuselage as an expedient modification.
The first Ha 138 (V1) was, well, a failure. The fact it did not crash in tests was a minor miracle. The next one (V2) redesigned to be a straight wing with integrated middle engine was not much better, but the lessons from these early experiments were learned and V3 was scrapped half started.

With the company now called "Abteilung Flugzeugbau der Schiffswerft Blohm & Voss", "Blohm & Voss" for short, the manufacturer prefix was changed from "Ha" to "BV" (the only all capital letter Reichsluftfahrtministerium code) and the completely redesigned BV 138A-0 (V4) was built. All the shortcomings from the first two designs were eliminated and the Reichsluftfahrtministerium (RLM) and the Luftwaffe (LW) was happy with the design and ordered it into production. There were still shortcomings with the underpowered engine, so to compensate mounting points for the HWK 109-500 booster rockets where added to aid in takeoff.

The original 138 was well armed aircraft for the period, sporting an early 20 mm cannon in the nose turret, very likely to attack boats and ships. Interestingly the bomb racks were added much later in the B version. It was literally a rack bolted under the right wing (and only the right wing), and could also carry small depth charges too. This was clearly an afterthought, and possibly a field modification for older units. The B version also sported standardized with MG 151 cannons (not clear if 15 mm was used at one time), the top turret being MG 15 or with the C model the MG 131. The BV138 also enjoyed an armoured fuel tank! The signature "Dr Vogt steel tube spar" was the main fuel tank, the wall was thick enough to resist machine gun rounds short of heavy AP cannon shells.

Called the "Flying Clog" for its wooden shoe-like hull shape, the plane was well liked by the crews. With an exceptionally long range and a comfortable cabin to work in, it was the eyes of the Kriegsmarine. Because the engines were diesel, it was common for the Flying Clogs to refuel from submarines at very distant locations.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=bv-138c-1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|d1SLIe-9Vmc|'''The Shooting Range #367''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:24 relates a rescue at sea of a BV 138.}}

== See also ==
'''Aircraft of similar configuration or role'''

* [[PBY-5 (Family)]]
* [[PBY-5 (Family)]]
* [[H6K4]]
* [[BV 238]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7315-development-bv-138-c-1-ship-of-the-sky-en|[Devblog] BV 138 C-1: Ship of the sky]]
* [http://www.feldgrau.com/bv138.htm <nowiki>[Feldgrau]</nowiki> Blohm & Voss BV 138]
* [https://web.archive.org/web/20120210025648/http://home.swipnet.se/our_stuff/Planes/BV138.htm <nowiki>[SwipNet]</nowiki> BV 138]

{{AirManufacturer BlohmVoss}}
{{Germany bombers}}

Ju 87 R-2

2024-08-07T20:31:42Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = German dive bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Ju 87 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ju-87r-2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

The main use of this plane is precision strikes on hard targets such as tanks and pillboxes, as well as providing ground support in ground battles. This is largely due to its spectacular dive-bombing accuracy and powerful payload. To perform an effective dive with this plane, at an altitude of at least 1,400 m, place your target at the bend in your wings, roll your upside-down and dive at an angle of 60-90 degrees, aiming your cross-hairs at or slightly in front of the target (leading with their speed). Drop throttle to 0% and deploy airbrakes (H key by default); you should keep a steady speed of 400 km/h. Release your bomb at 300 m from the target and you should score a direct, or near hit.

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
''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 4,100 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
| 366 || 356 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.1 || 29.1 || 6.5 || 6.5 || rowspan="2" | 434
|-
! Upgraded
| 403 || 383 || 25.9 || 27.0 || 14.0 || 9.6
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 469 || 320 || ~18 || ~7
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 250 || < 350 || < 350 || > 280
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 3,700 m || 930 hp || 1,200 hp
|-
|}

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

The armour of the Ju 87 R-2 is decent at this BR, although it is unlikely to stop real bullets and is only really effective at protecting against shrapnel. All of the important components, like the pilot and engine, are located in the front of the plane, which means that you should not expose the front unless absolutely necessary. Also, whereas the pilot actually has a decent 8 mm armour plate behind him, the gunner only has a 5 mm one which won't stop pretty much anything except glancing bullets and small shrapnel fragments. Adding to that, the gunner is usually the one facing enemy planes, so he will most likely get knocked out early in the fight, leaving you without much protection against enemies.

* 8 mm Steel - behind the pilot
* 5 mm Steel - behind the rear gunner
* No armour glazing
* Critical components located in front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
* More fuel tanks located in wings near fuselage

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

In this aircraft, all the bomb loads can be equipped from the start, with no need to research any pylon modules. So, it is advisable to acquire either 500 kg bombs or 1,000 kg bombs from the start. However, before using the 1,000 kg bomb it is best to research modules that influence climb rate heavily, particularly engine upgrades. Without these, the larger bomb degrades performance too heavily, so it is recommended to use the 500 kg bombs first, which are still quite good and can easily destroy anything at this plane's BR. The gun upgrades are less needed, as this aircraft does not rely too much on their damage output, however they can still be used for defending yourself against enemy planes and strafing soft-skinned targets on the ground like AAA and armoured cars.

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

{{main|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, wing-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

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

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

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

* 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb (250 kg total)
* 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb (500 kg total)
* 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bomb (1,000 kg total)
* 1 x Flam C 500 incendiary bomb

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

{{main|MG 15 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun, dorsal turret (900 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:BomberImage_Ju87R2 desert camo.jpg|thumbnail|right|Ju 87 R-2 with desert camouflage]]

In Arcade Battles you should concentrate on killing tanks and pillboxes first (if any) with your bombs, and use your offensive machine guns to kill soft targets like armoured cars, artillery, howitzers and AA. In this mode, you won't need your air brakes since you can't break your wings and it's easy to pull up from a fast dive attack, and its recommended that you keep as much of your speed up from the dives so you are harder to intercept by enemy aircraft. Another viable option on maps with light vehicles is to stay at altitude, dive,
drop your 1,000 kg bomb, and climb again, circling until you get another bomb. This work most effectively on maps with groups of armoured cars that are clustered, bot in a line.

In Realistic Battles, you should keep your altitude, and look for tank columns to attack. Once you've chosen which tank column you wish to attack(I recommend some ground targets as far from the battlefield or enemy airfield as possible, so you are less likely to be intercepted) . Once you are right over your intended target, set your throttle to 0% and point your nose at the at the tank you want to destroy (since you have no bombsight, there will not be a bomb-drop indicator like in Arcade, and you will have to guess where the bombs will drop) once you are nearing your target, you will have to deploy your air-brakes or you won't be able to pull up at high speeds. (you can tell when you are reaching a high speed with the sounds that the air and wings make) Once you drop your bomb(s) point your nose up to pull up. At this point you may or may not have killed your intended target, but it is OK if you didn't you will get better at it with more practice, but you still have your offensive armament to kill soft targets like AA or you can engage enemy fighters that are nearby (which is very likely).

Dogfighting in RB with a Ju 87 is a very difficult task if the enemy knows your disadvantages and uses them to his own advantage. It is recommended that you avoid doing head-on attacks a much as possible, as you don't have the armament to risk it. It is also recommended that you stay low and slow in a combat situation with enemy aircraft (because of control surface lock-up at high speeds) and try to get the enemy to engage in a turnfight. If he falls for your turnfight, you should end up on his 6 o'clock in 3-5 turns on most enemies, it really depends on if its a British, American or Soviet plane, British being generally the better turnfighter. If he doesn't fall for your turnfight, you are most likely going to go down, as this plane is not a fighter plane.

When returning to base landing and takeoff is simple, and use of the air brakes will help if you came in to fast to land. But you may be coming back on a dead or damaged engine (The Ju 87's engine is prone to damage and overheat)and it would help if you find the nearest friendly airfield and get there as soon as possible.

Because of their low speed, permanent landing gear and reasonable durability, all the Ju 87s are quite good for capturing airfields in the Airfield Domination mode.

In ground RBs, the Ju 87 R-2 has a great advantage: the large 1,000 kg bomb. Almost all enemy tanks at a similar BR won't survive such an explosion, or they will have critical damages for sure. Remember to set the time fuse at 3 seconds: if longer the enemy may escape, if shorter your plane might be damaged by the explosion as well. Dive at a target, extend airbrake and gather speed up around 450 km/h (if too fast, cut throttle). Zoom in on the target and when it is twice as big as the mouse cursor, place the target closer to the cockpit than to the cursor, and release the bomb. For the 1 x 250 kg or 1 x 500 kg setup, the aiming is similar, but place the target closer to the cursor for the 250 kg, and for the 500 kg, between the cockpit and the cursor. Follow all the instructions you have for RBs, and return to the airfield as soon as possible because with the slow speed, the Ju 87 is a perfect target for AA vehicles.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[Yak-2 KABB]]: Do not think that the {{PAGENAME}} can confidently outmanoeuvre this plane just because it is twin-engined. The Yak-2 has an amazing turn rate for a heavy fighter, thus the {{PAGENAME}} must avoid turning with it, if not dogfighting with it in general. It bears a pair of ShVAK cannons that can easily damage vital parts like engine or cooling systems. It has a green livery, greatly resembling an Me 410 but with an H-tail like a Bf 110s.
* [[I-15bis]]: This pudgy little biplane may not look very threatening, but it can easily outmanoeuvre you. It is the first in the famed line of I-15 fighters and it lives up to its reputation as an excellent turnfighter. It also has 4 x 7.62 mm machine guns that can shred you. However, it has no armour whatsoever, and your defensive 7.92 mm can dispatch it quite easily.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Forward-firing guns
* Airbrakes
* Customizable armament presets
* Very large 1,000 kg bomb
* High maximum dive speed for its tier

'''Cons:'''

* Pretty slow speed
* Poor rate of climb
* Bad energy retention
* Poor performance while equipped with 1,000 kg bomb
* Can mount only one bomb (of any kind that is available on this plane), unlike the B version

== History ==


{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}|expand=true}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The single-engine two-seater Junkers Ju-87 Stuka dive bomber was plagued with low speed and manoeuvrability and was extremely vulnerable without fighter support, but due to its high accuracy and a number of unusual design choices, it became one of the most famous of the Luftwaffe's aircraft.

Even though the S-87 had such outdated technology as fixed landing gear, its design included new automatic air brakes which allowed the plane to escape a dive even if the pilot lost consciousness. An unusual decision was to install sirens, filling the vicinity with a deafening roar to strike fear into the enemy's heart.

The Ju 87R-2 was a modification of the Ju 87B-2 and was manufactured during the same period of time. The Ju 87R-2 (Reichweite, "long-range") had increased range due to the installation of two additional 150-liter wing fuel tanks and two disposable 150-liter fuel tanks under its wings, instead of the usual four 50-kg bombs. Like the B-2, the R-2's engine had a capacity of 1,200 horsepower, and its bomb load was reduced to one 250-kg bomb.

5,752 "Stukas" were constructed, 616 of which were Ju 87R-2s.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ju-87r-2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|owYlJZ4LgyA|'''The Shooting Range #36''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 06:02 discusses the Ju 87 Stuka.}}

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[Ju 87 (Family)]]
** [[Ju 87 R-2 Libya]]
** [[Ju 87 R-2 (Italy)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/161909-junkers-ju-87-b-2-and-r-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Junkers}}
{{Germany bombers}}

BK 5 (50 mm)

2024-08-07T20:24:25Z

U43191476: /* See also */

== Description ==

The BK 5 is a 50 mm nose-mounted German aircraft cannon designed to attack armoured ground targets.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|me-410a-1_u4}}
* {{Specs-Link|me-410b-2_u4}}

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

=== Available ammunition ===


* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T|High-explosive incendiary tracer (minengeschoß)}}
* '''Armoured targets (AP-T):''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''Armoured targets (HVAP-T):''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''Air targets:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T|High-explosive incendiary tracer (minengeschoß)}}

{{:{{PAGENAME}}/Ammunition|HEI-T, AP-T, HVAP-T}}

=== 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 ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great accuracy when fully upgraded
* Uses the same ammunition as the [[Sd.Kfz.234/2|Sd.Kfz.234/2]]

'''Cons:'''

* Slow fire rate
* Low ammo capacity (22 rpg)

== History ==

Facing the reality of 'viermotor' four-engine heavy bombers over Germany, the Luftwaffe sought more effective weapons to blunt the USAAF bomber offensive which was wreaking havoc on their industrial capacity. Rheinmetall-Borsig was approached to adapt the KwK 39 tank gun into a weapon which could be used against heavy bombers. To do this, they designed an autoloader which was connected to a 22 round belt feed which was loaded on the ground. To provide additional punch to the already impressive 50 mm round, a Minengeschoß (mine shell) high-explosive, high-capacity round was developed.

While the gun had a low rate of fire and suffered from reliability problems, it had some success against B-17s and B-24s and was used until the end of hostilities.

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

== See also ==
'''Weapons of similar calibre or role'''

* [[Mk.214a (50 mm)]]
* [[Vickers P (47 mm)]]
* [[NS-45 (45 mm)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Rheinmetall_BK-5|[Wikipedia] Rheinmetall BK-5]]

{{Germany aircraft cannons}}

[[Category:Aircraft cannons]]

S.81

2024-07-05T17:48:11Z

U43191476: See Also - attempting to use source editing vs visual

{{Specs-Card
|code=s_81_ar125
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in a time when Italy needed an aircraft capable of covering the large distances of the African Campaign, providing reconnaissance and the ability to carry bombs. Chief designer of the new project, Alessandro Marchetti developed the aircraft based on the Savoia's SM.73 airliner and militarized the vehicle for its intended use. The first prototype flew in 1935 and the aircraft was designated '''SM.81''' ''Pipistrello'' ("Bat"). The aircraft served until 1944 with a total of 534 units built. For its time, the aircraft was considered one of the best medium bombers, but when World War II broke out it was already an outdated design. It served with Italian forces in Spain and Africa, and three were also sent to the Chinese Nationalist Forces but they were lost in training exercises in early 1938.

It was introduced in [[Update 1.71 "New E.R.A."]]. The S.81 is distinctive with its three engines, two on the wings and one in the nose. Each engine is less powerful than contemporaries on other aircraft so each engine loss will heavily impact the aircraft's speed, causing it to lose altitude, although the nose engine increases survivability. Three types of turrets are available on the S.81, a dorsal turret on top, a ventral turret on the bottom, and two beam turrets for both sides of the fuselage. All the turrets provide an excellent arc of fires on their sectors, with mutual machine gun fire from more than one turret able to be met in most areas, however these turrets only use 7.7 mm machine guns. The S.81 lacks any sort of armour and the crew is very likely to be injured in attacks, especially from below.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 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
| 321 || 310 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 30.1 || 31.3 || 3.9 || 3.9 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 351 || 335 || 28.0 || 29.0 || 9.4 || 6.3
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 369 || 348 || 241 || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 260 || < 270 || < 270 || > 330
|-
|}

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


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

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

When grinding this plane for improvements and modules, focus on the payload first, then the plane performance. Ignore the defensive firepower upgrades as the defensive firepower upgraded is still extremely weak until its the last upgrades you have to get.

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

{{main|GP 50 (50 kg)|GP 100 (100 kg)|GP 250 (250 kg)|GP 500 (500 kg)}}

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

* 28 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (1,400 kg total)
* 16 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,600 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 4 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs (2,000 kg total)

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (7.7 mm)|Lewis (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, dorsal turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 1 x 7.7 mm Lewis machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (500 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==


S.81 is a well armed beginner bomber for Italy, being able to carry a heavy load of bombs in different sizes. Though it doesn't possess the greatest speed, it's still a bomber for the enemy team to recognize as a threat for its carrying capacity of bombs. Being mixed up with bombers from other nations like [[He 111 H-3]], [[F.222.2]], or [[TB-3M-17-32]], they can easily wipe out enemy bases and airfield.

S.81 is armed with 6 x 7.7 mm machine guns: 2 x [[Lewis (7.7 mm)]] and 4 x [[Breda-SAFAT (7.7 mm)]] which is pretty well armed for a low tier bomber. The two Lewis machine guns are placed at the middle rear of the plane in the sides, where they can cover if enemy planes are flying level next to the S.81. Meanwhile, the 4 x Breda machine guns are placed in two turrets that have 360° coverage above and below the bomber, being able to defend it from most angles. It is able to defend itself pretty well against biplanes from reserve ranks, but can have tougher opponents like [[I-16 type 24]], [[Yak-2 KABB]], [[P-36G]], [[He 100 D-1]], [[Potez 631]], and [[J22-A]] that can make quick work of the S.81 as they are faster, more agile, and usually have more firepower than the S.81.

S.81 is able to carry 28 x 50 kg bombs, 16 x 100 kg bombs, 4 x 250 kg bombs or 4 x 500 kg bombs. Bombloads like 28 x 50 kg and 16 x 100 kg are excellent for carpet bombing convoys and knocking out light targets, meanwhile heavier bombloads like 4 x 250 kg and 4 x 500 kg are excellent for destroying bombing points and damaging airfields. They are all useful in ground battles.

Best use of S.81 in Air Battles is on clean up duty after other bombers that are way faster and might not have the bombload to take out bombing points in one go, or S.81 can go for stationary targets like pillboxes, light pillboxes, AA emplacements and artillery positions to bleed the enemy team's tickets.

In ground battles the S.81 can be good air support for allied ground units, protecting points that are being captured by hostile forces and with good communications with the ground teammates it can wipe out entrenched enemies that are likely to be protecting points or certain roads or areas of the map. But beware of enemy SPAA units, the S.81's slow speed makes it an easy target for most SPAA vehicles at its battle rating.

=== 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 || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great payload, can carry up to 2,000 kg of ordnance which can destroy 3 bases with ease
* Machine gun turrets can reach all sides of the bomber
* Potent, fast-firing defensive armament for its tier, with incendiary bullets that can easily set fabric-covered low-tier planes on fire.

'''Cons:'''

* Slow and sluggish
* No armour or bulletproof glass for protection
* Loss of a single engine will hamper the plane's ability to stay in the air
* Low maximum altitude

== History ==

Under the need to have an aircraft capable reaching the far reaches of the Italian colonies in Africa, a project was made to develop an aircraft able to suit the Regia Aeronautica. Approaching manufacturer Savoia-Marchetti, chief designer Alessandro Marchetti developed the aircraft based on the Savoia's SM.73 airliner and militarized the vehicle for its intended use.<ref name="MFS.81">Military Factory. "Savoia-Marchetti SM.81 Pipistrello (Bat) Medium Bomber / Transport Aircraft." Military Factory, 31 May 2017, [http://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=811 Website].</ref> The first prototype was built and flown in early 1935, approximately six months after the SM.73 debuted.<ref name="CenturyS.81">Century of Flight. "Savoia Marchetti S.M.81 Pipistrello." Italian Aircraft of World War Two, 11 Nov 2007, [https://web.archive.org/web/20121102170519/https://www.century-of-flight.net/Aviation%20history/photo_albums/timeline/ww2/Savoia%20Marchetti.htm Web Archive].</ref> This aircraft was then known as the '''SM.81''' "Pipistrello" ("Bat"). The aircraft was accepted for service in the same year with mass-production slated, with different engines used throughout the production life. 534 SM.81 would be produced in the time span between 1935 to 1944.<ref name="MurphyS.81">Murphy, Justin D., and Matthew A. McNiece. Military Aircraft, 1919-1945: an Illustrated History of Their Impact. ABC-CLIO, 2009.</ref>

===Combat usage===
At its inception, the SM.81 was considered one of the better medium bombers of the era with its top speed of 211 miles, long range of 1,336 miles, well armed with six machine gun positions and able to carry a payload of up to 2,205 lbs.<ref name="MurphyS.81" /> The SM.81 found a versatile use on the battlefield, being used in a transport, bombing, ground attack, and a reconnaissance role, ensuring its relevancy even later in the war. One was procured by Benito Mussolini to be used as his private aircraft, the aircraft being nicknamed "Taratuga" ("Turtle") for its sluggish speed.

The SM.81 was first used in the Second Italo-Ethiopian War (also known as the Second Italo-Abyssinian War), lasting from 03 October 1935 to May 1936, quickly putting the SM.81 into action. Their versatile performed well in their support of the Italian troops, culminating with the annexation of Ethiopia into Italy's East African colonies. The SM.81 saw use again in the Spanish Civil War to aid the Spanish Nationalists in the Aviazione Legionaria, where they were used to the same degree as in Ethiopia. Though 12 were sent on a 705-mile flight on 29 July 1936 to Spanish-controlled Morocco, complexity in the flight had only nine arrive. These nine bombers provided a great asset in the Strait of Gibraltar as more aircraft arrived, keeping the Spanish Republican's Navy at bay. As the Nationalists push closer to Madrid, the SM.81, working alongside the German Condor Legion, bombed the Spanish capital almost daily. Though the SM.81 sometimes flew with escorting [[CR.32_(Family)|C.R.32]] biplanes, flying unescorted with tight formations was also possible due to the mutual machine gun protection with each other.<ref name="SmithS.81">Smith, Richard K., and R. Cargill. Hall. Five down, No Glory: Frank G. Tinker, Mercenary Ace in the Spanish Civil War. Naval Institute Press, 2011.</ref> However, when Soviet [[I-15_M-22|I-15]] and [[I-16 type 5|I-16]] appeared, flights started to be conducted at night to avoid losing precious bombers. When Italy left Spain at the conclusion of the war, around 64 SM.81 was left behind for the Spanish Air Force.

By the outbreak of World War II, the SM.81 was showing its age, though 300 units still remained in the Regia Aeronautica's inventory.<ref name="MFS.81" /> With the faster and more powerful [[S.M.79_(Family)|SM.79]] beginning to see service in 1936, the SM.81's roles was supplemented. The SM.81 still saw service in secondary roles and so deliveries still continued. It was used in the African theater as the main bomber against British forces in East Africa, but British [[Gladiator_Mk_II|Gladiators]] and [[Hurricane_(Family)|Hurricanes]] posed a major threat. Due to this the SM.81 was relegated as a night bomber in North Africa, with the darkness as cover against the enemy fighters. 80 SM.81 were also produced into a dedicated transport aircraft, known as ''SM.81T'', which proved vital in transporting troops and material to Rommel's Afrika Korps.<ref name="MurphyS.81" />

Even after Italy's surrender to Allied forces in September 1943, the SM.81 still saw service in North Italy's Aeronautica Nazionale Repubblicana and South Italy's Aviazione Cobelligerante Italiana. Though South Italy soon removed them from service, North Italy used them until the end of the war.<ref name="MFS.81" /> In the conclusion of World War II, several SM.81 were still in service with the post-war Aeronautica Militare Italiana, sticking around until 1950 when they were all officially retired.

===Other developments===
Two main variants of the SM.81 existed, the SM.81 as a bomber/transport variant and the SM.81T as a dedicated transport aircraft, both using various engines as propulsion. A project was done known as the ''SM.81B'', which used a two-engine configuration. This provided inadequate performance compared to the three-engine configurations and so the project was discontinued.

Though the SM.81 saw use in the various Italian air forces and in Spain, three were also sent to the Chinese Nationalist forces, arriving at an unknown date. However, all three samples were destroyed in training exercises in early 1938.<ref name="MFS.81" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=s_81_ar125 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|9_txEPailKc|'''The Shooting Range #92''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 06:20 discusses the S.81.}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of similar configuration and role
* [[S.M.79 (Family)]]
* [[Z.1007 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/379608-s81/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

=== References ===
<references />

{{AirManufacturer SM}}
{{Italy bombers}}

User talk:U17577377

2024-07-05T17:25:31Z

U43191476: Reply + questions

== B6N.gif ==

Maybe, the issue is that it's quite time-taking and there's [[:Category:Family pages|198 families]], so I won't be covering all for sure, but will slowly add some favorites, time permitted. As for keeping the upscaled image - it is not a good idea, it just looks bad to have such a huge image on the page, and for 30% increase in width, you get double the image size. :/ [[User:U12017485|U12017485]] ([[User talk:U12017485|talk]]) 21:49, 2 December 2020 (UTC)

== Reply ==

Greetings and thanks for the help, ShimakazeChan. I'm a new fish in here and I wanted to help the Wiki with my screenshots or/and any useful information. I never eddited a website before so it'll take me some time to learn, I'll be careful to not mess with the Wiki, I wish this website were more easy to eddit and even chat with other users.

Best regards, and thanks for the welcome! o7

''_CG_, 20 January 2022''

== Help in adding screenshots on vehicle's page ==

Hello again ShimakazeChan. I'm having a hard time trying to add my screenshots to Wiki's pages, unfortunately there's not a button to add screenshot/pictures, do I have to do it manually in code?

Here's the post: https://wiki.warthunder.com/DF105
The screenshot I want to add in it: https://wiki.warthunder.com/File:ArtImage_DF105.png

--[[User:U9202753|U9202753]] ([[User talk:U9202753|talk]]) 01:35, 30 January 2022 (UTC)

== Pilots/Ace Info ==
Hello ShimakazeChan, I look forward to the work you are doing with the pilots. Matsuo Hagiri is a good addition, I had read about him, but had not started anything for him. If I remember correctly, he was a bit of a rebel with the moustache, much like Robin Olds! I don't have an issue with adding nick names, you can probably add a space on the card under their native spelling or the country they represented. --[[User:U64962917|U64962917]] ([[User talk:U64962917|talk]]) 03:03, 19 August 2022 (UTC)

:Too Bad I Can't Find Too Many Sources On Hagiri And May Have To Just Work With An Article Or 2 On Him (With One Being From WT). But Ye I Added Him Considering We Have A Plane After Him In-Game So It Makes Sense To Include Him. (Also Need To Include Chuichi Tada [[Ki-61-I hei Tada's]], Though I Can Barely Find Anything On Him Either). I'll Try My Best On Finishing These Articles Though. --[[User:U17577377|Shimakaze]] ([[User talk:U17577377|talk]]) 13:06, 19 August 2022 (UTC)

== Reply: Description Formats ==

Hello Shimakaze, I am replying to your message about page formatting, I have some follow-up comments/questions

- Description format: Apologies for editing page the descriptions, I was unaware of a change in format. Personally, I much prefer the old format, I thought it was more streamlined and concise but I will stop editing pages to the old format.

- Subheaders: I only use visual editing mode and am unfamiliar with source editing, so that is why my additions have been bolded in text mode. I've been changing existing subheaders to bold in text mode likely because I can't actually see which words will be bolded when the edit is complete.

- Template text: I will be careful to not delete background template text elements.

;Questions:

1. Is there somewhere that article format changes are discussed and announced?

2. Should I stop bolding subheaders using text functions and/or should I switch between modes to do so? I would prefer to keep editing mainly in visual mode but I can switch between them to better serve formats.

3. I've heard that being in the Share Program can give users more access to more direct communications with moderators. Would it be useful for me to apply to it in order to get that sort of two-way communication?

- Mahalo, [[User:U43191476|U43191476]] ([[User talk:U43191476|talk]]) 17:25, 5 July 2024 (UTC)

Su-22M3 (Italy)

2024-07-05T05:00:58Z

U43191476: Edits to multiple sections, reformatted Description, moved and edited the large blocks of text to other sections, added Pros and Cons

{{About
| about = strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Su-17/22 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=su_22m3_hungary
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an Italian strike aircraft introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]]. It has a Battle Rating of 11.0 (AB), 10.7 (RB Air), 10.3 (RB Ground), 10.3 (SB).

The Hungarian People's Army Air Force would recieve Su-22M3s from the Soviet Union starting in 1983. They would continue to be used by Hungary until 1997, when they were withdrawn from service. This aircraft's camoflage represents Su-22M3 no.'16' of the Hungarian People's Army Air Force.

In-game, the Hungarian Su-22M3 is located in the Hungarian sub-tree of the Italian tech tree and is identical to the Syrian [[Su-22M3|Su-22M3]] in the Soviet tree. It can carry a large variety of suspended weapons, including bombs, rockets, air-to-air missiles and powerful air-to-ground missiles. All in all, the Hungarian Su-22M3 provides a nice backbone of support to the Italian tech tree at this battle rating. With its good engine performance, armament and quick interdiction capabilities, it can perform the strike aircraft role at much higher speeds than the [[AMX]].

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

''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 _,___ 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
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! 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
|-
| _ || _ || _ || _ || _ || _ 
|-
|}

{| 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}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

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

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{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" | _____ || _
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| ___ kg || colspan="2" | ___
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ 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 (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-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, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs) !! EEGS
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

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

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

* 2 x 30 mm NR-30 cannons, wing root-mounted (80 rpg = 160 total)
* 12 x large calibre countermeasures

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="5%" | 1 !! width="5%" | 2 !! width="5%" | 3 !! width="5%" | 4 !! width="5%" | 5 !! width="5%" | 6 !! width="5%" | 7 !! width="5%" | 8
| rowspan="21" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Su-22UM3K_(Germany).png]]</div>
|-
! [[GSh-23L (23 mm)|23 mm GSh-23L]] cannons (250 rpg)
| || || 1 || || || 1 || ||
|-
! [[OFAB-100 (100 kg)|100 kg OFAB-100]] bombs
| 5 || || 1 || 4 || 4 || 1 || || 5
|-
! [[OFAB-250sv (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250sv]] bombs
| 1 || || 1 || 3 || 3 || 1 || || 1
|-
! [[OFAB-250Sh (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250Sh]] bombs
| 1 || || 1 || 3 || 3 || 1 || || 1
|-
! [[FAB-500M-62 (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500M-62]] bombs
| 1 || || 1 || 2 || 2 || 1 || || 1
|-
! [[FAB-500Sh (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500Sh]] bombs
| 1 || || 1 || 2 || 2 || 1 || || 1
|-
! [[ZB-500 incendiary]] bombs
| 1 || || || 1 || 1 || || || 1
|-
! [[S-3K]] rockets
| 7 || || || 7 || 7 || || || 7
|-
! [[S-8KO]] rockets
| 20 || || 20 || || || 20 || || 20
|-
! [[S-24B]] rockets
| 1 || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || 1
|-
! [[S-25O]] rockets
| 1 || || || || || || || 1
|-
! [[Kh-23M]] missiles
| 1* || || || || || || || 1*
|-
! [[Kh-25ML]] missiles
| 1 || || || 1 || 1 || || || 1
|-
! [[Kh-29L]] missiles
| || || || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[R-60]] missiles
| || 1 || 2 || || || 2 || 1 ||
|-
! [[R-60MK]] missiles
| || 1 || 2 || || || 2 || 1 ||
|-
! [[S-25L]] missiles
| 1 || || || || || || || 1
|-
! Delta-NG targeting pod
| || || 1* || || || || ||
|-
! 820 l drop tanks
| 1 || || || 1 || 1 || || || 1
|-
| colspan="10" | * The Delta-NG targeting pod must be carried when equipping Kh-23M missiles
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 4 x 820 l drop tanks
* 2 x R-60 missiles
* 6 x R-60 missiles
* 6 x R-60MK missiles
* 28 x S-3K rockets
* 80 x S-8KO rockets
* 6 x S-24B rockets
* 2 x S-25O rockets
* 2 x S-25L missiles
* 2 x Kh-23M missiles
* 4 x Kh-25ML missiles
* 2 x Kh-29L missiles
* 20 x 100 kg OFAB-100 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 10 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (2,500 kg total)
* 8 x 500 kg FAB-500M-62 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 10 x 250 kg OFAB-250Sh bombs (2,500 kg total)
* 8 x 500 kg FAB-500Sh bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 4 x ZB-500 incendiary bombs
* 2 x 23 mm GSh-23L cannons (250 rpg = 500 total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

The Hungarian Su-22M3 is classified as a strike aircraft, and as such, it is recommended to use it as one. Players with experience flying other Su-22 variants will be mostly familiar with this aircraft's performance.

This version uses a Tumansky R-29 engine, similar to the ones used in the [[MiG-23MF (Italy)|MiG-23MF]], and the airframe is that of the Su-17M3, featuring a new forward fuselage layout modified from a two-seat trainer variant. The Hungarian Su-22M3 has enhanced payload options for the Su-22 family: it can carry up to six all-aspect R-60M missiles for air-to-air combat and up to four Kh-25ML or two Kh-29L for ground striking, along with a large amount of various unguided bombs and rockets for blanket strikes and carpet bombing.

Players should take caution when flying this aircraft due to its low amount of countermeasures; 12 flares/chaff is often not enough to defend against more than one threat at this Battle Rating, but they can still make the Hungarian Su-22M3 a less vulnerable target to incoming missiles when conserved correctly.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* High speed and energy retention
* Large selection of suspended weapons
* Powerful air-to-ground missiles
* Variable sweep wings increase maneuverability at lower speeds
* Afterburning engine

*

'''Cons:'''

* Sluggish maneuverability at low airspeeds
* Low countermeasure capacity
* Large target
* Afterburner can significantly deplete fuel reserves, especially if fuel is set to minimum

*

== History ==

The Su-22M3 was an export variant of the Su-17 strike aircraft developed by the Soviet Union. Used by different nations around the globe, the Su-22M3 variant employed the airframe of the Su-17M3 and adapted it to use a similar engine to that of the export variants of the MiG-23, in this case, the Tumansky R-29BS-300 engine. The M3 variant was primarily exported to [[Su-22M3|Syria]] and Hungary, where they served a long and fruitful life.

The Hungarian People's Republic acquired 12 single-seater Su-22M3s and three dual-seat trainer Su-22UM3s in 1983 for the Hungarian Air Force. When the Hungarian People's Republic reformed into Hungary after the dissolution of the USSR in 1991, the Hungarian Air Force found itself with 10 single-seater Su-22M3s and two twin-seat trainer Su-22UM3 (as two single seaters and one trainer had been lost in accidents previously). These aircraft served in reserve backlines until 1997, when they were withdrawn and retired.

While Hungarian Su-22s never saw the amount of combat that the Syrian ones did at first, Hungary eventually sold some of their Su-22M3s to Syria sometime in the late 1990s, as Syria was looking to replenish some of their Su-22 losses. These Su-22M3s would be upgraded with more KDS-12 flare dispensers in Syrian service.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=su_22m3_hungary Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''

* [[Su-17/22 (Family)]]
** [[Su-22M3]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8767-development-the-hungarian-aircraft-line-is-coming-to-the-italian-tree-en|[Devblog] The Hungarian Aircraft Line is Coming to the Italian Tree!]]

{{AirManufacturer Sukhoi}}
{{Italy jet aircraft}}

IL-28 (Italy)

2024-07-05T04:08:41Z

U43191476: Edited Description section, reworked or removed copy-paste, added info

{{About
| about = bomber aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = IL-28 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=il_28_hungary
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The IL-28 (Italy) is an Italian jet bomber introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]] with a Battle Rating of 8.0 (AB/RB/SB).

In the late 1950s, the Hungarian Air Force aquired IL-28 bombers from the Soviet Union. It would see service during the Cold War, eventually being replaced in Hungarian service by the [[Su-22M3 (Italy)|Su-22M3]] in the frontline bomber/strike role. This aircraft's camoflage represents IL-28 no.'55' of the Hungarian Air Force, currently on display in the Airplane Museum of Szolnok, in Szolnok, Hungary.

In-game, the Hungarian IL-28 is identical to its [[IL-28|Soviet brother]], and as such it will perform identically. This aircraft fills the role of the "fast frontline bomber", like the previous propeller-engined [[Tu-2S-59 (Italy)|Tu-2S-59]]. This role focuses on interdicting the enemy airspace quickly, striking targets precisely, and then leaving before enemy fighters can intercept. The Hungarian IL-28 may find itself at an advantage when doing this at its battle rating, due to its airspawn and powerful tail gunners. All in all, this bomber can teach players of the Italian tech tree the playstyle of high speed interdiction and strike bombing, preparing them for future aircraft in this line such as the following [[Su-22M3 (Italy)|Su-22M3]].

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

''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 _,___ 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
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! 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
|-
| _ || _ || _ || _ || _ || _ 
|-
|}

{| 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}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

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

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{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" | _____ || _
| colspan="2" | _,___ kg || colspan="2" | ___ kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel
|-
| ___ kg || colspan="2" | ___
| _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ kg || _,___ 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 (___%/WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || ___%/WEP
! _m fuel || __m fuel || __m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || ___ kgf || ___ kgf
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
| ''Optimal'' || ___ kgf (_ km/h) || ___ kgf (_ km/h)
| _.__ || _.__ || _.__ || _.__
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-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, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

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

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

{{main|NR-23 (23 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, nose-mounted (100 rpg = 200 total)

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

{{main|FAB-100M-43 (100 kg)|FAB-250M-46 (250 kg)|FAB-500M-46 (500 kg)|FAB-1500M-46 (1,500 kg)|FAB-3000M-46 (3,000 kg)}}

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

* 12 x 100 kg FAB-100M-43 bombs (1,200 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-46 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 1 x 1,500 kg FAB-1500M-46 bomb (1,500 kg total)
* 1 x 3,000 kg FAB-3000M-46 bomb (3,000 kg total)

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

{{main|NR-23 (23 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, tail turret (225 rpg = 450 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).''

=== Pros and cons ===
'''Pros:'''

* Powerful rear 23 mm cannon turret
* Very fast - many early jet fighters cannot catch it at top speed
* Powerful and flexible ordnance capacity
* Highly armoured tail gunner position
* Gunner can cover a large area of the rear and the sides because of the turret design
* Good acceleration

'''Cons:'''

* Fuel tanks are not protected by any armour
* Fairly small payload compared to its counterparts
* Able to be intercepted by Korean War-era jet aircraft
* Poor roll rate; any wing damage will often result in a roll that is impossible to pull out of
* Cockpit features no rear visibility
* Fast acceleration means that you might break the wings if you don't pay attention
* Forward guns are primarily for self-defense head-ons, as they're hard to aim with poor flight manoeuvrability

*

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=il_28_hungary Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''

* [[IL-28 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8767-development-the-hungarian-aircraft-line-is-coming-to-the-italian-tree-en|[Devblog] The Hungarian Aircraft Line is Coming to the Italian Tree!]]

{{AirManufacturer Ilyushin}}
{{Italy jet aircraft}}

Tu-2S-59 (Italy)

2024-07-05T03:46:34Z

U43191476: /* Description */

{{About
| about = Bomber aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Tu-2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tu-2_postwar_late_hungary
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Alpha Strike"]].

Originally developed by the Soviet Union during WWII, a number of Tu-2s were supplied to the Hungarian Air Force in 1951. There they were nicknamed "Túzok", the Hungarian name for the Great Bussard bird, playing off of the 'Tu' for Tupolev designation. The type would see little operational service with Hungary, staying mostly grounded during the Hungarian revolution in 1956 and being effectively abandoned soon after. This aircraft's camoflage represents Tu-2 no.'10' of the Hungarian Air Force.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 7,300 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 522 || 503 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.0 || 32.8 || 4.5 || 4.5 || rowspan="2" | 326
|-
! Upgraded
| 575 || 547 || 29.8 || 30.8 || 13.0 || 8.1
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 900  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 437 || 380 || 310 || ~8 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 360 || < 360 || < 440 || > 302
|-
|}

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


* 15 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.
* 6 mm Steel plate to the left of cockpit dorsal gunner.
* 8, 15 mm Steel plates in front of the cockpit dorsal gunner.
* 12, 15 mm Steel plates in front of the rear dorsal gunner.
* 8 mm Steel plate under the ventral gunner.
* 12 mm Steel plate in front of the ventral gunner.

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

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

{{main|ShVAK (20 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 20 mm ShVAK cannons, wing-mounted (150 rpg = 300 total)

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="15%" | 1 !! width="15%" | 2 !! width="15%" | 3
| rowspan="8" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_Tu-2.png]]</div>
|-
! [[FAB-100M-43 (100 kg)|100 kg FAB-100M-43]] bombs
| || 9 ||
|-
! [[FAB-250M-44 (250 kg)|250 kg FAB-250M-44]] bombs
| 1 || 2, 4 || 1
|-
! [[BRAB-250 (250 kg)|250 kg BRAB-250]] bombs
| 1 || 2, 4 || 1
|-
! [[FAB-500M-44 (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500M-44]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[BRAB-500 (500 kg)|500 kg BRAB-500]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[FAB-1000M-44 (1,000 kg)|1,000 kg FAB-1000M-44]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[BRAB-1000 (1,000 kg)|1,000 kg BRAB-1000]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 9 x 100 kg FAB-100M-43 bombs (900 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-44 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg FAB-250M-44 bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg BRAB-250 bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 1 x 500 kg FAB-500M-44 bomb (500 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg FAB-500M-44 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 3 x 500 kg FAB-500M-44 bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 3 x 500 kg BRAB-500 bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 1 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000M-44 bomb (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000M-44 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 3 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000M-44 bombs (3,000 kg total)
* 3 x 1,000 kg BRAB-1000 bombs (3,000 kg total)
{{Navigation-End}}

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

{{main|B-20E (20 mm)|Berezin UB (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 20 mm B-20E cannon, rear dorsal turret (120 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, front dorsal turret (190 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, rear ventral turret (350 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

Once spawned (~3,500 m), locate ground targets to engage. It is suggested to engage the targets farthest from the enemy's airfield in order to avoid detection. Attack pillboxes (light or heavy, it doesn't matter with 500 kg bombs) as these don't move. Only engage the AI tanks if there are no pillboxes, and if engaging the tanks, judge the speed of the tank column, and release the bombs, making sure to lead where the tanks will be as the bombs fall, not where they are in that moment.

When bombing anything, note that the center of the reticle should be aimed below the target by about a centimetre (looking at the screen). This will allow the bombs maximum precision. When releasing the two bombs from the bomb bay, hold the flight pattern for about 1/2 a second longer than normal to compensate for the opening of the bomb bay doors. Once the payload has dropped, begin attacking artillery and AAA guns with the 20 mm cannons. Fire in short bursts to conserve ammo, as the more of these light targets are destroyed, the better. Never attack light pillboxes with the frontal cannons! The ammo spent attempting to destroy these (~200 rounds) isn't worth it! Always attack lighter targets, or if the situation presents itself, enemy aircraft. Once the bombs and cannon ammo are/is exhausted, then high-tail it back to the airfield. Fully upgraded, the Tu-2S-59 can maintain ~450 km/h on the deck, no problem. Be careful upon landing, as the plane tends to stall at ~175 km/h. Rearm, and repeat!

====Specific enemies worth noting====

The Tu-2S-59 has a battle rating of 5.7. Should the Tu-2S-59 be engaged, here are some suggestions per plane.

Do not engage a fighter on purpose, the following is only for defensive and survival reference.

[[Ho 229 V3|Horten 229]] - This plane is agile, fast, and dangerous, possessing a pair of Mk 103 cannons. When engaged with one of these planes, force a head-on pass if he is either below or on equal altitude as the Tu-2S-59. Once the pass has concluded, and if neither of the two are down, push the throttle to WEP and run. When the 229 turns to pursue, it ''will'' catch up. Use the defensive turrets at this point, as these are the Tu-2S-59's only hope for making it out alive. Aim for the pilot.

[[Me 262 A-1a|Me 262 A-1]] and [[Me 262 A-1/U4|A-1/U4 Pulkzerstorer]] - These planes are a tough opponent. They are fast and possess better armour than the 229, so the turrets are not going to be as effective in destroying these enemies. Again, if the enemy is below or on equal altitude as the Tu-2S-59, force a head on pass and run after it ends (if able). Use the turrets, but know that these planes are designed to be bomber-hunters, and are ruthlessly efficient in their task.

[[F-80A-5|F-80A]], [[F-80C-10|F-80C]] & [[F-84B-26]] - Although most matches with the Tu-2S-59 will be on the Berlin map, mixed battles and alternate history is always a possibility. For these planes, use the same tactics. Force a head on, and then run after. Use the turrets to attack them while withdrawing.

''Late War Props (Spitfire 24, Fw 190 D-13, F8F-1B, etc.)'' - These should never be ignored. If possible, run back to base and don't commit to a head on with props, as they have a little more time to aim their shots and steady their plane. Rely mostly on the defensive turrets if needed.

''Player-Controlled Flak (Kugelblitz, Crusader AA, etc.)'' 
These are the bane of bombers (especially medium-sized ones such as the Tu-2S-59). When the tracers fly, don't risk a dive. Circle around or find some unsuspecting flanker that is outside the cover of these AAA guns.

====Counter-tactics====

If confronted with an enemy Tu-2S-59, initiate a head on pass ''but then pitch up and stall their plane out.'' Additionally, maintain a safe altitude and utilize Boom & Zoom tactics, but it is worth noting that the Tu-2 is able to turn adequately.

=== 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 Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fast, for a medium bomber
* High wing rip speed (over 700 km/h)
* Air spawn in RB
* Very easy to land and take off
* Decent payload
* Forward-firing ShVAK cannons, can be useful in a head-on engagement
* Not as vulnerable as other 4-engine bombers
* Twin tail design leaves little restriction on back gunners
* Decently agile for its size
* Can often put out fires in fuel tanks due to pressurized gas system
* Individual bomb drops, very effective in tank battles
* Engines can cool down even with a 100% throttle
* Can pretty much WEP indefinitely
* Just need to research one modification for all payload options

'''Cons:'''

* Only two bombs when stock
* Relatively small defensive armament
* Only one pilot and is not protected by armour from the front
* High-ish stall speed (175 km/h, more of a pain when taking off/landing)
* Although it is fast, everything else is faster
* Performance starts to degrade with altitude
* Low amount of cannon ammo (150 rounds per gun)

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tu-2_postwar_late_hungary Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''

* [[Tu-2 (Family)]]
** [[Tu-2S-59]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8767-development-the-hungarian-aircraft-line-is-coming-to-the-italian-tree-en|[Devblog] The Hungarian Aircraft Line is Coming to the Italian Tree!]]
* https://wwiiafterwwii.wordpress.com/2016/05/30/tu-2-bat-post-wwii-service/

{{AirManufacturer Tupolev}}
{{Italy bombers}}

Z.1007 bis serie 5

2024-07-05T03:22:12Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Italian bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = Z.1007 bis serie 3
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=z_1007_bis_serie5
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]].

The Z.1007 bis serie 5 is a relatively versatile medium bomber, sacrificing defensive armament and instead focusing on speed in order to avoid interception. It has a relatively decent bomb-load with several options for use against different kinds of targets from AA, pillboxes, tanks to ships.

The Z.1007 bis is a distinct upgrade over the [[S.M.79 (Family)|SM.79 series]] in every aspect. It can carry an extra 6 x 100 kg bombs on external racks in addition to the internal 2 x 500 kg bombs, which is 600 kg more than any of the SM.79 series can carry. This load-out is the best one against bases. It can also carry an extra 250 kg bomb over the SM.79 series for a total of 6 x 250 kg bombs. This payload is better for destroying tanks, but requires precise aim to destroy pillboxes; the 500 kg bombs may be more forgiving if attacking them from altitude. It can also carry a single torpedo for use against shipping.

In order to make up for the weak power output of Italian engines, the Z.1007 bis has the tri-motor configuration characteristic of Italian bombers. The combined horsepower of the three engines provides decent flight performance, but losing even a single engine will immensely degrade it. The Z.1007 bis is also faster than the SM.79 series, which is fortunate because it has a relatively poor defensive armament despite its good coverage. The dorsal turret can cover 360 degrees, but is armed with only one of the relatively weak Italian 12.7 mm machine guns. The beam 7.7 mm guns are effectively worthless, and should not be depended upon. The ventral 12.7 mm machine gun provides limited coverage to attacks from below.

Compared to its earlier predecessor the [[Z.1007 bis serie 3|serie 3]] it features a twin tail (Italian: ''bideriva'') and a miniscule better top speed.

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

With alright manoeuvrability at slow speeds and a bad roll rate, the Z.1007 is a generic medium bomber with expectable performance and decent speed to its name. The elevator starts to slowly lock up above 200 km/h and continues to do so in a linear fashion, however it neatly prevents overstressing and breaking the wings with G-forces. Compared to the S.M.79 it lacks combat flaps and leading slats, increasing the stall speed. Further the Z.1007 also features worse lock up and comparable manoeuvrability. Fortunately the acceleration and top speed are far better, yet the Alcione will not outrun any fighter or heavy fighter, too.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! 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
| 436 || 424 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 33.0 || 34.0 || 4.8 || 4.7 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 464 || 450 || 31.1 || 32.0 || 7.7 || 6.2
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || ✓ || ✓ || X || 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|1=destruction|2=body}}||{{Specs|1=destruction|2=gear}} || N/A || 391 || 280 || ~3 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 260 || < 270 || < 270 || > 200
|-
|}

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

Being an all wooden design and designed as a fast bomber, the Z.1007 lacks any sort of protection and solely relies on its speed to survive on the battlefield. Despite the lack of armour it takes a few shots to pilot snipe from the rear as in the narrow fuselage the gunners act literal meat shields, quite macabre.

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

# Get ''Radiator'' for the speed boost and also the boost to cooling, then the ''TBC-79''.
# Next, get the ''MCGP250'' and ''Compressor'' upgrades to unlock the 250 kg bombs and a slight performance boost, respectively.
# Unlock the ''MCRO500'' upgrade to use the 2 x 500 kg + 6 x 100 kg bomb loadout. This is the loadout that does the most damage to bases, and the 500 kg bomb is easier to use against pillboxes.
# Focus on performance upgrades over defensive armament.
# The ''MCGP800'' upgrade with 800 kg bombs is actually worse than the ''MCRO500'' against bases, and can be left as the last upgrade.

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

{{main|GP 50 (50 kg)|GP 100 (100 kg)|GP 250 (250 kg)|GP 500 (500 kg)|GP 800 (800 kg)}}
{{main|F200/450 (450 mm)}}

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

* 18 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (900 kg total)
* 18 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 1 x 450 mm F200/450 torpedo
* 4 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs + 12 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (2,200 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs + 3 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (1,650 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs + 3 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs + 6 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,600 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs + 4 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 1 x 800 kg GP 800 bomb + 3 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (950 kg total)
* 1 x 800 kg GP 800 bomb + 3 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,100 kg total)
* 1 x 800 kg GP 800 bomb + 9 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,700 kg total)
* 1 x 800 kg GP 800 bomb + 4 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs + 3 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (2,100 kg total)

Many of the payload options utilise the wing mounts and consequently reduce the crucial top speed. However only using the internal bomb bay limits the ordnance to a mere 1,100 kg total. Depending on load-out option the external bombs may even drop last e.g. the heaviest last one. On average a single Z.1007 can take out 1.5 bases in an uptier and close to 2 in a downtier.

Noteworthy is the internally mounted torpedo. The F200/450 has a max drop speed of 300 km/h at 100 m altitude (273 ft/s @ 328 feet) which is quite mediocre, but features a very high in-water speed of 80 km/h (73 ft/s).

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)|Scotti (12.7 mm)|Breda-SAFAT (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, ventral turret (350 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Scotti machine gun, dorsal turret (350 rpg)
* 1 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (500 rpg)

Worse than average, the defensive turrets can only boast decent firing arcs, ventral and dorsal turret feature overlapping rear fields of fire. However a frontal gun is missing entirely and is only covered by turning the dorsal turret by 180° which takes time.

== Usage in battles ==

Lacking in both defensive armament and protection, not to mention blessed with early control lock-up speeds the Z.1007 is pushed into the role of a hit-and-run bomber. Either against ground bases with mediocre success or as ground support against stationary ground units and armoured columns. The latter option is quite viable with multiple drops available per run depending on the load-out, learning the drop order of the payload allows to maximize the effect of each bomb by selecting the appropriate target in ground strike missions.

For [[:Category:Game_modes#Realistic_Battles|tank battles]] the control lock-up disables any dive bombing attempts with a landing you cannot walk away from, even though the wing pylons make it technically possible. Necessitating a straight, direct and deliberate fly-over the target zone with the narrow field of view bomb sight. As this makes the attack run easy to track and even easier to intercept. Thusly it is not recommended for any mixed game mode with the exception of naval battles. With an internally bomb bay mounted torpedo the Alcione does not suffer a speed penalty like many other medium torpedo bombers. Mind though: The travel distance is only 3 km in water and it isn't a small aircraft. A suicide run is the most likely outcome of any engagement, unless one manages to align the attack run with several islands for cover.

The biggest difference between the serie 5 from the serie 3 is the twin tail configuration on the serie 5, which eliminates the dorsal turret's dead-zone created by the earlier's single tail. Other than that, they are virtually identical.

=== 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 || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Dorsal turret can traverse 360 degrees
* Good dorsal turret coverage with its twin tail design (better than the [[Z.1007 bis serie 3|serie 3]] single-tail design)
* Decent speed and performance
* Decent bomb-load
* Central engine provides some protection to the crew against head-on attacks

'''Cons:'''

* Poor defensive armament: Breda-SAFATs have low velocity
* Underpowered engines: losing one dramatically impacts flight performance
* Aircraft crew are closely bunched up together
* Non-existent armour
* No defensive armament at the front of the plane
* Tends to overheat on summer maps

== History ==

One of the three standard Italian wartime bombers, alongside the S.M. 79 and the B.R. 20, the Z.1007 had speed, armament, good range, and an acceptable bombload. It was used on all Italian fronts despite being of all-wood construction. Also known as the Alcione, it was designed by Filippo Zappata and built by ''Cantieri Aeronautici e Navali Triestini'' (Trieste Shipbuilding and Naval Aeronautics), with the prototype debuting in spring, 1937. After 34 original models, production shifted to the bis model, with a more powerful radial engine; over 400 of this model would ultimately be built. They conducted combat tests with Italian forces in Belgium during the Battle of Britain in September, 1940, used for diversionary actions only. Their real combat debut was a month later, during the Greek campaign. They also flew in Africa and the Mediterranean. They were not used much in Russia. A total of 560 were built, with about 60 still in service when Italy surrendered. About 30 continued on after, now in Allied service, in the Balkans.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=z_1007_bis_serie5 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|67tQxwYb8lc|'''"Update 1.69 - Z. 1007 bis serie 3/5"''' - ''TheEuropeanCanadian''}}

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[Z.1007 (Family)]]

'''Aircraft of similar configuration or role'''

* [[S.M.79 (Family)]]
* [[SB (Family)]]
* [[Ar-2]]
* [[Ki-49 (Family)|Ki-49 (Family)]]
* [[Ju 88 (Family)|Ju 88 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/266497-cant-z1007bister-medium-bomber-official-thread/ WT Forum: CANT Z1007/bis/ter medium bomber official thread]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/365066-cant-z1007-bis-v-serie/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [[Wikipedia:CANT_Z.1007|[Wikipedia] CANT Z.1007]]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=813 Militaryfactory.com - CANT Z.1007 Alcione (Kingfisher)]

{{AirManufacturer CANT}}
{{Italy bombers}}

Z.1007 bis serie 3

2024-07-05T03:19:19Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Italian bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the twin tail version
| link = Z.1007 bis serie 5
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=z_1007_bis_serie3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ''"Alcione" (Kingfisher)'' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]] alongside the initial Italian aviation tree.

Known as ''the'' premier bomber in Italian service, the wooden "Alcione" offers superior speed performance to its tech tree predecessor the [[S.M.79_(Family)|S.M.79]] and better ordnance variety. As a fast medium bomber it can do repeated attack runs per match, with average payload weight, but less than mediocre defensive armament.

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

Moderate manoeuvrability at slow speeds with a bad roll rate, the Z.1007 is a generic medium bomber with predictable performance and decent speed to its name. The elevator starts to slowly lock up above 200 km/h and continues to do so in a linear fashion, however it neatly prevents overstressing and breaking the wings with G-forces. Compared to the S.M.79 it lacks combat flaps and leading slats, increasing the stall speed. Further, the Z.1007 also features worse lock up and comparable manoeuvrability. Fortunately the acceleration and top speed are far better, though the Alcione still won't outrun any fighter or heavy fighter.

{| 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
| 437 || 424 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 33.0 || 34.0 || 4.8 || 4.7 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 464 || 450 || 31.1 || 32.0 || 7.6 || 6.2
|-
|}

==== 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 
|-
|}

{| 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|1=destruction|2=body}}||{{Specs|1=destruction|2=gear}} || N/A || 391 || 280 || ~3 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 260 || < 270 || < 270 || > 200
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Compressor
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
! Setting 1
| 4,000 m || 1,000 hp || N/A
|-
|}

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


* 8 mm steel surrounding ventral gunner
* 8 mm steel surrounding side gunners
* 8 mm steel under control surface lines
* 8 mm steel seat for pilots
* 38 mm bulletproof glass under bomb-aimer*
* 38 mm bulletproof glass in front of front pilot
* Self-sealing fuel tanks (6 in each wing)

<nowiki>*</nowiki>Note that the bomb-aimer is not modeled

The Z. 1007 bis serie 3 is fairly survivable; it takes a few shots to pilot snipe from the rear, as in the narrow fuselage the gunners act as literal meat shields; quite macabre.

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

Prioritizing bomb payload variety is not a necessity as the default 18 x 100 kg option is very viable. Instead a focus should be on the engine upgrades to boost speed and thusly survivability as well as mission success rate.

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

{{main|GP 50 (50 kg)|GP 100 (100 kg)|GP 250 (250 kg)|GP 500 (500 kg)|GP 800 (800 kg)}}
{{main|F200/450}}

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

* 18 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (900 kg total)
* 18 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 1 x F200/450 torpedo
* 4 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs + 12 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (2,200 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs + 3 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (1,650 kg total)
* 6 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs + 3 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs + 6 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,600 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs + 4 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 1 x 800 kg GP 800 bomb + 3 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (950 kg total)
* 1 x 800 kg GP 800 bomb + 3 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,100 kg total)
* 1 x 800 kg GP 800 bomb + 9 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,700 kg total)
* 1 x 800 kg GP 800 bomb + 4 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs + 3 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (2,100 kg total)

Many payload option utilise the wing mounts and consequently reduce the crucial top speed. However only using the internal bomb bay limits the ordnance to a mere 1,100 kg total. Depending on load-out option the external bombs may even drop last e.g. the heaviest last one. On average a single Z.1007 can take out 1.5 bases in an uptier and close to 2 in a downtier.
Noteworthy is the internally mounted torpedo. The F200/450 is, with a drop speed of 300 km/h @ max 100 m altitude (273 ft/s @ 328 feet), quite mediocre, but features a very high in-water speed of 80 km/h (73 ft/s).

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

{{main|Scotti M1933 (12.7 mm)|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)|Breda-SAFAT (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Scotti M1933 machine gun, dorsal turret (350 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, ventral turret (350 rpg)
* 2 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, side turrets (500 rpg)

Worse than average the defensive turrets can only boast decent firing arcs, ventral and dorsal turret feature overlapping rear fields of fire. However a frontal gun is missing entirely and is only covered by turning the dorsal turret by 180° which takes time. Armament-wise there is no upgrade from the S.M.79.

== Usage in battles ==


Lacking in both defensive armament and protection, not to mention blessed with early control lock-up speeds, the Z.1007 is pushed into the role of a hit-and-run bomber. Either against ground bases with mediocre success or as ground support against stationary ground units and armoured columns. The latter option is quite viable with multiple drops available per run depending on the load-out, learning the drop order of the payload allows to maximize the effect of each bomb by selecting the appropriate target in ground strike missions.

For [[:Category:Game_modes#Realistic_Battles|tank battles]] the control lock-up disables any dive bombing attempts with a landing you cannot walk away from, even though the wing pylons make it technically possible. Necessitating a straight, direct and deliberate fly-over the target zone with the narrow field of view bomb sight. As this makes the attack run easy to track and even easier to intercept. Thusly it is not recommended for any mixed game mode with the exception of naval battles. With an internally bomb bay mounted torpedo the Alcione does not suffer a speed penalty like many other medium torpedo bombers. Mind though: The travel distance is only 3 km in water and it isn't a small aircraft. A suicide run is the most likely outcome of any engagement, unless one manages to align the attack run with several islands for cover.

=== 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 || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Plenty of load-out options
* Decent payload of up to 2,200 kg
* Decent top speed for a bomber
* Good firing arcs for rear facing turrets
* Plenty of armour, protecting (almost) all of the crew

'''Cons:'''

* Average manoeuvrability
* Underpowered, losing one engine impacts flight performance dramatically
* No WEP
* Control surfaces lock-up early
* All guns are only single mounts, making the turrets less effective
* Single tail limits the dorsal turret angles (cannot fire at an enemy directly behind)
* Payload often loaded on wing racks (more drag)

== History ==

One of the three standard Italian wartime bombers, alongside the S.M. 79 and the B.R. 20, the Z.1007 had speed, armament, good range, and an acceptable bombload. It was used on all Italian fronts despite being of all-wood construction. Also known as the Alcione, it was designed by Filippo Zappata, with the prototype debuting in spring, 1937. After 34 original models, production shifted to the bis model, with a more powerful radial engine; over 400 of this model would ultimately be built. They conducted combat tests with Italian forces in Belgium during the Battle of Britain in September, 1940, used for diversionary actions only. Their real combat debut was a month later, during the Greek campaign. They also flew in Africa and the Mediterranean. They were not used much in Russia. A total of 560 were built, with about 60 still in service when Italy surrendered. About 30 continued on after, now in Allied service, in the Balkans. Unlike the later serie 5 with the twin tails (Italian: ''bideriva'') the serie 3 still features a single rudder (''monoderiva'').

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=z_1007_bis_serie3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|67tQxwYb8lc|'''"Update 1.69 - Z.1007 bis serie 3/5"''' - ''TheEuropeanCanadian''|xR8a59w2x5I|'''"Realistic: Z.1007 bis serie 3 (Regia Aeronautica)"''' - ''Jengar''}}

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[Z.1007 bis serie 5]]

'''Aircraft of similar configuration or role'''

* [[S.M.79 (Family)|S.M.79 (Family)]]
* [[Ar-2]]
* [[SB (Family)]]
* [[Ki-49 (Family)|Ki-49 (Family)]]
* [[Ju 88 (Family)|Ju 88 (Family)]]
* [[P.108 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/266497-cant-z1007bister-medium-bomber-official-thread/ [Forum<nowiki>]</nowiki> CANT Z1007/bis/ter medium bomber official thread]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/365182-cant-z1007-bis-iii-serie/ [Forum<nowiki>]</nowiki> Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [[wikipedia:CANT_Z.1007|[Wikipedia] CANT Z.1007]]

{{AirManufacturer CANT}}
{{Italy bombers}}

S.M.79 B

2024-07-05T03:13:16Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Italian bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = S.M.79 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=sm_79_iar_italy
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was an Italian-made medium bomber which served in the Romanian air force. In 1936, Romania showed interest in the Italian Savoia-Marchetti 79 triple-engined bomber, and asked the manufacturer if they could develop a twin-engined version. The work on the aircraft finished in 1939. Unlike the regular S.M.79, the S.M.79B had two locally built licensed versions of the French Gnome-Rhône K14 radial engine, which also powered the Romanian IAR-80 fighter. The nose section was redesigned, with the typical hump housing the forward-facing 12.7 mm machine gun being removed and the cockpit positioned above the fuselage, offering better all-around view compared to the base S.M.79. The nose received a glazing, improving the bombardier's view, and the tail was slightly enlarged. Due to having two engines, both climb rate and speed were decreased compared to the regular S.M.79. A total of 24 aircraft were ordered, later on another 80 were made locally by IAR, using German Jumo 211 engines.

The S.M.79B was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]]. The bomb load of the twin-engined version is same as their triple-engined counterpart, however the S.M.79B is notably slower, with worse climb rate and no offensive weaponry. The aircraft has no weaponry to defend against frontal attacks, and the angles the defensive weaponry can fire around the aircraft are very bad. Only the dorsal 12.7 mm machine gun features very good vertical angle of fire. The aircraft features very good horizontal and vertical manoeuvrability due to its large elevator surface area, however the elevator stiffens above 390 km/h.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,700 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
| 425 || 413 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 36.2 || 37.3 || 3.9 || 3.9 || rowspan="2" | 580
|-
! Upgraded
| 466 || 445 || 33.9 || 35.0 || 8.4 || 5.9
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 457 || 428 || 280 || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 260 || < 270 || < 270 || > 307
|-
|}

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

The plane has no armour and the pilot has no protection at all, making the pilot easily to knock out in head-on attacks. The fuel tanks are self-sealing and they are located close to the central airframe so you can take some shots on the wings and won't get on fire. There is no frontal gunner, leaving the bomber exposed to frontal attacks.

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

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

{{main|GP 50 (50 kg)|GP 100 (100 kg)|GP 250 (250 kg)|GP 500 (500 kg)}}

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

* 12 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (600 kg total)
* 12 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,200 kg total)
* 5 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs (1,250 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs (1,000 kg total)

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)|Lewis (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal turret (500 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)
* 1 x 7.7 mm Lewis machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (500 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

It is a bomber with a decent climb rate for the BR, allowing you to easily get above fighters. In most scenarios, you will eventually be intercepted at the end of the battle. Try outrunning climbing enemy fighters at high altitude, since most fighters at the BR will see their performance drastically reduced at high altitude. If you face a interceptor like the MiG-3 or the P-38, it is better to turn back to base or seek allied cover.

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

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Great bomb load making you capable of taking down 2 bases
* Decent speed for the BR and makes you capable to outrun an enemy climbing towards you

'''Cons:'''

* Really poor defensive armament
* Crew is easily knocked out

== History ==
Alessandro Marchettí was famous for creating record breaking and Schneider Trophy winning racing seaplanes, and was the Savoia (aka SIAI, Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia). In 1922 Marchettí joined Savoia to form one of the great aircraft companies in history, until merged in 1983. After the conclusion of the Schneider Trophy race (won by UK), the firm used its experience to build fast aircraft for civilian and military use.

You probably saw the very similar looking Italian S.81 in game, which was a militarized version of the successful S.73. The S.M.79 was new passenger version based on the planform of its predecessor; the most obvious difference was retractable landing gear. It was truly made first as a passenger version to compete with those being made by other countries. Needless to say, it immediately attracted attention of the Regina Italia and a bomber version was developed in parallel. For a few brief months it was considered the best transport and bomber in world and became a major point of pride in Fascist Italy and was sold to several countries in the years before WW2.

Unlike nearly every bomber in War Thunder (and even in WW2), it was built mainly of steel a wood! The fuselage was a common for time welded steel tube design, with entire rear half being covered in cloth and plywood. The crew area to nose was duralumin cladded (which is very similar to Hawker Hurricane's construction). Most surprising the wings are completely wood! A major technical achievement for its size. During its production life several engines where tried, depending on power and reliability, one model even removing the nose engine.

To make the S.M.79 fast the wings are shorter than typical for its weight. To compensate for higher clean stall speed a number of advanced high lift devices were used to reduce stall speed for landing, being Handley-Page leading extending slats and drooping ailerons (also called "flaperons") in conjunction with uncommon slotted flaps. After trying a few engines, the Alfa Romeo 126 was used on the prototypes for testing and the record breaking flights soon after. As with the S.M.73 / S.81, once again the Italian military wanted a bomber version and laid out proposed additions.

''Sparviero goes to war''

The spacious cabin was easy to install a set of bomb racks, all bombs mounted vertically (not unusual for time). While the S.81 had the bomb aimers position just behind the nose-mounted engine, the S.M.79 positioned it in a ventral "tub" well after of the bomb bay itself. Also unlike the S.81 this streamlined tub also became the location of the ventral defensive gun, usually a 12.7 mm Breda-SAFT MG instead of a turret. A streamlined dorsal mount was also installed for a rear firing 12.7 mm MG, and unusually for bombers a fixed, pilot fired forward mounted 12.7 mm MG, firing above the propeller disk. Both these streamlined protrusions could be closed to greatly minimize drag for a very high cruise speed, which the turreted S.81 could not. It was the prominent hump on its top that earned the nickname "il gobbo maledetto" ("damned hunchback"). Italy was open to export sales, and many countries purchased this top of line bomber to add to their forces.

From the high of the Spanish Civil War to the end of WW2, the Sparviero was the backbone of Italian bomber air forces and continued to do well over the vast stretches of the Mediterranean sea despite better allied defenses. Success was made despite high losses up to the Italian Armistice. They continued to be used in lesser roles on both sides of the conflict, and after the war were used for various duties by several nations for years later. Lebanon was the last operator who used them well in the 1950's and are the last 2 remaining S.M.79 in world.

Romania wanted a 2-engine Gnome-Rhone version, which S.M. provided. The entire forward cockpit was rearranged, pilots in tandem, and a large glass nose for the bombardier, the original ventral location replaced with a streamlined front. The weight savings from one less engine and all its wires, tubes controls, and extra fuel tank offset most of the performance loss of one engine, however it was more vulnerable to damage and engine issues. Unsatisfied with the poor performing Gnome-Rhone engines, Romania had a number built with the Jumo 211 engine.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sm_79_iar_italy Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

*[[S.M.79 (Family)]]
**[[S.M.79 B (Germany)]]

'''Vehicles of similar configuration or role'''

* [[B3C]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/428092-sm79b-romania/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer SM}}
{{Italy bombers}}

S.M.79 bis/T.M

2024-07-05T03:10:43Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Italian bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = S.M.79 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=sm_79_1943_italy
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_S.M.79_bis_T.M.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]] along with the initial Italian aircraft tree.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 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
| 411 || 395 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.6 || 33.3 || 3.2 || 3.2 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 457 || 430 || 30.7 || 31.6 || 9.3 || 5.9
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 313 || 298 || 220 || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 260 || < 270 || < 270 || > 310
|-
|}

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


* 12 mm steel - behind pilots
* 6 mm steel - sides of pilots
* 9 mm steel - behind dorsal gunner
* 6 mm steel - right side of dorsal gunner
* 6 mm steel - in front of lateral gunners

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

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, forehead-mounted (350 rpg)

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

{{main|GP 50 (50 kg)|GP 100 (100 kg)|GP 250 (250 kg)|GP 500 (500 kg)|F200/450 (450 mm)}}

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

* 12 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (600 kg total)
* 12 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,200 kg total)
* 5 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs (1,250 kg total)
* 1 x 450 mm F200/450 torpedo
* 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs (1,000 kg total)

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal turret (500 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (350 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==
'''RB/SB mode'''

''Air mode''

The {{PAGENAME}} is a mediocre bomber at its battle rating in air battles. At the beginning of the battle, go up to 3,000-4,500 m and go to destroy enemy bases. Whenever enemy fighters or other aircraft attack the {{PAGENAME}}, use your gunners to fight back against enemy aircraft, it is recommended to use the universal ammunition for the [[Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT]] turret belt because it contains 2 API-T and 2 AP-I per belt. {{annotation|AP-I|Armour-Piercing Incendiary}} and {{annotation|API-T|Armour-Piercing Incendiary Tracer}} ammo is perfect for defeating enemy planes because it can knock out the enemy pilot or set fire to enemy planes. When you are close to the enemy base, use your bomber sights to drop your bombs and then return to the airfield to reload your bombs.

'''Ground mode''

You can use the {{PAGENAME}} in ground battles with the following payloads: 5 x [[GP 250 (250 kg)|250 kg (Mod.28)]] or 2 x [[GP 500 (500 kg)|500 kg (Type 28)]]. After spawning with the {{PAGENAME}}, stay at an altitude of 900-1,500 m and use the bomber crosshairs to drop the bombs more accurately. The selected bombs in the payload are very good, so if your bombs get close to enemy medium and heavy tanks, they can be destroyed very easily.

''Naval mode''

The {{PAGENAME}} has in its arsenal the ability to equip the [[F200/450 (450 mm)|450 mm torpedo (F200/450)]]. The torpedo drop performance is mediocre so the {{PAGENAME}} has to be under 301 km/h and a height of less than 120 m to use it. However, the torpedo's effect against ships are very good due to the 200 kg of explosives in the warhead.

'''AB mode'''

Like any bomber in Arcade Battles, the {{PAGENAME}} is likely to be the first to be destroyed. Go up to 4,000-5,000 m and stay at that height and drop bombs onto enemy bases. Remember that the {{PAGENAME}} can be destroyed very easily by enemy planes, so be careful and maintain situational awareness to see if there are enemy planes coming.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* All defensive machine guns are 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT

* Pilot-controlled fixed forward-firing 12.7 mm Breda, which can be equipped with IAI (explosive) ammunition
* Middle engine provides some level of protection for the pilot against head-on attacks
* Decent armour protection

'''Cons:'''

* Very limited bomb payload
* Poor defensive fire arcs, especially vulnerable to attacks from behind and below
* No frontal defensive gun covering the frontal aspect
* Forced to choose between less total bomb payload, but individually more powerful bombs or higher total bomb payload with less powerful bombs
* Fewer defensive machine guns than other Sparvieros
* Worst speed and flight capabilities than the previous model

== History ==


Alessandro Marchettí was famous for creating record breaking and Schneider Trophy winning racing seaplanes, and was the Savoia (aka SIAI, Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia). In 1922 Marchettí joined Savoia to form one of the great aircraft companies in history, until merged in 1983. After the conclusion of the Schneider Trophy race (won by UK), the firm used its experience to build fast aircraft for civilian and military use.

The very similar looking Italian SM.81 bomber in the game was a militarized version of the successful S.73. The SM.79 was new passenger version based on the platform of its predecessor; the most obvious difference was retractable landing gear. It was truly made first as a passenger version to compete with those being made by other countries. Needless to say, it immediately attracted attention of the Regina Italia and a bomber version was developed in parallel. For a few brief months it was considered the best transport and bomber in world and became a major point of pride in Fascist Italy and was sold to several countries in the years before WW2.

Unlike nearly every bomber in War Thunder (and even in WW2), it was built mainly of steel a wood! The fuselage was a common for time welded steel tube design, with entire rear half being covered in cloth and plywood. The crew area to nose was duralumin cladded (which is very similar to Hawker Hurricane's construction). Most surprising the wings are completely wood! A major technical achievement for its size. During its production life several engines where tried, depending on power and reliability, one model even removing the nose engine.

To make the SM.79 fast the wings are shorter than typical for its weight. To compensate for higher clean stall speed a number of advanced high lift devices were used to reduce stall speed for landing, being Handley-Page leading extending slats and drooping ailerons (also called “flaperons”) in conjunction with uncommon slotted flaps. After trying a few engines, the Alfa Romeo 126 was used on the prototypes for testing and the record breaking flights soon after. As with the SM.73 / S.81, once again the Italian military wanted a bomber version and laid out proposed additions.

'''Sparviero goes to war'''

The spacious cabin was easy to install a set of bomb racks, all bombs mounted vertically (not unusual for time). While the S.81 had the bomb aimers position just behind the nose-mounted engine, the SM.79 positioned it in a ventral “tub” well after of the bomb bay itself. Also unlike the S.81 this streamlined tub also became the location of the ventral defensive gun, usually a 12.7mm Breda-SAFT MG instead of a turret. A streamlined dorsal mount was also installed for a rear firing 12.7mm MG, and unusually for bombers a fixed, pilot fired forward mounted 12.7mm MG, firing above the propeller disk. Both these streamlined protrusions could be closed to greatly minimize drag for a very high cruise speed, which the turreted S.81 could not. It was the prominent hump on its top that earned the nickname ''il gobbo maledetto'' ("damned hunchback"). Italy was open to export sales, and many countries purchased this top of line bomber to add to their forces.

From the high of the Spanish Civil War to the end of WW2, the Sparviero was the backbone of Italian bomber air forces and continued to do well over the vast stretches of the Mediterranean sea despite better allied defenses. Success was made despite high losses up to the Italian Armistice. They continued to be used in lesser roles on both sides of the conflict, and after the war were used for various duties by several nations for years later. Lebanon was the last operator who used them well in the 1950s and are the last 2 remaining SM.79s in the world.

This version was dedicated toward low level anti-ship torpedo missions. To improve speed the unnecessary ventral tub was removed, as they flew too low to be attacked from below the aircraft. The ability to carry bombs was retained.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sm_79_1943_italy Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[S.M.79 (Family)]]
** [[S.M.79 bis/T.M (Germany)]]

'''Aircraft of similar configuration or role'''

* [[Z.1007 bis serie 5]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/428094-sm79-sparviero-bisl-1943/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer SM}}
{{Italy bombers}}

S.M.79 AS

2024-07-05T01:55:14Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Italian bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = S.M.79 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=sm_79_1941_italy
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]] alongside the initial Italian aviation tree.

== General info ==
The '''S.M.79 Sparviero AS (1941)''' is a later modification of the SM.79 bomber used in the North Africa campaign, AS stands for North Africa. It was used during the Africa campaign and was equipped with a sand filter on the carburetor air intake, the radiator was also extended so that the engines would not heat too much.

It is armed with 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT defensive machine guns that can give a good hit against any fighter it faces, but you have to be precise to damage the enemies.

The pilot can also use a fixed 12.7 mm Breda that fires forward, this gun can be useful for destroying light vehicles and trucks that are often encountered in low-tier battles and can be used to shoot down other aircraft.

With the ability to carry 2 x 500 kg bombs, the SM.79 AS can destroy pillboxes and tanks with ease. This bomber can carry a torpedo you can use to destroy ships.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 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
| 459 || 445 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.2 || 33.1 || 3.3 || 3.3 || rowspan="2" | 400
|-
! Upgraded
| 504 || 480 || 29.9 || 31.0 || 9.3 || 5.9
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 313 || 298 || 220 || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 260 || < 270 || < 270 || > 290
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 3,400 m || 740 hp || 910 hp
|-
|}

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


* No armour
* 9 self-sealing fuel tanks (1 under dorsal gunner, 4 in each wing)
* Can survive some hits from calibres below 20 mm
* Engines are prone to catching fire very easily when hit
* Poor defensive gunner positions

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

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal-mounted (350 rpg)

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

{{main|GP 50 (50 kg)|GP 100 (100 kg)|GP 250 (250 kg)|GP 500 (500 kg)|F200/450}}

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

* 12 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (600 kg total)
* 12 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,200 kg total)
* 5 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs (1,250 kg total)
* 1 x F200/450 torpedo
* 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs (1,000 kg total)

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)|Lewis (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal turret (500 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)
* 1 x 7.7 mm Lewis machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (485 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

'''RB/SB mode'''

''Air mode''

The {{PAGENAME}} is a mediocre bomber at its battle rating in air battles, though this variant can stay in WEP for longer and is good for a warm climate. At the beginning of the battle, go up to 3,000-4,500 m and go to destroy enemy bases. Whenever enemy fighters or other aircraft attack the {{PAGENAME}}, use your gunners to fight back against enemy aircraft, it is recommended to use the universal ammunition for the [[Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT]] turret belt because it contains 2 API-T and 2 AP-I per belt. {{annotation|AP-I|Armour-Piercing Incendiary}} and {{annotation|API-T|Armour-Piercing Incendiary Tracer}} ammo is perfect for defeating enemy planes because it can knock out the enemy pilot or set fire to enemy planes. Meanwhile for the [[Lewis (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Lewis machine gun]], use universal ammo for the side turrets belt because it contains 1 Tracer and 3 AP-I rounds. When you are close to the enemy base, use your bomber sights to drop your bombs and then return to the airfield to reload your bombs.

''Ground mode''

You can use the {{PAGENAME}} in ground battles with the following payloads: 5 x [[GP 250 (250 kg)|250 kg (Mod.28)]] or 2 x [[GP 500 (500 kg)|500 kg (Type 28)]]. After spawning with the {{PAGENAME}}, stay at an altitude of 900-1,500 m and use the bomber crosshairs to drop the bombs more accurately. The selected bombs in the payload are very good, so if your bombs get close to enemy medium and heavy tanks, they can be destroyed very easily.

''Naval mode''

The {{PAGENAME}} has in its arsenal the ability to equip the [[F200/450 (450 mm)|450 mm torpedo (F200/450)]]. The torpedo drop performance is mediocre so the {{PAGENAME}} has to be under 301 km/h and a height of less than 120 m to use it. However, the torpedo's effect against ships are very good due to the 200 kg of explosives in the warhead.

'''AB mode'''

Like any bomber in Arcade Battles, the {{PAGENAME}} is likely to be the first to be destroyed. Go up to 4,000-5,000 m and stay at that height and drop bombs onto enemy bases. Remember that the {{PAGENAME}} can be destroyed very easily by enemy planes, so be careful and maintain situational awareness to see if there are enemy planes coming.

=== 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" | Controllable Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Not controllable Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Not controllable Not auto controlled || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not controllable 1 gear || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Pilot-controlled fixed forward-firing 12.7 mm Breda, which can be equipped with IAI (explosive) ammunition
* Good speed, fastest version of the S.M.79s
* Middle engine provides some level of protection for the pilot against head-on attacks
* Capable of carrying torpedoes, unlike previous models
* Can fly on 2 engines
* The engines overheat slowly

'''Cons:'''

* Very limited bomb payload
* Poor defensive fire arcs, including a dead-zone in the rear where neither of the rearward facing 12.7 mm machine guns can cover
* No frontal defensive gun covering the frontal aspect
* Lacks armour protection for the crew
* Forced to choose between less total bomb payload, but individually more powerful bombs or higher total bomb payload with less powerful bombs
* Engines are prone to catching fire when hit
* Lewis guns are mostly obsolete at this tier

== History ==


Alessandro Marchettí was famous for creating record breaking and Schneider Trophy winning racing seaplanes, and was the Savoia (aka SIAI, Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia). In 1922, Marchettí joined Savoia to form one of the great aircraft companies in history, until merged in 1983. After the conclusion of the Schneider Trophy race (won by UK), the firm used its experience to build fast aircraft for civilian and military use.

You probably saw the very similar looking Italian SM.81 in game, which was a militarized version of the successful S.73. The SM.79 was new passenger version based on the platform of its predecessor; the most obvious difference was retractable landing gear. It was truly made first as a passenger version to compete with those being made by other countries. Needless to say, it immediately attracted attention of the Regina Italia and a bomber version was developed in parallel. For a few brief months it was considered the best transport and bomber in world and became a major point of pride in Fascist Italy and was sold to several countries in the years before WW2.

Unlike nearly every bomber in War Thunder (and even in WW2), it was built mainly of steel a wood. The fuselage was a common for time welded steel tube design, with entire rear half being covered in cloth and plywood. The crew area to nose was duralumin cladded (which is very similar to Hawker Hurricane’s construction). Most surprising the wings are completely wood! A major technical achievement for its size. During its production life several engines where tried, depending on power and reliability, one model even removing the nose engine.

To make the SM.79 fast the wings are shorter than typical for its weight. To compensate for higher clean stall speed a number of advanced high lift devices were used to reduce stall speed for landing, being Handley-Page leading extending slats and drooping ailerons (also called "flaperons") in conjunction with uncommon slotted flaps. After trying a few engines, the Alfa Romeo 126 was used on the prototypes for testing and the record breaking flights soon after. As with the SM.73 / S.81, once again the Italian military wanted a bomber version and laid out proposed additions.

'''Sparviero goes to war'''

The spacious cabin was easy to install a set of bomb racks, all bombs mounted vertically (not unusual for time). While the S.81 had the bomb aimers position just behind the nose-mounted engine, the SM.79 positioned it in a ventral "tub" well after of the bomb bay itself. Also unlike the S.81 this streamlined tub also became the location of the ventral defensive gun, usually a 12.7 mm Breda-SAFT MG instead of a turret. A streamlined dorsal mount was also installed for a rear firing 12.7 mm MG, and unusually for bombers a fixed, pilot fired forward mounted 12.7 mm MG, firing above the propeller disk. Both these streamlined protrusions could be closed to greatly minimize drag for a very high cruise speed, which the turreted S.81 could not. It was the prominent hump on its top that earned the nickname il gobbo maledetto ("damned hunchback"). Italy was open to export sales, and many countries purchased this top of line bomber to add to their forces.

From the high of the Spanish Civil War to the end of WW2, the Sparviero was the backbone of Italian bomber air forces and continued to do well over the vast stretches of the Mediterranean sea despite better allied defenses. Success was made despite high losses up to the Italian Armistice. They continued to be used in lesser roles on both sides of the conflict, and after the war were used for various duties by several nations for years later. Lebanon was the last operator who used them well in the 1950’s and are the last 2 remaining SM.79 in world.

The version was modified to mount a torpedo, but was little changed from earlier versions.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sm_79_1941_italy Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


'''Related development'''

* [[S.M.79 (Family)]]
** [[S.M.79 AS (Germany)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/428091-sm79-sparviero-as-1941/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer SM}}
{{Italy bombers}}

S.M.79 serie 8

2024-07-05T01:53:50Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Italian bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = S.M.79 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=sm_79_1939_italy
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]], though a [[S.M.79_serie_8_(Germany)|variant]] existed in the [[:Category:Germany_aircraft|German aircraft tech tree]] prior to the update. The only readily apparent difference between the serie 8 and the [[S.M.79 serie 1]] is the ability to activate WEP, as well as an improved dorsal turret allowing for a slightly higher vertical firing arc.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 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
| 414 || 400 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.7 || 33.6 || 4.2 || 4.1 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 447 || 430 || 30.7 || 31.6 || 7.9 || 5.9
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 313 || 298 || 220 || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 260 || < 270 || < 270 || > 290
|-
|}

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


* No armour protection
* Self-sealing fuel tanks (4 in each wing, 1 in the fuselage)

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

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal-mounted (350 rpg)

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

{{main|GP 50 (50 kg)|GP 100T (100 kg)|GP 250 (250 kg)|GP 500 (500 kg)}}

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

* 12 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (600 kg total)
* 12 x 100 kg GP 100T bombs (1,200 kg total)
* 5 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs (1,250 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs (1,000 kg total)

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)|Lewis (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal turret (500 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)
* 1 x 7.7 mm Lewis machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (485 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

The S.M.79 serie 8 is an interesting aircraft to fly - it has a decent amount of survivability and defensive armament, but carries less bombs than its peers.

'''Air battles:'''

In air battles, the S.M.79 should be used as a traditional base bomber - it is decent at this role, being able to take out at least one base using its bomb load. At the start of the map, run straight for the bases. There is no need to climb, as most fighters at this BR will struggle to climb to the S.M.79's altitude. When arriving at the base, switch to the bomb sight and drop your bomb load - the 250 kg bombs are the most effective against bases, as three will be enough for a base. The 500 kg bombs cannot always kill a base in one shot, meaning that the 250 kg bombs are usually the better option. Once you've dropped your load, head back to base and grab some more; the S.M.79 is very ineffective without its payload.

In the case that you are being pursued by an enemy fighter, do not fear! The S.M.79 has a decent defensive armament for its BR. You have access to two 12.7 mm Breda machine guns, one dorsal and one ventral, as well as two beam-mounted 7.7 mm Lewis guns. The 12.7 mm guns are quite effective and can easily take out an engine or pilot-snipe. Thus, when being pursued, bait the enemy onto your six, and fire at them with the Breda guns. Don't attempt to outmanoeuvre any fighters - it will never happen, given the S.M.79's poor manoeuvrability. As well, the S.M.79 is quite fast for a bomber and can even outrun some fighters! When being shot at, diving away is another great option.

'''Ground battles:'''

The S.M.79 is a great early ground-pounder for ground battles, being equipped with a large amount of bombs. In this playstyle, the GP 500 bombs are by far the most effective, as they pack a large amount of explosives and can easily take out a cluster of tanks at a choke point - a capture point, for example. When attacking, approach low (don't forget to set a bomb fuse delay), drop, and pull out. As well, beware of any enemy SPAAs as they can tear the S.M.79's fuselage apart - thus, staying low when flying back to base is a good option, as it keeps the S.M.79 out of the range of enemy SPAAs. Against enemy fighters, use the tactics listed above - the S.M.79 is quite effective at its BR in terms of defensive armament.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hard-hitting 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT defensive machine guns.
* Pilot-controlled fixed forward-firing 12.7 mm Breda, which can be equipped with IAI (explosive) ammunition.
* Good speed.
* Middle engine provides some level of protection for the pilot against head-on attacks.
* Capable of carrying 500 kg bombs, unlike the [[He 111 H-3]] or [[Do 17 Z-2]].

'''Cons:'''

* Very limited bomb payload compared to the He 111 H-3 which has 1,250 kg max.
* Poor defensive fire arcs, including a dead-zone in the rear where neither of the rearward facing 12.7 mm machine guns can cover.
* No frontal defensive gun covering the frontal aspect.
* Lacks armour protection for the crew.
* Forced to choose between less total bomb payload, but individually more powerful bombs or higher total bomb payload with less powerful bombs.

== History ==

Alessandro Marchettí was famous for creating record breaking and Schneider Trophy winning racing seaplanes, and was the Savoia (aka SIAI, Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia). In 1922 Marchettí joined Savoia to form one of the great aircraft companies in history, until merged in 1983. After the conclusion of the Schneider Trophy race (won by UK), the firm used its experience to build fast aircraft for civilian and military use.

You probably saw the very similar looking Italian S.81 in game, which was a militarized version of the successful S.73. The S.M.79 was new passenger version based on the planform of its predecessor; the most obvious difference was retractable landing gear. It was truly made first as a passenger version to compete with those being made by other countries. Needless to say, it immediately attracted attention of the Regina Italia and a bomber version was developed in parallel. For a few brief months it was considered the best transport and bomber in world and became a major point of pride in Fascist Italy and was sold to several countries in the years before WW2.

Unlike nearly every bomber in War Thunder (and even in WW2), it was built mainly of steel and wood. The fuselage was a common for time welded steel tube design, with entire rear half being covered in cloth and plywood. The crew area to nose was duralumin-clad (which is very similar to Hawker Hurricane's construction). Most surprising the wings are completely wood! A major technical achievement for its size. During its production life several engines where tried, depending on power and reliability, one model even removing the nose engine.

To make the S.M.79 fast the wings are shorter than typical for its weight. To compensate for higher clean stall speed a number of advanced high lift devices were used to reduce stall speed for landing, being Handley-Page leading extending slats and drooping ailerons (also called "flaperons") in conjunction with uncommon slotted flaps. After trying a few engines, the Alfa Romeo 126 was used on the prototypes for testing and the record breaking flights soon after. As with the S.M.73/S.81, once again the Italian military wanted a bomber version and laid out proposed additions.

'''Sparviero goes to war'''

The spacious cabin was easy to install a set of bomb racks, all bombs mounted vertically (not unusual for time). While the S.81 had the bomb aimers position just behind the nose-mounted engine, the S.M.79 positioned it in a ventral "tub" well after of the bomb bay itself. Also unlike the S.81 this streamlined tub also became the location of the ventral defensive gun, usually a 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT MG instead of a turret. A streamlined dorsal mount was also installed for a rear firing 12.7 mm MG, and unusually for bombers a fixed, pilot fired forward mounted 12.7 mm MG, firing above the propeller disk. Both these streamlined protrusions could be closed to greatly minimize drag for a very high cruise speed, which the turreted S.81 could not. It was the prominent hump on its top that earned the nickname il gobbo maledetto ("damned hunchback"). Italy was open to export sales, and many countries purchased this top of line bomber to add to their forces.

From the high of the Spanish Civil War to the end of WW2, the Sparviero was the backbone of Italian bomber air forces and continued to do well over the vast stretches of the Mediterranean sea despite better allied defences. Success was made despite high losses up to the Italian Armistice. They continued to be used in lesser roles on both sides of the conflict, and after the war were used for various duties by several nations for years later. Lebanon was the last operator who used them well into the 1950s and are the last 2 remaining S.M.79 in world.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sm_79_1939_italy Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

'''Related development'''

*[[S.M.79 (Family)]]
**[[S.M.79 serie 8 (Germany)]]

'''Aircraft of similar configuration or role'''

* [[S.81]]
* [[B.R.20M M1]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/428095-sm79-sparviero-serie-8-1939/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer SM}}
{{Italy bombers}}

S.M.79 serie 1

2024-07-05T01:52:08Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Italian bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = S.M.79 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=sm_79_1936_italy
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]], though a variant existed in the Germany aircraft tech tree prior to the update.

Due to its relatively low Battle Rating, the three-engined S.M.79 serie 1 enjoys a relatively high speed for a bomber against most of the lower tiered opposition it faces. This aids its survivability, particularly in a shallow dive. Unfortunately, it is rather lacking in bombload options compared to the He 111s and Ju 88s and also has rather poor defensive fire arcs.

Unlike the German bombers, however, it is armed with 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns which can pack quite a punch against the flimsier aircraft it faces. The pilot also controls a fixed forward-firing 12.7 mm Breda, which is otherwise uncovered by any defensive armament. This gun can be useful for strafing light vehicles and trucks that will be encountered frequently in low tier battles and can be used to shoot down other aircraft. It is somewhat more manoeuvrable than the He 111 H-3, but the Sparviero is by no means a fighter and will rapidly lose energy in turns. With the ability to carry 500 kg bombs, the S.M.79 can use these to more easily take out pillboxes and heavier tanks, although this reduces the total bombload to only 1,000 kg as opposed to 1,250 kg with 250 kg bombs.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 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
| 416 || 404 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.6 || 33.6 || 4.5 || 4.4 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 444 || 430 || 30.4 || 31.6 || 7.8 || 5.9
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 313 || 298 || 220 || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 260 || < 270 || < 270 || > 290
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 3,400 m || 740 hp || N/A
|-
|}

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


* No armour
* Self-sealing fuel tanks (1 under dorsal gunner, 1 in each wingroot, 1 in each outer part of the wing, 1 in the rear of each engine nacelle)

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

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal-mounted (350 rpg)

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

{{main|GP 50 (50 kg)|GP 100 (100 kg)|GP 250 (250 kg)|GP 500 (500 kg)}}

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

* 12 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (600 kg total)
* 12 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (1,200 kg total)
* 5 x 250 kg GP 250 bombs (1,250 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg GP 500 bombs (1,000 kg total)

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)|Lewis (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal turret (500 rpg)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)
* 1 x 7.7 mm Lewis machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (485 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

S.M.79 serie 1 is a decent bomber at its BR and below, but it faces many threats, for example [[Spitfire (Family)|Spitfires]], [[LaGG-3 (Family)|LaGG-3s]], [[MiG-3 (Family)|MiG-3s]] and [[P-40 (Family)|P-40s]].

If the S.M.79 manage to get past the threats, it has the payload to take out enemy bomb points and ground targets, with its bomber spawn it can descend to get extra speed to quickly get to the bombing point, those this will also expose it to enemy fighters and attackers that have the firepower to destroy the S.M.79 with ease in both Realistic and Arcade battles.

A big drawback with the S.M.79 is that it's big and not fast or agile compared to certain bombers at same BR but if it is able to pass through enemy line it can cause a lot of damage to the points. It has 2 x 12.7 mm Breda MGs aiming backwards in a limited field of view making a lot of the plane uncovered by the MGs, as well as 2 x 7.7 mm Breda MGs on the sides, also with limited views, leaving a lot of the plane unprotected.

S.M.79 also has an offensive 12.7 mm which can do damage to enemy fighters or bombers, if one has a well trained aim, it can be a dangerous weapon to the S.M.79's advantage. The problem with the 12.7 mm is its slow rate of fire compared to other 12.7 mm and a low count of 350 rounds in the gun.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hard-hitting 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT defensive machine guns.
* Pilot-controlled fixed forward-firing 12.7 mm Breda, which can be equipped with IAI (explosive) ammunition.
* Good speed.
* Middle engine provides some level of protection for the pilot against head-on attacks.
* Capable of carrying 500 kg bombs, unlike the [[He 111 H-3]] or [[Do 17 Z-2]].

'''Cons:'''

* Very limited bomb payload compared to the He 111 H-3 which has 1,250 kg max.
* Poor defensive fire arcs, including a dead-zone in the rear where neither of the rearward facing 12.7 mm machine guns can cover.
* No frontal defensive gun covering the frontal aspect.
* Lacks armour protection for the crew.
* Forced to choose between less total bomb payload, but individually more powerful bombs or higher total bomb payload with less powerful bombs.

== History ==

Alessandro Marchettí was famous for creating record breaking and Schneider Trophy winning racing seaplanes, and was the Savoia (aka SIAI, Società Idrovolanti Alta Italia). In 1922 Marchettí joined Savoia to form one of the great aircraft companies in history, until merged in 1983. After the conclusion of the Schneider Trophy race (won by UK), the firm used its experience to build fast aircraft for civilian and military use.

You probably saw the very similar looking Italian S.81 in game, which was a militarized version of the successful S.73. The S.M.79 was new passenger version based on the planform of its predecessor; the most obvious difference was retractable landing gear. It was truly made first as a passenger version to compete with those being made by other countries. Needless to say, it immediately attracted attention of the Regina Italia and a bomber version was developed in parallel. For a few brief months it was considered the best transport and bomber in world and became a major point of pride in Fascist Italy and was sold to several countries in the years before WW2.

Unlike nearly every bomber in War Thunder (and even in WW2), it was built mainly of steel a wood! The fuselage was a common for time welded steel tube design, with entire rear half being covered in cloth and plywood. The crew area to nose was duralumin cladded (which is very similar to Hawker Hurricane’s construction). Most surprising the wings are completely wood! A major technical achievement for its size. During its production life several engines where tried, depending on power and reliability, one model even removing the nose engine.

To make the S.M.79 fast the wings are shorter than typical for its weight. To compensate for higher clean stall speed a number of advanced high lift devices were used to reduce stall speed for landing, being Handley-Page leading extending slats and drooping ailerons (also called “flaperons”) in conjunction with uncommon slotted flaps. After trying a few engines, the Alfa Romeo 126 was used on the prototypes for testing and the record breaking flights soon after. As with the S.M.73 / S.81, once again the Italian military wanted a bomber version and laid out proposed additions.

''Sparviero goes to war''

''The spacious cabin was easy to install a set of bomb racks, all bombs mounted vertically (not unusual for time). While the S.81 had the bomb aimers position just behind the nose-mounted engine, the S.M.79 positioned it in a ventral “tub” well after of the bomb bay itself. Also unlike the S.81 this streamlined tub also became the location of the ventral defensive gun, usually a 12.7 mm Breda-SAFT MG instead of a turret. A streamlined dorsal mount was also installed for a rear firing 12.7 mm MG, and unusually for bombers a fixed, pilot fired forward mounted 12.7 mm MG, firing above the propeller disk. Both these streamlined protrusions could be closed to greatly minimize drag for a very high cruise speed, which the turreted S.81 could not. It was the prominent hump on its top that earned the nickname "il gobbo maledetto" ("damned hunchback"). Italy was open to export sales, and many countries purchased this top of line bomber to add to their forces.''

''From the high of the Spanish Civil War to the end of WW2, the Sparviero was the backbone of Italian bomber air forces and continued to do well over the vast stretches of the Mediterranean sea despite better allied defenses. Success was made despite high losses up to the Italian Armistice. They continued to be used in lesser roles on both sides of the conflict, and after the war were used for various duties by several nations for years later. Lebanon was the last operator who used them well in the 1950’s and are the last 2 remaining S.M.79 in world.''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sm_79_1936_italy Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[S.M.79 (Family)]]

'''Aircraft of similar configuration or role'''

* [[S.81]]
* [[B.R.20M M1]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/87331-savoia-marchetti-sm79-1936/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer SM}}
{{Italy bombers}}

P.108A serie 2

2024-07-05T01:47:40Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Italian strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| and
| usage = the bombers
| link-1 = P.108B serie 1
| link-2 = P.108B serie 2
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=p_108a_serie2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


The Piaggio P.108A ''Artgliere'' (lit. "Gunship") was an unusual variant of the [[P.108 (Family)|P.108 heavy bomber]]. Designed in response to a requirement issued in November 1942 to supplement torpedo bombers in anti-shipping duties, the P.108A was armed with a massive 102 mm 102/35 mod.14 cannon (a bored-out version of the proven [[90/53 mod.41 (90 mm)|90 mm 90/53 mod.41]] anti-tank cannon) in its fuselage, one of the largest armaments ever fitted onto an aircraft at that time. To maximize the effectiveness of the gun, the plane was to be fitted with an analog computer to help in calculating the aim, as well as a 12-round autoloader. However, due to the worsened situation of Italy, frequent Allied bombing raids, and the realization that such an aircraft was more expensive than a traditional bomber while its theoretical effectiveness was questionable at best, only one prototype was built and tested before the program was cancelled in September 1943. The sole P.108A would later be captured by the Germans but presumably destroyed in a later bombing raid in 1944.

Introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]] initially as a rank III "strike aircraft", but gradually reduced to a rank I aircraft. The {{PAGENAME}} is similar to the normal P.108s, but with a 102 mm anti-shipping gun containing 50 rounds, basically making it an oversized [[Hs 129 (Family)|Hs 129]] or [[PBJ-1H]]. However, the main reason for the ''Artgliere'' to be now pitted frequently against reserve biplanes and early monoplanes rather than being used for tank-busting (or boat killing) duties like the aforementioned planes is due to it being too big, too slow, too sluggish, and too hard to get its gun on target without being hit by any enemies. The 102 mm cannon was intended to be used against large and relatively defenseless target like an average cargo ship, something that the ''Artgliere'' will rarely come across outside of Simulator Battles. Managing to hit any ground vehicle with the first shot is considered a miracle, let alone against aircraft. Since the 102 mm is the only "offensive" armament it has, the P.108A is restricted to ground attack role, something that it performed rather poorly.

In an ironic twist, the P.108A is placed at such a low BR that it can be played as a pure gunship and keep true to its official nickname ''Artgliere'', baiting any inexperienced pilots to chase your tail and hope that you can gun them down with your defensive turret. Though be warned; the plane is pretty much a sitting duck against those who know where to attack it.

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


It is difficult to compliment the P.108A's flight performance. It is for all intents and purposes a heavy bomber repurposed into a strike aircraft. It flies somewhat acceptably compared to other bombers but by strike aircraft standards it is poor. The P.108A is slow, turns poorly, and does not accelerate or climb well. Roll rate and energy retention are not really applicable for this aircraft. The sheer weight and bulk of the plane give it a large amount of inertia, so getting guns on target during a strafing run can be a major challenge due to its weak rudder and extremely sluggish controls. Once its altitude is expended, there is little chance of getting it back in a timely manner. Think twice about your speed and altitude before attacking a ground or naval target and avoid steep dives or you will be fighting with the controls in a futile attempt to pull up!

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,049 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
| 426 || 412 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.5 || 34.1 || 6.0 || 5.9 || rowspan="2" | 750
|-
! Upgraded
| 464 || 444 || 29.6 || 31.0 || 9.8 || 7.7
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 383 || 361 || 249 || ~3 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 330 || < 310 || < 270 || > 250
|-
|}

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


* 8 mm Steel - Cockpit armour - instrument panel, pilot's seat, co-pilot's seat and floor plate below pilot
* 8 mm Steel - Armour plate protecting ammo located in wings
* 8 mm Steel - Side gunner armoured walls
* 8 mm Steel - Ventral gunner position
* Fuel tanks located in wings

While the P.108 series is not well known for its durability, the {{PAGENAME}} is placed at such a low BR that it mostly faces enemies armed only with small-calibre machine guns, to which the plane is capable of absorbing huge number of rounds with. However, due to the lack of protection on the gunners, they can be easily knocked out. In an uptier where large-calibre machine guns and 20 mm autocannons are common, the {{PAGENAME}} will not fare well against these enemies as they can easily dismantle you from higher altitudes.

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

# The first tier modifications to be unlocked should be Radiator and Fuselage repair, then Turret 7 mm. This is so you can improve the poor performance of the plane. The belts should be last as no matter what the defensive firepower of the plane with or with out the belts would still remain poor.
# The second tier upgrades should start with the Airframe so your plane is a bit more durable. Then get the New 7 mm MGs (turret) and Offensive 102 mm for increase in firepower and defensive armament. Finally go get the Compressor.
# The Third tier modifications should start off with the Engine, then unlock the Wings repair. Last of all unlock the Turret 12.7 mm.
# The fourth tier modification should start off with the New 12.7 mm MGs (turret) then Cover. And your last two modification should be Engine Injection and New 102 mm Cannons.

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

{{main|102/35 mod 14 (102 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 102 mm 102/35 mod 14 cannon, nose-mounted (50 rpg)

The only offensive armament the {{PAGENAME}} has is a massive 102 mm 102/35 mod 14 cannon cannon mounted on the nose in a downward-pointing angle, intended to aiding the pilot to hit the ship without putting the nose down.

In theory, the 102 mm cannon is capable of one-shotting any plane it comes across, and crippling any ground or light naval targets. However, in practice, the cannon is largely useless against these targets due to relatively poor accuracy and awkward firing angles, as well as the difficulty in aiming it due to the plane's poor handling.

Thus, the only realistic usage of 102 mm cannon is against static targets, which can be hit (mostly) reliably at around 500 m range, though in doing so also means that you will effectively expose yourself to any aircraft above you or even AI AA guns on the ground that could hit you due to the plane's huge size.

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

{{main|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)|Breda-SAFAT (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, 2 x remote-controlled wing turret (300 rpg = 1,200 total)
* 1 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, ventral turret (450 rpg)
* 1 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, 2 x beam turret (400 rpg = 800 total)

The {{PAGENAME}} retains the same defensive armament layouts as its bomber variant, the [[P.108B serie 2]]. Even at the BR of the P.108A, these guns are somewhat ineffective against lightly-armoured biplanes and early monoplanes due to the awkward convergence, though this will be main way of getting kills by baiting any inexperienced pilots into chasing it.

However, the P.108A's turret layout still retains fatal flaws of the lack of protection for the gunners, as they are bunched close together and can be easily knocked out in a well-aimed shot, leaving the plane defenseless. In addition, the complete lack of coverage at the frontal angles will leaves the P.108A at the mercy of any enemy pilot that approaches.

== Usage in battles ==


'''Air Battles'''

The Piaggio P.108A Serie 2 is a four-engine strike aircraft. Despite being a strike aircraft, the 102 mm cannon is relatively inaccurate which means the targets that best suit this plane are large stationary targets that the cannon can penetrate and destroy. The plane's defensive firepower is relatively poor, so you should try to avoid enemy planes as much as possible. If an enemy plane is lining up to attack you from the front, try to swing your plane around and give him your tail so your gunners can shoot back at him. It is recommended to fly with squadmates or recruit an escort as a lone P.108A is easy prey for roving enemy fighters. Stay low and do not go above 1,900 m. Speed is key: try to maintain a speed of close to 200 km/h to give you wiggle room as your stall speed is 155 km/h despite the massive weight.

Bomber vs bomber gunfights are ill-advised because the P.108A's gunners are easy to knock out and their weapons do not deal a high amount of damage. Try to make the enemy bomber attack you from behind, or try to stay in front of and below him. It is possible to go low-level bomber hunting using the main cannon and its HE shell, but this is very situational and will most likely end up in you being hunted by enemy fighters. Enemy AI attackers can be hunted as they fly very predictably, but will often have potent defensive guns which can snipe your pilot as you pull up behind them. If you do manage to get a hit with the HE shell, 690 grams of TNT will blow even the largest aircraft out of the sky.

'''Ground Realistic Battles'''

In Ground RB, try to attack enemy vehicles from the side, preferably ones that are stationary and looking away from you. This is where they are the largest and there is less chance that your target will spot you before you can attack. Since the reloading of the 102 mm cannon is done manually, it will take a relatively long time to reload. A large ammo reserve means that you can take a couple of long-distance sniper shots as you get closer to your target. Make sure you can both hit the target and pull out of the dive or you will miss and crash. The large calibre gun, which was derived from the 90 mm [[90/53 mod.41 (90 mm)|90/53 mod.41]], will do significant damage to enemy tanks if it gets a hit. Try to aim for the crew compartment to maximise damage, or hit the engine to immobilise it for so you can swing around for another pass.

The aircraft is a very large target, its size and slow speed mean that enemy tanks have a chance to shoot you down with their coaxial machine guns and even their main cannon. The poor frontal armour will often get the pilot sniped or have its engines and fuel set alight on a low pass. Beware of enemy tanks that have roof-mounted machine guns. Many American vehicles like the [[M24]] Chaffee, [[M4]] Sherman, and the [[M10 GMC]] have [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|.50 cal]] machine guns for AA defense. These will do a lot of damage to your plane and pilot. Try to keep your distance from these tanks and attack when they aren't looking.

Any enemy SPAA able to get its guns on target is dangerous. If there is an enemy SPAA present, circle outside of the battlefield and try to get your teammates to dispatch it before you start attack runs.

'''Naval Battles'''

Despite anti-shipping being the P.108A's original design purpose, Naval battles are a poor game mode for the aircraft. Almost every target in Naval will have some sort of AI-controlled AA gunners that can hit you with pinpoint accuracy. It is recommended to go after vulnerable AI cargo ships and unsuspecting PT boats. On open waters and open skies, a P.108A is very easy to spot so player-controlled boats will most likely see you first and start evasive manoeuvres making them very difficult to hit. A lone Clemson-class destroyer like [[USS Litchfield]] can be a viable target as it has no AA armament, but will take multiple shots and multiple passes to destroy because of its large size.

=== 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 Auto control available || Controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Auto controlled
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 102 mm cannon can prove devastating on a direct hit
* Large amount of ammo for the cannon
* Two turrets with two 12.7 mm guns each are placed on the distant engines allowing for more guns to face backwards
* Survivability of a four-engined heavy bomber
* Slow enough that enemy fighters have less time to fire and will often overshoot

'''Cons:'''

* Atrocious flight performance
** Very poor turn rate, roll rate, climb rate, and energy retention, incapable of flying to intercept anything
** Will be outran and outturned by almost every plane it may face
** Difficult to take off without flaps due to low horsepower engines
* Massive target, very easy to spot and hit
* Prone to fuel tank fire due to tremendous fuel load
* Awful offensive capabilities
** Inaccurate downward-pointing cannon and sluggish handling make lining up shots very difficult
** No suspended ordnance options, thus leaving the unreliable 102 mm cannon as the only "offensive" option
* Relatively weak defensive armament, even for its BR
** Gunners are bunched together and easily knocked out
** Turrets on the engines cannot face forwards, making any head-ons a death sentence

== History ==


The Piaggio P.108 heavy bomber series were the only strategic bombers to see service with the Italian military during World War II. The P.108 was developed prior to the war as a continuation of the earlier prototype Piaggio P.50. With long range and considerable bombload, the P.108 was supposed to offer the Regia Aeronautica the ability to attack ships and bases throughout the Mediterranean region, particularly at Gibraltar. The resulting aircraft was fairly advanced by the standards of the Italian industry, featuring all-metal construction, electric welding, and remote-control gun turrets on the outer engine nacelles. It looked somewhat like an Italian equivalent of the American B-17 Flying Fortress, which itself had been considered for license production in Italy. The P.108 first flew in late 1939.

The P.108 had its fair share of issues, largely related to its engines. During one test flight in February 1941, all four Piaggio R.XI engines of the P.108 prototype failed due to heavy icing. The pilot miraculously made a safe emergency landing. Later examples switched to the Piaggio R.XXII engine instead. The reputation of the bomber also took a hit when Bruno Mussolini, the son of Italian dictator Benito Mussolini and the commander of a P.108 crew, died after a crash on August 7, 1941 caused by hydraulic and engine failure shortly after takeoff. The P.108 only entered combat service in 1942 and saw middling success at first; engine troubles aside, Italian crews were not prepared for the navigation and fuel management challenges that long range bombing missions entailed. By 1943, the P.108s began to encounter stiff resistance from enemy aircraft and several were lost to British fighters. After the Italian armistice, the remaining P.108s saw little service. The transport versions served to the end of the war.

The P.108A was a curious modification of the P.108B bomber variant developed in late 1942. It was designed to attack ships, and to this end it was equipped with an enormous 102 mm cannon in the lower part of the nose. The cannon was a bored-out development of the [[90/53 mod.41 (90 mm)|90/53]] cannon used by the Italian Army, capable of firing larger shells. The installation added two tons of weight to the P.108. The airframe was revised and a special gun sight was installed, later including an analog computer. The P.108A underwent extensive testing and was deemed an effective anti-ship strike aircraft. Plans were made to assemble 5 additional P.108As for a dedicated attack unit, but the Italian armistice halted them. Thus, only one P.108A was ever built. It fell into German hands and was evaluated by the Luftwaffe at their test center in Rechlin, Germany. It was damaged and later destroyed by Allied bombing some time after 1944.

The P.108 did not make a significant impact in World War II, only being produced in small numbers and encountering many obstacles during testing and operational use. It was used in Gibraltar, North Africa, and Sicily with mixed results. The P.108A avoided the developmental troubles of the bomber versions but never entered service, and the single prototype never fired its gun in anger. In spite of its faults, the P.108 can be credited with being the pinnacle of Italian bombers. It served as a basis for the improved P.133 design, which promised superior performance and armament but was canceled after the armistice and never built.

No P.108s are known to survive today.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=p_108a_serie2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|GSSJKUqU3WE|'''The Shooting Range #260''' - ''Challenge'' section at 11:34 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|ObEcMPqFBbE|'''The Shooting Range #259''' - ''Tips & Tricks'' section at 11:21 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|PrqqMtZin1U|'''The Shooting Range #48''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 02:35 discusses the P.108A.}}

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''
;* [[P.108 (Family)]]
;'''Aircraft with similar weapon systems'''

* [[PBJ-1H]]
* [[XA-38]]
* [[Hs 129 B-3]]
* [[Ki-109]]
* [[Mosquito FB Mk XVIII]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/365184-piaggio-p108ba-serie-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Piaggio}}
{{Italy strike aircraft}}

Hs 129 B-2 (Romania) (Italy)

2024-07-05T01:45:14Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = premium strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Hs 129 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=hs-129b-2_romania_italy
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced as a premium pack vehicle in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]] for War Thunder's [[wt:en/news/5852-special-news-war-thunder-s-birthday-discounts-and-gifts-en|6th Anniversary]] as a replacement for the [[Hs 129 B-2 (Romania)|version of the vehicle in the German tech tree]].

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

The Hs 129's flight characteristic is somewhat similar to the Soviet [[IL-2 (Family)|IL-2]] ground attack aircraft. The plane suffers from an underpowered engines which limits its acceleration and climb rate, but the Hs 129 can fly pretty well with enough speed, and has the ability to perform hard manoeuvres in flight even at low altitude. However, the plane cannot roll at all due to the engines lack output to prevent the plane from stalling, as well as bleeds a lot of energy away in any air-to-air engagements.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,550 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
| 421 || 404 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 29.4 || 31.3 || 5.9 || 5.9 || rowspan="2" | 331
|-
! Upgraded
| 466 || 439 || 26.5 || 27.9 || 11.2 || 8.3
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 287 || 252 || 190 || ~10 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 320 || < 320 || < 300 || > 280
|-
|}

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


* 5 mm Steel - Oil cooler covers
* 5 mm Steel - Lower engine cowl protection
* 2 mm Steel - Cockpit side plates
* 12 mm Steel - Cockpit back plate, floor, and front plates
* 75 mm Bulletproof glass

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

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

{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 20 mm MG 151 cannons, fuselage-mounted (250 rpg = 500 total)
* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, fuselage-mounted (1,000 rpg = 2,000 total)

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|BK 3.7 (37 mm)|MK 103 (30 mm)}}

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

* Without load
* 1 x 30 mm MK 103 cannon, belly-mounted (100 rpg)
* 1 x 37 mm BK 3.7 cannon, belly-mounted (12 rpg)
* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (200 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==


The plane is very heavy, which makes it nearly impossible to take out fighters (unless the fighters come to the Hs 129 B-2, see below), even most medium bombers are more manoeuvrable, however the plane is heavily armoured. Even so, don't expect to hold up well against cannon fire and any machine gun fire targeted towards you will be a death of a thousand cuts. The armour around the cockpit makes getting pilot sniped uncommon but not rare. Don't expect this plane to fly you back home on one engine. If the engine is shot out, it usually means that your wings are also damaged which means a loss of lift, which on a one-ton brick means a death sentence. The planes incredibly stable flight behaviour makes aiming even for joystick pilots very easy and accurate thus not wasting too much ammunition.

Once the 30 mm additional gun with its impressive 100-round belt has been researched (the 37 mm with its smaller belt and low rate of fire should be avoided), the plane has very heavy firepower. In combination with the great stability and thus firing accuracy, this makes it an ideal heads-on fighter. With a bit of experience, it's relatively easy to finish off enemy fighters with one or two short bursts before they are even in range for the target indicator to appear. In situations where enemy planes coming at 0.5 to 1.0 km interval from the same direction, the Hs 129 B-2 can easily achieve triple or even quadruple air victories before needing to turn around for reloading.

==== Tactics ====
Using the 30 mm MK 103 with the HVAP-T belt, the Hs 129 B-2 is capable of destroying every single ground target except for regular pillboxes. Thanks to the 100 rounds of ammunition available, this can make a single Hs 129 B-2 a game-changing aircraft. Make sure to have key binds set up for separate firing of small, large, and additional guns. Tanks should be your #1 priority. You should be only firing your 30mm gun pod when engaging tanks. Do not bother with armoured vehicles that have gotten the ground vehicles damage model. For every tank (except the Pz4 model with the side skirt) you should be aiming to line them up from the side as it is the most consistent. Next in the priority list are the light pillboxes. These can be destroyed using your 7.92mm machine guns as well as your 20mm (if you opted to equip the armored target belt for them) and obviously the 30mm. When you are aiming for these pillboxes make sure to try and target the roof section of the pillbox, you don't need to be level to the ground or attacking from directly above, any angle is fine. There are two ways of going about killing light pillboxes: Using all of your guns or just your machine gun and 20mm. Using all of your guns is the quickest way to defeat a light pillbox but takes ~10 30mm rounds which are quite precious and can be used against other players or tanks. Engage every other target at your own discretion making sure to only use the machine guns and 20mm cannons for these soft targets.

Against aircraft, your only solid chance is to engage them in a head-on. The Hs 129 is a flying brick and will not be able to engage anything other than itself. If the enemy is smart, they will avoid a head-on and simply use their advantage to sweep around behind you. Your only recourse is to hope that you survive long enough for a friendly to rescue you, or that they overshoot in front of your guns, giving you a split second to shoot them down.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Sturdy airframe with armour and thick bulletproof glass, can take some punishment before going down
* Very good firepower when carrying either the 30 mm or 37 mm cannon pods
** 30 mm MK 103 is a high-velocity cannon with a decent rate of fire, which allows for versatility in targets, and is especially devastating against armoured vehicles
** 30 mm HVAP-T generally destroys air targets in one to three hits with a high potential to combust targets
** 30 mm HE-I/HEI-T Minengeschoß in the default belts means grinding once the 30 mm is available isn't that difficult
** 30 mm has a reasonable ammo pool of 100 rounds and the low fire rate combined with hit success allows it more than enough to obtain down five planes before running out
* Surprisingly manoeuvrable at higher speed
* Cockpit has 70 mm of armoured glass at the front, reasonable all-round protection for the pilot
* Great at head-on passes in all game modes (shoot and duck/roll away)
* Centrally mounted armament, need for gun harmonisation minimalized

'''Cons:'''

* Extremely underpowered engines plagued the overall flight performances
** Poor acceleration and energy retention
** Poor climb rate, bad manoeuvrability at lower speed
** Cannot roll at all due to the risk of stalling
** If even one engine is shot-up, the plane will fall from the sky
** Engine uses a carburettor, preventing prolonged inverted G-load state
* Has no defensive armament compared to other attack aircraft of its rank
* Engine and internal wing fuel tanks are ideal targets for enemy pilots
* Needs the gun pods to do well
* Thick cockpit armoured glass causes some distortion (Simulator)

== History ==


At the start of WW2 Romania had adopted a position of neutrality. However following the Soviet Annexation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina in June - July 1940, the loss of Northern Transylvania to Hungary on 30 August 1940, and the loss of Southern Dobruja to Bulgaria on 7 September 1940 the popularity of the Romanian government plummeted. This led to a series of government changes, followed by a Coup and the instalment of Ion Antonescu as the country's leader. Antonescu promptly got Romania to join the Tripartite Pact on 23 November, becoming allied with Nazi Germany.<ref name="Williamson1">Williamson 2017 I</ref>

Becoming allies with Nazi Germany gave Romania access to German aircraft. It is reported that Romania received Hs 129 A series aircraft.<ref name="Kretaner">Kretaner n.d.</ref> The Hs 129 A was known for being extremely underpowered with its Argus As 410 engines, and B series aircraft were soon produced with more powerful Gnome-Rhône 14M radial engines. Romania received the latest Hs 129 B-2 version in June 1943; and they were put to use against Soviet forces on the Eastern Front<ref name="Joseph">Joseph 2012</ref>. The Romanian Hs 129 B-2s typically carried a 30 mm cannon under the fuselage, and proved to be very effective in the ground attack role, reportedly "bringing Soviet tank and infantry attacks to a halt time and again".<ref name="Joseph" /> On 23 August 1944 after Romania had been suffering heavy losses against the advancing Soviet forces King Michael I of Romania ordered Antonescu to surrender. When Antonescu refused the king had him arrested and declared war on Nazi Germany, joining the Soviet advance.<ref name="Williamson2">Williamson 2017 II</ref> It is unclear if the Hs 129s were used against Germany.

One Romanian ace to fly the Hs 129 was Teodor Zăbavă, who achieved four air-to-air kills in his Hs 129 (and more in his IAR 80). One kill occurred on 25 October 1943 against a Soviet Yak fighter.<ref name="Bernad">Bernad 2012</ref>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=hs-129b-2_romania_italy Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

*[[Hs 129 (Family)|'''Hs 129 (Family)''']]
**[[Hs 129 B-2 (Romania)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/80788-henschel-hs-129-b-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

===References===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Bernad, D. (2012). Rumanian Aces of World War 2. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing.
* Joseph, F. (2012). The Axis Air Forces Flying in Support of the German Luftwaffe. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.
* Kretaner, N. (n.d.). Hs 129. Retrieved from [https://www.ww2-weapons.com/hs-129/ WW2 Weapons]
* Williamson, M. (2017, August 19). Romanian Air Service WWII part I. Retrieved from [https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2017/08/19/romanian-air-service-wwii-part-i/ Weapons and Warfare]
* Williamson, M. (2017, August 19). Romanian Air Service WWII part II. Retrieved from [https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2017/08/19/romanian-air-service-wwii-part-ii/ Weapons and Warfare]

{{AirManufacturer Henschel}}
{{Italy strike aircraft}}
{{Italy premium aircraft}}

Hs 129 B-2 (Romania)

2024-07-05T01:43:33Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = German premium strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Hs 129 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=hs-129b-2_romania
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced as a [[wt:en/news/668--en|premium pack]] in [[Update 1.41#19.06.2014 - 1.41.27.12|Update 1.41.27]]. This vehicle can no longer be obtained in the German Tech Tree but can now be found instead in the Italian tree as the [[Hs 129 B-2 (Romania) (Italy)]].

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,550 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
| 421 || 404 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 29.4 || 31.3 || 5.9 || 5.9 || rowspan="2" | 331
|-
! Upgraded
| 466 || 439 || 26.5 || 27.9 || 11.2 || 8.3
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 287 || 252 || 190 || ~10 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 310 || < 320 || < 300 || > 230
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 3,000 m || 1,300 hp || 1,530 hp
|-
|}

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


* 5 mm Steel - Oil cooler covers
* 5 mm Steel - Lower engine cowl protection
* 2 mm Steel - Cockpit side plates
* 12 mm Steel - Cockpit back plate, floor, and front plates
* 75 mm Bulletproof glass

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

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

{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 20 mm MG 151 cannons, fuselage-mounted (250 rpg = 500 total)
* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, fuselage-mounted (1,000 rpg = 2,000 total)

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|BK 3.7 (37 mm)|MK 103 (30 mm)}}

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

* Without load
* 1 x 30 mm MK 103 cannon, belly-mounted (100 rpg)
* 1 x 37 mm BK 3.7 cannon, belly-mounted (12 rpg)
* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (200 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==


The plane is very heavy, which makes it nearly impossible to take out fighters (unless the fighters come to the Hs 129 B-2, see below), even most medium bombers are more manoeuvrable, however the plane is heavily armoured, so it can last a while even under heavy fire, even to such a degree that some planes run out of ammunition before taking out a Henschel. That combined with the heavy armament makes it ideal to attack B-17 formations, even though it requires time and effort to climb and match the speed of the formation. The armour around the cockpit makes it nearly immune to 7.92 mm rounds and could also fly with one engine, albeit with great difficulty. The planes incredibly stable flight behaviour makes aiming even for joystick pilots very easy and accurate thus not wasting too much ammunition.

Once the 30 mm additional gun with its impressive 100-round belt has been researched (the 37 mm with its smaller belt and low rate of fire should be avoided), the plane has very heavy firepower. In combination with the great stability and thus firing accuracy, this makes it an ideal heads-on fighter. With a bit of experience, it's relatively easy to finish off enemy fighters with one or two short bursts before they are even in range for the target indicator to appear. In situations where enemy planes coming at 0.5 to 1.0 km interval from the same direction, the Hs 129 B-2 can easily achieve triple or even quadruple air victories before needing to turn around for reloading.

====Tactics====

Using the 30 mm MK 103, which can be unlocked as an additional armament option, the Hs 129 B-2 is capable of destroying most mission relevant ground targets. Tanks of all sorts, as well as light pillboxes, can be destroyed in up to three hits, provided armour piercing ammunition (HVAP-T) is unlocked. Thanks to the 100 rounds of ammunition available, this can make a single Hs 129 B-2 a game-changing aircraft. The same can be achieved using the BK 3.7, however, it is generally considered harder to use and thus not a viable option.

The Hs 129 B-2, however, does have major drawbacks. Its engines are weak which results in poor top speed, acceleration and climb rate. This, combined with the armour of nearly one-ton weight, makes it perform poorly in air combat and very vulnerable to attacks of enemy fighters. This, however, goes so far that sometimes enemy pilots underestimate the Hs 129 and overshoot it after a tight turn, which gives the Hs 129 B-2 pilot a moderate chance of defending itself.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

[[Yak-2 KABB]]: Do not think that the {{PAGENAME}} can confidently outmanoeuvre this plane just because it is twin-engined. The Yak-2 has an amazing turn rate for a heavy fighter, thus the {{PAGENAME}} must avoid turning with it, if not dogfighting with it in general. It bears a pair of ShVAK cannons that can easily damage vital parts like engine or cooling systems. It has green camo, greatly resembling an Me 410 but with an H-tail like a Bf 110's.

[[ZSD63]]: A deadly enemy to face in Tank Realistic Battles. Though it is hard to identify specific SPAA vehicles on the ground (especially when they are shooting tracers at the plane), if a ZSD63 is identified, avoid it at all costs and '''do not''' attempt head-ons with it, ever. It can easily snap a wing off by causally putting a short burst in the {{PAGENAME}}'s flight path. Don't even get close to it unless it is occupied with another friendly or if the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with a bomb that it can use. The {{PAGENAME}}'s 30mm / 37mm cannons in the secondary armaments cannot effectively damage it as its hull is overall quite empty, causing your shells to do little to no damage. Some identifying features of the ZSD63 is its rather boxy and tall hull with a geometric turret sitting at the back, slightly similar to a Wirbelwind's. The firing manner is also distinctive: the sound and green tracers are very rapid, much like a buzz saw, but then it will remain silent for half a minute reloading. Note that an experienced ZSD player will hold its fire or shoot in single salvos with long halts between, making it look like that it's reloading. Armour piercing belt is recommended since their high penetration can tear through the ZSD's armour with ease and knock out its crews.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Resistant to light machine guns and Russian heavy machine guns
* Very good firepower when carrying either the 30 mm or 37 mm cannon pods
* 30 mm MK 103 is a high-velocity cannon with a decent rate of fire, which allows for versatility in targets, and is especially devastating against armoured vehicles
* 30 mm HVAP-T generally destroys air targets in one to three hits with a high potential to combust targets
* 30 mm HE-I/HEI-T Minengeschoß in the default belts means grinding once the 30 mm is available isn't that difficult
* 30 mm has a reasonable ammo pool of 100 rounds and the low fire rate combined with hit success allows it more than enough to obtain down five planes before running out
* Cockpit has 70 mm of armoured glass at the front, reasonable all-round protection for the pilot
* Great at head-on passes in all game modes (shoot and duck/roll away)
* Centrally mounted armament, need for gun harmonisation minimalized

'''Cons:'''

* Poor climb rate, bad manoeuvrability, heavy aircraft
* The engines are underpowered and if even one is shot-up, the plane will fall from the sky
* Engine uses a carburettor, preventing prolonged inverted G-load state
* Has no defensive armament compared to other attack aircraft of its rank
* Engine and internal wing fuel tanks are ideal targets for enemy pilots
* Needs the gun pods to do well
* Cockpit armour is very thin
* Pilot can be killed by SPAAGs or by machine guns larger than .30 cal
* Thick cockpit armoured glass causes some distortion (Simulator)

== History ==


At the start of WW2 Romania had adopted a position of neutrality. However following the Soviet Annexation of Bessarabia and Northern Bukovina in June - July 1940, the loss of Northern Transylvania to Hungary on 30 August 1940, and the loss of Southern Dobruja to Bulgaria on 7 September 1940 the popularity of the Romanian government plummeted. This led to a series of government changes, followed by a Coup and the instalment of Ion Antonescu as the country's leader. Antonescu promptly got Romania to join the Tripartite Pact on 23 November, becoming allied with Nazi Germany.<ref name="Williamson1">Williamson 2017 I</ref>

Becoming allies with Nazi Germany gave Romania access to German aircraft. It is reported that Romania received Hs 129 A series aircraft.<ref name="Kretaner">Kretaner n.d.</ref> The Hs 129 A was known for being extremely underpowered with its Argus As 410 engines, and B series aircraft were soon produced with more powerful Gnome-Rhône 14M radial engines. Romania received the latest Hs 129 B-2 version in June 1943; and they were put to use against Soviet forces on the Eastern Front<ref name="Joseph">Joseph 2012</ref>. The Romanian Hs-129 B-2s typically carried a 30 mm cannon under the fuselage, and proved to be very effective in the ground attack role, reportedly "bringing Soviet tank and infantry attacks to a halt time and again".<ref name="Joseph" /> On 23 August 1944 after Romania had been suffering heavy losses against the advancing Soviet forces King Michael I of Romania ordered Antonescu to surrender. When Antonescu refused the king had him arrested and declared war on Nazi Germany, joining the Soviet advance.<ref name="Williamson2">Williamson 2017 II</ref> It is unclear if the Hs 129s were used against Germany.

One Romanian ace to fly the Hs 129 was Teodor Zăbavă, who achieved four air-to-air kills in his Hs 129 (and more in his IAR 80). One kill occurred on 25 October 1943 against a Soviet Yak fighter.<ref name="Bernad">Bernad 2012</ref>

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The German Henschel Hs-129 was a single-seater twin-engine attack aircraft built for combat with tanks.

For the designers of the Henschel firm, which specialized in the manufacture of armoured vehicles for the Army, the most difficult challenge was aircraft survivability. They sought to protect the pilot and the most vulnerable components of the aircraft. Their desire to keep mass as low as possible led them to build a cockpit encased in 75 millimeters of glass. The design was very cramped and poorly regarded. Among other inconveniences were the tiny control panel and short control stick.

During flight testing, it was found that the aircraft could not dive, since any angle greater than 30 degrees resulted in the pilot being unable to control the aircraft. In addition, it was found that the Hs-129 could not fly well on one engine. This fact, combined with the reasoning that the plane could land using the other engine should its partner fail, led to the plane's twin-engine design.

Despite the plane's shortcomings, the Luftwaffe desperately needed aircraft for the assault of 1940, and in the winter of 1940, Henschel received an order for a series of Hs-129 planes. With the occupation of France, a large number of Gnome-Rhone 14M engines were confiscated, each running at 700 hp. Experiments with installing more powerful (albeit unreliable) engines led to the creation of the Hs-129 B, which had superior specs to the original Hs-129 and could return all the way to base if forced to fly with only one engine.

Serial production of the Hs-129 B-1 began in 1941, and May of the following year saw the launch of the modified Hs-129 B-2, which had a modified fuel system (along with several other minor changes).

All in all, 878 Hs-129s were produced.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=hs-129b-2_romania Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[Hs 129 (Family)]]
** [[Hs 129 B-2 (Romania) (Italy)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/80788-henschel-hs-129-b-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

===References===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Bernad, D. (2012). Rumanian Aces of World War 2. United Kingdom: Bloomsbury Publishing.
* Joseph, F. (2012). The Axis Air Forces Flying in Support of the German Luftwaffe. Santa Barbara, California: ABC-CLIO.
* Kretaner, N. (n.d.). Hs 129. Retrieved from [https://www.ww2-weapons.com/hs-129/ WW2 Weapons]
* Williamson, M. (2017, August 19). Romanian Air Service WWII part I. Retrieved from [https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2017/08/19/romanian-air-service-wwii-part-i/ Weapons and Warfare]
* Williamson, M. (2017, August 19). Romanian Air Service WWII part II. Retrieved from [https://weaponsandwarfare.com/2017/08/19/romanian-air-service-wwii-part-ii/ Weapons and Warfare]

{{AirManufacturer Henschel}}
{{Germany strike aircraft}}
{{Germany premium aircraft}}

Hornet Mk.I

2024-07-04T18:05:08Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = premium British twin-engine fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the regular version
| link = Hornet Mk.III
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=hornet_mk1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The de Havilland Hornet was a twin engine fighter developed by the de Havilland Company as a high altitude long range interceptor at the end of WWII. The Hornet saw most of its action in the colonies of the Pacific, its long range allowed it to cover large areas of sea and land in areas without proper infrastructure or services to maintain large fleets of aircraft. The Hornet Mk.I was the first variant of the Hornet with 60 units built. A total of 383 Hornets were built between all variants in the span of 5 years (1945-1950). It served in the Royal Air Force and Royal Navy from 1946 to 1956.

It was introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]]. The Hornet Mk.I represents the beginning of the end of British propeller aircraft. An earlier model of the tech tree [[Hornet Mk.III]] with a lighter airframe and the same engines, but lacking the "150 octane fuel" of the Mk.III, the Mk.I attains slightly more agility than its successor. With four fearsome 20 mm Hispano Mk.V cannons all mounted under the nose of the aircraft, it possesses the ability to shred apart whatever is unfortunate enough to fall within its sights. Able to climb and fight at high altitudes with a focus on energy fighting with only a lightly noticeable reduction in power that the Mk.III possesses. For any pilot willing to put the time in, this aircraft will provide a terrifying force in any battle, even ground scenarios with its ability to carry suspended armaments and armour piercing 20 mm rounds.

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

For pilots who loved the Mosquito, the Hornet is a dream come true. As a descendant of the [[Mosquito FB Mk VI]], it maintains many similarities to its older brother, namely an all-wooden construction and the iconic de Havilland tail design. However, the Hornet somehow manages to improve on the already excellent Mosquito platform, increasing speed, manoeuvrability, and armament while reducing overall aircraft proportions. From takeoff and into its flight, the Hornet is an overall smooth operator with brutal speed, reaching easily over 600 km/h in level flight at 4,000 m, insane climb rate, and excellent manoeuvrability for a twin-engined fighter. However, it's still a twin-engined fighter which means it can still be outmanoeuvred by most single-engined opponents it faces. Being a predecessor to the regular tech-tree variant [[Hornet Mk.III]], its flight performance is slightly worse but barely noticeable.

The consideration in buying this plane should rely on the experience already gathered with other twin-engined fighters, although when flying this plane is mastered, it's excellent at grinding out the British prop-ranks.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 5,791 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
| 716 || 696 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.4 || 27.5 || 19.1 || 19.1 || rowspan="2" | 500
|-
! Upgraded
| 804 || 756 || 24.0 || 25.0 || 34.3 || 25.2
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 826  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 370 || 356 || 287 || ~9 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 420 || < 390 || < 450 || > 324
|-
|}

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

The pilot in the Hornet Mk.I is very well protected as propeller planes go, with armour both in front and behind the pilot providing layered protection to aim to make 'pilot sniping' much more difficult, even having spaced layers of steel behind to insure against penetrating rounds from tailing aircraft.

The Hornet Mk.I is built tough but with critical weaknesses in the layout of its internal components, the tail is almost entirely bereft of vital parts, only the rudder and tail controls being of significance meaning many rounds that do not break them will simply pass through with little damage. However a head-on or strike to the wings will result in a downed or seriously crippled aircraft with coolers, fuel, spars, and engines all packed tightly together. Pilots should exercise caution when engaging enemies that can strike head-on or above/below the hornet during positioning.

* 38 mm bulletproof glass - armoured windscreen
* 12.7 mm steel plate in front of cockpit
* 12.7 mm steel plate behind pilot
* 2 x 3mm steel box behind the cockpit
* All fuel is stored in the wings
* All critical components are in the front of the aircraft, with only tail controls in the rear

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

As a premium aircraft, all modifications are unlocked upon purchase.

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

{{main|Hispano Mk.V (20 mm)}}

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

* 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.V cannons, chin-mounted (190 rpg = 760 total)

The Mk.V Hispanos are a successor to the venerable and fearsome Hispano Mk.II's found on the Spitfires. With a fast fire rate and a comfortable ammunition load of 190 rpg, the trigger time afforded to the pilot is enough to allow adjusting for lead or harassing lighter aircraft without worrying overmuch about running dry. The ammunition available has an excellent air belt that is recommended at all times with a mixture of Armour-piercing Incendiary ammunition and High explosive incendiary shells. While a ground belt is available, it only provides up to 36 mm of penetration in ideal conditions which will not be adequate for most ground vehicles encountered at its BR. The air belt will still reliably destroy SPAA and light vehicles and be on hand for enemy aircraft who may engage.

All the guns are mounted beneath the chin of the Hornet Mk.I allowing for accurate and easy to lead fire with little if no need for convergence.

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[G.P. Mk.IV (500 lb)|500 lb G.P. Mk.IV]] bombs
| || || 1* || 1* || ||
|-
! [[M.C. Mk.I (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb M.C. Mk.I]] bombs
| || || 1* || 1* || ||
|-
! [[AP Mk I]] rockets
| 2 || 2* || || || 2* || 2
|-
! [[AP Mk II]] rockets
| 2 || 2* || || || 2* || 2
|-
! [[RP-3]] rockets
| 2 || 2* || || || 2* || 2
|-
| colspan="8" | * Bombs on hardpoints 3/4 cannot be equipped in conjunction with rockets on adjacent hardpoints
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 8 x AP Mk I rockets
* 8 x AP Mk II rockets
* 8 x RP-3 rockets
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb M.C. Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
{{Navigation-End}}

The secondary loadout is very standard fare for the British aviation tree, a mid of 500 and 1000 lb 'dumb' bombs made available with AP and RP-3 rockets which experienced British pilots will have had many encounters with at this point. A mixture can be taken as the pilot wishes; owing to the role of the Hornet Mk.I it is not advisable to carry such in an air battle setting due to the performance impact and the presence of dedicated bomber craft. However, in ground RB the Hornet can strike at errant ground vehicles to assist its team before turn to maintain air superiority once its payload is spent.

The bomb payloads will be ample to knock out most if not all enemy ground vehicles the Hornet may encounter, the rockets may struggle greatly at its BR due to a maximum of only 100 mm of armour penetration from the AP Mk II rockets.

== Usage in battles ==

Being a twin-engine fighter, it handles rather poorly when compared to single-engined fighters. It should not be expected to outmanoeuvre enemies, therefore you should really rely on your speed and try to keep your energy advantage. It might be possible to lure enemies into various manoeuvres where the excellent acceleration can be used to your advantage. If you have any experience from similar fighters like the [[Hornet Mk.III]] or any [[Mosquito (Family)|Mosquito]], you can heavily use that to your advantage. Because the Hornet is an all-wooden construction, its ripping speed and maximum wing overload is rather low compared to other fighters.

When engaging fighters, a BnZ-playstyle should be used. One shouldn't commit to turning with the engaged enemy, because almost every plane, even light bombers will outturn you. The 4 x Hispano Mk.Vs mounted in the front of the plane with an ammo pool of 190 rounds per gun provide excellent firepower. The Hornet should be flown near friendlies because even when it can't get its guns on target, the enemy planes need to evade the bullets, therefore being an easy target to get picked off by allied planes nearby.

Because of its excellent climb rate, the Hornet can also be used as a bomber hunter. In his role, the main focus should lie on getting altitude to engage bombers from above, with far more speed than them. Do not try to spray your guns whilst being near the rear of the bomber, instead focus on one wing, then disengage after you've stricken the bomber.

=== 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 Auto control available || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Auto control available || Combined || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent armament
* Very good climb rate
* Very fast, especially at high altitude

'''Cons:'''

* Poor roll and turn rates
* Wooden frame is vulnerable to fires and damage dealt from enemies
* Easily catches fire, the wings are littered with fuel tanks

== History ==

[[File:HornetPhoto.jpg|thumb|Hornet Mk.III in flight]]
The Hornet was developed by de Havilland after their success with the DH.98 Mosquito, also a twin engine aircraft but for strike missions. The development of the Hornet was a private venture of the company rather than a contract or an interest of the military in the concept. The development of the Hornet started after 1941 and concentrated in producing a long range fighter, this was designated DH.103. The aircraft was meant to be operated against the Japanese Empire in the Pacific Theatre.

The first prototype was ready in 1944 and that same year it conducted its first flight piloted by Geoffrey de Havilland Jr. A second prototype was built after that, being more similar to what would be the final version of the aircraft having provision for a pair of 200-gallon drop tanks and a pair of 1,000 lbs bombs on hard points underneath the wings. The RAF was interested in this new long range fighter, and once the production line for the Hornet was set and done, an order for 60 units was placed of the F.1 variant. These units were delivered by February 28, 1945.

Further variants of the Hornet were developed, but the most iconic one was the Sea Hornet. This variant was created with the idea of serving in aircraft carriers. This idea was possible thanks to the Hornet having good low speed handling and visibility for landings. Several modifications were made to the design, including a reinforcement of the lower rear fuselage, slotted flaps for better flaps down performance, catapult assisted takeoff compatibility with one forged steel catapult bridle hooks fitted below each wing close to the fuselage. However the most important modifications were the foldable wings, this was essential since the Hornet was a large fighter, and occupied a lot of space in storage.

Other variants were also produced, with some experimental ones fitting a search radar in the nose of the aircraft. However several reconnaissance versions were produced, some of which included photo-reconnaissance.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=hornet_mk1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

'''Related development'''

* [[Hornet Mk.III]]

'''Aircraft of similar configuration or role'''

* [[Ki-83]]
* [[F7F-1]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{AirManufacturer deHavilland}}
{{Britain fighters}}
{{Britain premium aircraft}}

Mosquito FB Mk XVIII

2024-07-04T18:02:00Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = British strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Mosquito (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mosquito_fb_mk18
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.39]].

The Mk.XVIII, also known as the "Tsetse", was a converted Mk.VI "FB". In this aircraft, all four Hispanos are replaced with a single Molins 6-pounder Class M cannon (57 mm). The cannon itself was a modified QF 6-pounder anti-tank gun, fitted with an auto-loader to allow for both semi- and full automatic fire.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,780 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
| 555 || 541 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 31.6 || 33.0 || 3.5 || 3.5 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 642 || 595 || 28.2 || 30.0 || 16.7 || 7.6
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 390 || 356 || 264 || ~7 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 360 || < 360 || < 450 || > 360
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,819 m || 2,272 hp || 3,612 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,430 m || 2,220 hp || 3,530 hp
|-
|}

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


* 9.5 mm steel - Around nose and behind pilot/navigator seats
* 64 mm bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
* Critical components located in the front and wings of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
* Large amount of fuel tanks in the wings

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
The Mosquito relies on its speed to survive. Engine and streamlining upgrades take precedence until rank IV modifications are unlocked. At that point, it is highly recommended to research the 57 mm, as reducing the spread by 3 m takes the Tsetse from an occasionally-effective ground attacker to a long range sniper.

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

{{main|Molins Class M (57 mm)|Browning (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 57 mm Molins Class M cannon, chin-mounted (25 rpg)
* 4 x 7.7 mm Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 2,000 total)

== Usage in battles ==

When used in Arcade Battles (AB), it is often best to find lone targets away from the main activity due to it's more specialized armament. Like the Mk.VI before it, the Mk.XVIII has no defensive armament; even a well-flown bomber may take you out. The 6-pdr can take out all three kinds of tanks (light, medium and heavy) as well as light pillboxes, the latter being the easiest as they are stationary. Line up your gun sights, aim centre and fire. The distance you fire from is up to personal preference, but a good starting point is 600 m. Light tanks can be taken care of from any angle and medium tanks can be dealt with from the sides and rear, but aiming at their front may cause bounces and is not a guaranteed kill. Heavy tanks are like medium, but a frontal attack is most certainly going to bounce this time. Don't forget that the tanks will be actively moving, which means that you will have to correct for horizontal accuracy as well. A good way to practice this is to jump into a custom game and practice on people driving tanks, as they can be harder to hit then a AI controlled vehicle.

In mixed ground battles, the aircraft can be used for CAS purposes as the 57 mm gun is effective against armoured targets if used correctly. Should a player want to use the aircraft in GBR (ground realistic battle) they should either dive on targets and exploit weak roof armour or if the pilot is capable they should try and hit low side armour (this involves flying very low to hit weak points).

In Realistic Battles (RB), as with AB, you want to try and find some targets away from the main action. This process can be easier in RB and Simulator Battles (SB) as there are usually fewer people and the spotting distance of player-controlled aircraft is reduced. Stick down low and use the terrain to your advantage. Learn to fly low and fast, weaving up and down hills and valleys.

The same tactic applies with SB, but you are confined to the cockpit. The Mosquito in SB is probably the best mode to play it in for it to play as a ground attacker, and this is due to a few very good reasons. Firstly it is a very stable gun platform at high speed - This makes it easier to use in mouse aim and for beginners as it doesn't wobble as other planes would. The stability allows the Mosquito to fire the rockets or drop the bombs accurately (although still follow the same procedures as above in dive-bombing and rocket attacks). The game mechanics of SB are also in your favour, because flying low to the ground and there is no spotting system except for close proximity allies, you'll be a lot harder for the enemy to see against AB and RB. also being low to the ground will make it easier spotting the enemy, so-called by the SB aviators as "spot the dot", and the fully glazed canopy will also give you excellent vision (You had best bound the head's X and Y axis keys to make full use of this). As a fighter, it is also quite decent as long as you go up against aircraft no higher than .3 BR above you. Even stock it can manoeuvre with a 190 in turns and keep up with one in a short dive. The stable gun platform makes it easier to aim and hit the target from longer ranges - This is shown in the video below. There are downsides, however. The targeting sight is located to the right of the default view meaning you'll have to keep on zooming in to see the sight or move the head along the X-axis to see is in normal view. The second is that the artificial horizon has been covered up by the same gun sight. The final downside is that it has a somewhat high stall speed on landing and is quite high up for an aircraft. this makes it difficult to land and can result in an easy prop strike when you first fly it. Lastly, it is also recommended you have a wingman in this mode, be that another Mosquito or something like a Typhoon to cover your back when a more manoeuvrable fighter gets on your back. Just remember to not take any plane above the Mosquito's BR.

The Mosquito in Sim is a slightly different plane to what it is in RB. The manoeuvrability is somewhat improved with the lack of an instructor allowing it to dogfight more effectively. You can stick to opponents a lot easier and have a higher chance of winning. Against FW 190s the Mosquito can be a very good adversary as in real life and it can cause problems for 109s. Against the Japanese however, it is totally outclassed. All of the Japanese fighters will outmanoeuvre you so like in all other aircraft, don't turn with these. You can perform scissors somewhat better and it has very forgiving flying characteristics and pulls off some more advanced manoeuvres more sharply.

Some tips for taking off in both RB and SB: In RB, apply flaps to take off and set 100% throttle (not WEP). Around 100 km/h (60 mph), level the nose down parallel to the ground and wait until you reach around 200 km/h (120 mph). At this point, gently pitch up and you should slowly ease into the air. As for SB, apply throttle little by little and some counter steer to the right as torque from the engines will try to turn you to the left. Follow as with the RB take-off and bring the nose parallel with the ground around 100 km/h (60 mph) and pitch up a little once you reach 200 km/h (120 mph) to ease into the air.

As mentioned above, the Mosquito has a rather high stall speed, making it easy to crash onto the runway when landing. If you use the same approach of cutting throttle and using landing flaps during touch down, the Mosquito is very likely to heavily smack into the ground, snapping its gears and causing a failed landing. The trick is to maintain higher speed when landing. You should align yourself with the runway about 1 km away, with an altitude of around 150 m. While you approach the runway, use 40-60% throttle and drop speed to around 230 km/h, and deploy combat/takeoff flaps and landing gears. When you are barely flying above the ground, make sure that your speed is still well over 190 km/h and descend very, very slowly. Only now should you deploy landing flaps. The huge body of the Mosquito allows it to decelerate quickly so don't worry about not having enough runway just because you approached fast. When taxiing, fully deflect elevators upwards and brake. Release brakes immediately as soon as your nose dips down, to avoid propeller strike.

=== 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 || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Combined || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Stable gun platform, moves only a little even when firing the 57 mm Molins Class M cannon
* Centralized guns, allows destroying targets at ranges up to 2 km with some practice
* Very good in its role as an attacker
* Good acceleration due to its light weight
* Large cockpit with good visibility for SB
* Has two pilots
* 57 mm Molins Class M cannon has high penetration
* Massive fuel load

'''Cons:'''

* No defensive armament
* Not the most nimble of aircraft, at times it can feel very heavy and clunky, especially with the added weight from the gun and armour
* Massive fuel load (minimum is 1 hr & 18 min, which adds a lot of weight)
* Mediocre rate of climb
* Inflexible with roles, can only be used effectively as an attacker and not much else
* Single ammunition for 57 mm cannon lacks explosive filler: AP-T

== History ==


The main role of the "Tsetse" was that of anti-shipping and anti-submarine, attacking Axis ships upon orders or while on patrols. When performing an attack run, the "Tsetse" would dive at 30º from 5,000 ft (1,500 m), however, the auto-loading system was prone to jamming if the plane moved during the attack run. Carrying 25 solid AP rounds, it could fire them at a rate of 55 a minute, running dry in just under 30 seconds. As a result, pilots would fire a burst of 3 to 4 shells before circling around for the next target, also because they risked the ships returning AA fire. Fortunately, the "Tsetse" was fitted with 900 lbs (410 kg) of additional armour to the engine cowlings, belly and under the cockpit for added protection.

Throughout its service, the "Tsetse" performed very well; the effectiveness of the new weapon was demonstrated on 10 March 1944 when Mk XVIIIs from 248 Squadron (escorted by four Mk VIs) engaged a German convoy of one U-boat and four destroyers, protected by 10 Ju-88s. Three of the Ju 88s were shot down. Pilot Tony Phillips destroyed one Ju-88 with four shells, one of which tore an engine clean off its wing. The U-boat was damaged. On 25 March, U-976 was sunk by Molins-armed Mosquitoes. On 10 June, U-281 was abandoned in the face of intense air attack from No. 248 Squadron and was later sunk by a Liberator of No. 206 Squadron. On 5 April 1945, five German surface ships in the Kattegat were attacked and again, the "Tsetse" demonstrated their value by setting them all on fire and sinking them, a German Sperrbrecher("minefield breaker") was lost with all hands, with some 200 bodies being recovered by Swedish vessels. Some 900 German soldiers died in total. On 9 April, German U-boats U-804, U-843 and U-1065 were spotted information heading for Norway. All were sunk. U-251 and U-2359 followed on 19 April and 2 May 1945.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The de Havilland Mosquito was a twin-engine fighter-bomber which entered service with the RAF in 1941. Powered by two Rolls-Royce Merlin engines and constructed almost entirely of wood, the Mosquito possessed remarkable handling characteristics and performance for an aircraft of its size. Initially intended for use as a fast bomber and reconnaissance aircraft, early variants of the Mosquito carried no defensive weapons so as to save weight; the aircraft's defense was its incredible speed and acceleration.

The Mosquito FB Mk.XVIII was unlike any other variant in that it was fitted with a 57 mm anti-tank cannon in the nose; sources differ in the opinion of whether this was originally intended as an anti-tank or anti-submarine platform, but it was in the anti-shipping role with RAF Coastal Command which the Mk.XVIII would find most success. The 6-pounder cannon came to be known as the Molins gun; Molins were a company who had produced machinery for the cigarette industry in the inter-war period – they were able to adapt some of their designs to provide an auto-loading mechanism for the gun within the tight confines of the Mosquito's nose. Either two or four 0.303 machine guns augmented the Molins gun, and extra armour was added to protect the engines and aircrew. The Mk.XVIII came to be known as the Tse-tse by its crews, named after the notorious African Tse-tse fly as described by one pilot who commented the tse-tses bite was rather nastier than a normal Mosquito.

The standard attack profile for the Mk.XVIII involved entering a shallow dive from 2,500-3,000 ft (750-900 m), aiming at the target vessel's waterline so that damage would not only be caused on impact, but also below the waterline on the far side of the vessel on exit. With the aircraft's speed already in excess of 300 knots whilst in the dive, the shell's velocity was one of the highest in service. The Tse-tse Mosquito entered service in 1944 and achieved notable successes as part of the Banff Strike Wing operating from the East coast of Scotland against axis shipping around the coast of Norway.

Isolated examples do exist of the Molins gun being used in the air-to-air role, with predictably spectacular results. Only some 45 Mosquito FB Mk.XVIIIs were produced, some converted from the 20 mm cannon armed FB.VI.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mosquito_fb_mk18 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|4Rw863XFGd8|'''The Shooting Range #13''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:42 discusses the De Havilland Mosquito.}}

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''
;* [[Mosquito (Family)]]
;'''Aircraft of similar configuration and role'''

* [[Ki-102 otsu]]
* [[T18B-2]]
* [[Ki-109]]
* [[XA-38]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/330723-de-havilland-mosquito-fb-mkxviii/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer deHavilland}}
{{Britain strike aircraft}}

Mosquito FB.Mk.26

2024-07-04T17:59:59Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Chinese twin-engine fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Mosquito (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=mosquito_fb_mk26_china
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].

The Mosquito FB Mk. 26 is a heavy-hitting fighter-bomber that can cover many roles in War Thunder as it could in real life. With the ability to equip bombs and rockets, it can play a part in both the ground and air war. Use its speed and firepower to show your enemies who really rules the battlefield. With the instructions below you can make full use of the Mosquito and even squad up because as in the war, you can never have enough wooden wonders. If you feel that you want to be like a real wooden wonder pilot give the [https://www.avialogs.com/aircraft-d/de-havilland/item/8501-ap2019e-l-t-pilots-notes-for-mosquito-fbvi-fb26 pilot's manual] a read.

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

The Mosquito is famed for its outstanding agility in the war, pilots often remarked it as being on par with fighters and nothing like what they had flown before. This was thanks to its light yet strong balsa and plywood frame while housing a pair of Rolls Royce Merlin engines.

In War Thunder, the manoeuvrability can seem far from the legend that surrounds it. Stock it is a heavy and somewhat lumbersome fighter that relies on slow-moving enemies to target. However, as the upgrades are unlocked and installed it slowly comes out of its shell to start being the plane so many grew up wanting to fly. The roll rate of the Mosquito is quite underwhelming as sometimes expected from such a large aircraft, being best at around 380 km/h (240 mph). The upside is that in the roll, the Mosquito has only a small wobble and so will allow for some well-aimed shots. The horizontal turn on the Mosquito is again not that impressive as one might expect but it is not just a brick with wings either. It has a mediocre turn radius in the flat and can turn with and inside other heavy fighters excluding the Japanese ones. It will undoubtedly not be able to out-turn all its single-engine opponents though with the Fw 190 being the exception in a sustained turn. Finally, the vertical manoeuvrability is decent and the Mosquito will only lose a small bit of altitude in a loop with combat flaps deployed. However, there is one upside. In Simulator battles, the Mosquito is not under the control of the instructor and there is an improvement in its performance. This allows it to be better in the fighter role than in RB if it were in the same matchup.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,780 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
| 578 || 564 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 29.4 || 30.5 || 4.0 || 4.0 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 663 || 618 || 26.7 || 28.0 || 15.1 || 8.5
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 390 || 356 || 264 || ~7 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 360 || < 360 || < 450 || > 360
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 2,896 m || 1,215 hp || 1,725 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,940 m || 1,130 hp || 1,605 hp
|-
|}

It is a good idea to set the compressor to the 2nd position while not using WEP at low altitudes in Realistic Battles. This will prevent the engines overheating, and will generate almost as much power as they do on 1st compressor's position with WEP. This will maximize motors' efficiency, especially because there is no need to open the radiator and increase drag.

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


* 64 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
* 9.5 mm Steel plate in pilot seats
* 9.5 mm Steel plate in the nose

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

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

{{main|Hispano Mk.II (20 mm)|Browning (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannons, chin-mounted (150 rpg = 600 total)
* 4 x 7.7 mm Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 2,000 total)

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

{{main|G.P. Mk.IV (250 lb)|G.P. Mk.IV (500 lb)|RP-3}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 250 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (500 lb total)
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 8 x RP-3 rockets

The Mosquito FB Mk. 26 has a fixed forward-mounted armament of four 7.7 mm Browning machine guns (500 rpg) and four 20 mm Hispano Mk.II (150 rpg) both with a variety of belts. For the machine guns, the "Universal" belt is highly recommended as it suits both ground attack and air combat although only for the use of tracers in the latter. Use the machine guns for ranging and attacking light targets, don't waste the cannons on those. The cannons are specific to their role, so you may want to think about what you want to do before you spawn. In the ground attack role, the "Ground targets" belt is the obvious choice for the cannons as 60% of the ammo is armour-piercing. This ammo can kill targets up to light tanks (attack from behind) and light pillboxes (through windows and doors). For anti-air, the belt of choice is "Air targets". This ammo makes light work of any aircraft. "Stealth" can also be used as it does not contain any Tracer component, sometimes allowing you to sneak attack unsuspecting opponents. This is also why the "Universal" belt on the machine guns are useful as it allows you to adjust your aim while using "Stealth" belts.

The cannons are mounted under the nose and so will need more lead than wing-mounted Hispanos, but the close grouping makes it far less affected by convergence. To use the cannons to kill ground targets, go into the virtual cockpit to gain the best accuracy. For tanks, line up behind them at least 0.6 km away and low to the ground. Begin to fire at the target at about 0.4 km, by aiming for the top armour of tanks and the back of the turrets as these areas are more likely to be penetrable. As for light pillboxes, these are stationary targets they will be easier to kill and so don't need as much setting up. Aim for the back of the pillbox or the window at the front. Of course, you will need ground target ammo to penetrate the armour of both targets. Flaps should be deployed as they will help you elevate quicker and stop you from crashing into trees or buildings. The tactics and knowledge you build from this will then come in very useful when playing the [[Mosquito FB Mk XVIII]] in the British Tech Tree as it is an even better ground attacker.

The 250 lb bombs are only useful if you are a skilled dive-bomber pilot as most targets need a direct hit or both 250 lb bombs to destroy them. The 500 lb is a better choice as it gives some leeway if the target is only slightly missed; they can also kill destroyers in one direct hit. To attack with bombs you want to line up with target >1 km out and change to the virtual cockpit. Dive on the target at 30 degrees or more with the steeper the dive the better. Release the bomb at around 300 m above the target, this should give you enough time to pull out of the dive and not blow yourself up. Bombs are recommended for pillboxes and stationary targets above all else. Rockets can be used both for anti-bomber as well as anti-ground. The rockets can also be used against destroyers and pillboxes although you need 4 rockets to hit to kill them allowing you to attack two with each loadout. Note when attacking ships come at their broadside at around -30 degrees, this will give you the largest target.

== Usage in battles ==


The Mosquito is one the best multi-role planes in the game due to its many redeeming aspects even at its high BR. The Mk 26 is at home as both a ground attack aircraft and a heavy fighter with the ability to easily switch roles in battle. Firstly, the plane packs a devastating punch with the quad 20 mm and can snipe pretty well due to its nose-mounted guns. This makes it a brilliant anti-bomber aircraft, especially with rockets. It is also decent against other heavy fighters, but never expect an easy fight (although the same could be said for the enemy). It can outrun a [[Bf 109 G-6]] at low altitude, although this doesn't mean you should always avoid using it as a fighter. With its rockets or 500 lb bombs, it can deal with 2 pillboxes while the cannons with ground ammunition can kill light pillboxes and medium tanks from behind, and the MGs can then tear up soft targets making it an awesome ground attack aircraft. The only real major downside is that the flight model and weapons profile match that of the series 1 Mk VI Mosquito. This means that the engines and the payload are both worse (less powerful Merlin 21 engines instead of the 25, and no external bomb storage) than what they would be if this was the series, two models, instead.

'''Arcade Battles'''

In Arcade the best loadout will be the 500 lb bombs, with the artificial crosshairs it makes dive-bombing very accurate and easier to use than the rockets, they also have more flexibility in targets. The rockets aren't as good in Arcade due to the crosshairs making bombs the more accurate ordnance however they can still be useful for taking out bombers quickly and somewhat brutally providing they are well aimed. The cannon ammo will probably favour the universal belt as you'll have to be more diverse in the role played in Arcade matches than in RB/ SB. For attacking aircraft, bombers are a good target as the Mosquito can take some punishment (although not to the engines) and will quickly deal with the bombers with its cannons. For fighters stay fast and use it like a Beaufighter to quickly kill a target and get out, do not get caught up in dogfights. Remember you can't do anything if you're dead.

The best mode is Ground strike for Arcade, this gives a few choices that the Mosquito can undertake. Firstly the anti-bomber role can be played to stop the opposing team base rushing the match to a quick end. It will also provide plenty of air kills while little interference from other fighters. The second is to pray on the low and ground attacking aircraft or the enemy aircraft that are attacking the friendly ground strike aircraft as they will also be low and vulnerable. Attack these by "Boom and Zoom" tactics as turning will slow the Mosquito down and make it an easy target. Finally, you can go ground strike yourself. The 500 lb bombs will hit the heaviest of targets and destroy them while also being very accurate with the bombsight. You can engage in normal fighter combat but this will be riskier.

Domination mode is a good mode if a bit of luck is added. Stay high and above the fight and pick off enemies that present an easy target (like capping an airfield or at the top of a loop). Again use diving attacks to stay at an advantage over other enemy aircraft and engage from as far out, the domination mode does allow for some ground attack gameplay but it is only recommended you make one pass then engage fighters and other aircraft.

The air domination mode. This is the worst mode for the Mosquito as there will always be high altitude players and few bombers to prey on. The only safe way to play this mode is to take targets of opportunity while keeping a reasonable height. However, there is always the tactic of going in headfirst and with a whole lot of luck having an amazing game.

'''Realistic Battles'''

The approach into battle is dictated by what the role want to achieve in that game. For heavy fighters, climb into battle to obviously get altitude and hopefully be above the enemy, however, this is hard to achieve due to the bad climb rate. Climb at around 150 mph/ 240 kilometres per hour*, WEP from takeoff allows the Mosquito to climb at 180 miles an hour/ 290 km an hour* at around 15 degrees. Also, side climbs until around 2,500 m. At this altitude, the water will start to overheat and so release the WEP and lower the angle to 10 degrees to keep the speed up. At around 3,500 m, begin to climb into the battle area maintaining the 10 degrees angle of attack. This will take the Mosquito to the same altitude as the bombers or just below the highest enemy players (you'll be at a minimum of 4,500 m). This should allow you to engage the targets you want.

For ground attackers, go for a more unconventional approach. Fly low to the ground and use the terrain to the advantage to stop you being seen, never above 400 m of the ground. Fly around the map and not through the middle this will stop the Mosquito flying into enemy view ranges and to get the target unnoticed. Avoid going to the map edges as this will be a waste of time for everyone. Alternate history Krymsk is a good example of this. As on takeoff, stay low to the sea and fly close to the mountains on the right. As the destroyers come in range the then fly in between the mountains and to avoid being shot down by them. You'll then be able to attack the enemy pillboxes without the enemy knowing until the first few ground targets have been destroyed.

Using the Mosquito is quite difficult due to its enemies and its own rather lacking speed. You want to keep your speed up and don't dogfight if you don't have to as any fighter will be able to get on the six of the Mosquito. The best way to play the Mosquito is like most other heavy fighters, and that's to do single diving attacks and get as much damage in as possible. To make full use of the Mosquito you want to be using Air targets belts for the cannons and open fire at around 400-500 m. Take appropriate aim but remember the cannons are mounted under the nose so they require a bit more lead than nose-mounted ones. The reason for shooting at a long distance is that usually the enemy will only just start to react and so the shot will be easier than a close-range snapshot. Use vertical manoeuvres to engage an opponent but if you are on a higher energy state or barrel roll to get some more deflection shots. The best targets are other heavy fighters, attackers and best of all are bombers. The Mosquito is somewhat manoeuvrable and so can dogfight if needed but it will be a hard fight. Scissors are an option depending on the opponent but aren't recommended- these can be used on other heavy fighters or 190s if they try and follow you in flat turns.

To defend against a diving opponent apply downwards rudder and then immediately apply some roll. This will throw most of the initial shots of the target and cause the enemy to react quickly or pull off for another attack. You can also begin a flat tun with combat flaps deployed. Then once they are about to enter firing range apply full upwards elevator and roll under your self but elongate the roll slightly. If they overshoot they will either go vertical or carry on in their bearing. If they go vertical begin a flat turn and react to what they do next. If they immediately begin the other attack roll out of the way or if you have height do a split-S in hope of throwing off their attack. It is not much you can do to get back on the offensive so just focus on being defensive and call for help. If they do overshoot and carry on their bearing without climbing, try and take a few ranging shots as you have a good chance of hitting but the window of opportunity will only be open for a short period of time.

'''Simulator Battles'''

The Mosquito in SB is probably the best mode to play it in for it to play as a ground attacker, and this is due to a few very good reasons. Firstly it is a very stable gun platform- This makes it easier to use in mouse aim and for beginners as it doesn't wobble as other planes would. The stability allows the Mosquito to fire the rockets or drop the bombs accurately (although still follow the same procedures as above in dive-bombing and rocket attacks). The game mechanics of SB are also in your favour, because flying low to the ground and there is no spotting system except for close proximity allies, you'll be a lot harder for the enemy to see against AB and RB. also being low to the ground will make it easier spotting the enemy, so-called by the SB aviators as "spot the dot", and the fully glazed canopy will also give you excellent vision (You had best bound the head's X and Y axis keys to make full use of this). As a fighter, it is also quite decent as long as you go up against aircraft no higher than .3 BR above you. Even stock it can manoeuvre with a 190 in turns and keep up with one in a short dive. The stable gun platform makes it easier to aim and hit the target from longer ranges - This is shown in the video below. There are downsides, however. The targeting sight is located to the right of the default view meaning you'll have to keep on zooming in to see the sight or move the head along the X-axis to see is in normal view. The second is that the artificial horizon has been covered up by the same gun sight. The final downside is that it has a somewhat high stall speed on landing and is quite high up for an aircraft. this makes it difficult to land and can result in an easy prop strike when you first fly it. Lastly, it is also recommended you have a wingman in this mode, be that another Mosquito or something like a Typhoon to cover your back when a more manoeuvrable fighter gets on your back. Just remember to not take any plane above the Mosquito's BR.

The Mosquito in Sim is a slightly different plane to what it is in RB. The manoeuvrability is somewhat improved with the lack of an instructor allowing it to dogfight more effectively. You can stick to opponents a lot easier and have a higher chance of winning. Against FW 190's the Mosquito can be a very good adversary as in real life and it can cause problems for 109s. Against the Japanese however, it is totally outclassed. All of the Japanese fighters will outmanoeuvre you so like in all other aircraft, don't turn with these. You can perform scissors somewhat better and it has very forgiving flying characteristics and pulls off some more advanced manoeuvres more sharply.

As mentioned above, the Mosquito has a rather high stall speed, making it easy to crash onto the runway when landing. If you use the same approach of cutting throttle and using landing flaps during touch down, the Mosquito is very likely to heavily smack into the ground, snapping its gears and causing a failed landing. The trick is to maintain higher speed when landing. You should align yourself with the runway about 1 km away, with an altitude of around 150 m. While you approach the runway, use 40-60% throttle and drop speed to around 230 km/h, and deploy combat/takeoff flaps and landing gears. When you are barely flying above the ground, make sure that your speed is still well over 190 km/h and descend very, very slowly. Only now should you deploy landing flaps. The huge body of the Mosquito allows it to decelerate quickly so don't worry about not having enough runway just because you approached fast. When taxiing, fully deflect elevators upwards and brake. Release brakes immediately as soon as your nose dips down, to avoid propeller strike.

===== Armament options =====
'''Belt type recommendations'''

'''20 mm Hispano belts'''

* '''Default:''' HEF-I{{-}}HEF-I{{-}}P{{-}}T - As stated, the default belt is very average and due to no Armour-Piercing shells it cannot penetrate armoured targets.
* '''Universal:''' HEF-I{{-}}HEF-SAPI{{-}}AP{{-}}T - An all-round belt that is reliable for air targets but with only one Armour-Piercing shot every 4th shell it is not a reliable anti-armour belt.
* '''Ground targets:''' AP{{-}}AP{{-}}AP{{-}}HEF-I{{-}}T - A belt to destroy armoured targets, it has 60% Armour-Piercing and so is reliable in its role. It can double up as an anti-air if needed but the AP shots will do little damage so aim for the engines or cockpit.
* '''Air targets:''' T{{-}}HEF-I{{-}}HEF-SAPI{{-}}HEF-I{{-}}HEF-SAPI - The best anti-air belt but won't be able to penetrate armoured targets.
* '''Tracers:''' AP{{-}}T{{-}}HEF-I - Another all-round belt, if you are not confident with aiming this can help you practice and then you'll know how to adjust it. It can kill armoured and air targets but is by no means the best for either (Bad for stealth attack).
* '''Stealth:''' HEF-I{{-}}HEF-I{{-}}HEF-SAPI{{-}}AP - Much like the Air targets belt but without the Tracer bullet for a completely invisible belt. Good if you are confident in your aim for the occasional small advantage of surprise.

'''7.7 mm Browning .303 belts'''

* '''Default:''' T{{-}}AP{{-}}AP-I{{-}}Ball{{-}}Ball{{-}}I - Average belt, can score a critical semi-regularly.
* '''Universal:''' T{{-}}AP{{-}}AP-I{{-}}AP-I{{-}}I - Same as the Default belt but removal of the useless ball round and is the best for ground attack.
* '''Tracers:''' IT{{-}}AP-I - Best anti-air belt and most likely 7.7 mm belt to cause a fire.
* '''Stealth:''' AP-I{{-}}AP-I{{-}}I - Technically the best belt for soft targets but Universal is more useful as it has tracers allowing you to adjust the fire.

'''Recommended Payloads in Realistic and Simulator battles'''

AI Ground Targets the Mossie can kill (with minimum weapon needed)

7.7 mm Browning .303

* AAA/ Artillery
* Armoured car/ Mobile AAA/ vehicle
* Landing craft

20 mm Hispano

* Patrol boats
* Light tanks - 20 mm
* Light pillbox - 20 mm (Aim for the [http://i.imgur.com/wOFFdBd.webm front window])

250 lb bomb / 1 rocket

* Bridge
* Cargo ships
* Medium tanks (very hard to do with the 20 mm)

500 lb bomb/ 4 rockets

* Destroyer
* Pillbox
* Heavy tank (not rockets)

===== Attack methods =====
'''How to dive bomb in the Mosquito'''

Although the basics are the same for dive-bombing in general, the Mosquito has no air brakes and a low red-line speed making speed management very important. This also stops you from getting very steep angles, as you run a very high risk of crashing. If you don't keep one eye on the speed then you will either red-line before you know it or be a victim of control stiffening. You'll need to learn how to dive-bomb at a more shallow angle with less speed.

Approaching the target you want to around 1,000 m (3,000 ft) of altitude, any more and you'll start to over-speed in the dive and any less won't give you enough time to aim. Fly true to the target but keep an eye on it with the target lock. Once the target is at the bottom of the screen, cut the throttle and begin the dive. Begin at -30° for the first 400 m (1,200 ft) then you'll need to go down to -40°/-45°. This should bring the gun sights over the target although a little adjustment will need to be made as every situation is different. Release the bomb(s) 300 m from the ground and pull up. Bring the throttle to WEP and climb out at +30° and level off when you like (+30° gives you the most altitude for the speed in tests).

'''How to use the rockets on the Mosquito'''

Unlike dive-bombing where you have to be slightly different, you can use the same techniques with the rockets as you do any other aircraft. The thing to watch out for on the Mosquito is the wide wingspan making it less forgiving on when they converge. However, this isn't a massive hindrance. Tanks are hard to hit unless you use them a lot and know how to fully work them. Therefore the two types of targets you should use the rockets for are both Naval and stationary land targets.

For ships, you should almost treat it like your dive bombing but with a few changes. You can be at any altitude between 600 m and 1,000 m although 1,000 m is recommended as you'll see now. Firstly line up to to the ship's broadside (ahead of it if it's moving), level out and switch to the virtual cockpit. Begin your dive once the ship is near the bottom of the screen aiming for about -35° angle of attack. As you dive you may have to go slightly steeper to keep the crosshairs on the target. At 250-300 m fire the rockets and full elevator, climb away at 30°. Again adjust if you need to and here is a short clip demonstrating an attack in a test flight.

The second way is the more common attack. Come in low to the ground and level out by at least 800 m away. Deploy combat flaps to give you more lift and so the Mosquito will be able to pull up easier and will also give you the ability to bring the nose down a bit more. Once you are at the convergence range fire the rockets and pull up. This is a more simple attack and will be easier after a few attempts.

=== 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 || Not controllable Not auto controlled || Controllable Not auto controlled || Combined || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely good manoeuvrability for a twin-engine fighter
* Four nose-mounted cannons with a good amount of ammunition
* Usable payload that can have a large impact on the ground battle
* Cockpit has good visibility
* Great turning ability compared to other twin-engine aircraft, further benefited with combat flaps

'''Cons:'''

* Large default fuel load
* Large engines are prone to damage
* Wooden airframe can't take as much damage as other twin-engine fighters
* Copilot/navigator appears to not count in damage model, so losing the front pilot will make you lose the plane
* Flaps appear to tear at lower speeds than that of most other aircraft
* As with all British aircraft, Hispano cannons overheat and jams easily

== History ==


=== Development ===
The Mosquito began life in a more than shaky start. In 1936 the Ministry issued Specification P.13/36 that stated a twin-engine bomber that could carry a payload of 3,000 lb for 3,000 miles while having a maximum speed of 275 mph. It was also stated that it should also carry 8,000 lb at shorter ranges. Geoffrey de Havilland sent a letter to an Air ministry council member Air Marshal Wilfrid Freeman stating that a high-speed bomber could be made out of wood and powered by RR Merlin engines as there would be a shortage of strategic metals in a war. However, Freeman replied that it would fall short of the specification by either bomb load or speed both of which were important.

De Havilland believed that the adjustment was too large and that he should design the new bomber with no unneeded equipment. He began to base his new design on the DH. Albatross airliner. He would add a tail turret and around two manual guns to the design and replace the power plants with Merlin X engines. There would be a crew of 3 and a top speed of 300 mph. Although de Havilland still believed the design could be improved more and looked at other designs based on the albatross.

The new design would be more aerodynamic, wooden and powered by the Merlin engine. He also wanted to remove any gun turrets to make less weight and manufacturing easier. It would also be manoeuvrable to make it easy to avoid fighters and future fighters. However, the design was the opposite of the Air Ministry's current ideology and so little interest was shown. By the 4th of October 1939, the design had become a fast twin-engine light bomber and had moved to the secure location of Salisbury Hall for further work. However, the design was still too radical for the Air Ministry. The outbreak of war made the now DH. 98 a bit more attractive but the lack of defensive armament still made the Air Ministry cautious of the design. A small remote-controlled turret was added at the back of the cockpit to please the Ministry. On the 12th of November, during a meeting between the Air Ministry and the aircraft companies, de Havilland showed that his design could reach 500 mph and so was able to drop the requirement for a turret.

A month later the Vice-Chief of the Air Staff, Director General of Research and Development, Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command had a meeting to see where the DH.98 could fit into RAF service. the Air Officer Commanding-in-Chief of RAF Bomber Command refused the design for a fast bomber but instead believed it would fit in as a photo-reconnaissance aircraft. On the first of January, the DH.98 received backing after a mock-up was inspected resulting in an order of a prototype. Two months later in March 50 bomber reconnaissance variants were ordered and the May specification of F.21/40 resulted in the cannon-armed fighter variant. The fighter variant kept the mosquito alive due to its performance numbing the criticism from the government and Air Ministry even after it had shown its performance.

=== Joining the Chinese forces and their quick demise ===
Due to the severe losses of [[B-25J-30 (China)|B-25s]] during the Chinese Civil War, ROCAF bought 205 Mosquitos from Canada in 1948; after losing one-third of these new aircraft during flight trainings, they soon joined the major battles in the civil war, 4 were captured by PLAAF and one of them defected. Although their performance in the European battlefield was wonderful, due to the humid environment at Taiwan, the remaining Mosquitos in ROCAF were all dismantled in 1950. While they were still flown by the PLAAF, they soon joined their fellow brothers in the graveyard in 1953 after the import of [[IL-10 (1946) (China)|IL-10s]].

The only remaining Mosquito FB.26 in Asia is in Beijing Aviation Museum at Xiaotangshan, assembled with parts from those 5 remaining Mosquito in Mainland China. Parts of it served as the repair reference for Mosquitos T.III TV959, one of the four airworthy Mosquitos.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mosquito_fb_mk26_china Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[Mosquito (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/114476-de-havilland-mosquito-fb-mk-vi/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer deHavilland}}
{{China twin-engine fighters and strike aircraft}}

T18B (57)

2024-07-04T17:58:47Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Swedish bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = SAAB 18 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=saab_t18b_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

[[File:T18B-2 in action for CAS role.jpg|thumb|250px|T18B in action for CAS role]]
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Swedish bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]].

The T18B is an attacker/bomber designed to take out ground targets and give support. Designed and built by SAAB for use by the Swedish Air Force, it bears similarities to the [[T18B-1]]. The B-2 is the version which carries the 57 mm akan m/47 autocannon with a 41-round magazine to take out heavily armoured opponents. It is an attacker-in-disguise in terms of flight performance and firepower, with the downsides that come from housing a large-calibre autocannon.

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


The flight performance of the T18B is very good. Powered by two Daimler-Benz DB 605B piston engines, this bomber offers twin-engine fighter grade flight performance even with the weight of the 57 mm cannon, achieving a respectable climb rate and a competitive turn radius. It also has an amazing level flight speed. Because the airframe was first designed for both torpedo bomber and dive bomber roles, this aircraft offers amazing low-speed manoeuvrability and respectable high-speed manoeuvrability, complementing the armament in targeting responsiveness.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 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
| 570 || 552 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 27.3 || 28.4 || 7.1 || 7.1 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 616 || 592 || 24.8 || 26.0 || 14.0 || 10.1
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X 
|-
|}
The T18B does not come equipped with the airbrake that was installed in the earlier T18B-1.

{| 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}} || 467 || 438 || 290 || ~7 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 370 || < 350 || < 400 || > 420
|-
|}

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

[[File:B18-T18 Armor Plates.png|250px|thumb|right|Protective components found in the {{PAGENAME}}.]]

* 10 mm steel - Cockpit floor under pilot's seat
* 10 mm steel - Pilot's seatback
* 10 mm steel - Rear gunner protective plate
* 10 mm steel - Cockpit floor under gunner's seat
* 10 mm steel - Aft protective plate

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

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

{{main|Akan m/47 (57 mm)|Akan m/41A (20 mm)|Akan m/39A (13.2 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 57 mm Akan m/47 cannon, chin-mounted (41 rpg)
* 2 x 20 mm Akan m/41A cannons, chin-mounted (60 rpg = 120 total)
* 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39A machine gun, nose-mounted (300 rpg)

These belts are recommended:

* 57 mm autocannon - "Ground Targets" is needed to knock the tanks without wasting ammo but if playstyle is switched to Bomber Interception, "Air Targets" is better suited.
* 20 mm cannons - Use "Air targets" belt for bomber hunting.
* 13.2 mm MG - "Air targets" is a good belt, because it contains a lot of High Explosive Fragmentation-Tracer rounds (HEF-T).

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="11%" | 1 !! width="11%" | 2 !! width="11%" | 3 !! width="11%" | 4
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[sb m/42 (50 kg)|50 kg sb m/42]] bombs
| || 4 || 4 ||
|-
! [[hprak m/49]] rockets
| 4 || || || 4
|-
! [[psrak m/49B]] rockets
| 4 || || || 4
|-
! [[srak m/51]] rockets
| 4 || || || 4
|-
| colspan="5" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 450 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 8 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (400 kg total)
* 8 x psrak m/49B rockets
* 8 x srak m/51 rockets
* 8 x hprak m/49 rockets
{{Navigation-End}}

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

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

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

* 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine gun, dorsal turret (300 rpg)

Use the "Universal" belt, as the HEF-T bullet is good at knocking down enemies out of the sky.

== Usage in battles ==


'''Close air support'''

With its triple set of armament controlled separately, efficiency is the biggest key factor for CAS pilots who are looking to make a dent in the enemy's forces. Use the separate controls for primary, secondary, and additional armament to use them separately for different purposes. 57 mm for armoured targets, 13.2 mm for small targets that needs precision like machine gun nests or lightly armoured car convoys, 20 mm for large soft targets like anti-air emplacements or artillery positions. If you play CAS in Air RB, you are aware of the fact that enemy fighters at the start of the game will come after you. Therefore, it is highly recommended to sneak into the remote ground targets that are away from enemy airfields or to wait a little until after your team's fighters have established air superiority. To destroy as much as possible without having to return and rearm, trigger discipline is highly recommended.

'''Bomber interception'''

Having a 57 mm autocannon opens up interesting possibilities against other bombers, especially heavy bombers with a sturdy airframe. With the altitude advantage you get from the airspawn, it is possible to catch the bombers before they get high above. But being a heavy twin-engine bomber, you will be vulnerable to the bomber's defensive fire. This is where the autocannon comes into play: most turrets at this BR won't be accurate enough to do sustained damage at 1.5 km distance and beyond, but your 57 mm cannon can. It is recommended to use the High-Explosive belts to destroy the target in a single hit, avoid the Armour-piercing belt that causes the shell to go straight on without further damage. If you struggle with the leading of the gun without tracers, the AP-T belt might be better suited for the player.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Not controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}
With correct engine management, it can return to base with a single engine.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Excellent offensive armament
* The 57 mm cannon is effective against ground targets.
* Very fast and agile for its class.
* Can carry up extra rockets and bombs added to the offensive armament.
* Very good in a bomber hunter role.
* Sturdy airframe.

'''Cons:'''

* Only one turret, gunner is vulnerable.
* Poor bomb load options (confined to ground attack role).
* Very unfavourable rocket placement requiring extreme lead.
* Weak rudder authority at moderate speeds.

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=saab_t18b_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery
|UQILrYOVXGw|'''Swedish Multi-Tool - T18B-2 (Guide)''' - ''8Bit Dane''|VHJN6ZWOmnY|'''The bane of tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:30 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''
;* [[SAAB 18 (Family)]]
;'''Aircraft of similar configuration and role'''

* [[Mosquito FB Mk XVIII]]
* [[Ki-102 otsu]]
* [[XA-38]]
* [[PBJ-1H]]
* [[Ki-109]]

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

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

{{AirManufacturer Saab}}
{{Sweden bombers}}

T18B

2024-07-04T17:56:13Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Swedish bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = SAAB 18 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=saab_t18b_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Swedish bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]].

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


The T18B-1 is an exceptionally fast aircraft at its rank, zooming past its contemporary bombers and reaching into fighter territory, able to reach an excellent 595 km/h (370 mph) in RB and a staggering 619 km/h (385 mph) in AB. Its high speed and reasonable armament platform of 2 x 20 mm cannons + 1 x 13.2 mm machine gun allows it to be a respectable multi-role aircraft that can take on almost any combat situation you throw at it. One might think that the high performance comes at the cost of payload, as would be traditional with the ''Schnellbomber'' type of bomber, but this is not the case with the T18B, as it carries more than enough ordnance to either heavily damage a base (AB) or destroy a few (RB).

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 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
| 572 || 555 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.3 || 27.4 || 7.3 || 7.2 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 619 || 595 || 23.8 || 25.0 || 14.1 || 10.3
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 467 || 438 || 290 || ~7 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 370 || < 350 || < 400 || > 420
|-
|}

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


[[File:B18-T18 Armor Plates.png|450px|thumb|right|Protective components found in the '''{{PAGENAME}}'''.]]

* 10 mm steel - cockpit floor under pilot's seat
* 10 mm steel - pilot's backseat
* 10 mm steel - rear gunner protective plate
* 10 mm steel - cockpit floor under gunner's seat
* 10 mm steel - aft protective plate

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

Your research path should be tailored to the role you wish to employ the T18B in. For the traditional bomber, it is important to research payload first as the stock payload is a pitiful 18 x 50 kg bombs. For the heavy fighter/interceptor, the offensive cannon upgrades are of great importance followed by flight performance upgrades. Ground attacker should be a mix of the two, as it is important for a ground-pounder to have both speed and payload.

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


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

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

* 2 x 20 mm Akan m/41A cannons, chin-mounted (60 rpg = 120 total)
* 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39A machine gun, wing-mounted (300 rpg)

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="9%" | 1 !! width="9%" | 2 !! width="9%" | 3 !! width="9%" | 4 !! width="9%" | 5
| rowspan="9" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[sb m/42 (50 kg)|50 kg sb m/42]] bombs
| || 4 || 10 || 4 ||
|-
! [[mb m/40 (250 kg)|250 kg mb m/40]] bombs
| || || 3 || ||
|-
! [[mb m/41 (500 kg)|500 kg mb m/41]] bombs
| || || 2 || ||
|-
! [[mb m/50 (600 kg)|600 kg mb m/50]] bombs
| || || 2 || ||
|-
! [[psrak m/49B]] rockets
| 4 || || || || 4
|-
! [[srak m/51]] rockets
| 4 || || || || 4
|-
! [[m/38 (450 mm)|450 mm m/38]] torpedoes
| || || 1 || ||
|-
| colspan="6" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 1,620 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 450 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 18 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (900 kg total)
* 3 x 250 kg mb m/40 bombs (750 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg mb m/41 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 600 kg mb m/50 bombs (1,200 kg total)
* 8 x psrak m/49B rockets
* 8 x srak m/51 rockets
* 1 x 450 mm m/38 torpedo
{{Navigation-End}}

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


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

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

* 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine gun, dorsal turret (300 rpg)

Compared to the other Saab 18 models, the T18B has one less defensive 13.2 mm Akan m/39, leaving its belly open for enemy fighters to attack from below if left unattended. The single 13.2 mm can still prove lethal to planes at the BR, if a enemy is straight behind the 13.2 mm can do quite some damage to their engine and knock out pilots.

== Usage in battles ==

Speed and altitude are your best friends when flying the T18B-1, as you must keep both up in order to ensure your survival. You may be fast, but you are not invincible, as there are many aircraft at the BR that will easily catch you such as the [[P-47D-28|P-47D]], [[P-61C-1|P-61]], [[Bf 109 F-4]] and the [[I-185 (M-82)|I-185]] [[I-185 (M-71)|twins]]. However, you can easily turn the tables on your would-be attackers by forcing them to stall then shred them with your impressive forward armament.

Alternatively, you can take the offensive route by employing a heavy fighter flying style and hunt down enemy bombers. You can mainly do this as a result of your bomber air spawn, but you must be careful to avoid enemy interceptors. One must take care not to expend too much ammunition on a single target, so in order to avoid doing so, they must aim for the critical components of the enemy bomber (wings, engines or tail) if they can't force a head-on.

Lastly, the T18B can be used as a reasonably effective ground attacker thanks to its immense loadout options. It is not recommended to use the bomb loadouts that mount the extra m/42 bombs when employing this play style unless they are skilled with aiming their bombs, as the m/42 bombs have a very small explosion radius and have to be directly on target to nab a kill. Your ideal loadouts should be either the 3 x m/40 bombs, 3 x m/40 + 8 x m/49A rockets, or 2 x m/50 bombs + 8 x m/49A rockets for some overkill, as the m/50 bombs have a very high effective destruction radius of 18 meters, although the pilot should take care that they don't end up exploding themselves (also known as a "significant emotional event"). Using a time fuse for the m/50 bombs is a must, unless the pilot is going on a high altitude bombing mission instead of low altitude CAS. 2-4 seconds for the m/50 should suffice.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Reasonably effective armament layout
* Excellent speed, faster than a good amount of fighters at the tier
* Good manoeuvrability for a twin-engine aircraft, especially for a bomber
* Highly effective air brakes make landing and rearmament much easier
* Can operate as a twin-engine fighter, high altitude bomber or strike fighter (depends on chosen payload)
* Can mount rockets with up to 500 mm of penetration
* Has access to two of the massive Swedish m/50 bombs
* Has access to a torpedo
* Despite only having one MG for defence, the MG itself is excellent

'''Cons:'''

* Poor protective components compared to other strike fighters
* Only one turret
* Fairly unstable on landing
* No ventral turret, defenceless when attacked from below
* Torpedo has very poor drop speed, and you need to slow down a great amount to drop it

== History ==


In 1941, Flygvapnet wanted a new modern torpedo bomber that would be able to drop aerial torpedoes. SAAB recommended the Saab 18 as the frame to be the base of the new torpedo bomber. The B 18A was first option considered due to it being slower so it would be able to drop the Swedish torpedoes, but the bomb bay was deemed too small to fit a torpedo. Plans were laid to have the torpedo external on the frame of the aircraft, but this was scrapped on completion of the design.

It was decided to use the B 18B which had a slightly longer frame and was planned to have a new designed bomb bay where they could fit in a torpedo. The resulting T 18B didn't prove successful as a torpedo bomber, it was trialled with a 53 cm torpedo which was most likely called Torpedo fm/45 but had to be loaded at a 4.5⁰ angle forward in the bomber bay. During trials of the torpedo it was shown that it could only make a successful drop from 15 m in the air which was not sufficient enough for Flygvapnet.

T 18B along with the new bomb bay got also a different more aerodynamic nose but also lost one of the defensive gunners below. Other trials went with the T 18B with a 57 mm.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=saab_t18b_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:T 18B Hangar.jpeg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|i361VTW05P8|'''FEAR this PLANE! T18B-1''' - ''Jengar''}}

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[SAAB 18 (Family)]]

'''Aircraft of similar configuration and role'''

* [[Do 217 (Family)]]
* [[Tu-2 (Family)]]
* [[PV-2D]]

== External links ==


* "FPL 18 – Historik." 2020. Svensk Militär Flygplanshistorik. October 7, 2020. https://svfplhist.home.blog/fpl-18-historik/.

{{AirManufacturer Saab}}
{{Sweden bombers}}

B18B

2024-07-04T17:54:51Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Swedish bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = SAAB 18 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=saab_b18b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Swedish bomber {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]].

Sweden had been using the Ju 86K (export version of the German Ju 86) or the B3C bomber as their main bomber. In 1938 a requirement was put forth to Swedish aircraft manufactures for a fast reconnaissance aircraft with a crew of three. SAAB was awarded the contract for the project and began to build the SAAB 18 alongside the smaller SAAB B17 bomber. At this point the B17 had the facilities priorities in construction, however, the B18 was modified from being just a reconnaissance aircraft to also being a medium bomber. The mid-project changes caused a significant delay in the production of the aircraft which didn't roll out for duty until mid-1944.

Initially, the B18A aircraft was deemed underpowered with the two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines, but would later be replaced by license-built Daimler-Benz DB 605 liquid-cooled engines. Later the B18B variant was modified to operate as a dive bomber/ground attack variant which could be outfitted with three 120 kg bombs or 12 m/51 rockets which could utilize both the internal bomb bay and hardpoints on under the wings. A single defensive positions utilised two 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine guns which had limited coverage the rear dorsal position of the aircraft. The pilot was in control of a single 13.2 mm m/39A machine gun.

The {{PAGENAME}} was a multi-role aircraft which filled a need for the Swedish air forces, which continued on until 1959. This bomber can operate in two roles, either as a medium-altitude bomber working on destroying vehicles and anti-aircraft artillery targets or to bomb enemy bases. Flying at a higher altitude will help to avoid a majority of the fighter aircraft which tend to stay at the lower altitudes. The {{PAGENAME}} can also be pressed into service in the lower altitudes and even on the deck. When outfitted with rockets, the {{PAGENAME}} can dive-bomb ground targets to include tanks, bunkers, anti-aircraft artillery and naval ships.

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


The aircraft performs extremely well, and can outrun anything. Its turn time is good, can out-turn most twin engine fighters. It has a really good rate of climb, and an excellent dive speed. The only issue with the flight performance is that it bleeds energy when you have the payload options strapped on.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 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
| 549 || 533 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 28.1 || 28.9 || 8.1 || 8.1 || rowspan="2" | 400
|-
! Upgraded
| 593 || 570 || 26.0 || 27.0 || 15.9 || 11.5
|-
|}

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

{| 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}} || 467 || 438 || 290 || ~9 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 370 || < 350 || < 400 || > 420
|-
|}

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

[[File:B18-T18 Armor Plates.png|450px|thumb|right|Protective components found in the {{PAGENAME}}.]]

* 10 mm steel - cockpit floor under pilot's seat
* 10 mm steel - pilot's seatback
* 10 mm steel - rear gunner protective plate
* 10 mm steel - cockpit floor under gunner's seat
* 10 mm steel - aft protective plate

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

The priority modules are the guns and bombs. Get all the bombs and guns and the first set of rockets. Save the other two for last. After the weaponry, go for all the engine modules, then wings repair and survivability mods, then go fuselage repair and lastly the other rockets.

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

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

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

* 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39A machine gun, nose-mounted (300 rpg)

This heavy machine gun is great against planes as well as against open-topped and lightly-armoured vehicles.

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="9" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[sb m/42 (50 kg)|50 kg sb m/42]] bombs
| || 4 || || 10 || 4 ||
|-
! [[mb m/40 (250 kg)|250 kg mb m/40]] bombs
| || || || 3 || ||
|-
! [[mb m/41 (500 kg)|500 kg mb m/41]] bombs
| || || || 2 || ||
|-
! [[mb m/50 (600 kg)|600 kg mb m/50]] bombs
| || || || 2 || ||
|-
! [[hprak m/49]] rockets
| || || 2 || || ||
|-
! [[psrak m/49B]] rockets
| 4 || || 4 || || || 4
|-
! [[srak m/51]] rockets
| 4 || || 4 || || || 4
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 1,620 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 450 kg
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 18 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (900 kg total)
* 3 x 250 kg mb m/40 bombs (750 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg mb m/41 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 600 kg mb m/50 bombs (1,200 kg total)
* 12 x psrak m/49B rockets
* 12 x srak m/51 rockets
* 2 x hprak m/49 rockets
{{Navigation-End}}

50 kg bombs are useful to attack soft ground targets and a bad choice for destroying bases. 250 kg bombs are great for destroying lightly-armoured vehicles, even without a direct hit. 500 kg bombs work well against medium and heavy tanks. 600 kg bombs are great against large collections of ground targets but several bombs are needed to destroy a base. With their high penetration, psrak m/49B HEAT rockets are good at destroying tanks but need a direct hit in order to deal major damage. Srak m/51 SAP-HE rockets need direct hits too and several rockets are required to overpressure a tank.

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

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

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

* 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine gun, dorsal turret (300 rpg)
* 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine gun, ventral turret (300 rpg)

Both machine guns are great against attacking planes.

== Usage in battles ==


The B18B is a really good aircraft in all game modes. Its frontal armament is really powerful, using HEF shells. It does have a low ammo count of 300 for all guns, including the turrets. The B18B is a good bomber hunter, as you'll be facing He 111's which have such poor defensive armaments. You can easily destroy axis bombers with this plane. The G4M1 and He-111 don't hold a candle to this bomber. You can use this plane in all roles, even fighter. The list is below for realistic battles.

'''Bomber:''' This plane can carry enough bomb to destroy 2 and a half bases on maps with three bases, and 1 base on new maps with its max bomb payload. Once you drop your payload, you can kill any remaining bombers or fighters still hanging around. Remember, if an aircraft is on your six, outspeed them and use your turrets to your advantage.

'''Ground Attacker/CAS:''' With 12 rockets and 2 x 600 kg bombs, this plane is a devastating ground attacker. It can penetrate 500 mm of armour with the M/49A and is really good at getting rockets on target. The bombs will one shot anything in a huge radius. It is a great aircraft for ground support. Watch out for SPAAs though, as they will find you a large and easy target.

'''Fighter/Bomber Hunter:''' The 13 mm is absolutely devastating. When you prepare to engage a bomber, go head-on, and try to bait them into getting behind you. Use your turrets from below where they have no coverage, and aim for the cockpit. For fighter engagements, you need to ask yourself three things. Am I faster than them? Am I higher than them? Can I dive at least 1.5 km? If one of them is yes, go for the engagement. If none are yes, run away, and use your good turret coverage and acceleration to fly away.

=== Manual Engine Control ===
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
|-
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
! colspan="3" | Radiator
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
|-
! Oil !! Water !! Type
|-
| Not controllable || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}
It is advisable to keep the radiators at 20%, and the prop pitch on 95%, since you are traveling at high speeds.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely quick for a twin engine aircraft, especially at altitude. Able to cruise at ~560 km/h @ 5 km and even run away from some single-engine fighters
* Blisteringly fast maximum top speed, able to reach almost 900 km/h without ripping wings, possibly fastest twin engine prop in the game
* Above average climb rate for an aircraft of its size
* Defensive guns will melt any enemies that attack from behind
* Air spawn gives it a good opportunity for chasing down enemy bombers with its superior speed
* Versatile secondary weapons allow it to take on a variety of roles
* Very strong ground attacker, carries 12 rockets, 2 x 600 kg bombs, perfect CAS plane
* Low repair costs for Swedish standards
* Really effective airbrakes
* 13.2 mm machine guns have HEF bullets, which make them more potent than the already powerful 50 cals.

'''Cons:'''

* Gunners are vulnerable and die easily
* Higher than average chance of getting set on fire
* Single forward facing 13.2 mm inadequate for taking down larger aircraft like the BV 238
* Very nose heavy when landing, must take great care not to tip forward and crash, leave the airbrake retracted when landing
* As with most DB engine aircraft, the cooling system is vulnerable and you will find yourself overheating after only a few hits
* Low ammo count of 300 rounds per gun for each gun, including the turrets. It is advisable to reload your turrets after an engagement

== History ==

The B18B is a dive bomber variant of the Saab 18 bomber used by the Swedish air force during and after the Second World War. Initially designed to replace the older Ju 86 bombers in Swedish service, the Saab 18 series were capable of fulfilling fast reconnaissance, bomber and attack roles. The B18B was the second variant of the Saab 18 family after the B18A and served as a dive-bomber. The aircraft was later developed into the T18B, a dedicated attack aircraft, and served well into the 1950s before being retired.

The B18B was an improved version of the prior B18A dive bomber and featured numerous improvements: notably, the Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines were replaced with more-powerful license-built DB 605 inline engines. Additionally, later B18Bs had one less defensive weapon as the underside turret was removed; this was a relatively small change given that the weapon had extremely limited firing angles making it quite ineffective. The B18B retained the bomb load of the B18A and was capable of carrying up to 2 x 600 kg bombs internally, along with eight 50 kg bombs or twelve rockets on wing racks.

The B18B first flew in July of 1944 and soon entered service with the Swedish air force, with a total of 119 aircraft built. The aircraft was later developed into the T18B, which was originally designed to serve as a torpedo bomber but ended up as an attack aircraft, fitted with additional frontal-firing weapons including a 57 mm cannon. In the late 1940s, the three-man crew was reduced to two, and the aircraft were fitted with ejection seats. The B18B was finally phased out in the late 1950s, replaced by the Saab 32 Lansen. A single example survives today at the Swedish Air Force Museum as the only Saab 18 still intact.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=saab_b18b Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images:
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200px">
File:B18B side rear view.jpg|Side rearview B18B
File:B18B frontal view.jpg|Frontal view B18B
</gallery>

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''
;* [[SAAB 18 (Family)]]
;'''Aircraft of a similar configuration and role'''

*[[Ju 88 A-4]]
*[[Pe-2-1]]
*[[Potez 633]]
*[[Martin 167-A3]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/474730-saab-b18b/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Saab}}
{{Sweden bombers}}

B18A

2024-07-04T17:53:46Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = Swedish bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = other versions
| link-1 = SAAB 18 (Family)
| usage-2 = the American bomber
| link-2 = B-18A
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=saab_b18a
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

Sweden had been using the Ju 86K (designated as the [[B3C]]) bomber as their main bomber. In 1938, a requirement was put forth to Swedish aircraft manufacturers for a fast reconnaissance aircraft with a crew of three. SAAB was awarded the contract for the project and began to build the SAAB 18. The B18 was modified from being just a reconnaissance aircraft to also being a medium bomber. It was deemed underpowered with the two R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines, but these would later be replaced by license-built DB 605 liquid-cooled engines. Later, the B18B variant was modified to operate as a dive bomber/ground attack variant which could be outfitted with three 120 kg bombs or 12 m/51 rockets. The mid-project changes caused a significant delay in the production of the aircraft which didn't roll out for duty until mid-1944.

It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]]. This bomber can operate in two roles, either as a medium-altitude bomber working on destroying vehicles and anti-aircraft artillery targets or to bomb enemy bases. Flying at a higher altitude will help to avoid a majority of the fighter aircraft which tend to stay at the lower altitudes. The {{PAGENAME}} can also be pressed into service in the lower altitudes and even on the deck. When outfitted with rockets, the {{PAGENAME}} can dive-bomb ground targets to include tanks, bunkers, anti-aircraft artillery and naval ships.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 4,000 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
| 443 || 430 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 31.2 || 32.2 || 4.1 || 4.1 || rowspan="2" | 530
|-
! Upgraded
| 487 || 465 || 28.9 || 30.0 || 10.7 || 7.0
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 467 || 438 || 290 || ~9 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 370 || < 350 || < 400 || > 320
|-
|}

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

[[File:B18-T18 Armor Plates.png|250px|thumb|right|Protective components found in the '''{{PAGENAME}}'''.]]

* 10 mm steel - cockpit floor under pilot's seat
* 10 mm steel - pilot's seatback
* 10 mm steel - rear gunner protective plate
* 10 mm steel - cockpit floor under gunner's seat
* 10 mm steel - aft protective plate

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

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

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

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

* 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39A machine gun, nose-mounted (300 rpg)

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

{{main|sb m/42 (50 kg)|mb m/40 (250 kg)|mb m/41 (500 kg)}}

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

* 18 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (900 kg total)
* 3 x 250 kg mb m/40 bombs (750 kg total)
* 3 x 250 kg mb m/40 bombs + 8 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (1,150 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg mb m/41 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 2 x 500 kg mb m/41 bombs + 8 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (1,400 kg total)

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

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

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

* 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine gun, dorsal turret (300 rpg)
* 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine gun, ventral turret (300 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==


The B18A is a really good aircraft in all game modes. Its frontal armament is really powerful, using HEF shells. It does have a low ammo count of 300 for all guns, including the turrets. The B18A is a good bomber hunter, as you'll be facing He 111s which have such poor defensive armaments. You can easily destroy axis bombers with this plane. The G4M1 and He 111 don't hold a candle to this bomber. You can use this plane in all roles, even fighter.

'''Bomber:''' This plane can carry enough bombs to destroy 2 and a half bases on maps with three bases, and 1 base on maps with four respawning bases with its max bomb payload. Once you drop your payload, you can kill any remaining bombers or fighters still hanging around. Remember, if an aircraft is on your six, outspeed them and use your turrets to your advantage.

'''Ground Attacker/CAS:''' With 2 x 500 kg + 8 x 50 kg bombs, this plane is a devastating ground attacker. The 500 kg bombs will one shot anything in a huge radius, while the 50 kg ones require more precise drops. It is a great aircraft for ground support. Watch out for SPAAs though, as they will find you a large and easy target.

'''Fighter/Bomber Hunter:''' The 13 mm is absolutely devastating. When you prepare for an engagement with a bomber, go head-on, and try to bait them into getting behind you. Use your turrets from below where they have no coverage, and aim for the cockpit. For fighter engagements, you need to ask yourself three things. Am I faster than them? Am I higher than them? Can I dive at least 1.5 kilometers? If the answer to any of them is yes, go for the engagement. Otherwise, run away, and use your good turret coverage and acceleration to speed away and chip with your turrets.

=== 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 || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely quick for a twin engine aircraft, especially at altitude - able to cruise at ~560 km/h @ 5 km and even outrun some single-engine fighters
* Blisteringly fast maximum top speed, able to reach over 700 km/h without ripping wings
* Above average climb rate for an aircraft of its size
* Defensive 13.2 mm machine guns have HEF bullets, which will melt any enemies that attack from behind
* Forward-facing 13.2 mm MG is also a very deadly offensive weapon
* Air spawn gives it a good opportunity for chasing down enemy bombers with its superior speed
* Versatile secondary weapons allow it to take on a variety of roles
* Very strong ground attacker, can carry 2 x 500 kg + 8 x 50 kg bombs
* Effective airbrakes

'''Cons:'''

* Gunners are vulnerable and die easily
* Higher than average chance of getting set on fire
* Single forward facing 13.2 mm MG is inadequate for taking down larger aircraft like the BV 238
* Very nose heavy when landing, must take great care not to tip forward and crash, leave the airbrake retracted when landing
* As with most DB engined aircraft, the cooling system is vulnerable and you will find yourself overheating after only a few hits
* Low ammo count of 300 rounds per gun for each gun, including the turrets - it is advisable to reload your turrets after an engagement
* There is a slight delay upon bomb release, you need to take it into account to accurately bomb your target
* Not adequate for base bombing in RB due to a small bomb load, only enough for one full base on a large map

== History ==

The B18A is the initial production variant of the Saab 18 bomber used by the Swedish air force during and after the Second World War. Initially designed to replace the older Ju 86 bombers in Swedish service, the Saab 18 series were capable of fulfilling fast reconnaissance, bomber and attack roles. Upon its introduction in 1944, the B18A became the mainline Swedish medium bomber and was later complemented by the B18B and T18B variants. The last Saab 18s were retired at the end of the 1950s as advanced jet aircraft, such as the Saab 32 Lansen, became widely available.

During the late interwar period, Sweden looked for a new medium bomber to replace their obsolete Ju 86 bombers. Saab was awarded the contract for this aircraft shortly before the outbreak of the Second World War, but was forced to slow down development in order to expedite production of the Saab 17 due to the start of WWII. The first Saab 18 flew in June of 1942, and tests soon proved that the aircraft was quite underpowered for its size. Despite this, the aircraft was ordered into production as the B18A.

The B18A had a relatively conventional design with a mid-mounted wing and a pair of vertical stabilisers. The aircraft was manned by a crew of three: a pilot, navigator and bombardier. The aircraft had a fixed armament of three 13.2 mm machine guns for defensive purposes along with up to 1000 kilograms of bombs internally along with eight 50 kg bombs on the wings.

The B18A entered service in 1944 with the Swedish air force, with a total of 62 aircraft built. The aircraft was later developed into the improved B18B variant, which was refined for dive-bombing. This variant was in turn developed into the T18B, which was originally designed to serve as a torpedo bomber but ended up as an attack aircraft, fitted with additional frontal-firing weapons including a 57 mm cannon. The B18A was finally phased out in the late 1950s, replaced by the Saab 32 Lansen. Not a single B18A survives today, though a single B18B is on display at the Swedish Air Force Museum.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=saab_b18a Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200px">
File:B18A upper rear view.jpg|B18A from above rearside view
File:B18A frontal side view.jpg|B18A frontal side view
</gallery>

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''
;* [[SAAB 18 (Family)]]
;'''Aircraft of similar role and configuration'''

* [[Ju 88 A-4]]
* [[Ki-21 (Family)|Ki-21]]
* [[Martin 167-A3]]
* [[Potez 633]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/474731-saab-b18a/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Saab}}
{{Sweden bombers}}

Ar 196 A-3

2024-07-04T17:50:42Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = gift German bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the Swedish version
| link = Ar 196 A-5 (Sweden)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=arado-196a-3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

In 1936, the Kriegsmarine sought for a replacement to their existing biplane ship-launched floatplanes. The German Air Ministry helped with the aircraft selection and sent orders out for companies to send their contenders. Arado submitted their Ar 196 design alongside Focke-Wulf, Dornier, and Gota-Vagon-Fabrik in Autumn 1936. Among the competition, the Arado design won out and entered production in November 1938. Aside from its ship-launched variant, a land-based variant was also designed and entered production in 1939 as the A-2 that saw addition of weapons and the capability to carry ordnance. By the end of 1940, the '''Ar 196 A-3''' began production for use in coastal patrol roles. Several samples also found its way to Germany-aligned or conquered countries like Bulgaria, Romania, Finland, and Norway. Additionally, a portion of the machines fell into the hands of the USSR as trophies and were used in aviation border units until the late 1950s, with their BMW 132K engines being replaced by domestic ASH-62IR engines.

Introduced during [[Update "Starfighters"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6808-special-operation-s-u-m-m-e-r-2020-en|2020 Operation S.U.M.M.E.R.]] event, the Ar 196 A-3 has since been made available in the game as a ship-launched reconnaissance aircraft in naval battles. Considered as one of the best naval scouts in history, nicknamed "the eyes of the Kriegsmarine"! The Ar 196 A-3 has every chance of becoming the new king of the sandpit: it is armed with a pair of 20 mm MG FF cannons and an MG 17 rifle-calibre machine gun, it can also carry 2 x 50 kg bombs under its wings. The Ar 196 A-3 also has a defensive turret with a 7.92 mm machine gun, which is quite good in the initial ranks. And of course, just like the other hydroplanes in the game, the Ar 196 A-3 is able to capture control points in naval battles. <ref>[[wt:en/news/6809/current|Devblog]]</ref>

'''Ships that carry the Ar 196 A-3 as a ship-launched reconnaissance aircraft'''

* {{Specs-Link|germ_cruiser_admiral_graf_spee}}
* {{Specs-Link|germ_cruiser_admiral_hipper}}
* {{Specs-Link|germ_cruiser_karlsruhe}}
* {{Specs-Link|germ_cruiser_prinz_eugen}}
* {{Specs-Link|germ_battleship_scharnhorst}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 2,000 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
| 300 || 292 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.2 || 23.2 || 4.1 || 4.1 || rowspan="2" | 450
|-
! Upgraded
| 344 || 320 || 19.9 || 21.0 || 11.2 || 7.0
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 498 || 469 || 320 || ~9 || ~8
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 270 || < 280 || < 250 || > 324
|-
|}

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


* No armour protection
* Self-sealing fuel tanks in the floats

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

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

{{main|MG FF (20 mm)|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 20 mm MG FF cannons, wing-mounted (60 rpg = 120 total)
* 1 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine gun, fuselage-mounted (500 rpg)

For different roles, different belts should be used. For air battles, Air Targets should be loaded, because it contains the most HE rounds. The 7.92 mm can be loaded with Universal or Stealth. However, if your aim is less than stellar, Tracers will help you aim. In naval, however, Stealth should be loaded for the MG FFs. Contrary their name, Stealth belts are actually not at all stealthy as every round fired can be seen. They can be used instead for attacking ships, and hitting components. The 7.92 mm can be loaded with Tracers or Universal.

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)}}

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

* 2 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (100 kg total)

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

{{main|MG 15 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.92 mm MG 15 machine gun, dorsal turret (525 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

The Arado Ar 196 excels at destroying light ground targets, and with its twin MG FF armament it can head-on virtually any aircraft at the BR and win. Compound that with the fact that there are many inexperienced players at the BR who will head-on any target they meet, and it will be easy to accrue kills. However, the 196 loses energy very easily due to the 2 massive floats strapped to the bottom of the fuselage. The 196 usually goes out in a "blaze of glory" early on into the match, due to the playstyle revolving around killing ground targets.

=== 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 || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful cannon armament
* Good MG for rear turret
* Can be very useful for capping points in Naval
* Good cockpit visibility
* Very good low speed handling

'''Cons:'''

* Pontoons destroyed very easily, which contain the fuel tanks
* Low ammo count for cannon
* Slow, poor energy retention
* Low bomb load

== History ==

[[File:Ar 196 A-2.jpg|thumb|Arado Ar 196 taxiing at sea in 1940.]]
The Ar 196 was a German shipborne floatplane reconnaissance aircraft that equipped the majority of the Kriegsmarine's ships during the Second World War. Designed as a replacement to the obsolete He 60, the Ar 196 started entering service in the late 1930s to equip German capital ships such as ships of the Deutschland, Scharnhorst and Bismarck classes. The planes saw their first service in late 1939 as scouts for the pocket battleship [[Admiral Graf Spee|Graf Spee]], and later distinguished themselves by capturing the British submarine HMS Seal. Many Ar 196 floatplanes were captured by Allied forces, and several aircraft survive in museums to this day.<ref name=":0">National Air and Space Museum (2020)</ref>

=== Design and development ===
In the early 1930s, the primary German floatplane fighter was the Heinkel He 60, an underpowered biplane design that soon became obsolete. Thus, the Air Ministry (RLM) decided to pursue the development of a new naval floatplane fighter. Heinkel submitted the He 114, a sesquiplane, while several other firms submitted similar biplanes designs. However, the Arado firm decided to create an unconventional monoplane design, which proved to have significantly better performance than its competitors.<ref name=":0" /> Thus, four prototypes were ordered; more conservative elements of the RLM decided to order the Focke-Wulf designed Fw 62, a more conventional biplane, but the order was cancelled when the Ar 196 proved to be well adapted for its role.<ref name=":0" />

The Ar 196 was of monoplane construction, and featured a BMW engine producing just under 1,000 hp. It was flown by a crew of two - a pilot and a navigator, who doubled as the rear gunner. Armament consisted of a formidable two 20 mm MG/FF cannons and a single 7.92 mm machine gun firing forward, and a single 7.92 mm machine gun on a flexible mounting in the rear cockpit. The first pre-production Ar 196 model was delivered in late 1938, and following shakedown tests, the first production aircraft were delivered in June of 1939.<ref name=":0" />

=== Operational History ===
The Ar 196 first saw battle service in late 1939, when two Ar 196s were loaded aboard the pocket battleship Graf Spee. They served as the medium range reconnaissance aircraft and were responsible for locating the majority of the Spee's victims. Another notable action took place in mid-1940, when land-based Arado 196s captured a British submarine, the HMS Seal.<ref name=":0" /> After the Seal struck one of its own mines during a minelaying operation, patrolling Ar 196s managed to damage the submarine by bombs and gunfire to prevent her from submerging. An Arado landed beside the submarine, whose commander decided to surrender.<ref name=":0" />

Production of the Ar 196 was slow, having been shifted between multiple aircraft producers. Nevertheless, the Ar 196 served as the main catapult floatplane for Kriegsmarine capital ships until the end of the war. Production had been terminated in 1944 due to the relative obsolescence of the Ar 196 against the modern allied fighters it frequently encountered over the German coast.<ref name=":0" /> Several Ar 196s survived the war, including two floatplanes confiscated with the German heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. Two Ar 196s survive, one at a Bulgarian museum and the other in storage at the National Air and Space Museum in the United States.<ref name=":0" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=arado-196a-3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150">
Image:GarageImage Ar 196 A-3 (S.U.M.M.E.R).jpg|Bulgarian Camouflage (S.U.M.M.E.R Reward Skin)
</gallery>

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''
;* [[Ar 196 A-5 (Sweden)]]
;'''Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era'''

* [[Late 298D]]
* [[S17BS]]
* [[He 51 B-2/H]]
* [[OS2U-3]]
* [[F1M2]]

== External links ==


*[[wt:en/news/6809/current|[Development] Operation S.U.M.M.E.R. Ar 196 A-3]]

=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* National Air and Space Museum. (2020). Arado Ar 196 A-5. Retrieved November 23, 2020, from <nowiki>https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/arado-ar-196-a-5/nasm_A19610128000</nowiki>

{{AirManufacturer Arado}}
{{Germany bombers}}
{{Germany premium aircraft}}
{{Ship-launched reconnaissance aircraft}}

OS2U-1

2024-07-04T07:25:39Z

U43191476: Edits to all sections, reformatted description, added info, updated wording, pros and cons, attempted to rework history section

{{About
|about=American hydroplane bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage=the other version
|link=OS2U-3
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=os2u_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_os2u_1.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The OS2U-1 is an American hydroplane bomber with a Battle Rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to [[Update 1.27]].

The OS2U-1 was previously made unavailable after it was removed from the research tree in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]], however, in Update 14.11.18 it was returned, available for research after researching Rank II of American naval forces.

In [[Update "Winged Lions"]], the OS2U-1 also became available as a [[shipboard reconnaissance aircraft]], able to be launched by some American naval vessels, listed below.

The OS2U "Kingfisher" was built by Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division as a catapult-launched observation floatplane designed to be used by various cruisers and battleships employed by the US Navy. It was a revolutionary design for its time, using spot welding construction, creating a smooth fuselage with reduced drag. The first prototype flew in 1938 and production started in early 1940. While its performance was modest, it soon replaced the previous Curtiss [[SOC-1|SOC Seagull]] thanks to its more modern airframe. The production model used a Pratt & Whitney R-985-48 radial engine. The OS2U-1 had a limited maximum range compared to the OS2U-3, which was improved in said version with the fitting of additional self-sealing fuel tanks in the wings.

As an observation aircraft, the OS2U-1 Kingfisher lacks the performance and armament to be very effective in frontline battles. It is not recommended to engage in direct combat with enemy fighters, instead opting to attack undefended ground targets. Following its intended role, it is very effective as a reconnaissance aircraft in naval matches.

'''Ships that carry the OS2U-1 as a ship-launched reconnaissance aircraft'''

* {{Specs-Link|uk_cruiser_enterprise_d52}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_battlecruiser_alaska_class}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_cruiser_baltimore_class}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_cruiser_brooklyn_class_brooklyn}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_cruiser_cleveland_class_cleveland}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_cruiser_fargo_class}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_battleship_mississippi}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_battleship_nevada}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_cruiser_omaha_class_trenton}}

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

Even for aircraft of its battle rating, the OS2U-1 Kingfisher has relatively poor flight performance. When stock, this aircraft has a meager rate of climb and turn rate. Spading it with all of the performance modifications will boost these values, but not significantly enough to compete against other aircraft it may encounter. As with most hydroplanes, the OS2U-1's performance is hindered by its floats. Another item that will weigh down the Kingfisher is the mounted [[AN-M30A1 (100 lb)|100 lb AN-M30A1]] bombs. It is recommended to ditch these bombs when attempting to maneuver in combat.

It is highly recommended to begin a dive from altitude when entering the midsection of the map in order to keep up speed and stay away from enemy interceptors. Since this aircraft is not equipped with a bombsight, maintaining high altitudes may not be beneficial for its mission anyways. If enemy fighters do attack, it will likely be a struggle to escape due to the OS2U-1's low acceleration and maneuverability. If the wings or engine take damage, the aircraft might not be able to fly effectively and it may even crash just because of the loss of power and lift.

It is notable that the angle of incidence between the chord line of the wing and the longitudinal axis of the fuselage is relatively large compared to some other aircraft. In other words, the wing of the OS2U-1 is angled upward compared to the angle of its nose. Therefore, placing the gunsight on the horizon will hold the wings at a higher angle of attack and slow the aircraft down. A pitch attitude that may first appear to be significantly nose-down can be held in order to increase cruising speed. Pitch attitude can be checked using the attitude indicator in the aircraft's cockpit or in the virtual cockpit.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 1,700 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
| 284 || 273 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 34.8 || 38.5 || 5.3 || 5.2 || rowspan="2" | 305
|-
! Upgraded
| 310 || 296 || 31.1 || 33.1 || 9.9 || 6.8
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 405  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 337 || 308 || 160 || ~15 || ~15
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 200 || < 200 || < 240 || > 306
|-
|}

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


* No armour protection
* One self-sealing fuel tank in the fuselage

Survivability of the OS2U-1 Kingfisher is suboptimal as there is no armor protection for important modules or crew. The large radial engine may be able to stop enemy fire from the front from damaging the pilot, but it will take damage itself, reducing flight performance. The tail gunner is unprotected and can be knocked out quite easily, either because of enemy bullets flying directly into the turret or punching through the tail itself. Due to their size, the floats will likely soak up damage and can even fall off of the aircraft when destroyed. The fuselage fuel tank being self-sealing means that after a certain period of time after taking damage, the fuel tank will be able to seal the holes in order to stop itself from leaking out.

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

One order of research for the OS2U-1 is as follows:

* ''Mk.41'': This modification will allow 2x 100 lb bombs to be carried, adding another weapon to the Kingfisher's ground attack arsenal.
* ''Offensive 7 mm'' and ''New 7 mm MGs'': The former modification will expand ammunition choices for the offensive 7.62 mm machine gun. The latter modification will decrease weapon spread and overheating rate.
* ''Flight Performance'': These modifications will help to increase the OS2U-1's meager performance by slightly increasing its speed and maneuverability. Some of these modifications will also help to increase the durability of the airframe.
* ''Turret 7 mm'' and ''New 7 mm MGs (turret)'': Researching these modifications will help to increase the stopping power of the tail gunner.
* ''EFS'': Although taking damage is often the end for the Kingfisher, this modification can be useful in the rare case that the aircraft's engine is set on fire while it is also able to successfully disengage. After using it, the engine will be unusable, but it may slightly increase the chance of gliding back to the airfield, instead of burning the aircraft down.

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

{{main|Browning (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, nose-mounted (500 rpg)

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

{{main|AN-M30A1 (100 lb)}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (200 lb total)

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

{{main|Browning (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, dorsal turret (600 rpg)

Offensive and defensive armament of the OS2U-1 both consist of 7.62 mm Browning (.30 cal) machine guns. These rifle-caliber machine guns may be adequate when fitted in large numbers to other aircraft, but in single mounts they are not particularly effective against vehicles of any type. With the OS2U-1 being an observation aircraft by nature, these weapons are intended for emergency self-defense and light ground attacking. It is not recommended to use these weapons to hunt enemy aircraft, especially those that are metal-skinned or are bombers because of their resistance to damage from rifle-caliber weapons. Although 500 rounds may seem like much, this ammunition pool will soon run out after engaging just a few ground targets.

The tail gunner has significant blind spots, including directly behind the aircraft, meaning that enemies can only be engaged when flying above and slightly to the side of the aircraft. This can be inconvenient in battle, as many fighters will attack from below and behind.

The two 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs will cause a performance penalty but can be useful in destroying armored targets that the machine guns won't damage. They are mounted on the wings and drop separately. Due to their small size, they will have to be dropped as accurately as possible in order to cause significant damage.

== Usage in battles ==

'''Air Battles'''

The OS2U-1 Kingfisher is classified as a bomber, and as such it spawns at altitude. Despite this, it is highly recommended to primarily use it in the low-altitude light ground attack role. If possible, Kingfisher pilots can fly outwards towards the edges of the battlefield in order to stay out of sight of the enemy and take indirect routes to desired targets.

The single forward-facing [[Browning (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Browning]] machine gun is capable of destroying artillery, AAA (stationary and on trucks), landing craft, and light armoured cars. Beware ammunition remaining during and after engaging enemy units. Since tanks and light pillboxes cannot be destroyed with such a small MG calibre, the player will have to resort to bombs in order to destroy them.

Due to its relatively poor flight performance and light weaponry, it is ill-advised to attempt to engage enemy aircraft with the OS2U-1. Its gun will likely not do significant damage against enemy aircraft, especially if they are larger and/or have multiple engines. As such, it is recommended to entirely avoid confrontations in the OS2U-1. If an opponent is approaching from the rear, the tail gunner can be used to fire shots towards them, hopefully deterring a further attack. Note the gunner's large dead zones directly behind the aircraft.

'''Ground Battles'''

Bombs will almost always be a part of the OS2U-1's primary loadout in Ground Realistic battles. A tactic that can be used is to loiter outside of the battlefield and wait for an enemy to drive into a capture point, move into position, bomb them, and then fly away. Alternatively, the Kingfisher can be used in the reconnaissance role, scouting out the positions of enemy ground forces. In Simulator battles, the OS2U-1 also serves well in the recon role since the cockpit has a relatively good view of the surrounding area.

If enemy SPAAs begin engaging, it is recommended to leave the area as quickly as possible. Without armor and having poor flight performance, the Kingfisher becomes a sitting duck at low altitudes. Getting engaged by anti-aircraft guns can also alert enemy fighters to your position, following their tracers.

'''Naval Battles'''

With the OS2U-1's small size and speed relative to ships, it can be used to quickly gather information about the enemy fleet's positions with minimal interference. If necessary, it can land in the water to avoid being fired on by enemy anti-aircraft guns. The bombs will not cause significant damage to most larger ships, but can be used effectively against small boats as long as the Kingfisher can get close enough to drop them accurately. It is recommended to stay away from vessels with significant anti-aircraft defenses as even small and medium caliber guns will do significant damage to the airframe. Damage to the floats will affect the ability to float on water and could cause the aircraft to sink upon landing.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Machine guns are reliable and resistant to overheating when used properly
* Can carry bombs
* EFS can increase survivability after experiencing an engine fire
* Ability to land on water
* Speed combined with cockpit visibility can be helpful when performing recon roles, increasing loiter time
* In Naval modes, its slow speed allows the plane to skim smoothly across the water, thus making capturing points easier
* (Ship-launched) Usually comes in a pair aboard ships, meaning it is more expendable compared to other naval floatplanes
* Bomber airspawn gives an altitude advantage and can be traded in order to maintain speed

'''Cons:'''

* Very slow, it can struggle to reach its top speed or take off from water
* Poor maneuverability and energy retention
* Weak offensive, defensive and suspended armaments
* Large dead zones for the tail gun, no ability to shoot enemies directly behind, below, or above the aircraft
* Important components are unarmored and there are significant performance penalties after recieving heavy damage to wings
* No wheels for landing on land

== History ==

The OS2U Kingfisher, built by Vought-Sikorsky Aircraft Division, was catapult-launched observation floatplane designed by Rex Beisel (a design engineer responsible for Vought F4U Corsair). The Kingfisher was assembled using spot welding construction which increased aerodynamics compared to previous methods. It also had a number of innovative features, such as deflector plate flaps and drooping ailerons used to create additional lift at low speeds, improving control of the aircraft.

First prototype XOS2U-1 flew in 1938 and the first production variant was delivered in early 1940. Despite its modest performance it gradually started replacing the previous Curtiss SOC Seagull biplane and ended up as U.S. Navy's main ship-launched scout plane during WW2. The OS2U stayed in use much longer than expected because its successor, the Curtiss SO3C Seamew suffered from various issues, most notably severe engine issues. The later OS2U-3 variant first flew on 17 May 1941. The main difference from its predecessor the OS2U-1 was additional self-sealing fuel tanks in the wings and improved armour protection for the pilot.

The OS2U Kingfisher had a 450 hp (336 kW) Pratt & Whitney R-985-AN2 radial engine (all Kingfishers were powered by different versions of this engine). It was armed with a 7.62 mm Browning machine gun in the nose, hidden inside engine compartment, and another 7.62 mm Browning machine gun in a dorsal turret on a flexible ring mount. It was also able to carry light suspended armament, including 100 lb (45 kg) bombs and 325 lb (147 kg) of depth charges. The OS2U-3 was the most produced variant of the series with just over 1,000 units built. It was the only exported variant and served in many countries from Uruguay to Australia and even the Soviet Union aboard the cruiser Murmansk (former USS Milwaukee). The last of the Kingfishers were withdrawn from service with Cuba in 1959.

While some versions were deployed to land bases (OS2U-2s installed with wheels instead floats and were mostly used for training) most Kingfishers were operated from the catapults of the U.S. Navy's cruisers and battleships. This rather violent launch was done into the wind over the sides of the vessel, with the catapult being powered by an artillery shell. Landing required the ship to make a turn in order to create a patch of relatively calm sea surface where the Kingfisher could land and then taxi to the "sled" system used to pull it closer to the ship's crane, after which it would be hoisted back on deck.

In the early 1940s, seaborne radar was a rarity and still primitive, the eyes and ears of a fleet of warships were limited at best. This is where the observation aircraft was imperative. A battleship would launch a Kingfisher seaplane and the aircraft could then patrol the surrounding seas for hundreds of miles for hours at a time. Depending on the threat, the Kingfisher might be looking for anything as huge as an enemy fleet or as small and deadly as a single enemy submarine. In the case of the latter, the Kingfisher had teeth of its own: even with its limited payload, Kingfishers assisted in the sinking of U-Boats U-576 and U-176. Simply finding a target or enemy fleet was of immense use to the bridge crew of a warship, but the Kingfisher could do more. Once an enemy fleet was identified it was almost inevitable that an engagement would take place – even in the 1940s, naval guns were well capable of firing shells in excess of 20 miles. The Kingfisher could fly over an enemy fleet and report directly back to the bridge crew of any warship within its own fleet, giving real-time feedback of the accuracy of fire and corrections to bring the tremendous firepower onto a target. Furthermore, the importance of naval gunfire did not stop with engaging other vessels: carrying some of the largest guns in the entire world on a mobile platform, battleships were the ultimate fire support during an amphibious assault. As US Marines fought their way from beachheads all across the Pacific theatre, the guns of the fleet were often there to eliminate concentrations of enemy troops and heavy defensive positions. Again, the Kingfisher was ideally placed to ensure this supporting fire was accurately and efficiently delivered.

Even though it was used in many different roles, as trainer, bomber, anti-submarine platform in the Atlantic, scout, naval gunfire spotter etc. one of the Kingfisher's most respectable roles was Search and Rescue missions, where it was involved in saving downed airmen in the Pacific. On one occasion in 1942 over Pacific a B-17D became disoriented, ran out of fuel and ditched. After drifting for several weeks without food and water, the crew and passengers were rescued by a Kingfisher. With all the survivors on its wings, it could not take off and started taxing to the nearest island before being relieved by a torpedo boat. On another occasion, Kingfisher of USS Indiana rescued two downed airmen off of Guam in 1944, despite being exposed to fire from several nearby Japanese artillery positions. The only confirmed kill scored with the Kingfisher happened on 16 February 1945 at Iwo Jima where Lieutenant D.W. Gandy of the US Navy shot down a Zero fighter.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
In March 1937, the Chance-Vought company, then part of United Aircraft Corporation, obtained an order from the US Navy to design a catapult reconnaissance-spotter float plane to replace the obsolete Curtiss SOC biplane. A year later, in March 1938, the first prototype XOS2U-1 took to the air in a version with non-retractable landing gear, and two months later the first takeoff from water took place. Due to new technology, the prototype showed a considerable improvement in its main performance characteristics compared with its predecessor. It had longer range, a higher service ceiling and a considerably lower takeoff weight. In spite of the fact that a less powerful and lighter engine had been selected, the speed was unchanged and the mean rate of climb was even somewhat higher. However, the more up-to-date design of the monoplane caused the designers a few headaches. By comparison with the SOC, its takeoff and landing characteristics were considerably worse. They had to give up on a central float designed by Vought itself and use an EDO design instead. After several minor improvements, the aircraft was put into series production and accepted by the Navy under the designation "Kingfisher" (the name of a tiny bird which lives on small lake fish). The production aircraft were fitted with the Pratt & Whitney R-985-48 "Wasp Junior" engine, nominal power 450 hp, with a two-bladed propeller. Up to the end of 1940, 54 OS2U-1s had been built, 18 of which were sent to re-equip battleships based at Pearl Harbor and Alameda.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=os2u_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''

* [[OS2U-3]]

'''Aircraft of similar configuration'''

* [[F1M2]]

'''Aircraft of similar role'''

* [[Shipboard reconnaissance aircraft]]

== External links ==

* https://warthunder.com/en/game/changelog/current/894

{{AirManufacturer Vought}}
{{USA bombers}}
{{Ship-launched reconnaissance aircraft}}

Wing Loong I

2024-07-04T00:17:44Z

U43191476: Edits to all sections, changed or updated information, removed or reworked copy-pasted sections to be more unique to this article

{{Specs-Card
|code=ucav_wing_loong_i
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The Wing Loong I is a Strike UCAV introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]]. It is not a researchable vehicle, instead being accessible in ground battles by players using China for a cost of 750 spawn points.

After seeing the potential of UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles) during the Iraq War that began in 2003, a team of engineers from Chengdu Aircraft Industry Group began development on a prototype of their own for the People's Liberation Army Air Forces. After testing, the team would then develop the Wing Loong I (翼龙-1; Pterosaur-1), designated by the PLAAF as the GJ-1 (攻击-1; attacker-1) which was shown off at the 2010 Zhuhai air show. It has been in service with the PLAAF since the early-2010s and versions have been exported to multiple countries, especially in Asia and the Middle East.

In-game, players can use the Wing Loong I's missiles effectively against enemy ground targets from long ranges. However, it is to be noted that the high SP cost to spawn a Strike UCAV should be weighed against other available options, such as aircraft and helicopters. It is recommended to only use the Wing Loong I if the player has no other close-air support option or deems the drone's benefits to be worth the high spawn cost.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 1,000 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
|-
| 220 || 220 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.0 || 22.0 || 2.5 || 2.5 || 250
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 390  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

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

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

The Wing Loong I is unarmored as it is not designed to confront enemies directly. Therefore, its airframe cannot survive much damage from enemy fire. Be it surface-to-air missiles, air-to-air missiles, aircraft cannon fire or proximity-fused shells, it is recommended to stay away from the battlefield to avoid getting hit at all costs. The Wing Loong I's long wings are prone to damage. A notable benefit that drones have over manned aircraft is that there is no pilot, so one will not "black out" while initiating high G maneuvers and control will be able to be maintained as long as the airframe is intact.

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

{{main|AKD-9|AKD-10}}

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

* 2 x AKD-9 missiles
* 2 x AKD-10 missiles

== Usage in battles ==


Like other available Strike UCAVs in the game, the Wing Loong I is available to all players playing China in high-tier ground battles and is beneficial to players who lack appropriate close air support aircraft or attack helicopter options in their lineup.

The Wing Loong I will spawn at 4,000 m above the battlefield. It is recommended to target enemy SPAAs first. Enemy SPAAs are usually sitting stationary at their spawns, though some anti-aircraft vehicles may be positioned closer to the front lines as well. Taking out these vehicles will allow for friendly aircraft and helicopters to obtain air superiority and begin attacking enemy ground targets unhindered. If there are no SPAAs around, the next important targets will be enemy tanks that are on or near the capture points. Once all armament has been expended, a Wing Loong I pilot has three options:

# '''Recon:''' This involves flying around the battlefield and scanning the area with the Wing Loong I's camera and thermal imager. Enemy ground vehicles across the battlefield can be marked for the team, and enemy heliports and airfields can be monitored for activity.
# '''Rearm:''' A return to the airfield for rearmament. Due to the Wing Loong I's slow speed, it will take a significant amount of time to go to the airfield and then return to battle. Upon approaching the battlefield again, the drone may not be able to climb to an optimal altitude to stay away from enemy air defense. Note that UCAVs cannot resupply at heliports.
# '''Respawn:''' Abandoning the drone and spawning in a new helicopter, aircraft or ground vehicle using spawn points collected while attacking ground targets. After neutralizing enemy SPAA, the skies may be clear enough to continue striking from the air. If other types of enemy vehicles have been destroyed, capture points and strategic positions may be clear to enter on the ground.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Spawns at altitude, near the battlefield
* Excellent stabilized camera with thermal imager
* Decent turn radius
* Effective missile armament
* Small target for enemy air defense
* No pilot to suffer the effects of high G forces

'''Cons:'''

* Low maximum speed, can take a long time to enter and return to battle
* Poor climb rate
* Some unusual flight characteristics while maneuvering
* Unarmored fuselage and vulnerable loong wings
* No countermeasures
* High SP cost compared to other aircraft options

== History ==

Mainland China has closely observed different types of UCAVs (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicles), especially those which have overflown China or have been shot down by the PLAAF. As the US Air Force and Israel have proved the necessity of deploying UCAVs for recon or eliminating ground targets, the development of domestic UCAVs was given the green light in the early 2000s with limited resources under a team headed by Li Yidong (李屹东), whose mother was an employee of the Chengdu Aircraft Corporation.

Li Yidong's team managed to gather spare parts from gliders and civilian products, such as the brakes from motorcycles, and constructed an early prototype within 2 years. However, doing so meant that the team had to build a new UCAV from scratch with every possible new standard introduced to the production specifications. With 100 orders placed overseas and using new technology developed during the production of the Chengdu J-10, the new Wing Loong UCAV was developed and passed for testing in 2007. Its mock-up was first revealed in the 2010 Zhuhai airshow.

Eventually, the Wing Loong was introduced to the People's Liberation Army Air Forces in the early 2010s. The production model was first shown to the public in the 2012 Zhuhai airshow, then the 2015 VJ Day parade as GJ-1 UCAV. Countries in Central Asia and the Middle East purchased multiple batches of these drones and they became the cornerstone of Chinese export weapons. The Wing Loong has scored multiple victories over insurgents and sometimes even fellow UCAVs, alongside the CH (彩虹, Rainbow) series developed by the CASC.

== Media ==

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

== See also ==
'''Other Strike UCAVs'''

*[[MQ-1]]
* [[Orion]]

== External links ==

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/CAIG_Wing_Loong

{{AirManufacturer Chengdu}}
{{Strike UCAVs}}

Orion

2024-07-03T22:14:12Z

U43191476: Edits and updates to all sections, Description, Info, Usage in Battles, etc

{{Specs-Card
|code=ucav_orion
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The Orion is a Russian Strike UCAV introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]]. This drone is not a researchable vehicle, but is available for players using Russia in high tier ground battles, costing 750 spawn points to spawn. It has a Battle Rating of 10.7 (AB/RB/SB).

The Orion family of Russian unmanned aerial vehicles was developed by the Kronstadt Group. Its first flight occurred in 2016 after its development process between 2011 and 2015. The drone was meant to be used in reconnaissance and strike missions, with an endurance of 24 hours and a maximum payload of 250 kg for medium-altitude flights. The strike variant operates small guided bombs or Vikhr-1V laser-guided antitank missiles and has been seen in Syria in 2019 as part of its first deployment in combat. The exact number of Orions in service is unknown, but the number of units built in total is estimated at around 48 drones.

The Orion is a good option for players in Ground RB that have not researched any suitable close air support aircraft or attack helicopters for use in high tier lineups. It can be fitted with two [[9M133M-2]] or two [[9M133FM3]] Konkurs-M missiles. Both missiles are supersonic, have good manoeuvrability and can be used to destroy most MBTs. The 9M133M-2 has a tandem warhead, which means that it has a high penetration but not so much post-penetration damage and requires aiming to parts of the tank with a higher ammo concentration or more crew members, like the turret. The 9M133FM3 uses a high-explosive warhead, and even though it may not be enough to destroy all tanks, with overpressure it will kill most MBTs with a well-placed shot in the roof of the vehicle, not to mention that most light targets, like IFVs and SPAAs, are extremely vulnerable to these kinds of warheads.

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

The Orion has a low top speed. As a propeller-driven UCAV, its climb rate and manoeuvrability are also sub-par. Despite this, the 9M113M-2 and 9M113FM3 missiles, if equipped, can cover long distances quickly meaning the Orion doesn't have to fly directly over the battlefield to engage. If flying directly over the battlefield, however, take note of some of the missiles' limited firing angles and the Orion's poor negative pitch control. Players may have to initiate a dive to effectively engage a target.

Returning to base and rearming may be time consuming to perform, as the airfield will be situated on the outer sections of the map.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 1,000 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
|-
| 220 || 220 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.0 || 22.0 || 2.5 || 2.5 || 250
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 390  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

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

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

The Orion is unarmored and the drone's structure including its wings and engine. Because of this, high-explosive weapons like anti-aircraft shells and missiles will do significant damage. One advantage of being a drone is that there is no pilot. The Orion cannot be "pilot sniped" and there is no biological loss of control during high G maneuvers.

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

{{main|9M133FM3|9M133M-2|KAB-50L (50 kg)|KAB-50TV (50 kg)}}

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

* 2 x 9M133M-2 missiles
* 2 x 9M133FM3 missiles
* 2 x 50 kg KAB-50L bombs (100 kg total)
* 2 x 50 kg KAB-50TV bombs (100 kg total)

The 9M133M-2 Kornet-М is a supersonic tandem warhead missile, good for destroying MBTs that players at this battle rating will commonly face. It has a good flight speed and decent maneuverability, so you can for the most part reach any target so long as it is within the missile's strike range.

The 9M113FM3 Kornet-М is a supersonic missile with a high explosive warhead. It penetrates as much as 61 mm of armour. The blast is enough to knock out most MBTs when hitting places that can trigger overpressure, such as the turret or hull roof.

The KAB-50L and KAB-50TV have small payloads for bombs, but with guidance they can still cause significant damage if dropped directly onto enemy vehicles. One disadvantage in using these weapons is that they will not travel as fast or as far as missiles.

== Usage in battles ==


The Orion fills a niche as the "everyman's CAS". It is available to all players using Russia at high tiers, which can be very beneficial to those who have not researched appropriate aircraft or helicopters for the battle. You will start off by spawning at an altitude of 4000 meters above the battlefield. Your main priority is SPAA - they are usually found stationary at the enemy spawn. Destroying them will not only help your survival, but also enable your fellow helicopter and aircraft pilots to move in and provide effective, uninterrupted close air support. If there are no SPAA around, your next target would be enemy tanks that are near or on the capture points. Once you use up all of your ordnance, you have three options:

# '''Loiter over the battlefield and provide reconnaissance:''' Just because you can no longer use your missiles doesn't mean you can't help your team! You can fly around the battlefield and scan the area with your amazing optical thermal camera. Once you spot any enemy vehicles that pose a threat to your team, you can quickly mark them on the map and tell your teammates using the in-game chat (alternatively if you have any squad mates, you can work with them and point out enemies nearby using the squad marker)
# '''Land and rearm:''' Once the two weapons are used, you can return to the airfield by reducing your throttle and gliding back. Once you land you can begin any repairs necessary and rearming so you can take off again. It should be worth noting that the Orion suffers from a low speed and poor climb rate, making the return to base and return to the battlefield incredibly lengthy. Altitude is also the only saving grace of the Orion, as helicopters and attack aircraft will generally fly at lower altitudes and SPAAs will have no trouble sending a very slow target back to the hangar screen. Consequently, fighting at low altitudes is not advised.
# '''Bail out and spawn in a more capable vehicle:''' While it feels counterintuitive to bail out of a vehicle that cost 750 spawn points, it is the fastest way to get you back into the battle. Using the spawn points you accumulated, you can get enough to spawn another tank, an attack aircraft, or a helicopter. The advantage of this is that you should have cleared the path for you and other pilots to cause damage, as if you have destroyed them then the enemy anti-aircraft threats are no longer present.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Access to two devastating [[9M133M-2]] or [[9M133FM3]] missiles
* Exceptional optical camera with 2nd Gen thermals
* Hard to spot and counter by SPAA at high altitudes
* Long loiter time
* Good vertical maneuverability
* Unmanned, there is no pilot to "black out" during high G maneuvers
* Spawns at altitude (4000 meters)

'''Cons:'''

* Low maximum speed, returning to the airfield can take a long time
* Poor climb rate, can make it difficult to climb back up to effective altitudes
* Poor roll rate and difficulty pitching down
* Unarmored and vulnerable to damage
* Small launch window for missiles
* Access to only two weapons for an SP cost higher than most helicopters and attack aircraft (which can usually carry more ordnance)

== History ==

[[File:Orion UCAV- Army-2020-209.jpg|thumb|Strike Version of the Orion in a demonstration]]
The Orion UCAV (also known as '''Kronshtadt Orion''') is a family of unmanned vehicles developed by the Russian company Kronstadt Group. The development of the Orion platform can be traced to 2011 as part of the Russian MoD-funded Inokhodets program. The company later revealed the first layout of the Orion with its first flight being reported to happen in 2016. The Orion was idealized from the start to be a multipurpose weapon, capable of reconnaissance and strike missions.

The armed variant was developed to be able to carry a payload weight of 250 kg with a maximum payload of four missiles or bombs. It was meant to be fitted with the Vikhr-1V laser-guided anti-tank missile for combat operations.

The Orion has other variants and has also been through various upgrade programs. The Orion (Inokhodets) is the base version of the Orion family and the one currently in use by the Russian Armed Forces. This version also was adapted for export, through the Orion-E variant. The Orion-E is based on the reconnaissance version of the Orion and has not currently recieved any orders for its purchase. The Orion-2 (Helios) is a larger version of the Orion, meant to be used for longer flights at high altitudes, instead of the medium altitude flights of the base Orion. This version is meant to have a flight time of around 30 hours, with a weight of 5 tons and is still in development, with the first flight originally intended to be taken in 2023. Finally the Inokhodets-RU (Sirius) was an upgraded version of the Orion in a twin engine configuration. With two engines instead of one, it increased the total payload to 450 kg and attains a cruise speed of 295 km/h, with a flight time of 40 hours. While not currently in mass production, it was successfully tested in 2022 in joint operations with piloted aircraft.

== Media ==

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

== See also ==
'''Other Strike UCAVs'''

* [[Wing Long I]]
* [[MQ-1]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Kronshtadt_Orion|[Wikipedia] Kronshtadt Orion]]

{{AirManufacturer Kronstadt Group}}
{{Strike UCAVs}}

MQ-1

2024-07-03T21:11:41Z

U43191476: Edits to all sections, Description, Usage in Battles, Pros and Cons, See Also, etc

{{Specs-Card
|code=ucav_mq_1_predator
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an American strike UCAV introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]]. This drone is not researchable and is only accessible for players in high-tier ground battles, costing 750 Spawn Points to spawn. The MQ-1 has a Battle Rating of 10.7 (AB/RB/SB). All in-game nations have access to this drone, except for the USSR and China who instead use the [[Orion]] and [[Wing Loong I]] respectively.

In the mid 1990s, General Atomics Aeronautical Systems was awarded a contract to build a new UCAV (Unmanned Combat Aerial Vehicle) for the US military, designated "RQ-1". Developed from the General Atomics Gnat 750, the "Predator", as the RQ-1 was named, would go on to serve in many conflicts around the world, including in Bosnia, Yugoslavia, Afghanistan, Iraq, and Libya starting in 1995. It would fill the role fill the role of remote recon and surveillance. After the drone was successfully tested carrying Hellfire missiles in 2001, the RQ-1 would also participate in the strike role, thereafter being redesignated as the "MQ-1". The RQ/MQ-1 Predator served extensively with the US military from 1995 until 2018, after which it was pulled out of service and replaced by the larger and more capable General Atomics MQ-9 "Reaper".

In-game, the MQ-1 is useful in cases where other CAS is unavailable or unable to be used, for example in night ground battles where players can take advantage of the the MQ-1's thermal imaging. Due to its relatively limited arsenal and low top speed, players are recommended to use the MQ-1 conservatively and as far away from the battlefield as possible in order to stay clear of enemy SPAA. After the armament of this drone is expended, it can be used to locate enemy vehicles for the team with its excellent optical zoom and thermals.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 1,000 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
|-
| 220 || 220 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.0 || 22.0 || 2.5 || 2.5 || 250
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 390  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || N/A || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

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

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

Aircraft survivability is an issue with most drone types, with drones having low top speeds and having sluggish maneuverability. The structural integrity of the MQ-1 is subpar, with even simple rifle-calibre machine guns being able to take it out. Larger weapons will do a significant damage to the drone, especially its fragile wings and unarmored body. The MQ-1 does not carry countermeasures, so it will not be able to effectively defend against incoming surface to air missiles.

One benefit of drones is that due to them being unmanned, the aircraft can sustain excessive G forces without a pilot blacking out.

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

{{main|AGM-114K Hellfire II}}

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

* 2 x AGM-114K Hellfire II missiles

== Usage in battles ==


'''General Overview'''

As the MQ-1 has a limited payload, it is advised to use the drone for reconnaissance rather than to destroy the first two targets you see. This will ensure that your team is able to identify and deal with threats as best they can, while using the drone's weapons as backup in case of emergency situations. The MQ-1's slow speed will actually improve its performance in this role, as it will be able to act as a constant "eye in the sky" with its long loiter time.

; '''Target Designation and Reconnaissance'''

The MQ-1 is equipped with a highly effective targeting pod, boasting thermal vision and enhanced zoom. This allows the operator to scout targets from a long distance, then being able to relay information to ground forces or close air support elements. Some important information that a drone operator can provide to the team are the location and movement of enemy ground vehicles, activity at enemy helipads, and the presence of incoming aircraft. Using the MQ-1 to survey the battlefield and relay targets is a tried and tested way of helping the team hold and capture objectives, critical for winning the game.

; '''SEAD (Suppression of Enemy Air Defence)'''

It can be said that due to the MQ-1's ability to somewhat hide from radar (due to its small size and high altitude) it can be used to destroy enemy ground based anti-aircraft systems. This ensures that more well-armed allies, such as the [[AH-64 (Family)|AH-64]] Apache or the [[A-10A Late|A-10]] Thunderbolt II, can operate more freely as there are less air defence systems in place to destroy them. Clearing the way for close air support can help them to clear the ground and ensure victory.

; '''Redeployment and Withdrawal'''

Due to the nature of the MQ-1's spawning midair and slow speed, it is extremely slow to re-arm the vehicle. The speed of the MQ-1 can be compared to biplane aircraft. It is often more cost effective to abandon the vehicle after the user has felt that its purpose has been served. This being said, the redeployment of the vehicle is possible in the sense that the MQ-1 can orbit different parts of a map. The MQ-1 has no problems climbing and gaining altitude, able to change areas of surveillance and relay further information to the team.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hellfire missiles are accurate and can be used at long ranges
* Can carry a lot of fuel, meaning a long loiter time
* Has extremely high visibility of the whole battlefield with excellent thermal targeting pod
* Small size can make it hard for enemies to detect and intercept at high altitudes
* Quiet propeller engine
* Tight turn radius with vertical pitch
* Unmanned, does not suffer loss of pilot consciousness during high G maneuvers
* Spawns close to the battlefield

'''Cons:'''

* Limited weapon payload
* Slow, can make rearming and returning to battle impractical
* Unarmored, components are extremely vulnerable to enemy fire
* No countermeasures
* Poor roll rate and negative pitch control
* Hellfire targeting is limited to a downward angle in front of the drone, but not directly below
* High spawn cost compared to other aircraft with equal or better payloads

== History ==

The MQ-1 Predator was an unmanned aerial vehicle developed by General Atomics for the USAF in the 1990s. General Atomics was selected for the development of the aircraft in 1994 with its first flight on the 3rd July 1994 at El Mirage Airfield in the Mojave Desert. The aircraft was derived from the General Atomics Gnat 750, which was a reconnaissance drone developed in the late 1980s.

The drone participated in a few exercises in 1995 as part of its ACTD (Advanced Concept Technology Demonstration). In this stage, it was flown by members of the US Navy, Air Force, Army, and the Marine Corps with successful results.

This lead to the decision to deploy the RQ-1 in 1995 as part of the peacekeeping missions in the Balkans, thus it was deployed in Albania and former Yugoslavia. Its first deployment en masse was during the War in Afghanistan in 2001. At that point, the US had 60 Predators in service but 20 were lost in action during the conflict. Reportedly, most of these losses were not due to enemy fire, instead due to reliability problems. The drone struggled with icy and cold weather conditions, which are normal in the mountains of Afghanistan. Thus the aircraft's development continued, incorporating a de-icing system, upgraded turbocharger, and improved avionics in what was called the Block 1 or MQ-1L.

Its armed version incorporated pylons for guided ammunition such as the Hellfire ATGM. Several tests were carried during the early 2000s with good results and several simulated targets being destroyed. These Predator models were put into service with the designation MQ-1A. Other tests occurred during 2001 after the CIA advocated to use the Hellfire armed version of the Predator to target high value targets like Osama Bin Laden, leader of the Al-Qaeda terrorist organization. However these tests showed mixed results because of issues with the missile fuze that were later resolved.

In 2002, the Italian Armed Forces signed a contract for 6 x MQ-1A Predator drones in 2002 with the units being delivered in 2004. These units were used in Afghanistan, Djibouti and Iraq with more than 8,000 hours of flight until their retirement in 2022. Licenses for its sale were also given to Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Morocco and Egypt.

Starting in 2004, the Royal Air Force operated the MQ-1 Reaper with No.39 Squadron RAF based at Creech Air Force base, Nevada, USA as a part of the Joint Predator Task Force. They would fly their drones in action in conflicts in Afghanistan and Syria.

The Predator as a platform showed good results, being the main UAV in service with the USAF and other branches of the US Armed Forces until the arrival of the MQ-9 Reaper, which was itself a further development of the MQ-1. The aircraft was deployed to the Balkans, Afghanistan, Pakistan, Iraq, Yemen, Libya, Syria and several other locations where it was used not only in military operations but also as a counter-terrorist weapon. Because of its unmanned nature, it was often safer to use drones like the Predator to find and execute targets from afar without risking the lives of pilots or ground forces in the process.

The Predator remained in limited US service up to 2018 when it was completely retired in favour of the MQ-9 Reaper.

== Media ==

[[File:MQ-1 Drone Wallpaper.jpg|thumb|none|MQ-1 UCAV equipped with two AGM-114 'Hellfire' missiles. ]]

== See also ==

'''Other Strike UCAVs:'''

* [[Orion]]
* [[Wing Loong I]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:General_Atomics_MQ-1_Predator|[Wikipedia] General Atomics MQ-1 Predator]]

{{AirManufacturer General Atomics}}
{{Strike UCAVs}}

F-47N-25-RE (China)

2024-06-26T00:53:50Z

U43191476: See also

{{About
| about = Chinese fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = P-47 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f_47n_25_re_china
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Seek & Destroy"]].

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

''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 _,___ 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
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

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

{| 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}} || ___ || ___ || ___ || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

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

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Avia-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, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

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

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

{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 8 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (500 rpg = 4,000 total)

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

''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* Without load
* 10 x HVAR rockets
* 1 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb (500 lb total)
* 3 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (3,000 lb total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== 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).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise 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 - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== 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 ==

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

== See also ==

'''Related development'''

* [[P-47 (Family)]]
** [[P-47N-15]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{AirManufacturer Republic}}
{{China fighters}}
{{China premium aircraft}}

M2 Browning (12.7 mm)

2024-06-24T19:33:24Z

U43191476: Small edits with description, history, comparison with analogues, see also

{{About
| about = aircraft-mounted '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the vehicle-mounted variant
| link-1 = M2HB (12.7 mm)
| usage-2 = other uses
| link-2 = M2 (Disambiguation)
}}

== Description ==

The M2 Browning (12.7 mm) is an aircraft-mounted heavy machine gun featured ubiquitously on American aircraft before, during, and just after WWII as forward-facing offensive armament, or as flexible defensive armament. It is related to the [[M2HB (12.7 mm)]] heavy machine gun which were heavier variants mounted to ground vehicles. The M2 Browning is commonly referred to as the ".50 cal", in relation to its ammunition's caliber.

There are 4 version of the M2 Browning in War Thunder. The "early" M2 does not have API bullets. The "mid" M2 is identical to the early M2, but with access to API bullets. The "late" M2 has access to more effective belts, has better accuracy, overheats slower, and a slightly higher rate of fire. The British have their own variant that is similar to the "mid" version but with different bullets (for example the API for the American gun is different from the British API).

The turreted variants of the M2 Browning are also separated into the "mid" version, the "late" version, and the British version. The only difference between the "mid" and "late" variants are the belt composition. The British version yet again has different bullets, but is otherwise identical to the American versions.

The DGP-1 gunpods are composed of 4 "late" M2's.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


{{Navigation-Start|Vehicles equipped with early M2}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Fighters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|CW-21}}{{Specs-Link|cw_21}}
{{Navigation-Line|F2A}}{{Specs-Link|f2a-1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f2a-1_thach}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f2a-3}}
{{Navigation-Line|F3F}}{{Specs-Link|f3f-2}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f3f-2_galer}}
{{Navigation-Line|F4F}}{{Specs-Link|f4f-3}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4f-4}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4f-4_martlet_mk4}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-26}}{{Specs-Link|p-26a_34_m2}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-36}}{{Specs-Link|p-36a}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-36a_rasmussen}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-36c}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-36c_rb}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-36g}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-39}}{{Specs-Link|p-39k_1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-39n}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-39n_su}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-39q_5}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-39q_15}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-39q_25_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-40}}{{Specs-Link|p-40c}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-40c_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-40e}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-40e_td}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-40e_ussr}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-40e_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-40f-5_france_ep}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-40f_10}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-66}}{{Specs-Link|p-66}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-400}}{{Specs-Link|p-400}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Twin-engine fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|yp-38}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Bombers'''}}{{Specs-Link|avenger_mk1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|sb2u-3}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|sbd-3}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|tbd-1_1938}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|tbf-1c}}

{{Navigation-End}}

{{Navigation-Start|Vehicles equipped with mid M2}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Fighters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|F4U}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-1a}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-1a_usmc}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|corsair_fmk2}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-1a_japan}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-1d}}
{{Navigation-Line|F6F}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-3}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|hellcat_fmk1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-5_france}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-5n}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f6f-5n_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-43}}{{Specs-Link|p-43a-1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-43a-1_china}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-51}}{{Specs-Link|p-51a_tl}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-63}}{{Specs-Link|p-63a-5}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-63a-5_ussr}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-63a-10}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-63a-10_ussr}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-63c-5}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-63c-5_kingcobra_animal_version}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-63c-5_ussr}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-63c-5_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|XP-55}}{{Specs-Link|xp-55}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Twin-engine fighters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-38}}{{Specs-Link|p-38e}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-38g}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-38g_metal}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-61}}{{Specs-Link|p-61a_1}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-61c_1}} (Defensive)
{{Navigation-Line|VB.10}}{{Specs-Link|vb_10_02}}
{{Navigation-Line|XF5F}}{{Specs-Link|xf5f}}
{{Navigation-Line|XP-50}}{{Specs-Link|xp-50}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Strike aircraft'''}}{{Specs-Link|a-20g}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a-26b_10}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a-26b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51_a-36}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|pbj_1h}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|pbj_1j}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|v_12d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|xa_38}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Bombers'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|A-20}}{{Specs-Link|a_20g_30_ussr}}
{{Navigation-Line|A-26}}{{Specs-Link|a-26c}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a-26c-45-dt}}
{{Navigation-Line|A-29}}{{Specs-Link|a_29_hudson}} (Defensive)
{{Navigation-Line|A-35}}{{Specs-Link|a-35b}}
{{Navigation-Line|B-17}}{{Specs-Link|b-17e}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|b-17e_japan}} (Defensive)
{{Navigation-Line|B-24}}{{Specs-Link|b_24d}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|pb4y-2}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|pb4y-2_china}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|pb4y-2_france}} (Defensive)
{{Navigation-Line|B-25}}{{Specs-Link|b_25j_1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|b_25j_20}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|b_25j_30_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|b_25j_30_vvs_ussr}}
{{Navigation-Line|B-26}}{{Specs-Link|b_26b_c}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|b_26c_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|B-34}}{{Specs-Link|b_34}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|pv_2d}}
{{Navigation-Line|PBM}}{{Specs-Link|pbm_1}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|pbm_3}} (Defensive)
{{Navigation-Line|PBY-5}}{{Specs-Link|pby-5}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|pby-5a}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|pby-5a_ussr}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|pby-5a_raf}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|pby-5a_late_france}} (Defensive)
{{Navigation-Line|SB2U}}{{Specs-Link|sb2u-3}} (Defensive)
{{Navigation-Line|Sunderland}}{{Specs-Link|sunderland_mk5}} (Defensive)
{{Navigation-Line|TBF-1}}{{Specs-Link|tbf-1c}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|avenger_mk1}} (Defensive)

{{Navigation-End}}

{{Navigation-Start|Vehicles equipped with late M2}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Fighters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|F2G}}{{Specs-Link|f2g-1}}
{{Navigation-Line|F4U}}{{Specs-Link|f4u-4}}
{{Navigation-Line|F8F}}{{Specs-Link|f8f1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f8f1b}} (Suspended){{-}}{{Specs-Link|f8f1b_france}} (Suspended)
{{Navigation-Line|P-47D}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d_luftwaffe}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d_16_re_germany}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d_22_re}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|thunderbolt_mk1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d_22_re_france}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d_23_ra_china_rocaf}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d_ussr}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d-28}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d_30_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47d_30_italy}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-47M}}{{Specs-Link|p-47m-1-re}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-47m-1-re_boxted}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-47N}}{{Specs-Link|p-47n-15}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-51C}}{{Specs-Link|p-51c-10-nt}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51c-11-nt_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51c-11-nt_japan}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51c-10_france}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-51D}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-5}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-10}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-20-na}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-20_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-20-na_iaf}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-51d-30_usaaf_korea}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-51H}}{{Specs-Link|p-51h-5_na}}
{{Navigation-Line|P-51K}}{{Specs-Link|p-51k}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Twin-engine fighters'''}}
{{Navigation-Line|F7F}}{{Specs-Link|f7f1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f7f3}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-82}}{{Specs-Link|f-82e}} (Suspended)
{{Navigation-Line|P-38}}{{Specs-Link|p-38j}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-38j_marge}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-38k}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-38l_1_china_rocaf}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|p-38l}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Jet fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|p-59a}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-80a}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Strike aircraft'''}}{{Specs-Link|p-51_a-36}} (Suspended)

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Bombers'''}}{{Specs-Link|b-17e_late}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|b-17g}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|b-17g_iaf}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|b-29}} (Defensive)
{{Navigation-Line| }}{{Specs-Link|pv_2d}} (Suspended){{-}}{{Specs-Link|sb2c_4}} (Suspended){{-}}{{Specs-Link|sb2c_5_france}} (Suspended){{-}}{{Specs-Link|sbd-3}} (Suspended)

{{Navigation-End}}

{{Navigation-Start|Vehicles equipped with British M2}}

{{Navigation-First-Line| '''Fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|spitfire_ix}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|spitfire_lf_mk9e_iaf}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|spitfire_lf_mk9e_weisman}}
{{Navigation-Line| }}{{Specs-Link|spitfire_mk14e}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|spitfire_fr_mk14e}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|spitfire_xvi}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|spitfire_mk18e}}

{{Navigation-Line| '''Strike aircraft'''}}{{Specs-Link|beaufighter_mk21}}

{{Navigation-Line| '''Bombers'''}}{{Specs-Link|beaufort_mkviii}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|lancaster_mk3}} (Defensive){{-}}{{Specs-Link|lincoln_b2}} (Defensive)

{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==

The 12.7 mm (.50 cal) M2 Browning is a very powerful heavy machine gun when used in large numbers, particularly with the late P-51s and P-47s, with six and eight .50 cal machine guns respectively. However, on early American aircraft, many are armed with only a 7.62 mm and .50 cal, putting out very limited firepower. The .50 cals are inadequate in few numbers, making them ineffective in "snapshots" or high deflection shots. This is particularly noticeable in Spitfire Mk IX, XIV, and XVI, where the two Brownings provide insufficient firepower and are mounted too far apart, leaving only the plane with 2 cannons, with only 240-260 shells each, without complementing firepower. Without the cannons, the .50s can only chip away at the enemy, and the best hope for scoring is to hope for a lucky pilot snipe.

=== Available ammunition ===


'''Early M2 Ammunition'''

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="2" | Belt composition
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! Belt
! Rounds
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| '''Default''' || T {{-}} Ball {{-}} I {{-}} AP || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Universal''' || AP {{-}} AP {{-}} AP {{-}} T {{-}} I || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Ground targets''' || T {{-}} AP {{-}} AP {{-}} AP || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Tracers''' || T {{-}} T {{-}} T {{-}} AP || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Stealth''' || AP {{-}} I {{-}} AP || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|}

{{sp-begin|Bullet names}}
'''T -''' M1 Tracer bullet

'''Ball -''' M2 Omni-purpose bullet

'''I -''' M1 Incendiary bullet

'''AP -''' M2 Armour-piercing bullet
{{sp-end}}

'''Mid M2 Ammunition'''

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="2" | Belt composition
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! Belt
! Rounds
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| '''Default''' || T {{-}} Ball {{-}} Ball {{-}} I {{-}} AP-I || 28 || 26 || 18 || 11 || 7 || 4
|-
| '''Universal''' || AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} T {{-}} I || 28 || 26 || 18 || 11 || 7 || 4
|-
| '''Ground targets''' || T {{-}} AP {{-}} AP {{-}} AP {{-}} AP-I {{-}} I || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Tracers''' || T {{-}} T {{-}} T {{-}} T {{-}} T {{-}} AP-I || 28 || 26 || 18 || 11 || 7 || 4
|-
| '''Stealth''' || AP {{-}} AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} I {{-}} I || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Default (turret)''' || T {{-}} AP {{-}} I {{-}} AP-I || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Armoured targets (turret)''' || AP {{-}} AP {{-}} AP {{-}} T || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Universal (turret)''' || AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} T|| 28 || 26 || 18 || 11 || 7 || 4
|-
|}

{{sp-begin|Bullet names}}
'''T -''' M1 Tracer bullet

'''Ball -''' M2 Omni-purpose bullet

'''I -''' M1 Incendiary bullet

'''AP-I -''' M8 Armour-piercing incendiary bullet

'''AP -''' M2 Armour-piercing bullet
{{sp-end}}

'''Late M2 Ammunition'''

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="2" | Belt composition
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! Belt
! Rounds
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| '''Default''' || API-T {{-}} AP {{-}} AP {{-}} I || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Universal''' || AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} API-T {{-}} I {{-}} I || 28 || 26 || 18 || 11 || 7 || 4
|-
| '''Ground targets''' || API-T {{-}} I {{-}} AP {{-}} AP {{-}} AP-I {{-}} AP-I || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Tracers''' || API-T || 28 || 26 || 18 || 11 || 7 || 4
|-
| '''Stealth''' || AP-I {{-}} I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} I || 28 || 26 || 18 || 11 || 7 || 4
|-
| '''Armoured targets (turret)''' || AP {{-}} AP {{-}} AP {{-}} API-T || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Universal (turret)''' || AP-I {{-}} I {{-}} API {{-}} API-T || 28 || 26 || 18 || 11 || 7 || 5
|-
|}

{{sp-begin|Bullet names}}
'''API-T -''' M20 Armour-piercing incendiary tracer bullet

'''AP -''' M2 Armour-piercing bullet

'''I (Default only) -''' M1 Incendiary bullet

'''AP-I -''' M8 Armour-piercing incendiary bullet

'''I -''' M23 Incendiary bullet
{{sp-end}}

'''British M2 Ammunition'''

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="2" | Belt composition
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! Belt
! Rounds
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| '''Default''' || T {{-}} Ball {{-}} Ball {{-}} IAI {{-}} AP-I || 26 || 24 || 17 || 11 || 7 || 5
|-
| '''Universal''' || AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} T {{-}} IAI || 26 || 24 || 17 || 11 || 7 || 5
|-
| '''Ground targets''' || T {{-}} AP {{-}} AP {{-}} AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} IAI || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
| '''Tracers''' || T {{-}} T {{-}} T {{-}} T {{-}} T {{-}} AP-I || 26 || 24 || 17 || 11 || 7 || 5
|-
| '''Stealth''' ||AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} IAI {{-}} IAI || 26 || 24 || 17 || 11 || 7 || 5
|-
| '''Universal (turret)''' || AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} AP-I {{-}} T || 26 || 24 || 17 || 11 || 7 || 5
|-
| '''Armoured targets (turret)''' || AP {{-}} AP {{-}} AP {{-}} T {{-}} IAI || 30 || 28 || 20 || 13 || 9 || 6
|-
|}

{{sp-begin|Bullet names}}
'''T -''' Tracer bullet

'''Ball -''' Omni-purpose bullet

'''IAI -''' Immediate-action incendiary bullet

'''AP-I -''' Armour-piercing incendiary bullet

'''AP -''' M2 armour-piercing bullet
{{sp-end}}

=== Comparison with analogues ===

The 12.7 mm M2 Browning is comparable in damage and or rate of fire to other contemporary heavy-calibre machine guns such as the Soviet [[Berezin UB (12.7 mm)]], German [[MG 151 (15 mm)]] and [[MG 131 (13 mm)]], Swedish [[Akan m/39A (13.2 mm)]] and [[Akan m/39A (12.7 mm)]] (based on the Browning M2), Italian [[Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)]], and Japanese [[Ho-103 (12.7 mm)]]. The 12.7 mm M2 Browning is also comparable in damage to some early 20 mm such as the MG-FF or MG C30/L.

The [[M3 Browning (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M3 Browning]], being a development of the M2 Browning for jet aircraft, features similar ballistic performance with a faster fire-rate.

== Usage in battles ==


* AP, API, and API-T rounds are effective against light pillboxes, light tanks, armoured trucks, SPGs, artillery, AAA.
* Usually incapable of an instant kill or a "snapshot" kill unless you pilot snipe, but is quite capable of a "snapshot fire" (not guaranteed though)... which is almost a kill...
* Incredible range (can hit and still light a fire at 1.5km+, but damage does drop off). Good for long range desperation/harassment shots.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Usually carries enough rounds per gun to be able to take out multiple targets per sortie
* Quite accurate, does not randomly spread a lot (unlike stock AN/M3 and stock Hispanos)
* API-T rounds are exceptionally good at igniting fuel tanks and engines
* Armour piercing (AP) rounds have better penetration values when compared to most small calibre cannons
* Retains kinetic energy and damage potential over a range much better than 7 mm calibre machine guns
* Can be fired accurately and be a significant threat to fleeing enemies upwards of 1.5 km away
* Virtually only jams if you try to mag-dump (continuous fire until the weapon jams or runs out of ammunition) the entire ammo load
* Makes up the bulk of the USAAF's armament with most planes utilizing anywhere between 4-8 guns

'''Cons:'''

* Ball ammo in the default belt is rather ineffective
* 25% slower rate of fire compared to 7 mm calibre machine guns
* AP ammo lacks any incendiary or tracer, meaning shots that don't hit vital components barely does anything
* Slower rate of fire at higher ranks means boom-n-zoom is necessary to maintain a firing solution long enough to dump sufficient rounds on target
* The M2 Browning has 3 different variations, which all have vastly different ammunition belt types and how they are used

''Words of wisdom'': Always check the belt composition on a new vehicle or when returning to an old aircraft you have not used in a while...'''before''' heading into battle!

== History ==

In 1917 during WWI, Germany introduced a new biplane called the Junkers J.I., which was one of the first armoured aircraft. This innovation made the rifle calibre machine guns used to arm biplanes at the time almost obsolete. General John J. Pershing, commander of the American Expeditionary Force (AEF), asked for a machine gun with a .50 inch calibre and a muzzle velocity of 2,700 feet per second in order to combat the new aircraft. That July, legendary gunsmith John Moses Browning began development of a larger version of the M1917 Browning design already used by the AEF to fit this criteria. The war ended during the development, but the project continued with Winchester making a .50 calibre round and muzzle velocity of 2,750 ft/s (838 m/s) in 1918 while Browning's new water-cooled machine gun for this new cartridge was finished in 1921.

The Browning M1921 would be used experimentally until the design was upgraded in between 1927 to 1932 by S. H. Green and yielded seven different variants on the same receiver design, but with differences in the feed system, barrel, and other components. The Army and Navy would accept a 60-pound "light version" for use on aircraft designated the .50 calibre AN/M2. American autocannon development suffered from unreliability issues, resulting in the M2 Browning becoming the main armament for aircraft with multiple machine guns being mounted in the wings or engine blocks to compensate for the lack of cannon shells with a sheer volume of .50 calibre rounds.

During World War II, it was the primary weapon of almost every pursuit fighter, replacing the older [[Browning (7.62 mm)|Browning .30 cal M1919]]. It would also be used in fixed mounts in bombers ranging from the [[SBD-3]] Dauntless to the [[A-26 (Family)|A-26 Invader]] which had variants fitted with up to 16 or 18 machine guns including the nose guns, mounted gun pods, and the dorsal turret for strafing attacks. It was also used in flexible mounts on bombers ranging from the [[B-17 (Family)|B-17 Flying Fortress]], the [[PBJ-1J]], [[PBY-5 Catalina]] flying boats and the [[B-29A-BN]] Superfortress.

After World War II, the dawning jet age led to the realization that the M2 did not have the rate of fire to deal with new generation fighters so they worked on making improved, faster firing variants of the M2. This lead to the [[M3 Browning (12.7 mm)|M3 Browning]] which saw service in the jet era and still sees service mounted on some helicopters to this day.

The M2 design also sees use in the ground role in the [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|M2HB]] and naval use with the [[AN-M2 (12.7 mm)|AN-M2]].

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

== See also ==


* [[Browning M2HB (12.7 mm)|Browning M2HB]] - Ground variant of the M2
* [[Browning AN-M2 (12.7_mm)|Browning AN-M2]] - Naval variant of the M2
* [[M3 Browning (12.7 mm)]] - Aerial variant of the M2 with increased fire rate
* [[Akan m/45 (12.7 mm)|Akan m/45]] - Swedish license-built M2 Browning

== External links ==

* https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/M2_Browning#.50_Browning_AN/M2
* https://www.browning.com/news/articles/historical/50-caliber-machine-gun-won-ww2.html

{{Aircraft machine guns}}

[[Category:Aircraft machine guns]]

PBY-5A Late (France)

2024-06-24T01:14:58Z

U43191476: /* Description */

{{About
| about = premium bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = PBY-5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=pby-5a_late_france
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The ▄PBY-5A Late is a Rank I premium French bomber introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]].

In the early 1940s, France placed an order for 30 PBY-5 Catalinas soon after the British placed their first production order for the aircraft. However, the delivery was never fulfilled since France capitulated before the aircraft could be delivered. France acquired 3 PBY-5A Catalinas from the Royal Canadian Air Force to serve in the Caribbean since their islands lacked proper airfields. These PBY-5As lacked the armament of the Catalina and were used in civil roles, mainly moving passengers.

The French PBY-5A behaves just like its American counterpart, offering a very large bomb load at the cost of speed, manoeuvrability, and survivability for its BR. It can be used with effectiveness in all gamemodes, air, ground and naval battles thanks to its versatility. Its bomb load is capable of destroying several ground targets with carpet bombing or destroying bases in air battles, meanwhile it has access to torpedoes for naval combat.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at 2,135 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
| 259 || 249 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 31.0 || 31.9 || 2.6 || 2.6 || rowspan="2" | 364
|-
! Upgraded
| 310 || 282 || 29.1 || 30.0 || 8.7 || 5.1
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || 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 || N/A || ~3 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 220 || < 220 || < 230 || > 312
|-
|}

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

Much like the American, British and Soviet PBYs that came before, the PBY-5A (Late) features surprisingly good survivability, owing to the large empty spaces in the hull and armour plates behind the pilots, allowing it to soak up lots of LMG and even some weaker HMG fire. The Wing-mounted fuel tanks are a weak spot, as a number of good incendiaries in them will send you on a trip to the ground in flames.

* 9.5 mm steel plates behind pilots and in front of nose gunner
* 6.35 mm armour behind tail gunner
* 6.35 mm and 4.7 mm steel plates in wing pylon

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

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="8" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_PBY-5_Catalina.png]]</div>
|-
! [[AN-M30A1 (100 lb)|100 lb AN-M30A1]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 6* || 6* || 1 || 1
|-
! [[AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|500 lb AN-M64A1]] bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || 1* || 1
|-
! [[AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb AN-M65A1]] bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || 1* || 1
|-
! [[Mk.13-6 Case (2,216 lb)|2,216 lb Mk.13-6 Case]] torpedoes
| || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[Mk.13-6 (2,216 lb)|2,216 lb Mk.13-6]] torpedoes
| || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[Type A Mark I mine|Type A Mark I]] mines
| 1 || 1* || || || 1* || 1
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 2,200 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 1,100 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 800 kg
|-
| colspan="8" | * Marked ordnance on hardpoints 2/5 cannot be equipped in conjunction with 100 lb bombs on hardpoints 3/4 respectively
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 16 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (1,600 lb total)
* 4 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x Type A Mark I mines
* 2 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 torpedoes
* 2 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 Case torpedoes
{{Navigation-End}}

The PBY-5A features a massive payload: a whopping 4 x Type A Mark I mines (that function on the ground like 2,000 lb bombs). The French PBY-5A features custom payloads, meaning that you can generate your own larger (or smaller) payloads for certain scenarios (e.g. in AB, loading the maximum payload of 4 x Type A Mark Is + 12 x 100 lb bombs, although whether or not they are worth the effort is up to you, as they will slow down the already slow PBY).

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

{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|Browning (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (478 rpg)
* 2 x 7.62 mm Browning machine guns, nose turret (1,050 rpg = 2,100 total)
* 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)

The armament in the PBY-5A (Late) is a significant step up. For starters, the nose gun has been switched out for a twin .30 cal turret, making the frontal arc much more well-defended. The biggest difference, however, is that the two beam turret .50 cals are now provided with late-war turret belts, which means access to the infamous M20 API-T rounds. Use of the Universal belts provides an API/I/API/API-T combination, making the turrets even more capable of shredding the biplanes and early monoplanes found at 1.7. Use manual control when enemies get up close, as you can bag a surprising number of air kills this way, even allowing you to act as an ad-hoc bomber hunter by flying alongside enemy bombers and using the .50 cals to spray them.

== Usage in battles ==

Although the PBY-5A technically is a medium bomber, it is best to fly high, as flying low will make you an easy target for fighters and AA. The best tactic for fending off enemy fighters is to use the rudders to direct one of the side gunners towards the attacking plane. It is also smart to use the guns manually in this situation, as the AI is often very inaccurate and will refuse to fire beyond a certain distance. In the worst case scenarios, a dive can be used to greatly increase the plane's speed to get to attack a ground target before a pursuing enemy fighter shoots it down.

The plane is quite unmanageable, and its wings are very weak, being able to snap just by turning just a little too tight at higher speeds in realistic battles. It's also a huge target. Although the PBY-5A Catalina is slow and clunky, it offers a heavy payload that is sure to be a game changer if used properly.

The armament on the PBY-5 Catalina is what makes up for its clunky movement. The plane is capable of carrying a heavy payload of bombs or torpedoes and has defensive gunners on all sides. The two side gunners have .50 cal machine guns, making it more than capable of destroying enemy aircraft that stay within their range.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good payload
* Good rear defensive armament with a high coverage angle
* Durable
* Can capture points in naval battles

'''Cons:'''

* Very bad at climbing
* Slow top speed

== History ==

{{main|PBY-5A_Catalina#History|l1=History of the PBY-5A Catalina}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=pby-5a_late_france Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;'''Related development'''

* [[PBY-5 (Family)]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{AirManufacturer Consolidated}}
{{France bombers}}
{{France premium aircraft}}

Catalina Mk IIIa (Great Britain)

2024-06-24T01:12:18Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = British flying boat '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = PBY-5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=pby-5a_raf
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The ▄Catalina Mk IIIa is a Rank I British bomber. This aircraft was initially introduced in [[Update 1.43]] as the Catalina Mk IVa, however, it was changed to its current version in [[Update 1.57 "Battle March"]].

The Consolidated PBY Catalina was a twin-engined, multirole flying boat which was employed primarily as a maritime patrol aircraft. A development of Consolidated's P2Y flying boat. One of the most important changes was the introduction two 1,000 hp Twin Wasp engines. The Catalina I entered service with Nos.209 and 240 Squadrons of RAF Coastal Command in 1941. A popular and capable aircraft, orders were also secured for Canada, Australia, South Africa, and New Zealand. In the hands of Coastal Command crews, the Catalina proved to be an effective and much feared U-boat killer. The '''Catalina Mk IIIa''' was the British designation for the PBY-5A variant, powered by two 1,200 hp Twin Wasps and featuring retractable landing gear for amphibious operation. Much like the Catalina I, it proved to be an excellent patrol aircraft while still retaining a reasonably large payload of up to 4,000 lb.

The Catalina Mk IIIa can be easily identified, because, instead of the normal floats, this variant has access to a landing gear, extremely useful to land on the airfield. The Catalina is very large, and is also very slow, much like other bombers of its BR. Its defensive armament covers most of the aircraft, although an upgraded crew or a good manual aim will be necessary to survive attacks from other aircraft. However, with access to 4,000 lb of ordnance, with 2 x torpedoes, 4 x 1,000 lb bombs or 4 x Type A Mk.I naval mines, you can be a real threat to ground targets and specially early destroyers in naval battles.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 2,135 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
| 259 || 249 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 31.3 || 31.9 || 2.6 || 2.6 || rowspan="2" | 364
|-
! Upgraded
| 309 || 282 || 29.1 || 30.0 || 8.7 || 5.1
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || 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 || N/A || ~3 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 220 || < 220 || < 230 || > 312
|-
|}

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


* 9.5 mm Steel plate in the pilot's seat.
* 4.7 mm and 6.35 mm Steel plates in the
* 6.35 mm Steel plate in the tail in front of ventral gunner.

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

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="8" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_PBY-5_Catalina.png]]</div>
|-
! [[AN-M30A1 (100 lb)|100 lb AN-M30A1]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 6* || 6* || 1 || 1
|-
! [[AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|500 lb AN-M64A1]] bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || 1* || 1
|-
! [[AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb AN-M65A1]] bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || 1* || 1
|-
! [[Mk.13-6 Case (2,216 lb)|2,216 lb Mk.13-6 Case]] torpedoes
| || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[Mk.13-6 (2,216 lb)|2,216 lb Mk.13-6]] torpedoes
| || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[Type A Mark I mine|Type A Mark I]] mines
| 1 || 1* || || || 1* || 1
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 2,200 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 1,100 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 800 kg
|-
| colspan="8" | * Marked ordnance on hardpoints 2/5 cannot be equipped in conjunction with 100 lb bombs on hardpoints 3/4 respectively
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 16 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (1,600 lb total)
* 4 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x Type A Mark I mines
* 2 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 torpedoes
* 2 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 Case torpedoes
{{Navigation-End}}

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

{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|Browning (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (478 rpg)
* 2 x 7.62 mm Browning machine guns, nose turret (1,050 rpg = 2,100 total)
* 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==


The Catalina Mk IIIa is a slow, heavy aircraft with a fantastic bomb load for its BR. Its dual 12.7 mm machine guns on either side of the rear fuselage can tear apart early fighters which it will predominantly face. Though it does have a dead zone directly behind the tail, this can be fixed by applying gentle rudder movement from side to side so one of your 12.7 mm machine guns can open up. The single 7.62 mm Browning defending below the rear of the aircraft can inflict some damage if equipped with AP belts, but try to get the 12.7 mm on target as soon as possible. The four 1,000 lb bomb load is excellent at its BR, being able to destroy large targets such as destroyers, heavy tanks and bases. Torpedoes can also be equipped, but the Catalina is a big, slow target for a ships AA guns so it's preferable to drop bombs on them from above at a higher altitude. Wings can also be ripped off very easily above 315 km/h if sharp movements are made.

The gunners have fairly good protection with armour plating around their positions, and the Catalina can take an enormous amount of punishment - but she can't sustain flight on one engine. This means you should always be wary of engine damage and return to base if one of them is leaking oil or coolant, though thanks to the large wing area the Catalina can glide a surprisingly long way if both engines are knocked out of action. In RB, the Catalina is an easy target for enemy fighters with mouse aim so high altitude bombing is recommend, but in SB the Catalina excels at ground attack and is incredibly hard to take out when crewed by an experienced pilot. Avoid airfields and destroyers at all costs unless at high altitude however, the anti-aircraft can easily hit you with the slow cruising speed of only 250 km/h. Being very heavy, the Catalina can be hard to reduce altitude with without going too fast - so the landing gear can be extended and used as an airbrake! The speed at which it rips off is much higher than the speed that the Catalina can actually go.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good bomb load
* Very good defensive armament
* Can land on both water and airfields
* Incredibly durable
* Landing gear can be used as airbrake

'''Cons:'''

* Slow cruising and top speed
* Dead zone behind tail
* Can easily rip off a wing at above 315km/h

== History ==


{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}|expand=true}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
The Consolidated PBY Catalina was a twin engine, multi-role flying boat which was employed primarily as a maritime patrol aircraft. A development of Consolidated's P2Y flying boat, the aircraft adopted the same parasol wing but in a far more streamlined design with less struts and bracing wires and retractable stabilizing floats. The prototype XP3Y-1 first flew on March 28th 1935 before carrying out a highly successful series of service trials with the US Navy. Impressed by its long range, the US Navy requested that Consolidated Aircraft make further modifications to increase the aircraft's offensive capability. The original 825 hp engines were increased to 900 hp Pratt and Whitney R-1830-64 engines and the vertical fin was modified. The improved aircraft, now designated the X-PBY-1, broke records by carrying out the furthest nonstop distance flight of 3,443 miles. The PBY entered service with the US Navy in October 1936.

By the time Britain's Royal Air Force had shown a serious interest in the aircraft, it had gone further improvements, not least of which was the installation of two 1,000 hp Twin Wasp engines. The British Air Ministry purchased a single aircraft for evaluation purposes in 1939, and ordered 50 shortly afterwards under the designation of Catalina I – a name which would later be adopted by the US Navy also. British and Commonwealth Catalinas differed from their American counterparts mainly by the replacement of American weapons with British ones. The Catalina I entered service with Nos.209 and 240 Squadrons of RAF Coastal Command in 1941. A popular and capable aircraft, orders were also secured for Canada, Australia, South Africa and New Zealand. In the hands of Coastal Command crews, the Catalina proved to be an effective and much feared U-boat killer.

The Catalina Mk IVa was the British designation for the PBY-5 variant; powered by two 1,200 hp Twin Wasps, this aircraft was capable of reaching speeds of up to 179 mph at 7,000 feet and had a range of over 2,500 miles. Armed with defensive machine guns in four positions, the Catalina Mk IV's main offensive capability lay with its 4,000 lb of bombs or depth charges. One of the most famous and effective maritime patrol aircraft of the entire war, the true testament to the Catalina lies in the fact that many are still in service with civilian agencies across the globe to this day.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=pby-5a_raf Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[PBY-5 (Family)]]

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

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

{{AirManufacturer Consolidated}}
{{Britain bombers}}
{{Britain premium aircraft}}

PBY-5A Catalina (USSR)

2024-06-24T01:09:27Z

U43191476: /* See also */

{{About
| about = bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = PBY-5 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=pby-5a_ussr
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The ▂PBY-5A Catalina is a Rank I premium Soviet bomber. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.

The Catalina was the Soviet Union's main naval reconnaissance aircraft and naval bomber during and after the Second World War. It was so popular in fact that bombers meant to replace it, like the Be-6, never fully managed to fulfil its role. The Soviet Union received a total of 185 Catalinas of the two main variants in the Lend-Lease program. The Catalinas received by the Soviet Union were both the amphibious variants and those with tricycle landing gear. The Catalinas arrived to the Soviet Union in 1944 and gained good reputation in Soviet naval aviation, serving for many years as naval bombers and rescue aircraft, until they were finally fully retired from military service between 1954 and 1957.

Although technically a medium bomber, the PBY-5's strategies are much like that of heavy bombers in higher tiers such as the Pe-8. It is best to fly high, and for fending off enemy fighters, it is better to use the rudder to direct one of the side gunners towards the attacking plane. It is also smart to use the guns manually in this situation, as the AI is often very inaccurate and will refuse to fire beyond a certain distance. The PBY-5A Catalina is slow and clunky, but it offers a heavy payload that is sure to be a game changer if used properly. It also has a very good defensive armament for its tier, which can occasionally be a saviour against an enemy fighter. The plane is quite unmanoeuvrable, and its wings are very weak, being able to snap just by turning just a little too tight at higher speeds in a realistic battle. This version has landing gear, facilitating the task of landing and enabling it to capture bases in Airfield Domination mode in Arcade Battles.

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 2,135 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
| 259 || 249 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 31.0 || 31.9 || 2.6 || 2.6 || rowspan="2" | 364
|-
! Upgraded
| 310 || 282 || 29.1 || 30.0 || 8.7 || 5.1
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear
|-
| X || X || 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 || N/A || ~3 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 220 || < 220 || < 230 || > 200
|-
|}

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


* 9.5 mm Steel - Plates behind pilot and co-pilot seats
* 4.7 mm Steel - Plates between fuel tanks
* 6.3 mm Steel - Plates behind fuel tanks
* 6.35 mm Steel - Ventral gunner hatch/door
* No armour glazing
* Critical components located in front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
* More fuel tanks located in wings near fuselage

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

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="7%" | 1 !! width="7%" | 2 !! width="7%" | 3 !! width="7%" | 4 !! width="7%" | 5 !! width="7%" | 6
| rowspan="8" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_PBY-5_Catalina.png]]</div>
|-
! [[AN-M30A1 (100 lb)|100 lb AN-M30A1]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 6* || 6* || 1 || 1
|-
! [[AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|500 lb AN-M64A1]] bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || 1* || 1
|-
! [[AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb AN-M65A1]] bombs
| 1 || 1* || || || 1* || 1
|-
! [[Mk.13-6 Case (2,216 lb)|2,216 lb Mk.13-6 Case]] torpedoes
| || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[Mk.13-6 (2,216 lb)|2,216 lb Mk.13-6]] torpedoes
| || || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[Type A Mark I mine|Type A Mark I]] mines
| 1 || 1* || || || 1* || 1
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 2,200 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 1,100 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 800 kg
|-
| colspan="8" | * Marked ordnance on hardpoints 2/5 cannot be equipped in conjunction with 100 lb bombs on hardpoints 3/4 respectively
|-
|}

{{Navigation-Start|Default weapon presets}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}

* 16 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (1,600 lb total)
* 4 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 4 x Type A Mark I mines
* 2 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 torpedoes
* 2 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-6 Case torpedoes
{{Navigation-End}}

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

{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|Browning (7.62 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (478 rpg)
* 2 x 7.62 mm Browning machine guns, nose turret (1,050 rpg = 2,100 total)
* 1 x 7.62 mm Browning machine gun, ventral turret (500 rpg)

== Usage in battles ==

Climb off to the side immediately and attempt to avoid all contact with enemy aircraft for as long as possible. The large bomb load will allow you to take care of bases easily, but the fact that this is a flying boat will prevent you from defending yourself in all directions. Never forget this aspect of the Catalina: It's defenceless against attacks from below.

====Specific enemies worth noting====

Any vehicle with a 12.7 mm guns or higher or anything with a majority tracer filled belt. The .50 cals can easily disable your very much exposed engines and control surfaces, and tracer belts quickly ignite the exposed fuel tanks.

====Counter-tactics====

Many enemies, due to your low rate of climb and slow speed, will engage you from above and in front. As the Catalina only has a weak gunner on the front, it is vital to engage them early if they approach from this direction. Scaring off enemies should be your main tactic if they approach you in any other direction, though using the rudder to twist your plane will allow you to use the rear gunners effectively against enemies behind you.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Multiple turrets allow for good coverage of the bomber in all directions but directly above and below
* Massive bomb load for Tier I
* Can carry torpedoes unlike most bombers in the Soviet Tree
* Landing gear

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible roll rate
* Slow
* Cannot defend itself from attacks directed at it from above or below
* Wings are extremely fragile

== History ==

The PBY-5 flying boat and the PBY-5A amphibious aircraft, all-metal parasol monoplanes, were developed in the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation's design bureau under the direction of Isaac Laddon under the designation of Model 28. A prototype XP3Y-1 flying boat made its first flight on March 21, 1935. Full-scale production began in September 1936.

Full-scale production of the PBY-5В version began in 1939. This variant of the flying boat had a new tail assembly with a more angular rudder and 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp fourteen-cylinder, air-cooled engines. The plane's defensive armament was reinforced: The 7.62 mm Browning M2.3 machine guns in the aircraft's gun placements were replaced with large-calibre 12.7 mm Colt-Browning M2.5 machine guns with 800 rounds each. Transparent drop-shaped blisters were installed on each side of the boat instead of sliding hatches. The aircraft's equipment was also upgraded.

At the same time as the PBY-5, Consolidated Aircraft designers developed an amphibious variant with retractable tricycle landing gear. The main wheels were hydraulically raised and stored in open bays between struts connected to the wing. The XPBY-5A prototype made its first flight on November 22, 1939.
The amphibious variant proved heavier than the PBY-5 flying boat, losing speed, ceiling height, and flight range, but these disadvantages were fully compensated for by the aircraft's increased combat capabilities.

Catalinas of various versions were in service with the USA and countries of the Anti-Hitler Coalition, including the USSR, where they were delivered as part of the Lend-Lease program.

The Soviets' naval aviation suffered a heavy crisis in the second half of the war. The enormous losses from the first years of the war went practically unremedied by any deliveries of new seaplanes from the aircraft industry. What the Soviet naval aviation industry could offer did not meet the standards of the time, either. Unable to provide their troops with domestically produced planes, the Soviet leaders had to ask for help from the Allies.

Catalinas were delivered to the USSR beginning in 1944. As part of the Soviet Naval Aviation force, these flying boats ran anti-submarine defence and long-distance reconnaissance missions and participated in rescue and landing operations. A total of 185 Catalinas of the PBN-1 and PBY-6A versions were delivered from the USA to the USSR. In addition, several PBY-5A amphibians were delivered to the Soviet Union: these aircraft were handed over to Soviet crews in 1944 at the Vancouver Island base.

The Catalinas that served with the Soviet Naval Aviation force were discarded from 1954 to 1957.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
Consolidated PBY-5A Catalina twin-engine, long-distance naval scout aircraft

The PBY-5 flying boat and the PBY-5A amphibious aircraft, all-metal parasol monoplanes, were developed in the Consolidated Aircraft Corporation's design bureau under the direction of Isaac Laddon under the designation of Model 28. A prototype XP3Y-1 flying boat made its first flight on March 21, 1935. Full-scale production began in September 1936.

Full-scale production of the PBY-5В version began in 1939. This variant of the flying boat had a new tail assembly with a more angular rudder and 1,200 hp Pratt & Whitney R-1830-92 Twin Wasp fourteen-cylinder, air-cooled engines. The plane's defensive armament was reinforced: The 7.62 mm Browning M2.3 machine guns in the aircraft's gun placements were replaced with large-calibre 12.7 mm Colt-Browning M2.5 machine guns with 800 rounds each. Transparent drop-shaped blisters were installed on each side of the boat instead of sliding hatches. The aircraft's equipment was also upgraded.

At the same time as the PBY-5, Consolidated Aircraft designers developed an amphibious variant with retractable tricycle landing gear. The main wheels were hydraulically raised and stored in open bays between struts connected to the wing. The XPBY-5A prototype made its first flight on November 22, 1939.

The amphibious variant proved heavier than the PBY-5 flying boat, losing speed, ceiling height, and flight range, but these disadvantages were fully compensated for by the aircraft's increased combat capabilities.

Catalinas of various versions were in service with the USA and countries of the Anti-Hitler Coalition, including the USSR, where they were delivered as part of the Lend-Lease programme.

The Soviets' naval aviation suffered a heavy crisis in the second half of the war. The enormous losses from the first years of the war went practically unremedied by any deliveries of new seaplanes from the aircraft industry. What the Soviet naval aviation industry could offer did not meet the standards of the time, either. Unable to provide their troops with domestically produced planes, the Soviet leaders had to ask for help from the Allies.

Catalinas were delivered to the USSR beginning in 1944. As part of the Soviet Naval Aviation force, these flying boats ran anti-submarine defence and long-distance reconnaissance missions and participated in rescue and landing operations.

A total of 185 Catalinas of the PBN-1 and PBY-6A versions were delivered from the USA to the USSR. In addition, several PBY-5A amphibians were delivered to the Soviet Union: these aircraft were handed over to Soviet crews in 1944 at the Vancouver Island base.

The Catalinas that served with the Soviet Naval Aviation force were discarded from 1954 to 1957.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=pby-5a_ussr Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|HjD-qAz3EOE|'''Premium Review. Russian PBY-5A Catalina. Infused with Soviet Might!''' - ''Joseph 2000''}}

== See also ==
'''Related development'''

* [[PBY-5 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/18963-pby-5a-catalina-official-thread/ <nowiki>[Forum]</nowiki> PBY-5A Catalina Official Thread]

{{AirManufacturer Consolidated}}
{{USSR bombers}}
{{USSR premium aircraft}}