War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

USS Cyclone

2024-11-24T00:29:11Z

U44982996: description

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was the lead ship of the 14 ''Cyclone''-class patrol ships, being commissioned on 7 August 1993. The ''Cyclone''-class were designed with the intention of supporting the operation of the Navy SEALs by serving as a long range deployment and extraction platform. However, the ''Cyclone''-class were rejected by both the Navy SEAL and the regular Navy, as they considered the ship too big and small for their needs, respectively. ''Cyclone'' and some of her sister ships were then relegated to the US Coast Guard on 29 February 2000. After just 4 years of service with the Coast Guard (and 11 years in total with the US), ''Cyclone'' were then sold off to the Philippine Navy on 8 March 2004, and was renamed '''BRP General Mariano Alvarez''', and is still under active service to this day.

Introduced in [[Update "Drone Age"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is the first naval vessel in the game to be added while her real life counterpart is still in active service (albeit under a different flag). Being purposefully designed as a support vessel, she is armed with a small but fast-firing 25 mm autocannons with high penetration, allowing her to make a short work of smaller coastal vessel. In addition, despite her relatively small displacement and low crew count, the Cyclone features a detailed damage model that allows her to take a lot of hits from low-calibre rounds. However, the Cyclone is still lacking in firepower to deal with larger frigates or destroyers, and they can still easily cripple you with their large calibre guns.

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

Despite having a relatively low displacement for her size at 387 tons, the Cyclone is unique for being the lightest ship to have a "detailed" damage model: Instead of taking crew loss from her hull section being damaged, she instead only takes crew loss when her crew compartment located inside her superstructure was damaged. This allows her hull to take a lot of punishments from various smaller autocannons and is practically immune to machine guns.

However, with a crew count of just 28, the Cyclone doesn't have much endurance should her critical crew compartment being damaged. This means she does not fare well against any vessel with large calibre cannons (above 76 mm), especially various frigates with autoloading cannons.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

Being designed as a SOF support vessel, the Cyclone features excellent mobility. She can accelerate and decelerate very quickly and can turn better than most of her peer. This allows her to make an evasive manoeuvre to avoid incoming fire.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|25-mm/87 mk.38 (25 mm)}}

The 25mm/87 Mk.38 is a navalized copy of the ground 25mm M242 cannon (mounted on M3 Bradley) in term of the gun performance and ammo characteristics, though the naval version has its ammo belt slightly re-adjusted with pure HEI-T and APDS belts as researchable modifications. Notice that in naval battles, APDS doesn't create secondary shatters (the spalling in ground battles); it's a pure kinetic-damage ammo. The gun fires at 3 round per second and overheats in 17 seconds. In naval scenarios, APDS is the only option for Cyclone. The self-destroying property of HEI-T renders this type of bullet almost completely useless because boats at this tier and BR often carry punchy 40 mm and above autocannons and fight beyond 2 km.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}
* '''25 mm HEIT belts:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''25 mm APDS belts:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}

{{:25-mm/87 mk.38 (25 mm)/Ammunition|HEI-T*, APDS}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}}

There are a pair of 12.7 mm AN-M2 machine guns each mounted on one side of the ship's bridge. Each machine gun only covers a sector less than a quadrant.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|API-T|M20 armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|M2 armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|I|M1 incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|M2 armour-piercing}}
* '''.50 AP belt:''' {{Annotation|API-T|M20 armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|M2 armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|M2 armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|M2 armour-piercing}}
* '''.50 APIT belt:''' {{Annotation|API-T|M20 armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|M20 armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|M20 armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|I|M1 incendiary}}

{{:AN-M2 (12.7 mm)/Ammunition|AP, I, API-T}}

== Usage in battles ==


The USS Cyclone is a quick vessel fitted with guns that can do short work of most coastal ships it'll encounter. She must stay in the coastal area hunting for them, using her good top speed to her advantage. However, she must stay away from frigates and destroyers that can be encountered at this BR. The 25 mm guns are indeed, very powerful against patrol boats, but they are lacking punch and can hardly significant damages to bigger targets. In addition, the USS Cyclone can hardly withstand a hit from a high-calibre round. Try to engage big vessels while they are already engaged by somebody else or already heavily damaged without overexposing yourself.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very survivable against low-calibre rounds
* APDS rounds have enough penetration to damage other armoured boats, such as MPK.161, HMS Peacock, or M-802
* 25 mm guns are decent against low-flying aircraft
* Decent top speed and mobility
* Has access to a radar system
* APDS rounds have decent velocity and easy to aim even against air targets.

'''Cons:'''

* Large profile
* Guns overheat quickly
* Main guns lack punch against frigates and bigger ships
* High-calibre machine guns have limited fire arc and aren't very effective even against small PT boats
* Can't sustain hits from high-calibre guns (102 mm and above)
* Can't track targets with her radar

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship 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 ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-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 ship'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=us_cyclone_class_cyclone Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos

{{Youtube-gallery|-2wgyj4gE5E|'''USS Cyclone: A Rare Look Inside USN's Smallest Warship''' - ''Cmdr. Tyrael''}}

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==

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

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

{{ShipManufacturer Bollinger Shipyards}}
{{USA boats}}

Arras

2024-11-23T13:48:49Z

U44982996:

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

== Description ==

'''Arras''' was a French sloop of the Arras-class, built in 1917 and launched in July 1918, but did not see any combat before the end of the First World War just 4 months later. After the war, she served with the French Navy, spending time in reserve during the interwar period. Recommissioned for the Second World War, Arras took part in the defence of Dunkirk in 1940. Following the fall of France, she was captured by the British at Portsmouth on 3 July 1940 as part of Operation Catapult and transferred to the Free French Naval Forces, where she served as a barrack ship and a source of spare parts for her sister ship Amiens. After the war, Arras was decommissioned and scrapped in 1946.

Introduced in [[Update "Dance of Dragons"]] along with the official release of the French coastal tree, '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a French sub-chaser capable of sinking most small coastal vessels with a single round, giving it unique gameplay. Other than her signature armament, she features excellent survivability and surprisingly good mobility for a ship made to look like a merchant vessel. Her biggest downside is the secondary and anti-air guns, both of which struggle to deal with either surface or aerial targets, making positioning and bringing the main guns to bear on surface targets an absolute necessity.

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

Despite lacking any hull armour and having a 16 mm steel hull, which is thinner than that of the [[L9059]], Arras has significantly better survivability due to detailed damage model. There are a few contributing factors to this: its much larger crew complement and a better distribution of said crew, fuel tanks protecting the boiler rooms, and multiple internal compartments, which together provide much better protection than would otherwise be expected.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

Despite having the appearance of a slow cargo ship, this sloop is faster than many motor gun boats or even sub-chasers. This, combined with excellent manoeuvrability, makes Arras a surprisingly difficult target, being able to dodge torpedoes or bring its guns to bear on target much more quickly than would otherwise be expected.
{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
From Rank I, the 138.6 mm SAP shell is a very tempting choice, but in most encounters, regular HE does the job reasonably well, so a Damage Control Division might be a good first choice. In Rank II, the Rudder Replacement is the best first choice, with the Fire Division a close second, as you are likely to be set alight many times over the matches, either by cannons or near misses from bombs. Primary Armament Targeting is the best first choice for Rank III, with Shrapnel Protection being a second choice. Finally, Engine Maintenance should be your go-to in Rank IV. The least important modification is arguably the Improved Rangefinder, as you are unlikely ever to engage targets at such a long range that the +14% accuracy would make a perceivable difference.

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|138.6 mm/55 model 1910 (138.6 mm)}}
The main armament of the vessel consists of two 138.6 mm guns, a calibre shared with the battleship secondaries and destroyer primaries.

{{Annotation|HE|High-explosive}} shells will overpressure any wooden boat and will do significant damage to sub-chasers or large motor gun boats. The larger the vessel, the more hits along the length it may need to be destroyed. When possible, avoid hitting the same spot multiple times.

{{Annotation|SAP|Semi-armour-piercing}} shells are best used against destroyers or heavily angled frigates. Against motor gunboats or submarine chasers in parallel, they are very likely to overpenetrate. They need at least 6 mm of steel to fuse, and unless a component is in the path of the projectile, it will travel nearly 42 metres before exploding. On the other hand, SAP shells can detonate magazines on enemy vessels, making them capable of one-shotting even much larger vessels, as long as they are protected by sufficiently thin armour.

{{:138.6 mm/55 model 1910 (138.6 mm)/Ammunition|138.6 mm OEA Mle 1919 HE, 138.6 mm OPF Mle 1910 SAP}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

[[File:75 mm 35 model 1897 (75 mm) Arras amidship.jpg|thumb|''The 75'' is located amidships, in front of the main superstructure.]]
{{main|75 mm/35 model 1897 (75 mm)}}
A single 75 mm gun on the bow of the vessel has a very limited arc of fire, both horizontally and vertically, making it useful only in the most desperate circumstances, when the main guns are disabled or otherwise incapable of reaching targets that the 75 mm can still aim at.

The {{Annotation|HE-TF|High-explosive with time fuse}} shells, while an interesting option, are very unlikely to hit an aeroplane, given that the vertical guidance of the gun is limited to +30° and it fires just one round every 4 to 5 seconds.
{{:75 mm/35 model 1897 (75 mm)/Ammunition|75 mm OEA Mle 1917 HE, 75 mm OPF Mle 1917 SAP, 75 mm OEA Mle 1917 HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

[[File:Hotchkiss pattern 1914 (8 mm).jpg|thumb|Muzzle flash of the 7.95 mm Hotchkiss is difficult to spot, even when you know what you are looking for.]]
{{main|Hotchkiss pattern 1914 (8 mm)}}
Three single 8 mm guns are, quite unusually, firing ammunition without tracers or other visible projectiles. Given the low calibre, the gun is fundamentally unlikely to score any easy kills with the use of AI gunners. But the lack of psychological effect or visual bullet tracers to lead the rounds on target during manual operation is the biggest issue of the gun.

Neither you nor the enemies will know that the anti-air gunners are engaging a target, making you a tempting target for any enemy aeroplane in proximity, as the Arras will likely be the only large target not spraying the sky with visible anti-air gunfire.
{{Clear}}
== Usage in battles ==

Owing to being one of the largest vessels in the boat spawn, Arras can bully most of the boats competing for the capture points. While the limited firing arcs and slow rotation speed of the main guns, along with significant heeling of the vessel when making tight turns, make it non-trivial to get shots on target, the good muzzle velocity and sheer explosive power of the rounds are likely to score a number of kills under the right circumstances.

; Specific enemies worth noting

'''Aeroplanes''' are the biggest threat to the Arras, as there is no reliable way to counter them with your own armament.

'''Destroyers''' are best dealt with using SAP rounds, but generally should be avoided, as unless they are already damaged or struggle with accuracy, they can kill you much quicker than you can kill them.

'''Motor Torpedo Boats''' are mostly dangerous before the Rudder Replacement modification is installed, or if the bridge/steering gear is damaged, as torpedoes are extremely dangerous for a less manoeuvrable Arras. While those with a smaller explosive filler can be tanked directly into the bow or aft, any mistake that allows them to hit closer to the midsection is likely to end in instant death.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''
* Equipped with potent 138.6 mm primary guns able to one-shot most vessels in this BR
* Spawns next to other patrol boats rather than destroyers and frigates
* Excellent survivability

'''Cons:'''
* Lacks capable anti-air defence, and its large size makes it an attractive target for enemy aeroplanes
* Before unlocking mobility modifications or after having the bridge destroyed, she suffers from poor mobility, making her an attractive target for enemy torpedoes
* Gun placement and slow horizontal targeting speed make it difficult to switch between targets from multiple directions

== History ==

[[File:Arras Historical Picture.jpg|thumb|Arras viewed from astern]]
'''Arras''' was the lead ship of the French Arras-class sloops (also known as the Amiens class), which were designed during the First World War following the success of the British Q-ships, which were disguised as merchant vessels to deceive enemy submarines. She was intended to escort French convoys during the war, as they were harassed by submarines of the Imperial German Navy. Built at the Arsenal de Brest, laid down in 1917 and launched in July 1918, Arras was commissioned just 4 months before the signing of the Armistice on 11 November 1918, marking the end of her wartime career without any events of note.

Following the end of the war, 13 vessels of her class were cancelled, while 29 others entered service between 1919 and 1924. During the interwar years, Arras was based in Toulon, along with other ships in her class. With the outbreak of World War Two, 19 vessels of her class were retired, and 11 were recommissioned, including Arras herself. In May 1940, she was stationed at Dunkirk, contributing to the port's anti-air defences during the German invasion, claiming to have damaged two enemy aircraft. As the city became surrounded by Germans, she evacuated British troops to Portsmouth.

After the fall of France in June 1940, Arras was among several French ships captured by British forces on 3 July 1940 as part of the larger Operation Catapult. She was subsequently transferred to the Free French Naval Forces, where she served in a more stationary role as a barrack ship. Disarmed and largely used for spare parts for her sister ship Amiens, her active service days were effectively over. After the war, Arras was returned to France but was not restored to active service. She was officially decommissioned and broken up for scrap on 25 February 1946.

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/9050-development-french-coastal-fleet-closed-testing-begins-soon-en|[Devblog] French Coastal Fleet Closed Testing Begins Soon!]]

{{ShipManufacturer Arsenal de Brest}}
{{France sub-chasers}}

LCS(L)(3)

2024-11-23T13:47:43Z

U44982996: description

{{About
| about = American motor gun boat '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Landing Craft Support (Family)
}}

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_lcs_l_3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or '''"LCS(L)(3)"''' for short) is a class of 130 amphibious warfare vessel built for the US Navy in 1944. Being based on a hull of the Landing Craft Infantry (LCI) ships, the LCS(L)(3) is designed to quickly fill the gap of a fire support vessel to cover various landing operations across the Pacific theatre, with each ship can be built from ground up in as little as 10 days. The LCS(L)(3) were deployed in various island-hopping campaigns during the closing stages of the Pacific war, and would later be transferred to various allies of the United States after the war, such as [[Alano|Italy]] and [[Asagao (YTE-01)|Japan]].

Introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] as part of the fleet closed beta test. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a rather polarizing coastal vessel. Initially being one of, if not, the most powerful coastal vessel in the entire game during its introduction. It is now a shadow of its former self due to the introduction of detailed damage model and bluewater vessels. Compared to other coastal vessel with "simple" damage model, the LCS is quite a tough nut to crack, especially if the enemy does not have any autocannons at their disposal. However, the LCS' survivability is a far cry from any vessel with "detailed" damage model, such as its "predecessor" the [[USS Candid]], as it is incapable of taking hits from any autocannons, let alone destroyer-calibre guns. The craft's large size and slow speed also means that it is nearly impossible to avoid any incoming fire. However, given the right time and circumstance, the LCS can still perform well against lesser coastal vessel, with a good assortments of Bofors and Oerlikon autocannons to deal with various torpedo boats.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}
Although the LCS has a sizable crew count of 73, it is still a fragile boat due to it only having "simple" damage model with four sections of the hull being assigned as a crew module. This means should one of these section being damaged, the LCS will lose a significant amount of crews in the process.

The only "redeeming" quality of the LCS is that it is a steel-hulled boat with 8 mm of hull thickness. This allows it to take some hits from machine guns with minimal damage, though any guns larger than 20 mm will have no trouble shredding its hull into pieces.
=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}
The LCS' mobility is simply awful. With a top speed of just 39 (AB)/29 (RB) and sluggish turn rate, you won't be able to avoid any incoming fire. This means torpedoes and bombs are a huge threat to your survival.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 1 (40 mm)}}

The LCS(L)(3) gets access to four 40 mm Bofors guns in two twin mounts. These weapons are extremely potent anti-aircraft and anti-coastal-ship guns due to their accuracy and punching power. Though these weapons fire slower than the 20 mm Oerlikon or 12.7 mm AN/M2, they more than make up for it due to their hard-hitting 40 mm shells. These guns are capable of shredding aircraft and small boats from ranges of 2.5 km away, though effectiveness will drop off after that range due to the large bullet drop. The guns fire from 4-round clips that reload continuously, meaning that they are capable of continuous fire. However, note that they will eventually jam after firing too long.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:Bofors L/60 Mark 1 (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|3-inch Mark 10 (76 mm)}}

The LCS(L)(3) has access to a single 76 mm Mk 10 gun as its secondary armament. The Mk 10 gun is a decent secondary armament, being capable of crippling or outright destroying many coastal ships with a single hit. However, this gun is a early version and lacks the full automatic fire of later American 76 mm cannons. The gun gets access to three shells - HE, AP and HE-VT. Of these shells, the HE shell is almost always the best choice, packing the largest punch against enemy boats. Despite this, it is wise to bring a bit of the other shells, for use against aircraft and armoured vessels.

{{:3-inch Mark 10 (76 mm)/Ammunition|76 mm HC Mk.27, 76 mm AP Mk.29, 76 mm HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

The LCS(L)(3) has access to four dual 20 mm Oerlikon cannons. The 20 mm Oerlikon Cannon was the standard light anti-aircraft gun for several nations, including the United States, and replaced the prior AN/M2 Browning machine gun. This weapon is an effective short-range AA gun, and has great firing angles. The guns fire from a drum magazine that will need to be reloaded. Because of the magazine design, the gun will not jam with continuous fire.

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Two twin mounted 40 mm guns can decimate small vessels and torpedo boats
* Secondary 76 mm gun has VT-fuse shell. If you use it correctly, you could counter enemy bombers trying to drop torpedoes
* Decent crew count, able to resist small vessels

'''Cons:'''

* Insufficient firepower to deal with any vessel with detailed damage model
* Only having simple damage model despite its BR; extremely vulnerable to large calibre cannons or any autocannons
* Awfully slow and sluggish, torpedo and bomber is a large threat
* Will be frequently matched against early destroyer or frigates that can easily destroy you in a few hits

== History ==

During World War II, the American military took a big gamble on landing naval infantry and armour – the Americans used the strategy of quickly capturing coastline using landing ships in all three theaters of war. The landing ships and boats themselves had light armaments and could not fully cover their marines during landings, so the question arose about the creation of a small manoeuvrable gunboat with enough firepower to support naval landings against enemy infantry, lightly armoured fortifications and fire positions. The LCI (Landing Craft Infantry) designs were used as a basis, with the addition of a 76 mm gun with an armour screen, two twin 40 mm cannons and four twin 20 mm machine guns. The powertrain remained the same as on the LCI – two sets of four engines with 225 hp each, with a total power output of 1800 hp. The artillery ship's maximum speed was 16 knots. The gunboat was designated LCS (L) – Landing Craft Support (Large). It took just 10 days to prepare such a ship from the landing platform. It could escort its landing party and support it with fire along the coast, and work as an anti-aircraft vessel or provide a smokescreen for the actions of larger ships. The LCS gunboat's baptism of fire was in the battle for Okinawa. It was later used in operations on the Pacific Ocean. After the end of World War II, the US used these ships in the Korean War and Vietnam, and provided them to allies.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5584-fleet-development-lcs-l-3-mighty-midget-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_lcs_l_3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
* [[Alano]]
* [[Asagao (YTE-01)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5584-fleet-development-lcs-l-3-mighty-midget-en|[Devblog] LCS (L)(3): Mighty Midget]]
* [[wikipedia:Landing_Craft_Support|Wikipedia: Landing Craft Support]]
{{ShipManufacturer Albina Engine and Machine Works}}
{{USA boats}}

USS Candid

2024-11-23T13:09:59Z

U44982996: rewriting the survivability section since she got a detailed damage model now

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

== Description ==

The '''USS Candid''' was a minesweeper of the Admirable class built by the US Navy during World War II, in service between 1943 and 1945. The USS Candid was sent in 1944 to Alaska, to help in convoy escorts and to sweep mines in the area. She also supported the US Army in the Kuril islands and other areas on the north of Japan. The USS Candid also served in the Marshall Islands and the Mariana Islands providing escort services. As part of a secret program, she was transferred to the Soviet Union in 1945 under the designation '''T-283''' and served up until 1958. While the US required the return of most ships sent to the Soviet Union, the USS Candid was never returned and stayed with the USSR until it was removed from Soviet naval registers in 1958. Its fate is still uncertain.

It was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]]. The USS Candid works as a gun boat, being relatively large compared to other coastal ships of its rank like the US PT boats. The armour is nothing special, though due to her large displacement, the Candid has a detailed damage model which allows her to take a lot of hits from autocannons and is immune to any machine guns. In addition, she is very capable of dealing with other coastal ships, thanks to her powerful armament, a 3 inch Mk 10 cannon, two 40 mm Bofors L/60 cannons, and four 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II autocannon that are a big threat to enemy aircraft and smaller vessels. The USS Candid works very good defending capture points from smaller but more agile boats, and protecting destroyers and larger ships from aircraft and torpedo boats.

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

With nearly 900 tons of displacement, the Candid has a detailed damage model. This alone makes her much more durable than her nominal "upgrade" the [[LCS(L)(3)]], as she is capable of shrugging off any machine gun rounds with little to no damage, and requiring a lot of hits from large caliber autocannons to take her down. In addition, the Candid's sizable crew of 95 is well spread out along the relatively large and spacious hull of the ship, allowing her to take absorb a lot of damage.
=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

In terms of mobility, the USS Candid is quite slow, since she was designed as a minesweeper. She is lighter than a destroyer but heavier than PT boats, however she manages to be slower than all of them, with a top speed of 24 km/h, while most other US ships have top speeds above 30-40 km/h. This will not help her to evade incoming fire or torpedoes at close range.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

Most important modifications for the USS Candid are the mobility, the 76 mm APCBC and HE shells, the smoke screen, and the range finder, for better target acquisition.

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|3-inch Mark 10 (76 mm)}}

The main armament of the USS Candid is its 76 mm Mark 10 cannon, with APCBC and HE as its main shells. The HE shells can be used with a proximity fuse, which increases effectiveness against aircraft. The only problem is that it only has 1 cannon of this type, which is not the best option to deal with heavier opponents.

{{:3-inch Mark 10 (76 mm)/Ammunition|76 mm HC Mk.27, 76 mm AP Mk.29, 76 mm HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 3 (40 mm)}}

The USS Candid has two 40 mm Bofors cannons as its secondary armament, one on each side of the ship and located at the rear. These can be used effectively against lighter ships, such as torpedo boats, and cause a lot of damage.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:Bofors L/60 Mark 3 (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

For anti-aircraft armament the USS Candid relies on its four Oerlikon 20 mm cannons, although the rest of the armament can also be used for anti-aircraft duties. The Oerlikon cannons offer good enough protection against slow aircraft at close ranges, but are not powerful enough to consistently destroy them at long range, instead, they are better used against scout aircraft or torpedo bombers flying low and slow.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.6 depth charge|Mk.6 mortar depth charge|Mk.10 Hedgehog mortar}}

The USS Candid lacks torpedoes, which does hamper its ability to engage heavier targets such as destroyers or light cruisers. It does however have depth charges and can be fitted with a Mk.10 ''Hedgehog'' mortar and a Mk.6 mortar depth charge, which can be used to some extent against light targets, but are not as effective against heavier cruisers.

== Usage in battles ==

The USS Candid is a good support ship, is not the fastest nor the most armed, it has enough armament to deal with torpedo boats and protect more important assets like destroyers or cruisers from light targets. It can also provide decent anti-aircraft coverage for the fleet, however it struggles against heavy opponents due to its lack of heavy armament or torpedoes, for that reason, is highly recommended that you stay close to your team and don't engage with the main enemy fleet.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''
* Detailed damage model; immune to HMG fire and resistant to 20 mm autocannons
* Powerful secondary armament
* Large crew for increased survivability
* Spaced interior which decreases the chances of critical damage
* Good anti aircraft armament for close ranges

'''Cons:'''

* Large target, vulnerable to torpedoes and artillery strikes
* Poor main armament
* Poor top speed and mobility
* Will be frequently matched against early destroyers that can easily outgun the ship

== History ==

The USS Candid was an Admirable-class minesweeper built for the US Navy during World War 2. Commissioned in 1943, the vessel was originally classified as a coastal minesweeper, but was reclassified as a normal minesweeper. It was first deployed in 1944 for duty in the waters of Alaska and called upon to escort convoys and conduct patrols as well as to sweep mines in the area.

She was part of the US attacks on the Kuril Islands in the north of Japan and returned to San Francisco in August of 1944. Two weeks later she participated in operations in the Marshall Islands and the Mariana islands providing escort services in the area and support for the troops in the islands while the region was being developed to facilitate naval and air strikes against the Japanese forces.

In 1945, the USS Candid was transferred to the Soviet Navy, as part of a secret plan to rearm the Soviet Navy in case that the Soviet Union decided to join the war against the Japanese forces alongside the United States. After the completion of the training of Soviet crews, the USS Candid was decommissioned from the US navy and transferred under the Lend Lease program. Under Soviet service, the USS Candid was also classified as minesweeper. In February 1946, when the Cold War was beginning, the USA began negotiations for the return of all those ships loaned to the USSR for use during World War 2. The US Navy was not particularly interested in receiving very old ships that were outmatched by more modern designs, so many American ships were merely administratively returned to the USA and instead sold for scrap in the Soviet Union. The USS Candid however was never returned, but the US Navy reclassified her as a fleet minesweeper and re-designated her as MSF 154 in 1955. Its destiny is uncertain and it disappeared from Soviet battle registries in 1958.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==

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

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

{{ShipManufacturer Willamette Iron Works}}
{{USA boats}}

Karl Marx

2024-11-23T12:36:08Z

U44982996: description

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_skr_pr50_karl_marx
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

Originally laid down at the No. 820 shipyard in Kaliningrad, USSR on 24 March, 1954. The ''Tur'' was the eleventh of the Pr. 50 (Riga-class) frigates built for the Soviet Navy. After just two years of service with the Red navy, she would be sold to the German Democratic Republic, who renamed her '''Karl Marx''' in honor of the German father of communism. ''Karl Marx'' would serve uneventfully until 1971 when she was decommissioned and sold for scrap.

Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]] as the first German coastal squadron vehicle in the game. The '''Karl Marx''' is identical to her sister ship the [[Yenot]] in the Soviet tree. Being a frigate, the '''Karl Marx''' primarily excels at taking out coastal vessel at range thanks to her 100 mm cannons with reasonable rate of fire. Although only having a HE shell at disposal, the '''Karl Marx''' is still capable to hold on her own against destroyers at range, though she can still be easily overwhelmed if her weak turrets are disabled. Thus, unless you are pushing for a coastal area, it is better to stay behind the friendly destroyers to shield yourself from enemy fire.

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

Although the hull of the Karl Marx is virtually unarmoured, she can still take quite a fair bit of punishments from destroyers due to spread out crew compartments. However, she can still be overwhelmed with a repeated hits on the engine or the turrets.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

In Realistic, the mobility of the Karl Marx is rather unimpressive. With 55 km/h top speed, she would often be leave behind by friendly destroyers. Though this also allowed you to stay at a safer distance while your ally is taking a blunt of the enemy's fire instead.

In Arcade, the Karl Marx receives a substantial speed boost that allows her to quickly close the distance. This allowed her to perform in brawling duties to some extent, especially since she can now get to the coastal area faster.
{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|100 mm/56 B-34 (100 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:100 mm/56 B-34 (100 mm)/Ammunition|100 mm F-56 HE, 100 mm ZS-56 HE, 100 mm ZS-56R HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|V-11 (37 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''37 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''37 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}

{{:V-11 (37 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-T, AP-T}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|RBU-2500|BB-1 depth charge|53-39 (533 mm)}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

Compared to other frigates, the Karl Marx has better firepower than most with the exception of late Japanese and British frigates. The biggest downside this ship faces is the reload time. Most frigates such as SKRs and the Köln-class will outgun the Karl Marx.

The Karl Marx is best played at a range farther than most frigates. This will give the ship better time to respond to threats and keep it away from heavy enemy fire, almost like a mini-destroyer. Like many frigates, focus on small targets such as boats, then frigates, then destroyers. Do not rely heavily on AA as much as other ships such as the Köln as it traverses terribly and has no HE-VT shells. Instead, use any HE-VT or time-fused shells in advance.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great firepower against coastal targets
* Good gun handling, the main turrets are fully traversable
* Has access to HE-VT shells on main armament
* Has access to air search and tracking radar
* Spread out compartment, reasonably survivable even against destroyers

'''Cons:'''

* Only has HE shell available, resulting into mediocre damage output against destroyers
* Weak turrets that will get disabled very often
* Horrendous traverse speed on dual 37 mm AA
* Can be easily overwhelmed by other frigates with autoloaders, as they can disable all of your main guns before you can fight back

== History ==

Originally, the DDR (GDR) wanted to create its own "frigate" and build it in East Germany. In September 1952, Schiffsbautechnik in Wolgast began the development of "Projekt 10 Falke" (Hawk). However, the Project was canceled in 1955 in favour for Soviet imports. From 1956 until 1959, the Volksmarine received four ships of the Riga-class (Project 50) that were taken from the Baltic Fleet. Some problems emerged at the beginning of the training, simply because many signs were still in Russian and not in German.

On January 16th 1961, the ships were given the names: Karl Marx, Ernst Thäleman, Friedrich Engels and Karl Liebknecht, after well-known German socialists.

They were intended to combat sea and air targets, to hunt submarines, to provide escort, but also to support landing operations. In 1965/66, they conducted reconnaissance missions off the Norwegian coast and in the English Channel. The Karl Marx became particularly famous for her storm voyage in October 1967, as she survived one of the strongest hurricanes in the Baltic Sea since 1801, only slightly damaged thanks to the masterful efforts of the crew.

The ships were decommissioned from 1968 to 1977. Their successor was the Koni class (Project 1159).

'''Trivia'''

Strictly speaking, the East German Navy never had frigates. The term was rarely used in the Volksmarine. Instead, in an allusion to the Russian classification, it was classified as "Küstenschutzschiff" (KSS) which can be translated to "Coastal protection ship".

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==

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

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

{{ShipManufacturer Yantar Baltic Shipyard}}
{{Germany frigates}}
{{Squadron ships}}

SF40 Light

2024-11-23T12:02:41Z

U44982996: description

{{About
| about = German anti-air ferry '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the 88 mm version
| link = SF40 Heavy
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_sf40_leichte_flakkampffaehre
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Siebelfähre 40''' (Siebel ferry 40), or just the '''SF40''' for short, was a series of 200 shallow-draft catamaran landing craft developed by the Wehrmacht in 1941. Originally intended to be used for the planned invasion of the United Kingdom, it was later repurposed into a variety of roles. Ranging from troop transport, ad-hoc gunboat, floating flak battery, towed convoy escort, or even as a minelayer. Due to its simple design, the SF40 can be easily converted back-and-forth to fit with various needs. The in-game "SF40 Light" is based on the specific SF40 outfitted with four quadruple mounts of 20 mm anti-air autocannons deployed in Lahdenpohja on the Finnish-Soviet border.

Introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] in the fleet closed beta test as the '''SF40 Leichte'''. The '''SF 40 Light''' is placed after its [[SF40 Heavy|heavy]] counterpart due to the fact that it is armed with sixteen 20 mm autocannons, with up to twelve can be targeted at a surface target. This allowed the SF40 Light to shred almost every boat or aircraft that were unfortunate enough to be within its sight within a few seconds. However, being equipped only with small-calibre autocannons, the SF40 Light would often struggle against vessel with "detailed" damage model that started to appear at its BR range, with early destroyers in particular being its greatest threat. Nevertheless, the SF40 is still capable of dominating the close-quarter combat with a combination of situational awareness and good positioning.
== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

SF40 Leichte has the following armour layout:

* [[2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)|2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38]] gunshields: 12 mm, hardened armour
* [[3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 (37 mm)|3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36]] gunshield: 8 mm, hardened armour
* Main turret platforms: 10 mm, rolled homogeneous armour
* Deckhouse: 10 mm, rolled homogeneous armour
* Hull: {{Annotation|15 mm|6.75 mm RHA}}, steel
* Superstructure: {{Annotation|20 mm|0.8 mm RHA}}, wood

{{Notice|Steel has an armour multiplier of 0.45, and wood has an armour multiplier of 0.04. The hull and superstructure are equivalent to 6.75 mm and 0.8 mm {{Annotation|RHA|rolled homogeneous armour}}, respectively.}}

[[File:SF40 Leichte internals.png|thumb|SF40 Leichte internals (starboard side)]]

While the SF40 Leichte certainly has above average armour for its battle rating, like many other rank I and II naval vessels, its armour is mostly negligible. Almost any weapon it faces can punch right through its armour without much issue. However, with its rather high crew complement of 42, SF40 Leichte proves to be quite survivable. With a stock crew, SF40 Leichte can lose 26 of its crew, and with an aced crew, this increases to a maximum loss of 30. In addition, due to its large size, the crew of SF40 Leichte is spread out, meaning that the loss of a single compartment isn't as significant as with smaller vessels.

Despite that, there are a few notable weaknesses. The first is the central deckhouse just behind the bridge, which large, lightly armoured, and contains roughly half of the available crew. The second weakness is the four ammo racks, two in each pontoon. These are located one at the waterline below the front turret and one at the waterline below the back end of the deckhouse. These ammo racks are only partially underwater and, thanks to the reference points mentioned, are relatively easy to spot. Destroying these ammo racks is a quick and guaranteed way to destroy the SF40 Leichte.

Aside from the wood, the bridge of SF40 Leichte is unarmoured. Being rather prominent, this commonly leads to loss of control.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}


Like all other barges in the game, SF40 Leichte is incredibly slow going both forwards and backwards. Because of its slow speed, turning is also extremely sluggish.

SF40 Leichte has a total displacement of 160 tons: above average, but nowhere close to the highest at its battle rating, despite its size and apparent lack of speed.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)}}

SF40 Leichte has four Flakvierling 38 turrets, each with four 20 mm cannons, in each corner of its rectangular deck for a total of 16 guns. Each gun has a rate of fire of 450 rounds per minute and has a magazine capacity of 40 rounds. They each have 2,000 rounds of ammunition available, for a total of 32,000 rounds. With a stock crew, they can be reloaded in 6.41 seconds, 5.5 seconds with an aced crew. The turrets can traverse both horizontally and vertically at a rate of 40°/s.

{{Notice|Turrets are named sequentially, clockwise, starting at the bow}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | '''Guidance for the Main Gun Turrets'''
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.1 Turret (front-right)
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.2 Turret (back-right)
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.3 Turret (back-left)
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.4 Turret (front-left)
|-
! Horizontal !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Vertical
|-
| ±180° || -3°/+88° || ±180° || -3°/+88° || ±180° || -3°/+88° || ±180° || -3°/+88°
|-
|}

There are three ammunition types available:

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}
* '''20 mm HET magazines:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}
* '''20 mm APT magazines:''' {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}

{{:2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-T, AP, AP-T, HEF}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|3.7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 (37 mm)}}

SF40 has a single 3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 atop its central deckhouse. It has a rate of fire of 250 rounds per minute and fires from a 5-round magazine, with a total of 2,000 rounds of ammunition available. The gun can be reloaded in 0.25 seconds with a stock crew and in 0.13 seconds with an aced crew. It can traverse horizontally at a rate of 50°/s and vertically at a rate of 70°/s.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | '''Guidance for the Secondary Gun Turret'''
|-
! Horizontal !! Vertical
|-
| ±180° || +1°/+80°
|-
|}

There are three choices of ammunition available:

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''37 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''37 mm APT clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}

{{:FlaK.43 (37 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-I, AP-T}}

== Usage in battles ==

Because of its very slow speed, the SF40 Light will never be first to action in battle. Going full speed ahead, it can still take several minutes to reach the capture points on even small maps. How well the SF40 Light does in the battle depends not on how many enemies it can find, but rather how many enemies happen to run into it. To maximize this, the SF40 Light should be sailed towards the centre of action on every map right from spawn, whether that be capture points or likely paths that enemy boats may take. Here, the SF40 Light can leverage its high survivability and overwhelm its opponents with firepower.

The 20 mm Flakvierling 38 cannons are among the best in the game. Compared to other 20 mm naval cannons in the game, these have the largest explosive mass in the HE rounds, the greatest AP penetration with the AP rounds, as well as a decent rate of fire and muzzle velocity. Altogether, this allows the SF40 Light to quickly destroy any enemy boat with a single burst, especially since 12 guns can be brought on target at once. Two problems exist for this gun: the relatively small 40-round magazines (which means frequent reloads), and the maximum range of roughly 2.5 km (common for most guns of this calibre). The latter is a much greater issue. Whereas faster vessels with such a problem can evade or quickly get behind cover, the SF40 Light is essentially a stationary target for weapons like [[Bofors L/60 Mark 1 (40 mm)]] or large-calibre cannons (3-inch or larger). Boats armed with these can comfortably sit outside the SF40 Light's range and gradually chip away at the crew. This is even further accentuated when faced with destroyers, since they carry much larger guns and are generally unaffected by the SF40 Light's own 20 mm cannons (albeit you would still be able to kill their crew off by aiming at their superstructure). Armoured targets may also be an issue, despite the above-average penetration of the 20 mm cannons. While the 3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36, with its higher penetration, can be used against such enemies, it cannot be fired directly forwards, nor can it hit any targets within approximately 1.5 km due to its maximum depression being 1° above the neutral position. It's often better to just pepper such targets with 20 mm AP and leave the 37 mm for anti-aircraft purposes.

The SF40 Light should obviously be angled in such a way that three of four turrets are on target at once to maximize damage. At the same time, though, it should be angled as little as possible. This not only shows as little of the side and as possible, but it also allows the middle of the three Flakvierling 38's to block the line-of-sight to the deckhouse. Protecting the deckhouse is vital because it contains roughly half of the available crew. However, if it has already been destroyed, angling like this is no longer so important. The other major weakness is the ammo racks, which cannot be removed by taking less ammunition. Close-range enemies on the side are a big threat, since here, it is easiest to hit the ammo racks, especially when taking advantage of the hit cam. Though ammo rack destruction is quite rare in practice, a knowledgeable enemy player can still quickly eliminate the SF40 Light with this method. Aside from these points, survivability of the SF40 Light tends to be very high because of its size and large crew complement.

Enemy MTB torpedoes can be a threat, but only if launched at close-range, where the SF40 Light won't be able to evade in time. In this respect, long-range torpedo attacks aren't much of an issue, provided that they are spotted early enough. Even if torpedoes cannot be completely avoided, torpedoes can pass under the centre of the SF40 Light if necessary, between the two pontoons. Comparatively, greater threats are aerial torpedoes and rockets, guided bombs like the [[PC 1400 X (1,400 kg)|Fritz X]], and large bombs like the [[H.C. Mk.II (4,000 lb)|4,000 lb H.C. Mk.II]] or the [[FAB-5000 (5,000 kg)|FAB-5000]]. Because of the SF40 Light's large size and slow movement, it makes for a perfect target, since the SF40 Light's sluggishness may make evasion of these entirely impossible. Enemy aircraft should be prioritized.

====Ammunition Choices====
For the 20 mm Flakvierling 38 guns, 20 mm HET magazines should be the primary ammunition choice, since it contains the highest ratio of HE to AP rounds and, thus, is the most effective against enemy boats and aircraft. The maximum range of the HE rounds is roughly 2.0 km, while the AP rounds can reach a little further to 2.3 km, though there isn't much point in using the 20 mm APT magazines for this purpose. Still, several 20 mm APT magazines should for the occasional armoured targets.

The primary ammunition choice of the 37 mm FlaK-Lafette C/36, or rather the only one that should really be taken, is 37 mm HE clips, again because of the higher HE to AP ratio. While the AP in this gun is more powerful than that of the 20 mm guns, there isn't much point to using it against surface targets because of its awkward firing arcs. It is, however, fantastic as an anti-aircraft gun.

====Enemies worth noting:====
* Various destroyers ([[Leopard]], [[USS Barker]], [[Frunze]]): due to its BR, the SF40 Light will face early destroyers with high-calibre guns that can be very deadly. Furthermore, the SF40 Light will be occasionally pitted in a larger maps that will further worsen its range and speed disadvantage, especially in encounter/conquest mode where you will be pretty much useless as everyone can outrange you. However, in a smaller map in domination mode, the SF40 Light's range and speed problem is somewhat negligible as everyone is closer to each other and that the larger vessels have to navigate through shallow waters to capture the base and bring themselves into your effective range of fire.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Very large amount of 20 mm guns, 12 on target at once, 16 total
* Strongest 20 mm HE and AP rounds compared to other 20 mm guns
* High rate of fire and relatively quick reload time
* High survivability
* Great anti-aircraft coverage
* Very high ammunition capacity

'''Cons:'''

* Very low maximum speed and bad manoeuvrability
* Approximately 2.5 km maximum range against small targets, 3.5 km against destroyers.
* 3,7 cm FlaK-Lafette C/36 is inadequate against surface targets
* May struggle against armoured targets due to lack of large-calibre armament
* Large, high-priority target, easily spotted and attracts enemy bombs and torpedoes
* If catching fire, it has a high chance of getting destroyed by ammunition detonation

== History ==

[[File:JSdia175.jpg|300px|thumb|right|An SF40 with light flak battery in the town of Lahdenpohja, Finland (Lakhdenpokhya in the modern-day Russia).]]In July 1940, in preparation for Operation Seelöwe (Operation Sea Lion), the German Wehrmacht required a large amount of ocean-going transport and landing craft for the planned invasion of Great Britain. With no suitable craft available within the Kriegsmarine, the task also fell to other branches of the German military. Design proposals were submitted by the Heer and Luftwaffe, where the idea piqued the interest of aircraft designer Friedrich Siebel.

He soon produced and presented a prototype, a catamaran made from two pontoons taken from an existing pontoon bridge design. The two pontoons were separated six metres apart and spanned by a wooden deck, with the entire craft powered by two aircraft engines. The design was seen as unsatisfactory due to its flimsy construction and low top speed of only 4 knots (7.4 km/h). Siebel produced another prototype in August 1940, this time with a steel-reinforced deck, the spacing between the pontoons reduced to 5.5 m, and the craft powered by two BMW 6U aircraft engines. This version solved the stability and speed problems of the previous prototype, increasing its top speed to 8 knots (14.8 km/h), and was met with enthusiasm by the Wehrmacht.

Named after its creator, the Siebelfähre (Siebel Ferry) proved to be a rather stable firing platform due to its catamaran design and wide width. The Luftwaffe experimented with an anti-aircraft version, mounting various anti-aircraft guns from 20 mm autocannons to the 8.8 cm Flak 36. These AAA versions were planned to provide anti-aircraft cover for the main landing force in the invasion. An order for 400 Siebelfähren was placed; however, in October 1940, Operation Seelöwe was cancelled before the order could be completed. Nevertheless, in 1941, the Luftwaffe continued to produce Siebelfähren. These new ones, along with any that had already been built, would be used by the Luftwaffe and Heer as transport craft, minelayers, AAA barges, and gunboats in the Mediterranean Sea, the Black Sea, and the Baltic Sea until the end of the war in 1945.

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_sf40_leichte_flakkampffaehre Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|SDDxf3pr0c0|'''Naval CBT - SF40 Light/Heavy review''' - ''TheCat PlaysGamez''|WOik7xFnNHQ|'''Unmatched Firepower - SF40 Leichte Flak Barge - Naval Forces''' - ''Virus''}}

== See also ==


* [[SF40 Heavy]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Siebel_ferry|[Wikipedia] Siebel ferry]]
* [http://www.german-navy.de/kriegsmarine/ships/landingcrafts/siebel/index.html <nowiki>[German Naval History]</nowiki> Siebel Fähre History]

{{Germany barges}}

File:JSdia175.jpg

2024-11-23T11:52:53Z

U44982996: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JSdia175.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JSdia175.jpg

SF40 Heavy

2024-11-23T11:50:33Z

U44982996: description

{{About
| about = German anti-air ferry '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the 20 mm version
| link = SF40 Light
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_sf40_schwere_flakkampffaehre
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Siebelfähre 40''' (Siebel ferry 40), or just the '''SF40''' for short, was a series of 200 shallow-draft catamaran landing craft developed by the Wehrmacht in 1941. Originally intended to be used for the planned invasion of the United Kingdom, it was later repurposed into a variety of roles. Ranging from troop transport, ad-hoc gunboat, floating flak battery, towed convoy escort, or even as a minelayer. Due to its simple design, the SF40 can be easily converted back-and-forth to fit with various needs. The in-game "SF40 Heavy" is based on the specific SF40 outfitted with four 88 mm flak cannons deployed in Lahdenpohja on the Finnish-Soviet border.

Introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] in the fleet closed beta test as the '''SF40 Schwere''', the {{PAGENAME}} is the first of the slow but hard-hitting barges of the German coastal tree. It lives up with its "Heavy" designation thanks to a heavy armaments of four 88 mm flak cannons, up to 3 of which can be targeted at a surface target. This allows the SF40 Heavy to dismantle any lesser coastal vessel with a few well-placed hits, even at long ranges. However, the SF40 Heavy is quite slow and sluggish, and therefore is vulnerable up close. Thus, it is advised to stay out of the firefights and pick off the enemy one by one with your cannons.

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


The SF40 Heavy has the following armour layout:

* 2 cm/65 C/38 automatic cannon gunshields: 8 mm, hardened armour
* 8.8 cm Flak.36 cannon gunshield: 8 mm, antifragmentation armour
* Deckhouse: 10 mm, rolled homogeneous armour
* Hull: 8 mm, steel
* Superstructure: 20 mm, steel

The SF40 Heavy's armour is basically the same as [[SF40 Light]] with changes around guns. It lacks armoured turret platforms, so guns taken out with HE shells might occur more often. Besides armour, the SF40 Heavy can be a tough opponent to sink since most HE shots will hit the deck with no damage to the hull. Also, the rather high crew complement of 47 (5 more than the SF40 Light) makes it harder to incapacitate by killing crew, though this is still the easiest way to take out this barge. Clever captains will try to angle the ship to allow aiming 3 guns on enemy targets, but this also makes the opposing ship able to hit only one of the four ammo storages. Even though this storage is high above the waterline, hitting it doesn't happen often, since the bridge in the center is a way easier target to aim at.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The SF40 Heavy's top speed is terrible. At 28 km/h (Arcade) / 22 km/h (Realistic) when fully upgraded, it might take several minutes for it to reach its destination. Always watch out for enemy PT boats and their torpedoes, as they are the greatest threat to the SF40 Heavy's survival.

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|Flak.36 (88 mm)}}

The 8.8 cm FlaK guns mounted on the SF40 Heavy have a good reload rate, accuracy, and muzzle velocity, thus making it easy to aim and control. The access to distance-fuse high-explosive shells and an elevation up to 85° degrees is very effective against big attackers and bombers flying high and slow. The reload rate also makes the SF40 a really dangerous opponent. However, these guns can be quite clunky against fast PT boats due to their relatively slow traverse speed.

{{:Flak.36 (88 mm)/Ammunition|Sprgr. L/4.5, 8.8 cm Sprgr. L/4.5 Zt.Z}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|2 cm/65 C/38 (20 mm)}}

The 20 mm multipurpose cannons with a fire rate of 480 rounds/min is very effective against small boats and lightly armoured ships as well as planes in close combat, thus making the SF 40 also effective against light and fast naval and air targets.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}
* '''20 mm HET magazines:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}
* '''20 mm APT magazines:''' {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}

{{:2 cm/65 C/38 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-T, AP, AP-T, HEF}}

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful 88 mm guns can destroy most of the common target with just a few hits
* Can face up to three guns at the surface targets, or all fours against air targets
* Two 20 mm autocannons provides sufficient surface and anti-air coverage
* Durable hull can take a considerable amount of punishments
* Velocity and flat trajectory of shells makes it suitable to hang back and snipe enemies from >2 km

'''Cons:'''

* Terrible mobility; very slow and sluggish to handle
* Large target, easy to hit from the distance
* Lacks an AP shell for dealing with armoured targets or early destroyers
* Easy to torpedo or dive bomb due to its size and sluggishness
* Lacks a proximity fuse shell, only has timed and impact fuses

== History ==

[[File:JSdia173.jpg|300px|thumb|right|An SF40 with heavy flak battery in the town of Lahdenpohja, Finland (Lakhdenpokhya in the modern-day Russia).]]The Siebelfähre was designed by Friedrich Siebel, owner of a lesser-known German aircraft manufacturing company bearing his name. Siebel's idea was to provide the German army with a much needed easily mass-produced and effective transport vessel for the planned invasion of Britain.

His ferry would be a construction utilising parts of Bailey bridges and pontoons, which would make up the two barges connected in a catamaran style by a wooden deck. The vessel was supposed to be powered by aircraft engines and could easily be disassembled and reassembled thanks to its modular construction, allowing for the boat to also be transported by land.

The idea was met with great enthusiasm from the German military, and an order for 400 units of this ferrycraft soon followed. The order encompassed more than just one version of the vessel, however. For instance, some versions were specialised to perform anti-air duties and were meant to cover the landing troops from air attacks. These were equipped with light 20 mm and 37 mm AA guns up to the heavy FlaK 88 mm cannon, depending on the version.

However, before all 400 vessels could be made, the Invasion of Britain was cancelled, and thus the need for the Siebelfähre also disappeared below the waves. Nonetheless, around 200 of these vessels were still made before the order was cancelled and a majority of them found use in transport and mine-laying operations in the Black Sea and the Mediterranean. The Siebelfähre saw use right up to the end of the war, and some vessels continued serving well into the 1960s as civilian ferries.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5589-fleet-development-siebelf%C3%A4hre-sf-40-schwere-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_sf40_schwere_flakkampffaehre Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
SF-40 (schwer).jpg
</gallery>

== See also ==

* [[:Category:Barges|Barges]]
* [[SF40 Light]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5589-fleet-development-siebelf%C3%A4hre-sf-40-schwere-en|[Devblog] Siebelfähre SF 40 Schwere]]

{{Germany barges}}

File:JSdia173.jpg

2024-11-23T11:39:09Z

U44982996: https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JSdia173.jpg

https://commons.wikimedia.org/wiki/File:JSdia173.jpg

Maus

2024-11-22T00:14:49Z

U44982996: /* See also */

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.47 "Big Guns"]] as a main tree vehicle, however in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]] it was shifted to a gift vehicle for players who previously owned it. It was later available for research for a limited time during War Thunder's [[wt:en/news/6907-special-8th-anniversary-of-war-thunder-en|8th]], [[wt:en/news/7408-news-happy-birthday-war-thunder-en|9th]], [[wt:en/news/7945-special-happy-anniversary-war-thunder-en|10th]], [[wt:en/news/8559-special-war-thunders-11th-birthday-lets-celebrate-together-en|11th]] and [[wt:en/news/9178-special-its-war-thunders-12th-birthday-join-the-celebrations-en|12th]] anniversary events. The Maus is the epitome of the word 'heavy tank' and as such sports one of the thickest raw armour values in the game, alongside a monstrous weight of 188 tons and the size to show for it. The vehicle has various tools to spearhead a charge and lead your team to victory, but if positioned incorrectly or if the tools it has are underutilized players will quickly find that the Maus isn't as easygoing as its armour may suggest.

The Maus is more than just a mobile pillbox - its size and armour commandeer the term 'mobile bunker' instead. The 12.8 cm cannon on the Maus has devastating effectiveness, with options between a higher-filler, lower penetrating round and the 12.8/8.8 APCBC round which has over 300 mm of flat penetration and flies a good 300 m/s faster than the prior round. The vehicle's mobility is limited by the transmission to 20.8 km/h both forwards and backwards, meaning careful planning of the vehicle's path is crucial to avoid downtime by trying to turn the hull. Armour is by far the most notable trait of the vehicle, but with a catch - the Maus straddles the line between Cold War and World War 2 vehicles, and as such the armour can swing wildly between not stopping any rounds or bouncing every enemy shell off the front. Careful positioning and planning is required to excel in the Maus, but if one takes the time to master it it can be nigh impossible to take down outside of a concerted team effort to take it down.

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 200 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 200 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 180 mm ''Top'' 100+80 mm ''Bottom'' 300 mm ''Weld joints''|| 160 mm (37°) ''Top'' 160 mm (9°) ''Bottom'' 160 mm (31°) ''Lower glacis'' || 200 mm (36°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm ''Driver compartment'' 50 mm ''General area'' 5 mm ''Engine vents''
|-
| Turret || 232 mm (cylindrical) ''Turret front'' 240 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 205 mm (30°) ''Top'' 205 mm ''Bottom''
| 205 mm (15°) ''Top'' 200 mm ''Bottom'' || 60 mm 100 mm ''Hatches''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The armour on the Maus is quite complex, and definitely does not end with the above-mentioned values
** Behind the frontal upper plate on deck armour, there are many 60 mm highly sloped plates of armour, protecting the engine vents and turret ring from HEAT/HE shells and some small-calibre fire
** The belly is also 100 mm thick in the front, with the rest being 50 mm
** Even inside the tank there is armour - there are many 20 mm plates inside the tank, separating crew compartments from various modules, and partially protecting the interior from shrapnel that penetrated the tank from other areas
*** One plate is at the rear of the tank, between the enormous transmission and the fighting compartment
*** The second plate is more to the front, separating fighting compartment from the middle-mounted Engine and its radiators
*** The third plate is in the front between the driver's compartment and the engine
*** Around the driver there are many more 20 mm plates, adding some protection to fuel tanks located there

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


The Maus weighs 188 tons. This is more than twice the weight of similar vehicles like it, such as the [[T95]], [[TOG II]], [[M103]] or even the [[M1 Abrams (Family)|M1 Abrams]], and it shows in the tank's mobility. The Maus tops out at a fairly slow 20.8 km/h in both forwards and reverse speed, which is enabled by its electric transmission, although it can easily reach and stay at this speed across most terrain due to strong torque. The tank slows down noticeably when turning, so if the player wishes to reach destinations at a brisker pace it is advised to minimize the number of turns needed to get to a point of interest.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,549|rbMinHp=1,061}}

=== Modifications and economy ===

In general, mobility upgrades and the 12.8/8.8 cm APCBC round should be prioritized, but the APCBC round isn't mandatory and should generally be considered the lower lethality but higher penetrating option, not a requirement to do well in the Maus. Between penetration and knock-out potential, it is generally a preferential choice and whichever one you find more consistent should be your go-to choice of ammunition.

{{Specs-Economy}}

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

{{main|KwK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK44 (128 mm)|128 mm KwK44]] || 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" | 68 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.6 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 12.0 || 12.8 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.30 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.8 || 5.6 || 6.8 || 7.5 || 8.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:KwK44 (128 mm)/Ammunition|Sprgr. L/5, PzGr, PzGr 43, 12.8/8.8 Pzgr.TS}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo parts
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''68''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants''|| 55 ''(+13)'' 57 ''(+11)'' || 33 ''(+35)'' 45 ''(+23)'' || 25 ''(+43)'' 37 ''(+31)'' || 17 ''(+51)'' 23 ''(+45)'' || 9 ''(+59)'' 15 ''(+53)'' || 1 ''(+67)'' 1 ''(+67)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* The {{PAGENAME}} uses two-piece ammunition, composed of projectiles (yellow) and propellant charges (orange). Both have separate racks.
* Projectiles and propellants are modeled by sets of 2 which disappear once both in the set have been fired.
* Turret empty: 45 ''(+23)'' shells.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}


The Maus comes equipped with what is ostensibly the main gun of low rank German vehicles - the 75 mm cannon. While the gun is technically slightly different with it being a L/36.5 and not a L/37, performance is near identical. This 75 mm unlike other coaxial guns on other heavy tanks such as the [[M6A1]]/[[T1E1]] has significant utility and without it the Maus would be far worse off. This utility includes being able to quickly load and fire HEAT shells at flanking open top or light vehicles to overpressure them, track or barrel enemies that barrel your main gun and try to push up to you, and creating what is basically a smoke wall by firing smoke rounds in succession as you advance to cover potentially lethal corridors.

{{main|KwK44 L/36.5 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[KwK44 L/36.5 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK44 L/36.5]] || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 100 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 5.20 || 4.60 || 4.24 || 4.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:KwK44 L/36.5 (75 mm)/Ammunition|Sprgr. 34, Hl.Gr 38B, K.Gr.Rot Nb., Hl.Gr 38C}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''100''' || 76 ''(+24)'' || 51 ''(+49)'' || 26 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Racks are modelled by sets of 5 shells. The sets disappear from the rack once all shells in the set have been loaded/fired.
* Turret empty: 76 ''(+24)'' shells.
{{Clear}}

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

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (150) || 900 || -7°/+23° || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Maus is arguably one of the if not most polarizing vehicles in the game. While other vehicles generally focus on one or two traits from the proverbial "iron triangle" of survivability, mobility and firepower, the Maus is what you get when you drag two of the sliders to the absolute limit. With an imposing silhouette, slow speed, a monstrous cannon and the thickest raw armour plate in the game, the Maus commandeers the attention of both your allies and your enemies alike. There are two main ways to play this vehicle, and here are the pros and cons of each approach:

'''The Case for Playing With Your Team'''

This is the commonly cited strategy of playing the Maus. Stick near your teammates, and play as either a frontline vanguard vehicle or as a second line of defense for your team. These two strategies aren't too far apart, as if you keep pushing from that second line position up to the front lines you become the frontline vanguard instead and vice versa. The Maus has thick armour and a large silhouette; you can draw enemy fire your way to let your teammates fire back safely, and your lumbering frame will unless tracked push up to a capture point and act as an irremovable anchor both alive and as artificial cover after destruction. If you try pushing as the vanguard, you will almost certainly sustain some form of damage be it superficial damage to repairable parts to multiple crew members knocked out, and sticking with your team means there's a much higher chance of getting repaired once your team takes the area. It is also beneficial to in general support your team, as you alone can't really win a game by yourself down to your very poor reactivity, long reload and very predictable nature, and you drawing fire helps your team gain an advantage.

'''The Case for Playing On a Flank'''

While not ''strictly'' relegated to only flanking, this playstyle is more solitary and generally isn't tied to playing around your team. The disadvantages with this are obvious - if you take damage, you'll have to spend the full duration of the repair immobilized, and if you get overwhelmed by multiple enemies you won't be receiving much assistance if at all compared to playing around teammates. However, there is still most definitely a case to play on the less populated areas of the map as well. The most noticeable of these is definitely the fact that you'll be targeted by CAS far less often. Of course, if someone is intent on revenge bombing your vehicle, you won't be safe from aerial threats, but against someone who is destroyed in the main conflict zone of the match, it could be argued that the chances of being attacked are lower due to two reasons. The first is that those people can also go for their own revenge bombing runs, which is certainly not you! The other is that in general, it's not so simple to find a good target from the air. In aircraft, the best indicator for an airstrike is a scouting marker, followed closely by teammates marking enemies on the map, large groups of enemies and people moving around the map quickly. As the Maus is so slow and in this case not near multiple teammates, it is simply less attractive to bomb and also not as apparent from the air compared to a hot zone of combat, which may definitely lead to better survivability.

The other benefits include the unexpected nature of your position, as well as the various tools at your disposal. While 20.8 km/h is certainly not blisteringly fast, if left at this speed the Maus can most certainly reach common map positions not too long after your teammates. Most enemies you face on the flanks will be light tanks such as the [[BMP-1]] or thinly armoured MBTs such as the [[AMX-30 (1972)]], and even if you face off against a MBT with more armour such as a [[T-55A]] you have the penetration to go through their turret cheeks and one shot them regardless. People generally gravitate towards the capture points and of those capture points usually a single one that's commonly fought over will attract most people, so you can surprisingly get around the enemy team with minimal resistance fairly often. If an enemy barrels your tank, use your 75 mm HEAT launcher to barrel and/or track them in return. If you see a [[M56]], [[JPz 4-5]] or other lightly armoured SPAAs and light tank/TDs, use your HEAT rounds to save a reload cycle on your main gun. If you have to traverse a heavily defended corridor, use your smoke shells to create confusion and uncertainty before you start advancing. If you're being overwhelmed, your reverse is as fast as your forwards speed so try and create more distance between you and your enemy as you retreat to a better position. As a whole, you possess a lot of utility due to the second gun and if you can utilize it effectively you can become a true one-man army as you pressure the enemy's often undefended flanks.

'''General Playstyle'''

Regardless of how you play the Maus, be it spearhead of pushes or as a one-man army, they both benefit heavily from the clever usage of your 75 mm secondary gun. You can for the most part forego the smoke grenades modification early on as you only get 6 charges total from a launcher affixed to the turret, compared to the dozens upon dozens of rounds you can load into the cannon. The HEAT shells allow the Maus to overpressure lightly armoured / open top vehicles, and the aforementioned smoke rounds let you effectively create a wall of smoke for you and your teammates to push through (for example, smoking up the sniping corridors on Port Novorossiysk in its most common Domination layout when you get the A-side spawn can allow your entire team to push up as you constantly blind the enemy from firing back). It is also notable that most people will try and disable your gun breech or barrel on the 12.8 cm cannon, but will very frequently forget about the existence of the 75 mm cannon as they either don't see it as a threat or have simply forgotten in the heat of battle. As such, you can barrel or track your enemies back as they try and attack, buying you precious time as you repair your crippled vehicle. One last tactic with the 75 mm is to bait enemies into pushing you by firing the gun at an enemy or around a corner, making them think you're on reload when in fact you're simply waiting for your prey to peek out. When doing this, you should abstain from firing the 75 mm rapidly as this may alert them to your tricks, and if possible you should try and hit a component (usually the side or exposed track of an enemy) so that the enemy doesn't suspect anything is amiss when they decide to push. Reverse a bit and machine gun them as they push out, and you have now successfully sold the illusion of helplessness and have the advantage positionally against the enemy, who is now advancing to their doom.

Much of your time in the Maus will be spent trying to turn the vehicle. While at speed it can initially turn a bit well, it quickly loses all its speed and trying to make this goliath turn while also holding down the W key can feel like a herculean struggle. As such, try and plan routes ahead of time in your head and minimize the time spent turning, as frequent course corrections will be the biggest time sink you can avoid just with some simple planning. When turning, after the initial slight turn at speed it's generally faster to just use the neutral steering and wait a while, before advancing again towards your enemies. Your turret speed, while not slow for its immense size and weight, also very much isn't as fast as contemporary tanks at this rank, so if you want to get your gun on target it may sometimes be necessary to turn the entire hull a bit to gain some extra horizontal guidance speed. It is also handy to note that as the vehicle is usually traveling slowly, unless on bumpy terrain or an incline, you have the ability to fire forwards fairly accurately on the move. If your aim doesn't work out for this technique, don't sweat it, but if you can master this skill it may let you destroy a vehicle or two that you'd have been more reserved about firing at prior to practicing.

'''Potential Dangers'''

The Maus is one of the most iconic tanks in the game and in military history both for its immense and in many ways super-sized nature. As such, your weak spots from the front are generally well understood and even your ammo rack locations in the side of your vehicle are somewhat public knowledge as well. The biggest priority against many enemies would be to angle; If a [[M41A1]] gets on your side and fires an APDS round into your ammunition rack, you may sometimes find yourself detonating instantly and wondering what in the world went wrong. Angling the hull as a whole generally does greatly increase your overall armour effectiveness from most AP and APDS rounds, so against enemies that fire these rounds this may help.

The more pressing concern for the Maus, however, is chemical ammunition. HEATFS rounds and HEAT grenades start becoming very common past 6.7, and as a 7.7 vehicle you will very much see these tanks in every game. From tiny, mobile vehicles such as the [[M56]], [[M50]], [[JPz 4-5]] and [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]] all the way up to fairly armoured, high calibre chemical round slingers like the [[SU-122-54]], [[M47]], [[M103]] and many, many more, these rounds generally care little for your armour with at least 300 mm of chemical penetration. Some even stretch as high as the 400 mm mark, and as your armour scheme was designed prior to the existence of ERA or composites this can be deadly if not outright fatal. Against these vehicles the best defense is sadly a strong offense, as your tank's armour should not be relied upon to survive a shot with no damage taken. If it's a lightly armoured vehicle your 75 mm may be able to take them out, but if you do not have your weapon selection keys bound or aren't too confident with your aim it is more than justified to use your main gun at these enemies. Better to be on reload than missing your 75 mm secondary gun and dying a slow, painful death to the M56 300 m away chipping at your turret crew after all. More heavily armoured vehicles such as the [[SU-122-54]] and similar vehicles like it can generally be penetrated with your main gun, but if your aim is off or the angle unideal there is a chance of your shell not doing meaningful damage. High Explosive (HE) shells are also a minor threat this BR if they hit your turret or hull roof, and you should definitely keep an eye out for it, but for the most part you need not worry too much about it unless you're on a downwards slope facing a howitzer.

Another very dangerous shell type the Maus can see is the much-feared dart round, also known as APFSDS. A much more lethal version of APDS, this shell type includes a fin stabilized shell inside a discarding sabot that makes the shell fly even faster, penetrate even thicker armour, and almost never ricochet on all but the harshest angles. While the spall cone narrows significantly and the shell has no explosive filler, most dart rounds can easily go through your armour without a care in the world and detonate your ammunition. The one saving grace is that it's a round you will only really see in uptiers, should you choose to take the Maus out in one. Most dart carrying vehicles are generally 8.0 or above, such as the [[M41D]], [[T-55A]], [[T-55AM-1]], [[T95E1]] and many others, meaning it is in a way partially your choice to see them as the Maus isn't a very reliable vehicle in uptiers and isn't the first choice for many players in this situation.

Some dart rounds, such as the [[Type 69]]'s stock APFSDS, pose little to no threat to you. The round has less penetration than the German 88, and frequently non-pens or ricochets off fairly shallow angles for a dart. Darts like the [[Object 120]]'s, however, will easily cut through your armour like butter. The Object 120 is a notable (albeit somewhat rare these days) threat in that it has both HEATFS and APFSDS on a 10-second autoloader with a 152 mm (contrary to its name its cannon is, in fact, a 152) cannon, akin to a railgun at these ranks. It is however extremely large and poorly armoured, so a single shot into it will generally be the end of your problems. Other darts such as the ones mentioned above will rarely (unless hitting ammunition) destroy you in a single shot, but they can all generally go through your turret cheeks which means you can very often expect them to constantly knock out your breech and gunner as you eventually die of crew loss.

ATGMs (Anti-Tank Guided Missiles) are also an emerging threat this rank, but are generally not your biggest threat. Many are manually guided (MCLOS), and the ones that aren't are generally less of a threat than darts and contemporary cannons firing HEATFS at you. Vehicles like the [[Shturm-S]] pack a big punch and will do critical damage to you frontally, but smaller ATGMs such as the [[BMP-1]]'s Konkurs and the MILAN/TOW on NATO vehicles will usually only knock out a few crew members and occasionally your breech / transmission. Most missile carriers and IFVs cannot fire their missiles on the move and lack armour, so you can quickly dispatch them before they come to a halt and it will be a victorious encounter for you.

In summary, the Maus is both extremely armoured and at the same time not armoured enough. It has a strong gun, but is held back by a fairly long reload, slow traverse and lack of filler on the APCBC round. It is also the size of a barn, has flat sides and is also slower than almost all other tanks in the game. While downtiers in the Maus will always be more enjoyable, when playing it you should always be vigilant, as even at your rank and below there are many, many vehicles that carry either chemical rounds capable of going through your entire front profile or are able to go through your sides at medium range with enough spall to one-shot your vehicle. The two guns and high utility they provide as well as the ability to draw enemy fire to help a team push forwards can be invaluable, even in full uptier games, and ultimately once you master the playstyle of the Maus you may be surprised at your ability to dish back punishment just as hard as the 8.7 enemies can to you, and you can be happy knowing that this isn't the tank doing it for you, it's your mastery of the Maus and its many tools and tricks. The best way to find out if the Maus is for you, is at the end of the day, trying it out for yourself and being patient. The vehicle isn't fast, but it doesn't have to be, and it helps to take it easy sometimes in a game where everything seems to get faster and faster.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Nigh indestructible tank against many guns when angled and at range
* Capable of soaking a large amount of damage and very resilient to bombs and rockets
* Turret sides are as strong as, if not stronger than, the front of the turret
* Good traction, will reach its top speed consistently on almost all terrain
* Very difficult to immobilize, due to extremely thick track skirts
* Powerful 128 mm cannon and rounds
* Secondary 75 mm coaxial cannon offers extreme utility without sacrificing your 128 mm gun's reload
* Has commander sights, useful for looking around without moving the turret

'''Cons:'''

* Slow at everything, struggles to crest hills quickly, turn the hull or turn the turret quickly
* Fairly easy to take on without any team support
* Easily damageable ammunition racks in the sides of the vehicle
* Gargantuan profile; Easily spotted from long range
* Armour is insufficient against modern rounds and missiles
* Big size makes it an easy target to cripple using CAS
* Optics have low zoom, making it hard to spot targets at range
* Secondary 75 mm has high drop and needs keys bound to it for effective use

== History ==

===Development===
This monster of a tank started development in 1942 on the suggestion of Ferdinand Porsche to Hitler, which was approved. The first prototype was to be completed by 1943 and the project vehicle was designated the ''Mammut'' (Mammoth). The name changed in December 1942 to ''Mäuschen'' (Little Mouse), then once more to the '''Maus''' (Mouse) in February 1943, which stayed as its designation (and perhaps proving that Germany does have a sense of humour).

The prototype used Ferdinand's "electric transmission" that was previously used on the rejected [[VK 45.01 (P)]], the vehicle would be powered by an MB 517 diesel engine. The Maus has a suspension design with 24 wheels on each side, 2 per bogie with two bogies side by side and six bogies lining up from front and back. The armour was perhaps the most defining feature at 220 mm thick at the hull front, the sides and rear were 190 mm thick. The turret was even thicker at 240 mm on the front and 200 mm on the sides and rear. The vehicle was to also have a 128 mm KwK44 main gun with a 75 mm KwK44 gun as a coaxial. The overwhelming design was approximated to weight 100 tons.

The production plan was to have the prototype completed by mid-1943 and for 10 vehicles per month after the prototype delivery. Work would be divided between Krupp and Alkett for the production of the machine. The wooden model of the tank was presented on May 1943 to Hitler. It was then approved for production and 150 of them were to be built. With the final design finished, it was estimated to weight 188 tons now. Though Hitler and his peers saw it with much favour, Heinz Guderian criticised the Maus design because there was a lack of machine guns, thus it was extremely vulnerable to infantry attacks at close-quarters for the same reason as the [[Ferdinand|Ferdinand tank destroyer]]. The anti-infantry problem was solved with the addition of a coaxial machine gun and a "Nahverteidigungswaffe" dischargers, firing smoke or high-explosive shells in its surrounding area, installed on the turret.

===Production and cancellation===
Two prototypes of the Maus were made in 1943 and 1944. The first one, called ''V1'' was turretless and assembled by Alkett in December 1943, it was fitted with a mock turret that helped finalise the turret design in 1944. Here they determine the Maus was definitely too heavy for any bridges in existence so the Maus would ford rivers with a snorkel. The second prototype called ''V2'' by Alkett again had the first produced Maus turret attached with the 128 mm gun, coaxial 75 mm gun, and coaxial machine gun. In July 1944, Krupp was producing four more hulls, but these were scrapped and the whole project stopped on August 1944, though tests with the ''V2'' continued. The weight of the tank meant that the power-to-weight ratio was extremely poor, resulting in the Maus' ideal speed of about 8 miles per hour maximum in ideal conditions.

However, the Maus was never fully produced because it was the only tank that ceased production because of a strategic bombing campaign that would ruin its production facilities. Adding to this, by 1944, the Red Army was advancing deeper and deeper into what was previously German-controlled territory. The vision that the Red Army might capture the testing grounds of the Maus prototypes and the prototypes themselves seem to come closer to reality. The Germans were forced to destroy the prototypes to prevent their capture by the Soviets, placing charges onto the ''V2'' prototype (the ''V1'' was only a hull so it wasn't combat-effective). The second prototype had the entire hull damaged as there was ammunition still in the tank when the charges went off, but the turret was mostly intact. The Soviets captured the damaged prototypes and held them until the end of the war. After World War II, the Soviet Commander of Armoured and Mechanized troops ordered for the V1 hull to be attached with the turret from the V2 prototype. They had to use six ''Sd.Kfz.9'', the largest half-track vehicles produced by Germany, to move the 55-ton turret to the hull. The fixed prototype was sent back to the Soviet Union for testing and arrive on May 4, 1946. Once this is done, the prototype was sent to Kubinka Tank museum in Russia where it lays today on display for the public.

{{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}}
An experimental super-heavy tank built in Germany towards the end of the war. The project was developed by Ferdinand Porsche.

The first tank was assembled at the Alkett factory in Berlin on August 1, 1943.

The first trial run of the Type 205/1 tank was conducted on December 24, 1943. The turret still wasn't ready, so a load equal to the weight of the turret was placed on top of the tank. The prototype turned out to be quite manoeuvrable once it was able to leave the assembly area, where it had been rather cramped. According to those who had the opportunity to drive the tank, the Maus was easier to drive than the Pz.Kpfw. IV.

In November, 1943 a 44 calibre, 128 mm KwK44 cannon was built that was intended for the tank. The cannon's designation was later changed to 12.8 cm KwK82. The weapon was tested at the Meppen training ground. The turret was installed on the 205/1 prototype on July 6, 1944, and on October 3, 1944 the armament was installed and the fully-outfitted tank was tested at the training ground in Kummersdorf.

Both prototypes were tested in Kummersdorf, but no reliable information on these tests is available. Whether or not experimental firing was conducted is also unknown.

Toward the end of the war, bodies and turrets had begun to be produced in addition to the prototypes that had been built.

As the Soviet troops were approaching in 1945 both prototypes were blown up. Soviet specialists were able to reconstruct one Maus from the wreckage. This rebuilt tank was delivered to the training ground in Kubinka in 1946, where various tests were performed.

The Panzerkampfwagen Maus can currently be viewed on display at the tank museum in Kubinka.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:Wallpaper MAUS 000012.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|6ZtvfyAsmM4|'''The Shooting Range #68''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 09:31 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|B2woWvJK4ew|'''Top 7 most armoured vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:35 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|ly9JS6errQQ|'''Best secondary armaments''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:14 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|x97HKmhCRsE|'''The Maus''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|Zs9_u_plcSw|'''The Maus Super-Heavy Tank''' - ''Simple History''|SfMT-d6Kez4|'''Mighty Maus''' - ''TheDevildogGamer''}}

== See also ==
====Related development====
* [[E-100]]
====Other super-heavy tanks====
* [[2C]] / [[2C bis]]
* [[T28]] / [[T95]]
* [[TOG II]]
* [[Tortoise]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/737/|[Devblog] Panzerkampfwagen VIII «Maus»]]
* <nowiki>[Historical]</nowiki> Panzerkampfwagen VIII "Maus", [[wt:en/news/2825-historical-panzerkampfwagen-viii-maus-part-i-en|Part I]], [[wt:en/news/2831-historical-panzerkampfwagen-viii-maus-part-ii-en|Part II]], and [[wt:en/news/2843/current/|Part III]]

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

B-26B

2024-11-21T11:03:38Z

U44982996: description

{{About
| about = American bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the French version
| link = B-26C
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=b_26b_c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


In March 1939, the USAAF issued a design specification for a twin-engine medium bomber with speed and range as a priority. The Glenn L. Martin submitted their design four months later, which were accepted for contract for what would be later known as the '''Martin B-26 Marauder'''. After entering service in 1941, the Marauder became notorious for its tendency to crash during landing due to its short wingspan resulting into high stall speed that forced the pilot to land at a dangerously fast approach speed, often with fatal results. Because of this, along with the overall instability during flight that is uncomfortable for anyone on the plane, led to the Marauder to be hated by its crews and spawned numerous derogatory nicknames. Chief among these are the "Widowmaker" and the "Martin Murderer".

In response to numerous fatal crashes, in 1942 the Truman Committee demanded Martin to rectify the flaws of the Marauder or else the contract for the aircraft would be cancelled entirely. This resulted into the '''B-26B''' variant, featuring an extended wingspan and larger stabilizer and rudder to improve the overall flight characteristic and reduce the stall speed. After the problem was ironed out, the Marauder proved itself to be a very reliable and durable bomber, with the lowest loss rate of any bombers operated by the USAAF. With one aircraft in particular, the ''Flak-Bait'', being notable for having survived 207 sortie over Europe, the most of any American aircraft in World War II.

Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' served as a stopgap between the [[B-25J-20|B-25 Mitchell]] and the [[B-17E]] Flying Fortress. Featuring frontal machine guns to strafe ground targets like the Mitchell while also being closer in size and payload to the Flying Fortress. As expected for a plane of this size, the Marauder is quite sluggish, though in return also featuring heavy ordnance for its class. Allowing it to tackle any kinds of ground or naval targets.

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


As expected from a medium-to-large bomber, the B-26B Marauder's flight characteristics are quite similar to its predecessor, the [[B-25J-20|B-25 Mitchell]], being generally sluggish to handle but with decent flatline speed. Though due to its bigger size and weight, the general weakness found the B-25's flight performance is further exacerbated. The Marauder will lose quite a lot of energy when making any manoeuvres, especially in vertical manoeuvres that will almost always result in a stall if the plane did not have enough energy prior to the movement. This poor energy retention also results in the plane having very poor climb rate, even when compared to heavy bombers. The plane's control surface lock up when exceeding 540 km/h, and the wings will break if exceeding 580 km/h.

On the bright side, the Marauder's engines provide enough power to accelerate in shallow dives and allows the plane to reach the target faster. This also helps in emergency cases as the Marauder is also capable of flying with one engine in case the other is knocked out.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,962 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
| 403 || 387 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 35.3 || 36.6 || 2.4 || 2.4 || rowspan="2" | 950
|-
! Upgraded
| 525 || 491 || 32.8 || 34.0 || 10.3 || 5.6
|-
|}

==== 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 568  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 382 || 320 || 297 || ~8 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 270 || < 320 || < 370 || > ___
|-
|}

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


* 12.7 mm steel - floor and port side of nose gunner/bombardier's position
* 8 mm steel - slightly curved armour plates behind flight deck seats (pilot, copilot, plus one unoccupied position that is presumably the navigator/radio operator's position)
* 9 mm steel - under main oil coolers in each engine nacelle
* 12.7 mm steel - under beam gunner
* 12.7 mm steel - two curved plates aft of dorsal turret
* 12.7 mm steel - aft of tail gunner
* 8 mm bulletproof glass - small window for tail gunner

There is basically no protection from the front for the flight crew, so while your offensive battery of five forward-firing M2 Brownings might make head-on attacks tempting, your pilots are shockingly vulnerable from that angle.

The four large self-sealing fuel tanks in the wings are relatively easy targets for enemy fighters, and your engines are also an easy target. To make matters worse, the B-26 had a reputation for being very challenging to keep in the air with only one engine. While the Marauder is often able to absorb a considerable amount of punishment, it is unlikely you'll make it alive back to base. Use your speed to keep pursuing fighters on your tail, where your relatively well protected defensive gunners can discourage pursuit.

=== 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:

* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, nose-mounted (200 rpg)
* 4 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, cheek-mounted (250 rpg upper + 200 rpg lower = 900 total)

The B-26B features five .50 cal Browning machine guns mounted on the nose and cheeks as its offensive armament. These guns were mounted with the intent of being used to strafe ground targets, which the Marauder is perfectly capable of doing. However, unlike the B-25, due to the guns being mounted quite low on the fuselage and being placed quite far apart, this results in the guns having poor convergence and thus are very hard to aim at an enemy plane. This is not helped by the fact that the plane has much worse handling than the B-25 and that its large tail directly blocks the aiming point. Because of this, it is better used against ground targets or slow-flying AI planes instead.
=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}

{{main|AN-M30A1 (100 lb)|H.E. M31 (300 lb)|H.E. M32 (600 lb)|AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|AN-M66A2 (2,000 lb)}}
{{main|AN-Mk 1 (1,600 lb)|Mk.13-1 (2,216 lb)}}

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

* 30 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (3,000 lb total)
* 14 x 300 lb H.E. M31 bombs (4,200 lb total)
* 8 x 600 lb H.E. M32 bombs (4,800 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,600 lb AN-Mk 1 bombs (3,200 lb total)
* 1 x 2,216 lb Mk.13-1 torpedo

The B-26B features a large payload for its type. The stock payload of 30 x 100 lb bombs are actually quite potent, being able to take out two bases in downtier and one in uptier, though due to the bomb series set up, the payload often requires micromanagement to precisely manage the drop. Due to the quantity, the 100 lb payload are very useful against columns of vehicles. The most "optimal" payload against bases in air battles is the 8 x 600 lb bombs, which can destroy the same number of bases as the 100 lb bombs, but are much easier to handle.

Other than the smaller bombs, the Marauder also has access to large bombs to tackle ground and naval targets. The plane has access to 4 x 1,000 lb or 2 x 2,000 lb bombs to provide destructive CAS against the enemy team.

The Marauder also has an option to mount a single Mk.13 torpedo. However, only the notoriously terrible, early version of the Mk. 13 is available, with very poor drop speed and range. This, combined with the plane's large size, means that the Marauder pilot should rely on its large bombs against enemy ships instead.

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

{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, nose turret (270 rpg)
* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, dorsal turret (400 rpg = 800 total)
* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (240 rpg)
* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, tail turret (800 rpg = 1,600 total)

== Usage in battles ==

The B-26 is best used at high altitudes to avoid combat as much as possible due to lack of armour, its size, and because most bombers go out solo, leaving you no other allies to help you. Be sure to use its speed to your advantage. Some notable enemies that should be avoided at all costs are aircraft like the Do 335: its absurd amount of guns can surely rip you in half with nearly a burst or two. If you can dodge any enemies that come your way, then it's a cakewalk when taking out bases.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good payload consists of bombs of various size for different targets
* Tough airframe with armour plates protecting pilots and gunners, capable of soaking up damage
* Tricycle landing gear allows the plane to land and take off on smaller airfields
* Powerful engines provide decent flat acceleration and also allow the plane to fly with one engine
* Adequate defensive armament at the rear
* Access to five machine guns for strafing ground targets

'''Cons:'''

* Quite large in size, can be easily targeted
* Wide frontal gun convergence resulting into inaccuracy, especially against aircraft
* Low structural limit speed (~580 km/h), can make dive bombing quite tricky to perform
* Very poor climb rate and energy retention
* Poor overall manoeuvrability, especially at higher speed
* Limited defensive gun coverage at the front, side, and below

== History ==

The Martin B-26 medium bomber was submitted by the Glenn L. Martin company in 1939 to the same USAAC specification (Circular Proposal 39-640) as the North American B-25 Mitchell, and both were accepted off the drawing board. Unsurprisingly, the two airplanes share much in common: twin-engined medium bombers, similar in size, with similar offensive and defensive armament. Both saw service in all major theaters of the war, with both U.S. and allied forces.

What sets the B-26 Marauder apart is that it was designed for speed; designed around two massively powerful Pratt & Whitney R-2800 radial engines, its maximum speed is a full 10% faster than its slightly smaller and lighter B-25 counterpart. However, this speed came at a cost. With high wing loading and demanding flight characteristics, the B-26 was noticeably harder to fly than the Mitchell. This pilot skill differential, combined with the pressures of wartime training, led to a track record of deadly crashes early in the plane's history, gaining a reputation as a "widow maker".

Despite this unpromising start to its career, the B-26 Marauder racked up a solid combat record. Mostly deployed at medium altitude missions, it became known for accurate bombing, and by the end of the war, the U.S. 9th Air Force reported that the so-called "widow maker" recorded the lowest combat loss rate of any aircraft type.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_B-26_Marauder</ref> One B-26, named "Flak Bait", survived over 200 missions and is on display at the Smithsonian Institution's Steven F. Udvar-Hazy Center.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flak-Bait</ref>

Although most of its combat flying was done in the European Theater of Operations, a notable early engagement in the Pacific was the sortie of four torpedo-equipped Marauders against the Japanese fleet during the Battle of Midway. None of the torpedoes hit, two of the planes were lost, and the other two returned so badly shot-up that they were written off. Over the fleet and pursued by Japanese A6M Zeroes, a B-26 named "Susie Q" actually overflew the length of the Akagi's flight deck at very low level, strafing the deck crew with its machine guns. Susie Q landed, just barely, back at Midway with over 500 bullet holes.<ref>https://www.pacificwar.org.au/Midway/USArmy_at_Midway.html</ref>

The in-game version represents the B-26B model after some modifications had been made, including lengthening the wings to improve (but not eliminate) the tricky handling characteristics. Most B-26 were built at the Glenn L. Martin plant in Baltimore, Maryland, but the essentially identical B-26C (found in the French tech tree) was built in Omaha, Nebraska. A total of 5,288 aircraft of all models were built between 1941 and 1945.<ref>https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Martin_B-26_Marauder</ref>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=b_26b_c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|K09goo8T4jM|'''The Shooting Range #345''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:46 discusses the B-26.}}

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7577-development-b-26-marauder-into-the-fray-en|[Devblog] B-26 Marauder: Into the Fray]]

{{AirManufacturer Martin}}
{{USA bombers}}
<references />

File:ArtImage B-26B.jpg

2024-11-21T11:03:09Z

U44982996: https://live.warthunder.com/post/1121712/en/

https://live.warthunder.com/post/1121712/en/

File:ArtImage B-26B.jpeg

2024-11-21T11:00:35Z

U44982996: https://live.warthunder.com/post/1121712/en/

https://live.warthunder.com/post/1121712/en/

Ju 288 C

2024-11-20T05:11:04Z

U44982996:

{{Specs-Card
|code=ju-288c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


The '''Junkers Ju 288''' was a prototype medium bomber designed as a submission to the ''Bomber B'' design contest organised by the Luftwaffe just before World War II. The ''Bomber B'' specification demand a Schnellbomber (fast bomber) with the purpose of replacing the current [[Ju 88 (Family)|Junkers Ju 88]] bombers in service. Though a potent bomber in its own right, the Ju 88 suffered what ended up being crippling features such as a relatively small internal bomb bay requiring extra ordnance to be ferried on external hard points which ultimately increased the aircraft's drag coefficient, resulting in less efficient flight performance. Though a contest was held to choose the next generation of medium Schnellbombers, the RLM had already determined the Ju 288 was the clear winner and even let Focke-Wulf, Dornier and Henschel continue to pursue their prototypes in vain. Out of the gate, what caught the eye of the RLM was that although the Ju 288 is slightly larger than the Ju 88, the new prototype contained a pressurized cabin allowing for higher altitude flying, faster speeds, further range, excellent defensive capabilities and a much larger bomb payload. Such hope was put into this aircraft that it was slated to replace all bombers within the Luftwaffe inventory.

Though the aircraft itself was a massive success, the failed development of the Junkers Jumo 222 engines and problems with its complicated landing gear ended up crippling the development of the plane, resulting in only a handful of prototypes being built with a few being hurriedly outfitted with defensive weapons and used as a reconnaissance bomber. The '''Ju 288 C''' was the final batch of the Ju 288 produced, which substituted the Jumo 222 engines with a slightly less troublesome Daimler-Benz DB610 coupled engines found on the [[He 177 A-5|Heinkel He 177]] heavy bomber.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an aircraft that has an in-game reputation of being loved by its pilot and loathed by its enemies, and for a good reason. The Ju 288 C is the ultimate ''Schnellbomber'', featuring a combination of extremely heavy payload for its size, fast top speed and acceleration and a potent defensive armaments. It can deliver up to 5,000 kg of payload in the form of two massive 2,500 kg bombs, easily capable of wiping out a group of ground vehicles or threaten even a battleship. Its other payload are the versatile 36 x 50 kg bombs, a relatively lightweight yet optimal payload for destroying up to 2 bases or carpet bombings. The Ju 288 can prove to be incredible asset for your team or a headache to the enemy, as it can perform in various roles effectively, be it level bombing, carpet bombing, or close air support.
== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


For those pilots who have flown many slow and heavy bombers just to get a decent payload to the target will be thoroughly refreshed when getting behind the controls of the {{PAGENAME}}. Quickly apparent is the speed of this bomber. As its type suggests, Schnellbomber, this aircraft is fast, topping out just over 600 km/h (375 mph) and agile enough to manoeuvre when attacked as not to be a "sitting duck" like many of the larger contemporary bombers such as the American [[B-24D-25-CO|B-24]] and the Italian [[P.108B serie 2|P.108B]] which are easily 120 km/h (75 mph) slower and much less agile making for a tempting target even for the least experienced fighter pilot to attempt to eliminate.

For many aircraft, speed is life, but speed for this Schnellbomber not only is life but what gets the ordnance to the target. The {{PAGENAME}} does have a pressurized cabin which allows the aircraft to fly at higher altitudes where it can bomb bases with accuracy with 2,500 kg bombs, but this bomber is also very capable at flying at lower altitudes and even terrain hugging where it can release up to 36 x 50 kg bombs on unsuspecting vehicles before they have a chance to scatter or hardened anti-aircraft structures filling the sky with flak. The {{PAGENAME}} also has the ability to perform shallow dive bombing given that it has dive brakes in the wings which will help slow its speed and maintain its heading during a dive to ensure a relatively smooth bombing run, after bombs have been dropped, the aircraft can retract the flaps and power up and move onto the next target.

There's usually two ways to play Ju 288 C: stay high or dive. Most people play Ju 288 C dive and take as many bases for themselves. When diving, try to watch your IAS and keep it at around 640 km/h (400 mph), don't go over that speed. The second way to play is to stay high, when staying high, you will see enemy bombers that you can hunt with your superior firepower. When bomber hunting, try to get next to them, match their speed, and gun the hell out of them. Usually, bomber hunting will cause you to sustain some damage.

{| 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
| 607 || 591 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.0 || 33.0 || 8.5 || 8.5 || rowspan="2" | 1,500
|-
! Upgraded
| 655 || 630 || 29.5 || 30.7 || 14.9 || 11.4
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 457 || 428 || 280 || ~9 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 370 || < 360 || < 450 || > 715
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 5,700 m || 2,520 hp || 2,797 hp
|-
|}

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


* 10 mm steel - Pilot's headrests
* 8 mm steel - Pilot's seats
* 8 mm steel - cockpit floor

The Ju 288 C are highly survivable, even when compared to some heavy bombers. The airframe can take a lot of beatings and although the elevator and rudders are quire weak, the plane is still capable of stay in flight even when one of its twin tails or engines were destroyed. Although the Ju 288 are quite volatile due to the large fuel tanks scattered around the wings, it can endure multiple fire damages and still remains intact.

However, the DB 610 engines is the critical weakness of the Ju 288. The engine's poor cooling system will results into the engine itself being gradually damaged over time should the engine or the coolant being damaged, eventually forcing the the aircraft the land or crash.

For anyone who wanted to take down the Ju 288 C, your best bet is to take out the pilots from above or frontally due to glazed nose design of the aircraft. Otherwise aim for the engines so that you can disable them and hinder the chance for an enemy Ju 288 to limp back to the airfield. Approaching from the side is also possible due to the lack of coverage from the 20 mm autocannon.

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

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)|SC1000L2 (1,000 kg)|SC1800B (1,800 kg)}}
{{main|Flam C 250 incendiary|Flam C 500 incendiary}}

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

* 36 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 3 x 500 kg SC500K bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 2 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 2 x 1,800 kg SC1800B bombs (3,600 kg total)
* 2 x 2,800 kg SC2500 bombs (5,000 kg total)
* 8 x Flam C 250 incendiary bombs
* 3 x Flam C 500 incendiary bombs

The payload of the Ju 288 C are exceptional for its class. It can carry up to 5,000 kg payload in the form of two massive 2,500 kg bombs. With massive destruction radius and an extra drop, the Ju 288 C is capable of singlehandedly turn the tide of ground battle in favor of its team by wiping out the enemy teams with two well-aimed drops, or take out even battleships in naval battle with a near miss. It should be noted that this payload will put a significant strain on the aircraft's airframe, resulting into worse overall flight performance and significantly longer take-off runs. The bomb itself may also damage your own aircraft if you were too close to its explosion radius when it detonated.

The other payload options, the 36 x 50 kg bombs, is also potent. The quantity of bombs is enough to destroy two bases in Air RB, and due to its light weight, it will not hinder the flight performance of the Ju 288 as much as the other equivalent.

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

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

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon, tail turret (600 rpg)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, chin turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, dorsal turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

With four remote-controlled turrets and good coverage, the Ju 288 C is quite well-defended for a fast bomber. Although the six 13 mm machine guns doesn't have much penetration for its calibre, it is still enough to damage the engine of any would-be chasers and potentially light them on fire if enough shots landed. The real kicker though is the tail turret armed with a single 20 mm autocannon with an access to the dreaded minengeschoß shell that can easily shred any aircraft apart.

However, the Ju 288 still has some significant blindspots. The most obvious one is the lack of upper coverage, with only two 13 mm machine guns covering this spot. This present an opportunity for the enemy to take out the pilots and gunners by firing at the glazed canopy of the bomber. The glazed canopy also makes any head-on engagements potentially lethal. As such, always face your six (and 20 mm autocannon) to the enemy as soon as possible.
== Usage in battles ==


As a bomber, you spawn at a higher altitude, where you can use this advantage to dive to the base you want to destroy. However, do not exceed 690 km/h (430 mph), or the wings will break. A great indication of this is when your wings start to shake uncontrollably - by then, it would be apparent that you need to slow down. A good idea for more savvy pilots would be to use the Manual Engine Control to turn off automatic radiators and fully open them, allowing you near unlimited WEP without overheating and letting you keep as much altitude as possible for a possible emergency dive away from enemy fighters.

;Base bombing

In Air RB, there are two predominant types of maps: standard HP maps and double HP maps. Standard HP maps typically have three bases, with some exceptions, such as the "Air Battle" maps, which have four bases. These bases take a single SC1800 each, meaning that you can bomb two bases in a single run, yielding just over 1,000 points. Note that the airfield is a bombing target once all bases are destroyed. However, about half of the maps you see in-game are "Operation" maps, with four bases and no airfield. These bases take both SC1800 bombs to destroy, and often feature four AAA emplacements on the edges of the base. When attacking these bases, a great strategy is to drop the bombs at the edges of the base, instead of at the centre. Because of the massive blast radius of the SC1800, this enables you to kill several AAA emplacements along with the base bombing, which yields additional Silver Lions and RP.

Although the just named strategy is what is commonly used, it is ineffective and doesn't provide the full potential of the Ju 288 C. The most efficient way to use the Ju 288 is to use the 8 Flam C250kg incendiary bomb loadout, as 4 Flam C250kg incendiary bombs can destroy a double HP base, while 2 Flam C250kg incendiary bomb can destroy a standard HP base. With this loadout, you'll be able to destroy at least two bases on most maps, while being able to single-handedly destroy the whole map on standard HP Maps.

Typically, the best strategy for the Ju 288 when bombing is to utilize the Schnellbomber qualities of the aircraft, and put the aircraft into a 10-degree dive towards the base. For most "Operation" maps, this means that you can bomb the base well before enemy fighters can even see you appear on their screen. After you have dropped your bombs, return to base and reload bombs; the advance airfield (smaller airfield closer to the battlefield) works better as long as there are no enemies close by, as you will get air spawn for many of those bases. Fly back, bomb, return to base, repeat. This strategy is simple, effective, and extremely profitable in terms of SL and RP.

;Defensive flying

The Ju 288 C is a juicy target and will often be targeted by allied fighter pilots. As a result, defensive flying is a must. If you see a fighter coming in for an attack run, the best strategy to use is to dive away. This works significantly better if the Ju 288 C has an energy advantage, as it can outrun most planes at its BR in a dive. However, if they are faster than you (i.e. the [[F2G-1|F2G Super Corsair]]), level out and fire on them using your defensive guns. The Ju 288 C is surprisingly well-armed in terms of defensive armament, featuring six 13 mm machine guns and a tail-mounted 20 mm cannon. Try to keep enemy fighters on your tail, as the 20 mm cannon can load Minengeschoß (mine-shell) ammunition that is incredibly damaging against air targets. Finally, avoid all head-on engagements. Though the Ju 288 has two pilots, it is not too durable, and a frontal burst from an enemy fighter can easily knock out both pilots.

;Enemies worth noting

* [[F4U-4B|F4U Corsairs]] & [[F2G-1|F2G Super Corsair]] - The F4U / F2Gs are very common enemies, with high speed and extremely deadly weaponry (20 mm cannon for the F4Us and 12.7 mm Browning HMGs for the F2G). Against these aircraft, the best strategy is to 1) run away and 2) keep them slightly below your tail where you can fire at them with your four ventral 13 mm machine guns as well as the 20 mm cannon. When possible, seek protection from allied fighters, as the Corsairs carry a heavy armament that can tear the Ju 288 C apart very quickly. Note that the Corsairs are all faster than you, meaning that you can only outrun them when you have an energy advantage.
* [[S.O.8000 Narval]], [[J6K1]], [[Tempest (Family)|Tempest]] and [[Spitfire F Mk 24|Spitfire]] - Again, these aircraft all carry extremely powerful weaponry: the Tempests and Spitfires carry four 20 mm Hispano cannons while the J6K and Narval carry six 20 mm cannons. These weapons are extremely deadly and will shred your airframe apart very quickly. Similar to the F4Us, the best strategy is to bait these aircraft onto your six, where you can shred them with your 20 mm cannon. The British fighters and Japanese J6K are relatively fragile and rip apart pretty quickly; the Narval has a rear-mounted engine which is less susceptible to damage, but lacks full pilot protection, allowing for pilot snipes.
* [[AM-1]], [[AD-2]] and [[AD-4]]⁣ - This trio of American attackers can seem harmless, but they pack an explosive punch with four 20 mm cannons which are capable of shredding your airframe apart. The Ju 288 C's main advantage is its speed. You can outrun all three of these attackers without issue. Don't provoke them / drop to their altitude and speed, and you'll be absolutely fine.
* [[Hornet Mk.I]] and [[Hornet Mk.III]] - These twin-engine fighters are one of the few aircraft capable of intercepting you before you reach the bases with their good engine performance combined with the interceptor spawn. Along with four 20 mm Hispano cannons, they can destroy your plane in an instant. If you see one heading straight towards you, turn the aircraft and level off, aiming the cannons at the engine nacelles or the cockpit. The lack of frontal armour will allow you to knock the pilot out more 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 Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High speed for the rank, can often reach bases before fighters can intercept
* Very manoeuvrable for a bomber, capable of evasive manoever
* Has air brakes, makes landing and diving easier
* Excellent ordnance options, including two massive 2500 kg bombs
* Excellent defensive coverage from most angles, especially the tail with the 20 mm autocannon
* Durable airframe, capable of stay in flight even with only one tail
* Commonly puts out fires before structure failure, although it may end with eventually fatal coolant leaks

'''Cons:'''

* Priority target; will be swarmed by enemies as soon as you were spotted
* Engines tend to overheat quickly without MEC
* Pilot and gunners can be easily knocked out from the front or above due to glazed canopy
* Somewhat reliant on the 20 mm autocannon, as the 13 mm lacks penetration to deal with enemies at range
* Rudders and elevators are extremely fragile and can be disabled or destroyed by just a few cannon rounds
* Aircraft catches fire easily as it carries 10 self-sealing fuel tanks that are poorly covered
* Cannot sustain flight on one engine, damaged engine or coolant will gradually degrade them and eventually forced the plane to land or crash

== History ==

The Ju 288 C was a prototype German Schnellbomber (fast bomber) and the winner of the "Bomber B" competition, which aimed to replace all German bombers then in service. The Ju 288 C was a highly advanced aircraft employing modern technologies, including a fully pressurized cockpit and remotely controlled defensive armament. The aircraft was built to be faster, higher-flying and longer-ranged than any bomber then in Luftwaffe service, but was unable to reach these aspirational goals due to the failure of its intended power plant, the Junkers Jumo 222. The Ju 288 would never enter operational service, having been cancelled in 1944.

At the start of WWII, Germany possessed several Schnellbomber designs, including the Do 17 and Ju 88, which quickly became obsolete with the course of the war. As a result, the German air ministry (RLM) issued a new requirement, named "Bomber B"; it was hoped that the Bomber B design would replace all Luftwaffe medium bombers then in service. Multiple companies submitted bids, including Junkers with the Ju 288, Dornier with the Do 317, Focke-Wulf with the Fw 191, and Henschel with the Hs 130. However, the Ju 288 had practically been chosen from the start. As a result, the company progressed with the development of their Ju 288 prototypes.

The Ju 288 was a formidable bomber, intended to be powered by a pair of Junkers Jumo 222 multibank inline engines developing over 2,400 hp for takeoff, nearly twice the power of the typical inline engines of the time. While countries like the US proceeded with the development of four-engined heavy bombers like the B-17, B-24 or B-29, Germany was hesitant to fit their bombers with four engines as the increased number of engines would place undue strain on the engine‑manufacturing industry.

The power provided by the pair of Junkers Jumo 222 engines would provide the Ju 288 with an impressive set of flight characteristics: a potential top speed of 655 km/h at 7,000 metres and a service ceiling over 10 kilometres. The aircraft was fitted with a pressurized cabin at the front, remotely controlled defensive turrets, and a spacious bomb bay capable of accommodating up to 3,630 kg of bombs. The aircraft was designed to replace all medium bombers in the RLM's inventory and provide the Luftwaffe with significant bombing capabilities.

Despite this, the Ju 288 would never see service due to the failure of the Jumo 222 as a power plant: over 300 engines would be built, but the engine suffered from numerous issues, leaving it nearly nonfunctional. The first seven Ju 288 prototypes, designated Ju 288 A, would fly with BMW radial engines, leaving them quite underpowered. The Ju 288 C designation was given to the final eight prototypes, fitted with the heavier DB-610 engines that were used onto the He 177. These engines were only marginally more reliable than the Jumo 222, overheating quickly and even catching fire on some occasions. At the end, the aircraft was cancelled at the prototype stage in late 1944, meaning that the aircraft would never see full active service.

=== [[wt:en/news/5836-development-ju-288c-en|Devblog]] ===
In 1939, the Junkers company began work on a new bomber that was supposed to replace the Ju 88 bombers in service at the time. The new aircraft had to surpass the predecessor across all parameters. The plan was to fit the upcoming model with new, more powerful engines, significantly boost the firepower of the defensive armament, and, of course, increase the payload. The first prototypes took to the skies when the Jumo 222A/B engines, which the aircraft were supposed to be equipped with, had not been installed yet. Instead, the BMW engines were used. Extensive work began on the experimental models of the new series, which received the designation Ju 288, with the aim of enhancing the bomber's characteristics. This explains why the first eight prototypes were significantly different from one another.

In 1942, the Ministry of Aviation made a ruling to include a fourth member in the aircraft crew, which demanded changes to be made to the build of the cockpit. Vehicles of the second-generation prototype series with the letter "B" in their designation had their wingspan increased and their defensive armament changed. The Jumo 222A/B engines still required more work to be done and thus weren't installed on the Ju 288Bs. The Ju 288Cs, the third-generation prototypes of the series, were fitted with the Daimler Benz DB 605 engines, requiring the nacelles to be changed. Furthermore, the wingspan of the aircraft was increased even more and the defensive armament received another modification – this time, a lower rear turret was added. The Ju 288C's first test flights began in the spring of 1943. Junkers even prepared three versions of the new bomber build for serial production, each with a unique armament set. However, in June, the engineering department notified the aircraft manufacturer to discontinue work on the Ju 288 due to a lack of resources required to produce the new aircraft. Tests on the Ju 288 continued right up to 1944 – the aircraft even went on several combat flights. However, ultimately, the bomber was never approved for serial production.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ju-288c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 001.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 002.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 003.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 004.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 005.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 006.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|B61ijkCUrhQ|'''Ju 288C - Nerfed? Yes! Useless? Heck No!!!''' - ''Napalmratte''|OHffsKNNhM0|'''Ju-288 Schnell bomber with 1,800 kg bombs''' - ''Phlydaily''|e__rwCIT_dA|'''Premium Review: Ju 288C - The Ultimate SchnellBomber!''' - ''Jengar''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* Junkers [[Ju 88 (Family)|Ju 88]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era*

* Tupolev [[Tu-2 (Family)|Tu-2]]
* Yokosuka [[P1Y1 mod. 11|P1Y]] Ginga

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5836-development-ju-288c-en|[Devblog] Ju 288C]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/430075-ju-288c/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Junkers}}
{{Germany bombers}}
{{Germany premium aircraft}}

Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2

2024-11-20T01:57:08Z

U44982996: /* Usage in battles */

{{Specs-Card
|code=dh_110_sea_vixen
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

During the late 1940s, de Havilland Aircraft Company set out to create the ultimate naval aircraft for the Royal Navy. The requirements set forth by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm dictated a reliable, high-speed, all-weather fleet defence strike fighter, armed with not only the latest developments in British air-to-air missile technology and a powerful radar, but also a respectable quantity of ground ordnance, including guided ordnance. De Havilland would set out to build the DH.110 prototype, which not only surpassed all expectations by being faster and more heavily armed than requested, but was also good enough to be submitted to the Royal Air Force for consideration in their upcoming interceptor selection. While initially the DH.110 fared very poorly, having the initial prototype disintegrate in the middle of an airshow and killing 31 people, almost directly causing it to lose out in both selections to the [[Sea Venom FAW 20|Sea Venom]] which was cheaper and more readily available for the Royal Navy, and the [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9|Javelin]] interceptor which was favoured more by the RAF. This did not stop de Havilland, who saw the potential in their fighter, from developing the DH.110 further under their own funds, and shortly after, returned to the Royal Navy with a proposal for an updated version, which could accommodate the latest British missiles such as the Firestreak, and had its safety issues ironed out. The Royal Navy would order 148 of the type, now called the "Sea Vixen", and they would enter service very shortly after in 1959. Despite the attempts at fixing the safety issues, the Sea Vixen remained one of the most dangerous aircraft to enter service with the Royal Navy, with over a third of the Sea Vixens in service being lost in accidents. 30 of these (54% of the accidents) were fatal, and eventually, the Sea Vixen was relegated to peacekeeping and target tug roles, almost never seeing actual combat (with the exception of air-cover missions for Royal Navy helicopters/ships in Tanganyika and the Persian Gulf).

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]]. While on the more expensive side of rank V premiums, the cost is justified as this aircraft is very good in most aspects against almost all aircraft it can face against. Most aircraft you face cannot keep up with you in a turn, and those that can, will be unable to catch you in a straight line. The main highlight of this aircraft is its versatility in both air and ground battles. In air battles, while limited by its weak roll rate and lack of ballistic ordnance such as cannons or guns, the Sea Vixen gets access to the [[Red Top]] air-to-air missile, which at its battle rating is strong against most targets it faces, with the exception of the A-4Es with flares. This aircraft also shines in mixed battles, with the ability to bring a decent selection of bombs, rockets, and the [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] Bullpup guided missiles. All in all, the Sea Vixen proves not only a very versatile aircraft, but a good premium for grinding the respective ranks of the British aircraft tree.

== General info ==
[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 5.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen after using one of its [[Red Top]] AAMs.]]

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 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
| 1,109 || 1,093 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 24.5 || 25.5 || 42.7 || 39.4 || rowspan="2" | 325
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,117 || 1,109 || 23.6 || 24.0 || 68.8 || 55.0
|-
|}

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

{| 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 1,195  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || 407 || 324 || ~9 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 685 || < 750 || < 440 || N/A
|-
|}

==== 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" | Rolls-Royce Avon Mk.208 || 2
| colspan="2" | 12,872 kg || colspan="2" | 291 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 26m fuel
|-
| 2,361 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 14,274 kg || 16,359 kg || 17,545 kg || 21,205 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 26m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,029 kgf || N/A
| 0.70 || 0.61 || 0.57 || 0.47
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,029 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.70 || 0.61 || 0.57 || 0.47
|-
|}

[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 2.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen flying on [[Frozen Pass (Ground Forces)|Frozen Pass]].]]

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

The Sea Vixen FAW.2 has no armour plates but has bulletproof glass for the pilot. The engines are both mounted in the centre of the airframe, with fuel tanks mainly in the wings. The tail overall is fairly weak and can be blown off easily by large calibre cannons, however the flap on the rear of the elevator can sometimes absorb shots, protecting the main elevator from damage. Unfortunately the Sea Vixen generally handles poorly when damaged, performance is reduced fairly significantly by damage to the wings and asymmetric damage can make control very difficult.

=== 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="11" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[H.E. M.C. Mk.II (500 lb)|500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[Mk.M2 (540 lb)|540 lb Mk.M2]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[H.E. M.C. Mk.13 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13]] bombs
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! [[AP Mk II]] rockets
| || 6 || 6 || 6 || 6 ||
|-
! [[RP]] rockets
| || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 ||
|-
! [[RP-3]] rockets
| || 4 || 4 || 4 || 4 ||
|-
! [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] missiles
| 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! [[Firestreak]] missiles
| || 1* || 1* || 1* || 1* ||
|-
! [[Red Top]] missiles
| || 1* || 1* || 1* || 1* ||
|-
| colspan="7" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 700 kg
|-
| colspan="8" | * Firestreak and Red Top air-to-air missiles cannot be mixed, only one type may be carried across hardpoints
|}

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

* 4 x Firestreak missiles
* 4 x Red Top missiles
* 4 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 4 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (2,160 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 16 x RP-3 rockets
* 24 x AP Mk II rockets
* 144 x RP rockets
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles
* 2 x 1,000 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.13 bombs + 4 x 540 lb Mk.M2 bombs (4,160 lb total)
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 4 x Firestreak missiles
* 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles + 144 x RP rockets
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 72 x RP rockets
* 2 x Red Top missiles + 2 x 500 lb H.E. M.C. Mk.II bombs + 2 x AGM-12B Bullpup missiles (1,000 lb total)
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 3.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen launching a [[Firestreak]] AAM.]]

;Air Realistic battles

The '''Red Tops''' are generally much better missiles to equip, compared to the '''Firestreaks''', as they have the largest warhead of any air-to-air missile in the game and have a slightly better top speed (Mach 2.5). Because of this, the Sea Vixen's best tactic is to climb to one side at the start of the battle and attack enemy bombers. The Red Tops are very good for attacking from the side and this tactic is a good idea to avoid enemy tail gunners and will make the missile more likely to hit because of the Red Tops' poor range from the rear.

Alternatively, you can use the Red Tops in Boom-n-Zoom attacks on enemy fighters, who are not watching out for missiles or fighters, which have lost speed. The Red Tops are most useful when fired from the side between 1 to 2.5 km range. The Sea Vixen's manoeuvrability may tempt you to engage in dogfights, however, you should generally stick to boom-and-zoom tactics at least until there are only a few hostile aircraft left; The Sea Vixen's primary way of avoiding damage is its superior speed and engaging in dogfights gives a chance to hostiles to get a hit on you.

Remember to actively use your radar lock, the Sea Vixen's radar lock is superior to even some top-tier aircraft and allows you to get a missile lock without needing to have your aircraft's nose pointed at the target. It can also help you acquire a lock more easily on turning aircraft and it is generally good practice to radar lock any target you are going after.

;Enemies worth noting:

MiG-19s and F-104s in particular need to be looked out for as they are common and among the very few aircraft able to catch up to the Sea Vixen. In a downtier, A-4Es are the primary target that should be avoided, as they possess flares.

While the [[Tu-4]] and [[Tu-4 (China)|its Chinese counterpart]] may seems like an easy target at the first glance, they can render your missile useless by turning off all of their engines and preventing you from acquiring a lock until at a point blank range. As such, avoid engaging them if you are aware that they have turned off the engines and you have failed to lock on them.

;Strategies for specific aircraft:

* [[F-104 (Family)|F-104 ''Starfighter'']]: In uptiers, the most common aircraft you will face is the F-104s. Unfortunately, you will see very few bombers in these cases, so you will most likely have to deal with them one way or another.
** Your ideal engagement is intercepting an F-104 that is diving on another target (or just cruising) from the sides, the Sea Vixen has great manoeuvrability and can easily get on an aircraft's tail. When you are on the tail of a F-104, quickly judge its speed, if it is going near your top speed, your desired missile launch range is within 1.5km; Red Tops have subpar burn time and cannot catch up if launched from any further.
** If the target F-104 tries to dogfight you, quickly check your surroundings, if there are no other hostile aircraft in sight, feel free to respond in kind. The Sea Vixen is far more manoeuvrable than the F-104, you have the upper hand.

* [[A-4 (Family)|A-4 ''Skyhawk'']]: The strategy against A-4s is generally just brute force. You can get on their tail and pressure them, you are both faster and more manoeuvrable so you can afford a protracted fight (given there are no other hostiles in the vicinity).
** The ideal situation is when the target A-4 is confident in its flares and is flying straight. In that case, you may get between 0.5 to 0.7 km of them, the close distance gives them very little time to react, and even if they do drop flares in time, good chances are that the flares won't have time to travel far enough from the A-4 and as such the missile will still damage them simply by exploding close to them.
** If the A-4 turns, use your radar lock to get a missile lock and launch the missile ahead of its turn. The missile will then be less likely to be fooled by flares as the flares will be too far back comparatively.

[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 4.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen after destroying a target with its [[AGM-12B Bullpup|AGM-12B]] Bullpup.]]

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very high top speed of over 1,100 km/h at sea level
* Good acceleration and climb rate thanks to its two powerful engines
* [[Red Top]] missiles can be very hard to dodge when used correctly
* Surprisingly manoeuvrable, despite the size
* Decent ground attack ordnance loadouts, including [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] air-to-ground missiles
* Can take-off and land from aircraft carriers
* The AI Mk.18 radar is better than that found on most aircraft you face

'''Cons:'''

* The Sea Vixen has no guns or cannons, relying entirely on missiles for air-to-air combat
** Only having four air-to-air missiles with no other air-to-air armament limits how many kills you can get without re-arming. Targets with flares can be very hard to kill as a result
** Having only missiles enforces a fairly high minimum engagement range on you (missiles require time to start tracking after launch, and arm their proximity fuse).
* Missiles are rear-aspect only so you cannot engage targets you are approaching head-on (or from the front aspect in general)
* Both [[Red Top]] and [[Firestreak]] missiles do not have great range when fired from directly behind a target
* Very large in size, can be easily hit by most enemies

== History ==

The de Havilland '''Sea Vixen''' is a British twin-boom, twin-engine carrier air-defence aircraft employed by the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm from the 1950s to 1970s.

The Royal Navy had interest in a carrier defence fighter after the Second World War, and issued a requirement for such an aircraft in 1946. De Havilland began producing an aircraft, the DH 110, to fulfill this requirement. However, the Fleet Air Arm decided to proceed with the Sea Venom instead as it was cheaper and available sooner. In spite of this, De Havilland continued work on the DH 110 independently, finishing the first prototype in September of 1951. This prototype exceeded expectations and could regularly attain supersonic speeds during test flights.

Tragedy soon struck when the DH 110 prototype disintegrated in midair during the Farnborough Airshow in 1952, resulting in the deaths of 31 people including the crew of two. As a result, the DH 110 underwent significant design changes to improve its structural stability, resulting in its maximum speed being reduced to Mach 0.91. This aircraft was offered to the Fleet Air Arm and replaced the previous Sea Venoms as the RN's primary air defence fighter. In February of 1955, 110 aircraft were ordered, with the name "Sea Vixen".

The Sea Vixen was built with an unconventional twin-boom design, which de Havilland had perfected through its design of the twin-boomed [[Vampire FB 5|Vampire]] and [[Venom FB.4|Venom]] fighters. The Sea Vixen was also the first British combat aircraft with no internal gun armament, relying entirely on its suspended ordnance. The FAW.1 variant was capable of carrying 4 Firestreak AAMs for fleet defence, while the FAW.2 variant could carry the more advanced Red Top missile. The aircraft had two Rolls-Royce Avon engines producing 33 kN of thrust each and a crew of two, with the pilot's canopy offset to the left and the radar operator's seat flush within the fuselage.

The first Sea Vixens entered service with frontline squadrons in 1959. The Sea Vixen failed to see any combat action during its short service, but served with the Fleet Air Arm in deployments off of Iraq, Tanganyika (part of modern-day Tanzania), Indonesia, and more. The aircraft were replaced by the more modern [[Phantom FG.1]], a British variant of the American F-4 Phantom II. The last Sea Vixens were retired from active duty in 1972; a total of 145 were built, though 55 had been lost to accidents.

===[[wt:en/news/7160-development-sea-vixen-faw-2-breaking-convention-en|Devblog]]===
[[File:Sea Vixen Wiki Image 1.jpg|thumb|Sea Vixen on HMS Ark Royal (R09).]]
Development of the Sea Vixen began in 1946 when de Havilland entered talks with the Admiralty on designing a future radar-equipped naval jet fighter with all-weather capability. Official requirements were drawn up in January 1947, by which time however de Havilland was already working on a design based on the preceding Vampire and Venom fighters designated DH 110.

Despite decreasing interest in the project by the late 1940's, in September 1951, the first prototype conducted its maiden flight. However, only a year later, the same prototype crashed during an air show, thus further impeding the project's progress. While the RAF abandoned the idea of purchasing the DH 110 by the mid 1950's, the FAA gained a renewed interest in the aircraft and placed an order for 110 machines to be built in February 1955. Along with the order, the DH 110 received its official designation 'Sea Vixen'.

As the Sea Vixen entered service with the FAA in 1959, de Havilland took note of the feedback gained from operational use of the aircraft and continued working on the Sea Vixen in an effort to improve its design. As a result, the Sea Vixen FAW.2 made its debut in 1962 which featured a number of improvements, of which one of the more notable ones was the ability to carry the Red Top air-to-air missiles. Over 140 Sea Vixens were built, most of which were converted over to the FAW.2 modification after its commissioning into service.

Although the British Sea Vixens never took part in any wars, they were still involved in a number of different combat operations primarily in Africa and the Middle East where they provided fire support for ground troops and flew patrols.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=dh_110_sea_vixen Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Camouflages
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:Sea Vixen Shark camo.png|The Sea Vixen "Shark" skin available for GE
File:XJ488 camo.png|Sea Vixen XJ488 RN test squadron camo
</gallery>

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2 WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|zn2uhgI2PPg|'''Best twin-boom aircraft''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 01:37 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|ObEcMPqFBbE|'''The Shooting Range #259''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:26 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[Scimitar F Mk.1]]
* [[Buccaneer S.2]]
* [[Javelin F.(A.W.) Mk.9]]
* [[Sea Venom FAW 20]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7160-development-sea-vixen-faw-2-breaking-convention-en|[Development] Sea Vixen FAW.2: Breaking Convention]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/526082-dh-110-sea-vixen-faw-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer deHavilland}}
{{Britain jet aircraft}}
{{Britain premium aircraft}}

Tu-4 (China)

2024-11-20T01:51:48Z

U44982996: added a bit about how to counter the Sea Vixen

{{About
| about = Chinese heavy bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = B-29/Tu-4 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tu_4_china
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (commonly known as 图-4轰炸机 in Chinese; or by its NATO Codename Bull 公牛) was one of the earliest strategic bomber of the PLAAF acquired from the Soviet Union as a birthday gift for Chairman Mao Zedong when 10 of them flew to China on his birthday in 1953 as the demand for bombers to take the remaining lands from Nationalist forces arose. Although they have not been used on outbound missions, they have been one of the cornerstones of the PLA during the assaults on the Tibetan Plateau thanks to its good high-altitude performance and excellent firepower against rebels with US-made M2HB which caused havoc to the previous [[Tu-2S-44 (China)|Tu-2]] fleet. One of the Tu-4s was then converted as an anti-aircraft gunship to hunt down ROCAF recon planes in the 1960s and one was experimentally converted to the very first AECWS in Asia, KJ-1 with upgraded engine and new radar for early-warning. These bombers were retired in 1988 due to being obsolete and the production pace of H-6 series went smoothly after the manufacture flaws and difficulties have been solved.

Introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]] as one of the bombers of the newly-introduced Chinese air tech-tree, the overall appearance of Tu-4 in PLAAF service is totally identical to its [[Tu-4|Soviet cousin]] which was based on the USAF's [[B-29/Tu-4 (Family)|B-29]], with the only difference being its bomb loadout having considerably less filler than its Soviet cousin in general, but in exchange gained an option for a heavy payload of eight 1,500 kg bombs. While it provided extensive self-defense firepower and sufficient performance at high-altitude with devastating GP bombs which are more than enough to flatten city blocks in a single bombing run, players have to be extremely careful on enemy jets with equally devastating firepower or those with early AAMs as they can make sure Tu-4 would never made it to the designated target with ease.

== 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 9,100 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
| 618 || 604 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 33.4 || 35.0 || 4.7 || 4.6 || rowspan="2" | 1,500
|-
! Upgraded
| 665 || 641 || 30.4 || 32.0 || 10.5 || 6.5
|-
|}

For a piston-engined bomber of this size, the Chinese Tu-4 has a decent performance, with sluggish but manageable turn rate and reasonable flatline energy retention and top speed. However, being one of the only few piston-engined aircraft in the midst of Korean War jets, the Tu-4 is hopelessly outclassed in every aspects. Almost every jet aircraft the Tu-4 will face has twice the top speed of an average speed that the Tu-4 can reach, and can easily catches up with the Tu-4 in a minute or less. Even enemy jet bombers are a huge threat to the Tu-4, as they can also try and hunt you down after they've finished the bombing run.

However due to how agonizingly slow the Tu-4 is compared to any other planes at its BR, this can be both a blessing and a curse. A sortie with the Tu-4 would either ended with you getting shot down as soon as you were detected, or that most (if not all) of the enemy team would descend into the lower altitude to fight your teammates below while your lumbering plane only covers a quarter of distance between the spawn point and the base, thus giving you a plenty of time to take down enemy bases. As such, it is recommended to sideclimb a bit at the start of the match, so that even though you would never outclimb any of the enemies, your teammates would act as a distraction long enough for you to begin the bombing run.

Situational awareness is a key to survive in the Tu-4, as any enemy who detect and attempting to catch up with you will be able to easily do so within a minute, even if they are over 10 km away. As soon as you noticed that someone is heading towards you, turn your plane back ''immediately'' to prepare to defend yourself, or else you will be easily shot down from the sky.

==== 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 609  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 332 || 322 || 270 || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 340 || < 350 || < 290 || > 400
|-
|}

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


* 60 mm Bulletproof glass in front of the pilots.
* 6.5 mm Steel plates in front of the pilots.
* 6.5 mm Steel plates behind the pilots.
* 6.5 mm Steel plates in front of tail control tractions.
* 6.5 mm Steel plates boxing around rear dorsal gunner and beam gunners.
* 6.5 mm Steel plate behind the rear ventral turret.
* 60 mm Bulletproof glass in front of tail gunner.
* 6.5 mm Steel plate in front of tail gunner.

The Tu-4 is a monster of an aircraft in terms of its profile and size, making it very easy to hit. Wings and the tail control are weak spots, so hitting the wings will result in severe wing damage on the Tu-4, forcing it to return to base or even sending it back to the hangar.

For Tu-4 pilots, situational awareness is a '''must''' in keeping the plane in the air, as any enemy can easily catches up with you and leaving little time for you to prepare the defense.

Despite the lack of countermeasures against air-to-air missile, the Tu-4 can protect itself against IR missile by turning off its engines to prevent the missile from acquiring the target. This effectively renders any missile of the [[Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2|Sea Vixen]] useless, and even capable of preventing the lock of the [[AIM-9B]] that is quite common in uptiers in some case.

;Against the Tu-4

For those who wanted to take down this giant of an aircraft, do not be intimidated with its powerful defensive armament. The Tu-4's most obvious weakness is its massive size, which means it can be hit even from up to 2 km away. The lack of any countermeasures also means the Tu-4 will be vulnerable against variety of non-IR anti-air missiles.

While playing the Hunter F.1 or the Vautour IIA, it is easy to send this monster of an aircraft back to base with just one burst or simply using the missile. Engaging in a head-on is recommended, as the pilots have little protection, usually knocking them both out.

While flying the Sabres, try to aim for the fuel tanks in the wings. Most of the time, just set the fuel tanks ablaze, or even blowing off the wing, sending the foe back to the hangar.

'''Do not engage the Tu-4 from the six!''' Engaging the Tu-4 at its tail, especially from below, '''is''' asking for trouble. Always try to engage the Tu-4 from the top, or in head-ons, the fuselage turrets have dead zones when engaging from >~70 degrees.

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

The stock payload of 40 x 100 kg bombs is rather mediocre, as it can take out only two bases while being relatively hard to handle. Unlocking the 20 x 500 kg bombs by researching the "KD-3" modification at rank 2 should be your first priority to pave the way for the "BD-4" modification that unlocks the 1,500 kg bombs. Then unlock the full FI-T belts for the 23 mm cannons to improve its damage output. The rest can be chosen at your liking.

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

{{main|100-2 (100 kg)|250-2 (250 kg)|500-2 (500 kg)|1500-2 (1,500 kg)|3000-2 (3,000 kg)}}
{{main|FAB-1000M-44 (1,000 kg)|250-1 incendiary}}

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

* 40 x 100 kg 100-2 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 40 x 250 kg 250-2 bombs (10,000 kg total)
* 12 x 500 kg 500-2 bombs (6,000 kg total)
* 20 x 500 kg 500-2 bombs (10,000 kg total)
* 8 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000M-44 bombs (8,000 kg total)
* 8 x 1,500 kg 1500-2 bombs (12,000 kg total)
* 4 x 3,000 kg 3000-2 bombs (12,000 kg total)
* 40 x 250-1 incendiary bombs

The Chinese Tu-4 has bomb loadouts is similarly sized as its Soviet counterpart, giving it a very impressive maximum load of 12,000 kg, with a wide selection of different bomb sizes. However, the Chinese Tu-4 instead carries a domestically-produced bombs that, while having the same raw weight, has considerably less filler compared to the Soviet bombs. This means the Chinese Tu-4 would require more bombs to destroy a base, making each full payload less efficient compared to the Soviet version.

Still, with the large number of bombs, the Chinese Tu-4 is still capable of levelling multiple bases into the ground. If you are looking to destroy bases in air battles then the 8 x 1,500 kg bombs is the best as it allows up to 4 bases to be destroyed. If you are looking to do damage to the main airfield then the 4 x 3,000 kg option will give you slightly more TNT equivalent, but offers less flexibility.

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

{{main|Type 23-1 (23 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, front dorsal turret (275 rpg = 550 total)
* 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, rear dorsal turret (275 rpg = 550 total)
* 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, front ventral turret (250 rpg = 500 total)
* 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, rear ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, tail turret (275 rpg = 550 total)

Like the bomb load, the defensive armament of the Chinese Tu-4 remains unchanged from the Soviet model, with a total of 10 [[Type 23-1 (23 mm)|23 mm Type 23-1 cannons]] providing all-round coverage. While the defensive armament is excellent, you need to engage targets manually as the AI gunners do not engage at sufficient range to take out threats.

The utility of the turrets is also lessened when facing missile-armed jets, which can engage you from longer ranges. In these cases you want to throttle down or even turn off your engines to make it harder for them to get a missile lock, and so draw them into range of your guns.

Depending on your preference, you may chose not install the "New 23 mm cannons" modification, as this will increase the spread of the shell and as such allowed you a better chance at "spray & pray" and trap the enemy into a cloud of lead, especially at longer ranges.

== Usage in battles ==

Like most planes of its class, the Tu-4 relies on its defensive turrets for aerial combat. A few good hits from its 10 x 23 mm guns can send an attacker back to base, with critical damage or, if not, credit the player with the victory. Maxing out the crew stats is a good idea, it will allow the player to spot the enemy early and allowed you to prepare. Don't get too arrogant, remember, the Tu-4 is a huge plane. It is easy to hit, and as mentioned above, especially when the opponents could be jets.

All in all, pay attention to the aircraft's surroundings. The Tu-4 can easily net the team a win so don't let the feeling of invincibility get imbued, or the only reward will be a fiery end.

With this bomber's high battle rating, you should be actively looking out for enemy vehicles. It is possible for an attacker to have a relative closing speed of over 1,000 km/h. Relying solely on the spotting system will allow some fighters to get so close it will be impossible for you to react. It is especially common for the enemy to approach either in a 30° cone straight ahead or to trail behind and below you, generally outside gun range before pulling up sharply.

When first starting with this aircraft, the payload option is 40 x 100 kg bombs which are able to destroy two bases. One of the best ways to maximize the payload's effectiveness, 15 x 100 kg bombs are needed for one base. The best option for base bombing is the 8 x 1,500 kg payload. Two of these bombs will be enough to destroy a base, provided you do not miss, allowed you to take out 4 bases in total.

Once the Tu-4's bombing run is complete, start descending towards the friendly airfield; enemy fighters will be hunting for the Tu-4, so be more alert. The Tu-4 has a very powerful defensive system installed with 5 turrets, each with two 2 x 23 mm cannons, so the Tu-4 should be able to defend itself reasonably well. If you believe that landing would be putting the aircraft in grave danger, it is worth considering to instead stay high and shoot down approaching fighters, calling out your position will often lower the stigma associated with this action.

Do not rely on the AI gunners. Most of the time the Tu-4 will face top rank jets including [[Hunter F 1|Hunter F 1s]] and [[F-86F-2|F2 Sabres]]. These adversaries are usually experienced and will not foolishly tail the bomber for long and try to engage at ranges greater than 1 km or engage in a head-on pass. These manoeuvres render the AI gunners largely useless. Laying down a stream of 23 mm rounds is recommended, but beware of jamming. Hits can be scored within 1.5 - 2 km, if somebody is tailing the Tu-4 or engaging in a head-on pass, they can also occur at greater ranges. Combine the turret shooting with a defensive style of flying to utilize it to its full potential; the Tu-4 offers good handling for its size. Be very careful when putting the Tu-4 into a dive. It is just as prone as any other aircraft to suffering structural damage if its limitations are exceeded. Do not rely on flaps to slow down, their weak construction will let you down.

=== Enemies worth mentioning ===
The most dangerous opponents of the Tu-4 are the [[S.O.4050 Vautour IIN]] and [[S.O.4050 Vautour IIN (late)|its lower-tiered version]], mainly due to them having an air spawn and is capable of catching up with the Tu-4 in a minute or less. With an added salt to the wound of them having an access to [[AA-20 Nord]] missile that are effectively impossible to dodge due to them being manually guided. If you are aware that the enemy team might have the Vautour on their side (such as when being matched against a French or Israeli teams), always avoid being detected by the Vautour at all cost by sideclimbing until the threat has been subsided, such as when the said enemy Vautour has descended into the sea level or shot down by your allies.

The [[F-86F-2]] and the [[Hunter F 1]] is also a dangerous opponent, with four 20 mm cannons or a 30 mm cannon with a very high velocity and rate of fire.

When down tiered, the most dangerous opponents are the [[La-200]], the [[Su-11]], the [[Me 262 C-2b]] and the [[R2Y (Family)|R2Y2 KAIs]]. The former is armed with three 37 mm cannons while the latter three is equipped with 30 mm cannons, they are able to send the Tu-4 back to the hangar within one burst. The Me 163s and Ki-200 extreme mobility are something to be wary of. It isn't uncommon for bomber pilots to lose track of the attacker after a fly-by.

Don't underestimate the other Sabres, such as the [[F-86F-40 (Japan)|F-86F-40]] and the [[CL-13A Mk 5|CL-13A]]. Their 12.7 mm machine guns can do a lot of damage, crippling or setting the Tu-4 afire, which could end the match for the plane there.

While the [[Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2]] may seems dangerous at the first glance due to their heavy missile armaments, since the Sea Vixen doesn't have any guns and all of its air-to-air missile are IR-guided, the Tu-4 can easily neutralize them by turning off all of its engines to prevent the enemy from acquiring a lock until at a dangerously close range of less than 1 km. At this point, you can easily gun the Sea Vixen down from 1.75 km away as they are still trying to get target lock in vain.

Do not consider any enemy bomber or attacker as a neutral or even friendly party. It is quite common for [[Canberra B (I) Mk 6|Canberras]] or even [[B-57B|B-57s]] to try and engage you if the opportunity presents itself.

=== 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 Not auto controlled || Combined || Controllable 1 gear || Auto controlled
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Second highest payload in the game (after the [[F-111A]]) of up to 12,000 kg (26,455 lbs)
* Has an access to eight 1,500 kg bombs loadout, which is effective against bases and ground targets and quite easy to use
* Decent climber once flight performance modifications have been purchased (compressor, engine, and engine injection)
* Very effective defensive 23 mm turrets that have little dead zones, lots of ammo and great damage
* Gunners are located separately from the gun turret with the exception of the tail turret, increasing their survivability
* Tricycle landing gears, does not have to worry about propeller strike
* The plane is so slow that most enemies would often descended to fight your teammates while you're underway, leaving a plenty of space and time for you to perform a bombing run

'''Cons:'''

* Agonizingly slow and sluggish, took awhile to reach the targets and can be easily intercepted even by jet bombers
* Huge aircraft, making it easy to spot from distance and making it close to impossible to miss
* Prone to fires and wing damage, hindering the plane's control
* Can face supersonic jets or air-to-air missile, the latter of which the plane is almost completely defenseless against
* Unable to reliably defend itself from opponents attacking at once from multiple directions
* Hard to handle/correct direction during landing, due to its low roll rate, slow-responding rudder and slow landing gear movement
* Most of the bomb loadout is considerably less efficient against bases compared to the Soviet counterpart due to less filler

== History ==


It's known that at least twelve Tu-4s were aided to People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) by USSR since 1953, making China the only Tu-4 operator outside of the USSR. Ten Tu-4s delivered by the end of 1953 were operated by the Fourth Independent Regiment of PLAAF and later, in 1960, two additional aircraft were aided and served as navigational training aircraft; Tu-4 were saw during the riot-suppression operations over the Tibetan Plateau as a gunship and the Sino-Indo Border War, and sometimes bombing the frozen Yellow River to reopen shipping routes.

===Shadow Aircraft 影機 ===
At late 1950s, in view of the harassment and reconnaissance missions from the '''34th "Black Bat" Squadron''' (第34"黑蝙蝠"中隊) '''of ROCAF''' stationed at Hsinchu Airbase, PLAAF had plans for modifying Tu-2 into night-time interceptors and had attempted to hunt down P2V-7U flown by the aforementioned squadron, but ROCAF managed to bait that Tu-2 into terrain thus giving a death sentence to this project. By the 1960s, a commander of PLAAF HQ named Han Zhiming (韩志明) suggested a plan to modify a Tu-4 (aka Tu-4P in this case; No. 0049) into an anti-aircraft gunship as both Tu-4 and P2V shared similar service radius. The aircraft had installed a PSBN-M "Cobalt" radar from IL-28 by the upper front turret which can detect targets within 3 km, the gunner sights were also upgraded into infrared sights and the bomb bay was also modified into a command station where it could serve as an airborne control plane for the jet interceptors. This Tu-4 was dubbed "'''the Shadow Aircraft ''影機'''''" by ROCAF.

A detailed information on the very first interception operations conducted by the "Shadow Aircraft" could be found in the Black Bat Squadron Memorial Hall in Hsinchu, their home base. According to the records from General Lin Hu (林虎, 1927-2018) and the flight path records from the Memorial Hall, the crew of thirteen, commanded and piloted by Lt. Col. Chao Chin (趙欽) of this P2V flight took off from Gunsan, South Korea at the evening of 19 December, 1960; likely been detected by PLAAF's radar troops, the Shadow Aircraft took off from Cangzhou, Hebei (河北省沧州市) and been searching for the flight around 8 PM that day, eventually intercepted the flight by 9 PM near Chengde, Hubei (承德) where the gunboat strafed the PV-2 from below, then by the all-weather J-5A at near Chifeng, Inner Mongolia (赤峰). With the help of terrain and low altitude, the crew eventually evaded the gunboat and PLAAF forces for 3 1/2 hours; by the time they entered Shandong after they took detours in 5 provinces/autonomous regions (Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan), the gunboat intercepted them again and now been joined by ground AAA around 2 AM of 20th December, with extreme luck and the cover of night, the crew eventually from all these interception forces and returned to Hsinchu at 8 AM; only to knew the existence of such aircraft a year later after multiple interception by this aircraft. While the records from PLAAF mentioned that the gunship was first flown in 1st March, the mission was only for tracking instead of a head-to-head interception.

After the attempts proved fruitless and the halt on recon flights to Mainland China, the aircraft was converted backed into a conventional bomber and lost in the river of history afterwards.
=== A Brand-New Platform ===
[[File:KJ-1 (Tupolev Tu-4).jpg|thumb|right|380x380px|KJ-1 in public display in Beijing Aviation Museum.]]
Due to the lack of endurance of the original Ash-73TK piston engine, in the 1970s the remaining Chinese Tu-4s installed new WJ-6 ("渦槳-6", Turboprop-6) turboprop engines and J17G-13 four-bladed propellers (domestic imitation of AI-20 engine and AV-68 propeller). The 4250 horsepower WJ-6 is more powerful than the original piston engine and a one-piece ventral fin or two small endplate fins at the tips of the horizontal tail were mounted to improve horizontal stability of manoeuvre characteristic. Meanwhile, all of the defensive turrets on these modified Tu-4s were removed for better performance.

At that time, the Tu-4 is the optimal heavy-weight long-range air platform operated by PLAAF, so a turboprop Tu-4 (series number 2806501, Red 4114) was chosen as the airframe of 'Plane 926', first airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) plane of PLAAF. A huge rotodome, holding the Type 843 radar, was mounted on its center station of the wings and some small antennas were installed on the fuselage, The project started at 1969 and later be called as KJ-1 ("空警一號", AWACS No.1). The KJ-1 ushered its first test flight in November, 1971. However, the Type 843 radar was found to be lacking in the ability to detect and track low altitude flying objects during the test, so the whole KJ program was disbanded by 1979. Currently the KJ-1 is in public display in the Chinese Aviation Museum, Beijing. Another three Tu-4s with turboprop engines were modified as ECM plane or ELINT planes.
[[File:Tu-4 with BQM-34 underwing.jpg|left|thumb|390x390px|Chinese Tu-4 with DR-5 drone underwing in 1986.]]

During the Vietnam War, China captured serval wrecks of Ryan BQM-34 reconnaissance drones and one of them was fixed, becoming the sample of reverse-engineering. The resulting product, called Changhong-1 ("長虹一號", Skylight No.1) or WZ-5 ("無偵-5", Unmanned reconnaissance aircraft No.5) was built based on the BQM-34. A modified Tu-4 (series number 225008, Red 4134) with turboprop engines was converted into a drone carrier platform. The red 4131 drone platform is capable carry two Changhong-1s under the pylons mounted underwing. It can also carry two La-17K UAV.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tu_4_china Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

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

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

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/315758-tupolev-tu-4/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Tupolev}}
{{China bombers}}
<references />

Ju 288 C

2024-11-20T01:38:45Z

U44982996:

{{Specs-Card
|code=ju-288c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


The '''Junkers Ju 288''' was a prototype medium bomber designed as a submission to the ''Bomber B'' design contest organised by the Luftwaffe just before World War II. The ''Bomber B'' specification demand a Schnellbomber (fast bomber) with the purpose of replacing the current [[Ju 88 (Family)|Junkers Ju 88]] bombers in service. Though a potent bomber in its own right, the Ju 88 suffered what ended up being crippling features such as a relatively small internal bomb bay requiring extra ordnance to be ferried on external hard points which ultimately increased the aircraft's drag coefficient, resulting in less efficient flight performance. Though a contest was held to choose the next generation of medium Schnellbombers, the RLM had already determined the Ju 288 was the clear winner and even let Focke-Wulf, Dornier and Henschel continue to pursue their prototypes in vain. Out of the gate, what caught the eye of the RLM was that although the Ju 288 is slightly larger than the Ju 88, the new prototype contained a pressurized cabin allowing for higher altitude flying, faster speeds, further range, excellent defensive capabilities and a much larger bomb payload. Such hope was put into this aircraft that it was slated to replace all bombers within the Luftwaffe inventory.

Though the aircraft itself was a massive success, the failed development of the Junkers Jumo 222 engines and problems with its complicated landing gear ended up crippling the development of the plane, resulting in only a handful of prototypes being built with a few being hurriedly outfitted with defensive weapons and used as a reconnaissance bomber. The '''Ju 288 C''' was the final batch of the Ju 288 produced, which substituted the Jumo 222 engines with a slightly less troublesome Daimler-Benz DB610 coupled engines found on the [[He 177 A-5|Heinkel He 177]] heavy bomber.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an aircraft that has an in-game reputation of being loved by its pilot and loathed by its enemies, and for a good reason. The Ju 288 C is the ultimate ''Schnellbomber'', featuring a combination of extremely heavy payload for its size, fast top speed and acceleration and a potent defensive armaments. It can deliver up to 5,000 kg of payload in the form of two massive 2,500 kg bombs, easily capable of wiping out a group of ground vehicles or threaten even a battleship. Its other payload are the versatile 36 x 50 kg bombs, a relatively lightweight yet optimal payload for destroying up to 2 bases or carpet bombings. The Ju 288 can prove to be incredible asset for your team or a headache to the enemy, as it can perform in various roles effectively, be it level bombing, carpet bombing, or close air support.
== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


For those pilots who have flown many slow and heavy bombers just to get a decent payload to the target will be thoroughly refreshed when getting behind the controls of the {{PAGENAME}}. Quickly apparent is the speed of this bomber. As its type suggests, Schnellbomber, this aircraft is fast, topping out just over 600 km/h (375 mph) and agile enough to manoeuvre when attacked as not to be a "sitting duck" like many of the larger contemporary bombers such as the American [[B-24D-25-CO|B-24]] and the Italian [[P.108B serie 2|P.108B]] which are easily 120 km/h (75 mph) slower and much less agile making for a tempting target even for the least experienced fighter pilot to attempt to eliminate.

For many aircraft, speed is life, but speed for this Schnellbomber not only is life but what gets the ordnance to the target. The {{PAGENAME}} does have a pressurized cabin which allows the aircraft to fly at higher altitudes where it can bomb bases with accuracy with 2,500 kg bombs, but this bomber is also very capable at flying at lower altitudes and even terrain hugging where it can release up to 36 x 50 kg bombs on unsuspecting vehicles before they have a chance to scatter or hardened anti-aircraft structures filling the sky with flak. The {{PAGENAME}} also has the ability to operate as a dive bomber given that it has dive brakes in the wings which will help slow its speed and maintain its heading during a dive to ensure a relatively smooth bombing run, after bombs have been dropped, the aircraft can retract the flaps and power up and move onto the next target.

There's usually two ways to play Ju 288 C: stay high or dive. Most people play Ju 288 C dive and take as many bases for themselves. When diving, try to watch your IAS and keep it at around 640 km/h (400 mph), don't go over that speed. The second way to play is to stay high, when staying high, you will see enemy bombers that you can hunt with your superior firepower. When bomber hunting, try to get next to them, match their speed, and gun the hell out of them. Usually, bomber hunting will cause you to sustain some damage.

{| 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
| 607 || 591 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.0 || 33.0 || 8.5 || 8.5 || rowspan="2" | 1,500
|-
! Upgraded
| 655 || 630 || 29.5 || 30.7 || 14.9 || 11.4
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 457 || 428 || 280 || ~9 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 370 || < 360 || < 450 || > 715
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 5,700 m || 2,520 hp || 2,797 hp
|-
|}

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


* 10 mm steel - Pilot's headrests
* 8 mm steel - Pilot's seats
* 8 mm steel - cockpit floor

The Ju 288 C are highly survivable, even when compared to some heavy bombers. The airframe can take a lot of beatings and although the elevator and rudders are quire weak, the plane is still capable of stay in flight even when one of its twin tails or engines were destroyed. Although the Ju 288 are quite volatile due to the large fuel tanks scattered around the wings, it can endure multiple fire damages and still remains intact.

However, the DB 610 engines is the critical weakness of the Ju 288. The engine's poor cooling system will results into the engine itself being gradually damaged over time should the engine or the coolant being damaged, eventually forcing the the aircraft the land or crash.

For anyone who wanted to take down the Ju 288 C, your best bet is to take out the pilots from above or frontally due to glazed nose design of the aircraft. Otherwise aim for the engines so that you can disable them and hinder the chance for an enemy Ju 288 to limp back to the airfield. Approaching from the side is also possible due to the lack of coverage from the 20 mm autocannon.

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

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)|SC1000L2 (1,000 kg)|SC1800B (1,800 kg)}}
{{main|Flam C 250 incendiary|Flam C 500 incendiary}}

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

* 36 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 3 x 500 kg SC500K bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 2 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 2 x 1,800 kg SC1800B bombs (3,600 kg total)
* 2 x 2,800 kg SC2500 bombs (5,000 kg total)
* 8 x Flam C 250 incendiary bombs
* 3 x Flam C 500 incendiary bombs

The payload of the Ju 288 C are exceptional for its class. It can carry up to 5,000 kg payload in the form of two massive 2,500 kg bombs. With massive destruction radius and an extra drop, the Ju 288 C is capable of singlehandedly turn the tide of ground battle in favor of its team by wiping out the enemy teams with two well-aimed drops, or take out even battleships in naval battle with a near miss. It should be noted that this payload will put a significant strain on the aircraft's airframe, resulting into worse overall flight performance and significantly longer take-off runs. The bomb itself may also damage your own aircraft if you were too close to its explosion radius when it detonated.

The other payload options, the 36 x 50 kg bombs, is also potent. The quantity of bombs is enough to destroy two bases in Air RB, and due to its light weight, it will not hinder the flight performance of the Ju 288 as much as the other equivalent.

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

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

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon, tail turret (600 rpg)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, chin turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, dorsal turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

With four remote-controlled turrets and good coverage, the Ju 288 C is quite well-defended for a fast bomber. Although the six 13 mm machine guns doesn't have much penetration for its calibre, it is still enough to damage the engine of any would-be chasers and potentially light them on fire if enough shots landed. The real kicker though is the tail turret armed with a single 20 mm autocannon with an access to the dreaded minengeschoß shell that can easily shred any aircraft apart.

However, the Ju 288 still has some significant blindspots. The most obvious one is the lack of upper coverage, with only two 13 mm machine guns covering this spot. This present an opportunity for the enemy to take out the pilots and gunners by firing at the glazed canopy of the bomber. The glazed canopy also makes any head-on engagements potentially lethal. As such, always face your six (and 20 mm autocannon) to the enemy as soon as possible.
== Usage in battles ==


As a bomber, you spawn at a higher altitude, where you can use this advantage to dive to the base you want to destroy. However, do not exceed 690 km/h (430 mph), or the wings will break. A great indication of this is when your wings start to shake uncontrollably - by then, it would be apparent that you need to slow down. A good idea for more savvy pilots would be to use the Manual Engine Control to turn off automatic radiators and fully open them, allowing you near unlimited WEP without overheating and letting you keep as much altitude as possible for a possible emergency dive away from enemy fighters.

;Base bombing

In Air RB, there are two predominant types of maps: standard HP maps and double HP maps. Standard HP maps typically have three bases, with some exceptions, such as the "Air Battle" maps, which have four bases. These bases take a single SC1800 each, meaning that you can bomb two bases in a single run, yielding just over 1,000 points. Note that the airfield is a bombing target once all bases are destroyed. However, about half of the maps you see in-game are "Operation" maps, with four bases and no airfield. These bases take both SC1800 bombs to destroy, and often feature four AAA emplacements on the edges of the base. When attacking these bases, a great strategy is to drop the bombs at the edges of the base, instead of at the centre. Because of the massive blast radius of the SC1800, this enables you to kill several AAA emplacements along with the base bombing, which yields additional Silver Lions and RP.

Although the just named strategy is what is commonly used, it is ineffective and doesn't provide the full potential of the Ju 288 C. The most efficient way to use the Ju 288 is to use the 8 Flam C250kg incendiary bomb loadout, as 4 Flam C250kg incendiary bombs can destroy a double HP base, while 2 Flam C250kg incendiary bomb can destroy a standard HP base. With this loadout, you'll be able to destroy at least two bases on most maps, while being able to single-handedly destroy the whole map on standard HP Maps.

Typically, the best strategy for the Ju 288 when bombing is to utilize the Schnellbomber qualities of the aircraft, and put the aircraft into a 10-degree dive towards the base. For most "Operation" maps, this means that you can bomb the base well before enemy fighters can even see you appear on their screen. After you have dropped your bombs, return to base and reload bombs; the advance airfield (smaller airfield closer to the battlefield) works better as long as there are no enemies close by, as you will get air spawn for many of those bases. Fly back, bomb, return to base, repeat. This strategy is simple, effective, and extremely profitable in terms of SL and RP.

;Defensive flying

The Ju 288 C is a juicy target and will often be targeted by allied fighter pilots. As a result, defensive flying is a must. If you see a fighter coming in for an attack run, the best strategy to use is to dive away. This works significantly better if the Ju 288 C has an energy advantage, as it can outrun most planes at its BR in a dive. However, if they are faster than you (i.e. the [[F2G-1|F2G Super Corsair]]), level out and fire on them using your defensive guns. The Ju 288 C is surprisingly well-armed in terms of defensive armament, featuring six 13 mm machine guns and a tail-mounted 20 mm cannon. Try to keep enemy fighters on your tail, as the 20 mm cannon can load Minengeschoß (mine-shell) ammunition that is incredibly damaging against air targets. Finally, avoid all head-on engagements. Though the Ju 288 has two pilots, it is not too durable, and a frontal burst from an enemy fighter can easily knock out both pilots.

;Enemies worth noting

* [[F4U-4B|F4U Corsairs]] & [[F2G-1|F2G Super Corsair]] - The F4U / F2Gs are very common enemies, with high speed and extremely deadly weaponry (20 mm cannon for the F4Us and 12.7 mm Browning HMGs for the F2G). Against these aircraft, the best strategy is to 1) run away and 2) keep them slightly below your tail where you can fire at them with your four ventral 13 mm machine guns as well as the 20 mm cannon. When possible, seek protection from allied fighters, as the Corsairs carry a heavy armament that can tear the Ju 288 C apart very quickly. Note that the Corsairs are all faster than you, meaning that you can only outrun them when you have an energy advantage.
* [[S.O.8000 Narval]], [[J6K1]], [[Tempest (Family)|Tempest]] and [[Spitfire F Mk 24|Spitfire]] - Again, these aircraft all carry extremely powerful weaponry: the Tempests and Spitfires carry four 20 mm Hispano cannons while the J6K and Narval carry six 20 mm cannons. These weapons are extremely deadly and will shred your airframe apart very quickly. Similar to the F4Us, the best strategy is to bait these aircraft onto your six, where you can shred them with your 20 mm cannon. The British fighters and Japanese J6K are relatively fragile and rip apart pretty quickly; the Narval has a rear-mounted engine which is less susceptible to damage, but lacks full pilot protection, allowing for pilot snipes.
* [[AM-1]], [[AD-2]] and [[AD-4]]⁣ - This trio of American attackers can seem harmless, but they pack an explosive punch with four 20 mm cannons which are capable of shredding your airframe apart. The Ju 288 C's main advantage is its speed. You can outrun all three of these attackers without issue. Don't provoke them / drop to their altitude and speed, and you'll be absolutely fine.
* [[Hornet Mk.I]] and [[Hornet Mk.III]] - These twin-engine fighters are one of the few aircraft capable of intercepting you before you reach the bases with their good engine performance combined with the interceptor spawn. Along with four 20 mm Hispano cannons, they can destroy your plane in an instant. If you see one heading straight towards you, turn the aircraft and level off, aiming the cannons at the engine nacelles or the cockpit. The lack of frontal armour will allow you to knock the pilot out more 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 Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High speed for the rank, can often reach bases before fighters can intercept
* Very manoeuvrable for a bomber, capable of evasive manoever
* Has air brakes, makes landing and diving easier
* Excellent ordnance options, including two massive 2500 kg bombs
* Excellent defensive coverage from most angles, especially the tail with the 20 mm autocannon
* Durable airframe, capable of stay in flight even with only one tail
* Commonly puts out fires before structure failure, although it may end with eventually fatal coolant leaks

'''Cons:'''

* Priority target; will be swarmed by enemies as soon as you were spotted
* Engines tend to overheat quickly without MEC
* Pilot and gunners can be easily knocked out from the front or above due to glazed canopy
* Somewhat reliant on the 20 mm autocannon, as the 13 mm lacks penetration to deal with enemies at range
* Rudders and elevators are extremely fragile and can be disabled or destroyed by just a few cannon rounds
* Aircraft catches fire easily as it carries 10 self-sealing fuel tanks that are poorly covered
* Cannot sustain flight on one engine, damaged engine or coolant will gradually degrade them and eventually forced the plane to land or crash

== History ==

The Ju 288 C was a prototype German Schnellbomber (fast bomber) and the winner of the "Bomber B" competition, which aimed to replace all German bombers then in service. The Ju 288 C was a highly advanced aircraft employing modern technologies, including a fully pressurized cockpit and remotely controlled defensive armament. The aircraft was built to be faster, higher-flying and longer-ranged than any bomber then in Luftwaffe service, but was unable to reach these aspirational goals due to the failure of its intended power plant, the Junkers Jumo 222. The Ju 288 would never enter operational service, having been cancelled in 1944.

At the start of WWII, Germany possessed several Schnellbomber designs, including the Do 17 and Ju 88, which quickly became obsolete with the course of the war. As a result, the German air ministry (RLM) issued a new requirement, named "Bomber B"; it was hoped that the Bomber B design would replace all Luftwaffe medium bombers then in service. Multiple companies submitted bids, including Junkers with the Ju 288, Dornier with the Do 317, Focke-Wulf with the Fw 191, and Henschel with the Hs 130. However, the Ju 288 had practically been chosen from the start. As a result, the company progressed with the development of their Ju 288 prototypes.

The Ju 288 was a formidable bomber, intended to be powered by a pair of Junkers Jumo 222 multibank inline engines developing over 2,400 hp for takeoff, nearly twice the power of the typical inline engines of the time. While countries like the US proceeded with the development of four-engined heavy bombers like the B-17, B-24 or B-29, Germany was hesitant to fit their bombers with four engines as the increased number of engines would place undue strain on the engine‑manufacturing industry.

The power provided by the pair of Junkers Jumo 222 engines would provide the Ju 288 with an impressive set of flight characteristics: a potential top speed of 655 km/h at 7,000 metres and a service ceiling over 10 kilometres. The aircraft was fitted with a pressurized cabin at the front, remotely controlled defensive turrets, and a spacious bomb bay capable of accommodating up to 3,630 kg of bombs. The aircraft was designed to replace all medium bombers in the RLM's inventory and provide the Luftwaffe with significant bombing capabilities.

Despite this, the Ju 288 would never see service due to the failure of the Jumo 222 as a power plant: over 300 engines would be built, but the engine suffered from numerous issues, leaving it nearly nonfunctional. The first seven Ju 288 prototypes, designated Ju 288 A, would fly with BMW radial engines, leaving them quite underpowered. The Ju 288 C designation was given to the final eight prototypes, fitted with the heavier DB-610 engines that were used onto the He 177. These engines were only marginally more reliable than the Jumo 222, overheating quickly and even catching fire on some occasions. At the end, the aircraft was cancelled at the prototype stage in late 1944, meaning that the aircraft would never see full active service.

=== [[wt:en/news/5836-development-ju-288c-en|Devblog]] ===
In 1939, the Junkers company began work on a new bomber that was supposed to replace the Ju 88 bombers in service at the time. The new aircraft had to surpass the predecessor across all parameters. The plan was to fit the upcoming model with new, more powerful engines, significantly boost the firepower of the defensive armament, and, of course, increase the payload. The first prototypes took to the skies when the Jumo 222A/B engines, which the aircraft were supposed to be equipped with, had not been installed yet. Instead, the BMW engines were used. Extensive work began on the experimental models of the new series, which received the designation Ju 288, with the aim of enhancing the bomber's characteristics. This explains why the first eight prototypes were significantly different from one another.

In 1942, the Ministry of Aviation made a ruling to include a fourth member in the aircraft crew, which demanded changes to be made to the build of the cockpit. Vehicles of the second-generation prototype series with the letter "B" in their designation had their wingspan increased and their defensive armament changed. The Jumo 222A/B engines still required more work to be done and thus weren't installed on the Ju 288Bs. The Ju 288Cs, the third-generation prototypes of the series, were fitted with the Daimler Benz DB 605 engines, requiring the nacelles to be changed. Furthermore, the wingspan of the aircraft was increased even more and the defensive armament received another modification – this time, a lower rear turret was added. The Ju 288C's first test flights began in the spring of 1943. Junkers even prepared three versions of the new bomber build for serial production, each with a unique armament set. However, in June, the engineering department notified the aircraft manufacturer to discontinue work on the Ju 288 due to a lack of resources required to produce the new aircraft. Tests on the Ju 288 continued right up to 1944 – the aircraft even went on several combat flights. However, ultimately, the bomber was never approved for serial production.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ju-288c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 001.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 002.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 003.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 004.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 005.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 006.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|B61ijkCUrhQ|'''Ju 288C - Nerfed? Yes! Useless? Heck No!!!''' - ''Napalmratte''|OHffsKNNhM0|'''Ju-288 Schnell bomber with 1,800 kg bombs''' - ''Phlydaily''|e__rwCIT_dA|'''Premium Review: Ju 288C - The Ultimate SchnellBomber!''' - ''Jengar''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* Junkers [[Ju 88 (Family)|Ju 88]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era*

* Tupolev [[Tu-2 (Family)|Tu-2]]
* Yokosuka [[P1Y1 mod. 11|P1Y]] Ginga

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5836-development-ju-288c-en|[Devblog] Ju 288C]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/430075-ju-288c/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Junkers}}
{{Germany bombers}}
{{Germany premium aircraft}}

B-17G-60-VE

2024-11-20T01:06:32Z

U44982996: added a mention of 4,000 lb bombs

{{About
| about = American bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = B-17 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=b-17g
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


The '''Boeing B-17G''' was the main serial production variant of the famous "Flying Fortress" first produced in 1943. Using lessons learned from operating the previous [[B-17E]]/F models, several changes were made on the G model, with some carried from the troublesome F model. This included a pressurised cabin, the addition of a chin remote-controlled turret and improved cheek turret mount to counter frontal engagements, moving the right waist gunner position towards to front to increase the overall coverage, improved superchargers for high-altitude operation, and receiving the "Cheyenne" tail turret which increased protection and the field of fire for the tail gunner. Around 8,680 B-17Gs were built, with several airframes being converted as a testbed for various projects.

In the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27, the '''B-17G Flying Fortress''', as the name suggests, is intended to be used as a high-altitude level bomber, designed to target enemy airfields and military bases. Compared to the early [[B-17E]] models, the B-17G is noticeably faster thanks to improved superchargers, allowing it to climb better and further at higher altitudes. The B-17G's defensive capabilities is also improved, with an addition of chin turret and revised gunner positions that effectively eliminating every blind spots around the plane. In addition, the B-17G also has access to extra wing hardpoints that allow it to carry an extra pair of 1,000 lb and 2,000 lb bombs or even a pair of massive 4,000 lb bombs. All of this allows the B-17G to perform the same job that the B-17E excels at even better than before; destroying ground targets while evading most enemy using altitude advantage, and giving a tough fight to anyone who manages to reach it. However, the B-17G still retains the critical weakness of the "Flying Fortress" family, namely its relatively weak tail, excessive wing loading that restrict its manoeuvrability, and its tendency to catch fire.

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

As with earlier B-17 models, the B-17G's flight performance is nothing to write home about. The plane is quite slow to move around at higher speeds and suffers from excessive wing loading that prevents it from doing most aerobatic manoeuvres outside of Arcade mode. While the B-17G's top speed is decent for a heavy bomber, it is still quite slow compared to other fighters at its BR, which means the B-17G will not outrun any fighters or interceptors unless it has an altitude advantage.

Speaking about altitude, the B-17G gets a long range bomber spawn. When combined with the plane's improved higher altitude performance, the B-17G can climb up to a safer altitude from most fighters except some dedicated interceptors, thus allowing the B-17G to reach its target and safely drop its payload as long as the plane is not spotted or is far enough from most enemies.

Like the previous B-17 models, the B-17G has a great flight endurance. The plane is capable of flying even if two engines were disabled and it remains responsive even when its airframes and ailerons were damaged, so long as your tail or wingtips were not destroyed. And thus increases the chance of returning to the base after combat.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 7,680 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
| 492 || 476 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 37.2 || 38.2 || 2.2 || 2.2 || rowspan="2" | 600
|-
! Upgraded
| 535 || 510 || 34.9 || 36.0 || 7.7 || 4.6
|-
|}

==== 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 516  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 383 || 361 || 249 || ~2 || ~1
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 330 || < 310 || < 270 || > 300
|-
|}

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


* 6.35 mm Steel - Lower nose armour plate
* 6.35 mm Steel - Back of pilot and co-pilot's seats
* 6.35 mm Steel - Dorsal turret gunner protective plate
* 6.35 mm Steel - Radio operator protective plate
* 6.35 mm Steel - Beam gunner protective armour x 2
* 6.35 mm Steel - Tail gunner protective plate
* 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Ball turret
* 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Tail gunner rear window

Like the previous B-17 models, the B-17G is a very tough nut to crack. The airframe is clad with several layers of armour protecting the pilots and gunner, and the airframe itself can take a lot of punishments even from 20 mm autocannons.

However, the B-17G still retains the same weakness at the wingtips and tail that can be relatively easy to destroy and effectively guaranteed a crash if that was the case. The B-17G's huge fuel tanks inside the wings is also very vulnerable to fire damage, though you can potentially put if off before it destroy your plane by turn off your engines and use the EFS system.

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

This slow and lumbering heavy bomber relies entirely on its turrets for defence. Without it, the plane is target practice. Thus "Protective vests" should be the first unlock. Further survivability upgrades will make the fight easier, but do not think it will successfully face-off against enemy fighters. So upgrading the bomb payloads should be second priority. Performance modules can be considered the least necessary.

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

{{main|AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|A.P. AN-MK 33 (1,000 lb)|AN-M65A1 (1,000 lb)|AN-Mk 1 (1,600 lb)|AN-M66A2 (2,000 lb)}}

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

* 8 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 12 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,600 lb AN-Mk 1 bombs (3,200 lb total)
* 4 x 1,000 lb A.P. AN-MK 33 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 6 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 8 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 4 x 2,000 lb AN-M66A2 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 2 x 4,000 lb AN-M56 bombs (8,000 lb total)

While the most efficient payload weight-to-explosive wise is the 12 x 500 lb bombs, the B-17G has an option to equip an extra pair of 1,000 lb, 2,000 lb, or even replacing the payload with two massive 4,000 lb bombs on an external hardpoint below the wing root, thus increasing its capability against a group of ground targets or naval targets.

The B-17G also has an option to use an AP bombs, though due to the poor manoeability of the plane, it would be nearly impossible to hit any ground or naval target using these bombs, so it is advised to use the high explosive bombs instead.

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

{{main|M2 Browning (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, chin turret (400 rpg = 800 total)
* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, 2 x cheek turrets (300 rpg)
* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, front dorsal turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, rear dorsal turret (500 rpg)
* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (600 rpg)
* 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, tail turret (575 rpg = 1,150 total)

The B-17G has 13 x .50 Browning machine guns as its defensive armaments, all guns has a large amount of ammo available, and thus allowed you to spray it at any incoming enemy as you please, so long as you didn't hold the fire for several seconds and jam it. The Browning MG is also quite accurate, with a kill being achievable even from 1.75 km away. This means you can effectively deter the enemy from chasing you by firing at them at long ranges, potentially damage their engine and force them to retreat or even get a kill.

Compared to the B-17E, the B-17G has improved defensive gun arrangements, most notably the addition of a chin turret and an upgraded tail turret. With revised waist position, the B-17G can get more guns onto its tail and offers more coverage from sides and below, thus covered all the blindspots of the B-17E varaint. While the improved cheek gun mounts and chin turret offers more defense from frontal engagements, facing the enemy head-ons are still ill-advised as the cockpit lacks any armoured glass to protect the pilots and gunners. Thus, like the previous B-17E, you should face your tail at the enemy at all times to maximize your damage output.

Much like the [[B-17E/L|late war B-17E]], the B-17G has an access to the "late war" ammo belt, which swap the plain tracer shell with the dreaded M20 API-T shell. This means the B-17G has a better chance of lighting the enemy plane on fire, especially with the "Universal" belts that composed entirely of an incendiary rounds.

== Usage in battles ==

When facing fighters and interceptors in Realistic Battles, it is best to use Omni-purpose or Armour-piercing/Ground Target ammunition belts for the 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns. These ammunition belts are effective at tearing through the engine block and hopefully resulting in an internal engine fire. You may be also able to score a pilot kill on your opponent.

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

B-17s are notoriously hard to kill when compared to similar Soviet and German bombers. However, with the B-17 the best defence is to evade your opponent altogether. Your worst enemies will be almost all fighters due to the high BR (Fw 190 D, Ta-152, BF-109 G-10/K-4, F8F-1B, Tempest, etc.). Most fighters will have 2-4 cannons which can still make short work of the B-17.
[[File:BomberImage_Boeing_B-17G_2_BG_dropping_bombs.jpg|200px|thumb|right|B-17G dropping bombs in Europe]]
The weakest area of approach with the B-17G is the front. Only 1-2 MGs can be focused directly forward if a fighter head-ons you. The crew is also focused at the nose. If there is a fighter at your level, try to turn and expose the tail "barb". Diving may work as well. However, diving can put you into more danger as more fighters may swarm you.

====Counter-tactics====

When climbing to fight the B-17, you will most likely have a lower energy level depending on the plane you use. The F8F-1B, for example, has extremely good acceleration with WEP and can climb ridiculously quickly as well. If in a plane such as an F8F-1B, attempt to head on the B-17 as this is the weakest point. If the B-17 turns away, climb and chase the Flying Fortress at a higher altitude and then dive on it from an angle. Always avoid tailing a B-17, regardless of model. This just warrants a knocked-out pilot or fire.

=== 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 Not auto controlled || Combined || Controllable 1 gear || Auto controlled
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Large bomb payload options, including two massive 4,000 bombs
* Powerful air defence capabilities, with effectively no blindspots
* Accurate Browning MGs with large ammo pool, capable of engaging the enemy from up to 1.75 km away and also help leading the target easier
* Multiple powerful engines increase the plane's endurance and acceleration
* Decent climb rate for a bomber at higher altitudes
* Very durable airframe and overall heavily armoured, capable of stay airborne provided that the tail were not destroyed
* Nose gunner is very helpful in RB against bomber hunters

'''Cons:'''

* Fairly slow compared to other aircraft at its rank
* Big target, its huge wings and tail are vulnerable against 20 mm cannons
* Nose is extremely vulnerable for the pilot and crew
* Prone to fire damage
* Excessive wing loading can cause the wings to rip while turning at higher speed (~400 km/h)
* Awfully slow bomb bay door opening time, forcing the pilot to open it in advance or risks missing the base entirely

== History ==

Due to direct experience from U.S. bomber crews in 1943, the B-17F revealed inadequate protection from head-on attacks by enemy fighters. To remedy this problem, a remote-controlled chin turret armed with two 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns was introduced on the final production block of Douglas-built B-17Fs, the B-17F-75-DL. This turret became standard on the B-17G, and proved to be more practical than manually operated guns initially fitted to the nose. The B-17G began delivery in September of 1943 and included various upgrades throughout its production. A total of 8,680 aircraft were built from three manufacturers until April of 1945. The B-17G could be considered the cornerstone of U.S. bombing efforts in the European theatre between 1944 and 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 Boeing B-17G Flying Fortress was the first American all-metal heavy bomber. The plane was designed in 1934 in response to a design competition for a coastal anti-ship bomber. A year later the Boeing-299 prototype was built, equipped with four 750-HP Pratt & Whitney engines. It was first flown on June 28 of that year. Subsequent variants used the 1,200 HP Wright Cyclone engines. Boeing factories began mass producing B-17 Flying Fortresses for the US Army Air Corps exactly 12 months later. Throughout the production run, Boeing produced 6,981 B-17s of various variants and an additional 5,745 were built by Lockheed and Douglas giving a total of 12,726 aircraft.

The B-17 quickly became legendary due to its ability to withstand battle damage and to bring hole-ridden aircraft home safely. Nine, and later twelve, Browning .50-cal machine guns offered formidable defensive fire coverage. Nevertheless, the aircraft was not without its faults. For example, the tendency to catch fire was never overcome. Another weakness was the lack of protection against head-on attacks; out of 27 pieces of armour, none protected the crew from the front. Firing a cannon or even a machine gun at the cockpit would find the crew completely unprotected. Another famous part of the B-17 was its highly advanced Norden bombsight, which allowed for effective bomb aiming even at high altitudes.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=b-17g Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[B-17 (Family)]]

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

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

{{AirManufacturer Boeing}}
{{USA bombers}}

Ju 288 C

2024-11-20T00:56:53Z

U44982996: added a bit about defensive coverage

{{Specs-Card
|code=ju-288c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


The '''Junkers Ju 288''' was a prototype medium bomber designed as a submission to the ''Bomber B'' design contest organised by the Luftwaffe just before World War II. The ''Bomber B'' specification demand a Schnellbomber (fast bomber) with the purpose of replacing the current [[Ju 88 (Family)|Junkers Ju 88]] bombers in service. Though a potent bomber in its own right, the Ju 88 suffered what ended up being crippling features such as a relatively small internal bomb bay requiring extra ordnance to be ferried on external hard points which ultimately increased the aircraft's drag coefficient, resulting in less efficient flight performance. Though a contest was held to choose the next generation of medium Schnellbombers, the RLM had already determined the Ju 288 was the clear winner and even let Focke-Wulf, Dornier and Henschel continue to pursue their prototypes in vain. Out of the gate, what caught the eye of the RLM was that although the Ju 288 is slightly larger than the Ju 88, the new prototype contained a pressurized cabin allowing for higher altitude flying, faster speeds, further range, excellent defensive capabilities and a much larger bomb payload. Such hope was put into this aircraft that it was slated to replace all bombers within the Luftwaffe inventory.

Though the aircraft itself was a massive success, the failed development of the Junkers Jumo 222 engines and problems with its complicated landing gear ended up crippling the development of the plane, resulting in only a handful of prototypes being built with a few being hurriedly outfitted with defensive weapons and used as a reconnaissance bomber. The '''Ju 288 C''' was the final batch of the Ju 288 produced, which substituted the Jumo 222 engines with a slightly less troublesome Daimler-Benz DB610 coupled engines found on the [[He 177 A-5|Heinkel He 177]] heavy bomber.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an aircraft that has an in-game reputation of being loved by its pilot and loathed by its enemies, and for a good reason. The Ju 288 C is the ultimate ''Schnellbomber'', featuring a combination of extremely heavy payload for its size, fast top speed and acceleration and a potent defensive armaments. It can deliver up to 5,000 kg of payload in the form of two massive 2,500 kg bombs, easily capable of wiping out a group of ground vehicles or threaten even a battleship. Its other payload are the versatile 36 x 50 kg bombs, a relatively lightweight yet optimal payload for destroying up to 2 bases or carpet bombings. The Ju 288 can prove to be incredible asset for your team or a headache to the enemy, as it can perform in various roles effectively, be it dive bombing, level bombing, or close air support.
== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


For those pilots who have flown many slow and heavy bombers just to get a decent payload to the target will be thoroughly refreshed when getting behind the controls of the {{PAGENAME}}. Quickly apparent is the speed of this bomber. As its type suggests, Schnellbomber, this aircraft is fast, topping out just over 600 km/h (375 mph) and agile enough to manoeuvre when attacked as not to be a "sitting duck" like many of the larger contemporary bombers such as the American [[B-24D-25-CO|B-24]] and the Italian [[P.108B serie 2|P.108B]] which are easily 120 km/h (75 mph) slower and much less agile making for a tempting target even for the least experienced fighter pilot to attempt to eliminate.

For many aircraft, speed is life, but speed for this Schnellbomber not only is life but what gets the ordnance to the target. The {{PAGENAME}} does have a pressurized cabin which allows the aircraft to fly at higher altitudes where it can bomb bases with accuracy with 2,500 kg bombs, but this bomber is also very capable at flying at lower altitudes and even terrain hugging where it can release up to 36 x 50 kg bombs on unsuspecting vehicles before they have a chance to scatter or hardened anti-aircraft structures filling the sky with flak. The {{PAGENAME}} also has the ability to operate as a dive bomber given that it has dive brakes in the wings which will help slow its speed and maintain its heading during a dive to ensure a relatively smooth bombing run, after bombs have been dropped, the aircraft can retract the flaps and power up and move onto the next target.

There's usually two ways to play Ju 288 C: stay high or dive. Most people play Ju 288 C dive and take as many bases for themselves. When diving, try to watch your IAS and keep it at around 640 km/h (400 mph), don't go over that speed. The second way to play is to stay high, when staying high, you will see enemy bombers that you can hunt with your superior firepower. When bomber hunting, try to get next to them, match their speed, and gun the hell out of them. Usually, bomber hunting will cause you to sustain some damage.

{| 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
| 607 || 591 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.0 || 33.0 || 8.5 || 8.5 || rowspan="2" | 1,500
|-
! Upgraded
| 655 || 630 || 29.5 || 30.7 || 14.9 || 11.4
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 457 || 428 || 280 || ~9 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 370 || < 360 || < 450 || > 715
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 5,700 m || 2,520 hp || 2,797 hp
|-
|}

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


* 10 mm steel - Pilot's headrests
* 8 mm steel - Pilot's seats
* 8 mm steel - cockpit floor

The Ju 288 C are highly survivable, even when compared to some heavy bombers. The airframe can take a lot of beatings and although the elevator and rudders are quire weak, the plane is still capable of stay in flight even when one of its twin tails or engines were destroyed. Although the Ju 288 are quite volatile due to the large fuel tanks scattered around the wings, it can endure multiple fire damages and still remains intact.

However, the DB 610 engines is the critical weakness of the Ju 288. The engine's poor cooling system will results into the engine itself being gradually damaged over time should the engine or the coolant being damaged, eventually forcing the the aircraft the land or crash.

For anyone who wanted to take down the Ju 288 C, your best bet is to take out the pilots from above or frontally due to glazed nose design of the aircraft. Otherwise aim for the engines so that you can disable them and hinder the chance for an enemy Ju 288 to limp back to the airfield. Approaching from the side is also possible due to the lack of coverage from the 20 mm autocannon.

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

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)|SC1000L2 (1,000 kg)|SC1800B (1,800 kg)}}
{{main|Flam C 250 incendiary|Flam C 500 incendiary}}

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

* 36 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 3 x 500 kg SC500K bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 2 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 2 x 1,800 kg SC1800B bombs (3,600 kg total)
* 2 x 2,800 kg SC2500 bombs (5,000 kg total)
* 8 x Flam C 250 incendiary bombs
* 3 x Flam C 500 incendiary bombs

The payload of the Ju 288 C are exceptional for its class. It can carry up to 5,000 kg payload in the form of two massive 2,500 kg bombs. With massive destruction radius and an extra drop, the Ju 288 C is capable of singlehandedly turn the tide of ground battle in favor of its team by wiping out the enemy teams with two well-aimed drops, or take out even battleships in naval battle with a near miss. It should be noted that this payload will put a significant strain on the aircraft's airframe, resulting into worse overall flight performance and significantly longer take-off runs. The bomb itself may also damage your own aircraft if you were too close to its explosion radius when it detonated, such as in a dive bombing.

The other payload options, the 36 x 50 kg bombs, is also potent. The quantity of bombs is enough to destroy two bases in Air RB, and due to its light weight, it will not hinder the flight performance of the Ju 288 as much as the other equivalent.

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

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

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon, tail turret (600 rpg)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, chin turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, dorsal turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

With four remote-controlled turrets and good coverage, the Ju 288 C is quite well-defended for a fast bomber. Although the six 13 mm machine guns doesn't have much penetration for its calibre, it is still enough to damage the engine of any would-be chasers and potentially light them on fire if enough shots landed. The real kicker though is the tail turret armed with a single 20 mm autocannon with an access to the dreaded minengeschoß shell that can easily shred any aircraft apart.

However, the Ju 288 still has some significant blindspots. The most obvious one is the lack of upper coverage, with only two 13 mm machine guns covering this spot. This present an opportunity for the enemy to take out the pilots and gunners by firing at the glazed canopy of the bomber. The glazed canopy also makes any head-on engagements potentially lethal. As such, always face your six (and 20 mm autocannon) to the enemy as soon as possible.
== Usage in battles ==


As a bomber, you spawn at a higher altitude, where you can use this advantage to dive to the base you want to destroy. However, do not exceed 690 km/h (430 mph), or the wings will break. A great indication of this is when your wings start to shake uncontrollably - by then, it would be apparent that you need to slow down. A good idea for more savvy pilots would be to use the Manual Engine Control to turn off automatic radiators and fully open them, allowing you near unlimited WEP without overheating and letting you keep as much altitude as possible for a possible emergency dive away from enemy fighters.

;Base bombing

In Air RB, there are two predominant types of maps: standard HP maps and double HP maps. Standard HP maps typically have three bases, with some exceptions, such as the "Air Battle" maps, which have four bases. These bases take a single SC1800 each, meaning that you can bomb two bases in a single run, yielding just over 1,000 points. Note that the airfield is a bombing target once all bases are destroyed. However, about half of the maps you see in-game are "Operation" maps, with four bases and no airfield. These bases take both SC1800 bombs to destroy, and often feature four AAA emplacements on the edges of the base. When attacking these bases, a great strategy is to drop the bombs at the edges of the base, instead of at the centre. Because of the massive blast radius of the SC1800, this enables you to kill several AAA emplacements along with the base bombing, which yields additional Silver Lions and RP.

Although the just named strategy is what is commonly used, it is ineffective and doesn't provide the full potential of the Ju 288 C. The most efficient way to use the Ju 288 is to use the 8 Flam C250kg incendiary bomb loadout, as 4 Flam C250kg incendiary bombs can destroy a double HP base, while 2 Flam C250kg incendiary bomb can destroy a standard HP base. With this loadout, you'll be able to destroy at least two bases on most maps, while being able to single-handedly destroy the whole map on standard HP Maps.

Typically, the best strategy for the Ju 288 when bombing is to utilize the Schnellbomber qualities of the aircraft, and put the aircraft into a 10-degree dive towards the base. For most "Operation" maps, this means that you can bomb the base well before enemy fighters can even see you appear on their screen. After you have dropped your bombs, return to base and reload bombs; the advance airfield (smaller airfield closer to the battlefield) works better as long as there are no enemies close by, as you will get air spawn for many of those bases. Fly back, bomb, return to base, repeat. This strategy is simple, effective, and extremely profitable in terms of SL and RP.

;Defensive flying

The Ju 288 C is a juicy target and will often be targeted by allied fighter pilots. As a result, defensive flying is a must. If you see a fighter coming in for an attack run, the best strategy to use is to dive away. This works significantly better if the Ju 288 C has an energy advantage, as it can outrun most planes at its BR in a dive. However, if they are faster than you (i.e. the [[F2G-1|F2G Super Corsair]]), level out and fire on them using your defensive guns. The Ju 288 C is surprisingly well-armed in terms of defensive armament, featuring six 13 mm machine guns and a tail-mounted 20 mm cannon. Try to keep enemy fighters on your tail, as the 20 mm cannon can load Minengeschoß (mine-shell) ammunition that is incredibly damaging against air targets. Finally, avoid all head-on engagements. Though the Ju 288 has two pilots, it is not too durable, and a frontal burst from an enemy fighter can easily knock out both pilots.

;Enemies worth noting

* [[F4U-4B|F4U Corsairs]] & [[F2G-1|F2G Super Corsair]] - The F4U / F2Gs are very common enemies, with high speed and extremely deadly weaponry (20 mm cannon for the F4Us and 12.7 mm Browning HMGs for the F2G). Against these aircraft, the best strategy is to 1) run away and 2) keep them slightly below your tail where you can fire at them with your four ventral 13 mm machine guns as well as the 20 mm cannon. When possible, seek protection from allied fighters, as the Corsairs carry a heavy armament that can tear the Ju 288 C apart very quickly. Note that the Corsairs are all faster than you, meaning that you can only outrun them when you have an energy advantage.
* [[S.O.8000 Narval]], [[J6K1]], [[Tempest (Family)|Tempest]] and [[Spitfire F Mk 24|Spitfire]] - Again, these aircraft all carry extremely powerful weaponry: the Tempests and Spitfires carry four 20 mm Hispano cannons while the J6K and Narval carry six 20 mm cannons. These weapons are extremely deadly and will shred your airframe apart very quickly. Similar to the F4Us, the best strategy is to bait these aircraft onto your six, where you can shred them with your 20 mm cannon. The British fighters and Japanese J6K are relatively fragile and rip apart pretty quickly; the Narval has a rear-mounted engine which is less susceptible to damage, but lacks full pilot protection, allowing for pilot snipes.
* [[AM-1]], [[AD-2]] and [[AD-4]]⁣ - This trio of American attackers can seem harmless, but they pack an explosive punch with four 20 mm cannons which are capable of shredding your airframe apart. The Ju 288 C's main advantage is its speed. You can outrun all three of these attackers without issue. Don't provoke them / drop to their altitude and speed, and you'll be absolutely fine.
* [[Hornet Mk.I]] and [[Hornet Mk.III]] - These twin-engine fighters are one of the few aircraft capable of intercepting you before you reach the bases with their good engine performance combined with the interceptor spawn. Along with four 20 mm Hispano cannons, they can destroy your plane in an instant. If you see one heading straight towards you, turn the aircraft and level off, aiming the cannons at the engine nacelles or the cockpit. The lack of frontal armour will allow you to knock the pilot out more 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 Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High speed for the rank, can often reach bases before fighters can intercept
* Very manoeuvrable for a bomber, capable of dive bombing
* Has air brakes, makes landing and dive bombing easier
* Excellent ordnance options, including two massive 2500 kg bombs
* Excellent defensive coverage from most angles, especially the tail with the 20 mm autocannon
* Durable airframe, capable of stay in flight even with only one tail
* Commonly puts out fires before structure failure, although it may end with eventually fatal coolant leaks

'''Cons:'''

* Priority target; will be swarmed by enemies as soon as you were spotted
* Engines tend to overheat quickly without MEC
* Pilot and gunners can be easily knocked out from the front or above due to glazed canopy
* Somewhat reliant on the 20 mm autocannon, as the 13 mm lacks penetration to deal with enemies at range
* Rudders and elevators are extremely fragile and can be disabled or destroyed by just a few cannon rounds
* Aircraft catches fire easily as it carries 10 self-sealing fuel tanks that are poorly covered
* Cannot sustain flight on one engine, damaged engine or coolant will gradually degrade them and eventually forced the plane to land or crash

== History ==

The Ju 288 C was a prototype German Schnellbomber (fast bomber) and the winner of the "Bomber B" competition, which aimed to replace all German bombers then in service. The Ju 288 C was a highly advanced aircraft employing modern technologies, including a fully pressurized cockpit and remotely controlled defensive armament. The aircraft was built to be faster, higher-flying and longer-ranged than any bomber then in Luftwaffe service, but was unable to reach these aspirational goals due to the failure of its intended power plant, the Junkers Jumo 222. The Ju 288 would never enter operational service, having been cancelled in 1944.

At the start of WWII, Germany possessed several Schnellbomber designs, including the Do 17 and Ju 88, which quickly became obsolete with the course of the war. As a result, the German air ministry (RLM) issued a new requirement, named "Bomber B"; it was hoped that the Bomber B design would replace all Luftwaffe medium bombers then in service. Multiple companies submitted bids, including Junkers with the Ju 288, Dornier with the Do 317, Focke-Wulf with the Fw 191, and Henschel with the Hs 130. However, the Ju 288 had practically been chosen from the start. As a result, the company progressed with the development of their Ju 288 prototypes.

The Ju 288 was a formidable bomber, intended to be powered by a pair of Junkers Jumo 222 multibank inline engines developing over 2,400 hp for takeoff, nearly twice the power of the typical inline engines of the time. While countries like the US proceeded with the development of four-engined heavy bombers like the B-17, B-24 or B-29, Germany was hesitant to fit their bombers with four engines as the increased number of engines would place undue strain on the engine‑manufacturing industry.

The power provided by the pair of Junkers Jumo 222 engines would provide the Ju 288 with an impressive set of flight characteristics: a potential top speed of 655 km/h at 7,000 metres and a service ceiling over 10 kilometres. The aircraft was fitted with a pressurized cabin at the front, remotely controlled defensive turrets, and a spacious bomb bay capable of accommodating up to 3,630 kg of bombs. The aircraft was designed to replace all medium bombers in the RLM's inventory and provide the Luftwaffe with significant bombing capabilities.

Despite this, the Ju 288 would never see service due to the failure of the Jumo 222 as a power plant: over 300 engines would be built, but the engine suffered from numerous issues, leaving it nearly nonfunctional. The first seven Ju 288 prototypes, designated Ju 288 A, would fly with BMW radial engines, leaving them quite underpowered. The Ju 288 C designation was given to the final eight prototypes, fitted with the heavier DB-610 engines that were used onto the He 177. These engines were only marginally more reliable than the Jumo 222, overheating quickly and even catching fire on some occasions. At the end, the aircraft was cancelled at the prototype stage in late 1944, meaning that the aircraft would never see full active service.

=== [[wt:en/news/5836-development-ju-288c-en|Devblog]] ===
In 1939, the Junkers company began work on a new bomber that was supposed to replace the Ju 88 bombers in service at the time. The new aircraft had to surpass the predecessor across all parameters. The plan was to fit the upcoming model with new, more powerful engines, significantly boost the firepower of the defensive armament, and, of course, increase the payload. The first prototypes took to the skies when the Jumo 222A/B engines, which the aircraft were supposed to be equipped with, had not been installed yet. Instead, the BMW engines were used. Extensive work began on the experimental models of the new series, which received the designation Ju 288, with the aim of enhancing the bomber's characteristics. This explains why the first eight prototypes were significantly different from one another.

In 1942, the Ministry of Aviation made a ruling to include a fourth member in the aircraft crew, which demanded changes to be made to the build of the cockpit. Vehicles of the second-generation prototype series with the letter "B" in their designation had their wingspan increased and their defensive armament changed. The Jumo 222A/B engines still required more work to be done and thus weren't installed on the Ju 288Bs. The Ju 288Cs, the third-generation prototypes of the series, were fitted with the Daimler Benz DB 605 engines, requiring the nacelles to be changed. Furthermore, the wingspan of the aircraft was increased even more and the defensive armament received another modification – this time, a lower rear turret was added. The Ju 288C's first test flights began in the spring of 1943. Junkers even prepared three versions of the new bomber build for serial production, each with a unique armament set. However, in June, the engineering department notified the aircraft manufacturer to discontinue work on the Ju 288 due to a lack of resources required to produce the new aircraft. Tests on the Ju 288 continued right up to 1944 – the aircraft even went on several combat flights. However, ultimately, the bomber was never approved for serial production.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ju-288c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 001.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 002.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 003.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 004.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 005.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 006.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|B61ijkCUrhQ|'''Ju 288C - Nerfed? Yes! Useless? Heck No!!!''' - ''Napalmratte''|OHffsKNNhM0|'''Ju-288 Schnell bomber with 1,800 kg bombs''' - ''Phlydaily''|e__rwCIT_dA|'''Premium Review: Ju 288C - The Ultimate SchnellBomber!''' - ''Jengar''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* Junkers [[Ju 88 (Family)|Ju 88]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era*

* Tupolev [[Tu-2 (Family)|Tu-2]]
* Yokosuka [[P1Y1 mod. 11|P1Y]] Ginga

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5836-development-ju-288c-en|[Devblog] Ju 288C]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/430075-ju-288c/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Junkers}}
{{Germany bombers}}
{{Germany premium aircraft}}

Ju 288 C

2024-11-20T00:51:20Z

U44982996: description and some summary

{{Specs-Card
|code=ju-288c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


The '''Junkers Ju 288''' was a prototype medium bomber designed as a submission to the ''Bomber B'' design contest organised by the Luftwaffe just before World War II. The ''Bomber B'' specification demand a Schnellbomber (fast bomber) with the purpose of replacing the current [[Ju 88 (Family)|Junkers Ju 88]] bombers in service. Though a potent bomber in its own right, the Ju 88 suffered what ended up being crippling features such as a relatively small internal bomb bay requiring extra ordnance to be ferried on external hard points which ultimately increased the aircraft's drag coefficient, resulting in less efficient flight performance. Though a contest was held to choose the next generation of medium Schnellbombers, the RLM had already determined the Ju 288 was the clear winner and even let Focke-Wulf, Dornier and Henschel continue to pursue their prototypes in vain. Out of the gate, what caught the eye of the RLM was that although the Ju 288 is slightly larger than the Ju 88, the new prototype contained a pressurized cabin allowing for higher altitude flying, faster speeds, further range, excellent defensive capabilities and a much larger bomb payload. Such hope was put into this aircraft that it was slated to replace all bombers within the Luftwaffe inventory.

Though the aircraft itself was a massive success, the failed development of the Junkers Jumo 222 engines and problems with its complicated landing gear ended up crippling the development of the plane, resulting in only a handful of prototypes being built with a few being hurriedly outfitted with defensive weapons and used as a reconnaissance bomber. The '''Ju 288 C''' was the final batch of the Ju 288 produced, which substituted the Jumo 222 engines with a slightly less troublesome Daimler-Benz DB610 coupled engines found on the [[He 177 A-5|Heinkel He 177]] heavy bomber.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an aircraft that has an in-game reputation of being loved by its pilot and loathed by its enemies, and for a good reason. The Ju 288 C is the ultimate ''Schnellbomber'', featuring a combination of extremely heavy payload for its size, fast top speed and acceleration and a potent defensive armaments. It can deliver up to 5,000 kg of payload in the form of two massive 2,500 kg bombs, easily capable of wiping out a group of ground vehicles or threaten even a battleship. Its other payload are the versatile 36 x 50 kg bombs, a relatively lightweight yet optimal payload for destroying up to 2 bases or carpet bombings. The Ju 288 can prove to be incredible asset for your team or a headache to the enemy, as it can perform in various roles effectively, be it dive bombing, level bombing, or close air support.
== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}


For those pilots who have flown many slow and heavy bombers just to get a decent payload to the target will be thoroughly refreshed when getting behind the controls of the {{PAGENAME}}. Quickly apparent is the speed of this bomber. As its type suggests, Schnellbomber, this aircraft is fast, topping out just over 600 km/h (375 mph) and agile enough to manoeuvre when attacked as not to be a "sitting duck" like many of the larger contemporary bombers such as the American [[B-24D-25-CO|B-24]] and the Italian [[P.108B serie 2|P.108B]] which are easily 120 km/h (75 mph) slower and much less agile making for a tempting target even for the least experienced fighter pilot to attempt to eliminate.

For many aircraft, speed is life, but speed for this Schnellbomber not only is life but what gets the ordnance to the target. The {{PAGENAME}} does have a pressurized cabin which allows the aircraft to fly at higher altitudes where it can bomb bases with accuracy with 2,500 kg bombs, but this bomber is also very capable at flying at lower altitudes and even terrain hugging where it can release up to 36 x 50 kg bombs on unsuspecting vehicles before they have a chance to scatter or hardened anti-aircraft structures filling the sky with flak. The {{PAGENAME}} also has the ability to operate as a dive bomber given that it has dive brakes in the wings which will help slow its speed and maintain its heading during a dive to ensure a relatively smooth bombing run, after bombs have been dropped, the aircraft can retract the flaps and power up and move onto the next target.

There's usually two ways to play Ju 288 C: stay high or dive. Most people play Ju 288 C dive and take as many bases for themselves. When diving, try to watch your IAS and keep it at around 640 km/h (400 mph), don't go over that speed. The second way to play is to stay high, when staying high, you will see enemy bombers that you can hunt with your superior firepower. When bomber hunting, try to get next to them, match their speed, and gun the hell out of them. Usually, bomber hunting will cause you to sustain some damage.

{| 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
| 607 || 591 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.0 || 33.0 || 8.5 || 8.5 || rowspan="2" | 1,500
|-
! Upgraded
| 655 || 630 || 29.5 || 30.7 || 14.9 || 11.4
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 457 || 428 || 280 || ~9 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 370 || < 360 || < 450 || > 715
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 5,700 m || 2,520 hp || 2,797 hp
|-
|}

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


* 10 mm steel - Pilot's headrests
* 8 mm steel - Pilot's seats
* 8 mm steel - cockpit floor

The Ju 288 C are highly survivable, even when compared to some heavy bombers. The airframe can take a lot of beatings and although the elevator and rudders are quire weak, the plane is still capable of stay in flight even when one of its twin tails or engines were destroyed. Although the Ju 288 are quite volatile due to the large fuel tanks scattered around the wings, it can endure multiple fire damages and still remains intact.

However, the DB 610 engines is the critical weakness of the Ju 288. The engine's poor cooling system will results into the engine itself being gradually damaged over time should the engine or the coolant being damaged, eventually forcing the the aircraft the land or crash.

For anyone who wanted to take down the Ju 288 C, your best bet is to take out the pilots from above or frontally due to glazed nose design of the aircraft. Otherwise aim for the engines so that you can disable them and hinder the chance for an enemy Ju 288 to limp back to the airfield. Approaching from the side is also possible due to the lack of coverage from the 20 mm autocannon.

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

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)|SC1000L2 (1,000 kg)|SC1800B (1,800 kg)}}
{{main|Flam C 250 incendiary|Flam C 500 incendiary}}

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

* 36 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,800 kg total)
* 8 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 3 x 500 kg SC500K bombs (1,500 kg total)
* 2 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 2 x 1,800 kg SC1800B bombs (3,600 kg total)
* 2 x 2,800 kg SC2500 bombs (5,000 kg total)
* 8 x Flam C 250 incendiary bombs
* 3 x Flam C 500 incendiary bombs

The payload of the Ju 288 C are exceptional for its class. It can carry up to 5,000 kg payload in the form of two massive 2,500 kg bombs. With massive destruction radius and an extra drop, the Ju 288 C is capable of singlehandedly turn the tide of ground battle in favor of its team by wiping out the enemy teams with two well-aimed drops, or take out even battleships in naval battle with a near miss. It should be noted that this payload will put a significant strain on the aircraft's airframe, resulting into worse overall flight performance and significantly longer take-off runs. The bomb itself may also damage your own aircraft if you were too close to its explosion radius when it detonated, such as in a dive bombing.

The other payload options, the 36 x 50 kg bombs, is also potent. The quantity of bombs is enough to destroy two bases in Air RB, and due to its light weight, it will not hinder the flight performance of the Ju 288 as much as the other equivalent.

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

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

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon, tail turret (600 rpg)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, chin turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, dorsal turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

With four remote-controlled turrets and good coverage, the Ju 288 C is quite well-defended for a fast bomber. Although the six 13 mm machine guns doesn't have much penetration for its calibre, it is still enough to damage the engine of any would-be chasers and potentially light them on fire if enough shots landed. The real kicker though is the tail turret armed with a single 20 mm autocannon with an access to the dreaded minengeschoß shell that can easily shred any aircraft apart.

However, the Ju 288 still has some significant blindspots. The most obvious one is the lack of upper coverage, with only two 13 mm machine guns covering this spot. This present an opportunity for the enemy to take out the pilots and gunners by firing at the glazed canopy of the bomber. The glazed canopy also makes any head-on engagements potentially lethal. As such, always face your six (and 20 mm autocannon) to the enemy as soon as possible.
== Usage in battles ==


As a bomber, you spawn at a higher altitude, where you can use this advantage to dive to the base you want to destroy. However, do not exceed 690 km/h (430 mph), or the wings will break. A great indication of this is when your wings start to shake uncontrollably - by then, it would be apparent that you need to slow down. A good idea for more savvy pilots would be to use the Manual Engine Control to turn off automatic radiators and fully open them, allowing you near unlimited WEP without overheating and letting you keep as much altitude as possible for a possible emergency dive away from enemy fighters.

;Base bombing

In Air RB, there are two predominant types of maps: standard HP maps and double HP maps. Standard HP maps typically have three bases, with some exceptions, such as the "Air Battle" maps, which have four bases. These bases take a single SC1800 each, meaning that you can bomb two bases in a single run, yielding just over 1,000 points. Note that the airfield is a bombing target once all bases are destroyed. However, about half of the maps you see in-game are "Operation" maps, with four bases and no airfield. These bases take both SC1800 bombs to destroy, and often feature four AAA emplacements on the edges of the base. When attacking these bases, a great strategy is to drop the bombs at the edges of the base, instead of at the centre. Because of the massive blast radius of the SC1800, this enables you to kill several AAA emplacements along with the base bombing, which yields additional Silver Lions and RP.

Although the just named strategy is what is commonly used, it is ineffective and doesn't provide the full potential of the Ju 288 C. The most efficient way to use the Ju 288 is to use the 8 Flam C250kg incendiary bomb loadout, as 4 Flam C250kg incendiary bombs can destroy a double HP base, while 2 Flam C250kg incendiary bomb can destroy a standard HP base. With this loadout, you'll be able to destroy at least two bases on most maps, while being able to single-handedly destroy the whole map on standard HP Maps.

Typically, the best strategy for the Ju 288 when bombing is to utilize the Schnellbomber qualities of the aircraft, and put the aircraft into a 10-degree dive towards the base. For most "Operation" maps, this means that you can bomb the base well before enemy fighters can even see you appear on their screen. After you have dropped your bombs, return to base and reload bombs; the advance airfield (smaller airfield closer to the battlefield) works better as long as there are no enemies close by, as you will get air spawn for many of those bases. Fly back, bomb, return to base, repeat. This strategy is simple, effective, and extremely profitable in terms of SL and RP.

;Defensive flying

The Ju 288 C is a juicy target and will often be targeted by allied fighter pilots. As a result, defensive flying is a must. If you see a fighter coming in for an attack run, the best strategy to use is to dive away. This works significantly better if the Ju 288 C has an energy advantage, as it can outrun most planes at its BR in a dive. However, if they are faster than you (i.e. the [[F2G-1|F2G Super Corsair]]), level out and fire on them using your defensive guns. The Ju 288 C is surprisingly well-armed in terms of defensive armament, featuring six 13 mm machine guns and a tail-mounted 20 mm cannon. Try to keep enemy fighters on your tail, as the 20 mm cannon can load Minengeschoß (mine-shell) ammunition that is incredibly damaging against air targets. Finally, avoid all head-on engagements. Though the Ju 288 has two pilots, it is not too durable, and a frontal burst from an enemy fighter can easily knock out both pilots.

;Enemies worth noting

* [[F4U-4B|F4U Corsairs]] & [[F2G-1|F2G Super Corsair]] - The F4U / F2Gs are very common enemies, with high speed and extremely deadly weaponry (20 mm cannon for the F4Us and 12.7 mm Browning HMGs for the F2G). Against these aircraft, the best strategy is to 1) run away and 2) keep them slightly below your tail where you can fire at them with your four ventral 13 mm machine guns as well as the 20 mm cannon. When possible, seek protection from allied fighters, as the Corsairs carry a heavy armament that can tear the Ju 288 C apart very quickly. Note that the Corsairs are all faster than you, meaning that you can only outrun them when you have an energy advantage.
* [[S.O.8000 Narval]], [[J6K1]], [[Tempest (Family)|Tempest]] and [[Spitfire F Mk 24|Spitfire]] - Again, these aircraft all carry extremely powerful weaponry: the Tempests and Spitfires carry four 20 mm Hispano cannons while the J6K and Narval carry six 20 mm cannons. These weapons are extremely deadly and will shred your airframe apart very quickly. Similar to the F4Us, the best strategy is to bait these aircraft onto your six, where you can shred them with your 20 mm cannon. The British fighters and Japanese J6K are relatively fragile and rip apart pretty quickly; the Narval has a rear-mounted engine which is less susceptible to damage, but lacks full pilot protection, allowing for pilot snipes.
* [[AM-1]], [[AD-2]] and [[AD-4]]⁣ - This trio of American attackers can seem harmless, but they pack an explosive punch with four 20 mm cannons which are capable of shredding your airframe apart. The Ju 288 C's main advantage is its speed. You can outrun all three of these attackers without issue. Don't provoke them / drop to their altitude and speed, and you'll be absolutely fine.
* [[Hornet Mk.I]] and [[Hornet Mk.III]] - These twin-engine fighters are one of the few aircraft capable of intercepting you before you reach the bases with their good engine performance combined with the interceptor spawn. Along with four 20 mm Hispano cannons, they can destroy your plane in an instant. If you see one heading straight towards you, turn the aircraft and level off, aiming the cannons at the engine nacelles or the cockpit. The lack of frontal armour will allow you to knock the pilot out more 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 Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High speed for the rank, can often reach bases before fighters can intercept
* Very manoeuvrable for a bomber, capable of dive bombing
* Has air brakes, makes landing and dive bombing easier
* Excellent ordnance options, including two massive 2500 kg bombs
* Durable airframe, capable of stay in flight even with only one tail
* Commonly puts out fires before structure failure, although it may end with eventually fatal coolant leaks

'''Cons:'''

* Priority target; will be swarmed by enemies as soon as you were spotted
* Engines tend to overheat quickly without MEC
* Pilot and gunners can be easily knocked out from the front or above due to glazed canopy
* Rudders and elevators are extremely fragile and can be disabled or destroyed by just a few cannon rounds
* Aircraft catches fire easily as it carries 10 self-sealing fuel tanks that are poorly covered
* Cannot sustain flight on one engine, damaged engine or coolant will gradually degrade them and eventually forced the plane to land or crash

== History ==

The Ju 288 C was a prototype German Schnellbomber (fast bomber) and the winner of the "Bomber B" competition, which aimed to replace all German bombers then in service. The Ju 288 C was a highly advanced aircraft employing modern technologies, including a fully pressurized cockpit and remotely controlled defensive armament. The aircraft was built to be faster, higher-flying and longer-ranged than any bomber then in Luftwaffe service, but was unable to reach these aspirational goals due to the failure of its intended power plant, the Junkers Jumo 222. The Ju 288 would never enter operational service, having been cancelled in 1944.

At the start of WWII, Germany possessed several Schnellbomber designs, including the Do 17 and Ju 88, which quickly became obsolete with the course of the war. As a result, the German air ministry (RLM) issued a new requirement, named "Bomber B"; it was hoped that the Bomber B design would replace all Luftwaffe medium bombers then in service. Multiple companies submitted bids, including Junkers with the Ju 288, Dornier with the Do 317, Focke-Wulf with the Fw 191, and Henschel with the Hs 130. However, the Ju 288 had practically been chosen from the start. As a result, the company progressed with the development of their Ju 288 prototypes.

The Ju 288 was a formidable bomber, intended to be powered by a pair of Junkers Jumo 222 multibank inline engines developing over 2,400 hp for takeoff, nearly twice the power of the typical inline engines of the time. While countries like the US proceeded with the development of four-engined heavy bombers like the B-17, B-24 or B-29, Germany was hesitant to fit their bombers with four engines as the increased number of engines would place undue strain on the engine‑manufacturing industry.

The power provided by the pair of Junkers Jumo 222 engines would provide the Ju 288 with an impressive set of flight characteristics: a potential top speed of 655 km/h at 7,000 metres and a service ceiling over 10 kilometres. The aircraft was fitted with a pressurized cabin at the front, remotely controlled defensive turrets, and a spacious bomb bay capable of accommodating up to 3,630 kg of bombs. The aircraft was designed to replace all medium bombers in the RLM's inventory and provide the Luftwaffe with significant bombing capabilities.

Despite this, the Ju 288 would never see service due to the failure of the Jumo 222 as a power plant: over 300 engines would be built, but the engine suffered from numerous issues, leaving it nearly nonfunctional. The first seven Ju 288 prototypes, designated Ju 288 A, would fly with BMW radial engines, leaving them quite underpowered. The Ju 288 C designation was given to the final eight prototypes, fitted with the heavier DB-610 engines that were used onto the He 177. These engines were only marginally more reliable than the Jumo 222, overheating quickly and even catching fire on some occasions. At the end, the aircraft was cancelled at the prototype stage in late 1944, meaning that the aircraft would never see full active service.

=== [[wt:en/news/5836-development-ju-288c-en|Devblog]] ===
In 1939, the Junkers company began work on a new bomber that was supposed to replace the Ju 88 bombers in service at the time. The new aircraft had to surpass the predecessor across all parameters. The plan was to fit the upcoming model with new, more powerful engines, significantly boost the firepower of the defensive armament, and, of course, increase the payload. The first prototypes took to the skies when the Jumo 222A/B engines, which the aircraft were supposed to be equipped with, had not been installed yet. Instead, the BMW engines were used. Extensive work began on the experimental models of the new series, which received the designation Ju 288, with the aim of enhancing the bomber's characteristics. This explains why the first eight prototypes were significantly different from one another.

In 1942, the Ministry of Aviation made a ruling to include a fourth member in the aircraft crew, which demanded changes to be made to the build of the cockpit. Vehicles of the second-generation prototype series with the letter "B" in their designation had their wingspan increased and their defensive armament changed. The Jumo 222A/B engines still required more work to be done and thus weren't installed on the Ju 288Bs. The Ju 288Cs, the third-generation prototypes of the series, were fitted with the Daimler Benz DB 605 engines, requiring the nacelles to be changed. Furthermore, the wingspan of the aircraft was increased even more and the defensive armament received another modification – this time, a lower rear turret was added. The Ju 288C's first test flights began in the spring of 1943. Junkers even prepared three versions of the new bomber build for serial production, each with a unique armament set. However, in June, the engineering department notified the aircraft manufacturer to discontinue work on the Ju 288 due to a lack of resources required to produce the new aircraft. Tests on the Ju 288 continued right up to 1944 – the aircraft even went on several combat flights. However, ultimately, the bomber was never approved for serial production.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ju-288c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 001.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 002.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 003.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 004.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 005.jpg
File:Ju 288 C WTWallpaper 006.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|B61ijkCUrhQ|'''Ju 288C - Nerfed? Yes! Useless? Heck No!!!''' - ''Napalmratte''|OHffsKNNhM0|'''Ju-288 Schnell bomber with 1,800 kg bombs''' - ''Phlydaily''|e__rwCIT_dA|'''Premium Review: Ju 288C - The Ultimate SchnellBomber!''' - ''Jengar''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* Junkers [[Ju 88 (Family)|Ju 88]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era*

* Tupolev [[Tu-2 (Family)|Tu-2]]
* Yokosuka [[P1Y1 mod. 11|P1Y]] Ginga

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5836-development-ju-288c-en|[Devblog] Ju 288C]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/430075-ju-288c/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Junkers}}
{{Germany bombers}}
{{Germany premium aircraft}}

File:ArtImage Ju 288 C.jpg

2024-11-20T00:46:22Z

U44982996: U44982996 uploaded a new version of File:ArtImage Ju 288 C.jpg

https://live.warthunder.com/post/1072933/en/

File:ArtImage Ju 288 C.jpg

2024-11-20T00:44:24Z

U44982996: https://live.warthunder.com/post/1072933/en/

https://live.warthunder.com/post/1072933/en/

Geniere

2024-11-18T20:09:43Z

U44982996: typo

{{About
| about = premium Italian Fante-class destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the premium Italian Soldati-class destroyer
| link = RN Geniere
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=it_destroyer_fletcher_geniere
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

After World War II, Italy's navy had been cut in half, and heavily restricted in terms of armaments. Only from the 1950s onward was it allowed to begin reconstruction, due to Italy's entry into NATO. Over the years, several ships were built, but at the same time tensions between NATO and the Warsaw Pact increased and so in the 1970s Italy asked the United States for destroyers to replace the old Benson-class destroyers. Three [[Fletcher (Family)|Fletcher-class]] ships were delivered, later renamed Fante (D 561), Geniere (D 555), and Lanciere (D 560). The Geniere (D 555) in Italian service participated in training missions, coastal control, and other minor missions, but never saw combat. After 5 years, the ship was replaced by more modern units and was eventually scrapped in 1975.

Introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]], '''{{Specs|1=name}}''' is a fairly good premium ship thanks to its armament composed of four single 127 mm guns with good reload thanks to the autoloader. Thanks to the powerful SAP shells, you will be able to ammo rack enemy ships very easily, and their HE-VT shells are perfect to shoot down other targets, including aircraft. In conjunction with the three twin 76 mm emplacements, also able to be equipped with HE-VT shells, Geniere can quickly cause damage enemy aircraft and boats alike. The 6 anti-submarine torpedoes cause little damage to large ships, but they may disable important modules, allowing you to take the opportunity to finish them off with the main guns. The manoeuvrability and speed are quite good. This ship is perfect for those who want to have a different play style from the Italian WWII destroyers.

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

Being a Fletcher-class ship, the Geniere's protection is generally the same as her sister ship [[USS Fletcher]] with some slight differences. The ship features the same anti-fragmentation armour as the Fletcher, with 19 mm at the belt and 13 mm at the deck respectively. Combined with the respectable crew count of 273, this allows the ship to take a considerable amount of punishment from the other destroyers she will usually face at her rank.

When it comes to differences, the Geniere's most noticeable change is the replacement of torpedo and anti-air armaments. The twin quintuple launchers were replaced with small triple anti-submarine torpedo launchers, and one of the turrets and other anti-air armaments were replaced with three sets of 76 mm autocannons. These optimized armaments helps the Geniere to retain her crew better than her sister, and significantly reduce the risk of torpedo detonation.

However, the Geniere still retains the first stage ammo rack as her critical weakspot. Any HE shell that detonates close to it has a change to trigger it, causing significant damage to the ship.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

Being a Fletcher-class, the Geniere features good overall mobility. The ship has a high top speed and good overall agility. This allows her to execute evasive manoeuvres against incoming shells or torpedoes alike.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|127/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}

The Geniere features 4 x 5-inch (127 mm) Mk.12 cannons as the main armaments. The guns are mounted in a enclosed single turrets with two on the bow and stern each. The guns have an impressive fire rate of 22 rounds per minute (~2.7-second reload) with 25-round first stage ammo racks, and 15 rounds per minute (4-second reload) after depleting the ready racks. While one of the turrets was removed to make a room for anti-air system, these guns are more than capable of quickly eliminating opponents, and provide consistent firepower against early cruisers that she might have to face in uptiers.

Being standard-issued guns of the US Navy, the Geniere also has access to the standard US destroyer ammunition: a basic and potent HE shell with 3.2 kg of TNT equivalent filler, an HE-VT shell with the same characteristics as the HE shell but with a variable time fuse that will detonate within close proximity of any aircraft, a "common" SAP shell with respectable penetration and filler, and a "special" SAP shell which has improved penetration in exchange for somewhat reduced filler. As a premium ship, all of these shells are unlocked by default, so the HE-VT shell should be your "go-to" shell, as it is effective against both the surface and aerial targets, being able to deal the same external damage as the standard HE shell against enemy vessels while also being deadly against enemy aircraft. Due to having less penetration but slightly more filler, the "common" shell is somewhat more effective at dealing internal damage against destroyers compared to the "special" shell, but will lose its effectiveness against cruisers at mid-to-long range. Therefore, the "special" shell can be considered for versatility, especially in uptier matches.

As the ship is in the Cold War refit, the Geniere has access to a more modern fire control system with only 6 seconds of calculation time and 3 seconds of update time (compared to the 18-second calculation and 10-second update of the Fletcher). This allows the Geniere to accurately strike the enemy ship first at longer ranges for an advantage as well as making her capable of doing "snap shots" at multiple enemies at once.

{{:127/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)/Ammunition|5 inch AAC Mk.34, 5 inch Common Mk.32, 5 inch SP Common Mk.46, 5 inch AAVT Mk.31}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|76/50 Mk.33 (76 mm)}}

The Geniere is armed with 6 x 76 mm Mk.33 semi-automatic cannons as the secondary armament, copies of the 3-inch Mk.33 cannons found on ships such as the [[USS Pittsburgh]] and the [[JDS Ayanami (DD-103)|JDS Ayanami]]. These guns replaced the X (third) turret of the Geniere, with two of the three twin mounts placed between the smokestacks and the third mount located on the former X turret placement; up to two of these mounts can be directed against surface target at the same time. These autocannons more than make up for the missing turret, however, thanks to their good rate of fire of 40 rounds per minute, the mount's wide coverage, and their accuracy at mid-to-close range (~7 km). They allow the Geniere to harass the enemy ship by disabling their main guns, and are more than capable of dealing with enemy aircraft.

The gun has two shell options: a basic HE shell with respectable 500 g of TNT equivalent and an HE-VT shell with slightly lower filler at 352 g of TNT equivalent. Due to the filler size, the HE shell is slightly better at chipping away the enemy ship's crew and damaging their armaments, but lacks the versatility of the HE-VT shell.

The gun is not without downsides, however. As switching between ammunition can take a considerable time of 8 seconds (with ace crew), this will leave you temporarily vulnerable against PT boats and aircraft. Situational awareness is important to switch the rounds at the right moment, especially since there are no other auxiliary weapons to deal with the incoming enemy, though the ship fortunately has access to a radar to detect inbound aircraft. In addition, the guns can also overheat relatively quickly, thus it is recommended to fire it in controlled bursts.

{{:76/50 Mk.33 (76 mm)/Ammunition|76 mm HC Mk.27, 76 mm HE-VT}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.10 Hedgehog mortar|12.75 inch Mark 44 (324 mm)}}

As the Geniere was converted into an escort destroyer prior to her transfer to Italy, her torpedo suite was replaced with dedicated anti-submarine armaments consisting of 6 x Mark 44 torpedoes in two triple launchers located just behind the second funnel, and a fixed Hedgehog anti-submarine mortar located between the B (second) turret and the ship's bridge.

Due to the absence of submarines in War Thunder, these armaments are less than ideal against surface combatants the Geniere has to face. The small Mark 44 torpedoes was designed to be used specifically against submarines, thus it only has just enough filler to critically damage them with ~54 kg of TNT warhead equivalent. The torpedo's relatively short range of ~5.5 km and mediocre speed of only 56 km/h further restricts is effectiveness. While very small, the torpedoes are not entirely useless, as it can be used to "spook" the enemy into making evasive manoeuvres and expose their vulnerable parts, as well as being useful against a preoccupied enemy to deal a surprise hit, potentially causing ammo rack explosion with well-placed hits.

On the other hand, the Hedgehog mortar does not have any niche use like the Mark 44 torpedoes, primarily due to the awkward fixed firing angle and very long flight time. Thus it is not recommended to take it into the battle, lest it become an additional fire hazard.

== Usage in battles ==

As with the other Fletcher-class destroyers, the Geniere primarily excels at taking down the opposition and suppressing them with her rapid-firing 127 mm cannons. Because of her conversion into a destroyer escort, however, the Geniere is more specialized at gunnery compared to her sister ships, primarily due to her improved fire control system, additional 76 mm semi-automatic cannons, and less effective torpedoes. These firepower improvements allow the Geniere to be played more aggressively, as she can quickly react to enemy ships and take the initiative by hitting them first while they are still calculating the distance, then quickly disable their critical modules to prevent them from fighting back.

Other than pushing for capture zones, the Geniere also excels at hit-and-run and fire support. Thanks to her agility, the Geniere is capable of utilizing "cover hopping" and "peek-a-boom" tactics, which, when combined with the aforementioned fire control system, allows you to quickly hit an enemy before retreating to safety before they can hit you back.

In exchange for improved firepower, the Geniere is equipped with a rather underwhelming set of anti-submarine torpedoes. However, you can still use these torpedoes as a bluff to force the enemy to dodge and expose their vulnerable sides, as well cause some damage to their hull when hit. Since the torpedoes are quite small, they have a rather slim chance of being hit and detonated, thus making it viable as a surprise weapon.

As the ship mostly relies on gunnery to deal damage, the Geniere will occasionally struggle when pitted against cruisers. In such situation, always make sure to have some cover or allies to fall back into when the enemy is too much for you to handle alone.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great armaments
** Four fast-firing and accurate 127 mm gun offers great damage output
** Secondary 76 mm autocannons are effective against surface and aerial targets alike
* Fairly survivable for a destroyer due to armour and crew count
* High top speed and agility
* Access to an air search radar and modern fire control system

'''Cons:'''

* As with the other Fletcher-class destroyers, the first stage ammo racks is a vulnerable weak spot
* Secondary guns overheat quickly, restricting them to short-burst usage
* No auxiliary anti-air armaments, have to rely on radar to spot an inbound aircraft
* Very weak torpedoes, restricting its usage to a surprise weapon at best

== History ==

[[File:Geniere3.jpg|300px|thumb|left|''Geniere'' (D 555) (ex-USS ''Prichett'') in 1971.]]
USS ''Prichett'' (DD-561) was a ''Fletcher''-class destroyer, built for the United States Navy during World War II. The ship saw extensive action during the war in escort and bombardment roles, most notably during the Battle of Okinawa, during which she was struck by a bomb and a ''Kamikaze'' attack on two separate occasions. After the war, she served in the Korean War and the Vietnam War as a fire support ship, before being sold to the Italian navy with her sisters USS ''Taylor'' and USS ''Walker'' in 1970. She was renamed ''Geniere'' (D 555) by the Italians and served for five years before being scrapped in 1975.

=== Construction and World War II services ===
[[File:561prichett 01.jpg|300px|thumb|right|USS ''Prichett'' (DD-561) underway off the coast of Aiki Point, Washington, on February 4, 1944.]]
In 1942, ''Prichett'' was ordered from the Seattle-Tacoma Shipbuilding Company in Washington as one of 15 Fletcher-class destroyers for the US Navy. The ship was laid down on July 20, 1942, launched on July 31, 1943, and commissioned on January 15, 1944.

After testing and evaluation, on April 1, 1944, ''Prichett'' sailed to Majuro and then Manus where she joined the battleships of Task Force (TF) 58. On April 28, ''Prichett'' sortied as a part of Task Group (TG) 58.3 and joined together with the fast carriers of TG 58.1 for the Caroline islands. On April 29, ''Prichett'' served as an escort during the attack on the Japanese airfield. The next day, ''Prichett'' participated in the bombardment on Ponape before the task group retired to Majuro, whence ''Prichett'' returned to Pearl Harbor for a small refit to add fighter director equipment.

On May 30, 1944, ''Prichett'' sailed west to join TF 52 for the invasion of Saipan. After completing her transport escort objective, ''Prichett'' was then assigned to provide screening for the battleships as they bombarded the shore, then provided fire support for the landing troops on June 15. During the operation on June 18, she was involved in the rare rescue of a Japanese pilot who ditched his plane near the ship.

Between June 19-20, ''Prichett'' set sail for the attack on the Japanese-held Tinian island, before returning to the Marianas and remaining there until August. On August 17, ''Prichett'' joined TF 38 for the Philippines campaign. There, ''Prichett'' participated in raids on Japanese transports and convoys, fleet carrier escorts, and shore bombardment until January 1945, when the task force moved to the South China Sea to disrupt Japanese shipping lanes and strike the industrial complex on Taiwan, Yokohama, and Tokyo, and participated in the Iwo Jima campaign until March 9.

==== Okinawa campaign ====
By March 12, ''Prichett'' had returned to Ulithi island in preparation for the Okinawa campaign. Assigned to TF 54, ''Prichett'' arrived off the coast of the Okinawa Islands on March 25 to cover minesweeping operations. On April 1, she participated in the "feint" bombardment on southern Okinawa to deceive the Japanese intelligence, then steamed back to cover the actual landing at Hagushi. The next morning, ''Prichett'' narrowly avoided her demise when a Japanese bomber managed to fly unnoticed and drop a 500 lb bomb 20 yards off the port beam. Later that day, ''Prichett'' participated in the radar picket line to detect and screen the Japanese air raid.

Just after 1:00 on April 3, the task group detected a large group of Japanese aircraft. ''Prichett'' spotted four aircraft at 1:29, of which she shot one down and warded off another. The remaining two then pressed on, with one dropping a 500 lb bomb on the fantail. The bomb holed her under the waterline, causing flooding on her aft and a fire in the 20 mm magazine room. While the crew underwent damage control operations, the ship continued to ward off incoming attacks and managed to shoot down the other two aircraft. After being relieved by the USS ''Brush'' (DD-745) shortly before noon, ''Prichett'' retreated to Kerama Retto for emergency repairs. On April 7, she sailed back to Guam for a month of extensive repairs.

''Prichett'' departed Guam on May 3 alongside the escort carrier USS ''Shipley Bay'' (CVE-85) and returned to Okinawa on May 7. She then resumed the radar picket duty and managed to avoid further damage for three months until late July.

Between midnight of July 28 and dawn of July 29, while on picket duty, two Yokosuka K5Y trainer aircraft modified for ''Kamikaze'' attack managed to slip past the radar. The first plane flew past the proximity shell fired from the USS ''Callaghan'' (DD-792) as the wood-and-fabric structure rendered the fuse ineffective, then struck ''Callaghan'' on the starboard sides at 0:40 of July 29, causing engine fires. Being close to ''Callaghan'', ''Prichett'' ran up to aid the crew of the former in firefighting and rescuing survivors in the water. In the fire-lit darkness, the ship proved an easy target and a second K5Y closed in for a ''Kamikaze'' attack. Despite retaliation, the plane bore in and crashed on the starboard side of the superstructure, killing two sailors. Despite the damage, ''Prichett'' remained in the area for two hours picking up survivors from ''Callaghan'' when the latter sank at 2:35. For this action, ''Prichett'' was later awarded a Navy Unit Commendation by the US Navy.

After Okinawa, ''Prichett'' sailed home on August 13 and arrived at the end of the war. She then underwent pre-inactivation overhaul at Puget Sound and was decommissioned and berthed for the Pacific Reserve Fleet, San Diego Group.

=== Korean War ===
''Prichett'' was reactivated following the breakout of the Korean War on August 17, 1951. After test sailing off the coast of California, on January 13, 1952, ''Prichett'' sailed to the Atlantic, arriving in Norfolk on February 2. In April, she sailed to Boston for her modernization. The modernization, which included improved anti-air weaponry, fire control radar, sonar, and communications gear, was completed in November and she became the flagship of the 282nd Destroyer Division. After completing training in the Caribbean, ''Prichett'' departed Norfolk on January 4, 1953 and arrived in Sasebo, Japan on February 11.

Assigned to TF 77, ''Prichett'' provided air cover to friendly aircraft and bombarding ships, provided gunfire support at Wonsan Harbor and the Hungnam coast, as well as hospital ship services for the Marines fighting primarily around Wonsan. After her services between February and June, ''Prichett'' steamed back to Norfolk in a round-the-world goodwill visit trip between June 26 to August 22. After a major overhaul into a destroyer escort, she participated in numerous training and ASW exercises around the Sea of Japan and the Taiwan strait for almost 10 years before being sent to Vietnam in 1964.

=== Vietnam War ===
[[File:Usspritchett.jpg|300px|thumb|right|USS ''Prichett'' (DD-561) off the coast of San Diego, California in 1969. The ship is in the same configuration prior to her transfer to Italy as ''Geniere'' in 1970.]]
On August 30, 1964, ''Prichett'' joined TF 77 in the Tonkin Gulf and the South China Sea during the United States' entry into the Vietnam War. The ship then spent five years touring up and down the coast of Vietnam, conducting escort and shore bombardment operations. In mid-1967, the ship sailed back to the US for the final modernization to improve the ageing fire control system.

''Prichett'' returned in November 1967 and was again assigned for the shore bombardment in December. During the Tet Offensive in February 1968, the ship provided crucial fire support during the battle of Phan Thiet, her accuracy and fire volume so remarkable that the captured Viet Cong fighters allegedly nicknamed her "the Mortar from the Sea". At the end of the operation, ''Prichett'' sailed home on May 6.

After spending almost a year in repair, ''Prichett'' sailed to Vietnam for one last time on June 4, 1969. While still underway however, the ship was scheduled for inspection, which was conducted upon her return on December 5. The ship was assessed to be in poor condition and recommended for disposal on December 17. She then sailed to San Diego and was decommissioned on January 10, 1970, and struck from the Navy List the same day.

At the end of her service with the US Navy, USS ''Prichett'' earned eight battle stars during World War II, two during the Korean War, and six during the Vietnam War.

=== Post-Vietnam and Italian services ===
A week after her decommissioning, on January 17, 1970, the Italian Navy ordered the ''Prichett'' from the US Navy as the third ship of the ''Fante''-class destroyers, a ''Fletcher''-class destroyer that had been sold to Italy in 1969 as a replacement for the ''Artigliere''-class (ex-''Benson''-class) destroyer.

Originally, Italy ordered two ships from the US Navy; the USS ''Walker'' (DD-517), later the ''Fante'' (D 561), and the USS ''Taylor'' (DD-468), later the ''Lanciere'' (D 560). However, the ''Lanciere'' was found to be in very poor condition, which led to the purchase of the third ship - the ''Prichett'', as a replacement in 1970. The ship was sold in "as is" condition and transferred to the Italian Navy the same day, where she was renamed ''Geniere'' (D 555). Unlike the other two sister ships, the Geniere featured a different weapon suite, lacking the Mark 18 "Weapon Alfa" anti-submarine rocket launchers due to her undergoing different modernization plans.

Due to the ship's worn-out condition, the Italian Navy only intended to operate the ''Fante''-class as a stopgap measure until the domestically-built ''Audace''-class guided missile destroyers were completed. As such, ''Fante'' and ''Geniere'' were operated and maintained using cannibalized parts from the ''Lanciere''. The ''Geniere'' served with the Italian Navy until 1975 when she was scrapped.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Videos

{{Youtube-gallery|GLdachyN8Aw|'''RN Geniere - D555 Fante-class Destroyer''' - ''Cmdr. Tyrael''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Fletcher (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[USS Aylwin]]
* [[Harukaze|JDS Harukaze]]

== External links ==


* [https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/prichett.html Dictionary of American Naval Fighting Ships's entry of the USS Pritchett (DD-561)]

{{ShipManufacturer Seattle-Tacoma}}
{{Italy destroyers}}
{{Italy premium ships}}

Merkava (Family)

2024-11-17T14:45:04Z

U44982996:

==Description==
The '''Merkava ({{annotation|מרכבה|Chariot}})''' is an Israeli main battle tank put into service in 1979. It served from the eighties until today: its newest variants are still in active duty in the Israeli army.

==Vehicles==
===Rank VI===

* {{Specs-Link|us_merkava_mk_1|▃Merkava Mk.1}}
* [[Merkava Mk.1B]]
* [[Merkava Mk.2B]]
* {{Specs-Link|us_merkava_mk_2b_late|▃Merkava Mk.2B}}
* {{Specs-Link|il_merkava_mk_2d}}

===Rank VII===

* [[Raam Segol|Merkava Mk.3 Raam Segol]]
* {{Specs-Link|il_merkava_mk_3b}}
* {{Specs-Link|il_merkava_mk_3c}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_merkava_mk_3d|▃Merkava Mk.3D}}
* [[Merkava Mk.4 LIC]]
* [[Merkava Mk.4B]]
* [[Merkava Mk.4M]]

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ERLptF1Nsps|'''The Shooting Range #286''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:29 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|WEFyLIgIelM|'''Merkava''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==

* [[Namer 30]]
* [[Sholef]]
== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:Merkava|[Wikipedia] Merkava]]

[[Category:Family pages]]

Sholef

2024-11-14T23:44:59Z

U44982996: description

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (lit. "Gunslinger V1") is an Israeli prototype self-propelled howitzer developed by Soltam Systems during the 1970s. Based on a modified [[Merkava Mk.3B|Merkava Mk.3]] chassis, the Sholef incorporated numerous advanced system into the vehicle, notably GPS system, inertial navigation, and a fire control computer. Despite the project was prioritized by the IDF, it was ultimately cancelled in the early 1990s, due to high cost. Instead, the IDF chose to upgrade the existing [[Rochev|M109 howitzers]] with the new M185 howitzer that was meant to be used by the Sholef instead.

Introduced during [[Update "Seek & Destroy"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season XVI, "Skilled Marksman"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an advanced SPH based on the hull of the [[Merkava Mk.3B|Merkava Mk.3]] MBT. Although the chassis lacks any composite armour, it is still quite thick and sloped enough that it can take some hits from kinetic rounds. However, just like any other modern SPH, the turret of the Sholef is large and thin, which means it is a juicy target for anyone, especially for various autocannon-armed IFVs that started to appear at the Sholef's BR. In terms of firepower, the Sholef is a big step up from the [[Rochev]] by having an access to an autoloader and (currently) the most powerful conventional HE shell in Ground Forces, capable of defeating most tanks it will face.

== 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=1,278|rbMinHp=796}}

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

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

{{main|Soltam M845 (155 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Soltam M845 (155 mm)|155 mm Soltam M845]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Autoloader
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 75 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+60° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 9.7 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | 11.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 6.5 || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Soltam M845 (155 mm)/Ammunition|M107, M401 (PF), M401}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''75''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[FN MAG 60-40 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm FN MAG 60-40]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle (loader) || 1,800 (200) || 1,000 || -10°/+50° || -120°/+80°
|-
| Pintle (commander) || 1,800 (200) || 1,000 || -10°/+50° || -80°/+120°
|-
|}

== 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 ===

''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:'''
* Has an access to the most powerful HE shell in Ground Forces, capable of defeating most opponent it may face
* Can deal with enemy aircraft or helicopter at distance with HE-VT rounds and high gun elevation
* Great gun handling and fast turret traverse speed
* Access to an autoloader that provides significant boost in rate of fire
* Frontal hull armour is thick and sloped enough to stop some kinetic rounds
* Good overall mobility
'''Cons:'''
* Very large profile, can be easily spotted
* Huge and thin turret can be easily shredded by enemies, especially those with autocannons
* Weak side armour, therefore heavily reliant on frontal hull armour or the enemy not using chemical rounds
* The entire back of the turret is an ammo rack
* No access to deliciated anti-tank rounds, may struggle against tanks with ERAs
* Very poor gun depression (-3), struggle to perform in hilly terrains

== History ==

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

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

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

== External links ==

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

{{Israel tank destroyers}}
{{Israel premium ground vehicles}}

M109 (Family)

2024-11-14T23:10:25Z

U44982996:

== Description ==
The '''M109''' is an American self-propelled howiter first introduced in the early 1960s. It is by far the most common Western SPG currently in service, with over 30 countries have operated the type and its variants.
== Vehicles ==
=== Rank IV ===
* [[File:Israel_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[M109 (Israel)|M109]]
* [[File:FRG_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[M109G]]
* [[File:Italy_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[M109G (Italy)|M109G]]
* [[File:USA_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[M109A1]]
* [[File:Britain_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[M109A1 (Great Britain)|M109A1]]
* [[File:Israel_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[Rochev|M109A1 ''Rochev'']]

==See Also==
* [[File:USSR_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[2S1]] 'Gvozdika'
* [[File:USSR_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[2S3M]] 'Akatsiya'
* [[File:China_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[PLZ83]]
* [[File:Japan_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[Type 75 SPH]]
* [[File:Japan_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[Type 99]]
* [[File:Sweden_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[Bkan 1C]]
* [[File:Norway_flag.png|32px|link=]] [[VIDAR]]
* [[File:France_flag.png|32px|link=]] AMX-30 [[AuF1]]

[[Category:Family pages]]

Damage mechanics

2024-11-13T00:22:29Z

U44982996: added a bit about hull break in coastal

[[File:Dogfight P51D5vFw190A5.jpg|700px|framless|border|right|A [[P-51D-5|P-51D-5 Mustang]] successfully clipping the left wing on a [[Fw 190 A-5|Fw 190A-5]]]]
__TOC__

== Damage calculation ==
=== Aviation ===
The game's engine simulates every bullet that is fired for over 2 km before they are deleted, with exceptions for bigger shells such as those fired by the [[BK 5 (50 mm)|50 mm BK 5]] or [[Molins Class M (57 mm)|57 mm Molins]] cannons. The different shells also have different effects on module damage. More of these shell effects can be read in the [[:Category:Ammunition|Ammunition section]].
Every aircraft has its skin airfoil and material modeled, too. It is therefore possible to see a tracer shell ricochet off an enemy plane's duralumin skin. Some aircraft are quite well armoured from certain angles. For example, the TB-3 is constructed mainly with 3 mm of corrugated steel. The [[IL-2 (Family)|IL-2]] and [[IL-10]] series of Russian attackers are also quite durable.

====AI naval targets====
Naval targets in air battles have their own damage mechanics modeled. See [[AI_ship_damage_models|this page]] for more detail.

=== Ground forces: Penetration ===
==== Line of sight thickness ====
[[File:DamageMechanics ShellPenetration LineOfSight.png|thumbnail|left|Line of sight calculation]]
<big>Llos = L / cos@</big> 
- Llos = Length line of sight (Line of sight thickness)
- L = armour plate thickness
- @ = angle of armour

==== Normalization ====
The calculation of the armour piercing effect of projectiles on sloped armour:

Before the [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"|"Weapons of Victory" update]], the armour-piercing effect calculation of an angled hit was made based on the normal principle for most tank-based games via normal line of sight thickness, as seen in the picture above. 
At the same time (still before "Weapons of Victory"), for different types of shells a certain distortion of the angle of attack was taken into account depending on the type of projectile (sharp or blunt-nosed shell) and the ratio between the calibre of the projectile to the armour thickness normal (perpendicular vector). In blunt-nosed shells, the final angle which were used for calculation of the armour thickness was reduced, and in sharp-nosed shells - slightly increased, i.e. a normalization factor was artificially added after the crude line of sight thickness calculation. 
However, despite the fact that this method is good enough in most cases - the calculation results do not always completely agree with the actual results of tank armour penetration tests. This was particularly noticeable in cases of penetration with high angles of approach.

[[File:DamageMechanics ShellPenetration SharpNormalizationForces.jpg|thumbnail|left|Forces during impact with de-normalization effects]]
There are several forces applied to a real shell at the moment of impact with any armour. These forces will bend the trajectory of a projectile which is entering any armour depending on the shape of the projectile nose, the angle of attack, the relation between the calibre of the projectile and the armour thickness normal/sharp-nosed shells while hitting the armour, receive resistance in the form of a larger normal reaction “Rn” and smaller tangential reaction “Rt”. The resultant of these forces relative to the centre of inertia of a projectile creates a moment that de-normalizes the shell, which in turn increases its course through the armour.

[[File:DamageMechanics ShellPenetration BluntNormalizationForces.jpg|thumbnail|right|Blunt-nosed shell impacting, affected by normalization forces.]]Blunt-nosed shells, when hitting an obstacle with its “blunted” tip, will form a ledge in the armour, and will gain from the obstacle and ledge a greater tangential and lesser normal reactions. The moment of the resultant will angle-in the shell towards the normal and as a result it reduces the path of the projectile inside the armour.

The larger is the elongation (length-to-diameter ratio) of the projectile - the stronger is the normalization effect of the projectile. Modern APFSDS munitions have a greater elongation and during an angled hit often penetrate thicker armour than the equivalent of a plate normal. 
However, the projectiles that are modeled in our game were fairly short ones and at high angles of attack had a large de-normalizing effect - both sharp-nosed (for which this effect was bigger), and blunt-nosed (with a smaller effect). The APCR shells of the time had the maximum effect. Thus for the American 90 mm APCR prototype M304 shell (''Terminal ballistic Data Vol 3'' p.157) as we can see the penetration value at an angle of attack of 55 degrees is more than 3 times less than penetration by normal (see Pic.4). If at an angle of 0 degrees of attack, the projectile could penetrate a little more than 12 inches of armour (305 mm), an angle of approach of 55 degrees makes the shell penetrate a little less than four inches (101.6 mm); '''Picture 1'''. Which is comparable with penetration values of the T33 calibre sharp-nosed shell; '''Picture 2'''
<gallery>
DamageMechanics StrikingVelocityPenetration 90mmM304.jpg|'''Picture 1''': M304 APCR prototype of the [[M26|M26 ''Pershing'']]
DamageMechanics StrikingVelocityPenetration 90mmT33.jpg|'''Picture 2''': T33 AP sharp-nosed shell
</gallery>

These graphs also display that for the calibre shell the drop of penetration from angle of attack is not as huge as for the APCR. 
In “Pic.6” you can see a photo which shows a strong drop of penetration values for APCR projectiles at high angles of attack. This test was based on the shooting of the frontal part of the Tiger 2 tank. As can be seen, both APCR projectiles - 90 mm and 105 mm, did not penetrate the upper side of the tank plate, but they broke through the lower one which has a smaller thickness.
<gallery>
File:DamageMechanics TigerIIHull APCR.jpg|Upper 150 mm plate remains intact after being hit by advanced American shells.
File:DamageMechanics TigerIIHull Lowerglacis.jpg|Lower glacis plate penetrated by 105 mm shell due to thinner armour.
</gallery>[[File:DamageMechanics 90mmM304 Statcard.jpg|thumbnail|right|M304 APCR shot stat card showing the three different columns for armour penetration.]]
This effect [http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/237833-devblog-penetration-mechanic-improvements/ has been reproduced in the game since update "1.49"]. For each type of projectile, and for different ratios of calibre/barrier thickness at different angles of attack - own armour penetration fall ratios. Most of the data is taken from the publications '''“WWII Ballistics: Armor and Gunnery”''' and '''“Terminal ballistic Data Vol 2 and 3.”'''.

Tooltips show this as well for each shell, they display the penetration of the shells at three different angles of attack. [[:Category:Game modes#Arcade|Arcade]] penetration indicator accounts for this effect. It also takes into account not only the first part of the tank armour, but several parts under it as well, which will give a more accurate indication of the penetration with such complex structures as gun mantlets and shielded armour.
==== Breach / Overmatch / Stamping ====
Overmatching occurs if a shell hits sloped armour that is thinner then the calibre of the tank shell. Overmatching basically neglects the sloped armour ricochet effect. This mechanic was added to the game with [[Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"#Ground_Vehicle_visual_model._damage_model.2C_characteristic_and_weaponry_changes|Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]] and applies to shells 1.3x bigger in diameter than the armour thickness to have a reduced sloping effect.

The bigger the shell, the more effective overmatch is. Shells with sufficient penetration that are greater than 7 x bigger in diameter than the armour thickness will ignore ricochet chance and angle of attack, acting as if the shell is impacting a flat plate.

As of 1.85.0.121 a simple formula to calculate minimum shell calibre required to achieve maximum overmatching is this: 

<big>Minimum shell calibre > Armour thickness * 7.0</big> 

This mechanic requires a shell with penetration greater than the nominal thickness of the impacted armour plate. Shells without sufficient penetration will never penetrate, no matter the calibre.

====Hull-break====
{{Notice| This mechanic is no longer in use in ground battles and has been replaced by [[#Overpressure|overpressure]]. However, hullbreak remains active in naval battles for coastal ships.}}
In [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]], the hull-break mechanic was added into the game for thin-hulled vehicles. This generally applies to non-armoured and lightly-armoured vehicles (with up to 25 mm thickness of hull armour). Unlike the usual method of incapacitating the crew members of a vehicle to secure a destruction, the hull-break mechanics implements a hull and module based damage system to destroy these vehicles.

The [[wt:en/news/4505-the-damage-model-has-been-refined-en/|initial version]] set the criteria as "on the kinetic impact, hits with penetration of the shell of 150 mm calibre on any part of the hull or turret (inclusive of the breech). Or even hitting following penetration of few structural elements of shells of small calibre, upwards of 75 mm and higher. For HE shells, impacts by 75-76 mm HE shells to the hull or turret will be effective. For large calibre HE shells (122-152 mm) hits to chassis components will be counted as fatal."

In [[Update 1.71 "New E.R.A"]], the hull-break mechanics was refined towards kinetic shells as requiring the "need to directly hit them with a shell of high energy (more than 1.4 MJ) on one of the major internal modules. E.g. engine, transmission, breech or shell storage." In [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]], the hull-break mechanic was removed entirely from ground battles, in favour of the more advanced and realistic [[#Overpressure|overpressure]] mechanic. However, a modified version of this mechanic is still present in Naval Battles.

====Overpressure====
In [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]], the "overpressure" mechanic was introduced, replacing the hull-break mechanic. It simulates the extreme pressures formed by the shockwave of an HE-based shell explosion, and their effect on the crew inside the vehicle. Overpressure damage calculations are run when the crew is exposed to the overpressure wave.

For open-topped vehicles, this happens whenever the vehicle is within the fragment dispersion radius of the shell's explosion. This makes them extremely vulnerable to any explosive damage.

For closed-up vehicles, this happens when explosion effect manages to penetrate the armour of the vehicle:

For HE, overpressure damage is calculated when a shell fragment from an explosion hits something inside of the vehicle, proving that explosion got inside of it. This leads to high-yield explosives nearly always taking out a vehicle in a single hit, due to the shockwave being able to move around frontal armour and to hit the entirety of the crew that way.

HEAT and HESH shells and ATGM can also create overpressure damage but are less effective at it compared to HE ammunition and seem to only affect vehicles when very thin parts of the hull or their critical weak spots are hit directly, with overall armour thickness of hit surface having to be below 15 mm RHA, since their explosive power is directed towards creating special effects (molten jet for HEAT and scabbing for HESH) instead of producing shockwaves. There are exceptions in HEAT ammunition, which can deal overpressure damage through 20 mm (select few powerful HEAT ATGM) or 30 mm RHA (most tandem missiles). Tanks with reasonable amount of armour will not take overpressure damage from HEAT, even if special effect penetrates them easily.

This mechanic affects vehicles with thin armour negatively, but, unlike with the hullbreak, any tank is potentially vulnerable to overpressure damage. As a result, it makes not only light, but also heavy tanks easier to destroy by using bombs, rockets, big HE shells or artillery strikes. To utilize the mechanic effectively, be sure to aim for a weak spots on the armour, such as roofs, vents, bellies, tank rear and overtrack sponsons, to maximize the chance of a successful penetration.

Overpressure damage can be reduced or negated by tanks with compartment separators (internal RHA screens, engine compartment being used as a shield, etc.), meaning only the crew in hit part of the tank will take damage.

=== Fleet ===
In War Thunder, naval battle retains many similar mechanics from ground battles, though with many differences. Most notably the damage model of each vessel is calculated by using the pool of crewmembers as a "hit points" in addition to each vessel having a "section" dividing each part of the ship.
==== "Simple" damage model ====
A vessel with "simple" damage model has their hull divided into multiple sections (min. 3) which is treated as its own crew compartments. When any weapon managed to damage the specific section of the vessel, it will result in a crew loss that reduce the overall crew of the vessel. Should a section of the vessel were extensively damaged i.e. "blackened", that section will no longer take any further crew damage as all of them has already been wiped out. Therefore requiring the player to hit the more "healthy" section of the boat to deal crew damage and finally sink the enemy vessel.

In addition, the vessel's bridge and radio rooms may also cause a crew loss when they are damaged or destroyed, though the latter may not have any "crew" assigned to them in some case. However, other modules such as weaponry and engines do not cause a crew loss when they are damaged, even though their appearance may suggest otherwise (such as a manned turret for example). Therefore it is best to focus fire on each "healthy" section of the hull to inflict crew loss instead.

In most of the smaller vessels such as a PT boat, they are also vulnerable to "hull-break" mechanics when being hit by a sufficiently powerful weapon. Typically, a hit from a high explosive shell of at least 105 mm calibre on the midsection of the hull may result in hull-break.

Typically, any vessel with less than 500 tons of displacement will have a "simple" damage model.
==== "Detailed" damage model ====
While a vessel with "detailed" damage model has their hull divided into sections like the "simple" one, these section's durability is only relative to the vessel's structural integrity and their ability to absorb incoming fire without being breached. Instead, a vessel with "detailed" damage model will have a separate crew compartments located within the ship's hull or superstructure. This means in most case only rounds that has sufficient explosive radius or penetration to reach the crew compartment is capable of damaging them. After a specific crew compartment has been destroyed i.e. "blackened", that destroyed section will no longer take any crew loss, but it will results into the remaining crew being moved into the other less damaged compartments, and therefore may result into greater loss should that section be damaged.

In addition, each key compartments of the vessel such as the bridge, turrets, and engines also has crews assigned to them; damaging or disabling them will also inflict crew loss, therefore should any of these modules were repaired after being disabled, this means the crews will be returned to the position and therefore risk of being a casualty if the enemy has damaged that specific module again.

Typically, any vessel with more than 500 tons of displacement will have a "detailed" damage model. Though some exception such as the [[USS Cyclone]] (387 tons) also exists.
==Creating digital weaponry==
The following is an exclusive essay by the Gaijin development team to explain how guns' real life behaviour is translated into the game. Hence the focus is primarily on the [[Ground vehicles|ground forces]] part of War Thunder. Also the tone of the text is more personal than usual on the WT Wikipedia.
=== Weapon ===
We really love the variety of the military technology from various countries, and we always try to tune its behavior to get it as close to the real-life version as possible. For this reason, we have to pay attention to tuning weapons as well – this is the only way we can show and give emphasis to the entire scope of variety in military vehicles, in addition to showcasing their firepower. Each weapon is unique in its own way, and in order to reproduce this uniqueness, we study a mass of documentation and scrupulously tune not only the weapons, but even each separate ammunition type for each of them. This approach allows us to convey the spirit of each military vehicle in our game as precisely as we can.

First we will tell you how we tune machine guns and cannons. Aircraft and tank weapons work on similar principles, so for the sake of this example, we'll just take one – the 122 mm D-25T cannon, which was installed on the tanks like the IS-2, IS-3 and the IS-4M. Using this weapon's tuning as an example, we'll show you how all the other weapons in the game are tuned and how they work.

The weapon parameters include such variables as its spread and the technical upper limit for its rate of fire. While tuning the weaponry, just like when we tune the shells, we use different documentation like field tests and technical documentation for the vehicles themselves. The search for correct documentation is one of the most difficult and slow processes because different sources show different and often conflicting data. Sometimes it takes time to verify the source, since we have to do reseaech of all the data available. Here we are using data from “aiming data chart of 122mm tank cannon of 1943 variant D-25T” Army publishing MO USSR Moscow, 1969, as well as “Ammunition for 122mm cannons for ground, tank and self propelled artillery. Instruction” War ministry of USSR 1952, “Artillery sergeant textbook” book one, war publishing of NKO 1944.
<gallery perrow="2" widths="300px" heights="250px">
File:Weapons DataChart 122mmcannon1943(D-25T) Book.png
File:Weapons DataChart 122mmcannon1943(D-25T) Charts.jpg|Aiming data charts for BR-471 shell, that were used in a D-25T cannon.
</gallery>
At the moment, the rate of fire in our game is an averaged value, since in real life, reload time depends on a multitude of variables. Among other things, these variables include how the ammunition is stored (when expending ammunition, this forces the loader to get shells from a less convenient place in the vehicle) and the weight and shape of the shells (for example, heavy and bulky shells get harder to reload over a longer period of time). We have plans to simulate reloading with such mechanics taken into account, which means introducing a variable rate of fire depending on the state of the ammunition, the loader's fatigue, and the position of the turret itself, which defines which ammunition stowage area is closer and which farther away. For example, the Patton houses just a small part of its ammunition right next to the gunner – the rest is in stowage areas located in a floor-level section, which take a lot longer to access. If we introduce such a system, this will mean that the first rounds will be loaded much more quickly than the current reload time, and later rounds will take much longer. This system is still only in development, however.

Rate of fire is displayed in terms of shots per second, and our weapon has a value of 0.048 shots per second, or 1 shot every 20.8 seconds. This is the minimal reload time for any round for this vehicle with maxed out crew skills.

The spread is calculated in the following way: From the firing tables we know the circular error probability (CEP) of the shot for both (horizontal and vertical) deviation axes at a distance of 1,000 m. For example, the given cannon has a CEP equal to 0.3 m, so we can calculate the angle of dispersion for the weapon. As half of both axes of dispersion are equal to four CEP for either the vertical or horizontal, it equals 1.2 m in our case, which is 0.069 degrees on both the vertical and horizontal. That means that at 1,000 m, the D-25T's maximum spread will amount to roughly 2.4 m, which means that even at maximum spread, you will still hit the tank's silhouette even at that distance. Many weapons, of course, will have different mean average deviation values for horizontal and vertical and then the spread will appear to be ellipse shaped. At the same time, in half of the cases, the shell will hit at half distance from the edges closer to the center than at the maximum level of angular displacement. This is how we simulate the level of weapon accuracy comparable to the reality of real combat vehicles.

<gallery perrow="2" widths="300px" heights="250px">
File:Weapons DataChart Dispersion.jpg|Ellipse and dispersion scales by distance, by direction and by height.
</gallery> 

=== Shells ===
Now that the weapon has its primary characteristics and is ready for battle, we move on to tuning its ammunition. A great many forms of ammunition were used, and listing them all along with describing how they work is a subject for a separate and long treatise. To show the adjustments we make, we'll use one of the shells for our weapon as an example – a pointed armour-piercing high-explosive round.

<gallery perrow="2" widths="300px" heights="250px">
File:Weapons 122mm BR-471 APHE Shell.jpg
File:Weapons DamageModel Shells Fuses.png
</gallery> 

[[File:Screenshot T-34 protected by stone fence.jpg|thumb|right|The wall protects part of the tank from shrapnel and resulting shockwave from the explosion.]]
[[File:DamageMechanics ShellIcons ShellEffects Terrain.jpg|thumb|right|You can easily understand different shell effects by just looking at the shell icons.]]
First of all, we set such parameters as the shell's weight (25 kg), its calibre (0.122 m), its muzzle velocity (795 m/s), and its type (armour-piercing high-explosive – APHE). These values determine the round's ricochet and normalization, the basic kinetic damage parameters, and the round's additional properties, such as the presence of explosive material. Next we have its ballistic settings (the round's energy loss), and the chance that the round will cause a fire when it hits a fire-vulnerable module – this setting is separate from the explosive setting, and we can use it to simulate the chance of ignition from tracers (if tracer ammunition is used) or ignition from sparks produced when a round hits an obstacle.

In addition, there are settings like the round's fragmenting action, the detonator parameters and the power of the explosion itself. The explosive wave and the shrapnel broadly take into account both the shape of the landscape and any obstacles in their path (in the real world, explosives don't disperse in a straight line or from a single point). This means that a tank can hide from shockwaves and shrapnel behind various obstacles, and separate modules on a tank will protect the other modules from taking additional damage. For example, a round which penetrates the rear armour of a tank and explodes behind the engine might do no harm to the crew, as the engine blocks the shrapnel and the shockwave.

Each individual shell in our physics model has its own settings, such as the explosive power, i.e. the thickness its shockwave can penetrate at short range, and the explosion radius at which its power is maximum and at which it fully disappears. Apart from the explosion itself, the shell also has a fragmenting action which we provide as a radius, shrapnel amount and shrapnel penetration. It's also worth noting that secondary shrapnel is also added to shell shrapnel. Secondary shrapnel occurs after the target itself is penetrated.

As you can see, there are quite a few of these settings, and we consider them a very important part of allowing players to determine the required effect of a shell without reading a long list of its characteristics. This is precisely why the shell icons are different depending on their parameters. If the round has high penetration, then its icon will show exactly that. If it has an explosive substance and/or a fragmenting effect from the shell itself, this will also be added to the icon. Be careful when selecting a shell – the various shells don't just have different penetration characteristics and fragmenting actions or explosive properties, they also lose their energy differently. Note how the numerical value of armour penetration changes depending on the distance of the shot. This is shown on the shell's tooltip.

When considering the damage model, it is very important to at least point out the fact that in our game, we model the characteristics of various types of materials – glass, reinforced glass, wood and various types of metal used in both aircraft and ground vehicles. Each material has its own equivalent durability in terms of armour steel thickness. For example, we calculate that 100 mm rolled armour has an armour steel thickness equivalent to 100 mm, cast armour has a 94 mm equivalent thickness, reinforced glass – 20 mm and wood – 10 mm.

===Netcode or Defining the impact point===
[[File:Yak9T_destroy_Fw190_wings.jpg|thumb|right|One critical hit on an aircraft's wing is much more effective than multiple impacts on the fuselage.]]
One of the most important questions, especially in online games, is the question of defining the impact point on an enemy when two players may have internet connections with entirely different levels of quality. This is particularly relevant in a game in which the combatants can move at high speed – in our case, in air battles.

For our game, we developed a system to define the position of each player independent of the delay they're playing with. We won't get into all the little details, but in short, this works in the following manner: the server receives only the players' own control commands (for example: joystick movement, trigger press, flap controls and so on) and their individual actions (such as activating fire extinguishers and respawn requests) and using this information, it calculates the movement and actions of each player. At the same time, it separately calculates each shell fired, including their full ballistics, including the difference between vehicle speeds (a shell will do more damage in head-on attack for the two aircraft than it would to aircraft flying away) and all the effects these shells have – all of this is independent of the vehicle's rate of fire – without any simplification! For example, the Hurricane's machine guns have a rate of fire of 1,000 shots per minute, which means that when you pull the trigger on the Hurricane Mk II, which has 12 machine guns, this aircraft alone fires 200 bullets per second into the air, each of them has their flight and trajectory individually calculated by the server! We will remind you about how damage calculation works inside the game for both aviation and ground vehicles after a hit:
[[File:Me262 intercepting B-29.png|thumbnail|right|[[B-29A-BN|B-29 ''Superfortress'']] under a head-on attack by a [[Me_262_A-1/U4|Me 262 ''Schwalbe'']]]]

* Breach check - if calibre is six times higher than plate thickness it breaches the plate automatically.
* If there is no breach - bound check.
* If there is no bound shot - then we do a penetration check, for which the following characteristics are taken into account - current penetration value, armour slope angle, and slope angle of the machine itself, angle of impact. Armour thickness is calculated and we do a check as to whether a shell can or cannot penetrate the armour. If not and the shell has explosives - it detonates and attachments can be damaged.
* If there is penetration the shell deals the damage to the armour, loses penetration value and kinetic damage proportionally to armour thickness and goes further. Also each kinetic shell creates a shard cone that can damage modules and crew in the sector.
* The shell itself goes further and when hitting any internal module all the above mentioned checks are made (excluding cases when a fragmentation shell hits armour with thickness thinner than 3-4mm - it will not generate a fragmentation cone then). Checks are made until the penetration value of a shell is enough to penetrate a module or until the fuse goes off (if the shell has explosives and armour was not thick enough to make it go off) A distance needed for the fuse is 0.5-1.5 m from the penetration point depending on calibre and type.
* When the fuse goes off the explosion follows which creates HE and fragmentary spheres of damage. Crew members and modules within the spheres may be damaged by shards and shockwave.

The server then sends the results of these calculations to each player in the session to synchronize the data, which is also calculated on the players' own systems.

Thanks to lag compensation, which consists of physical extrapolation, visual model display interpolation and time rewind with extra physical simulation, you always see the surrounding players in positions as close as possible to their real positions, which allows players to lead their opponents and target critical areas on their target regardless of the ping of any of the battle's participants (up to a certain point, of course). Any physical objects in the world, particularly heavy vehicles, possess inertia and physical properties that significantly constrict their "cone of uncertainty" – their possible states in space over a time delay – which provides a means to achieve significantly better lag compensation results than usually possible in online shooters. It also allows for creating a response in the game entirely independent of the server's reciprocal response, which means that all your actions (such as shooting and manoeuvring) are applied in your client immediately and without delay. We try, as much as it is possible to do so, to ensure that delay in contacting the server does not stop players from enjoying the game, and thanks to this system, players with various levels of ping on various servers will barely notice the difference in gameplay. Only when players have extremely high ping will they see their opponents' sharp manoeuvres far later and sharper than when they actually happened.

Of course, no algorithm can make up for an unstable connection, when network packets don't reach the client or the server. In such cases, players may see their opponents' manoeuvres with a delay or distortion, and may even experience other problems in the game – it all depends on how often the packets drop. However, here too we have created special mechanisms to help ensure that such problems affect the players as little as possible. For example, the main movement and firing controls can suffer a packet loss of over 50%. This allows us to even further reduce the consequences of poor connections. However, it's worth remembering than any multiplayer game will be better if you have a good internet connection!

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ryx7Uxo_3X0|'''The Shooting Range #250''' - ''Special'' section at 09:08 discusses Overpressure.|srKv5v9zoGA|'''The Shooting Range #216''' - ''Special'' section at 08:28 discusses Volumetric rounds.|YzUXH6GmH2E|'''The Shooting Range #130''' - ''Tactics & Strategy'' section at 13:18 discusses Hullbreak mechanics.|rnfxWsXct9E|'''The Shooting Range #12''' - ''Science of War'' section at 03:06 discusses damage calculation.|aPfgmUwiJMA|'''The Shooting Range #10''' - ''Science of war'' section at 03:01 discusses the different types of armour.}}

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7090-development-improvements-in-the-high-explosive-action-of-ammunition-en|[Devblog] Improvements in the high-explosive action of ammunition]]
* [[wt:en/news/6856-development-volumetric-shells-in-the-raining-fire-update-en|[Devblog] Volumetric shells in the "Raining Fire" update]]
* [[wt:en/news/6010-development-improved-calculation-of-armour-penetration-in-the-game-en|[Devblog] Improved Calculation of Armour Penetration in the game]]
* [[wt:en/news/4505-the-damage-model-has-been-refined-en|[News] The damage model has been refined]]

[[Category:Game mechanics]]

PT-76B

2024-11-12T21:59:31Z

U44982996: description

{{About
| about = Soviet light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = PT-76 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_pt_76b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

After World War II, the Soviet Army once again resumed its interest on an amphibious light tank design, as during the war they often found themselves lacking in a suitable mean to transport troops across various water surfaces. Because of this, the Red Army deemed a tank with an ability to cross the water with little preparation essential for a planned reconnaissance unit. Two leading tank designers of the USSR at the time, Nikolay Shashmurin and Joseph Kotin, were assigned to develop a new amphibious light tank. The final result of the project is the '''PT-76''', and the tank would later entered production in 1951. The tank's simplistic design later proved to be a success, which spawned numerous variants and derivatives based on the same chassis. Ranking from an [[ASU-85|airborne assault gun]], a [[ZSU-23-4|self-propelled anti-air vehicle]], and an APC. With the chassis of the tank still being produced by the Russian Army, who has developed [[PT-76-57|a modernization of the vehicle]] that were still in service to this day.

The '''PT-76B''' is an improved variant from the original PT-76, with an addition of two-plane gun stabilizer, an improved fuel capacity, as well as night vision equipment. This variant of PT-76 was produced between 1959 - 1961.

Introduced with [[Update 1.53 "Fire Storm"]] (although the amphibious feature was not implemented until [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]]).
The '''PT-76B''' is an amphibious light tank developed during the early part of the Cold War. Because of this, it has many features that were considerably anachronistic compared to the majority of World War II-era design, particularly an access to a powerful HEATFS round that can penetrate almost any tank that it will face, a two-plane stabilizer, as well as a night vision (NVD) device. Its amphibious nature means that the tank can cover terrain and paths not normally travelled by land vehicles, allowing flexibilities on certain maps featuring water bodies. However, this quality is heavily offset by the tank's paper-thin armour that can be easily shredded even by machine guns, along with below-average speed for a light tank. Nevertheless, the PT-76B can still performs nicely in its intended role as the eye for the team and provided fire support when needed.
== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 10 mm (80°) ''Top'' 13 mm (44°) ''Bottom'' || 13 mm ''Top'' 10 mm ''Bottom'' || 6 mm (1°) ''Top'' 6 mm (46°) ''Bottom'' || 6 mm
|-
| Turret || 15 mm (32-35°) ''Turret front'' 15 mm (19-32°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 15 mm (35°) || 15 mm (35°) || 6 mm
|-
| Cupola || 10 mm || 10 mm || 10 mm || 6 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick.
* Tracks are 15 mm thick.

Pretty much every tank in the game will be able to destroy the PT-76B with relative ease due to the ultra-thin armour of it. Avoid tanks with access to heavy machine guns on their turrets such as most American tanks, the [[IS-2 (1944)]], etc.

Also, keep well clear of enemy SPAA. 12.7 mm guns and above will absolutely wreck this tank. In particular, the Wirbelwind is a big threat. It has good penetration at range and will literally saturate the vehicle with autocannon shells. Just a short burst from the quad 20 mm guns will finish the PT-76B off.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=372|rbMinHp=212}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has decent mobility on land thanks to its rather light weight. It can reach its maximum speed of 49 km/h (AB) / 44 km/h (RB) easily due to its decent acceleration. Controlling it at maximum speed is not hard since its top speed is nothing special for a light tank (the ubiquitous [[M41A1]], for example, has a top speed of 72 km/h). The {{PAGENAME}} is also decently agile, being able to turn quickly in response to any events up the path. However, the vehicle does not have any type of neutral steering capability, so it will be difficult to turn on the spot. These forward mobility traits of the {{PAGENAME}} can be interrupted severely by moderate obstacles such as medium trees, wooden fences, concretes plots/barriers or stone walls; these will cause the vehicle to lose considerable amount of speed, or even be brought to a halt, especially in Realistic Battles

The maximum reverse speed is -7 km/h (AB) / -6 km/h (RB), which is too slow to allow overextend tactic (pop from behind cover, shoot, retreat behind cover), or for withdrawing from dangerous situation that the vehicle may have inadvertently driven itself into.

The amphibious feature of the {{PAGENAME}} makes the vehicle more versatile, broadening the flanking/sneaking potential and options on some maps. But this should only be exploited across smaller bodies of water, since it reaches only 12 km/h (AB) / 9 km/h (RB) in water when moving forward, and the reverse speed in water is only -7 km/h (AB) / -5 km/h (RB). These slow speeds mean that once the {{PAGENAME}} is on water, it will likely be a sitting duck if spotted. While firing from the water is an option due to the vehicle's stabilizer, the water waves and the recoil from firing may cause the vehicle to wobble, making it hard to get a good shot. On top of that when planning an amphibious trip, it is best to ensure the destination can be reached in a straight line as the vehicle turns poorly and slowly in the water and so any course corrections will take more time, which leaves the {{PAGENAME}} exposed to being spotted and taken out.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
'''Researching the HEATFS first should be your priority!''' Without it, the PT-76B is basically a sitting duck due to how weak the stock APCR shell is. After this, you can either focus on mobility or gun handling improvement depending on your preference.
== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|D-56TS (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-56TS (76 mm)|76 mm D-56TS]] || 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" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+30° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.6 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:D-56TS (76 mm)/Ammunition|BR-354N, 53-BR-354, BK-354M, OF-350M}}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''40''' || 39 ''(+1)'' || 25 ''(+15)'' || 1 ''(+39)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Turret rack and rear ammo rack empty: 25 ''(+15)'' shells.

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

{{main|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SGMT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm SGMT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


As the PT-76B doesn't have much armour, avoid directly confronting enemy tanks. In order to defeat heavy/medium tanks, watch them and fire when they are not aiming or focusing on you. Use the light tank's manoeuvrability and fire rate to deliver pin-point hits onto the enemy's flanks, then retreat back in to cover before they can get a fix on the firing location. The PT-76B is also helpful in scouting enemy positions for its allies so they could bring in more firepower. As previously mentioned, this tank does not have the armour nor the crew to take on enemies head-on, so try to remain stealthy. It functions great as a scout tank.

If short to mid-range confrontation is inevitable, staying mobile makes you harder to hit while the impressive stabiliser will allow you to fire back almost unimpeded (while moving and shooting to the side, shots travel in the direction your vehicle is moving so when aiming at farther targets, remember to aim a little to one side to counteract this motion). While moving and shooting, always look where your vehicle is headed: a rock, cliff, enemy vehicle or similar obstacle could seriously ruin your PT-76B's day.

While the PT-76B has amphibious capabilities, it is not necessary to use them all the time. Keep in mind that the PT-76B can only go about 10 km/h in the water (and your large size makes you an easier target for shore-based snipers), so utilize the ability to travel on land as well. Instead, use the water to make an escape or take a shortcut. As an example, drive into the water if an enemy has spotted you, and take cover behind an off-shore rock. Driving through a river to flank the enemy is also possible if a bridge is not nearby. Take caution that reversing in the water is slow, if not nonexistent, which may get the PT-76B stuck if driven into an obstacle. Also make sure to check the map, as some maps like ''Eastern Europe'' have rivers with no way to get back onto land, or at least not many.

Otherwise, avoid directly confronting an enemy. Instead, take cover and scout. Another good tactic to use is watching the enemy - find a spot where they can't engage you and watch them. Wait for the right moment; when the enemy is reloading, aiming somewhere else, not noticing the PT-76, is attacking an ally, etc, quickly check to make sure no other enemy can target you and send a shell towards your enemy! Try to snipe at the enemy, but make sure to avoid all enemy fire, as all tanks can penetrate the PT-76's armour (even the [[GAZ-AAA (4M)]] technically has enough penetration to get through the tank's rear armour!).

The amphibious capabilities are a huge helper to the vehicle, allowing it to reach unusual sniper areas that vehicles without said capabilities could not reach (e.g. hiding behind the rocks near the jetty on Normandy). The incredible stabiliser also allows the PT-76B to simply sit in the water and blast away at enemies without them even realizing where the shots are from. Make sure to relocate after knocking out enemies or being spotted, however, as they will know the PT-76B's location and likely broadcast it to other players, most often resulting in the PT-76B being destroyed.

The HEATFS shell is powerful in terms of penetration, but the post-penetration damage is lacking compared to other Soviet shells. Oftentimes, 2 or more shots will be needed to destroy an enemy vehicle, particularly the more voluminous vehicles like the Tiger I and the Panther. It would be wise, therefore, to look up crew and module locations on enemy vehicles in order to make your shots as lethal as possible. Against open-topped and lightly-armoured vehicles, the explosive filler of the BK-354M will cause overpressure damage, resulting in a knock-out.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Low profile makes it easier to hide behind cover
* Decent acceleration and turning
* Amphibious capabilities
* Access to HEATFS shells with excellent penetration
* Excellent gun handling due to having a two-plane [[gun stabilizer]] (the lowest-ranked USSR tank with it!), which works while driving at full speed on land and shooting in water
* Has night vision devices (NVD)

'''Cons:'''

* While the tank is quite short, it is also very wide; quite easy to spot in the open, especially from the air
* Very thin armour, even heavy machine guns can go through the front, in addition to being extremely vulnerable to aircraft strafing
* Abysmal survivability due to having only 3 crew members; efficiency is greatly reduced when a crew member is lost
* Terrible stock grind due to the stock shell being an awfully unreliable APCR shell
* Lightweight vehicle means it is heavily affected from collisions
* Significantly slower than most light tanks, with bad reverse speed both on land and in water
* Driving in water is very slow, even when going forward
* Limited gun depression makes it hard to use on hilly terrain

== History ==

===Development===
The purpose of light tanks fell into disuse in the course of World War II. The light tanks of every nation found themselves to be too lightly armoured and under-gunned to be of any use in the battlefield. Their mobility, which they once held with utility, was overtaken by the advancing mechanics of tanks that allow the heavier tanks to reach speed and mobility that light tanks used to monopolize. The utility of light tanks fell to specialized roles, mostly as a reconnaissance vehicle. The Soviet Union developed a light-weight vehicle for this role, with an additional requirement that the vehicle also is amphibious in operation. The amphibious operation would grant the tank a greater degree of movement over different terrain.

Prototypes of the tank started in the late 1940s, one was ''Object 740'' developed by N. Shashmurin at the VNII-100 research institute of the Chelyabinsk Tank Factory in Leningrad. The vehicle was more successful than the others for using a simple design and good cross-country travel. The amphibious operation, the water-jet propulsion, was considered a breakthrough at the time. A prototype of this vehicle began to be built in 1950 at the Kirov Plant and adopted on August 6, 1951, after trials. This vehicle became designated as the ''PT-76'' and production began at the Stalingrad Tractor Factory. An upgrade was made in 1957 that replaced the initial D-56T gun with a D-56TM with a muzzle brake and fume extractor, as well as new observations and radios for the expense of a taller profile. Another upgrade in 1959 was made that added the D-56TS gun with stabilization and NBC protection capabilities on the '''PT-76B'''. Production lasted from 1951 to 1969 for a total of about 12,000 PT-76 built.

===Combat usage===
The PT-76 saw use in the Soviet Union, who used it as their standard reconnaissance tank and in naval operations. The PT-76 stayed stationed at various bases during the Cold War but did not see much combat with the Soviet Union, staying until it was replaced by the infantry fighting vehicle BMP-1. Despite its replacement, the PT-76 stayed in reconnaissance companies and battalions and in the naval infantry units, as well as having a much better gun than the BMP-1. The PT-76 may still be in Russian service today in reserves as some have been reported to been used during the war in Chechnya. The PT-76 also served in various specialized roles such as an anti-aircraft mount.

The PT-76 was exported in large numbers to up to 25 different countries allied with the Soviet Union. Of these, Vietnam has the best combat record due to the Vietnam War, the PT-76 was a large part of the North Vietnamese Army's armoured force during the conflict. The PT-76 first successful action in Vietnam was in the Battle of Làng Vây in February 1968, where 13 PT-76s of the NVA 202nd Armoured Regiment fought against up to 500 defenders of the camp. The PT-76s were able to overrun the camp despite the defender's use of M40 recoilless rifles and M72 rocket launchers, which accounted for three PT-76 kills. Another combat engagement was in the Battle of Ben Het when the NVA 202nd Armoured Regiment was ordered to attack the base there. The PT-76 detonated a mine on the border of the camp, alerting to their presence. Several M48 Pattons of the 1/69th armour battalion was sent to engage the tanks, but one got hit by a PT-76 round and had two crewmen killed. By dawn after sporadic firefights between the Pattons and NVA tanks, the scene revealed two knocked out PT-76s and a BTR-50 APC. It was in 1972 where the PT-76 served as the testbed of an important American weapons development. Two helicopters on May 9 were scouring the countryside for enemy targets for its new armaments, it was at this time that the NVA attacked a camp at Ben Het. The helicopters responded, firing the experimental XM26 launchers at PT-76s and accounted for three PT-76 destroyed. This was the first combat usage of what would be the TOW anti-tank missile.

Aside from Vietnam, the PT-76 also served in the Indian forces during the Indo-Pakistani Wars, the Six-Day War and Yom Kippur War on both sides, the Angolan Civil War in Cuban and MPLA service, in the Iran-Iraq War in Iraqi service, and the Yugoslav wars.

{{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 first experimental model of the PT-76 light aquatic tank received the factory title of "Object 740" and was assembled at the ChKZ in February, 1950. It immediately began factory testing. Following state-run tests and the elimination of defects discovered during the testing process, "Object 740" was recommended for acceptance into the arsenal of the Soviet Army. Serial production of the tank took place at the STZ from 1952 to 1953.

Tanks from the base batch released in 1952 underwent experimental field use. As a result, further refinements were made to the vehicle's joints and components. Following field testing and experimental use, "Object 740", now called the PT-76, was accepted into the arsenal by a decree of the USSR Council of Ministers: (#3636-1447) on August 6, 1952.

During the process of serial release various changes were made to the design of the vehicle to enhance its combat capabilities and technical characteristics. Vehicles with these modifications were produced until 1959, however, an updated DT-56TM cannon was installed on the tank in 1956. During the production run 1,896 PT-76B tanks were built. Of these, over 1,200 vehicles had the DT-56T cannon.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_pt_76b Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|RkzTeKDqmnw|'''Long-serving tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 06:17 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|SJoW-2_6J6o|'''Amphibious tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:38 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|8Zol0mmU-9s|'''Why this advanced tank is matched with WW2 Vehicles''' - ''HowToPlay1337''}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Type 63-I]]
* [[BMP-3]]
* [[PT-76 (Sweden)]]
* [[PT-76 (China)]]
* [[Object 211]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/825|[Devblog] PT-76B - with developer's answers]]
* [[wikipedia:PT-76|[Wikipedia] PT-76]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/USSR/soviet_PT-76.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> PT-76 light tank (1952)]

{{USSR light tanks}}

AMX-13

2024-11-12T20:58:58Z

U44982996: added a bit about poor gun depression

{{About
| about = French light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = AMX-13 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_13_75
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''AMX-13/75 FL-10''' is the first variant of the [[AMX-13 (Family)|AMX-13 light tank family]]. The tank was designed in 1946 by the Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX) to meet a request for an armoured vehicle that could be air-dropped to support paratroopers. The first prototype went into service in 1948. Torsion bar suspension with five road wheels and two return rollers was used on the compact chassis; the engine is positioned on the right side of the tank, with the driver on the left. It has an unusual two-part FL-10 oscillating turret that contains the main armament and allows the entire upper turret to adjust elevation. The commander and gunner sit in the turret, which is located in the rear of the vehicle. The 75 mm SA 50 L/57 tank gun was autoloaded and fed by two six-round magazines situated in the turret bustle on either side. The crew could engage targets quickly due to the 12 rounds available in the drum magazines; however, once those rounds were expended, the vehicle commander and gunner could either manually refill them from within the turret or retreat to cover and reload shells from outside the vehicle through hatches above. It was exported to over 26 more countries. Over a hundred variants exist, including prototypes and export variants. Many of these variants, such as the self-propelled gun (SPG), self-propelled anti-aircraft (SPAA), armoured personal carrier (APC), and anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) carrier, comprise their own separate families.

Introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]], the AMX-13/75 FL-10 is a very competitive light tank that can reach strategic positions on the battlefield very quickly. Due to its low profile, it may hide behind various obstacles, preventing opponents from discovering it. The most effective way to employ this tank is to keep it in a hull-down position behind a hill on the map's border; frontal engagements with enemies are not recommended. Its autoloader and high-velocity ammunition allow it to eliminate multiple opponents in a short period of time. Since the shell lacks explosive filler, it is vital to target critical components such as the target's tank gun barrel, gun breech, or ammunition rack. The autoloader and quick turret rotation allow for quick switching between enemy targets during combat, while the smoke grenades allow for a speedy retreat if the situation becomes too perilous.

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


Even though this tank has unimpressive armour values, its sloped profile will protect it from autocannon fire (with some distance, even the [[Bofors L/60 (40 mm)|Bofors]] can't go through this tank). Any dedicated antitank gun/missile/contraption will go right through this tank's armour. While this may sound a bit bad "getting easily pierced" also has its advantages: some APHE rounds will not detonate upon impact, which will minimise the damage done. If you happen to get shot at, the best way to survive is by showing your right front corner towards the enemy, this way, the engine deck may catch some shells. Don't ever rely on this tank's armour, take every shot you survive as a second chance.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, side and rear)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret base, turret front, gun mantlet, cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 40 mm (38-40°) ''Turret base'' 20 mm (66°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission carter'' 20 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm (14°) ''Turret base'' 20 mm Sides || 20 mm (32-34°) ''Turret base'' 15 mm (1°) ''Top'' 15 mm (44°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm (24°) ''Front glacis'' 10 mm ''Centre'' 10 mm (5°) ''Rear'' 5 mm ''Vents''
|-
| Turret || 40 mm (32-47°) ''Turret front'' 60 mm (conical) ''Gun mantlet'' 40 mm (15-75°) ''Barrel shroud'' || 20 mm (0-30°) ''Turret'' || 20 mm ''Turret bustle'' 20 mm (17-22°) ''Pivot ball'' 10 mm (77-90°) ''Turret underside'' || 10 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 20 mm (conical) ''Base'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Dome'' || 20 mm (conical) ''Outer ring'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 10 mm thick.
* Storage boxes and mudguards are 4 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 418|rbMinHp= 239}}

The {{PAGENAME}} can carry you wherever you want as its engine allows for fast accelerations and good, sustained, top speed. You will get quickly to a firing position on the battlefield and relocate easily to a new one once spotted.

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

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

{{main|SA50 L/57 (75 mm)}}

Well-positioned, this gun can make your enemies cry: with the quick-firing rate it is "one-two, goodbye" for any foe caught from the sides/rear. In usual one-on-one engagements, foes usually exchange shots but, with the AMX-13, this is a lie: it can fire ''twice'' before its foe can reload, this can hurt very much. This high rate of fire makes it very efficient at long-distance sniping: it can adjust fire faster than its foes.

The gun is without a caveat, however. Due to the poor gun depression of just -6 degrees and turret placement towards the rear of the vehicle, the tank will often struggle to get the gun on the target on a hilly terrain or even some incline. In addition, due to oscillating turret design, the gun would rock violently whenever the tank is coming into full stop, which can made shoot-and-scoot difficult to perform.

Being that said, with high penetration and autoloading system, this tank's armament is amazing.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA50 L/57 (75 mm)|75 mm SA50 L/57]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
!Autoloader
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 36 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+13° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:SA50 L/57 (75 mm)/Ammunition|POT-51A, OE Mle 1951, PCOT-51P}}

==== [[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
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''36''' || 32 ''(+4)'' || 28 ''(+8)'' || 23 ''(+13)'' || 18 ''(+18)'' || 13 ''(+23)'' || 7 ''(+29)'' || 1 ''(+35)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Racks 6* and 7* (autoloader magazines) are first stage ammo racks. They total 12 shells.
** These racks get filled first when loading up the tank and are also emptied first.
** As the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
** Once the autoloader magazines have been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader with at least 1 shell.
** The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun (about 15 seconds). Take this into account when playing.
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 5 into rack 7* then 6*. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.

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

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,950 (150) || 551 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the MAC 31 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==

The AMX-13 is a very competitive tank as it can reach tricky positions quite fast on the battlefield. Its low profile allows it to hide behind many obstacles, serving as armour for this light vehicle. Keeping hull-down, behind a hill on the border of the map is the best way to use this tank: frontal engagements are a no-go with such little armour. AMX-13 commanders will be surprised to be able to shoot ''1 round every 5 seconds'' with such accuracy and power at this BR.

;Long range sniper/flanker:

* Stay low and scout targets for your team. When spotting a vulnerable enemy, shoot its engine/transmission/driver, '''don't get back into cover''' and finish it off 5 seconds later, only then, fade back into the shadows. Do not get out of cover too often as enemies too much aware of your position may destroy you easily. If spotted, stay ''as far as possible'' from enemy fire: this tank's small size can avoid a lot of shots since it takes some serious gunnery skills to hit such a fast ''and'' small target from a distance (1000+ m).

;Brawler:

* Even though this is not recommended usage, this can tank actually be taken in close-quarter combat. In this role, it behaves much like any SPAA in the same context: flanking and surprising its foes from the sides with a hailstorm of bullets. Use smoke launchers in order to secure roads and advance concealed towards unsuspecting foes.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''
* Overall small profile, can be quite hard to hit while moving or at distance
* Can reach its top speed quite fast
* Good firepower for its class, with penetration characteristic similar to the British [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|QF 17-pounder]]'s
* Good gun handling while stationary, with fast turret traverse speed
* Short reload time thanks to the 12-round autoloader: 1 shot every 5 seconds, comparable to reload times at low ranks

'''Cons:'''
* Overall thin armour, cannot afford taking hits, especially from strafing aircrafts
* Poor survivability due to having only 3 crewmembers
* Poor gun depression and turret placement often prevents the tank from firing even on a slight incline
* Restocking the autoloader is very slow once it has been depleted and it limits severely your combat performance
* Extremely bouncy suspension: bad at stop-and-shoot due to oscillating turret design
* Mediocre off-road mobility and bad reverse speed for a light tank

== History ==


'''Development'''

Development of the AMX-13 began in 1946 in response to a requirement by the French Army for a light tank to support paratroopers. It was designed at Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX). A long line of prototypes lead to the production model. The first prototype was the AMX-13 2A in 1948, with four road wheels. Next came the 2B with five road wheels and a raised idler wheel, and the 2C with the FL-10 turret and two return rollers. The 2D introduced an arrangement with four return rollers.

'''Design'''

The turret held the commander and gunner, and was set to the rear of the vehicle. The hull was very compact and low profile, with the engine on the right side and the driver in the front, left side.

The main feature of the AMX-13 was the FL-10 oscillating turret, armed with a 75 mm gun with an automatic loader system fed by two six-round magazines, for a total of 12 rounds in the autoloading mechanism. The gun could depress 8° and elevate 12°, with 5° per second of elevation speed. The turret could rotate 360° with 30° per second of traverse speed. A TCV 107 laser rangefinder was provided to the gunner. 6 smoke grenade launchers were fitted on the turret, with 6 more grenades stored in the vehicle. One coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun was fitted, with 1,800 rounds in belts of 200. Another 7.62 mm machine gun could be fitted on an anti-aircraft mount with 1,800 rounds.

The gasoline engine produced 250 horsepower, and the manual transmission had five forward and one reverse gear. The suspension was of the torsion bar type. The drive sprockets were in the front, return rollers in the back, and there were five road wheels and four return rollers. The AMX-13 could reach a speed of 60 km/h, and it had a range of 400 kilometers.

The protection of the AMX-13, it being a light tank, was not great. It could withstand heavy machine gun and low-calibre autocannon rounds from the front, but the sides could not even withstand heavy machine gun fire. An appliqué armour package was developed to increase protection at the choice of the user.

'''Production'''

Production began in 1952, at Atelier de Construction Roanne (ARE). Over 7,000 AMX-13s of all variants were produced, seeing export to a number of nations as well as seeing service with the French Army. Production shifted to Creusot-Loire at Chalon-sur-Saône in 1964, since ARE began producing the AMX-30 in that year.

'''Service'''

The French Army received most of the original 75 mm-armed version, with about 3,000 entering service. They were assigned to the regular armoured units, which were mostly filled with M47 and M48 Patton medium tanks at the time. AMX-13 squadrons had four tanks, and were split into two sections of one infantry section and one light tank section each, along with an ammunition truck and command vehicle. These squadrons were used for screening and reconnaissance, locating enemy forces and engaging them. After the first section had engaged the enemy and was reloading, the second section engaged the enemy. The process of alternating reloading and firing between the sections allowed the tanks to hold off the enemy until medium tanks arrived.

In the 1960's, the AMX-30 entered service. AMX-13s were used during the decolonization war in Algeria (1954-1962), although they saw little combat due to the lack of opposition and the terrain. After the French AMX-13s were up-gunned with the 90 mm gun, they often saw service in foreign theatres of operation due to their relative inexpensiveness. The AMX-13s were decommissioned and put into reserve starting in 1985.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_13_75 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|G-sMfeWsEq0|'''The Shooting Range #148''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 02:58 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|uhgodizubC4|'''The Shooting Range #77''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:19 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|WQspy3qMkgk|'''Testing New Scouting System with French AMX-13 - RB Gameplay''' - ''Jim Chamberlin''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[AMX-13 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Strv 74]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:AMX-13|[Wikipedia] AMX-13]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/AMX-13.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> AMX-13]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=175 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> AMX-13]

{{TankManufacturer AMX}}
{{France light tanks}}

Scharnhorst

2024-11-11T15:09:27Z

U44982996: removed the bit about the ship being weak against HE since it was patched several months ago

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (along with her sister ship Gneisenau) was designed as a battleship right from the start by the Kriegsmarine. However, restriction imposed by the Treaty of Versailles (and as Germany were unable to built any large calibre guns at that time due to the lack of industrial capabilities) forced the Kriegsmarine to fit her with smaller 283 mm guns. Launched in January 1939, Scharnhorst spent early WWII raiding British convoys in the Atlantic with her sister Gneisenau. In mid-1940, they also participated in the German invasion of Norway, during which they engaged the battlecruiser [[HMS Renown]] and sank [[HMS Glorious]], which had been converted to an aircraft carrier, as well as their destroyer escorts. In 1943, while attempting to raid Allied convoys on their way to the Soviet Union, Scharnhorst and her five escorting destroyers were intercepted by a British task force, including the battleship HMS Duke of York, light cruisers [[HMS Belfast]] and [[HMS Norfolk]], and destroyer [[HMCS Haida]], in the Battle of the North Cape on 26 December. Scharnhorst was sunk, with only 36 survivors. With all other German battleships damaged or otherwise engaged, the battle itself was a major turning point in Allied naval control in the Atlantic and Arctic, and would prove to be the last battle between battleships in European waters.

It was introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]]. Although the Scharnhorst is almost universally classed as a battleship in real life due to her protection, her fast top speed and smaller armaments compared to her contemporaries in the 1930s caused the British to classify the ship as a battlecruiser. This peculiar characteristic is reflected in-game, where the Scharnhorst's mobility, protection, and weaker but fast-firing guns made her a formidable heavyweight mid-to-close range brawler.

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

Being an interwar battleship design, the {{PAGENAME}} is exceptionally well-protected, especially when compared to the Great War-era dreadnoughts that are quite common at her BR.

Externally, the {{PAGENAME}} is clad with 50 mm of armour at the deck and 35 mm at the port and starboard sides. The plating protects her huge crew count of 1,908 sailors from HE blasts of most cruiser-calibre guns (203 mm and less) and absorb a considerable damage from larger calibre shells and small bombs quite well.

Internally, the {{PAGENAME}}'s citadel feature two layers of armour. The external part features 320 mm of armour at the port and starboard (save for a small gap with 170 - 245 mm of armour strips) and 200 mm at the bow and stern, while the internal citadel is 105 mm of turtleback armour angled at 60 degrees, along with an additional 40 mm of armour protecting the internal crew and engine compartments from shrapnel. Put simply, the {{PAGENAME}} is a very tough nut to crack, capable of taking hundreds of hits from other capital ships and staying afloat. Only the heaviest of bombs (such as the infamous FAB-5000 of the [[Pe-8]]) will be capable of sinking her in one hit.

While the {{PAGENAME}}'s armour makes her seemingly invincible, she does have one glaring weakness; flood damage control. In real life, the {{PAGENAME}} suffered from poor watertight capability, especially in heavy sea conditions which often caused her electrical system to be damaged and made her quite vulnerable to flood damage. This is reflected in-game by her tendency to quickly flood when taking a hit by torpedoes or even a shell hit below her waterline.

Although the {{PAGENAME}}'s armour is enough to take multiple torpedo hits (including the Japanese "Long Lance" torpedo) and remain afloat, doing so will cause the ship to rapidly flood, especially if the ship is hit on the bow where her only water pump is located. As the {{PAGENAME}}'s pumps take at least 20 seconds to restore 10% of the buoyancy and breach repair often takes a considerable amount of time, the ship will often lose over 50% of buoyancy within a minute if under heavy fire or being hit by a torpedo(es) if the damage isn't taken care of soon enough, essentially immobilising the ship. Thus, it is always recommended to repair any breach damage regardless of the severity, lest the ship sinks in the process.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

As a fast battleship, the {{PAGENAME}}'s top speed is quite good. At 68 (AB)/57 (RB) km/h, she can keep up with the other cruisers and is capable of closing the distance to deal more damage to the enemy.

Due to her large displacement, however, the {{PAGENAME}} is also quite slow to decelerate, this will hinder the ship's ability to make most evasive manoeuvres from enemy fire and torpedoes.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
After seakeeping modifications (Tool Set and Fire Protection System), researching the 283 mm APCBC shell should be your first priority, as the HE shell no longer cuts it against capital ship that were common at the BR. Then, you can either focus on the survivability to upgrade your water pumps or improve the ship's mobility. Gunnery and other shell options should be left for the end as the {{PAGENAME}} already has a good gun handling even when stock and the other shell choices are situational at best.

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|283 mm/54,5 SK C/34 (283 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} features nine 283 mm/54,5 SK C/34 cannons as the main armament, mounted in three triple turrets in A-Bs-X setup. Despite the turret's size and heavy armour plating, it has a generally good traverse speed and handling.

Due to the gun's relatively small calibre compared to other capital ships, it will often struggle to deal damage against enemy battleships at longer ranges (~10 km), though this is compensated by a surprisingly fast reload time for its calibre at 17.2 second (ace crew).

As the gun is essentially the 283 mm found on the [[Admiral Graf Spee]] but with a slightly longer barrel, it also shares similar shell options:

* The default HEF shell has ~21 kg of TNT filler, which is actually worse than that of the Graf Spee's (with ~23 kg of filler), though this is compensated with the gun's higher rate of fire. The shell can deal considerable damage to enemy cruisers, but it is fairly ineffective against capital ships.
* The APCBC shell has noticeable improvement over the Graf Spee's, with 380 mm of penetration at 10 km (compared to 335 mm at 10 km of the Graf Spee's). These penetration values are noticeably better than that of the 305 mm on the Great War-era dreadnoughts, though due to the low shell mass (a quarter less than an average 305 mm shell), the shell has rather mediocre post-penetration damage against capital ships. Nevertheless, these should be your go-to shell as it is capable of tearing the enemy ship's internal modules apart, especially at closer ranges (~7.5 km).
* The SAPBC shell has a reasonable penetration of 186 mm at 10 km, albeit its filler is on the lower side at 16.72 kg TNT. This shell is largely situational due to it being ineffective against capital ship's armour but more than potent enough to destroy any cruisers or smaller ships.
* The anti-air HE-TF is largely useless, primarily due to the limited gun elevation that restrict them from engaging enemy aircraft at closer ranges (~3 km). Thus you should rely on your dedicated anti-air defense instead.

{{:283 mm/54,5 SK C/34 (283 mm)/Ammunition|283 mm Spgr. L/4.4 Kpf.Z HE, 283 mm Psgr. L/4.4 APCBC, 283 mm Spgr. L/4.4 Bd.Z SAP, 283 mm Spgr. L/4.4 Zt.Z HE-DF}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|15 cm/55 SK C/28 (150 mm)}}
The {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with twelve 150 mm/55 SK C/28 cannons, distributed in a pair of single and twin turrets on the port and starboard sides each. Up to 6 guns can be fired from the boardsides. These guns are useful for dealing extra damage on enemy cruisers and smaller ships, but almost useless against capital ships due to the lack of penetration at longer ranges.

By default, the gun is loaded with a HE shell with a decent 3.91 kg of TNT filler, enough to knock out most PT boats in one hit. The researchable SAPBC and APCBC shell has a rather poor penetration, with 47 mm and 95 mm at 10 km range respectively. Since your main guns already have enough damage output to deal with cruisers, upgrade for the secondary armament should be left until spaded.

{{:15 cm/55 SK C/28 (150 mm)/Ammunition|15 cm Spgr. L/4.5 Kz (m.Hb), 15 cm Pzgr. L/3.7 (m.Hb), 15 cm Spgr. L/4.4 Bdz (m.Hb)}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|SK C/33 AA (105 mm)|SK C/30 (37 mm)|2 cm/65 C/38 (20 mm)}}

As a World War II capital ship, the {{PAGENAME}} sports an impressive array of aerial defenses. She is outfitted with 14 x 105 mm Flak cannons in seven twin mounts, 16 x 37 mm AA guns in eight twin mounts, and 34 x 20 mm AA guns in ten single mounts and six quadruple mounts. With 64 guns of various calibres, the {{PAGENAME}} has a good air coverage at almost any range.

A small caveat worth noting, however, is that the 105 mm gun can only be loaded with a HE-TF shell, this means it is rather ineffective against any sneaky PT boats that might getting too close.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|G7a (533 mm)}}

As with most of the bluewater Kriegsmarine ship, the {{PAGENAME}} comes with 14 x G7a standard-issued torpedoes. Launched from a triple launcher from the port and starboard side each. Given the {{PAGENAME}}'s role as a fast battleship, these torpedoes are useful in a close-range engagements due to the fast speed but short range without "Torpedo mode" modification, though its effectiveness at longer ranges were quite poor due to the slow speed with "Torpedo mode" modification and the low number of warheads launched per salvo. Thus, it is not recommended to use it in a large, open maps where long-range engagements were common.

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

Located amidships is a single catapult for an Arado Ar 196 scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. Alongside the typical abilities of strafing, dropping 2 x 50 kg bombs, and capping zones, the Ar 196 and other scout planes have the added ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). It is essentially the [[Ar 196 A-3|event aircraft]] except with smoke generators, so it will be a familiar unit for those who have the event version. Captains will be wise to remember to utilise the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new! The threat of bombers carrying many large bombs is significant, so using the Ar 196 as top cover can also be considered, though its effectiveness may be limited.

== Usage in battles ==


The Scharnhorst is one of the best protected vessels in the game against the AP rounds. The only truly feasible way to counter the Scharnhorst is with high explosive rounds.

Acting as a fast battleship, the Scharnhorst has the capability to be used as a brawler, using its speed and armour to move faster across the map than most battleships and battlecruisers, enabling it to effectively contest capture points and close the distance when attacking enemy ships.

Although the main cannons are only 283 mm, the shells have a relatively high armour penetration value (APCBC can penetrate 333 mm at 30° angle of attack from 7,500 m) enabling it to penetrate most battleships and battlecruisers, at close to medium range. However, the shells have quite small explosive filler, meaning that the post-penetration damage is relatively low, and it might require few direct hits to cripple key components, and selecting munitions best suited for the target is essential, with SAPBC and HE being often the preferred options over APCBC.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Incredibly resilient due to thick layered armour and high crew count
* High top speed and decent acceleration
* Great gun handling - relatively high turret rotation and gun elevation speed for the calibre
* Fast reload speed for main guns of this calibre
* Secondary guns are effective when up close
* Effective AA capability
* One scout seaplane

'''Cons:'''

* Large target: easy for your enemy to strike with gunfire or torpedoes
* Prone to flooding damage, especially from cumulative salvos from large-calibre HE shells or torpedoes
* Quite slow to decelerate, can make dodging torpedoes somewhat difficult
* 283 mm shells damage is inferior compared to other ship with bigger guns
* 105 mm guns are categorized as AAA, which limits your anti-surface capabilities

== History ==

[[File:Scharnhorst (1939).jpg|thumb|350px|German battlecruiser Scharnhorst.]]
The '''Scharnhorst''' was a German battlecruiser (or battleship depending on classification) that served in WWII, the lead ship of her class.<ref name=":0">Kalu, M. C. (2019)</ref> Designed to counter the French Dunkerque-class battleships, Scharnhorst was a significantly-enlarged and improved development on the previous Deutschland-class pocket battleships ("panzerschiffe").<ref name=":1">Farley, R. (2017)</ref> Scharnhorst operated with her sister ship Gneisenau during the early years of WWII, wreaking havoc on allied shipping. However, she ultimately met her demise at the Battle of North Cape, where she was sunk by a large British force led by the battleship HMS Duke of York.<ref name=":2">Potts, J. R. (2019)</ref>

=== Design and development ===
Following the end of WWI, Germany's navy was significantly reduced by the Treaty of Versailles, which prevented Germany from owning any modern battleships.<ref name=":1" /> As a result, the German Navy (Kriegsmarine) pursued an innovative type of vessel: pocket battleships ("Panzerschiffe": armoured ship) that were small enough to be classified as cruisers, but carried battlecruiser-calibre armament.<ref name=":1" /> And thus, Germany built three ships of the Deutschland class of "pocket battleships", armed with six 11-inch (283 mm) guns and displacing ~10,000 tons each. However, these ships were still inadequate to deal with the Royal Navy's battlecruisers, as well as the new French fast battleships Dunkerque and Strasbourg.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> Following the negotiation of the Anglo-German naval agreement, allowing battleship construction, the German government cancelled the 4th and 5th ships of the Deutschland-class and proceeded with a new design.<ref name=":1" />
[[File:Scharnhorst Recognition Drawing.jpg|left|thumb|350px|Scharnhorst's USN recognition drawing.]]
The new ships were significantly larger and better-armoured than the pocket battleships. Scharnhorst had a displacement of 32,100 tons standard and 38,100 tons fully loaded: a ~20,000-ton increase from the Deutschland class.<ref name=":2" /> The ships retained the 11-inch guns of the Deutschlands but gained a third triple turret, bringing the total to 9 guns. While these guns were quite impressive, with a 17-second reload time, they were limited in effectiveness against the armour of enemy battleships.<ref name=":1" /> As a result, the ship was designed to be rearmed with 15-inch (381 mm) guns in dual turrets, but the opportunity for this refit never arised.<ref name=":0" /> In addition to the main guns, Scharnhorst had twelve 5.9-inch (150 mm) guns mounted in amidships turrets.<ref name=":1" /> Anti-aircraft armament consisted of fourteen 4.1-inch (105 mm) dual-purpose guns in twin turrets, sixteen 37 mm and ten (later sixteen) 20 mm anti-aircraft guns.<ref name=":0" /> Scharnhorst had two Seetakt radars for fire-control, with a range of ~16 km.<ref name=":3">Roblin, S. (2021)</ref> She could also carry multiple Arado 196 seaplanes for longer range reconnaissance.<ref name=":2" />

Scharnhorst was designed with a heavy armour belt, up to 12.5 inches of Krupp cemented armour at the waterline.<ref name=":2" /> Her main gun turrets had up to 14.3 inches of armour while her deck had up to 5.9 inches of armour. Scharnhorst was massive, at 234 m long,<ref name=":3" /> and had a crew of 1,840 men.<ref name=":0" /> Her three steam turbines allowed a maximum speed of 31 knots (58.3 km/h), though at this speed, the ship was unmanoeuvrable: during her sea trials in 1939, Scharnhorst took on so much water through the bow that a refit was necessitated: her bow was redesigned with a flared "clipper-style" bow that prevented the forward "A" turret from firing at 0-degree elevation.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" />

=== Operational service ===
Scharnhorst was ordered in January of 1934 and her keel was laid on June 15th, 1935.<ref name=":2" /> Scharnhorst, and her sister Gneisenau, were named after a pair of armoured cruisers sunk at the Battle of the Falkland Islands during the First World War.<ref name=":1" /> Scharnhorst was launched on October 3rd, 1936, with Adolf Hitler himself in attendance. She was completed in January of 1939 and entered service under the command of Captain Otto Ciliax.<ref name=":2" />

==== Early combat service ====
Scharnhorst saw her first combat action with Gneisenau in November 1939, when the pair of battlecruisers spotted the British merchant cruiser HMS Rawalpindi.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":2" /> Despite seeing signals from Scharnhorst to stop and abandon ship, the cruiser decided to valiantly fight on, even as the German battlecruisers possessed a combined eighteen 11-inch guns.<ref name=":2" /> After a brief engagement, the Rawalpindi was sunk, and only 38 crew members survived from the crew of 276. Scharnhorst and Gneisenau then escaped in a squall, pursued by British battleships Warspite, Hood, and Repulse, who had sailed in to aid the Rawalpindi.<ref name=":2" />
[[File:Scharnhorst firing at HMS Glorious.jpg|thumb|350px|Scharnhorst firing her forward 283 mm guns at HMS Glorious, June 8th 1940.]]
In 1940, Scharnhorst participated in the invasion of Norway, where she had a short engagement with the British battlecruiser HMS Renown.<ref name=":1" /> This combat resulted in heavy seas-related flooding to Scharnhorst which put her "A" turret out of action; Scharnhorst spent the month of April 1940 in drydock for an overhaul to her gunnery and propulsion systems.<ref name=":2" /> Two months later, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau stumbled into the British light carrier HMS Glorious along with her escorting destroyers Ardent and Acasta. In the ensuing battle, all three British ships were sunk, with the loss of 1,519 men.<ref name=":2" /> During this engagement, Scharnhorst set a record for the longest range naval gun hit ever recorded, having hit HMS Glorious from a range of 24 km.<ref>Editors of GWR. (n.d.)</ref> However, Scharnhorst was hit by a torpedo from Acasta, resulting in the deaths of 50 sailors and severe flooding which put the "C" turret out of action.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> Scharnhorst spent the next five months in drydock for repairs.<ref name=":2" />

==== Atlantic raids and Channel Dash ====
[[File:Channel Dash.jpg|left|thumb|350px|Scharnhorst and Gneisenau dashing the English Channel.]]
In January of 1941, Scharnhorst and Gneisenau broke out into the Atlantic to begin a raid on Allied merchant shipping.<ref name=":1" /> During this raid, Scharnhorst sank a total of 9 ships totalling 50,588 tons, while the two ships together sank over 110,000 tons of Allied shipping. Both ships arrived at Brest in late March.<ref name=":2" /> The ships were to participate in a massive Kriegsmarine attack in May 1941 alongside the newly-commissioned battleship Bismarck in the Atlantic.<ref name=":1" /> However, British aerial raids on Brest resulted in Scharnhorst and Gneisenau being put out of action.<ref name=":1" /> Bismarck would ultimately conduct the raid escorted by the cruiser [[Prinz Eugen]], with disastrous results.

In late 1941, Scharnhorst, Gneisenau, and Prinz Eugen were holed up in Brest, an unfavourable position given that British bombers conducted regular attacks.<ref name=":1" /> As a result, a daring plan was created, for the three capital ships to sail through the English channel in broad daylight, codenamed Operation Cerberus.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /> All three ships made it through the channel, though Scharnhorst hit two mines and an E-boat was lost.<ref name=":1" /><ref name=":3" /> The dash was a great embarrassment to the British Navy and Air Force, as 242 bombers had attempted to destroy the German force.<ref name=":2" />

==== Battle of North Cape ====

[[File:Battle of North Cape.png|thumb|A diagram of the Battle of North Cape.]]
Scharnhorst would remain at Kiel for most of 1942, and in early 1943, she sailed with the cruiser [[Prinz Eugen]] to Norway to join the battleship Tirpitz.<ref name=":1" /> It was with the German Norway squadron that Scharnhorst would meet her demise. In December of 1943, Scharnhorst attempted another sortie into the North Atlantic.<ref name=":3" /> However, the British had intercepted German radio messages and were fully aware of what was happening. They sent Convoy JW 55B as bait, with an additional three cruisers as reinforcement. Admiral Bruce Fraser's main fleet, sent to intercept and sink the Scharnhorst, was composed of the battleship Duke of York, heavy cruiser Jamaica and four destroyers.<ref name=":3" />

At 09:00 AM, Scharnhorst contacted the British cruisers [[HMS Norfolk|Norfolk]], [[HMS Belfast|Belfast]] and Sheffield.<ref name=":2" /> Both sides exchanged fire, and at 12:41 PM, Scharnhorst unknowingly turned towards the Duke of York. At 04:20 PM, the forces made contact, and Scharnhorst was simultaneously engaged by Duke of York and the smaller escorting ships.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4">Lettens, J. (2008)</ref> By 07:00 PM, all of Scharnhorst's main-calibre guns and most of her secondary guns had been knocked out. Her engines were knocked out one by one, and at 08:00 PM, the German battlecruiser capsized and exploded.<ref name=":2" /> Only 36 survivors were rescued from her crew of 1960.<ref name=":2" /><ref name=":4" /> The battlecruiser had fought valiantly, unescorted and completely alone against a British force of 13 warships: Scharnhorst had taken 19 torpedoes before she sank, along with hundreds of high-calibre shells.<ref name=":3" /><ref name=":4" /> Scharnhorst's wreck was discovered in 2000 at a depth of 300 m.<ref name=":3" />

== Media ==


;Skins

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

== See also ==


* [[USS Alaska]]
* [[Kronshtadt]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7453-development-the-battlecruiser-scharnhorst-and-shipboard-reconnaissance-aircraft-en|[Devblog] The Battlecruiser Scharnhorst and shipboard reconnaissance aircraft]]

=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Editors of GWR. (n.d.). ''Longest range hit by a ship's gun''. Guinness World Records. Retrieved December 26, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.guinnessworldrecords.com/world-records/longest-range-hit-by-a-ships-gun</nowiki>
* Farley, R. (2017, April 8). ''Scharnhorst: Nazi Germany's Super Battleship or paper tiger?'' The National Interest. Retrieved December 26, 2021, from <nowiki>https://nationalinterest.org/blog/the-buzz/scharnhorst-nazi-germanys-super-battleship-or-paper-tiger-20078</nowiki>
* Kalu, M. C. (2019, April 4). ''Speed and strength - Scharnhorst - german battleship with 25 photos''. WAR HISTORY ONLINE. Retrieved December 26, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.warhistoryonline.com/history/speed-and-strength-scharnhorst-german-battleship-with-25-photos.html</nowiki>
* Lettens, J. (2008, August 28). ''Wrecksite - Scharnhorst Battleship 1939-1943''. Wrecksite.eu. Retrieved December 26, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?115556</nowiki>
* Potts, J. R. (2019, May 2). ''KMS Scharnhorst. Military Factory - Global Defense Reference''. Retrieved December 26, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.militaryfactory.com/ships/detail.php?ship_id=KMS-Scharnhorst</nowiki>
* Roblin, S. (2021, December 19). ''Scharnhorst: How hitler's pocket battleship was destroyed''. 19FortyFive. Retrieved December 26, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.19fortyfive.com/2021/12/scharnhorst-how-hitlers-pocket-battleship-was-destroyed/</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Kriegsmarinewerft Wilhelmshaven}}
{{Germany battlecruisers}}

HMS Liscomb

2024-11-10T02:00:23Z

U44982996: description

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

== Description ==

The '''HMS Liscomb (T285)''' was one of the 197 British ''Isles''-class naval trawlers, a class of coastal minesweeper and minelayers designed in 1939 based on a design of fishing trawlers in order to simplify and hastened the production to fulfil the coastal patrol duties, in addition of being easily converted back into civilian trawlers and sold off once the war is over. Much like the larger [[HMCS Brantford|''Flower'']]-class corvettes (which shared similar improvised design), a large number of ''Isles''-class ships were built in Canada to guard the vast coastline of the British Empire.

HMS ''Liscomb'' was built by the Kingston Shipyard in Ontario, Canada to the ''Dance''-subclass specifications. ''Liscomb'' was commissioned on 3 September 1942 and would be loaned to the Royal Canadian Navy and served uneventfully until the end of the war. She was later decommissioned in 1945 and sold off to the Norwegian trawler a year later, who renamed her ''Aalesund''. Her final fate, however, remains unknown.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]] as part of the British fleet Closed Beta Test. The Liscomb is an absurdly tough coastal vessel especially for her BR thanks to her detailed damage model that allowed her to shrug off any machine guns and most autocannons she commonly faces. However, she has a figurative "Achilles' heel" in the form of an extremely vulnerable ammo rack. In addition, her mobility is among the worst of any coastal vessel which, combined with her large size, made her highly vulnerable to torpedoes and artillery strike. On the other hand, Liscomb has an access to a reasonably powerful armament to support the allies. Because of this, the Liscomb is best suited as a "bullet sponge", capable of taking numerous hits so long as her ammo racks is not exposed, though she would often needs some escort to guard her vulnerable sides.

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


[[File:X-Ray profile Isles Class T-285.png|thumb|Isles class (T-285) internals (starboard side). Note the large ammo racks below the forward gun and in the bow.]]

HMS Liscomb is notable for being the lowest-BR ship that has a "detailed" damage model; instead of having each section of the hull being treated as a block of crews (and therefore took a crew loss whenever it was damaged), she has a separate crew compartments modelled within the ship's hull instead. This alone makes her impervious to any machine guns she commonly faces at lower ranks despite the lack of armour, due to these guns simply doesn't have enough penetration to reach the internal crew compartments. Even larger-caliber guns will took quite awhile to damage the Liscomb, and that also requires some precise aiming to do so effectively.

However, the Liscomb has one fatal weakness; her poor ammo rack placement. Both the main and secondary ammo racks of the ship are placed well above the waterline, with the secondary ammo rack being placed right below the main gun's platform directly above the main shell room. This means should one of these ammo racks detonate, it will cause a chain reaction that will destroy the ship. As such, it is advised to face the bow of the Liscomb towards enemy at all times, as her frontal bow is still spacious enough that it will dissipate most autocannon rounds before it could reach your ammo racks.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="6" | '''Mobility Characteristics'''
|-
! rowspan="2" | Game Mode
! rowspan="2" | Upgrade Status
! colspan="2" | Maximum Speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Turn Time (s)|Time needed to complete a 360° turn at maximum speed}}
! rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Turn Radius (m)|At maximum speed}}
|-
! rowspan="1" | Forward
! rowspan="1" | Reverse
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|AB|Arcade Battles}}
| {{Annotation|Stock|All modifications removed}} || 25 || 11 || ~127.36 || ~95.72
|-
| {{Annotation|Upgraded|All modifications installed}} || 34 || 15 || ~67.95 || ~60.08
|-
| rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|RB|Realistic Battles}}/{{Annotation|SB|Simulator Battles}}
| {{Annotation|Stock|All modifications removed}} || 19 || 8 || ~187.63 || ~107.84
|-
| {{Annotation|Upgraded|All modifications installed}} || 22 || 10 || ~127.78 || ~90.39
|-
|}

The Liscomb's overall mobility is awful. With a top speed of just 34 (AB)/22 (RB) km/h when fully upgraded, she can be easily outpaced by almost every coastal vessels. Her turn rate is also quite bad, with slow rudder response time and wide turn radius. This leaves her very vulnerable to enemy torpedoes and also made it impossible for her to evade incoming fire.

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)}}

For her primary armament, the Liscomb has one 4 in QF Mark V cannon in a single mount forward. It has 150 rounds of ammunition available for it. Stock, the mount can traverse horizontally at a rate of 10°/s and vertically at a rate of 6.8°/s; with the "Primary Armament Targeting" modification installed, it can traverse horizontally at a rate of 12°/s and vertically at a rate of 8°/s. The gun is single-shot and has a nominal rate of fire of 12 rounds/min. With a stock crew, it can be reloaded in 6.5 seconds; with an aced crew, it can be reloaded in 5 seconds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | '''Guidance for the Primary Gun Turret'''
|-
! Horizontal !! Vertical
|-
| ±180° || -7°/+80°
|-
|}

There are three choices of ammunition available:

{{:4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 102 mm shrapnel}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

For her secondary armament, the Liscomb has three 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II cannons in three single mounts, one aft and two on either side in front of the bridge. For each mount, there are 1,200 rounds of ammunition available for a total of 3,600 rounds. Stock, each mount can traverse horizontally at a rate of 64°/s and vertically at a rate of 64°/s; with the "Auxiliary Armament Targeting" modification installed, they can traverse horizontally at a rate of 75°/s and vertically at a rate of 75°/s. Each gun has a belt capacity of 60 rounds and a rate of fire of 450 rounds/min. With a stock crew, they can be reloaded in 2.9 seconds; with an aced crew, they can be reloaded in 2 seconds. Their maximum range against surface targets is roughly 2.1 km.

{{Notice|Turrets are named sequentially, clockwise, starting at the bow}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="75%"
! colspan="8" | '''Guidance for the Secondary Gun Turrets'''
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.1 Turret
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.2 Turret
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.3 Turret
|-
! Horizontal !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Vertical
|-
| ±180° || -5°/+70° || ±180° || -5°/+70° || ±180° || -5°/+70°
|-
|}

There are three choices of ammunition available:

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''20 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''20 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}

{{:20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-T, AP-T, HEF-I}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|Lewis 1916 (7.72 mm)}}

For her anti-aircraft armament, the Liscomb has four 7.72 mm Lewis 1916 machine guns in two twin mounts, one on either side of the bridge. For each mount, there are 3,880 rounds of ammunition available, 1,940 rounds per gun, for a total of 7,760 rounds. There are no stated horizontal or vertical traverse rates given in-game, though the mounts handle very similarly to, if not exactly the same as, other twin and quadruple 7.72 mm Lewis 1916 machine gun mounts which, when stock, can all traverse horizontally at a rate of 64°/s and vertically at a rate of 64°/s; with the "Anti-Air Armament Targeting" modification installed, traverse horizontally at a rate of 75°/s and vertically at a rate of 75°/s. Each gun has a magazine capacity of 97 rounds and has a rate of fire of 550 rounds/min. With a stock crew, the guns can be reloaded in 10.4 seconds; with an aced crew, they can be reloaded in 8 seconds. Their maximum range against surface targets is roughly 1.6 km.

{{Notice|Turrets are named sequentially, clockwise, starting at the bow}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
! colspan="8" | '''Guidance for the Anti-Aircraft Gun Turrets'''
|-
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.1 Turret
! colspan="2" rowspan="1" | No.2 Turret
|-
! Horizontal !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Vertical
|-
| ±55° || -5°/+50° || ±55° || -5°/+50°
|-
|}

No ammunition choices are available for this gun. Although not directly stated in-game, the guns fire one tracer round every other round, so they most likely use the standard Default ammunition choice of the 7.72 mm Lewis 1916 machine gun which has the following composition and penetration statistics:

* Default: {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}/{{Annotation|T|Tracer}}/{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}/{{Annotation|T|Tracer}}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="7" | '''Penetration Statistics'''
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| Default || 10 || 9 || 8 || 7 || 6 || 5
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.VII depth charge}}

The Liscomb can carry up to 20 Mk.VII depth charges. These are split into two chutes on the stern carrying 10 depth charges each. They drop one at a time in this order: alternating port and starboard starting on the port side.

Being anti-submarine weapons and with the present lack of submarines in the game, there is no practical reason to use depth charges. There is especially no reason to use them on the Liscomb because the depth charges drop off of the stern. Because of the Liscomb's very slow top speed and bad manoeuvrability, there will almost never be an opportunity to use them. This is doubly so, since, if they are not dropped, depth charges act like exposed and unarmoured ammo racks.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | '''Depth Charge Characteristics'''
|-
! Mass (kg)
! Explosive Type
! Explosive Mass (kg)
! TNT Equivalent (kg)
|-
| 196 || TNT || 130 || 130
|}

== Usage in battles ==


[[File:Isles_class_(T-285)_skin_"Isles_class_'Hornet'".png|thumb|Isles class (T-285) with the fictional camouflage ''Isles class 'Hornet''', available on the [http://trade.gaijin.net Gaijin Marketplace].]]

Lacking in speed, the Liscomb is best used as a support vessel. Stay at the back of the rest of the team and use the 4 in QF Mark V cannon to take out any tough enemies the team may have trouble dealing with. Priority targets include other large vessels such as sub-chasers, German barges, and Soviet armoured guns boats, since, in one way or another, all of these possess high survivability and powerful armaments, making them difficult for smaller boats to effectively engage. In particular, prioritize Soviet armoured gun boats. These are some of the only boats in rank I and rank II with any substantial armour, and the 4 in QF Mark V cannon, with its SAP round, is one of the only guns that can reliably penetrate them when angled. If possible, try to aim for their ammunition storages located below their guns at the waterline. This will almost always result in a knock-out. Otherwise, target the heavily-armoured "citadel" at the centre of the boats as, chances are, the less-armoured bow and stern compartments may already be destroyed. For larger vessels such as sub-chasers, use the shrapnel round; for all other targets, the HE round will suffice.

Despite being one of the largest guns at its tier, the 4 in QF Mark V cannon cannot hull-break, requiring multiple hits to take out even the smallest boats. Because of the cannon's relatively poor accuracy and slow traverse rates, reliably landing shots on small, fast boats may be difficult. For such targets, switch to the secondary 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II cannons. Because of the way the cannons are arranged, only two of them can ever be aimed at a target at once. Nevertheless, the two cannons actually fire more TNT per minute when using the 20 mm HE belt than the 4 in QF Mark V cannon can with its HE round, so they will usually be enough to handle most boats. However, the 20 mm cannons may struggle against certain armoured targets, so always be prepared to switch back to the 4-inch cannon.

Primarily, the Liscomb should be played away from the fray, sniping dangerous targets from afar. Try to always keep the hull pointed directly towards the enemy, i.e. show as little of the sides as possible. Due to Isles class (T-285)'s massive bulk, the middle and rear hull compartments will become virtually immune from fire. While there are ammunition storages located in the bow, it appears as though they never detonate when destroyed, so taking damage with the bow is a very viable tactic. This doesn't make Isles class (T-285) completely invincible though, since some crew can still be chipped away by destroying the bridge and gun mounts, but it does substantially increase survivability. Liscomb is extremely vulnerable to artillery strikes and, to a lesser extent, torpedoes. Always try to stay on the move and occasionally change direction to through off their aim.

Another way to play the Liscomb is to take it into close-range engagements around capture points, using the 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II cannons and levering Liscomb's high survivability to take out smaller boats before they can deal any significant damage back. When playing like this, remember that none of the 20 mm cannons can fire in a ~45° arc directly forwards, and only one of them can fire in a ~70° arc directly aft, so always keep enemies to the sides to maximize firepower. Additionally, the 20 mm cannons cannot depress far enough to target anything within a ~60 m radius around the boat, so don't let enemies get too close and avoid staying near islands and other forms of cover for too long. The Liscomb is more susceptible to artillery and torpedoes at close range, so as with playing at long-range, always keep moving.

Another thing to note is that while controlling the 20 mm cannons, there will be no effective AI-controlled anti-aircraft weapons. She makes for an easy target for aircraft due to her large size and low speed, so periodically check the skies and, if you're not confident with your aim, switch back to the 4-inch cannon to give control of the 20 mm cannons to the AI gunners.

Lastly, be aware that playing at close-range is a much more viable tactic in a downtier, as the Liscomb is practically immune to any machine guns common at the low tier. In an uptier, however, the Liscomb will face opponents with much more powerful armaments, partially negating her survivability advantage.

;Ammunition Choices

[[File:Isles_class_(T-285)_skin_"Isles_class,_HMS_Alisa_Craig".png|thumb|The Liscomb with the semihistorical camouflage ''Isles class, HMS Alisa Craig'', available on the [http://trade.gaijin.net Gaijin Marketplace].]]

For the 4 in QF Mark V cannon, the best ammunition choice, in general, is the 4 inch HE round. The 4 inch HE round has the most high-explosive mass among the three rounds that the 4 in QF Mark V cannon has access to, making it the best general-purpose round overall.

The 4 inch SAP rounds should be reserved only for Soviet armoured gun boats. Any other targets will simply not have any sort of armour, and the round will generally over-penetrate the hull without triggering its fuse, dealing minimal damage to the target. Identify the enemy first and only use the SAP round if the other rounds are ineffective.

The 102 mm shrapnel should be used on large targets without armour such as sub-chasers. Against such targets, the HE round will most likely fail to destroy the hull compartments in a single hit, and internal components will rarely be damaged. In contrast, the shrapnel round can consistently destroy their hull compartments, and it creates a cone of spalling upon penetration that can travel much further into the hull. Keep in mind, though, that the shrapnel round will almost always be stopped by any kind of armour and that it only has about 30% of the explosive mass of the HE round, making it less versatile against smaller boats unless specifically aiming for ammunition storages. The shrapnel round also has a timed fuse that could possibly be used against aircraft, though with the 4 in QF Mark V cannon's slow traverse and elevation rates as well as its slow rate of fire, it's better to leave anti-aircraft defence to the other weaponry.

For the 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II cannons, the best ammunition choice is the 20 mm HE because it has the highest ratio of HE rounds to AP rounds, making it the most effective against both aircraft and surface targets. The 20 mm HE belt should be the main ammunition choice, though a small amount of the 20 mm AP belt should also be taken in case any armoured targets get around to the sides of the boat. Aside from ammunition costs, there is no reason to use the Universal belt once the other options have been researched.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Detailed damage model; almost completely immune against machine guns, and highly resilient to larger-calibre guns in general
* 4-inch cannon, while cannot hull-break most PT boats, is still powerful enough to deal damage against most coastal vessel
* Has three Oerlikon autocannons with good damage output
* Stable firing platform

'''Cons:'''

* Quite large in size, can be easily targeted
* Terrible top speed and manoeuvrability, susceptible to torpedoes, artillery, and aircraft attacks
* Ammo racks are stored directly on the bow and right below the main gun, making it very vulnerable
* The 4-inch cannon has poor traverse rates and accuracy

== History ==


The Isles-class, also known as the Western Isles-class, was a class of 197 Royal Navy naval trawlers built between 1939 and 1945. The Isles-class actually comprised of four separate classes of trawlers: the Tree-class, the Dance-class, the Shakespearean-class, and the Isles-class. While the four classes of trawlers are separate, their overall designs were very similar. All four had a length overall of 164 ft, a beam of 27 ft 8 in, and a deep load displacement of 11 ft 1 in. They were all powered by a single shaft vertical triple expansion boiler producing 850 bhp, giving them a top speed of 12.25 knots. Royal Navy trawlers used for minesweeping and convoy escort — which includes the Tree-class, the Shakespearean-class, and the Isles-class — were armed with the standard armament consisting of a single 3-inch QF 12-pdr 12 cwt cannon on the bow, as well as several Oerlikon 20 mm cannons and 30 depth charges. Those used for anti-submarine operations — in this case, only the Dance-class — were additionally given ASDIC equipment and a 4-inch/45 BL Mk IX cannon in place of the 12-pdr cannon.

The Tree-class was the first attempt at a purpose-built naval trawler by Britain during the Second World War. Based on the design of the previous Basset-class trawler of 1935, 20 Tree-class trawlers were ordered in 1939 at the start of the war, with 19 completed between 1939 and 1940 and one completed in 1942. Of the 20 built, 6 were lost during the war. Of the surviving vessels, all but two were sold off in 1946, with the remaining two sold off in 1948.

Following the Tree-class were two groups of trawlers, the Dance-class and the Shakespearean-class, ordered together later in 1939. Twenty Dance-class and 12 Shakespearean-class trawlers were ordered, with all 32 completed between 1940 and 1941. The Dance-class was similar to the Tree-class but was built for anti-submarine duty and given a 4-inch gun instead of the 12-pdr, while the Shakespearean-class was nearly identical to the Tree-class. One Dance-class and six Shakespearean-class trawlers were lost during the war. Aside from four Dance-class trawlers along with one Shakespearean-class trawler sent to Italy in 1946, as well as one Shakespearean-class trawler sent to Kenya also in 1946, all survivors were sold off in 1946 except for two Dance-class trawlers which were sold in 1947.

Last is the Isles-class consisting of 145 trawlers all built through to the end of the war. The Isles-class was again very similar in design to the previous trawlers, and because the Isles-class was much more numerous than the others, the other classes are often considered subclasses of it. Twenty-three Isles-class trawlers were lost during the war with most survivors sold off in 1946. Several Isles-class trawlers were sent to the Royal Canadian Navy and the Royal New Zealand Navy as well as to the Italian Navy, the Portuguese Navy, and the German Navy. A small number of Isles-class trawlers remained in service with the Royal Navy as late as the 1960s.

HMS Liscomb was one of 16 Isles-class trawlers built for the Royal Navy by Canada. She was ordered 8th August 1941 and was laid down on 1st July 1941 at Kingston Shipyards in Ontario. Liscomb was launched on 23rd March 1942 and commissioned later that year on 8th September as HMS Liscomb (T-285). During the war, HMS Liscomb was one of 8 Isles-class trawlers loaned to the Royal Canadian Navy, although they weren't recommissioned as RCN vessels and still retained their RN crewmen. HMS Liscomb was commanded by the following while on loan to the RCN:

* I.D. Smith, RNVR: 20th August 1942 to February 1944
* Lt. J.C. Smith, RCNR: February 1944 to 16th October 1944
* T/Lt. R.V. Harris, RNVR: 16th October 1944 onwards

After the end of World War II in Europe, HMS Liscomb was returned to the Royal Navy on 17th June 1945 and paid off the same day. She was sold in 1946 to the Norwegian trawlers, and was later renamed ''Aalesund''. Her final fates remain unknown.

== Media ==


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

== See also ==


* {{Specs-Link|uk_flower_class}}
* {{Specs-Link|uk_fairmile_b_ml345}}

== External links ==


* [https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=789 World War II Database - Isles-class Trawler]
* [https://www.naval-history.net/WW2BritishLosses2Auxiliary.htm#traw naval-history.net - British vessels lost at sea in World War 2 - Auxiliary Warships] - originally published in British Vessels Lost at Sea, 1935-45, His Majesty's Stationary Office, 1947
* [http://www.forposterityssake.ca/Navy/HMS_LISCOMB_T285.htm For Posterity's Sake - HMS LISCOMB T285]
* [https://uboat.net/allies/ships/trawlers.htm uboat.net - Anti-Submarine Trawlers]
* [http://www.harry-tates.org.uk/trawlers.htm Harry Tate's Navy - The Trawlers Go To War]

===References===
;Bibliography
* Chesneau, R., & Gardiner, R. (1980). ''Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships, 1922-1946'' (pp. 65-66). London, England: Conway Maritime Press. ISBN 0-85177-1467.

{{ShipManufacturer Kingston Shipyards}}
{{Britain sub-chasers}}

E.B.R. (1951)

2024-11-10T00:25:16Z

U44982996: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = French light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = E.B.R. (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_panhard_ebr_1951
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Panhard Engin Blindé de Reconnaissance (E.B.R.) Modèle 1951''' is the first variant of the [[E.B.R. (Family)|Panhard E.B.R. armoured car family]]. In general, the Panhard E.B.R. armoured car is an 8x8 wheeled armoured car built on the basis of the previous Panhard AM 40 P/Model 201, an armoured car born before World War II but only at the prototype level. All variants of the Panhard E.B.R. armoured car family are powered by a 200 horsepower 6 litre 12HD horizontally opposed air-cooled 12-cylinder engine (with dual carburettors and 6.6:1 compression, allowing it to run on low-octane petrol) and had a crew of four: two drivers (front and rear), and a gunner and a commander, both sitting in the oscillating turret. The engine was located beneath the fighting compartment's floor, which necessitated the removal of the turret in order to perform extensive engine repairs. The Panhard E.B.R. Modèle 1951 was the first mass-produced variant, with around 836 units manufactured between 1951 and 1954. The main armament is a 75 mm SA 49 tank gun that was manually loaded and mounted in a round-shaped FL 11 oscillating turret. The ammunition and ballistics of the US Army 75 mm M3 and M6 tank guns were shared by the SA 49 tank gun.

Introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]], the Panhard E.B.R. Modèle 1951 is a fast and agile light tank that is suited for flanking and capturing zones. On open maps, try to be the first to reach the flanking positions. Due to its low muzzle velocity and poor accuracy, its primary armament is unreliable across long distances. If you are attacked from the front, simply retreat or outmanoeuvre your opponent. Never engage in a frontal assault on an enemy or exchange shots with multiple opponents at the same time. Use your superior mobility and high speed to sneak across the maps and ambush isolated enemies in combat. Its thin armour is not able to withstand even a heavy machine gun. When confronted with multiple opponents, use smoke to conceal your retreat.

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

The E.B.R 1951's armor is primarily designed to protect against small-caliber machine gun fire and shell fragments. Its hull and turret are made of welded steel plates, providing reasonable protection against low-caliber machine guns and light artillery fire. However, it should be noted that the E.B.R 1951 is not intended to engage in direct combat with heavy tanks or powerful anti-tank weaponry.

While the armor is not very thick, the tank compensates for its vulnerability by relying on its excellent speed and agility to avoid enemy fire. Its speed and maneuverability make it a difficult target for slower tanks and artillery, allowing the E.B.R 1951 to employ hit-and-run tactics effectively.

'''Armour type:''' 

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof - rear, cupola roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret base, turret, gun mantlet, cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 22 mm (56-70°) ''Upper glacis'' 16 mm (75°) ''Sides'' 40 mm (16°) ''Lower glacis'' || style="text-align:center" | 16 mm || 22 mm (56-70°) ''Upper glacis'' 16 mm (75°) ''Sides'' 40 mm (16°) ''Lower glacis'' || style="text-align:center" | 15 mm
|-
| Turret || 40 mm (spherical) ''Turret front'' 60 mm (spherical) ''Gun mantlet'' || colspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 20 mm (cylindrical) || 40 mm (spherical) ''Turret front'' 10 mm (18°) ''Rear half''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 20 mm (conical) ''Base'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Dome'' || 20 mm (conical) ''Outer ring'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Centre''
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 

* Wheels and the chassis are 10 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 10 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=310|rbMinHp=177}}

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

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

{{main|SA49 (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA49 (75 mm)|75 mm SA49]] || 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" | 60 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 24.8 || 34.3 || 41.6 || 46.0 || 48.9 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 15.5 || 18.2 || 22.1 || 24.4 || 26.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:SA49 (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M48 shell, M89, M61 shot}}

==== [[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
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''60''' || 55 ''(+5)'' || 49 ''(+11)'' || 37 ''(+23)'' || 25 ''(+35)'' || 22 ''(+38)'' || 19 ''(+41)''
|1 ''(+59)''|| No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Rack 7 is a first-stage ammo rack. It totals 18 shells which will get replenished over time when not interrupted by firing.
** The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun (about 12 seconds).
* Shells are modelled individually and disappear after having being fired or loaded.
* Hull empty: 19 (+41) shells.

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

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,950 (150) || 551 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The E.B.R (1951) is a fast light tank perfect for flanking and capturing points. In open maps, try to be the first in flanking points. Its low muzzle velocity and poor accuracy make its canon unreliable above 600 m. If attacked frontally, try to outspeed or outmanoeuvre your enemy. If immobilised, try to shoot the enemy's canon or weak points. In rural and urban combat, your only strategy will be to flank otherwise you'll not be able to penetrate medium and heavy tanks at this BR. Its weak armour can't resist .50 cal HMGs from the sides so be careful against M18s and Shermans. When threatened by multiple enemies, use the smoke to cover your retreat and do not engage them even if it's to destroy a track or taking an easy shot.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely fast on road, both forward and backwards like the [[Sd.Kfz.234 (Family)|Sd.Kfz.234]]
* Fast turret traverse of ~25°/s allows it to engage agile targets like [[M18 Hellcat (Family)|M18]] easily
* Has a narrow and low silhouette, easy to hide behind vegetation and cover
* High reverse speed and access to smoke grenade launchers grant it excellent tactical agility, meaning that the EBR can get out of dangerous situations quickly
* Capable of quick retreat and movement even with the loss of a wheel

'''Cons:'''

* Relies on roads heavily as mobility on loose surfaces is quite poor
* Overall poor survivability due to thin overall armour, the fuel tanks in particular is prone to exploding when being hit
* Steering radius is quite large, navigation in confined environment can be awkward
* 75 mm gun has poor penetration values, thus rely heavily on flanking to better chance to deal damage
* Wheels are large and spread out, can get damaged easily

== 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=fr_panhard_ebr_1951 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==

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

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

{{TankManufacturer Panhard}}
{{France light tanks}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

AMX-13

2024-11-10T00:21:07Z

U44982996: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = French light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = AMX-13 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_13_75
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''AMX-13/75 FL-10''' is the first variant of the [[AMX-13 (Family)|AMX-13 light tank family]]. The tank was designed in 1946 by the Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX) to meet a request for an armoured vehicle that could be air-dropped to support paratroopers. The first prototype went into service in 1948. Torsion bar suspension with five road wheels and two return rollers was used on the compact chassis; the engine is positioned on the right side of the tank, with the driver on the left. It has an unusual two-part FL-10 oscillating turret that contains the main armament and allows the entire upper turret to adjust elevation. The commander and gunner sit in the turret, which is located in the rear of the vehicle. The 75 mm SA 50 L/57 tank gun was autoloaded and fed by two six-round magazines situated in the turret bustle on either side. The crew could engage targets quickly due to the 12 rounds available in the drum magazines; however, once those rounds were expended, the vehicle commander and gunner could either manually refill them from within the turret or retreat to cover and reload shells from outside the vehicle through hatches above. It was exported to over 26 more countries. Over a hundred variants exist, including prototypes and export variants. Many of these variants, such as the self-propelled gun (SPG), self-propelled anti-aircraft (SPAA), armoured personal carrier (APC), and anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) carrier, comprise their own separate families.

Introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]], the AMX-13/75 FL-10 is a very competitive light tank that can reach strategic positions on the battlefield very quickly. Due to its low profile, it may hide behind various obstacles, preventing opponents from discovering it. The most effective way to employ this tank is to keep it in a hull-down position behind a hill on the map's border; frontal engagements with enemies are not recommended. Its autoloader and high-velocity ammunition allow it to eliminate multiple opponents in a short period of time. Since the shell lacks explosive filler, it is vital to target critical components such as the target's tank gun barrel, gun breech, or ammunition rack. The autoloader and quick turret rotation allow for quick switching between enemy targets during combat, while the smoke grenades allow for a speedy retreat if the situation becomes too perilous.

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


Even though this tank has unimpressive armour values, its sloped profile will protect it from autocannon fire (with some distance, even the [[Bofors L/60 (40 mm)|Bofors]] can't go through this tank). Any dedicated antitank gun/missile/contraption will go right through this tank's armour. While this may sound a bit bad "getting easily pierced" also has its advantages: some APHE rounds will not detonate upon impact, which will minimise the damage done. If you happen to get shot at, the best way to survive is by showing your right front corner towards the enemy, this way, the engine deck may catch some shells. Don't ever rely on this tank's armour, take every shot you survive as a second chance.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, side and rear)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret base, turret front, gun mantlet, cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 40 mm (38-40°) ''Turret base'' 20 mm (66°) ''Upper glacis'' 40 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission carter'' 20 mm (51°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm (14°) ''Turret base'' 20 mm Sides || 20 mm (32-34°) ''Turret base'' 15 mm (1°) ''Top'' 15 mm (44°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm (24°) ''Front glacis'' 10 mm ''Centre'' 10 mm (5°) ''Rear'' 5 mm ''Vents''
|-
| Turret || 40 mm (32-47°) ''Turret front'' 60 mm (conical) ''Gun mantlet'' 40 mm (15-75°) ''Barrel shroud'' || 20 mm (0-30°) ''Turret'' || 20 mm ''Turret bustle'' 20 mm (17-22°) ''Pivot ball'' 10 mm (77-90°) ''Turret underside'' || 10 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 20 mm (conical) ''Base'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Dome'' || 20 mm (conical) ''Outer ring'' 10 mm (spherical) ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 10 mm thick.
* Storage boxes and mudguards are 4 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 418|rbMinHp= 239}}

The {{PAGENAME}} can carry you wherever you want as its engine allows for fast accelerations and good, sustained, top speed. You will get quickly to a firing position on the battlefield and relocate easily to a new one once spotted.

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

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

{{main|SA50 L/57 (75 mm)}}

Well-positioned, this gun can make your enemies cry: with the quick-firing rate it is "one-two, goodbye" for any foe caught from the sides/rear. In usual one-on-one engagements, foes usually exchange shots but, with the AMX-13, this is a lie: it can fire ''twice'' before its foe can reload, this can hurt very much. This high rate of fire makes it very efficient at long-distance sniping: it can adjust fire faster than its foes.

High gun placement and good gun depression angles make this tank very efficient at keeping low behind hills while showing very little of itself. Said shortly, this tank's armament is amazing.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA50 L/57 (75 mm)|75 mm SA50 L/57]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
!Autoloader
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 36 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+13° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:SA50 L/57 (75 mm)/Ammunition|POT-51A, OE Mle 1951, PCOT-51P}}

==== [[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
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''36''' || 32 ''(+4)'' || 28 ''(+8)'' || 23 ''(+13)'' || 18 ''(+18)'' || 13 ''(+23)'' || 7 ''(+29)'' || 1 ''(+35)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Racks 6* and 7* (autoloader magazines) are first stage ammo racks. They total 12 shells.
** These racks get filled first when loading up the tank and are also emptied first.
** As the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
** Once the autoloader magazines have been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader with at least 1 shell.
** The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun (about 15 seconds). Take this into account when playing.
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 5 into rack 7* then 6*. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.

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

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,950 (150) || 551 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
The small calibre of the MAC 31 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==

The AMX-13 is a very competitive tank as it can reach tricky positions quite fast on the battlefield. Its low profile allows it to hide behind many obstacles, serving as armour for this light vehicle. Keeping hull-down, behind a hill on the border of the map is the best way to use this tank: frontal engagements are a no-go with such little armour. AMX-13 commanders will be surprised to be able to shoot ''1 round every 5 seconds'' with such accuracy and power at this BR.

;Long range sniper/flanker:

* Stay low and scout targets for your team. When spotting a vulnerable enemy, shoot its engine/transmission/driver, '''don't get back into cover''' and finish it off 5 seconds later, only then, fade back into the shadows. Do not get out of cover too often as enemies too much aware of your position may destroy you easily. If spotted, stay ''as far as possible'' from enemy fire: this tank's small size can avoid a lot of shots since it takes some serious gunnery skills to hit such a fast ''and'' small target from a distance (1000+ m).

;Brawler:

* Even though this is not recommended usage, this can tank actually be taken in close-quarter combat. In this role, it behaves much like any SPAA in the same context: flanking and surprising its foes from the sides with a hailstorm of bullets. Use smoke launchers in order to secure roads and advance concealed towards unsuspecting foes.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''
* Overall small profile, can be quite hard to hit while moving or at distance
* Can reach its top speed quite fast
* Good firepower for its class, with penetration characteristic similar to the British [[Ordnance QF 17-pounder (76 mm)|QF 17-pounder]]'s
* Good gun handling while stationary, with fast turret traverse speed
* Short reload time thanks to the 12-round autoloader: 1 shot every 5 seconds, comparable to reload times at low ranks

'''Cons:'''
* Overall thin armour, cannot afford taking hits, especially from strafing aircrafts
* Poor survivability due to having only 3 crewmembers
* Extremely bouncy suspension: bad at stop-and-shoot due to oscillating turret design
* Bad reverse speed for a light tank
* Bug-like antennas are extremely tall and give away your position when hiding
* Restocking the autoloader is very slow once it has been depleted and it limits severely your combat performance

== History ==


'''Development'''

Development of the AMX-13 began in 1946 in response to a requirement by the French Army for a light tank to support paratroopers. It was designed at Atelier de Construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX). A long line of prototypes lead to the production model. The first prototype was the AMX-13 2A in 1948, with four road wheels. Next came the 2B with five road wheels and a raised idler wheel, and the 2C with the FL-10 turret and two return rollers. The 2D introduced an arrangement with four return rollers.

'''Design'''

The turret held the commander and gunner, and was set to the rear of the vehicle. The hull was very compact and low profile, with the engine on the right side and the driver in the front, left side.

The main feature of the AMX-13 was the FL-10 oscillating turret, armed with a 75 mm gun with an automatic loader system fed by two six-round magazines, for a total of 12 rounds in the autoloading mechanism. The gun could depress 8° and elevate 12°, with 5° per second of elevation speed. The turret could rotate 360° with 30° per second of traverse speed. A TCV 107 laser rangefinder was provided to the gunner. 6 smoke grenade launchers were fitted on the turret, with 6 more grenades stored in the vehicle. One coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun was fitted, with 1,800 rounds in belts of 200. Another 7.62 mm machine gun could be fitted on an anti-aircraft mount with 1,800 rounds.

The gasoline engine produced 250 horsepower, and the manual transmission had five forward and one reverse gear. The suspension was of the torsion bar type. The drive sprockets were in the front, return rollers in the back, and there were five road wheels and four return rollers. The AMX-13 could reach a speed of 60 km/h, and it had a range of 400 kilometers.

The protection of the AMX-13, it being a light tank, was not great. It could withstand heavy machine gun and low-calibre autocannon rounds from the front, but the sides could not even withstand heavy machine gun fire. An appliqué armour package was developed to increase protection at the choice of the user.

'''Production'''

Production began in 1952, at Atelier de Construction Roanne (ARE). Over 7,000 AMX-13s of all variants were produced, seeing export to a number of nations as well as seeing service with the French Army. Production shifted to Creusot-Loire at Chalon-sur-Saône in 1964, since ARE began producing the AMX-30 in that year.

'''Service'''

The French Army received most of the original 75 mm-armed version, with about 3,000 entering service. They were assigned to the regular armoured units, which were mostly filled with M47 and M48 Patton medium tanks at the time. AMX-13 squadrons had four tanks, and were split into two sections of one infantry section and one light tank section each, along with an ammunition truck and command vehicle. These squadrons were used for screening and reconnaissance, locating enemy forces and engaging them. After the first section had engaged the enemy and was reloading, the second section engaged the enemy. The process of alternating reloading and firing between the sections allowed the tanks to hold off the enemy until medium tanks arrived.

In the 1960's, the AMX-30 entered service. AMX-13s were used during the decolonization war in Algeria (1954-1962), although they saw little combat due to the lack of opposition and the terrain. After the French AMX-13s were up-gunned with the 90 mm gun, they often saw service in foreign theatres of operation due to their relative inexpensiveness. The AMX-13s were decommissioned and put into reserve starting in 1985.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_13_75 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|G-sMfeWsEq0|'''The Shooting Range #148''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 02:58 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|uhgodizubC4|'''The Shooting Range #77''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 05:19 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|WQspy3qMkgk|'''Testing New Scouting System with French AMX-13 - RB Gameplay''' - ''Jim Chamberlin''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[AMX-13 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Strv 74]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:AMX-13|[Wikipedia] AMX-13]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/AMX-13.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> AMX-13]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=175 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> AMX-13]

{{TankManufacturer AMX}}
{{France light tanks}}

Imperatritsa Mariya

2024-11-09T23:18:07Z

U44982996: /* Armament */

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was the lead ship of her class of dreadnoughts built for the Imperial Russian Navy. The Imperatritsa Mariya-class was based on the Gangut-class dreadnought with some changes such as lower top speed and more armour. The sixteen secondary 120 mm guns found on Gangut-class were replaced by twenty 130 mm guns and the maximum elevation of guns was increased by 10 degrees compared to Gangut. Imperatritsa Mariya was laid down on 30th October 1911 and commissioned on 10th June 1915. She served as part of the Black Sea Fleet where she conducted escort missions of pre-dreadnought battleships bombarding Ottoman coast. On numerous occasions during October 1915, she engaged Ottoman light cruiser Midilli, causing nothing other than splinter damage to her. The rest of her short career was uneventful until 20th October 1916, when she sunk after magazine explosion while at anchor at Sevastopol. The crew managed to flood the forward magazines, preventing catastrophic explosion of all the other magazines. As the ship capsized, 228 crewmen were lost. She was raised in 1918, but her poor condition and chaos after the Russian Revolution caused her to further deteriorate. The hull was scrapped in 1926. Two of her gun turrets were salvaged and used as a coastal battery during the Siege of Sevastopol in WWII.

The Imperatritsa Mariya was introduced in [[Update "New Power"]]. The Mariya is very similar to the [[Poltava]], as the latter was also a development of the Gangut-class. The Mariya features more armour compared to Poltava, with turrets being up to 250 mm thick and barbettes up to 250 mm instead of 150 mm thick armour found on Poltava. Due to the added weight of the armour, the Mariya also has lower top speed by 3 km/h. The ship is armed with four triple 305 mm guns distributed by the length of the ship. The guns fire either HE, APHEBC, or SAP shells. The SAP shells are one of the best in their class with 55.2 kg TNTeq and up to 223 mm penetration on 10 km range, allowing for destroying or heavily damaging heavy cruisers or even lighter armoured battleships with a single salvo.

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

The Imperatritsa Mariya, the lead ship of her class, is the successor to the Gangut-class (aka Sevastapol-class), which was the first class of dreadnoughts built by the Russian Empire.

The aesthetics of the ship are strange, with little to no superstructure on the deck and the unusual mooring boom on the bow, however in terms of effectiveness, the ship certainly has it where it counts. The Mariya is a classical example of a dreadnought, featuring heavy armour and high survivability. With a comprehensive armour scheme including a 262 mm main armour belt, as well as nearly 1,300 crewmen, the ship is all but invulnerable to most cruisers at anything other than close range and is fairly capable of protecting against battleship calibre shells at long and medium ranges, especially if angled. The main turrets of the ship are also well protected, with 250 mm turret faces and barbettes, and should be lost very rarely.

The ships magazines have a habit of detonating easily if you're on fire for extended periods of time.

Although the side protection of the ship is excellent, the magazines are vulnerable to shells fired from directly forwards or to the rear of the ship, due to thin bulkheads.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

Being an over 23,000 tons ship powered by inefficient coal fired steam turbines, the Mariya has overall very poor speed, acceleration/deceleration, and manoeuvrability, compared to even the heaviest of cruisers, although it's about on par with other dreadnought battleships. Don't expect to be able to cover any decent distance in a reasonable amount of time and good luck trying to dodge any torpedoes.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|12-inch/52 pattern 1907 (305 mm)}}

The Mariya is armed with twelve 12-inch/52 pattern 1907 (305 mm) cannons, placed in 4 triple turrets and arranged on the centreline of the ship. This is an important point as many other dreadnoughts (British and German in particular) have around the same number of cannons, but arranged with some turrets on either side of the ship, making it impossible or at least difficult to fire all the main guns at a single target, reducing their actual firepower by a fair amount. Because the Mariya has all her main turrets on the centreline, this isn't a problem, and you can unleash all 12 cannons at once.

The Mariya also carries a maximum of 1,200 shells, more than any other dreadnought, which gives you 100 full salvoes worth of ammunition.

Whilst the cannons themselves have a relatively low muzzle velocity (762 m/s) with average dispersion and reload time, the high quality shells you have access to gives you a decisive advantage over many other dreadnoughts you'll face.

* '''HE''' - The HE shells which you start off with have just over 47 kg of TNT equivalent, capable of wrecking even the most heavily armoured cruisers. Against battleships, these shell are powerful enough to deal good amount of damage on the exterior modules and compartments, such as turrets and gun barrels, and can occasionally poke some hole into the hull. Though like most HE shells, they are generally ineffective at dealing internal damage against dreadnoughts.

* '''APCBC''' - The armour-piercing shells are, overall, above average. They have a sizeable level of filler, at 12.96 kg of TNT equivalent, which is roughly equal to or better than most shells of other nations. While 524 mm of initial penetration is relatively average, they maintain good levels of penetration at long distances at 353 mm at 10 km range.

* '''SAPCBC''' - The SAPCBC on the Mariya really takes the cake. It is one of the most devastating shells in the entire game, with a whopping 55.2 kg of explosive filler, which for reference is more than double the filler on the Graf Spee's HE shell, and is over 17 kg more than the [[IJN Ikoma]]/[[IJN Settsu|Settsu]]'s HE shell, in a semi-armour-piercing shell with 267 mm of penetration at 10 km. Capable of tearing apart cruisers and dreadnoughts alike, this shell should definitely be one of the first things you aim for after unlocking this ship.

Put simply, the 305 mm main guns on this ship are exceptionally strong and are capable of forcing the might of Imperial Russia over any other vessel you might encounter, even against more modern battleships.

{{:12-inch/52 pattern 1907 (305 mm)/Ammunition|12-inch HE patt.1911, 12-inch AP patt.1911, 12-inch SAP patt.1911}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|130 mm/50 pattern 1913 (130 mm)}}

The Mariya has 20 x 130 mm cannons, 10 on each side of the ship. They're nothing to write home about. Being early 1900s destroyer calibre guns, the shells don't have much explosive filler and aren't too effective on their own, however you do have a truckload of them. They can be useful in taking out less armoured vessels and for providing fire and ranging while waiting for the main guns to reload.

{{:130 mm/55 pattern 1913 (130 mm)/Ammunition|130 mm HE patt.1911, 130 mm AP patt.1911}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|75 mm/50 Canet patt.1892 (75 mm)}}

The 75 mm AA guns are not very effective. With only 4 slow-firing guns and weak timed-fuse HE shells, it is recommended to instead stick close to friendly cruisers that can provide much more comprehensive AA cover.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Pattern 1912 (450 mm)}}

As with other dreadnoughts from this era, the Imperatritsa Mariya features four fixed underwater torpedo tubes placed in pair on her bow and stern on each side. The torpedo itself, however, is extremely weak with only 100 kg of TNT warhead, and have very short range of only 6 km even with torpedo mode. Being a highly situational weapon, it is advised to only focus on her gunnery instead.

== Usage in battles ==

Slow, heavily armed and armoured, the {{PAGENAME}} is a textbook example of a classic dreadnought. With her twelve powerful 305 mm guns and large amount of secondary 130 mm guns, she can pose a threat against any ship smaller than a dreadnought and is a perfect match against the "super dreadnoughts" such as the [[IJN Hyuga|Hyuga]] and the [[HMS Marlborough|Marlborough]]. However, the Mariya does share the same key weaknesses of dreadnoughts in her era. The first is poor top speed and mobility, which made her highly vulnerable against torpedoes, especially the "Long Lance" torpedoes that were common among the late-tier Japanese ships. The second is her poor anti-air armament consists of an early 75 mm flak cannons, while this is certainly better than an antique machine guns, it is still not so useful against enemy aircraft.

The Mariya perform best at longer range (10 km or more) as she can provide heavy fire support against lighter ship while being nearly invulnerable from their retaliation, especially when angled. If possible, stay behind any low-laying islands or lagoon to provide cover from enemy torpedoes. Otherwise, when playing in an open sea map (such as in conquest mode), avoid moving in a straight line and instead periodically stop the ship to make it less predictable to any enemy ship who wanted to take you down with torpedoes.
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely heavy firepower, with very powerful shells
* All of her 12 x 305 mm guns can be fired broadsides
* Large amount of casemate 130 mm guns provided good supplementary fire support against cruisers
* Heavily armoured against most threats

'''Cons:'''

* The main guns have extremely long reload time (33 seconds with ace crew)
* Poor mobility and huge profile, can be easily targeted
* Poor anti-air defence
* Secondary guns are located on between-deck mounts, cannot be fully traversed to meet threats on both sides
* Prolonged fire damage can cause her magazine to detonate and destroy the ship

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/6941-development-imperatritsa-mariya-the-empress-of-the-black-sea-en|Devblog]] ===
The first battleships of the "dreadnought" type in the Russian Empire entered service with the Baltic Fleet, they were battleships of the Sevastopol type, laid down back in 1909. The proximity of a world war and information about the serious strengthening of the Ottoman fleet forced the Tsarist government to start building three battleships similar to the ones in the Baltic for the Black Sea Fleet. The general architecture, key technical units, three-gun turrets were borrowed from the battleships "Sevastopol". Three battleships for the Black Sea Fleet were laid down in 1911, all new ships were named after the Russian monarchs. Tests of the battleship Imperatritsa Mariya (Russian for "Empress Mariya") ended in 1915, the ship was immediately put into service and began to perform combat missions.

With the advent of Russian dreadnoughts, the situation on the Black Sea changed dramatically in favor of the Russian Empire. Imperatritsa Mariya provided support to the 2nd brigade of battleships near the Ottoman coastline in the fall of 1915, at the end of winter it took part in the Trebizond landing operation, and in the summer of 1916 became the flagship of the Russian Black Sea Fleet.On October 20th, a powder storage detonated and a fire occurred on the ship, the subsequent series of explosions caused the destruction of the battleship. More than 200 sailors perished, the ship sank near Sevastopol. With great effort in 1918 the ship was lifted and transferred to dry dock, but restoration work was never completed due to the social and political crisis in post-war Russia. In 1927, the battleship Imperatritsa Mariya was dismantled for its metal.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Imperatritsa Mariya Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:Imperatritsa Mariya WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Imperatritsa Mariya WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Imperatritsa Mariya WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Imperatritsa Mariya WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Imperatritsa Mariya WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Imperatritsa Mariya WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:Imperatritsa Mariya WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|kFnJmgfkwwE|'''Absolute Alpha Annihilation - {{PAGENAME}}''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6941-development-imperatritsa-mariya-the-empress-of-the-black-sea-en|[Devblog] Imperatritsa Mariya: the Empress of the Black Sea]]

{{ShipManufacturer 61 Communards}}
{{USSR battleships}}

Tu-4 (China)

2024-11-09T22:46:00Z

U44982996: adjusting usage and removing some contradictory statements

{{About
| about = Chinese heavy bomber '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = B-29/Tu-4 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=tu_4_china
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (commonly known as 图-4轰炸机 in Chinese; or by its NATO Codename Bull 公牛) was one of the earliest strategic bomber of the PLAAF acquired from the Soviet Union as a birthday gift for Chairman Mao Zedong when 10 of them flew to China on his birthday in 1953 as the demand for bombers to take the remaining lands from Nationalist forces arose. Although they have not been used on outbound missions, they have been one of the cornerstones of the PLA during the assaults on the Tibetan Plateau thanks to its good high-altitude performance and excellent firepower against rebels with US-made M2HB which caused havoc to the previous [[Tu-2S-44 (China)|Tu-2]] fleet. One of the Tu-4s was then converted as an anti-aircraft gunship to hunt down ROCAF recon planes in the 1960s and one was experimentally converted to the very first AECWS in Asia, KJ-1 with upgraded engine and new radar for early-warning. These bombers were retired in 1988 due to being obsolete and the production pace of H-6 series went smoothly after the manufacture flaws and difficulties have been solved.

Introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]] as one of the bombers of the newly-introduced Chinese air tech-tree, the overall appearance of Tu-4 in PLAAF service is totally identical to its [[Tu-4|Soviet cousin]] which was based on the USAF's [[B-29/Tu-4 (Family)|B-29]], with the only difference being its bomb loadout having considerably less filler than its Soviet cousin in general, but in exchange gained an option for a heavy payload of eight 1,500 kg bombs. While it provided extensive self-defense firepower and sufficient performance at high-altitude with devastating GP bombs which are more than enough to flatten city blocks in a single bombing run, players have to be extremely careful on enemy jets with equally devastating firepower or those with early AAMs as they can make sure Tu-4 would never made it to the designated target with ease.

== 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 9,100 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
| 618 || 604 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 33.4 || 35.0 || 4.7 || 4.6 || rowspan="2" | 1,500
|-
! Upgraded
| 665 || 641 || 30.4 || 32.0 || 10.5 || 6.5
|-
|}

For a piston-engined bomber of this size, the Chinese Tu-4 has a decent performance, with sluggish but manageable turn rate and reasonable flatline energy retention and top speed. However, being one of the only few piston-engined aircraft in the midst of Korean War jets, the Tu-4 is hopelessly outclassed in every aspects. Almost every jet aircraft the Tu-4 will face has twice the top speed of an average speed that the Tu-4 can reach, and can easily catches up with the Tu-4 in a minute or less. Even enemy jet bombers are a huge threat to the Tu-4, as they can also try and hunt you down after they've finished the bombing run.

However due to how agonizingly slow the Tu-4 is compared to any other planes at its BR, this can be both a blessing and a curse. A sortie with the Tu-4 would either ended with you getting shot down as soon as you were detected, or that most (if not all) of the enemy team would descend into the lower altitude to fight your teammates below while your lumbering plane only covers a quarter of distance between the spawn point and the base, thus giving you a plenty of time to take down enemy bases. As such, it is recommended to sideclimb a bit at the start of the match, so that even though you would never outclimb any of the enemies, your teammates would act as a distraction long enough for you to begin the bombing run.

Situational awareness is a key to survive in the Tu-4, as any enemy who detect and attempting to catch up with you will be able to easily do so within a minute, even if they are over 10 km away. As soon as you noticed that someone is heading towards you, turn your plane back ''immediately'' to prepare to defend yourself, or else you will be easily shot down from the sky.

==== 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 609  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 332 || 322 || 270 || ~4 || ~2
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 340 || < 350 || < 290 || > 400
|-
|}

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


* 60 mm Bulletproof glass in front of the pilots.
* 6.5 mm Steel plates in front of the pilots.
* 6.5 mm Steel plates behind the pilots.
* 6.5 mm Steel plates in front of tail control tractions.
* 6.5 mm Steel plates boxing around rear dorsal gunner and beam gunners.
* 6.5 mm Steel plate behind the rear ventral turret.
* 60 mm Bulletproof glass in front of tail gunner.
* 6.5 mm Steel plate in front of tail gunner.

The Tu-4 is a monster of an aircraft in terms of its profile and size, making it very easy to hit. Wings and the tail control are weak spots, so hitting the wings will result in severe wing damage on the Tu-4, forcing it to return to base or even sending it back to the hangar.

For Tu-4 pilots, situational awareness is a '''must''' in keeping the plane in the air, as any enemy can easily catches up with you and leaving little time for you to prepare the defense.

Despite the lack of countermeasures against air-to-air missile, the Tu-4 can protect itself against IR missile by turning off its engines to prevent the missile from acquiring the target. This effectively renders any missile of the [[Sea Vixen F.A.W. Mk.2|Sea Vixen]] useless, and even capable of preventing the lock of the [[AIM-9B]] that is quite common in uptiers in some case.

;Against the Tu-4

For those who wanted to take down this giant of an aircraft, do not be intimidated with its powerful defensive armament. The Tu-4's most obvious weakness is its massive size, which means it can be hit even from up to 2 km away. The lack of any countermeasures also means the Tu-4 will be vulnerable against variety of non-IR anti-air missiles.

While playing the Hunter F.1 or the Vautour IIA, it is easy to send this monster of an aircraft back to base with just one burst or simply using the missile. Engaging in a head-on is recommended, as the pilots have little protection, usually knocking them both out.

While flying the Sabres, try to aim for the fuel tanks in the wings. Most of the time, just set the fuel tanks ablaze, or even blowing off the wing, sending the foe back to the hangar.

'''Do not engage the Tu-4 from the six!''' Engaging the Tu-4 at its tail, especially from below, '''is''' asking for trouble. Always try to engage the Tu-4 from the top, or in head-ons, the fuselage turrets have dead zones when engaging from >~70 degrees.

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

The stock payload of 40 x 100 kg bombs is rather mediocre, as it can take out only two bases while being relatively hard to handle. Unlocking the 20 x 500 kg bombs by researching the "KD-3" modification at rank 2 should be your first priority to pave the way for the "BD-4" modification that unlocks the 1,500 kg bombs. Then unlock the full FI-T belts for the 23 mm cannons to improve its damage output. The rest can be chosen at your liking.

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

{{main|100-2 (100 kg)|250-2 (250 kg)|500-2 (500 kg)|1500-2 (1,500 kg)|3000-2 (3,000 kg)}}
{{main|FAB-1000M-44 (1,000 kg)|250-1 incendiary}}

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

* 40 x 100 kg 100-2 bombs (4,000 kg total)
* 40 x 250 kg 250-2 bombs (10,000 kg total)
* 12 x 500 kg 500-2 bombs (6,000 kg total)
* 20 x 500 kg 500-2 bombs (10,000 kg total)
* 8 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000M-44 bombs (8,000 kg total)
* 8 x 1,500 kg 1500-2 bombs (12,000 kg total)
* 4 x 3,000 kg 3000-2 bombs (12,000 kg total)
* 40 x 250-1 incendiary bombs

The Chinese Tu-4 has bomb loadouts is similarly sized as its Soviet counterpart, giving it a very impressive maximum load of 12,000 kg, with a wide selection of different bomb sizes. However, the Chinese Tu-4 instead carries a domestically-produced bombs that, while having the same raw weight, has considerably less filler compared to the Soviet bombs. This means the Chinese Tu-4 would require more bombs to destroy a base, making each full payload less efficient compared to the Soviet version.

Still, with the large number of bombs, the Chinese Tu-4 is still capable of levelling multiple bases into the ground. If you are looking to destroy bases in air battles then the 8 x 1,500 kg bombs is the best as it allows up to 4 bases to be destroyed. If you are looking to do damage to the main airfield then the 4 x 3,000 kg option will give you slightly more TNT equivalent, but offers less flexibility.

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

{{main|Type 23-1 (23 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, front dorsal turret (275 rpg = 550 total)
* 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, rear dorsal turret (275 rpg = 550 total)
* 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, front ventral turret (250 rpg = 500 total)
* 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, rear ventral turret (500 rpg = 1,000 total)
* 2 x 23 mm Type 23-1 cannons, tail turret (275 rpg = 550 total)

Like the bomb load, the defensive armament of the Chinese Tu-4 remains unchanged from the Soviet model, with a total of 10 [[Type 23-1 (23 mm)|23 mm Type 23-1 cannons]] providing all-round coverage. While the defensive armament is excellent, you need to engage targets manually as the AI gunners do not engage at sufficient range to take out threats.

The utility of the turrets is also lessened when facing missile-armed jets, which can engage you from longer ranges. In these cases you want to throttle down or even turn off your engines to make it harder for them to get a missile lock, and so draw them into range of your guns.

Depending on your preference, you may chose not install the "New 23 mm cannons" modification, as this will increase the spread of the shell and as such allowed you a better chance at "spray & pray" and trap the enemy into a cloud of lead, especially at longer ranges.

== Usage in battles ==

Like most planes of its class, the Tu-4 relies on its defensive turrets for aerial combat. A few good hits from its 10 x 23 mm guns can send an attacker back to base, with critical damage or, if not, credit the player with the victory. Maxing out the crew stats is a good idea, it will allow the player to spot the enemy early and allowed you to prepare. Don't get too arrogant, remember, the Tu-4 is a huge plane. It is easy to hit, and as mentioned above, especially when the opponents could be jets.

All in all, pay attention to the aircraft's surroundings. The Tu-4 can easily net the team a win so don't let the feeling of invincibility get imbued, or the only reward will be a fiery end.

With this bomber's high battle rating, you should be actively looking out for enemy vehicles. It is possible for an attacker to have a relative closing speed of over 1,000 km/h. Relying solely on the spotting system will allow some fighters to get so close it will be impossible for you to react. It is especially common for the enemy to approach either in a 30° cone straight ahead or to trail behind and below you, generally outside gun range before pulling up sharply.

When first starting with this aircraft, the payload option is 40 x 100 kg bombs which are able to destroy two bases. One of the best ways to maximize the payload's effectiveness, 15 x 100 kg bombs are needed for one base. The best option for base bombing is the 8 x 1,500 kg payload. Two of these bombs will be enough to destroy a base, provided you do not miss, allowed you to take out 4 bases in total.

Once the Tu-4's bombing run is complete, start descending towards the friendly airfield; enemy fighters will be hunting for the Tu-4, so be more alert. The Tu-4 has a very powerful defensive system installed with 5 turrets, each with two 2 x 23 mm cannons, so the Tu-4 should be able to defend itself reasonably well. If you believe that landing would be putting the aircraft in grave danger, it is worth considering to instead stay high and shoot down approaching fighters, calling out your position will often lower the stigma associated with this action.

Do not rely on the AI gunners. Most of the time the Tu-4 will face top rank jets including [[Hunter F 1|Hunter F 1s]] and [[F-86F-2|F2 Sabres]]. These adversaries are usually experienced and will not foolishly tail the bomber for long and try to engage at ranges greater than 1 km or engage in a head-on pass. These manoeuvres render the AI gunners largely useless. Laying down a stream of 23 mm rounds is recommended, but beware of jamming. Hits can be scored within 1.5 - 2 km, if somebody is tailing the Tu-4 or engaging in a head-on pass, they can also occur at greater ranges. Combine the turret shooting with a defensive style of flying to utilize it to its full potential; the Tu-4 offers good handling for its size. Be very careful when putting the Tu-4 into a dive. It is just as prone as any other aircraft to suffering structural damage if its limitations are exceeded. Do not rely on flaps to slow down, their weak construction will let you down.

=== Enemies worth mentioning ===
The most dangerous opponents of the Tu-4 are the [[S.O.4050 Vautour IIN]] and [[S.O.4050 Vautour IIN (late)|its lower-tiered version]], mainly due to them having an air spawn and is capable of catching up with the Tu-4 in a minute or less. With an added salt to the wound of them having an access to [[AA-20 Nord]] missile that are effectively impossible to dodge due to them being manually guided. If you are aware that the enemy team might have the Vautour on their side (such as when being matched against a French or Israeli teams), always avoid being detected by the Vautour at all cost by sideclimbing until the threat has been subsided, such as when the said enemy Vautour has descended into the sea level or shot down by your allies.

The [[F-86F-2]] and the [[Hunter F 1]] is also a dangerous opponent, with four 20 mm cannons or a 30 mm cannon with a very high velocity and rate of fire.

When down tiered, the most dangerous opponents are the [[Su-11]], the [[Me 262 C-2b]] and the [[R2Y (Family)|R2Y2 KAIs]]. All equipped with 30 mm cannons, they are able to send the Tu-4 back to the hangar within one burst. The 163s and Ki-200 extreme mobility are something to be wary of. It isn't uncommon for bomber pilots to lose track of the attacker after a fly-by.

Don't underestimate the other Sabres, such as the [[F-86F-40 (Japan)|F-86F-40]] and the [[CL-13A Mk 5|CL-13A]]. Their 12.7 mm machine guns can do a lot of damage, crippling or setting the Tu-4 afire, which could end the match for the plane there.

Do not consider any enemy bomber or attacker as a neutral or even friendly party. It is quite common for [[Canberra B (I) Mk 6|Canberras]] or even [[B-57B|B-57s]] to try and engage you if the opportunity presents itself.

=== 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 Not auto controlled || Combined || Controllable 1 gear || Auto controlled
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Second highest payload in the game (after the [[F-111A]]) of up to 12,000 kg (26,455 lbs)
* Has an access to eight 1,500 kg bombs loadout, which is effective against bases and ground targets and quite easy to use
* Decent climber once flight performance modifications have been purchased (compressor, engine, and engine injection)
* Very effective defensive 23 mm turrets that have little dead zones, lots of ammo and great damage
* Gunners are located separately from the gun turret with the exception of the tail turret, increasing their survivability
* Tricycle landing gears, does not have to worry about propeller strike
* The plane is so slow that most enemies would often descended to fight your teammates while you're underway, leaving a plenty of space and time for you to perform a bombing run

'''Cons:'''

* Agonizingly slow and sluggish, took awhile to reach the targets and can be easily intercepted even by jet bombers
* Huge aircraft, making it easy to spot from distance and making it close to impossible to miss
* Prone to fires and wing damage, hindering the plane's control
* Can face supersonic jets or air-to-air missile, the latter of which the plane is almost completely defenseless against
* Unable to reliably defend itself from opponents attacking at once from multiple directions
* Hard to handle/correct direction during landing, due to its low roll rate, slow-responding rudder and slow landing gear movement
* Most of the bomb loadout is considerably less efficient against bases compared to the Soviet counterpart due to less filler

== History ==


It's known that at least twelve Tu-4s were aided to People's Liberation Army Air Force (PLAAF) by USSR since 1953, making China the only Tu-4 operator outside of the USSR. Ten Tu-4s delivered by the end of 1953 were operated by the Fourth Independent Regiment of PLAAF and later, in 1960, two additional aircraft were aided and served as navigational training aircraft; Tu-4 were saw during the riot-suppression operations over the Tibetan Plateau as a gunship and the Sino-Indo Border War, and sometimes bombing the frozen Yellow River to reopen shipping routes.

===Shadow Aircraft 影機 ===
At late 1950s, in view of the harassment and reconnaissance missions from the '''34th "Black Bat" Squadron''' (第34"黑蝙蝠"中隊) '''of ROCAF''' stationed at Hsinchu Airbase, PLAAF had plans for modifying Tu-2 into night-time interceptors and had attempted to hunt down P2V-7U flown by the aforementioned squadron, but ROCAF managed to bait that Tu-2 into terrain thus giving a death sentence to this project. By the 1960s, a commander of PLAAF HQ named Han Zhiming (韩志明) suggested a plan to modify a Tu-4 (aka Tu-4P in this case; No. 0049) into an anti-aircraft gunship as both Tu-4 and P2V shared similar service radius. The aircraft had installed a PSBN-M "Cobalt" radar from IL-28 by the upper front turret which can detect targets within 3 km, the gunner sights were also upgraded into infrared sights and the bomb bay was also modified into a command station where it could serve as an airborne control plane for the jet interceptors. This Tu-4 was dubbed "'''the Shadow Aircraft ''影機'''''" by ROCAF.

A detailed information on the very first interception operations conducted by the "Shadow Aircraft" could be found in the Black Bat Squadron Memorial Hall in Hsinchu, their home base. According to the records from General Lin Hu (林虎, 1927-2018) and the flight path records from the Memorial Hall, the crew of thirteen, commanded and piloted by Lt. Col. Chao Chin (趙欽) of this P2V flight took off from Gunsan, South Korea at the evening of 19 December, 1960; likely been detected by PLAAF's radar troops, the Shadow Aircraft took off from Cangzhou, Hebei (河北省沧州市) and been searching for the flight around 8 PM that day, eventually intercepted the flight by 9 PM near Chengde, Hubei (承德) where the gunboat strafed the PV-2 from below, then by the all-weather J-5A at near Chifeng, Inner Mongolia (赤峰). With the help of terrain and low altitude, the crew eventually evaded the gunboat and PLAAF forces for 3 1/2 hours; by the time they entered Shandong after they took detours in 5 provinces/autonomous regions (Hebei, Inner Mongolia, Shaanxi, Shanxi and Henan), the gunboat intercepted them again and now been joined by ground AAA around 2 AM of 20th December, with extreme luck and the cover of night, the crew eventually from all these interception forces and returned to Hsinchu at 8 AM; only to knew the existence of such aircraft a year later after multiple interception by this aircraft. While the records from PLAAF mentioned that the gunship was first flown in 1st March, the mission was only for tracking instead of a head-to-head interception.

After the attempts proved fruitless and the halt on recon flights to Mainland China, the aircraft was converted backed into a conventional bomber and lost in the river of history afterwards.
=== A Brand-New Platform ===
[[File:KJ-1 (Tupolev Tu-4).jpg|thumb|right|380x380px|KJ-1 in public display in Beijing Aviation Museum.]]
Due to the lack of endurance of the original Ash-73TK piston engine, in the 1970s the remaining Chinese Tu-4s installed new WJ-6 ("渦槳-6", Turboprop-6) turboprop engines and J17G-13 four-bladed propellers (domestic imitation of AI-20 engine and AV-68 propeller). The 4250 horsepower WJ-6 is more powerful than the original piston engine and a one-piece ventral fin or two small endplate fins at the tips of the horizontal tail were mounted to improve horizontal stability of manoeuvre characteristic. Meanwhile, all of the defensive turrets on these modified Tu-4s were removed for better performance.

At that time, the Tu-4 is the optimal heavy-weight long-range air platform operated by PLAAF, so a turboprop Tu-4 (series number 2806501, Red 4114) was chosen as the airframe of 'Plane 926', first airborne early warning and control (AEW&C) plane of PLAAF. A huge rotodome, holding the Type 843 radar, was mounted on its center station of the wings and some small antennas were installed on the fuselage, The project started at 1969 and later be called as KJ-1 ("空警一號", AWACS No.1). The KJ-1 ushered its first test flight in November, 1971. However, the Type 843 radar was found to be lacking in the ability to detect and track low altitude flying objects during the test, so the whole KJ program was disbanded by 1979. Currently the KJ-1 is in public display in the Chinese Aviation Museum, Beijing. Another three Tu-4s with turboprop engines were modified as ECM plane or ELINT planes.
[[File:Tu-4 with BQM-34 underwing.jpg|left|thumb|390x390px|Chinese Tu-4 with DR-5 drone underwing in 1986.]]

During the Vietnam War, China captured serval wrecks of Ryan BQM-34 reconnaissance drones and one of them was fixed, becoming the sample of reverse-engineering. The resulting product, called Changhong-1 ("長虹一號", Skylight No.1) or WZ-5 ("無偵-5", Unmanned reconnaissance aircraft No.5) was built based on the BQM-34. A modified Tu-4 (series number 225008, Red 4134) with turboprop engines was converted into a drone carrier platform. The red 4131 drone platform is capable carry two Changhong-1s under the pylons mounted underwing. It can also carry two La-17K UAV.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=tu_4_china Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

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

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

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/315758-tupolev-tu-4/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Tupolev}}
{{China bombers}}
<references />

Damage mechanics

2024-10-24T17:15:14Z

U44982996: wrote some summary about naval damage model

[[File:Dogfight P51D5vFw190A5.jpg|700px|framless|border|right|A [[P-51D-5|P-51D-5 Mustang]] successfully clipping the left wing on a [[Fw 190 A-5|Fw 190A-5]]]]
__TOC__

== Damage calculation ==
=== Aviation ===
The game's engine simulates every bullet that is fired for over 2 km before they are deleted, with exceptions for bigger shells such as those fired by the [[BK 5 (50 mm)|50 mm BK 5]] or [[Molins Class M (57 mm)|57 mm Molins]] cannons. The different shells also have different effects on module damage. More of these shell effects can be read in the [[:Category:Ammunition|Ammunition section]].
Every aircraft has its skin airfoil and material modeled, too. It is therefore possible to see a tracer shell ricochet off an enemy plane's duralumin skin. Some aircraft are quite well armoured from certain angles. For example, the TB-3 is constructed mainly with 3 mm of corrugated steel. The [[IL-2 (Family)|IL-2]] and [[IL-10]] series of Russian attackers are also quite durable.

====AI naval targets====
Naval targets in air battles have their own damage mechanics modeled. See [[AI_ship_damage_models|this page]] for more detail.

=== Ground forces: Penetration ===
==== Line of sight thickness ====
[[File:DamageMechanics ShellPenetration LineOfSight.png|thumbnail|left|Line of sight calculation]]
<big>Llos = L / cos@</big> 
- Llos = Length line of sight (Line of sight thickness)
- L = armour plate thickness
- @ = angle of armour

==== Normalization ====
The calculation of the armour piercing effect of projectiles on sloped armour:

Before the [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"|"Weapons of Victory" update]], the armour-piercing effect calculation of an angled hit was made based on the normal principle for most tank-based games via normal line of sight thickness, as seen in the picture above. 
At the same time (still before "Weapons of Victory"), for different types of shells a certain distortion of the angle of attack was taken into account depending on the type of projectile (sharp or blunt-nosed shell) and the ratio between the calibre of the projectile to the armour thickness normal (perpendicular vector). In blunt-nosed shells, the final angle which were used for calculation of the armour thickness was reduced, and in sharp-nosed shells - slightly increased, i.e. a normalization factor was artificially added after the crude line of sight thickness calculation. 
However, despite the fact that this method is good enough in most cases - the calculation results do not always completely agree with the actual results of tank armour penetration tests. This was particularly noticeable in cases of penetration with high angles of approach.

[[File:DamageMechanics ShellPenetration SharpNormalizationForces.jpg|thumbnail|left|Forces during impact with de-normalization effects]]
There are several forces applied to a real shell at the moment of impact with any armour. These forces will bend the trajectory of a projectile which is entering any armour depending on the shape of the projectile nose, the angle of attack, the relation between the calibre of the projectile and the armour thickness normal/sharp-nosed shells while hitting the armour, receive resistance in the form of a larger normal reaction “Rn” and smaller tangential reaction “Rt”. The resultant of these forces relative to the centre of inertia of a projectile creates a moment that de-normalizes the shell, which in turn increases its course through the armour.

[[File:DamageMechanics ShellPenetration BluntNormalizationForces.jpg|thumbnail|right|Blunt-nosed shell impacting, affected by normalization forces.]]Blunt-nosed shells, when hitting an obstacle with its “blunted” tip, will form a ledge in the armour, and will gain from the obstacle and ledge a greater tangential and lesser normal reactions. The moment of the resultant will angle-in the shell towards the normal and as a result it reduces the path of the projectile inside the armour.

The larger is the elongation (length-to-diameter ratio) of the projectile - the stronger is the normalization effect of the projectile. Modern APFSDS munitions have a greater elongation and during an angled hit often penetrate thicker armour than the equivalent of a plate normal. 
However, the projectiles that are modeled in our game were fairly short ones and at high angles of attack had a large de-normalizing effect - both sharp-nosed (for which this effect was bigger), and blunt-nosed (with a smaller effect). The APCR shells of the time had the maximum effect. Thus for the American 90 mm APCR prototype M304 shell (''Terminal ballistic Data Vol 3'' p.157) as we can see the penetration value at an angle of attack of 55 degrees is more than 3 times less than penetration by normal (see Pic.4). If at an angle of 0 degrees of attack, the projectile could penetrate a little more than 12 inches of armour (305 mm), an angle of approach of 55 degrees makes the shell penetrate a little less than four inches (101.6 mm); '''Picture 1'''. Which is comparable with penetration values of the T33 calibre sharp-nosed shell; '''Picture 2'''
<gallery>
DamageMechanics StrikingVelocityPenetration 90mmM304.jpg|'''Picture 1''': M304 APCR prototype of the [[M26|M26 ''Pershing'']]
DamageMechanics StrikingVelocityPenetration 90mmT33.jpg|'''Picture 2''': T33 AP sharp-nosed shell
</gallery>

These graphs also display that for the calibre shell the drop of penetration from angle of attack is not as huge as for the APCR. 
In “Pic.6” you can see a photo which shows a strong drop of penetration values for APCR projectiles at high angles of attack. This test was based on the shooting of the frontal part of the Tiger 2 tank. As can be seen, both APCR projectiles - 90 mm and 105 mm, did not penetrate the upper side of the tank plate, but they broke through the lower one which has a smaller thickness.
<gallery>
File:DamageMechanics TigerIIHull APCR.jpg|Upper 150 mm plate remains intact after being hit by advanced American shells.
File:DamageMechanics TigerIIHull Lowerglacis.jpg|Lower glacis plate penetrated by 105 mm shell due to thinner armour.
</gallery>[[File:DamageMechanics 90mmM304 Statcard.jpg|thumbnail|right|M304 APCR shot stat card showing the three different columns for armour penetration.]]
This effect [http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/237833-devblog-penetration-mechanic-improvements/ has been reproduced in the game since update "1.49"]. For each type of projectile, and for different ratios of calibre/barrier thickness at different angles of attack - own armour penetration fall ratios. Most of the data is taken from the publications '''“WWII Ballistics: Armor and Gunnery”''' and '''“Terminal ballistic Data Vol 2 and 3.”'''.

Tooltips show this as well for each shell, they display the penetration of the shells at three different angles of attack. [[:Category:Game modes#Arcade|Arcade]] penetration indicator accounts for this effect. It also takes into account not only the first part of the tank armour, but several parts under it as well, which will give a more accurate indication of the penetration with such complex structures as gun mantlets and shielded armour.
==== Breach / Overmatch / Stamping ====
Overmatching occurs if a shell hits sloped armour that is thinner then the calibre of the tank shell. Overmatching basically neglects the sloped armour ricochet effect. This mechanic was added to the game with [[Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"#Ground_Vehicle_visual_model._damage_model.2C_characteristic_and_weaponry_changes|Update 1.63 "Desert Hunters"]] and applies to shells 1.3x bigger in diameter than the armour thickness to have a reduced sloping effect.

The bigger the shell, the more effective overmatch is. Shells with sufficient penetration that are greater than 7 x bigger in diameter than the armour thickness will ignore ricochet chance and angle of attack, acting as if the shell is impacting a flat plate.

As of 1.85.0.121 a simple formula to calculate minimum shell calibre required to achieve maximum overmatching is this: 

<big>Minimum shell calibre > Armour thickness * 7.0</big> 

This mechanic requires a shell with penetration greater than the nominal thickness of the impacted armour plate. Shells without sufficient penetration will never penetrate, no matter the calibre.

====Hull-break====
{{Notice| This mechanic is no longer in use in ground battles and has been replaced by [[#Overpressure|overpressure]]. However, hullbreak remains active in naval battles for coastal ships.}}
In [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]], the hull-break mechanic was added into the game for thin-hulled vehicles. This generally applies to non-armoured and lightly-armoured vehicles (with up to 25 mm thickness of hull armour). Unlike the usual method of incapacitating the crew members of a vehicle to secure a destruction, the hull-break mechanics implements a hull and module based damage system to destroy these vehicles.

The [[wt:en/news/4505-the-damage-model-has-been-refined-en/|initial version]] set the criteria as "on the kinetic impact, hits with penetration of the shell of 150 mm calibre on any part of the hull or turret (inclusive of the breech). Or even hitting following penetration of few structural elements of shells of small calibre, upwards of 75 mm and higher. For HE shells, impacts by 75-76 mm HE shells to the hull or turret will be effective. For large calibre HE shells (122-152 mm) hits to chassis components will be counted as fatal."

In [[Update 1.71 "New E.R.A"]], the hull-break mechanics was refined towards kinetic shells as requiring the "need to directly hit them with a shell of high energy (more than 1.4 MJ) on one of the major internal modules. E.g. engine, transmission, breech or shell storage." In [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]], the hull-break mechanic was removed entirely from ground battles, in favour of the more advanced and realistic [[#Overpressure|overpressure]] mechanic.

====Overpressure====
In [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]], the "overpressure" mechanic was introduced, replacing the hull-break mechanic. It simulates the extreme pressures formed by the shockwave of an HE-based shell explosion, and their effect on the crew inside the vehicle. Overpressure damage calculations are run when the crew is exposed to the overpressure wave.

For open-topped vehicles, this happens whenever the vehicle is within the fragment dispersion radius of the shell's explosion. This makes them extremely vulnerable to any explosive damage.

For closed-up vehicles, this happens when explosion effect manages to penetrate the armour of the vehicle:

For HE, overpressure damage is calculated when a shell fragment from an explosion hits something inside of the vehicle, proving that explosion got inside of it. This leads to high-yield explosives nearly always taking out a vehicle in a single hit, due to the shockwave being able to move around frontal armour and to hit the entirety of the crew that way.

HEAT and HESH shells and ATGM can also create overpressure damage but are less effective at it compared to HE ammunition and seem to only affect vehicles when very thin parts of the hull or their critical weak spots are hit directly, with overall armour thickness of hit surface having to be below 15 mm RHA, since their explosive power is directed towards creating special effects (molten jet for HEAT and scabbing for HESH) instead of producing shockwaves. There are exceptions in HEAT ammunition, which can deal overpressure damage through 20 mm (select few powerful HEAT ATGM) or 30 mm RHA (most tandem missiles). Tanks with reasonable amount of armour will not take overpressure damage from HEAT, even if special effect penetrates them easily.

This mechanic affects vehicles with thin armour negatively, but, unlike with the hullbreak, any tank is potentially vulnerable to overpressure damage. As a result, it makes not only light, but also heavy tanks easier to destroy by using bombs, rockets, big HE shells or artillery strikes. To utilize the mechanic effectively, be sure to aim for a weak spots on the armour, such as roofs, vents, bellies, tank rear and overtrack sponsons, to maximize the chance of a successful penetration.

Overpressure damage can be reduced or negated by tanks with compartment separators (internal RHA screens, engine compartment being used as a shield, etc.), meaning only the crew in hit part of the tank will take damage.

=== Fleet ===
In War Thunder, naval battle retains many similar mechanics from ground battles, though with many differences. Most notably the damage model of each vessel is calculated by using the pool of crewmembers as a "hit points" in addition to each vessel having a "section" dividing each part of the ship.
==== "Simple" damage model ====
A vessel with "simple" damage model has their hull divided into multiple sections (min. 3) which is treated as its own crew compartments. When any weapon managed to damage the specific section of the vessel, it will result in a crew loss that reduce the overall crew of the vessel. Should a section of the vessel were extensively damaged i.e. "blackened", that section will no longer take any further crew damage as all of them has already been wiped out. Therefore requiring the player to hit the more "healthy" section of the boat to deal crew damage and finally sink the enemy vessel.

Typically, any vessel with less than 500 tons of displacement will have a "simple" damage model.
==== "Detailed" damage model ====
While a vessel with "detailed" damage model has their hull divided into sections like the "simple" one, these section's durability is only relative to the vessel's structural integrity and their ability to absorb incoming fire without being breached. Instead, a vessel with "detailed" damage model will have a separate crew compartments located within the ship's hull or superstructure. This means in most case only rounds that has sufficient explosive radius or penetration to reach the crew compartment is capable of damaging them. After a specific crew compartment has been destroyed i.e. "blackened", that destroyed section will no longer take any crew loss, but it will results into the remaining crew being moved into the other less damaged compartments, and therefore may result into greater loss should that section be damaged.

In addition, each key compartments of the vessel such as the bridge, turrets, and engines also has crews assigned to them; damaging or disabling them will also inflict crew loss, therefore should any of these modules were repaired after being disabled, this means the crews will be returned to the position and therefore risk of being a casualty if the enemy has damaged that specific module again.

Typically, any vessel with more than 500 tons of displacement will have a "detailed" damage model. Though some exception such as the [[USS Cyclone]] (387 tons) also exists.
==Creating digital weaponry==
The following is an exclusive essay by the Gaijin development team to explain how guns' real life behaviour is translated into the game. Hence the focus is primarily on the [[Ground vehicles|ground forces]] part of War Thunder. Also the tone of the text is more personal than usual on the WT Wikipedia.
=== Weapon ===
We really love the variety of the military technology from various countries, and we always try to tune its behavior to get it as close to the real-life version as possible. For this reason, we have to pay attention to tuning weapons as well – this is the only way we can show and give emphasis to the entire scope of variety in military vehicles, in addition to showcasing their firepower. Each weapon is unique in its own way, and in order to reproduce this uniqueness, we study a mass of documentation and scrupulously tune not only the weapons, but even each separate ammunition type for each of them. This approach allows us to convey the spirit of each military vehicle in our game as precisely as we can.

First we will tell you how we tune machine guns and cannons. Aircraft and tank weapons work on similar principles, so for the sake of this example, we'll just take one – the 122 mm D-25T cannon, which was installed on the tanks like the IS-2, IS-3 and the IS-4M. Using this weapon's tuning as an example, we'll show you how all the other weapons in the game are tuned and how they work.

The weapon parameters include such variables as its spread and the technical upper limit for its rate of fire. While tuning the weaponry, just like when we tune the shells, we use different documentation like field tests and technical documentation for the vehicles themselves. The search for correct documentation is one of the most difficult and slow processes because different sources show different and often conflicting data. Sometimes it takes time to verify the source, since we have to do reseaech of all the data available. Here we are using data from “aiming data chart of 122mm tank cannon of 1943 variant D-25T” Army publishing MO USSR Moscow, 1969, as well as “Ammunition for 122mm cannons for ground, tank and self propelled artillery. Instruction” War ministry of USSR 1952, “Artillery sergeant textbook” book one, war publishing of NKO 1944.
<gallery perrow="2" widths="300px" heights="250px">
File:Weapons DataChart 122mmcannon1943(D-25T) Book.png
File:Weapons DataChart 122mmcannon1943(D-25T) Charts.jpg|Aiming data charts for BR-471 shell, that were used in a D-25T cannon.
</gallery>
At the moment, the rate of fire in our game is an averaged value, since in real life, reload time depends on a multitude of variables. Among other things, these variables include how the ammunition is stored (when expending ammunition, this forces the loader to get shells from a less convenient place in the vehicle) and the weight and shape of the shells (for example, heavy and bulky shells get harder to reload over a longer period of time). We have plans to simulate reloading with such mechanics taken into account, which means introducing a variable rate of fire depending on the state of the ammunition, the loader's fatigue, and the position of the turret itself, which defines which ammunition stowage area is closer and which farther away. For example, the Patton houses just a small part of its ammunition right next to the gunner – the rest is in stowage areas located in a floor-level section, which take a lot longer to access. If we introduce such a system, this will mean that the first rounds will be loaded much more quickly than the current reload time, and later rounds will take much longer. This system is still only in development, however.

Rate of fire is displayed in terms of shots per second, and our weapon has a value of 0.048 shots per second, or 1 shot every 20.8 seconds. This is the minimal reload time for any round for this vehicle with maxed out crew skills.

The spread is calculated in the following way: From the firing tables we know the circular error probability (CEP) of the shot for both (horizontal and vertical) deviation axes at a distance of 1,000 m. For example, the given cannon has a CEP equal to 0.3 m, so we can calculate the angle of dispersion for the weapon. As half of both axes of dispersion are equal to four CEP for either the vertical or horizontal, it equals 1.2 m in our case, which is 0.069 degrees on both the vertical and horizontal. That means that at 1,000 m, the D-25T's maximum spread will amount to roughly 2.4 m, which means that even at maximum spread, you will still hit the tank's silhouette even at that distance. Many weapons, of course, will have different mean average deviation values for horizontal and vertical and then the spread will appear to be ellipse shaped. At the same time, in half of the cases, the shell will hit at half distance from the edges closer to the center than at the maximum level of angular displacement. This is how we simulate the level of weapon accuracy comparable to the reality of real combat vehicles.

<gallery perrow="2" widths="300px" heights="250px">
File:Weapons DataChart Dispersion.jpg|Ellipse and dispersion scales by distance, by direction and by height.
</gallery> 

=== Shells ===
Now that the weapon has its primary characteristics and is ready for battle, we move on to tuning its ammunition. A great many forms of ammunition were used, and listing them all along with describing how they work is a subject for a separate and long treatise. To show the adjustments we make, we'll use one of the shells for our weapon as an example – a pointed armour-piercing high-explosive round.

<gallery perrow="2" widths="300px" heights="250px">
File:Weapons 122mm BR-471 APHE Shell.jpg
File:Weapons DamageModel Shells Fuses.png
</gallery> 

[[File:Screenshot T-34 protected by stone fence.jpg|thumb|right|The wall protects part of the tank from shrapnel and resulting shockwave from the explosion.]]
[[File:DamageMechanics ShellIcons ShellEffects Terrain.jpg|thumb|right|You can easily understand different shell effects by just looking at the shell icons.]]
First of all, we set such parameters as the shell's weight (25 kg), its calibre (0.122 m), its muzzle velocity (795 m/s), and its type (armour-piercing high-explosive – APHE). These values determine the round's ricochet and normalization, the basic kinetic damage parameters, and the round's additional properties, such as the presence of explosive material. Next we have its ballistic settings (the round's energy loss), and the chance that the round will cause a fire when it hits a fire-vulnerable module – this setting is separate from the explosive setting, and we can use it to simulate the chance of ignition from tracers (if tracer ammunition is used) or ignition from sparks produced when a round hits an obstacle.

In addition, there are settings like the round's fragmenting action, the detonator parameters and the power of the explosion itself. The explosive wave and the shrapnel broadly take into account both the shape of the landscape and any obstacles in their path (in the real world, explosives don't disperse in a straight line or from a single point). This means that a tank can hide from shockwaves and shrapnel behind various obstacles, and separate modules on a tank will protect the other modules from taking additional damage. For example, a round which penetrates the rear armour of a tank and explodes behind the engine might do no harm to the crew, as the engine blocks the shrapnel and the shockwave.

Each individual shell in our physics model has its own settings, such as the explosive power, i.e. the thickness its shockwave can penetrate at short range, and the explosion radius at which its power is maximum and at which it fully disappears. Apart from the explosion itself, the shell also has a fragmenting action which we provide as a radius, shrapnel amount and shrapnel penetration. It's also worth noting that secondary shrapnel is also added to shell shrapnel. Secondary shrapnel occurs after the target itself is penetrated.

As you can see, there are quite a few of these settings, and we consider them a very important part of allowing players to determine the required effect of a shell without reading a long list of its characteristics. This is precisely why the shell icons are different depending on their parameters. If the round has high penetration, then its icon will show exactly that. If it has an explosive substance and/or a fragmenting effect from the shell itself, this will also be added to the icon. Be careful when selecting a shell – the various shells don't just have different penetration characteristics and fragmenting actions or explosive properties, they also lose their energy differently. Note how the numerical value of armour penetration changes depending on the distance of the shot. This is shown on the shell's tooltip.

When considering the damage model, it is very important to at least point out the fact that in our game, we model the characteristics of various types of materials – glass, reinforced glass, wood and various types of metal used in both aircraft and ground vehicles. Each material has its own equivalent durability in terms of armour steel thickness. For example, we calculate that 100 mm rolled armour has an armour steel thickness equivalent to 100 mm, cast armour has a 94 mm equivalent thickness, reinforced glass – 20 mm and wood – 10 mm.

===Netcode or Defining the impact point===
[[File:Yak9T_destroy_Fw190_wings.jpg|thumb|right|One critical hit on an aircraft's wing is much more effective than multiple impacts on the fuselage.]]
One of the most important questions, especially in online games, is the question of defining the impact point on an enemy when two players may have internet connections with entirely different levels of quality. This is particularly relevant in a game in which the combatants can move at high speed – in our case, in air battles.

For our game, we developed a system to define the position of each player independent of the delay they're playing with. We won't get into all the little details, but in short, this works in the following manner: the server receives only the players' own control commands (for example: joystick movement, trigger press, flap controls and so on) and their individual actions (such as activating fire extinguishers and respawn requests) and using this information, it calculates the movement and actions of each player. At the same time, it separately calculates each shell fired, including their full ballistics, including the difference between vehicle speeds (a shell will do more damage in head-on attack for the two aircraft than it would to aircraft flying away) and all the effects these shells have – all of this is independent of the vehicle's rate of fire – without any simplification! For example, the Hurricane's machine guns have a rate of fire of 1,000 shots per minute, which means that when you pull the trigger on the Hurricane Mk II, which has 12 machine guns, this aircraft alone fires 200 bullets per second into the air, each of them has their flight and trajectory individually calculated by the server! We will remind you about how damage calculation works inside the game for both aviation and ground vehicles after a hit:
[[File:Me262 intercepting B-29.png|thumbnail|right|[[B-29A-BN|B-29 ''Superfortress'']] under a head-on attack by a [[Me_262_A-1/U4|Me 262 ''Schwalbe'']]]]

* Breach check - if calibre is six times higher than plate thickness it breaches the plate automatically.
* If there is no breach - bound check.
* If there is no bound shot - then we do a penetration check, for which the following characteristics are taken into account - current penetration value, armour slope angle, and slope angle of the machine itself, angle of impact. Armour thickness is calculated and we do a check as to whether a shell can or cannot penetrate the armour. If not and the shell has explosives - it detonates and attachments can be damaged.
* If there is penetration the shell deals the damage to the armour, loses penetration value and kinetic damage proportionally to armour thickness and goes further. Also each kinetic shell creates a shard cone that can damage modules and crew in the sector.
* The shell itself goes further and when hitting any internal module all the above mentioned checks are made (excluding cases when a fragmentation shell hits armour with thickness thinner than 3-4mm - it will not generate a fragmentation cone then). Checks are made until the penetration value of a shell is enough to penetrate a module or until the fuse goes off (if the shell has explosives and armour was not thick enough to make it go off) A distance needed for the fuse is 0.5-1.5 m from the penetration point depending on calibre and type.
* When the fuse goes off the explosion follows which creates HE and fragmentary spheres of damage. Crew members and modules within the spheres may be damaged by shards and shockwave.

The server then sends the results of these calculations to each player in the session to synchronize the data, which is also calculated on the players' own systems.

Thanks to lag compensation, which consists of physical extrapolation, visual model display interpolation and time rewind with extra physical simulation, you always see the surrounding players in positions as close as possible to their real positions, which allows players to lead their opponents and target critical areas on their target regardless of the ping of any of the battle's participants (up to a certain point, of course). Any physical objects in the world, particularly heavy vehicles, possess inertia and physical properties that significantly constrict their "cone of uncertainty" – their possible states in space over a time delay – which provides a means to achieve significantly better lag compensation results than usually possible in online shooters. It also allows for creating a response in the game entirely independent of the server's reciprocal response, which means that all your actions (such as shooting and manoeuvring) are applied in your client immediately and without delay. We try, as much as it is possible to do so, to ensure that delay in contacting the server does not stop players from enjoying the game, and thanks to this system, players with various levels of ping on various servers will barely notice the difference in gameplay. Only when players have extremely high ping will they see their opponents' sharp manoeuvres far later and sharper than when they actually happened.

Of course, no algorithm can make up for an unstable connection, when network packets don't reach the client or the server. In such cases, players may see their opponents' manoeuvres with a delay or distortion, and may even experience other problems in the game – it all depends on how often the packets drop. However, here too we have created special mechanisms to help ensure that such problems affect the players as little as possible. For example, the main movement and firing controls can suffer a packet loss of over 50%. This allows us to even further reduce the consequences of poor connections. However, it's worth remembering than any multiplayer game will be better if you have a good internet connection!

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|ryx7Uxo_3X0|'''The Shooting Range #250''' - ''Special'' section at 09:08 discusses Overpressure.|srKv5v9zoGA|'''The Shooting Range #216''' - ''Special'' section at 08:28 discusses Volumetric rounds.|YzUXH6GmH2E|'''The Shooting Range #130''' - ''Tactics & Strategy'' section at 13:18 discusses Hullbreak mechanics.|rnfxWsXct9E|'''The Shooting Range #12''' - ''Science of War'' section at 03:06 discusses damage calculation.|aPfgmUwiJMA|'''The Shooting Range #10''' - ''Science of war'' section at 03:01 discusses the different types of armour.}}

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7090-development-improvements-in-the-high-explosive-action-of-ammunition-en|[Devblog] Improvements in the high-explosive action of ammunition]]
* [[wt:en/news/6856-development-volumetric-shells-in-the-raining-fire-update-en|[Devblog] Volumetric shells in the "Raining Fire" update]]
* [[wt:en/news/6010-development-improved-calculation-of-armour-penetration-in-the-game-en|[Devblog] Improved Calculation of Armour Penetration in the game]]
* [[wt:en/news/4505-the-damage-model-has-been-refined-en|[News] The damage model has been refined]]

[[Category:Game mechanics]]

Awards

2024-10-24T16:40:25Z

U44982996:

'''Match awards''' are like mini-achievements, resetting at the end of each game and can be earned anew in the next match. Each one of these will provide a silver lions {{sl}} reward after the match end.

Some awards are needed to complete [[Daily missions]] or to win wagers.

'''[[#Streaks|Streaks]]''' are earned for continuous, successive acts during a match. The player is rewarded for his ongoing efforts with silver lions {{sl}}.

=== Match Awards ===
In alphabetical order.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:Award-accordingtointelligence.png]]||'''According to Intelligence''' Reward for destroying an enemy vehicle marked by an ally.
|- *
|[[File:Award-adamant.png]]||'''Adamant ''' Take some hits, stay alive. {{Notice|The player's ground vehicle must receive more than 9 non-critical hits without being destroyed to receive the award.}}
|-
|[[File:Award-antimech.png]]||'''Antimech''' Destroyed the most AI ground units. If several players have equal number of destroyed targets, the award is given to the one with bigger score. Can't be more than 17 ground units. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|[[File:Award-avenger.png]]||'''Avenger''' Destroy an enemy who has destroyed your teammate's vehicle.
|-
|[[File:Award-balancer.png]]||'''Balancer''' Destroyed the most vehicles of one rank higher. If several players have equal number of destroyed targets, the award is given to the one with bigger score. Can't be more than 4 vehicles. No multiplier.
|-
|[[File:Award-BaseDefender.png]]||'''Base defender''' Reward for interrupting of base capturing by destruction of an enemy unit.
|-
|[[File:Award-bomberhunter.png]]||'''Bomber Hunter''' Destroyed at least 5 bombers or assault planes.
|-
|[[File:Award-bomberrescuer.png]]||'''Bomber Rescuer''' Defended a friendly bomber. {{Notice|Destroy an enemy player that recently dealt critical damage to a friendly bomber to receive the award.}}
|-
|[[File:Award-bombersnightmare.png]]||'''Bombers' Nightmare''' Destroyed at least 10 bombers or assault planes. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|[[File:Award-bulletproof.png]]||'''Bulletproof''' Didn't lose any vehicle and destroyed more targets than all other players who didn't lose any vehicle. If several players have equal number of destroyed targets, the award is given to the one with bigger score. Can't be more than 4 targets destroyed. No multiplier.
|-
|[[File:Award-doomsday.png]]||'''Doomsday!''' Made a nuclear strike and ended the mission with a victory.
|-
|[[File:Award-eyeforeye.png]]||'''Eye for Eye''' Destroy an enemy who has destroyed your vehicle.
|-
|[[File:Award-fighterhunter.png]]||'''Fighter Hunter''' Destroyed at least 5 fighter planes.
|-
|[[File:Award-fighterrescuer.png]]||'''Fighter Rescuer''' Defended* a friendly fighter. {{Notice|Destroy an enemy player that recently dealt critical damage to a friendly fighter to receive the award.}}
|-
|[[File:Award-fightersnightmare.png]]||'''Fighters' Nightmare''' Destroyed at least 10 fighter planes. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|[[File:Award-unguided.png]]||'''Fire Arrows''' Destroyed an enemy plane with rockets.{{Notice|Any air-to-air missile kills is also eligible for this award.}}
|-
|[[File:Award-firefighter.png]]||'''Firefighter''' Reward for extinguishing a fire on an allied vehicle.
|-
|[[File:Award-firststrike.png]]||'''First strike!''' Delivered a first strike.
|-
|[[File:Award-finalblow.png]]||'''Final blow!''' Delivered the final blow.{{Notice|The player must be the last to destroy an enemy vehicle or static targets (howitzers, bunkers, etc,) on the map before the enemy's score trickled to zero to receive the award. Destroying a base or airfield does not counts toward this award.}}
|-
|[[File:Award-godmode.png]]||'''God Mode!''' Destroyed a vehicle 5 or more BR ranks higher.
|-
|[[File:Award-groundforcerescuer.png]]||'''Ground Force Rescuer''' Defended friendly ground/water troops.{{Notice|As an aircraft, destroy an enemy player that recently dealt critical damage to a friendly tank/vessel to receive the award.}}
|-
|[[File:Award-heavymetalfury.png]]||'''Heavy Metal Fury''' Destroyed the most ground vehicles of other players. If several players have equal number of destroyed targets, the award is given to the one with bigger score. Can't be more than 11 ground vehicles. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x2).
|-
|[[File:Award-heavymetalhero.png]]||'''Heavy Metal Hero''' Destroyed the most ground vehicles of other players (not fewer than 12 enemy ground vehicles). Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x2).
|-
|[[File:Award-HelpWithRepairing.png]]||'''Help with Repairing''' Reward for helping an ally with vehicle repairing.
|-
|[[File:Award-heroofthesky.png]]||'''Hero of the Sky''' Destroyed the most aircraft in Air Battles (not fewer than 12 enemy aircraft). Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|[[File:Award-intelligence.png]]||'''Intelligence''' Ally destroyed an enemy vehicle marked by you.
|-
|[[File:Award-missionmaker.png]]||'''Mission Maker''' Delivered both "First strike" and "Final blow".
|-
|[[File:Award-onhand.png]]||'''On Hand''' Having the most assists in destroying enemy vehicles. If several players have equal number of assists, the award is given to the one with bigger score. Can't be more than 7 assists. No Multiplier. {{Notice|Scout assists are not taken into account, only destruction assists are counted towards the award.}}
|-
|[[File:Award-peacefulatom.png]]||'''Peaceful atom''' Shot down a nuclear weapon carrier.
|-
|[[File:Award-punisher.png]]||'''Punisher''' Destroyed the most vehicles of one rank higher. Can't be fewer than 5 vehicles. No Multiplier.
|-
|[[File:Award-rankdoesnotmatter.png]]||'''Rank does not matter''' Destroyed a vehicle 1-2 BR ranks higher.
|-
|[[File:Award-roguewave.png]]||'''Rogue Wave''' Destroyed the most AI ship units. If several players have equal number of destroyed targets, the award is given to the one with the biggest score. Can't be more than 17 AI units. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|[[File:Award-SafeAndSound-Bomber.png]]||'''Safe and Sound: Bomber''' Reward for preserving a bomber plane at the end of an aerial battle in Ground AB.
|-
|[[File:Award-SafeAndSound-Attacker.png]]||'''Safe and Sound: Attacker''' Reward for preserving an attacker plane at the end of an aerial battle in Ground AB.
|-
|[[File:Award-SafeAndSound-Fighter.png]]||'''Safe and Sound: Fighter''' Reward for preserving a fighter plane at the end of an aerial battle in Ground AB.
|-
|
|'''Safe and Sound: Helicopter'''
Reward for preserving a helicopter at the end of an aerial battle in Ground AB.
|-
|[[File:Award-skillmatters.png]]||'''Skill matters''' Destroyed a vehicle 2-5 BR ranks higher.
|-
|[[File:Award-sniper.png]]||'''Sniper''' Destroy an enemy vehicle from a long distance.
|-
|[[File:Award-softlanding.png]]||'''Soft Landing''' Landed a critically damaged aircraft.
|-
|[[File:Award-supportingfire.png]]||'''Supporting Fire''' The award for assist to a squadmate in destroying an enemy unit.
|-
|[[File:Award-surprise.png]]||'''Surprise!''' Destroyed an enemy plane with bombs.
|-
|[[File:Award-survivor.png]]||'''Survivor''' Hasn't lost a single vehicle (whether aircraft, tank or ship) whilst destroying more enemy vehicles than any other players of both teams (should be at least 5 enemies destroyed). No multiplier.
|-
|[[File:Award-tankrescuer.png]]||'''Tank Rescuer''' Defended friendly ground unit. {{Notice|Destroy an enemy player that recently dealt critical damage to a friendly tank to receive the award.}}
|-
| NO IMAGE ||'''Tanks Hunter''' Destroyed at least 5 tanks or tank destroyers.
|-
| NO IMAGE ||'''Tanks' Nightmare''' Destroyed at least 10 tanks or tank destroyers.
|-
|[[File:Award-teamwork.png]]||'''Teamwork''' The award for destroying enemy vehicles by any member of a squad. It is given to all members of the squad who were near the squadmate that destroyed an enemy unit. The distance between squad members shouldn't be greater than 1000 m for two aircraft, or 3000 m for an aircraft and a tank, and not greater than 100 m for squad members on tanks.
|-
|[[File:Award-terror of the ocean.png]]||'''Terror of the Ocean''' Destroyed the most ships in Naval Battles. Can't be more than 11 ships. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|[[File:Award-terror of the sea.png]]||'''Terror of the Sea''' Destroyed the most ships in Naval Battles. Can't be fewer than 12 ships. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|[[File:Award-terrorofthesky.png]]||'''Terror of the Sky''' Destroyed the most aircraft in Air Battles. If several players have equal number of destroyed targets, the award is given to the one with bigger score. Can't be more than 11 aircraft. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|[[File:Award-thebestsquad.png]]||'''The Best Squad''' It is given to the squad that earned more {{Annotation|squad streaks|Supporting Fire and Teamwork}} during the match than the other teams.
|-
|[[File:Award-thelastmanstanding.png]]||'''The last man standing!''' The last player remaining in the mission.
|-
|[[File:Award-thunderer.png]]||'''Thunderer''' Destroyed more AI ground targets than any other player in the mission. The number of destroyed ground targets must be at least 18 or more than any other player in both teams (Ships and any other naval targets will not be taken into account). Can't be fewer than 18 AI targets. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|[[File:Award-tsunami.png]]||'''Tsunami''' Destroyed the most AI water units. Can't be fewer than 18 AI units. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|[[File:Award-WaterTroopsRescuer.png]]||'''Ship Rescuer''' Defended friendly water troops.{{Notice|Destroy an enemy player that recently dealt critical damage to a friendly vessel to receive the award.}}
|-
|[[File:Award-wingbreaker.png]]||'''Wing Breaker''' Destroyed the most air targets in tank battles (at least 5 enemy aircraft have been shot down whilst driving ground vehicles). No multiplier.
|-
|[[File:Award-wingman.png]]||'''Wingman''' Having the most assists in destroying enemy vehicles (8 or more). If several players have equal number of assists, the award is given to the one with bigger score. Can't be fewer than 8 assists. Multiplier: RB (x2), SB (x3).
|-
|}

=== Streaks ===
Can be obtained several times per match.
{| class="wikitable"
|-
|[[File:Award-DoubleStrike.png]]||'''Double strike!''' Destroyed vehicles of 2 players in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-TripleStrike.png]]||'''Triple strike!''' Destroyed vehicles of 3 players in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-MultiStrike.png]]||'''Multi strike ×X!''' Destroyed vehicles of 4 players or more in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-GroundTripleStrike.png]]||'''Triple strike! (ground)''' Destroyed 3 ground units in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-GroundMultiStrike.png]]||'''Multi strike ×X! (ground)''' Destroyed 4 ground units or more in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-WaterDoubleStrike.png]]||'''Double strike! (naval)''' Wrecked 2 ships in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-WaterTripleStrike.png]]||'''Triple strike! (naval)''' Wrecked 3 ships in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-WaterMultiStrike.png]]||'''Multi strike ×X! (naval)''' Wrecked 4 ships or more in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-AssistsStreak.png]]||'''Assist streak: ×X!''' Assisted allies in destroying enemy vehicles X times in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-BaseCapturerStreak.png]]||'''Base capturer streak: ×X!''' Reward for capturing base X times in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-ShadowStrikeStreak.png]]||'''Shadow strike streak: ×X!''' Reward for destroying an enemy vehicle without getting yourself hit X times in a row.
|-
|[[File:Award-professional.png]]||'''Professional: xN''' Reward for destroying 5 vehicles in a single life. Each kill after the 5th, rewards the player with another Professional Award (i.e. 7 kills without dying would reward the player with 3 Professional Awards.)
|-
|[[File:Award-oneshot.png]]||'''Without a miss''' 
Reward for destroying of three or more enemies, in which all your shells hit the enemy. Destroying the enemy with one hit is not required, just don't miss. A series of three kills will bring one reward, of four kills two, and so on. Reward is given only when playing on ground vehicles, and score is affected by all shots made by the player and the destruction of enemies by artillery (artillery misses do not count). 
'''Reward''': 200 {{sl}} for the first three kills, and then +200 {{sl}} for each additional ×1 to the series over three.
|-
|}

[[Category:Achievements]]

Warfare 2077

2024-10-24T16:00:20Z

U44982996:

'''Warfare 2077''' was an [[April Fool's Day]] event taking place 1st - 5th April 2021. The event featured futuristic vehicles with advanced weapons, technology, and defence systems, in a conceptual look towards the future of warfare.

The name and logo of the event is a parody of an open world video game [[wikipedia:Cyberpunk 2077|Cyberpunk 2077]], which were scheduled to be released the same year.

{{Youtube|url=GmS8Ajd8s_0|size=530px|align=right}}

== Event introduction ==

What will military technology be like in the future? Welcome to the battlefield of 2077: laser tanks, smart missiles, military drones and optical camouflage!

War does change!

You get control of combat vehicles, the concept of which is considered perspective in modern armies of the world. This is war in a new way, using digital technology, the latest types of weapons and camouflage.

== The Vehicles ==
=== "Minotaur" main battle tank ===
[[File:GarageImage_Minotaur.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''Minotaur''' is a futuristic Main Battle Tank. It features a high degree of protection with thick armour and the most Active Protection System (APS) shots of any vehicle. Its primary armament consists of a powerful 140 mm cannon, as well as six vertical launch missiles. The secondary armament consists of 30 mm and 27 mm autocannons.

==== Description ====
Developed in the late 2050’s, the Minotaur MBT is one of the best examples of 6th generation tanks. An unmanned turret, high-precision kinetic ammunition and missile weaponry, a complex of active protection, as well as an optical camouflage system that allows you to camouflage a tank in the visible and infrared spectrums.

The 140 mm gun with composite barrel bore operates with several types of projectiles, including APFSDS, an armor-piercing cumulative projectile with a multifunctional remote fuse, as well as a guided shell able to detonate over a target. The Minotaur is the most heavily defended combat unit on the battlefield, capable of surviving multiple hits and, at the same time, effectively conduct combat operations, guaranteeing the highest level of safety for the crew.

The armoring around the crewed compartment is made from a special composite that does not create secondary fragments after penetration. This tank has the heaviest frontal armor package on the battlefield, supplemented by ERA modules on the hull’s upper and lower plates that gives the Minotaur protection against its own shell types at point-blank range. An unique complex of active protection capable of detecting and destroying most types of weapons at distance, including kinetic armor-piercing projectiles and airborne guided weapons.

=== "Hydra" rocket tank ===
[[File:GarageImage_Hydra.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''Hydra''' is a futuristic tank destroyer. Its main armament is a bank of 76 vertical launch missiles.

====Description====
The Hydra missile tank is built on the single base with the Minotaur MBT. The vehicle is devoid of most active protection systems, but it provides a unique ability to engage targets from cover, including without direct visual contact with the enemy.

In the fighting compartment of the "Hydra" there is an installation for monitoring and launching vertical take-off missiles, the operation of which is provided in automatic or semi-automatic mode. To detect and lock onto targets outside of direct visual contact, the missile tank is equipped with a retractable periscope with a complex of digital-optical equipment, as well as an installation for launching "Gryphon" series reconnaissance drones/loitering munitions. The passive protection in the Hydra tank provides all-round protection and protection in the upper hemisphere from single hits of cumulative ammunition and missiles.

=== "Harpy" universal air/missile defense complex ===
[[File:GarageImage_Harpy.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''Harpy''' is a futuristic self propelled anti-aircraft vehicle.

====Description====
The unified "Harpy" air and missile defense complex is designed to detect and engage low-flying air targets of all types, including unmanned aerial vehicles and guided missiles.

The main calibre of the complex is a rapid-fire automatic cannon, with armor-piercing rounds, high-explosive fragmentation shells with an intelligent contact-remote fuse, as well as guided shells. The "Harpy" features surface-to-air "fire-and-forget" missiles. The automatic radar system "Aegis-11" includes a radar and a high-energy laser for detecting and hitting light air targets without operator input.

==== "Gryphon-3" reconnaissance drone/loitering munition ====
[[File:GarageImage_Gryphon-3.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''Gryphon-3''' is a futuristic light drone. It is used for reconnaissance and has a built in shaped charge warhead allowing it to be used as a guided missile.

====Description====
A British-Israeli project of loitering munition/surveillance and reconnaissance drone. Being part of the "Hydra" complex, this drone is equipped with an encrypted module for broadcasting targets to the gunner-operator's active monitor. The drone works in both manual and automatic modes, maintaining the flight settings specified by the operator. The power plant is represented by a piezomagnetic engine with a push propeller; a multi-mode digital camera with interchangeable lenses is located in the nose of the drone. In the drone’s hull there is a shaped-charge warhead for destruction of armored vehicles and enemy fortifications.

=== "Wyvern" heavy attack drone ===
[[File:GarageImage_Wyvern.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{Break}}
The '''Wyvern''' is a futuristic heavy combat drone. It is armed with air-to-ground, air-to-air missiles, and air-to-ground cruise missiles.

====Description====
Designed to intercept and destroy air targets, as well as deliver missile and bomb strikes and defeat armored vehicles with high-precision weapons. It is controlled remotely via a digital encrypted communication channel.

The construction from high-strength composites and alloys allows the vehicle to withstand significant overload, which ensures a high level of maneuverability even at maximum combat loads. The modular pre-launch preparation of the drone makes it possible in the shortest possible time to configure the device to perform the combat missions of a fighter-interceptor, attack aircraft or fighter-bomber. Light-absorbing panels in the hull plating provide the device with an average level of resistance to laser weapons.

== The Map ==
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="500">
Image:MapLayout Ground LaunchFacility.png|Layout of the ground map
Image:MapLayout Air LaunchFacility.png|Layout of the air map
</gallery>

== External links ==
* [[wt:en/news/7113-event-warfare-2077-in-war-thunder-en|[Event] Warfare 2077 in War Thunder]]

[[Category:April fool's day]]
[[Category:Events]]

IJN Furutaka

2024-10-24T15:43:08Z

U44982996: description

{{About
| about = Japanese heavy cruiser '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Furutaka (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_cruiser_furutaka
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (古鷹, [[Abbreviations#.28JP.29_Naval|namesake]]: Mount Furutaka) was the lead ship of the namesake class of "scout heavy cruiser" of the Imperial Japanese Navy. Designed to directly counter the American [[Omaha (Family)|''Omaha'']]-class and the British [[HMS Hawkins|''Hawkins'']]-class cruisers, the ''Furutaka''-class features superior mobility and firing range that allows the ship to, in theory, outrange and outspeed their counterparts.

With the arms races during late 1930s rendering the Washington naval treaty null and void, the Imperial Japanese Navy started a massive modernization program for most, if not all of their ships. {{PAGENAME}} was one of the ships to receive a major overhaul. With the weight restrictions removed, the Furutaka's beam was widened to accommodate new machinery, such as replacing the six single 200 mm turrets with three improved twin 203 mm 3rd year turrets, an addition of torpedo bulges, replacing the hull-mounted torpedo tubes with conventional launchers with the famous Type 93 "Long Lance" torpedoes, improved Kampon boilers to maintain the ship's mobility with her increased weight, as well as improved anti-air defense.

Along with her sister ship [[IJN Kako|''Kako'']], Furutaka was assigned to the Cruiser Division 6 at the outbreak of Pacific war. After covering the Attack on Pearl Harbor and island hopping campaigns around the Pacific in 1941, ''Furutaka'' and the Division 6 saw combat at the Battle of Savo Island on 8 August 1942, to which the Japanese managed to score a victory by sinking three American heavy cruisers and forced an Australian cruiser HMAS ''Canberra'' to be scuttled. After ''Kako'' was sunk by an American submarine a day later, ''Furutaka'' and the remaining Cruiser Division 6 would be sent to cover the invasion of Guadalcanal. Around two months later, ''Furutaka'' and the Division 6 were caught off-guard by the American Task Force 64 due to being spotted by the American radar. In the ensuring Battle of Cape Esperance between 11-12 October, ''Furutaka'' was sunk by a combined fire from USS ''Salt Lake City'' and USS ''Buchanan'' after her Type 93 torpedo storage was detonated.

Introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]]. Compared to her sister ship [[IJN Kako|Kako]], Furutaka leans more towards a conventional heavy cruiser, featuring good continuous firepower and various weaponry to deal with all kinds of targets. While a bit slower than her sister ship, Furutaka is still quite mobile for a heavy cruiser; this will be very useful for evasive maneuvers and keep up with the rest of the fleet. However, care must be taken to not expose your broadside, as your belt armour is not thick enough to withstand incoming fire when not angled properly.
== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The Furutaka's armour layout is mostly the same as her sister ship [[IJN Kako|Kako]] with some improvements, most notably the addition of 57 mm of RHA around her ammo elevators that made them less prone to damage, as well as a torpedo bulge capable of taking up to 250 kg torpedo hits. One negative change being that a small coal bunker strip on the upper midship section were removed, though this reduced protection is mostly negligible.

As with the Kako, Furutaka's armour is rather mediocre at flat angles (at 75 mm), but became very effective when angled properly. Since the Furutaka has more crew than the Kako (680 men compared to Kako's 616) and only has a few extra AA mounts, she can survive a bit longer than her sister ship.

The Furutaka retains the unique fire resistant characteristics from the Kako, meaning that she will suffer less casualties from a fire damage and sometime doesn't lose any at all. This made the Furutaka much more beginner friendly than other ships at her rank, as well as highly survivable with proper damage control.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

With her displacement increased by 2,600 tons, the Furutaka is noticeably slower than her predecessor. Although she is still fast for a heavy cruiser with top speed of 71 (AB)/61 (RB) km/h with good acceleration. She is fairly slow to decelerate and traverse around, though it's still decent for her class nonetheless.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|20 cm/50 3rd year type No.2 (203 mm)}}

The Furutaka's main armament consists of six 203 mm 3rd year type No.2 cannons mounted in three twin turrets in A-B-X setup. This gun is the standard armament for the Japanese heavy cruisers next in the line such as the [[IJN Mogami|Mogami]] and [[IJN Tone|Tone]] and thus is very powerful. The turrets have sluggish traverse speed and are poorly protected, but have a very wide coverage that allows the Furutaka to fire broadsides from up to 75 degrees of angle, increasing the ship's effectiveness when angled.

The 203 mm has three shell choices: a basic HE shell with 8.57 kg of TNT equivalent that can deal a decent amount of damage per hit, a powerful APBC shell with 235 mm of penetration at 10 km and packing a sizeable explosive filler of 3.25 kg TNT equivalent, and an HE-TF shell, which is near useless due to the slow turret traverse speed. The gun has a good reload time at 12 seconds (ace crew), though she will be occasionally outgunned by her opponents due to the low gun count.

{{:20 cm/50 3rd year type No.2 (203 mm)/Ammunition|20.3 cm Type 0 HE, 20.3 cm Type 91 AP, 20.3 cm Type 0 HE-TF}}
=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|120 mm/45 10th year type (120 mm)}}

The Furutaka retains four 120 mm 10th year type cannons from the Kako. The guns can still work well against PT boats and small crafts, but will not help much against larger vessels and aircraft.

{{:120 mm/45 10th year type (120 mm)/Ammunition|120 mm Type 1 HE, 120 mm Type 0 HE}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|25 mm/60 Type 96 (25 mm)|Type 93 (13.2 mm)}}

The Furutaka's anti-air capability is improved from the Kako with the addition of 8 x Type 96 AA guns in four twin mounts placed around her second funnel. While the ship is no longer defenseless against aircraft, the Type 96 AA guns have a rather short effective range at around 2 km, and the low number of guns for her size means that enemy aircraft can still manage to get past your defense and drop their payload. It is always recommended to man the gun yourself as soon as you spot an enemy getting close to your ship, since the AI gunners is too ineffective at engaging enemies.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Type 93 Model 1, Mod 2 (610 mm)}}

The Furutaka is equipped with 16 x Type 93 Model 1 torpedoes, launching from quadruple launchers on the port and starboard side on the midship section. Each sides can launch up to 8 torpedoes, with 4 inside the tube and 4 reloads. As usual, with fast travel speed, very long range, and huge warhead, the "Long Lance" torpedoes are highly effective against any targets.

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

Located amidships is a catapult with one E7K2 scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. The E7K2 is equipped with only defensive machine gun turrets (ventral as well as dorsal) but it does carry 4 x 60 kg bombs. It also has the scout plane ability to cap zones and lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilize the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new! Carrying a heavier bomb load than most other scout planes, this unit has a very good chance to sink enemy boats or even a destroyer.

== Usage in battles ==

The Furutaka is a versatile ship that can fulfil many roles, with a combination of good protection, powerful armaments, and decent mobility. She is able to take many hits from most enemies except dreadnoughts when angled properly, while capable of dealing huge damage in return with her main guns and torpedoes. Due to this, the Furutaka will be usually targeted by the enemy team.

With her wide firing range, angling the hull will greatly benefit the Furutaka, as not only is she able to deliver full salvoes at steep angles, she is also much harder to be damaged as her profile will appear smaller, as well as bouncing a lot of shells from the enemy. However, always remember that you are not a one-man army, and you will need someone to cover your back, especially against aerial threats.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''
* Powerful main armament
** Accurate 6 x 203 mm (8 inch) cannons with good reload time
** Can do full broadsides from an even more steep angles compared to the [[IJN Kako|Kako]]
** Very powerful APBC shell
* Great survivability
** Can take a lot of punishments when angled properly
** Resilient against fire damage
* Decent mobility for a heavy cruiser
* Equipped with powerful 16 x Type 93 torpedoes
* One scout plane.

'''Cons:'''
* Quite large in size, can be easily targeted
* Early war Japanese fit
** Main turrets can be easily knocked out
** Slow turret traverse
** Weak anti-air capability
* Belt armour is not thick enough to withstand most of the incoming fire from broadside angles
* Outgunned by most heavy cruiser within its BR, therefore is reliant on superior rate of fire to make up for it
* Torpedo turrets can't both be used at once and has to turn the whole hull to make use of the other

== History ==

Furutaka, although being the lead ship of her class, was laid down after her sister ship Kako in December 1922 at the Mitsubishi shipyard in Nagasaki. Despite construction on Furutaka starting later than on her sister ship, she was completed sooner and was commissioned into service with the IJN in March 1926.

During the interwar period, Furutaka served alongside her sistership before being assigned as a reserve in the early 1930s. During this time, Furutaka underwent overhaul work which, amongst other changes, modernized her anti-air armament. Following the completion of the modernization effort, Furutaka was recommissioned into active service.

However, by 1937 Furutaka found herself once again in drydock for another major overhaul. This time around, Furutaka received upgrades in almost all aspects. Most notably, her primary armament was upgraded to three dual 8-inch guns, a number of smaller calibre AA weapons were added and the previously integrated torpedo launchers were replaced with two quadruple launchers abaft of the funnels. This increased Furutaka's overall displacement significantly, prompting the addition of bulges to the hull in order to preserve stability and also act as an additional layer of torpedo protection.

Modernized for war, Furutaka began her service career by taking part in the invasion of Guam in December 1941 and later, Wake Island. In early 1942, Furutaka assisted in Japanese landings in New Guinea and the Solomon Islands.

Furutaka also took part in the Battle of the Coral Sea in May 1942, securing the capture of Tulai island, escorting the Shōhō carrier, and then escorting the damaged aircraft carrier Shōkaku back to Truk. After reorganization in the Japanese navy, Furutaka participated in the successful Battle of Savo Island, witnessing the sinking of her sister ship Kako while Japanese forces returned to Rabaul. However, Furutaka joined her sister ship in the deep shortly afterwards, being sunk by American fire during the Battle of Cape Esperance later in October 1942.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6194-development-furutaka-readied-for-war-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_cruiser_furutaka Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
{{Skin-gallery
|market|ugcitem_1000423|IJN Takao 1944.jpg|Camo "IJN Takao, 1944"
}}

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6194-development-furutaka-readied-for-war-en|[Development] Furutaka: Readied for War]]

{{ShipManufacturer Mitsubishi Shipbuilding}}
{{Japan heavy cruisers}}

Drache

2024-10-24T09:49:51Z

U44982996: description

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

== Description ==

Originally built by the Deutsche Werft for the Yugoslav Navy as the seaplane tender ''Zmaj'' (dragon) in 1928, the ''Zmaj'' were rarely used in its original role by the Yugoslav Navy until it was converted into a minelayer in 1937. Before the Axis invasion of Yugoslavia on 6 April 1941, ''Zmaj'' was tasked with deploying mines along the Dalmatian coast, however the minefield would inadventedly ended up sinking two Yugoslav passenger ships. Eleven days later, ''Zmaj'' was captured by the Italians who handed the ship over to the Germans, and was later renamed as the '''Drache''' in reference to her original name.

After being re-fitted with German weaponry and commissioned for the Kriegsmarine on 20 August 1942, ''Drache'' were at first being used in her original role as a seaplane tender, though later on she was converted back into a minelayer. She was later modified to serve as a troop transport and submarine chaser in addition to her minelaying duties a month later, and also being renamed with generic name ''Schiff 50'' (ship no. 50). After being used as a testbed for the Flettner Fl 282 helicopter, ''Schiff 50'' was frequently used to transport German and Italian troops around Mediterranean and for minelaying operations. On October 1943, her minefield laid around the Dodecanese managed to sunk two destroyers and one submarine. In 1944, ''Schiff 50's'' anti-air armament was improved with the addition of two quadruple 20 mm flak autocannons at a cost of swapping two 105 mm cannons for the 88 mm flak cannons to compensate for increased top weight. Despite this however, ''Schiff 50'' was sunk by the Bristol Beaufighter of the No. 252 Squadron of the Royal Air Force while anchored in Vathy harbor on 22 September 1944, and was scrapped there after the war.

Introduced in [[Update "Sons of Attila"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' (or more specifically the 1944 refit after being renamed as ''Schiff 50'') stuck out like a sore thumb among the German coastal fleet due to her disproportionally large size. Being designed as an ocean-going vessel rather than coastal ship, she has considerably larger displacement than many bluewater destroyer, while also having a huge crew count of 300. This, along with her empty hull space, allowed the Drache to take an absurd amount of punishments with minimal damage. Even destroyer-calibre guns would still take some time to sink the ship. However, the reason that she is pitted against PT boats rather than bluewater destroyer is due to her poor mobility and the lack of firepower that, while it is sufficient to take care of smaller coastal vessel, is woefully inadequate to deal with ships with detailed damage model. Therefore, the Drache is best used as a "bullet sponge", drawing the enemy fire while letting your allies covering your flank as you harrasing any smaller PT boats before they can use their torpedoes against you.
== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

While it has barely any armour like the majority of coastal ships, the Drache is compensated for by her detailed damage model, huge crew complement of 300, and plenty of empty hull space, thus significantly buffing its survivability.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Drache is rather slow, with its two diesel engines barely competing with various submarine chasers found at its BR.
{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|88 mm/45 SK L/45 (88 mm)}}
The Drache has a pair of 88 mm guns, which are perfect for combating larger opponents you may face (e.g. [[Type K-7 No.4|Japanese submarine chasers]]). The HE rounds can be used to make short work of any PT boats while the APCBC shells may be saved for more heavily armoured boats like the [[MBK pr.186]] which are more common at your BR.
{{:88 mm/45 SK L/45 (88 mm)/Ammunition|8.8 cm Spgr. L/4.5 Lh 31, 8.8 cm Spgr. L/4.5 Br. Lh 31, PzGr 39}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|SK C/30 (37 mm)}}
In addition to the 88 mm guns, there are also two dual 37 mm mounts, with a choice of AP and HE shells. They should be kept as second-hand weapons as their rate of fire is lesser than their [[FlaK-Lafette C/36 (37 mm)|autocannon counterparts]].
{{:SK C/30 (37 mm)/Ammunition|37 mm Spgr L/4.1 Lh 37, 37 mm Psgr L'spur Zerl}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2 cm/65 C/38 (20 mm)|2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)}}

The Drache sports an extremely powerful anti-aircraft arsenal of two 20 mm Flakvierling 38 guns and two Flakzwilling 38 guns, which can shred any aircraft or PT boat that would be foolish enough to dare and try to approach you.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|EMC mine|WBG depth charge}}

While both the mines and depth charges are potent if utilized correctly, they are purely situational and may act more as a larger ammo rack than an effective weapon; It is advised not to bring them with you.

== Usage in battles ==

The Drache is a powerful yet slow ship and should be played as such. Since you have a coastal spawn, one such tactic would be to try and provide fire support for your team, taking out PT boats with ease as you hobble over to the capture point. Once you reach the capture point, defending it should be your top priority. You can use your potent 88 mm guns at this point to knock out enemies your team would otherwise have trouble dealing with (e.g. [[SF40 Light|AA ferries]] or the [[Albatros]]).

Another tactic you can use is to be the damage absorber of your team, using your huge amounts of empty space to soak up large amounts of damage while also shielding the rest of your teammates. Though you are capable of withstanding torpedoes, depth charges and some bombs, you are not invincible. Some players may try and stick very close to you to take advantage of your non-existent gun depression and incapacitate you. However, if you react quickly enough with your 20 mm guns this can be avoided.
===Enemies worth noting===
*'''Soviet post-war boats/frigates (MPK Pr.12412, SKR-7)''': Should you get uptiered, these boats will be your greatest concern. Their 76 mm guns have a significantly faster fire rate than yours, leaving you with little chance to return fire. It is advised not to engage them at any cost unless you have no other choice.
*'''Destroyers''': Various destroyers like the aforementioned are in plentiful supply around your BR, and their armament significantly outweighs yours. While they might have a harder time trying to sink you than most other ships due to your large amounts of empty space that will absorb damage, it is also strongly advised not to engage them.
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''
* Accurate main guns that can knock out PT boats in a few hits
* Powerful secondary armament
* Large and empty hull space allows the boat to absorb hits from bombs and enemy fire
* Huge crew count for a ship with coastal spawn

'''Cons:'''
* Has only two main guns that are too weak to effectively damage destroyers or frigates
* Very slow and sluggish to manoeuvre
* Large and easily recognisable profile

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship 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 ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-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 ship'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=germ_minelayer_drache Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

;Vessels of a similar role, configuration or era

* [[Folaga]]
* [[HMCS Brantford]]
* [[HMS Liscomb]]
* [[M-17]]
* [[M-802]]
* [[RN Gabbiano]]
* [[USS Candid]]
== External links ==

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

{{ShipManufacturer Howaldtswerke-Deutsche Werft}}
{{Germany sub-chasers}}

Hs 129 B-2

2024-10-24T08:23:36Z

U44982996: description

{{About
| about = German strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Hs 129 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=hs-129b-2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Henschel Hs 129''' is a ground attack aircraft deployed by the Luftwaffe during World War II. The Hs 129 was originally designed in 1937 per specification for a heavily-armoured, twin-engined ground attack aircraft that would utilize an engine that is not used on any aircraft in mainline production, so that it would not disrupt the production of the more proven design. Originally, the Hs 129 was powered by two Argus As 410 engines - a lightweight engine designed for light aircraft such as the [[Fw 189 A-1|Fw 189]] recon plane with 465 hp. However, the Argus engine proved to be severely underpowered for the Hs 129's airframe, resulting into it being very difficult to fly. The "saving grace" for the Hs 129 came in 1940 after the fall of France in the form of a stockpile of French Gnome-Rhône 14M radial engines with 690 hp that, while still underpowered, is just powerful enough to keep the plane in the air should it not be damaged.

Despite these shortcoming, the Hs 129 were proven to be a dependable design when used correctly. The type was used extensively in the Eastern Front, while some also saw combat in Tunisia. With some of the main production B-2 variant [[Hs_129_B-2_(Romania)_(Italy)|being sold to Romania]] and Hungary in 1943. Some variant of the Hs 129 including a version modified to [[Hs_129_B-3|mount a huge 75 mm anti-tank cannon]] in an attempt to counter heavier Soviet tanks.

Being in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. The '''Henschel Hs 129 B-2''' is a ground attack aircraft, designed mostly to take out tanks and armoured vehicles and fulfil other roles associated with CAS. Both the 30 mm MK 103 and 37 mm BK 3.7 are capable of knocking out medium tanks, light tanks, and light pillboxes while the 20 mm cannons can easily destroy armoured cars, mobile AAAs, and other lightly armoured equipment. The plane is both slow and sluggish, meaning that it practically has to go after ground targets, but the armament and armour somewhat compensate for that and enable the plane to take out nearly all ground targets except for pillboxes and heavy tanks, while also capable of shredding any enemy plane that dare to face it head-on.

== 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 || 8.2
|-
|}

==== 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 !! + !! -
|-
| {{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
* 6 mm Steel - Cockpit side plates
* 12 mm Steel - Cockpit back plate, floor, and front plates
* 75 mm Bulletproof glass

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

Research Path:

# Radiator
# ETC 50/VIIId
# R2 modification
# All Flight Performance/Survivability
# Weaponry
# BK 3,7 (last)

== 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 ==

[[File:Cockpit_Hs129B.jpg|thumbnail|right|The Hs 129 B's instrument panel.]]

The plane is very heavy, which makes it nearly impossible to take out fighters (unless the fighters come to the {{PAGENAME}}, 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 {{PAGENAME}} 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 129B-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 129B-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 camouflage, 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 30 mm or 37 mm 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 salvoes with long halts between, making it look like that it's reloading. The armour-piercing belt is recommended since its 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 Soviet 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 75 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 ==


{{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 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 129B, 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 129B-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 ==


* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=hs-129b-2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

;Related development
* [[Hs 129 (Family)]]
** [[Hs 129 B-2 (Romania)]]
** [[Hs 129 B-2 (Romania) (Italy)]]
** [[Hs 129 B-3]]

== External links ==


* [http://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/195202-ugly-ducklings-hs-129/ [Ugly Ducklings<nowiki>]</nowiki> - Hs 129]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/80788-henschel-hs-129-b-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Henschel}}
{{Germany strike aircraft}}

SMS Von der Tann

2024-10-24T01:49:22Z

U44982996:

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

== Description ==

After the commissioning of the British [[HMS Invincible|''Invincible'']]-class and creation of the battlecruiser as a type of warship, the Kaiserliche Marine desired battlecruisers of their own and the Construction Office began work on unique warship that was to be the first German battlecruiser. Although Admiral Tirpitz wished to create a German version of the Invincible class, with heavy guns and light armour, he was overruled and the Von der Tann was designed with guns 22mm smaller than the British ships, but with considerably greater protection and speed, setting the trend that subsequent German battlecruisers would follow, in that they would have greater protection at the expense of lesser firepower. Due to being a pioneering design, the resulting '''SMS Von der Tann''' features several new quirks unique to any German capital ship at that time. She is the first large German warship to be powered by steam turbine, which granted her very high top speed for a capital ship of that time. In addition, she also has a peculiar staggered wing turret arrangements that allows all of her guns to be fired full boardsides and therefor saving weight, a feature that would later be featured on the [[SMS Kaiser|''Kaiser'']]-class battleship before superseded by superfiring turrets.

After spending her time bombarding British coast during the early half of the Great War, ''Von der Tann'' would participate in the Battle of Jutland between 31 May to 1 June 1916, during which she managed to sunk British battlecruiser HMS ''Indefatigable'' during the opening stage of the battle, although she suffered damage and malfunction that rendered all of her main guns inoperable. Like most of the German high sea fleet ships, ''Von der Tann'' met her end at Scapa Flow after she was scuttled to prevent the fleet from being divided between the Allied powers.

Introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is the first battlecruiser on the German battlecruiser line and served as an introductory for the German battlecruiser design; being significantly faster than its peer with serviceable armour, albeit at a cost of relatively smaller main guns. Due to her staggered wing turret placements, she is capable of firing full boardside with the same firepower of her battleship counterpart [[SMS Westfalen]], which when combined with her speed and heavy secondary armaments allowed her to perform very well at closer range except against heavier battleships. Due to these qualities, Von der Tann excelled at harrassing enemy cruiser, where she is capable of outranging them while being highly resilient to their returning fire.

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

The {{Specs|pseudonym}} is a battlecruiser. This class of ships is supposed to have the firepower of dreadnoughts, whilst having a superior speed to catch on their prey. This comes at the cost of armour thickness and coverage. She doesn't have coal bunkers protecting all turrets, the front, and rear turrets only have armour plates to protect their ammunition. A lucky shot will knock a turret out and its ammo storage underneath, especially from other dreadnoughts. Still, the Von der Tann's armour is still very thick and can shield off most of the cruiser's shells and is impervious to destroyers.

While the lack of AA guns can be problematic against enemy aircraft, this can actually help the Von der Tann to preserve more of her crew in a trading firefight against enemy cruisers, as enemy ships need to damage the crew compartment or casemate turrets to kill her crew.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

Being a battlecruiser, the Von der Tann features superior mobility compared to battleships of the time, though the ship is only a first generation battlecruiser and thus is still slower than the majority of cruisers in the game.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|283 mm/45 SK L/45 (283 mm)}}

The Von der Tann features eight 283 mm SK L/45 cannons arranged in four twin turrets. While the ship's left and right turrets appear to be obstructed by lifeboats in your hangar screen, they will be removed once you get into battle, allowing the turrets to traverse into the other sides, and thus making her capable of doing full broadsides with a decent firing angle. The guns also have a good minimum reload time for its calibre at 20 seconds with an ace crew.

While they are not as powerful as the 305 mm cannons equipping other dreadnoughts, the 283 mm guns still pack a decent punch and can make quick work of destroyers and cruisers. However, these pre-WW1 era guns are a little lacking when it comes to penetration capabilities against more comparable or superior opponents.

At 5km, the AP shell has a maximum of 324 mm of penetration, barely enough to penetrate the main belt on a number of battleships, and that's assuming the target is not angled to any degree (which they usually are) and that the shell is hitting at a flat trajectory (which is physically impossible at that range unless the target is listing to the side). At 10km, this drops to 212 mm of penetration, at which range the shell is rendered incapable of punching through un-angled main armour belts of even some battlecruisers, let alone the heavy belts of battleships. Whilst this does not mean that the guns cannot damage such targets, it's not as though the entire ship has such protection after all, it does still severely limit the guns usage against any but the most weakly protected capital ships, and captains of the Von der Tann will have to get in to extremely close ranges to be able to punch through the thick armour present at higher tiers.

{{:283 mm/45 SK L/45 (283 mm)/Ammunition|283 mm Sprgr. L/3.6 Bdz, 283 mm Psgr. L/3.2}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|150 mm/45 SK L/45 (150 mm)|88 mm/45 casemate SK L/45 (88 mm)}}

The Von der Tann features 10 х 150 mm SK L/45 cannons, five mounted in a casemate on each side of the ship. There are also 16 х 88 mm SK L/45 cannons, placed in a set of four casemates on the bow, stern, and command tower, as well as four turrets on the rear fire control tower.

The 150 mm guns are very reliable against enemy cruisers at mid-to-close range (within 7 km), being able to chew up most of their crew quickly due to the short reload time of 5 seconds, though ineffective beyond 7 km due to its awful dispersion. Other than the HEF shell, the guns have an option to load a SAP shell and an APCBC shell, the SAP is largely useless due to poor penetration, while the APCBC shell can tear up the modules of lightly-armoured enemy at closer range.

The 88 mm guns mainly act as complementary weapons and can only be loaded with HEF shell. The guns don't pack as much punch as the 150 mm, but are still quite useful against destroyers and PT boats.

{{:150 mm/45 SK L/45 (150 mm)/Ammunition|150 mm Sprgr. L/4.1 Kz, 150 mm Sprgr. L/4.1 Bdz, 150 mm Psgr. L/3.7}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|MG08 pattern 1908 (7.92 mm)}}

Built during the infancy of naval aviation, the Von der Tann is barely equipped to deal against aerial threats. Therefore, her "anti-air" armament only consists of two antique 7.92 mm machine guns, which won't help to deter any aerial threats. Essentially, it is making her a sitting duck against enemy air support.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|C/06D (450 mm)}}

Similar to other dreadnoughts in her era, the Von der Tann features four underwater torpedo launchers, two mounted directly at her bow and stern respectively, and two others placed on each side of the bow. Due to this peculiar placement, the torpedo is highly situational and will not help much to destroy an enemy ship. The torpedo itself is also pretty weak and slow, with only 122 kg of TNT and a top speed of only 50 km/h. Thus, you should rely on her main and secondary armament instead.

== Usage in battles ==

As a battlecruiser, the Von der Tann is (relatively) fast and well-armed. The eight 283 mm guns can deal a capable amount of damage and have a reload of 20 seconds, much shorter than most other battlecruisers and battleships (and the same as some American heavy cruisers), as well as being capable of doing full broadsides. While other battleships can punch through your armour, cruisers will seriously struggle. Target cruisers and punish them with your secondary guns and main battery. They'll struggle with your armour, and they'll struggle to outrun you.

Your main threat will be battleships, who can angle against your guns and punch through your armour comfortably. Use your mobility to get away from, or around, them, and don't be afraid to unleash some torpedoes on them if they do get too close.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good speed for a ship of its age, able to outrun most battleships and stay close to cruisers
* Out-guns and out-armours every cruiser in the game
* Can do a full broadsides with the same damage potential as the [[SMS Westfalen]]
* Good reload on its main guns, better than the Admiral Graf Spee despite them being the same size
* Deadly secondary armament that can punish cruisers if they come too close

'''Cons:'''

* Still slower than the majority of cruisers, can easily get left behind
* Main armament lacks penetration required to compete with most other capital ships
* Secondary armament is woefully inaccurate beyond 7 km
* Placement of flank turrets makes it prone to ammo detonation from torpedo hits
* Effectively no AA protection, easy target for aircraft

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/6976-development-heroes-of-jutland-sms-von-der-tann-en|Devblog]] ===
With the appearance of HMS Invincible in 1906, the Imperial Navy found itself lacking an appropriate response as the British battlecruiser outmatched any comparable vessel in the German fleet at the time. As a result, German ship builders began working on designing an equivalent vessel in the same year under the name "Cruiser F". As the ship would eventually become Germany's first battlecruiser, its design was carefully considered, with emphasis being put on speed and protection.

By mid 1907, Cruiser F's design had been finalized and its construction approved by the Kaiser in June, christening the vessel SMS Von der Tann in honor of a Bavarian general. Von der Tann was laid down in March 1908 and launched exactly a year later, before being completed and commissioned into service in September 1910. At the time of commissioning Von der Tann quickly became the new symbol of German naval power, being not only the first German warship fitted with steam turbine engines, but also the world's fastest warship of its type at the time. After completing trials, Von der Tann was sent on a cruise to South America before returning to Germany in May 1911.

During WWI, Von der Tann participated in numerous naval operations in the war: including the Battle of Jutland in 1916, as well as participating in raids against British ports and engagements against the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea. At the end of WWI in 1918, Von der Tann along with the remainder of the German Navy was interned at Scapa Flow. In the following year, the interned German fleet along with Von der Tann scuttled itself to prevent capture by the Allies with this event marking the end of the warship's illustrious career.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="SMS Von der Tann Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==

;Vessels of a similar role, configuration or era

* [[HMS Invincible]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6976-development-heroes-of-jutland-sms-von-der-tann-en|[Devblog] Heroes of Jutland: SMS Von der Tann]]

{{ShipManufacturer Blohm and Voss}}
{{Germany battlecruisers}}

SMS Von der Tann

2024-10-24T01:47:43Z

U44982996: description

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

== Description ==

After the commissioning of the British [[HMS Invincible|''Invincible'']]-class and creation of the battlecruiser as a type of warship, the Kaiserliche Marine desired battlecruisers of their own and the Construction Office began work on unique warship that was to be the first German battlecruiser. Although Admiral Tirpitz wished to create a German version of the Invincible class, with heavy guns and light armour, he was overruled and the Von der Tann was designed with guns 22mm smaller than the British ships, but with considerably greater protection and speed, setting the trend that subsequent German battlecruisers would follow, in that they would have greater protection at the expense of lesser firepower. Due to being a pioneering design, the resulting '''SMS Von der Tann''' features several new quirks unique to any German capital ship at that time. She is the first large German warship to be powered by steam turbine, which granted her very high top speed for a capital ship of that time. In addition, she also has a peculiar staggered wing turret arrangements that allows all of her guns to be fired full boardsides and therefor saving weight, a feature that would later be featured on the [[SMS Kaiser|''Kaiser'']]-class battleship before superseded by superfiring turrets.

After spending her time bombarding British coast during the early half of the Great War, ''Von der Tann'' would participate in the Battle of Jutland between 31 May to 1 June 1916, during which she managed to sunk British battlecruiser HMS ''Indefatigable'' during the opening stage of the battle, although she suffered damage and malfunction that rendered all of her main guns inoperable. Like most of the German high sea fleet ships, ''Von der Tann'' met her end at Scapa Flow after she was scuttled to prevent the fleet from being divided between the Allied powers.

Introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is the first battlecruiser on the German battlecruiser line and served as an introductory for the German battlecruiser design; being significantly faster than its peer with serviceable armour, albeit at a cost of relatively smaller main guns. Due to her staggered wing turret placements, she is capable of firing full boardside with the same firepower of her battleship counterpart [[SMS Westfalen]], which when combined with her speed and heavy secondary armaments allowed her to perform very well at closer range except against heavier battleships. Due to these qualities, Von der Tann excelled at harrassing enemy cruiser, where she is capable of outranging them while being highly resilient to their returning fire.

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

The {{Specs|pseudonym}} is a battlecruiser. This class of ships is supposed to have the firepower of dreadnoughts, whilst having a superior speed to catch on their prey. This comes at the cost of armour thickness and coverage. She doesn't have coal bunkers protecting all turrets, the front, and rear turrets only have armour plates to protect their ammunition. A lucky shot will knock a turret out and its ammo storage underneath, especially from other dreadnoughts. Still, the Von der Tann's armour is still very thick and can shield off most of the cruiser's shells and is impervious to destroyers.

While the lack of AA guns can be problematic against enemy aircraft, this can actually help the Von der Tann to preserve more of her crew in a trading firefight against enemy cruisers, as enemy ships need to damage the crew compartment or casemate turrets to kill her crew.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

Being a battlecruiser, the Von der Tann features superior mobility compared to battleships of the time, though the ship is only a first generation battlecruiser and thus is still slower than the majority of cruisers in the game.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|283 mm/45 SK L/45 (283 mm)}}

The Von der Tann features eight 283 mm SK L/45 cannons arranged in four twin turrets. While the ship's left and right turrets appear to be obstructed by lifeboats in your hangar screen, they will be removed once you get into battle, allowing the turrets to traverse into the other sides, and thus making her capable of doing full broadsides with a decent firing angle. The guns also have a good minimum reload time for its calibre at 20 seconds with an ace crew.

While they are not as powerful as the 305 mm cannons equipping other dreadnoughts, the 283 mm guns still pack a decent punch and can make quick work of destroyers and cruisers. However, these pre-WW1 era guns are a little lacking when it comes to penetration capabilities against more comparable or superior opponents.

At 5km, the AP shell has a maximum of 324 mm of penetration, barely enough to penetrate the main belt on a number of battleships, and that's assuming the target is not angled to any degree (which they usually are) and that the shell is hitting at a flat trajectory (which is physically impossible at that range unless the target is listing to the side). At 10km, this drops to 212 mm of penetration, at which range the shell is rendered incapable of punching through un-angled main armour belts of even some battlecruisers, let alone the heavy belts of battleships. Whilst this does not mean that the guns cannot damage such targets, it's not as though the entire ship has such protection after all, it does still severely limit the guns usage against any but the most weakly protected capital ships, and captains of the Von der Tann will have to get in to extremely close ranges to be able to punch through the thick armour present at higher tiers.

{{:283 mm/45 SK L/45 (283 mm)/Ammunition|283 mm Sprgr. L/3.6 Bdz, 283 mm Psgr. L/3.2}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|150 mm/45 SK L/45 (150 mm)|88 mm/45 casemate SK L/45 (88 mm)}}

The Von der Tann features 10 х 150 mm SK L/45 cannons, five mounted in a casemate on each side of the ship. There are also 16 х 88 mm SK L/45 cannons, placed in a set of four casemates on the bow, stern, and command tower, as well as four turrets on the rear fire control tower.

The 150 mm guns are very reliable against enemy cruisers at mid-to-close range (within 7 km), being able to chew up most of their crew quickly due to the short reload time of 5 seconds, though ineffective beyond 7 km due to its awful dispersion. Other than the HEF shell, the guns have an option to load a SAP shell and an APCBC shell, the SAP is largely useless due to poor penetration, while the APCBC shell can tear up the modules of lightly-armoured enemy at closer range.

The 88 mm guns mainly act as complementary weapons and can only be loaded with HEF shell. The guns don't pack as much punch as the 150 mm, but are still quite useful against destroyers and PT boats.

{{:150 mm/45 SK L/45 (150 mm)/Ammunition|150 mm Sprgr. L/4.1 Kz, 150 mm Sprgr. L/4.1 Bdz, 150 mm Psgr. L/3.7}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|MG08 pattern 1908 (7.92 mm)}}

Built during the infancy of naval aviation, the Von der Tann is barely equipped to deal against aerial threats. Therefore, her "anti-air" armament only consists of two antique 7.92 mm machine guns, which won't help to deter any aerial threats. Essentially, it is making her a sitting duck against enemy air support.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|C/06D (450 mm)}}

Similar to other dreadnoughts in her era, the Von der Tann features four underwater torpedo launchers, two mounted directly at her bow and stern respectively, and two others placed on each side of the bow. Due to this peculiar placement, the torpedo is highly situational and will not help much to destroy an enemy ship. The torpedo itself is also pretty weak and slow, with only 122 kg of TNT and a top speed of only 50 km/h. Thus, you should rely on her main and secondary armament instead.

== Usage in battles ==

As a battlecruiser, the Von der Tann is (relatively) fast and well-armed. The eight 283 mm guns can deal a capable amount of damage and have a reload of 20 seconds, much shorter than most other battlecruisers and battleships (and the same as some American heavy cruisers), as well as being capable of doing full broadsides. While other battleships can punch through your armour, cruisers will seriously struggle. Target cruisers and punish them with your secondary guns and main battery. They'll struggle with your armour, and they'll struggle to outrun you.

Your main threat will be battleships, who can angle against your guns and punch through your armour comfortably. Use your mobility to get away from, or around, them, and don't be afraid to unleash some torpedoes on them if they do get too close.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good speed for a ship of its age, able to outrun most battleships and stay close to cruisers
* Out-guns and out-armours every cruiser in the game
* Can do a full broadsides with the same damage potential as the [[SMS Westfalen]]
* Good reload on its main guns, better than the Admiral Graf Spee despite them being the same size
* Deadly secondary armament that can punish cruisers if they come too close

'''Cons:'''

* Still slower than the majority of cruisers, can easily get left behind
* Main armament lacks penetration required to compete with most other capital ships
* Secondary armament is woefully inaccurate beyond 7 km
* Placement of flank turrets makes it prone to ammo detonation from torpedo hits
* Effectively no AA protection, easy target for aircraft

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/6976-development-heroes-of-jutland-sms-von-der-tann-en|Devblog]] ===
With the appearance of HMS Invincible in 1906, the Imperial Navy found itself lacking an appropriate response as the British battlecruiser outmatched any comparable vessel in the German fleet at the time. As a result, German ship builders began working on designing an equivalent vessel in the same year under the name "Cruiser F". As the ship would eventually become Germany's first battlecruiser, its design was carefully considered, with emphasis being put on speed and protection.

By mid 1907, Cruiser F's design had been finalized and its construction approved by the Kaiser in June, christening the vessel SMS Von der Tann in honor of a Bavarian general. Von der Tann was laid down in March 1908 and launched exactly a year later, before being completed and commissioned into service in September 1910. At the time of commissioning Von der Tann quickly became the new symbol of German naval power, being not only the first German warship fitted with steam turbine engines, but also the world's fastest warship of its type at the time. After completing trials, Von der Tann was sent on a cruise to South America before returning to Germany in May 1911.

During WWI, Von der Tann participated in numerous naval operations in the war: including the Battle of Jutland in 1916, as well as participating in raids against British ports and engagements against the Russian Navy in the Baltic Sea. At the end of WWI in 1918, Von der Tann along with the remainder of the German Navy was interned at Scapa Flow. In the following year, the interned German fleet along with Von der Tann scuttled itself to prevent capture by the Allies with this event marking the end of the warship's illustrious career.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="SMS Von der Tann Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Von der Tann WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6976-development-heroes-of-jutland-sms-von-der-tann-en|[Devblog] Heroes of Jutland: SMS Von der Tann]]

{{ShipManufacturer Blohm and Voss}}
{{Germany battlecruisers}}

Prinz Eugen

2024-10-21T16:27:20Z

U44982996: description

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

== Description ==

The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is the third of the ''[[Admiral Hipper (Family)|Admiral Hipper]]''-class heavy cruiser and the last one to be completed by the Kriegsmarine. She was ordered from the Krupp Germaniawerft shipyard in Kiel and was laid down on 23 April 1936 as a part of the German rearmament program following the Anglo-German Naval Agreement a year prior, and would later be launched on 22 August 1938.

After being commissioned in 1940 and patrolling around the Atlantic alongside the battleship ''Bismarck'' in early May 1941, ''Prinz Eugen'' would take part in her most famous engagements in the Battle of the Denmark Strait later that month, to which the pair managed to sunk the British flagship [[HMS Hood|HMS ''Hood'']] and damaged battleship ''Prince of Wales''. However, ''Eugen'' suffered a fuel tank leakage from the battle and was forced to part ways with ''Bismarck'', leaving the latter to her demise a few days later. After emergency repair and problem with her engines and turbine, ''Prinz Eugen'' was ordered to be docked in Brest, occupied France for extensive repair. After spending half a year in Brest and being the target of frequent air raid by the RAF, ''Prinz Eugen'' along with battleship ''[[Scharnhorst]]'' and ''Gneisenau'' was ordered to breakthrough between the British channel in January 1942. The next month, ''Eugen's'' stern was stuck by a torpedo from a submarine HMS ''Trident'', resulting into extensive damage to the rudder. After completed her repair in 1943, ''Prinz Eugen'' is sent to the Baltic sea providing fire support for the retreating German army on the Eastern Front, to which she done so until German capitulation on 1945. At the end of World War II, she and ''[[Nürnberg]]'' were the only German bluewater warship to survive the war intact.

After the war, ''Prinz Eugen'' was later awarded to the United States as a reparation. The US Navy would later conducted extensive examination on various German machinery. After which ''Prinz Eugen's'' career literally ended with a bang when she was used as one of the targets for Operation Crossroads nuclear tests in 1946.

Introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]]. The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is perhaps one of the most famous cruisers of World War II. Compared to her sister ship [[Admiral Hipper]], Eugen is in her final 1945 configuration with substantial increase in AA firepower and crew count. This is effectively a double-edged sword; on one hand she is more survivable than her sister ship as well as being more well-protected against aircraft, while on the other hand her large amounts of AA mounts means that she would be frequently catches fire whenever she was hit. Aside from this, ''Eugen'' is largely the same as her ''Hipper'' in playstyle, being an all-around heavy cruiser with particular focus on her high velocity 8-inch guns that is capable of engaging any targets she could face.

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

As with her sister ship [[Admiral Hipper]], the {{PAGENAME}} features some of the best protection of all cruisers in the game. Her hull is covered with several layers of armour in "turtleback" layout specifically designed to soak up and contain a lot of damage, save for some large calibre AP shells which can still penetrate multiple layers of armour. She also has a very high crew count with 1,776 sailors.

Unfortunately, the {{PAGENAME}}'s real-life fame will make her a priority target: expect to be showered with shells of all calibres from the enemies and putting off fires often. Additionally, the {{PAGENAME}} also has a well-known fatal weak spot at her frontal turret magazine in which most enemy will be targeting it to take her out as soon as possible.

Due to how frequently and easily your secondary and AA armaments will be disabled (and several crew members being killed in process), it is recommended not to repair them to reduce crew loss until you've cleared from enemy fire.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

For a ship of this size and displacement, the {{PAGENAME}}'s top speed is fairly good at 70 km/h (AB) or 60 km/h (RB). However, due to her mass and high centre of gravity, the {{PAGENAME}} suffers from excessive listing problem that reduce her traverse speed and throw off the aiming reticules into the air. This can be fatal if the ship is flooding, as too much listing angle can result in the ship capsizing and sinking.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|20.3 cm/60 SK C/34 (203 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}}'s primary armaments consists of eight 203 mm/60 SK C/34 cannons arranged in four twin turrets mounted A-Bs-Xs-Y. The gun is notable for being effective at dealing damage to all kinds of targets save for battleship at ranges. The gun has a good reload time of 12 seconds (ace crew) and has a decent firing arc, giving the {{PAGENAME}} a consistent damage output against enemy ships.

The 203 mm guns has three shell choice; an average HE shell with 8.8 kg of TNT, a SAP shell with decent penetration (160 mm at 10 km) and sizeable filler of 5.35 kg of TNT, and a powerful APCBC shell which have very high penetration (265 mm at 10 km), this allows the {{PAGENAME}} to deal damage against heavily-armoured dreadnoughts up close, and especially deadly at closer range against any targets. As each shell have a high velocity of 925 m/s, this results into good accuracy and thus make aiming easier.

{{:20.3 cm/60 SK C/34 (203 mm)/Ammunition|20.3 cm L/4.7 Kz HE, 20.3 cm L/4.4 (m.Hb) APBC, 20.3 cm L/4.7 Bdz (m.Hb) SAP}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|SK C/33 AA (105 mm)}}

These cannons are great for taking out destroyers, as they have a good rate of fire and damage output. They also makes decent anti-air guns for high altitude bombers, though not particularly reliable they will definitely make bomb drops harder to pull off. Depending on which target you want to focus on you may load different shells: HE shells for destroyers and other smaller vessels, time-fused HE for anti-air duties if there are a lot of bombers in the sky, and APHE for well-armoured destroyers. You can take manual control of the secondary guns (alt+2 by default), making them more effective and giving you the ability to change the shells depending on the situation you are in. However, this will leave you vulnerable to other cruisers because you will be focusing most of your attention on other vehicles, so it may be better to level up your AI gunners and leave the job to them, while you focus on other cruisers or destroyers with your powerful main guns.

{{:SK C/33 AA (105 mm)/Ammunition|10.5 cm Sprgr. L/4.4 Kpf.Z, 10.5 cm Sprgr. L/4.4 Zt.Z, 10.5 cm L/4.2 AP}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|Bofors Flak 28 (40 mm)|2 cm/65 C/30 (20 mm)|2 cm/65 Flakvierling 38 (20 mm)}}

The Prinz Eugen is covered with 40 mm and 20 mm AA guns, boasting an overall much more effective defence than her sister ship the [[Admiral Hipper]]. These guns easily protect the ship from close-range air assaults, while the 105 mm secondary guns will make sure high altitude bombers think twice before presenting themselves as an easy target, though they lack the proximity-fused shells sported by American and British heavy AA guns. It is best to aim the guns yourself if they are coming in from high altitude because most strategic bombers can't manoeuvre very well, making them easy to lead and aim at. The 40 mm and 20 mm autocannons are also great at wiping out torpedo boats and other small vessels. Since they often carry torpedoes that can knock out or critically damage you, the wall of autocannon fire will make those torpedo boats think twice before rushing you, allowing you to focus more on the main target like other cruisers or destroyers.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|G7a (533 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with 26 G7a torpedoes launched from four triple launchers placed in pairs, twelve of them are loaded inside the tubes (six on each side) while other ten is stocked in ready racks. Up to 12 torpedoes can be launched from each side of the ship. Due to the quantity of torpedoes, the {{PAGENAME}} can launch barrages of torpedoes to damage one or more ships at medium-to-long ranges.

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

Located amidships is a single catapult for an Arado Ar 196 scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. Alongside the typical abilities of strafing, dropping 2 x 50 kg bombs, and capping zones, the Ar 196 and other scout planes have the added ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). It is essentially the [[Ar 196 A-3|event aircraft]] except with smoke generators, so it will be a familiar unit for those who have the event version. Captains will be wise to remember to utilise the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new!

== Usage in battles ==

The {{PAGENAME}} is a solid ship with all-around strength that allows her to tip the balance of the team with great firepower and protection. Due to this, {{PAGENAME}}'s presence is enough to draw the attention of most of the enemy team. Whether this is a blessing or a curse depends on how well you're able to exploit the {{PAGENAME}}'s assets.

In a situation with only a few or no dreadnoughts, the {{PAGENAME}} is able to act as a vanguard for the team. Due to your status as a priority target, you can distract the enemy team into trying to take you down, and allowing your teammates to take a clean shot at an enemy. You can also use your large quantities of torpedoes to kill a preoccupied enemy, as they will be focused more on gunnery and will often does not have enough time to react to an incoming torpedoes.

To maximize the {{PAGENAME}}'s protection, angling is a must. You can contain a lot of damage by exposing only one side of the hull while preserving the crew by proper damage control. Prioritise fire extinguishing to reduce crew loss as the ship will catch fire very often, and do not repair the secondaries and AA until the coast is clear as your replacement crew will ended up becoming a cannon fodder. Flood damage is generally manageable as long as you do not attempt to traverse your ship and cause a severe listing in process. Although she remains relatively safe from flooding damage with ~80% of buoyancy left, you might need to repair the leaks as soon as the ship starts flooding (~97%) to reduce water draining time, though this is not as important as fire damage control and you can repair them later on when the flood is close to dangerous level.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High velocity 8-inch guns with great penetration, can take on any kind of targets
* Layered armour provides tough protection against most shells
* Powerful AA armaments, effective at all ranges
* Decent top speed despite its size
* Very high crew count increases her survivability
* One scout seaplane

'''Cons:'''

* Priority target: she will almost always be targeted by the enemy team
* Catches fire very often in a firefight exchange
* Excessive listing on a turn often results in poor accuracy
* Armour is not thick enough to withstand some high-calibre shells
* Main battery magazines are located above shell rooms, meaning that a detonation is likely to be fatal

== History ==

[[File:Prinz Eugen Underway.jpg|thumb|380x380px|The Prinz Eugen underway, circa 1943.]]
The Prinz Eugen was the third and final member of the completed Admiral Hipper-class of heavy cruisers. Launched in August 1938, she saw extensive service during WWII, including in the sinking of HMS Hood. Following the cessation of hostilities, she was transferred to the Americans who used her as a test target in the Baker nuclear test. Due to the damage received during the tests, she capsized and sank before repairs could be made.<ref name=":0">World War Co (n.d.)</ref>

'''Design and development'''

The German Kriegsmarine began to design heavy cruisers in the early 1930s, despite the fact that the Treaty of Versailles banned them from building any ships of the type. Two designs were considered - a heavy cruiser with eight 203 mm (8-inch) guns in four double turrets, and a light cruiser with twelve 152 mm (6-inch) guns in four triple turrets, similar to those found on the [[Nürnberg]]. In the end, the heavier option was chosen; however, numerous design improvements resulted in the ship being significantly larger than originally intended.<ref name=":0" />

The final design displaced 14,247 tons and was 205 metres long, larger than the pocket battleship [[Admiral Graf Spee]].<ref name=":0" /> Armament was to consist of four dual 203 mm turrets, twelve 105 mm dual-purpose secondary guns and numerous anti-aircraft guns. The ship also carried 22 torpedoes in four triple launchers with 10 reloads, as well as three Arado Ar 196 scout planes.<ref name=":0" /> The main armour belt was between 70-80 mm in thickness, and armour of up to 160 mm thickness could be found on the conning tower. The ship could reach 32.5 kts (60 km/h) and had a range of 5050 nautical miles at 15 kts.<ref name=":0" />

The German Kriegsmarine placed orders for a total of five [[Admiral Hipper (Family)|Admiral Hipper-class]] heavy cruisers, to be known as [[Admiral Hipper]], Blücher, Prinz Eugen, Seydlitz, and Lützow. Of these, the Seydlitz and Lützow would never be completed; Lützow would be sold to the Soviet Union and eventually scrapped, while Seydlitz was scuttled in 1945 after plans to convert her into an aircraft carrier failed. The contract for Prinz Eugen was placed in November of 1935. Following three years of construction, the ship was launched in August of 1938.<ref name=":0" />

'''Service life'''

The Prinz Eugen was then fitted out and underwent numerous sea trials, before being formally commissioned on August 1st 1940. The ship then conducted exercises with U-boats and the battleship Bismarck, between September 1940 and April 1941.<ref name=":1">Rico, J (1998)</ref>

On May 18th, the Prinz Eugen accompanied the newly-commissioned Bismarck in Operation Rheinübung, or Exercise Rhine. After arriving in the Denmark Strait, the pair of ships engaged the battleship HMS Prince of Wales and battlecruiser Hood. During the engagement, Prinz Eugen was able to hit Hood once before a shot from Bismarck detonated the battlecruiser's magazine, resulting in her destruction with the loss of all but 3 of her crew. After the Hood sank, the Prinz Eugen hit the Prince of Wales three times, without suffering any damage herself.<ref name=":1" />
[[File:Prinz Eugen in Norway.jpg|thumb|350x350px|The Prinz Eugen moored in Norway; Admiral Scheer can be seen beside her.]]
Due to the Bismarck<nowiki/>'s damaged state, the two warships broke off soon after the engagement. Prinz Eugen sailed for Brest, where she was repaired. Bismarck was not so lucky, sinking after a long engagement with the battleships HMS Rodney and King George V. While the Prinz Eugen was docked at the Brest shipyard, she was bombed and heavily damaged, losing 60 crew members. Soon after, she participated in the "Channel Dash", escorting battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau through the English Channel towards Kiel. She survived the dash without damage, having fired numerous 203 mm shells at pursuing British destroyers.<ref name=":1" />

In February of 1942, the Prinz Eugen departed for Norway with the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer. En-route, the submarine HMS Trident scored a torpedo hit on Prinz Eugen<nowiki/>'s stern. The hit caused severe damage to her stern and rudder, but she was still able to arrive at Trondheim, Norway under her own power. There, she joined Tirpitz and Admiral Scheer to perform attacks on Allied shipping convoys.<ref name=":1" />

In January of 1945, as the situation looked dire for Germany, the Prinz Eugen was dispatched to Norway once again, this time to evacuate refugees and provide support. Between 10 March and 4 April 1945, the Prinz Eugen expended almost 5,000 rounds of 203 mm ammo. She also lost 9 men as a result of a Russian rocket. On May 7th 1945, along with the surrender of mainland German forces, the Prinz Eugen and Nürnberg surrendered in Copenhagen, Denmark.<ref name=":1" />
[[File:Prinz Eugen Wreck.jpg|thumb|350x350px|Prinz Eugen's wreck upside-down in Kwajelein Atoll. Note that the port-side propeller is removed.]]
After the surrender, Prinz Eugen was handed to the British. Along with several other German and Japanese prize ships, she was handed over to the United States where she was commissioned as USS Prinz Eugen (IX-300). In early 1946, the Prinz Eugen traversed the Panama canal and sailed to Bikini Atoll, where she would carry out her final duty as a test vessel in the Operation Crossroads nuclear tests.<ref name=":1" />

On July 1st 1946, the 'Able' nuclear bomb was dropped on an array of vessels, including the Prinz Eugen. The ship, 1.1 km from the epicentre, suffered only minor damage. The second 'Baker' Nuclear test also failed to do significant damage. However, the shocks of two nuclear explosions caused leaks to form in the Prinz Eugen's hull. As well, the ship could not be repaired due to the high levels of radiation.<ref name=":1" /> On December 22nd 1946, the Prinz Eugen developed a severe list, and capsized in Kwajalein Atoll. The ship was never salvaged due to the levels of radiation, but one of the ship's propellers was removed and installed near Kiel as a memorial for those who served in the Second World War.<ref name=":1" />

=== [[wt:en/news/6498-development-prinz-eugen-steaming-into-the-atomic-age-en|Devblog]] ===
Prinz Eugen, named after an 18th-century Austrian general, was the third and last ship of the German Admiral Hipper-class heavy cruisers to see completion. Although being ready for commissioning in July 1940, an RAF air raid on Kiel lightly damaged the warship, causing its commissioning to be delayed until August.

After passing sea trials in late 1940, Prinz Eugen was assigned to its first, and arguably its most well-known combat mission - Operation Rheinübung - alongside battleship Bismarck in May 1941. Following some repairs in France, Prinz Eugen was assigned to operations in Norwegian waters in 1942, though this undertaking was cut short by a successful torpedo attack performed by the British submarine HMS Trident, which heavily damaged Prinz Eugen. As a result, Prinz Eugen was ordered back to Germany for repairs.

Once repaired, Prinz Eugen returned to service in the late stages of WWII, acting initially as a training vessel for naval officers and providing artillery support for German ground units on the Eastern Front later on.

After the ceasefire in Europe, Prinz Eugen was handed over to the U.S. Navy as a war prize. After a detailed study of the ship's design, the U.S. Navy assigned the warship to a nuclear weapons test at the Bikini Atoll in 1946. Having survived two nuclear blasts one aerial and one underwater Prinz Eugen with minor damage was towed to Enubuj Island which was a part of Kwajalein Atoll. There the cruiser was the target of another underwater nuclear explosion. The ship stayed afloat again but the damage caused, coupled with the lack of a concerted effort for survivability, resulted in it eventually capsizing and sinking.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Store Pack Images" heights="150">
File:Prinz Eugen Store Pack Image 01.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen Store Pack Image 02.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen Store Pack Image 03.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen Store Pack Image 04.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen Store Pack Image 05.jpg|
</gallery>
<gallery mode="packed" caption="Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:Prinz Eugen WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen WTWallpaper 07.jpg|
File:Prinz Eugen WTWallpaper 08.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==


;[[Admiral Hipper (Family)|Related development]]

* [[Admiral Hipper]]

;Vessels of a similar role, configuration or era

* [[IJN Mogami]]
* [[USS Northampton (CA-26)|USS Northampton]]
* [[Kirov]]
* [[HMS London (69)]]
* [[Zara]]
;Other
* [[RN Eugenio di Savoia]] - Italian cruiser that shared the namesake with Prinz Eugen (Prince Eugene of Savoy)
== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6498-development-prinz-eugen-steaming-into-the-atomic-age-en|[Devblog] Prinz Eugen: Steaming Into the Atomic Age]]

=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* WW2 Cruisers. (n.d.). Hipper Class. Retrieved November 13, 2020. [https://www.world-war.co.uk/germany/hipper.php Website]
* Rico, J. M. (1998). The Heavy Cruiser Prinz Eugen. Retrieved November 13, 2020. [https://www.kbismarck.com/prinzeugen.html Website]

{{ShipManufacturer Germaniawerft}}
{{Germany heavy cruisers}}
{{Germany premium ships}}

Tank ammunition

2024-10-08T23:27:10Z

U44982996: /* High-Explosive Rounds */ reworking on description to explain the overpressure damage

Throughout the past century of tank development, a large range of ammunition types have been produced and seen combat. As time progressed, technology improved and rounds also improved in terms of lethality, accuracy and ballistic performance. Despite this, most rounds can be categorised under one of two primary categories: '''kinetic''' rounds and '''chemical''' rounds; and further under a variety of subcategories.

== Kinetic energy shells ==
'''Kinetic rounds''' penetrate and deal damage based on a number of factors; shell type, projectile mass, round velocity and material hardness. Mass, shell type and hardness are constants, but velocity reduces with distance travelled and as such at longer ranges kinetic rounds will lose penetration ability and in some cases post-penetration efficacy. Most kinetic rounds can hit targets through lighter obstacles - trees, walls and some buildings. Under the right circumstances, solid kinetic rounds can penetrate multiple vehicles along their trajectory.

=== Solid Armour-Piercing Rounds ===
Solid AP rounds are a kinetic munition that utilise a hardened metal (often steel) shell with full-calibre diameter. The result is a simple, yet effective anti-tank round that will punch through armour with high equivalent thickness values, while retaining reasonable post-penetration effects which, when well-placed, can deal significant internal damage to components and crew directly within the shrapnelling path. The amount of spalling generated by a successful AP penetration depends on the shell mass and thickness of the penetrated armour and modules. Generally, solid AP does not stop until it has exhausted all of its force and is capable of passing through an entire vehicle if this energy is not fully expended.
==== Armour-Piercing (AP) ====
[[File:Icon rnd ap.png|left|frameless]] Armour-Piercing is a basic solid steel shot which is entirely reliant on kinetic energy to penetrate and deal damage. Providing the round possesses enough energy to penetrate any given armour, it will deal internal damage from steel fragments and spalling of the internal surfaces which can damage vehicle components, stored ammunition and crew members.

''AP is a standard early World War II ammunition for many nations. In War Thunder, AP rounds should be used as a general use anti-armour round, with careful round placement to maximise post-penetration damage. Some nations, such as the British, have modified versions of AP, usually denoted by a "HV" in the name, which is launched at a higher velocity than standard AP rounds, resulting in higher penetration potential.''

==== Armour-Piercing, Capped (APC) ====
[[File:Icon rnd apc.png|left|frameless]] APC rounds have a nose cone (or cap) of softer metal which is fixed to the front of the solid shot. When this strikes the target armour the shock of the impact is transferred away from the tip of the round to the neck, helping prevent shattering. Additionally, the cap will collapse on contact with armour and the deformation will cause the round to angle towards the armour, more efficiently directing energy into the armour and improving the angled performance of the round. A downside of the cap is a decrease in long-range accuracy due to the cap interfering with the shell's aerodynamics.
[[File:APC Normalization.gif|thumb|Display of shell normalization as an effect of a capped (APC) shell (clickable gif)]]

''APC is commonly found as a mid-tier shell for both the British and French on their mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. In War Thunder, APC is best used as a short-to-mid range round for combatting angled armour that regular AP rounds may not easily penetrate.''

==== Armour-Piercing, Ballistic Capped (APBC) ====
[[File:Icon rnd apbc.png|left|frameless]] APBC rounds utilise a ballistic cap, designed to improve aerodynamic performance and hence round performance at longer ranges. The cap usually utilises a soft or brittle metal which collapses on impact and does not aid penetration or angled performance.

''APBC is found on some early Soviet vehicles, but is relatively uncommon otherwise compared to APCBC. In War Thunder, APBC is best used as a longer-range alternative to APC or APHE rounds which often exhibit less favourable ranged performance.''

==== Armour-Piercing, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APCBC) ====
[[File:Icon rnd apcbc.png|left|frameless]] APCBC rounds combine the standard cap and the ballistic cap, improving the round's aerodynamic and penetration performance. As such, APCBC rounds tend to exhibit the best all-round characteristics of any conventional kinetic rounds.

''APCBC is a common shell for British, French and American mid-to-late WW2 vehicles. US rounds usually have explosive filler, acting like an APHEBC shell, while British and French rounds don't. The APCBC should be the preferred option given a selection of full-calibre solid shot rounds, when available, and should be situationally switched for APHE rounds when they're available.''

=== HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds ===
HE-Filled Armour-Piercing Rounds take the concept of armour-piercing rounds and add a deadly twist - a quantity of HE filler on a timed fuse, designed to explode after a successful penetration. While the concept sacrifices some structural integrity and thus penetrating power, the destructive ability of an APHE round is nearly unrivalled. The fuse only activates if the shell collides with a surface of reasonable thickness, mostly dictated by shell calibre - though there are exceptions with a slower or faster fuse. After the fuse activates, the contained explosive will be ignited after passing a specified distance, resulting in significantly increased internal damage to a target. Vehicles with rolled homogeneous armour side skirts of reasonable thickness can detonate fast fuse APHE early, sometime avoiding internal damage entirely. Tanks with large or numerous modules directly behind weak spots (for example, front-mounted transmissions) can block the entire round from further penetration, or simply block the post-penetration effect from passing. Keep this in mind, and try to aim for locations that will allow detonation as centrally within the target as possible.

==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive (APHE) ====
[[File:Icon rnd aphe.png|left|frameless]] APHE rounds utilise a similar form to AP rounds, but incorporate a small chamber of high-explosive filler within the round. This often slightly reduces the round's mass and construction strength and as such APHE rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetration performance than their solid shot counterparts. However, upon successful penetration, APHE rounds often cause significantly more damage within a vehicle. APHE rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.

''APHE is primarily found on Soviet, German and Japanese vehicles earlier in the tech tree, and on a selection of earlier American vehicles. It should be prioritised for use when penetration is highly likely, or switched for AP or APCR if improved penetration is required.''

==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Ballistic Capped (APHEBC) ====
[[File:Icon rnd aphebc.png|left|frameless]] APHEBC rounds, similarly to APHE, utilise APBC concepts with the addition of high-explosive filler. Again, the rounds tend to exhibit slightly worse penetrative performance than their solid shot brethren, but significantly more post-penetration damage. APHEBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.

''APHEBC is primarily found on Soviet and Italian vehicles earlier in the tech tree as a mid-tier round, and on some American and German vehicles. It's ideally used against targets where angled performance is required and HE filler is preferable.''

==== Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (APHECBC) ====
[[File:Icon rnd aphecbc.png|left|frameless]] APHECBC rounds utilise standard APCBC designs with added explosive filler. APHECBC is often referred to as APCBC in-game, and can be identified instead by the graphic or the explosive filler content on the round's stat card. As with other APHE rounds, APHECBC significantly improves the post-penetration lethality over that of a standard APCBC round. APHECBC rounds have a fuse which will only activate on sufficiently thick armour.

''APHECBC is found throughout the Soviet tech tree as a high-tier round, and on some Japanese, American and German vehicles. APHECBC should be used preferentially and interchangeably with a high-penetration round where available.''

==== Semi Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Capped, Ballistic Capped (SAPHECBC) ====
[[File:Icon SAP Shot.jpg|left|frameless]] Semi Armour-Piercing rounds are Armour-Piercing rounds made of a lower quality steel, which reduces their penetration power. This downside is usually compensated by the shell's increased high-explosive payload. SAPHECBC shells are known for their anti-material effect and are commonly found on large calibre naval guns.

''The SAPHECBC round is found on the KV-2 heavy tank, the SU-100Y, the CHi-Ha LG and the Ro-Go Exp.. It can be used like an APHE round.''

==== Semi Armour-Piercing, High-Explosive, Incendiary (SAPHEI) ====
[[File:Icon SAP Shot.jpg|left|frameless]] Semi Armour-Piercing rounds are Armour-Piercing rounds made of a lower quality steel, which reduces their penetration power. This downside is usually compensated by the shell's increased high-explosive payload. SAPHEI shells are known for their anti-material effect and are commonly found on small gun calibres for ground vehicles like light tanks or SPAA vehicles.

''The SAPHEI round is found on Americans light tanks and on high-tier NATO SPAAs. It can be used like an APHE round.''

==== Anti-Concrete (AC) ====
[[File:Icon_rnd_ac.png|left|54px|frameless]] AC rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement ammunition. Their intended role was to penetrate reinforced concrete and detonate inside the fortified positions (bunkers, pillboxes). It works like an APHE round but has an atypically high explosive filler capable of causing overpressure and severe spalling.

''The Anti-Concrete round is found on the Lancia 3Ro (100/17) tank destroyer. It can be used like an APHE round.''

=== Sub-Calibre Armour-Piercing Rounds ===
Sub-Calibre AP rounds are, essentially, what they say on the label - the penetrator itself is of a smaller calibre than the gun barrel, using a sabot to make up the calibre difference. How the sabot is handled is dependent on the type of round - it may be either discarding or non-discarding. Sub-calibre rounds sacrifice post-penetration effectiveness for high round velocities and high penetration values.

==== Armour-Piercing, Composite, Rigid (APCR) ====
[[File:Icon rnd apcr.png|left|frameless]] APCR rounds often use tungsten carbide or other extremely hard metals as a sub-calibre penetrator, wrapped within a softer full-calibre sabot - the APCR concept is essentially a predecessor to the APDS design. Upon impact, the soft shell will deform, allowing the hard metal penetrator contained within to penetrate the target's armour with force spread over a smaller surface area, resulting in significantly better penetration ability. APCR rounds often suffer due to their more concentrated post-penetration damage, as well as faster penetration drop-off over range than a standard AP round of the same calibre. Due to their design, APCR perform extremely poorly when fired upon angled armour, and will ricochet on much smaller angles than AP or APDS.

''APCR is found throughout most tech trees, most commonly available to vehicles from mid-WW2 through to early cold war vehicles. APCR rounds are best used against minimally angled armour, where other rounds will be unable to penetrate.''

==== Armour-Piercing, Discarding Sabot (APDS) ====
[[File:Icon rnd apds.png|left|frameless]] APDS rounds utilise a hard core as a sub-calibre penetrator, with a full calibre sabot. Unlike APCR rounds, APDS rounds discard their sabot after exiting the cannon barrel. The result is an extremely high-velocity round with particularly high penetration values and good ranged accuracy. Unlike APCR, APDS does not suffer when used against angled armour. APDS produces a minimal amount of post-penetration damage - this can be attributed to the shell degradation the thicker the armour it has to penetrate. The thicker the armour, the more it deteriorates and the less spalling it will cause. Once the round deteriorates far enough, it will shatter. This is especially apparent for small-calibre APDS, or when used against some extremely heavy vehicles. Due to this, careful aim is required when utilising APDS rounds to maximise their post-penetration effect.

''APDS is first made available on post-WW2 British vehicles as well as Swedish WW2 vehicles such as the [[Lago I]], and is available to most vehicles in possession of a [[Royal Ordnance L7A1 (105 mm)|105 mm L7]]-derived cannon. In War Thunder, APDS is best used as a long-range round, with multiple shots often being a necessity due to the lack of post-penetration damage. APDS can be quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles and the frontal armour of super heavy tanks.''

==== Armour-Piercing, Fin-Stabilised, Discarding Sabot (APFSDS) ====
[[File:Icon rnd apfsds.png|left|frameless]] APFSDS is the pinnacle of the kinetic anti-armour rounds. As with APDS, APFSDS utilises an extremely hard penetrator and a discarding sabot, however the penetrator is usually significantly longer than that of APDS and incorporates fins for improved long-range ballistics. The additional penetrator length improves the post-penetration damage effects. APFSDS rounds are the most powerful kinetic rounds available in-game.

''APFSDS is first made available to some late Rank V vehicles, and is mainly the primary round for most Rank VI or VII vehicles. Due to the extremely high velocity most APFSDS rounds are fired at, they are easy to aim and maintain their effective performance at even extreme ranges. APFSDS is quite ineffective against lightly-armoured vehicles and should be aimed at critical components to maximise their damage potential.''

== Chemical energy shells ==
'''Chemical energy shells''' deal damage based on a chemical reaction, and unlike kinetic shells, their ability to penetrate and deal damage are unaffected by the shell's velocity. This means that target distance often doesn't affect the round's effectiveness. However, this also means that enemy tanks spaced and composite armour can be much more effective at preventing the damage, depending on the shell type used. Many chemical shells utilise extremely sensitive fuses and will detonate upon touching anything, while almost none of them can be fired through solid obstacles. Many chemical rounds have a very low muzzle velocity, reducing their effective range but allowing the user to launch them over terrain.

=== High-Explosive Rounds ===
High-Explosive rounds are a simple shell packed full of a high-explosive material, primarily designed for anti-infantry and anti-emplacement applications. However, this translates surprisingly well when applied to light vehicles - significantly more so than armour-piercing rounds or in some cases even APHE rounds.

By default, any HE rounds is capable of inflicting an an [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Overpressure overpressure] damage when it explodes onto a specific part of the vehicle's hull that is thin enough to transfer a shock wave from the explosion into the vehicle's internals, causing damage to any modules or crews within the vicinity of the explosion and bypassing the other part of the armour as a result. Large-calibre HE rounds in particular is capable of destroying the enemy vehicle in one shot on the right spot of the vehicle due to either all of the crews were killed or the ammunition storage were detonated by the resulting shockwave.

In statcard, the "penetration" values of each HE shell denotes the maximum armor thickness that the shell would be capable of causing overpressure damage.

While all HE shells is capable of dealing overpressure damage in theory. Unfortunately, in practice, most HE-based rounds are relatively useless against well-armoured vehicles due to them simply doesn't have enough explosive content to bypass the armour thickness of vehicles within its rank, and force their user to target flaws in an enemy tank design, such as deflecting the explosion onto the hull or turret roof.

However, certain vehicles equipped with large-calibre HE shells (such as various self-propelled howitzers) is capable of instantly destroying even the well-armoured vehicle in one hit should they were able to land their shot on certain places, as their shell generally has enough filler to bypass thicker armour plates (such as on the hull or turret roof). This allowed some low-rank vehicles with huge HE rounds, such as the [[KV-2 (1939)|KV-2]] or the [[15cm sIG 33 B Sfl]] to be capable of threatening even tanks from a much higher ranks.

==== High-Explosive (HE) ====
[[File:Icon rnd he.png|left|frameless]] High-Explosive rounds are primarily intended for use as an anti-infantry/anti-emplacement round, as their destruction power comes from the explosive filler in the shell. As such, HE rounds tend to have minimal armour-piercing capability and are better used against particularly lightly-armoured and open-topped vehicles. On occasion, it can prove effective against the side or roof of some lightly-armoured vehicles. High-calibre HE rounds may cause enough area damage to destroy a tank regardless of the round placement.

''HE rounds are available to almost every vehicle in-game. Their effectiveness is dependent on the size of the shell and explosive filler, with bigger shells being able to defeat the most armoured of targets, but small calibre HE shells only really working on unarmoured / open top ground vehicles or aircraft.''

==== High-Explosive Time Fuse (HE-TF) ====
[[File:Icon rnd hevt.png|left|frameless]] HE-TF rounds use the simple concept of a timed fuse, resulting in an explosion at a pre-set range. While HE-TF rounds are no more effective than HE rounds against most heavy armour, they can be particularly effective against light vehicles with a known range or against aircraft (one of their original design uses).

''HE-TF rounds are available to a number of vehicles originally designed for anti-air purposes, such as the [[YaG-10 (29-K)]] and the [[8,8 cm Flak 37 Sfl.]]. They're best used against aircraft by rangefinding the aircraft in question, setting the fuse range to a reasonable assumption based on the result and leading sensibly. They can be extremely effective against aircraft if used correctly, but are mostly ineffective against armoured vehicles.''

==== High-Explosive Variable Time Fuse [Self-Destroying] (HE-VT*) ====
[[File:Icon rnd he prx.png|left|frameless]] HE-VT rounds are an advanced round fitted with a specialised proximity fuse, designed to detonate the round upon reaching close proximity with a target. These are usually designed for anti-air applications, and are generally ineffective against most ground targets.

''HE-VT rounds are available to some later anti-air vehicles, such as the [[OTOMATIC]], or some light tanks, like the [[Begleitpanzer 57]], and are capable of destroying aircraft or helicopters if the round passes within close proximity of the target. They are extremely effective against mid-ranged aircraft but cannot be relied upon for use against armour.''

==== High-Explosive Grenade ====
[[File:Icon grn he.png|left|frameless]] HE Grenades are specialised HE rounds designed to be fired from cannons which may not be otherwise capable of firing high-calibre rounds. They usually operate in a different manner to conventional cannon rounds, utilising a propellant rather than a charge, resulting in a relatively low round velocity and sub-par ballistics. However, this design has proven useful, as the low velocity can be used to sling rounds over small terrain deformations, onto weak roof armour, or into trenches or bunkers.

''HE Grenades are available to vehicles with recoilless cannon designs or other non-standard cannon designs. They are generally as effective as an equivalent HE round, however have significantly lower muzzle velocity and as such are extremely inaccurate at long ranges. HE Grenades are found on various vehicles, such as the [[BMP-1]].''

==== Anti-Personnel Fragmentation Grenade (VOG) ====
[[File:Icon rnd VOG-30.png|left|frameless|54x54px]] Anti-Personnel Fragmentation Grenades are grenades intended for use against infantry; they use a lightweight explosive charge alongside a thin casing to produce a large lethal radius via shrapnel.

''The [[BMP-2M]] is equipped with an automatic grenade launcher. VOGs are useful as a substitute to pintle-mounted machine guns, able to destroy terrain elements like bushes, trees, and buildings. They are almost completely ineffective against tanks, lacking the required explosive filler and muzzle velocity.''

==== Rocket (R) ====
{{main|:Category:Rocket launchers|l1=List of vehicles able to equip rockets}}
[[File:Icon spr rocket.png|left|frameless]] Rockets are unguided high-explosive self-propelled rounds which are often significantly higher calibre than standard tank cannons. They can be mounted as ancillary weaponry on some vehicles, or in some cases mounted on specialised rocket-carrier vehicles.

''Rockets can be unreliable and inaccurate, but due to their often large calibre, large amount of HE filler, and ability to continuously launch them until the rack is empty, they can prove effective against some armoured vehicles. Rockets can be found either mounted ancillary to a conventional cannon, as on the [[RBT-5]] and [[Calliope]], or on dedicated rocket carriers such as the [[BM-13N]], [[U-SH 405]], and [[Type 75 MLRS]].''

=== Anti-Emplacement Rounds ===
Anti-Emplacement rounds are designed specifically for combatting emplacements, however have proven to have some anti-tank value. They rely on different mechanics compared to normal rounds*, and can prove particularly ineffective against heavy armour.

==== Shrapnel ====
[[File:Shrapnel Round Icon.png|left|frameless]] Shrapnel rounds are a chemical round utilising a thin shell and a chamber of metal fillings or ball bearings with a small explosive charge. Upon successful penetration, shrapnel rounds cause a significant amount of damage. However, due to the thin outer shell, shrapnel rounds only perform well against particularly light armour and are completely ineffective when used against even moderately armoured targets.

''Shrapnel rounds are available exclusively to early Soviet vehicles. Shrapnel is exclusively useful against lightly armoured targets, and shouldn't be used against front-facing armour of any other tank.''

==== High-Explosive Squash Head (HESH) ====
[[File:Icon rnd hesh.png|left|frameless]] HESH rounds are designed as an anti-emplacement round. The squash head, usually comprised of some form of plastic explosive, is designed to squash onto a surface and detonate, causing the opposite side of the surface to rupture. If the given surface happens to be metal, this will often result in metal shards flying off the surface at high velocity. While in the past, HESH rounds have had improved performance on angled targets, their performance is now completely uniform at all ranges and angles. Recently due to the advent of "[[Damage mechanics#Overpressure|Overpressure]]", HESH has benefited an increase in performance and increased lethality, even when failing to hit the target directly. HESH also has relatively low fuse sensitivity, therefore it can be launched through some foliage and weak obstacles without detonating, unlike HE or HEAT.

''HESH rounds are available to most British vehicles from Rank V, and other vehicles in possession of an L7-derived gun. HESH should be primarily used against lighter armour or side armour, while specifically avoiding side skirts and any other forms of spaced armour, although occasionally the HE splash effect can cause unexpected results. HESH is completely ineffective against heavy armour or composite armour designs.''

=== High-Explosive Anti-Tank Rounds ===
High-Explosive Anti-Tank (HEAT) rounds make use of shaped charges to penetrate armour, forcing superplastic metal through into the crew compartment, damaging crew and modules. HEAT rounds prove particularly effective at long ranges, as their method of action does not lose effectiveness with range. Unfortunately though, the fuse on a HEAT round must be extremely sensitive, causing the rounds to detonate even on bushes and wooden fences that other chemical rounds of high calibre have a chance to pass through. All HEAT-derived rounds have concentrated post-penetration damage, similar to APDS, which travels in a tight cone from the impact point. This often works in favor of the shell when a direct hit is achieved, in some cases allowing it to burn through modules such as frontally-mounted transmissions, dealing further damage to the vehicle's internals. This same effect can prove troublesome when a round collides on a sub-par angle or after penetration there's simply nothing within its cone of effect.

==== High-Explosive, Anti-tank (HEAT) ====
[[File:Icon rnd heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT rounds are designed specifically as an anti-tank round. They operate with a shaped charge that uses an explosive to force superplastic metal through a vehicle's armour, causing internal damage to crew and modules.

''HEAT rounds are available to a variety of WW2 German and Japanese vehicles, as well as higher-performance HEAT becoming available to some late French and American vehicles, as HEATFS rounds cannot be fired from rifled cannons. HEAT is limited in effectiveness and its usage should be carefully considered as many vehicles have armour it cannot penetrate. Due to its low velocity, HEAT often requires a high angle of attack and will arrive at a target on an angle - as such the often impressive 0° penetration statistics will often prove irrelevant, with angled penetration values being more accurate.''

==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Fin-Stabilized (HEATFS) ====
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]] HEATFS rounds are an improvement over the HEAT concept, using improved penetrative chemicals and utilising fins for improved ballistic performance. HEATFS rounds maintain their penetration values at all ranges, and are well-suited to long-range engagements. HEATFS rounds are particularly sensitive, and may detonate on light obstacles such as shrubs or fences.

''HEATFS rounds become available to many nations from Rank V, although notably the British do not receive HEATFS at any stage due to its incompatibility with rifled cannons. At late Rank VI and Rank VII, HEATFS may prove ineffective in many cases due to the prevalence of ERA and composite armour. Despite this, it can still be used for ranged engagements against light tanks and medium tanks with insufficient ERA or composite protection, as particularly late HEATFS rounds have extremely high penetration power. High-calibre HEATFS rounds will cripple light tanks, while APFSDS is not as effective at it.''

==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank, Multi-Purpose (HEAT MP) ====
[[File:Icon rnd heatfs.png|left|frameless]]HEAT MP rounds are specialised HEATFS rounds which utilise a proximity fuse to detonate when in close proximity to a target. They can be used to destroy low-flying aircraft or helicopters, while maintaining their effectiveness against ground vehicles utilising normal HEATFS technology.

''HEAT MP rounds are extremely specialised. They are available to only the [[M1A1 HC]], [[M1A1 AIM]], [[M1A2 Abrams]], [[M1A2 SEP]] and the [[M1A2 SEP V2]] and have an identical icon to the standard HEATFS. They combine the anti-armour power of a standard HEATFS round with the anti-aircraft effectiveness of a HE-VT round. Their proximity fuse will detonate only above a specified altitude, so they can be used normally against other armoured vehicles.''

==== High-Explosive, Anti-Tank Grenade ====
[[File:Icon grn heat.png|left|frameless]] HEAT Grenades are specialised HEAT rounds, designed for use where normal tank rounds may not be possible to utilise. They often use a propellant rather than a standard charge, and as such suffer from low velocity and sub-par round ballistics. Despite this, they can prove effective against tanks due to their HEAT technology.

''HEAT Grenades are available to vehicles with recoilless cannons or other non-standard cannon designs. Their effectiveness is similar to that of an equivalent HEAT round, however due to their low muzzle velocity they can be inaccurate at long ranges. HEAT Grenades are found on various light vehicles, such as the [[M50]], [[T114]], [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]], [[FIAT 6614]], [[R3 T106 FA]], and [[BMP-1 (Family)]].''

=== Guided Missiles ===
Guided missiles utilise a guidance system (of various types, such as MCLOS, SACLOS, Radar, Heat-Seeking) to accomplish their intended role. They sacrifice round velocity for long-range precision. Different missile types are effective in different applications - some have anti-tank properties, while others are effective against air targets.

==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile (ATGM) ====
{{main|Anti-tank guided missiles}}
[[File:Icon spr atgm.png|left|frameless]] ATGMs largely utilise the same concept as HEAT, however they integrate some form of propulsion and are usually guideable, either manually (MCLOS) such as the [[9M14]], wire-guided semi-automatically such as the [[BGM-71 TOW]], beam-riding semi-automatically such as the [[9M133]], laser-guided semi-automatically such as the [[QN201DD]], or fire-and-forget such as the [[QN502CDD]]. ATGMs usually pack a large amount of explosive and often have particularly powerful shaped charges. However, they require specialised equipment to fire and tend to be heavy, often resulting in long reload times, especially for hybrid vehicles.

''ATGMs become available through Rank V, and are primarily carried by specialised ATGM carriers, although some tanks have ATGM-capable main cannons like the''[[2A46M-5 (125 mm)|2A46M-5]] on the [[T-72B3]] ''and some exceptional designs such as the [[Strv 81 (Rb.52)]] or the [[AMX-13 (HOT)]] that mount ATGMs on ancillary pylons. MCLOS ATGMs are manually controlled by tank movement keys in Ground Realistic Battles while they are semi-automatically guided by default in Ground Arcade Battles. MCLOS missiles cannot be fired on the move and is unaffected by IRCM in GRB. It will still be affected by IRCMs in Arcade battles. SACLOS ATGMs are controlled by the main gun sight and is much easier to aim compared to MCLOS missiles. Laser-guided and Beam riding missiles can be fired on the move and are unaffected by IRCM. Wired guided missiles cannot be fired on the move and Early WGMs will be affected by IRCM. Later wire-guided missiles such as the'' [[BGM-71D TOW-2]] are equipped with ECCMs and are unaffected by IRCM systems. Fire and forget missiles are currently only present on the [[QN506]] and allows for firing on the move and additionally guided by itself so the need to guide the missile to the target is gone.

Some ATGMs may feature tandem warhead. These tandem warheads allows the missile to defeat Explosive Reactive Armor (ERA) by having a smaller charge detonate first to trigger the ERA so that the main warhead will not be affected by ERA. This concept does not work with composite screens and NERA.

==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Overfly Top Attack (ATGM-OTA) ====
[[File:Icon spr atgm.png|left|frameless]] This missile's icon is the same as the normal ATGM, but its mechanism is completely different. It uses a proximity fuse to detonate '''above''' enemy tanks, sending the HEAT warhead right into the target's roof. Though this missile's penetration is rather low in the stats card, players should not be discouraged as tank's roof is one of the most lightly armoured area on all tanks. This missile type could also defeat tanks by overpressure effect alone, with a giant high-explosive warhead detonating through the top of tanks.

''At the time of the writing, the TOW-2B (and foreign variants with different names) and the Swedish [[Rbs 56]] are the only top-down attack missiles in the game. The TOW-2B is carried by specialized ATGM carriers, like the [[Wiesel 1A2]] or the [[CM25]], exception being made only to the [[M3A3 Bradley]] and [[Dardo]] IFVs, which carry it too as a secondary weapon. Players should try to aim the missile about 1 meter above the target, as higher may result in little to no damage, but aiming too low could also have the missile detonating too early which, again, would cause little to no damage.''

==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Proximity Fuse [Self-Destroying] (ATGM-VT*) ====
[[File:Icon spr atgm prx.png|left|frameless]] Proximity ATGMs utilise proximity fuses to detonate when in close proximity to aircraft. This, combined with their guidance systems (SACLOS) allows them to be used effectively against low-flying aircraft or helicopters.

''Proximity Fuse ATGMs can prove extremely effective against low-flying aircraft or helicopters, and utilise a similar proximity fuse concept to SAM missiles - although often ATGMs pack significantly more HE filler than SAMs do. ATGM-VT missiles are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''

==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, Tandem Charge (ATGM Tandem) ====
[[File:Icon spr atgm tandem.png|left|frameless]] Tandem ATGMs utilise a twin-stage warhead to overcome ERA - the first stage causes the ERA to detonate, while the second stage penetrates the armour below as normal. This concept does not work against NERA or composite armour.

''Tandem ATGMs are effective against ERA-protected vehicles, and often have very high penetration values. Tandem charge ATGMs are available to high-rank Soviet or Russian ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]] and [[BMP-3]].''

==== Anti-Tank Guided Missile, HE (ATGM-HE) ====
[[File:Icon spr atgm he.png|left|frameless]] HE ATGMs are a simplification of a standard ATGM; rather than a shaped HEAT charge, HE missiles simply utilise a large quantity of explosive to damage or destroy emplacements or light vehicles or other ATGM tanks.

''HE ATGMs are only effective against light vehicles and missile carriers in most cases, despite packing large quantities of HE filler. They are available to specialised ATGM carriers such as the [[Shturm-S]].''

==== Surface to Air Missile (SAM) ====
[[File:Icon spr sam.png|left|frameless]] SAMs are high-velocity anti-air missiles, designed specifically to combat aircraft using a variety of technologies; often including proximity fuses and radar or heat-seeking guidance.

''SAMs are very effective at long distances against aircraft, particularly helicopters. They are often extremely high velocity and pack a large amount of HE filler for a powerful airburst effect. SAMs are available to specialised anti-air vehicles such as the [[ZPRK 2S6|2S6 Tunguska]] or the [[XM1069]], which, notably, has multi-purpose missiles that are also effective against armoured vehicles.''

''There are many types of SAMs, namely infrared homing (IR) missiles on vehicles such as the one found on the [[Imp.Chaparral]], infrared homing and contrast-seeking on vehicles such as the one found on the [[Strela-10M2]] and SACLOS (or beam-riding SACLOS) missiles such as the one found on the [[XM1069]]. Additionally, IR guided missiles may feature IRCCM (Infrared Counter Countermeasure) which helps with defeating flares by filtering out flares from the target aircraft. IR missiles and contrast-seeking cannot be directly used on other ground vehicles as they require a target to be locked in order to fire. Most SACLOS SAMs pack less HE filler than an HE-ATGM and are only reliably effective against lightly armoured ground vehicles although with exceptions like the [[XM1069]] and [[ADATS (M113)]] which are designed to engage both air and ground targets.''

=== Utility Rounds ===
Utility rounds are ineffective for use against other vehicles, but provide value in some sort of utility.

==== Smoke ====
{{main|Smoke screen|l1=Smoke}}
[[File:Icon rnd smoke.png|left|frameless]] Smoke shells are not designed as a damaging shell, and largely consist of chemicals designed to create a smoke screen. The produced smoke has a limited lifetime.

''Smoke shells are available to various vehicles throughout most tech trees, however their effectiveness is somewhat limited compared to dedicated smoke launchers. The main advantage of smoke shells is that unlike ESS or hull-mounted smoke canisters, they can be launched anywhere the equipped vehicle can aim, allowing for strategic placement for pushes or flanking manoeuvres, or simply firing at an enemy vehicle to force them to move from their position.''

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|RFUi6MHXQuY|'''Ammo Types Explained - RELOADED''' - ''skDoger''|TQEq6hjxGdM|'''The Shooting Range #292''' - ''Tactics & Strategy'' section at 07:52 discusses playing HE wielders.|srKv5v9zoGA|'''The Shooting Range #216''' - ''Special'' section at 08:28 discusses Volumetric rounds.|CZqzMhbnvO4|'''Tank Shells Guide''' - War Thunder Official Channel|Qyr_aw3YTe8|'''The Shooting Range #2''' - ''Science of War'' section at 05:11 discusses HESH rounds.|6O3MBjdSsIk|'''Tank Shells Guide - War Thunder ammo types explained''' - ''HowToPlay1337''|_xCgMBOiA8U|'''High-explosive power''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|lK9Ck3P6AvM|'''Top 7 best rounds''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|fCc_B-wm0wA|'''Post-War Heat Shells''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


* [[Ammo racks]] - How all tank ammunition is stored within the tank

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/576042-update-of-the-apds-penetration-values/ <nowiki>{Devblog]</nowiki> Update of the APDS penetration values]
* [[wt:en/news/7084-development-new-features-upcoming-with-the-ixwa-strike-update-en|[Devblog] New features upcoming with the "Ixwa Strike" update - Shell impact animations]]
* [[wt:en/news/6856-development-volumetric-shells-in-the-raining-fire-update-en|[Devblog] Volumetric shells in the "Raining Fire" update]]

[[Category:Ammunition]]

AMX-13 DCA 40

2024-10-08T21:00:29Z

U44982996: clean up the pros/cons

{{About
| about = French SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = AMX-13 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_13_dca_40
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''AMX-13 Défense Contre Avions (DCA) canon de 40 mm''' is the fourth variant of the [[AMX-13 (Family)|AMX-13 light tank family]]. Due to a scarcity of self-propelled anti-air (SPAA) vehicles in France following World War II, attempts were undertaken in the 1950s to repurpose existing tank chassis for anti-air tasks. The main weapon of the prototype is a 40 mm Mle51 T1 cannon based on the 40 mm Bofors L/70 cannon. The resulting vehicle is called the AMX-13 Défense Contre Avions (DCA) canon de 40 mm, and it is comprised of an [[AMX-13|AMX-13/75 FL10]] chassis with a rear-mounted armoured SAMM S-980 turret that allows firing at 90° elevation. With its sloped sides and full 360° traverse, the turret provided adequate overall protection.

Introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]], the AMX-13 DCA canon de 40 mm is extremely versatile, as it can effectively execute both anti-air and anti-tank duties. It possesses an autocannon with a decent firing rate and accuracy that can easily knock down enemy aircraft. This, combined with the deadly firepower it has access to, makes it an extremely dangerous vehicle. Furthermore, its mobility can be used to flank across the battlefields and engage poorly armoured vehicles in the enemy team early in the battle. Its interchangeable ammunition belts enable this vehicle to quickly convert between different types of ammunition. This vehicle is a tremendous beast in the right hands, easily capable of destroying many tanks in battle.

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


This tank has 20 mm of armour, all around, barely angled but for the UFP, this won't protect it from antitank rounds nor from autocannon fire but it can certainly deflect poorly-aimed HMG bursts, but not for too long. If taking too long bursts (or if the enemy gets too close), some bullets may find their way through the two ''large holes'' in the turret front, near the gun area (there is also two smaller holes in the turret's back). In sum, this tank's armour is not to be trusted, but it will save you from stray bullets and medium to long range MG/HMG fire.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm (66°) ''Upper Glacis'' 40 mm (cylindrical) ''Transmission housing'' 20 mm (51°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 20 mm ''Sides'' 20 mm (13-15°) ''Turret base'' || 15 mm ''upper plate'' 15 mm (58°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm (24°) ''Front glacis'' 10 mm ''Centre and rear'' 5mm ''Vents''
|-
| Turret || 20 mm (24-54°) ''Gun shield'' || 20 mm (14-15°) || 20 mm (conical) ''Top'' 20 mm (cylindrical) ''Bottom'' || N/A
|-
|}
'''Notes:''' 
''Turret:''

* Turret frontal armour is split in two for gun clearance.
* Round hole below gun hole in front of the turret.
* Two small holes in the turret's back armour
* Turret ring is 30 mm thick.
* Gun breech is 150 mm thick.
* Turret basket is 5 mm thick.

''Hull:''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Storage boxes are 4 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 302|rbMinHp= 239}}

French ground forces players should be used to the AMX-13 chassis as it is the basis for most French light tanks. With its turret being a little bit heavier and its engine 31 hp less powerful, this tank is slower than the usual [[AMX-13]]. It can still carry its user wherever it wants, as long as the situation does not require fast escape manoeuvres: with only -6 km/h backwards, it is difficult to quickly get out of an unwanted situation.

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

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

{{main|Mle51 T1 (40 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Mle51 T1 (40 mm)|40 mm Mle51 T1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Autoloader
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 404 (4) || rowspan="2" | 240 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 79.2 || 109.7 || 133.2 || 147.3 || 156.7 || rowspan="2" | 0.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 53.5 || 63.0 || 76.5 || 84.6 || 90.0
|-
|}

The gun is this vehicle's main appeal. Being twice as fast-firing as its predecessor makes it easier to get planes down, but you will still have to aim. As for engaging tanks, with up to 94 mm max penetration, you will start to struggle firing at most enemies since their frontal armour is strong enough to block incoming 40 mm rounds, though with some precision, medium tanks and even heavy tanks can fall victim to your gun. Lightly armoured tanks and SPAAs are easy targets with your 4-rounds bursts.

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - The standard belt can fulfill both roles (anti-air and lightly armoured vehicles) but with a lower rate of fire.
* '''40 mm HE-T:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}} - This belt is adapted for targeting aircraft with its high-explosive shells.
* '''40 mm AP-T:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - This belt is adapted for targeting lightly armoured vehicles with its armour-piercing rounds.

{{:Mle51 T1 (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T*, AP-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
! 5th rack empty
!6th rack empty
!7th rack empty
!8th rack empty
!9th rack empty
!Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''101''' || 93 ''(+8)'' || 85 ''(+16)'' || 77 ''(+24)'' || 57 ''(+44)'' || 41 ''(+60)''
|21 ''(+80)''
|13 ''(+88)''
|9 ''(+92)''
|1 ''(+100)''
|No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Ammunition is organized in clips of 4 rounds.
* Racks are subdivided in sets of 4 clips.
* Clips disappear when all clips in the set have been shot or loaded.
* The actual layout of the racks is not as perfect as shown in the image, but the table is correct yet but it will eat a little onto the next rack.

== Usage in battles ==

This SPAA is quite versatile as it can take down both tanks and planes with mitigated efficiency. It has an autocannon that does not fire fast enough to engage planes efficiently, nor does it penetrate enough to shred tanks. As it is, this SPAA is good for front-line use: providing cover for incoming ground attackers to its allies while also securing flanks from fast-movers.

Good at engaging both tanks and planes, its versatile belts allow this vehicle to switch roles in a split second. In the right hands, in a downtier, this SPAA is an absolute monster, easily capable of ace matches against tanks.

'''SPAA use:'''

It is easier to aim at targets coming towards you: stay with your team and fire when the plane is ~500 m away: an hitting round will shred it in no time. Any other SPAA tactics apply normally to this vehicle.

'''Front-line use:'''

Do not engage tanks frontally: prefer lateral engagements, to surprise your foes. If it happens that the enemy team is composed of medium/light tanks, there is a great chance that you can knock some of them out, but be sure to have an escape route as any tank noticing you counters those flanking manoeuvres. Heavy tanks at this BR are usually very hard to get trough, even from the side, engage at your own risk.

Even though your gun has SPAA - Level Penetration, It can go through pretty much any tank side that it faces. Even the Tiger II. And it's from this that the DCA 40 gets it's charm tactic:

# Take out the gun
# Take out the track
# Take out the machine gun
# Take out the tank

Knowing this, you can win battles against Panthers, Tigers (I and II), and many tanks you might find in an uptier at medium range, even when taking this tank into a higher tier than it could face.

Taking out the gun is fairly easy, your centre-mounted Bofors just needs to be aimed at the gun, and can take it out with 2 or 3 shots.

Once you've taken out the gun, go for the track or transmission. doing this will render any tank immobile for at least 20 seconds, which is more than enough.

93 mm of penetration can go through almost any tank's side armour and rear armour in the game. Except for most super-heavy tanks, your gun can shred enemy tanks from the side.

It's worth mentioning that in a downtier against axis powers, you can penetrate every vehicle you see from the front except for some German casemates. In an uptier, if you must engage a heavily-armoured tank from the front, several well-placed shots to the cannon barrel will knock it out, and enable you to flank at your leisure and feast on their side armour. A more conservative way to play is to stay a few metres behind the front-line and spot flanking tanks while also watching the skies.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Good top speed and decent agility
* Equipped with an improved Bofors autocannon with faster rate of fire and penetration
* Fast turret traverse speed and good gun handling
* Can easily tear apart light vehicles frontally, and heavier vehicles from the sides
* Can destroy most aircraft with a few connected shots
* Gun is hard to overheat

'''Cons:'''

* Somewhat ineffective at engaging aircraft at longer range due to having only one cannon and lower rate of fire for an SPAA
* The entire turret is literally lined with ammo racks, resulting in very poor survivability
* Weak overall armour, can't afford taking hits
* Bad gun depression
* Struggles to reach its top speed in rough terrain

== History ==

{{main|AMX-13#History|l1=History of the AMX-13}}

===Design===
The need for a SPAAG emerged in the 1950s for the French Army when the only AA vehicles left over from WW2 (M16 half-tracks mainly) became underpowered and thus obsolete. Several projects were launched using Bofors guns. Among them was the AMX-13 DCA canon de 40 mm using the hull of the AMX-13 on which was installed a specially designed SAMM S 980 turret housing the 40 mm Bofors L/70 gun. The turret offered good protection for the crew, 360° traverse and a 90° elevation angle. The Mle51 T1 gun fired 240 rounds per minute at 993 m/s.

===Development===
The development of the SAMM S 980 turret was stopped in 1957 and the Bofors gun production stopped in 1958. The experience gathered from similar single-gun SPAAG projects put the stress on numerous shortcomings when compared to twin-gun designs.

===Combat usage===
The {{PAGENAME}} never saw service or combat action in the French Army.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_13_dca_40 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 7:28 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[AMX-13 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Lvkv 42]]
* [[ZSU-37]]
* [[LVT-4/40]]
* [[Crusader AA Mk I]]
* [[Ostwind]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5269-vehicle-amx-13-dca-40-anti-air-tank-en|[Vehicle] {{PAGENAME}}: Anti-Air Tank]]
* [[wikipedia:AMX-13|[Wikipedia] AMX-13]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/AMX-13-DCA.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> AMX-13 DCA]

{{TankManufacturer AMX}}
{{France anti-aircraft vehicles}}

2C bis

2024-10-02T16:10:42Z

U44982996: shell filler update

{{About
|about = French heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage = the other version
|link = 2C
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_char_2c_bis
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Char 2C bis''' is an experimentally modified [[2C|Char 2C]] that primarily differs in its main armament. Following a decision made in December 1922, a standard Char 2C was modified at La Seyne from 1923 to 1926 and designated Char 2C bis, an experimental super-heavy tank with a 155 mm Schneider 155 C howitzer in a rounded cast steel turret. The main armament had a muzzle velocity of 200 m/s. The three separate machine gun positions were removed and more powerful Sautter-Harlé engines were installed. The tank weighed around 74 tonnes in this configuration. The modification was only temporary, as this experimental super-heavy tank was returned to its original state after 1934.

Introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]], the '''Char 2C bis''' has a playstyle comparable to the Char [[2C]]. However, since it is equipped with a short-barreled 155 mm howitzer, the reload time is substantially longer than most adversaries it will face during combat, players need always make every shot count in this experimental super-heavy tank. Despite being a super-heavy tank, its armour is not thick enough to stop the majority of tank rounds fired at it, and as such the 2C bis relies entirely on its huge crew count of 12 and empty hull space to survive. Staying behind the frontlines and acting as artillery is a feasible strategy, but due to the low velocity of the ammunition, this is extremely challenging for inexperienced players. Though with a careful aim, mastering the howitzer can be very rewarding, especially since it can obliterate even tanks at a much higher rank or BR. Always be aware of your surroundings and stay close to allies to prevent being isolated and overwhelmed by enemies.

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


Being comprised of large, flat, vertical armour plates, the 2C bis does not have a revolutionary armour scheme. Many dedicated anti-tank guns such as the Soviet 45 mm 45-K, the US 37 mm M5/M6 guns, and the British 40 mm 2-pounder can penetrate this tank frontally from medium to short range without any problem. Larger cannons will have no issue dealing with the 2C bis. Autocannons can also be a threat, especially from the thinly armoured sides. The lower hull sides are composed of 22 mm plates, meaning that a skilled M2A2 or T-60 player can penetrate the sides with ease. However, some slight angling can somewhat mitigate this issue. The large tracks of the 2C bis can obscure the front plate and make it harder to penetrate. In addition, there are some fuel tanks and extra 22 mm plates surrounding said fuel tanks, making for a nearly 50 mm effective thickness.

The 2C bis' true survivability lies in its crew count and empty hull space. Since the tank has 12 crew members that are placed separately at the front and rear of the vehicle, meaning that even if the crew up front is entirely knocked out with an APHE shell, there are a number of aft-facing members ready to replace them. This can give the 2C bis a near comical amount of survivability as it can be continuously penetrated, seemingly disabled, and suddenly it can return to battle.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, side, side skirts, roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, 155 mm gun mantlet, cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 49 mm (0°) ''Front plate'' 22 mm (69°) ''Front glacis'' 15 mm (73°) Lower glacis
|22 mm (0°)|| 15 mm (62°) ''Top'' 22 mm (0°) ''Bottom''
| 13 mm (0°)
|-
| Turret || 35 mm ''Turret front'' 35 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 35 mm || 35 mm || 35 mm
|-
| Cupola || 30 mm || 30 mm ||30 mm||30 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:''' 


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

The 2C bis utilizes a diesel-electric hybrid drive system. Two Sautter-Harlé inline 6 diesel engines power electric generators which then engage with electric motors at the rear sprocket. Like the [[Pz.Bef.Wg.VI P]], this means that the 2C bis can neutral steer and theoretically go just as fast in reverse.

The 2C bis accelerates to its top speed quickly, regardless of the terrain it drives on, but this is only 15 km/h. The 2C bis will certainly be the last tank to the fight, but on the other hand the quick reverse acceleration can prove helpful in close quarters.

Its hull traverse speed is quite average, so given the long hull length it takes a bit of time before turning at full speed. Therefore, the 2C bis will respond pretty clumsily when adjusting hull position against close-up foes, so always keep yourself at a reasonable distance from danger zone (at least 100 m).

Lastly, given the tall position of the idler wheel, the 2C bis is excellent at driving over larger obstacles that would have stuck conventional tanks; its long hull also allows it to cross over larger trenches or gaps on the ground with ease, giving it a small advantage in certain terrains.

{{tankMobility}}

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

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

{{main|Schneider 155 C (155 mm)}}

The 2C bis has a 155 mm Schneider howitzer in its two man cast turret. Its velocity is extremely low and its reload rate is abysmal. The armament takes time and practice to utilize effectively, especially with its horrible shell velocity and curved trajectory. So, engaging targets further than 300 meters can take some practice. Given the extreme shell drop, the cannon often needs to aim up a lot to hit targets at normal fighting distance (~500m), significantly limiting the cannon's effective range.

This cannon is housed inside a front turret that gets obstructed by the commander's position behind, preventing the gun to aim towards the rear. Thus it is important to angle the hull such that the turret's firing arc contains all dangerous directions within.

On the plus side, with 11.22 kg TNT equivalent of explosive filler, the Mle1915 shell will obliterate whatever it touches at the BR of the 2C bis, and even many way more advanced tanks at a much higher BR can still be one-shotted by this howitzer. As long as the shell makes contact anywhere, it is almost guaranteed to knock a vehicle out. Open-topped vehicles can even be knocked out by splash damage, as this is basically an artillery piece on tracks. Lastly, the gun has a great -20° gun depression, allowing it to fight on hills with relative ease.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Schneider 155 C (155 mm)|155 mm Schneider 155 C]] || 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" | 24 || rowspan="2" | ±10° || rowspan="2" | ±100° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 8.1 || 11.2 || 13.6 || 15.0 || 16.0 || rowspan="2" | 22.4 || rowspan="2" | 19.8 || rowspan="2" | 18.2 || rowspan="2" | 17.2
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 6.0 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Schneider 155 C (155 mm)/Ammunition|Mle1915}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''24''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}
Since each shells are modelled individually, you should only loaded the tank with enough shells that you would realistically need to reduce the ammo rack size. Typically, 10 shells would be enough to deal with enemies in a single sortie.
=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|Hotchkiss Mle 1914 (8 mm)}}

The rear turret has decent horizontal arcs but suffers from rather poor vertical arcs and slow rotation speed, making this turret very situational. The frontal machine gun can be used to knock small obstacles out of the way as to prevent the HE shell from detonating on them.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Hotchkiss Mle 1914 (8 mm)|8 mm Hotchkiss Mle 1914]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull || 5,000 (250) || 450 || __° || __°
|-
| Rear || 5,000 (250) || 450 || __° || -130°/+120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Compared to the "normal" counterpart the [[2C]], the 2C's bis powerful yet tricky-to-use 155 mm howitzer offered a much more devastating damage output. While the tank is still vulnerable to airstrike and flankers, it can be effectively used as a much tougher, albeit slower version of the [[Ho-Ro]] or [[15cm sIG 33 B Sfl]]. Because of this, despite its antiquated appearance, the 2C bis can reliably defeat even the much more advanced tanks at higher BR should its gun handling is well understood.

As stated before, angling the hull around 40 degrees at any range can increase survivability and make the armour somewhat useful. If you are not sure about how far a target is, use the rangefinder, even at close range, since a miss will have you waiting almost half a minute to reload. The dreadful top speed will sometimes work in your favour, being that the first "wave" of enemy vehicles has already been dealt with. The 2C bis does not do well against multiple vehicles.

Sitting in the rear and lobbing artillery at the enemy is a possible strategy, but the low velocity and high arc of the rounds make this difficult. Eventually, a dedicated anti-tank SPG will likely disable or knock out the vehicle. The 2C bis performs better at mid-range (100-400 m) encounters where tracking targets can be easier.

Despite its massive size, the 2C bis can performs surprisingly well in urban areas, primarily due to the confined, close-ranged combat effectively nullifies the low shell velocity problem of the howitzer. The 2C bis can be used to effectively guard a key chokepoint and obliterate anything that came within its line of fire. The quick reverse acceleration can work in your favour to react to the enemy or retreat for a reload. Because of this, getting "Shadow Strikes" is more than possible. Though, much like in open area, the 2C bis is still vulnerable against flankers, as you would often find yourself being unable to move between certain corridors due to the sheer length of the tank. As such, never drive alone and always have someone to cover your back.

Use your machine guns to clear obstacles that may trigger the HE shell's fuse prematurely. The 2C bis doesn't have a coaxial machine gun, which can be a problem when clearing obstacles as the hull guns have limited firing arcs. Turning the entire hull to shoot down fences and trees can be quite tedious, so always do it ASAP when you arrive at a comfortable position.

;Enemies worth noting:

* [[BT-5|BT]]-5/7: those light tanks can be very threatening in the hands of an experienced tanker. They are very fast and agile, so they can show up at any location surprisingly fast. Their cannons are also powerful enough to penetrate the 2C bis' armour at any range, and usually knock out a few crews. Luckily, their armour is poor so a hit anywhere (or sometimes a near miss) can disable them. If the 2C is under their attack, angling the hull can help increase protection: while the effective thickness still won't be enough to stop a 45 mm AP, the 2C's large tracks and wheels can sometimes weaken the shell's kenetic energy.
* [[15cm sIG 33 B Sfl]], [[Ho-Ro]], [[Spj fm/43-44]]: these tanks are armed with a large caliber howitzer just like the 2C bis, posing a huge threat with HE overpressure. Usually 1-2 shots from them can completely destroy a 2C bis. But they have weak protection, so a direct hit or a near miss (especially close to their open compartment) can wipe them out. If you are aware of their presence, it is best not to engage unless they are reloading or distracted.
* Any enemy tanks in deliberate uptier ([[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1]], [[M4 Sherman (Family)|M4 Sherman]], [[T-34 (Family)|T-34]], etc.): Unlike many "low tier derp gun" tanks at low rank, the 2C bis benefits greatly from its huge crew count and empty hull space, which allows the tank to endure several hits from these tanks and capable of firing back, often destroying them in the process. In certain maps (especially maps with corridors or urban maps), the 2C bis can perform surprisingly well against an opponent at a much higher BR, with "Skill Matters" and "Balancer" awards being easily achievable. While the 155 mm is more than capable of taking out these tanks, they either have enough armor thickness or angled armor that allows it to survive some shots at certain places. As such, avoid aiming at their tracks or angled part of their armor if you are aware that these armor are enough to dissipate the explosion damage, and instead aim at certain deflective angles that would cause the pressure to went into the weak turret or hull roof and cause overpressure, such as turret mantlet or side profile.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has a dozen crew members, highly survivable
* Huge empty hull space and separate crew compartments at the rear, making it very difficult to one-shot without direct hit on ammo racks
* 155 mm howitzer will decimate anything even above its BR
* Neutral steering gives the tank decent reflex mobility
* Can climb over rough terrain with ease due to its World War I design

'''Cons:'''

* Extremely huge, easily spotted and targeted by any enemy
* Armour is mediocre at best
* Cramped frontal crew compartments, losing driver and gunner in a single shot is quite common
* 155 mm howitzer has long reload time and unfriendly shell trajectory
* Awfully slow top speed
* Limited turret traverse, very prone to rear attack

== History ==

The FCM 2C was a French "super heavy" tank designed to conquer the "no man's land" of WW1. It was dimensionally the largest tank ever produced, and for a time the heaviest. Ready for production by February 1918, the war ended before any of the vehicles were completed, and so the order of 300 was eventually reduced to just 10, finished in 1921. The standard 2C mounted a 75 mm APX 1897 field gun, similar to the cannon which would be mounted on the [[M3 GMC]] tank destroyer. The 2C had many innovative design features for the time, including a hybrid drive, leaf spring suspension, the world's first three-man turret, and stroboscopic cupolas. All of the 2Cs were named after ancient regions of France.

One 2C, No. 99 "Champagne", was given a new two-man cast turret with a 155 mm howitzer. The commander was given his own compartment behind the turret. The side machine gun ports were also removed. This variant would be known as the 2C bis. Eventually, Champagne would be returned to its original configuration and its turret would be used as a makeshift static emplacement in the Mareth Line. Champagne would be the only 2C to survive the invasion of France, with the other nine tanks either being scuttled by their own crew to prevent capture, or breaking down.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_char_2c_bis Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|3kVkp5-IeNQ|'''The Shooting Range #340''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:35 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|JzwvDeihMT8|'''The Shooting Range #339''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:24 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|QmaE2bomv14|'''Giant Derp Land Battleship - 155mm 70 ton Monster''' - ''PhlyDaily''|vdHmTGTPa20|'''Trenchwarmer - Char 2C''' - ''Tank Encyclopedia''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[2C]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8033-development-char-2bis-the-beast-of-champagne-en|[Devblog] Char 2bis: the Beast of Champagne]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/france/fcm-2c.php <nowiki>[Tank Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Char 2C]

{{Manufacturer FCM}}
{{France heavy tanks}}
{{France premium ground vehicles}}

LÉ Orla

2024-09-30T22:11:41Z

U44982996: /* Secondary armament */

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

== Description ==

LÉ Orla, pennant number P41, is one of the five completed Peacock-class corvettes, originally built for Royal Navy use as HMS Swift (P243). Commissioned in 1985, she served in the waters around Hong Kong as part of the 6th Patrol Craft Squadron with the others of her class, undertaking training, search-and-rescue, and policing operations. In 1988, she was sold to the Irish Naval Service and renamed. She acted as a high-speed patrol vessel until her eventual decommission on 8 July 2022, to be replaced by new inshore patrol vessels purchased from New Zealand.

Introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]], LÉ Orla has some nifty features; namely, the reliable 76 mm OTO-Melara Compact automatic gun, a unique punch of naval power for the veteran British captains in the coastal fleet and fans of the [[HMS Peacock]]'s dexterity, but also the addition of lighter yet useful auxiliary armament, in two sets of 20 mm/65 Rheinmetall autocannons on each side of the ship with a menacing fire rate and distinct sound. Much like her sister ship, Orla's playstyle is very dependent on her sole bow gun. Despite seeming like not enough firepower, she can be used to great effect in providing air defence and medium-range support against lighter crafts, defence of captured points, and can even combat destroyers by targeting their weakspots.

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

As a larger coastal vessel, the LÉ Orla has a detailed damage model; this alone renders her hull impervious to most machine guns and autocannon fire from the PT boats it commonly faces. Though the ship has a low crew count of only 39, they are mostly located in a compact compartment at the stern and the engine room, and so are quite hard to hit. However, Orla inherits the same unarmoured bridge and turret weakness from her sister [[HMS Peacock]] and so these will be your obvious weakspots, as enough shots fired at these modules will inevitably disable them, causing crew loss that could be repeated over and over again if the enemy manages to disable them as soon as they are repaired.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}


LÉ Orla's mobility is not great amongst the highly manoeuvrable fast attack crafts and torpedo boats of her rank. This should not be seen as a condemning drawback, but instead as an opportunity for a different paced gameplay: letting the enemies reach the LÉ Orla and not oppositely.

In this ship, the reverse speed plays an important role. As firing and then retreating behind a smokescreen are key in LÉ Orla's survival. Unfortunately, the reverse speed is not excellent but only just proper enough to retreat before the corvette gets destroyed. Thankfully, research of mobility modules is not an issue due to the premium status of the ship, hence the mobility concern will be alleviated.

Keep in mind LÉ Orla is a huge corvette which spawns amongst patrol boats, this could be a problem on some maps as the shallow waters with rocky formations will often hit the ship and accidentally reduce the crew size. Notice the shallow water alert in the centre of the screen to change course immediately.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|76 mm/62 OTO-Melara Compact (76 mm)}}

LÉ Orla is armed with a single main 76 mm/62 OTO-Melara Compact Gun, located at the bow of the ship. Despite being armed with a single 76 mm gun, the quick reload of only 0.8 seconds allows for a lot of damage in just an instant. The HE shell is composed of a powerful explosive mass of 1.08 kg of TNT. This single gun is not capable of hullbreaking any boat, but the explosive damage and the high rate of fire are more than enough to fend other threats at the rank.

The gun offers satisfactory firing range, up to 6,000 m. However, firing at such distances is not advised due to the very limited ammo count. The ammo count of 115 shells is sufficient to destroy numerous small boats, as 1-3 shots will be enough. But long-distance engagements and destroyers will require a lot more of ammunition, leaving the ship unable to defend or with reduced efficiency. As once the ready-use ammo of 85 shells is fired, the remaining ammo will be fired at a much slower rate.

The turret mounting is highly mobile and provides adequate targeting speed, something beneficial for the reduced ship's mobility.

'''Ammunition'''

Due to the scarcity of ammo for all types of threats, the HE-VT ammo should replace the regular HE. Consider arming the ship with SAP and HE-VT for more effective defence to fend off some planes; HE-VT being the main ammo and SAP the auxiliary for armoured encounters.

{{:76 mm/62 OTO-Melara Compact (76 mm)/Ammunition|76/62 HE-MOM, 76/62 SAPOM, 76/62 HE-VT MOM}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|20 mm/65 Rh 202 (20 mm)}}

Unlike her sister ship, Orla has access to a pair of 20 mm Rh 202 autocannons mounted in a single mount flanking the upper superstructure. The guns have very high rate of fire of 800 rpm and access to various high-velocity shell options (including powerful APDS rounds), making them easy to use and aim. These can be used as a backup weapon in case your 76 mm autocannons were disabled or to counter fast-moving enemy vessels and aircraft. However, trigger discipline is vital for using this weapon, as it can overheat very quickly in just a 2 second burst.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''20 mm HEIT belts:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''API-T:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''20 mm APDS belts:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}

{{:20 mm/65 Rh 202 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T*, HVAP-T, APDS}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|FN MAG (7.62 mm)}}

For additional close-range defence, Orla has four FN MAG machine guns mounted in a twin mounts at the stern. These guns do not deal much damage against even small PT boats, though they can be useful in tandem with the 20 mm autocannons against inbound aircraft.

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* The 76 mm cannon offers high rate of fire, powerful HE damage and long firing range (6,000 m)
* Multipurpose main armament ammunition (HE-VT, HE and SAP)
* Radar capacities with a lead indicator for anti-air duties; great detection range
* Guns ballistics are adequate and precise; easy to fire and accustom
* Crew size is decent versus small boats, slightly superior than [[HMS Peacock]]
* 20 mm high-velocity autocannons are capable of countering aircraft and small boats

'''Cons:'''

* Low ammo count for main gun; easily depleted without trigger discipline
* Large and slow target for the faster and smaller patrol boats
* Unarmoured bridge and turret will be frequently knocked out by incoming fire, slowly bleeds the ship's crew away
* Flat trajectory of the gun's shell hinders fire behind cover; LÉ Orla bow must be exposed
* Secondary 20 mm autocannon overheats very quickly

== History ==


The LÉ Orla was a former British Royal Navy patrol vessel stationed in the waters of Hong Kong, called the HMS Swift.

She was purchased by the Irish State in 1988 and given the name of LÉ Orla. The name of Orla is taken from Irish history, being a popular Irish name in the 12th Century. Orla also has a strong connection with a historical Irish king, Brian Boru, whom has a sister and niece that shared the name Orla.<ref name="Irish_P41">Irish Defence Forces "LÉ ÓRLA P41"</ref>

The LÉ Orla's is famous for its participation in two drug seizure operations in Irish water. The first was in 1993, when the LÉ Orla intercepted and boarded a 65 ft ketch named Brime, which was the largest cannabis seizure in Ireland.<ref name="Irish_P41" /> The second was in 2008 which LÉ Orla assisted in the seizure of cocaine.<ref name="CBC_Orla">The Associated Press 2007</ref>

The LÉ Orla was decommissioned on 8 July 2022.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

== See also ==

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

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

== External links ==


=== References ===
;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography:

* Associated Press, The. "Irish navy, coast guard seize flotilla of cocaine." ''Canadian Broadcasting Corporation'', 03 Jul. 2007, [https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/irish-navy-coast-guard-seize-flotilla-of-cocaine-1.632472 Website]. Accessed 17 Sep. 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210917070355/https://www.cbc.ca/news/world/irish-navy-coast-guard-seize-flotilla-of-cocaine-1.632472 Archive]).
* Irish Defence Forces. "LÉ ÓRLA P41." ''Irish Defence Forces'', [https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/naval-service/the-fleet/le-orla-p41/ Website]. Accessed 17 Sep. 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210917070358/https://www.military.ie/en/who-we-are/naval-service/the-fleet/le-orla-p41/ Archive]).
* O'Riordan, Sean. "Manpower crisis may leave two ships docked." ''Irish Examiner'', 15 Jan. 2020, [https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30975541.html Website]. Accessed 17 Sep. 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210917070407/https://www.irishexaminer.com/news/arid-30975541.html Archive]).

{{ShipManufacturer Hall, Russell and Company}}
{{Britain sub-chasers}}
{{Britain premium ships}}

2C

2024-09-22T22:54:14Z

U44982996:

{{About
|about = French heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage = the other version
|link = 2C bis
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_char_2c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Char 2C''' is a French heavy tank that was eventually designated as a super-heavy tank. It was developed during World War I but did not enter service until after the war was over. In terms of overall volume or physical dimensions, it was the largest operational tank ever built during World War I. The Char 2C was the first super-heavy tank to enter service; purposely designed to be significantly larger than conventional tanks at the time. When fully equipped, the Char 2C weighed 69 tonnes, due in part to its armour, which was among the thickest of World War I tanks, but also to its vast size. The tank required a crew of twelve to operate: a driver, commander, gunner, loader, four machine gunners, a mechanic, electrician, assistant-electrician/mechanic, and a radio operator. Some sources suggest thirteen, most likely on the basis of photos of crews that probably included the company commander.

The sheer size of the tank, along with the fact that it was designed and built by the FCM shipyard, resulted into the French ceremoniously treating it as a "landship", even christening all of the ten 2Cs that were built after the ancient regions of France. While certainly a groundbreaking design at the time of the Great War, the 2C became completely obsolete by 1930s, with [[2C bis|an attempt to upgun the tank with a 155 mm howitzer]] resulted into failure. Despite this, they were still in service by the time World War II break out due to their propaganda values, with their frequent appearance in various war movies at that time resulting into the public believing it to be an unstoppable behemoth. However, this would later backfired as during the Battle of France in 1940, the French Army were forced to destroy almost all of the 2C due to fears of having their supposedly invincible tanks to fall into the German hands. Nevertheless, one of the tank named ''Champagne'' was captured by the Germans intact and sent back to Berlin to be displayed as a war trophy, until it mysteriously disappeared in 1948.

Introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]], the Char 2C should be utilized as a breakthrough tank since it is too slow to flank and has a low muzzle velocity main armament to engage distant targets. Its ammunition is powerful enough to knock out practically anything at close range, making it perfect for open-topped and lightly armoured vehicles. Despite its strong on-paper statistics, the Char 2C will struggle to penetrate other heavy tanks. Light tanks from the enemy are equally lethal. They may easily flank around the battlefield and engage you when you are not expecting it due to their great speed. To avoid being isolated and overrun by adversaries, it is critical to always be close to teammates.

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

Armour protection is mediocre, at best. The frontal armour will do little to stop standard guns like the American 37 mm or the Soviet 45 mm, and the sides are vulnerable to autocannons or even the infamous M2 Browning at close ranges. What you do have, however, is a whopping 12 crewmen, which means that even if your main crew has been disintegrated, you are still in the fight as long as you don't get ammo-racked.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet, cupolas)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 45 mm ''Upper plate'' 22 mm (69°) ''Upper glacis'' 45 mm ''Lower plate'' 15 mm (65°) ''Lower glacis'' 45 mm (spherical) ''Machine gun port'' 38.1 mm ''Turret ring''
| 22 mm ''Upper compartment'' 22 mm ''Lower compartment'' 38.1 mm ''Turret ring''
| 15 mm (62-63°) ''Upper glacis'' 22 mm ''Lower plate'' || 22 mm (21°) ''Front glacis'' 13 mm ''Crew compartment'' 10 ''Engine vents'' 15 mm (28°) ''Rear glacis''
|-
| Turret || 35 mm (17°) ''Turret front'' 35 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 35 mm (15-17°) || 35 mm (17°) 30 mm (18°) ''Hatch'' || 10 mm (76-87°)
|-
| Rear turret || 22 mm (11°) ''Turret front'' 22 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 22 mm (11°) || 22 mm (11°) 30 mm (11°) ''Hatch'' || 22 mm (56-67)
|-
| Cupolas || 22 mm (0-37°) || 22 mm (0-37°) || 22 mm (0-37°) || 22 mm (66-88°)
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Tracks are 20 mm thick and suspension wheels are 15 mm thick.
* Side skirts are 10 mm thick (2 layers) + 22 mm (2 layers).
* Suspensions are 10 mm thick.
* Engine maintenance doors are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 15 mm thick at the back and the front and 10 mm thick in the centre.

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

The mobility of the 2C is sluggish; you will have little chance capturing points at the start. The 2C does have an electric transmission, giving it the benefit of being able to quickly reverse from a bad situation instead of needing to turn 180 degrees like most tanks.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=646|rbMinHp=442}}

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

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

{{main|APX Canon de 75 mm modèle 1897 (75 mm)}}

The 75 mm, despite looking impressive, is best attributed as lackluster, even underpowered. Your penetration is on par with German short 75 mm guns, but unlike the German versions, the 2C's gun only has access to its basic APHE round and a HE round. There is no HEAT shells available to counter Matilda or Churchill tanks, and you will suffer against M4 Shermans without proper support. Even the reload rate is inferior, with 5.5 seconds at max crew where pre-F2 Pz.IVs can already achieve about 4 seconds out of the box.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[APX Canon de 75 mm modèle 1897 (75 mm)|75 mm APX Canon de 75 mm modèle 1897]] || 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" | 128 || rowspan="2" | ±20° || rowspan="2" | ±140° || rowspan="2" | - || 8.1 || 11.2 || 13.6 || 15.0 || 16.0 || rowspan="2" | 7.15 || rowspan="2" | 6.32 || rowspan="2" | 5.83 || rowspan="2" | 5.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:APX Canon de 75 mm modèle 1897 (75 mm)/Ammunition|Mle1900, Mle1916}}

==== [[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
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''128''' || 97 ''(+31)'' || 67 ''(+61)'' || 61 ''(+67)'' || 55 ''(+73)'' || 28 ''(+100)'' || 1 ''(+127)'' || No
|-
|}
{{Clear}}

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

{{main|Hotchkiss Mle 1914 (8 mm)}}

The two machine guns on the 2C are of dubious utility. The front one has limited traverse arcs by virtue of being bow-mounted, so its use is limited to whatever you point your tank towards. The rear turret is of more doubtful use, however, as it cannot fire to the front and, being a normal MG, lacks the power to damage anything short of open-tops.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Hotchkiss Mle 1914 (8 mm)|8 mm Hotchkiss Mle 1914]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Bow || 5,000 (250) || 450 || ±10° || ±10°
|-
| Rear turret || 5,000 (250) || 450 || -5°/+10° || -130°/+120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The char 2C should be used as a breakthrough tank, it is too slow to flank and has not enough penetration to shoot from afar. Its APHE shell has enough penetration to knock out almost anything at close range with its 285 g of TNT, making it ideal against open-topped vehicles, Panzer IIIs and IVs. Your greatest enemies will be high-calibre howitzers (SU-122, Ho-Ro, 15cm sIG 33 B Sfl, etc.): you should always avoid direct confrontation with them. In an uptier, the Char 2C will struggle penetrating heavy tanks like the Matilda III. Despite its slow speed, the Char 2C performs well on open maps like Normandy.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Neutral steering gives the tank decent reflex mobility
* Can climb over rough terrain with ease due to its World War I design
* Reverse gearbox lets you pull out quickly of dangerous situations
* Has a dozen crew members, highly survivable
* Flank attacks from behind are easily shrugged off due to containing no essential crew
* Large unoccupied zones, can absorb shells

'''Cons:'''

* Awfully slow top speed
* Armour is mediocre at best, very vulnerable to high calibre HE or autocannons
* Limited turret traverse, very prone to flanking
* Poor elevation and depression angles
* Extremely large, easily spotted and hit

== History ==

''The FCM 2C was a French "super heavy" tank designed to conquer the "no man's land" of WW1. It was dimensionally the largest tank ever produced, and for a time the heaviest. Ready for production by February 1918, the war ended before any of the vehicles were completed, and so the order of 300 was eventually reduced to just 10, finished in 1921. The standard 2C mounted a 75 mm APX 1897 field gun, similar to the cannon which would be mounted on the [[M3 GMC]] tank destroyer. The 2C had many innovative design features for the time, including a hybrid drive, leaf spring suspension, the world's first three-man turret, and stroboscopic cupolas. All of the 2Cs were named after ancient regions of France.''

''One 2C, No. 99 "Champagne", was given a new two-man cast turret with a 155 mm howitzer. The commander was given his own compartment behind the turret. The side machine gun ports were also removed. This variant would be known as the 2C bis. Eventually, Champagne would be returned to its original configuration and its turret would be used as a makeshift static emplacement in the Mareth Line. Champagne would be the only 2C to survive the invasion of France, with the other nine tanks either being scuttled by their own crew to prevent capture, or breaking down.''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_char_2c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;<nowiki>Related development:</nowiki>

* [[2C bis]]

Vehicles of similar design and role:

* [[Independent]]
* [[T-35]]
* [[Nb.Fz.]]
* [[Ro-Go]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{Manufacturer FCM}}
{{France heavy tanks}}

IS-3

2024-09-22T22:53:34Z

U44982996:

{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_is_3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''IS-3''' is the third variant of the IS heavy tank family. The IS-3 featured a revolutionary front hull and turret design that would become the trademark of all postwar Soviet tanks until this day. Since the IS-3 differed from earlier designs in many ways, a thorough retooling was required for the first time. This took time, and the first three IS-3s rolled out of the factory in May 1945, ready to go into service in Germany under an independent Guards Battalion. When they arrived, though, the peace treaty had already been signed. Many more IS-3s were ready by the time of the August invasion of Manchuria, but there is little indication that they took part in these events. In the end, the IS-3 saw little action other than being stationed on numerous fronts during the Cold War. Due to a variety of difficulties, production was halted, and it was replaced with the [[IS-4M|IS-4]], prototypes [[IS-6]], [[IS-7]], and, finally, the IS-8 (renamed [[T-10A|T-10]] after Stalin's death). Because of their lack of mobility, the Russians came to the same conclusion as their Western counterparts about heavy tanks. After the first MBT family was launched in 1953, this class of heavy tank was also abandoned, similar to those in the West. Inadvertently, the IS-3 ended up became an influential tank design due to their appearance during the 1945 Victory Parade in Berlin has startled the Western Allies and causing them to develop numerous tank design to directly counter it, such as the American [[M103]] and the British [[FV4005]].

Introduced in the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41, the IS-3 is armed with the same 122 mm D-25T tank gun as earlier IS heavy tank variants, which has incredible destructive power. Once the BR-471D ammunition becomes available, the weapon's efficacy increases dramatically, increasing its penetration from 207 to 230 mm. The IS-3 will face several other heavy tanks with huge, slow-reloading guns in its ranks, establishing an equal playing field. Regardless, be wary of nimble, fast-firing, lightly armoured flanking opponents. Despite being relatively light for a heavy tank, the IS-3 has poor mobility. It features a 671-horsepower engine, which makes the vehicle feel slow while attempting to initiate a turn from both a standstill and when moving. Its acceleration is likewise lacking; nonetheless, it has a reasonably high top speed and will usually reach it regardless of the surface it is driving on. Fortunately, as with many late Soviet heavy tanks, the IS-3's reverse speed is highly respectable, giving it the time it needs to back out of dangerous circumstances to reload or repair. Despite what some may expect from such a massive tank, the reverse gears and low forward gears allow the vehicle to drive up unexpectedly steep slopes.

The most noticeable differences between the preceding variants are the revised turret and the sharply slanted 'pike' nose. The front is not just slanted but also relatively thick, with 110 mm of armour on both the top and bottom, oriented at 54°, -56°, and 54°, respectively. The IS-3, like previous variants, has fairly mediocre side and rear armour, therefore, angling should be avoided. The turret has been modified to be considerably stronger than previous variants, with more angling, a much smaller flat region around the mantlet, and significantly thicker casting. Trap shots and turret ring penetration are possible; however, they can be mitigated by lowering the tank gun and protecting the vulnerable locations. The IS-3 is a 'breakthrough' tank that excels at close-range, front-on combat where flanking is unlikely and players can take advantage of the strong frontal armour and reverse speed to deliver surprising blows to the enemies.

== General info ==
[[File:IS-3 Screenshot 1.jpg|thumb|The IS-3 on [[Berlin (Ground Forces)|Berlin]]]]

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 110 mm (54-56°) ''Front glacis'' 110 mm (54°) ''Lower glacis'' || 90 mm (0-40°) ''Top'' 20 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' || 60 mm (47°) ''Top'' 60 mm (41-42°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 250 mm (1-78°) ''Turret front'' 100 + 250 mm (9-79°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 75-220 mm (33-69°) || 70-120 mm (22-52°) || 20 mm ''Front, Hatch roof'' 40 mm ''Center'' 75 mm ''Sides''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* The thickest armour of the tank is at the front – the "beak" at the front of the hull raises the effective thickness of the armour from 110 to around 180 – 200 mm, depending on the exact spot.
* The turret front of the IS-3 is an also fairly well armoured, with 250 mm of heavily sloped armour equating to around 400 mm effective thickness.
* Turret side armour is not equal throughout its length. In the side middle, it is 130 mm, then bordering the rear armour is 150 mm thick.
* Gun mantlet side and bottom are boosted by the 250 mm of the turret front, whereas the top of gun mantlet has no armour behind it.
* Side armour of the hull has an additional 5 mm of sheet metal on above the suspension area.
* Turret ring is 200 mm thick with a 20 mm "collar" covering the front and sides.
* Upper half of the side armour is at a very steep angle, meaning conventional rounds will simply bounce

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 671|rbMinHp= 460}}

The mobility and speed of the IS-3 is decent, and is somewhere between other heavy tanks of the same tier and mediums tanks of the same tier. The IS-3 drives very similar to its predecessors the [[IS-1]] and [[IS-2]]. Whenever the IS-3 turns at all, much of the speed of the tank is instantly lost, making the hull turn rate lacklustre, especially without neutral steering. This is, of course, akin to those previously mentioned predecessors.

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
[[File:IS-3 Screenshot 2.jpg|thumb|The IS-3 on [[Berlin (Ground Forces)|Berlin]]]]

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

{{main|D-25T (122 mm)}}

The IS-3 carries a heavy 122 mm D-25T cannon, the same weapon mounted on the IS-2 and IS-4M, as well as other variants of the IS-3. This cannon, based on a heavy howitzer, is a highly-effective weapon capable of hitting extremely hard. However, it has an extremely slow reload speed, and rather poor gun depression.

The D-25T cannon fires large 122 mm shells, which are relatively effective against most targets at the IS-3's BR. However, the cannon's effectiveness is hampered by two main drawbacks - relatively bad gun handling (particularly the gun depression and turret rotation speed), and the ridiculously long reload rate. Firstly, the turret has a weak gun depression of just 3 degrees as well as a slow rotation speed, which can hamper the IS-3's ability to get its gun on target quickly and efficiently. Secondly, and more importantly, the IS-3 has a massive gun reload of 20+ seconds. This means that the IS-3 is more suited for a longer-ranged, "heavy fire support" role, as it makes use of the gun's massive punching power without running into situations where the IS-3's gun cannot reload quickly enough to return fire. However, these two drawbacks are compensated for by the IS-3's powerful ammunition, capable of dealing with most targets at its BR. While it retains the 3 shell types found on the previous IS-2, the IS-3's gun also gets access to the BR-471D APCBC shell. This shell gets less TNT filler than the other shells, but gains improved penetration of 230 mm at point-blank range. This shell is capable of frontally-penetrating most tanks at the IS-3's BR. However you should not underestimate the BR-471B APHEBC shell either, since it actually has higher angled penetration than the BR-471D.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-25T (122 mm)|122 mm D-25T]] || 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" | 28 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 7.3 || 10.1 || 12.2 || 13.5 || 14.4 || rowspan="2" | 26.00 || rowspan="2" | 23.00 || rowspan="2" | 21.20 || rowspan="2" | 20.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.4 || 6.3 || 7.7 || 8.4 || 9.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:D-25T (122 mm)/Ammunition|BR-471, BR-471B, BR-471D, OF-471}}

==== [[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
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''28''' || 23 ''(+5)'' || 17 ''(+11)'' || 13 ''(+15)'' || 10 ''(+18)'' || 8 ''(+20)'' || 1 ''(+27)'' || No
|-
|}

The D-25T cannon fires two-piece ammunition that are stored all around the crew compartment. The majority of the projectiles are found lining the sides and rear of the turret while the majority of the propellant found in the hull, with two large piles flanking the driver and a few kept on the hull floor and rear. Next to the cannon breech on the loader's side is a small ready rack containing 5 propellant charges, with the 5 accompanying projectiles found to the loader's right against the turret side. The time it takes the loader to load one round into the ready rack from the stowage racks is about 21 seconds.

* Recommended ammo load is 12, which empty all of the racks but racks 1 and 6.
* Ammo Rack 1 is a ready rack, and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills racks 6 through 2.
* Full reload speed will be realized as long as ammo exists in the ready racks. If all three ready racks are empty, a penalty to reload speed will occur.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will load ammo from racks 2-6 into rack 1, as long as there is ammo in racks 2-6. Firing will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

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

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)|DT (7.62 mm)}}

The IS-3 carries two secondary machine guns, being a 12.7 mm DShK machine gun on the turret roof as well as a coaxial 7.62 mm DT machine gun. The DT machine gun is relatively ineffective, as its small calibre prevents it from doing any sort of real damage against targets with any armour. As well, the coaxial mounting prevents the DT from firing at air targets effectively. The DShK, on the other hand, can be a more potent weapon when used against lightly-armoured vehicles or aircraft. The gun can penetrate the sides/back of some IFVs/SPAAs/light-armoured vehicles, and also has good firing angles allowing it to engage enemy aircraft and helicopters.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 300 (50) || 600 || -4°/+85° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,016 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The IS-3, continuing the tradition of the Soviet IS line of heavy tanks, sports a powerful 122 mm cannon, strong frontal armour and reasonable mobility for its class. As with its predecessors, it excels at dispatching anything it can penetrate with its explosive-filled rounds, and relies heavily on its excellent reverse speed and sharply angled armour to keep itself out of trouble. However, an IS-3 commander will increasingly encounter HEAT, HESH and ATGMs which pose a serious threat to the vehicle. The IS-3 also has a rather exposed and exploitable trap-shot directly under the gun barrel when the turret is facing directly forward, which even conventional rounds can use. It is also recommended to make sure that the enemy tank has around the same height advantage as you, as the armour plate on top of the gun breech can be penetrated by enemy shells shot from above, damaging the gun breech and possibly killing your tank.

One important thing to note is that the stock grind of this vehicle is rather bad. When stock, the vehicle is sluggish, and has a shell that really struggles to penetrate some of the well armoured tanks of its BR bracket, which you will regularly face. This will lead to you being more of a support tank when stock, but as you research more modifications the IS-3 becomes better.

[[File:IS-3 Screenshot 3.jpg|thumb|The IS-3 on [[Berlin (Ground Forces)|Berlin]]]]

=== General Gameplay ===
One of the most important points about the IS-3 is that angling does not work - your pike nose will become easier to get through as you angle your tank, so handle all enemies head-on, if possible. However your gun is still the same 122 mm cannon as on the initial [[IS-2]] at which is situated at a lower battle rating, so it is understandable that you will struggle to penetrate many heavy enemies frontally now at the higher battle rating, even with the new shell that can go through 230 mm of armour at close range.

In the current meta, faster vehicles are more viable than heavier ones, and the IS-3 is at a big disadvantage especially in Realistic. Your armour is amazing in a downtier, but it's basically non-existent in an uptier (to Battle Ratings 8.0 / 8.3, where you start seeing APFSDS and HEAT shells all the time), so knowing when to take this tank out is also a big part of gameplay with it.

'''Arcade Battles'''

Surprisingly, the IS-3 can do very well in Arcade. Many enemies in Arcade don't seem to know that the best way to kill the IS-3 with a conventional round is via a shot-trap, so your survivability is increased. Moreover, when fully upgraded, the IS-3 becomes extremely mobile in Arcade allowing you to get into cover after shooting, or quickly advance on an unsuspecting enemy. The best strategy against a single enemy is to just rush them - the terrain usually bounces your tank around slightly making it very difficult to penetrate, and the sheer sight of a heavy tank speeding towards the enemy will cause some panic.

The more experienced tanker will know when to take the IS-3 out in battle and when to use other vehicles. If you know that the game is an uptier (e.g. by checking the statistics tab, or by the map draw) you should decide against the IS-3 and take out a tank like the [[BMP-1]], which fits better into the high tier meta. Also, long-range engagements are a gamble, since your top round and long reload times make it difficult to successfully attack enemies, while they might have a HEAT shell that disregards distance. However, the rush strategy can work here as well, especially if you turn your tank in random directions once in a while, making it harder for opponents to aim at you.

'''Realistic Battles'''

In Realistic, the IS-3 is much more difficult to play, because enemies take more time to aim at weakspots and your mobility is toned down. Due to that, you need to take time with your own shots and know your opponents - is there an ammo-rank in the side of the Caernarvon, or should you shoot at the driver's position? and etc. Generally, you need to play with stealth in Realistic, because the person who shoots first is usually the one that gets the kill. Flanking can, and does, work with the IS-3, not because of speed, but because your teammates are shot and you can return fire at the perpetrators and continue your advance. Moreover, some light tanks that are prevalent at the higher Battle Ratings outright cannot penetrate you with their main guns (most of them have ATGMs, though).

Against ATGMs, it's a good idea to use your machine guns to shoot at the ground in front of your tank - this makes a small smoke-screen out of dirt and rubble that makes it difficult for enemies to aim their ATGMs. Keep in mind though, that you should still move your tank away from the initial position, because enemies will try to predict where you are going (it's a good idea to shoot machine guns increasingly to the left, while moving to the right, because it causes a sense of your tank moving with machine guns, while actually, you're moving in the other direction).

'''General Tips'''

The IS-3 is relatively versatile, but excels in close-range combat against conventional rounds - it is very good at taking on other heavy tanks such as the [[T32]] and [[Caernarvon]].

* It has a reasonably decent top speed, and on solid ground, acceptable acceleration, allowing it to reach cap points and combat areas fairly promptly and set up in positions to allow it to make the most of the frontal armour.
* When down tiered, the IS-3 performs excellently, able to push forward and play its 'breakthrough' role with impunity.
* Good climbing capabilities allow the IS-3 to reach some surprising positions for sniping or supporting teammates pushing points. Despite the gun's effectiveness being reduced at the range, the armour of the vehicle becomes much more effective as weak spots become significantly harder to hit.
* Since the IS-3 can keep up with most medium tanks like the Centurions, Panthers or T-44s, it can be played as early-game heavy support for those lighter, more vulnerable hulls to assist in taking objectives.
* In up tiered games (7.7-8.3), the IS-3 can come across a lot of chemical rounds and must be played significantly more carefully, as its armour simply cannot compete with the high penetration of these rounds.

Play this tank almost any way that is favourable. A few tips to increase this vehicle's performance:

* Always face towards the enemies directly, avoid exposing the weak hull sides.
* Cover the frontal weak spots if necessary with the gun's large barrel by pointing it downwards. It's better to have the gun barrel destroyed than it is to lose crew members and be potentially unable to reverse out of bad situations.
* Stop only to fire. Movement makes the weak spots harder to target. Even when there is no destination to move to, go back and forth a few meters just so that the IS-3 hull wobbles a bit on start and stop.
* Plan aggressive pushes and movements around enemy locations. The gun has negligible depression and very bad horizontal traverse, making reacting to enemies slow and risky, and impossible if they're on lower ground.
* Avoid engaging vehicles over hills by climbing the hill as it will be hard to aim with only -3° depression and the lower plate will be vulnerable due to the angling.
* Avoid fighting tanks with HEAT/HESH/APFSDS.
* Be careful when brawling at extremely close ranges, as the top of the turret is quite vulnerable due to the vehicle's low profile.
* Avoid facing elevated opponents, as this decreases LOS thickness for hull and exposes turret top.
* Carrying less ammo helps increase survivability from penetrating shots to the turret (ammunition is spread around the edges of the turret).

=== The Stock Grind ===
This vehicle can be a pain to play when stock, because enemies will try to kill you in any way, often by setting you on fire 3 times in a row. Your tracks and gun barrel are frequent targets as well, and without Parts or FPE gameplay is going to be painful. Due to this, you must '''research Parts and FPE first''', this is extremely important. Generally, you would want to be behind your teammates, to let them get shot more instead of you, when reloaded you can poke out and shoot your shot, right before going back into the cover or behind teammates. Sniping is an option, but it's not the most viable since there's quite a lot of bullet drop and missing your shots will cause the very long reload.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very good frontal armour. Upper and lower plates are basically immune to all conventional shells
* First Soviet heavy tank that comes with the V-shaped hull and ridiculously strong spaced armour lining the sides
* Really strong turret. Even the sides of the turret are heavily armoured and angled
* Very powerful 122 mm gun; top APHE shell has high penetration and very good damage potential
* Good top speed and manoeuvrability

'''Cons:'''

* Horrifying reload speed; despite the armour, fighting two tanks at once is ill-advised
* Armour is still no match for APDS and HEAT
* Terrible gun depression; finding a good hull-down location to use the gun is difficult
* Despite the good turret, the left side of the gun mantlet can be penetrated by conventional rounds with good penetration (Like the 88 mm shell found on the Tiger II)
* Bottom of the gun mantlet is an infamous shot trap
* While a small target, the entirety of the turret ring is exposed
* Ammo is strewn throughout the entire crew compartment
* Roof-mounted 12.7 mm machine gun only has a 50 box magazine before needing to reload
* Only four crew members in a small crew compartment; any APHE shell that penetrates will likely knock out the entire crew
* 122 mm gun is the same as the IS-2 with the exception of the new BR-471D shell and will struggle to knock out hull down American mediums and heavies like the M48 Patton and T32

== History ==


===Development===
Late in 1944, development of the next generation of the IS heavy tanks started, following after the [[IS-2 (1944)|IS-2]] tank. The tank was to be better in armour compared to the IS-2 as a response to the new [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]] that showed up and is able to penetrate the front armour of the hull. The project was codenamed ''Kirovets-1'' and was headed by General Nikolai Dukhov.<ref name="ZalogaIS">Zaloga Steven. ''IS-2 Heavy Tank 1944-73'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 1994</ref> Design bureaus at the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant "Tankograd" (ChTZ) and Factory No. 100 worked on the design of the vehicle. A focus on the armour improvement came from a study by an engineer in the teams that most tank losses occurred from hits to the front turret, with the front hull coming in second. The two design bureaus came up with their own ideas on how to make the armour of the tank more effective, with ChTZ developing an extremely rounded turret and No.100 developing a new angled front armour in a shape of a "beak". Soviet command decided that the design should use both features in the armour as both ideas were promising. The prototype vehicle was then produced at ChTZ and completed in October 1944 when it trialled and accepted for production as the '''IS-3'''. Production for the IS-3 started in 1945 at ChTZ alongside the IS-2 production. As the first tanks rolled off production lines, it was determined that the design was rushed and unproven with its multiple mechanical problems, some of which included the armour plates welds cracking open from the vibration of cross-country movement and muzzle blast from the gun. Because of this, the IS-3 was not available in large numbers to be committed into battle, leading to their absence in the final months of World War II before Germany surrendered in May 1945.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

Despite its rough introduction and prevalent mechanical issues, the IS-3 continued production with gradual fixes to the front hull, final drive, and engine mounts. The Chelyabinsk factory produced IS-3s from 1945 to 1951 for a total of 1,800 tanks.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

===Usage===
Though the IS-3 was not available in large numbers at the start, the Soviets attempted to transport the IS-3 to Germany in April 1945 to assist in the fighting, but they arrived too late to be committed to any fighting. It is reported that the IS-3 did see service during the Soviet invasion of Manchuria in August 1945 to fulfil Stalin's promise in the Yalta Conference to invade Japan after the capitulation of Germany, however not much information is present about this topic.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

The end of the most destructive war in history did not waver the Soviet's opinion of the IS-3 however, and the Soviet command had the 52 IS-3 tanks from the 2nd Guards Tank Army paraded in the Berlin Victory Parade on September 7, 1945.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> The reveal of the IS-3 in the parade came as a huge shock to the Western Allies who saw the IS-3 as a nigh-invulnerable breakthrough tank with their heavy armour. The response to the tank was there to develop their own heavy tanks able to do the same job and with a gun able to fight the IS-3, such as the British [[Conqueror|Conqueror]] and the American [[M103|M103]] heavy tanks. Despite its very ominous stature, the IS-3 was still plagued with mechanical issues at this point with its poor armour quality and mechanical reliability. A short modernization program from 1948 to 1952 was made to fix these issues with tanks in production and in the depots with no change to the name designation. The IS-3 was then modernized further in the 1960s to keep it up with changing times. The modifications done were similar to the IS-2M, which gave the IS-3 extra external fuel tanks, storage bins, and protective side skirts as well as an improved engine, engine filtration, new radios, new machine guns, new gun optics, and many more small changes. The modernized IS-3 was named the ''IS-3M''.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

One of the few actions the IS-3 saw in the post-war era with the Soviet Union was in 1956 during the Hungarian Revolution with a single heavy tank regiment. The Soviet's heavy tank regiments used to consist of 21 heavy tanks during World War II. In 1947, the regiment composition is changed to between 44-46 heavy tanks and 21 heavy assault guns in a mixed formation. Another change between 1958-1959 saw this mixed unit changed to consist of only heavy tanks but now consists of up to 100 heavy tanks. Despite their armour, a number of heavy tanks were lost before the Soviets were able to crush the revolution. The IS-3 after that did not see much action afterwards in the Soviet Union's hands before it started to be replaced by the newer [[T-10M|T-10]] heavy tank in the 1960s. During this time, many heavy tanks were transported to the border between the Soviet Union and China in face of the rising tension between the two countries.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

The IS-3 would also be supplied to the Soviet Union's allies such as Poland, Czechoslovakia, North Korea, and Egypt. Poland and Czechoslovakia never adopted the tank after trials however, thus leaving only North Korea and Egypt as the main foreign users of the IS-3. The Egyptians used the IS-3M, 100 of which were received from the Soviets, against the Israelis in the Six-Day War in 1967. Of all the tanks used in that war, the IS-3M was the most feared by the Israelis due to the thick front armour. Israeli infantry's standard anti-tank weaponry could not penetrate through the front, and tanks as modern as the [[M48A1|M48 Patton]] also could not defeat the IS-3M. Nevertheless, the better tactics and training among the Israeli tank units were able to prevail against the IS-3M, with the IS-3 being commented by the Egyptians for its low rate of fire and outdated fire-controls to the crew's deficiency in combat. Of the 100, 73 tanks were lost during the Six-Day War. The Israeli managed to capture a number of IS-3 and pressed them into service, though only for a short period before its faults become more problematic than its benefits. The engine on the IS-3 proved to be unsuitable in the desert climate of the Middle East, and an attempt by the Israeli to alleviate this by replacing the engine with one from the [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]], though this did not prove fruitful. In the Yom Kippur War in 1973, both the Egyptians and Israeli used the IS-3M to a smaller degree than the Six Day War, the IS-3 not seeing much combat in the Egyptian forces and were used as dug-in pillboxes on the Jordan River by the Israelis.<ref name="ZalogaIS" />

===Decline and Discontinuation===
With the introduction of the lighter and more mobile [[T-54 (1951)|T-54]] main battle tank in the 1950s, the IS-3 saw less usage among the Soviet front-line as it started to become obsolete. Further development to improve and continue the IS tank series became the [[IS-4M|IS-4]], IS-7, and the [[T-10M|T-10]] tanks. However, in 1960, Nikita Khrushchev, the new premier of the Soviet Union after Stalin died, ordered heavy tank production to be terminated in wake of a new military strategy of missiles rather than conventional forces.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> His orders are not without reason, heavy tanks are difficult to maintain and transport across the huge Soviet Union, which also did not have many bridges that could support a heavy tank. Another reason was the changing anti-tank technology that made tank armour extremely vulnerable, especially against the new anti-tank missiles that are becoming more and more efficient at their task in destroying tanks. Still, the order did not mean the dissolution of heavy tank units as by 1978, there were still up to 2,300 heavy tanks in the Far East. To this day, many heavy tanks are still either in inactive reserves or dug in as pillboxes along the borders of the Soviet Union.<ref name="ZalogaIS" /> The heavy tank's place in the Soviet Union's military was replaced by the main battle tanks (MBT) like the T-64, which presented a much better firepower, armour, and mobility for only a weight of 35 tons, a technological sign on the rising prevalence of the MBT.

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{{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'}}}}
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In spite of the fact that the IS-2 lived up to expectations, a decision was made a year after the end of the war to create a tank with even higher characteristics. Its unique welded hull and cast turret construction significantly increased its armour strength in comparison to the IS-2, from which it took many key parts and components.

The hull was welded together from rolled armour plates and contained no cast armour pieces. The dual-sloping inclined nose design allowed a driver's hatch to be placed in it, significantly improved visibility in the field and provided high armour strength to the frontal hull. For increased fire safety, its fuel tanks were moved from the fighting compartment to the engine compartment. It was armed with a 122 mm D-25T cannon with a coaxial 7.62 mm DT machine gun. The turret's roof was equipped with a 12.7 mm DShK anti-aircraft machine gun. It had no bow or rear machine guns.

At the beginning of their deployment, a range of flaws resulting from a number of design errors and miscalculations was revealed in these tanks. Among other issues, these included failures in the engine, gearbox, and parts of the armoured hull in the region of the engine compartment. In 1948-1952, all IS-3 tanks were reworked and modernised. The engine brackets were reinforced, the gearbox fixings changed, the underturret plate strengthened, the main friction coupling design updated, and the sealing enhanced on the final drive and road wheels. The 10-RK radio set was replaced with the 10-RT radio set. These changes increased the tank's mass to 48.8 tonnes.

The first experimental group of IS-3 heavy tanks left their factories in 1945. In total, 2,311 of them were made by mid-1946.
They were not deployed in combat in the Great Patriotic War. There are some indications that the IS-3 was used in the defeat of the Japanese army in August 1945.
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== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_is_3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|VllBeDoqLHo|'''The Shooting Range #405''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:18 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|_-YJo8JRBEM|'''Shooting Range #190''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 1:00 discusses the IS-3.}}

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

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

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/2948--en|[Vehicle Profile] IS-3]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer ChTZ}}
{{USSR heavy tanks}}