War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

T-80U

2019-10-19T07:26:04Z

U48128739: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_t_80u}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]].

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


The armour protection of the {{PAGENAME}} is exceptional, especially if the incoming round hits one of the contact-5 ERA plates. The strongest parts of the tank are the turret front and a majority of the upper front plate. It does however have some weaker areas, the most important being the driver's hatch, the immediate areas of the turret surrounding the gun and its breech, and its lower frontal plate. These weak spots are however pretty small targets at range, and thus by hiding them properly, the risk of being hit can be minimized. Owing to its very low profile, a hull-down T-80U is a small target in itself; the weaker parts of its armour are even smaller.

Fuel tanks on either side of the driver can soak up some shrapnel and add to the overall survivability. However, as with all Russian auto-loaded MBTs, there are only three crew members so a well-placed shot is capable of causing a crew knock-out. It's also worth noting that the placement of the ammo rack, below the turret in a carousel-style setup, leaves the T-80U particularly vulnerable to side shots causing ammunition detonation. The protection of the T-80U is very similar to the T-64B in terms of the size and placement of the weak areas. The sides of your tank should always be protected, and when engaging an enemy, your front armour should always be aligned directly towards him to reduce the risks of a shot penetrating your weaker side. The tank does however have some Kontakt-5 ERA on its upper front skirts, meaning that you have some extra protection against kinetic penetrators, and a lot against chemical shells, until the ERA bricks are detonated (leaving the area vulnerable for another hit).

Like mentioned above, the T-80U also benefits from the typical low silhouette Russian tankers will be accustomed to, with the vehicle being significantly smaller than its competitors. This allows the T-80U to be hidden behind small terrain deformities which other MBTs would otherwise be visible. It's also harder for an enemy tank commander to immediately tell which area is the most vulnerable.

=== Mobility ===

The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is actually much better than that of the [[T-80B]], despite the U model weighing three tons more. This is thanks to the improved engine mounted in the{{PAGENAME}} which has a stock engine power of 1,106 hp, going up to 1,250 hp once the appropriate modules have been researched. It has a maximum speed of 69 km/h (43 mph) forward and 9.7 km/h (6 mph) in reverse. The one downside is the traverse in neutral, taking around 19 seconds for a full 360° spin, but this can be greatly reduced if the tank is already in at least in 3rd gear.

As with most Russian MBTs, the reverse speed (9.7 km/h (6 mph)) does leave the tank vulnerable in situations where a fast retreat would be preferable. The commander should always be aware of his immediate surroundings and have a plan to get out of the area in case of an debilitating hit.

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

{{main|2A46M-1 (125 mm)}}

The T-80U is armed with the same 125 mm cannon found in the [[T-80B]], with its 3BM42 "Mango" round proving competitive against other Rank VII offerings. As with previous vehicles of the family, the main gun is auto-loaded, so the loss of a crew member does not affect the loading times and the 6.5-second loading speed is competitive when compared to the 120 mm guns on the Leopard 2A5 and M1A1 Abrams. One notable perk of the auto-loader mechanism is that the gun will be reloaded even if the gunner is knocked out, if you're fighting a fire, or repairing. It does however also come with the drawbacks of a reload time that cannot be improved, the large ammo carousel concentric with the turret, and the chance of a single penetrating shot detonating the ammo racks.

As with the T-80B and T-64B, the T-80U can launch 9M119 missiles out of its gun. These can prove useful for shooting over hills to hit a hiding enemy, or to engage helicopters or low-flying aircraft.
[[File:T-80U No.864 in Vietnam.jpg|500px|thumb|right|'''{{PAGENAME}}''' No.864 engaged in combat in Vietnam]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[2A46M-1 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A46M-1]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" |36|| -5°/+15°||±180°||Two-plane
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
|''Arcade''||27.4 ||37.8|| __.__ ||__.__ || __.__
|-
|''Realistic''|| 14.3 |17.1||20.2|| __.__ || __.__ || __.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
|6.5||6.5||6.5||6.5
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" |Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" |Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Type of
warhead
! colspan="6" |'''Penetration''' ''in mm'' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
!10m
!100m
!500m
!1000m
!1500m
!2000m
|-
|3BM22||APFSDS||425||420||415||405||392||380
|-
|3BM42||APFSDS||479||477||470||462||453||445
|-
|3BK18M||HEATFS||550||550||550||550||550||550
|-
|3OF26||HE||47||47||47||47||47||47
|-
|9M119||ATGM||650||650||650||650||650||650
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" |Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" |Ammunition
! rowspan="2" |Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" |''Fuse delay'' ''in m:''
! rowspan="2" |''Fuse sensitivity'' ''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" |''Explosive Mass in g(TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" |''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" |''Ricochet:''
|-
!0%
!50%
!100%
|-
|3BM22||APFSDS||1,760||4.83||N/A||N/A||N/A||°||76°||77°||78°
|-
|3BM42||APFSDS||1,700||4.85||N/A||N/A||N/A||°||78°||80°||81°
|-
|3BK18M||HEATFS||905||19||0.0||0.1||2,790||°||65°||72°||75°
|-
|3OF26||HE||850||23||0.1||0.5||5,780||+0°||79°||80°||81°
|-
|9M112||ATGM||400||27.5||0.0||0.01||3,600||+0°||80°||82°||90°
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''45''' || 28 ''(+1)'' ||6||10|| style="text-align:center" | No
|-
|}

Only First Stage: 28-20

==== Optics and night vision ====

The T-80U has two night vision modifications. The first modification "NVD" is unlocked at tier 3 and grants access to an image intensifier for each crew member. The second modification "NVD Upgrade" is unlocked at tier 4 and replaces the gunner's image intensifier with a thermal imager.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="7" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Optics]]
|-
! rowspan="3" |Type of optic
! rowspan="3" |Magnification
! colspan="5" |[[Night Vision Devices]]
|-
! colspan="3" |Image Intensifier
! rowspan="2" |{{Annotation|Thermal Imager Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! rowspan="2" |Notes
|-
! {{Annotation|Resolution|The higher the resolution the clearer and more detailed the image is}}
! {{Annotation|Light Mult|By how much the image intensifier amplifies the existing light, primarily useful for comparing image intensifiers}}
! {{Annotation|Noise Level|How much noise is present in the image (how grainy the image is)}}
|-
! Gunner's Sight
| X2.7 - X12 || 1600 x 1200 || 9.0 || High || 500 x 300 || Thermal imager unlocked by "NVD Upgrade" mod (tier 4), replaces image intensifier.
|-
! Commander's View
| X6 || 1600 x 1200 || 9.0 || High || Not Fitted || Image intensifier unlocked by "NVD" mod (tier 3)
|-
! Driver's View
| X1 || 1600 x 1200 || 5.0 || High || Not Fitted || Image intensifier unlocked by "NVD" mod (tier 3)
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} [[Night_Vision_Devices#Infrared_Spotlights|IR Searchlight]]
|-
! Max Range
! Beam Width
! Location / Notes
|-
| 1,400 m || 8.2° || Searchlight mounted on turret front, just right of the gun. Light moves up and down with main gun.
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|NSVT (12.7 mm)|PKT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="7" |[[NSVT (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm NSVT]]
|-
! colspan="7" |''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" |Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" |Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" |Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 300 (150) || 700 || -10°/+60° || ±180°
|}
{| class="wikitable"
! colspan="7" |[[PKT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKT]]
|-
! colspan="7" |''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" |Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" |Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" |Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" |1,250 (250) || 700 || N/A || N/A
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Learning to use terrain to hide the lower front plate and hull if possible is key to surviving. Like any other tank at the top rank, do not let enemies see your side armour. This is especially true for the T-64/T-80 line since their ammo is stored vertically and makes it very easy to hit. Since the Russian MBTs are relatively small, you can also use teammates as cover.

The {{PAGENAME}} is a fantastic sniper due to the great penetration and small turret, so that is also a viable option as long as you keep your eyes open on your flanks. The most dangerous enemy to the {{PAGENAME}} are helicopters, although the Kontakt-5 will usually protect against one missile. However, it is still ERA, and will be blown off after it is detonated. Since the interior of the tank is so compact, this makes it easy for good pilots to knock you out in 2-3 rapid missile shots. To avoid helicopters, stay close to buildings or hide next to trees/large bushes and wait for an anti-air vehicle or plane to take it out. Another option is to use the ATGM or range finder to shoot down the enemy yourself.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Effective armour, especially against chemical munitions. The Kontakt-5 ERA mounted to the tank's frontal arc and its turret means that even helicopter-launched ATGMs may fail to penetrate.
* Good stock ammunition, very good 3BM42 unlockable. Has access to 3OF26 HE-Frag-FS ammunition which does short work of enemy MBTs if the shell detonates above the turret roof or frontal deck.
* Nimble tank for its size and tonnage - a fully upgraded T-80U is much more responsive than the T-80B. It still isn't as quick as a Leopard, however, and its reverse speed is punishing along with the lack of neutral steering.
* Low silhouette - if you can find a sufficiently flat area behind a hilltop or a wide enough ditch, a hull-down T-80U is hard to spot and harder to hit.
* Its autoloader, as with the other tanks in the T-64, -72 and -80 lines, ensures that ammunition will be loaded even when replacing crew, repairing, or extinguishing a fire!
* Accurate gun, and its muzzle velocity combined with the laser rangefinder permits easy long-range shots with little lead required to hit moving targets.
* Gun-launched anti-tank guided missiles can be used as multipurpose munitions for tanks and helicopters alike.
* Great turret protection

'''Cons:'''

* Rather easy to hit weak spots at closer ranges - some of them possibly leading to a one hit knockout.
* Poor survivability from side shots due to the massive ammunition carousel mounted in the centre of the hull.
* Relatively low reverse speed, hard to retreat from a threatening situation.
* The cramped interior, with the crew placed tightly together, means that the tank is easily disabled if a shot penetrates.
* ...and the spare ammunition not carried in the autoloader is distributed around the hull and turret - meaning a penetrating shot might ignite a round carried as a spare, setting off the carousel.
* Poor gun depression of -5° due to the low turret height. This makes it difficult to shoot over hills and other obstacles, especially on maps with rough terrain.

== History ==

Work on improving the existing T-80 MBT begun as early as the mid-1970s with the design bureau in Leningrad. Here, developers were responsible for the production of the T-80 and started working on a joint project to further enhance the T-80’s capabilities.

In the early 1980s, the first prototypes were being built and after extensive testing and design tweaking, the new tank was considered ready for production. The resultant tank was accepted by the Soviet military under the designation T-80U.

The T-80U received turret and upper frontal enhancements as part of its new construction along with being equipped with a second generation ERA protection system known as Kontakt-5. In contrast to the previous generation of dynamic protection, Kontakt-5 increased the tank's protection against HEAT ''and'' armour-piercing shells. The modifications also affected the armament of the tank - the T-80U is equipped with a new 1A45 fire control system and Reflex ICBM, which used more advanced 9M119 guided missiles. Subsequently, the tank was equipped with a new, more powerful GTD-1250 gas turbine engine which helped compensate for the increased weight of the vehicle and improved its dynamics.

The T-80U had been factory produced in Leningrad in 1987, but in 1989, its production was moved to Omsk. Work on upgrading the T-80 was carried out in Kharkov, but there, they constructed their own vehicle equipped with a diesel engine, which was designated ‘T-80UD’. The latter would evolve into further developed Ukrainian derivatives of the T-80.

T-80Us served with the Soviet military until the collapse of the Soviet Union in the late 1980s and have since continued serving with the Union’s successor states to this day. The vehicle also saw service abroad with some other countries as well, primarily with South Korea and Cyprus. Overall, around 700 T-80Us have been produced since 1985, but this vehicle has yet to be put into any actual combat situations.

''- From [[wt:en/news/6051-development-t-80u-making-contact-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


== 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/6051-development-t-80u-making-contact-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> T-80U: Making Contact]]

{{USSR medium tanks}}

Fw 190 D-13

2019-10-19T07:19:08Z

U48128739: /* Details */

{{Specs-Card
|code = fw-190d-13
|store = 3528
}}
{{About
| about = German fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Fw 190 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_Fw190D13.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German fighter {{Battle-rating}}. This fighter has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29. The Fw 190 D-13 is very similar to the [[Fw 190 D-12|Fw 190 D-12]] in the German tech tree, with the only difference being the 20 mm MG 151 "Motorkanone" firing through the centre of the propeller, rather than the 30 mm Mk 108 cannon on the D-12.

As the final in-game variant of the [[Fw_190_(Disambiguation)|Fw 190 series]] (excluding the later [[Ta_152_H-1|Ta 152 H-1]]) the Fw 190 D-13's main attributes include a very high top speed, heavy armament with a large ammunition pool, a fantastic engine built for high-altitude performance and it features hydraulic ailerons for an amazing high-speed roll rate. It is one of the only prop driven aircraft able to reach speeds exceeding 450 MPH/725 KPH while still retaining some ability to manoeuvre. This being said, the Fw 190 D-13 bears a heavy reliance on speed and [[Guide_to_manual_engine_controls|engine power]] to be successful. Although constructed by the Germans during World War Two to be a bomber interceptor, the D-13 is more than capable of downing any aircraft it faces, even some first-generation jets such as the [[Meteor_F_Mk 3|Meteor F. Mk.3]] and the [[F-80A-5|F-80A-5]].

The Fw 190 D-13 is, however, plagued by some downfalls; namely, its ability to recover from a dive and its ability (or lack thereof) to turn fight. Because of these deficits, the Fw 190 D-13 is best utilized as an "energy fighter" capable of swift and deadly dive attacks in which no harm is put on the pilot. This is precisely how to effectively fly the D-13, as when caught in a sticky situation it can be difficult to evade potential assailants, especially Spitfires.

One of the most known abilities of the Fw 190 series is their ability to out roll enemies such as the [[Spitfire_(Disambiguation)|Spitfire]] that "lock up" at higher speeds. If attacked from above and if the enemy is at a higher speed than the D-13, it is possible to perform a series of rolls called a "scissors". The goal of this manoeuvre is to both avoid the enemy's guns by rolling out of the way as well as allowing that enemy to overshoot, resulting in the D-13 pilot tailing the would-be killer. Although difficult, manoeuvres such as these can turn the tables in a one-on-one dogfight and ensure survival.

The D-13 variant can be flown in a versatile fashion, as was already mentioned. With the destructive power of the ''Minengeschoß,'' no bomber or fighter in the game can survive more than 50 cannon hits. Against fighters, the MG 151 cannons wielded by the D-13 and its predecessors get the job done, albeit it can be worse to aim them than the Hispanos.

Due to the extreme reliability of the MG 151 cannon attempt every shot possible. These cannons can often cut off an enemy's wing with a single shell. No matter which aircraft wielding the MG 151 cannon, a few successful hits with the ''Minengeschoß'' round will cause critical damage. Attempt every deflection shot possible, and if the rounds are not hitting the target pull harder. It is better to have rounds fly in front of an enemy plane than miles behind them. In order to pull ahead, make good use of combat/landing flaps. However, remember not to activate them at high speeds as they will rip off causing a momentary loss of control.

The role of the ''Bomb Dora'' can be done by any Fw 190 D. A wide array of payload options are available, but take a long time to research. None of them is powerful enough to destroy strategic bomb zones. In addition, the 50 kg bombs can only be dropped in pairs in RB & SB. In combination with the lack of an aiming reticule, it is recommended to only carry a ''main'' payload consisting of larger bombs. Bridges, heavy tanks, and heavy pillboxes should be the primary target for the 500 kg bomb. The other targets can be destroyed with ease by allied attackers.

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 9,700 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 690 || 673 || 12,000 || 23.1 || 23.6 || 10.5 || 12.8 || 317
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 9,700 m)
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" |Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
! AB
! RB
|-
| 759 || 725 || 12,000 || 20.1 || 21.6 || 26.7 || 17.1 || 317
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! +
! -
|-
| 920 || 920 || ??? || ~21 || ~21
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
|-
! Ailerons (km/h)
! Rudder (km/h)
! Elevators (km/h)
! Radiator (km/h)
|-
| < 410 || < 520 || < 520 || > 280
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 3,900 m || 1,632 hp || 2,007 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 7,300 m || 1,658 hp || 2,039 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 3
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 9,700 m || 1,377 hp || 1,694 hp
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


* 5 mm Steel - Fuel tank plate
* 8 mm Steel - Under fuel tank plate
* 6 mm Steel - Pilot seat
* 8 mm Steel - Pilot seat
* 12 mm Steel - Headrest
* 3 mm Steel - Engine cowling
* 57 mm Bulletproof glass

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

{{main|MG 151/20 (20 mm)}}

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

* 3 x 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons (250 rpg = 750 total)

The three cannons are arranged with one in each wing and the third in the propeller shaft, firing through the propeller hub. Each are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire with each other until empty.
=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)}}

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

* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA (200 kg total)
* 8 x 50 kg SC50JA (400 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg SC250JA (250 kg total)
* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA + 1 x 250 kg SC250JA (450 kg total)
* 1 x 500 kg SC250JA (500 kg total)
* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA + 1 x 500 kg SC500K (700 kg total)


== Usage in the battles ==

[[File:Cockpit_Fw190d12.jpg|thumbnail|right|The Fw 190 D-13's instrument panel.]]

====Tactics====

Generally, upon entering a match the D-13 is best utilized as a "side climber". Instead of climbing towards the enemy, take a different route. Once you reach a reasonable altitude, turn back towards the fray. By doing this, you end up arriving at the fight above both your teammates and your enemies, which is very helpful. Although this method takes more time, you can not only dive on unsuspecting enemies but you can also help other pilots on your team. If a teammate looks like he is having trouble shaking an enemy or pulling the lead, you can swoop in and help out.

In Realistic Battles, it is very important to have situational awareness while using D-13. Once at a good altitude (7-8 thousand meters) you can consider engaging the enemy. Ideally, this aircraft should never get into low altitude and low-speed engagements. That being said, make use of the D-13's good climbing abilities. Instead of trying to drag enemies lower to the ground, keep them high and with low energy. This becomes more and more possible the higher the altitudes go, especially when facing off against planes built for low-altitude combat. Many of the enemy aircraft the Fw 190 D-13 faces are not designed for fighting at high altitudes. If found at a low altitude and in a vulnerable state, use cloud cover to your advantage. Even if an enemy is within meters behind you it is possible to lose them in thick clouds.

Another facet of the D-13's success lies in head-on attacks. Utilize the "fake out" - this entails lining the plane up with the enemy's and firing the cannons at a distance starting at around 1.0 mile or 1.60 kilometres away. Unless the enemy plane is using stealth belts, you can judge when to pull off by watching for their tracers. By doing this, it becomes possible to completely avoid enemy fire while dishing out a deadly barrage of shells at a long range.

In order to score a successful kill using this method, it is recommended to have the "20 mm belts" module unlocked for your aircraft. The ''Minengeschoß'' belt for MG 151 cannons is considered by many to be the best aircraft belt in the game. Unlike other cannon shells, the ''Minengeschoß'' is a thin-walled shell comprised of a high amount of HE filler. Instead of filling a metal round with high explosive, the Germans built an ammunition round out of HE and applied a thin layer of metal around it.

The main points: 

* Use Boom & Zoom tactics
* Attempt every shot possible
* Never turn fight with any plane, unless you are 100% sure, that enemy is in much lower energy state, and you can turn inside him, or when you are baiting for your teammates.
* Always have an altitude advantage
* Attempt every SAFE head on attack
* Utilize "zoom climbing"

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

===Modules===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! Flight performance
! Survivability
! Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage Repair, Radiator
|
| ETC 71 I
|-
| II
| Compressor
| Air Frame
| Offensive 20 mm, ETC 71 II
|-
| III
| Wing Repair, Engine
|
| ETC 504 I, ETC 504 + ER 4 I
|-
| IV
| Engine Injection
| Compressor
| New 20 mm Cannons, ETC 504 II, ETC 504 ER 4 II
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent energy retention
* Excellent dive acceleration
* Great speed on both low and high altitudes
* Very high top speed in a dive
* Great high-speed manoeuvrability
* Impressive high altitude performance
* Great aileron control and roll rate especially at higher speeds
* Heavy-hitting armament
* High ammunition supply (750)
* Heavily armoured, especially around the fuel tanks
* Good climb rate
* Water injection (MW50) - WEP lasts at least 30 minutes
* Flaps never rip

'''Cons:'''

* Awful turn rate below high speeds
* Enormous turn circle
* Any engine damage whatsoever reduces the ability to dogfight and gain speed by a high degree
* Poor elevator authority at high speeds (can be difficult to pull out of a dive)

== History ==
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''

=== In-game description ===
"Focke-Wulf Fw 190 D-13 ""Dora"" single-engine high-altitude fighter
The Fw 190 D-13 was the last production variant in the family of Fw 190D aircraft with Junkers Jumo 213 engines. The first two prototypes were converted from production Fw 190 A-8s in October and November 1944. Both machines differed from the Fw 190 D-12 only in their armament. In the V of the Jumo 213E engine, a 20 mm Mauser MG 151/20 cannon with 220 rounds was mounted instead of the 30 mm Rheinmetall-Borsig MK 108 cannon. There were also two 20 mm synchronized Mauser MG.151/20 cannons in the wing roots.

Later, the Jumo 213 F-1 engine was installed on these planes, equipped with a 9-8213 H supercharger and an MW 50 injection system. Since the plan was to use aircraft from the D-13 series as high-altitude fighters, both prototypes were equipped with airtight cockpits.

The Fw 190 D-13 was not launched into full-scale production until March 1945. Planes were produced in the Fw 190 D-13/R11 variant, an all-weather interceptor fighter, and equipped with a PKS 12 automatic pilot, a FuG 125 Hermine radio system, and a heated cockpit canopy windscreen.

About 30 of these aircraft were built by the end of the war, and 20 were delivered to the JG 26 Fighter Wing.

The Fw 190 D-13/R5 variant was supposed to be equipped with a ТSА-2D sight and a ventral ETC 504 rack and underwing ETC 71 racks for 50 kg SC 50 bombs. German forces planned for Fw 190 D-13/R5s to be subsequently armed with two Ruhrstahl X-4 air-to-air missiles.

Distinctive features of the Fw 190D included a rational layout of the engine components and the engine-propeller power plant and a well-designed automatic cooler temperature regulator. A well-tested fire control system was developed for the aircraft. When all gun positions fired simultaneously, aim was stable, and the pilot felt virtually no recoil. Extensive electrification of the equipment simplified the pilot's work.

These final German fighters, the Fw 190D and the Ta 152, were the swan song of the era of piston-engined machines."

== Media ==
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XyACmEodRaE

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

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


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

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

{{Germany fighters}}

M18 GMC

2019-10-19T07:16:00Z

U48128739: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=us_m18_hellcat}}
{{About
|about=tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|other
|usage-1=the premium version
|link-1=M18 "Black Cat"
|usage-2=the upgunned "super" version
|link-2=Super Hellcat
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_M18GMC.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{Specs|name}}''', also known as the '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''', is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]]. The M18 "Hellcat" was the epitome of the American tank destroyer doctrine, it was very fast, very mobile, and has a powerful gun, though with a large trade-off with only 12.7 mm (0.5 inches) of armour.

The M18 "Hellcat" compensates the lack of anti-tank capability on U.S vehicles by having access to a 76 mm gun with APCR ammunition, all in the battle rating of 5.3. This makes the M18 able to fight off many of the high-ranking vehicles it could face like the [[Panther D|Panther D]], [[Tiger H1|Tiger H1]], [[KV-1_(ZiS-5)|KV-1]], [[KV-85]], and [[IS-1]].

Unlike the other tank destroyers known in the game, the M18 "Hellcat" has access to a 360° traversable turret, allowing players to have a greater arc of fire than a typical casemate tank destroyer like the [[StuG III G|StuG III]], but at the expense of a slightly higher profile. Americans tank destroyers also have very high manoeuvrability compared to other nation's tank destroyers, allowing it to flank the enemy.

The main weak point of M18 is its very thin armour, a feature that actually allows the M18 to reach its high speed. The thin armour makes it possible for any enemy tanks to penetrate the vehicle. A single hit would destroy many critical components in the M18 or cripple the crew. The only saving grace with this extremely thin ammunition is that standard AP rounds may over-penetrate the armour, doing minimal damage to the internals. Thus, when facing the M18, it's best to use AP rounds with explosive fillers or HE and HEAT rounds while avoiding usage of pure AP rounds and APCR.

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 12.7 mm (39-64°) ''Front glacis'' 12.7 mm (23-52°) ''Lower glacis'' || 12.7 mm (23-26°) ''Top'' 12.7 mm ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm (12°) ''Top'' 12.7 mm (36°) ''Bottom'' || 8 mm
|-
| Turret || 25.4 mm (15-26°) ''Turret front'' 19 mm + 25.4 mm (0-55°) ''Gun mantlet''|| 12.7 mm (1-21°) || 12.7 mm (7°) || N/A ''Open-top'' 8 mm ''Bustle and Front''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 5 mm thick.
* The hull underside right above the tracks are only 8 mm thick.
* Tracks are attached the turret rear, granting some 15 mm in thickness.

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 17.7 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 79 (AB)
|-
|72 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|653
|804
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|407
|460
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|36.89
|45.42
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|22.99
|25.99
|-
|}

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

{{main|M1 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[M1_(76_mm)|76 mm M1]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 45 || -10°/+20° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 21.13 || 29.25 || __.__ || __.__ || 41.79
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.4 || 22.60 || 24.00
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 7.93 || 7.02 || 6.47 || 6.10
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 145 || 142 || 130 || 116 || 103 || 92
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 8 || 8 || 7 || 7 || 7 || 7
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 133 || 131 || 121 || 109 || 98 || 89
|-
| M93 shot || APCR || 221 || 215 || 203 || 181 || 154 || 124
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| M62 shell || APCBC || 792 || 7.0 || 1.2 || 20 || 63.7 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
|-
| M42A1 shell || HE || 800 || 5.84 || 0.1 || 0.5 || 390 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
|-
| M79 shot || AP || 792 || 6.8 || N/A || N/A || N/A || -1° || 47° || 60° || 65°
|-
| M93 shot || APCR || 1,036 || 4.26 || N/A || N/A || N/A || +1.5° || 66° || 70° || 72°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
[[File:Ammoracks_M18GMC.png|right|thumbnail|300px|Ammo racks of the Hellcat.]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''45''' || 37 ''(+8)'' || 27 ''(+18)'' || 17 ''(+28)'' || 9 ''(+36)'' || 1 ''(+44)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Pintle mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 800 (200) || 576 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Before all, avoid colourful or bright decals. Camouflage is the main part of the M18's defence. Chances for good performance in battle are: be "invisible", fast and effective.
The M18's speed is its best ally. This speed has to be used for flanking manoeuvres and relocate. Not for trying to cross an open field, that will leave it open to enemy fire, speed is not a substitute for armour.

;Relocate:

* This movement will have to be done again and again. Choose a good spot wisely, remove the foliage if necessary to get a clear field of fire. When in the fire spot, use the gun depression and stay in a hull down position until a target is located. Once a target is locked on, aim at critical components. Try to immobilize the enemy by firing at the engine or transmission, or remove their firepower by shooting the gun or breech, or for instant destruction with a shot to the ammo storage. The last option can work very well or not, as skilled players only carry a few rounds of ammo.

* If positive that the enemy hasn´t discovered the firing spot, go for another shot. Stay attentive that none of the enemy's teammates has also located the firing spot. If detected, hide immediately and relocate.

;Flanking:

* Flanking is the most dangerous manoeuvre of all because the vehicle will have to be exposed as it moves to the enemy's rear, but it is very effective when it's coordinated with other vehicles. A distraction is needed to gain the enemy's attention while the M18 makes its move. Isolated enemy units are very vulnerable to this tactic. Using the M18 speed to get to the rear and as the enemy heads toward the objective, the firing perspective should give a very clear view of the enemy's side armour. A good shot with the M62 APCBC shell could knock out the enemy rather quickly, but if using solid AP shots like the M79, aim at critical components on mobility and firepower before knocking out the crew or ammo stowage.

;Avoid flat terrain:

* Flat terrain means that the Hellcat will become an easy target for virtually any vehicle by exposure, especially when not moving or when moving in a straight line. Open plains are the bane of the Hellcat. Whenever possible, one should try to stay amongst hills.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Outstanding firepower, especially with the availability of APCR ammunition, coupled with the fast reload speed and turret traverse
* Overall mobility is superb, with very responsive manoeuvring that allows the Hellcat to excel in flanking maneuvres
* Overall construction is low profile, reducing target size
* The nature of its thin armour means AP rounds have a tendency to pass straight through without damaging modules, and an APHE fuze may not even be triggered
* No ArMoUr Is BeSt ArMoUr

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour also means rapid-fire autocannons, heavy machine guns, and aerial weapons could easily shred it
* Commander is exposed at the 0.50 cal machine gun mount, and knocking him out would render the weapon useless
* Open-top construction means aerial strikes and artillery could rain havoc onto the crew
* Standard AP and APCBC round may be inadequate facing against most foes from the front
* A moment of immobility due to a damaged engine or transmission could be a sign of impending doom for the M18
* Hull-break mechanics mean any explosions or well-aimed AP round could instantly destroy the vehicle

== History ==


===US Tank Destroyer Doctrine===
The self-propelled anti-tank doctrine established by the US military called for fast, powerful vehicles able to stop the German blitzkrieg tactics by ambushing the attacking tank forces. This doctrine, known as the "Tank Destroyer Doctrine", called for anti-tank forces to be held in reserve to blunt the massed Panzer attacks that many in the War Department believed was the key to German victory in France in 1940. The concentration of antitank weaponry away from the frontline was eventually determined to be an unnecessary weakness, and the solution was to keep a few anti-tank guns in the front-line as the first defence, while a large reserve of mobile tank destroyers would move in at the location where a German tank breakthrough is happening to ambush and destroy the enemy forces. This role led to the desire for a fast vehicle with a powerful gun and mobility. Minimal emphasis was placed on armour, as the doctrinal role of tank destroyers was to respond rapidly to an enemy armoured breakthrough; heavy armour would only hinder a timely response. The development of a purpose-built tank destroyer languished in bureaucratic limbo for the early years of the war (a delay caused by poor designs such as the M5 Cletrac and bureaucratic infighting between the various departmental cliques), and consequently, the majority of self-propelled tank destroyers were expedients derived from the M4 Sherman chassis. The most common tank destroyer was the [[M10 GMC|M10 GMC]], made from the [[M4A2|M4 Sherman]] hull and armed with a 3-inch M1918 gun. Although perfectly capable and welcome addition for frontline forces, it was no faster than an ordinary Sherman tank. The tank destroyers would in 1944 finally receive their purpose-built self-propelled tank destroyer in 1944: the M18 Hellcat.<ref name="ZalogaM18" />

===Development===
The origin of the M18 design came as early as December 1941 with the requirement of a Christie suspension and a 37 mm gun. This requirement called for a radical new tank design rather than a derivative of the [[M4|M4 Sherman]]. These requirements changed as the war progressed, the first change was to the new and innovative Torsion bar suspension from Buick Motor Division from General Motors and another change was to mount the British [[Ordnance_QF_6-pounder_Mk.III_(57_mm)|QF 6-pounder gun]] then in use on their [[Churchill_Mk_III|Churchill Mark III]] tanks, the developed prototype vehicle was called the ''T49 GMC''. Then the US Army wanted the heavier [[M3_(75_mm)|75 mm gun]] used on the Shermans on it, this prototype was designated the ''T67 GMC''. Finally, the army decided to mount the [[M1_(76_mm)|76 mm gun]] also in development for the Sherman onto the prototype, now known as ''T70 GMC''. Changes to hull shape and turret took place to accommodate all these new requirements and armament, but it eventually was approved for service and finally renamed as the '''M18 GMC''' and started production in mid-1943, which went on until ending in October 1944 with 2,507 units produced. A variant called the ''M39 Armored Utility Vehicle'' was also produced, its turret was removed for space for cargo, 8 personnel, or to tow guns.

===Combat usage===
These vehicles saw combat debut in the summer of 1944, where they are given the unofficial nickname '''"Hellcat"''' by the crews using them. Unlike the [[M10 GMC|M10 tank destroyer]] that was built before it, the M18 GMC was purely made for emphasis on speed. Armour was restricted down to a maximum of 1-inch (25 mm) on the turret front while the rest of the body plating is a measly .50-inches thick (12.7 mm). The turret was also an open-top design similar to the M10 tank destroyer, meaning the crew are left exposed to the elements and enemy fire and shrapnel. These faults were mitigated by the fact that as its role as a tank destroyer, it was to have minimum contact with infantry and ambush enemy tanks in concealed position rather than face them in an offensive operation. Nevertheless, the M18 GMC were well liked by the crew for its 76 mm cannon, which allows it to destroy the newer German [[Tiger H1|Tiger Is]] and [[Panther D|Panthers]] tanks from the front with HVAP ammo (though the Panther at close range only) when unable to flank around to the side or rear of these tanks. The speed was also astounding, reaching 55 miles per hour maximum, this makes the M18 GMC the fastest armoured fighting vehicle in World War II.

While use in the Pacific theatre was limited due to the inadequate armour of Japanese tanks, it saw most of its service in the European theatre against Nazi Germany. Due to the lack in armour and emphasis on speed, the M18 crews utilize the "shoot and scoot" tactic in attacking the enemy from one position and quickly move to another before the enemy could find their initial firing position, this tactic confuses the German tanks, and could even lead them to believe there are more armoured enemy than what it appears. The M18 GMCs were present during the Battle of Arracourt in France as the 704th Tank Destroyer Battalion. Lt. Edwin Leiper led an M18 platoon of C Company and in the battle knocked a total of 15 German tanks for the loss of three M18; six of these German tank kills, most of which were Panthers, were credited to one M18 led by Sgt Henry R. Hartman. The M18 also played a crucial part in the Battle of the Bulge, where its top speed of 55 mph was finally put to good use in bypassing the enemy forces. Four M18 tank destroyers of the 705th Tank Destroyer Battalion assisted the 506th Parachute Infantry Regiment in attacking the 2nd Panzer Divison and their support to kill the fuel lines to the German tanks. The overall attack had the M18 GMC credited with at least 24 tank kills of the 30 total inflicted in the attack.

===Legacy===
Overall, the M18 GMC proved itself by having the highest kill-to-loss ratio to any other tanks and tank destroyer in American service, making it the most effective tank destroyer in American service. However, like its other tank destroyer brethren, it soon found itself obsolete along with the entire tank destroyer doctrine. Mainly due to increasing prevalence of well-armoured tanks that could do its job more efficiently such as the [[M26|M26 Pershing]], but also the lack of German AFVs at the time of the war and a study on ammo usage indicates that the tank destroyers spent more time supporting infantry with high-explosive shells than killing tanks with armour-piercing, rendering the anti-tank section an unnecessary component in the modernizing armoured forces.

Today, some countries in the world such as Yugoslavia still have the M18 Hellcats in reserves.

=== In-game description ===
A self-propelled artillery/tank destroyer mount based on the M24 tank. It was part of the American arsenal during World War II. It was produced from the middle of 1943 to October, 1944 and was used in combat operations in Italy and northern Europe. Its primary gun was the M1 76mm cannon, as was the case with late-model Sherman tanks. This tank destroyer featured very light armor, but the M18 was nevertheless the fastest armored vehicle in World War II.

The Hellcat was the most effective anti-tank SPG in the American army despite its extreme vulnerability and the fact that its 76mm cannon was unable to penetrate the armor of late German tanks. The vehicle stood out for its speed and maneuverability. Able to accelerate and change direction quickly, the Hellcat could easily outflank German tanks or even get behind them, whereas the rotation speed of the German tanks was not fast enough to attack the M18 and the M1 cannon could penetrate the enemy’s weak points with relative ease.

== Media ==

[http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23m18 Skins and camouflages for the M18 Hellcat series from live.warthunder.com.]

{{Youtube|url = MMbI22Uya8A|A M18 Hellcat at the Big Sandy Shootout in 2011 }}

== 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 ==


* [https://warthunder.com/en/devblog/current/760/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> M18 and M18 'Black Cat']
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/3448/current/ [Vehicle Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> As fast as deadly: The M18 Hellcat]
* [http://warthunder.com/en/news/3772-profile-m18-gun-motor-carriage-hellcat-en/ [Profile<nowiki>]</nowiki> M18 Gun Motor Carriage – Hellcat]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="ZalogaM18">Zaloga Steven. ''M18 Hellcat Tank Destroyer 1943-97'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2004</ref>
</references>

{{USA tank destroyers}}

T-34-85 (D-5T)

2019-10-19T07:14:29Z

U48128739: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_t_34_85_d_5t}}
{{About
| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = T-34 (Family)
}}

== Description ==

[[File:GarageImage_T-34-85 (D-5T).jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
{{break}}
The '''{{specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]]. This T-34 model is introduced with the formidable [[D-5T (85 mm)|85 mm gun]] on a tank mount. With a newer, strengthened turret, it can prove to be a menace at its battle rating. Though formidable, the Soviet upgraded the 85 mm gun to the improved ZiS-S-53 variant on the [[T-34-85]] model.

Operational and visual characteristics of the T-34-85(D-5T) are as similar and as common to previous T-34 lineage of tanks as they come, with the exception of a new turret and more powerful cannon. Players experienced in operating previous models of the T-34 in Rank II should have little to no difficulty in adjusting to this vehicle. The same can be said, unfortunately, about opposition forces facing this vehicle. The T-34-85(D-5T) inherits both its predecessors' strengths and weaknesses.

The T34-85 works very well with other allied tanks (British and American) that it is often paired with in RB and SB. It retains high mobility and an effective main gun, allowing it to quickly get to capture points (usually following M18s, which are often first at the scene). Here the {{PAGENAME}} can capture the points and then hold them until heavier reinforcements arrive. This means that often the team will have early superiority over the capture points.

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

'''Armour type:'''

*Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret roof)
*Cast homogeneous armour (Turret, Cupola, Driver's hatch, Machine gun port)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 45 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 45 mm (60°) ''Lower glacis'' 75 mm (56-60°) ''Driver's hatch'' 65 mm (30°) ''Machine gun port'' || 45 mm (39-40°) ''Top'' 45 mm ''Bottom'' || 45 mm (47-49°) ''Top'' 45 mm (47°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 90 mm (1-69°) ''Turret front'' 90 mm (7-61°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 75 mm (19-22°) ''Front 2/3rd'' 52 mm (13-19°) ''Rear 1/3rd'' || 52 mm (12°) || 20 mm
|-
! Armour !! Sides !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 90 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspensions wheels are 20 mm thick and tracks are 18 mm thick

=== Mobility ===

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Mobility characteristic
|-
! Weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Add-on Armor weight (tons)
! colspan="1" | Max speed (km/h)
|-
| rowspan="2" | 30.9 || colspan="1" rowspan="2" | N/A || colspan="1" | 61 (AB)
|-
|55 (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine power (horsepower)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|775
|954
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|442
|500
|-
! colspan="3" | Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
!Stock
!Upgraded
|-
|''Arcade''
|25.08
|30.87
|-
|''Realistic/Simulator''
|14.30
|16.18
|-
|}

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

{{main|D-5T (85 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[D-5T (85 mm)|85 mm D-5T]]
|-
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
|-
| colspan="3" | 55 || -5°/+28° || ±180° || N/A
|-
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
|-
! style="width:4em" |Mode
! style="width:4em" |Stock
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| ''Arcade'' || 14.9 || 20.6 || _.__ || _.__ || __.__
|-
| ''Realistic'' || 14.9 || 17.5 || _.__ || _.__ || __.__
|-
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
|-
| 10.8 || _.__ || _.__ || __.__
|-
|}

===== Ammunition =====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 90°'''
|-
! 10m
! 100m
! 500m
! 1000m
! 1500m
! 2000m
|-
| BR-365K || APHE ||147||143||126|| 107 ||90||77
|-
| BR-365A || APHEBC ||135||133||125||115||106||97
|-
| O-365K || HE ||12||12||11||11||11||11
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Shell details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" |Velocity in m/s
! rowspan="2" |Projectile Mass in kg
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
''in m:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
''in mm:''
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g (TNT equivalent):''
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° from horizontal:''
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
|-
! 0%
! 50%
! 100%
|-
| BR-365K || APHE || 792 || 9.2 || 1.2 || 15 || 81.6 || -1° || 43° || 30° || 25°
|-
| BR-365A || APHEBC || 792 || 9.2 || 1.2 || 15 || 164 || +4° || 42° || 27° || 19°
|-
| O-365K || HE || 780 || 9.5 || 0.1 || 0.3 || 646 || +0° || 11° || 10° || 9°
|-
|}

===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
'''Last updated: 1.77.2.68'''
[[File:Ammoracks_T-34-85 (D-5T).png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] of the T-34-85 (D-5T).]]
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full ammo
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |7th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |8th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |9th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |10th rack empty
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual discrepancy
|-
|| '''55''' || 52 ''(+3)'' || 40 ''(+15)'' || 38 ''(+17)'' || 36 ''(+19)'' || 31 ''(+24)'' || 25 ''(+30)'' || 19 ''(+36)'' || 13 ''(+42)'' || 7 ''(+48)'' || 1 ''(+54)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
|-
|}

Turret and side empty: 36 ''(+19)''

=== Machine guns ===

{{main|DT (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | [[DT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm DT]]
|-
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
|-
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate (shots/minute)
! rowspan="1" | Vertical guidance
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal guidance
|-
| colspan="4" | 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in the battles ==

Although this tank is classified as a medium tank, it should still be handled with care. The vehicle's armour thickness around the hull is inherited from the previous T-34 Models and remains unchanged; not considered reliably accurate to resist impacts of any weapon except for smaller calibre cannons (<57mm). Angling can result in ricochets even from the most powerful armaments, such as the cannon of the Tiger H1 in some conditions. The tank does retain a high top speed and acceleration, allowing it to outmanoeuvre its more common but heavier German counterparts in its rank. The 85 mm D-5T cannon is sufficient when fighting against Tiger tanks from the front (less than 100m away), but is accosted by a [[Panther D|Panther]] from the front, aiming for the very middle of the left or right side turret mantlet (100 mm), where the T-34's shells are guaranteed to penetrate.

Due to the fact, the only other thing worth noting about this vehicle compared to its predecessor's is its upgraded weaponry, the T-34-85(D-5T)'s armour protection in this Battle Rating and Rank are considered only barely sufficient when countering similar vehicle in its class. Almost all vehicles (excluding some SPAA) such as the common German Tigers, Panthers, USSR KV, IS and even other T-34 tanks will have little difficulty disabling or outright destroying this vehicle with a single shot in most conditions. When engaging the common Tiger tank and Panzer IV models, each of these vehicles retains the design flaw of 90 degree flat armour plates on the front and sides of each respective vehicle. The T-34-85(D-5T)'s cannon should have little no difficulty in penetrating this and destroying the opposition's vehicle in a single shot if this weakness is exploited. The Panther and occasional Tiger II models are more considerably dangerous and difficult to dispatch when encountering them head-on due to the thicker and sloped armour of which the 85mm cannon of the T-34 cannot penetrate. In head-on engagements, operators of this vehicle should note to precisely target the right and left side turret mantlet of each respective vehicles instead. Time expended in attempting to find a penetration confirmation indication on the cross-hair when inspecting the sloped front plate is time wasted and instead, should be focused on precise targeting of the mantlet. Of note for the Panther tank is the vehicle's slow turret traverse and as such, if opportunity presents itself, the operator of the T-34-85(D-5T) should utilize the vehicle's significant manoeuvrability advantage to out-flank, destroy the target in a single shot and prepare to switch and engage the next target, or to retreat. Other more common tanks such as opposition USSR KV, IS and T-34 models are usually less of a concern than the common Panther tank, as most of these respective tanks also inherit the weakness of somewhat slopped frontal chassis and turret armour which can be easily penetrated even from significant distances. Regardless, these vehicle's operation and design strengths and weaknesses are also inherited from vehicles of the previous Ranking and Battle-Ratings, only having their turret and weapons differing by being more powerful than their predecessors. All of which can still penetrate to critically disable to destroy the T-34-85(D-5T) in one or two shots.

One should always consider using the BR-365A shell as it has a huge amount of HE filler and can penetrate most Tanks at its BR, including un-angled Tigers and Panthers. Once the shell has penetrated, the HE filler can easily destroy or disable a huge amount of tank crew or modules. especially in some of the more cramped tank interiors.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent manoeuvrability
* Excellent acceleration
* High rate of fire
* Sufficient firepower, 85mm cannon and shells able to commonly destroy a vehicle with a single penetrating APHE shell in its rank regardless of ground vehicle type (note the larger HE shell has been nurfed and is less than ideal to take)
* The BR-365A shell is able penetrate most armour (especially on Panthers and early Tigers) and the large HE charge (164g of TNT Equivalent!) allows you to decimate crews in tanks once you penetrate and detonate. It also is very similar to the BR-365K shells in penetration values.
* Increased turret armour
* Excellent turret traverse speed
* Wide tracks for better ground flotation
* Player skill compatibility between older and newer T-34 models

'''Cons:'''

* Poor gun depression - a common trait in all USSR tanks
* Barely-satisfactory armour protection in its rank
* Limited to four-man crew
* Poor reverse speed - especially compared to the IS-1
* Turret is huge weak spot
* Thin armour

== History ==

===Development===
The T-34, in its introduction, was a huge shock to the German army when they invaded as they did not have the adequate anti-tank weaponry to defeat the T-34 and its heavier companion [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] tank. However, by 1943, the Germans began introducing newer tanks or upgrading their current tanks. They upgraded their [[Pz.IV G|Panzer IVs]] with the 75 mm KwK 40 gun, which could penetrate the T-34, and introduced the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] and [[Panther D|Panther]] tanks into their forces, which could not only destroy the T-34s easily, but can also take in the 76.2 mm shells the T-34 fires. The inferior firepower the T-34 forced the T-34 forces to close into a very close distance during the Battle of Kursk with the Tigers and Panthers in order to get to the sides and fire at the weaker armour. While the Soviets were victorious against the German offensive, the T-34s suffered high losses with this strategy.

The T-34's slow improvement from the [[T-34 (1941)|1941 model]] was due to the decision to keep changes to the model low to keep costs low and productivity high. This worked well in the first two years against the Germans, but the Battle of Kursk showed that the newer German tanks now outgun the T-34s. Soviet High Command, once conservative on the T-34's upgrades, now opted for an increase in the T-34 armament to be able to counter the German tanks. During the development, an interim solution for the problem was the equipping of the 57 mm ZiS-4M gun onto the T-34, which has better penetration capabilities compared to the 76.2 F-34 guns. This tank, the [[T-34-57]], performed as an adequate "tank-hunter", but the small HE shell on the 57 mm gun made it a poor tank armament so this was only an interim solution until a better design is made.

Testings with various guns in Soviet inventory against captured German tanks showed that the most capable gun was the 85 mm 52-K anti-aircraft gun. With this discovery, the 52-K underwent development to make derivatives able to be mounted onto a tank. The cannon was able to penetrate the front of the Tiger from 500 meters out, the turret side from 600 meters away, and the hull side from 800 meters away. However, the cannon was much larger than the F-34 gun and so a much larger turret was necessary to house the gun. The solution to this was to transfer the turret from the cancelled T-43 tank program onto the T-34, this increased the turret ring diameter from the original 1,425 mm into 1,600 mm, which required a retooling in the manufacturing plants. While this delayed T-34 production, the 85 mm was finally able to be mounted onto the T-34 as the '''T-34-85'''.

===Design===
The T-34-85, aside from the enlarged turret ring for the new turret, uses the same T-34 hull design. Armour was still about 45 mm thick, sloped at 60 degrees for a 90 mm effective thickness. The Christie suspension was retained, as well as the diesel engine. However, the biggest difference in the tank design is the three-man turret, though a turret basket is still exempt from the design. Before, the two-man turret on the older [[T-34 (1942)|T-34]] had the commander forced to do his job and the gunner's, the three-man turret on the T-34-85 separated the commander's duty by having a separate gunner to fire the gun, leaving the commander to do his job commanding the tank as a whole. The larger turret also has space for a radio (previously in the hull by the assistant driver), allowing the commander to effectively communicate between tank units. Aside from the enlarged turret ring, new turret, and the 85 mm gun, the internal specifications of the T-34 and its pros and cons were nearly identical to the older variants.

The 85 mm gun on the T-34-85 was able to penetrate 125 mm of armour at 500 meters away at a 90 degree meet angle with normal AP rounds. The 85 mm gun was derived from the 52-K anti-aircraft gun, which was developed from Vasilliy Grabin and Fyodor Petrov's design bureaus. Petrov's bureaus produced the 85 mm D-5T gun while Grabin's design, after being taken over by A. Savin, produced the 85 mm ZiS-53 gun. During trials in the Gorokhoviesky Proving Grounds, it was found that the ZiS-53 gun was much better than the '''D-5T''' and was much simpler, which was redesignated as the ZiS-S-53 after Savin's initials. However, as the new turret was optimized with the D-5T gun, the T-34-85 started with the D-5T as the '''T-34-85 Model 1943''', which ran on from February to March 1944. After March 1944, the 85 mm ZiS-5 was used as the armament of the [[T-34-85|T-34-85 Model 1944]]. During its production life from 1943 to 1958, up to 48,950 T-34-85s were created (22,559 of which during World War II), consisting of more than half of the total 84,070 T-34 units created in its entire production life since 1940.

===Combat usage===
From its introduction onwards, the T-34-85s were the main tank in Soviet service, with the older T-34s still being used as they are lost from combat and retribution and replaced. The T-34-85's 85 mm gun armour penetration and front turret armour nearly doubled compared to the older T-34, yet retain the same speed, mobility, and armour compared to it. The T-34-85 was vastly superior to the German's [[Pz.IV H|Panzer IVs]] and [[StuG III G|StuG IIIs]], and though it was still ineffective in protection and armour penetration to the [[Panther A|Panther]] and the [[Tiger E|Tiger I]], it gave it a better edge in firepower to compete against them due to the higher armour penetration value on the 85 mm shells. The T-34-85s maintain numerical superiority throughout the entire war due to the Soviet's industrial base and design concept of mass producing single designs, while the Germans focus on newer, better tanks such as the heavier [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]], which restricted productivity and made logistics a hard job to maintain. The T-34-85s were the main Soviet spearhead weapon during Operation Bagration and its future offensives up until the Battle of Berlin. After the fall of Nazi Germany, the Soviets use the T-34-85s again in their invasion of Manchuria to fulfil their promise to invade Japan after the fall of Germany. The combined-arms forces of their armoured units overran the Japanese positions in Manchuria and were pushed all the way to a distance from the Yalu River. The Japanese surrender order was given out by the emperor on August 14, which was not carried out as a cease-fire until August 17.

After the end of World War II, the T-34-85s were given out in massive quantities to Soviet-occupied territories and their allies. The next action the T-34-85s faced was in the Korean War, in the hands of the North Koreans. The North Korean armoured forces are able to assault deep into South Korea with these tanks as South Koreans were severely under-equipped in anti-tank weaponry, only armed with US-supplied [[M24|M24 Chaffees]] and regular bazookas, which were useless against the T-34s. It wasn't until the deployment of US troops into the Korean peninsula that the tide turned against the North Koreans and their tanks. The US sent their [[M4A3 (76) W|M4A3E8 Shermans]], [[M26|M26 Pershings]], and "Super Bazookas" to arm the troops there. All these weapons are able to destroy the T-34-85s, with the M26 Pershing being able to penetrate straight through the front and back of the T-34-85 armour with HVAP rounds. The Shermans are able to go on par with the T-34-85s, but the better optic quality and crew training gave them an edge against the T-34-85s. These anti-tank weapons supplied by the coalition caused the North Koreans to suffer major tank losses and after their supply lines were cut by the US landings at Inchon, the armoured vehicles were abandoned as the North Koreans retreated. T-34-85s were still encountered once the Chinese became involved in the war, where they were accompanied with [[IS-2]]s as well. Though pure tank-to-tank battles between the two sides were scarce after 1950 due to combined-arms units used on both sides.

Past the Korean War, the T-34-85s were clearly obsolete with the development of newer tanks being developed worldwide. Despite that, many countries still use T-34-85s as their main tank or as reserves, even the Soviets and Finnish continue using them until the late 1960s. Warsaw Pact countries used them in large quantities and were involved in many conflicts within these countries, such as the East German uprising in June 1953, Hungarian revolution in 1956, Coup by Greek junta in July 1974, and the Turkish invasion in July-August 1974. The T-34-85s also saw conflicts in the Middle East in the hands of Syrians, Egyptians, Jordanians, and Iraq; Vietnam with the North Vietnamese, and in the Bosnian War in the Bosnian Serb Army. African countries such as Somalia and Angola still use T-34-85s in their armies, and they could even be seen in the recent conflicts in Yemen and in Ukraine. Despite their age, it seems that the T-34-85 was to become a tank that will persist in the hands of smaller countries for years to come.

During late 1944, the Soviets were already searching for a successor to the T-34s that use most of the newest tank technology found in recent years. The result was the [[T-44]] medium tank, which did not enter service in time to see widespread usage and even combat during World War II. The T-44 underwent further development and redesigning to become a tank that would surpass the T-34 in the most produced tank in existence, the [[T-54 (1949)|T-54 tank]].

=== In-game description ===
This tank was developed based on the T-34 at factory No. 183's design bureau by installing a new three-man cast turret with the 85 mm D-5T cannon. This weapon, with a length of 51.6 calibres, was created based on an artillery cannon with improved ballistics. The cannon's armour-piercing rounds reached a muzzle velocity of 795 m/s and according to standard firing data, it was able to penetrate the Tiger's frontal armour at a range of 500-800 metres.

The hexagonal shaped turret had an expanded traverse circle and slightly sloping sides, and its dimensions significantly exceeded those of the mass-produced T-34 turret equipped with a 76.2 mm cannon. The vehicle's commander also fulfilled the role of spotter as before, since the massive size of the weapon's breech prevented a third man from fitting into the turret. The turret's roof featured a cast command cupola with a two-leaved hatch and observation instrument, a ventilation hatch with an armoured hood, the PTK-5 surveillance device and a round loader's hatch.

The turret's armour had been increased, so its sides, front and command cupola walls were 75 mm thick, the turret roof 20 mm thick and the cupola roof 15 mm thick.

Its air filtering system was improved by installing the new Multicyclone air filter. Thanks to this, some motors worked for up to several hundred hours without repair, which was an almost unobtainable figure for T-34 Mod. 1941-1943 tanks.

Production of the tank began in January 1944. In total, 255 of them were made. Of them, 5 were command tank variants and were equipped with the RSB-F radio set, while the others were equipped with the 9RS radio set.

The vehicles began to join battle units (primarily Guards Tank Brigades) in 1944 and were used alongside the old T-34s. Tanks of this model actively participated in the liberation of Right-bank Ukraine in the spring of 1944, and in battles in Finland and Norway in battle units on the Karelian front.

== Media ==
Skins and camouflages for the T-34-85 from live.warthunder.com. Currently two category terms are in use: [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23t3485 #t3485] and [http://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?q=%23t34_85 #t34_85]. Both contain different camouflages and are worth checking out.

==References==
<references />

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

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

''ETC.''

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

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

{{USSR medium tanks}}

MiG-15bis

2019-10-19T07:08:32Z

U48128739: Flight characteristics and overall performance

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

== Description ==

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

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

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

== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
Can accelerate well under 560 Mph spadded. The MiG-15 Bis has sub-par roll rate. What it lacks in roll it more than makes up in turn rate, you will rarely fight another jet that can out turn you. The MiG has a great power to weight ratio so it is very easy to climb. This power to weight ratio also allows the MiG to have amazing energy retention.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
| 1,062 || 1,046 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.0 || 22.0 || 41.4 || 39.8 || 475
|-
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 0 m - at sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (meters/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (meters)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
| ??? || 1,076 || {{Specs|ceiling}} || ??.? || 20.7 || ??.? || 50 || 475
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Combat flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|constructions}} || {{Specs|destruction|chassis}} || 650 || ~12 || ~6
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 0 m || 2,450 kgf || N/A
|-
|}

=== Survivability and armour ===


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

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

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

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

* 1 x 37 mm N-37D cannon, chin-mounted (40 rpg)
* 2 x 23 mm NR-23 cannons, chin-mounted (80 rpg = 160 total)

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

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

=== Suspended armament ===

{{main|FAB-100 (100 kg)|FAB-250M43 (250 kg)|S-21|S-5M|S-5K}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (200 kg total)
* 2 x 250 kg FAB-250M43 bombs (500 kg total)
* 16 x S-5K rockets
* 16 x S-5M rockets
* 2 x S-21 rockets

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

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

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

== Usage in battles ==

The MiG-15bis is very similar to the MiG-15 and should be played as you would that aircraft, using boom-and-zoom style attacks and keeping your energy high - speed is life in jet battles. It wouldn't be a bad idea to try head-ons if you know what you are doing. The 37 MM and 23 MM combo really help. The plane lacks in roll rate so you will have to watch out for other jets trying to reverse you.

=== Modules ===
{| class="wikitable"
! Tier
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
! Survivability
! colspan="3" | Weaponry
|-
| I
| Fuselage repair
| Compressor
|
| Offensive 23 mm
|
|
|-
| II
| New boosters
|
| Airframe
| New 23 mm cannons
| S5K
|
|-
| III
| Wings repair
|
|
| Offensive 37 mm
| S5M
| BD-2-48
|-
| IV
| G-suit
| Engine
| Cover
| New 37 mm cannons
| S21
|
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Excellent climb rate and acceleration.
* Above average manoeuvrability.
* Powerful main armament, especially effective against bombers.
* Ability to carry massive S-21 rockets, unlike the earlier [[MiG-15]].
* Amazing turn >520 Mph

'''Cons:'''

* Somewhat slow roll rate.
* Poor controllability due to compression at high Mach numbers (> Mach 0.9).
* Inhomogeneous main armament with different ballistic characteristics can make aiming difficult.
* Limited ammunition capacity.
* Inaccurate guns with no upgrades.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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{{USSR jet aircraft}}