War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

T54E1

2024-11-09T00:31:43Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
|about = premium American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage = the other version
|link = T54E2
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_t54e1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', officially '''105 mm Gun Tank T54E1''', is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].

At first glance this tank looks very similar to the M48 and M103, since it's built on an M48 hull, but with a rather different turret. The reason for this is because it is an oscillating turret, like the ones found on contemporary french tanks like the AMX-50. The main feature which sets this tank apart from other Rank V American tanks is the automatic loader. This tank features a drum-type automatic loader, similar to the ones found on french tanks like the AMX-50 and Lorraine 40t.

Thus, the T54E1 inherits the hull armour of the M48, but combines it with a powerful 105 mm gun, and an automatic loader.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (Hull, Turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Rear (low), Roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 85-200 mm (59-74°) ''Front glacis'' 63-200 mm (13-60°) ''Lower glacis'' || 76 mm (8-43°) ''Front'' 51 mm (0-43°) ''Rear'' || 35 mm (26-32°) ''Top'' 25 mm (61-62°) ''Bottom'' || 25.4-57 mm
|-
| Turret || 90 - 127 mm (0-65°) ''Turret front'' || 64-127 mm (13-23°) || 51 mm (0-80°) || 25-100 mm
|-
| Cupola || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm || 25 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Parts of the turret side armour are also protected by an additional layer of 64 mm
* The turret ring is 127 mm thick all-round
* The mantlet ring is 200 mm thick
* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, and tracks are 20 mm.
* Belly armour is 38 mm.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,255|rbMinHp=716}}

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

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

{{main|T140E2 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[T140E2 (105 mm)|105 mm T140E2]] || 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" | 36 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+13° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 17.14 || 23.72 || 28.80 || 31.85 || 33.88 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.71 || 12.60 || 15.30 || 16.92 || 18.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:T140E2 (105 mm)/Ammunition|T182E1, T279, T298E1}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''36''' || 27 ''(+9)'' || 17 ''(+19)'' || 10 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+35)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 4 (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 9 shells.
** This racks gets filled first when loading up the tank and is also emptied first.
** As the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
** Once the autoloader magazines has been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 3 into rack 4. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
** The depletion order at full capacity is: 4 - 1 - 2 - 3.

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

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+30° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Since this tank is based on the hull of the M48, it inherits that tank's mediocre armour and top speed. But unlike the M48, this tank features a powerful 105 mm gun, meaning you'll have no problem penetrating the armour of enemy tanks. Unlike tanks with the 105 mm L7/M68 gun, this tank also has a powerful APBC round, which can be used to destroy opponents with weaker armour, like the Leopard I, or when shooting tanks from the side. This round, when it penetrates, is much more damaging than the HEATFS round because it creates much more spalling. For opponents with armour the APBC round can't penetrate, like the frontal armour on most Soviet tanks, the HEATFS round is the most effective. Thanks to its very fast automatic loader this reloads almost twice as fast as most manually loaded tanks, meaning you'll be able to dish out serious damage in a very short time. It also means you're much better at recovering from a missed shot, since you'll be able to shoot again in just five seconds. You will have to make sure you won't empty the drum magazine of the automatic loader, since it takes more than 20 seconds to reload a single round from one of the other ammunition racks into the autoloader.

Knowing this, this tank is best played in a support role, destroying tanks for your teammates, but not actively participating in close-range brawls with enemy tanks. It can be used in a flanking role, but due to its mediocre top speed it's vulnerable to being flanked itself and isn't capable of reaching good ambush positions before the enemy does.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very fast reload, thanks to its autoloader this tank has a 5.0 seconds reload
* High-penetrating HEATFS plus a hard-hitting solid shot round
* Good acceleration
* The APDS round is slightly better than the ones found on the M60 and other 105 mm L7/M68 armed tanks
* Like most other American tanks, this tank is fitted with a 50 cal machine gun, which is effective against lightly armoured vehicles and planes

'''Cons:'''

* Once the first-stage ammunition stowage has been depleted, the reload time increases drastically. This can be avoided by reloading at a capture point, since rounds replenished on a capture point automatically go into the first stage ammunition rack
* Mediocre top speed, most contemporary tanks outpace it
* The armour doesn't really protect against HEATFS and APDS, both of which it'll commonly face
* No stabilizer, making aiming while on the move difficult

== History ==


'''Development'''

In December 1950, the Army recommended that a 105 mm tank cannon was to be developed for possible use on a T48 hull. A project for the fitting of a 105 mm cannon on two different versions of a T48-based tank was officially started on 6 July 1951 by OTCM 33842. Both designs used the T48 hull but they had different turrets. The first version was to have a conventional turret design and was designated as 105 mm Gun Tank T54, the second was to have an oscillating turret design and was designated as the 105 mm Gun Tank T54E1.

The 105 mm gun developed for the project was designated as the 105 mm Gun T140, a derivative of the earlier 105 mm Gun T5E2. Compared to the T5E2, the T140 used single piece ammunition instead of two piece ammunition and it also had a lighter weight. The 105 mm T140 had an inverted breech that would open upwards and close downwards to allow use with automatic loading systems. When modified to be mounted in the oscillating turret of the T54E1 the gun was designated as the T140E2.

The United Shoe Machinery Corporation was given a contract for the production of two T54E1 pilot vehicles. The hulls were given to the United Shoe Machinery Corporation from M48 production lines.

=== [[wt:en/news/5762-development-t54e1-the-gunslinger-en|Devblog]] ===
No sooner than the M48 Patton began being issued to armoured units, American engineers already started working on potential improvements to its design. In particular, engineers focused on upgrading the vehicle's firepower. This in turn, lead to the creation of the T54, a new vehicle based on the M48's chassis.

Initially, two versions of prototypes were planned, but a lighter and cheaper third one was proposed in 1952. All three versions of the T54 were armed with a modified version of the T5 105 mm gun, but featured different turrets and gun loading methods. The T54E1 was the second prototype, equipped with an oscillating turret similar to the ones found on contemporary French tanks, and a drum-fed autoloading mechanism with a capacity of 9 rounds.

By 1957, all three prototype versions had undergone comprehensive testing at Fort Knox and the Aberdeen proving grounds. However, as the interest of the Army shifted towards the more promising T95 project, the decision was made to cancel the T54 project in 1957. A total of less than a dozen T54s were constructed, of which two were T54E1s.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_t54e1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|o24D6yl_VLg|'''The Shooting Range #115''' - ''War Machines'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:54 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[T54E2]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5762-development-t54e1-the-gunslinger-en|[Devblog] T54E1: The Gunslinger]]

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{USA medium tanks}}
{{USA premium ground vehicles}}

Olifant Mk.2

2024-11-08T15:17:11Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = Olifant Mk.1A
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_olifant_mk_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]].

== 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}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,627|rbMinHp=929}}

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

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

{{main|GT-8 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[GT-8 (105 mm)|105 mm GT-8]] || 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" | 64 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 21.4 || 29.6 || 36.0 || 39.8 || 42.4 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 13.4 || 15.8 || 19.1 || 21.2 || 22.5
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:GT-8 (105 mm)/Ammunition|M456, M111, DM63}}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''64''' || 60 ''(+4)'' || 55 ''(+9)'' || 47 ''(+17)'' || 33 ''(+31)'' || 14 ''(+50)'' || 7 ''(+57)'' || 5 ''(+59)'' || 1 ''(+63)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Racks 6,7 and 8 are first stage ammo racks and total 13 shells.
* They get filled first when loading up the tank and emptied first when firing.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 5 into rack 6, 7, and 8. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.

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

{{main|Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Browning MG4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 6,750 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Mobility is satisfactory when upgraded, allowing for reliable 30 km/h in cross-country performance with decent acceleration
* Access to laser rangefinder and 2nd generation gunner/commander thermals, allowing for quick and reliable target acquisition
* Has access to 105 mm DM63 APFSDS
* Good gun depression angle (-10°)

'''Cons:'''

* Poor stock mobility, sluggish acceleration
* Struggles to keep pace with other MBTs despite its more powerful engine
* Default HEATFS round, many opponents at its tier feature integrated composite armour or add-on ERA., resulting in poor lethality
* Add-on armour provides little protection against kinetic rounds, and offers inadequate defense against many chemical rounds of its tier
* Three out of four crew in a poorly armoured turret and a large driver-adjacent ammo rack result in poor survivability

== History ==

'''Development'''

The South African Defense Force (SADF) began planning to replace the Olifant Mk1B main battle tank (MBT) in the late 1980's. Foreign designs such as the French Leclerc and British Challenger 2 were studied and it was planned that the new MBT was to have an entirely new hull from the Olifant Mk1B. But, due to a greater need of the budget for the navy and air force, a new tank was scratched from plans in 1988. Instead, an upgrade of the Olifant Mk1B would have to suffice.

The main areas that were upgraded on the Olifant Mk2 were the mobility, crew ergonomics, and fire control system (FCS).

'''Design'''

'''General'''

The Olifant Mk2 maintains the standard crew of four and the general layout from the preceding Olifant variants but with improvements to specific areas such as mobility and fire control system (FCS).

For increased ergonomics, two water tanks are fitted in the turret to store a total of 101 liters of water for the crew. The water tanks can be accessed from the loader and commander's stations.

'''Mobility'''

One of the Olifant Mk2's two largest improvements over the Olifant Mk1B was its mobility. The engine was still the Continental 29 liter turbocharged air cooled engine, but it was modified to increase the horsepower output to 1,040 horsepower (an increase of 190 horsepower). The transmission of the Olifant Mk1B was retained, which had four forward and two reverse gears. The Olifant Mk2 could achieve a maximum speed of 58 km/h (the same speed as the Mk1B) but it accelerated 25% faster than the Mk1B. The improved torsion bar suspension of the Mk1B was also retained.

The fuel capacity of the Olifant Mk2 was reduced from 1,382 litres to 1,285 litres compared to the Mk1B. Despite the reduced fuel load, the maximum range remained at approximately 360 km - the same as on the Mk1B.

'''Armament'''

The armament of the Olifant Mk2 was retained from the Olifant Mk1B.

The main armament of the Olifant Mk2 consisted of a 105 mm GT3B rifled gun, which was a variant of the Royal Ordnance L7 that was produced in South Africa by Lyttleton Engineering Works (LEW). The gun was fitted with a thermal sleeve as standard.

Four types of ammunition were carried for the 105 mm gun: M9210 HE, M456 HEAT, M9718 APFSDS, and white phosphorus smoke shell. A total of 64 105 mm shells were carried in the tank.

The electrical turret and gun control system fitted to the Olifant Mk2 allowed for a full 360 degree rotation of the turret in 16 seconds. The extended turret bustle at the rear of the turret helped to increase space for storage and equipment, but more importantly it balanced out the heavy armour on the frontal side of the turret. This helped to reduce strain on the turret control system.

A new fire control system (FCS) was used that included hunter-killer capability, in which the gunner and commander could each search for targets and control the turret systems. The gunner's sight was fitted with thermal imaging and the commander also received an independent thermal viewer (CITV). The gunner was provided with a targeting screen that displayed the sight image along with the data from the ballistic computer and integrated laser rangefinder, and the commander could also view the image from the gunner's sight. The FCS included an automatic tracking function in which the turret would automatically track a target selected by the gunner or commander even while on the move. The gun was fully stabilized, allowing for a good hit-on-the-move capability and the FCS allowed a high accuracy in general.

Secondary armament was provided by a coaxial 7.62 mm machine gun with 6,600 rounds of ammunition carried.

'''Armour'''

The armour of the Olifant Mk2 was identical to that of the Olifant Mk1B. The base armour was the same as on the Olifant Mk1A but a layer of passive composite armour was added (spaced from the base armour) on the turret and also on the upper glacis of the hull. The hull floor was changed to a double layered design in order to better protect against mines and explosives. The armoured sideskirts were also improved in regards to the Olifant Mk1A in order to increase protection against handheld anti-tank weapons such as the RPG-7.

A fire suppression system was installed in both the crew and engine compartments for automatic extinguishing of fires. Two banks of four smoke grenades each are fitted on each side towards the rear of the turret. An engine exhaust smoke system is fitted to allow the generation of a smoke screen by injecting fuel into the engine exhaust.

'''Production and Service'''

A total of 26 Olifant Mk2 tanks were built starting in 2005, entering service with the South African National Defense Forces (SANDF; replaced the SADF in 1994). Four of the Olifant Mk2 tanks were used for training as of 2018 and the other 22 were in storage. They had not yet seen combat.<ref>https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/modern/south-africa/Olifant-mk2-main-battle-tank/</ref>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_olifant_mk_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|brTNf5hXVGM|'''The Shooting Range #242''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==

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

* ''reference to the series of the 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.''

=== References ===
<references />

{{Britain medium tanks}}

AMX-10RC

2024-11-07T23:23:33Z

U82924470: /* Mobility */ removed unnecessary language

{{About
|about = French light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|and
|usage = other versions
|link-1 = AMX-10M
|link-2 = AMX-10P
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_10rc
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''AMX-10 Roues-Canon (RC)''' is the first variant of the AMX-10 RC armoured fighting vehicle family. The AMX-10 RX, developed and built by Nexter Systems for armoured reconnaissance purposes, has been equipping French cavalry forces since 1981, with over 240 still in service with the French Army in 2021. Morocco bought 108 units, while Qatar bought 12. The vehicle is best described as a wheeled tank destroyer. It has sometimes also been referred to as a light tank, though this classification is debatable. The AMX-10 RC is armed with a medium-pressure 105 mm F2 BK MECA L/47 tank gun mounted in a three-man GIAT Industries TK 105 turret. A SAMM CH49 electrohydraulic gun control system is used in the turret. The main armament lacks a fully automatic stabilization system. The AMX-10 RC differs from the amphibious AMX-10P in that they share automotive components but serve entirely different tasks on the battlefield. The AMX-10 RC is typically utilized for reconnaissance missions in dangerous areas or to provide fire support for troops.

Introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]], the AMX-10 RC should be employed primarily as a support and sniper tank. Taking the point in the spearhead of an assault would result in getting knocked out due to its lack of armour protection. The AMX-10RC is a powerful sniping vehicle. It is one of the best long-range combat vehicles due to its access to powerful ammunition, thermal imaging equipment, laser rangefinder, and relatively high zoom gunner scope. The AMX-10RC can scout tanks from a distance, directing allies to engage enemies without disclosing your location. Due to its high top speed, strong acceleration, and powerful main armament, it is also ideal for flanking in urban and rural terrain, capable of eliminating multiple tanks before quickly retreating to cover. If required, use smoke to hide your escape route.

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

The AMX-10 is considered a light tank, it has minimal armour protection. Some of the areas of this tank can survive up to a 20 mm autocannon, but can't survive anything more than that. The crew members are grouped very close together, meaning that APFSDS at this battle rating will take them out with ease. Even if that doesn't destroy the tank, there are ammunition racks stored everywhere, which can be detonated by spalling.

'''Armour type:'''

* Aluminium alloy AMS 4050A (hull, turret, cupola)
* Wheel (tires)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 35 mm (54-79°) ''Upper glacis'' 45 mm (40-76°) ''Lower glacis'' 50 mm (spherical) ''Drivers port'' 12 mm (74°) ''Screen'' (raised when amphibious) || 25 mm ''Top'' 20 mm ''Bottom'' || 25 mm (25°) || 25 mm ''hull'' 10 mm ''engine''
|-
| Turret || 42 mm ''Turret cheeks'' 65 mm (40° rounded) ''Gun mantlet'' || 42 mm ''sides'' 20 mm ''turret ring'' || 25 mm || 25 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Wheels and torsion bars are 10 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 15 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=434|rbMinHp=248}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has decent mobility when not upgraded, faster than most tanks but not as fast as wheeled vehicles like the B1 Centauro. It is the only wheeled non wheel steering tank in game, it has a tank steering (on its own axis), making it able to have neutral steering compared to other wheeled vehicles which turn one or two pairs of wheels to turn, like the Centauro. It has a superb speed when on road but somewhat lacks speed when on off-road. Using the hydropneumatic suspension can help on lowering the center of mass of the vehicle, increasing acceleration, neutral steering speed and normal steering speed.

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

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

{{main|Modele F2 (105 mm)}}

The AMX-10RC has a 105 mm/47 F2 BK MECA gun, similar to the 105 mm guns found on the AMX-30s. The gun is a medium pressure gun, meaning it has a relatively high muzzle velocity. It has access to both HEATFS and APFSDS ammunition, one of the two vehicles at the battle rating with access to APFSDS and one of the two to have thermal sights, making the 10RC a competitive long range sniper. It also has access to a laser rangefinder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Modele F2 (105 mm)|105 mm Modele F2]] || 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" | 38 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Modele F2 (105 mm)/Ammunition|OCC 105 F3, OE 105 F3, O-FUM-PH-105 F3, OFL 105 F3}}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''38''' || 17 ''(+21)'' || 14 ''(+24)'' || 10 ''(+28)'' || 5 ''(+33)'' || 1 ''(+37)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Racks 2, 3, 4 and 5 are first stage ammo racks. They total 16 shells and get filled first when loading up the tank.
* These 4 racks are also emptied first when firing: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 2 - 3 - 4 - 5 - 1.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into racks 5 then 4, 3 and 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.

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

{{main|A-A-F1N (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[A-A-F1N (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm A-A-F1N]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (100) || 900 || -8°/+20° || ±120°
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (100) || 900 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:10RC forward lean.png|thumb|right|300px|AMX-10RC forward leaning increasing gun depression by 20°]]
The {{PAGENAME}} should be mainly be used as a support and sniper tank. Due to its lack of armour protection, taking the point in the spearhead of an assault would result in being knocked out. These are the three main roles it excels at:

'''Sniper:'''
The {{PAGENAME}} is one of the most capable sniping tank in the game, with its 325 mm penetrating APFSDS round. The access to APFSDS, thermal imagery, laser rangefinder and relatively high-zoom sights, make it one of the best long range engagement tanks, even exceeding other sniper vehicles such as the [[Centauro]] and the [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard]]. The {{PAGENAME}} has scouting ability, being able to mark tanks at distance so allies can take a shot without you exposing your position.

'''Scout:'''
The {{PAGENAME}} has scouting capabilities which can mark enemies at all ranges for allies. When concealed and scouting, only open fire at an enemy when there is a risk of them being able to knock you out. Otherwise, let your team take the enemies you have scouted to stay hidden.
[[File:Y axis inclination.png|thumb|right|300px|AMX-10RC Y axis inclination to the right]]

'''Flanking:'''
The high speed, acceleration, and powerful gun makes it perfect for flanking when in urban and rural maps, capable of destroying tanks in one or two shots before they react to the threat. Always do "Hit N' Run" when flanking. Strike, cripple or destroy, scout crippled tanks, leave. Use smoke if needed to cover your escape. Reverse will not be an issue as it has the same number of gears it uses to go forwards but backwards, making it capable of reaching ~40 km/h backwards if needed.

'''''The little trick the {{PAGENAME}} has:'''''
Hydro-pneumatic suspension. This feature gives the light tank superb terrain adaptation, making it capable of firing from terrain elevation greater than 10° (the depression of the main gun). Leaning the vehicle forward adds almost 30° of depression, allowing it to poke and fire from the most abnormal positions a normal tank would use. The {{PAGENAME}} has a 3 axis hydro-pneumatic suspension, meaning it can lean forward and backwards (x axis), left and right (y axis), or raise and lower suspension (z axis). Decreasing ground clearance improves the vehicle's mobility (as center of mass is closer to the ground), improving acceleration, speed, neutral steering speed, moving steering and also reduces vehicle's profile.

Y axis inclination can not be used to poke over corners, it can be used to "normalize" the inclination when the vehicle is sideways on a cliff (see picture for reference).

[[File:10RC on water.png|thumb|right|300px|AMX-10RC in water. As you can see, it has a really small profile when in water]]
Its incredible agility and mobility makes the {{PAGENAME}} capable of moving side to side of a map faster than most of the vehicles at its BR. Its thermal signature is relatively low compared to other vehicles at its br, making it less visible to vehicles with thermal imaging devices like the [[Centauro]], [[Type 89]], [[M3 Bradley]], [[BMP-2]], etc. The {{PAGENAME}} has amphibious capabilities but the lack of gun stabilizer makes firing on the water nearly impossible. Use this capability to reach places on the map where people do not tend to go/scout (such as the island crossing the river in Kursk), hide from enemies (under Eastern Europe river bridges for example) or any map that this can be exploited, do not be afraid of water. It is slow in water (only reaches 7 km/h) but can be a decisive capability if the commander is patient.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 105 mm gun is on par with the medium tanks of its rank
* Available with a decent HEAT and is the first vehicle to unlock APFSDS rounds together with the [[T95E1]]
* Good top speed similar to one of a light tank, great for scouting the enemy team
* Access to thermal optics at a lower battle rating than most nations, great for spotting concealed enemies
* Immune to heavy machine guns to the front and beyond 100 m to the sides
* Access to the scouting ability, great for a support role
* Hydropneumatic suspension, helps manage those ridgelines to expose as little of the vehicle as possible

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour much as with most armoured cars, very vulnerable to SPAAGs, aircraft, tanks with autocannons and chemical shells. CE shells do a lotta damage because of overpressure mechanic.
* Gun is not stabilized, it will take a long time for the gun to settle to make a sniper shot
* Even though the vehicle is amphibious, it isn't recommended for one to engage while being in water as waves can have a massive impact on ones accuracy as the gun is not stabilized
* Very vulnerable in a city or other close quarters maps, as well as when caught in the open while moving
* Lack of any heavier machine gun than 7.62 mm; if using APFSDS primarily, that means it will often struggle when facing lightly armoured targets
* Poor acceleration and offroad capabilities; it will very rarely if at all reach its top speed in realistic and simulator battles

== History ==

'''<big>Development</big>'''

The AMX-10RC was an armoured car which began development in the 1970's to replace the Panhard E.B.R. which had entered production almost 20 years earlier in 1951. The AMX-10RC project was developed at Ateliers de construction d'Issy-les-Moulineaux (AMX) starting in September 1970.

'''<big>Production and Service</big>'''

The first AMX-10RC prototypes began testing by 1976 and production began in 1977. A total of 457 AMX-10RC armoured cars would be built.

The AMX-10RC entered service with the French Army in 1979. The first operational use of French AMX-10RCs was during Operation Manta from 1983 to 1984. This was the French operation to defend Chad against incursions from Libyan forces and Chadian rebels during the Chadian-Libyan Conflict.

The most well known use of the AMX-10RC was during the 1990-1991 Gulf War. Before the invasion of Iraq began the French AMX-10RCs were upgraded. The upgrade consisted of reinforced frontal armour, an anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) decoy system, as was a DIVT-16 thermal sight for the gunner. The French 6th Light Division contained 96 AMX-10RC armoured cars, and that division was responsible for protecting the western flank of the invasion force. During the campaign, the 6th Light Division defeated the Iraqi 45th Infantry Division in a battle that resulted in 3,000 Iraqis captured, 20 tanks destroyed, 2 tanks captured; the French suffered no casualties or losses during that action, named Operation Daguet. The division also captured the As-Salman airfield.

The French AMX-10RCs participated in other operations after the Gulf War, including during UN operations in Kosovo during the late 1990's.

French AMX-10RCs were upgraded to the AMX-10RCR (Renové; renovated) standard. in 2000.

In 2006, French AMX-10RCRs were used alongside the French Foreign Legion in UN peacekeeping operations in the Cote d'Ivoire (Ivory Coast). AMX-10RCRs were also used in the Suroba and Kapisa regions of Afghanistan; at least one AMX-10RCR has been hit by an IED at some point in Afghanistan. AMX-10RCRs were used in the 2013-2014 Operation Serval, the French intervention against Islamic forces in Mali.

The AMX-10RC also entered service with the nation of Morocco (108 procured) and Qatar (12 procured).
[[File:AMX-10RC Operators.png|thumb|450x450px|Map of AMX-10RC operators.]]
'''<big>Operators</big>'''

'''France'''

525 AMX-10RC ordered in 1976, later reduced to only 337. Deliveries completed by 1994.

'''Morocco'''

108 modified AMX-10RC ordered in 1978, delivery began in 1981.

'''Qatar'''

12 AMX-10RC ordered, delivered in 1994 from French Army stocks.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_10rc Skins and Camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|SJoW-2_6J6o|'''Amphibious tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:51 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|VFEv4q3G5Us|'''Most unusual vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 1:10 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Centauro]]
* [[Rooikat Mk.1D]]
* [[AUBL/74 HVG]]

== External links ==


* [[Wikipedia:AMX-10_RC|[Wikipedia] AMX-10 RC]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/AMX-10-RC-RCR.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> AMX-10 RC & RCR]

{{TankManufacturer AMX}}
{{France light tanks}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

AMX-30B2

2024-11-06T15:19:57Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = French medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = AMX-30 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_30_b2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''AMX-30B2''' is the first upgraded subvariant of the [[AMX-30 (1972)|AMX-30B]], which is the second variant of the [[AMX-30 (Family)|AMX-30 main battle tank family]]. Due to transmission reliability problems, the French Army began upgrading its tank fleet to AMX-30B2 standards in 1979, which included a new transmission, a new Hispano-Suiza HS-110-S2 diesel engine, and the introduction of the new OFL 105 F1 armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS) ammunition. A laser rangefinder and thermal imaging equipment are also included for the gunner. The AMX-30B2 entered service in 1982. A total of 700 units were upgraded to this standard.

Introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]], the AMX-30B2 offers slightly more protection than its predecessor, the AMX-30B. Nonetheless, due to the lack of a two-plane fully automatic stabilization system, players must play more cautiously than tanks from other nations at this rank. Firing on the go and/or after a short stop is risky in this tank in the event of a sudden encounter with an enemy vehicle. As a result, the French AMX-30B2 is best suited to roles such as support tank, long-range sniper, or flanker. You cannot expect to drive straight into battle and come out victorious in this tank. On most urban or city maps, it is preferable to avoid conflict hotspots. Since most tanks in other countries feature a two-plane stabilization system, you must play much more cautiously and attentively in these types of environments. Simply moving attentively and being aware of your surroundings will save your life in a scenario like this. You can also ambush your opponent by patiently waiting for someone to appear in front of you and then quickly repositioning yourself. The AMX-30B2 has access to thermal imaging equipment, and despite the fact that the thermal imaging equipment is of the first generation, detecting enemy tanks will be much easier.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (front glacis, turret, cupola)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull sides, rear & roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (76-79°) ''Upper glacis - Top'' 79 mm (68°) ''Upper glacis - Bottom'' 79 mm (45°) ''Lower glacis - Top'' 30 mm (75°) ''Lower glacis - Bottom'' 57 mm (35°) ''Hull over the tracks'' || 35 mm ''Top - Front'' 57 mm (35°) ''Top - Hull widening'' 35 mm ''Top - Centre & rear'' 30 mm ''Bottom'' 25 mm (70°) ''Belly'' || 30 mm (10°) ''Upper plate'' 30 mm ''Hull over the tracks'' 30 mm ''Lower plate'' 25 mm (70°) ''Belly'' || 79 mm (22°) ''Front glacis - Front'' 50 mm (11-14°) ''Front glacis - Rear'' 15 mm ''Rear'' 8 mm ''Radiator vents''
|-
| Turret || 30-150 mm (0-79°) ''Gun mantlet'' 30 mm (61-75°) ''Turret front top'' || 41.5 mm (19-47°) 41.5 mm (8°) ''Cupola well'' || 30 mm (1-64°) 20 mm (54-64°) ''Turret underside'' || 30 mm (19°) ''Front'' 20 mm ''Centre'' 20 mm (20°) ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 60 mm (cylindrical) || 60 mm ''Outer ring'' 20 mm ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,054|rbMinHp=601}}

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

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

{{main|CN-105-F1 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[CN-105-F1 (105 mm)|105 mm CN-105-F1]] || 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" | 47 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:CN-105-F1 (105 mm)/Ammunition|OCC 105 F1, OE 105 F1 Mle.60, OFPH 105 F1, OFL 105 F1}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''47''' || 20 ''(+27)'' || 19 ''(+28)'' || 9 ''(+38)'' || 1 ''(+46)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 2, 3 and 4 are first stage ammo racks. They total 19 shells.
* These racks get filled first when loading up the tank and are also emptied first.
* The depletion order at full capacity is: 2 - 3 - 4 - 1.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 4 then 3, then 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.



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

{{main|20F2 (20 mm)|A-A-F1N (7.62 mm)}}

The 20 mm 20F2 coaxial autocannon is not just an anti-aircraft gun: with 57 mm penetration at flat angle, it will shred anything from armoured cars and SPAA to lightly armoured medium tanks' sides. In case a vehicle cannot be penetrated, use the autocannon to disable them before using your 105 mm cannon: target the gun barrel or the tracks. The 20 mm can also deal with low-flying aircraft with the extra 20 degrees of elevation. The only drawback is that the autocannon is coaxial, meaning the turret must rotate to track the targets.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[20F2 (20 mm)|20 mm 20F2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (500) || 740 || 0°/+20° || N/A
|-
|}

The small calibre of the A-A-F1N 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.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[A-A-F1N (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm A-A-F1N]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,100 (100) || 900 || -10°/+45° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

French AMX-30B2 needs to be played more carefully than its other NATO counterparts such as the M60A1 (A0S) or the Leopard A1A1 due to the lack of a stabilizer, hence making firing on the move and/or after short stop more risky than if you were playing a T-62 in the case of a sudden frontal encounter. As a result the French AMX-30B2 is the best played as a second line support tank, a long range sniper or a flanker. You cannot expect to drive straight into battle and come out victorious in this tank.

This tank is, above everything, a sniper tank. The lack of a stabilizer will restrict your playstyle on most city or clustered maps. In these kinds of environment, you will have to play much more slowly and carefully than the other tanks because most tanks amongst other nations come with a stabilizer such as the Chieftain, the T-62 or the T-10M. Just advance slowly and try to be as much aware of your surroundings as you can be because this will prove to be a real life saver in this kind of environment. You can also simply lay ambushes to your enemy by patiently waiting for someone to come in front of your gun, destroy this enemy and quickly relocate using the tank's good mobility.

On big maps however, this tank can unleash all of its potential as the lack of a stabilizer won't be a problem on big maps, find a good location with a clear line-of-sight of commonly used routes to the capture zones and use the binoculars, thermal imaging system as well as the laser rangefinder to snipe your enemies from long distance, they simply wont be able to return fire soon or well enough before a final blow (if it's not done already) achieved through a AMX-30B2's perfectly ranged and aimed shot.

To sum it short, this tank plays very differently than other MBTS from all nations. It's not as versatile or flexible as other vehicles, but is extremely good at what it does the best due to top notch gun and ammunition as well as range-finding device.

In terms of enemies: every stabilized tank can prove extremely dangerous to you in CQC. Also due to your lack of armour, any tank you can encounter in your BR bracket can and will penetrate you frontally if they lay their gun on you. The best method is often to avoid direct combat or, if you have to do it, make sure that you will do it where you'll have the advantage also known as range.

German cannon CAS is also the bane of this tank due to its very thin roof armour. If a player decides to hop into their Me 262 A1/U4 for a payback, it'd be very wise to find a hard cover or a very dense forest in the next 30 seconds because 30 and/or 30 mm cannons loaded with AP shells will be on their way with the AMX-30B2 as a priority target.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful 105 mm APFSDS.
* Thermal Imaging System for the gunner
* Big ready rack allowing a good sustained RoF of 9 shots per minute
* Coaxial 20 mm autocannon with 40° of elevation to deal with thinly armoured vehicles and CAS aircrafts.
* Good survivability when being hit in the turret front as the massive 105 breech and the 20 mm breech will absorb damage
* Smoke shells and grenades are available.
* Laser rangefinder to snipe over long distances accurately.

'''Cons:'''

* No stabiliser
* Inadequate hull armour against other Rank VI vehicles.
* 15-20 mm roof armour can be exploited by aerial attacks.
* high cupola that can be exploited by enemies when behind a cover.

== History ==


The AMX-30B2 is the second and most noticeable version of the AMX-30. Most of the improvements found in these vehicles had first been successfully tested on the AMX-32 export MBT which found no buyers most important changes were:

* Improved firepower with the introduction of the OFL 105 F1 APFSDS
* Improved firing control system with the COTAC digital firing control system
* Improved mobility by replacing the original transmission by a semi-automatic gearbox incorporating a torque converter as well as the installation of reinforced torsion bars and shock absorbers
* Improved night fighting capabilities with the installation of a second generation light intensification device
* A new hydrostatic steering mechanism.

The first vehicles were delivered to the "Armée de terre" in 1981. In 1985, the light intensification device got replaced by a CASTOR thermal camera, the vehicle depicted in the game is therefore an AMX-30B2 as it came out of the factory in 1985. The AMX-30B2 was also meant to receive either a stabilized electro-hydraulic turret and weaponry drive unit designed by the SAMM (Société d'Application des Machines Motrices) or a stabilized commander periscopic panoramic sight interlocked with the turret drive unit through the priority controls of the commander over the turret (This system is what got used on the AMX-32 and AMX-40 to ensure a firing-on-the-move capability). Neither of these two solutions were chosen due to the cost of such systems, coupled to cuts in the defense budget. Therefore, the AMX-30B2 remained one of the rare 1980s MBT that was not able to fire on the move. Despite this, all the improvements incorporated into the design made the AMX-30B2 a formidable 2nd-generation MBT in the early '80s.

AMX-30B2 had the opportunity to fire in anger during the first Gulf War in 1991 where they outperformed Iraqis modified and modernized T-55 and T-62 as well as BMP's. However, at that point in time, even though it performed admirably well, the AMX-30B2 was simply obsolete and was about to be replaced with the AMX Leclerc and even if the latter began to rapidly replace the AMX-30B2 in every cavalry regiments, it's not until the early 2000s that the AMX-30B2 stopped being in active service and fully decommissioned. Most of them were destroyed, but some were still used until very recently by the FORAD whose the point is to simulate enemy tanks during exercises. In 2018, after more than 50 years of service, the AMX-30B2 used by the FORAD got definitely scrapped.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_30_b2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|wJkQW4kSJjM|'''French MBTs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:40 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|E1IDVFUqzrI|'''The Shooting Range #83''' - ''War Machines'' section at 00:29 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|bX9PR3t-6ro|'''AMX-30B2 - I like It, But ...''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[AMX-30 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[M60A1 (AOS)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:AMX-30|[Wikipedia] AMX-30]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/AMX-30.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> AMX-30]

{{TankManufacturer AMX}}
{{France medium tanks}}

AMX-30B2

2024-11-06T15:16:41Z

U82924470: /* Description */ removed outdated information

{{About
| about = French medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = AMX-30 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_30_b2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''AMX-30B2''' is the first upgraded subvariant of the [[AMX-30 (1972)|AMX-30B]], which is the second variant of the [[AMX-30 (Family)|AMX-30 main battle tank family]]. Due to transmission reliability problems, the French Army began upgrading its tank fleet to AMX-30B2 standards in 1979, which included a new transmission, a new Hispano-Suiza HS-110-S2 diesel engine, and the introduction of the new OFL 105 F1 armour-piercing fin-stabilised discarding sabot (APFSDS) ammunition. A laser rangefinder and thermal imaging equipment are also included for the gunner. The AMX-30B2 entered service in 1982. A total of 700 units were upgraded to this standard.

Introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]], the AMX-30B2 offers slightly more protection than its predecessor, the AMX-30B. Nonetheless, due to the lack of a two-plane fully automatic stabilization system, players must play more cautiously than tanks from other nations at this rank. Firing on the go and/or after a short stop is risky in this tank in the event of a sudden encounter with an enemy vehicle. As a result, the French AMX-30B2 is best suited to roles such as support tank, long-range sniper, or flanker. You cannot expect to drive straight into battle and come out victorious in this tank. On most urban or city maps, it is preferable to avoid conflict hotspots. Since most tanks in other countries feature a two-plane stabilization system, you must play much more cautiously and attentively in these types of environments. Simply moving attentively and being aware of your surroundings will save your life in a scenario like this. You can also ambush your opponent by patiently waiting for someone to appear in front of you and then quickly repositioning yourself. The AMX-30B2 has access to thermal imaging equipment, and despite the fact that the thermal imaging equipment is of the first generation, detecting enemy tanks will be much easier.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Cast homogeneous armour (front glacis, turret, cupola)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull sides, rear & roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (76-79°) ''Upper glacis - Top'' 79 mm (68°) ''Upper glacis - Bottom'' 79 mm (45°) ''Lower glacis - Top'' 30 mm (75°) ''Lower glacis - Bottom'' 57 mm (35°) ''Hull over the tracks'' || 35 mm ''Top - Front'' 57 mm (35°) ''Top - Hull widening'' 35 mm ''Top - Centre & rear'' 30 mm ''Bottom'' 25 mm (70°) ''Belly'' || 30 mm (10°) ''Upper plate'' 30 mm ''Hull over the tracks'' 30 mm ''Lower plate'' 25 mm (70°) ''Belly'' || 79 mm (22°) ''Front glacis - Front'' 50 mm (11-14°) ''Front glacis - Rear'' 15 mm ''Rear'' 8 mm ''Radiator vents''
|-
| Turret || 30-150 mm (0-79°) ''Gun mantlet'' 30 mm (61-75°) ''Turret front top'' || 41.5 mm (19-47°) 41.5 mm (8°) ''Cupola well'' || 30 mm (1-64°) 20 mm (54-64°) ''Turret underside'' || 30 mm (19°) ''Front'' 20 mm ''Centre'' 20 mm (20°) ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" style="text-align:center" | 60 mm (cylindrical) || 60 mm ''Outer ring'' 20 mm ''Centre''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,054|rbMinHp=601}}

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

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

{{main|CN-105-F1 (105 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[CN-105-F1 (105 mm)|105 mm CN-105-F1]] || 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" | 47 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.70 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:CN-105-F1 (105 mm)/Ammunition|OCC 105 F1, OE 105 F1 Mle.60, OFPH 105 F1, OFL 105 F1}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''47''' || 20 ''(+27)'' || 19 ''(+28)'' || 9 ''(+38)'' || 1 ''(+46)'' || No
|-
|}
Notes:

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 2, 3 and 4 are first stage ammo racks. They total 19 shells.
* These racks get filled first when loading up the tank and are also emptied first.
* The depletion order at full capacity is: 2 - 3 - 4 - 1.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from rack 1 into rack 4 then 3, then 2. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.



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

{{main|20F2 (20 mm)|A-A-F1N (7.62 mm)}}

The 20 mm 20F2 coaxial autocannon is not just an anti-aircraft gun: with 57 mm penetration at flat angle, it will shred anything from armoured cars and SPAA to lightly armoured medium tanks' sides. In case a vehicle cannot be penetrated, use the autocannon to disable them before using your 105 mm cannon: target the gun barrel or the tracks. The 20 mm can also deal with low-flying aircraft with the extra 20 degrees of elevation. The only drawback is that the autocannon is coaxial, meaning the turret must rotate to track the targets.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[20F2 (20 mm)|20 mm 20F2]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (500) || 740 || 0°/+20° || N/A
|-
|}

The small calibre of the A-A-F1N 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.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[A-A-F1N (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm A-A-F1N]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,100 (100) || 900 || -10°/+45° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

French AMX-30B2 needs to be played more carefully than its other NATO counterparts such as the M60A1 (A0S) or the Leopard A1A1 due to the lack of a stabilizer, hence making firing on the move and/or after short stop more risky than if you were playing a T-62 in the case of a sudden frontal encounter. As a result the French AMX-30B2 is the best played as a second line support tank, a long range sniper or a flanker. You cannot expect to drive straight into battle and come out victorious in this tank.

This tank is, above everything, a sniper tank. The lack of a stabilizer will restrict your playstyle on most city or clustered maps. In these kinds of environment, you will have to play much more slowly and carefully than the other tanks because most tanks amongst other nations come with a stabilizer such as the Chieftain, the T-62 or the T-10M. Just advance slowly and try to be as much aware of your surroundings as you can be because this will prove to be a real life saver in this kind of environment. You can also simply lay ambushes to your enemy by patiently waiting for someone to come in front of your gun, destroy this enemy and quickly relocate using the tank's good mobility.

On big maps however, this tank can unleash all of its potential as the lack of a stabilizer won't be a problem on big maps, find a good location with a clear line-of-sight of commonly used routes to the capture zones and use the binoculars, thermal imaging system as well as the laser rangefinder to snipe your enemies from long distance, they simply wont be able to return fire soon or well enough before a final blow (if it's not done already) achieved through a AMX-30B2's perfectly ranged and aimed shot.

To sum it short, this tank plays very differently than other MBTS from all nations. It's not as versatile or flexible as other vehicles, but is extremely good at what it does the best due to top notch gun and ammunition as well as range-finding device.

In terms of enemies: every stabilized tank can prove extremely dangerous to you in CQC. Also due to your lack of armour, any tank you can encounter in your BR bracket can and will penetrate you frontally if they lay their gun on you. The best method is often to avoid direct combat or, if you have to do it, make sure that you will do it where you'll have the advantage also known as range.

German cannon CAS is also the bane of this tank due to its very thin roof armour. If a player decides to hop into their Me 262 A1/U4 for a payback, it'd be very wise to find a hard cover or a very dense forest in the next 30 seconds because 30 and/or 30 mm cannons loaded with AP shells will be on their way with the AMX-30B2 as a priority target.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very powerful 105 mm APFSDS.
* Thermal Imaging System for the gunner
* Fast turret traverse system.
* Big ready rack allowing a good sustained RoF of 9 shots per minute
* Coaxial 20 mm autocannon with 40° of elevation to deal with thinly armoured vehicles and CAS aircrafts.
* Good survivability when being hit in the turret front as the massive 105 breech and the 20 mm breech will absorb a lot of damages.
* Smoke shells and grenades are available.
* Average -8 degree gun depression.
* Laser rangefinder being a great help to snipe over long distances accurately.

'''Cons:'''

* No stabilizers, which restricts the play style of the vehicle.
* Inadequate hull armour against other Rank VI vehicles.
* 15-20 mm roof armour can be exploited by aerial attacks.
* high cupola that can be exploited by enemies when behind a cover.

== History ==


The AMX-30B2 is the second and most noticeable version of the AMX-30. Most of the improvements found in these vehicles had first been successfully tested on the AMX-32 export MBT which found no buyers most important changes were:

* Improved firepower with the introduction of the OFL 105 F1 APFSDS
* Improved firing control system with the COTAC digital firing control system
* Improved mobility by replacing the original transmission by a semi-automatic gearbox incorporating a torque converter as well as the installation of reinforced torsion bars and shock absorbers
* Improved night fighting capabilities with the installation of a second generation light intensification device
* A new hydrostatic steering mechanism.

The first vehicles were delivered to the "Armée de terre" in 1981. In 1985, the light intensification device got replaced by a CASTOR thermal camera, the vehicle depicted in the game is therefore an AMX-30B2 as it came out of the factory in 1985. The AMX-30B2 was also meant to receive either a stabilized electro-hydraulic turret and weaponry drive unit designed by the SAMM (Société d'Application des Machines Motrices) or a stabilized commander periscopic panoramic sight interlocked with the turret drive unit through the priority controls of the commander over the turret (This system is what got used on the AMX-32 and AMX-40 to ensure a firing-on-the-move capability). Neither of these two solutions were chosen due to the cost of such systems, coupled to cuts in the defense budget. Therefore, the AMX-30B2 remained one of the rare 1980s MBT that was not able to fire on the move. Despite this, all the improvements incorporated into the design made the AMX-30B2 a formidable 2nd-generation MBT in the early '80s.

AMX-30B2 had the opportunity to fire in anger during the first Gulf War in 1991 where they outperformed Iraqis modified and modernized T-55 and T-62 as well as BMP's. However, at that point in time, even though it performed admirably well, the AMX-30B2 was simply obsolete and was about to be replaced with the AMX Leclerc and even if the latter began to rapidly replace the AMX-30B2 in every cavalry regiments, it's not until the early 2000s that the AMX-30B2 stopped being in active service and fully decommissioned. Most of them were destroyed, but some were still used until very recently by the FORAD whose the point is to simulate enemy tanks during exercises. In 2018, after more than 50 years of service, the AMX-30B2 used by the FORAD got definitely scrapped.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_30_b2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|wJkQW4kSJjM|'''French MBTs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:40 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|E1IDVFUqzrI|'''The Shooting Range #83''' - ''War Machines'' section at 00:29 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|bX9PR3t-6ro|'''AMX-30B2 - I like It, But ...''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[AMX-30 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[M60A1 (AOS)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:AMX-30|[Wikipedia] AMX-30]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/AMX-30.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> AMX-30]

{{TankManufacturer AMX}}
{{France medium tanks}}

Type 87

2024-10-06T00:50:32Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Japanese SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Type 87 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_87
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a Japanese self-propelled anti-aircraft gun, roughly similar in concept to the [[Gepard|Flakpanzer Gepard]] to replace the [[M15 CGMC|M15]] and [[M42 (Japan)|M42]] in Japanese service. Initially designed to utilize the [[Type 61]] hull, development was switched to the newly available [[Type 74 (Family)|Type 74]] hull to keep it up to date. It is commonly nicknamed as "Guntank" by Japanese crews after the similar-looking mecha in the Mobile Suit Gundam series.

Introduced in [[Update 1.67 "Assault"]], the Type 87 is incredibly similar to the German [[Gepard|Flakpanzer Gepard]], using the same [[Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)|35 mm Oerlikon KDA]] autocannons with a similar turret layout. The Type 87 performs fairly well at its rank, being able to effectively engage aircraft thanks to its high rate of fire, quick turret traverse, and radar systems. It is also capable of fighting lightly armoured tanks such as most IFVs ([[BMP (Disambiguation)|BMP]], [[Warrior]], [[M3 Bradley|Bradley]], etc.), destroying them in seconds with its rapid-firing guns. The Type 87 is also extremely proficient at shooting down helicopters - the [[AH-1G]] is a common nuisance that the Type 87 has no difficulty destroying. However, against more modern helicopters ([[Ka-50]], [[AH-64 (Family)|AH-64]], etc) that often stay at longer ranges, the Type 87 is harmless and the only thing the tank commander can do is take notice of the laser warning system, deploy smoke, and take cover.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Aluminum Alloy AMS 4050A (Turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Hull)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 30 mm (78°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (21-63°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm || 20 mm (16°) ''Top'' 20 mm (49°) ''Bottom'' || 15 mm
|-
| Turret || 25 mm (6-37°) 20 mm (76°) ''Turret underside'' || 20 mm ''Turret side'' 10 mm ''Cannons'' || 15 mm (3°) || 15 mm 20 mm (69°) ''Turret underside''
|-
|}

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,235|rbMinHp=769}}

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

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

{{main|Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)}}

Main weapons are the 35 mm Oerlikon KDA autocannons, which are essentially the same as [[Gepard]]'s. They are different from KDE gun variant of [[type 89]] if you used it - they use completely different ammunition and fire much faster.

Guns will overheat if fired for longer than 15 seconds. They will cool off in about 30 seconds, but you can unjam them earlier by switching between ammunition belts.

The guns are placed close to the centre of a turret, typically, if you missed one shot, you probably missed both shots. For this reason SPAA relies more on precise lengthy bursts with enemy flight path prediction, rather than "fire a 30 shot burst there and forget about it" of [[Chieftain Marksman]]. You have more ammunition for the gun than British equivalent, to compensate for this.

35 mm gun is slightly weaker than the Bofors of [[M42 (Japan)|M42]]. One thing to keep in mind is with this vehicle you are hunting jets and jets suffer much heavier stress from the speed they employ. This heavier stress equates to greater damage caused by even one or two hits of 35 mm HEI-T which will explode them or rip off their wings. For best results, you just need to hit them once or twice, which 35 mm guns are much better at doing.

For ammunition you can choose one main and one secondary belt. The secondary belt only has 40 shells, but it can be used to attack the enemy from capture points, as it rearms significantly faster. However, the secondary belt can be used in place of the main one for self-defence while the main belt rearms, so as to not leave the Type 87 defenceless.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)|35 mm Oerlikon KDA]] (x2) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 680 (320) || rowspan="2" | 550 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 49.3 || 68.3 || 82.9 || 91.7 || 97.5 || rowspan="2" | 1.30 || rowspan="2" | 1.15 || rowspan="2" | 1.06 || rowspan="2" | 1.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 33.3 || 39.2 || 47.6 || 52.7 || 56.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|API-T*|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - can attack planes and light tanks alike. HEI-T does fatal damage to aeroplanes, but has 3 mm penetration, being useless against tanks. API-T penetration is about 64 mm at 100 m at a flat angle. Keep in mind that it can fail to penetrate medium tanks. Against planes, API-T does kinetic damage and may rip off their wings on a good hit.
* '''DM11A1:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T*|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - 75% of this belt does critical damage to aircraft but does nothing to ground vehicles.
* '''DM13:''' {{Annotation|API-T*|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T*|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T*|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - 75% of this belt does significant damage to light tanks but does less damage to aircraft.
* '''DM23:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}} - APDS has better penetration value, easily penetrating 100 mm at 100 m at a flat angle, penetrating even decently protected tanks from the side and can threaten lightly armoured tanks even at 2 km range. Cannot be chosen as the main belt.

'''Note''': HEI-T does no damage to armoured targets, but critically damages planes.

{{:Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)/Ammunition|HEI-T*, API-T*, APDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_Gepard.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the [[Gepard]] (identical to Type 87)]]

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

===Radars===
{{main|MPDR 12|Albis}}
The Type 87 is equipped with a [[MPDR 12]] search radar and an [[Albis]] tracking radar. Both radars are mounted at the rear of the turret, with the search radar mounted on top of an arm and the tracking radar mounted at the base of the arm. The radar system is capable of tracking a target while scanning, but can only track targets within a 200° arc from the front of the turret. It is not possible to fold the radars at this time.

Search radar of this tank may often fail to catch passing by planes at closer ranges, which can be still locked on by tracking radar. In such case, you can try to go to sniper mode and aim crosshairs at enemy aircraft, then press "lock on" key to trigger manual tracking radar scan (will be visible by a quick sweep on radar display). If it failed, then the enemy plane has way too low relative speed to be consistently tracked.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="5" | [[MPDR 12]] - Target Detection Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Detection Range|The range, below which, a target cannot be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum relative speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be detectable by the radar}}
|-
| 15,000 m || 500 m || 360° || ??? || 10 m/s (36 km/h)
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Albis]] - Target Tracking Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum target speed|The minimum speed a target must be moving, relative to the radar, in order to be tracked by the radar}}
|-
| 15,000 m || 75 m || ±100° || -20°/+85° || 15 m/s (54 km/h)
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

As an anti-aircraft vehicle, you should push with your team and defend cap points by protecting allies from aircraft with your powerful 35 mm guns. It should not be a problem to stay away from the main battle unless you are being pushed or your position is being overrun. In case if you see enemy light SPG or light tank, you can try to destroy them as well. With APDS belt you may dare to attack decently armoured medium tanks from the side, but you only have enough ammo for one or two encounters, so make it count.

Despite having radar, staying too far away from allies in arcade mode may backfire, as shells still take some time to reach enemy aircraft and hostile bombers only have to be 1.8 km away from them to drop bombs in the most efficient way possible, and it doesn't take a long time for them to reach that distance. If enemy aircraft is constantly wiggling, radar supported aim will also go all over the place, so try to guess where they are going, or press them to force them to change direction to one away from your allies.

In case if you actually got attacked by ground forces, you should then aim for cannon barrels and tracks of enemy vehicles. Your hull armour may deflect inbound shots if angled correctly, but don't expect your turret to do the same, as its armour is very thin and generally will be penetrated by everything at your battle rating and rank. Keep in mind, that your tank is a hull breakable vehicle, so avoid being hit by HEATFS rounds or by large kinetic shells into the engine compartment area.

Use your [[Hydropneumatic suspension]] to get better search radar coverage and gun depression on your targets, or to keep yourself standing flat. Standing flat is important, as being angled too much may add horizontal targeting error.

In case if you are fighting multiple attackers or rocket helicopters, avoid being carpet-bombed, as the Type 87 is not built to survive such attacks. Be especially careful with Soviet helicopters, as they can carry both rockets and missiles. Remember - radar lock will help your gun to stay on target even when you are moving, and so, if you see a wall of rockets approaching you, sidestep it and don't just stand there and take it.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful, fast-firing 35 mm twin Oerlikon KDA cannon
* Quick with the Type 74 chassis, up to 58 km/h
* [[Hydropneumatic suspension]] with the Type 74 chassis
* Can engage tanks from their sides

'''Cons:'''

* -5 degrees of gun depression (bad compared to the Flakpanzer Gepard)
* 30 mm armour maximum
* Comparatively meagre turret rotation speed
* You can only have one secondary belt selected with a meagre ammo count
* Spinning radar dish may make you more visible in tank realistic battles

== History ==


The Type 87 anti-aircraft gun entered into service in the Japanese Self-Defense Forces as a replacement for the hopelessly outdated American Duster SPAAG. The specification and concept for the new anti-aircraft vehicle was based on the German Gepard SPAAG that our players know so well. The vehicle used a modified Type 74 tank chassis and was equipped with the Oerlikon 35 mm twin cannon system as used in the Gepard. The vehicle was a success – more than 50 of these SPAAGs were put into production and several units remain in service today.

- ''From [[wt:en/news/4512-development-type-87-the-japanese-gepard-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_87 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Type 74 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)]]
** [[File:FRG flag.png|30px|link=]] [[Gepard]]
** [[File:Britain flag.png|30px|link=]] [[Chieftain Marksman]]
** [[File:Finland flag.png|30px|link=]] [[ItPsV Leopard]]
** [[File:South Africa flag.png|30px|link=]] [[ZA-35]]
** [[File:China flag.png|30px|link=]] [[PGZ09]]
* [[File:Sweden flag.png|30px|link=]] [[VEAK 40]]
* [[File:France flag.png|30px|link=]] [[AMX-30 DCA]]
* [[File:USSR flag.png|30px|link=]] [[ZSU-37-2]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4512-development-type-87-the-japanese-gepard-en|[Devblog] Type 87: The Japanese Gepard]]
* [https://sensha-manual.blogspot.com/2017/02/development-of-modern-spaag.html <nowiki>[SENSHA Blog]</nowiki> Development of the Modern SPAAG]

{{Manufacturer MHI}}
{{Japan anti-aircraft vehicles}}

ZTS63

2024-09-24T01:09:50Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_zts_63_1980
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''ZTS63''' (Chinese: ZTS63式水陆两栖坦克, industry code WZ211; known as Type 63 before 1987 nomenclature revision), originally certified in 1963 as the amphibious tank for PLANMC or PLAGF units with the need to cross the water bodies abundant in Asia, received some of the technologies used on ZTZ59A and ZTQ62 that had already been installed successfully since 1980; in the ZTS63's case, it received a laser rangefinder and better fire control system for long-range fire support. These tanks served during the Sino-Vietnamese War in the early 1980s as a supporter to troops against Vietnamese troops and militia with very few tanks in service; although having insufficient protection against cannons and RPGs, these vehicles were kept in service until the later ZTS63A and eventually ZLT05 or newer IFVs replaced its role as an amphibious tank, marking the end of the prefix ZTS in PLA service.

Introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]], players of the [[Type 62]] or [[Type 63]] will soon find themselves at home thanks to its identical handling and overall design. Some welcome upgrades including better FCS and the installation of a Type 54 DShK machine gun also make it a more versatile alternative to its predecessors. With both APFSDS and a laser rangefinder with automatic ballistic solutions, not only does this greatly extend the combat distance of the tank, it also greatly increases its odds to survive as this feature is extremely rare at its tier. However, players will still have to beware of its below-average protection against even HMGs and rather slow turret traverse speed, these could be fatal if players run into heated fights without the situational awareness needed.

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

One thing to note is that the name of ZTS63 is interchangeable with Type 63, other than the name change after 1980, HMG on turret and a LRF on the mantlet by the centerline, the overall design of these two tanks are totally identical. For the needs of amphibious operations, the protection is reduced to the bare minimum to stop rifle calibre bullets and shrapnel; other than the mantlet at 50 mm, the whole vehicle has only up to 20 mm of armour: autocannons and HMGs will tear down the vehicle with ease. So it's better to keep the vehicle from the heated battlefield and act as a supporter of the team to deliver possible final blow to enemy vehicles or disabling enemies as much as possible.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 10 mm (82°) UFP
15 mm (54°) LFP
| 10 mm ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' || 8 mm || 8 mm
|-
| Turret || 20 mm ''Turret front'' (Volumetric) 50 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || colspan="2" |20 mm (Volumetric)
| 8 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="4" | 8 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

The ZTS63 didn't receive any upgrades in terms of powerplant and transmission, so it shares the same 12150L-2 diesel engine found previously on Type 63; the very slight or even no weight change on the tank also means it can retain a sufficiently high power-to-weight ratio at around 21 hp/t. If players ever have the need to flank enemies by taking detours on water, it could also travel on water at 11 km/h, one of the fastest speed among other amphibious vehicle in game.

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

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

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

{{main|Type 63 (85 mm)}}

Still sharing the same gun as the Type 62 and 63, the Type 63 85 mm rifled cannon still handles totally identically to the Type 63 with some changes on the ammunition available. Players will find the same exact advantages and flaws from previous vehicles - while the calibre is larger than most light tanks of its tier with a variety of ammunition and now APFSDS among them, players need extra situational awareness to use the gun as it has much slower reaction time than most light tanks at its tier as well; plan ahead and turn the turret before any close-quarter assaults.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 63 (85 mm)|85 mm Type 63]] || 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" | 47 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+22° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type 63 (85 mm)/Ammunition|Type 56 HEAT-FS, Type 56 HE, Type 56 APCBC, DJW85}}

The ZTS63's rounds are somewhat different from the original Type 63. The Type 56 APBC (aka BR-365 APHEBC) shell, well known for its generous explosive content and slope modifiers, is not available anymore. The returning Type 56 HEAT-FS is now the stock shell, which gives the ZTS63 the ability to engage heavy tanks like the [[IS-3]] from the start. Compared to the [[ZBD86]]'s PG-9 rocket propelled grenade, the HEAT-FS has the same penetration and a better muzzle velocity, which is helpful at medium and long ranges.

The stock "Type 56 HE" shell is a renamed O-365K and should be completely ignored, because the HEAT-FS has a greater explosive mass.

The only APHE shell available is the unlockable "Type 56 APCBC", a renamed BR-367 APCBC. Although it is not as efficient for knocking out light targets or scoring sideshots as BR-365, it still gets the job done with some careful aim and the enhanced flat penetration is nice to have. Enemy IFVs can be dispatched easily with a single AP shell, even from across the map, due to their thin armour and typically large profiles.

The top round is the DJW85 APFSDS, something completely new to the 85 mm caliber. Although Chinese tankers may be apprehensive about early domestic APFSDS rounds, DJW85 actually has better performance than the [[Type 69]]'s Type 71 APFSDS despite being a significantly smaller round. Although it has a a lower muzzle velocity, it does not lose as much penetration over distances. The 2.1 kg projectile mass is not able to create much spalling, but it is a useful tool for disabling shots and targeting ammo racks in long range combat.

==== [[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
|-
| '''47''' || 42 ''(+5)'' || 33 ''(+14)'' || 24 ''(+23)'' || 18 ''(+29)'' || 10 ''(+37)'' || 1 ''(+46)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* It is recommended to take 42 ''(+5)'' shells to clear the turret of ammunition.
* Taking 18 ''(+29)'' shells clears the right hull of ammunition.
* Taking 10 ''(+37)'' shells clears both hull sides of ammunition.

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

{{main|Type 54 (12.7 mm)|Type 59 (7.62 mm)}}

The previous Type 63 has no HMG installed on top; in ZTS63's case, it has a pintle Type 54 DShK installed on the commander side of turret, giving it the chance to unleash 12.7 mm bullets against light targets or aircraft/helicopters that came too close.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 54 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm Type 54]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 500 (50) || 600 || -4°/+82° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 59 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 59]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 600 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

At first glance, ZTS63 looks exactly like its pre-1980 cousin Type 63; this is indeed true as they are the same vehicle plus new FCS and a HMG mounted on the former, players from Type 63 will get their hands on the tank rather quickly thanks to their totally identical handling in terms of mobility and tactical flexibility to flank enemies. Do remember that ZTS63 is still a light tank with minimal protection due to its amphibious capability (for buoyancy reasons at complicated waters), while the turret might look very similar to T-54/ Type 59's, but the thickness is at most rated for HMG fire at longer distance; anything with a caliber of over 20 mm with have no problem tearing through the turret with ease, let alone the hull with even less protection. The design of ZTS63 is relatively large to LTs at its tier, therefore it is extremely essential to conceal the vehicle from enemy sights, going frontline means a quick death sentence to the tank as well; thus, the lightweight of the vehicle could be put into use by flanking enemies by taking detours to enemies' flanks, alternatively utilize the river network on some maps to launch sudden attacks from the rear (its 11 km/h on-water speed thanks to the water jet propulsion system certainly helps a lot). Another uncommon feature of ZTS63 from most LTs of its tier is its LRF and automatic ballistic solution, the tank might have insufficient magnification for long-range engagements, but the two aforementioned equipment will certainly helps taking out enemies showing their sides from afar; its stock HEATFS shell also helps as most LTs would have to either have to rely on APCR with subpar damage or lacking a rangefinder for long-range engagements. If HEATFS is not your cup of tea, its researchable, conventional APHE and the only 85 mm APFSDS in game will certainly give players more option to take down various enemies. The APHE shell is good for hitting enemies from the sides and blowing them out with its explosive fillers, while APFSDS ensures a flat trajectory and penetration to take out heavy targets up-front or at long range. Although messing with aircraft or rotorcraft on a ZTS63 is a rather unrecommended move, if there's one flying straight at the player, they might have to reconsider as the Type 54 DShK will give ZTS63 a chance to earn a surprise kill on aircraft; 12.7x108 mm bullets can certainly do extensive damage to enemies.

Overall, ZTS63 is a welcomed addition to PLAGF line-up thanks to its better FCS and various ammunition options; but do remember to plan your assaults ahead or turn the turret beforehand for incoming, unaware enemies, sudden strikes from unexpected places is the key to support the team to advance for victory.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Amphibious, allowing the use of surprise tactics involving rivers
* Fast and nimble enough to get into vantage points
* Laser rangefinder and automatic ballistic solution for long-range engagement
* Access to HMG for self-defense against planes
* APFSDS with ~220 mm penetration is effective against weakly armoured tanks like [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[AMX-30]]
* Varieties of ammunition for different scenario

'''Cons:'''

* Low survivability: unprotected with its paper-thin armour, and large size
* Cannon struggles against late war heavy tanks like [[Maus]], [[IS-4M|IS-4]]
* Slow turret traverse speed
* Relatively slow reload speed
* Challenging stock grind
* No smoke grenades

== History ==

As the previous Type 63 (ZTS63 after 1987) was commissioned by 1965, there were some flaws suggested by the PLA units that received the tank, thus the need for an upgrade on ZTS63 arose. There were a few major modifications for the tank including single transmission control stick, HMG gun mantlet, safety locks for hatches, revised seats, new suspension springs and etc. Among these modifications, some parts from late-production ZTQ62 including its fire control system and laser rangefinder were also introduced to the ZTS63 revision by the late 1970s. These tanks rolled off the production line by the same time and likely have join the Sino-Vietnamese War where its FCS and amphibious capabilities would shine due to the riverine terrain of Vietnam, where they were sometimes used as makeshift SPGs to strike fortifications or suppressing waves of infantry.

Some of these tanks were then modified to ZTS63A in the late 1990s with upgraded firepower in view for the possible landing operations. Although the landing didn't happen, the ZTS63A also set the footsteps for the later ZLT05 assault gun which is also currently the fastest amphibious armoured vehicle in commission.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_zts_63_1980 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[Type 63]]: the base model

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8092-development-zts63-1980-nimble-sniper-en|[Devblog] ZTS63 (1980): Nimble Sniper]]

{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
{{China light tanks}}

ZTS63

2024-09-23T17:25:08Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */ removed outdated information

{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_zts_63_1980
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''ZTS63''' (Chinese: ZTS63式水陆两栖坦克, industry code WZ211; known as Type 63 before 1987 nomenclature revision), originally certified in 1963 as the amphibious tank for PLANMC or PLAGF units with the need to cross the water bodies abundant in Asia, received some of the technologies used on ZTZ59A and ZTQ62 that had already been installed successfully since 1980; in the ZTS63's case, it received a laser rangefinder and better fire control system for long-range fire support. These tanks served during the Sino-Vietnamese War in the early 1980s as a supporter to troops against Vietnamese troops and militia with very few tanks in service; although having insufficient protection against cannons and RPGs, these vehicles were kept in service until the later ZTS63A and eventually ZLT05 or newer IFVs replaced its role as an amphibious tank, marking the end of the prefix ZTS in PLA service.

Introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]], players of the [[Type 62]] or [[Type 63]] will soon find themselves at home thanks to its identical handling and overall design. Some welcome upgrades including better FCS and the installation of a Type 54 DShK machine gun also make it a more versatile alternative to its predecessors. With both APFSDS and a laser rangefinder with automatic ballistic solutions, not only does this greatly extend the combat distance of the tank, it also greatly increases its odds to survive as this feature is extremely rare at its tier. However, players will still have to beware of its below-average protection against even HMGs and rather slow turret traverse speed, these could be fatal if players run into heated fights without the situational awareness needed.

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

One thing to note is that the name of ZTS63 is interchangeable with Type 63, other than the name change after 1980, HMG on turret and a LRF on the mantlet by the centerline, the overall design of these two tanks are totally identical. For the needs of amphibious operations, the protection is reduced to the bare minimum to stop rifle calibre bullets and shrapnel; other than the mantlet at 50 mm, the whole vehicle has only up to 20 mm of armour: autocannons and HMGs will tear down the vehicle with ease. So it's better to keep the vehicle from the heated battlefield and act as a supporter of the team to deliver possible final blow to enemy vehicles or disabling enemies as much as possible.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 10 mm (82°) UFP
15 mm (54°) LFP
| 10 mm ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' || 8 mm || 8 mm
|-
| Turret || 20 mm ''Turret front'' (Volumetric) 50 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || colspan="2" |20 mm (Volumetric)
| 8 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="4" | 8 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

The ZTS63 didn't receive any upgrades in terms of powerplant and transmission, so it shares the same 12150L-2 diesel engine found previously on Type 63; the very slight or even no weight change on the tank also means it can retain a sufficiently high power-to-weight ratio at around 21 hp/t. If players ever have the need to flank enemies by taking detours on water, it could also travel on water at 11 km/h, one of the fastest speed among other amphibious vehicle in game.

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

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

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

{{main|Type 63 (85 mm)}}

Still sharing the same gun as the Type 62 and 63, the Type 63 85 mm rifled cannon still handles totally identically to the Type 63 with some changes on the ammunition available. Players will find the same exact advantages and flaws from previous vehicles - while the calibre is larger than most light tanks of its tier with a variety of ammunition and now APFSDS among them, players need extra situational awareness to use the gun as it has much slower reaction time than most light tanks at its tier as well; plan ahead and turn the turret before any close-quarter assaults.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 63 (85 mm)|85 mm Type 63]] || 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" | 47 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+22° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type 63 (85 mm)/Ammunition|Type 56 HEAT-FS, Type 56 HE, Type 56 APCBC, DJW85}}

The ZTS63's rounds are somewhat different from the original Type 63. The Type 56 APBC (aka BR-365 APHEBC) shell, well known for its generous explosive content and slope modifiers, is not available anymore. The returning Type 56 HEAT-FS is now the stock shell, which gives the ZTS63 the ability to engage heavy tanks like the [[IS-3]] from the start. Compared to the [[ZBD86]]'s PG-9 rocket propelled grenade, the HEAT-FS has the same penetration and a better muzzle velocity, which is helpful at medium and long ranges.

The stock "Type 56 HE" shell is a renamed O-365K and should be completely ignored, because the HEAT-FS has a greater explosive mass.

The only APHE shell available is the unlockable "Type 56 APCBC", a renamed BR-367 APCBC. Although it is not as efficient for knocking out light targets or scoring sideshots as BR-365, it still gets the job done with some careful aim and the enhanced flat penetration is nice to have. Enemy IFVs can be dispatched easily with a single AP shell, even from across the map, due to their thin armour and typically large profiles.

The top round is the DJW85 APFSDS, something completely new to the 85 mm caliber. Although Chinese tankers may be apprehensive about early domestic APFSDS rounds, DJW85 actually has better performance than the [[Type 69]]'s Type 71 APFSDS despite being a significantly smaller round. Although it has a a lower muzzle velocity, it does not lose as much penetration over distances. The 2.1 kg projectile mass is not able to create much spalling, but it is a useful tool for disabling shots and targeting ammo racks in long range combat.

==== [[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
|-
| '''47''' || 42 ''(+5)'' || 33 ''(+14)'' || 24 ''(+23)'' || 18 ''(+29)'' || 10 ''(+37)'' || 1 ''(+46)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* It is recommended to take 42 ''(+5)'' shells to clear the turret of ammunition.
* Taking 18 ''(+29)'' shells clears the right hull of ammunition.
* Taking 10 ''(+37)'' shells clears both hull sides of ammunition.

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

{{main|Type 54 (12.7 mm)|Type 59 (7.62 mm)}}

The previous Type 63 has no HMG installed on top; in ZTS63's case, it has a pintle Type 54 DShK installed on the commander side of turret, giving it the chance to unleash 12.7 mm bullets against light targets or aircraft/helicopters that came too close.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 54 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm Type 54]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 500 (50) || 600 || -4°/+82° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 59 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 59]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 600 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

At first glance, ZTS63 looks exactly like its pre-1980 cousin Type 63; this is indeed true as they are the same vehicle plus new FCS and a HMG mounted on the former, players from Type 63 will get their hands on the tank rather quickly thanks to their totally identical handling in terms of mobility and tactical flexibility to flank enemies. Do remember that ZTS63 is still a light tank with minimal protection due to its amphibious capability (for buoyancy reasons at complicated waters), while the turret might look very similar to T-54/ Type 59's, but the thickness is at most rated for HMG fire at longer distance; anything with a caliber of over 20 mm with have no problem tearing through the turret with ease, let alone the hull with even less protection. The design of ZTS63 is relatively large to LTs at its tier, therefore it is extremely essential to conceal the vehicle from enemy sights, going frontline means a quick death sentence to the tank as well; thus, the lightweight of the vehicle could be put into use by flanking enemies by taking detours to enemies' flanks, alternatively utilize the river network on some maps to launch sudden attacks from the rear (its 11 km/h on-water speed thanks to the water jet propulsion system certainly helps a lot). Another uncommon feature of ZTS63 from most LTs of its tier is its LRF and automatic ballistic solution, the tank might have insufficient magnification for long-range engagements, but the two aforementioned equipment will certainly helps taking out enemies showing their sides from afar; its stock HEATFS shell also helps as most LTs would have to either have to rely on APCR with subpar damage or lacking a rangefinder for long-range engagements. If HEATFS is not your cup of tea, its researchable, conventional APHE and the only 85 mm APFSDS in game will certainly give players more option to take down various enemies. The APHE shell is good for hitting enemies from the sides and blowing them out with its explosive fillers, while APFSDS ensures a flat trajectory and penetration to take out heavy targets up-front or at long range. Although messing with aircraft or rotorcraft on a ZTS63 is a rather unrecommended move, if there's one flying straight at the player, they might have to reconsider as the Type 54 DShK will give ZTS63 a chance to earn a surprise kill on aircraft; 12.7x108 mm bullets can certainly do extensive damage to enemies.

Overall, ZTS63 is a welcomed addition to PLAGF line-up thanks to its better FCS and various ammunition options; but do remember to plan your assaults ahead or turn the turret beforehand for incoming, unaware enemies, sudden strikes from unexpected places is the key to support the team to advance for victory.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Amphibious, allowing the use of surprise tactics involving rivers
* Fast and nimble enough to get into vantage points
* Laser rangefinder and automatic ballistic solution for long-range engagement
* Access to HMG for self-defense against planes
* APFSDS with ~220 mm penetration is effective against weakly armoured tanks like [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[AMX-30]]
* Varieties of ammunition for different scenario

'''Cons:'''

* Low survivability: unprotected with its paper-thin armour, and large size
* Cannon struggles against late war heavy tanks like [[Maus]], [[IS-4M|IS-4]]
* Slow turret traverse speed
* Relatively slow reload speed
* No smoke grenades

== History ==

As the previous Type 63 (ZTS63 after 1987) was commissioned by 1965, there were some flaws suggested by the PLA units that received the tank, thus the need for an upgrade on ZTS63 arose. There were a few major modifications for the tank including single transmission control stick, HMG gun mantlet, safety locks for hatches, revised seats, new suspension springs and etc. Among these modifications, some parts from late-production ZTQ62 including its fire control system and laser rangefinder were also introduced to the ZTS63 revision by the late 1970s. These tanks rolled off the production line by the same time and likely have join the Sino-Vietnamese War where its FCS and amphibious capabilities would shine due to the riverine terrain of Vietnam, where they were sometimes used as makeshift SPGs to strike fortifications or suppressing waves of infantry.

Some of these tanks were then modified to ZTS63A in the late 1990s with upgraded firepower in view for the possible landing operations. Although the landing didn't happen, the ZTS63A also set the footsteps for the later ZLT05 assault gun which is also currently the fastest amphibious armoured vehicle in commission.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_zts_63_1980 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[Type 63]]: the base model

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8092-development-zts63-1980-nimble-sniper-en|[Devblog] ZTS63 (1980): Nimble Sniper]]

{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
{{China light tanks}}

Type 63

2024-09-21T21:33:50Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Chinese light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Type 63 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_type_63_I
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Type 63 amphibious tank (63式水陆坦克)''', the first variant of the Type 63 amphibious tank family, was China's first generation of amphibious tanks, based on the Soviet [[PT-76 (China)|PT-76]] and developed and built by China North Industries Corporation. In 1950, China purchased some PT-76 amphibious tanks from the Soviet Union. Using the PT-76 as a guide, China began the development of its own amphibious tank. In 1959, factories code-named 201 and 617 developed initial prototypes that replicated the PT-76, and a small number of prototypes were delivered to the Chinese People's Liberation Army for trial in 1960. Improvements were made in response to problems discovered during trial production and testing, and the design was finalized in March 1963. It was given the designation Type 63 amphibious tank and went into full production. The Type 63 amphibious tank first saw service in 1964 and was sent to North Vietnam for deployment throughout the Vietnam War. It also saw limited action in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War.

Introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]], the Type 63 is the first domestic Chinese amphibious tank based on the Soviet-produced PT-76 amphibious light tank. The Type 63, which uses the same turret as the [[Type 62]], possesses significantly greater firepower than its Soviet counterpart. Despite its lack of armour, the Type 63 amphibious tank is equipped with HEAT-FS, which can penetrate 300 mm of armour. However, it lacks the two-plane stabilizer featured in later PT-76 variants, making accurate fire while moving difficult.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret front/sides, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 11 mm (82°) ''Upper glacis'' 14 mm (42°) ''Lower glacis'' || 13 mm ''Top'' 10 mm ''Bottom'' || 10 mm (1°) ''Top'' 10 mm (62°) ''Bottom'' || 10 mm
|-
| Turret || 11 mm (15-58°) ''Turret front'' 15 mm (10-69°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 11 mm (17-58°) || 11 mm (10-48°) || 10 mm
|-
| Cupola || 10 mm || 10 mm || 10 mm || 10 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick.
* Tracks are 15 mm thick.

The Type 63's armour is no better than the PT-76 and should not be relied upon against any incoming fire. Even heavy machine guns and autocannons pose a serious threat to this vehicle; the turret has only 11 mm of cast steel for example and can be easily penetrated by the M2 Browning commonly mounted on US tanks. SPAAs and aircraft will rip the tank to shreds. In general, avoid being spotted and stay close to cover. Placing bushes on the front and top of the tank to delay recognition by enemies, even for a second or two, can help considerably.

The Type 63 is vulnerable to overpressure damage. Chemical shells (HEAT, HEAT-FS, HE) of at least decent size will trigger it consistently. Kinetic shells tend to be less threatening; generally speaking, APHE rounds will only fuse if fired through the lower glacis, which has exactly enough armour to trigger the common 14 mm fuse sensitivity. The thinly armoured turret will not fuse most APHE rounds and it is possible for a [[Tiger II (P)]]'s fearsome PzGr 39/42 to pass through a turret cheek and only take one to two crew members with it.

The crew of 4 is better than the 3 in the PT-76, but the additional crew member resides in the crowded turret and the benefits to survivability are marginal.

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

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}
The {{PAGENAME}} sees a decent improvement in mobility compared to the previously preceding [[PT-76 (China)|PT-76]], however, it's essentially identical to the [[Object 211]]. This makes this tank very attractive for flanking or early-game rushing. The {{PAGENAME}} is also good for hill-climbing and can reach some nifty positions on some maps. The mobility lags slightly behind some contemporary tanks like the [[M41A1|M41 Walker Bulldog]] and wheeled Italian vehicles are much faster on roads. It will still handily outrun medium and heavy tanks. The reverse speed of about 8 km/h is a slight improvement over the [[T-34-85 (S-53) (China)|T-34-85 (S-53)]] but by no means lightning-quick. If using shoot-and-scoot tactics, start backing into cover as soon as possible after firing a shot.

As an amphibious vehicle, the Type 63 will not drown in water and can swim across rivers or lakes at 11.7 km/h. However, the lack of a gun stabilizer makes firing while on water very difficult. Avoid driving on water for more than short crossings if enemies are likely to see you, as it will be nearly impossible to defend yourself.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
The Type 63's stock grind is less painful than the PT-76 since it has a decent gun with usable ammunition from the start. But the tank does not have much going for it over a T-34-85 until the Type 56 HEAT-FS, a Tier IV modification, is researched. Try focusing on the firepower modifications after Parts are unlocked, as the vehicle's stock mobility is not bad. Adjustment of Fire is very important since the Type 63's long reload does not give it much leeway if one's shot misses. Once the HEAT-FS is unlocked, the grind becomes significantly easier since the tank is now capable of harming enemies frontally from any distance, making assists much easier to come by and reducing its reliance on flanking.

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

{{main|Type 63 (85 mm)}}

The Type 63 cannon is also used by the Type 62 and early Obj. 211. This means that it has the same sluggish reload as the PT-76 despite having a dedicated loader. The gun handling is poor all-round, with the gun rotation, elevation, and depression speeds all being lower than the PT-76. This can be a pain when using the Type 63 aggressively; unfortunately, the gun handling cannot keep up with the good mobility.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 63 (85 mm)|85 mm Type 63]] || 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" | 47 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+22° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 9.10 || rowspan="2" | 8.05 || rowspan="2" | 7.42 || rowspan="2" | 7.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
Two APHE shells are available. The stock Type 56 APBC round has rather low penetration for its rank, but this is compensated by its excellent slope modifiers and high explosive mass. It penetrates other light tanks easily and is the best round to use when flanking. The Type 56 APCBC round has about 30 mm of extra penetration with less than half the TNT equivalent; while this is not a bad tradeoff, in practice it does not frontally penetrate many vehicles that the Type 56 APBC round cannot, and when flanking the lower post-penetration damage is a big drawback. Using one or the other is mostly up to personal taste, though it does not hurt to bring some of both.

The Type 56 HVAP shell has high velocity and better flat penetration than the APHE rounds, but as with other shells of its class, the angled performance and post-penetration damage are awful. It is best used as an interim shell before the HEAT-FS is unlocked; in emergencies it can penetrate the turret face of the [[Tiger II (H)]] at close range.

The Type 56 HEAT-FS shell is the most powerful option available to the Type 63 and is very strong for its rank. 300 mm of flat penetration at any distance with good velocity and angled performance is no joke, capable of nullifying the armour of many heavy tanks. The main rival at the battle rating of 6.3 is the [[ST-A1]]'s 90 mm HEAT-FS with 305 mm of flat penetration. It boasts more TNT equivalent than the HE shell, making it dangerous to lightly armoured targets like the common [[M18 GMC|M18 Hellcat]] that are vulnerable to overpressure. The main drawbacks are the mediocre post-penetration damage and the tendency to bounce against heavily sloped armour, so aim carefully for important crew members, modules, and ammo racks.

The Type 56 HE shell is very weak and should be avoided because the HEAT-FS is better in all aspects.

{{:Type 63 (85 mm)/Ammunition|Type 56 APBC, Type 56 APCBC, Type 56 HVAP, Type 56 HEAT-FS, Type 56 HE}}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''47''' || 42 ''(+5)'' || 36 ''(+11)'' || 30 ''(+17)'' || 24 ''(+23)'' || 15 ''(+32)'' || 11 ''(+36)'' || 7 ''(+40)'' || 1 ''(+46)'' || Yes
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Ammo rack #1 is in the back of the turret basket and will rotate with the turret.

The poor protection of the Type 63 means that taking less ammunition will not improve post-penetration survivability by much. Taking 30 rounds or less will empty the ammo racks in the back of the fighting compartment and turret basket, so solid projectiles entering the front right of the vehicle might pass through and hit only the loader. This is mildly helpful against British tanks and M41s. If 30 rounds is not enough, a rare occurrence, it's fine to take more.

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

{{main|Type 59 (7.62 mm)}}

The Type 63 has a coaxial 7.62 Type 59 machine gun. It is useful for spotting targets on the map but little else. The Type 59 machine gun is the Chinese variant of the Soviet SGMT, which enjoy a much larger magazine and better rate of fire than the typical WWII-era DT machine gun, which helps to clear fences and bushes that might prematurely detonate the HEAT-FS round. The lack of a pintle-mounted heavy machine gun makes it difficult to ward off aircraft or gun down light vehicles like armoured cars.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 59 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 59]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 600 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Type 63 is best used in a way that avoids direct exposure to enemy fire and gives you time to set up shots and ambushes. Running straight into battle or rushing cap points may not end well. Flanking is a recommended method as this gives you the time you desperately need due to slow turret rotation and reloading. It also gives you chances to shoot at enemy side armour, which is the only way to penetrate heavier enemies if you use conventional shells. When flanking, avoid driving in the open if possible and keep an eye out for other light vehicles. Some of them, like armoured cars and Hellcats, can be overpressured by the HEAT-FS round on occasion, while others like the [[M41A1|M41 Walker Bulldog]] used by several nations cannot and are best dispatched with the APHE rounds. Once a good position is reached, stay close to cover and be sure to hide when reloading.

The long reload makes selecting the right ammunition type for the situation very important. Otherwise, switching to the correct round could take up to 11 seconds, enough for an enemy to retreat or return fire. It is better to keep HEAT-FS loaded when entering an engagement if enemy types are unknown; any target that the HEAT-FS cannot overpressure can still be disabled with a careful shot to the gunner/driver/gun breech, and APHE can be used to finish crippled targets off. On the other hand, the first speedy enemies to appear at the start of a match are probably soft enough to destroy with APHE. Try to reload while in cover.

Like many domestic PRC tanks, the Type 63's gun handling is quite awful, so predict where enemies are likely to appear and always be on the lookout for potential ambushes or flankers. If your aim must be shifted rapidly, turn the hull as well as the turret. Though it lacks neutral steering, the hull traverse is quite good. Avoid trying to take down or harass aircraft unless they are bold enough to fly directly at you and escaping to cover is impossible.

Ground targets to watch out for include the infamous [[R3 T20 FA-HS]], whose extreme mobility and rapid-fire autocannon are the bane of the Type 63's bad gun handling and armour, and the [[Ru 251]], which also has incredible speed and can overpressure the Type 63 with its chemical rounds.

Besides flanking, another tactic is to use the HEAT-FS shells for long-range sniping. The HEAT-FS does not lose accuracy nor penetration at range, giving you the full 300 mm penetration on each hit. Shooting and relocating are advisable because if an enemy manages to be within range of you, they will only need one shot to take you out. Stay hidden or retreat if an enemy is looking in your direction and ready to fire, as the Type 63 does not have the gun handling or armour necessary to peek effectively. Keep an eye on the sky and switch positions after a few kills, as it is very likely that planes and artillery will be on their way to seek revenge. Virtually any aircraft can dispatch the Type 63, even those lacking bombs or rockets.

Remember to constantly mark enemies with scouting. Besides helping your team and gaining assists for yourself, it allows teammates to mop up targets that you have crippled but are unwilling or unable to finish off. The reduction in aircraft spawn cost is also valuable due to the Type 63's fragility. If a good early-game run with the tank is terminated, it should be easy to pull out a suitable CAS aircraft like the [[Tu-2S-44 (China)|Tu-2]] or counter-CAS aircraft like the [[La-9 (China)|La-9]] to exact revenge while leaving points in reserve for later spawns.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Same 85 mm gun as the [[Type 62]], more powerful and much less frustrating to use than the now hidden [[PT-76 (China)|PT-76]]
* HEAT-FS penetrates up to 300 mm of armour, excellent for the battle rating and is a huge improvement over the Obj. 211
* Good gun optics with 3.5-7x zoom
* 4 crew members
* Improved mobility from the formerly preceding PT-76
* Can scout and assist with repairs
* Amphibious

'''Cons:'''

* No stabilizer, firing on the move or water is difficult
* Very thin armour, vulnerable to overpressure damage
* Poor gun handling
* Slow turret traverse
* Slow reload, especially for a light tank
* Challenging stock grind
* No sources of smoke
* Larger profile than the PT-76 family

== History ==


The Soviet Union delivered [[PT-76 (China) |PT-76]] tanks to the People's Republic of China in the 1950s. Their lightweight and amphibious capability was appreciated by the PLA, and in 1958 an order was placed for the development of an indigenous vehicle in the same vein. Initially, a copy of the PT-76 called the Type 60 was made, but unsatisfactory performance and reliability issues prompted a redesign. The new design was finalized in 1963 and entered service as the Type 63 light tank, not to be confused with the Type 63 armoured personnel carrier that served as a basis for the [[ZSD63]]. While resembling the PT-76, the Type 63 tanks featured notable differences, such as a new engine, a relocated driver's station, and a new turret with an 85 mm gun. Overall dimensions were slightly enlarged for extra flotation. The Type 63 was intended for use in the wet and muddy terrain of southern China and also for seaborne assaults - many were stationed on the southern coast, across the strait from Taiwan.

'''Type 63''' has a V12 12150-L2 engine developing about 400 hp. Additional upgrades were developed over the years. The later Type 63 variant from the 1970s added a laser rangefinder and night vision equipment. The 63HG variant from the 1990s had a boat-like hull with a rounded nose and a modified turret with a 105 mm gun. In the late 1990s, the ultimate Type 63A variant entered service. It featured a new welded turret with improved protection, a 105 mm gun, modern fire control systems, and a further redesigned hull.

The Type 63 was exported to several countries, including Myanmar, Albania, and Vietnam. It remains in use with several of them today. The Type 63A, which is a modification of the Type 63 with a 105 mm gun and improved armour, still serves with the PLA today, however, it is being gradually replaced by the larger and more advanced ZTD-05 amphibious assault vehicle.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_type_63_I Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:Type_63_Taken-at-WMoK-2024-02-02.jpg|Type 63 on display at the War Memorial of Korea
File:Type 63 Side View Taken at WMoK 2024-01-31.jpg|Type 63 side view at the War Memorial of Korea
</gallery>

== See also ==


* [[PT-76B]]
* [[PT-76 (China)]]

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

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

{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
{{China light tanks}}

M36B1

2024-09-20T13:42:11Z

U82924470:

{{About
| about = American tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage = other versions
|link = M36 Jackson (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=it_m36b1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (shortened to '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, gun mantlet, transmission housing)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (47°) + 25.4 (spherical) ''MG port'' 63.5-107.9 mm (13-77°) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm (22°) ''Upper plate'' 38.1 mm (13°) ''Lower plate'' 38.1 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 19.5 mm 5 mm ''Radiator vents''
|-
| Turret || 31.75 mm (2-53°) ''Turret front'' 76.2 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm (18-27°) 25.4 (cylindrical) ''Bustle'' || 25.4 mm (2-23°) ''Bustle'' 31.75 mm (spherical) ''Turret underside'' || N/A 25.4 mm ''Bustle''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while bogies are 10 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The belly of the tank destroyer is 25.4 mm thick.

At its battle rating, the {{PAGENAME}}'s chassis is quite weak, being unable to survive most shots by other tanks. As with all M4A3: the sides are even more vulnerable, their high profile makes them a large target as well. The lightly armoured turret is often vulnerable to ammo rack detonations, with its first stage ammo being stored in the rear of the turret. The {{PAGENAME}} is also an open top, exposing it to aircraft that can easily rip and tear apart the tank.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=710|rbMinHp=442}}

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

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

{{main|Cannone da 90/50 M3A1 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Cannone da 90/50 M3A1 (90 mm)|90 mm Cannone da 90/50 M3A1]] || 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" | 64 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 24.7 || 34.1 || 41.4 || 45.8 || 48.8 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 16.7 || 19.6 || 23.8 || 26.3 || 28.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Cannone da 90/50 M3A1 (90 mm)/Ammunition|M77 da 90/50, M82 da 90/50, M304 da 90/50, M332 da 90/50, M71 da 90/50, T108 da 90/50, M313 da 90/50}}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''64''' || 53 ''(+11)'' || 44 ''(+20)'' || 36 ''(+28)'' || 28 ''(+36)'' || 20 ''(+44)'' || 12 ''(+52)'' || 6 ''(+58)'' || 1 ''(+63)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells in racks 1, 2, 7 and 8 are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Shells in racks 3 to 6 are modeled by sets of 2 and disappear after both shells in the set having been shot or loaded.
* Racks 7 and 8 are first stage ammo racks. They total 11 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* These racks are also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 7 - 8 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 6.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-6 into racks 8 then 7. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
* If you pack 20 ''(+44)'' shells, it will keep most of the hull empty of ammo.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M36B1 is best used as support vehicle or flanker, it is heavily recommended that you play in Ground Realistic battles in this role, as in Arcade battles you'll be at a major disadvantage, due to enemies being able to spot you easier (as your nametag will be visible). At its battle rating, your armour won't be able to withstand much that comes towards you frontally. From the sides you are at your weakest point, experienced players will easily make short work of you by shooting where your ammo is stored. Another weakness is the fact that the M36B1 is an open-topped vehicle, meaning that artillery and enemies attacking from the air will be much more effective in eliminating you. So it is advised that you stick with teammates who are able to withstand hits. For tactics, although this vehicle is not the most mobile in the Italian tech tree, it can still be effective if in the right conditions. Not all is bad however: one of the upsides of this vehicle is the armament. This vehicle has access to a HEAT shell as its top tier round, which will be very effective for most tanks you'll face. With it, you can become a very effective, albeit not very fast, support flanker. If an enemy knows your location and has an operational gun, you should not push out into their line of fire, as they are likely to come off better than you. You aren't the most stealthy, and considering you dont accelerate very quickly either. Therefore make sure your enemy isn't aware of your presence before you engage, this will maximize your survivability and should allow you to stay in the battle for longer. Overall either stick with teammates and support, or flank the enemies and try to take out targets whilst being hidden.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hard-hitting 90 mm gun, the same one as the [[M46]] Patton
* HEATFS can take on any target, even frontally
* Good mobility overall
* Angling can bounce some lower tier shots
* Best frontally armoured and most powerful variant of the M36

'''Cons:'''

* The armour on the Sherman chassis is thin for the rank
* Open turret makes you vulnerable to strafing planes and artillery shells

== History ==

In September of 1942, the US Army had begun to equip its specialized departments to bolster their fight against German tanks, with the new self-propelled M10 armed with a powerful 76 mm M7 cannon, although it was evident that the evolution of armour from the opposing tanks would soon force the US Army to equip itself with a new vehicle armed with a much more powerful cannon. The ideal candidate for this new role was the 90 mm M1 anti-aircraft gun, so in April 1942 the first prototype of the new vehicle was built based on a turret mounted directly on the hull of an M4 tank and armed with this gun. To evaluate the installation on an armoured vehicle, two examples of the M1 cannon were modified, subsequently this new weapon was standardized with the provisional abbreviation T7 to which became the M3 model. One of these two guns would be mounted on the prototype of the self-propelled M10 in order to evaluate the possibility of converting part of the production of this vehicle, and in fact no particular problems arose that suggested the opposite. However, it was decided to evaluate the possibility of creating a new turret because the M10 turret presented many balancing problems that made it difficult to continue using it. The task of making the new turret was entrusted to Chevrolet.

On December 9, 1942, the vehicle was standardized as "90 mm Gun Motor Carriage T71" when based on the hull of the self-propelled M10A1 (equipped with the Ford GAA petrol engine) and "90 mm Gun Motor Carriage T71E1" when based on the hull of the self-propelled M10 (equipped with the General Motors 6046 diesel engine made by combining two GM 6-71 commercial engines). In 1944, of these models, only the first was standardized which ended up becoming the "90 mm Gun Motor Carriage M36", due to the fact that the US Army was only willing to equip itself with petrol-powered tanks. The M36B1 version also first appeared in 1944, mounting the turret of the M36 on the hull of the M4A3 tank. The production of the M36 was continued up until December of 1944 when it ceased, with an estimated total of 1,400 units being made. In May 1945, due to the continuous demand of troops in Europe, the assembly line was reopened. Unfortunately due to the lack of M10A1 hulls, ones originating from M10 had to be used instead, therefore the M36B2 version was born which would be built in 672 units.

In Italian service, most of the M36B1's would be given by America under the "M.A.P" (Military assistance Program), since post-war Italy was scavenging for any military vehicles they could get their hands from. In some instances they managed to bring back several versions of Semoventes to reuse. Due to the M36B1 being used in limited numbers, there's not much documentation on their use, but they would likely have been on the frontlines if the Soviet Union had ever decided to actually invade.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=it_m36b1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4 Sherman (Family)]] - M4A3 variants

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M36_tank_destroyer|[Wikipedia] M36 tank destroyer]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M36_Jackson.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> 90mm GMC M36 Jackson]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=251 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> M36 Gun Motor Carriage (Jackson / Slugger)]

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{Italy tank destroyers}}

M36B1

2024-09-20T13:38:25Z

U82924470: Undo revision 180523 by U42773747 (talk) as it is inaccurate and inappropriate

{{About
| about = American tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage = other versions
|link = M36 Jackson (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=it_m36b1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (shortened to '''{{Specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]].

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, gun mantlet, transmission housing)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 63.5 mm (47°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (47°) + 25.4 (spherical) ''MG port'' 63.5-107.9 mm (13-77°) ''Transmission housing'' || 38.1 mm || 38.1 mm (22°) ''Upper plate'' 38.1 mm (13°) ''Lower plate'' 38.1 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 19.5 mm 5 mm ''Radiator vents''
|-
| Turret || 31.75 mm (2-53°) ''Turret front'' 76.2 mm (cylindrical) ''Gun mantlet'' || 31.75 mm (18-27°) 25.4 (cylindrical) ''Bustle'' || 25.4 mm (2-23°) ''Bustle'' 31.75 mm (spherical) ''Turret underside'' || N/A 25.4 mm ''Bustle''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while bogies are 10 mm thick and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The belly of the tank destroyer is 25.4 mm thick.

At its battle rating, the {{PAGENAME}}'s chassis is quite weak, being unable to survive most shots by other tanks. As with all M4A3: the sides are even more vulnerable, their high profile makes them a large target as well. The lightly armoured turret is often vulnerable to ammo rack detonations, with its first stage ammo being stored in the rear of the turret. The {{PAGENAME}} is also an open top, exposing it to aircraft that can easily rip and tear apart the tank.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=710|rbMinHp=442}}

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

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

{{main|Cannone da 90/50 M3A1 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Cannone da 90/50 M3A1 (90 mm)|90 mm Cannone da 90/50 M3A1]] || 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" | 64 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 24.7 || 34.1 || 41.4 || 45.8 || 48.8 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 16.7 || 19.6 || 23.8 || 26.3 || 28.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Cannone da 90/50 M3A1 (90 mm)/Ammunition|M77 da 90/50, M82 da 90/50, M304 da 90/50, M332 da 90/50, M71 da 90/50, T108 da 90/50, M313 da 90/50}}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''64''' || 53 ''(+11)'' || 44 ''(+20)'' || 36 ''(+28)'' || 28 ''(+36)'' || 20 ''(+44)'' || 12 ''(+52)'' || 6 ''(+58)'' || 1 ''(+63)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells in racks 1, 2, 7 and 8 are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Shells in racks 3 to 6 are modeled by sets of 2 and disappear after both shells in the set having been shot or loaded.
* Racks 7 and 8 are first stage ammo racks. They total 11 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* These racks are also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 7 - 8 - 1 - 2 - etc. until 6.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1-6 into racks 8 then 7. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
* If you pack 20 ''(+44)'' shells, it will keep most of the hull empty of ammo.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M36B1 is best used as support vehicle or flanker, it is heavily recommended that you play in Ground Realistic battles in this role, as in Arcade battles you'll be at a major disadvantage, due to enemies being able to spot you easier (as your nametag will be visible). At its battle rating, your armour won't be able to withstand much that comes towards you frontally. From the sides you are at your weakest point, experienced players will easily make short work of you by shooting where your ammo is stored. Another weakness is the fact that the M36B1 is an open-topped vehicle, meaning that artillery and enemies attacking from the air will be much more effective in eliminating you. So it is advised that you stick with teammates who are able to withstand hits. For tactics, although this vehicle is not the most mobile in the Italian tech tree, it can still be effective if in the right conditions. Not all is bad however: one of the upsides of this vehicle is the armament. This vehicle has access to a HEAT shell as its top tier round, which will be very effective for most tanks you'll face. With it, you can become a very effective, albeit not very fast, support flanker. If an enemy knows your location and has an operational gun, you should not push out into their line of fire, as they are likely to come off better than you. You aren't the most stealthy, and considering you dont accelerate very quickly either. Therefore make sure your enemy isn't aware of your presence before you engage, this will maximize your survivability and should allow you to stay in the battle for longer. Overall either stick with teammates and support, or flank the enemies and try to take out targets whilst being hidden.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hard-hitting 90 mm gun, the same one as the [[M46]] Patton
* HEATFS can take on any target, even frontally
* Good mobility overall
* Angling can bounce some lower tier shots

'''Cons:'''

* The armour on the Sherman chassis is paper-thin for the rank
* Open turret makes you vulnerable to strafing planes and artillery shells

== History ==

In September of 1942, the US Army had begun to equip its specialized departments to bolster their fight against German tanks, with the new self-propelled M10 armed with a powerful 76 mm M7 cannon, although it was evident that the evolution of armour from the opposing tanks would soon force the US Army to equip itself with a new vehicle armed with a much more powerful cannon. The ideal candidate for this new role was the 90 mm M1 anti-aircraft gun, so in April 1942 the first prototype of the new vehicle was built based on a turret mounted directly on the hull of an M4 tank and armed with this gun. To evaluate the installation on an armoured vehicle, two examples of the M1 cannon were modified, subsequently this new weapon was standardized with the provisional abbreviation T7 to which became the M3 model. One of these two guns would be mounted on the prototype of the self-propelled M10 in order to evaluate the possibility of converting part of the production of this vehicle, and in fact no particular problems arose that suggested the opposite. However, it was decided to evaluate the possibility of creating a new turret because the M10 turret presented many balancing problems that made it difficult to continue using it. The task of making the new turret was entrusted to Chevrolet.

On December 9, 1942, the vehicle was standardized as "90 mm Gun Motor Carriage T71" when based on the hull of the self-propelled M10A1 (equipped with the Ford GAA petrol engine) and "90 mm Gun Motor Carriage T71E1" when based on the hull of the self-propelled M10 (equipped with the General Motors 6046 diesel engine made by combining two GM 6-71 commercial engines). In 1944, of these models, only the first was standardized which ended up becoming the "90 mm Gun Motor Carriage M36", due to the fact that the US Army was only willing to equip itself with petrol-powered tanks. The M36B1 version also first appeared in 1944, mounting the turret of the M36 on the hull of the M4A3 tank. The production of the M36 was continued up until December of 1944 when it ceased, with an estimated total of 1,400 units being made. In May 1945, due to the continuous demand of troops in Europe, the assembly line was reopened. Unfortunately due to the lack of M10A1 hulls, ones originating from M10 had to be used instead, therefore the M36B2 version was born which would be built in 672 units.

In Italian service, most of the M36B1's would be given by America under the "M.A.P" (Military assistance Program), since post-war Italy was scavenging for any military vehicles they could get their hands from. In some instances they managed to bring back several versions of Semoventes to reuse. Due to the M36B1 being used in limited numbers, there's not much documentation on their use, but they would likely have been on the frontlines if the Soviet Union had ever decided to actually invade.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=it_m36b1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[M4 Sherman (Family)]] - M4A3 variants

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:M36_tank_destroyer|[Wikipedia] M36 tank destroyer]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/US/M36_Jackson.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> 90mm GMC M36 Jackson]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/armor/detail.asp?armor_id=251 <nowiki>[Military Factory]</nowiki> M36 Gun Motor Carriage (Jackson / Slugger)]

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{Italy tank destroyers}}

Object 906

2024-08-31T17:55:14Z

U82924470: grammar

{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_object_906
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The success of the [[PT-76B]] prompted the development of a more powerful version. The '''Object 906''' retained the same characteristics of the PT-76B: stabilized, amphibious and very light, but with a more powerful 85 mm cannon. It never went into service or serial production, but if it had, it would have received the designation PT-85. The tank carried a total of 40 shells with 8 armour-piercing and 32 HE projectiles. The protection was not the most important aspect, but it received enough armour to stop artillery fragments, 14.5 mm shots from 100 m, and it was protected against radioactive and nuclear fallout. While the tank was much superior to the PT-76B, it never went into service, it was deemed too complex to operate and produce en masse, so it was discarded and the PT-76 remained in service instead.

Introduced in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a very capable tank at its BR. With good mobility and little to no armour, it plays like most light tanks. It can use its good mobility to set up in sniping positions (however it does not have access to a rangefinder). Its biggest advantage is access to a two-plane stabilizer that works at all speeds, and with a very low profile, it's very easy to set up ambushes around capture points to take out dangerous opponents with ease, especially other light tanks that try to rush to the point. It suffers from a poor gun depression like many other Soviet tanks, but its powerful armament and mobility compensate that lack of gun handling. It's also amphibious, which may come in handy in case of an emergency.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Alloy ABT-101 (Hull)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Turret)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm (77-79°) ''Front glacis'' 30 mm (54-69°) ''Lower glacis'' 20 mm (41-43°) ''Driver's port'' || 30 mm ''Top'' 25 mm ''Bottom'' || 20 mm ''Top'' 12 mm (40-67°) ''Bottom'' || 12 mm
|-
| Turret || 15 mm (4-50°) ''Turret front'' 25 mm (0-80°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 15 mm (41-49°) ''Front'' 8 mm (22-39°) ''Rear'' || 8 mm (19°) 8 mm (64-83°) ''Turret underside'' || 8 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.
* Belly armour and hull underside above the tracks are 8 mm thick.

Its armour is not enough to stop any important impact. In a best case scenario, it may stop 20 mm or 30 mm AP shots from IFVs or aircraft, but it won't be enough to stop most shots, and even artillery would be a great threat to this vehicle.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265}}

* Full reverse speed (74 km/h)
* Fast to accelerate
* Amphibious capability
* Average mobility in irregular terrain

The mobility of the '''Object 906''' is excellent. At its BR, seeing vehicles with full reverse speed is rare. That means that it is able to escape from dangerous situations or change position with ease and surprise enemy tanks.

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

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

{{main|D-58 (85 mm)}}

The 85 mm gun of the '''Object 906''' is very capable at its BR, with access to HEAT and APHE shells, it has access to ammunition with good penetration and high damage output. It also has a very high reload rate, at 4.3 seconds thanks to the autoloader.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-58 (85 mm)|85 mm D-58]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Autoloader
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 19.0 || 26.4 || 32.0 || 35.4 || 37.7 || rowspan="2" | 4.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 11.9 || 14.0 || 17.0 || 18.8 || 20.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:D-58 (85 mm)/Ammunition|BR-372, 3BK7, OF-372}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''40''' || 36 ''(+4)'' || 33 ''(+7)'' || 28 ''(+12)'' || 22 ''(+18)'' || 16 ''(+24)'' || 1 ''(+39)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 6* (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 15 shells.
** This rack gets filled first when loading up the tank and is also emptied first.
** As the {{PAGENAME}} is equipped with an autoloader, manual reloading of the gun is not possible.
** Once the autoloader magazine has been depleted, you can't shoot until the loader has restocked the autoloader with at least 1 shell.
** The restocking time is much longer than the normal reload time of the gun. 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.
* Pack 16 ''(+24)'' shells to keep the hull empty of ammo.

=== 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 || 2,000 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

As with every other light tank, this vehicle should be handled with caution on the battlefield since any enemy the 906 encounters can penetrate it. Use its awesome mobility and good, stabilized gun to provide a nasty surprise to the enemy from unexpected spots. Whether by river, lake, ocean, the 906 can navigate through all bodies of water within the limit of the battlefield. This tank is best used as a flanker, shooting on the move, reloading in the dark, popping up behind another hill to take another moving shot, this is a ninja tank.

;Combat tactics

'''Flanker'''

Never fight an enemy head-on since the 906 will have to aim for the enemy's weak spots before firing while they don't have to worry about the same precision. Surprise is the 906's greatest advantage. Use the Object 906's great speed to take strange, curvy, distant paths to snipe the enemy from the rear/side early in the game. Do not forget to change cover often (every 2-3 shots) since those enemies can respawn and go straight towards the original firing position with its front armour towards it, resulting in much more difficult shots. In this case, use the 906's speed to fall back behind much more armoured allies and look at the map to see where allies may need help/where an enemy has been holding out for long.

When flanking, unlike many other tanks: show the side armour. Since the armour cannot block any shot at this BR, speed is the Object 906's best option, just evade the shots and slow down solely to shoot at the enemy. In the occurrence, the tank gets hit, keep in mind that this lengthy vehicle makes APDS and HEAT rounds ineffective since they often pass straight through, such shot from the front could incapacitate all three crew members. Taking shots from the sides "isolates" each module for non-HE shells in such a way that they will only incapacitate one part of the tank at the time: the driver, the gunner or the engine. If the engine or driver gets shot, the inertia will often drag the 906 out of sights from the enemy. If the gunner gets shot, the 906 can still move behind cover to hide, the lack of gunner would then prevent the player from exposing the tank in an area the enemy knows is there. Just like a ninja, after taking a shot: hide, repair, reevaluate the situation, then move out to cause more havoc from unsuspecting locations.

If an aircraft is aware of your presence search cover or hide in a treeline, '''Do not''' give away your exact location to the aircraft by firing at it. Putting bushes on top of your tank is a good idea.

'''Rush'''

One may be tempted to charge and capture the point for the team at the beginning of a game. When capturing the point, turn the engine deck towards the enemy. This tactic can actually save the 906 from hasty shots to the hull without hindering the gun arc, though this will cause engine fires which can lead to a burning end if not handled quickly. In this case, take a shot at the now vulnerable foe and then use the FPE item to extinguish the fire. However, higher powered APFSDS will be able to go straight through the engine, knocking out the crew and the Object 906 with ease. If the captured point gets swarmed by enemies, you have two options. The first is to fall back using the good reverse gear and ESS to retreat safely to friendly lines. The second is to fight back, especially if the enemies are approaching without care. With the right position, the Object 906 can utilize its 4.3 second reload time to decimate, if not outright eliminate, the approaching enemy before they are able to respond.

'''Decoy'''

Another unusual tactic is to attract enemy players' focus to the Object 906's location. Use the amphibious capability and other great mobility features to put the Object 906 in a tricky position to reach for a non-floating/non-flying enemy (often down a cliff, beside/in the water) in such a way that some players will fall into the trap of trying to reach the 906 through methods that expose their sides to allies or falling into the water. This tactic is very situational and is not a method that should be prioritized over any other tactics. It may not win battles, but it could destroy a few enemies, reducing the number of enemies threatening the overall allied team.

;'''Tank Assault'''

The Object 906 is a very capable tank in Tank Assault gamemode, largely due to its very fast reload rate, and extremely low cost (almost 4 times cheaper than MBTs / medium tanks). Since the AIs in Tank Assault don't try to angle their armour or present their front, their sides are very often exposed, which allows the Object 906 to quickly rack up kills. You should aim to take a position where you are covered from most sides except the direction where you are shooting, but you shouldn't worry about dying, at all.

Generally, your role should be taken as the set-up/clean-up tank. You will often track or set enemies on fire, which makes them easy to pick-off for your team. If the AI are lighter targets, APHE shell will cleanly knock out the tank with a single shot. With that shell, you can also clear out any stationary AIs, even if they are at a slight angle. Remember that top-tier vehicle (Abrams, Challengers etc.) have almost no lower side armour, and you can often penetrate and kill those tanks from the side at angles up to (almost) 60°.

;Notable enemies

Any tank is a threat that should be avoided, flanked, and destroyed. However, some tanks are impervious to these tactics:

The [[Maus]] has thick flanks at nearly 200 mm that can absorb any shots if angled properly. Only fire at the Maus if it is unaware and showing its flat, unangled side, and at close range. The APHE on the Object 906 has just enough penetration to punch through the side armour. If facing the Maus head-on, the Object 906 has to worry about both the 128 mm and 75 mm cannon. If the Maus is keeping its turret faced at the Object 906, it is advised to use ESS and retreat. However, if one is defending a critical location and cannot retreat, one can use the HEAT-FS shell to penetrate the Maus at its weaker areas. Shoot the Maus on the right side of its turret face, as that will incapacitate the gunner. You will have to knock out each crew member separately. Watch out for other enemy vehicles that may be supporting the Maus.

[[T95]] (otherwise known as "Doom turtle") should not be engaged. Its good all-around bouncy armour will defeat most shots even from the Object 906 will take on the move. To defeat it, take some height at its flank and aim carefully, otherwise, it will just drag its attention. This worthy opponent has a very fast hull turning rate, turning it into an impervious wall even towards any adversary, including the 906 if it notices it. Engage only if necessary.

With the [[Tortoise]], the same caution is advised but it is way easier to flank since its side armour is flat.

Be cautious while aiming at [[IS-3]], [[IS-4M]] and [[T-10M]] since their sides can bounce the 85 mm shots. Aim at the flat side of the hull, between the roadwheels and the mudguard. That will have the best chance of knocking it out.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Tank has the fastest gun reload in the rank, tied with [[JaPz.K_A2]]
* Has an autoloader, meaning that
** A high "Weapon Reload" skill on its crew isn't needed
** The gun will be reloaded while extinguishing a fire
** Injured crew won't slow its reload rate
* Very hard-hitting 85 mm, even for Rank V matches
** Comes with an APHE as a standard shot - easily capable of knocking out tanks from the side
** The unlockable HEATFS shell lets the Object 906 comfortably fight heavier tanks
* Two-plane stabilized gun allows to fire on the move and while braking on almost any terrain
* Amphibious capability lets you move around maps with bodies of water more easily - rivers can also be easily crossed
* Very fast reverse speed, about -45 km/h, with fast acceleration towards -70 km/h
* Has neutral steering
* Immune to 50 .cal HMGs frontally

'''Cons:'''

* Virtually no armour
* Only 3 crewmen limits the survivability
* Turret bustle is protected by only 8 mm, heavy machine guns can easily penetrate and detonate the ammunition in the autoloader
* Turret front is vulnerable to HMG at short distances
* Prone to destruction by overpressure
* Stock experience is quite poor
** Mobility and accuracy are bad until relevant upgrades are researched and bought
* Awful gun depression of -5°
* Two-plane stabilizer becomes ineffective at speeds above 35-40 km/h, especially on rough terrain
* When firing from the water, can accidentally sink itself

== History ==

The success of the [[PT-76 (Family)|PT-76]] amphibious tank prompted the development of a successor with improved characteristics on the battlefield. The project was in development since 1960 by {{Annotation|VgTZ|Volgograd Tractor Plant}} under the leadership of I. V. Gavalov. The main purpose of this project was to create a floating tank with a more powerful main cannon than the PT-76B. The vehicle was given the project name '''Object 906''' with the lead designer being Yu. V. Sharin. In total, six prototypes were manufactured at VgTZ, two of which were tested at the {{Annotation|NIIBT|Research and Testing Institute of Armored Vehicles}} test site from January to August 1963. The tank was to receive the name PT-85 if it had been adopted for service, however it failed to do so.

The tank had a classic layout scheme with a longitudinal engine located in the hull, a crew of three people and a stabilized {{Annotation|85 mm D-58|85 mm 2A22, D-58}} cannon with a loading mechanism which was paired with a {{Annotation|7.62 mm SGMT|7.62 mm 56-P-428MT, SGMT}}. The tank was equipped with a TVN-2B night vision device for the driver, a TKN-2 day-night viewing device alongside with two TNP viewports for the commander and two TNP-165 prismatic viewports for the gunner. The stabilizer used named Zvezda provided a horizontal rotation speed of 0.05 deg/s to 20 deg/s and a vertical rotation speed of 0.05 deg/s to 4.5 deg/s. For firing the main cannon during daytime, a TSh2B-8A telescopic sight was used, and for night-time, a TPN-1 sight was used alongside a L-2A1 infrared illuminator. The loading mechanism of the gun was designed for 15 shots and used a special control panel to operate, allowing the tank to reach a maximum rate of fire of 14 rounds/min and a minimum rate of fire of 9 rounds/min. The total ammunition stored was 40 rounds with an usual load of 8 armour-piercing and 32 high-explosive shells.

The armour protection of the tank consisted of anti-fragmentation welded aluminium alloy ABT-101 plates with a thickness of 8, 12, 20, 25, and 30 mm. The frontal armour consisted of three armour plates, upper plate with a thickness of 20 mm at 77 degrees, middle plate with a thickness of 30 mm at 55 degrees and lower plate with a thickness of 20 mm at 70 degrees and it provided protection against 14.5 mm B-32 rounds from 100 m. In terms of protection in the event of a nuclear war, the tank was equipped with a DP-3 radiometer, devices that close all possible holes to protect the crew from a nuclear explosion shockwave and ventilation necessary to filter out radioactive dust in case the tank was fully sealed.

There were two engines used on this project, the first tank produced with an 8D-6M {{Annotation|221 kW|300 hp}} engine and the subsequent tanks with a {{Annotation|221 kW|300 hp}} UTD-20 engine with a redesigned engine bay, both of which allowed the vehicle to reach a top speed of 75 km/h while only weighing 15 tons. The transmission of the tank allowed joint and separate operation of the tracks and jet propellers, this allowed the tank to enter and exit the water in any gear, unlike the PT-76B which had to use a low gear.

The variant on display in the Kubinka museum is the Object 906 with the 8D-6M engine.<ref>Отечественные Бронированные Машины 1945-1965 гг. - Часть 1 - Легкие, средние и тяжелые танки, М. В. Павлов, И. В. Павлов (<nowiki>ISBN 978-5-85905-623-1</nowiki>)</ref>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_object_906 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Fjh-tTr6TPs|'''Best Combo #2''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:27 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|SJoW-2_6J6o|'''Amphibious tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:38 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|CNyryM-9g7g|'''Object 906 - Tank Review - Frantic Biting''' - ''Napalmratte''|UDvzWT2BSg4|'''The Shooting Range #28''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:44 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[PT-76 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Object 685]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4351-development-object-906-river-mosquito-en|[Devblog] Object 906: River Mosquito]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{USSR light tanks}}

ZTZ96

2024-06-27T12:02:37Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Chinese medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = ZTZ96 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_ztz_96
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Chinese: ZTZ96式主战坦克; industry code WZ122H) is one of the MBTs in PLAGF service since late 1990s. After the introduction of ZTZ88 by early 1990s, there were plans to fuse the hull of ZTZ88 with the successful turret from Type 85-IIM exported to Pakistan with domestic FCS. The development of such tank went on successfully as the WZ122H in PLAGF service and it has humbly served the PLAGF for almost 3 decades and possibly received upgrades to current standards due to being unable to upgrade from older tanks to the new [[ZTZ96A]] in service with ERA packages.

Introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]] as the first Chinese tank in the game not directly based on or modified from a foreign design and one of the first MBT-equivalent tanks in PLAGF service, the ZTZ96 has a more distinctive appearance and introduces several features not seen in previous Chinese medium tanks. The general layout is reminiscent of the [[T-72A|Soviet T-72]], but upon closer inspection, major differences are apparent in the design of the turret and hull. The welded turret is flat and angular compared to the dome shape traditionally favoured by the Soviet Union and China. The hull is a departure from the traditional T-54 chassis, featuring smaller roadwheels, different angles, and larger overall dimensions. Composite armour is present in the turret cheeks and on the upper glacis.

Like the T-72, the ZTZ96 features a 125 mm smoothbore cannon with an autoloader. Its shell selection is somewhat limited but the APFSDS and HE shells are excellent and can handle most ground targets. The protection and mobility are average at best, but those familiar with previous Chinese tanks will be used to these faults. ZTZ96 users can enjoy the great firepower and look forward to the succeeding [[ZTZ96A]], a modernized and much-improved variant with thermal sights and ERA protection.

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

The ZTZ96's armour is a significant improvement over previous Chinese tanks like the [[CM11]] and [[ZTZ59D1]] but is not especially competitive for its rank. It has a significant amount of chemical protection in the turret cheeks (~520-530 mm) and upper glacis (~460-480 mm). The turret can resist most HEAT-FS rounds fired by enemy tanks but the hull might be penetrated on occasion by 120 mm HEAT-FS as used by the [[Leopard 2K]] and [[Leopard A1A1 (L/44)]] for example. Contemporary ATGMs will usually go right through.

Kinetic protection is decent but not spectacular, at about 390 mm for the turret cheeks and 360 mm for the hull depending on what round is used for testing. This is enough to stop early APFSDS rounds like the 105 mm DM23 fired by the [[Leopard A1A1]], but many enemies at its rank can punch through it with their top rounds like 105 mm DM33/Type 93. Due to having a battle rating, the ZTZ96 has some measure of isolation against top-tier guns. Contemporary US tanks like the [[MBT-70]] or [[XM-1 (GM)]] will struggle to penetrate its composite armour and surprisingly even the British Challenger 1 series will have some difficulties. Overall, though the ZTZ96 has similarities to the [[T-72A]], its armour protection is worse. The turret is weaker and the hull is comparable if the T-72's add-on armour upgrade is accounted for, slightly better otherwise.

As with other modern MBTs, the gun mantlet is highly susceptible to incoming fire, which can knock out the breech or hurt the crew. The lower glacis is also a weak point and should be hidden from enemy view when possible. However, due to the design of the upper glacis (which more closely resembles the T-54), there is no driver's viewport weak spot that plagues the contemporary T-64/72/80 tanks. This might surprise enemies with weaker rounds who shoot that area out of habit.

The post-penetration survivability leaves much to be desired. The autoloader uses the same layout as the T-72A; a penetrating shot to the lower glacis or hull side has a high likelihood of detonating the ammunition and instantly destroying the tank. Granted, this is slightly less likely to happen than in the T-64/80 since the propellant charges are stacked horizontally instead of vertically. In addition, with 3 only crew members, it is easier to knock out the tank with a good shot, particularly since the driver and gunner are lined up when the turret is facing forwards.

While hull penetrations tend to be fatal, this is not necessarily the case for turret penetrations. It is possible to empty the turret of spare ammunition by taking fewer rounds (22 + 1 for a full autoloader carousel and one in the gun). If an enemy shoots a turret cheek, usually only one crew member will perish. This will give the player time either to retaliate or to retreat. With duplicate fire controls, the commander can take control of the cannon and fire it when the gunner is down. The autoloader ensures that the gun is loaded during this time.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet, commander cupola)
* Rubber-fabric screens (side skirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm (69°) ''Outer UFP'' 100 mm (67°) ''Inner UFP'' 60 mm (51°) ''LFP'' || 50 mm || 45 mm (52°) ''Top '' 45 mm (15°) ''Bottom'' || 20-30 mm
|-
| Turret || 220 mm ''Turret front'' 310 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 50-80 mm || 20 mm || 30 mm
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" | 30 mm (cylindrical) || 30 mm (spherical)
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable"
! Composite armour !! Front (Slope angle)
|-
| Hull || '''Upper glacis: '''350 mm ''Kinetic'' 480 mm ''Chemical''
|-
| Turret ||'''Turret front:''' 400 mm ''Kinetic'' 520 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks, and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
* Side skirts are 8 mm thick.
* Mudguards and storage boxes are 4 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,131|rbMinHp=646}}

The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is generally unimpressive, though still an improvement over preceding Chinese MBTs. It has 17.8 hp/ton when fully upgraded, which is about the same as the [[T-64B]] and less than the [[Challenger Mk.2]]; these two tanks are already considered quite immobile for their rank. The reverse speed of -9 km/h is slow but better than the agonizing 4 km/h of the Soviet T-64/72. Do not count on being able to retreat from danger rapidly. In general the {{PAGENAME}} will be among the last to arrive on the battlefield in top rank battles, and one should plan accordingly. However, the tank is still quite manoeuvrable and agile in its hull traverse, allowing it to weave through dense forests and urban areas with relative ease and react quickly to threats.

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

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

{{main|Type 88C (125 mm)}}

The ZTZ96 makes up for its drawbacks in protection and mobility with a superb gun. The 125 mm Type 88C smoothbore gun is capable of firing APFSDS, HE and HEAT-FS ammunition. Although the ZTZ96 uses a similar autoloader system to the T-72s with 7.1 second reload rate, which is already on the long side for its rank. The turret rotation speed is noticeably improved over the T-72, topping out at 30 degrees/sec like the [[Type 90]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 88C (125 mm)|125 mm Type 88C]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Autoloader
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+14° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type 88C (125 mm)/Ammunition|DTP-125, DTB-125, 125-I}}

The DTP-125 HEATFS round is nothing particularly special. It has the same penetration and similar TNT equivalent to the standard NATO 120 mm HEATFS (e.g. 120 mm DM12) and the same ballistics as the Soviet 3BK12M used by the [[T-72A]] or [[T-64A (1971)|T-64A]]. As a stock round, it is alright. It contains enough explosive mass to trigger pressure damage occasionally against light targets and can dispatch targets with steel or spaced armour, which are still somewhat common at the ZTZ96's battle rating. However it falls short against targets with ERA or composite armour. For example, the [[XM-1 (GM)]]'s turret front can resist DTP-125. Soviet tanks tend to be tough nuts to crack outside of the T-64A, as their turrets are immune and their hulls are at least quite resistant if not outright immune as well.

The DTB-125 HE round is of the Soviet-style, packing a whopping 5.4 kg of TNT equivalent that can deal devastating damage if aimed correctly, either through detonating ammo racks or triggering overpressure damage. Light tanks can typically be shot anywhere and the resulting overpressure damage will wipe out their crew. Against MBTs, the best targets are typically the turret ring, hull roof, or turret roof. The [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard I]], [[AMX-30 (Family)|AMX-30]], [[OF-40 (Family)|OF-40]], and [[Type 74 (Family)|Type 74]] have thin hull side armour and a HE round there is usually a guaranteed knockout if one takes care to avoid hitting the tracks or side skirts. The HE round has essentially the same unimpressive ballistics as the HEATFS round and is easiest to use at closer ranges, but practice and/or use of the laser rangefinder can make it viable at medium to long range, particularly against static enemies.

The 125-I APFSDS shell is a Tier 3 modification and the ZTZ96's only choice of kinetic ammunition. It can be considered the Chinese counterpart to the Soviet 3BM42 "Mango" round, having slightly better penetration and muzzle velocity in exchange for a lower projectile mass. For its battle rating, 125-I performs very well, offering 466 mm of flat penetration at point-blank and dropping only to 434 mm at 2 km. Its angled performance of 269 mm at 60 degrees is comparable to Western long-rod sabot rounds such as DM33. Almost all of the ZTZ96's enemies can be dispatched easily with a center mass shot to the hull. The high muzzle velocity makes it easy to use at long range even without using the laser rangefinder.

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 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
|-
| '''40''' || ''Projectiles'' ''Propellants'' || 40 ''(+0)'' 39 ''(+1)'' || 38 ''(+2)'' 38 ''(+2)'' || 37 ''(+3)'' 37 ''(+3)'' || 35 ''(+5)'' 31 ''(+9)'' || 32 ''(+8)'' 27 ''(+13)'' || 29 ''(+11)'' 23 ''(+17)'' || 24 ''(+16)'' 39 ''(+1)'' || 23 ''(+17)'' N/A || 39 ''(+1)'' N/A || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x450px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
'''Notes''':

* The 9th projectile rack and the 7th propellant rack are a mechanized first stage ammo rack. The mechanized nature indicates the tank has a fixed reload as it uses an autoloader to reload the main gun, as such the main gun cannot be reloaded when the ammo rack is empty.
* It takes around 25s per shell to reload the first stage ammo rack. Additionally, there is a 10s interval between the gun is fully loaded and the crew starts to reload the first stage ammo rack.

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

{{main|QJC88A (12.7 mm)|Type 86 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[QJC88A (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm QJC88A]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (150) || 600 || -6°/+85° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 86 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 86]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,500 (250) || 700 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Like preceding Chinese MBTs, the ZTZ96 is not suited for rapid assaults due to its substandard mobility and should be played conservatively. Let speedier teammates charge first into combat while you cover them and move to good overwatch positions. Situational awareness is key since faster opponents may arrive earlier and the tank lacks thermal sights. The gun handling is a bit better than contemporary Soviet MBTs but it still has a slow vertical traverse speed. The ZTZ96's composite armour is not amazing but still enough to shrug off some incoming fire, and staying close to cover is helpful. Try to hide the lower glacis since that is the ZTZ96's most dangerous weak spot. The ZTZ96's extra two degrees of gun depression compared to previous PRC tanks are helpful for peeking over small hills. Be on the lookout for flankers since the ZTZ96 has weaker side armour than Soviet tanks and 25-30 mm IFV autocannons can penetrate it.

Before the APFSDS is unlocked, the only ammunition options are the stock HEAT-FS and HE. Neither of these ammo types is particularly good for sniping due to their mediocre muzzle velocities, so it is best to stay at close to medium range. Once the APFSDS is unlocked, it should be effective against the majority of the tanks seen at the ZTZ96's rank and is well suited for the ZTZ96's recommended laid-back playstyle. It is still a good idea to take some HE shells due to their utility and instant-knockout capability. Light vehicles can often be sent back to the hangar with a single hit, and even heavy MBTs with strong composite armour are still vulnerable to well-placed HE shells.

The ZTZ96 has duplicate fire control, meaning that the commander can take control of the cannon and fire in the event the gunner is knocked out, enhancing the tank's capabilities to return fire in heat of battle, even after a successful penetration on the gunner side.

===Assault mode===

For players grinding the APFSDS in assault mode, it is recommended to bring full ammo, with around half HEAT and half HE. As the countdown goes at the start of the match, quickly find a spot where you will not get shot from every direction and stay there until you run out of ammo or die. The HEAT is great at knocking out with a single shot weakly-armoured Cold War tanks that spawn at the early stages of the match, while the HE is capable of killing those heavily protected top tier MBT who spawn later. Given that you do not have APFSDS, therefore, lacking the ability to knock out some AI frontally, you will have to rely on assists to get scores. Firing HEAT / HE at tracks, roof-mounted MG, turret ring, cannon barrel, etc can at least immobile / disarm the AI, granting you an assist. The 7.1 second reload will be quite slow when facing a huge wave of AI so you must aim each shot carefully, but other times it is generally fast enough. The ZTZ96's armour can take quite some beating but is also prone to ammo rack explosion, or penetrating shots from the lower front plate and gun mantlet. Note that the ZTZ96 can be easily destroyed by rockets/bombs from AI planes too so it will be great to have a teammate with helicopter/SPAA covering the team.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[Leopard 2A5|Leopard 2 A5]]: this is the most protected Leopard you will see in an assault, usually in Mozdok and Fulda. When facing it frontally or with slight angles, load HE and aim for its turret ring where the crosshair is green. It is very likely to destroy it instantly. When facing its side, load HEAT and aim for its central hull. Don't expect to block any of its shells as its APFSDS can easily go through the ZTZ96's frontal armour, or the AI can just target your weak spots.
* [[M1A2 Abrams|M1A2]]: you will see it mostly in Fulda and Ardennes. When facing it frontally or with slight angles, load HEAT and aim for its turret ring where the crosshair is green. It is very likely to destroy it instantly. HE might not work here since it cannot effectively hurt the turret crew. But HE works great when aiming at the M1's turret roof. Items like the MG and the optics will all detonate the HE, causing the downward shrapnel to kill all the crew. When facing its side, load HEAT and aim for its central hull.
* [[Challenger 2 (2F)|Challenger 2F]]: you will see it mostly in Sands of Sinai. It is one of the toughest AI to destroy, especially when there are waves of them. When facing it frontally or with slight angles, load HE and aim for the hull side above the tracks where the crosshair is green. It is very likely to detonate random ammo inside. When facing its side, still load HE and aim for its central hull for an ammo detonation. The Challenger 2F's sides are covered with ERA blocks thus HEAT will get absorbed.
* [[Type 16]], [[Centauro ROMOR]], [[Radkampfwagen 90|Radkamfwagen 90]]: Despite being armed with 105 mm guns, these tanks get access to DM33 rounds that can penetrate your turret cheeks within 400 m. In addition, their high speed means that it is incredibly easy to get flanked by them, frequently resulting in side-shots. This is only made worse by the weakened side armour of the ZTZ96 compared to its soviet counterparts, resulting in light autocannon easily being able to penetrate the ZTZ 96's side armour from afar.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful gun with access to high-penetrating APFSDS
* Autoloader reloads the cannon even when putting out fires or replacing crew members
* HE shell is currently the most powerful of any MBT, can cripple or outright destroy enemies with a good shot
* Low profile
* First Chinese tank equipped with composite armour in both turret and hull, resistant to early APFSDS rounds
* Roof mounted heavy machine gun is useful against aircraft and light targets
* Relatively-faster turret rotation speed, compared to contemporary Soviet tanks
* Enjoys commander takeover of cannon, which helps to fight back in the heat of battle

'''Cons:'''

* Mobility is below average at its rank
* Sub-par armour compared to other tanks
* Autoloader carousel is a giant ammo rack
* No thermal sights, a disadvantage against other thermal-equipping tanks
* Poor reverse speed
* Below average gun depression (-6°)
* Only 3 crew members makes it easily destroyed
* No ATGM capability, unlike the T-64B and T-72B

== History ==


The People's Liberation Army relied on the [[Type 59]] as its primary main battle tank for most of the Cold War. While cheap, reliable, and quite upgradeable, its design began to shows its age over the decades. The [[Type 69]] series differed little from the Type 59 in terms of appearance and was not used in quantity by the PLA. After relations with the Western world improved at the start of the 1980s, foreign technology was purchased and used to [[ZTZ59D1|upgrade the PLA's stock of existing tanks]]. However, there was only so much that could be done to bring the Type 59 up to a competitive level and more efforts were devoted to domestic tank development.

The new Type 80/88 tank retained the general appearance of the Type 59, but its chassis was heavily redesigned, featuring a new suspension, a licensed German engine, and other changes. The turret retained the cast dome design but a 105mm gun was installed.

As with other PRC tank models, development continued for a long time and a large number of variants were made. The Type 85 branch featured welded turrets; the initial Type 85-1 "Storm" was intended for export and was otherwise similar to the original series, but no orders were placed from the PLA or export customers. A more radical development was the Type 85-IIM, which featured a welded turret equipped with an autoloading 125mm gun derived from the T-72. It also featured composite armour. This variant was exported to Pakistan under the designation of Type 85-IIAP.

The Type 85-IIM was later procured for domestic use, with some changes, as the Type 88C or '''Type 96''', spurred by the poor performance of the Iraqi Army's Type 79 tanks (which featured comparable protection to the 80/88) in the Gulf War. As can be expected, this was further developed into the [[ZTZ96A|Type 96A]] and 96B variants. The 96A introduced applique "arrowhead" armour on the front turret face with provisions for ERA, improving protection significantly, and the electronics were improved to a standard approaching the top-line [[ZTZ99|Type 99 tank]], including a gunner's thermal sight and FCS upgrades. The 96A has participated in Tank Biathlons, where it scored well in gunnery but was let down by its underpowered engine. The ultimate 96B variant appeared in 2016 and features comprehensive all-round upgrades with a much more powerful 1130 hp engine. Finally, an export variant called the VT-2 has been showcased by Norinco, generally similar to the Type 96A.

At present the Type 96 series can be considered the backbone of the PLA's tank forces, featuring good protection and firepower with a relatively low weight and cost, comparable in role to the Russian [[T-90A|T-90]] or [[T-72B3]]. Elite units are issued the more advanced and heavier [[ZTZ99|Type 99]], but cost and terrain reasons have limited its deployment. Outside of China, the Type 96 has been exported to Sudan; reportedly these tanks have destroyed several South Sudanese T-72s in combat.

===[[wt:en/news/6445-development-ztz96-top-tier-chinese-en|Devblog]]===
Work on the ZTZ96 began in the early 1990s, as new Chinese MBT with larger 125mm smoothbore cannon supported by an autoloading mechanism and new composite armour protection. The first prototype was built in May 1991 and underwent successful testing until January of the following year. Having received the official designation ZTZ85-IIAP, production of the vehicle commenced, with the Pakistani army receiving its first units shortly afterwards.

Several years later, the decision was made to adopt the ZTZ85-IIAP for domestic use as a stopgap measure to equip the PLA with a capable combat vehicle. In 1996, the vehicles destined for PLA use were formally redesignated into ZTZ96 and production of the type began in 1998.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_ztz_96 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:ZTZ-96 WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:ZTZ-96 WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:ZTZ-96 WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:ZTZ-96 WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:ZTZ-96 WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:ZTZ-96 WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
File:ZTZ-96 WTWallpaper 07.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|Ftqpt1gijlA|'''Type96 "Not so Meta"''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|D3MA3J4FGNQ|'''ZTZ96 - A High Explosive Match!''' - ''Napalmratte''|AKxlwtWIlSI|'''The Shooting Range #173''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the ZTZ96.}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[ZTZ96A]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6445-development-ztz96-top-tier-chinese-en|[Development] ZTZ96: Top-Tier Chinese]]
* [[wikipedia:Type_96_tank|[Wikipedia] Type 96 tank]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/modern/China/Type-96.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Norinco Type 96 MBT]

{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
{{China medium tanks}}

Type 63

2024-06-27T11:49:06Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Chinese light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Type 63 (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_type_63_I
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Type 63 amphibious tank (63式水陆坦克)''', the first variant of the Type 63 amphibious tank family, was China's first generation of amphibious tanks, based on the Soviet [[PT-76 (China)|PT-76]] and developed and built by China North Industries Corporation. In 1950, China purchased some PT-76 amphibious tanks from the Soviet Union. Using the PT-76 as a guide, China began the development of its own amphibious tank. In 1959, factories code-named 201 and 617 developed initial prototypes that replicated the PT-76, and a small number of prototypes were delivered to the Chinese People's Liberation Army for trial in 1960. Improvements were made in response to problems discovered during trial production and testing, and the design was finalized in March 1963. It was given the designation Type 63 amphibious tank and went into full production. The Type 63 amphibious tank first saw service in 1964 and was sent to North Vietnam for deployment throughout the Vietnam War. It also saw limited action in the 1979 Sino-Vietnamese War.

Introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]], the Type 63 is the first domestic Chinese amphibious tank based on the Soviet-produced PT-76 amphibious light tank. The Type 63, which uses the same turret as the [[Type 62]], possesses significantly greater firepower than its Soviet counterpart. Despite its lack of armour, the Type 63 amphibious tank is equipped with HEAT-FS, which can penetrate 300 mm of armour. However, it lacks the two-plane stabilizer featured in later PT-76 variants, making accurate fire while moving difficult.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret front/sides, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 11 mm (82°) ''Upper glacis'' 14 mm (42°) ''Lower glacis'' || 13 mm ''Top'' 10 mm ''Bottom'' || 10 mm (1°) ''Top'' 10 mm (62°) ''Bottom'' || 10 mm
|-
| Turret || 11 mm (15-58°) ''Turret front'' 15 mm (10-69°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 11 mm (17-58°) || 11 mm (10-48°) || 10 mm
|-
| Cupola || 10 mm || 10 mm || 10 mm || 10 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick.
* Tracks are 15 mm thick.

The Type 63's armour is no better than the PT-76 and should not be relied upon against any incoming fire. Even heavy machine guns and autocannons pose a serious threat to this vehicle; the turret has only 11 mm of cast steel for example and can be easily penetrated by the M2 Browning commonly mounted on US tanks. SPAAs and aircraft will rip the tank to shreds. In general, avoid being spotted and stay close to cover. Placing bushes on the front and top of the tank to delay recognition by enemies, even for a second or two, can help considerably.

The Type 63 is vulnerable to overpressure damage. Chemical shells (HEAT, HEAT-FS, HE) of at least decent size will trigger it consistently. Kinetic shells tend to be less threatening; generally speaking, APHE rounds will only fuse if fired through the lower glacis, which has exactly enough armour to trigger the common 14 mm fuse sensitivity. The thinly armoured turret will not fuse most APHE rounds and it is possible for a [[Tiger II (P)]]'s fearsome PzGr 39/42 to pass through a turret cheek and only take one to two crew members with it.

The crew of 4 is better than the 3 in the PT-76, but the additional crew member resides in the crowded turret and the benefits to survivability are marginal.

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

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=620|rbMinHp=354}}
The {{PAGENAME}} sees a decent improvement in mobility compared to the previously preceding [[PT-76 (China)|PT-76]], however, it's essentially identical to the [[Object 211]]. This makes this tank very attractive for flanking or early-game rushing. The {{PAGENAME}} is also good for hill-climbing and can reach some nifty positions on some maps. The mobility lags slightly behind some contemporary tanks like the [[M41A1|M41 Walker Bulldog]] and wheeled Italian vehicles are much faster on roads. It will still handily outrun medium and heavy tanks. The reverse speed of about 8 km/h is a slight improvement over the [[T-34-85 (S-53) (China)|T-34-85 (S-53)]] but by no means lightning-quick. If using shoot-and-scoot tactics, start backing into cover as soon as possible after firing a shot.

As an amphibious vehicle, the Type 63 will not drown in water and can swim across rivers or lakes at 11.7 km/h. However, the lack of a gun stabilizer makes firing while on water very difficult. Avoid driving on water for more than short crossings if enemies are likely to see you, as it will be nearly impossible to defend yourself.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
The Type 63's stock grind is less painful than the PT-76 since it has a decent gun with usable ammunition from the start. But the tank does not have much going for it over a T-34-85 until the Type 56 HEAT-FS, a Tier IV modification, is researched. Try focusing on the firepower modifications after Parts are unlocked, as the vehicle's stock mobility is not bad. Adjustment of Fire is very important since the Type 63's long reload does not give it much leeway if one's shot misses. Once the HEAT-FS is unlocked, the grind becomes significantly easier since the tank is now capable of harming enemies frontally from any distance, making assists much easier to come by and reducing its reliance on flanking.

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

{{main|Type 63 (85 mm)}}

The Type 63 cannon is also used by the Type 62 and early Obj. 211. This means that it has the same sluggish reload as the PT-76 despite having a dedicated loader. The gun handling is poor all-round, with the gun rotation, elevation, and depression speeds all being lower than the PT-76. This can be a pain when using the Type 63 aggressively; unfortunately, the gun handling cannot keep up with the good mobility.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 63 (85 mm)|85 mm Type 63]] || 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" | 47 || rowspan="2" | -4°/+22° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 9.5 || 13.2 || 16.0 || 17.7 || 18.8 || rowspan="2" | 9.10 || rowspan="2" | 8.05 || rowspan="2" | 7.42 || rowspan="2" | 7.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
Two APHE shells are available. The stock Type 56 APBC round has rather low penetration for its rank, but this is compensated by its excellent slope modifiers and high explosive mass. It penetrates other light tanks easily and is the best round to use when flanking. The Type 56 APCBC round has about 30 mm of extra penetration with less than half the TNT equivalent; while this is not a bad tradeoff, in practice it does not frontally penetrate many vehicles that the Type 56 APBC round cannot, and when flanking the lower post-penetration damage is a big drawback. Using one or the other is mostly up to personal taste, though it does not hurt to bring some of both.

The Type 56 HVAP shell has high velocity and better flat penetration than the APHE rounds, but as with other shells of its class, the angled performance and post-penetration damage are awful. It is best used as an interim shell before the HEAT-FS is unlocked; in emergencies it can penetrate the turret face of the [[Tiger II (H)]] at close range.

The Type 56 HEAT-FS shell is the most powerful option available to the Type 63 and is very strong for its rank. 300 mm of flat penetration at any distance with good velocity and angled performance is no joke, capable of nullifying the armour of many heavy tanks. The main rival at the battle rating of 6.3 is the [[ST-A1]]'s 90 mm HEAT-FS with 305 mm of flat penetration. It boasts more TNT equivalent than the HE shell, making it dangerous to lightly armoured targets like the common [[M18 GMC|M18 Hellcat]] that are vulnerable to overpressure. The main drawbacks are the mediocre post-penetration damage and the tendency to bounce against heavily sloped armour, so aim carefully for important crew members, modules, and ammo racks.

The Type 56 HE shell is very weak and should be avoided because the HEAT-FS is better in all aspects.

{{:Type 63 (85 mm)/Ammunition|Type 56 APBC, Type 56 APCBC, Type 56 HVAP, Type 56 HEAT-FS, Type 56 HE}}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''47''' || 42 ''(+5)'' || 36 ''(+11)'' || 30 ''(+17)'' || 24 ''(+23)'' || 15 ''(+32)'' || 11 ''(+36)'' || 7 ''(+40)'' || 1 ''(+46)'' || Yes
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Ammo rack #1 is in the back of the turret basket and will rotate with the turret.

The poor protection of the Type 63 means that taking less ammunition will not improve post-penetration survivability by much. Taking 30 rounds or less will empty the ammo racks in the back of the fighting compartment and turret basket, so solid projectiles entering the front right of the vehicle might pass through and hit only the loader. This is mildly helpful against British tanks and M41s. If 30 rounds is not enough, a rare occurrence, it's fine to take more.

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

{{main|Type 59 (7.62 mm)}}

The Type 63 has a coaxial 7.62 Type 59 machine gun. It is useful for spotting targets on the map but little else. The Type 59 machine gun is the Chinese variant of the Soviet SGMT, which enjoy a much larger magazine and better rate of fire than the typical WWII-era DT machine gun, which helps to clear fences and bushes that might prematurely detonate the HEAT-FS round. The lack of a pintle-mounted heavy machine gun makes it difficult to ward off aircraft or gun down light vehicles like armoured cars.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 59 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Type 59]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 600 || - || -
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Type 63 is best used in a way that avoids direct exposure to enemy fire and gives you time to set up shots and ambushes. Running straight into battle or rushing cap points may not end well. Flanking is a recommended method as this gives you the time you desperately need due to slow turret rotation and reloading. It also gives you chances to shoot at enemy side armour, which is the only way to penetrate heavier enemies if you use conventional shells. When flanking, avoid driving in the open if possible and keep an eye out for other light vehicles. Some of them, like armoured cars and Hellcats, can be overpressured by the HEAT-FS round on occasion, while others like the [[M41A1|M41 Walker Bulldog]] used by several nations cannot and are best dispatched with the APHE rounds. Once a good position is reached, stay close to cover and be sure to hide when reloading.

The long reload makes selecting the right ammunition type for the situation very important. Otherwise, switching to the correct round could take up to 11 seconds, enough for an enemy to retreat or return fire. It is better to keep HEAT-FS loaded when entering an engagement if enemy types are unknown; any target that the HEAT-FS cannot overpressure can still be disabled with a careful shot to the gunner/driver/gun breech, and APHE can be used to finish crippled targets off. On the other hand, the first speedy enemies to appear at the start of a match are probably soft enough to destroy with APHE. Try to reload while in cover.

Like many domestic PRC tanks, the Type 63's gun handling is quite awful, so predict where enemies are likely to appear and always be on the lookout for potential ambushes or flankers. If your aim must be shifted rapidly, turn the hull as well as the turret. Though it lacks neutral steering, the hull traverse is quite good. Avoid trying to take down or harass aircraft unless they are bold enough to fly directly at you and escaping to cover is impossible.

Ground targets to watch out for include the infamous [[R3 T20 FA-HS]], whose extreme mobility and rapid-fire autocannon are the bane of the Type 63's bad gun handling and armour, and the [[Ru 251]], which also has incredible speed and can overpressure the Type 63 with its chemical rounds.

Besides flanking, another tactic is to use the HEAT-FS shells for long-range sniping. The HEAT-FS does not lose accuracy nor penetration at range, giving you the full 300 mm penetration on each hit. Shooting and relocating are advisable because if an enemy manages to be within range of you, they will only need one shot to take you out. Stay hidden or retreat if an enemy is looking in your direction and ready to fire, as the Type 63 does not have the gun handling or armour necessary to peek effectively. Keep an eye on the sky and switch positions after a few kills, as it is very likely that planes and artillery will be on their way to seek revenge. Virtually any aircraft can dispatch the Type 63, even those lacking bombs or rockets.

Remember to constantly mark enemies with scouting. Besides helping your team and gaining assists for yourself, it allows teammates to mop up targets that you have crippled but are unwilling or unable to finish off. The reduction in aircraft spawn cost is also valuable due to the Type 63's fragility. If a good early-game run with the tank is terminated, it should be easy to pull out a suitable CAS aircraft like the [[Tu-2S-44 (China)|Tu-2]] or counter-CAS aircraft like the [[La-9 (China)|La-9]] to exact revenge while leaving points in reserve for later spawns.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Same 85 mm gun as the [[Type 62]], more powerful and much less frustrating to use than the now hidden [[PT-76 (China)|PT-76]]
* HEAT-FS penetrates up to 300 mm of armour, excellent for the battle rating and is a huge improvement over the Obj. 211
* Good gun optics with 3.5-7x zoom
* 4 crew members
* Improved mobility from the formerly preceding PT-76
* Can scout and assist with repairs
* Amphibious

'''Cons:'''

* No stabilizer, firing on the move or water is difficult
* Very thin armour, vulnerable to overpressure damage
* Poor gun handling
* Slow turret traverse
* Slow reload, especially for a light tank
* Stock grind is challenging
* No sources of smoke
* Larger profile than the PT-76 family

== History ==


The Soviet Union delivered [[PT-76 (China) |PT-76]] tanks to the People's Republic of China in the 1950s. Their lightweight and amphibious capability was appreciated by the PLA, and in 1958 an order was placed for the development of an indigenous vehicle in the same vein. Initially, a copy of the PT-76 called the Type 60 was made, but unsatisfactory performance and reliability issues prompted a redesign. The new design was finalized in 1963 and entered service as the Type 63 light tank, not to be confused with the Type 63 armoured personnel carrier that served as a basis for the [[ZSD63]]. While resembling the PT-76, the Type 63 tanks featured notable differences, such as a new engine, a relocated driver's station, and a new turret with an 85 mm gun. Overall dimensions were slightly enlarged for extra flotation. The Type 63 was intended for use in the wet and muddy terrain of southern China and also for seaborne assaults - many were stationed on the southern coast, across the strait from Taiwan.

'''Type 63''' has a V12 12150-L2 engine developing about 400 hp. Additional upgrades were developed over the years. The later Type 63 variant from the 1970s added a laser rangefinder and night vision equipment. The 63HG variant from the 1990s had a boat-like hull with a rounded nose and a modified turret with a 105 mm gun. In the late 1990s, the ultimate Type 63A variant entered service. It featured a new welded turret with improved protection, a 105 mm gun, modern fire control systems, and a further redesigned hull.

The Type 63 was exported to several countries, including Myanmar, Albania, and Vietnam. It remains in use with several of them today. The Type 63A, which is a modification of the Type 63 with a 105 mm gun and improved armour, still serves with the PLA today, however, it is being gradually replaced by the larger and more advanced ZTD-05 amphibious assault vehicle.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_type_63_I Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:Type_63_Taken-at-WMoK-2024-02-02.jpg|Type 63 on display at the War Memorial of Korea
File:Type 63 Side View Taken at WMoK 2024-01-31.jpg|Type 63 side view at the War Memorial of Korea
</gallery>

== See also ==


* [[PT-76B]]
* [[PT-76 (China)]]

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

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

{{TankManufacturer Norinco}}
{{China light tanks}}

M41D

2024-04-30T11:47:00Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Chinese light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=cn_m_41d
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (Chinese: M41D輕型戰車) is the overhaul upgrade of the ROCA's fleet of M41A1/A2 Walker Bulldogs during the 1990s as an alternative to new imported light tanks. As a long-time user of M41 tanks, the ROCA previously attempted to reverse-engineer the tank under the name Type 65 with M41A3 equivalent designs. After attempts to import light tanks to replace the fleet of Bulldogs failed and the increasing tension of cross-strait relationships, they sought upgrades for the existing fleet of M41s including a domestic gun with the capability to fire APFSDS, FCS upgrades, and a new engine for better logistic maintenance. 50 tanks were upgraded, and peacefully served the ROCA for around 2 decades. A few continue to serve on Kinmen Island, after fatal accidents involving the M41A2.

Introduced in [[Update "Winged Lions"]] as the most modern variant of the M41 in-game, this Taiwanese upgrade features APFSDS, thermals, and a laser rangefinder, but trades for a less powerful (but more economical) engine. The high gun depression and laser rangefinder, combined with its poor armour and lack of stabilizer, make this tank well-suited for hull-down sniping, and its good reverse speed allows it to quickly retreat if spotted. Compared to its PLA light tank counterpart, the [[PTL02]], the M41D trades a stabilizer and some firepower for superior reverse mobility, a slightly smaller profile, and increased gun depression.

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

Although the M41D underwent an overhaul from the original Walker Bulldog, protection wasn't part of the upgrade. The M41D retains the very same protection like any other member of the M41 family of tanks, other than the addition of side skirts. The protection all-round is not enough to protect the tank from any shells found at the rank, autocannons are also a deadly foe for the M41D as they can penetrate it with ease. Since it is a light tank in nature, the crew is also cramped into a confined space, any penetration from shells with explosive filler or large-calibre HE shells means a very quick demise for the crew.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (60°) ''Upper'' 31.7 mm (45°) ''Lower''
| 25.4 mm ''Front'' 19 mm ''Back'' || 12.7 mm (58°) ''Top'' 19 mm (32 - 37°) ''Bottom''
| 10 - 19 mm
|-
| Turret || 25.4 mm ''Turret front'' 31.7 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm || 25.4 mm || 19 mm
|-
| Cupola || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 5 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Tracks and suspension wheels are 15 mm thick

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

For upgrades in terms of mobility, most vehicles would go for higher power output from the engine or replacing the transmission system.

The upgrade for M41D did neither. ROCA decided to downgrade the original 500 hp Continental AOS 895-3 petrol engine to a Detroit Diesel 8V-71T engine for better fuel economy and torque. The statistic that matters the most is the engine output, and after downgrading the engine, the M41D can barely reach 50 km/h on road, let alone reached the claimed 72 km/h top speed. Handling is still identical, oddly, to the original M41.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=697|rbMinHp=398|rbReverseSpeed=18.2|abReverseSpeed=20.2|rbMaxHp=450}}

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

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

{{main|M32K1 (76 mm)}}

The M32K1 cannon on M41D, to a certain extent, is the very first tank cannon made in Republic of China. Based on the original M32 76 mm gun found on other M41s, it can fire HEATFS, HE, APFSDS and smoke shells. It comes with a 2nd generation Texas Instruments TVD and a laser rangefinder which boosts the tank's search-and-destroy capabilities, though it has no stabilizer of any form, so firing accurately on the move is virtually impossible.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M32K1 (76 mm)|76 mm M32K1]] || 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" | 65 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 7.67 || rowspan="2" | 6.79 || rowspan="2" | 6.25 || rowspan="2" | 5.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The stock shell is M496 HEATFS, which is the top shell for the German M41 and US T92; at its tier, it can handle medium tanks it might face, such as M48 Pattons or Soviet T-54/T-62 series. It might still need careful shots when facing any Cold War heavy tanks like T-10M; some other heavies can be penetrated up front, but the damage might be minimal.

The other stock shell, M352 HE, can be neglected as a means to knock out any tanks at all, it doesn't have enough explosive mass to even trigger overpressure against most targets. It might be sufficient for vehicles with open combat compartment, but anything that is thicker than a sheet of steel or aluminium more than half an inch (12.7 mm) can stop this shell with ease.

The M464 APFSDS serving as the M41D's top shell is another story. It is still the go-to ammunition for M41Ds in service, this dart imported from Israel can penetrate 280 mm of armour at point blank range, which does fit ROCA's requirement to penetrate PLAGF's masses of ZTZ59s; and many tanks at the same BR don't even come with any darts; which means M41D can finally handle most tanks it might face at similar BR.

The M361 smoke shell also comes available to M41D, serving as a long-range option to blind enemies or cover your team's movement.

{{:M32K1 (76 mm)/Ammunition|M496 shell, M352 shell, M361, M464}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''65''' || 33 ''(+32)'' || 12 ''(+53)'' || 1 ''(+64)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Rack 3 is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 11 shells and gets filled first when loading up the tank.
* This rack is also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 1 - 2.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 and 2 into rack 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready rack.
* Although having the minimal survivability of a light tank, it is still suggested to bring only 12 rounds as the standby ammo; in case of concerns over missed shots or non-lethal shots on enemies, bring 32 shells at most, which will be located in the lower hull by the center mass.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M240 (7.62 mm)}}

The M41D retains the same M2HB as its anti-air machine gun; all the characteristics for the machine gun itself are identical to any other M2HB as well. It can be good for handling lightly armoured APCs, IFVs or SPAAGs; it is also a good for gunning down early helicopters with very limited protection in this BR range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,200 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
The M240 coaxial machine gun is only good for gunning down exposed crew of vehicles and marking enemies, alternatively as a makeshift rangefinder before the laser rangefinder becomes available.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M240 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M240]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,000 (200) || 941 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The M41D may be one of the most challenging light tanks at this tier, perhaps even among other non-stabilized light tanks in-game; however, taking a less aggressive approach can ensure that it can at least contribute to the team by harassing or crippling enemies, helping the team to advance.

==== Harassing enemies ====
Players should remember one thing for the M41D in general: it is a light tank and never designed for head-on assaults against masses of enemies. Some inferior features of the M41D also make it a struggle to grind through the basic equipment for survivability, notably the underpowered engine and rather wobbly main cannon; players who are already used to the PLAGF's Type 69 or PTL02 with stabilizers will have to adapt a completely new doctrine. The M41D has neither the armour of the former or the crisp clear TVD of the latter, but it does have the best gun depression of any Chinese gun-equipped vehicle at -10° and a rather fast gun traverse speed for its tier. So for any chance to utilize the M41D, remember to never be the first one on the frontline; it's better off staying behind the lines or taking cover near the frontline for the early grind - taking enemies from the sides is much less risky as the stock M496 HEATFS is nowhere close to reliable due to its lesser penetration and calibre to most HEATFS of the tier. Be sure to aim for their gunnery crews or ammunition; although it has a sufficiently fast reload time (7.7 second stock) for a second chance, if it happens that the shell didn't do lethal damage, the M41D is very unlikely survive the retaliatory shot from enemies. And make sure to hide from any aircraft - you could fight back with the pintle-mounted M2HB, but this is more likely to draw their attention to you and they will make sure you will have a bad day from either their cannons or any other explosive ordnances.

Once the thermal sight and laser rangefinder modifications are installed, your life will much be easier as they mean you can finally stay way behind the lines for scouting or harassing enemies thanks to the automatic ballistic solution; only fire once the gun has stabilized since the ballistic solution will still make the gun vibrate. Both the stock M496 and the researchable M464 dart are nowhere near the best shells for quick kills; but careless players or those who showed their sides will be likely to have some trouble finding the flanker. Another note is to pick your targets carefully, "doomsday" heavy tanks and those of the early Cold War will occasionally absorb the damage from the shells, this is especially true for long-range engagements when the shell happens to land on different weld joints on the tank.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The APFSDS round can penetrate most common tanks it will face, like the [[Leopard 1 (Family)|Leopard 1]], [[T-55A|T-55]], or [[M60 (Family)|M60]]
* Gunner thermals allows efficient target searching
* Laser rangefinder can quickly target distant foes and provide an automatic ballistic solution
* -10° gun depression means good hull-down and hilly terrain performance
* -18 km/h reverse allows it to retreat from danger quickly
* Smoke grenades and smoke shells allow it to protect itself or blind enemies
* Good gunner optics with 3-10x magnification
* Pretty low tier with a scout UAV

'''Cons:'''

* Cannon is not stabilised, significantly reducing its ability to fire on the move or to shoot first during an encounter against stabilised guns
* APFSDS is not strong enough to penetrate certain well-protected tanks, e.g. [[M48 Super|Object 279]], [[T-55AM-1]]
* The small calibre of the main gun results in frustratingly little spalling/post penetration damage
* Mobility can become rather sluggish on soft surfaces like mud
* Somewhat tall profile, worsening its concealment
* Poor survivability. Can be easily penetrated by autocannons, or destroyed by cannons and missiles with overpressure

== History ==

The ROCA, after their retreat to the island of Taiwan, used various imported tanks from different military aids, mostly US-built tanks such as earlier [[M24 (China)|M24 Chaffee]] and some [[M18 (China)|M18 GMC]]. Since 1958, during the heat of 1st Taiwan Strait Crisis, ROCA purchased 700 [[M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)|M41A1/A2 Walker Bulldogs]] and 300 [[M48A1 (China)|M48A1s]] to strengthen their defences in case the turmoil intensified into all-out warfare; these tanks replaced the older tanks in different armoured units. In 1975 (ROC Year 64，民國64年), ROCA started to reproduce a complete hull of M41, with some efforts made to reproduce the gun as well, the reverse-engineered light tank was first named Type 64 Light Tank (國造64式輕戰車) then renamed Type 65 Light tank (國造65式輕戰車) to avoid confusion with [[M64|the other Type 64 (M64)]]. While the tank didn't go into mass production, it gave ROCA the chance to build a domestic tank and some designs were retained for further use.

Later, in the 1980s and 1990s, ROCA decided to opt for a NATO retrofit of their M41s, after a long shot plan to buy the new [[XM8|M8 AGS]] to replace the fleet was scrapped due to budget issues.

The idea for M41D started during the 2nd Taiwan Strait Crisis. In view of aggressive PLA exercises aimed to protest against the talks given by the new ROC government, ROCA was in dire need for an overhaul upgrade of the M41 against possible landing operations from PLANMC, along with the insufficient amount of [[CM11]] and [[M60A3 TTS (China)|M60A3 TTS]] on hand.

=== The M41"D" upgrade ===
The M41 light tank improvement project mainly focused on night vision/fire control system and the adaptation of the diesel engine. Two corporations participated in the M41 tank improvement project and 2 prototype vehicles were built and tested. The prototype No. 1 was equipped with a Texas Instruments (TI) CVTTS night vision FCS and a 4-stroke VTA-903TR diesel engine produced by Cummins company, No. 2 vehicle is equipped with the 'M41 tank night vision fire control system' of the domestic Kunyi company and a two-stroke 8V-71T diesel engine produced by Napco company (the letter D of M41D stands for diesel engine modification).

After the bids for the improvements were determined, the first M41D prototype was composed of the chassis of the No. 2 prototype and the turret of the No. 1. The assembly took about a week and cost about NT$20 million to transform a regular M41 into M41D. Only 50 M41D were modified as the first batch due to insufficient funding, but the budget was expected to increase in the future.

The original M32A1 cannon was replaced with a M32K1 gun produced by Joint Logistics Command. The new cannon slightly enlarged the original cylindrical smoke evacuator and moved it backward 44 cm, while the original T-shaped muzzle brake was removed, and a pepper-pot type depressor was installed.

Although the calibre of the M32K1 cannon remained 76 mm, it could fire the high-pressure M464 APFSDS due to the self-tightening design of the cannon, and the muzzle velocity of the projectile could reach 1,433 m/s. The new ammunition could penetrate the frontal armour of Type 59 and Type 69 MBTs that the Communist forces equipped at that time. The M41D light tank was planned to be assigned to the armoured cavalry, the main task of which was to perform search, alert, and cover tasks on the battlefield, or to sweep the beach and annihilate the enemy's lightly armed forces during the initial stage of the enemy's landing, instead of engaging the heavy armour face-to-face. So the new main gun of the M41D tank should be sufficient for future missions.

The CVTTS (Combat Vehicle Thermal Targeting System) night vision FCS equipped by the M41D light tank could identify the enemy and aim at a target from 1,000 m away at night. In addition, a periscope in front of the driver's seat was modified with Starlight night vision goggles to facilitate night driving. The original mechanical ballistic compensator was converted to a digital ballistic computer; the optical rangefinder was also replaced with a laser rangefinder.

M41D employed a two-stroke DDC 8V-71T diesel engine, the maximum net output of which was 450 hp and the maximum net torque was 806 ft/lb. As the new diesel engine was more fuel-efficient than the original gasoline one, while the fuel capacity was increased from the original 530L to 760L, the maximum cruising range was greatly increased from the original 160 km to 450 km. The 8V-71T diesel engine of the M41D can also be found in the M108, M109, M110, and other self-propelled artillery vehicles in the ROCA, which helped to reduce pressure on logistics.

The original Allison CD500 gearbox of M41 was replaced, and the improvement in the suspension system lay in the replacement of a new torsion bar produced by Joint Logistics Command. Thus, the general manoeuvrability of the M41D tank was greatly improved compared with the original M41A series.

=== M41D in ROCA service ===
The Ministry of National Defence passed a 20 billion NTD budget for emergency upgrades of existing equipment, where 400 M41A1/A2s with better hull condition would undergo the new M41D upgrade program; after more M60A3 TTS were delivered to ROCA, the whole program shrunk to a 1.2 billion NTD budget and only 50 of these Walker Bulldogs were upgraded into M41D. 6 out of the 50 upgraded tanks were retained at military academies, the remaining ones were deployed on Kinmen Island just off the coast of Xiamen, Fujian; the closest Nationalist-controlled area to Mainland China. Later military reforms decided to have them return to the main island and serve in different units. A recent fatal incident at Kinmen raised concerns as to whether the remaining few M41A2s were safe enough for training, let alone fighting the now-modernized PLA with masses of MBTs. Around 20 M41Ds returned to Kinmen and replaced these old tanks, after the decommission ceremony of the remaining M41A in ROCA on 2022/2/25, the remaining M41Ds have to struggle until the new CM34 "Project Leopard (獵豹專案)" and M1A2T could eventually replace them.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=cn_m_41d Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[M41 Walker Bulldog (Family)]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Research Development Center}}
{{China light tanks}}

Chi-Ri II

2024-03-21T21:58:12Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_5_chi_ri
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ({{Annotation|五式中戦車II 「チリII」|Go-Shiki Chū-Sensha II [Chi-Ri II]}}) was designed as a result of Japanese field reports on the Eastern front war between Germany and the Soviet Union which evolved tank combat as a separate branch. Roughly offering the hull protection of a KV-1 and the firepower of German long 75 mm's, the Chi-Ri was to be a heavy medium tank offering quality over quantity in tank design. However, with the scale the Chi-Ri was supposed to be designed and the draining of resources the Japanese military experienced through China and mainly the Pacific, resources were diverted to the more practical [[Chi-To]] instead.

The Chi-Ri II was introduced along with the initial Japanese Ground Forces tree in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]]. It's armed with a [[Type II Model I (75 mm)|Type II Model I 75 mm cannon]] and is one of the earliest tanks in the game to feature a fully functional auto-loader for full-size tank guns, with a two-round capacity. The "auto-loader" is simply a tray-assisted ready rack for 2 shells that can be laid ready in front of the gun to simply push in, without the need of pulling ammo directly from the storage racks into the breech. Once the trays have been emptied, the reload will be like any usual tank with a slight penalty. The big drawback of the Chi-Ri II is its size and traverse speeds - while it offers a stronger engine once spaded, the massive turret will crank slowly making response time slow if the hull isn't utilized and the sheer size of the tank makes for a massive target.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Recoil tube, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 75 mm (15°) ''Front plate'' 20 mm (81°) ''Front glacis'' 75 mm (9°) ''Joint plate'' 35 mm (59°) ''Lower glacis''|| 35 mm (18°) ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 35 mm ''Top'' 20 mm (38°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 75 mm (15°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (10°) ''Inner gun mantlet'' 20-75 mm (10-15°) ''Outer gun mantlet'' || 50 mm (15°) || 50 mm || 20 mm
|-
| Cupola || 75 mm || 75 mm || 75 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and bogies are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Small parts of the suspension on the hull sides give 10 mm thick protection at their area.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=852|rbMinHp=486}}

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

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

{{main|Type II Model I (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type II Model I (75 mm)|75 mm Type II Model I]] || 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" | 100 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 11.4 || 15.8 || 19.2 || 21.2 || 22.6 || rowspan="2" | 4.29 || rowspan="2" | 3.80 || rowspan="2" | 3.50 || rowspan="2" | 3.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.1 || 8.4 || 10.2 || 11.3 || 12.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type II Model I (75 mm)/Ammunition|Type 1 APHE, Type 4 Kou, Type 90 HE}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''100''' || 93 ''(+7)'' || 85 ''(+15)'' || 77 ''(+23)'' || 66 ''(+34)'' || 55 ''(+45)'' || 45 ''(+55)''
|-
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 35 ''(+65)'' || 27 ''(+73)'' || 19 ''(+81)'' || 11 ''(+89)'' || 3 ''(+97)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes'''

* Rack 12 is a 2-shell ready-rack, which will replenish when not reloading.
* Hull empty: 35 ''(+65)'' shells.

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

{{main|Type 1 (37 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Type 1 (37 mm)|37 mm Type 1]] (Hull mount) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 120 || -8°/+17° || ±10° || N/A || 5.2 || 4.6 || 4.2 || 4.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type 1 (37 mm)/Ammunition|Type 94 APHE}}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''120''' || 101 ''(+19)'' || 81 ''(+39)'' || 61 ''(+59)'' || 41 ''(+79)'' || 21 ''(+99)'' || 11 ''(+109)'' || 1 ''(+119)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x230px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
'''Notes''':

* Left side only: 21 ''(+99)'' shells.

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

{{main|Type 97 (7.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Type 97]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull (coaxial with Hull cannon) || 3,000 (20) || 499 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The best play style with the Chi-Ri II is a conservative one, a strategy equally applicable to its predecessor the [[Chi-To|Chi-To]]. One should lay a far distance from the enemy, using the high-velocity 75 mm gun in a sniping role than a close support. When an enemy appears, fire upon them, and the auto-loader allows for some mistakes as the next burst round is available in about a second for a follow-up shot. Once the three shots are expended, one has the option of either retreating back into cover to allow the autoloader to refill back with its three shells, or simply wait for the gun to reload one shell and fire. The latter option is viable due to the Chi-Ri's good reload speed even without the autoloader. The decent gun depression of -10° allows the Chi-Ri to exploit hull-down positions to maximize cover, so use that to gain a battlefield advantage.

Another play style is a close-quarter ones, going against everything the paragraph above suggests. The three-round capacity of the auto-loader means the Chi-Ri has some decent close-range firepower to use if it can catch a group of enemies unawares from the sides or rear. The Chi-Ri's decent mobility, especially for its huge size, helps with that. Being able to fire two rapid shots of high-damaging 75 mm shell can allow the Chi-Ri to effectively neutralize in a record time before they have time to react. After those shots, the Chi-Ri can either wait in cover and reload the shells, or just fire each shell as its reloaded. However, the tank is always vulnerable to being spotted and surprised due to its massive profile, very weak armour and slow turret traverse. Furthermore, actually reloading the autoloader takes far longer than firing them off. As such, it's easily gunned down then if not supported by friendly tanks.

One last thing to note is the secondary 37 mm hull gun. This often doesn't get much use, as it only has 46mm of penetration point-blank, making it useless against the majority of the Chi-Ri's opponents. The gun also can't be used to range the 75mm main cannon due to having a very different trajectory. Furthermore, the crew member in charge of the gun is the first to be relocated in case another crew member is knocked out, rendering it unusable unless one gets the chance to get more crew at an objective. However, the 37mm still has its uses against very thinly-armoured opponents such as Hellcats, the turrets of AA vehicles, and the sides of mediums at close enough range. In addition, it can also be used to trick opponents into thinking that the Chi-Ri has already fired all of its shells, causing them to expose themselves and be vulnerable to return fire.

At this stage, most medium, heavy tanks, and tank destroyer can penetrate the Chi-Ri's armour with ease. Take caution on the battlefield.

At BR 5.0, the Chi-Ri starts to face some tanks that are quite resistant to its 75 mm cannon, namely the [[Tiger H1|Tiger H1]] and [[IS-1]] heavy tanks. While the Type 4 Kou shell has fantastic post-penetration damage thanks to its high explosive filler, it only has 157mm of penetration. While this is enough to go through these tanks' weak spots, taking the time to aim for them is disadvantageous in a "shoot first, aim later" type of engagement. Meanwhile, Tigers, IS-1s, and Panthers can take out the Chi-Ri out with ease due to the Chi-Ri's thin armour and massive profile. Thus, it is best to pounce on and surprise enemy tanks rather than face them in a frontal duel, catch them by their sides and blow up their interior. The same strategies in place for using the Chi-To Late to deal with the horrors of 5.0 should be implemented with the Chi-Ri.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 3.3 second reload between each shell in the autoloader with a fully trained crew
* First Stage Ammo Storage enables the tank to reload in less then 6 seconds even when the auto-loader is empty
* With the First Stage Ammo Storage mechanic, the auto-loader is reloaded when not firing the gun
* Exceptional burst damage potential
* Very competitive gun depression (-10°)
* Secondary 37 mm armament allows for engaging weaker enemy without wasting 75 mm shells, and can be used to trick inattentive enemy players into thinking the main gun has fired
* Decent mobility, even with stock engine

'''Cons:'''

* Atrocious optics

* With the First Stage Ammo Storage mechanic, the 4 ammo racks in the back of the turret will be the last to be depleted, increasing the chance of ammo racking
* Actually reloading the autoloader takes a very long time
* Learning curve to use tank properly is worse than the [[M3 Lee|M3 Mediums]]
* Massive profile
* Abysmal hull turn time
* Unimpressive turret traverse speed
* Thin, poorly sloped armour all around
* Angled hull front cheek sections make armour angling useless
* 37 mm can only aim forwards and is very weak for Rank 3
* Average accuracy
* Maximum of 151 mm of penetration with the best shell, can have trouble penetrating same and higher-rank heavy tanks

== History ==

===Chi-Ri===
Under the pretext of their lacklustre tank designs, the Japanese worked on creating a tank that could surpass the Allies' main tank, the [[M4|M4 Sherman]]. Upgraded designs made to deal with the Sherman led to the [[Chi-Nu|Type 3 Chi-Nu]] and the [[Chi-To|Type 4 Chi-To]]. While these two were quite capable against the Sherman, they did not represent the best that the Japanese had to offer.

Sometime during the development period of the Chi-Nu and the Chi-To, the Japanese designed a medium tank far more sophisticated than anything they had done previously. The tank was to be equipped with the same 75 mm gun as the Chi-To, except it had an auto-loading system on it. There was to be a hull-mounted 37 mm with a machine gun as well. The chassis was similar to the Chi-To's, but lengthened to eight road wheels per side. It was also powered by a 550 hp gasoline aircraft engine designed by BMW from Germany. The tank was classified as the '''Type 5 Chi-Ri''' and a single prototype without the main gun was produced in May 1945, but efforts were diverted to the more practical Type 4 Chi-To. Due to that, the war ended with only a single Type 5 Chi-Ri prototype produced.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank">Zaloga 2007</ref>

===Chi-Ri II===
Though Chi-Ri showed the development process for the new tank design, improvements often come to during prototype stages for a more manageable tank design. The improvements on the Chi-Ri, which would be called the '''Chi-Ri II''', were mainly the removal or addition of certain features, with the added ones namely from the Chi-To. Notable differences would be the use of a supercharged Mitsubishi diesel engine instead of a German gasoline engine, the change in suspension and turret design to resemble the Chi-To's, and the removal of the 37 mm secondary armament. It is uncertain how useful these simplifications are since these are all plans never put into practice.<ref name="FTRChi-RiII">Davis 2013</ref>

===Production plans===
If the Chi-Ri ever entered production, the Japanese had plans for a bit of an upgrade in its firepower. It would be armed with a gun based on the Type 99 88 mm anti-aircraft gun, giving it a much higher velocity cannon that makes the vehicle more than capable of taking out Allied tanks. With the Chi-Ri in production and in numbers, it would be used in Japan's final stand against the Allies should they invade the home islands.

However, like many late-war tanks of Japan, they would never see any battle service due to their surrender in September 1945. The single Chi-Ri prototype was captured by the ensuing American occupation force, which they transported to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds for tests. Records show that the Chi-Ri prototype was scrapped along with other foreign tanks on October 1952.<ref name="MaiScrapping">Sun 2017</ref>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_5_chi_ri Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:59 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|RyA5KcS2hAw|'''Multi-turreted Tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:21 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|-jmSoAvIsv4|'''The Shooting Range #26''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:46 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

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

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

== External links ==


* Zaloga Steven. ''Japanese Tanks 1939-1945'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2007
* Davis, Frank. "Chi Ri II - Japanese Tier 6/7 Medium." For the Record. Blogger.com, 05 June 2013. Web. 12 Jan. 2017. [http://ftr-wot.blogspot.com/2013/06/chi-ri-ii-japanese-tier-67-medium.html]
* Sun, Eun Ae. ''Chi-Ri & Chi-To: Aberdeen Tank Scrapping.'' YouTube, YouTube, 7 Aug. 2017, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mkS8EodQbA]

===References===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan medium tanks}}

Chi-To Late

2024-03-21T21:57:41Z

U82924470:

{{About
| about = Japanese medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the early version
| link = Chi-To
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_4_chi_to_late
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ({{Annotation|四式中戦車「チト」量産型|Yon-Shiki Chū-Sensha [Chi-To] Ryōsan-gata}}) was the final design of the [[Chi-To]] and the proposed production model, having a more streamlined turret design easing production, the armour is also slightly more angled giving it more effective armour than its initial design.

It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]]. Compared to its previous design before it, the Chi-To late is slightly more forgiving due to armour effectiveness, able to shrug off shells slightly more often with the same deadly cannon as the [[Chi-To]]. It is still advised to keep the Chi-To Late at a long sniper distance, offering the high velocity and deadly 75 mm cannon would be a shame to lose in the frontline.

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

Armour is as good as Japanese medium tanks will get. It can bounce most guns of Rank III and below if you angle your armour well enough (~35-45º), but long-barrelled guns (such as those mentioned above) will have no trouble getting through you.

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 75 mm (36°) ''Front plate'' 20 mm (77°) ''Front glacis'' 20-75 mm (15-57°) ''Lower glacis'' 50 mm (31°) ''Hull cheeks''|| 35 mm (30°) ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 35 mm || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 75 mm (16°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (11°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50 mm (9°) || 50 mm (1°) || 20 mm

|-
| Cupola || 75 mm || 75 mm || 75 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
* Small bars of RHA exist around the lower side hull, giving an extra 10 mm at their locations.

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


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

The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is decent. It will get you to where you need reasonably quickly, and the top speed is respectable. The turning speed and acceleration leaves much to be desired, but isn't terrible overall.

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

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

{{main|Type II Model II (75 mm)}}

The 7.5 cm Tank Gun Type II Model II performs very well at this BR, and there are seldom any targets that can bounce the Type 4 Kou APHE shell from the front of their armour. It also has decent reloading and great explosive filler, meaning that shots that penetrate will either inflict heavy damage or result in a knock-out.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type II Model II (75 mm)|75 mm Type II Model II]] || 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" | 55 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 12.1 || 16.7 || 20.3 || 22.5 || 23.9 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.48 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.6 || 8.9 || 10.8 || 11.9 || 12.7
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type II Model II (75 mm)/Ammunition|Type 1 APHE, Type 4 Kou, Type 90 HE}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''55''' || 41 ''(+14)'' || 35 ''(+20)'' || 29 ''(+26)'' || 23 ''(+32)'' || 11 ''(+44)'' || 1 ''(+54)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Turret and sides empty: 23 ''(+32)'' shells.

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

{{main|Type 97 (7.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Type 97]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (20) || 499 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Hull || 3,000 (20) || 499 || ±8° || ±8°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

As previously stated, the Chi-To Late best performs in the role of sniper, engaging hulldown at medium to long range against opposing medium tanks. The good gun depression, average mobility, and good reverse speed allow you to make it to good positions at an average pace and allow you to reverse back into cover when reloading.

Against most heavies such as the [[IS-1]]/[[IS-2|2]], [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], or [[Panther D|Panther]], it is only worthwhile to engage if you are already entrenched in a solid defensive position. Your gun's lack of APCBC gives you poor performance against slopes and rounded armour on the IS, Panther, and angled Tigers, making any ranged engagement near useless. Against tanks such as the [[M4A3E2|Jumbo 75]] or [[M4A3E2 (76) W|76]], it is best to disengage and flank them or have teammates flank them. Against all other medium tanks, shots to the hull will suffice at most range.

The M4A3E2 Jumbo could be a menace if not handled properly as they are nigh impenetrable from the front due to its thick armour. Either try for a very precise shot through the MG port in the front or shoot the armour behind the tracks if they are angled. The best way to deal with a Sherman Jumbo is to shoot it through the side or between the side plate and the tracks. There is a small gap between the top of the tracks and the bottom of the side plate that can be easily penetrated by the Chi-To Late, and a successful penetration here usually results in a knock-out, or a destroyed/alight engine. This weak spot is relatively easy to exploit as most Jumbo drivers make the mistake of angling their armour, which gives you full view of this weak spot. If you are struggling to hit it, then a shot through the drive wheel at an angle of 45º or more usually works quite well also. You should feel no pressure to get this right the first time, as a well-angled Chi-To Late can reliably bounce the Jumbo's shells, unless the Jumbo in question happens to be sporting the 76 mm M1A1 cannon.

The IS series of tanks can also be a bit of a bother to deal with. At this battle rating, you may find the IS-1, IS-2 or IS-2 mod. 1944 (rare). However, they can be defeated by exploiting the shot trap on the turret front (requires some luck), shooting the driver's hatch on the front or the gun mantlet (requires extreme precision and luck), shooting the lower frontal plate (the most reliable way to kill an IS) or shooting the frontal armour plate from a 90º angle. That being said, your tank can still knock out the IS series you'll face by shooting directly beneath the turret ring.

You may encounter the German "Big Cat" tanks (Tiger H1, Tiger E, Panther D, Panther A) if you get seriously up tiered. In this case the best thing you can do is hit them from the side, which usually results in a knock-out. If facing a Tiger (or any German Big Cat for that matter) from the front, you should retreat. However, if his frontal plate is not angled, then it might be worth a shot to shoot between the machine gun port and driver's hatch, which will result in a knock-out. As for the panther, try to exploit the shot trap on the turret, but only as a last resort. Your first port of call should be to shoot the drive wheel, basically following the same tactics you'd use for dealing with a Sherman Jumbo.

As for some other enemies:

* [[Churchill VII]]: do not engage from the front at all. Sneak around to the side and shoot there.
* [[ARL-44]]: shoot the sides. It's not worth facing this tank head on, it's too much of a risk.
* [[ARL-44 (ACL-1)]]: aim for the turret if you face this tank from the front, then finish it from the sides. Be careful not to get shot.
* [[M6A1]]: the frontal armour on this thing can be a bit fiddly. Aim for a spot that doesn't seem to have more than one armour plate layered on it.

Most tanks you face can penetrate you frontally if they shoot your frontal plate when it is not angled. It is recommended to get the first shot off and then retreat, and make a second surprise attack. Most of the time, a penetration results in a knock-out with this tank. You can penetrate pretty much any medium or light tank frontally by shooting the upper front plate, so use that to your advantage.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Sloped hull armour, a first in Japan tank designs, roughly equivalent to the hull of a KV-1 frontally and can withstand several lower-rank guns
* 75 mm Tank Gun Type 5 has good muzzle velocity, penetration, and filler
* Good gun depression
* Smaller turret than the Chi-To
* Good reverse speed
* Thickest side armour of all Japanese tanks tied with the Chi-Ri II at 35 mm. Resistant to .50 cal rounds
* Symmetrical turret placement and gun placement in the turret, no odd angles of fire like the Chi-To
* Great penetration and explosive filler, a successful penetration usually results in a knock-out
* 42 km/h top speed is quite respectable

'''Cons:'''

* Atrocious optics
* Poor turret traverse.
* Average acceleration and mobility, easily beat by Pz.IVs, Shermans, and T-34s
* Hull cheeks make angling difficult
* Turret armour is no different from Chi-To, still easily penetrated by any gun it can see
* Lack of APCBC round gives poor performance versus sloped armour. Expect ricochets against Soviets and Americans

== History ==

===Development===
The lacklustre performance of Japanese tanks in World War II called for the development of newer medium tanks in the Imperial Japanese Army. The standard tank of the time was the [[Chi-Ha|Type 97 Chi-Ha]], which has its chassis used in many expedient models to provide a bigger gun for the Japanese inventory such as the [[Chi-Ha Kai|Chi-Ha Kai]], [[Chi-He|Type 1 Chi-He]], [[Ho-I|Type 2 Ho-I]], and [[Chi-Nu|Type 3 Chi-Nu]]. By the time of Chi-Nu, however, the Chi-Ha chassis was becoming outdated and so a new tank design using an improved chassis was needed for future development.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank">Zaloga 2007</ref>

In 1943, development started of the '''Chi-To''' tank, which features a new chassis and more powerful engine. Its armament is a 75 mm gun based off the Type 88 anti-aircraft gun, giving it a high-velocity weapon. Armour on the tank was welded and was quite thick in comparison to its predecessor at 75 mm thick. The tank was accepted for service in 1944 and was expected to enter mass production with 20 per month at Mitsubishi and 5 per month at Kobe-Seiko. In terms of Japanese armour development, the Chi-To was the most sophisticated tank to enter production levels.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank" />

===War's End===
Despite its potential, the Type 4 Chi-To was never made in large numbers. At the war's end, only six chassis were made, with only two of those made into tanks. The completed tanks were dumped into Lake Hamana in Shizuoka Prefecture to avoid capture by Allied forces. One tank would be recovered by the U.S. occupation forces following Japan's surrender in World War II. The tank was then transported to Aberdeen Proving Grounds for tests and would eventually be scrapped in October 1952.<ref name="MaiScrapping">Sun 2017</ref> The second tank still has yet to be located.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_4_chi_to_late Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|U2fm2lpHvWI|'''Way Of The Gun - Chi-to Late''' - ''8Bit Dane''}}

== 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 ==


=== References ===
'''Citations'''
<references />

'''Bibliography'''

* Zaloga Steven. ''Japanese Tanks 1939-1945'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2007
* Sun, Eun Ae. ''Chi-Ri & Chi-To: Aberdeen Tank Scrapping.'' YouTube, YouTube, 7 Aug. 2017, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mkS8EodQbA Video]

{{TankManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan medium tanks}}

Chi-To

2024-03-21T21:57:15Z

U82924470:

{{About
| about = Japanese medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the late version
| link = Chi-To Late
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_4_chi_to
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ({{Annotation|四式中戦車「チト」|Yon-Shiki Chū-Sensha [Chi-To]}}) was developed as a counter to the ever-pressing danger the Sherman possessed over Japanese 1930s infantry based tanks such as the [[Ha-Go]] and [[Chi-Ha]]. The main development point of the Chi-To (and its heavier counterpart, the [[Chi-Ri II]]) was the new high-velocity long barrel 75 mm and a new hull design over the [[Chi-Ha]] / [[Chi-He]] family allowing for larger upgrades in armour, engine, and cannons. However, due to delays in hull production and lengthy cannon development, the Chi-To would only be ready in 1945 for evaluation, and the [[Chi-Nu]] and [[Ho-Ni III]] were built as stopgap measures to fill the gap of Sherman-capable competitors until the Chi-To was fully ready.

It was introduced along with the initial Japanese Ground Forces tree in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]]. Playing the Type 4 Chi-To can give the player a new impression of the Japanese tree line and a lasting one considering many of the Japanese tanks after it follow the same pattern - a tank with a very powerful cannon, decent mobility, but rather fragile armour. The armour plus the tank's rather long reload means that the Chi-To is meant more for a long-distance shoot-out than a close encounter.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Machine gun port)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 75 mm (17°) ''Front plate'' 20 mm (76°) ''Front glacis'' 75 mm (16°), 20 mm (58°) ''Lower glacis'' 50 mm (12°) ''Front cheeks'' 50 mm (0-66°) ''Machine gun port'' || 35 mm (12-30°) ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 20 mm (73°) ''Top'' 35 mm ''Center'' 20 mm (48°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 75 mm (16°) ''Turret front'' 50-75 mm (10°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50 mm (15-16°) 50 mm (0-65°) ''Right machine gun port'' || 50 mm (15-50°) ''Turret rear'' 10 mm ''Turret rear underside'' || 20 mm
|-
| Cupola || 75 mm || 75 mm || 75 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* 10 mm RHA plates are scattered on the lower side hull.
* Turret ring is 20 mm thick.

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


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

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

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

{{main|Type II Model II (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type II Model II (75 mm)|75 mm Type II Model II]] || 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" | 55 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 12.1 || 16.7 || 20.3 || 22.5 || 23.9 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.48 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.6 || 8.9 || 10.8 || 11.9 || 12.7
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type II Model II (75 mm)/Ammunition|Type 1 APHE, Type 4 Kou, Type 90 HE}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x300px|[[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
|-
| '''55''' || 40 ''(+15)'' || 34 ''(+21)'' || 28 ''(+27)'' || 22 ''(+33)'' || 10 ''(+45)'' || 0 ''(+55)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Turret and hull sides empty: 22 ''(+33)'' shells.

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

{{main|Type 97 (7.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Type 97]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (20) || 499 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Hull || 3,000 (20) || 499 || ±8° || ±8°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

As previously stated, the Chi-To best performs in the role of sniper, engaging hulldown at medium to long range against opposing medium tanks. The good gun depression, average mobility, and good reverse speed allow you to make it to good positions at an average pace and allow you to reverse back into cover when reloading.

Against most heavies such as the [[IS-1]]/[[IS-2|2]], [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], or [[Panther D|Panther]], it is only worthwhile to engage if you are already entrenched in a solid defensive position. Your gun's lack of APCBC gives you poor performance against slopes and rounded armour on the IS, Panther, and angled Tigers, making any ranged engagement near useless. Against tanks such as the [[M4A3E2|Jumbo 75]] or [[M4A3E2 (76) W|76]], it is best to disengage and flank them or have teammates flank them. Against all other medium tanks, shots to the hull will suffice at most range.

The M4A3E2 Jumbo could be a menace if not handled properly as they are nigh impenetrable from the front due to its thick armour. Either try for a very precise shot through the MG port in the front or shoot the armour behind the tracks if they are angled. The best way to deal with a Sherman Jumbo is to shoot it through the side or between the side plate and the tracks. There is a small gap between the top of the tracks and the bottom of the side plate that can be easily penetrated by the Chi-To Late, and a successful penetration here usually results in a one-shot, or a destroyed/alight engine. This weak spot is relatively easy to exploit as most Jumbo drivers make the mistake of angling their armour, which gives you full view of this weak spot. If you are struggling to hit it, then a shot through the drive wheel at an angle of 45º or more usually works quite well also. You should feel no pressure to get this right the first time, as a well-angled Chi-To Late can reliably bounce the Jumbo's shells, unless the Jumbo in question happens to be sporting the 76mm M1A1 cannon.

The IS series of tanks can also be a bit of a bother to deal with. At this battle rating, you may find the IS-1, IS-2 or IS-2 mod. 1944 (rare). However, they can be defeated by exploiting the shot trap on the turret front (requires some luck), shooting the driver's hatch on the front or the gun mantlet (requires extreme precision and luck), shooting the lower frontal plate (the most reliable way to kill an IS) or shooting the frontal armour plate from a 90º angle. That being said, your tank can still one-shot the IS series you'll face by shooting directly beneath the turret ring.

You may encounter the German "Big Cat" tanks (Tiger H1, Tiger E, Panther D, Panther A) if you get seriously up tiered. In this case the best thing you can do is hit them from the side, which usually results in a one-shot. If facing a Tiger (or any German Big Cat for that matter) from the front, you should retreat. However, if his frontal plate is not angled, then it might be worth a shot to shoot between the machine gun port and driver's hatch, which will result in a one-shot. As for the panther, try to exploit the shot trap on the turret, but only as a last resort. Your first port of call should be to shoot the drive wheel, basically following the same tactics you'd use for dealing with a Sherman Jumbo.

As for some other enemies:

* [[Churchill VII]]: do not engage from the front at all. Sneak around to the side and shoot there.
* [[ARL-44]]: shoot the sides. It's not worth facing this tank head on, it's too much of a risk.
* [[ARL-44 (ACL-1)]]: aim for the turret if you face this tank from the front, then finish it from the sides. Be careful not to get shot.
* [[M6A1]]: the frontal armour on this thing can be a bit fiddly. Aim for a spot that doesn't seem to have more than one armour plate layered on it.

Most tanks you face can penetrate you frontally if they shoot your frontal plate when it is not angled. It is recommended to get the first shot off and then retreat, and make a second surprise attack. Most of the time, a penetration results in a one-shot with this tank. You can penetrate pretty much any medium or light tank frontally by shooting the upper front plate, so use that to your advantage.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful 75 mm cannon, good penetration and very low shell drop-off.
* A very powerful tank at 4.3, can tackle all foes at its BR bracket.
* Decent gun depression of -11°
* Ammo in the turret can be emptied by carrying 15 less ammo.
* Decent top armour, enough to resist strafing aircraft weapons.

'''Cons:'''

* Atrocious optics
* Armour is average and mostly flat and unangled, like the Panzer IV.
* The Chi-To is asymmetric and is a large tank, it is difficult to hide from enemies.
* Reload rate quite slow.
* Angling front armour can expose the 50 mm hull cheek armour.
* Very hard to turn on the spot, especially when stock.

== History ==

===Development===
The lackluster performance of Japanese tanks in World War II called for the development of newer medium tanks in the Imperial Japanese Army. The standard tank of the time was the [[Chi-Ha|Type 97 Chi-Ha]], which has its chassis used in many expedient models to provide a bigger gun for the Japanese inventory such as the [[Chi-Ha Kai|Chi-Ha Kai]], [[Chi-He|Type 1 Chi-He]], [[Ho-I|Type 2 Ho-I]], and [[Chi-Nu|Type 3 Chi-Nu]]. By the time of Chi-Nu, however, the Chi-Ha chassis was becoming outdated and so a new tank design using an improved chassis was needed for future development.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank">Zaloga Steven. ''Japanese Tanks 1939-1945'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2007</ref>

In 1943, development started of the '''Chi-To''' tank, which features a new chassis and more powerful engine. Its armament is a 75 mm gun based off the Type 88 anti-aircraft gun, giving it a high-velocity weapon. Armour on the tank was welded and was quite thick in comparison to its predecessor at 75 mm thick. The tank was accepted for service in 1944 and was expected to enter mass production with 20 per month at Mitsubishi and 5 per month at Kobe-Seiko. In terms of Japanese armour development, the Chi-To was the most sophisticated tank to enter production levels.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank" />

===War's End===
Despite its potential, the Type 4 Chi-To was never made in large numbers. At the war's end, only six chassis were made, with only two of those made into tanks.

The two Type 4 produced were cast into Lake Hamana between the 23 and the 28 August 1945 to avoid their capture. One was found by the U.S. occupation forces following Japan's surrender in World War II. The tank was then transported to Aberdeen Proving Grounds for tests and would eventually scrap them in October 1952.<ref name="MaiScrapping">Sun, Eun Ae. ''Chi-Ri & Chi-To: Aberdeen Tank Scrapping.'' YouTube, YouTube, 7 Aug. 2017, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mkS8EodQbA Video]</ref>

The second tank is still believed to be at the bottom of the lake. A project to find it was launched in 2013 by SM@Pe, a group of people from Hamamatsu. Inhabitants, volunteers, divers and the Windy Network Corp ( a marine studies company from Tôkyô who founded a trainning plane of the Japanese imperial army in the lake Towada in 2010) participated to research, supported by the use of a sonar and testimonials, including former soldiers who allegedly participated in the launching operation. The research did not give anything.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_4_chi_to Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
{{Skin-gallery |market|ugcitem_1000270|Type 4 Chi-To Operation Ketsugо.png|Camo "Operation Ketsugо"}}

== 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://sensha-manual.blogspot.com/2021/09/type4.html <nowiki>[SENSHA Blog]</nowiki> Type 4 Medium Tank, 'Chi-To': The Last Tank of the Japanese Army]

===References===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan medium tanks}}

Chi-Ri II

2024-03-21T12:14:03Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_5_chi_ri
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ({{Annotation|五式中戦車II 「チリII」|Go-Shiki Chū-Sensha II [Chi-Ri II]}}) was designed as a result of Japanese field reports on the Eastern front war between Germany and the Soviet Union which evolved tank combat as a separate branch. Roughly offering the hull protection of a KV-1 and the firepower of German long 75 mm's, the Chi-Ri was to be a heavy medium tank offering quality over quantity in tank design. However, with the scale the Chi-Ri was supposed to be designed and the draining of resources the Japanese military experienced through China and mainly the Pacific, resources were diverted to the more practical [[Chi-To]] instead.

The Chi-Ri II was introduced along with the initial Japanese Ground Forces tree in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]]. It's armed with a [[Type II Model I (75 mm)|Type II Model I 75 mm cannon]] and is one of the earliest tanks in the game to feature a fully functional auto-loader for full-size tank guns, with a two-round capacity. The "auto-loader" is simply a tray-assisted ready rack for 2 shells that can be laid ready in front of the gun to simply push in, without the need of pulling ammo directly from the storage racks into the breech. Once the trays have been emptied, the reload will be like any usual tank with a slight penalty. The big drawback of the Chi-Ri II is its size and traverse speeds - while it offers a stronger engine once spaded, the massive turret will crank slowly making response time slow if the hull isn't utilized and the sheer size of the tank makes for a massive target.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Recoil tube, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 75 mm (15°) ''Front plate'' 20 mm (81°) ''Front glacis'' 75 mm (9°) ''Joint plate'' 35 mm (59°) ''Lower glacis''|| 35 mm (18°) ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 35 mm ''Top'' 20 mm (38°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 75 mm (15°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (10°) ''Inner gun mantlet'' 20-75 mm (10-15°) ''Outer gun mantlet'' || 50 mm (15°) || 50 mm || 20 mm
|-
| Cupola || 75 mm || 75 mm || 75 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and bogies are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Small parts of the suspension on the hull sides give 10 mm thick protection at their area.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=852|rbMinHp=486}}

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

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

{{main|Type II Model I (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type II Model I (75 mm)|75 mm Type II Model I]] || 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" | 100 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 11.4 || 15.8 || 19.2 || 21.2 || 22.6 || rowspan="2" | 4.29 || rowspan="2" | 3.80 || rowspan="2" | 3.50 || rowspan="2" | 3.30
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.1 || 8.4 || 10.2 || 11.3 || 12.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type II Model I (75 mm)/Ammunition|Type 1 APHE, Type 4 Kou, Type 90 HE}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''100''' || 93 ''(+7)'' || 85 ''(+15)'' || 77 ''(+23)'' || 66 ''(+34)'' || 55 ''(+45)'' || 45 ''(+55)''
|-
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! 11th rack empty
! 12th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 35 ''(+65)'' || 27 ''(+73)'' || 19 ''(+81)'' || 11 ''(+89)'' || 3 ''(+97)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes'''

* Rack 12 is a 2-shell ready-rack, which will replenish when not reloading.
* Hull empty: 35 ''(+65)'' shells.

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

{{main|Type 1 (37 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="60%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Type 1 (37 mm)|37 mm Type 1]] (Hull mount) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 120 || -8°/+17° || ±10° || N/A || 5.2 || 4.6 || 4.2 || 4.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type 1 (37 mm)/Ammunition|Type 94 APHE}}

==== [[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
! 7th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''120''' || 101 ''(+19)'' || 81 ''(+39)'' || 61 ''(+59)'' || 41 ''(+79)'' || 21 ''(+99)'' || 11 ''(+109)'' || 1 ''(+119)'' || No
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x230px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
'''Notes''':

* Left side only: 21 ''(+99)'' shells.

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

{{main|Type 97 (7.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Type 97]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull (coaxial with Hull cannon) || 3,000 (20) || 499 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The best play style with the Chi-Ri II is a conservative one, a strategy equally applicable to its predecessor the [[Chi-To|Chi-To]]. One should lay a far distance from the enemy, using the high-velocity 75 mm gun in a sniping role than a close support. When an enemy appears, fire upon them, and the auto-loader allows for some mistakes as the next burst round is available in about a second for a follow-up shot. Once the three shots are expended, one has the option of either retreating back into cover to allow the autoloader to refill back with its three shells, or simply wait for the gun to reload one shell and fire. The latter option is viable due to the Chi-Ri's good reload speed even without the autoloader. The decent gun depression of -10° allows the Chi-Ri to exploit hull-down positions to maximize cover, so use that to gain a battlefield advantage.

Another play style is a close-quarter ones, going against everything the paragraph above suggests. The three-round capacity of the auto-loader means the Chi-Ri has some decent close-range firepower to use if it can catch a group of enemies unawares from the sides or rear. The Chi-Ri's decent mobility, especially for its huge size, helps with that. Being able to fire two rapid shots of high-damaging 75 mm shell can allow the Chi-Ri to effectively neutralize in a record time before they have time to react. After those shots, the Chi-Ri can either wait in cover and reload the shells, or just fire each shell as its reloaded. However, the tank is always vulnerable to being spotted and surprised due to its massive profile, very weak armour and slow turret traverse. Furthermore, actually reloading the autoloader takes far longer than firing them off. As such, it's easily gunned down then if not supported by friendly tanks.

One last thing to note is the secondary 37 mm hull gun. This often doesn't get much use, as it only has 46mm of penetration point-blank, making it useless against the majority of the Chi-Ri's opponents. The gun also can't be used to range the 75mm main cannon due to having a very different trajectory. Furthermore, the crew member in charge of the gun is the first to be relocated in case another crew member is knocked out, rendering it unusable unless one gets the chance to get more crew at an objective. However, the 37mm still has its uses against very thinly-armoured opponents such as Hellcats, the turrets of AA vehicles, and the sides of mediums at close enough range. In addition, it can also be used to trick opponents into thinking that the Chi-Ri has already fired all of its shells, causing them to expose themselves and be vulnerable to return fire.

At this stage, most medium, heavy tanks, and tank destroyer can penetrate the Chi-Ri's armour with ease. Take caution on the battlefield.

At BR 5.0, the Chi-Ri starts to face some tanks that are quite resistant to its 75 mm cannon, namely the [[Tiger H1|Tiger H1]] and [[IS-1]] heavy tanks. While the Type 4 Kou shell has fantastic post-penetration damage thanks to its high explosive filler, it only has 157mm of penetration. While this is enough to go through these tanks' weak spots, taking the time to aim for them is disadvantageous in a "shoot first, aim later" type of engagement. Meanwhile, Tigers, IS-1s, and Panthers can take out the Chi-Ri out with ease due to the Chi-Ri's thin armour and massive profile. Thus, it is best to pounce on and surprise enemy tanks rather than face them in a frontal duel, catch them by their sides and blow up their interior. The same strategies in place for using the Chi-To Late to deal with the horrors of 5.0 should be implemented with the Chi-Ri.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 3.3 second reload between each shell in the autoloader with a fully trained crew
* First Stage Ammo Storage enables the tank to reload in less then 6 seconds even when the auto-loader is empty
* With the First Stage Ammo Storage mechanic, the auto-loader is reloaded when not firing the gun
* Exceptional burst damage potential
* Very competitive gun depression (-10°)
* Secondary 37 mm armament allows for engaging weaker enemy without wasting 75 mm shells, and can be used to trick inattentive enemy players into thinking the main gun has fired
* Decent mobility, even with stock engine

'''Cons:'''

* Atrocious optics; no magnification whatsoever.

* With the First Stage Ammo Storage mechanic, the 4 ammo racks in the back of the turret will be the last to be depleted, increasing the chance of ammo racking
* Actually reloading the autoloader takes a very long time
* Learning curve to use tank properly is worse than the [[M3 Lee|M3 Mediums]]
* Massive profile
* Abysmal hull turn time
* Unimpressive turret traverse speed
* Thin, poorly sloped armour all around
* Angled hull front cheek sections make armour angling useless
* 37 mm can only aim forwards and is very weak for Rank 3
* Average accuracy
* Maximum of 151 mm of penetration with the best shell, can have trouble penetrating same and higher-rank heavy tanks

== History ==

===Chi-Ri===
Under the pretext of their lacklustre tank designs, the Japanese worked on creating a tank that could surpass the Allies' main tank, the [[M4|M4 Sherman]]. Upgraded designs made to deal with the Sherman led to the [[Chi-Nu|Type 3 Chi-Nu]] and the [[Chi-To|Type 4 Chi-To]]. While these two were quite capable against the Sherman, they did not represent the best that the Japanese had to offer.

Sometime during the development period of the Chi-Nu and the Chi-To, the Japanese designed a medium tank far more sophisticated than anything they had done previously. The tank was to be equipped with the same 75 mm gun as the Chi-To, except it had an auto-loading system on it. There was to be a hull-mounted 37 mm with a machine gun as well. The chassis was similar to the Chi-To's, but lengthened to eight road wheels per side. It was also powered by a 550 hp gasoline aircraft engine designed by BMW from Germany. The tank was classified as the '''Type 5 Chi-Ri''' and a single prototype without the main gun was produced in May 1945, but efforts were diverted to the more practical Type 4 Chi-To. Due to that, the war ended with only a single Type 5 Chi-Ri prototype produced.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank">Zaloga 2007</ref>

===Chi-Ri II===
Though Chi-Ri showed the development process for the new tank design, improvements often come to during prototype stages for a more manageable tank design. The improvements on the Chi-Ri, which would be called the '''Chi-Ri II''', were mainly the removal or addition of certain features, with the added ones namely from the Chi-To. Notable differences would be the use of a supercharged Mitsubishi diesel engine instead of a German gasoline engine, the change in suspension and turret design to resemble the Chi-To's, and the removal of the 37 mm secondary armament. It is uncertain how useful these simplifications are since these are all plans never put into practice.<ref name="FTRChi-RiII">Davis 2013</ref>

===Production plans===
If the Chi-Ri ever entered production, the Japanese had plans for a bit of an upgrade in its firepower. It would be armed with a gun based on the Type 99 88 mm anti-aircraft gun, giving it a much higher velocity cannon that makes the vehicle more than capable of taking out Allied tanks. With the Chi-Ri in production and in numbers, it would be used in Japan's final stand against the Allies should they invade the home islands.

However, like many late-war tanks of Japan, they would never see any battle service due to their surrender in September 1945. The single Chi-Ri prototype was captured by the ensuing American occupation force, which they transported to the Aberdeen Proving Grounds for tests. Records show that the Chi-Ri prototype was scrapped along with other foreign tanks on October 1952.<ref name="MaiScrapping">Sun 2017</ref>

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_5_chi_ri Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:59 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|RyA5KcS2hAw|'''Multi-turreted Tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:21 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|-jmSoAvIsv4|'''The Shooting Range #26''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:46 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

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

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

== External links ==


* Zaloga Steven. ''Japanese Tanks 1939-1945'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2007
* Davis, Frank. "Chi Ri II - Japanese Tier 6/7 Medium." For the Record. Blogger.com, 05 June 2013. Web. 12 Jan. 2017. [http://ftr-wot.blogspot.com/2013/06/chi-ri-ii-japanese-tier-67-medium.html]
* Sun, Eun Ae. ''Chi-Ri & Chi-To: Aberdeen Tank Scrapping.'' YouTube, YouTube, 7 Aug. 2017, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mkS8EodQbA]

===References===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan medium tanks}}

Chi-To Late

2024-03-21T12:11:26Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = Japanese medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the early version
| link = Chi-To
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_4_chi_to_late
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ({{Annotation|四式中戦車「チト」量産型|Yon-Shiki Chū-Sensha [Chi-To] Ryōsan-gata}}) was the final design of the [[Chi-To]] and the proposed production model, having a more streamlined turret design easing production, the armour is also slightly more angled giving it more effective armour than its initial design.

It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]]. Compared to its previous design before it, the Chi-To late is slightly more forgiving due to armour effectiveness, able to shrug off shells slightly more often with the same deadly cannon as the [[Chi-To]]. It is still advised to keep the Chi-To Late at a long sniper distance, offering the high velocity and deadly 75 mm cannon would be a shame to lose in the frontline.

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

Armour is as good as Japanese medium tanks will get. It can bounce most guns of Rank III and below if you angle your armour well enough (~35-45º), but long-barrelled guns (such as those mentioned above) will have no trouble getting through you.

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 75 mm (36°) ''Front plate'' 20 mm (77°) ''Front glacis'' 20-75 mm (15-57°) ''Lower glacis'' 50 mm (31°) ''Hull cheeks''|| 35 mm (30°) ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 35 mm || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 75 mm (16°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (11°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50 mm (9°) || 50 mm (1°) || 20 mm

|-
| Cupola || 75 mm || 75 mm || 75 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
* Small bars of RHA exist around the lower side hull, giving an extra 10 mm at their locations.

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


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

The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is decent. It will get you to where you need reasonably quickly, and the top speed is respectable. The turning speed and acceleration leaves much to be desired, but isn't terrible overall.

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

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

{{main|Type II Model II (75 mm)}}

The 7.5 cm Tank Gun Type II Model II performs very well at this BR, and there are seldom any targets that can bounce the Type 4 Kou APHE shell from the front of their armour. It also has decent reloading and great explosive filler, meaning that shots that penetrate will either inflict heavy damage or result in a knock-out.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type II Model II (75 mm)|75 mm Type II Model II]] || 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" | 55 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 12.1 || 16.7 || 20.3 || 22.5 || 23.9 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.48 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.6 || 8.9 || 10.8 || 11.9 || 12.7
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type II Model II (75 mm)/Ammunition|Type 1 APHE, Type 4 Kou, Type 90 HE}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''55''' || 41 ''(+14)'' || 35 ''(+20)'' || 29 ''(+26)'' || 23 ''(+32)'' || 11 ''(+44)'' || 1 ''(+54)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Turret and sides empty: 23 ''(+32)'' shells.

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

{{main|Type 97 (7.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Type 97]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (20) || 499 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Hull || 3,000 (20) || 499 || ±8° || ±8°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

As previously stated, the Chi-To Late best performs in the role of sniper, engaging hulldown at medium to long range against opposing medium tanks. The good gun depression, average mobility, and good reverse speed allow you to make it to good positions at an average pace and allow you to reverse back into cover when reloading.

Against most heavies such as the [[IS-1]]/[[IS-2|2]], [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], or [[Panther D|Panther]], it is only worthwhile to engage if you are already entrenched in a solid defensive position. Your gun's lack of APCBC gives you poor performance against slopes and rounded armour on the IS, Panther, and angled Tigers, making any ranged engagement near useless. Against tanks such as the [[M4A3E2|Jumbo 75]] or [[M4A3E2 (76) W|76]], it is best to disengage and flank them or have teammates flank them. Against all other medium tanks, shots to the hull will suffice at most range.

The M4A3E2 Jumbo could be a menace if not handled properly as they are nigh impenetrable from the front due to its thick armour. Either try for a very precise shot through the MG port in the front or shoot the armour behind the tracks if they are angled. The best way to deal with a Sherman Jumbo is to shoot it through the side or between the side plate and the tracks. There is a small gap between the top of the tracks and the bottom of the side plate that can be easily penetrated by the Chi-To Late, and a successful penetration here usually results in a knock-out, or a destroyed/alight engine. This weak spot is relatively easy to exploit as most Jumbo drivers make the mistake of angling their armour, which gives you full view of this weak spot. If you are struggling to hit it, then a shot through the drive wheel at an angle of 45º or more usually works quite well also. You should feel no pressure to get this right the first time, as a well-angled Chi-To Late can reliably bounce the Jumbo's shells, unless the Jumbo in question happens to be sporting the 76 mm M1A1 cannon.

The IS series of tanks can also be a bit of a bother to deal with. At this battle rating, you may find the IS-1, IS-2 or IS-2 mod. 1944 (rare). However, they can be defeated by exploiting the shot trap on the turret front (requires some luck), shooting the driver's hatch on the front or the gun mantlet (requires extreme precision and luck), shooting the lower frontal plate (the most reliable way to kill an IS) or shooting the frontal armour plate from a 90º angle. That being said, your tank can still knock out the IS series you'll face by shooting directly beneath the turret ring.

You may encounter the German "Big Cat" tanks (Tiger H1, Tiger E, Panther D, Panther A) if you get seriously up tiered. In this case the best thing you can do is hit them from the side, which usually results in a knock-out. If facing a Tiger (or any German Big Cat for that matter) from the front, you should retreat. However, if his frontal plate is not angled, then it might be worth a shot to shoot between the machine gun port and driver's hatch, which will result in a knock-out. As for the panther, try to exploit the shot trap on the turret, but only as a last resort. Your first port of call should be to shoot the drive wheel, basically following the same tactics you'd use for dealing with a Sherman Jumbo.

As for some other enemies:

* [[Churchill VII]]: do not engage from the front at all. Sneak around to the side and shoot there.
* [[ARL-44]]: shoot the sides. It's not worth facing this tank head on, it's too much of a risk.
* [[ARL-44 (ACL-1)]]: aim for the turret if you face this tank from the front, then finish it from the sides. Be careful not to get shot.
* [[M6A1]]: the frontal armour on this thing can be a bit fiddly. Aim for a spot that doesn't seem to have more than one armour plate layered on it.

Most tanks you face can penetrate you frontally if they shoot your frontal plate when it is not angled. It is recommended to get the first shot off and then retreat, and make a second surprise attack. Most of the time, a penetration results in a knock-out with this tank. You can penetrate pretty much any medium or light tank frontally by shooting the upper front plate, so use that to your advantage.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Sloped hull armour, a first in Japan tank designs, roughly equivalent to the hull of a KV-1 frontally and can withstand several lower-rank guns
* 75 mm Tank Gun Type 5 has good muzzle velocity, penetration, and filler
* Good gun depression
* Smaller turret than the Chi-To
* Good reverse speed
* Thickest side armour of all Japanese tanks tied with the Chi-Ri II at 35 mm. Resistant to .50 cal rounds
* Symmetrical turret placement and gun placement in the turret, no odd angles of fire like the Chi-To
* Great penetration and explosive filler, a successful penetration usually results in a knock-out
* 42 km/h top speed is quite respectable

'''Cons:'''

* Atrocious optics; no magnification whatsoever.

* Poor turret traverse.
* Average acceleration and mobility, easily beat by Pz.IVs, Shermans, and T-34s
* Hull cheeks make angling difficult
* Turret armour is no different from Chi-To, still easily penetrated by any gun it can see
* Lack of APCBC round gives poor performance versus sloped armour. Expect ricochets against Soviets and Americans

== History ==

===Development===
The lacklustre performance of Japanese tanks in World War II called for the development of newer medium tanks in the Imperial Japanese Army. The standard tank of the time was the [[Chi-Ha|Type 97 Chi-Ha]], which has its chassis used in many expedient models to provide a bigger gun for the Japanese inventory such as the [[Chi-Ha Kai|Chi-Ha Kai]], [[Chi-He|Type 1 Chi-He]], [[Ho-I|Type 2 Ho-I]], and [[Chi-Nu|Type 3 Chi-Nu]]. By the time of Chi-Nu, however, the Chi-Ha chassis was becoming outdated and so a new tank design using an improved chassis was needed for future development.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank">Zaloga 2007</ref>

In 1943, development started of the '''Chi-To''' tank, which features a new chassis and more powerful engine. Its armament is a 75 mm gun based off the Type 88 anti-aircraft gun, giving it a high-velocity weapon. Armour on the tank was welded and was quite thick in comparison to its predecessor at 75 mm thick. The tank was accepted for service in 1944 and was expected to enter mass production with 20 per month at Mitsubishi and 5 per month at Kobe-Seiko. In terms of Japanese armour development, the Chi-To was the most sophisticated tank to enter production levels.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank" />

===War's End===
Despite its potential, the Type 4 Chi-To was never made in large numbers. At the war's end, only six chassis were made, with only two of those made into tanks. The completed tanks were dumped into Lake Hamana in Shizuoka Prefecture to avoid capture by Allied forces. One tank would be recovered by the U.S. occupation forces following Japan's surrender in World War II. The tank was then transported to Aberdeen Proving Grounds for tests and would eventually be scrapped in October 1952.<ref name="MaiScrapping">Sun 2017</ref> The second tank still has yet to be located.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_4_chi_to_late Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|U2fm2lpHvWI|'''Way Of The Gun - Chi-to Late''' - ''8Bit Dane''}}

== 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 ==


=== References ===
'''Citations'''
<references />

'''Bibliography'''

* Zaloga Steven. ''Japanese Tanks 1939-1945'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2007
* Sun, Eun Ae. ''Chi-Ri & Chi-To: Aberdeen Tank Scrapping.'' YouTube, YouTube, 7 Aug. 2017, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mkS8EodQbA Video]

{{TankManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan medium tanks}}

Chi-To

2024-03-21T12:09:33Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */ Removed inaccurate statements, added limitation of optics.

{{About
| about = Japanese medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the late version
| link = Chi-To Late
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_4_chi_to
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ({{Annotation|四式中戦車「チト」|Yon-Shiki Chū-Sensha [Chi-To]}}) was developed as a counter to the ever-pressing danger the Sherman possessed over Japanese 1930s infantry based tanks such as the [[Ha-Go]] and [[Chi-Ha]]. The main development point of the Chi-To (and its heavier counterpart, the [[Chi-Ri II]]) was the new high-velocity long barrel 75 mm and a new hull design over the [[Chi-Ha]] / [[Chi-He]] family allowing for larger upgrades in armour, engine, and cannons. However, due to delays in hull production and lengthy cannon development, the Chi-To would only be ready in 1945 for evaluation, and the [[Chi-Nu]] and [[Ho-Ni III]] were built as stopgap measures to fill the gap of Sherman-capable competitors until the Chi-To was fully ready.

It was introduced along with the initial Japanese Ground Forces tree in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]]. Playing the Type 4 Chi-To can give the player a new impression of the Japanese tree line and a lasting one considering many of the Japanese tanks after it follow the same pattern - a tank with a very powerful cannon, decent mobility, but rather fragile armour. The armour plus the tank's rather long reload means that the Chi-To is meant more for a long-distance shoot-out than a close encounter.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Machine gun port)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 75 mm (17°) ''Front plate'' 20 mm (76°) ''Front glacis'' 75 mm (16°), 20 mm (58°) ''Lower glacis'' 50 mm (12°) ''Front cheeks'' 50 mm (0-66°) ''Machine gun port'' || 35 mm (12-30°) ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 20 mm (73°) ''Top'' 35 mm ''Center'' 20 mm (48°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 75 mm (16°) ''Turret front'' 50-75 mm (10°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 50 mm (15-16°) 50 mm (0-65°) ''Right machine gun port'' || 50 mm (15-50°) ''Turret rear'' 10 mm ''Turret rear underside'' || 20 mm
|-
| Cupola || 75 mm || 75 mm || 75 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.
* 10 mm RHA plates are scattered on the lower side hull.
* Turret ring is 20 mm thick.

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


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

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

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

{{main|Type II Model II (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type II Model II (75 mm)|75 mm Type II Model II]] || 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" | 55 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 12.1 || 16.7 || 20.3 || 22.5 || 23.9 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.48 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.6 || 8.9 || 10.8 || 11.9 || 12.7
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type II Model II (75 mm)/Ammunition|Type 1 APHE, Type 4 Kou, Type 90 HE}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x300px|[[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
|-
| '''55''' || 40 ''(+15)'' || 34 ''(+21)'' || 28 ''(+27)'' || 22 ''(+33)'' || 10 ''(+45)'' || 0 ''(+55)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Turret and hull sides empty: 22 ''(+33)'' shells.

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

{{main|Type 97 (7.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Type 97]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (20) || 499 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Hull || 3,000 (20) || 499 || ±8° || ±8°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

As previously stated, the Chi-To best performs in the role of sniper, engaging hulldown at medium to long range against opposing medium tanks. The good gun depression, average mobility, and good reverse speed allow you to make it to good positions at an average pace and allow you to reverse back into cover when reloading.

Against most heavies such as the [[IS-1]]/[[IS-2|2]], [[Tiger H1|Tiger]], or [[Panther D|Panther]], it is only worthwhile to engage if you are already entrenched in a solid defensive position. Your gun's lack of APCBC gives you poor performance against slopes and rounded armour on the IS, Panther, and angled Tigers, making any ranged engagement near useless. Against tanks such as the [[M4A3E2|Jumbo 75]] or [[M4A3E2 (76) W|76]], it is best to disengage and flank them or have teammates flank them. Against all other medium tanks, shots to the hull will suffice at most range.

The M4A3E2 Jumbo could be a menace if not handled properly as they are nigh impenetrable from the front due to its thick armour. Either try for a very precise shot through the MG port in the front or shoot the armour behind the tracks if they are angled. The best way to deal with a Sherman Jumbo is to shoot it through the side or between the side plate and the tracks. There is a small gap between the top of the tracks and the bottom of the side plate that can be easily penetrated by the Chi-To Late, and a successful penetration here usually results in a one-shot, or a destroyed/alight engine. This weak spot is relatively easy to exploit as most Jumbo drivers make the mistake of angling their armour, which gives you full view of this weak spot. If you are struggling to hit it, then a shot through the drive wheel at an angle of 45º or more usually works quite well also. You should feel no pressure to get this right the first time, as a well-angled Chi-To Late can reliably bounce the Jumbo's shells, unless the Jumbo in question happens to be sporting the 76mm M1A1 cannon.

The IS series of tanks can also be a bit of a bother to deal with. At this battle rating, you may find the IS-1, IS-2 or IS-2 mod. 1944 (rare). However, they can be defeated by exploiting the shot trap on the turret front (requires some luck), shooting the driver's hatch on the front or the gun mantlet (requires extreme precision and luck), shooting the lower frontal plate (the most reliable way to kill an IS) or shooting the frontal armour plate from a 90º angle. That being said, your tank can still one-shot the IS series you'll face by shooting directly beneath the turret ring.

You may encounter the German "Big Cat" tanks (Tiger H1, Tiger E, Panther D, Panther A) if you get seriously up tiered. In this case the best thing you can do is hit them from the side, which usually results in a one-shot. If facing a Tiger (or any German Big Cat for that matter) from the front, you should retreat. However, if his frontal plate is not angled, then it might be worth a shot to shoot between the machine gun port and driver's hatch, which will result in a one-shot. As for the panther, try to exploit the shot trap on the turret, but only as a last resort. Your first port of call should be to shoot the drive wheel, basically following the same tactics you'd use for dealing with a Sherman Jumbo.

As for some other enemies:

* [[Churchill VII]]: do not engage from the front at all. Sneak around to the side and shoot there.
* [[ARL-44]]: shoot the sides. It's not worth facing this tank head on, it's too much of a risk.
* [[ARL-44 (ACL-1)]]: aim for the turret if you face this tank from the front, then finish it from the sides. Be careful not to get shot.
* [[M6A1]]: the frontal armour on this thing can be a bit fiddly. Aim for a spot that doesn't seem to have more than one armour plate layered on it.

Most tanks you face can penetrate you frontally if they shoot your frontal plate when it is not angled. It is recommended to get the first shot off and then retreat, and make a second surprise attack. Most of the time, a penetration results in a one-shot with this tank. You can penetrate pretty much any medium or light tank frontally by shooting the upper front plate, so use that to your advantage.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful 75 mm cannon, good penetration and very low shell drop-off.
* A very powerful tank at 4.3, can tackle all foes at its BR bracket.
* Decent gun depression of -11°
* Ammo in the turret can be emptied by carrying 15 less ammo.
* Decent top armour, enough to resist strafing aircraft weapons.

'''Cons:'''

* Atrocious optics; no magnification whatsoever.
* Armour is average and mostly flat and unangled, like the Panzer IV.
* The Chi-To is asymmetric and is a large tank, it is difficult to hide from enemies.
* Reload rate quite slow.
* Angling front armour can expose the 50 mm hull cheek armour.
* Very hard to turn on the spot, especially when stock.

== History ==

===Development===
The lackluster performance of Japanese tanks in World War II called for the development of newer medium tanks in the Imperial Japanese Army. The standard tank of the time was the [[Chi-Ha|Type 97 Chi-Ha]], which has its chassis used in many expedient models to provide a bigger gun for the Japanese inventory such as the [[Chi-Ha Kai|Chi-Ha Kai]], [[Chi-He|Type 1 Chi-He]], [[Ho-I|Type 2 Ho-I]], and [[Chi-Nu|Type 3 Chi-Nu]]. By the time of Chi-Nu, however, the Chi-Ha chassis was becoming outdated and so a new tank design using an improved chassis was needed for future development.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank">Zaloga Steven. ''Japanese Tanks 1939-1945'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2007</ref>

In 1943, development started of the '''Chi-To''' tank, which features a new chassis and more powerful engine. Its armament is a 75 mm gun based off the Type 88 anti-aircraft gun, giving it a high-velocity weapon. Armour on the tank was welded and was quite thick in comparison to its predecessor at 75 mm thick. The tank was accepted for service in 1944 and was expected to enter mass production with 20 per month at Mitsubishi and 5 per month at Kobe-Seiko. In terms of Japanese armour development, the Chi-To was the most sophisticated tank to enter production levels.<ref name="ZalogaJapaneseTank" />

===War's End===
Despite its potential, the Type 4 Chi-To was never made in large numbers. At the war's end, only six chassis were made, with only two of those made into tanks.

The two Type 4 produced were cast into Lake Hamana between the 23 and the 28 August 1945 to avoid their capture. One was found by the U.S. occupation forces following Japan's surrender in World War II. The tank was then transported to Aberdeen Proving Grounds for tests and would eventually scrap them in October 1952.<ref name="MaiScrapping">Sun, Eun Ae. ''Chi-Ri & Chi-To: Aberdeen Tank Scrapping.'' YouTube, YouTube, 7 Aug. 2017, [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4mkS8EodQbA Video]</ref>

The second tank is still believed to be at the bottom of the lake. A project to find it was launched in 2013 by SM@Pe, a group of people from Hamamatsu. Inhabitants, volunteers, divers and the Windy Network Corp ( a marine studies company from Tôkyô who founded a trainning plane of the Japanese imperial army in the lake Towada in 2010) participated to research, supported by the use of a sonar and testimonials, including former soldiers who allegedly participated in the launching operation. The research did not give anything.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_4_chi_to Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
{{Skin-gallery |market|ugcitem_1000270|Type 4 Chi-To Operation Ketsugо.png|Camo "Operation Ketsugо"}}

== 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://sensha-manual.blogspot.com/2021/09/type4.html <nowiki>[SENSHA Blog]</nowiki> Type 4 Medium Tank, 'Chi-To': The Last Tank of the Japanese Army]

===References===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan medium tanks}}

Chi-Nu II

2023-11-03T00:20:21Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
|about=premium Japanese medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage=the regular version
|link=Chi-Nu
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_3_chi_nu_75cm_type_5
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was one of two planned improvements to the [[Chi-Nu|Type 3 Chi-Nu]]. The primary goal was to up-arm the Chi-Nu with a [[Type_5_(Disambiguation)#Type_5_.2875_mm.29|Type 5 (75 mm)]] found on the [[Chi-To|Type 4 Chi-To]] and [[Chi-Ri II|Type 5 Chi-Ri]]. The first plan was to simply mount a Chi-To turret on top of the Chi-Nu hull, which was tested at the Japanese firing range at Irago, with tests found satisfactory. The second plan was to fit the Type 5 cannon inside of a regular Chi-Nu turret, which is represented by this version.

It was introduced with the initial Japanese Ground Forces tree in [[Update 1.65 "Way of the Samurai"]], but was released once all the rank III Japanese tanks were available to the public in the Closed Beta Test. The Chi-Nu II is a combination between two vehicles, the Type 3 Chi-Nu and the Type 4 Chi-To. It has the armour of the former, but the gun of the latter. Thus, while presenting itself as a more vulnerable body with only around 50 mm of armour, it has slightly better mobility than the Chi-To, a smaller profile, yet carries the same gun. Like the Chi-To, the Chi-Nu II should be played in a sniper-like format from a distance rather than up-close to the enemy and fighting them in close-quarters.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 50 mm (15°) ''Front plate'' 12 mm (76°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (20°) ''Joint plate'' 8.5 mm (65°) ''Lower glacis'' || 20 mm (15-30°) ''Top'' 25 mm ''Bottom'' || 20 mm (0-20°) ''Top'' 8.5 mm (63°) ''Bottom'' || 12 mm
|-
| Turret || 50 mm (16°) ''Turret front'' 50 mm (10°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25 mm (9-10°) || 25 mm || 12 mm
|-
| Cupola || 50 mm || 50 mm || 50 mm || 12 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 20 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=372|rbMinHp=212}}

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

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

{{main|Type II Model II (75 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type II Model II (75 mm)|75 mm Type II Model II]] || 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" | 48 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 15.7 || 21.7 || 26.4 || 29.2 || 31.1 || rowspan="2" | 8.45 || rowspan="2" | 7.48 || rowspan="2" | 6.89 || rowspan="2" | 6.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 9.8 || 11.5 || 14.0 || 15.5 || 16.5
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Type II Model II (75 mm)/Ammunition|Type 1 APHE, Type 4 Kou, Type 90 HE}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''48''' || 17 ''(+31)'' || 13 ''(+35)'' || 1 ''(+47)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Turret empty: 17 ''(+31)'' shells.

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

{{main|Type 97 (7.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Type 97 (7.7 mm)|7.7 mm Type 97]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (20) || 498 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
| Hull || 3,000 (20) || 498 || -7°/+10° || ±19°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Chi-Nu II is one of the best bargains you can get for the price, it has a high penetrating Type 5 cannon at a lower BR of the regular tanks carrying it ([[Chi-To]], [[Chi-Ri II]]) in a tight package of the [[Chi-Nu]], this comes with a somewhat weaker engine (compared to the heavier Chi-To & Chi-Ri) but the pro's outweigh the con's.

One may consider the Chi-Nu II a glass cannon, and a great one at that, the armour isn't much to write home about, but it isn't paper thin either. It's a very well-rounded medium tank in playstyle and can be compared and played like a [[Pz.IV F2]], it can destroy anything, but anything can destroy it. But unlike the Pz.IV, reload speeds are longer in exchange for a faster turret rotation.

Against the medium tanks, its simply getting the first shot off first as the 75 mm Type 5 cannon on the Chi-Nu could penetrate most through the front hull armour, with some levels of difficulty on the turret. Of course, for maximizing the Chi-Nu's own survival, attack from the sides and make sure the enemy is unaware of the Chi-Nu's presence.

The Chi-Nu II can face heavy tanks, but it will most likely be the 76 mm [[KV-1 (Family)|KV-1 series]], which the 75 mm can easily punch through the front armour. The Chi-Nu II can still meet the British [[Churchill VII]], which is impervious to the high-penetrating 75 mm from the front, so beware if caught in a frontal engagement.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful 75 mm cannon with good penetration and very low shell drop-off
* Decent gun depression enables it to snipe from ridges
* Good handling
* Above average mobility
* Narrow chassis allows access through areas inaccessible by wider tanks

'''Cons:'''

* Packed crew due to narrow chassis leads to poor survivability against all shells
* Poor armour all around, can be easily penetrated by any tank even in full downtiers
* Sluggish turret traverse
* Reload rate quite slow
* Generally weaker than the comparable Panzer IVs, at a higher BR

== History ==

===Development===
The lackluster performance of Japanese tanks in World War II called for the development of newer medium tanks in the Imperial Japanese Army. The standard tank of the time was the [[Chi-Ha|Type 97 Chi-Ha]], which has its chassis used in many expedient models to provide a bigger gun for the Japanese inventory such as the [[Chi-Ha Kai|Chi-Ha Kai]], [[Chi-He|Type 1 Chi-He]], [[Ho-I|Type 2 Ho-I]], and [[Chi-Nu|Type 3 Chi-Nu]]. Two new sophisticated tanks were also in development, the [[Chi-To|Type 4 Chi-To]] and the [[Chi-Ri II|Type 5 Chi-Ri]], both fielding the powerful Type 5 75 mm gun. However, these two tanks still needed time to iron out some design bugs, time that the Japanese did not have while being stared down by the Allied powers. To get the Type 5 gun out to their forces as fast as possible, designers sought a way to get the gun onto a vehicle as fast as possible. The solution laid on the Type 3 Chi-Nu, regarded as one of Japan's best tank since its production start date in 1943.<ref name="SenshaManualChiNuII">Sun, Eun Ae. ''[WT] Type3 Chi-Nu II'' SENSHA. Blogger.com, 15 Jan. 2017. Web. 24 Jan. 2017. [http://sensha-manual.blogspot.com/2017/01/wt-type3-chi-nu-ii.html Website]</ref>

The Chi-To's prototype models had larger turrets that were different from the main production model. Instead of wasting these turrets, the Japanese decided to use them on the Chi-Nu body. In March 1945, a Chi-To prototype turret was attached onto Chi-Nu chassis #37. This upgraded Chi-Nu, along the line of the Chi-Ha's upgrade, was informally labeled the ''Chi-Nu Kai''. The design was tested on the Irago Firing Grounds on March 19th and proved itself very satisfactory in combat roles. The final design was to equip the Chi-Nu with production model Chi-To turret to increase production levels and it was to help improve Japan's armoured forces to stand up against the Allies' might. This Chi-Nu with the production Chi-To turret was known as '''Chi-Nu II'''.<ref name="SenshaManualChiNuII" />

===War's end===
Like most of the Japanese late-war tanks developed and retained in the home island for the "final defense", the modified Chi-Nu and its counterparts never saw battle against Allied armour. Japan surrendered in September 1945, effectively ending World War II. A few Chi-Nu IIs were made before the end, but they are most likely sent to the scrap yard along with most of the other Japanese equipment with their demilitarization.<ref name="SenshaManualChiNuII" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_3_chi_nu_75cm_type_5 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|aTqPFjW2K-o|'''The Shooting Range #177''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:32 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|oa26g25qqP4|'''Best medium tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:33 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Chi-Nu]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4428-development-type-3-chi-nu-ii-crouching-tiger-en|[Devblog] Type 3 Chi-Nu II - Crouching Tiger]]
* [[wt:en/news/4468-a-new-japanese-premium-tank-the-chi-nu-ii-is-now-available-for-purchase-en|[News] A new Japanese premium tank, the Chi-Nu II is now available for purchase]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan medium tanks}}
{{Japan premium ground vehicles}}

ZT3A2

2023-10-19T17:30:27Z

U82924470: I dont know how to change the actual stats, but this vehicle is 8.3, not 8.7. Please change and revert my edit.

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_ratel_zt3
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British tank destroyer 8.3{{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]].

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

[[File:ZT3A2 fragility example.jpg|thumb|right|Even a single lucky hit of a 35 mm KDA cannon can obliterate the ZT3A2, avoid fighting SPAA at any cost]]
The armour of this vehicle is irrelevant as its launcher is barely protected. The launcher ammunition counts as an active ammo rack, so any ATGM or HE shell detonating next to it will detonate it as well, taking the vehicle out in the process. Even hitting the missiles with any MG can cause them to detonate. Even worse, the ammo rack sometimes does not disappear after firing and definitely reappears in the middle of the reload, even though the vehicle cannot fire yet, so the operator must turn the launcher away when attacked. If the launcher is destroyed past that point, the ammo rack will not disappear but reload progress is still reset.

Frontal hull armour might sustain some MG fire from 500 m away, but it has way too many weak spots with 10 mm or even 8 mm RHA protection to be of any use. Unfortunately, the commander of the {{PAGENAME}} cannot take control of the weapon to fire, meaning that literally anything and anyone can disarm the {{PAGENAME}} with a well-placed shot.

Both commander and gunner are located in the turret, which must be exposed to fire in most cases, which makes this tank very easy to disable if not destroy outright. Sometimes, one of them will survive if the tank took a glancing hit of APFSDS, and ammunition is being stored along the sides of the carrier, so with some luck such shells will pass through the entire vehicle without doing any more damage.

One might argue that the {{PAGENAME}}'s long hull might confuse enemies, but overpressure damage and missile ammo racks placed along the entirety of it make the spaced armour argument irrelevant in most scenarios. Any ATGM landing next to it will instantly destroy it, particularly the ones with 4 kg explosive mass. Missiles with wide splash radius can do fatal damage even by hitting the top of the tree 20 m away from {{PAGENAME}}.

Aircraft strafing the {{PAGENAME}} often prefer to fire at it from the top and focus fire in the middle of it, so cannon based airstrike might fail to destroy the {{PAGENAME}}, but any rockets will obliterate the entire hull due to overpressure damage.

Artillery will obliterate this tank even with a 20 m miss and any artillery warning should be a cue to leave for anyone using the {{PAGENAME}}. Sometimes the shells land far enough to only cause minor overpressure damage, but the crew will only endure 4 hits at best.

The {{PAGENAME}} has smoke grenades, but these are outdated old smoke grenades and there is only one group of them. Smoke grenades are launched very high up in the direction the turret is facing, so it takes 4 seconds for them to hit the ground and then 5 seconds to set in. The smoke screen has gaps in it and usually is not enough to provide proper detection protection in AB, unless you park inside of it.

Therefore, the smoke must be used long before the enemy reached your position, not when it is already too late, and should not be relied on in AB. Another way to use them is to launch them at the same time as the ATGM salvo - by the time the carrier runs out of ATGMs, the smoke grenades connect with the ground, concealing the vehicle.

'''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}}


In arcade battles, the stock {{PAGENAME}} drives at 30-40 km/h offroad and 60-77 km/h on dirt roads. When using paved roads, it will accelerate towards 100 km/h instead. An upgraded {{PAGENAME}} does not drive much faster due to the engine only working at 1,700-2,000 RPM almost all the time, but it will reach 40 km/h almost as fast as it reached 30 km/h before and will reach its top speed on paved roads far more reliably. The maximum speed limits do not really change at all.
[[File:ZT3A2 Climbed impossible spot and sniped.jpg|thumb|right|Arcade mode: a ZT3A2 climbed an impossible mountain spot in order to deny enemy access to C point.]]
The {{PAGENAME}} tends to have a lot of momentum in its movement and will keep its speed for some time after going off road, but also should be driven carefully to avoid losing speed by accidentally ramming something. Its mass is also not enough to plough through thick trees, so they must be avoided. When reaching the maximum possible speed, the engine starts whining really loudly and the vehicle will start to shake, so turning becomes risky.

This tank also has an uncanny ability to drive uphill at very sharp angles, which may slow it to 5 km/h but won't stop it entirely. This, combined with the "Tires" upgrade, allows it to climb even certain mountains. The tank can also easily climb rocks and other objects, which tend to be impossible for regular tanks to get over. Unfortunately, this ability is rarely of any use in RB due to its low camera depression, so it is mostly used in AB to sneak shots into players not expecting a missile tank firing from weird positions.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=401|rbMinHp=249}}

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

Researching "Horizontal Drive" might make controlling missiles in RB slightly easier and will allow the user to respond to sudden flank attacks, but "Parts" should be researched first. Research "Brakes" instead of FPE to improve the {{PAGENAME}}s ability to fire fast. "Elevation mechanism" in theory could help, but isn't necessary and can be skipped. Research "Tandem missile" as soon as possible, as it will help fight tanks of higher BR. Mobility upgrades might make the {{PAGENAME}} faster, but their usefulness is very limited, with "Tires" and "Engine" bringing the most noticeable benefit. "Smoke grenades" might help the {{PAGENAME}} to survive in between reloads or if it got caught in a crossfire, so it might be a good idea to research them first instead. "Laser rangefinder" is only really useful to see if the enemy is within the missile attack range, but it will also trigger laser warnings and is useless in AB, so it can be researched last.

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

{{main|ZT3}}

There are two main missiles on the {{PAGENAME}}, the ZT3A1 and ZT3A2. Both missiles are laser-guided, which makes them immune to jamming by IRCM and allows the carrier to guide them all at once. Both missiles have reasonably strong vertical drive and rather sluggish horizontal drive, allowing the operator to quickly shift them up or down, as long as they do not try to change their flight direction, in which case the missiles will start to lose control and wiggle, only stabilizing after at least 400 m. These missiles also can cause overpressure damage through more RHA than would be expected from a normal HEAT warhead, meaning they can destroy many medium tanks by hitting their turret's rooftop.

The missiles are loaded in magazines of 3 missiles with 4 magazines or 12 missiles total. They aren't reloaded if the launcher is damaged. Each shot forces a 0.6s reload. Missiles fire off in order from the right to the left. Missiles struggle to take off and initially take a vertical stance, sometimes even obscuring the gunner's vision, so attempts to launch them downward while having the launcher peek over an object is likely to make them explode on launch.

In AB/RB the guiding "camera" is located in the launcher, which means that it can fire and guide straight after exposing the launcher. In SB, missiles are guided by the gunner's optics under the launcher, which means that the hull must also be exposed.

In terms of speed, the ZT3A1 can be treated like a [[MILAN 2]] with 40 more km/h speed on it. It often fails to break through light tanks and will only destroy ERA screens, but not break through them in most cases. Regardless, they are still very strong and there are 3 of them at once, so it is possible to destroy an entire tank squad if they are not paying attention to their surroundings and stand close to each other. These missiles can cause overpressure through 20 mm RHA, which means one can destroy [[Leopard_1_(Family)|Leopard]] by hitting the top of its roof.

The ZT3A2 has a tandem warhead, which allows it to penetrate one obstacle (primarily, ERA of Soviet or French tanks) without wasting the HEAT payload, and it in general has more penetration than all of the rank VI ATGMs, easily breaching and obliterating any tanks they land on. Unfortunately, some light tanks like the [[TAM]] can still somehow survive a direct hit, so aiming at weak spots is still recommended. This missile can cause overpressure through 30 mm RHA, so even many Soviet tank roofs aren't safe from it, so even if they hide the hull they are still an easy target.

Both missiles are easier to aim by using the sniper scope, even in arcade mode and at point-blank range, as the sniper scope makes it easier to see the missile's position via the light it emits onto the ground and thus easier to force them to fall into enemy cover.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[ZT3]] missile || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 12 (3) || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 35.2 || 48.8 || 59.2 || 65.5 || 69.7 || rowspan="2" | 19.50 || rowspan="2" | 17.25 || rowspan="2" | 15.90 || rowspan="2" | 15.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:ZT3/Ammunition|ZT3A1, ZT3A2}}

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


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

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

{{main|Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)}}

This MG fires way too slowly to be of any combat use, but if the {{PAGENAME}} is attacked by a hostile ATGM carrier, it should be fired at the incoming missiles for a small chance of shooting them down mid-air.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Browning MG4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Browning MG4]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+20° || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


'''Arcade mode'''

It can be used on a map with a road leading off your spawn towards a capture point to quickly take over a strong defensive position. Do note, that it will only reach maximum speed if uses asphalt road and it might need a head start for that anyway. Any position that the enemy has to attack into and cannot attack indirectly is worth taking over like this. For example, on the map "[[Middle East (Ground Forces)|Middle East]]" it can rush into the north capture point and fall down into cover of a bunker or change direction to drive behind a building to avoid being sniped. This position is well protected, and also allows it to abuse simplified AB ATGM controls to deny any access to the capture point for the enemy team, as it has strong vertical missile control and can snipe attacking enemy tanks by just pointing the sniper scope at them after firing out and over cover.
[[File:ZT3A2 lean on a mountain to land a shot.jpg|thumb|right|If it's difficult to aim from the low ground due to the LOS limitations, or there are roadblocks in the way, remember to use the carrier's climbing abilities. This might even make some shots possible in RB.]]
It can also be used to drive to the side of attacking enemies to sneak shots into them. You can also do this in a more provocative manner by hiding behind buildings next to them, but be aware that you then have to rely on your team to act as a distraction and you should avoid being seen and especially avoid or destroy light tanks to not get unnecessary attention. While sneaking in AB is difficult, it is still rather easy to sneak up on Soviet players and heavy tanks in general as long as you understand the game mechanics. Do note, that in AB the {{PAGENAME}} does not have the constraints of "gun depression" and is able to fire off any kind of ground spikes, therefore it might be a good idea to climb any weird ground formation or rocks if it allows you to fire over buildings or other enemy cover, or at least give you a second before the enemy can process what is going on and react. In case enemy light tanks with chemical weapons did spot you, it's often possible to still beat them by hiding behind a destructible building, waiting for them to pull out of cover to stare at you, then unloading the entire magazine onto them through your own cover, instead of going around it. This kind of move is considered pure insanity for the tanks with just one or two weapons, but not for the 3-shot magazine of the ZT3A2, since even after your cover is gone, you still have one or two shots to destroy any opponent jumping in for a free kill.

There is also a possibility of using the {{PAGENAME}}'s tall profile to fire over or through the openings of indestructible buildings at the tanks standing on the other side, for example big tall windows of churches, which can allow you to capture a point with minimal effort. It is also possible to fire through some street corners, as many of them have little openings and cracks which are often overlooked, such as ones on the south side of [[Port Novorossiysk]] domination mode, when there can be at least 6 tanks waiting for you to rush them, but not noticing a very little window next to them which you can fire through. This tactic is usually successful, as at close range it is impossible for regular tanks to fire back, and at long range your launcher is such a small target, only a specialist will be able to notice and hit you back. Be careful with the missile launching pattern, so as to not hit your own cover. Do not forget that the ZT3A2 can destroy many medium tanks by hitting their commander cupola, so it's not necessary to even engage them directly most of the time.

It can be easily used as a sniper tank, with the main advantage of it being able to destroy an entire tank group almost simultaneously or obliterate enemy cover with the first missile, which is immediately followed by another two hitting their turret and hull. Multiple missiles can be sent over cover if the target managed to survive the first hit as well. Likewise, it is possible to just send all 3 missiles through a forest in hopes that they will be able to brute force the foliage and hit enemy tanks anyway. It is also possible to drive missiles into enemy ATGM tanks over hills when they are reloading, but it might be too difficult to time correctly, unless the missile is guided next to the ground and you keep its position by tracking the light it emits onto the ground. Remember to immediately hide after such attacks and in general fire into enemy tank sides to avoid being countersniped.

In any case, be very wary of your reload timings - locate targets, gain as much of an unfair advantage over them, like tall cover you can fire over and they cannot, as possible, then fully commit to your attack when they seem to lose focus. Each shot forces a 0.6-second "reload" and in that time you must point the missile at your first target and decide who needs to be destroyed next, then fire the next missile. If the enemy group is very spread out, guide each missile till the very end and focus on enemies that clearly noticed that they are being attacked and start turning towards you. After firing three shots, back off into cover before anyone decided to fire back. If the enemy managed to destroy the launcher, turn around and make a complete retreat, especially if it was already empty, as repair will take at least 5 seconds and reloading after this will take from 15 to 20 seconds, making you unable to recover from that kind of damage fast enough.

Overall, in AB the {{PAGENAME}}'s efficiency depends on a lot of factors outside of the player's control - if everyone will focus on it, you will not be able to do much, especially from long range, as it takes just one or two good hits of virtually any weapon to destroy the {{PAGENAME}}, but you should be already used to play around enemy with aim assist at this point.

'''Notable enemies'''

* Proximity missile carriers: avoid gaining the attention of vehicles with TOW-2B or [[Rbs 56|BILL]] missiles since their missiles can explode above enemy tanks and the {{PAGENAME}}'s armour is too thin to survive overpressure damage. Locate and destroy them immediately, if you can, or run very far away, as simple cover of a hill or a wall won't protect against them. If forced to fight them head-on (preferably in AB only): ensure that your launcher is fully loaded, position yourself as far away from them as possible and put the hull low behind cover to avoid being obliterated by a gun, but high enough to be visible. Natural reaction to this for most such light tanks is to start spamming ATGMs at you, this is where the 3-shot magazine of the ZT3A2 comes into play. Since proximity missiles have the tendency to react to anything they fly next to, your answer should be firing a missile of your own. Once they are out of ammo, drop the third shot straight into their turret or run.

* Wheeled light tanks: the ZT3A2 is on average two times slower than light tanks on wheels at the same rank due to its negligible off-road speed, as it averages at a speed of a fast medium tank or slower light tanks even with the best player effort. It is too likely to meet a player, that can and will fire their guns while driving at a full 90+ km/h, but maybe you will be able to do an emergency stop and destroy them (or at least destroy each other). It is even more likely to meet 4 of such tanks already standing next to a capture point that you were intending to attack, so don't be overconfident and be careful with rushing attacks into capture points with lots of low cover (which the ZT3A2 can't use as it's too tall). Do not act as if you are the only person who can rush, as otherwise the ZT3A2 will get gunned down before even doing anything, since it can't fire on the move.

* [[XM-1 (GM)]]: this tank has NERA screen in the turret, and is as fast as a light tank. Try to hit it in the hull or at least angle the missile down before it lands on the turret, if you use the default missile. Tandem missiles should be able to penetrate it regardless. Avoid engaging it directly, as it has way too many machine guns.

* [[IT-1]]: This tank is more dangerous than it seems, as it can fire on the move and is difficult to hit. Try to not park next to trees or walls when fighting it to avoid being overpressured. Fortunately, due to the insane overpressure damage of the ZT3A2, it is possible to destroy IT-1 by hitting its missile or the fake panel on the turret's front that allows it to reload, as it's only 25 mm thick. Therefore, it's best to attack when IT-1 is about to reload - since their missile rack does not explode from damage, they are often very arrogant and are unlikely to try and dodge your shot, instead they will move in to fire. Another opportunity to hit them is to fight them over a hill and abuse strong vertical drives of your missiles to hit them as they retreat, but it's less feasible in RB/SB.

*[[T-55AMD-1]]: this tank is annoying, as if it is looking in your direction, this means that it can shoot down your ATGM with its active protection system. There are at least 2 guns with 2 shots each covering each 20 degrees in front of the turret. Fortunately, the protection arc is quite narrow, its reaction time is not great, it seems to not understand if there are multiple missiles flying after one another, and there are blind spots on the lower half. Generally, the system shoots down missiles high in the sky, but fails to hit missiles that go along the ground, and it will fail to stop any missiles suddenly appearing from behind an obstacle (for example, if the tank doesn't fully expose the turret over a hill). To straight up obliterate it frontally, launch at least two missiles and guide them to a single side of the tank to overload APS (do not shake them horizontally or APS on both sides of the turret might fire) and crush the tank.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Is able to use tandem missiles, which penetrate ERA at almost any angle of attack and also have a chance of penetrating the [[IPM1]]'s turret frontally if the user controls them well
* Missiles can cause overpressure damage through more armour than normal HEAT ATGM, meaning it's possible to destroy tanks by hitting their cupolas, even if they try to avoid fighting you
* Has a three-shot launcher, which is a step down from the [[Striker]], but it can guide all three missiles simultaneously
* Missiles are immune to jammers
* Can relocate fast on maps with a lot of paved roads after having researched mobility upgrades and often can get to the advantageous position at the beginning of the match before being sniped
* Missiles have reasonable vertical mobility, though this is often irrelevant in RB due to mediocre camera depression
* While clumsy, the {{PAGENAME}}'s chassis are able to climb at very sharp angles (60-70 degree inclination even when stock in AB) and it can get on top of certain objects the [[Striker]] or other ATGM tanks would not be able to climb
* Tall profile allows it to fire directly over certain cover which other tanks normally see as a full cover or an indestructible wall, for example, destroyed building debris, cargo containers or a church, potentially surprising some enemies

'''Cons:'''

* Missiles do not turn well in the horizontal plane and are especially unresponsive in RB, can easily overshoot during a turn if used incorrectly
* Vertical depression is not too great on the launcher, and missiles tend to crash into the carrier's own cover, which can limit launch options from high ground in RB or at point-blank range in any mode (not as much of an issue in AB)
* In SB, the hull must be exposed to make a direct shot and almost any responding shot to the top of the hull will destroy the weapon, ammo rack, or enough crew to count as crew knockout, even a single glancing hit from [[ZSU-57-2]] may be enough. In AB/RB it still has to be careful, as any direct hit to the missiles will make them explode the carrier
* Slow when driving offroad and in general drives more like a bus rather than a tank or a regular armoured car
* Must make a complete stop to fire, which makes it incapable of fighting any kind of light tanks or SPAA directly
* Missiles are rather slow, only 20-40 m/s faster than MILAN
* Reloads only after spending all three shots (but reloads all three at once), does not automatically reload during rearm like the [[Striker]]
* Has obsolete smoke grenades and only has one group of them
* Too tall to drive under bridges on most maps (on some maps, cannot attack a capture point with others)

== History ==


=== [[wt:en/news/7059-development-ratel-zt3-a2-the-sharpshooting-honey-badger-en|Devblog]] ===
In the early 1960s, the South African military already identified the need for anti-tank missile capabilities. Subsequently, this led to South Africa procuring the MILAN ATGM in the early to mid 1970s. However, early use experience with the MILAN highlighted the weapon's unsuitability for the African tropical conditions.

Being a wire-guided missile, the MILAN's control wire had a tendency to get caught up in the thick African bush and get severed, causing the missile to go off target and making engaging moving targets even more challenging. As a result, the decision was made to procure a laser-guided missile. However, as international arms embargoes were imposed on South Africa, simply acquiring an existing weapon off the export market wasn't possible. Therefore, South African engineers at the Kentron company went about designing their own laser-guided ATGM in the late 1970s.

The result of this undertaking was the creation of the ZT3 missile system. By the time the ZT3 system had been ready for production in 1986, plans were being drawn up for a modified Ratel 20 housing the newly developed ZT3 missile launcher in a modified Ratel 60 turret. The modified Ratel with the ZT3 missile system was developed in order to supplement the Ratel 90s in anti-tank operations as the latter often struggled to engage heavy armour in direct combat.

The Ratel ZT3-A1 entered production in 1987 and around 90vehicles of the type had been built by 1993. The ZT3-A2 was introduced in 2008 and continues its successful operation with SANDF units till the present day.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_ratel_zt3 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
File:Ratel ZT3-A2 WTWallpaper 07.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==


* [[Ratel (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7059-development-ratel-zt3-a2-the-sharpshooting-honey-badger-en|[Devblog] Ratel ZT3-A2 - The Sharpshooting Honey Badger]]

{{TankManufacturer Sandock-Austral}}
{{Britain tank destroyers}}

[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

Warrior

2023-10-19T16:58:08Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_fv510_isv
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (or just the '''{{specs|pseudonym}}''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]].

Warrior is basically a big box with a round turret, which has a little gun in middle, "ears" (ATGM cameras), and the ATGM launcher itself on the right side. Front of the hull is sloped to decrease small firearms damage. IFV hull is huge compared to even medium tanks of some factions (about double the size of [[T-62]]) and looks even bigger when carrying additional armour.

If the vehicle has add-on armour, it's easily identified for its riveted plates on sides of the vehicle. Usually, after being shot with a high velocity round, they break off. Plates do not protect the rear of the vehicle.

The Warrior is mostly played as an aggressive ATGM tank or ambush scout tank, though it can fulfil any role that doesn't involve it being constantly shot at.

It's best described as a combination of [[Crusader AA Mk I]] and [[M113A1 (TOW)|M113A1]], with benefits of both and downsides of neither. Armour is relatively poor, but can be upgraded via a modification to partially protect from hazards that normally annihilate light tanks. The weapon combo is potent enough to destroy even modern MBTs, and with add-on armour, the Warrior can bully even heavy tanks in close range, though the turret is still very vulnerable.

The Warrior can be played defensively (mostly around hills and mountains), or aggressively (on flat terrains and in towns), given that there is enough cover for the Warrior. In realistic battles, Warrior can also hide relatively well and use either of its weapons to punish unsuspecting people, or just scout them.

This vehicle is very easy to play while still in stock mode, as it has most essentials available at stock or unlocked early on, however, every upgrade only makes it even stronger.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Aluminum Alloy 7039 - Hull
* Rolled homogeneous armour - Turret

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38.4 mm (69-70°) ''Upper Glacis''
44.4 mm (41°) ''Lower Glacis''
| 28.5 mm ''Top'' 44.4 mm ''Bottom'' || 44.4 mm ''Hull Rear''
38.1 mm ''Door''
| 28.5 mm ''Roof''
10 mm ''Radiator Vents''
|-
| Turret || 25.4 mm ''Turret front'' 25.4 mm +25.4 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 - 12.7 mm (Front to rear) || 12.7 mm || 12.7 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension and Tracks - 10 mm
* Fenders and Storage Boxes - 4 mm

[[File:Weakspot warrior.jpg|thumb|304x304px|While this construction outside of {{PAGENAME}} can sometimes stop HESH coming from behind, it will also often doom the tank by allowing chemical shells coming from the side to damage unprotected parts of the hull, triggering overpressure damage.]]
'''Overview:'''

The {{PAGENAME}} has a huge profile, and its armour is mostly made of aluminium alloys, which compromises its protection against medium tanks. While at the first glance the hull may seem uniform, and technically thick enough to survive hits of kinetic shells up to 120 mm and chemical shells of up to 105 mm, it has a lot of weak points, which trigger overpressure damage. For that reason, if artillery hit its hull or turret directly, the {{PAGENAME}} will not survive. Direct hit of explosive shells to the middle of the tank on any side, ATGM optics (commander sight) or turret hit in general is likely to instantly destroy the tank.

When considering smaller weapons, the {{PAGENAME}} is well protected against heavy machine guns. The frontal ventilation is a glaring weak spot, but internal RHA screens will prevent any HMG fire from hitting the crew. However, its turret, side engine ventilation, hull's back and even sides themselves have weak spots, which can be penetrated by 12.7 mm and 14.5 mm heavy machine guns. At some angles, the gunner optics (left "ear") can also be penetrated by 14.5 mm to take out the gunner.

The hull frontal armour is sloped and can sustain light automatic cannon fire at best, allowing it to fight [[BMP-2]] or SPAA armed with 23 mm guns head-on in some scenarios, as long as they do not know where to fire. It is preferable to fight them from great distance or while employing high ground to increase their attack angle as close to 60 degrees as possible, rendering their main weapons useless. The engine and screens to the right of the driver add a sort of spaced armour effect by absorbing penetrating shells. This works well in addition to the add on armour, as it means that half the front is protected by the engine and the other half by composite armour.

'''Add-on Armour:'''

The add-on panels defend the sides of the hull, with a piece of composite on the frontal plate covering the driver. These panels are geared towards protection against Chemical munitions and add surprisingly little armour against kinetic rounds.

The side armour plates conceal weak spots on the {{PAGENAME}} hull and are effective against chemical rounds. In general, they prevent HMG bullets from getting into tank and stop overpressure damage from being hit by HESH and HEAT (including ATGM), efficiency against HE varies depending on the hit spot, but it generally helps against weak rockets. Angling can be an effective tactic with these panels installed, and it will also help the tank to survive some 30 mm kinetic rounds, as long as the screen is not destroyed (which usually doesn't take long). After being hit once by a big shell, these panels generally break off the tank and no longer protect it.

The composite in front of the driver is much stronger and is capable of stopping weak HEAT rounds with about 400 mm of penetration, and will also add enough kinetic protection to stop most direct 20 mm autocannon round hits. It will not save the tank from direct 120 mm HE hit, as the explosion will reach tank's turret and likely annihilate vehicle via pressure damage.

[[File:WarriorArmour ProtectionAnalysis HESH.jpg|x170px|thumb|right|Protection analysis view: frontal panel gives a 45% chance for the Warrior to not take any damage from frontal HESH shot by just being there. Side armour does the same thing for the entirety of the sides but is significantly weaker.]]

These images show a Warrior surviving an ATGM fired from an IT-1 due to the additional armour:

<gallery mode="packed" heights="100px">
WarriorArmour ProtectionAnalysis MagicPixel.jpg
WarriorArmour IT-1Missile (1 of 3).jpg
WarriorArmour IT-1Missile (2 of 3).jpg
WarriorArmour IT-1Missile (3 of 3).jpg
</gallery>

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=852|rbMinHp=486|AoAweight=1}}

Mobility is adequate on vehicle's BR, it can move forward and backwards equally fast, but don't expect it to be climbing mountains like with the powerful [[Vickers MBT]] in Arcade Battles. It will just slide down if the surface is too steep.

In Arcade Battles, it's generally driving at 46-54 km/h offroad in either direction without engine upgrades, regardless of additional armour. With mobility upgrades it may drive up to 60 km/h, but not very often. Speed of 81-83 km/h can be reached if the {{PAGENAME}} drove off the hill and keep driving forward, or on completely flat terrains, like roads in the American desert, though sometimes it just doesn't work again at the same spot.

Due to its sheer size, it almost never gives in to ramming attempts, though it cannot move enemy heavy tanks either and shouldn't fight them on a narrow street.

Accidentally hitting something on max speed, especially explosive decorations, launches the Warrior up to 5 m in the air, which is very entertaining, but almost never fazes the enemy.

* Adding armour does not decrease {{PAGENAME}}'s hp/ton significantly, and it only reduces maximum climb angle by 2 degrees, so it should be used when unlocked without worries of mobility penalty.
* Despite having enough horsepower, this vehicle can not climb mountains.

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|L21A1 (30 mm)}}

The 30 mm L21A1 RARDEN cannon is an effective autocannon, although its rate of fire is sub-par. The 30 mm APDS belt is capable of penetrating the front armour of most light vehicles, and the sides of almost any tank that the warrior will face. The sub-par rate of fire and low post-penetration effects mean that gunners will need to pick out individual crew members or modules in each well-placed shot. While not technically stabilized, warrior gunners can manage to fire with some accuracy on the move if they are skilled. The shell velocity in the RARDEN APDS belt and laser rangefinder allows the warrior to lay down effective fire on light enemy targets up to about 2 km (at any range in AB), although it will be difficult to hit moving targets past about 1.5 km.

There is virtually no reason to use the stock belts on the warrior. The stock belt uses half HE and half AP rounds, but only the HE rounds have tracers. The lack of tracers causes awkward gunnery, and the penetration on the AP shell is not satisfactory. Meanwhile, the APDS belt has tracers with every round and is very effective against enemy vehicles.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[L21A1 (30 mm)|30 mm L21A1]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 222 (6) || rowspan="2" | 80 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+45° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 57.1 || 79.1 || 96.0 || 106.2 || 112.9 || rowspan="2" | 1.30 || rowspan="2" | 1.15 || rowspan="2" | 1.06 || rowspan="2" | 1.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|SAP-I|Semi-armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}} - This belt can be used against other light tanks and certain lightly armoured medium tanks. However, it also includes anti-air round (HEI-T), which does increase damage to air targets but is useless against tanks at rank 5. The low rate of fire of Warrior doesn't compliment this dual belt.
* '''30x170 APDS-T:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}} - This belt can be used against sides of most medium tanks of rank 5 and 6, and even some heavy tanks can be damaged by it. Performance of this belt deteriorates much slower than of AP-I belt, but it does less damage the more armour it had to penetrate, resulting in an inability to set off enemy ammo racks in 1 hit if it was behind any good armour. If used against planes, it can damage or rip off wings, or snipe out the pilot.

{{:L21A1 (30 mm)/Ammunition|SAP-I, HEI-T*, HEI*, APDS}}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''37''' || 30 ''(+7)'' || 1 ''(+36)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|MILAN|MILAN 2}}

The Warrior carries MILAN missiles as a secondary weapon, although these function more as the primary armament due to the tank based gameplay in Warthunder.
[[File:Warrior sneak attack on tank.JPG|220px|thumb|right|Warrior managed to launch MILAN 2 straight at the enemy tank, instantly destroying it.]]
The MILAN 1 has 500 mm of RHA penetration. It is 103 mm in diameter.

The MILAN launcher can be upgraded to the MILAN 2, which has 730 mm of RHA penetration. The MILAN 2 is 115 mm in diameter. The flight performance is essentially the same, but it's starting speed is higher.

The missile is launched via commander's optics (the ones on top of the turret), if commander optics get destroyed, the Warrior cannot launch ATGM anymore. They can only be repaired via "manual repair".

The missile can be guided either by the gunner scope (located inside cannon itself in AB/RB) or commander scope (by activating "commander fire control" via a hotkey) unlike with the Striker. Use of the commander scope is preferable, as it exposes much less of the tank and confuses some people which expect you to drive out completely, but this is only possible if the commander is still alive.

If chosen scope cannot see the missile directly, the tank will lose control over it, so any indirect attacks should be aimed quickly after sending the missile as high as possible. Choosing the commander scope also allows to attack with missiles a bit like Swingfire - if binoculars are able to see the target on low ground, then it most likely can be hit by a curved missile, even if the scope cannot be directly aimed at it.

The MILAN can be used at close ranges, but cannot be fired point-blank (10 m or so), and if not careful it can overshoot (look at launcher itself in Third-person view to avoid this). The missile only has 2 km of range so it is not particularly useful against enemies at very long range, or more often against helicopters who are hovering far away from the battlefield.

For targets far away, it is recommended to use the laser rangefinder before launching the missile, in order not to waste a missile on a target beyond the 2 km range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="7" | 103 mm [[MILAN]] ATGM
|-
! Capacity
! Vertical guidance
! Flight speed on launch (m/s)
! Max Flight speed (m/s)
! Range (m)
|-
| 8 || ±5° || ~160 || 200 || 2,000
|-
! colspan="7" | 115 mm [[MILAN 2]] ATGM
|-
! Capacity
! Vertical guidance
! Flight speed on launch (m/s)
! Max Flight speed (m/s)
! Range (m)
|-
| 8 || ±5° || ~200 || 200 || 2,000
|-
|}

* Despite being launched at their max speed, they are still very manoeuvrable, so they still can be curved behind some hills at targets ~500 m away, and generally targets up to 800 m can't dodge it.

==== Ammunition ====
{{:MILAN/Ammunition|MILAN}}
{{:MILAN 2/Ammunition|MILAN 2}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''8''' || 5 ''(+3)'' || 1 ''(+7)'' || 0 ''(+8)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{main|L94A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The machine gun is kind of useless for Warrior, but it can still destroy weak fences, which normally slows any tank down if they hit them, and it makes much less noise than the main gun. During direct fight against other ATGM tanks with no cover present it can be used to try and shoot down enemy missiles.

For enemy marking purposes in RB, Scouting should be used instead, as it doesn't reveal the vehicle.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L94A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L94A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (2,000) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Generally, Warrior needs to quickly get into the medium range of the expected enemy, then figure out its strategy for the current battle. While moving towards an objective, Warrior should keep a low profile and scout every enemy it can notice.

After looking around, Warrior either takes some hills or well-protected hull-down position near to capture point to utilize ATGMs, laser rangefinder and scouting ability for medium-range attacks and team support, or takes an aggressive approach and goes for stealthy flanks and close-range combat. It's not rare to see Warrior try and destroy heavy tanks, which just don't expect the light tank to go at them.

If forced, Warrior can always use a smokescreen to disrupt enemy plans of taking it down, either baiting them to waste time looking for it, or using smokescreen, MILAN-2, scouting and add-on armour together to attack the enemy from the fog with little fear of being punished for it. For some reason enemy does not often reply to ATGM shots but instantly fires back at cannon fire, so use cannon sparingly during this.

[[File:Warrior shadow strike.jpg|thumb|Example of using smokes and armour offensively in arcade battle. Not only enemy is blinded and can't hold the line, allowing the team to rush in, but even if they fire towards the Warrior's general direction, they will likely load HESH or HEAT and fire at the hull, hitting the add-on armour and doing no or less than fatal damage. MILAN-2, on the other hand, is almost unblockable and can obliterate many tanks in one hit, and the player can clearly see the position of enemy tanks due to scouting. A skilled Warrior can take out up to two tanks per one smoke deploy like that. Works on any range from 30 m to 800 m.]]
In any mode, but especially in AB, mark the enemy with the "scout" ability, so they can be found whenever smoke is deployed. This must be done for two main reasons:

# Since the MILAN ATGM can instantly destroy or cripple anything, even seeing just the name of enemy and type of tank through smoke is good enough for the Warrior to have a chance for a hit. In realistic battles, it's less reliable, but the Warrior can still see where the enemy is. For light tanks, the 30 mm autocannon can work just fine (just don't do that against BMP; unless it already spotted and scouted the Warrior, it's not worth it).
# In Arcade Battles, If the "intelligence" reward is obtained for marking enemy that was or is invisible to teammates and then got destroyed, the player will get artillery support point and airstrike point. If the squadmates destroys the marked target, the player will get airstrike point regardless as a squad assist.

Due to this, even in 9.0 arcade battle, the Warrior can call in ATGM helicopters on very first minute of a fight, simply by marking 2 enemy vehicles and destroying someone with an almost undodgeable and unblockable missile, while the enemy cannot even request gunships to protect themselves from it. ATGM helicopter than can destroy 6 to 10 enemy tanks, significantly weakening the enemy team. As the game goes on, Warrior can join multiple air battles in a row as second attack helicopter or bomber, because it's a scout vehicle.

Since MILAN has relatively good controls and there is 8 missiles total, the Warrior can try and fire it above hills and guide it down on people, much like Swingfire and Striker. It's harder to aim at the enemy without a straight visual firing line, but if it hits anywhere important, they could be knocked out anyway. Since the Warrior is considered a scout vehicle, mark them and ping them on the map, even if a shot lands a hit.

In Arcade Battles (AB), it's best to fire the missile at tank's gunner, so in case if it didn't destroy the tank on its own, the Warrior can just circle around the enemy and use the main gun to destroy the engine, then proceed to incapacitate the crew. In Realistic battles (RB) even taking out cannon barrel or breech might be enough, as repairs in that mode take much more time, and field repair doesn't even guarantee, that gun won't just jam itself again or fire in a completely different direction.

As with all light tanks playstyle, be very wary of people that have any kind of explosive ammo, as the Warrior has relatively low amount of armour on it and can be easily destroyed by overpressure damage. With Add-on armour, the Warrior can fight and take some hits, but the vehicle's turret, front and back are still a giant weak spot.

Usually, MBTs will carry AP ammo as their first shot, which may just over-penetrate and maybe do almost nothing. So if there is an absolute must directly attack someone, attack them, SPGs or other non-Soviet light tanks.

There is also a trick related to the Warrior - if baiting an enemy that is looking towards the Warrior, pull the Warrior's rear end out of cover first. Since the rear has very little critical components outside of the MILAN missile stowage, usually being shot there doesn't do anything too drastic for the overall tank health. After being fired at, drive out of cover and fire back at them. You also can pull out the front-right side of the hull instead, if you can afford sacrificing the driver and just want to bait the enemy shot for teammates. This trick probably won't work twice, indicating you should make the most out of the opportunity you have at hand. Nobody likes to be shot with ATGMs and the second shot coming will most certainly be HE of some kind. This tactic may backfire if your IFV gets shot with APHE, or APFSDS will enter the vehicle at a bad angle, but those types of ammunition have the potential of instantly destroying the Warrior regardless of the entry point.

Finally, the Warrior can also repair any allies, so if in cover and not busy - do help them.

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

Any Soviet light tanks: Destroy it with ATGM, use scout ability to see when they are trying to leave their cover, use laser rangefinder to never miss, generally never play around with them. BMP-1 might accidentally hit tank's weak spot and destroy it's entire crew, BMP-2 will just turn on full auto mode on main gun and unload half of its magazine into its target, even if it misses its ATGM, just to get rid of a threat and even add-on armour won't save the Warrior at that point. Oddly enough, the infamous Object 906 is probably the least dangerous of them, but it will still destroy the Warrior with proper shot placements. If the Warrior is spaded in modifications, just call artillery strike on them.

IS-7: Do not ever engage this thing frontally without MILAN 2 and add-on armour. It is also extremely risky to attack it on a narrow street. Fire at the right (their left) side, to disable its turret. The main goal in engaging this tank is to disable its engine with the 30 mm gun and then blow it up by destroying its ammo in back of a turret or just blowing it up by firing ATGM in the middle of it or into ammo rack, if there is a spare ATGM (the IS-7, as a threat to any BR below 8.0, should be prioritized with every missile in the Warrior's capacity). Even the many machine guns on the IS-7 can shred the Warrior apart.

Any tank with heavy machine guns: If possessing the add-on armour modification, simply avoid turning the rear towards them, otherwise the weak rear armour would be easily penetrated. Weaker machine guns of around 7.62 mm calibre can't penetrate the Warrior armour at all, and even 14,5 mm will have extreme problems penetrating the front of the hull and protected sides, so just destroy them by returning cannon fire and avoiding being hit in the turret. They'll never see it coming.

====Counter-tactics====

Just fire at its turret, preferably with explosives or autocannons with a high rate of fire.

If it acts spooky by being ominous and peeking over hills, you are already in danger. Disable its ATGM camera (on "ears") with concentrated fire if a direct hit to the crew and modules is not possible. If hit by explosives, it might cause overpressure damage and destroy the tank outright. Keep in mind that your attacks must damage the entire IFV really hard for ATGM repairs to take long (otherwise it may take less than a few seconds, which is not good).

If the missile is already homing towards a vehicle with no way to avoid it, in RB/SB try to get outside of direct missile control range by not letting the light tank to aim at you directly (which will make missile spiral crazily and possibly missing by a centimetre) or face it with the gun barrel and fire all machine guns in hopes that it would get shot mid-air or get absorbed by the gun and not damage or destroy any critical modules.

Never fire pure AP rounds to the back of this tank, since unless it hits one of the missile ammo racks there, it will just do nothing to it.

If the Warrior has the add-on armour package, do not underestimate it and use anything possible when engaging it, not just HMG. Warrior repairs and reloads fast enough to disable its adversaries, if it must, "just set it on fire" mindset is not going to stop it. Machine guns are nearly useless against hull from front, despite it having incomplete add-on armour protection, use them to disable ATGM controls or missiles themselves.

In case Warrior destroyed your primary weapon, but doesn't have a composite screen and you still have 12.7 mm machine gun, you can fire at its side ventilation to destroy it. It is on the right side of the IFV (left for you, if facing it). The add-on armour greatly complicates this, as it will block any direct shots at it, leaving you with only its rear as an option.

The Warrior can be destroyed by a fighter jet. However, do not just strafe it directly, as it actually can fire back and may have enough armour to block stray shots. It's best to attack it from the top.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Equipped with 8 extremely powerful MILAN ATGMs
* Can stop pushes if manages to get to good cover (scouting, laser rangefinder, artillery, ATGMs, good mobility and smoke)
* Can survive poorly aimed shots and even brawl with MBTs if armour mod is installed
* Has gunner thermal (2nd generation) vision and commander/driver night vision
* Exceptionally mobile both forward and backwards. True fresh airs for British tankers!
* Favourable levels of gun depression vertically and horizontally
* Turret rotation speed ideal for brawling, especially when dealing with several targets in rapid succession.

'''Cons:'''

* Can be destroyed easily, especially if situation awareness is not maintained; a big visible target when unable to use commander scope
* Any properly landed turret shot will destroy the vehicle, little chance to survive if it was a HE shell
* Add-on armour heavily depends on enemy being inaccurate and each side panel will only save the tank once
* Engine exhaust placement (front right corner of tank) obscure gunners thermal vision when looking between approximately 45° and 80° to the right.
* No stabilization for the turret greatly affects firing capacities. Disheartening performance on duels
* Very weak stock belt

== History ==

The FV510 infantry fighting vehicle was developed as part of a program to create a modern IFV for the British army at the end of the '70s. The vehicle went into series production in 1986. The vehicle was equipped with 30 mm gun, fed by magazines of three shells each. This gun was designed to destroy lightly armoured vehicles with maximum accuracy. For the Desert Storm operation, the Warriors were equipped with Chobham passive armour – add-on armour plates that significantly improved the IFV's defence in battle, allowing it to survive a hit from an RPG-7 grenade and shrapnel from high-calibre HE rounds. A little later, in 1990, the military decided to equip the Warrior with anti-tank weaponry – a 30 mm gun for these targets was clearly not enough. The roof of the turret was equipped with a launcher for the MILAN ATGM. The commander used a hatch to fire the ATGM, and it was reloaded through the upper hatch of the armoured vehicle's infantry compartment. The FV510 Warrior is still in service with the British army and is the main IFV of the United Kingdom.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5753-development-fv510-warrior-built-for-the-future-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_fv510_isv Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|y_BcBzYVOeU|'''The Shooting Range #116''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:35 discusses the Warrior.|2h5kFyznXKU|'''Best IFVs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:15 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|18Nl66ImFU4|'''British IFV - WARRIOR Suffocating Meta (War Thunder Tanks Gameplay)''' - ''PhlyDaily''|JkgAzKSNIME|'''{{PAGENAME}} Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== See also ==


Similar tanks:

* [[M113 (Family)|M113]] - Most of the ATGM tanks based on this chassis look and work similarly to the Warrior, but they do not double as a light tank
* [[PUMA]] - Extremely similar tank with maximum emphasis put on defences

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5753-development-fv510-warrior-built-for-the-future-en|[Devblog] FV510 Warrior: Built for the future!]]

{{Britain light tanks}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

AMX-50 Surblinde

2023-09-05T14:07:13Z

U82924470: /* Description */ Page neglects to mention the far thicker hull armour in the description.

{{About
|about= French heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage= other versions
|link= AMX-50 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_50_surblinde
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=AMX 50 Surblindé (France)
|display_name=AMX-50 Surblindé
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} French heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]] as a reward for the World War [[Season 1: Recon under fire]].

As a member of the French AMX-50 family of tanks, it is very similar to the [[AMX-50 Surbaisse|AMX-50 Surbaissé]]. Compared to the Surbaissé, it is lower, has a much better protected turret and hull, and a 20 mm MG 151 cannon on top, which is very efficient against aircraft and lightly armoured vehicles. It is also heavier and doesn't have smoke grenade launchers compared to the Surbaissé.

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


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, suspended part of the turret, turret roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret base and front, gun mantlet, driver's hatch, cupola, exhaust pipe cover)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 110 mm (48°) ''Front glacis'' 50 mm (71°) ''Driver's hatch'' 100 mm (59°) ''Lower glacis'' 100 mm (40°) ''Front cheeks'' || 75 mm (12°) ''Top'' 60 mm ''Bottom'' || 60 mm (1°) ''Upper plate'' 60 mm (31°) ''Lower glacis'' || 30 mm 5 mm ''Radiator vents''
|-
| Turret || 85 mm (47-52°) ''Turret front'' 100 mm (cylindrical) ''Turret base'' 300 mm ''Barrel base'' || 100 mm (cylindrical) ''Turret base'' 85 mm (cylindrical) ''Barrel base'' 60 mm ''Turret pivot link'' 40 mm (cylindrical) ''Turret pivot underside'' 40 mm ''Suspended part'' 30 mm (72°) ''Suspended part underside'' || 20 mm (1-34°) ''Suspended part'' 40 mm (cylindrical) ''Turret pivot underside'' 30 mm (78°) ''Suspended part underside'' || 20 mm
|-
| Commander cupola || 110 mm (cylindrical) ''Base'' 40 mm (spherical) ''Dome'' || colspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 40 mm (7-12°) || 40 mm (11-20°) 40 mm (spherical) ''Dome''
|-
| MG cupola || 40 mm (58-61°) || colspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 40 mm (spherical) || 40 mm (2-32°)
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick. Suspension wheels are interleaved and thus overlap in some areas.
* Hull undersides above tracks are 20 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,291|rbMinHp=884}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has a very good speed (around 40 km/h on flat land when fully upgraded) for a super heavy tank, which allows a fast deployment on the battlefield aside medium and modern tanks. The manoeuvrability is also good and allows the player to drive easily in an urban environment.

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

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

{{main|SA46 (120 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA46 (120 mm)|120 mm SA46]] || 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" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+10° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 19.4 || 26.9 || 32.6 || 36.1 || 38.4 || rowspan="2" | 6.00 || rowspan="2" | 6.00 || rowspan="2" | 6.00 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:SA46 (120 mm)/Ammunition|120 mm Obus de rupture, 120 mm Obus explosif}}

==== [[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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''50''' || 47 ''(+3)'' || 43 ''(+7)'' || 39 ''(+11)'' || 34 ''(+16)'' || 29 ''(+21)'' || 23 ''(+27)'' || 19 ''(+31)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || Yes
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* The visual discrepancy concerns the crossed out shell: it is modeled but can't be fired.
* Rack 8 (autoloader magazine) is a first stage ammo rack. It totals 18 shells.
** This rack gets filled first when loading up the tank and is 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. The restocking time is longer than the normal reload time of the gun. Take this into account when playing.
** Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 to 7 into rack 8. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.
** The depletion order at full capacity is: 8 - 1 - 2 up to 7.

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

{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG 151 (20 mm)|20 mm MG 151]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 500 (250) || 700 || -5°/+80° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| 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 || 3,000 (150) || 551 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful 120 mm gun, a shot can penetrate a target protected by 300 mm of armour
* Loading time is short and steady, thanks to the autoloader
* Very mobile for a super-heavy tank, being able to reach to 51 km/h on flat terrain
* 20 mm cannon to ward off low-flying aircraft

'''Cons:'''

* One shot in the turret can make the tank explode: up to 18 shells are stored at the back of the turret
* No smoke grenades
* Shells lack explosive filler, one-hit knock-outs from the side are rare

== History ==


=== Start of the project ===
In July 1945, in the aftermath of liberation, the general staff of the French armed forces expressed the need for a heavy tank of national design. In view of the rise of tensions with the USSR and with the balance sheets drawn from the last world conflict, the French Army presented a precise specification of what was to be the future main tank of the army. The tank was to be comparable on several points to already existing machines. Indeed, it was requested armament of a minimum power equivalent to the gun of 88 mm German Tiger II. It was also asked for a shield equivalent to that of the Panther and mobility close to that of the T-34.

=== The AMX-50 Surblindé ===
In 1955, an AMX 50 Surblindé (over-armoured) is produced, able to measure itself against the most powerful machines then in service. A variant of the [[AMX-50 Surbaissé]] with a reinforced armour, the front armour shape is inspired by Soviet tanks IS-3 or T10. The weight of this prototype reached about 60 tons.

=== Abandonment of the project ===
The tests carried out indicated a tank superior to its American and Soviet counterparts that were M26 Pershing and IS-3 respectively. But the Americans did not want to finance a project that would not be adopted. It was, therefore, necessary that the two countries, France and West Germany, adopt the tank so that its development continues. If France seemed ready to accept the project, it was not the case of West Germany which was inspired by the doctrines of the former general Heinz Guderian, a supporter of lighter and faster tanks. In addition, the development of new technologies and capabilities in the field of missiles and hollow-shell shells would render the massive tank armour obsolete and unsuitable for future large-scale conflict.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_50_surblinde Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[AMX-50 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6186-development-amx-50-surblind%C3%A9-french-powerlifter-en|[Devblog] AMX-50 Surblindé: French Powerlifter]]

{{TankManufacturer AMX}}
{{France heavy tanks}}

Ki-108 Kai

2023-08-30T16:24:36Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */ Added note relevant for simulator mode

{{Specs-Card
|code=ki_108
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_ki_108.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Japanese twin-engine fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]].

== 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 8,000 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
| 597 || 580 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 22.1 || 22.9 || 8.4 || 8.4 || rowspan="2" | 600
|-
! Upgraded
| 649 || 622 || 20.4 || 21.0 || 16.9 || 12.1
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 762  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 437 || 408 || 260 || ~10 || ~7
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 360 || < 400 || < 400 || > 312
|-
|}

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


* 12 mm Steel - Pilot's headrest
* 12 mm Steel - Pilot's backrest

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

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

{{main|Ho-204 (37 mm)|Ho-5 (20 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 37 mm Ho-204 cannon, nose-mounted (35 rpg)
* 2 x 20 mm Ho-5 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 400 total)

== Usage in battles ==


The Ki-108's assets are its excellent guns (especially the 37 mm Ho-204 with its quick rate of fire; the 20 mm are unimpressive but will give you a chance to finish a wounded enemy), its climbing speed, and its fairly good manoeuvrability for a plane with so much firepower. Its main weakness is its engine vulnerability. Use the climb rate and speed to engage bombers from the front or front-side, down or cripple, disengage to reload, climb back and repeat. Do not engage bombers from behind as even a [[B-18A]] or [[B-34]] has a good chance of crippling you with its tail gunners. Fighters climbing towards you are reasonably easy prey, but try to avoid confrontations where you do not have an altitude advantage, as your dogfighting ability is low and your escape speed is unimpressive if you don't start with a strong advantage.

In Air AB, it's best to side climb, as even when fully upgraded, the Ki-108 will not outclimb aircraft such as the [[Bf 109 F-4]]. The Ki-108 performs best when there are teammates above you to provide you with cover - if you find yourself alone at high altitude against single-engine enemy fighters, you'll have to be very wary of them and take them out when they least expect it - a Ki-108 probably won't beat something like a Bf 109 F-4 in a 1 v 1 engagement unless it comes in with an element of surprise or a significant altitude or speed advantage.

Overall, a fantastic interceptor at its battle rating, good enough to regularly score Survivor awards.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful armaments
* Decent climb rate

'''Cons:'''

* Serious overheating issues even without WEP
* The 37 mm are inaccurate even once upgraded
* Low ammo counts; require trigger discipline
* Poor roll rates at low and high speeds
* Highly flammable
* Absolutely awful cockpit visibility

== History ==

Development of the Ki-108 began in April 1943 after Kawasaki wanted to fulfil a standing requirement with the Japanese Army for a heavy interceptor that initially began with the Ki-45 heavy fighter series. The Ki-108's design was derived mostly from the previous Ki-102 project and took some elements of the Ki-96 as well, effectively combining the two designs into one. After the first B-29 Superfortress bombers made their appearance over the Japanese home islands, the need for such a high-altitude interceptor became even more emphasized. Two Ki-102 otsu airframes were taken from the assembly line in 1944 to produce the initial Ki-108 prototypes. Compared to the Ki-102, which was intended as a low-altitude attack aircraft, the Ki-108 was an interceptor meant for high altitude operations. To allow for this, the Ki-108's cockpit had to be significantly reduced in size and was to be hermetically sealed. This effectively turned the Ki-108 into a single-seater, reduced weight and decreased the strain on the engines all at the same time, which allowed for better performance at higher altitudes.

The two initial prototypes were completed in July and August 1944, respectively. An improved version of the Ki-108 was designed based around the Ki-102 Hei, featuring a wider wingspan and a longer fuselage, in an effort to improve high-altitude handling. Two examples of the Ki-108 Kai variant were built and subsequently tested in 1945. However, the worsening war situation for Japan prematurely concluded testing of the type and both versions never left prototype stage, yet alone seeing combat. A total of four Ki-108s were manufactured between 1944 - 1945.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5365-development-kawasaki-ki-108-the-final-dragon-slayer-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ki_108 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[Ki-96]]
* [[Ki-102 otsu]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5365-development-kawasaki-ki-108-the-final-dragon-slayer-en|[Devblog] Kawasaki Ki-108: The Final Dragon Slayer]]
* [https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=1478 Military Factory - Kawasaki Ki-108]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/402765-ki-108/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Kawasaki}}
{{Japan twin-engine fighters and strike aircraft}}

Su-7B

2023-08-24T22:38:03Z

U82924470: /* Usage in battles */ Corrected wrong word

{{About
| about = Soviet strike aircraft '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Su-7 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=su-7b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet strike aircraft {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].

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

The Su-7B is characterised by a low BR for a supersonic jet and amazing acceleration. With a 1-1 thrust-weight ratio when at optimal fuel load and spaded, it can reliably punch above its weight. The Sukhoi accelerates extremely well, outspeeding every supersonic at its BR except for MiG-21s. The manoeuvrability isn't bad, either - It can easily turn with supersonic aircraft such as MiG-21s, Harriers or A-7s. However, you must keep in mind that the plane has a tendency to break its wings if in a sustained 9+G turn at high speeds, and that you are not invulnerable while turning. You are giant, almost twice as big as a MiG-21, so be sure to not overstay your welcome in a dogfight and zoom away as soon as possible.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 11,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 2,161 || 2,145 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 27.4 || 28.2 || 166.4 || 157.6 || rowspan="2" | 1,250
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,323 || 2,232 || 26.6 || 27.0 || 227.0 || 195.0
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| 1,260  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || 473 || ~11 || ~3
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 700 || < 650 || < 600 || 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" | Saturn AL-7F-1-100 || 1
| colspan="2" | 7,926 kg || colspan="2" | 315 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 || 27m fuel
|-
| 2,200 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 8,756 kg || 10,000 kg || 10,726 kg || 13,043 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 27m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,848 kgf || 8,257 kgf
| 0.94 || 0.83 || 0.77 || 0.63
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 6,664 kgf (1,000 km/h) || 9,974 kgf (1,000 km/h)
| 1.14 || 1.00 || 0.93 || 0.76
|-
|}

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


* 20 mm Aluminium Alloy - pilot's headrest
* 36 mm Aluminium Alloy - pilot's backrest
* 8 mm steel - cockpit front bulkhead
* 102 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Ballistic Computer]]
|-
! CCIP (Guns) !! CCIP (Rockets) !! CCIP (Bombs) !! CCRP (Bombs)
|-
| {{Tick}} || {{Tick}} || {{Cross}} || {{Cross}}
|-
|}
=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}

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

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

* 2 x 30 mm NR-30 cannons, wing-mounted (80 rpg = 160 total)

The Su-7B comes equipped with 2 x 30 mm NR-30 cannons; these will be familiar to pilots which flew the succeeding [[Su-7BKL]], or the [[MiG-19PT]] and [[MiG-21F-13]] in the parallel line. The [[Su-7 (Family)|Su-7]] has greater ammunition capacity than earlier MiGs with the gun, 160 rounds giving a trigger time of approximately 4.8 seconds. With velocity ranging from 780-785 m/s depending on the shell, this is much faster than the earlier [[NR-23 (23 mm)|NR-23]] or [[N-37D (37 mm)|N-37D]] found on earlier Soviet jets. This greatly simplifies aiming, and with the 67.14 g of TNTe filler found in the {{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}} and {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}} shells, hits from this cannon will usually cripple or destroy enemy aircraft on the first hit. As the Su-7BKL is a strike fighter the guns may also be used against armoured targets; the mix of {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}} with 48 mm penetration and {{Annotation|APHE|Armour-piercing high-explosive}} with 37 mm penetration, but 22.48 g TNTe of explosive filler will do significant damage to enemy armour. It is recommended to attack from above, as most enemy tanks have weak roof armour and can be more effectively penetrated from above.

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="11%" | 1 !! width="11%" | 2 !! width="11%" | 3 !! width="11%" | 4
| rowspan="7" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[OFAB-250sv (250 kg)|250 kg OFAB-250sv]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[FAB-500M-54 (500 kg)|500 kg FAB-500M-54]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[ZB-360 incendiary]] bombs
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
! [[S-3K]] rockets
| 7 || 7 || 7 || 7
|-
! [[S-5K]] rockets
| 16 || 16 || 16 || 16
|-
! [[S-24]] rockets
| 1 || 1 || 1 || 1
|-
|}

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

* Without load
* 28 x S-3K rockets
* 64 x S-5K rockets
* 4 x S-24 rockets
* 4 x 250 kg OFAB-250sv bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 4 x 500 kg FAB-500M-54 bombs (2,000 kg total)
* 4 x ZB-360 incendiary bombs
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==


The Su-7B has a very good acceleration and can outspeed most jets, it can easily doge incoming missiles by turning as it can turn and still maintain most of its speed (mind the G forces as it can easily break your plane apart and make the pilot lose consciousness). The Su-7B sports 30 mm NR-30 cannons and can also be equipped with both bombs and rockets for various types of playstyle. The Su-7B also comes with a rangefinding radar and the S-24 can be put on a distance fuse to be used in air combat.

'''Air combat'''

At the start of a match, take 27 minutes of fuel and equip Air targets belt. Start ascending on a 20-30° angle to an altitude of 7-9 km, your goal is to get behind the enemies in order to easily take care of them without their knowledge of your presence. Keep flying at this altitude and overfly enemy fighters. If there is an enemy at this altitude, feel free to engage into a head-on or dodge them. Keep flying above the enemies until there are none underneath you, turn around and start descending while keeping an eye on your speed. Go for the nearest enemy or slowest (A-10s for example). Get behind them and approach as fast as possible as speed is your greatest advantage. Start firing when you're close enough. If the enemy is eliminated, go for the next one, but if you missed do not engage into a dogfight: maintain your speed and go after the next target. If there are any AI planes, you can safely go after them and make use of your gyro linked gunsight to auto adjust your guns' distance. Align your plane behind the AI plane, put your gunsight's dot on the plane, and shoot a short burst of rounds (it is more precise in the first person view). After having expended your ammunition, you can return back to the base to continue fighting or swap tactics.

'''Attacking ground targets'''

At the start of a match, equip the 28 x S-3K rockets or the 64 x S-5K rockets (which will be helpful to take care of light and medium tanks). Start ascending on a 5° angle until above 1 km altitude, you will need the speed to quickly evade enemies and enemy missiles. It's best to flank and fly to the far sides of the map, so you can easily fly in a straight line and take care of ground targets one after the other. When firing at a ground target: any tank except for medium and heavy tanks requires a single hit by both rockets, while medium and heavy tanks would require 2 or more rockets. Always keep a eye on your surroundings as you're flying fast at a low altitude, which can catch the attention of enemy jets who will then try to engage you. Maintaining a high speed is important, in case a missile is fired at you. After depleting all of your rockets, you can head back to base to resupply rockets or start going after enemy players or AI planes.

'''Bombing bases'''

At the start of a match, equip the 4 x ZB-360 bombs (as that is enough to take care of a base). And start ascending on a 10° angle to 1-2 km, you might be behind everyone a little bit but the higher top speed and acceleration you will get on this altitude will make up for it. Start heading for any enemy base and keep this altitude. Avoid any head-on and beware of enemies below and above you with missiles that might eliminate you. When you're near the base, start diving, enable your airbrakes, and get into position to drop your payload. Once bombs have been dropped, you can head back to base for another bombing run or start going after enemy players, AI planes or ground targets. The choice is yours.

'''CAS ground'''

When flying the Su-7B, equip the 4 x S-24 rockets (as a single hit from these is enough to take care of any ground target). Start heading to the battle area and keep a high altitude to avoid SPAAs and enemy planes. Once close enough, start diving and search for targets to fire at. If there is a SPAA that starts shooting at you, prioritize it above everything else. If there are no SPAAs, fire a single rocket at a target and go after the next one (even if it misses the target, the rocket will overpressurize them). Once too low, start pulling up and gain altitude again, then repeat this process until you're out of rockets. You can then go to base to resupply or go after enemy planes, soft ground targets or helicopters.

'''Enemies worth noting'''

[[A-10A]] / [[A-10A Late]]: these American strike aircraft might seem slow but they have access to the mid-range and fast [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] air-to-air missiles which are very accurate. It's almost impossible to dodge them even when flying above Mach 1.1. It's best to keep a distance from the A-10s, as the missiles have an all-aspect tracking and dodging them in a head-on is close to impossible. The best way to defeat the A-10 is from behind, as even from the sides the A-10 can quickly turn around and fire a missile. When coming at it from behind, approach as fast as possible as the A-10 is slow. Speed is your advantage to quickly win the fight if it doesn't respond fast enough. If you miss the attack, quickly turn back around and hope that the A-10 won't fire its missile at you. After a missed interception it's best to leave the A-10 and go after other targets as now the A-10 is aware of your presence, and going for a second interception would be taking an unnecessary risk.

=== Radars ===

The Su-7B is equipped with a SRD-5 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | SRD-5 - Rangefinding radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Tracking Range|The maximum range at which a target can be tracked}}
! {{Annotation|Minimum Tracking Range|The range below which targets cannot be tracked by the radar}}
! {{Annotation|Azimuth Tracking Angle|How far to each side the radar can track a target}}
! {{Annotation|Elevation Tracking Angle|How far up and down the radar can track a target}}
|-
| 3,000 m || 300 m || ±9° || ±9°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* One of the fastest planes at its battle rating
* Very fast acceleration
* 2 x 30 mm cannons are very powerful against ground and air targets alike
* Decent energy retention
* Time-fused S-24 rockets can be useful in head-ons
* The gyro-linked gunsight changes distance automatically up to 1,000 m thanks to rangefinding radar

'''Cons:'''

* Large silhouette, easy to hit
* NR-30 cannons depletes ammunition quickly
* S-24 as anti-air are situational, unlike conventional IR missiles
* No countermeasures
* High risk of wing overload due to high-G manoeuvres, especially with negative-G
* No air-to-air missiles

== History ==


On May 14th 1953, shortly after Stalin's death and the reopening of the Sukhoi OKB, they began work on a swept-wing front-line fighter. Their first prototype was named S-1 and was fitted with the all-new Lyulka AL-7 turbojet. It was the first Soviet aircraft to utilize the all-moving tailplane and a translating centerbody, plus a dramatic wing sweep of 60°, irreversible hydraulically boosted controls, and an ejection seat of Sukhoi's own design. After the success of the S-1, production began with the S-2. later renamed the '''Su-7'''.

Later, on 31 July 1958, the Soviet Tactical Aviation tasked Sukhoi with developing a ground-attack variant of the Su-7, which could replace the scrapped Ilyushin [[IL-10 (Family)|IL-10]]. The resulting prototype, S-22, incorporated structural refinements for high-speed, low-altitude operations. It first flew in March 1959 and entered service in 1961 as the '''Su-7B'''.

=== [[wt:en/news/6738-development-su-7b-new-doctrine-en|Devblog]] ===
With the development of jet aviation, piston-engined attack aircraft quickly became an anachronism; a need arose for a new class of front-line aircraft - a fighter bomber. In the USSR, the MiG-15 and MiG-17 fighter jets were used to replace the piston-engined IL-10 to support the ground forces from the air, but it was quite obvious that a specialized machine was needed to fulfill the tasks of the fighter-bomber. The most suitable candidate was the Sukhoi Su-7 fighter jet, taken as the basis for the Su-7B fighter-bomber project. By the end of 1958, the first prototype was ready with the new AL-7F-1 engine. For almost two years, the aircraft underwent intensive testing and refinement, and in 1960 the new fighter-bomber went into mass production. Of the 431 planned, 344 Su-7Bs were built to equip up to 25 combat units. From the beginning of the 1970s, the Su-7B aircraft began to be replaced with more modern modifications and models.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:Su-7B WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:Su-7B WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:Su-7B WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:Su-7B WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:Su-7B WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:Su-7B WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|S9qfGHj1YcI|'''The Shooting Range #211''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Su-7 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6738-development-su-7b-new-doctrine-en|[Devblog] Su-7B: new doctrine]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/488373-su-7b/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [[wt:en/news/6769-special-su-7b-military-pilot-interview-en|[Special] Su-7B military pilot interview]]

{{AirManufacturer Sukhoi}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

G.55 sottoserie 0

2023-08-24T08:58:58Z

U82924470: /* Usage in battles */ out of date details about historic matchmaking

{{About
| about = Italian fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = G.55 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=g_55_serie1_ss0
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

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

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,500 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 616 || 600 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.9 || 21.5 || 13.3 || 13.3 || rowspan="2" | 300
|-
! Upgraded
| 662 || 638 || 19.1 || 20.0 || 20.6 || 16.5
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 437 || 408 || 260 || ~12 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 400 || < 420 || < 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 || 1,260 hp || 1,398 hp
|-
|}

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


* 8 mm Steel - Pilot's seat
* 50 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
* Critical components located at the front of aircraft (pilot, engine, controls)
* Fuel tanks located in wings
* Fuel tank in the fuselage behind the pilot

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

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

{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|Breda-SAFAT (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, nose-mounted (250 rpg)
* 4 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,200 total)

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

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

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

* Without load
* 2 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (100 kg total)
* 2 x 100 kg GP 100 bombs (200 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==

The G.55's main strong points come down to its engine power, its light construction and its wing profile, which grant it a high sustained rate of climb, a tight turning circle and the power output to endure sustained horizontal manoeuvring. It performs best up to medium altitudes around 5,000 m (16,404 feet), after which it is generally outperformed by its competition. Unfortunately, its light construction and its wing profile mean that when the Centauro goes into the vertical, it bleeds speed very easily. Its top speed in a dive is unimpressive and it can barely catch up in a zoom climb with its competitors. The armament is very effective as well, however, the MG 151 is not very accurate at range, which should be taken into account when engaging in head-on passes.

You should primarily enforce an energy fighting flying style to take advantage of the aircraft's descent energy retention and solid manoeuvrability, and also to try to cover the Centauro's weakness of mediocre speed. Try to stay above your enemy, but take care to recognize the threat your attacker poses by observing the plane they are flying.

'''Specific enemies worth noting'''

* [[Spitfire F Mk IX]] and [[Spitfire F Mk XIVe]]. These two Spitfires are some of the most common enemies you will face, and accordingly, some of the most dangerous. The Mk IX has decent speed, amazing climb rate and a great turn rate, and the XIVe has excellent speed and acceleration, great energy retention and solid performance at high altitude. You should never engage a Spitfire in a turn-fight, so focus on Boom-&-Zoom to use your powerful armament to shred through their weak airframes.
* [[P-51D-30]]. The P-51D-30 is another enemy you should take note of. It is arguably one of the best aircraft at this BR thanks to its excellent speed, great climb rate, relatively powerful armament and solid high-speed manoeuvrability due to its Laminar flow wings. The Packard V-1650 is basically a Merlin engine tuned for high altitude, and it can propel the D-30 to speeds the G.55 can only dream of. However, the D-30 has extremely poor manoeuvrability at low speeds due to the same Laminar flow wings that allow it to turn well at high speeds, so if you cannot engage one with an energy advantage you can turn-fight it.
* [[Yak-3P]]. The feared red Russian menace is an extremely dangerous opponent that can engage you on a more than even footing. It turns extremely well and has a solid climb rate while also sporting a relatively powerful set of 3 B-20 cannons, but its performance suffers above 3,000 m where its already mediocre speed becomes crippling. As long as you take care to not turn fight one and engage it above 4,000 m, it is not a threat.
* Late [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109s]]. The G-2 and G-6 outclass you in every way, shape and form. Under no circumstances are you to engage these opponents, and if one forces a fight on you, seek assistance from teammates.

=== 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 Auto control available || Controllable Auto control available || Separate || Not controllable 1 gear || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful armament and large ammunition pool, and placed in the nose like the [[P-38 (Family)|P-38 Lightning series]] for successful head-on attacks
* Quite agile thanks to the DB 605 engine
* Can be used as fighter-bomber when needed
* Exceptional diving performance, combined with centre-mounted armament allows for exceptional Boom & Zoom tactics

'''Cons:'''

* The .50 cal Breda-SAFAT are notorious for woeful firepower past 300 m and inferior when compared to the [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]]
* Inferior flight performance over [[C.205 serie 3]] despite similar battle rating and the same engine
* Mediocre roll rate
* Slower speed than any Allied or Axis fighter at its battle rating

== History ==

Powerful, fast and sturdy, the G.55 was considered an unbeatable interceptor at high altitude. The second of the "Serie 5" or third-generation Italian wartime fighters with the DB 605 engine, 30 were in service at the time of the 1943 Armistice, and Fascist forces continued to use the 150 still in their possession until the end of the war.

Six hundred were supposed to have been built by Fiat, along with 250 Macchi M.C. 205s and 750 Reggiane Re. 2005s, but the armistice ended those plans. The Fiat design was faster than the Macchi at high altitude, and it was more powerfully armed as well. It was considered sturdier, but slower and less maneuverable compared to the Reggiane design. The 353rd Squadron took it operational in June, 1943.

After the war, production resumed, with Argentina and Syria buying the model. It continued in Italian service for several years.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=g_55_serie1_ss0 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/364973-fiat-g55-serie-i-sottoserie-0-centauro/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Fiat}}
{{Italy fighters}}

VL Pyörremyrsky

2023-08-22T17:35:57Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */ Climb rate is average. Description claiming it can climb faster than the 109 G-2 is blatantly false; the stock G-2 climbs faster than the spaded Pyorremyrsky (source https://wiki.warthunder.com/Bf_109_G-2)

{{Specs-Card
|code=pyorremyrsky
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit=cockpit_pyorremyrsky.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Swedish fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]] as a [[wt:en/news/6450-development-pyörremyrsky-the-nordic-whirlwind-en|premium pack]], but was removed from the Gaijin store after the [[wt:en/news/7674-shop-may-sale-en|2022 May sale]]. It was re-introduced as a regular in-game premium for {{GE}} in [[Update "Fire and Ice"]].

Though the Pyörremyrsky shares some design traits with the [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109 series]] of German fighters, it is in fact a completely domestic Finnish design and has significantly different flight characteristics.

From 1942, the superiority of the Red Army Air Force over the Finnish was becoming increasingly obvious. While 160 modern Messerschmitt Bf 109 G-2, G-6 and other versions were transferred to the Finnish Air Force by Germany between 1942 to 1944, the situation began to deteriorate among the Axis countries, and due to the increasing successes (especially from the second half of 1943) of the countries of the Allies, it became obvious that further deliveries of new Bf 109s as well as spare parts for them would become more and more problematic.

In this situation, the command of the Finnish Air Force ordered LV to develop a fighter that was to be made of domestic materials (mainly wood and steel) and which was to have characteristics comparable to the Bf 109 G-6. Engineers T. R. Verkola, Arvo Ilinen, and Edward Vigelius proposed an aerodynamically clean low-wing aircraft equipped with a German twelve-cylinder double-row inverted gear motor Daimler-Benz DB 605AC, developing 1,475 hp (1,085 kW) and rotating the German three-bladed VDM propeller. In the project, the fairing of the propeller sleeve and the engine hood were borrowed from the German fighter, which made the new Finnish aircraft, designated Pyörremyrsky (hurricane), very similar in front to the Bf 109 G.

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 5,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 596 || 580 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 19.0 || 19.6 || 14.3 || 14.3 || rowspan="2" | 390
|-
! Upgraded
| 647 || 620 || 17.1 || 18.0 || 23.9 || 18.5
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 437 || 408 || 260 || ~14 || ~7
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 390 || < 450 || > 715
|-
|}

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


This aircraft, having only one spar in each wing along with its water coolant system, is not a hugely durable aircraft - though it's not fragile either. The combined 20mm of spaced amour behind the pilot is fairly effective for protection but a lack of any frontal armour makes the Pyörremyrsky very vulnerable in head ons or in bomber hunting.

* 10 mm Steel - Pilot's seat
* 10 mm Steel - Behind pilot
* Self-sealing fuel tank (1 behind pilot)

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

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

{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|LKk/42 (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, nose-mounted (150 rpg)
* 2 x 12.7 mm LKk/42 machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 600 total)

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

{{main|Model 1938 (50 kg)|Model 1938 (100 kg)}}

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

* Without load
* 4 x 50 kg Model 1938 bombs (200 kg total)
* 4 x 100 kg Model 1938 bombs (400 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==
This 1945 aircraft is not a great fighter to low-level pursuits where really great top speed is crucial. But instead, use this plane for medium-altitude engagements. Where an altitude advantage allows the Pyörremyrsky to increase the speed and surprise its enemies with a proper turn rate. This aircraft excels in both boom 'n' zoom but is also an excellent dogfighter, sporting fantastic low speed handling characteristics (especially with combat and takeoff flaps), a steady gun platform and, as previously mentioned, a fairly tight turning circle.

The Pyörremyrsky climbs very well and maintains adequate speed up to approximately 5,000 m, this is more than enough speed to initiate combat actions, albeit Finnish pilots can continue the climb to allow themselves more combat choices. Oppositely, they can remain below the 5,000 m and work together with their Swedish brothers to down all the enemy team; the Pyörremyrsky often acting as the decoy. The engine power is favourable, and under WEP produces over 1,400HP which the Pyörremyrsky can maintain almost indefinitely with proper radiator and oil radiator management.

The intercepting role varies somewhat nonetheless. Pyörremyrsky does not offer great frontal protection, so engaging bombers with good turret protection is not the best idea. Specially bombers like the mighty Soviet [[Pe-8]] or the German [[He 219 A-7]] which are loaded with high-calibre weapons able to harm your pilot with a direct shot or break the light Pyörremyrsky apart. The rather reserved ammo count also limits the input damage against bombers. Because of that same reason, head-on attacks are ill-advised, only should be attempted versus planes with a good turn rate and light airframe. Usually the Japanese [[A6M3|Zeros]], The British [[Spitfire (Family)|Spitfires]] or the Italian [[C.205 (Family)|C.205s]]. Though, there are exceptions where the player must know how to engage a specific enemy. When to dive away or when to engage in a turning duel.

=== Ground Battles ===
The Pyörremyrsky is not the fastest plane in here. Therefore players need to consider 2 main roles if they seek good rewards in the Pyörremyrsky flying over the tank's battlefield.

'''Air Superiority role'''

In this role the Pyörremyrsky will take no bombs and instead climb over the battlefield, diving down and taking attacks of opportunity against enemy aircraft. The aircraft excels in this role as it preserves energy well and even if lured into a low level dogfight, will still be in home turf if in the hands of a skilled pilot.

Generally, the target planes are attackers with low top speed or fighters with bombs, so the Pyörremyrsky should have no trouble downing them with a surprise advantage.

'''Close air support'''

Here the Pyörremyrsky performs as a light strike fighter armed with the 4 x 100 kg bombs. This bomb load for a single engined fighter is very good and lends the Pyörremyrsky a fantastic multi-role capability. The bombs can inflict some serious damage and then the aircraft can serve to preserve air superiority over the battle.

Crew exposed vehicles or light tanks can also be destroyed with the heavy machine guns or cannons, both of which have good AP belts and can inflict some damage to armoured vehicles from a top-down approach.

=== 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:'''

* Good armament, MG 151/20 and two 12.7 mm LKk/42 both nose mounted
* The LKk/42 MGs can load entirely AP ammunition that can penetrate 26 mm of armour
* Good turn rate, can outturn some Merlin Spitfires in sustained turnfight
* Decent flaps allow for decreased turn rate
* Fantastic engine characteristics (overheating can be negated entirely)
* Very steady and reliable gun platform

'''Cons:'''

* Not hugely fast, Spitfire and Bf 109 series outrun it
* No frontal armour protection
* Not best suited to bomber hunting

== History ==


Pyörremyrsky, meaning hurricane, tornado or whirlwind in Finnish (pyörre > vortex/whirl, myrsky > storm), was the name of a Finnish fighter design at the end of WWII. Designed by Torsti Rafael Verkkola (1909-1977), the chief designer of Valtion lentokonetehdas (VL or "State Aircraft Factory") and the designer of the previous Myrsky fighter and the Pyry trainer, the Pyörremyrsky was conceived as a domestic equivalent to the Messerschmitt Bf 109G.

=== Design ===
Conceptually, the Pyörremyrsky was very similar to the Bf 109G: it was powered by the same Daimler Benz DB605 engine and had a similar armament, consisting of one hub-mounted 20 mm MG 151/20 cannon and two 12.7 mm hood-mounted machine guns. However, the design was optimized for domestic production, making maximum use of wooden sub-assemblies, and crucially, unlike the Bf 109, it used a wing-mounted landing gear with a wide ground track, giving the design better handling on the ground.

=== Testing ===
Design and construction of the Pyörremyrsky met significant delays, and while the original tender called for a prototype to be ready in May 1944, it wasn't until 21 November 1945 that the prototype was ready and made its first flight.

The prototype was designated PM-1. PM being its intended type designation and 1 being its airframe number. The designation PM is an abbreviation of '''P'''yörre'''m'''yrsky.

Flight trials of the Pyörremyrsky revealed some minor issues, but other than that, the design was very promising. Performance of the Pyörremyrsky was very similar to that of the Bf 109G, but it had a superior climbing speed and proved to be very agile. One major worry, however, was the quality of the glue used to bind the wooden components.

=== Fate ===
The end of the War saw Finland's military subjected to severe restrictions under the Moscow Armistice, which also called for a reduction of its forces. This limited the air force to only 60 fighter aircraft. As a result, the Pyörremyrsky became surplus before it even reached production as Finland chose to retain the Messerschmitt Bf 109 G as its primary fighter for economical reasons. The last of the Finnish Bf 109 Gs bowed out of service on March 13th 1954. The sole completed prototype of the Pyörremyrsky was put into storage after its last flight on July 22nd 1947, and stricken from the Finnish Air Force's inventory on April 1st 1953. Fortunately the prototype was preserved: it is now displayed at the Aviation Museum of Central Finland in Tikkakoski.

=== Legacy ===
Fortunately the Pyörremyrsky legacy continued even after the prototype was grounded. In 1948, construction started on a replacement of the VL Pyry trainer. The new design reused the wing design of the Pyörremyrsky in combination with a new fuselage. This aircraft, which was constructed by the successor of VL, Valmet, was named Vihuri (Gale) and first flew on February 6th 1951. The Vihuri prototype was designated VH-1, VH being an abbreviation of '''V'''i'''h'''uri.

After successful tests the Finnish air force ordered 30 aircraft on 27 February 1951. These were collectively called Vihuri sarja (series) II and carried the numbers VH-2 to VH-31. Series II were entered service in 1953 and this prompted the Finnish air force to order yet another 20 aircraft by autumn 1954. These aircraft were collectively called Vihuri series III and carried the numbers VH-32 to VH-51. All of series III were handed over to the Finnish air force on 15 January 1957.

Unlike the Pyörremyrsky the Vihuri was entirely constructed from metal. As a trainer it was a sound design, however it suffered badly in the engine department. The Vihuri design used old Tampere (Bristol) Mercury engines which had been recuperated from scrapped Bristol Blenheim bombers. These engines were already worn out by the time they were installed on the trainers which lead to a lot of breakdowns. After a string of fatal accidents the design was placed under severe suspicion and in March of 1957 all the Vihuri's were grounded after an accident was caused by structural failure. A subsequent inquest showed this particular accident as well as most of the previous ones were caused by pilots violating the flight safety regulations, taking the aircraft beyond its structural limitations. The Vihuri was returned to service in May of 1957, but following two further fatal accidents in 1959 the type was permanently grounded and stricken from the Finnish Air Force's inventory, with 31 out of 32 surviving airframes being sold for scrap; ironically it was outlasted in service by the Pyry (withdrawing in 1962), the design it was supposed to replace as a trainer. The sole surviving complete Vihuri is now displayed next to the sole surviving Pyörremyrsky at the Tikkakoski air force museum.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150px">
File:Pyorremyrsky WTWallpaper 001.jpg
File:Pyorremyrsky WTWallpaper 002.jpg
File:Pyorremyrsky WTWallpaper 003.jpg
File:Pyorremyrsky WTWallpaper 004.jpg
File:Pyorremyrsky WTWallpaper 005.jpg
File:Pyorremyrsky WTWallpaper 006.jpg
File:Pyorremyrsky WTWallpaper 007.jpg
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|u_HsKH1DYlc|'''Premium Vehicles: VL Pyörremyrsky''' - ''War Thunder Wiki''|ZPGPaceu1oI|'''Pyörremyrsky "One Hard Hitting Finn!"''' - ''Bo Time Gaming''|AKxlwtWIlSI|'''The Shooting Range #173''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:47 discusses the Pyörremyrsky.
}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Yakovlev [[Yak-9 (Family)|Yak-9]]
* Macchi [[C.205 (Family)|C.205]]
* Fiat [[G.55 (Family)|G.55]]
* Reggiane [[Re.2005 serie 0|Re.2005]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6448-development-py%C3%B6rremyrsky-the-nordic-whirlwind-en|[Development] Pyörremyrsky: The Nordic Whirlwind]]
* [[wikipedia:VL_Pyörremyrsky|[Wikipedia] VL Pyörremyrsky]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/474725-pyorremyrsky/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer VL}}
{{Sweden fighters}}
{{Sweden premium aircraft}}

ZSU-37-2

2023-08-21T16:10:54Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */ can only carry 1 ammo type at a time

{{About
| about = Soviet SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the single-barrelled version
| link = ZSU-37
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_zsu_37_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet SPAA {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]].

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

Sharing the same hull of the [[SU-100P]], the hull is protected enough for heavy machine gun fire but lacks protection against everything else. However, the turret is barely armoured for low calibre machine gun fire (with only 8.9 mm of thickness), it has little survivability against everything it will face and will be destroyed by overpressure with most CE ammunition (HE, ATGM, rockets, bombs, etc.).

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 9.4 mm (72°) || 9.4 mm ''Top'' 9.4 mm ''Bottom'' || 9.4 mm || 9.4 mm
|-
| Turret || 8.9 mm ''Turret front'' 8.9 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm || 8.9 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick, tracks are 15 mm thick, and torsion bars are 22 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=568|rbMinHp=354}}

Since it is mounted on the SU-100P chassis, it has good mobility with a top speed of 70 km/h on a flat road capable of getting you into good firing positons early-on in the battle. It does benefit from regenerative steering, reducing the speed loss when turning but not as much as with neutral steering. The reverse speed is good enough to enable you to disengage easily and play peek-a-boo with the enemy.

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

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

{{main|2A11 (37 mm)}}

This tank has access to a double mount of Shipunov 2A11 37 mm autocannon, a very versatile weapon, considering its vertical guidance, traverse speed, and selection of ammo belts. It is similar to the one seen on the [[BMP-2]]. Due to being double mount, it has an RPM of 1,000. It is devastating against both aircraft and ground vehicles even with the standard AP round. It does not get access to APDS belts like on the 2A45 30 mm autocannon but the AP belts are more than enough to disable and destroy modules from all angles as well as destroy enemy tanks from the sides.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[2A11 (37 mm)|37 mm 2A11]] (x2) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 540 (270) || rowspan="2" | 500 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+87° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Two-plane|up to 25 km/h}} || 52.8 || 73.1 || 88.8 || 98.2 || 104.5 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''UO-167:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T*|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''BR-167:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}

{{:2A11 (37 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''2''' || 0 ''(+2)'' || No
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The ZSU-37-2 should be played entirely as an AA vehicle. Do not go tank hunting in this vehicle, as you do not have the armour. Focus on keeping the skies clear, something that this vehicle does very well. A high rate of fire and very fast turret traverse means that you should be able to target and destroy even the fastest jets.

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

While it is fully enclosed, the ZSU-37-2 has armour which makes the M18 Hellcat look like a heavy tank. Even 7.62 mm machine guns stand a fair chance of penetrating this vehicle. This makes you a primary target for aircraft, which are usually armed with cannons or high penetration machine guns and will easily take you out.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire allows for area saturation
* Relatively high top speed
* High ammo count
* Fast turret traverse
* Can penetrate most vehicles from the side
* Radar-assisted fire control

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour: aircraft cannons will cause severe damage
* Radar has very low scan speed
* Can only carry one type of ammunition, so bringing the HEFI-T rounds will leave you vulnerable to ground units

== History ==

The ZSU-37-2 was the long range counterpart of the ZSU-23-4, it entered development at the same time the ZSU-23-4 did and each one fullfilled different roles. It was developed by Uralmashzavod based on the SU-100P chassis designated Object 119. The ZSU-37-2 was meant to counter targets at 3 km. A single prototype vehicle was built and was tested on December 1960, both ZSU-23-4 and ZSU-37-2 were accepted for service. It never saw service as the ZSU-23-4 was preferred as an SPAA

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_zsu_37_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|fIlUeGLTF7w|'''The Shooting Range #238''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:30 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|10seZ_m4t-k|'''ZSU-37-2 - When Gaijin Cheaps Out Again''' - ''Napalmratte''|XI561HYbJPc|'''ZSU-37-2 [Profile]''' - ''BaconGaming''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[SU-100P]]
* [[Object 120]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[ZSU-23-4]]

== External links ==


* [https://en.topwar.ru/5760-zsu-37-2-enisey-ne-shilkoy-edinoy.html <nowiki>[Topwar.ru]</nowiki> ZSU-37-2 "Yenisei". Not a "Shilka" single]

{{USSR anti-aircraft vehicles}}

La-200

2023-08-08T19:01:45Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{Specs-Card
|code=la_200_toriy
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|cockpit = cockpit_la_200_toriy.jpg
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was a proposed Soviet all-weather interceptor. It was designed with the intent of protecting key strategic locations and defending against potential aerial threats from rival nations. The {{Specs|name}} was developed in the late 1940s as tensions between the Soviet Union and western countries were growing. With plans to turn it into a crucial defense asset for the Soviet Union, its radar system and powerful engines were designed to allow it to successfully track and intercept enemy aircraft with ease. Even though the {{Specs|name}} won a competition against three other aircraft with comparable capabilities, the project was ultimately viewed as a failure due to the development of even more advanced aircraft, such as the Yak-120, which rendered the {{Specs|name}} obsolete before it could be fully deployed and was seen as a more practical solution for the Soviet Union's defense requirements. The failure of the {{Specs|name}} demonstrated the challenges of keeping up with rapidly evolving aviation technology during that era. In the end, only one prototype was built, and it never entered full production.

The {{Specs|name}} was introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]]. It features promising performance characteristics, such as a top speed of more than 1,000 km/h, which allows it to outrun most aircraft at its battle rating. It works best at medium to high altitudes, where it is nearly impossible to catch and can inflict devastating strikes on unsuspecting foes via boom-and-zooming. With three N-37D cannons, the armament does not fall short either. However, one of its most unforgiving flaws is its terrible low-speed performance, which makes it difficult to manoeuvre and maintain stability when used at those speeds.

== 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 0 m - sea level)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 1,087 || 1,061 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.9 || 27.8 || 38.7 || 37.0 || rowspan="2" | 700
|-
! Upgraded
| 1,110 || 1,101 || 25.6 || 26.0 || 58.7 || 47.0
|-
|}

==== 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 !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 627 || 598 || 450 || ~12 || ~6
|-
|}

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

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | Empty mass || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Klimov VK-1 || 2
| colspan="2" | 7,700 kg || colspan="2" | 257 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff Weight
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 31m fuel
|-
| 892 kg || colspan="2" | Centrifugal-flow turbojet
| 8,456 kg || 9,363 kg || 10,269 kg || 12,500 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% (front / rear) || WEP
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 31m fuel || MTOW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 2,430 / 2,520 kgf || N/A
| 0.59 || 0.53 || 0.48 || 0.40
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 2,430 / 2,520 kgf (0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.59 || 0.53 || 0.48 || 0.40
|-
|}

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

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

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

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

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

* 3 x 37 mm N-37D cannons, chin-mounted (50 rpg = 150 total)

== Usage in battles ==


Speed is your greatest advantage. The La-200 can outrun every jet at its BR and even some jets at higher BRs. At the beginning of a match try to gather speed as soon as possible. In a game, if you accelerate up to about 1,000 km/h no one will catch you even if they dive on you. You can use your speed to zoom climb and surprise any climbing (or unsuspecting) players. Remember that other fighters will be more manoeuvrable and that you can't afford taking any hits (top speed drops horribly if you get hit). Always make sure that you have enough energy to run away from the enemy if you miss. And you will miss a lot, the 37 mm cannons are hard to lead and quite inaccurate, so it is not recommended to use them at long distances. They are, however, extremely effective when they hit (one shot is almost always enough) so it's possible to get many kills without landing.

===Radars===
{{main|Toriy}}
The La-200 is equipped with a [[Toriy]] search radar, located in the radome in the centre of the air intake.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="4" | [[Toriy]] - Target Detection Radar
|-
! {{Annotation|Maximum Detection Range|The maximum possible range at which a target can be detected}}
! {{Annotation|Guaranteed Detection Range|The range, below which, detection of a target is practically guaranteed}}
! {{Annotation|Max Azimuth Scan Angle|How far to each side the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
! {{Annotation|Max Elevation Scan Angle|How far up and down the radar can scan (widest search mode)}}
|-
| 15,000 m || 12,000 m || ±30° || ±32°
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Extremely high top speed for its battle rating
* Able to break the sound barrier in a dive
* Insane roll rate for Soviet standards, specially at high speeds
* Good acceleration up to 800 km/h
* Good climb rate and acceleration provides great zoom climb capability
* Hard-hitting guns with decent rate of fire
* Second pilot takes over if the first one is knocked out
* Effective airbrake
* Flaps can help turn (if used properly)
* Has access to a target detection radar with decent range
* Able to RTB if one engine is lost

'''Cons:'''

* Horrible low speed performance
* Elevator locks up at high speeds, can lead to a crash if you're not careful
* Guns have some noticeable dispersion
* Guns have relatively low ammo count (50 shells for each gun, 150 total)
* Huge target with no armour
* No payload (no access to bombs/rockets)

== History ==


In 1948, Soviet high command issued a requirement for a two man, all-weather, twin -engined jet interceptor that would be capable of carrying a new type of radar system called "Toriy" (Thorium). All three Soviet design bureaus (Lavochkin, MiG, and Sukhoi) developed a prototype for testing.

Lavochkin's design, the La-200, had a long fuselage to accommodate its two turbojet engines, swept wings, and a large cockpit for two men. The La-200 took its maiden flight on September 9th, 1949. It was the only aircraft of the three designs to pass initial trials.

By the early 1950s, the La-200 was ready to enter production under the official designation La-17. However, due to the appearance of the Yak-120 (later known as Yak-25), which surpassed the La-200's performance in testing, the La-200 order was cancelled in favor of the Yakovlev design.

Only a single prototype of the La-200 was ever built, and it was modified several times during development to improve performance, correct flaws, and test other radar systems.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5319-development-la-200-the-high-speed-kite-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=la_200_toriy Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|bZvHRgBda9s|'''La-200 vs M.D.452 IIA''' - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|9VBAWLdfLcw|'''The Shooting Range #90''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:03 discusses the La-200.|t3xD7JpnHeI|'''Best aircraft for Boom & Zoom''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 5:21 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== 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/5319-development-la-200-the-high-speed-kite-en|[Devblog] La-200: The High-Speed Kite]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/402782-la-200-toriy/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Lavochkin}}
{{USSR jet aircraft}}

LKk/42 (12.7 mm)

2023-08-05T01:35:36Z

U82924470: /* Available ammunition */ performance description was entirely inaccurate

{{DISPLAYTITLE:12.7 mm LKk/42 machine gun}}
== Description ==

The '''12.7 mm LKk/42''' was a Finnish copy of the [[Akan m/39 (13.2 mm)|13.2 mm FN Browning aircraft machine gun]] from WWII. LKk/42 is an abbreviation for LentoKoneKivääri (an amalgamation of lentokone = aircraft, konekivääri = machine gun) m/42.

The Finnish managed to get the plans for the gun via Sweden as war aid in the early 1940s. The calibre was changed to 12.7 mm Browning and the weapon was used to upgrade old fighter aircraft such as Brewster Buffalos and Curtiss Hawk 75's in Finnish service during the later stages of the war.

The weapon has different belts and bullets compared to other guns firing the 12.7 mm Browning cartridge which are unique to Finland.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|b_239_finland}}
* {{Specs-Link|vl_myrsky_2_late}}
* {{Specs-Link|pyorremyrsky}}

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

=== Available ammunition ===

The 12.7 mm LKk/42 uses the American 12.7x99 Browning cartridge, modernly called .50 BMG. This round was produced in Finland but with indigenous projectile types during WWII.

In game the gun has access to 6 belts: Default, Universal, Ground Targets, Air targets, Tracers and Stealth.

The 12.7 mm LKk/42 was originally added with American belts but uses Finnish ammunition since [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]]. These consists of 3 types: AP, AP-T and Incendiary. Performance values are significantly inferior to American ammunition due to the lack of any API or API-T rounds or belts.

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

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High accuracy
* High velocity
* Reasonable fire rate (750 rpm when synchronized through a propeller)
* Ease of use (uses 12.7x99 ammo like the common [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]] found on countless other vehicles which simplifies the learning curve a lot)
* Viable penetration against lightly armoured vehicles

'''Cons:'''

* Limited to 3 ammunition types, AP, AP-T and Incendiary, all of Finnish origin.
* Lowered fire rate when synchronized through a propeller

== History ==

=== Origin ===
Like most modern nations prior to WWII, the Finnish wanted to adopt a heavy airborne weapon which could deal with the armoured full metal fighters and bombers entering service at the end of the 1930s. There were several weapons on the market designed for this specific purpose and one of those was the [[Akan m/39 (13.2 mm)|13.2 mm FN Browning aircraft machine gun]] by FN Herstal. The weapon had a high rate of fire at ca. 1,100 rounds per minute and could fire high explosive projectiles. This was the weapon Finland wanted to buy.

Unfortunately, Finland was not alone in wanting to buy the gun and several countries stood in line to buy it. Things only got worse as the Winter War started in September 1939 which meant that a suitable replacement had to be found quickly. In the end, the Finnish had to adopt the [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]] (export name Colt MG 53-2) as they ordered the Brewster Buffalo in December 1939.

=== Predecessor ===
The Finnish were never happy with the 12.7 mm Colt MG 53-2 as it was heavy and had an unimpressive fire rate of ca 750 rounds per minute even when not synchronized through a propeller. They also did not have a license to build the Colt MG 53-2 which meant that they would have to find a successor quickly as their entire air force was becoming outdated quickly. Because of this, when the winter war ended in March 1940, the Finnish were hoping to be able to buy the 13.2 mm FN Browning machine gun yet again. But to their dismay, Belgium was invaded by Nazi Germany just 2 months after the winter war had ended which meant that FN Herstal could not export weapons.

=== Source ===
Fortunately for Finland though, their neighbour and close friend Sweden had been first in line to buy the 13.2 mm FN Browning from FN Herstal and had acquired several guns and a license to produce them just as the invasion of Belgium started. This prompted Finland to ask Sweden in 1941 if they could get access to its plans as war aid. As FN Herstal was under occupation Sweden did not see any reason against giving Finland unauthorized access to the license plans and Sweden agreed to send over the plans they had. But to the horror of the Fins, the plans were incomplete, although this was not the fault of the Swedes as they had the same problem. Because of this, the Finnish asked the Swedish if they could send over an original gun to use as reference to complete the plans. The Swedish agreed and sent over a copy.

=== Design ===
Now came the problem of calibre. The original gun was in calibre 13.2x99 Hotchkiss, a calibre the Finnish did not use nor produce. Fortunately for them, FN Herstal had prior to the war offered the 13.2 mm FN Browning in not only 13.2 mm Hotchkiss but also 12.7 mm Browning, a cartridge the Finnish had in production due to the 12.7 mm Colt MG 53-2. Because of this, the Finnish decided to convert the gun to 12.7 mm Browning. The task of converting the construction to 12.7 mm, and making it capable of being produced in Finland was given to the Finnish state weapon factory VKT. VKT had to make a couple of hundred design changes to the weapon for it to be produced in Finland. One of these changes was to make it fit the same mounts as the MG 53-2.

=== Service ===
==== Initial use ====
The weapon was designated 12.70 mm LKk/42 and production started in 1942 with the first weapons being sent out to FAF wings in 1943. The 12.7 mm LKk/42 was mainly sent to wings using the Brewster Buffalo (designated BW in Finland) as they already had installations for them but the 12.7 mm LKk/42 also ended up in a few [[P-36 (Family)|Curtiss Hawk 75]]'s (designated CU in Finland) and [[M.S.406C1|Morane-Saulnier MS.406]]'s (designated MS in Finland) as they were also in need of better weaponry.

==== Main use ====
Besides upgrading old planes the Finnish also planned to use the 12.7 mm LKk/42 on several future aircraft. One of these was the VL Myrsky, a single-engine monoplane fighter with a mixed construction airframe and 1,100 hp Twin Wasp engine. The Finnish had been working on the Myrsky since 1939, but because of the war they had not been able to acquire any engine for the aircraft. By 1943 the Finnish had finally been able to acquire enough engines to start production of the Myrsky. As the Myrsky was severely outdated as a fighter by 1943 it was decided to give it extremely heavy hitting armament so it could at least take down slow attack aircraft such as the [[IL-2 (Family)|IL-2 Sturmovik]]. The Myrsky ended up receiving four 12.7 mm LKk/42 machine guns in the nose, all shooting synchronized through the propeller. While this lowered the rate of fire of the 12.7 mm LKk/42 from ca. 1,100 rounds per minute to around 750 rounds per minute it was still heavy-hitting as all 4 machine guns sat next to each other and fired within a 1-metre span. This concentrated the fire and turned anything it hit into Swiss cheese within seconds. In the end however, the Myrsky only ever destroyed 2 aircraft (damaged 2 fighters which crashed on landing) and it was almost immediately relegated to reconnaissance and ground attack missions. This only got worse with time as its mixed construction did not fare well in the Finnish climate.

==== Planned use ====
Besides the Myrsky the 12.7 mm LKk/42 was also planned to be used on several future aircraft being developed in Finland. One of these was the VL Humu, a Brewster Buffalo clone using Soviet M-63 radial engines captured from I-16's. The Humu was to mount three synchronized 12.7 mm Lkk/42 guns in the upper cowling. The Humu was however underpowered and never passed its initial trials in 1944.

On the other end, we have the more famous VL [[Pyörremyrsky]] fighter. The Pyörremyrsky was effectively an improved Bf 109G-6 as it used the same engine and cowling as the Bf 109 G-6 yet was able to outperform it in both climb rate and manoeuvrability. The Finnish tried also tried to improve its armament. One of the limitations of the Bf 109 G-6 was its 13 mm MG 131 machine guns. The 13 mm MG 131, while firing fairly effective projectiles, had extremely lousy muzzle velocity. The 12.7 mm LKk/42 did not. The Finnish therefor planned to use 12.7 mm LKk/42 machine guns on the Pyörremyrsky instead of 13 mm MG 131's. This was however never realized as the continuation war ended in 1944 which nailed the coffin for the Pyörremyrsky.

==== Anti air use ====
After the war, most aircraft using the 12.7 mm LKk/42 reached the end of their service life quickly and by 1950 most 12.7 mm LKk/42's were in storage waiting for better days. As a lot of the guns were effectively brand new, not to mention indigenous, the Finnish military tried to figure ways to re-purpose them.

One of these ideas was to turn them into anti-air machine guns. The 12.7 mm LKk/42 was promptly put into service as an anti-air gun during the early 1950s. As an anti-air gun, the 12.7 mm LKk/42 was re-designated to 12.7 mm TorKk/42 VKT, TorKk being an abbreviation for TorjuntaKonekivääri (anti-air machine gun), although it was sometimes called 12.7 mm VKT-42.

The 12.7 mm TorKk/42 was fitted in single, double and quadruple mounts. In the end however, it failed as an anti-air gun. Because of its high rate of fire and thin barrel, it could not be used to full effect on the ground and was thus never successful in the anti-air role. A few seconds of fire could crack the barrels and make the gun unsafe for use. It was withdrawn from anti-air service after a short period in use during the early 1950s.

==== Exercise use ====
So the 12.7 mm LKk/42 was not viable as an anti-air gun. This forced the Finnish military to rethink what to do with the guns. For inspiration, they looked to their neighbour Sweden who originally gave them the design. Since Sweden also produced the base gun during the war they most likely were in a similar boat to Finland, which was true.

Sweden's solution to the problem however was to use the surplus weapons as exercise weaponry on all their 20 mm cannon equipped aircraft. This was done by replacing the 20 mm cannons with the surplus machine guns and therefore save money by using cheaper ammunition. Finland, who had just acquired six de Havilland Vampire fighters, liked the idea and decided to copy it. This proved to be a great idea in the long run and Finland continued to use the 12.7 mm LKk/42 for exercise use into the 1990s.

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

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

* ''reference to the article about the variant of the cannon/machine gun;''
* ''references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.''

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

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

{{Aircraft machine guns}}

[[Category:Aircraft machine guns]]

Conqueror

2023-07-27T01:33:59Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */ angled performance is lacking

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_conqueror_mk_2
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}_AddArmour.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png|ArtImage2_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

Following the reveal of the [[IS-3]] during the 1945 Victory Parade through Berlin, the British realised the need for a new heavily armed and heavily armoured tank. Plans were drawn to create a "Universal Tank" hull, which would then be able to mount a variety of different armaments to suit a range of roles. The heaviest of this set of planned vehicles was the '''Conqueror''', armed with a 120 mm gun inspired by and developed alongside that of the American [[M103]], designed to be able to face down any Soviet threats and provide long-range anti-tank support for the existing [[Centurion (Family)|Centurion]].

By 1950, the new hull and chassis were nearing completion, while the gun and turret were still under development. Thus, a project to mount the turret of the [[Centurion Mk 3]] was spawned, in order to ease the development process and train crews on the new hull, resulting in the [[Caernarvon]]. 1951 saw completion of the new gun and its acceptance into service, while the turret was still being finalised; plans for a stop-gap carriage for the new gun resulted in the Centurion hull-based [[Conway]]. Prototypes were complete by 1952, and the tank itself finally entered service in 1955, being sent immediately to armoured regiments stationed in West Germany. Both the Conqueror and Centurion were ultimately replaced by the [[Chieftain (Family)|Chieftain]] in 1966.

Introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]] along with the initial British ground tree, the Conqueror deviates from most earlier British designs, favouring firepower and armour. With an extremely powerful main cannon, solid armour protection, and surprising (but still rather lacking) manoeuvrability for such a heavy vehicle, the Conqueror proves to be a highly effective sniper and support tank, able to crack open heavily armoured targets from long ranges. Making use of its strong armour and gun stabiliser allows it to also be put to good use in close-range brawls, although the subpar mobility and long reload can limit the vehicle in this aspect.

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

[[File:Conqueror trapshot mantlet .png|thumb|400x400px|A basic weak spot of the Conqueror; the gun mantlet. The area is hit because of Conqueror's poor depression. It can be targeted by large-calibre HE, APDS and Sabot shells. - The shown camouflage is known as 'Phalanx', part of the "Night Vision" chest.]]
The Conqueror utilises the same hull as the Caernarvon does, with respectable frontal armour capable of shrugging off rounds from many adversaries. Unfortunately, this hull suffers from similarly weak side and rear armour - and as such angling, the vehicle can prove extremely dangerous if it exposes the side too much. The Conqueror replaces the Caernarvon's Centurion-based turret with a fresh design, providing much better crew spacing and protection. The turret is not without its weaknesses, however; the commander's cupola protrudes quite significantly and APHE or HESH shells may disable internal turret components or crew members. There is also a weak section directly behind the mantlet at the top of the turret, penetration of which will disable crew or the breech/horizontal turret drive.
Trap shots are possible, it is likely to get shot with a high-calibre HE, capable of damaging the tank by hitting the base of the turret and exploding into the driver and/or ammo rack just below it. Unlike with similar tank [[M103]] though, for most heavy tanks HE can only penetrate the driver hatch, taking them out, and damage the gun breech on a good hit. SPG calibre HE (like 152 mm of [[Object 268]]) will definitely destroy the roof armour and ammo rack, resulting in a knock-out, unless only a few shells are being carried (which is highly impractical). Non-HE shells are less likely to ricochet and do significant internal damage like this, but it is still possible to push them into the tank.

The frontal track guards are also very vulnerable at particular angles and can be exploited even when sides are not exposed to instantly destroy the tank using nearly any gun, like with [[Churchill Mk VII]]. The more realistic scenario, however, is high-calibre HESH hitting the ground next to them and setting the tank on fire or outright destroying it. Fortunately, most tanks which are capable of this and are going out of their way to use HESH instead of HEAT are British and can only be your opponent in AB, in RB the likelihood of receiving such hit is greatly reduced.

The Conqueror has a researchable add-on armour package which improves the vehicle's survivability to HEAT rounds and by a small amount to kinetic rounds.<ref name="dtic" /> The Conqueror is relatively resistant to HEAT ammunition, smaller HEAT ammunition may have issue harming the Conqueror when hull-down.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret)
* Structural steel (Side skirts)

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 130 + 20 mm (59°) ''Front glacis'' 76 mm (44°) ''Lower glacis'' || 51 + 6 mm || 38 mm ''Top'' 20 mm (60°) ''Bottom'' || 44 mm ''Front'' 17 mm ''Crew hatch'' 17 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Turret || 152-313 mm (0-68°) ''Turret front'' 89-200 mm (0-78°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 89-233 mm (1-48°) || 50 mm (1-34°) || 51 mm 31 mm ''Square area near gun'' 17 mm ''Crew hatches''
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Cupola || 203 mm (0-17°) || 70 mm (12-14°) || 51 mm 17 mm ''Crew hatch''
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and bogies are 20 mm thick while tracks are 30 mm thick.
* Front of turret vary in armour thickness, from 152 mm to 313 mm, but it is all very sloped due to turret design.
* The front of the turret roof has an additional armour plate of 31 mm in thickness.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,046|rbMinHp=716|AoAweight=1.1}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has reasonable mobility, despite its weight, thanks to a powerful engine and favourable gearbox ratios. It does suffer from a somewhat limited top speed of 34 km/h, however it reaches this speed fairly easily on-road and on smooth off-road surfaces. The vehicle has surprisingly responsive hull traverse due to the engine power and neutral steering capability. The {{PAGENAME}} has a reasonable reverse speed for a British vehicle, however it shouldn't be relied on too heavily.

When the add-on armour package is researched and equipped, the vehicle's weight will increase by 1.1 tonnes, resulting in a minor decrease in mobility.

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

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

{{main|Ordnance QF Tk. L1A2 (120 mm)}}

The 120 mm L1A2 is a powerful gun, derived from the M58 mounted on the M103 heavy tank. Unlike the M103's selection of HEAT or AP, the Conqueror instead utilises HESH and APDS ammunition, and again unlike the M103, mounts a two-plane stabiliser. The L1A2 exhibits excellent accuracy and long-range performance, although due to the sub-par post-penetration effects of APDS in some cases multiple rounds are required to secure a knock-out, particularly at range where critical components or ammunition is less reliably hit.

Despite this, the Conqueror performs admirably as a sniper, covering capture points or thoroughfares, and should primarily rely on APDS with careful thought as to placement. HESH may prove useful against lighter vehicles or in cases where a target's side armour is exposed, but otherwise should not be relied on for anything besides pure luck. It's important to remember that the Conqueror has a reasonably long reload of 19.4 seconds at base; and as such careful consideration should be made as to what to prioritise disabling first.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Ordnance QF Tk. L1A2 (120 mm)|120 mm Ordnance QF Tk. L1A2]] || 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" | 35 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 13.2 || 18.3 || 22.2 || 24.5 || 26.1 || rowspan="2" | 19.37 || rowspan="2" | 17.14 || rowspan="2" | 15.80 || rowspan="2" | 14.90
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 9.7 || 11.4 || 13.9 || 15.3 || 16.3
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Ordnance QF Tk. L1A2 (120 mm)/Ammunition|Shot L1G, Shell L1TK}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo type
! 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
|-
| rowspan="2" | '''35''' || Projectiles || 34 ''(+1)'' || 31 ''(+4)'' || 29 ''(+6)'' || 27 ''(+8)'' || 23 ''(+12)'' || 22 ''(+13)'' || 17 ''(+18)'' || 9 ''(+26)'' || 1 ''(+34)'' || rowspan="2" | No
|-
| Propellants || 35 ''(+0)'' || 34 ''(+1)'' || 33 ''(+2)'' || 32 ''(+3)'' || 23 ''(+12)'' || 9 ''(+26)'' || 1 (''+34)'' || N/A || N/A
|-
|}
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
'''Notes''':

* The first propellant rack contains only a single charge of propellant, so even when bringing a full load of 35 rounds this rack will always be empty as the first round loaded into the gun upon spawn.
* It is advised to take 22 rounds into combat if you wish to maximise available shots but remove the propellant charges racked just beside the driver if considering the weak spot that is the lower front plate of the Conqueror.
* The propellant portion of the ready rack is comprised of a single charge rack and a seven-charge rack. As these spaces make up the 8 round ready rack ammo count they are considered as a single rack for the purposes of deciding how much ammo to take. However if a player were to take only 7 rounds the single rack to the left of the loader would be empty of a charge.

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

{{main|L3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The Conqueror sports two machine guns, one of which is pintle-mounted and may prove itself a deterrent to some close air support. The machine guns may on occasion prove useful for destroying incoming ATGMs, given a bit of luck.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm L3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,750 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 3,750 (250) || 500 || -10°/+30° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Conqueror can be effectively played as a sniper, or a steady breakthrough tank, providing the vehicle's slow reload and weak lower front plate are considered. This heavy tank should not be played in a brawling role. It will easily be flanked and disposed by the side armour plates. Commanders are advised to remain on some of these roles:

'''Sniper Role'''

When used in a sniper role, the Conqueror should utilise extreme ranges with some form of cover available, in case the situation goes awry. Ensure awareness is maintained for light flanking vehicles or enemy sniping vehicles on off-angles that may be able to disable the Conqueror through side armour. Play conservatively, avoiding wasting shots, having to wait for the long reload time, and avoid exposing the hull where possible.

Remember the rangefinder and if possible find locations that cover the hull of the Conqueror.

'''Breakthrough Role'''

The Conqueror may be utilised in a breakthrough role, although it should be played conservatively with allies and with a level of map awareness at all times. The stabilised gun allows the conqueror to comfortably fire on the move - a rare piece of equipment at the rank - this gives it a distinct advantage over most targets it will face at close range, with the ability to reliably hit targets without waiting for the suspension sway to subside. However, the vehicle's slow reload means that calculated shots are a requirement, and wasting any round may have dire results.

As usual, keep in mind that the vehicle's sides and lower front plate are particularly vulnerable and exposing either to enemy fire will often result in the Conqueror's destruction. If the advance seems to be failing, or the Conqueror is on risk to be flanked. Remember the good reverse speed, this along smoke cover will grant second chances.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* APDS round is extremely powerful and accurate
* HESH ammo may have surprising results, and can prove particularly effective against light or side armour
* The L1A2 cannon is fully two-plane stabilised, allowing it to be fired accurately on the move
* Coaxial machine gun has ballistic performance similar to the HESH round and may be used for ranging
* Turret and upper front plate are very sloped and armoured, with few weak points
* Add-on armour offers more protection in the form of spaced armour to the turret cheeks and upper plate
* Well-spaced crew make the vehicle unlikely to be affected by crew knock-out in a single hit
* Reasonably good mobility despite weight and huge gun
* Optical rangefinder allows for accurate distance measuring
* Reasonable reverse speed allows the Conqueror to peek shots effectively
* Conqueror has commander override: a knocked out gunner will not prevent the player from firing

'''Cons:'''

* HESH is not reliable against any vehicle with semi-decent armour; requires high skills and knowledge of the enemy
* APDS penetration for angles above 45 degrees is barely higher than L7 performance
* Long reload time (19.4 second base) for British standards, although relatively standard for the calibre
* Only rifle-calibre machine guns
* Particularly weak side armour and lower front plate; will be commonly targeted areas
* Only 17 mm of protection on the wide engine deck will be targeted by planes
* Top speed is limited at only 34 km/h; it faces really mobile enemies such as the [[Leopard (Family)|Leopards]]
* Large cupola can be exploited by APHE ammunition

== History ==


===Development===
In 1944, General Staff started a project called ''A45 Infantry Support Tank'', which started around the same time as the development of the [[Centurion Mk 1|A41 Centurion]] cruiser tank. This project, after the war, was redesignated from a typical "Infantry Tank" and instead focused on a new role of a "Universal Tank" design in the form of the FV 200 series. The "Universal Tank" concept was to design a vehicle that would have a mobility comparable to that of cruiser tanks, but with the armour and firepower of heavy tanks. The FV 200 series designation was adopted and was to serve as a line of vehicles that used the same hull and chassis in different roles like armour recovery vehicles and self-propelled guns. The first tank of this series was to be the FV 201, which would be 55 tons and use the 20-pounder gun.

In 1949, a new requirement for the project called for the use of a 120 mm gun, possibly in response to the reveal of the Soviet [[IS-3]] heavy tank in the Berlin Victory Parade in 1945. This new requirement would delay the initial deadlines for the tank as no gun of that calibre had been developed yet. As a interim development before such a gun could be made, the FV 201 hull was mounted with a turret from the Centurion tank and this created the FV 221 [[Caernarvon]], with Mark I for a 17-pounder armament and a Mark II for a 20-pounder armament. However, the success of the lighter Centurion tank made the Caernarvon unsuitable in a "Main Battle Tank" role. Further development on the Caernarvon, with emphasis on the armour and armament, would develop the '''FV 214 Conqueror''' tanks, some were straight up conversions of Caernarvon Mark IIs. About 185 Conquerors were produced in Mk.1 and Mk.2 variants from 1955 to 1959.

===Design===
The FV 214 Conqueror, also known as the "Tank, Heavy No. 1, 120 mm Gun, Conqueror", was intended to provide a mobile, long-range anti-tank support for the lighter and more numerous Centurion tanks stationed in Germany. As a response to the heavy [[IS-3]] tank in Soviet service, the tank's armament and armour is taken up and beyond extreme to typical NATO armour development. The armour, with a frontal plate of about seven inches (178 mm), made the tank one of the most protected tanks stationed in West Germany. The abundance of armour made the tank heavy, weighing 64 tons, and this impeded the tank's top speed and made it mechanically unreliable. However, the tank was very mobile in cross-country terrain, seen as equal as the lighter and faster Centurion tank.

The gun was the very large 120 mm cannon, the largest calibre tank gun available when it was introduced. The gun was American-developed, the same 120 mm cannon that would arm the [[M103|M103]] heavy tank. The gun uses a two-piece ammunition and the tank allowed for a ammo stowage of 35 rounds. Another notable feature of the Conqueror aside from its large cannon and thick armour was the unique and rotatable commander's cupola. In the cupola was the Conqueror's fire control system and had many features that made it ahead of its time. Being able to be rotated independent from the turret, plus with a coincidence rangefinder, the commander could align the cupola to a target, measure its range, and direct the gunner to the designated target. While the gunner located and engage the target, the commander could go and find a different target to designate and range.

===Usage===
The Conqueror were all stationed in West German in the armoured regiments stationed there. Each regiment received 9 Conquerors and were organized in groups of three as tank troops to support the Centurions in any conflict that arise from the tense situation of the Cold War. As history played out, the Cold War never became "hot" and no hostile conflicts arise in the borders of Germany, thus the Conquerors never saw any use aside from training as they were all exclusively stationed on the German borders. The Conqueror's intention to provide a long-range anti-tank capability for the Centurions, became less significant when the Centurions began to arm themselves with the more powerful 105 mm L7 gun, such as the [[Centurion Mk 10]]. The lower tactical value of the Conqueror and further development on heavy tanks in Britain had the Conquerors replaced in 1966 with the much more powerful and armoured, yet lighter, [[Chieftain Mk 3|FV 4201 Chieftain tank]].

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_conqueror_mk_2 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|gR3JPNt0iPw|'''Heavyweight brits''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 6:21 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|94S5XQwnX2I|'''The Shooting Range #108''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|JmaDhygkvDg|'''Tank Chats #145 <nowiki>| Conqueror |</nowiki> The Tank Museum''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


;Related Development

* [[Caernarvon]]
* [[Conway]]

;Shared operational history

* [[Centurion Mk 10]]
* [[Caernarvon]]

;Analogues of other nations

* [[IS-7]]
* [[IS-4M]]
* [[T-10M]] / [[T-10A]]
* [[M103]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/850/|[Devblog] Сenturion Mk III and Conqueror Mk II]]
* [[wt:en/devblog/current/870|[Devblog] Conqueror Armor Investigation]]

== References ==
<references>
<ref name="dtic">[https://apps.dtic.mil/dtic/tr/fulltext/u2/a474293.pdf Trials against Conqueror tanks with additional ballistic protection - Part 2 The use of large hollow charge warheads.pdf]</ref>
</references>

{{Britain heavy tanks}}

T-34 (Prototype)

2023-06-27T17:17:35Z

U82924470: The engine on the prototype is identical to all the other t34/76s, so this sentence is inaccurate

{{About
| about = Soviet medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = T-34 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_t_34_1940_l_11
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Soviet medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was available only for [[wt:en/news/356--en|pre-order]] during the Closed Beta Test of Ground Forces before [[Update 1.41]], then discontinued after the update's release. 500 units were also for sale during the [[wt:en/news/5079-special-hurry-up-and-get-rare-packs-en|5th Anniversary event]], which sold out within 12 hours.

The prototype of the T-34, known as the A-34, was the end result of almost five years of development that would eventually become the mass produced [[T-34_(1940)|T-34]]. The T-34 prototype plays like any other T-34, with its high top speed, an adequate 76 mm L-11 gun, and heavily sloped 45 mm armour. These traits make the T-34 prototype a great vehicle for flanking vehicle and as a brawler. While there are vulnerable points on the front that could be penetrated by its contemporaries and lower, a quick and aggressive fighting style could reduce the amount of time the enemy has to aim for these spots to disable the T-34 prototype.

The T-34 prototype presents some similarities and differences from its successor, the T-34 (1940). The front hull are identical, including the rather flat step for the driver right above his hatch's periscope. This spot only has a slope of 22° that gives only 48 mm effective armour. There are also two headlights in the front hull on both sides. Another significant detail on the hull is on the left hull on top of the track fender, which has a large rolled up canvas that is absent on the T-34 1940. Turret shape between the two tanks are about identical, with the exception of an extra light on top of the gun and a protruding antenna from the turret top's antenna mount.

Otherwise, the T-34 prototype follows the trend of a heavily sloped hull on all sides with 45 mm on the front and 40 on all other sides. The T-34 prototype shares the same gun, same weight, and same armour as the T-34 mod. 1940 counterpart.

Several noticeable weak points on the T-34 prototype are the turret cheeks, which on the vertex areas are only 45.1 mm thick, allowing even 37 mm guns to penetrate from a reasonable range. Two weak points on the front hull are the step above the driver's hatch and the machine gun port, both of which have points of minimum sloping that degrades the full slope capability of the front hull. More precise shooters can also aim for the turret ring, which is only sloped enough to provide ~60 mm effective armour from all direction.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet, Driver's hatch, Machine gun port)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 45 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' 45 mm (0-53°) ''Lower glacis'' 45 mm (22-60°) ''Driver's hatch'' 45 mm (0-77°) ''Machine gun port'' || 40 mm (40°) ''Top'' 45 mm ''Bottom'' || 40 mm (10-47°) ''Top'' 40 mm (21-45°) ''Bottom'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 45 mm (8-80°) ''Turret front'' 45 + 20 mm (13-78°) || 45 mm (29-31°) 45 mm (1-73°) ''Vision ports'' || 45 mm (30-31°) 45 mm (25-32°) ''Turret ring'' || 15 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspensions wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Hull roof has hatches on the rear engine deck that adds 10 mm.
* Belly armour is 13 mm thick.
* Hull underside over tracks is 13 mm thick.

Given that the T-34 prototype nowadays is a rare tank, it is an unlikely opponent to be found on the current War Thunder battlefield. In the case it is found, defeat it in the same manner as any other T-34 tanks. The T-34 prototype has a higher power rating compared to other T-34/76 tanks so the T-34 prototype may move faster than the usual, which would affect the correct lead in aiming at a moving target. Though getting to the side may seem like an easy manoeuvre, the sloped side hull gives the T-34 a good chance to bounce shots. To counter this, aim for the flat hull sides near the suspension wheel areas (careful not to hit the track or wheels), or just hit the turret sides to knock out the loader or gunner, both of which would deteriorate the T-34 prototype's combat performance.

The T-34 prototype can encounter Germany's longer [[KwK40 L43 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK40 L43]] gun on the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV F2]], the Japanese 75 mm Type 3 gun on the Chi-Nu, and the American [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm]] on the M4 Shermans to be able to reliably penetrate its front weak points. Tanks with weaker guns could also aim for the weak points on the turret cheeks, driver step near the hatch, machine gun port, turret ring, and the lower side hull for a penetration.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}}

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

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

{{main|L-11 (76 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L-11 (76 mm)|76 mm L-11]] || 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" | 77 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 23.8 || 32.9 || 40.0 || 44.2 || 47.1 || rowspan="2" | 9.23 || rowspan="2" | 8.17 || rowspan="2" | 7.53 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.9 || 17.5 || 21.2 || 23.5 || 25.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:L-11 (76 mm)/Ammunition|BR-350A (MD-5 fuze), BR-350SP, OF-350M, Sh-354T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_T-34_(1940).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the T-34 (1940) (identical to the {{PAGENAME}})]]
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''77''' || 75 ''(+2)'' || 72 ''(+5)'' || 69 ''(+8)'' || 1 ''(+76)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Turret empty: 69 ''(+8)'' shells.

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

{{main|DT (7.62 mm)}}

{| 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 || 1,890 (63) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The T-34 prototype, due to its weaker 76 mm L-11 gun, does better in closer encounters against thinner armour than long-range. This type of conflict encourages flanking manoeuvres and brawling tactics.

;Flanking

The T-34 prototype's higher speed makes the vehicle more favourable for getting around the enemy's sides. This, combined with the BR-250A APHEBC round, can have the T-34 prototype land an exploding round right into the side hull of an enemy tank, hopefully destroying them instantly. This tactic works favourably in larger maps such as Carpathians and Eastern Europe to get around the enemy from a distance and close in on a term in favour of the T-34's. Though, the T-34 would risk running into enemies with more capable long-range fighting skills like the high-velocity [[KwK40 L43 (75 mm)|75 mm KwK40 L43]] gun that can end the T-34's run easily.

In CQB settings like Advance to the Rhine or Berlin, the T-34 can exploit its speed to get around the city landscape and get to critical points before the enemy could. Though some light tanks could beat the T-34 prototype to these locations, those vehicles could be easily dealt with if engaged first. Be proactive in annihilating the enemy and playing the objective, both of which could be done by controlling a zone of access from the flank position to destroy all enemies crossing the gun sights.

;Brawling

The T-34's large sloped armour on the turret and hull, barring the weak points, make quick reacting situations in close-quarters brawling favourable for the T-34. In a surprise engagement with an unsuspecting enemy, a careless shot from them will most likely bounce off the large surface area of the front hull or the top and bottom side of the turret cheeks. If the enemy fired before the T-34 did, it now has all the time to line a perfect shot for the 76 mm. However, the 76 mm gun in close range also a good ~70 mm penetration, quite capable to most enemies at its BR except against heavy tanks like the KV-1.

The downside with this tactic is the relatively longer reload time on the T-34 of ~8 seconds. When encountering enemies with rapid-firing guns, even the 50 mm guns on the Panzer III can penetrate the weak points and deal a mortal blow to the T-34. Thus, it is important to make sure the T-34 is always fully reloaded and that the first penetrating hit cripples the enemy tanks. It is also important to try and deal with individual enemies instead of multiples as the T-34 prototype is poor in dealing with multiple enemies trying to flank and hit weak points.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great sloping front hull armour
* Turret gun mantlet bounces shots frequently
* Sloped side armour top also bounces shots
* 76 mm APHEBC round inflicts large post-penetration damage
* Strong engine and high top speed for excellent mobility
* Versatile fighting style due to great all-around capabilities
* Handling is superb, especially so with a trained driver
* Reverse speed quite quick for a withdrawal

'''Cons:'''

* Only subpar penetration for the calibre, can lead to the inability to destroy enemy heavy tanks
* Relatively long reload for the usual >75 mm calibre
* Lots of frontal weak points able to be penetrated by even 37 mm calibre, most noticeable are the turret cheeks
* 13 mm belly armour vulnerable to most high-calibre HE shells
* Poor gun depression of -5°
* Loss of crew members hamper tank's combat efficiency drastically
* Large centre ammo rack always filled, right between two fuel tanks
* Cramped crew next to fuel and ammo, detonating APHE shells would often destroy the entire vehicle

== History ==

===Development===
By 1939, the most numerous tank models in the Red Army were the [[T-26|T-26]] and the [[BT-7|BT-series]] light tanks. Though adequate on the days they were introduced, they are now outdated by this time due to the changing technology in anti-tank warfare. Back in 1937, a new tank project was already taking place under engineer Mikhail Koshkin, who was assigned to lead a design team at the Kharkiv Locomotive Factory (KhPZ) for a replacement for the BT light tanks as a new "cavalry tank" to engage in manoeuvre warfare. The first prototype was designated the ''A-20'' with 20 mm of armour, a 45 mm gun, and a diesel engine in a V-12 configuration. The Christie suspension is taken from the BT, even the conversion to drive track-less on roads. But gradually, the new track designs available made this conversion redundant and was excluded in further models. The A-20 also showed the effective research done into sloping armour on previous prototype designs, utilizing an all-around sloping armour on the design.

It was during this design process that the Russo-Japanese border wars took place and showed the deficiency of the T-26 and BT models. Koshkin then appealed for the initiation of a much better tank concept, the "universal tank" to completely replace the T-26 and BT tanks. The second prototype was the ''A-32'' and has an increased 32 mm of frontal armour with a 76.2 mm L-10 gun. The heavier prototype was still just as mobile as the A-20, and further development into the design increased the frontal armour thickness to 45 mm thick and a newer 76.2 mm L-11 gun attached instead. This prototype model presented, called the '''A-34''', was approved for production and designated the [[T-34 (1940)|T-34]] after the year 1934, when Koshkin believed was when he formulated the idea for the T-34. Koshkin, however, never saw his tanks in action as he succumbed to pneumonia in September 1940 after trials with the T-34 in the cold winter. Thus, the drivetrain developer Alexander Morozov was appointed as the next Chief Designer. The T-34 tank would go on to become the most produced World War II tank, with 84,000 tanks produced in the production span between 1940 to 1958.

===Design===
The T-34 took all of the Soviet's experiences with tanks and incorporated into the design. The tank had great sloping armour, a powerful engine, wide tracks, and a large gun. At its introduction, the armour of the T-34 was one of the best in the world, by sloping the 45 mm thick armour plate by 60 degrees, the effective thickness was now 90 mm thick. The armour was welded into place instead of riveted as rivets tend to "spall" and cause damage inside the tank even if the armour was not penetrated. The 76.2 mm gun was a major advantage compared to those on its adversaries, as it could be used as a multi-purpose weapon against infantry and tanks, unlike the Germans who had tanks split for two different roles such as the [[Pz.III E|Panzer III for anti-tank]] and the [[Pz.IV F1|Panzer IV for infantry support]]. The engine, a Model V-2-34 V12 diesel engine, was adequately powerful for the Christie suspension tank design and allowed the T-34 to reach a maximum of 53 km/h (33 mph). The powerful engine, added with the wide tracks that gave it lower ground pressure, allowed the T-34 to travel across cross-country terrain with relative freedom without risk of bogging down.

However, the T-34 is not without its fault and its quality is very questionable in some cases. Two [[T-34 (1941)]] models were sent to the United States in late 1942 for evaluations. The evaluations found the armour quality to be rather insufficient, with improper welding in places that can allow leaks and improper alloys that made armour weaker in some places than others, the T-34 cast turret was even found to use softer armour than the hull that render it vulnerable to even 37 mm shells. The gun sights for the 76.2 mm cannon was also quite poor in comparison to the Axis and other Allies. The tank reliability was also troubled by various mechanical issues, especially in the earlier models. Low-quality air filters and insufficient airflow could impede the engine capabilities and the turret drive had poor reliability that could easily jam up. The vision devices were also poor, the crew are unable to see outside the tank with enough situational awareness, even the tank commander couldn't see well out of the tank. Also, the lack of radios on the first few years of T-34s forced the tank commanders to communicate via flags, with only company commanders tanks fitted with the radios. Ergonomics inside the tanks was unsatisfactory and was very cramped inside, with no turret basket the loader has to struggle when the turret rotates and accessing ammunition on the floor boxes makes it a hard and dangerous job for the loader. The commander's hatch on the turret was also one-piece, making even a "heads-up" view for the commander impossible on these large one-piece hatches. Finally, the two-person turret suffered from not only a very cramped compartment but an overworked commander who has to act as a gunner as well.

===T-34 Prototype===
The prototype of the T-34 was designated the '''A-34''' and was the pre-production model. One notable feature on this tank was a complex single-piece front hull, without the swinging hatch available for the driver to use.

{{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 A-34 was based on the experimental A-32 medium tank and was put into service in December 1939. This vehicle's design represented a massive leap in Soviet and world tank development. It was the first vehicle to harmoniously combine cannon-proof armour, high-powered weapons and a reliable undercarriage. Its cannon-proof qualities were provided by very thick rolled armour plates set at a slope. The tank was armed with a 76.2 mm L-11 cannon and two DT machine guns. A powerful 500 hp B-2-34 diesel tank engine and wide 550 mm tracks provided the vehicle with high mobility. The first T-34s produced in 1940 were notable for the very high quality manufacturing of their armour.

The T-34 had a classic layout. The tank's crew consisted of four men - the driver and gunner/radio officer in the driver's compartment, and the loader and commander (also fulfilling the role of gunner) in the two-man turret. The hull and turret were welded from homogeneous rolled armour plates set at a slope.

Factory No. 183 in Kharkov produced these tanks. In the spring of 1940, around 100 A-34 tanks were produced.

Tests of the vehicle in its first tactical deployment exposed a range of flaws, such as crowding in the fighting compartment, the limited field of view from the tank, the lack of a radio connection, the low rate of fire and low technical reliability of the new diesel engines.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_t_34_1940_l_11 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 ==


* [http://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/soviet/soviet_a32_t32.php [Tanks-Encyclopedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> T-34 Prototypes: A-20 & A-32]

{{TankManufacturer Morozov}}
{{USSR medium tanks}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

Typhoon Mk Ib

2023-06-07T00:46:21Z

U82924470: Undo revision 163843 by U44629479 (talk)

{{About
| about = British fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Typhoon (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=typhoon_mk1b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} British fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game as a premium pack since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27 but was removed from the store after the [[wt:en/news/5232-shop-winter-sales-special-bundle-and-gift-certificates-en|2017 Winter Sale]]. It has since been made available for purchase with Golden Eagles {{ge}} for the [[wt:en/news/5438-raf-100-royal-air-force-centenary-en|2018 "Royal Air Force Centenary"]], [[wt:en/news/6759-special-d-day-en|2020 D-Day]], and [[wt:en/news/8171-special-royal-air-force-day-en|2023 "Royal Air Force Day"]] mini-events. It also has been made available again in the store episodically for the [[wt:en/news/5232-shop-winter-sales-special-bundle-and-gift-certificates-en|2018 Winter Sale]], the [[wt:en/news/6866-special-80-year-anniversary-of-battle-of-britain-en|2020 "80th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain"]] event and as part of the [[wt:en/news/6759/current|2020]] and [[wt:en/news/7205-shop-d-day-bundles-en|2021]] D-Day Sales.

The {{Specs|name}} is slightly inferior compared to the Mk Ib/late in regards to flight performance and engine power.

== 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 6,340 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 || 605 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.8 || 22.1 || 14.7 || 14.7 || rowspan="2" | 580
|-
! Upgraded
| 670 || 644 || 19.4 || 20.6 || 23.4 || 17.3
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 401 || 377 || 250 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 390 || < 440 || < 480 || > 337
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 1,447 m || 1,960 hp || 2,077 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,981 m || 1,650 hp || 1,749 hp
|-
|}

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


* 42.8 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
* 12.7 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.
* 1 mm Steel plate in the fuselage.
* 3 mm Steel plate behind the propeller.

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

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

{{main|Hispano Mk.II (20 mm)}}

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

* 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannons, wing-mounted (140 rpg = 560 total)

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

{{main|G.P. Mk.IV (250 lb)|G.P. Mk.IV (500 lb)|M.C. 1,000 lb Mk.I (1,000 lb)|RP-3}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 250 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (500 lb total)
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb M.C. 1,000 lb Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 8 x RP-3 rockets

== Usage in battles ==

As a fighter, it is mainly a BnZ aircraft with lethal armament, especially the stealthy Air targets belts. Roll rate is below average but turn performance is decent for such a large aircraft. Where the Typhoon shines, as in real life, is in ground attack roles with 2 x 1000lbs bombs or 8 x RP-3 rockets. Used in this role the Typhoon can strike very fast and accurately and use its speed to disengage. Climb early in the battle as performance is maintained even with 2 x 1000 bombs underneath, select the target and bomb in a shallow dive. Disengage with a shallow climb at great speed away from enemy fighters. Softer targets can be destroyed easily with the cannons. This aircraft can be a real lion farmer used in a mixed role of fighter bomber attacking unsuspecting slower enemy aircraft, or blasting through furballs at high speed. The Air Targets belts will reward the good shot. Performance is best below 6 km (20000 ft). When manoeuvring keeps the speed up, this is a heavy aircraft and will not easily regain energy lost by high loads, making it vulnerable.

=== 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 || Combined || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good diving speed
* Excellent armament
* Above average armour
* Can withstand tough loads
* Good speed
* Good climb rate

'''Cons:'''

* Water overheats if too much WEP applied
* Low roll rate
* Big target for a fighter
* Limited cockpit visibility
* Engine with less horsepower than the tech tree counterpart at the same BR.

== History ==


The Typhoon Mk Ib was an evolution on the earlier Mk Ia on a quest for better overall performance. An upgraded engine that could take higher boost settings and aerodynamic improvements on the fuselage and wings increased speed and climb capability. The four cannons and the improved hardpoints under the wings made it ideal for the ground attack tactics employed by the RAF in 1943 over France. The Spitfires and Hurricanes were quickly replaced by the Typhoons in this very dangerous mission profile, flying close to the ground and exposed to AA. The Typhoon was also used in a defensive role as interceptor against fast German fighter bombers coming across the Channel.

The Typhoon was not the easiest aircraft to fly and came as a shock to the pilots used to the much lighter and nimbler Spitfires and Hurricanes. Problems were engine reliability and vibrations, a swing (turn) on take-off due to the huge torque from the engine and propeller even with full opposite rudder applied. In the cockpit before the introduction of the later bubble canopy, visibility was limited and carbon monoxide from the exhaust would find its way in, use of oxygen at all times became mandatory. While flying missions crossing the English Channel, the danger of ditching was always present and the configuration of the scoop air intake below the engine made the success of such an event highly doubtful.

{{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 Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB was a single engine, single seat fighter which entered service with the RAF in 1941. The Mk.IB differed mainly from the Mk.IA in its armament; the fighter was equipped with four 20 mm British Hispano Mk.I magazine-fed cannons, with 75 rounds each.

Already plagued with several early problems, the seepage of exhaust gases from the engine into the pilot's cockpit became a serious issue for the Hawker Typhoon. Although the sealed partition between the cockpit and the engine compartment was improved and the engine's exhaust pipes were lengthened, this problem was never entirely solved and Typhoon pilots had to operate their fighters from engine start to shut down with their oxygen masks on.

Another problem was the lack of reliability of Napier Sabre Mk.IIA engines at the initial stage of operation. The engine was prone to overheating and it could jam when the aircraft climbed. Cases when the engine caught fire on take off were also frequent. It was only by mid 1943 that engineers managed to overcome these problems and bring the engine's reliability to an acceptable level.

Early on in the Typhoon's combat career, it was discovered that metal fatigue in the tail often caused the entire tail unit to detach in a high speed dive. As an interim measure, reinforcing straps were fitted across the joint of the tail section and the fuselage. Subsequently it was discovered that these structural failures were caused by elevator flutter which occurred at relatively low speeds. The flutter itself was caused by the fatigue failure of the small ring holding the balance weight assembly. The flutter could also lead to a failure of the tailplane spar, so this also urgently needed to be reinforced.

In early 1942, Hawker had embarked on equipping the Typhoon with external fittings. Drop tanks were added to increase the aircraft's range.

Two 500 lb (227 kg) bombs could be fitted instead of drop tanks; later these were replaced with heavier American 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs.

An important step in enhancing the Typhoon's firepower was equipping it with rockets. By the end of 1942, 3 inch (76 mm) rockets equipped with a 27 kg warhead were produced in large quantities. They were inexpensive, easy to manufacture and proved reliable although they were not particularly accurate. The Typhoon was equipped with eight rails for these rockets, four under each wing. Rocket rails and bomb racks were introduced across in service Typhoons throughout 1943.

Whilst the Typhoon had a disappointing high altitude performance, its low altitude performance was more impressive, leading to the aircraft being considered for employment in other roles. From November 1942, Typhoons were used as fighter bombers to hit ground targets on the Continent. However, in general the Typhoon was not a huge success as an interceptor, but found its forte as a rugged ground attack aircraft, capable of dealing a good deal of damage with bombs, rockets and its 20mm cannons. Over 3,300 Typhoons were manufactured during the war, the vast majority being the Mk. IB variant.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=typhoon_mk1b 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 ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

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

{{AirManufacturer Hawker}}
{{Britain fighters}}
{{Britain premium aircraft}}

Typhoon Mk Ib

2023-06-07T00:45:59Z

U82924470: Undo revision 163842 by U44629479 (talk)

{{About
| about = British fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Typhoon (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=typhoon_mk1b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} British fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game as a premium pack since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27 but was removed from the store after the [[wt:en/news/5232-shop-winter-sales-special-bundle-and-gift-certificates-en|2017 Winter Sale]]. It has since been made available for purchase with Golden Eagles {{ge}} for the [[wt:en/news/5438-raf-100-royal-air-force-centenary-en|2018 "Royal Air Force Centenary"]], [[wt:en/news/6759-special-d-day-en|2020 D-Day]], and [[wt:en/news/8171-special-royal-air-force-day-en|2023 "Royal Air Force Day"]] mini-events. It also has been made available again in the store episodically for the [[wt:en/news/5232-shop-winter-sales-special-bundle-and-gift-certificates-en|2018 Winter Sale]], the [[wt:en/news/6866-special-80-year-anniversary-of-battle-of-britain-en|2020 "80th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain"]] event and as part of the [[wt:en/news/6759/current|2020]] and [[wt:en/news/7205-shop-d-day-bundles-en|2021]] D-Day Sales.

The {{Specs|name}} is slightly inferior compared to the Mk Ib/late in regards to flight performance and engine power.

== 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 6,340 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 || 605 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.8 || 22.1 || 14.7 || 14.7 || rowspan="2" | 580
|-
! Upgraded
| 670 || 644 || 19.4 || 20.6 || 23.4 || 17.3
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 401 || 377 || 250 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 390 || < 440 || < 480 || > 337
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 1,447 m || 1,960 hp || 2,077 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,981 m || 1,650 hp || 1,749 hp
|-
|}

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


* 42.8 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
* 12.7 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.
* 1 mm Steel plate in the fuselage.
* 3 mm Steel plate behind the propeller.

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

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

{{main|Hispano Mk.II (20 mm)}}

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

* 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannons, wing-mounted (140 rpg = 560 total)

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

{{main|G.P. Mk.IV (250 lb)|G.P. Mk.IV (500 lb)|M.C. 1,000 lb Mk.I (1,000 lb)|RP-3}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 250 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (500 lb total)
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb M.C. 1,000 lb Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 8 x RP-3 rockets

== Usage in battles ==

As a fighter, it is mainly a BnZ aircraft with lethal armament, especially the stealthy Air targets belts. Roll rate is below average but turn performance is decent for such a large aircraft. Where the Typhoon shines, as in real life, is in ground attack roles with 2 x 1000lbs bombs or 8 x RP-3 rockets. Used in this role the Typhoon can strike very fast and accurately and use its speed to disengage. Climb early in the battle as performance is maintained even with 2 x 1000 bombs underneath, select the target and bomb in a shallow dive. Disengage with a shallow climb at great speed away from enemy fighters. Softer targets can be destroyed easily with the cannons. This aircraft can be a real lion farmer used in a mixed role of fighter bomber attacking unsuspecting slower enemy aircraft, or blasting through furballs at high speed. The Air Targets belts will reward the good shot. Performance is best below 6 km (20000 ft). When manoeuvring keeps the speed up, this is a heavy aircraft and will not easily regain energy lost by high loads, making it vulnerable.

=== 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 || Combined || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good diving speed
* Excellent armament
* Above average armour
* Can withstand tough loads
* Good speed
* Good climb rate

'''Cons:'''

* Water overheats if too much WEP applied
* Low roll rate
* Big target for a fighter
* Limited cockpit visibility

== History ==


The Typhoon Mk Ib was an evolution on the earlier Mk Ia on a quest for better overall performance. An upgraded engine that could take higher boost settings and aerodynamic improvements on the fuselage and wings increased speed and climb capability. The four cannons and the improved hardpoints under the wings made it ideal for the ground attack tactics employed by the RAF in 1943 over France. The Spitfires and Hurricanes were quickly replaced by the Typhoons in this very dangerous mission profile, flying close to the ground and exposed to AA. The Typhoon was also used in a defensive role as interceptor against fast German fighter bombers coming across the Channel.

The Typhoon was not the easiest aircraft to fly and came as a shock to the pilots used to the much lighter and nimbler Spitfires and Hurricanes. Problems were engine reliability and vibrations, a swing (turn) on take-off due to the huge torque from the engine and propeller even with full opposite rudder applied. In the cockpit before the introduction of the later bubble canopy, visibility was limited and carbon monoxide from the exhaust would find its way in, use of oxygen at all times became mandatory. While flying missions crossing the English Channel, the danger of ditching was always present and the configuration of the scoop air intake below the engine made the success of such an event highly doubtful.

{{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 Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB was a single engine, single seat fighter which entered service with the RAF in 1941. The Mk.IB differed mainly from the Mk.IA in its armament; the fighter was equipped with four 20 mm British Hispano Mk.I magazine-fed cannons, with 75 rounds each.

Already plagued with several early problems, the seepage of exhaust gases from the engine into the pilot's cockpit became a serious issue for the Hawker Typhoon. Although the sealed partition between the cockpit and the engine compartment was improved and the engine's exhaust pipes were lengthened, this problem was never entirely solved and Typhoon pilots had to operate their fighters from engine start to shut down with their oxygen masks on.

Another problem was the lack of reliability of Napier Sabre Mk.IIA engines at the initial stage of operation. The engine was prone to overheating and it could jam when the aircraft climbed. Cases when the engine caught fire on take off were also frequent. It was only by mid 1943 that engineers managed to overcome these problems and bring the engine's reliability to an acceptable level.

Early on in the Typhoon's combat career, it was discovered that metal fatigue in the tail often caused the entire tail unit to detach in a high speed dive. As an interim measure, reinforcing straps were fitted across the joint of the tail section and the fuselage. Subsequently it was discovered that these structural failures were caused by elevator flutter which occurred at relatively low speeds. The flutter itself was caused by the fatigue failure of the small ring holding the balance weight assembly. The flutter could also lead to a failure of the tailplane spar, so this also urgently needed to be reinforced.

In early 1942, Hawker had embarked on equipping the Typhoon with external fittings. Drop tanks were added to increase the aircraft's range.

Two 500 lb (227 kg) bombs could be fitted instead of drop tanks; later these were replaced with heavier American 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs.

An important step in enhancing the Typhoon's firepower was equipping it with rockets. By the end of 1942, 3 inch (76 mm) rockets equipped with a 27 kg warhead were produced in large quantities. They were inexpensive, easy to manufacture and proved reliable although they were not particularly accurate. The Typhoon was equipped with eight rails for these rockets, four under each wing. Rocket rails and bomb racks were introduced across in service Typhoons throughout 1943.

Whilst the Typhoon had a disappointing high altitude performance, its low altitude performance was more impressive, leading to the aircraft being considered for employment in other roles. From November 1942, Typhoons were used as fighter bombers to hit ground targets on the Continent. However, in general the Typhoon was not a huge success as an interceptor, but found its forte as a rugged ground attack aircraft, capable of dealing a good deal of damage with bombs, rockets and its 20mm cannons. Over 3,300 Typhoons were manufactured during the war, the vast majority being the Mk. IB variant.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=typhoon_mk1b 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 ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

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

{{AirManufacturer Hawker}}
{{Britain fighters}}
{{Britain premium aircraft}}

Spitfire Mk Vc/trop

2023-06-07T00:44:09Z

U82924470: Undo revision 163844 by U44629479 (talk) Repair costs are listed as a con on other articles. Do not cherry pick

{{About
| about = British fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| other
| usage-1 = the non-tropical version
| link-1 = Spitfire Mk Vc
| usage-2 = other versions
| link-2 = Spitfire (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=spitfire_mk5c
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_Spitfire_Mk_Vc_trop.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27, originally under the name ''Spitfire Mk Vc'', however this was changed in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]] to the current name when [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"#Britain 2|non-tropical versions of Spitfire]] were introduced.

The Spitfire Vc/trop is a plane with two major advantages over its opposition: turn performance, engine performance below 3,000 m, and armament. The plane is blessed with a Merlin 45M engine that grants it phenomenal acceleration below that altitude compared to German opposition, as well as a hard-hitting armament of four Hispano Mark II cannons that gives it an exceptionally high burst mass of 5.17 kg/s- putting it on the same level as the [[Fw 190 A-5]].

Due to its BR of {{Specs|br|rb}} in realistic battles, the Vc/trop will be matched against planes such as the [[Bf 109 G-2/trop]], which performs better in the vertical (climbing/diving), or the [[A6M5]], which performs better in the horizontal (turning). In an uptier battle - which is an odd-to-regular occurrence depending on whether players are playing more of rank III or IV aircraft - this aircraft faces opposition such as the [[Fw 190 A-8]], the [[Fw 190 C]], the [[Bf 109 G-6]] the [[A7M1 (NK9H)]], and even the [[Re.2005 serie 0]].

In Arcade battles, where it has a BR of{{Specs|br|ab}}, it will be put with far superior planes such as the [[Fw 190 D-9]] and [[Spitfire F Mk 22]].

While this aircraft faces tricky opposition, it is far from helpless as one might come to expect from an aircraft with the airframe of a BR 3.3 aircraft at a higher BR. If used correctly, this aircraft can easily ruin the day of any axis pilot.

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

The Spitfire Mk Vc/trop's engine performs best at low altitudes: between the 2,000 m and 3,500 m. At these low levels, the Spitfire has a competitive top speed, and a decent climb rate. Above this altitude, engine performance begins to suffer dramatically, as acceleration and climb rate decrease. The engine's power output can be maximized by using WEP, without which the plane lacks much of its performance. The Spitfire's acceleration in a dive is less than that of the Bf 109 and Fw 190.

Like all Spitfires, the Vc/trop has above-average manoeuvrability, including a good turn rate and competitive roll rate. It also has decent energy retention both in flat turns and vertical manoeuvres. Watch out though, Fw 190s still have better energy retention and roll rate than the Spitfire, and A6Ms can out-roll it on low speeds.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 3,963 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
| 560 || 543 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 17.2 || 17.8 || 14.4 || 14.4 || rowspan="2" | 340
|-
! Upgraded
| 627 || 592 || 15.8 || 16.2 || 27.1 || 19.5
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || N/A || N/A || 230 || ~11 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 321 || < 400 || < 350 || > 450
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 3,800 m || 1,200 hp || 1,704 hp
|-
|}

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


* 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
* 4 mm Steel - Armoured plates behind pilot, coupled with another 6-7 mm Steel plate behind that
* 3 mm Steel - Armoured plate in front of engine above propeller
* 1 mm Steel - Armoured plate in front of front top fuel tank
* 3 mm Steel - Armoured plates around ammunition

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

Pilots should invest heavily in the '''Weapons Maintenance''' skill of their crew in order to prevent guns from jamming as much. Pilots should only really need the first or second cannon upgrade. The 1943 cannons are useful to have, but not strictly necessary to perform well in this aircraft.

Priorities, in order, are:

# Offensive 20 mm belts
# Radiator
# Compressor
# New 20 mm cannons
# Engine
# Mk.II year 1942
# Engine injection
# Cover
# Wings repair
# Airframe
# Fuselage repair
# Mk. II year 1943

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

{{main|Hispano Mk.II (20 mm)}}

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

* 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannons, wing-mounted (120 rpg = 480 total)

The Spitfire Mk. Vc/trop is armed with four Hispano Mk.II cannons with 120 rounds per gun. While this is double the cannon capacity of earlier Spitfires, such as the [[Spitfire Mk Vb/trop]], it is still quite small, and unsuitable for firing long bursts at the enemy.

== Usage in battles ==


The Spitfire Mark Vc/trop, unlike the older [[Spitfire Mk IIb|Mk IIb]] variant, no longer has overwhelming edges in performance over its opposition. This aircraft is heavier than its predecessors, and has an engine that does better at an altitude range that is much lower than its predecessors. The Spitfire Mk Vc/trop flies best at altitudes between the 2,000 m and 3,500 m range and its engine starts to suffer above this altitude. This plane must be played radically differently in terms of when and where to pick fights. As usual, the 7 P's of Combat apply: ''Proper Perusal, Planning and Preparation Prevent Poor Performance.''

With previous Spitfires, in order to use your plane most effectively, these were more or less suggestions. Flat-turning allowed you to take down enemies relatively consistently even without advanced knowledge. With this Spitfire, and arguably the [[Spitfire Mk Vb]] before it, it is absolutely essential to follow these. Without fulfilling these criteria, you will not be able to succeed with flying the Spitfire Vc/trop.

You need to know your opposition inside-out, but also your own plane's performance (Perusal). In order to fight, you need to plan your every move well and have a good idea of how you're going to start your match and at what point you're going to return to base (Planning). You need to know and be prepared to fight enemies that may have better performance than you in a turn, in the vertical, in a straight line, or all three (Preparation).

The ability of a pilot to fight using this plane is determined primarily by their skill and ability to pick their fights against their enemy wisely. Charging head-on into Axis teams, which usually will have an energy advantage over you, will result in the Spitfire's instant and explosive demise at the hands of [[Bf 109 G-2/trop|Bf 109G-2s]] and [[C.205 serie 3|C.205s]] eager to score an easy victory on an allied fighter at a lesser altitude and travelling at a lower speed while within their favoured altitude range (4,000-5,500 m).

General guides for fighting against major nations:

* Germany and Italy: fighters of both those nations are well armed and have decent survivability, have better max speed than Spit and similar or slightly lower rate of climb. If you are below them, better run away far enough to be unworthy of their attention. If enemy attacks you on high altitude, your best chance is to dive and try to outmaneouvre them but do not attempt to fly in a straight line.
* Japan: you won't stand a chance both in dogfight and flight speed so you should avoid fight against this nation when you are alone but if it is impossible, your best chance is in head-on as just a single shell stands high chance of setting enemy ablaze.
* USA: American fighters have decent guns that will shred your plane during a head-on and are durable enough to resist a few hits with 20 mm guns. Fortunately those planes are relatively heavy and lack climb rate so you should be able to gather more potential energy before the duel begins. Once into dogfight, it won't take you more than 2 circles to get a stable position on enemy tail but same as with German and Italian planes, you should not allow them to run away.
* USSR: it is very risky to be in front of a Soviet fighter even for a single moment due to their armament which might consist on 37 or even 45 mm guns that are able to destroy your plane with a single hit but generally you should proceed similarly to fights with German planes .

Let's just mention that fighting bombers might be a very bad idea unless you are trying to take them from their side and have much speed.

One way to use this fighter to its best advantage is to use it as a "Vulture". Climb to 3,500 m and then proceed to roam around the map looking for aircraft low and slow, or for furballs where an enemy aircraft is pursuing a friendly. Dive on these people and "Bounce" them, shooting and entering a furball with them. These tactics will yield great success, provided that you are not chased yourself in turn.

One important thing to note is that this aircraft, especially while stock, cannot fire its weapons in long bursts. While stock, it will result in quick weapon jamming, and even when upgraded, its ammo capacity is absolutely abysmal. Furthermore, stock Hispanos Mk. II lack accuracy at bigger distances and when placed in wings, it gets even worse, so you shouldn't use them with aiming distances above 600 m. On low distances around 400-500 m with suitable aiming distance, enemy plane can be destroyed with just a single salvo (even without killing the pilot). Spitfire is also able to effectively fight tanks in ground RB. When attacking from above it is able to penetrate most medium tanks and SPGs with AP rounds but in such a situation you should use pretty low aiming distance of around 300 m.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great forward armament in 4 x 20 mm Hispano cannons
* Good manoeuvrability (better at turnfighting than every nation except for Japan)
* Decent Energy Retention - can keep speed fairly well in flat turns and loops
* Competitive roll rate that outperforms or is comparable to the majority of its opponents
* Good engine performance and speed below 3,000 m

'''Cons:'''

* Low survivability
* Low ammo capacity at only 120 rounds per gun (12 seconds of constant fire)
* No suspended armament
* Massively reduced engine performance at altitudes above 3,500 m
* Poor maximum speed
* Poor dive-acceleration
* No combat nor take-off flaps
* Extremely high repair cost

== 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}}
A single-seat, single-engine all-metal monoplane fighter, this variant of the Spitfire Mk V was fitted with the new Type C "universal" wing, capable of being fitted with a variety of armaments. The Mk VC could be fitted with four 20 mm Hispano cannons, or it could carry two 20 mm Hispano cannons and four 0.303 inch Colt-Browning Mk II machine guns. The cannons in the type C wings had a tape supply and so could carry up to 120 rounds per gun, unlike the type B wings, which were limited to 60 rounds. In addition, the Mk VC had other modifications to the airframe such as a strengthened fuselage, more armour, larger oil cooler and a new windscreen design.

Production of the Mk VC variant began in October of 1941, with the first aircraft being equipped with a Rolls Royce Merlin 45 or 46. However, with the appearance of the German Focke-Wulf FW190 fighter, Spitfire pilots found themselves being outmanoeuvred at low and medium altitudes.

The Mk VC was then fitted with Merlin 50, 50A, 55, and 56 engines. To improve performance characteristics at low and medium altitudes, some of these engines were fitted with a cropped supercharger impeller to allow maximum power to be reached at lower altitudes. Engines designed this way included the 45M, 50M, and 55M.

On the lower altitude models, further changes were implemented. To reduce drag and moment of inertia on the aircraft's longitudinal axis, the wingspan was reduced and the elliptical wingtips were redesigned to be nearly rectangular. Fighters designed with low-altitude combat in mind were designated Spitfire LFMk Vs (Low Flight). Aircraft optimized for mid-altitude combat were designated Spitfire FMk Vs (Flight) and fighters fitted with the Merlin 46, 50A, or 56 were designated Spitfire HFMk Vs (High Flight) and had an increased wingspan with elongated, elliptical wingtips.

The Spitfire VC fought in all theatres in which the RAF was active from 1941 to 1944. A total of some 6,500 Spitfire Mk V fighters were produced, of which 2,467 were Mk VCs.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=spitfire_mk5c Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|9_txEPailKc|'''The Shooting Range #92''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 04:21 discusses the Spitfire Mk Vc/trop.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Spitfire (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5371-development-spitfire-mk-v-model-update-and-new-modifications-en|[Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> Spitfire Mk.V: model update and new modifications]]
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/287254-supermarine-spitfire-mk-vctrop/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

{{AirManufacturer Supermarine}}
{{Britain fighters}}

Spitfire Mk Vc/trop

2023-06-06T21:30:16Z

U82924470: Undo revision 163840 by U31139476 (talk) The repair cost is extremely high compared to other 4.7 fighters, this is irrefutable.

Churchill Crocodile

2023-06-06T21:23:30Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

{{About
| about = premium British heavy tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Churchill (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_a_22f_mk_7_churchill_crocodile
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=id50199_churchill_crocodile_great_britain
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} British heavy tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Fire and Ice"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season IX, "Smell of Victory"]]. The Churchill Crocodile differentiates itself from the Churchill VII with its flamethrower as an extremely effective secondary weapon against vehicles with exposed crew (SPAAs, tank destroyers, etc.).

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

The Churchill Crocodile has the same armour layout as the Churchill VII, most enemy tanks will struggle to penetrate its excellent armour in a downtier. The armour can be further upgraded with additional tracks. Being angled and hull down significantly improves the survivability. The Crocodile is a good "shell magnet" for the team; attracting the main firepower from the enemy tanks while friendly tanks engage them, reducing the pressure on the friendly team significantly.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 152 mm ''Front Plate'' 57.15 mm (66-67°) ''Front Glacis'' 139 mm (24°) ''Lower Glacis'' 95 mm Flamethrower ''Port''
| 95 mm || 50.8 mm (1°) ''Top'' 25.4 mm (64°) ''Bottom'' || 15.88-19.05 mm
|-
| Turret || 152 mm (20°) ''Turret Front'' 152 mm (26°) ''Gun Mantlet'' || 95.25 mm || 95.25 mm (1°) || 20 mm
|-
| Cupola || 152 mm || 152 mm || 152 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

The Churchill Crocodile retains the same slow mobility as the [[Churchill VII]]. It has a low top speed and difficulty to turn and climb slopes. It won't be the first to the frontline, but that means it will be ideal for a support role. The Crocodile is very difficult to manoeuvre in tight and narrow streets with its long hull and its towed trailer. With a terrible and slow reverse speed (-3 km/h), retreating is difficult and the vehicle is easily flanked by enemies close by.

{{tankMobility}}

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

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

{{main|OQF Mk.V (75 mm)}}

The 75mm OQF Mk. V is an underwhelming gun for its BR. Its best shell can only go through 103 mm of armour. In an uptier, your gun will barely damage enemy vehicles. The most you can do is disable external components like barrels and tracks. The gun depression of -10 degrees allows for easier fighting in mountainous terrain. The gun sight has excellent zoom, making mid-range engagements easier.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[OQF Mk.V (75 mm)|75 mm OQF Mk.V]] || 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" | 84 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 19.42 || 26.88 || 32.64 || 36.10 || 38.40 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:OQF Mk.V (75 mm)/Ammunition|M72 shot, M61 shot, M48 shell, M89}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_Churchill_VII.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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''84''' || 71 ''(+13)'' || 51 ''(+33)'' || 31 ''(+53)'' || 16 ''(+68)'' || 1 ''(+83)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Racks disappear after you've fired all shells in the rack.
* Pack 16 ''(+68)'' shells to keep most of the hull empty.
{{Clear}}

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

{{main|Flamethrower|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

As the flamethrower is unable to penetrate fully armoured vehicles, it is ineffective damage-wise against most tanks that a player will encounter. Due to the weight of fuel, flamethrowers can only hit targets at relatively short ranges.

However, this weapon is particularly useful for eliminating exposed crew members in open-topped vehicles and SPAA. For example, if a Churchill Crocodile shot flames at a [[Pz.IV H]], it would take no damage. A [[Sd.Kfz. 6/2]], however, would be burnt down within a few seconds.

This weapon is located in the bow gun position, replacing the machine gun mounted in the regular [[Churchill VII]]. As such, it has a very limited traverse and is dependent on the hull position for horizontal targeting. Vertical guidance is quite good, which can allow it to reach targets at short ranges outside of point-blank. Unfortunately, the slow speed of the Crocodile can make it difficult to get within range, so players will need to use the vertical limit to lob shots onto the enemy.

In attacking enemies that are fully armoured, a Churchill Crocodile can use its flamethrower to temporarily blind or distract the enemy. Fully armoured vehicles can be shot with flames to blind and confuse them which can allow the Crocodile to shoot back or reposition itself. Fire can serve as a deterrent to vehicles with exposed crew from getting too close, something that can be problematic for a Churchill tank.

Since this weapon is very unique, enemies will know a Churchill Crocodile is around when the flamethrower is used. When it is not in use, the fuel trailer is a major indicator of the vehicle. Flamethrower fuel tanks are susceptible to being shot. If this fuel tank is destroyed, it will explode. The tank crew will be unharmed, but the weapon system will be rendered unusable.

The use of the flamethrower is highly situational: most of the time, it will not damage enemy tanks that are adequately protected. Furthermore, the flamethrower's range is limited, and aiming it requires aiming the gun upwards, which can interfere with firing from the main gun.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Flamethrower]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull || 800 (800) || 1,200 || -5°/+30° || ±15°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 9,450 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:Crocodile-flaming-over-obstacle.jpg|thumb|right|The flamethrower can be used to kill open-topped targets behind cover, by just spraying it over an obstacle until at least some of the flames land on the enemy]]
The Churchill Crocodile is not too different from the [[Churchill VII]], being a modified version with a flamethrower weapon in the bow gunner position.

The flamethrower is useful against open-topped vehicles, but otherwise the Churchill Crocodile's offensive capabilities remain the same as the Churchill VII with the 75 mm gun. Due to the 75 mm's low penetration and situational use of the flamethrower, it is recommended to work and rely on teammates to help destroy the enemy.

Thanks to its thick armour, the Churchill Crocodile can hold a strategic position, like a choke point or a capture zone. The tank's slow top speed, combined with its relatively poor main armament, makes it very situational most of the time. It will struggle to get into any strategic spots during matches, and extra care must be taken to avoid enemies camping around the maps at the start of a match.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Access to a flamethrower, effective against open-topped vehicles
* Same tough armour of the Churchill VII

'''Cons:'''

* Flamethrower fuel is vulnerable to being shot
* Inadequate 75 mm gun, same as the one on the Churchill VII
* Slow reverse speed
* Very slow top speed
* The use of the flamethrower is situational as most tanks at this BR are fully enclosed
* Vulnerable to shots through the top front of the turret

== History ==

With the First World War bringing about the development of the tank and the flamethrower, different nations would devise ways to combine the two into a single weapon system during the interwar period. A mobile armoured flamethrower would allow the short-ranged weapon system to get close to the enemy with minimal risk from small-arms fire.

[[File:Churchill Crocodile 1944.jpg|alt=Churchill Crocodile|thumb|right|400px|Churchill Crocodile firing its flamethrower]]
In Britain, efforts by the Petroleum Warfare Department (PWD), Associated Equipment Company (AEC), and Ministry of Supply (MoS) would lead to the development of a flamethrower tank based on the [[Churchill (Family)|Churchill]] infantry tank family.

This would be completed in the form of an fuel trailer towed behind the Churchill with lines connecting to a flame projector mounted in place of the bow machine gun. The trailer was lightly armoured and could resist light small-arms fire. If the trailer was destroyed or ran out of fuel, the crew could jettison it safely from the inside of the tank.

Churchill Crocodiles began service in the European Theatre in 1944 as part of specialized support units. The flamethrowers served as a potent psychological weapon as well, with many German troops choosing to surrender instead of being burned to death. They were deemed effective, despite their short range.

Crocodiles would go on to serve in the Korean War alongside other Churchill tanks until they were withdrawn from service in 1951.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_a_22f_mk_7_churchill_crocodile Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|NxhYLDgeMOE|'''Battle Pass: Smell of Victory''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 01:33 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== 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/7913-development-battle-pass-vehicles-churchill-crocodile-en|[Devblog] Battle Pass vehicles: Churchill Crocodile]]

{{Britain heavy tanks}}
{{Britain premium ground vehicles}}

Comet I

2023-06-06T21:22:11Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */ after the changes to early APDS, the gun can no longer reliably pen the panther, even directly from in front.

{{About
| about = British medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Comet (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_a_34_comet
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.55 "Royal Armour"]] along with the initial British ground tree. Armed with a [[OQF Mk.II (77 mm)|77 mm HV gun]], essentially a 17-pounder with a lower muzzle velocity, it has one of the more powerful guns available for a medium tank at the rating.

The Comet is an excellent medium tank. It has great mobility and acceleration, able to reach 38 km/h very quickly and stay there in full throttle, but its reverse speed is pitiful like the [[Cromwell (Family)|Cromwell]]. Firepower is also a benefit of the vehicle, especially after the unlocking of the APDS shot, giving it the penetration needed to deal with any threat you might encounter. The drawback of the design is the sub-par armour that can be pretty easily penetrated at BR 5.3. One should take advantage of the Comet's low profile and mobility to hide and manoeuvre from the enemy to catch them at an advantageous angle. The Comet also has a benefit the previous tanks in its branch, the [[Sherman Firefly]], didn't have in the great gun depression. This allows the Comet to more easily fire over hills in an hull-down position to destroy the enemy with a terrain benefit for protection.

The Comet has an olive drab colour like all other British tanks. It is also quite low in stature. The Comet has a unique turret design and has a nice long barrel. The barrel has a muzzle brake at the end of it. The machine gun beside the driver doesn't work.

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

The turret is an unreliable area to target: its armour is thicker and bouncy, and can withstand a few hits from low-power guns in this BR range. The Comet has an extremely small silhouette if hull down, making long-range engagement very advantageous because the enemy will struggle to hit the turret from a long distance. With a total of 5 crew members, the Comet I has an increased survivability.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Turret front, Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 76.2 mm (1°) ''Front plate'' 32 mm (72°) ''Front glacis'' 63.5 mm (19°) ''Joint plate'' 25.4 mm (69°) ''Lower glacis'' || 32 mm ''Top front half'' 25 mm ''Top back half'' 29 + 14 mm ''Bottom'' || 32 + 25.4 mm (1°) ''Top half'' 32 mm (32°) ''Lower half'' || 14 mm
|-
| Turret || 102 mm (3-57°) ''Turret front'' 102 mm (1-34°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 63.5 mm || 57.1 + 5 mm (1°) || 25.4 mm ''Front half'' 20 mm ''Rear half''
|-
| Cupola || 44 mm || 44 mm || 44 mm || 25.4 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

*Suspension wheels and the tracks are 20 mm thick.
*There are tracks attached on the turret that provide an extra 20 mm armour where they are attached.
*Steel boxes on the left and right side of the hull by the turret gives 4 mm extra armour at their location.
*The bustle rack on the back of the turret gives an armour rating of 5 mm

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

This tank has a respectable top speed and can get into strategic positions faster than common enemies like the Tiger I and Panther. It also has neutral steering, which allows for easy turning in tight and narrow streets. When compared to the Challenger and the A.C.IV, the handling of the Comet I is slightly worse. The poor reverse speed is insufficient to return to cover if the enemy spots you: always plan ahead.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=930|rbMinHp=531}}

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

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

{{main|OQF Mk.II (77 mm)}}
The OQF Mk.II is a good gun with a wide range of ammunition options for various situations. The Comet I has a very good gun depression of -12 degrees. In general, the turret transverse speed is poor: brawling in narrow streets is not recommended unless absolutely necessary. The reload speed is rather slow.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[OQF Mk.II (77 mm)|77 mm OQF Mk.II]] || 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" | 61 || rowspan="2" | -12°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 14.3 || 19.8 || 24.0 || 26.5 || 28.2 || rowspan="2" | 9.62 || rowspan="2" | 8.51 || rowspan="2" | 7.84 || rowspan="2" | 7.40
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.9 || 10.5 || 12.8 || 14.1 || 15.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The high-penetrating APDS round should be the primary shell in long range and open maps. However, the APDS round has very poor post-penetration damage, necessitating multiple shots to destroy enemy tanks.

{{:OQF Mk.II (77 mm)/Ammunition|Shot Mk.6, Shell Mk.1, Shot Mk.4, Shot Mk.8, Shot SV Mk.1}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''61''' || 56 ''(+5)'' || 50 ''(+11)'' || 43 ''(+18)'' || 38 ''(+23)'' || 30 ''(+31)''
|-
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 25 ''(+36)'' || 20 ''(+41)'' || 12 ''(+49)'' || 7 ''(+54)''|| 1 ''(+60)''|| No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* As they are modeled by sets of 2, shells disappear from the rack only after you fire both shells in the set.
* Right side empty: 25 ''(+36)'' shells.

==== [[Optics]] ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="3" | {{PAGENAME}} Optics
|-
!
! Default magnification
! Maximum magnification
|-
! Main Gun optics
| X3.0 || X6.0
|-
! Comparable optics
| colspan="2" | [[VFW]]
|-
|}

Second tank in Medium tank British tech line to have X6 scope. It will not get any better than this until rank VI, so get used to it - it will be the same across entire tech tree for a while with SPAA being the only exception.

At rank III, this scope is slightly or moderately superior to most medium and heavy tanks, but do not expect to outrange German SPGs as they have similar or better optics.

With newfound APDS ammunition, you might want to take tank on a test drive to get used to APDS ballistic markings. As usually, each mark represents 200 m, but they skip over the 8 number on the scope, leaving inexperienced user guessing where is the 800 m mark. It is the second big line on your scope - try to remember it well.

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

{{main|BESA (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BESA (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm BESA]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 5,175 (225) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Fighting a tank of the same weight classification is relatively easy, but difficult against the more armoured [[Panther A]] and [[T-34-85|T-34]] tanks. Until the APDS shot has been unlocked, more decisive shots will have to be made to take care of these tanks, the Mk.6 and Mk.8 shot are the preferred ammunition to use. In mid and long range, the APDS shell will struggle to penetrate Panther upper front armour on the hull. The Panthers should be targeted on the gun mantlet in the front and should be aimed at the gunner to immobilize their firepower and cause crew damage. The T-34-85 is a bit of a hit-or-miss due to the more heavy sloping nature of the armour and the turret. Penetrating through the front hull armour when it is facing directly at you is the best course of action against the T-34-85. Heavy tanks get even more tricky, but easier once the APDS round is unlocked for use. A [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] is admittedly an easy tank to deal with due to the vertical slope of the armour. Problems arise with the [[IS-2]] tanks that may show up, due to their heavy armour and their tendency to absolutely wreck vehicles with their 122 mm gun. Distance is not your friend against this tank, the closer the better for your gun to penetrate the weak spots on its frontal armour. A tough situation, but a survivable one.

For every Comet player that does not have the APDS shells, do not engage in long distance gun fights. You are almost certainly going to lose. So use it first as its intention is, a cruiser tank. Cap point and retreat. If you find yourself in a sticky situation, get as close to the enemy as possible and fire at its side. Conduct the battle in this manner until the APDS is unlocked

The best tactic is flanking and "shoot and scoot". Your armour won't stand against T-34s and Tigers you'll meet so don't pick a sniping position and keep firing - sooner or later you will be pinned down. You need to locate a good spot for attack, fire a few shots (the Comet has great fire rate: use it) and relocate. Don't mind the damage you made: keep moving!

Also, another "never" to do with this tank, never go in reverse. You are almost certainly going to get yourself destroyed in the process as you have an awful reverse speed. If you want to reverse, turn the whole tank around instead using neutral steer or just charge at the enemy, circle him or her once and disappear the other way. You must do this as quickly as you appeared. You can use smoke grenades, but still, don't reverse, charge at the enemy. To not to get in the situation in the first place, choose where you are going to go carefully. You must study the situation quickly and cautiously to not to get yourself blown up in the process. The key is to run, run and run.

Overall, you must dedicate quite a bit of time to master the tank in all. Even when you have the APDS shells.

===Game mode specifics===
====Arcade battles====
In arcade domination mode where the cap points are arranged perpendicular to the cap points (ex. Poland, Ash River, Berlin, Korea, Karelia, Kuban, etc.), go for the flanks (A or C). If the cap points are diagonal (ex. Stalingrad), go for the closest cap point. And if the cap points are parallel to cap points (ex. Ardennes, Eastern Europe, etc.) go for the middle point as fast as you can. If you feel that you cant make it, help cap the point closest to spawn. You can also decide if you want to defend the point after capturing it. It is suggested to defend the cap point that has a lot of cover and an easy escape if overwhelmed (Suggested points to defend: A or C in Poland, C in Stalingrad, C in Ardennes).

====Realistic/Simulator battles====
In realistic and simulator, the Comet can become sluggish and isn't as fast as in arcade. A suggestion would be to capture the closest cap point, cap it, and then go into hiding. When you go into hiding, take every well placed shot you can and immediately run away from an encounter. You will mainly be facing Tiger IIs, Tiger Is, and Panthers, T-34-85s, rarely Chi-Tos and Chi-Ris. If you encounter them on a one v. one, always be on the move. Move around the other tank and try to hit it from the side (Panthers, Tiger Is, Chi-Tos, and Chi-Ris). If you encounter a Tiger II, slap it across the cheek with a APDS shell and take shoot it through the side. T-34-85 would be easier. You can easily penetrate the frontal armour of the T-34-85. It is just a matter of reaction time.

===Specific enemies worth noting===

Many heavy tanks will be an issue to deal with using stock AP shells, but with the APDS unlocked, it becomes a lot easier. As it has been mention before, when engaging a Tiger II, slap an APDS shell on the right turret cheek to knock out the gunner and finish it off from the side. The hardest tanks to counter are the following:

* [[Tiger I (Family)|Tiger I]]
* [[Panzer V Panther (Family)|Panther]]
* [[Tiger II (Family)|Tiger II]]
* [[T-34-85]]
* [[IS-1]]/[[IS-2]]

Although your gun can counter anything within the Comet's BR range, you should constantly be aware that one hit from pretty much any gun to the front of the hull will knock out the Comet. In particular, the Soviet 85 mm and German 75 and 88 mm guns should be taken very seriously. They have plenty of explosive filler. The Comet's turret has the chance to bounce even the mighty 88 mm gun found on the Tiger I, but only a chance. Your hull won't even protect you from the majority of rank 2 guns, so rank 3 and 4 guns will slice through the Comet's armour like butter. Because of this, almost any enemy is dangerous. Even SPAA can be a frontal threat to you. In particular, the [[Wirbelwind]] or the [[Ostwind]] can cause serious damage at close to medium range. Be particularly cautious late in a match when SPAA are more common.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great turret armour
* Access to APDS shot
* Great gun depression
* 5 crew members, for a better crew survivability
* Excellent manoeuvrability and speed
* Has access to neutral steering which allows quick repositioning of the tank
* Good climbing ability, can get to sniping positions that other tanks cannot
* Good gun, precise and with good penetration values (vertical armour)
* APDS is great at taking out Tigers at long range. Knock-outs are common if you know where the ammo racks are
* APDS makes the tank very easy to use in RB and SB. The round drops very little over distance and retains a lot of penetration

'''Cons:'''

* Bad penetration values against sloped armour
* Mediocre gun damage due to lack of explosive fillers, aim at the enemy gunner to increase your fighting chance
* The 77 mm HV does not have as much penetration as the true 17-pounder and other Rank III guns
* Overall bad armour for its rank, only the turret front has some good chance to bounce some hits
* Awful reverse speed
* APDS causes less post-penetration damage than the other AP rounds
* Painful to use when stock due to disappointing performance in terms of acceleration and frustratingly bouncy stock rounds
* Slow reload for the gun calibre, every shot must count

== History ==

===Development===
The British experience against the Germans during World War II showed that there were severe deficiencies with their cruiser tanks. The main cruiser tank in the British inventory was the [[Crusader Mk II|Crusader]] tank but it suffered from a gradually inefficient armament and thin armour. A request was submitted in 1941 to the Nuffield Organization and Leyland Motors Ltd for a heavier cruiser tank that could take on the gradually stronger German tanks, the design was also to use components from the Crusader tanks for economic reasons. This became the A24 Cruiser Tank Mk VII Cavalier tank and the A27L Cruiser tank Mk VII Centaur tank, which are both superseded by the [[Cromwell V|A27M Cruiser Tank Mk VII Cromwell tank]]. The Cromwell ended up as a decent cruiser tank for the British Army, giving great mobility, reliability, and a decent OQF 75 mm gun (or a 6-pounder gun). However, it still had problems, such as being under-gunned against the more armoured German tanks and suspension problems.

It was determined that the British Army needed a tank that mounted the large 17-pounder gun, which would allow the tank to stand its ground against the German panzers. The first attempt was an upgraded Cromwell in the form of the [[Challenger|A30 Challenger]], but development and production were slow and the first mass-produced tank with the 17-pounder was the modified [[Sherman Firefly|Sherman Firefly]]. While the Firefly was adequate, it was a logistical burden when the Firefly is attached to Cromwell troops, which would require the troop to have maintenance requirements for a Cromwell and a Sherman tank. A more standard tank is needed to fix this, and development started on this with the General Staff specification '''A34'''.

The developing tank now called the '''A34 Comet I''', was meant to fix the issues from the Cromwell such as the suspension and the track shedding, plus also increase the firepower and speed. The gun mounted on the tank was the "77 mm HV", a specifically built gun for the Comet I. Though using the same projectiles as the 17-pounder, the 77 mm HV gun uses cartridges with different casings thus the rounds between the two guns are different and the 77 mm HV produces a lower muzzle velocity for the round, but this allowed for easier stowage in the gun due to the more compact size. The Comet I also had greater armour protection, a welded armour construction, cast gun mantlet, stronger suspension, a return roller established in the suspension, an electrically traversed turret, and ammo stowage inside armoured bins. The Comet I, though having the power to go faster than the Cromwell, is restricted with an engine governor to preserve the suspension, engine, and tracks. The Comet I entered the prototype stage in February 1944, but delays caused production to start only in September 1944 and were put into service in Europe in December 1944. By the end of the war, about 1,186 Comet I tanks were made for the British Army.

===Combat usage===
The first unit to receive the Comet I tank was the British 11th Armoured Division, which was delivered in December 1944, and was the only division to be refitted with Comets by the end of the war. The Comet did not perform significantly on the battlefield due to its late arrival, but it was involved in the crossing of the Rhine and the Berlin Victory parade in July 1945. In Europe, the maximum speed of 51 km/h allowed the Comet I to exploit the German highways to travel throughout the entire countryside.

The Comet I saw service after World War II during the Korean War when it started, serving alongside its to-be successor [[Centurion Mk 3|Centurion tank]]. Though the Centurion was adopted in 1949, the Comet I continued to see service in the British Army until 1958, when it was then decommissioned and sold to foreign countries, which included South Africa, Finland, Ireland, Cuba, and Myanmar. Notable records with the Comet I sales were 41 tanks to Finland, which used them until 1970 and kept them in storage for much longer. In 1959, 4 were sent to Ireland and another 4 the following year, the Irish kept them until 1973 before being withdrawn.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_a_34_comet Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|oc_Z6gHeFCA|'''Comet A34 British Cruiser Tank''' - ''MilitArmy''|xhJr7xcFfsY|'''Tank Chats #115''' - ''Tank Museum''}}

== 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/devblog/current/852|[Devblog] A34 Comet I and A30 Challenger]]
* [[wikipedia:Comet_(tank)|[Wikipedia] Comet (tank)]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2/gb/a34-cruiser-tank-comet-mark-i <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Comet, Cruiser Tank, A34]

{{TankManufacturer Leyland}}
{{Britain medium tanks}}

Spitfire Mk Vc/trop

2023-06-06T21:18:33Z

U82924470: /* Pros and cons */

Typhoon Mk Ib

2023-06-06T21:16:19Z

U82924470: Undo revision 128554 by U44629479 (talk)

Typhoon Mk Ib

2023-06-06T21:13:06Z

U82924470: Undo revision 163833 by U44629479 (talk)

{{About
| about = British fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Typhoon (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=typhoon_mk1b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} British fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game as a premium pack since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27 but was removed from the store after the [[wt:en/news/5232-shop-winter-sales-special-bundle-and-gift-certificates-en|2017 Winter Sale]]. It has since been made available for purchase with Golden Eagles {{ge}} for the [[wt:en/news/5438-raf-100-royal-air-force-centenary-en|2018 "Royal Air Force Centenary"]], [[wt:en/news/6759-special-d-day-en|2020 D-Day]], and [[wt:en/news/8171-special-royal-air-force-day-en|2023 "Royal Air Force Day"]] mini-events. It also has been made available again in the store episodically for the [[wt:en/news/5232-shop-winter-sales-special-bundle-and-gift-certificates-en|2018 Winter Sale]], the [[wt:en/news/6866-special-80-year-anniversary-of-battle-of-britain-en|2020 "80th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain"]] event and as part of the [[wt:en/news/6759/current|2020]] and [[wt:en/news/7205-shop-d-day-bundles-en|2021]] D-Day Sales.

The {{Specs|name}} is slightly inferior compared to the Mk Ib/late in regards to flight performance and engine power.

== 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 6,340 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 || 605 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.8 || 22.1 || 14.7 || 14.7 || rowspan="2" | 580
|-
! Upgraded
| 670 || 644 || 19.4 || 20.6 || 23.4 || 17.3
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 401 || 377 || 250 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 390 || < 440 || < 480 || > 337
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 1,447 m || 1,960 hp || 2,077 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,981 m || 1,650 hp || 1,749 hp
|-
|}

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


* 42.8 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
* 12.7 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.
* 1 mm Steel plate in the fuselage.
* 3 mm Steel plate behind the propeller.

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

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

{{main|Hispano Mk.II (20 mm)}}

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

* 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannons, wing-mounted (140 rpg = 560 total)

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

{{main|G.P. Mk.IV (250 lb)|G.P. Mk.IV (500 lb)|M.C. 1,000 lb Mk.I (1,000 lb)|RP-3}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 250 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (500 lb total)
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb M.C. 1,000 lb Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 8 x RP-3 rockets

== Usage in battles ==

As a fighter, it is mainly a BnZ aircraft with lethal armament, especially the stealthy Air targets belts. Roll rate is below average but turn performance is decent for such a large aircraft. Where the Typhoon shines, as in real life, is in ground attack roles with 2 x 1000lbs bombs or 8 x RP-3 rockets. Used in this role the Typhoon can strike very fast and accurately and use its speed to disengage. Climb early in the battle as performance is maintained even with 2 x 1000 bombs underneath, select the target and bomb in a shallow dive. Disengage with a shallow climb at great speed away from enemy fighters. Softer targets can be destroyed easily with the cannons. This aircraft can be a real lion farmer used in a mixed role of fighter bomber attacking unsuspecting slower enemy aircraft, or blasting through furballs at high speed. The Air Targets belts will reward the good shot. Performance is best below 6 km (20000 ft). When manoeuvring keeps the speed up, this is a heavy aircraft and will not easily regain energy lost by high loads, making it vulnerable.

=== 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 || Combined || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good diving speed
* Excellent armament
* Above average armour
* Can withstand tough loads
* Good speed
* Good climb rate

'''Cons:'''

* Water overheats if too much WEP applied
* Low roll rate
* Big target for a fighter
* Limited cockpit visibility

== History ==


The Typhoon Mk Ib was an evolution on the earlier Mk Ia on a quest for better overall performance. An upgraded engine that could take higher boost settings and aerodynamic improvements on the fuselage and wings increased speed and climb capability. The four cannons and the improved hardpoints under the wings made it ideal for the ground attack tactics employed by the RAF in 1943 over France. The Spitfires and Hurricanes were quickly replaced by the Typhoons in this very dangerous mission profile, flying close to the ground and exposed to AA. The Typhoon was also used in a defensive role as interceptor against fast German fighter bombers coming across the Channel.

The Typhoon was not the easiest aircraft to fly and came as a shock to the pilots used to the much lighter and nimbler Spitfires and Hurricanes. Problems were engine reliability and vibrations, a swing (turn) on take-off due to the huge torque from the engine and propeller even with full opposite rudder applied. In the cockpit before the introduction of the later bubble canopy, visibility was limited and carbon monoxide from the exhaust would find its way in, use of oxygen at all times became mandatory. While flying missions crossing the English Channel, the danger of ditching was always present and the configuration of the scoop air intake below the engine made the success of such an event highly doubtful.

{{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 Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB was a single engine, single seat fighter which entered service with the RAF in 1941. The Mk.IB differed mainly from the Mk.IA in its armament; the fighter was equipped with four 20 mm British Hispano Mk.I magazine-fed cannons, with 75 rounds each.

Already plagued with several early problems, the seepage of exhaust gases from the engine into the pilot's cockpit became a serious issue for the Hawker Typhoon. Although the sealed partition between the cockpit and the engine compartment was improved and the engine's exhaust pipes were lengthened, this problem was never entirely solved and Typhoon pilots had to operate their fighters from engine start to shut down with their oxygen masks on.

Another problem was the lack of reliability of Napier Sabre Mk.IIA engines at the initial stage of operation. The engine was prone to overheating and it could jam when the aircraft climbed. Cases when the engine caught fire on take off were also frequent. It was only by mid 1943 that engineers managed to overcome these problems and bring the engine's reliability to an acceptable level.

Early on in the Typhoon's combat career, it was discovered that metal fatigue in the tail often caused the entire tail unit to detach in a high speed dive. As an interim measure, reinforcing straps were fitted across the joint of the tail section and the fuselage. Subsequently it was discovered that these structural failures were caused by elevator flutter which occurred at relatively low speeds. The flutter itself was caused by the fatigue failure of the small ring holding the balance weight assembly. The flutter could also lead to a failure of the tailplane spar, so this also urgently needed to be reinforced.

In early 1942, Hawker had embarked on equipping the Typhoon with external fittings. Drop tanks were added to increase the aircraft's range.

Two 500 lb (227 kg) bombs could be fitted instead of drop tanks; later these were replaced with heavier American 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs.

An important step in enhancing the Typhoon's firepower was equipping it with rockets. By the end of 1942, 3 inch (76 mm) rockets equipped with a 27 kg warhead were produced in large quantities. They were inexpensive, easy to manufacture and proved reliable although they were not particularly accurate. The Typhoon was equipped with eight rails for these rockets, four under each wing. Rocket rails and bomb racks were introduced across in service Typhoons throughout 1943.

Whilst the Typhoon had a disappointing high altitude performance, its low altitude performance was more impressive, leading to the aircraft being considered for employment in other roles. From November 1942, Typhoons were used as fighter bombers to hit ground targets on the Continent. However, in general the Typhoon was not a huge success as an interceptor, but found its forte as a rugged ground attack aircraft, capable of dealing a good deal of damage with bombs, rockets and its 20mm cannons. Over 3,300 Typhoons were manufactured during the war, the vast majority being the Mk. IB variant.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=typhoon_mk1b 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 ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

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

{{AirManufacturer Hawker}}
{{Britain fighters}}
{{Britain premium aircraft}}

Typhoon Mk Ib

2023-06-06T20:07:11Z

U82924470: /* Description */ The armament and payload options are exactly the same as the later typhoon, ergo this description is completely inaccurate.

{{About
| about = British fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Typhoon (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=typhoon_mk1b
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} British fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game as a premium pack since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27 but was removed from the store after the [[wt:en/news/5232-shop-winter-sales-special-bundle-and-gift-certificates-en|2017 Winter Sale]]. It has since been made available for purchase with Golden Eagles {{ge}} for the [[wt:en/news/5438-raf-100-royal-air-force-centenary-en|2018 "Royal Air Force Centenary"]], [[wt:en/news/6759-special-d-day-en|2020 D-Day]], and [[wt:en/news/8171-special-royal-air-force-day-en|2023 "Royal Air Force Day"]] mini-events. It also has been made available again in the store episodically for the [[wt:en/news/5232-shop-winter-sales-special-bundle-and-gift-certificates-en|2018 Winter Sale]], the [[wt:en/news/6866-special-80-year-anniversary-of-battle-of-britain-en|2020 "80th Anniversary of the Battle of Britain"]] event and as part of the [[wt:en/news/6759/current|2020]] and [[wt:en/news/7205-shop-d-day-bundles-en|2021]] D-Day Sales.

The {{Specs|name}} is slightly inferior compared to the Mk Ib/late in regards to flight performance and engine power.

== 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 6,340 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 || 605 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 21.8 || 22.1 || 14.7 || 14.7 || rowspan="2" | 580
|-
! Upgraded
| 670 || 644 || 19.4 || 20.6 || 23.4 || 17.3
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 401 || 377 || 250 || ~11 || ~5
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 390 || < 440 || < 480 || > 337
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 1,447 m || 1,960 hp || 2,077 hp
|-
! colspan="3" | Setting 2
|-
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
| 4,981 m || 1,650 hp || 1,749 hp
|-
|}

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


* 42.8 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
* 12.7 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.
* 1 mm Steel plate in the fuselage.
* 3 mm Steel plate behind the propeller.

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

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

{{main|Hispano Mk.II (20 mm)}}

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

* 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.II cannons, wing-mounted (140 rpg = 560 total)

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

{{main|G.P. Mk.IV (250 lb)|G.P. Mk.IV (500 lb)|M.C. 1,000 lb Mk.I (1,000 lb)|RP-3}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 250 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (500 lb total)
* 2 x 500 lb G.P. Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
* 2 x 1,000 lb M.C. 1,000 lb Mk.I bombs (2,000 lb total)
* 8 x RP-3 rockets

== Usage in battles ==

As a fighter, it is mainly a BnZ aircraft with lethal armament, especially the stealthy Air targets belts. Roll rate is below average but turn performance is decent for such a large aircraft. Where the Typhoon shines, as in real life, is in ground attack roles with 2 x 1000lbs bombs or 8 x RP-3 rockets. Used in this role the Typhoon can strike very fast and accurately and use its speed to disengage. Climb early in the battle as performance is maintained even with 2 x 1000 bombs underneath, select the target and bomb in a shallow dive. Disengage with a shallow climb at great speed away from enemy fighters. Softer targets can be destroyed easily with the cannons. This aircraft can be a real lion farmer used in a mixed role of fighter bomber attacking unsuspecting slower enemy aircraft, or blasting through furballs at high speed. The Air Targets belts will reward the good shot. Performance is best below 6 km (20000 ft). When manoeuvring keeps the speed up, this is a heavy aircraft and will not easily regain energy lost by high loads, making it vulnerable.

=== 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 || Combined || Controllable 2 gears || Not controllable
|-
|}

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Good diving speed
* Excellent armament
* Above average armour
* Can withstand tough loads
* Good speed
* Good climb rate

'''Cons:'''

* Water overheats if too much WEP applied
* Low roll rate
* Big target for a fighter
* Limited cockpit visibility

== History ==


The Typhoon Mk Ib was an evolution on the earlier Mk Ia on a quest for better overall performance. An upgraded engine that could take higher boost settings and aerodynamic improvements on the fuselage and wings increased speed and climb capability. The four cannons and the improved hardpoints under the wings made it ideal for the ground attack tactics employed by the RAF in 1943 over France. The Spitfires and Hurricanes were quickly replaced by the Typhoons in this very dangerous mission profile, flying close to the ground and exposed to AA. The Typhoon was also used in a defensive role as interceptor against fast German fighter bombers coming across the Channel.

The Typhoon was not the easiest aircraft to fly and came as a shock to the pilots used to the much lighter and nimbler Spitfires and Hurricanes. Problems were engine reliability and vibrations, a swing (turn) on take-off due to the huge torque from the engine and propeller even with full opposite rudder applied. In the cockpit before the introduction of the later bubble canopy, visibility was limited and carbon monoxide from the exhaust would find its way in, use of oxygen at all times became mandatory. While flying missions crossing the English Channel, the danger of ditching was always present and the configuration of the scoop air intake below the engine made the success of such an event highly doubtful.

{{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 Hawker Typhoon Mk.IB was a single engine, single seat fighter which entered service with the RAF in 1941. The Mk.IB differed mainly from the Mk.IA in its armament; the fighter was equipped with four 20 mm British Hispano Mk.I magazine-fed cannons, with 75 rounds each.

Already plagued with several early problems, the seepage of exhaust gases from the engine into the pilot's cockpit became a serious issue for the Hawker Typhoon. Although the sealed partition between the cockpit and the engine compartment was improved and the engine's exhaust pipes were lengthened, this problem was never entirely solved and Typhoon pilots had to operate their fighters from engine start to shut down with their oxygen masks on.

Another problem was the lack of reliability of Napier Sabre Mk.IIA engines at the initial stage of operation. The engine was prone to overheating and it could jam when the aircraft climbed. Cases when the engine caught fire on take off were also frequent. It was only by mid 1943 that engineers managed to overcome these problems and bring the engine's reliability to an acceptable level.

Early on in the Typhoon's combat career, it was discovered that metal fatigue in the tail often caused the entire tail unit to detach in a high speed dive. As an interim measure, reinforcing straps were fitted across the joint of the tail section and the fuselage. Subsequently it was discovered that these structural failures were caused by elevator flutter which occurred at relatively low speeds. The flutter itself was caused by the fatigue failure of the small ring holding the balance weight assembly. The flutter could also lead to a failure of the tailplane spar, so this also urgently needed to be reinforced.

In early 1942, Hawker had embarked on equipping the Typhoon with external fittings. Drop tanks were added to increase the aircraft's range.

Two 500 lb (227 kg) bombs could be fitted instead of drop tanks; later these were replaced with heavier American 1,000 lb (454 kg) bombs.

An important step in enhancing the Typhoon's firepower was equipping it with rockets. By the end of 1942, 3 inch (76 mm) rockets equipped with a 27 kg warhead were produced in large quantities. They were inexpensive, easy to manufacture and proved reliable although they were not particularly accurate. The Typhoon was equipped with eight rails for these rockets, four under each wing. Rocket rails and bomb racks were introduced across in service Typhoons throughout 1943.

Whilst the Typhoon had a disappointing high altitude performance, its low altitude performance was more impressive, leading to the aircraft being considered for employment in other roles. From November 1942, Typhoons were used as fighter bombers to hit ground targets on the Continent. However, in general the Typhoon was not a huge success as an interceptor, but found its forte as a rugged ground attack aircraft, capable of dealing a good deal of damage with bombs, rockets and its 20mm cannons. Over 3,300 Typhoons were manufactured during the war, the vast majority being the Mk. IB variant.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=typhoon_mk1b 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 ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

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

{{AirManufacturer Hawker}}
{{Britain fighters}}
{{Britain premium aircraft}}