War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

Leopard 2K

2024-11-15T15:37:30Z

U91965995: Minor change to reflect Leopard 2A4's BR being 10.7 in RB

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2k
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==


The forerunner to the Leopard 2 was in many ways a return to form of what the Leopard 1 was designed as: the sacrifice of armour for incredible speed and firepower. The '''Leopard 2K''' started life as a project after the US-German [[MBT-70|MBT]]/[[KPz-70]] program fell apart in 1970, as an urgent program to replace the now aging [[Leopard 1]]. There had been prior attempts at modernization and development, such as the "vergoldeter Leopard" (gilded Leopard) program in 1967 which aimed to install an autoloader and coaxial autocannon to the Leopard 1, and the Bundeswehr decided to re-use parts of this development in a series of vehicles nicknamed "Keiler", or "tusker". This resulted in two separate vehicles being prototyped and tested: The Leopard 2FK, which was armed with a gun/launcher system similar to the [[KPz-70]]'s, and the Leopard 2K, armed with a smoothbore 105 mm cannon. The Bundeswehr declared the 2K as the superior design in 1971, and development of the 2FK was abandoned as a result.

There were 16 Leopard 2K prototypes produced (the 17th hull was cancelled), the first 10 equipped with the 105 mm smoothbore gun and the later 6 with the 120 mm smoothbore. These prototypes went through technical tests in between 1972 and 1975, but were ultimately held back due to development of the EMES-13 rangefinder stalling and the MLC 50 requirements (roughly 47.5 tons), which were insufficient in providing adequate protection against enemy tank fire. Unfortunately for the Leopard 2K, the lessons learned during the Yom Kippur War in 1973 alerted the Bundeswehr to the fact that armour was still very much relevant in tank engagements, which led to the easing of restrictions on weight to MLC 60 (55 tons). Coupled with the EMES-13 system finishing development, development moved on to produce what became the [[Leopard 2AV]], while the Leopard 2K was rejected due to its perceived inadequate armour against potential threats, ending its development.

Introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]], the Leopard 2K is what the Leopard 2 could have been, following up on the Leopard 1's design choices in low armour in exchange for near unmatchable mobility and firepower. A titular glass cannon, the Leopard 2K is not heavily armoured and can be penetrated almost anywhere by contemporary tank rounds. However, what the 2K lacks in armour it more than makes up for in the other two areas; speed and firepower. The 120 mm smoothbore cannon has enough penetration to simply point and click at the upper plate of very common enemies at this BR such as the [[T-72AV (TURMS-T)]], and coupled with the laser rangefinder can accurately fire shells at extreme ranges with adequate zoom on its optics. The vehicle is also equipped with an [[Rh202 (20 mm)|Rh202]] autocannon on the roof, which is operated by the gunner, which lets the vehicle still fire the gun even when on 2 crew. The autocannon has a high traverse rate and has a high rate of fire, and can engage both enemy light vehicles, barrels, tracks and aircraft ubiquitously. The mobility is the standout feature of this tank, with an eye-watering 30 hp/t power-to-weight ratio that lets it barrel across the map faster than almost anyone else. Even the extremely mobile [[XM-1 (GM)]] is just shy of 30 at 28.9 hp/t, and outside of vehicles such as the [[VT1-2]] with its horrifying 50.6 hp/t it can outpace just about all MBTs it can face in the positioning game. This combination of the 20 mm autocannon, high damaging 120 mm smoothbore cannon and mobility that is almost unmatched by any other means the Leopard 2K is a beast of a tank that performs best when used to the extreme, going from firing position to firing position and always being unexpected.

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

The Leopard 2K has what can mostly be described as superficial armour. It can stop some autocannon fire to the upper plate and some areas of the turret but most contemporary rounds be they autocannon or tank caliber will go straight through. The vehicle should be treated as having almost no armour, and taking any sort of enemy fire should ideally be avoided at all costs to increase survivability.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Armour!!Front (Slope angle)!!Sides!!Rear!!Roof
|-
| Hull || 160 mm ''Upper'' 120 mm ''Lower'' || 65 / 95 mm* ''Top'' 35 / 110 mm* ''Bottom'' || 38 / 48 mm* || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 160-350 / 220-500 mm* ''Turret front'' || 60 / 90 mm* || 46 / 96 mm* || 20 mm
|-
|}
<nowiki>* Kinetic / Chemical</nowiki>

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, tracks are 20 mm thick, and torsion bars are 10 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is astonishing, making it one of the most agile MBTs at its BR if not in the entire game. A HP/t of 30 means that it easily outruns the sluggish T-72s in the Soviet tree, and it can even give the [[XM1 (GM)]] a run for its money while being significantly up-armed in terms of firepower. You will almost always be the front of the vanguard on your team, and very few vehicles on either side will be able to compete with you to advantageous positions.

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

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

{{main|Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)}}

The Leopard 2K's gun is a 120 mm Rheinmetall L44. It can be found on the later models of the tank, such as the [[Leopard 2A4]] and [[Leopard 2A5]], and shares round types with the [[Leopard 2A4]] which are: DM12 HEATFS, DM13 APFSDS, and DM23 APFSDS. Being fitted with a 120 mm Rheinmetall gun, it is effective at all ranges, capable of penetrating tanks at range in tandem with the laser rangefinder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || 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" | 41 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12, DM13, DM23}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''41''' || 11 ''(+30)'' || 1 ''(+40)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* The 2nd ammo rack is a first-stage ammo stowage and will refill from the 1st rack.

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

{{main|Rh202 (20 mm)|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The tank has a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun situated on top of the turret which can fire over cover and be used to knock out gun barrels and tracks, light tanks, helicopters and planes. The belts are alternating HEFI-T/HVAP-T, with 57 mm of penetration at 0 degrees at 10 m. The 20 mm has quite good elevation, and rotates independently from the turret, able to surprise light tanks attempting to flank following turret ring immobilization.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh202 (20 mm)|20 mm Rh202]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 750 (750) || 900 || -9°/+45° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

'''Stock gameplay:'''

As with any vehicle, the Leopard 2K finds itself at a serious disadvantage while stock. Without access to the APFSDS rounds, users will need to play more carefully. While the DM12 HEATFS round is powerful, it struggles against composite armour and ERA, as well as having lackluster post-penetration damage. Players will have to aim more carefully to deal effective damage with the DM12 HEAT round. As with every chemical shell, try to avoid shooting at tracks, spaced armor and the aforementioned composite armor/ERA. Your mobility is still ahead of the pack, so use it to get into advantageous positions so as to make up for your lack of firepower at the moment by flanking the sides of a map or being in unexpected crossfire positions.

'''Spaded gameplay:'''

The Leopard 2K is a powerful tank, arguably the strongest tank at its Battle Rating with few that rival its strengths. The DM23 APFSDS round has adequate penetration, and it should be easy to destroy most enemy vehicles - common enemies such as the [[T-72AV (TURMS-T)]] can be penetrated through even the upper front plate at closer distances, and your shells will easily go through all contemporary weakspots at the BR or higher. The Leopard 2K does, however, struggle in some regards against tanks in higher battle ratings, although this is not to say it's unable to contend with true top tier tanks. The most notable weakness is its most obvious; the lack of armor. None of your modules grant you extra protection against enemy fire, and as a result even vehicles with autocannons can very often shred your tank from even very mild side angles. While you can definitely still win in such an engagement either by using the main gun or the Rh202 autocannon, it can severely damage your vehicle or you may end up simply trading kills.

The other, more subtle downside is the lack of thermal vision. As Night Battles are completely optional now and are also BR gated to 10.0+, this is a downside that's only applicable should you want to bring the Leopard 2K up to higher BRs. You may ask why you would bring the Leo 2K up to say, 10.7 (the [[Leopard 2A4 | 2A4]]'s BR) or higher, but there is definitely an argument ''for'' it due to its glass cannon nature. The Leopard 2K is an incredibly mobile vehicle, with the same 1,500HP output engine as the 2A4 with less weight and a higher top speed, making it noticeably more mobile than the 2A4 overall. The 2K can act as a great backup or flanking vehicle all around, as its firepower is still lethal even up to top tier and its mobility equally so. In these situations, if you have Night Battles active or get a large map like Red Desert or Fields of Poland / Eastern Europe, finding targets can be a bit of a hassle due to the excessive shrubbery and long distances as you cannot simply find the white heat signatures in a field of black. Assuming you can find your targets, however, this is at best a minor annoyance, and the 2K still offers a very high-risk high-reward flanker playstyle at any BR it's at.

'''Long range engagements:'''

The Leopard 2K is capable at long range, but is outclassed by many other vehicles. The cannon is powerful, but not especially so compared to its adversaries. The biggest issues the Leopard 2K will face in regards to long range engagements is the thin turret armour and lack of thermals. While the DM13 APFSDS round will fail to penetrate the turret cheeks of vehicles like the [[Challenger Mk.2]] and [[T-64B]], their rounds will have no such trouble with the Leopard 2K. The lack of thermals makes it difficult to scout for enemies through foliage, meaning trying to snipe is not an effective strategy against any enemies equipped with thermals, as they will almost certainly spot you first. You can use flank routes hidden from long range sightlines to get closer to identify your targets easier, or aim for the weakspots (including the sides and rear if you've flanked them, but front-on this would be the LFP on carousel autoloader designs as well as the turret ring/gun mantlet) on those enemy vehicles to counter-snipe them if need be.

'''Gameplay summary:'''

Although the Leopard 2K is somewhat weak when stock as all tanks are, it is a strong frontline tank while spaded. The good APFSDS round and 20 mm give it a strong position in the German high tier lineup. However, Leopard 2K tank commanders should play around the lack of armor, avoiding direct confrontations and fair fights for a flank-heavy playstyle, catching people off guard from unexpected angles. Your biggest strength is your mobility, the most proactive strength possible in the game, while your weakness is armor, something that matters relatively less at higher BRs than at lower BRs due to the introduction of darts - and also something you can negate entirely by using your mobility to avoid being in predictable sightlines altogether. The Leopard 2K is an exceptionally capable vehicle, and the only limiting factor will be your map awareness and positioning skills.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 120 mm gun with good performance
* Most manueuvrable Leopard model with very high torque
* Extremely good mobility
* Reverse gearbox allows fast retreats
* Has excellent optics with 8x-16x zoom level
* 20 mm Rh202 autocannon is also stabilized

'''Cons:'''

* Requires the player to utilize its strengths proactively at all times
* Armor is inadequate against autocannon fire
* Reload is slower than other Leopard 2 models
* Lacks thermal vision
* The 20mm has mediocre penetration, often failing to penetrate light tanks unless on their sides
* The 20 mm has HVAP-T(APCR) as ammo, having poor post-penetration damage

== History ==

In the 1960s, Germany and the United States were jointly-developing the MBT-70, and Germany was contractually prevented from developing any new MBTs independently until the joint project with the US was completed.

But development problems plagued the MBT-70 project, and it appeared that the vehicle would not be finished within an acceptable time frame—so Germany found a way to bypass contractual limitations for the MBT-70 development.

Instead of ordering the development of a new tank, the German government issued an order to the Porsche company to research ways to improve the Leopard I tank already in service with the German army. This enabled Germany to research a more advanced fighting vehicle without breaching the contract signed with the US.

Porsche's first study of the Leopard I revealed a lot of room for improvement, and second study focusing on upgrading the Leopard I to match the MBT-70's firepower was launched almost immediately. This eventually resulted in the construction of two prototype vehicles: one in 1969, and one in 1970 nicknamed Keiler (tusker).

In the early 1970s, Germany was able to back out of the MBT-70 project due to spiraling development costs. Instead, they continued work on the development of the Keiler, which was renamed to Leopard 2.

The Leopard 2 project was expected to yield two versions: the Leopard 2K armed with a cannon, and the Leopard 2FK armed with a gun/launcher similar to the MBT-70. In 1971, ten prototypes were ordered, and seven more orders followed shortly thereafter.

To get the most out of their prototypes, German engineers equipped each one with different components to determine what worked best. Some Leopard 2 versions were equipped with a 105 mm smoothbore cannon, whereas others were fitted with 120 mm smoothbore cannons. Some prototypes received a hydraulic suspension while others didn't, and there was even a version equipped with the 20 mm anti-air mount on the turret (similar to the one found on the Kpz-70).

Sixteen out of seventeen Leopard 2 prototypes were built and tested, yielding many refinements to the Leopard 2 design. Subsequent models further increased the Leopard 2's capabilities, with each variant making it more powerful—and ultimately into the Leopard 2 known today.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2k Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|WMxQNdaqA7E|'''You Need To Play This Tank Again: Leopard 2K''' - ''Virus''|gyrbSUvCj-8|'''Leopard 2K: the Original German Ingenuity''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|p6cWlyUnJQA|'''Top 7 off-road beasts''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:00 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|WA3jQgZLjAg|'''The Shooting Range #94''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:29 discusses the Leopard 2K.|vF02GuEIww0|'''Leopard 2K Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== 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/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2K: A Legend In The Making]]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

AGM-12B Bullpup

2024-11-07T15:46:46Z

U91965995: Fixed minor typo describing Bullpups as AS-20 Nords

{{About
| about = air-to-ground missile '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = AGM-12C Bullpup
}}
== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage AGM-12B Bullpup.png|thumb|left|420px|The AGM-12B Bullpup missile (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an American manually guided air-to-ground missile. It was introduced during [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]].

The AGM-12B, also known as ASM-N-7a or affectionately as the 'Bullpup', was created in 1960 as an upgrade from the test series ASM-N-7 and was named officially as AGM-12B in 1962. The AGM was powered by a Thiokol LR58-RM-4 liquid propellant motor to produce a range of up to 11 km and produced a thrust of 12,000 pounds or 53 kN. The production of AGM-12B ended in 1970 and 22,000 were produced.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


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

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Jet fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|f-4c}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-8e}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-104g_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|scimitar_f1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|dh_110_sea_vixen}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-5}}{{Specs-Link|f-5a}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-5a_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-5c}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-100}}{{Specs-Link|f-100a_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-100d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f_100f_china}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Strike aircraft'''}}{{Specs-Link|fj_4b_agm_12b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-105d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f_111a}}
{{Navigation-Line|A-4}}{{Specs-Link|a_4b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a_4e_early}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a_4n}}
{{Navigation-Line|Buccaneer}}{{Specs-Link|buccaneer_s1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|buccaneer_s2}}

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

{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==


The Bullpup is a first-generation MCLOS (SACLOS if mounted on helicopters) Air-to-Ground Missile that can either be dumb fired like normal rockets or be guided in manually using keyboard inputs, the stock binds for which are Alt + WASD. It is important to note that the vertical axis controls are inverted by default, much like MCLOS missiles on tanks, so this is something you'll have to get used to when using the weapon. However, the option to invert the axes is available in the Controls menu, so if you just can't get used to the controls it is recommended to change the relevant setting for it.

The Bullpup has fairly good agility, reacting rather quickly to your inputs, which can lead to over-leading if you hold the direction keys for too long. It is advised to 'tap' the keys and try to center the missile on the target of your choosing, rather than trying to arc a missile in aggressively. The explosion radius of the Bullpup is quite generous for its warhead size, and can overpressure light vehicles even with a near miss. However, more armoured MBTs may only take superficial damage to the tracks and/or barrel, and will require either a very close hit or a direct hit to reliably deal with them. They can be fired from 8 kilometers away, but as you manually have to guide them in, if you don't see a target launching prematurely might be a fool's errand unless you know what you're doing.

{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Aircraft-mounted characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 259 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Manual (MCLOS)
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 455 m/s
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 30 secs
|-
| '''Firing range''' || 8 km
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 58.05 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 73 mm
|-
| '''Warhead Type''' || HE
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Helicopter-mounted characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 259 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Semi-automatic (SACLOS)
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 455 m/s
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 30 secs
|-
| '''Firing range''' || 11 km
|-
| '''Guaranteed launch range''' || 8 km
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 58.05 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 73 mm
|-
| '''Warhead Type''' || HE
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===

The AGM-12B Bullpup inflicts high-explosive damage with low splash damage over a medium area. It is comparable in explosive power to a 250 lb bomb. It can overpressure lightly-armoured and open-topped vehicles even with a slight miss, while only superficially damaging the tracks and barrels of more heavily-armoured vehicles on a near miss.

=== Comparison with analogues ===

The Bullpup is closest to the French [[AS-20|AS-20 Nord]], as both are first-generation MCLOS AGMs that are on vehicles at a similar Battle Rating and share the most characteristics. The Nord has a higher top speed (Mach 1.7 is roughly equivalent to 580 m/s ASL), but the Bullpup has a significantly larger warhead and as such gets kills more often even on near misses (15.85 kg of TNT equivalent on the Nord while the Bullpup has over three times that with 58.05 kg). Both are fairly agile, although the Nord's higher speed (your missile arrives on target faster) but lighter weight mostly cancel out the handling differences. If you can handle one or the other, adjusting won't be too hard aside from getting used to how large your given warhead is given the differences.

Another roughly similar analogue would be the [[Kh-23M]] and [[Kh-66]], used by Soviet aircraft in the 9.3 - 11.7 range. The Kh-23M requires that you take the Delta-NG targeting pod to guide the missiles in and has a limit of only two Kh-23Ms per aircraft, so you sacrifice a noticeable bit more in flight performance to use them on Soviet aircraft compared to on NATO contemporaries. The Kh-23M is a fast missile, clocking in at a top speed of Mach 2, while also having a 10 km max firing range and 96 kg equivalent shaped charge warhead, but isn't as nimble as the Bullpup and Nord and will also give you less time to guide the missile in overall due to its higher top speed. The Kh-66 is a more elusive missile, found on exactly one plane (The [[MiG-21PFM]], which is an event vehicle), but still deserves a mention as it's also roughly similar to the Bullpup in performance. The Kh-66 is SACLOS-guided, meaning it follows your mouse crosshair, making aiming much easier than with Bullpups, but this also has the disadvantage of having to keep your mouse (and therefore your nose) pointed at the target until impact. The Kh-66 is quite maneuverable, able to zip between directions fairly nimbly, although its faster speed means there's less time to make fine adjustments, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on the situation.
== Usage in battles ==

Bullpups are best used in Ground Battles, where their semi-guided nature can allow players to strike enemy ground vehicles with lethal precision given that they are proficient enough in their abilities. You can fire Bullpups off unguided in emergencies or if you think you've lined up a good shot, which turns the missile into a slightly worse version of the [[S-25O]] found on vehicles like the [[Su-25]], but as you don't get CCIP and have the ability to control the missile this isn't recommended unless absolutely necessary. The other way to use Bullpups is as a kind of standoff munition against enemy Anti-Aircraft vehicles, particularly gun-based SPAAs. SPAAGs generally have an engagement window of up to 2.5-3 kilometers, meaning so long as you know where a SPAAG is (or use the tracers left by an AA vehicle that is currently shooting at a different teammate other than you) you can engage them safely from range, without ever risking getting into the <1.5 km range where getting shot down is very likely. If there are no enemy SPAAGs present, you may go after enemy ground vehicles without too much prejudice; so long as you can line up your missiles, almost any tank is fair game! Do, however, keep in mind that the missile still travels fairly quick, so don't try and launch it at too close a distance as you may only end up getting the dreaded "Hit" marker with nothing to show for it. It's much better to line up a better attack run later, unless the situations are dire.

In Air Battles the Bullpup has fairly limited utility, as most ground targets are much more efficiently dispatched with the help of your gun or bombs/unguided rockets. Given Bullpups are fairly hefty missiles and can only be mounted in single moounts per pylon, compared to the dozens of bombs or rockets you can load you are limiting your potential by taking Bullpups, unless you have very specific goals in mind. Such goals can include:

* Engaging Pillboxes
Pillboxes are annoying to tackle, as they take up a lot of gun ammunition to dispatch unless you line up a gun shot through the machine gun port at basically sea-level altitudes and can often shrug off small bombs if they aren't dropped precisely. If for any reason you wish to specifically engage these pillboxes from high altitude without dipping to low altitude (if your plane lacks CCIP) or you aren't having much luck lining up your bombs (if your plane has CCIP), Bullpups can serve a very small niche as you can guide them in to directly hit the Pillboxes which do result in an instant kill. Do, however, note that this is fairly inefficient, and simply dumping slightly smaller caliber rockets (Zunis for example) at Pillboxes or simply engaging the AI that's more easily killed (AAA and Howitzers surrounding the Pillboxes) would be a much more efficient way to mount ordinance on your pylons. As a side note you could most likely try to take out enemy airfield AA (or try and hit people on the airfield with them) with Bullpups, but this poses a severe risk to your aircraft so caution must be exercised.

* The Bluff
Air-to-Air Missiles are a thing many people dread facing, and in hectic moments people can easily react on gut instinct when they see that MSL diamond streaking towards them. Bullpups (and other guided AGMs just like it) will show the MSL indicator just the same when the motor is still burning, and as they aren't true AAMs you can also fire them any time at any angle. If the enemy sees a MSL icon headed towards them just as they think they have an easy head-on, you can force them to break off as most people will panic and attempt to pull away from the "missile" headed towards them. This can also be effective when an enemy has fired a missile at you in a flareless aircraft, as firing a Bullpup towards the missile may spoof the missile's seeker and save your aircraft once in a while.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has moderate explosive mass; even a near hit will overpressure light tanks and SPAAs, or at least cripple them
* Fairly long range; outranges SPAAGs and has similar range to early SAMs (~8 km)
* Nimble, responds to controls well
* Allows precise hits on critical targets with user input, with much less risk to the pilot
** Most aircraft carry multiple Bullpups; Allows precision strikes on multiple targets from safety

'''Cons:'''

* Learning curve can be unintuitive
* Hard to keep track of the missile at long range, responsiveness decreases as the motor burns out
* Adversely affects flight performance noticeably, given its weight and drag
** You will also most likely carry multiple Bullpups, compounding this effect
* Somewhat low explosive mass; may not damage heavily armoured targets much on a near miss
* As you need to manually guide in the missile visually, the stated 8 km range is rarely feasible

== History ==

Development of the AGM-12 Bullpup began in the early 1950s, after the Korean War sparked a demand for more precise, guided, weapon systems that could hit targets which were usually more difficult to hit with conventional ordnance. Apart from that, the new weapon system ought to increase the safety of ground attack aircraft and their crews by keeping them further away from returning ground fire.

A competition was ran by the U.S. Navy and the Martin company was awarded a contract in 1954. Work on the new missile, designated ASM-N-7, began and after several years of development and testing, the new weapon system entered service with the Navy in April 1959.

The design of the American first air-to-ground missile was fairly simple - a 250lb (113 kg) warhead derived from an aerial bomb, mounted on a rocket-propelled, roll-stabilized body. The entire missile was manually guided via radio signal to its target, using direct vision. To aid with aiming, two bright flares would ignite on the missile's rear end upon launch. These would make it easier for the operator to keep track of the missile in flight as it would be more visible.

The Bullpup was first employed in combat during the Vietnam War, although only seeing limited success. This was due to the fact that in order to ensure the highest probability of a successful hit, the aircraft that launched the missile had to fly the same course as the missile until impact. This of course, exposed the aircraft to anti-air fire and severely limited the pilot/operator's situational awareness in the case of single-seat aircraft.

Nonetheless, the Bullpup was still mass-produced for both the U.S. Navy and Army, resulting in around 30,000 units made across all of the weapon's variants. Although the missile was starting to be replaced in the '70s by more advanced systems, it wasn't until the '80s when the Bullpup was finally retired from active service.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5722-development-agm-12b-bullpup-they-can-t-dodge-en|Devblog]]''

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

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[AGM-12C Bullpup]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5722-development-agm-12b-bullpup-they-can-t-dodge-en|[Devblog] AGM-12B Bullpup: They can't dodge]]

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

M50

2024-11-06T16:59:43Z

U91965995: M50 Description / Usage in Battles / Pro&Cons overhaul

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m50_ontos
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==


The M50 "Ontos" ('Thing' in Greek) was a self-propelled anti-tank vehicle developed in 1951 and fielded by the US Marines from 1956 to 1969, seeing combat in the Vietnam War to great effect. The vehicle was equipped with six 105mm M40 recoilless rifles (designated as 106mm to avoid confusions in ammunition supply with the 105mm M27 recoilless rifles it replaced, despite being the same caliber), as well as a single 7.62mm machine gun for self defense and 4 12.7mm MGs mounted above the M40 RRs to assist in rangefinding. Originally developed for the US Army, the Army cancelled the project in 1955 after working prototypes were built and tested, but as the Marines were quite desparate for AT vehicles the Ontos made it into production with 297 units produced in total. The vehicle had its fair share of shortcomings, such as a very tall profile for a vehicle of its size, the inability to reload its guns from inside the crew compartment, a limited load of shells carried by the vehicle and a very powerful backblast when firing all six guns at once (at Aberdeen the vehicle managed to shatter windows and knock bricks off buildings during testing!), but despite this during the Vietnam War saw quite effective use by the Marines. The vehicle's ability to fire all 6 guns at once at a position meant all but the strongest fortified structures fell apart when struck quite easily, and as the guns were recoilless rifles a quick getaway after firing was also possible, leading to low loss rates. Its light weight (9 tons) and much less constrained urban combat abilities meant it saw great success during the war, although the vehicles were almost all used up during the war and were mostly sold off for scrap or repurposed as construction vehicles after 1969, with 14 still remaining in various museums.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', also known by the nickname '''Ontos''', is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.71 "New E.R.A."]]. The M50 "Ontos" is quite a peculiar vehicle, with its nickname (meaning 'Thing' in Greek) describing it very well; and what a thing it is indeed! Equipped with 6 M40 106mm Recoilless Rifles on a turret that can rotate 40 degrees in either direction, the Ontos offers a compact, lethal package of HEAT or HESH warheads that can be fired in quick succession at an unsuspecting target. The M50's game plan revolves around not being seen, flanking/ambushing enemies and then punishing them with overwhelming firepower, all things the vehicle excels at due to its high mobility and good gun angles (most notably its -10 degrees of gun depression). However, the vehicle lacks any semblance of armor and aside from autocannon HE shells or low penetrating guns of much lower BRs your armor will not stop any enemy fire, making the Ontos very much a glass cannon in line with the [[M56]] that comes before it. Your ability to fire multiple shots before reloading can also enable firing on the move if you're particularly bold or in a rush, as one miss isn't as impactful as on other vehicles, although it is still more desirable to ambush your enemies rather than rushing them down. All-in-all, the M50 is a highly versatile vehicle with above average mobility, excellent firepower (albeit with a slightly long reload once you expend all 6 shells in a clip) and very thin armor, and excels when played like a light tank or when facing vehicles of a higher BR that have very thick armor from the front.

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


The M50's armor is nothing worth writing home about; armor all-around is very thin, and is penetrated easily by almost any contemporary weapon it faces. Some exceptions are lower caliber autocannons, such as the [[Marder A1-]]'s [[Rh202|20mm]] autocannon, which can be deflected in some spots when aimed at specific parts of the upper plate, but in general is not worth relying on. Any hit you take to the hull is likely to be fatal due to the low crew count of 2, but as your turret is unmanned so long as you hide the hull the M50 can be surprisingly survivable.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 10-13 (70°) ''Front glacis'' 13 mm (45-66°) ''Lower glacis'' || 13 mm (43°) ''Top'' 13 mm ''Bottom'' || 13 mm (36°) ''Top'' 13 mm ''Bottom'' || 13 mm
|-
| Cupola || 13 mm || 13 mm || 13 mm || 13 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and torsion bars are 20 mm thick while tracks are 15 mm thick.

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


The M50 is a quite nimble vehicle, with a HP/ton value of slightly over 17 in RB once spaded. While the top speed of the vehicle leaves something to be desired with only a 49 km/h top speed limit, due to the high HP/t the vehicle accelerates up to this speed very quickly, which as a result means you'll be cruising in the high 30s to the max 49 km/h top speed during most of your journey, letting you get around without much issue. The reverse gear is also fairly decent with a -17 km/h reverse, allowing the M50 to reposition itself easily with minimal time wasted.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=206|rbMinHp=128}}

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

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


The M40 Recoilless Rifle is a somewhat common sight at this BR on specialist vehicles, such as the Japanese [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]], American [[T114]] or German [[SPz 12-3 LGS]], and has very peculiar ballistics. While hard to master, with noticeable drop and a somewhat slow muzzle velocity, the shells do fairly good damage on impact and the HEAT shells penetrate a fair bit of armor, making them effective against even tanks such as the [[IS-4M]] or [[Maus]], tanks that would normally be quite tough to crack open with conventional ammunition in comparison. With practice, the shells can even be 'lobbed' slightly over obstacles, and can also be fired in proximity of open-top vehicles to overpressure them for an easy kill. The M50 carries 6 M40A1 RRs that fire in sequence from left to right, necessitating some aim correction for each shell you fire.

{{main|M40A1C (106 mm)}}

The turret displacement is limited without being a huge handicap as it allows to cover a wide area (±40°) without having to reposition the hull. As the hull has great acceleration and handling, slightly turning the tank in the case of your turret hitting its limit isn't a big deal and can be done quite quickly. An important aspect to consider is the offset of the guns from the central target sight: at close range its impact is minimal (but still very much should be accounted for when aiming for crew), but becomes noticeable when firing at targets further away. Using the ranging 12.7mm MGs on the Ontos can help you roughly gauge your range to the target as the ballistics on the two guns are roughly similar, but you risk giving yourself away by doing so. This can be remedied through practice, as once your aim is good enough you won't have to use the ranging MGs at all to land your shells, even at longer ranges. Given the 6-gun layout of the Ontos, it is recommended to fire by salvos of 3 shells to guarantee a good balance between rate of fire and accuracy. Like an SPAA belt, you have to fire all 6 rifles before being allowed to start the reloading process. Your ammo capacity of 18 shells total (or 3 belts of 6) is fairly limited in practice, which will impact your combat performance somewhat as you're very likely to have to disengage in order to restock your ammo mid-firefight.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M40A1C (106 mm)|106 mm M40A1C]] (x6) || 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" | 18 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±40° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 15.9 || 21.9 || 26.6 || 29.5 || 31.3 || rowspan="2" | 16.90 || rowspan="2" | 14.95 || rowspan="2" | 13.78 || rowspan="2" | 13.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 10.7 || 12.6 || 15.3 || 16.9 || 18.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M40A1C (106 mm)/Ammunition|M344A1, M361A1}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''18''' || 14 ''(+4)'' || 0 ''(+18)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Individual tube reload is not possible. You have to empty all 6 rifles first in order to reload 6 new projectiles.

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

{{main|M80 (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M80 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M80]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 120 (5) || 300 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Coaxial || 120 (5) || 300 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Coaxial || 120 (5) || 300 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Coaxial || 120 (5) || 300 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

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


The 7.62mm MG on the Ontos was in real life meant to serve as an anti-infantry weapon for self defense; however, as War Thunder is absent of any infantry, against enemy armor the machine gun has lackluster effectiveness. It alongside with the ranging MGs can be used to knock down small bushes or fences to get rid of obstacles for your chemical rounds, and can be used to shoot at exposed crew members on certain vehicles and against enemy aircraft that get too close for comfort, but otherwise lack any real functionality as a means of dealing damage.

{{main|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}

{| 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
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (250) || 500 || -5°/+50° || ±70°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:M50 Ontos at the National Museum of the Marine Corps.jpg|thumb|310x310px|M50 Ontos at the National Museum of the Marine Corps]]

The M50 is a staple of the US 6.7 lineup, alongside the [[M56]] as well as heavier vehicles such as the [[T34]] and for good reason. While unorthodox in some respects, like its 6-shot gun, it's ultimately still in many ways just a slightly different take on the light tank formula and performs best when played as such, with a few deviations to fit the M50's unique design choices. The first and most obvious difference is again, its 6-shot style gun(s), and the challenges and fun moments that come with this different armament.

The M40A1 RR is not an easy gun to master, and requires a bit of practice compared to other guns. However, its high rate of fire on the M50 enables one or two shells to be expended as ranging shots if need be; if you get lucky or if your aim is true, the first shot will hit, and if not you have 5 more left in the other barrels anyways, after all. You can effectively roleplay as a shotgun with this armament, shooting multiple shells at an enemy before they even have any time to react. However, this much firepower comes at a cost, in the form of the gun's damage model and reload rate. When you fire all six shells from the guns, you have to then spend between 17 and 13 seconds reloading all of your guns again, a hefty period of time during which you are completely vulnerable to enemies. Divided by 6, this adds up to 2-3 seconds of reloading per shell, which is certainly a very good deal, but as you cannot fire until the reload is over if you are on 3 or less shells in a clip it is advised to exercise some caution (or dump your rounds into a nearby rock to start the reload early, but only if you're certain there's nobody nearby, of course!). The other downside is the damage model of the barrels themselves - while the guns rarely if ever cause ammoracking when hit, unlike on other vehicles such as the Japanese [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]] the M50's 6 barrels are modelled as a single gun, and if hit will all be knocked out at the same time. This means even a shot that hits the barrel at the very end of either side can completely disable your ability to fire back at an enemy, which in some cases can be a death sentence. It does mean you can survive shots to the barrels themselves if your hull is hidden, but it is still very much worth remembering and make sure to avoid showing your guns if possible at all times to prevent this from happening to begin with.

It is advised to use the HEAT rounds on the M50, as the HESH rounds lack consistency and have no noticeable upsides over the HEAT rounds whatsoever.

Mobilitywise the M50 fares quite well, much like the M56 that precedes it. With a 17+ HP/t ratio in RB once spaded, while the Ontos won't win any speed contests its high HP/t means it gets up to its top speed of 49 km/h fairly quickly and stays there for the majority of your time spent moving around, meaning in practice the vehicle handily outpaces many other vehicles with higher top speeds but poorer acceleration. The reverse is also quite good, at -17 km/h, letting you turn your hull to move your gun or reverse out of a sticky situation quite easy. The M50 can generally expect to be one of the first vehicles (albeit perhaps not ''the'' first, given vehicles like the [[M18 GMC|M18]] or wheeled light tanks may outpace you on certain maps) to reach advantageous positions, meaning you can lay ambushes effectively before enemy vehicles get into position.

Positioningwise you want to find a gentle slope, preferably one you can ascend to bear your guns on target without having to expose much of the hull, and hide behind it waiting for an enemy. Of course, you should do more than just camping a corner, actively moving around flank routes and hiding behind hills or rocks and only peeking out once you see that they're looking the other way or are preoccupied. You have more than enough gun depression (-10 degrees, in fact, which is quite good) to use most of the terrain features in the game, so abuse them as much as possible to gain an even greater advantage in battle. Your armor is very poor and you only have two crew members, and as your gun takes a while to stabilize (although firing before it's fully aimed is definitely still an option in emergencies) as long as you avoid direct front-on confrontations with enemies you'll generally fare fine.

The M50's niche is similar to the M56, but is tailored more towards closer range engagements and more survivability against overpressure attacks due to the enclosed hull. While the M56 excels at long range with its M82 APHE round and M431 HEATFS rounds that fly swift and do lethal damage, its lack of any armor, exposed crew and heavy recoil means it's a good sniper but a poor brawler, easily being machine-gunned by enemies when spotted. The Ontos flips this on its head, being noticeably better at short to medium range (up to ~1.2km on the high end, but in general up to 800-1000 meters or so in max engagement range) engagements with its fast-firing guns, turreted design and ability to resist artillery/low-yield rocket fire as it zips between buildings and hills to devestate the enemy flanks in rapid succession. While facing off head-on against enemy vehicles isn't advised, the M50 still handily chews through enemies even in these encounters as it can unload multiple rounds into an enemy and quickly disable or kill them before your enemy even has a chance to react, making it quite fun and also quite effective. It packs a strong punch in a small platform, while being nimble and allows the user to compensate for minor mistakes in aim with its rapid shell unloading times, which gives it a solid spot as a vehicle capable of handling even the harshest uptiers without much hassle and in one of the most common engagement scenarios in the game.

In summary, the M50 is a glass cannon at its prime, with thin armor that stops the bare minimum (overpressure from indirect artillery hits), firepower that can overwhelm even groups of opponents and high general mobility due to its good acceleration characteristics. Not an easy vehicle to master due to its unique playstyle and clip-based ammunition mechanics / peculiar gun ballistics, but it earns its place in the US 6.7 lineup if you need a vehicle that can brawl, deal with uptiers, scout and also be uniquely fun while doing so.
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* The vehicle is equipped with no less than six (6) 106mm recoilless rifles!
** The guns can be fired within 0.5 seconds of each other, allowing quick follow-up shots
** All shell types available stock
* Highly mobile due to good acceleration
* Highly resistant to uptiers due to its chemical ammunition; versatile at any BR against any vehicle
* Excels in urban combat or flanking due to its numerous guns

'''Cons:'''

* Bare minimum protection; Vulnerable to almost any enemy fire
** Has only 2 crew members - any penetrating shot is most likely fatal
* Surprisingly limited ammunition count - has to reload shells quite often, and requires good marksmanship
** Somewhat long reload for the clip, and requires all 6 shells to be fired to reload said clip
* Gun ballistics are unintuitive and require a fair bit of practice to get used to
* All 6 guns are disabled if even one gun is hit, unlike its contemporaries
* High skill ceiling - requires good map and game knowledge to use it to its full potential

== History ==

It was such a strange "tank" the only word the US Army could think of for this strange thing was, well, "Thing", except someone was clever and used the Greek word, '''ὄντος''' (really, truly [exists]). Due to mountainous and difficult terrain of Korea brought the US Army revisited the idea of a light tank. It was quite an ingenious design made very quickly. The prototype was based on an M56 Scorpion ATG chassis, used a common truck engine, and mounted six very powerful M40A1C recoilless rifle guns and be light enough for air transport. The prototype was finished in 1952 and by 1955 completed its testing where it fulfilled its design requirements, but the Army simply did not like this monstrosity and decided against it. The US Marines on the other hand was not as picky and loved this highly mobile light tank with a huge punch, so ordered 297 in 1955. The design was reworked with a new chassis, new running gear with wide thread (ditching the M56 design), better internal layout, and other minor improvements that made the Ontos a unique one off design. While it had a few flaws, it was reliable enough to accomplish its mission.

The key to the M50's offensive power is the 106 mm M40A1C recoilless rifle firing devastating HEAT or HESH (later an anti-infantry "beehive") rounds with its integrated M8C .50 cal spotting rifle using a 10 or 20 round magazine. It should be noted the M8C is a shorter round (12.7x77 mm, M48A2 Spotter-Tracer (S) bullets only) that the better known .50 AN/M2 BMG (12.7x99 mm). Every M40 produced had the M8C, but on the M50 the lowest 2 barrels have this spotting rifle removed leaving an empty mounting post. If wanted (but not recommended) all 6 guns can be fired at once delivering far more destructive offensive load than any tank then or today. The nature of recoilless rifles is a powerful blow back, during a test firing all 6 simultaneously it knocked bricks out of a building and shattered a few car windows. In between is mounted a single pintle-mounted .30 calibre M1919A4 machine gun for anti-infantry use.

The first combat use of the Ontos occurred in 1964 Dominican Republic Civil War where it reported destroyed an AMX-13 and an old Swedish L-60 (the only time it was used for purpose built, destroying tanks). But it was the following year when it was deployed to Vietnam did it shine.

Vietnam was extremely hostile to tanks not due to enemies but the environment. Jungle, swamp, rice fields, mountains, rivers, a limited road network with small bridges; it was a nightmare for regular tanks but the Ontos could glide over them with ease. Enemy Vietnamese troops rarely used tanks and few anti-tank guns so there was little threat from them, the paper thin armour was more than enough to resist small arms and heavy MG fire most often encountered. The significant vulnerability of reloading the 6 guns was largely moot as the fearsome reputation of this 6 shooter beast often cleared out enemy positions soon after it started shooting. Unfortunately its age was its greatest enemy. Over 10 years old and long out of production breakdowns became more frequent, some were cannibalized for parts and the turrets where mounted to fixed positions as point defence. Despite its unprecedented success in Vietnam its limited numbers, scattered deployment, breakdowns, and frequent rotation, it did not gain as much fame as it could have. More of footnote today, this unusual tank was the perfect vehicle for very difficult conflict.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m50_ontos Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|VFEv4q3G5Us|'''Most unusual vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 2:38 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|YuBjyMQLRy0|'''Airmobile tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:44 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[T114]]
* [[Type 60 SPRG (C)]]
* [[FIAT 6614]]
* [[R3 T106 FA]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4905-gamescom-m50-ontos-something-out-of-the-ordinary-en|[Devblog] M50 Ontos - Something Out of The Ordinary]]

{{TankManufacturer Allis-Chalmers}}
{{USA tank destroyers}}

AGM-12B Bullpup

2024-11-06T15:21:56Z

U91965995: Grammatical fix for better readability / to fix ambiguity in the texts

{{About
| about = air-to-ground missile '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = AGM-12C Bullpup
}}
== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage AGM-12B Bullpup.png|thumb|left|420px|The AGM-12B Bullpup missile (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an American manually guided air-to-ground missile. It was introduced during [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]].

The AGM-12B, also known as ASM-N-7a or affectionately as the 'Bullpup', was created in 1960 as an upgrade from the test series ASM-N-7 and was named officially as AGM-12B in 1962. The AGM was powered by a Thiokol LR58-RM-4 liquid propellant motor to produce a range of up to 11 km and produced a thrust of 12,000 pounds or 53 kN. The production of AGM-12B ended in 1970 and 22,000 were produced.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


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

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Jet fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|f-4c}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-8e}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-104g_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|scimitar_f1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|dh_110_sea_vixen}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-5}}{{Specs-Link|f-5a}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-5a_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-5c}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-100}}{{Specs-Link|f-100a_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-100d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f_100f_china}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Strike aircraft'''}}{{Specs-Link|fj_4b_agm_12b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-105d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f_111a}}
{{Navigation-Line|A-4}}{{Specs-Link|a_4b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a_4e_early}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a_4n}}
{{Navigation-Line|Buccaneer}}{{Specs-Link|buccaneer_s1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|buccaneer_s2}}

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

{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==


The Bullpup is a first-generation MCLOS (SACLOS if mounted on helicopters) Air-to-Ground Missile that can either be dumb fired like normal rockets or be guided in manually using keyboard inputs, the stock binds for which are Alt + WASD. It is important to note that the vertical axis controls are inverted by default, much like MCLOS missiles on tanks, so this is something you'll have to get used to when using the weapon. However, the option to invert the axes is available in the Controls menu, so if you just can't get used to the controls it is recommended to change the relevant setting for it.

The Bullpup has fairly good agility, reacting rather quickly to your inputs, which can lead to over-leading if you hold the direction keys for too long. It is advised to 'tap' the keys and try to center the missile on the target of your choosing, rather than trying to arc a missile in aggressively. The explosion radius of the Bullpup is quite generous for its warhead size, and can overpressure light vehicles even with a near miss. However, more armoured MBTs may only take superficial damage to the tracks and/or barrel, and will require either a very close hit or a direct hit to reliably deal with them. They can be fired from 8 kilometers away, but as you manually have to guide them in, if you don't see a target launching prematurely might be a fool's errand unless you know what you're doing.

{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Aircraft-mounted characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 259 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Manual (MCLOS)
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 455 m/s
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 30 secs
|-
| '''Firing range''' || 8 km
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 58.05 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 73 mm
|-
| '''Warhead Type''' || HE
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Helicopter-mounted characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 259 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Semi-automatic (SACLOS)
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 455 m/s
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 30 secs
|-
| '''Firing range''' || 11 km
|-
| '''Guaranteed launch range''' || 8 km
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 58.05 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 73 mm
|-
| '''Warhead Type''' || HE
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===

The AGM-12B Bullpup inflicts high-explosive damage with low splash damage over a medium area. It is comparable in explosive power to a 250 lb bomb. It can overpressure lightly-armoured and open-topped vehicles even with a slight miss, while only superficially damaging the tracks and barrels of more heavily-armoured vehicles on a near miss.

=== Comparison with analogues ===

The Bullpup is closest to the French [[AS-20|AS-20 Nord]], as both are first-generation MCLOS AGMs that are on vehicles at a similar Battle Rating and share the most characteristics. The Nord has a higher top speed (Mach 1.7 is roughly equivalent to 580 m/s ASL), but the Bullpup has a significantly larger warhead and as such gets kills more often even on near misses (15.85 kg of TNT equivalent on the Nord while the Bullpup has over three times that with 58.05 kg). Both are fairly agile, although the Nord's higher speed (your missile arrives on target faster) but lighter weight mostly cancel out the handling differences. If you can handle one or the other, adjusting won't be too hard aside from getting used to how large your given warhead is given the differences.

Another roughly similar analogue would be the [[Kh-23M]] and [[Kh-66]], used by Soviet aircraft in the 9.3 - 11.7 range. The Kh-23M requires that you take the Delta-NG targeting pod to guide the missiles in and has a limit of only two Kh-23Ms per aircraft, so you sacrifice a noticeable bit more in flight performance to use them on Soviet aircraft compared to on NATO contemporaries. The Kh-23M is a fast missile, clocking in at a top speed of Mach 2, while also having a 10 km max firing range and 96 kg equivalent shaped charge warhead, but isn't as nimble as the Bullpup and Nord and will also give you less time to guide the missile in overall due to its higher top speed. The Kh-66 is a more elusive missile, found on exactly one plane (The [[MiG-21PFM]], which is an event vehicle), but still deserves a mention as it's also roughly similar to the Bullpup in performance. The Kh-66 is SACLOS-guided, meaning it follows your mouse crosshair, making aiming much easier than with Bullpups, but this also has the disadvantage of having to keep your mouse (and therefore your nose) pointed at the target until impact. The Kh-66 is quite maneuverable, able to zip between directions fairly nimbly, although its faster speed means there's less time to make fine adjustments, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on the situation.
== Usage in battles ==

Bullpups are best used in Ground Battles, where their semi-guided nature can allow players to strike enemy ground vehicles with lethal precision given that they are proficient enough in their abilities. You can fire Bullpups off unguided in emergencies or if you think you've lined up a good shot, which turns the missile into a slightly worse version of the [[S-25O]] found on vehicles like the [[Su-25]], but as you don't get CCIP and have the ability to control the missile this isn't recommended unless absolutely necessary. The other way to use Bullpups is as a kind of standoff munition against enemy Anti-Aircraft vehicles, particularly gun-based SPAAs. SPAAGs generally have an engagement window of up to 2.5-3 kilometers, meaning so long as you know where a SPAAG is (or use the tracers left by an AA vehicle that is currently shooting at a different teammate other than you) you can engage them safely from range, without ever risking getting into the <1.5 km range where getting shot down is very likely. If there are no enemy SPAAGs present, you may go after enemy ground vehicles without too much prejudice; so long as you can line up your missiles, almost any tank is fair game! Do, however, keep in mind that the missile still travels fairly quick, so don't try and launch it at too close a distance as you may only end up getting the dreaded "Hit" marker with nothing to show for it. It's much better to line up a better attack run later, unless the situations are dire.

In Air Battles the Bullpup has fairly limited utility, as most ground targets are much more efficiently dispatched with the help of your gun or bombs/unguided rockets. Given Bullpups are fairly hefty missiles and can only be mounted in single moounts per pylon, compared to the dozens of bombs or rockets you can load you are limiting your potential by taking Bullpups, unless you have very specific goals in mind. Such goals can include:

* Engaging Pillboxes
Pillboxes are annoying to tackle, as they take up a lot of gun ammunition to dispatch unless you line up a gun shot through the machine gun port at basically sea-level altitudes and can often shrug off small bombs if they aren't dropped precisely. If for any reason you wish to specifically engage these pillboxes from high altitude without dipping to low altitude (if your plane lacks CCIP) or you aren't having much luck lining up your bombs (if your plane has CCIP), Bullpups can serve a very small niche as you can guide them in to directly hit the Pillboxes which do result in an instant kill. Do, however, note that this is fairly inefficient, and simply dumping slightly smaller caliber rockets (Zunis for example) at Pillboxes or simply engaging the AI that's more easily killed (AAA and Howitzers surrounding the Pillboxes) would be a much more efficient way to mount ordinance on your pylons. As a side note you could most likely try to take out enemy airfield AA (or try and hit people on the airfield with them) with Bullpups, but this poses a severe risk to your aircraft so caution must be exercised.

* The Bluff
Air-to-Air Missiles are a thing many people dread facing, and in hectic moments people can easily react on gut instinct when they see that MSL diamond streaking towards them. Bullpups (and other guided AGMs just like it) will show the MSL indicator just the same when the motor is still burning, and as they aren't true AAMs you can also fire them any time at any angle. If the enemy sees a MSL icon headed towards them just as they think they have an easy head-on, you can force them to break off as most people will panic and attempt to pull away from the "missile" headed towards them. This can also be effective when an enemy has fired a missile at you in a flareless aircraft, as firing a Nord towards the missile may spoof the missile's seeker and save your aircraft once in a while.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has moderate explosive mass; even a near hit will overpressure light tanks and SPAAs, or at least cripple them
* Fairly long range; outranges SPAAGs and has similar range to early SAMs (~8 km)
* Nimble, responds to controls well
* Allows precise hits on critical targets with user input, with much less risk to the pilot
** Most aircraft carry multiple Bullpups; Allows precision strikes on multiple targets from safety

'''Cons:'''

* Learning curve can be unintuitive
* Hard to keep track of the missile at long range, responsiveness decreases as the motor burns out
* Adversely affects flight performance noticeably, given its weight and drag
** You will also most likely carry multiple Bullpups, compounding this effect
* Somewhat low explosive mass; may not damage heavily armoured targets much on a near miss
* As you need to manually guide in the missile visually, the stated 8 km range is rarely feasible

== History ==

Development of the AGM-12 Bullpup began in the early 1950s, after the Korean War sparked a demand for more precise, guided, weapon systems that could hit targets which were usually more difficult to hit with conventional ordnance. Apart from that, the new weapon system ought to increase the safety of ground attack aircraft and their crews by keeping them further away from returning ground fire.

A competition was ran by the U.S. Navy and the Martin company was awarded a contract in 1954. Work on the new missile, designated ASM-N-7, began and after several years of development and testing, the new weapon system entered service with the Navy in April 1959.

The design of the American first air-to-ground missile was fairly simple - a 250lb (113 kg) warhead derived from an aerial bomb, mounted on a rocket-propelled, roll-stabilized body. The entire missile was manually guided via radio signal to its target, using direct vision. To aid with aiming, two bright flares would ignite on the missile's rear end upon launch. These would make it easier for the operator to keep track of the missile in flight as it would be more visible.

The Bullpup was first employed in combat during the Vietnam War, although only seeing limited success. This was due to the fact that in order to ensure the highest probability of a successful hit, the aircraft that launched the missile had to fly the same course as the missile until impact. This of course, exposed the aircraft to anti-air fire and severely limited the pilot/operator's situational awareness in the case of single-seat aircraft.

Nonetheless, the Bullpup was still mass-produced for both the U.S. Navy and Army, resulting in around 30,000 units made across all of the weapon's variants. Although the missile was starting to be replaced in the '70s by more advanced systems, it wasn't until the '80s when the Bullpup was finally retired from active service.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5722-development-agm-12b-bullpup-they-can-t-dodge-en|Devblog]]''

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

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[AGM-12C Bullpup]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5722-development-agm-12b-bullpup-they-can-t-dodge-en|[Devblog] AGM-12B Bullpup: They can't dodge]]

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

AS-20 Nord

2024-11-06T15:21:00Z

U91965995: Added missing bracket [ from broken hyperlink

== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage AS-20 Nord.png|thumb|left|420px|The AS-20 missile (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a French manually-guided air-to-surface missile, it was introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]]. Holding a fairly light explosive payload, the air-launched nature of the missile allows players to fire the missile onto the roofs of unsuspecting enemy tanks. With its fast speed, high agility but low warhead TNT mass the missile demands more attention than its other contemporaries but also responds to your commands very well, ultimately leaving its potential up to the pilot's hands.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|etndard_4m}}
* {{Specs-Link|f-104g}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r1}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r3}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r4}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r4_german}}
* {{Specs-Link|so_4050_vautour_2n}}
* {{Specs-Link|md_460}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_y}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Missile characteristics
|-
! rowspan="1" data-sort-type="text" | Missile
! rowspan="1" | Mass (kg)
! rowspan="1" | Guidance
! rowspan="1" | Maximum speed (M)
! rowspan="1" | Firing range (km)
! rowspan="1" | Missile guidance time (s)
! rowspan="1" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)
|-
| AS-20 Nord || 143 || Manual (MCLOS) || 1.7 || 8 || 30 || 15.85
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===

The AS-20 Nord has the capability of penetrating 64 mm of armour from any distance and angle of attack. The warhead, however, only has roughly 16 kg of TNT filler, meaning unless you hit extremely close to a lightly armored vehicle or directly hit an enemy you won't do noticeable damage, if you damage them at all. On impact Nords generally do adequate damage, crippling or destroying an enemy hit directly.
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Distance
! colspan="3" |Angle of attack
|-
! 0° !! 30° !! 60°
|-
|'''10 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''100 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''500 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''1,000 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''1,500 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''2,000 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|}

=== Comparison with analogues ===

Compared to its closest contemporary, the [[AGM-12B Bullpup|Bullpup]] AGM, the AS-20 Nord flies faster and is a much lighter missile but also has less than a third of the Bullpup's explosive mass. The Nords excel more in agility as a result, while Bullpups are slightly heavier on the controls but offer a much wider margin of error. Overall, the two are roughly similar overall with the Bullpup generally being more applicable all around as the larger warhead is very noticeable and the agility differences aren't great enough to significantly affect missile guidance.
== Usage in battles ==

AS-20s can be used in air battles and ground battles. The more applicable of the two would be ground battles, as the accuracy of the Nords when fully aimed can offer a precision strike capability that few nations have at these BRs. While you can fire off Nords without controlling them as they fly fairly straight, this is an ineffective way to use these missiles given that they cost noticeably more SP than regular rockets and have a fairly low TNT mass which limits its lethality when used this way. The more effective way to use Nords in Ground Battles would be to fire them from range (2-5 km or so, so long as you have visuals on your target) and guide them in, prioritizing SPAAs over regular vehicles as this will allow you to support your team for much longer. Gun-based SPAAs generally have a cut-off range of roughly 2.5-3 km where their effectiveness is greatly diminished, and as a result so long as you can land your missile just as they start firing at these distances you will have a greater chance of surviving, provided you dodge immediately afterwards. If there is already a friendly aircraft up taking fire, this is made even easier as you simply have to follow the tracer shells to find your unsuspecting victim. Slight misses are fine, but due to the small warhead it is important to attempt to land a direct hit whenever possible, regardless of your target, so practice is key to mastering Nords.

In Air Battles, Nords can serve as a good distraction and as a self-defense weapon. You can fire a Nord in a head-on engagement with someone you don't want to take the head-on with, and as the missile still shows the MSL diamond your enemy may think it is in fact an [[AA-20]] (Air-to-Air Nord) instead (or simply panic regardless) and attempt to dodge, which you can then exploit to gain the upper hand position-wise. This can also work from the rear, making people falsely believe that you fired an AAM at them and closing the gap as they bleed speed trying to dodge the supposed AAM flying towards them. Nords can also be fired towards enemy AAMs headed your way as a distraction, as the hot motor of the Nord may sometimes fool the missile's seeker and cause it to veer off course. Do, however, also keep in mind that there are a few vehicles that either use MCLOS AAMs (such as certain G.91 variants, the [[S.O.4050 Vautour IIN (late)| Vautour IIN (Late)]] or the [[Swift F.7]]'s Fireflashes (however elusive these may be) or SARH missiles (the aforementioned Vautour carries [[Matra R511|R511]] SARH missiles if spaded!), so keeping that in mind it is crucial to know which planes can attempt these bluffs back at you and which aircraft are entirely incapable of such tactics in reverse.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent penetration of 64 mm
* Nimble, easy to course-correct
* Fairly light (~140 kg compared to AGM-12Bs weighing ~260 kg each), relatively light impact on flight performance

'''Cons:'''

* Somewhat unintuitive guiding method; may take many games to get fully used to it
* Poor explosive mass of 15 kg; near misses will do very little damage, and heavily armored vehicles can occasionally shrug off a hit
* Hard to control at longer ranges due to its SACLOS nature

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

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

== See also ==


* [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] - The American equivalent to the AS-20 Nord, with a warhead more than three times as lethal at the expense of almost double the weight
* [[Kh-23M]] - The Soviet equivalent to the Nord; Has a higher top speed, more penetration and even more explosive mass than the Bullpup (around 6 x the Nord's warhead), but handles somewhat worse, is limited to 2 per aircraft at higher BRs and mandatorily requires the Delta-NG targeting pod to be used, which degrades flight performance.

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

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

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

AS-20 Nord

2024-11-06T15:16:19Z

U91965995: Incorrect descriptors edited for better readability

== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage AS-20 Nord.png|thumb|left|420px|The AS-20 missile (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a French manually-guided air-to-surface missile, it was introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]]. Holding a fairly light explosive payload, the air-launched nature of the missile allows players to fire the missile onto the roofs of unsuspecting enemy tanks. With its fast speed, high agility but low warhead TNT mass the missile demands more attention than its other contemporaries but also responds to your commands very well, ultimately leaving its potential up to the pilot's hands.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|etndard_4m}}
* {{Specs-Link|f-104g}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r1}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r3}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r4}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r4_german}}
* {{Specs-Link|so_4050_vautour_2n}}
* {{Specs-Link|md_460}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_y}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Missile characteristics
|-
! rowspan="1" data-sort-type="text" | Missile
! rowspan="1" | Mass (kg)
! rowspan="1" | Guidance
! rowspan="1" | Maximum speed (M)
! rowspan="1" | Firing range (km)
! rowspan="1" | Missile guidance time (s)
! rowspan="1" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)
|-
| AS-20 Nord || 143 || Manual (MCLOS) || 1.7 || 8 || 30 || 15.85
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===

The AS-20 Nord has the capability of penetrating 64 mm of armour from any distance and angle of attack. The warhead, however, only has roughly 16 kg of TNT filler, meaning unless you hit extremely close to a lightly armored vehicle or directly hit an enemy you won't do noticeable damage, if you damage them at all. On impact Nords generally do adequate damage, crippling or destroying an enemy hit directly.
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Distance
! colspan="3" |Angle of attack
|-
! 0° !! 30° !! 60°
|-
|'''10 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''100 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''500 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''1,000 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''1,500 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''2,000 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|}

=== Comparison with analogues ===

Compared to its closest contemporary, the [[AGM-12B Bullpup|Bullpup]] AGM, the AS-20 Nord flies faster and is a much lighter missile but also has less than a third of the Bullpup's explosive mass. The Nords excel more in agility as a result, while Bullpups are slightly heavier on the controls but offer a much wider margin of error. Overall, the two are roughly similar overall with the Bullpup generally being more applicable all around as the larger warhead is very noticeable and the agility differences aren't great enough to significantly affect missile guidance.
== Usage in battles ==

AS-20s can be used in air battles and ground battles. The more applicable of the two would be ground battles, as the accuracy of the Nords when fully aimed can offer a precision strike capability that few nations have at these BRs. While you can fire off Nords without controlling them as they fly fairly straight, this is an ineffective way to use these missiles given that they cost noticeably more SP than regular rockets and have a fairly low TNT mass which limits its lethality when used this way. The more effective way to use Nords in Ground Battles would be to fire them from range (2-5 km or so, so long as you have visuals on your target) and guide them in, prioritizing SPAAs over regular vehicles as this will allow you to support your team for much longer. Gun-based SPAAs generally have a cut-off range of roughly 2.5-3 km where their effectiveness is greatly diminished, and as a result so long as you can land your missile just as they start firing at these distances you will have a greater chance of surviving, provided you dodge immediately afterwards. If there is already a friendly aircraft up taking fire, this is made even easier as you simply have to follow the tracer shells to find your unsuspecting victim. Slight misses are fine, but due to the small warhead it is important to attempt to land a direct hit whenever possible, regardless of your target, so practice is key to mastering Nords.

In Air Battles, Nords can serve as a good distraction and as a self-defense weapon. You can fire a Nord in a head-on engagement with someone you don't want to take the head-on with, and as the missile still shows the MSL diamond your enemy may think it is in fact an [[AA-20] (Air-to-Air Nord) instead (or simply panic regardless) and attempt to dodge, which you can then exploit to gain the upper hand position-wise. This can also work from the rear, making people falsely believe that you fired an AAM at them and closing the gap as they bleed speed trying to dodge the supposed AAM flying towards them. Nords can also be fired towards enemy AAMs headed your way as a distraction, as the hot motor of the Nord may sometimes fool the missile's seeker and cause it to veer off course. Do, however, also keep in mind that there are a few vehicles that either use MCLOS AAMs (such as certain G.91 variants, the [[S.O.4050 Vautour IIN (late)| Vautour IIN (Late)]] or the [[Swift F.7]]'s Fireflashes (however elusive these may be) or SARH missiles (the aforementioned Vautour carries [[Matra R511|R511]] SARH missiles if spaded!), so keeping that in mind it is crucial to know which planes can attempt these bluffs back at you and which aircraft are entirely incapable of such tactics in reverse.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent penetration of 64 mm
* Nimble, easy to course-correct
* Fairly light (~140 kg compared to AGM-12Bs weighing ~260 kg each), relatively light impact on flight performance

'''Cons:'''

* Somewhat unintuitive guiding method; may take many games to get fully used to it
* Poor explosive mass of 15 kg; near misses will do very little damage, and heavily armored vehicles can occasionally shrug off a hit
* Hard to control at longer ranges due to its SACLOS nature

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

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

== See also ==


* [[AGM-12B Bullpup]] - The American equivalent to the AS-20 Nord, with a warhead more than three times as lethal at the expense of almost double the weight
* [[Kh-23M]] - The Soviet equivalent to the Nord; Has a higher top speed, more penetration and even more explosive mass than the Bullpup (around 6 x the Nord's warhead), but handles somewhat worse, is limited to 2 per aircraft at higher BRs and mandatorily requires the Delta-NG targeting pod to be used, which degrades flight performance.

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

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

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

A6M5

2024-11-06T15:12:23Z

U91965995: Pro/Con section redux

{{About
| about = Japanese fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = A6M (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=a6m5_zero
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''A6M5 mod. 52''', designated as the '''Type 0 Carrier-based Fighter Model 52 ({{Annotation|零式艦上戦闘機五二型|Rei Shiki Kanjō Sentōki, Go Ni Gata}})''', was the last main-production variant of the [[A6M]] series. The wings were redesigned once again, cutting to the same length as that of the [[A6M3|A6M3 mod. 32]] but rounding out the tips. Aside from that, the engine performance was improved due to the modification of the Sakae engine's exhaust system to point the stacks aft and distributing them around the forward fuselage, providing an additional increase in thrust. Armour protection for the pilot and fuel tanks was increased, and self-sealing fuel tanks were included in later production. The A6M5 mod. 52 retained the armament of the [[A6M3 mod. 22Ko|A6M3 mod. 22A (Ko)]] which fielded the better [[Type 99 Model 2 (20 mm)]] over earlier [[A6M]]s.

It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. With all the modifications done to the A6M5 over the other [[A6M]]s, performance has improved but it faces stronger enemy aircraft which proportionally perform even better. While still unrivalled in manoeuvre dogfights, capable of dodging, weaving, and out-turning the pursuer into getting on their six, staying on the six of an aircraft will be harder to maintain due to the higher top speeds all other aircraft will have over the A6M5. As the last main-production [[A6M]], the A6M5s also come with a late-war modification which allow them to be converted into {{Annotation|"bakusen"|Fighter-Bombers}}, mounting a 250 kg bomb in place of the centreline drop tank.

;Nicknames

* IJN Pilot nickname: ''Reisen'' (零戦) / ''Zerosen'' (ゼロ戦) (Abbreviation of 0 - {{Annotation|戦|Fight(er aircraft)}}).
* Allied reporting name: ''Zeke / Zero''.

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

The A6M5 excels at low to medium speed turning engagements. It possesses an excellent horizontal turn time combined with an acceptable roll rate. This allows the plane to be an absolute monster if opposing planes get slow enough for it to catch and force them into a dogfight.

However, with its impressive dogfighting characteristics come the Zero's inherent weakness: speed. It is vulnerable to enemy fighters that do not engage it on the Zero's terms at low speed and instead chose to stick to high-speed passes.

There is a less noticeable decrease in the wingspan of ~1 m leading to slightly worse turning performance over early Zero variants but it helps push the speed to 565 km/h.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 544 || 528 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 16.6 || 17.2 || 12.1 || 12.1 || rowspan="2" | 190
|-
! Upgraded
| 587 || 565 || 15.8 || 16.0 || 20.0 || 15.6
|-
|}

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

{| 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 703  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 397 || 368 || 220 || ~14 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 310 || < 420 || < 410 || > 260
|-
|}

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


* No armour protection
* No self-sealing fuel tanks

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

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

{{main|Type 99 Model 2 (20 mm)|Type 97 navy (7.7 mm)}}

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

* 2 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 2 cannons, wing-mounted (100 rpg = 200 total)
* 2 x 7.7 mm Type 97 machine guns, nose-mounted (700 rpg = 1,400 total)

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

{{main|Navy Type 97 Number 6 (60 kg)|Navy Type Number 25 Model 2 (250 kg)}}

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

* Without load
* 2 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs (120 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg Navy Type Number 25 Model 2 bomb (250 kg total)

== Usage in battles ==

The A6M5 is an excellent dogfighter, nearly peerless in a low-speed engagement, even the renowned Spitfire looks clumsy and slow compared to an A6M5. However, it faces some extremely difficult opponents. Many opposing fighters tend to be specialized in performance-based energy manoeuvres with Boom and Zoom fighting styles rather than the classic turning and dogfighting of the A6M5. This can lead to the A6M5 struggling to engage them on the offensive due to its weak performance and low top speed and all too often is forced onto the defensive. The Zero is capable of evading attacks and striking back, but it requires a confident and knowledgeable pilot.

Aircraft position is incredibly important to the A6M5. While it can win any dogfight, a low-speed Zero distracted by getting its guns on target is a very easy target to dispatch. If in a dogfighting stance, success can be had with the A6M5; but to excel, consideration between different tactics need to be had. Pick the battles and only use dogfighting as a last resort and attempt to use Energy fighting as the primary mode of attack when possible.

The A6M5 can begin with a disadvantage, spawning from carriers on Pacific maps. However, this can help the Zero as it is quite a good low-speed climber thanks to its low wing-loading, spaded it will climb to 6 km in ~5 minutes. For manual engine control users, climb at ~220 km/h (100% prop pitch, 30% radiators and supercharger change at 3.4 km on WEP or 4 km otherwise), this will place the plane in a good position to select targets at a similar altitude to the Zero's position. The A6M5 performs considerably worse above 5 km, so be mindful of the limitations to prevent being in a position of disadvantage.

When fighting on the offensive, select a target lower than the Zero, or in rare cases slower, then stick to Energy fighting and dive on them. Reset after each attack, resist the temptation to be drawn into dogfight. Battles can be won, but it will cost a considerable amount of energy that might be needed later. The fight might also leave the player distracted and vulnerable to other fighters, so stay cautious.

Be conscious of the Zero's low dive limit of 740 km/h so do not power dive onto targets. Many fighters will also be able to outrun the A6M5 in an extended dive, in these cases it is better to give up and recover than engage in a protracted chase that will ultimately equalize on energy.

When fighting on the defensive, speed is critical in engagement because most of the enemies will be considerably faster than the A6M5. Use the barest minimum to evade opposition fire to keep the speed as high as possible. The biggest and longest window to return fire on an enemy is when they overshoot and begin to zoom away. The A6M5 has a very low stall speed of 121 km/h with flaps, so pursuing an opposition fighter in a zoom climb is possible. However, the Nakajima Sakae engine makes it difficult to recover energy quickly so choose when to extend carefully or the Zero will end up lacking the speed to evade when the enemies begin to attack.

A preferred evasion tactic is to perform a shallow spiral dive; turn tight enough to keep out of the opposition fighters guns, but try to keep it just close enough to make the enemies believe they could still catch the A6M5 in its sights. A rather difficult manoeuvre, but this move can tease enemies into longer turns and cause them to burn more energy while on the A6M5 tail. The enemy's lowered speed will benefit when the A6M5 moves around to gun them, especially when the enemy overshoots.

The A6M5 can be a frustrating bird to fly due to the considerable disadvantages on the performance front while emphasizing on manoeuvres to get the enemy into the sights. However, a skilled pilot with the A6M5 can be immensely rewarding in surviving and securing kills in defensive flying. Not a beginner-friendly plane, but an A6M5 player surviving in the War Thunder battlefield can consider themselves a skilled pilot.

* In Simulator, the A6M Zero is overall a great plane to fly. Its advantages include the extremely smooth handling, impressive turn rate, low stall speed, the ability to not enter spins in extreme manoeuvres, decent rear visibility, and increased cannon ammo capacity. It is able to pull really tight turns or barrel rolls without losing control or going into a spin, allowing the player to use this stability to their advantage. Its disadvantages, however, are the fragile protection, wing-mounted guns, and the cockpit scattered with frames. Although not thick, these frames can still be obstructions in a fight. Also the gunsight is small and mounted very low, resulting in inadequate visibility over the nose. This can limit the player's ability to see the target in a turn fight since to lead the target, the player must cut inside its turn, meaning the nose will now block the target. The A6M can perform dogfighting, some ground pounding and some intercepting.

* You can bring the minimum amount of fuel (29 minutes) since this model of the Zero only has a 100-round drum per cannon, as a result you might need to constantly return to airfield to reload so there is no need to bring more fuel. Set the convergence to 150-300 m. When taking off, the A6M will shift severely to the left so it is best to set separate keybind for left and right brakes to counter the torque.
* For dogfighting, it is better to engage with an altitude advantage so climb to around 2,500 m. Track the opponent using lead or pure pursuit, as with lag pursuit you will eventually end up at the 6'o clock of the target aircraft whose fuselage will soak up most of your MG bullets, and your wing mounted cannons will become really awkward to aim. With the amazing stability the aim should be easy. Target their wings or nose and avoid the back half of the fuselage as there is usually nothing in there. You can turn with most planes with your combat/takeoff flaps deployed. Note that it is best to fire in 10-round/one-second bursts to avoid wasting cannon rounds. Once the cannons are out, the leftover 7.7 mm MGs can only effectively damage single engine fighters.

* For ground pounding with bombs, look for tanks and pillboxes. First you need some separation between you and the target so you have enough time to line-up the drop. Dive at the target at a rather shallow angle, and release the 60 kg bombs when you are very close, with the target below the gunsight and filling up around half of it. For the 250 kg, drop it with the gunsight slightly more above the target. If you only use the MGs, your targets are trucks, AAA and howitzers. Dive at it and stabilise the plane so the gunsight stays overall still at the target. Then, once the target fills out around 1/6 of the gunsight, open fire. If your aim is accurate you can destroy one target in a single pass. However, it is very recommended to set keybind for firing MG only as you can definitely not waste the valuable cannon rounds. Save them for any unexpected dogfights.
* Landing is easy thanks to the low stall speed and lovely handling. Line up and approach the airstrip at treetop, decrease speed to at most 210 km/h and deploy combat, takeoff and landing flaps in order. Further decelerate so the touchdown speed is no more than 180 km/h to avoid bouncing up. Keep braking until the plane reaches a full stop, you don't have to worry about the nose dipping down and causing a propeller strike.

'''Belt Selection''': 
'''7.7 mm Type 97''' 
Though not very effective weapons being 7.7 mm, time and patience with the aiming can still secure tallies and the weapons are still better than nothing. "Stealth" allows for sneaky attacks while having several incendiary rounds that could start fires. "Tracer" can also be used as a pure AP belt, so while fires may be hard to start, it may penetrate the cockpit armour and hit the pilot, or even force the enemy into costly defensive evasion to help put them into the Zero's sights.

'''20 mm Type 99 Mk 2''' 
These are quite effective cannons even if the rate of fire is a little low at ~500 rpm. "Stealth" belt provides a pattern of three HEF and two AP-I rounds, giving a good rounded HE fragmentation and AP damage potential with the added bonus of not letting the opponents see the shells as they travel by. "Universal" belt with a one HEF-T, two HEF, and one AP-I pattern is a decent second choice if a tracer element is needed to aim. "Tracer" belt with pure HEF-T is rather excellent, but the tracer round has less explosive filler than the pure HEF shell, so overall power is reduced with the ability to guide each shot. Finally, "Ground targets" belt give a mix of five AP-I, one HEF, and one HEF-T with the AP-I more useful against fighting ground targets, especially when there are ground targets such as light tanks on certain maps.

All enemy fighters will be considerably faster than the Zero, but less able to dogfight so should be approached in the same way.

Bombers should be avoided unless confident in aiming and crippling the bomber on the first pass. The Zeros are quite fragile and the defensive gunners on a bomber can easily shred the A6M5 if it is not approaching fast enough to engage and disengage before being hit.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* P-61: this plane is one tough nut to crack. It is quite fast, packs a fatal punch, has a searching radar, and a deadly turret on top. The turret consists of 4 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns that cover the upper half of the plane, and most P-61 players tend to fly low or get you into their upper half to target you with the turret. Avoid being above them at all costs, utilise the Zero's manoeuvrability and sneak under their belly. Its appearance resembles a P-38: a center fuselage with two engine nacelles extending backwards and forming the twin tail like a frame, you will know it is a Black Widow and not a Lightning when red tracer bullets start shooting out from it.
* I-16: the late I-16s are equipped with ShVAK cannons that can be pretty dangerous to your fragile airframe. They can turn equally well as the Zero, have superior roll rate but the stability is so terrible that as soon as they pull a little more on the stick, they will enter spins. Therefore it is quite easy to counter them: engage a turnfight with them and turn tighter and tighter, or do a few barrel rolls. They will quickly lose control and start spinning and it is quite hard to recover. Then simply get some separation, turn around and put some solid shots into them. They have an I-15's short and fat fuselage, a flat radial engine and triangular stabilisers located right after the low-mounted mono wings, all covered in olive green paint.

* F4U, F6F, P-47, etc: these planes are a huge threat to the late Zeros as they have superior firepower, speed, dive acceleration and robust airframes. Their 12.7 mm MGs can easily tear you apart or simply pilot-snipe you even when they are far away, as the M2 Brownings have great velocity and trajectory. They can also set you aflame easily. Start a turnfight whenever you see these stubby planes. The F4U has a long cylindrical nose and the iconic inverted gull wing. The P-47 has a huge, jug-like fuselage, bubble canopy and elliptical trailing edge that usually have invasion stripes painted on them. The F6F, on the other hand, might get confused with other planes as it looks rather average.

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Top-of-the-line agility across the board
** Turning radius is very tight; can easily out-turn most if not all aircraft it faces in a sustained turning engagement
** Easy to handle, as the aircraft is very responsive in all axes
* Short takeoff/landing distance; can land on aircraft carriers if the map has them with the arresting hook
* Fairly destructive 20mm cannon armament

'''Cons:'''

* Noticeably slower top speed than contemporaries
* Fairly limited ammunition count
* Poor dive tolerance; Wings rip at only 700 kph
** Control stiffening at high speeds can limit agility, can lead to fatal dives
* '''Highly vulnerable to Boom & Zoom tactics with very limited counterplay options'''
** High agility results in excessive speed bleed when maneuvering, leaving you low on energy compared to your opponent
** Plane is highly dependent on the enemy engaging it on its own terms (turnfighting), and if denied this struggles to accomplish much in a match
* Poor aircraft protection; Lacks self-sealing fuel tanks!
* Lackluster armament - 7.7mm machineguns are no longer adequately punchy at the BR

== History ==

The Japanese had hopes of a new interceptor becoming available to fight against newer allied fighters. When no such plane could be produced, the A6M3 was modified to continue to fill that role. In late of 1943 changes were made to simplify the aircraft. These changes were made to help speed up production, as well to increase dive speed. The wings remained the same size and shape as the A6M3 Reisen mod. 22. Modifications were made including the removal of the wing folding mechanism. The A6M5 received heavier gauge wing skinning as well. Other noticeable modifications were made to the aircraft's exhaust. The A6M5 also had CO2 fire extinguishers installed in the wing fuel tanks starting from production number 4274 onward.

{{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}}
At the beginning of the war, A6M series planes were among the best fighter planes, not only in Japan but also in the world.

However, over time, better Japanese aircraft were needed to effectively counter such enemies as the American F6F Hellcat and the F4U Corsair. The Japanese Navy needed a carrier-based fighter with better speed than the A6Ms could offer. Japan had no engine more powerful than the Sakae 21 (used for the A6M3), so to create the A6M5 Model 52 they had to come up with a number of tricks to coax the best performance they could out of it. The plane's non-folding wings had rounded wingtips, and their span was reduced to 11 m (one meter shorter than the A6M2 Model 21). The exhaust system was improved by replacing the common exhaust system with separate exhaust nozzles for each pair of cylinders.

All of these changes reduced mobility but increased speed, making the model 52 the fastest of all the Zeros. A diving A6M5 model 52 could reach speeds of up to 657 kilometres per hour.

A total of 747 A6M5 model 52s were produced.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=a6m5_zero Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* Reggiane [[Re.2001 (Family)|Re.2001]]
* Supermarine [[Spitfire (Family)|Spifire]]
* Hawker [[Hurricane (Family)|Sea Hurricane]]

== External links ==


* [[Wikipedia:Mitsubishi_A6M_Zero#A6M5_Type_0_Model_52|[Wikipedia] A6M5 Type 0 Model 52]]
* [https://old-forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/295065-mitsubishi-a6m5/ [Forum<nowiki>]</nowiki> Aircraft Data Sheets - Mitsubishi A6M5]

{{AirManufacturer Mitsubishi}}
{{Japan fighters}}

AS-20 Nord

2024-10-25T16:16:44Z

U91965995: Page Overhaul

== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage AS-20 Nord.png|thumb|left|420px|The AS-20 missile (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is a French manually-guided air-to-surface missile, it was introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]]. Holding a fairly light explosive payload, the air-launched nature of the missile allows players to fire the missile onto the roofs of unsuspecting enemy tanks. With its fast speed, high agility but low warhead TNT mass the missile demands more attention than its other contemporaries but also responds to your commands very well, ultimately leaving its potential up to the pilot's hands.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|etndard_4m}}
* {{Specs-Link|f-104g}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r1}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r3}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r4}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_r4_german}}
* {{Specs-Link|so_4050_vautour_2n}}
* {{Specs-Link|md_460}}
* {{Specs-Link|fiat_g91_y}}

== General info ==

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Missile characteristics
|-
! rowspan="1" data-sort-type="text" | Missile
! rowspan="1" | Mass (kg)
! rowspan="1" | Guidance
! rowspan="1" | Maximum speed (M)
! rowspan="1" | Firing range (km)
! rowspan="1" | Missile guidance time (s)
! rowspan="1" | Explosive Mass (TNT equivalent) (kg)
|-
| AS-20 Nord || 143 || Manual (MCLOS) || 1.7 || 8 || 30 || 15.85
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===

The AS-20 Nord has the capability of penetrating 64 mm of armour from any distance and angle of attack. The warhead, however, only has roughly 16kg of TNT mass, meaning unless you hit extremely close to a lightly armored vehicle or directly hit an enemy you won't do noticeable damage, if you damage them at all. On impact Nords generally do adequate damage, crippling or destroying an enemy hit directly.
{| class="wikitable"
! rowspan="2" |Distance
! colspan="3" |Angle of attack
|-
! 0° !! 30° !! 60°
|-
|'''10 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''100 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''500 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''1,000 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''1,500 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|-
|'''2,000 m''' || 64 mm || 64 mm || 64 mm
|}

=== Comparison with analogues ===
''Give a comparative description of missiles that have firepower equal to this weapon.''
Compared to its closest contemporary, the [[AGM-12B|Bullpup]] AGM, the AS-20 Nord flies faster and is a much lighter missile but also has less than a third of the Bullpup's explosive mass. The Nords excel more in agility as a result, while Bullpups are slightly heavier on the controls but offer a much wider margin of error. Overall, the two are roughly similar overall with the Bullpup generally being more applicable all around as the larger warhead is very noticeable and the agility differences aren't great enough to significantly affect missile guidance.
== Usage in battles ==

AS-20s can be used in two situations; Air Battles and Ground Battles. The more applicable of the two would be Ground Battles, as the accuracy of the Nords when fully aimed can offer a precision strike capability that few nations have at these BRs. While you can fire off Nords without controlling them as they fly fairly straight, this is an ineffective way to use these missiles given that they cost noticeably more SP than regular rockets and have a fairly low TNT mass which limits its lethality when used this way. The more effective way to use Nords in Ground Battles would be to fire them from range (2-5km or so, so long as you have visuals on your target) and guide them in, prioritizing SPAAs over regular vehicles as this will allow you to support your team for much longer. Gun-based SPAAs generally have a cut-off range of roughly 2.5-3km where their effectiveness is greatly diminshed, and as a result so long as you can land your missile just as they start firing at these distances you will have a greater chance of surviving, provided you dodge immediately afterwards. If there is already a friendly aircraft up taking fire, this is made even easier as you simply have to follow the tracer shells to find your unsuspecting victim. Slight misses are fine, but due to the small warhead it is important to attempt to land a direct hit whenever possible, regardless of your target, so practice is key to mastering Nords.

In Air Battles, Nords can serve as a good distraction and as a self-defense weapon. You can fire a Nord in a head-on engagement with someone you don't want to take the head-on with, and as the missile still shows the MSL diamond your enemy may think it is in fact an [[AA-20] (Air-to-Air Nord) instead (or simply panic regardless) and attempt to dodge, which you can then exploit to gain the upper hand positionwise. This can also work from the rear, making people falsely believe that you fired an AAM at them and closing the gap as they bleed speed trying to dodge the supposed AAM flying towards them. Nords can also be fired towards enemy AAMs headed your way as a distraction, as the hot motor of the Nord may sometimes fool the missile's seeker and cause it to veer off course. Do, however, also keep in mind that there are a few vehicles that either use MCLOS AAMs (such as certain G.91 variants, the [[S.O.4050 Vautour IIN (late)| Vautour IIN (Late)]] or the [[Swift F.7]]'s Fireflashes (however elusive these may be) or SARH missiles (the aforementioned Vautour carries [[Matra R511|R511]] SARH missiles if spaded!), so keeping that in mind it is crucial to know which planes can attempt these bluffs back at you and which aircraft are entirely incapable of such tactics in reverse.
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent penetration of 64mm
* Nimble, easy to course-correct
* Fairly light (~140kg compared to AGM-12Bs weighing ~260kg each), relatively light impact on flight performance

'''Cons:'''

* Somewhat unintuitive guiding method; may take many games to get fully used to it
* Poor explosive mass of 15kg; Near misses will do very little damage, and heavily armored vehicles can occasionally shrug off a hit
* Hard to control at longer ranges

== History ==
''Examine the history of the creation and combat usage of the weapon in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the weapon and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Weapon-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>.''

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

== See also ==


[[AGM-12B Bullpup]] - The American equivalent to the AS-20 Nord, with a warhead more than three times as lethal at the expense of almost double the weight

[[Kh-23M]] - The Soviet equivalent to the Nord; Has a higher top speed, more penetration and even more explosive mass than the Bullpup (~x6 the Nord's warhead), but handles somewhat worse, is limited to 2 per aircraft at higher BRs and mandatorily requires the Delta-NG targeting pod to be used, which degrades flight performance.

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

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

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

AGM-12B Bullpup

2024-10-25T15:16:50Z

U91965995: Page Overhaul

{{About
| about = air-to-ground missile '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = AGM-12C Bullpup
}}
== Description ==

[[File:WeaponImage AGM-12B Bullpup.png|thumb|left|420px|The AGM-12B Bullpup missile (scale is approximate)]]
{{Break}}
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an American manually guided air-to-ground missile. It was introduced during [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]].

The AGM-12B, also known as ASM-N-7a or affectionately as the 'Bullpup', was created in 1960 as an upgrade from the test series ASM-N-7 and was named officially as AGM-12B in 1962. The AGM was powered by a Thiokol LR58-RM-4 liquid propellant motor to produce a range of up to 11 km and produced a thrust of 12,000 pounds or 53 kN. The production of AGM-12B ended in 1970 and 22,000 were produced.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


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

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Jet fighters'''}}{{Specs-Link|f-4c}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-8e}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-104g_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|scimitar_f1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|dh_110_sea_vixen}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-5}}{{Specs-Link|f-5a}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-5a_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-5c}}
{{Navigation-Line|F-100}}{{Specs-Link|f-100a_china}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-100d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f_100f_china}}

{{Navigation-First-Line|'''Strike aircraft'''}}{{Specs-Link|fj_4b_agm_12b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f-105d}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|f_111a}}
{{Navigation-Line|A-4}}{{Specs-Link|a_4b}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a_4e_early}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|a_4n}}
{{Navigation-Line|Buccaneer}}{{Specs-Link|buccaneer_s1}}{{-}}{{Specs-Link|buccaneer_s2}}

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

{{Navigation-End}}

== General info ==


The Bullpup is a first-generation MCLOS (SACLOS if mounted on helicopters) Air-to-Ground Missile that can either be dumb fired like normal rockets or be guided in manually using keyboard inputs, the stock binds for which are Alt + WASD. It is important to note that the vertical axis controls are inverted by default, much like MCLOS missiles on tanks, so this is something you'll have to get used to when using the weapon. However, the option to invert the axes is available in the Controls menu, so if you just can't get used to the controls it is recommended to change the relevant setting for it.

The Bullpup has fairly good agility, reacting rather quickly to your inputs, which can lead to over-leading if you hold the direction keys for too long. It is advised to 'tap' the keys and try to center the missile on the target of your choosing, rather than trying to arc a missile in aggressively. The explosion radius of the Bullpup is quite generous for its warhead size, and can overpressure light vehicles even with a near miss. However, more armored MBTs may only take superficial damage to the tracks and/or barrel, and will require either a very close hit or a direct hit to reliably deal with them. They can be fired from 8 kilometers away, but as you manually have to guide them in, if you don't see a target launching prematurely might be a fool's errand unless you know what you're doing.

{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Aircraft-mounted characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 259 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Manual (MCLOS)
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 455 m/s
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 30 secs
|-
| '''Firing range''' || 8 km
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 58.05 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 73 mm
|-
| '''Warhead Type''' || HE
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | Helicopter-mounted characteristics
|-
| '''Mass''' || 259 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || Semi-automatic (SACLOS)
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 455 m/s
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 30 secs
|-
| '''Firing range''' || 11 km
|-
| '''Guaranteed launch range''' || 8 km
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 58.05 kg TNTeq
|-
| '''Armour penetration''' || 73 mm
|-
| '''Warhead Type''' || HE
|-
|}

=== Effective damage ===

The AGM-12B Bullpup inflicts high-explosive damage with low splash damage over a medium area. It is comparable in explosive power to a 250 lb bomb. It can overpressure lightly armored and open top vehicles even with a slight miss, while only superficially damaging the tracks and barrels of more heavily armored vehicles on a near miss.

=== Comparison with analogues ===

The Bullpup is closest to the French [[AS-20|AS-20 Nord]], as both are first-generation MCLOS AGMs that are on vehicles at a similar Battle Rating and share the most characteristics. The Nord has a higher top speed (Mach 1.7 is roughly equivalent to 580m/s ASL), but the Bullpup has a significantly larger warhead and as such gets kills more often even on near misses (15.85kg of TNT equivalent on the Nord while the Bullpup has over three times that with 58.05kg). Both are fairly agile, although the Nord's higher speed (your missile arrives on target faster) but lighter weight mostly cancel out the handling differences. If you can handle one or the other, adjusting won't be too hard aside from getting used to how large your given warhead is given the differences.

Another roughly similar analogue would be the [[Kh-23M]] and [[Kh-66]], used by Soviet aircraft in the 9.3 - 11.7 range. The Kh-23M requires that you take the Delta-NG targeting pod to guide the missiles in, and due to the limit of only two Kh-23Ms per aircraft, so you sacrifice a noticeable bit more to use them on Soviet aircraft. The Kh-23M is a fast missile, clocking in at a top speed of Mach 2, while also having a 10km max firing range and 96kg equivalent shaped charge warhead, but isn't as nimble as the Bullpup and Nord and will give you less time to guide the missile in overall. The Kh-66 is a more elusive missile, found on exactly one plane (The [[MiG-21PFM]], which was an event vehicle), but still deserves a mention as it's also roughly similar to the Bullpup in performance. The Kh-66 is SACLOS-guided, meaning it follows your mouse crosshair, making aiming much easier than with Bullpups, but this also has the disadvantage of having to keep your mouse (and therefore your nose) pointed at the target until impact. The Kh-66 is quite maneuverable, able to zip between directions fairly nimbly, although its faster speed means there's less time to make fine adjustments, which can be a blessing or a curse depending on the situation.
== Usage in battles ==

Bullpups are best used in Ground Battles, where their semi-guided nature can allow players to strike enemy ground vehicles with lethal precision given that they are proficient enough in their abilities. You can fire Bullpups off unguided in emergencies or if you think you've lined up a good shot, which turns the missile into a slightly worse version of the [[S-25O]] found on vehicles like the [[Su-25]], but as you don't get CCIP and have the ability to control the missile this isn't recommended unless absolutely necessary. The other way to use Bullpups is as a kind of standoff munition against enemy Anti-Aircraft vehicles, particularly gun-based SPAAs. SPAAGs generally have an engagement window of up to 2.5-3 kilometers, meaning so long as you know where a SPAAG is (or use the tracers left by an AA vehcicle that is currently shooting at a different teammate other than you) you can engage them safely from range, without ever risking getting into the <1.5km range where getting shot down is very likely. If there are no enemy SPAAGs present, you may go after enemy ground vehicles without too much prejudice; so long as you can line up your missiles, almost any tank is fair game! Do, however, keep in mind that the missile still travels fairly quick, so don't try and launch it at too close a distance as you may only end up getting the dreaded "Hit" marker with nothing to show for it. It's much better to line up a better attack run later, unless the situations are dire.

In Air Battles the Bullpup has fairly limited utility, as most ground targets are much more efficiently dispatched with the help of your gun or bombs/unguided rockets. Given Bullpups are fairly hefty missiles and can only be mounted in single moounts per pylon, compared to the dozens of bombs or rockets you can load you are limiting your potential by taking Bullpups, unless you have very specific goals in mind. Such goals can include:

* Engaging Pillboxes
Pillboxes are annoying to tackle, as they take up a lot of gun ammunition to dispatch unless you line up a gun shot through the machinegun port at basically sea-level altitudes and can often shrug off small bombs if they aren't dropped precisely. If for any reason you wish to specifically engage these pillboxes from high altitude without dipping to low altitude (if your plane lacks CCIP) or you aren't having much luck lining up your bombs (if your plane has CCIP), Bullpups can serve a very small niche as you can guide them in to directly hit the Pillboxes which do result in an instant kill. Do, however, note that this is fairly inefficient, and simply dumping slightly smaller caliber rockets (Zunis for example) at Pillboxes or simply engaging the AI that's more easily killed (AAA and Howitzers surrounding the Pillboxes) would be a much more efficient way to mount ordinance on your pylons. As a side note you could most likely try to take out enemy airfield AA (or try and hit people on the airfield with them) with Bullpups, but this poses a severe risk to your aircraft so caution must be exercised.

* The Bluff
Air-to-Air Missiles are a thing many people dread facing, and in hectic moments people can easily react on gut instinct when they see that MSL diamond streaking towards them. Bullpups (and other guided AGMs just like it) will show the MSL indicator just the same when the motor is still burning, and as they aren't true AAMs you can also fire them any time at any angle. If the enemy sees a MSL icon headed towards them just as they think they have an easy head-on, you can force them to break off as most people will panic and attempt to pull away from the "missile" headed towards them. This can also be effective when an enemy has fired a missile at you in a flareless aircraft, as firing a Nord towards the missile may spoof the missile's seeker and save your aircraft once in a while.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has moderate explosive mass; even a near hit will overpressure light tanks and SPAAs, or at least cripple them
* Fairly long range; outranges SPAAGs and has similar range to early SAMs (~8km)
* Nimble, responds to controls well
* Allows precise hits on critical targets with user input, with much less risk to the pilot
** Most aircraft carry multiple Bullpups; Allows precision strikes on multiple targets from safety

'''Cons:'''

* Learning curve can be unintuitive
* Hard to keep track of the missile at long range, responsiveness decreases as the motor burns out
* Adversely affects flight performance noticeably, given its weight and drag
** You will also most likely carry multiple Bullpups, compounding this effect
* Somewhat low explosive mass; may not damage heavily armored targets much on a near miss
* As you need to manually guide in the missile visually, the stated 8km range is rarely feasible

== History ==

Development of the AGM-12 Bullpup began in the early 1950s, after the Korean War sparked a demand for more precise, guided, weapon systems that could hit targets which were usually more difficult to hit with conventional ordnance. Apart from that, the new weapon system ought to increase the safety of ground attack aircraft and their crews by keeping them further away from returning ground fire.

A competition was ran by the U.S. Navy and the Martin company was awarded a contract in 1954. Work on the new missile, designated ASM-N-7, began and after several years of development and testing, the new weapon system entered service with the Navy in April 1959.

The design of the American first air-to-ground missile was fairly simple - a 250lb (113 kg) warhead derived from an aerial bomb, mounted on a rocket-propelled, roll-stabilized body. The entire missile was manually guided via radio signal to its target, using direct vision. To aid with aiming, two bright flares would ignite on the missile's rear end upon launch. These would make it easier for the operator to keep track of the missile in flight as it would be more visible.

The Bullpup was first employed in combat during the Vietnam War, although only seeing limited success. This was due to the fact that in order to ensure the highest probability of a successful hit, the aircraft that launched the missile had to fly the same course as the missile until impact. This of course, exposed the aircraft to anti-air fire and severely limited the pilot/operator's situational awareness in the case of single-seat aircraft.

Nonetheless, the Bullpup was still mass-produced for both the U.S. Navy and Army, resulting in around 30,000 units made across all of the weapon's variants. Although the missile was starting to be replaced in the '70s by more advanced systems, it wasn't until the '80s when the Bullpup was finally retired from active service.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5722-development-agm-12b-bullpup-they-can-t-dodge-en|Devblog]]''

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

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[AGM-12C Bullpup]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5722-development-agm-12b-bullpup-they-can-t-dodge-en|[Devblog] AGM-12B Bullpup: They can't dodge]]

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

Giraf

2024-09-26T08:20:37Z

U91965995: Major article overhaul including filling in empty armor values, fixing grammar and adding missing sections

{{Specs-Card
|code=il_m113a1_tow
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


Shortly after the introduction of the M113, Israel became one of the largest users of this vehicle. With over 6,000 vehicles acquired over the years from the US, the M113 became one of the most common vehicles in IDF service, being capable of fulfilling multiple roles such as APC, IFV, ATGM carrier, and Short Range Air Defence vehicle. '''Giraf''' was the name given by the Israeli Defence Force to the M113A1 carrying a TOW missile launcher. Countries like the United States, Italy, and Taiwan were already experienced with this system and many M113 were modified to serve as tank destroyers using the TOW missile. The vehicle served with Israel until the introduction of the Spike anti-tank guided missile, which was also fitted to the M113 under the name "Hafiz".

The Giraf was introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]]. The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is very similar to other ATGM carriers in-game. It uses the BGM-71C I-TOW anti-tank guided missile as its main armament, with 10 rounds in total alongside a coaxial 12.7 mm MG. The Giraf has very good gun depression (-20°) and the missiles have a good speed of almost 300 m/s and a decent range of almost 4 kilometers. Like most M113s, the Giraf is not very mobile and struggles on inclines due to the lack of engine power, and its protection is nothing special, being very vulnerable to 20 mm or 14.5 mm autocannon shots and even 12.7 mm fire from the side. Thus, it should be played very passively, staying behind the cover of hills and teammates utilizing its gun depression to its advantage. The Giraf is a vehicle meant to be played on certain maps in certain situations, and is the definition of a niche vehicle - you won't see much use out of it on most maps, but in situations where it shines it can hold an area very effectively.

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

Like other anti-tank guided missile carriers on the M113 platform, this vehicle is not very survivable, in fact it is vulnerable to even relatively weak projectiles from 14.5 mm and 20 mm guns. The crew compartment is very crammed and a single shot from a tank or missile is often enough to destroy the vehicle. But even with that into consideration, the launcher is separated from the hull of the vehicle and it can be used to hide the main body while launching from above obstacles and hills.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope Angle) !! Sides (Slope Angle) !! Rear (Slope Angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 38 mm (40°) || 44 mm (0°) ''Top'' 32 mm (0°) ''Bottom'' || 38 mm (10°) || 10 - 38 mm
|-
| Cupola || 38 mm || 38 mm || 38 mm || 38 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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


The Giraf (and by extension the M113s as a whole) can be described as having mediocre mobility. While the hull can definitely make use of the somewhat high HP/ton on flat ground, on any slightly harsh slope you can quickly notice the vehicle's poor mobility in that regard. If the slope is particularly steep for the Giraf, it may be better to put the vehicle on Cruise Control (Default PC keybind "Q/E" without pressing W or S to toggle; tap E once in this case) BATTLE to improve torque and traction, sacrificing some speed for not slipping down the slope midway and wasting your time. Otherwise, the vehicle's mobility isn't anything to write home about and will generally carry you to where you need to be without much hassle.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=305|rbMinHp=190}}

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|BGM-71B TOW|BGM-71C I-TOW}}

The Giraf's primary means of engaging enemies is its TOW missile launcher, which has two available missile types in the form of the BGM-71B TOW and BGM-71C I-TOW missiles respectively. The I-TOW can be equipped once you research the corresponding I-TOW modification in Tier 1, and supersedes the TOW completely once equipped. The I-TOW loses a whopping 3 m/s and around ~0.9kg of TNT equivalent in the warhead, but gains an additional ~200 mm more penetration, 750 meters of range and a longer guidance time of 25 seconds as opposed to the prior 17. As the I-TOW has more penetration it is generally the superior choice, and as you cannot switch missile types mid-battle or bring both it is preferred to have I-TOWs equipped. The warhead's explosive mass is still more than adequate to critically damage enemy tanks, and if necessary a follow-up shot is always an option.

It is to be noted that the I-TOW, unlike its later cousins in the TOW-2 family, does not come with IRCCM, and as a result can be jammed by IRCM-equipped vehicles such as the [[AMX-30B2 BRENUS]], although these aren't common at the Giraf's own Battle Rating and are only seen in noticeable numbers starting from ~10.0 in the form of the [[ZTZ96A (P)]] or the [[PUMA]]. A more pressing problem might be composite armor and ERA, both of which start to become increasingly common at the Giraf's Battle Rating. As both missiles lack a tandem warhead, ERA will usually stop your ATGMs dead in their tracks and necessitate you waiting for them to show their exposed sides or giving up engaging that person altogether. As a missile carrier with no other way to deal with MBTs otherwise this is something to always keep in the back of your head.

When firing ATGMs it is encouraged to fire with at least some separation from the ground, as the missile has an early "dip" shortly after leaving the launcher and if insufficient distance is present may end up simply hitting the ground. Against moving targets, lead the missile like you would lead an AA vehicle against an enemy plane, although this takes practice to do if they are moving horizontally to you at a relatively high speed.

Against enemies that do not fit the criteria above of having IRCM, ERA or advanced composites, your ATGMs will easily go through their armor so long as you avoid tracks and spaced armor. The missile has enough explosive mass to overpressure light vehicles on impact, and depending on where you hit on a MBT may also yield favorable results. Aiming for center mass will usually work, but as the missile fires a HEAT jet that mostly flies in a straight line, try and aim the missile so that it hits as many crew members on impact.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BGM-71B TOW]]/[[BGM-71C I-TOW]] missile || 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" | 10 || rowspan="2" | -20°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±45° || rowspan="2" | - || 26.4 || 36.5 || 44.4 || 49.1 || 52.2 || rowspan="2" | 13.00 || rowspan="2" | 11.50 || rowspan="2" | 10.60 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:BGM-71B TOW/Ammunition|TOW}}
{{:BGM-71C I-TOW/Ammunition|I-TOW}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''10''' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

The Giraf comes equipped with the standard M2HB 12.7 mm HMG. The gun can elevate to a respectable 50 degrees and depress to an also respectable -10 degrees, and can be used to ward off both lightly armored enemy vehicles and enemy aviation should they choose to simply fly at you straight on. You can also use it to track enemy vehicles should your missile hit be non-fatal, although it is advised to retreat if this happens rather than exposing yourself for the sake of a critical hit. It is also to note that the M2HB blocks off the front left side of the vehicle for the main launcher to depress downwards, so positioning the vehicle with the right side pointing towards the enemy can be beneficial for positioning.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal7
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 575 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The Giraf is the definition of an utility vehicle; it performs extremely well if the situation presents itself (usually somewhat open but hilly maps), but in a fair fight on flat terrain it very much is not competitive due to the lack of any form of protection. Your primary objective should be to only take out this vehicle on maps where your other vehicles perform much worse due to the hilly terrain - and turn it into an advantage of your own instead, using the vehicle's -20° gun depression to its fullest potential.

When positioning the Giraf, it is advised to point the front right side towards the enemy and is also preferred to hold a point with the enemy's position to your right. This is due to the M2HB 12.7 mm HMG on your front left hull, which prevents the missile launcher from depressing to its fullest potential. This may cost you your vehicle if not taken into consideration, so always keep this in mind and check that your launcher can fire should an enemy appear in front of you. Other positioning tips include positioning your vehicle next to cover so that only the missile tube sticks out, and avoiding sticking too close to your team as your vehicle is very much open-topped and is vulnerable to artillery fire.

One enemy to keep in note in this vehicle is the [[T-55AMD-1]]. This vehicle has composite armor under its front plate (as does its premium cousin the [[T-55AM]]), which can sometimes heavily reduce the amount of spall your missile does to the point of it not even killing a single crew member, and in the case of the 55AM the turret also comes equipped with composite screens as well. Especially when stock, your TOW missile may even fail to penetrate said upper front plate if you hit the wrong spot. However, the real threat of the 55AMD comes in the form of its APS (Active Protection System), as it is a Hard-Kill system. In layman's terms, the tank has equipment that can shoot a projectile at your missile, prematurely detonating it before it impacts the tank - in essence meaning so long as his turret is pointing towards you, you physically can't hit him with missiles unless he is out of APS charges. This can be an extremely frustrating engagement, and if you see text suggesting your missile has been shot down by the APS you should simply either wait for him to look elsewhere or go find a different target.

Otherwise, you can generally handle any vehicle at your BR bracket from almost any angle, including vehicles such as the [[T-72A]] through the upper plate with little resistance. Aiming slightly to the right (when facing one) to hit the driver and crew behind it instead of hitting the fuel tank in the left may marginally assist in your kill counts, but overall the Giraf will reward you handsomely if you park it in a good spot, get 2-3 kills, and reposition constantly to avoid being strafed as you have little armor and only one 12.7 mm MG to fend off planes.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful ATGM, can penetrate most tanks it sees without issue
* ATGM can overpressure lightly armoured tanks and open-tops
* ATGM can be manually guided to destroy helicopters
* -20° gun depression allows it to use unexpected spots
* 12.7 mm MG can elevate a fair bit, which can be used to snipe pilots on cocky planes

'''Cons:'''

* Very weak armour and is an open-top vehicle; vulnerable to any form of enemy fire
* ATGM cannot go through fences and other obstacles due to its HEAT warhead
* Lack of IRCCM and tandem warheads on the I-TOW are sorely felt against ERA / APS equipped vehicles
* Poor hull performance on slopes
** Prone to sliding down hills mid-climb after losing traction, despite having a near 20 HP/t P/W ratio

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=il_m113a1_tow Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development
* [[M113 (Family)]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{Israel tank destroyers}}

VEAK 40

2024-09-26T06:34:42Z

U91965995: grammar edits / clarifications for the VEAK post-HE-VT removal

{{Specs-Card
|code=sw_veak_40
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|VEAK 40 main.png|VEAK 40 driving 3.png}}
}}

== Description ==

[[File:VEAK 40 vinter.png|350px|thumb|left|A {{PAGENAME}} keeping the skies clear over Northern Europe.]]
The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' was developed by the Swedish arms manufacturer Bofors by request of the Swedish army as a 1960s next generation Swedish SPAA, following limited production of the Lvkv fm/43 SPAA in the 1940s and failed [[Lvkv 42]] prototype in the 1950s. A single prototype based on the [[Strv 103 (Family)|Strv 103]] chassis was built and delivered for testing in 1964. The project was delayed somewhat by this point, but testing commenced regardless and the vehicle proved to be ahead of its time regarding its armament and fire control systems. This, however, made the vehicle too expensive and in the end the project had to be scrapped due to resource reallocation to the Swedish Air Force rather than additional air defenses. The name {{PAGENAME}} follows Bofors' own naming scheme, not the Swedish army's naming scheme. Its full historical Bofors-name was Bofors VEAK 40 X 60, VEAK indicating type (tracked vehicle with FC-radar and autocannons), 40 indicating calibre (40 mm) and 60 indicating year of design (1960).

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (English: "Wagon Fire-control AutoCannon 40"), or '''{{PAGENAME}}''' for short, was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]]. It is armed with two 40 mm Bofors L/70 autocannons (Swedish designation: [[lvakan m/48 (40 mm)|lvakan m/48]]) which each have a fire rate of 300 rounds per minute. It has decent mobility and subpar protection but features excellent vertical and horizontal traverse speed for its guns, giving it fast reactivity to enemy threats. It also comes equipped with a tracking and search radar that allows the player to find and track airborne targets within a 12 km radius, a big advantage over other 7.7 SPAAs such as the [[M163]] with only a tracking radar up to ~3km and the [[ZSU-37-2]]/[[ZSU-23-4]] which have radars that scan the sky extremely slowly on 360' mode leading to big gaps in awareness.

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

{| class="wikitable floatright"
|-
| [[File:Veak40external.png|centre|x250px]] || [[File:Veak40internal.png|centre|x250px]]
|-
| style="text-align: center;" | External armour on the {{PAGENAME}} || style="text-align: center;" | Internal armour on the {{PAGENAME}}
|-
|}
The frontal armour of the {{PAGENAME}} is roughly 15 mm thick all around with very limited sloping angles to back it up. The gun mantlet, roof of both hull and turret, as well as the back are 5 mm thick and vulnerable even to 40 mm HE, as well as even 7.62 mm MG fire when unangled.

Heavy machine guns can easily knock out the vehicle as well, by firing at the turret from any direction from even a moderate distance. The turret is also very big and boxy and also houses all of the vehicle's ammunition and crew, thus a shot there usually results in an ammo rack detonation and a loss of the vehicle.

The hull however is fairly empty of components and only houses the transmission and engine which are located in their own compartment, resulting in substantial amounts of empty space in the hull under the turret. There is also a small internal screen to protect the turret compartment from stray shots. Attack to the lower hull usually leave the vehicle crippled but not critically damaged (you may be immobilized but you will retain your turret), although the likelihood of being shot in the hull compared to the very easy target that is the turret is fairly limited.

The radar on top of the vehicle may be stowed (stock bind Alt + R on PC) by turning the radar off; while the turret is still much too large for this to decrease your silhouette much, it does mean you no longer have a spinning object on top of your tank and can help if you're trying to stay hidden as movement of any sort can give you away.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Cast homogeneous armour (Cupolas)
* Structural steel (Radar mast, Radar dish, Mud skirts, Suspension)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope°) !! Sides [Internal] (Slope°) !! Rear (Slope°) !! Roof (Slope°)
|-
| Hull || 5-15 mm (77°) ''Front glacis'' 15 mm (18-71°) ''Lower glasis'' || 5-15 mm [+5 mm] ''Upper sides'' 15 mm ''Lower sides'' || 15 mm ''Upper rear'' 15 mm (13°) ''Lower rear'' || 15 mm (90°) ''Roof'' 4 mm (29-77°) ''Mud skirts''
|-
| Turret || 15 mm (25°) ''Upper right sheek'' 15 mm ''Upper left sheek'' 15 mm (26°) ''Upper right front'' 15 mm (41°) ''Upper left front'' 15 mm (17°) ''Lower front'' || 5 mm (74°) ''Upper sides'' 15 mm ''Forward sides'' 5 mm ''Backward sides'' || 5 mm (73°) ''Upper rear'' 5 mm ''Lower rear'' || 5 mm ''Roof'' 15 mm (0-35°) ''Radar mast'' 15 mm (0-68°) ''Radar dish''
|-
| Cupola || 15 mm || 15 mm || 15 mm || 15 mm (44-83°) ''Cupola dome''
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, tracks and torsion bars are 20 mm thick.

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

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=767|rbMinHp=478}}
[[File:VEAK 40 driving 1.png|thumb|450px|The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' moving through though thick snow.]]
The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is fairly decent. The vehicle is based on the chassis of the [[Strv 103A]] and features the same transmission and engine (although currently lacking turbine engine sound) while being 7.9 tons lighter. The engine gives out 540 HP in realistic when fully upgraded, giving this 29 ton vehicle a power to ton ratio of 18.62. This gives the tank great acceleration on shorter distances and allows it to effectively move around the battlefield like your average speedy light tank.

'''Mobility times on flat paved terrain (realistic)'''

*Time to 60 km/h (max effective) forward: > 25 s
*Time to 20 km/h forward: > 2 s
*Time to 18 km/h (max effective) reverse: > 2 s
*Time to rotate 360°: < 8 s

'''Mobility times on flat grass terrin (realistic)'''

*Time to 40 km/h (max effective) forward: < 11 s
*Time to 20 km/h forward: > 2 s
*Time to 18 km/h (max effective) reverse: > 2 s
*Time to rotate 360°: < 8 s

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

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
[[File:VEAK 40 firing.png|thumb|right|x300px|Two {{PAGENAME}} combating air targets.]]
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|lvakan m/48 (40 mm)}}
The {{PAGENAME}} uses two '''Bofors 40 mm anti-aircraft autocannon L/70''' guns, in Swedish service designated [[lvakan m/48 (40 mm)|40 mm lvakan m/48]]. These have extremely good stats in all regards, with an excellent rate of fire, excellent muzzle velocity and are effective against both aircraft and tanks.

The downside compared to 35 mm counterparts is the somewhat questionable accuracy, compounded by the fact the VEAK 40 no longer has HE-VT ammunition, necessitating a direct hit to disable a vehicle. It is also really easy to spend half of the ammunition without even noticing - each gun consumes a clip every 10 shots, but the UI presents it as 20 shots in the same box, which might be confusing. To avoid confusion, always divide current amount of clips by 2.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[lvakan m/48 (40 mm)|40 mm lvakan m/48]] (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" | 420 (10) || rowspan="2" | 300 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+85° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 74.9 || 103.6 || 125.8 || 139.1 || 148.0 || rowspan="2" | 0.65 || rowspan="2" | 0.58 || rowspan="2" | 0.53 || rowspan="2" | 0.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 50.6 || 59.5 || 72.2 || 79.9 || 85.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
The ammunition of the {{PAGENAME}} is below average for its type. The penetration values even of the {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}} ammunition is too low to penetrate any heavy tank, but it can penetrate lighter tanks through weak spots in the majority of situations.

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|SAPHEI|Semi armour-piercing high-explosive incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''slsgr m/36C:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|SAPHEI|Semi armour-piercing high-explosive incendiary}}
* '''slpprj m/42B:''' {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:lvakan m/48 (40 mm)/Ammunition|SAPHEI, HEFI-T, AP}}

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


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''42''' || 30 ''(+12)'' || 11 ''(+31)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|ksp 58 (7.62 mm)}}
Beyond its main weaponry, the {{PAGENAME}} also features a cupola mounted 7,62 mm FN MAG machine gun, in Swedish service designated [[ksp 58 (7.62 mm)|7,62 mm ksp m/58B]]. This is extremely rare for SPAAs and makes it one of two SPAAs that has a secondary machine gun (the other one being the [[Lvkv 9040C]]). While there is no realistic use case for this machine gun aside from near improbable circumstances (such as if your main gun is repairing but a plane is diving you or if you see something exposed like a M56 with your main guns damaged), it's still available to you and can be used to ping targets on the minimap if you have to.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[ksp 58 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm ksp 58]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (250) || 600 || -10°/+50° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==
[[File:VEAK 40 driving 2.png|thumb|right|450px|Two {{PAGENAME}} driving in a convoy.]]

The {{PAGENAME}} is a quite capable tier 5 SPAA. It has both a search and tracking radar and anti air guns that can take out any aircraft within a 3 km radius. The guns also have fairly high penetration on its armour-piercing ammo and will easily take out lightly armoured vehicles from the front and the majority of vehicles from the sides. Its protection, however, is more or less non-existent and the {{PAGENAME}} can be dealt with even regular low-calibre machine guns.

You have two primary modes of operation; anti-air and anti-tank. When there are enemy aircraft up, your main focus would be to engage them and clear the skies. Due to the large caliber of your shells, a single hit will usually suffice when it comes to critically damaging your enemy, which rewards good marksmanship as a result. You have a great advantage in this regard as your radar is much more capable than other 7.7-8.0 SPAAs at this tier, being roughly equivalent to radars found on the [[Gepard]] or [[Chieftain Marksman]] than on the [[ZSU-23-4]] etc. when it comes to search radar performance. This lets you be acutely aware of enemy aircraft and/or helicopters compared to other SPAAGs of the BR, and offers a unique niche for the VEAK 40 as a result. For anti-tank work, you stow your radar and flank the enemy, just like a light tank would. While you can handle lightly armored vehicles like [[BMP-1]]s easily you can't handle say, a [[T-55A]] frontally if you meet him on equal terms. Flank your enemies, and unload AP shells into their thin sides to secure kills.

Due to the large profile of the turret there are rarely options for the VEAK 40 to hide behind most objects, and thus it is best to play aggressively using your high speed, stabilized guns and high fire rate to defeat enemy tanks. An alternative playstyle could be to use your third person camera controls (default PC bind "C" for lookaround camera) to ambush enemies as they pass, lining up your guns and waiting for an unsuspecting soul to pass your line of sight.

Overall, the VEAK 40 provides a fairly grounded response to the ever-improving set of aircraft and helicopters you will be facing in uptiers. The later [[ItPsV Leopard]] offers a more mobile and armored chassis with more well rounded guns, but the VEAK still acts as a solid anchor for the Swedish 7.7-8.7 lineups nonetheless, although the removal of its HE-VT does noticeably diminish its effectiveness against aircraft compared to when it was at 8.7.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Twin 40 mm lvakan m/48 cannons are very effective against air units
* Has a lot of meaningful options for ammo belts:
** Has SAPHEI/HE belt like the early Swedish SPAA to obliterate poorly armoured vehicles and exploit weak spots
** AP belt has 3/1 composition and can penetrate MBT hulls from the side easily
* Radar is a Combined Search and Tracking radar, can track targets through a full 360°, will not randomly alert other aircraft while focusing on one
** At 7.7 its search radar gives it unparalleled awareness due to its fast scan rate and long detection range (12km)
* Fairly mobile

'''Cons:'''

* Guns are fairly inaccurate
* Both guns use the same belt, meaning ammo will run out twice as fast than the UI suggests
* The turret is very thinly armored and houses the majority of the crew and ammunition
** Can be taken out by even rifle-calibre (7.62mm) machine guns flat-on at close range
* Easily spotted due to its very tall turret
* Engine is very loud, can easily give away your position while moving
* Replaced by the ItPsV Leopard fairly quickly as it is much more flexible

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sw_veak_40 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

;Related development
* [[Strv 103 (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role
* [[File:USA flag.png|30px|link=]] [[M247]]
* [[File:USSR flag.png|30px|link=]] [[ZSU-37-2]]
* [[File:France flag.png|30px|link=]] [[AMX-30 DCA]]
* [[Oerlikon KDA (35 mm)]]
** [[File:FRG flag.png|30px|link=]] [[Gepard]]
** [[File:Japan flag.png|30px|link=]] [[Type 87]]
** [[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]]

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

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

{{TankManufacturer AB Bofors}}
{{Sweden anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Leopard 2K

2024-08-28T05:59:09Z

U91965995: Vehicle Guide update

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2k
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==


The forerunner to the Leopard 2 was in many ways a return to form of what the Leopard 1 was designed as: the sacrifice of armour for incredible speed and firepower. The '''Leopard 2K''' started life as a project after the US-German [[MBT-70|MBT]]/[[KPz-70]] program fell apart in 1970, as an urgent program to replace the now aging [[Leopard 1]]. There had been prior attempts at modernization and development, such as the "vergoldeter Leopard" (gilded Leopard) program in 1967 which aimed to install an autoloader and coaxial autocannon to the Leopard 1, and the Bundeswehr decided to re-use parts of this development in a series of vehicles nicknamed "Keiler", or "tusker". This resulted in two separate vehicles being prototyped and tested: The Leopard 2FK, which was armed with a gun/launcher system similar to the [[KPz-70]]'s, and the Leopard 2K, armed with a smoothbore 105 mm cannon. The Bundeswehr declared the 2K as the superior design in 1971, and development of the 2FK was abandoned as a result.

There were 16 Leopard 2K prototypes produced (the 17th hull was cancelled), the first 10 equipped with the 105 mm smoothbore gun and the later 6 with the 120 mm smoothbore. These prototypes went through technical tests in between 1972 and 1975, but were ultimately held back due to development of the EMES-13 rangefinder stalling and the MLC 50 requirements (roughly 47.5 tons), which were insufficient in providing adequate protection against enemy tank fire. Unfortunately for the Leopard 2K, the lessons learned during the Yom Kippur War in 1973 alerted the Bundeswehr to the fact that armour was still very much relevant in tank engagements, which led to the easing of restrictions on weight to MLC 60 (55 tons). Coupled with the EMES-13 system finishing development, development moved on to produce what became the [[Leopard 2AV]], while the Leopard 2K was rejected due to its perceived inadequate armour against potential threats, ending its development.

Introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]], the Leopard 2K is what the Leopard 2 could have been, following up on the Leopard 1's design choices in low armour in exchange for near unmatchable mobility and firepower. A titular glass cannon, the Leopard 2K is not heavily armoured and can be penetrated almost anywhere by contemporary tank rounds. However, what the 2K lacks in armour it more than makes up for in the other two areas; speed and firepower. The 120 mm smoothbore cannon has enough penetration to simply point and click at the upper plate of very common enemies at this BR such as the [[T-72AV (TURMS-T)]], and coupled with the laser rangefinder can accurately fire shells at extreme ranges with adequate zoom on its optics. The vehicle is also equipped with an [[Rh202 (20 mm)|Rh202]] autocannon on the roof, which is operated by the gunner, which lets the vehicle still fire the gun even when on 2 crew. The autocannon has a high traverse rate and has a high rate of fire, and can engage both enemy light vehicles, barrels, tracks and aircraft ubiquitously. The mobility is the standout feature of this tank, with an eye-watering 30 hp/t power-to-weight ratio that lets it barrel across the map faster than almost anyone else. Even the extremely mobile [[XM-1 (GM)]] is just shy of 30 at 28.9 hp/t, and outside of vehicles such as the [[VT1-2]] with its horrifying 50.6 hp/t it can outpace just about all MBTs it can face in the positioning game. This combination of the 20 mm autocannon, high damaging 120 mm smoothbore cannon and mobility that is almost unmatched by any other means the Leopard 2K is a beast of a tank that performs best when used to the extreme, going from firing position to firing position and always being unexpected.

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

The Leopard 2K has what can mostly be described as superficial armour. It can stop some autocannon fire to the upper plate and some areas of the turret but most contemporary rounds be they autocannon or tank caliber will go straight through. The vehicle should be treated as having almost no armour, and taking any sort of enemy fire should ideally be avoided at all costs to increase survivability.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Armour!!Front (Slope angle)!!Sides!!Rear!!Roof
|-
| Hull || 160 mm ''Upper'' 120 mm ''Lower'' || 65 / 95 mm* ''Top'' 35 / 110 mm* ''Bottom'' || 38 / 48 mm* || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 160-350 / 220-500 mm* ''Turret front'' || 60 / 90 mm* || 46 / 96 mm* || 20 mm
|-
|}
<nowiki>* Kinetic / Chemical</nowiki>

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, tracks are 20 mm thick, and torsion bars are 10 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is astonishing, making it one of the most agile MBTs at its BR if not in the entire game. A HP/t of 30 means that it easily outruns the sluggish T-72s in the Soviet tree, and it can even give the [[XM1 (GM)]] a run for its money while being significantly up-armed in terms of firepower. You will almost always be the front of the vanguard on your team, and very few vehicles on either side will be able to compete with you to advantageous positions.

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

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

{{main|Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)}}

The Leopard 2K's gun is a 120 mm Rheinmetall L44. It can be found on the later models of the tank, such as the [[Leopard 2A4]] and [[Leopard 2A5]], and shares round types with the [[Leopard 2A4]] which are: DM12 HEATFS, DM13 APFSDS, and DM23 APFSDS. Being fitted with a 120 mm Rheinmetall gun, it is effective at all ranges, capable of penetrating tanks at range in tandem with the laser rangefinder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || 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" | 41 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12, DM13, DM23}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''41''' || 11 ''(+30)'' || 1 ''(+40)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* The 2nd ammo rack is a first-stage ammo stowage and will refill from the 1st rack.

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

{{main|Rh202 (20 mm)|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The tank has a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun situated on top of the turret which can fire over cover and be used to knock out gun barrels and tracks, light tanks, helicopters and planes. The belts are alternating HEFI-T/HVAP-T, with 57 mm of penetration at 0 degrees at 10 m. The 20 mm has quite good elevation, and rotates independently from the turret, able to surprise light tanks attempting to flank following turret ring immobilization.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh202 (20 mm)|20 mm Rh202]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 750 (750) || 900 || -9°/+45° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

'''Stock gameplay:'''

As with any vehicle, the Leopard 2K finds itself at a serious disadvantage while stock. Without access to the APFSDS rounds, users will need to play more carefully. While the DM12 HEATFS round is powerful, it struggles against composite armour and ERA, as well as having lackluster post-penetration damage. Players will have to aim more carefully to deal effective damage with the DM12 HEAT round. As with every chemical shell, try to avoid shooting at tracks, spaced armor and the aforementioned composite armor/ERA. Your mobility is still ahead of the pack, so use it to get into advantageous positions so as to make up for your lack of firepower at the moment by flanking the sides of a map or being in unexpected crossfire positions.

'''Spaded gameplay:'''

The Leopard 2K is a powerful tank, arguably the strongest tank at its Battle Rating with few that rival its strengths. The DM23 APFSDS round has adequate penetration, and it should be easy to destroy most enemy vehicles - common enemies such as the [[T-72AV (TURMS-T]] can be penetrated through even the upper front plate at closer distances, and your shells will easily go through all contemporary weakspots at the BR or higher. The Leopard 2K does, however, struggle in some regards against tanks in higher battle ratings, although this is not to say it's unable to contend with true top tier tanks. The most notable weakness is its most obvious; the lack of armor. None of your modules grant you extra protection against enemy fire, and as a result even vehicles with autocannons can very often shred your tank from even very mild side angles. While you can definitely still win in such an engagement either by using the main gun or the Rh202 autocannon, it can severely damage your vehicle or you may end up simply trading kills.

The other, more subtle downside is the lack of thermal vision. As Night Battles are completely optional now and are also BR gated to 10.0+, this is a downside that's only applicable should you want to bring the Leopard 2K up to higher BRs. You may ask why you would bring the Leo 2K up to say, 10.3 (the [[Leopard 2A4 | 2A4]]'s BR) or higher, but there is definitely an argument ''for'' it due to its glass cannon nature. The Leopard 2K is an incredibly mobile vehicle, with the same 1,500HP output engine as the 2A4 with less weight and a higher top speed, making it noticeably more mobile than the 2A4 overall. The 2K can act as a great backup or flanking vehicle all around, as its firepower is still lethal even up to top tier and its mobility equally so. In these situations, if you have Night Battles active or get a large map like Red Desert or Fields of Poland / Eastern Europe, finding targets can be a bit of a hassle due to the excessive shrubbery and long distances as you cannot simply find the white heat signatures in a field of black. Assuming you can find your targets, however, this is at best a minor annoyance, and the 2K still offers a very high-risk high-reward flanker playstyle at any BR it's at.

'''Long range engagements:'''

The Leopard 2K is capable at long range, but is outclassed by many other vehicles. The cannon is powerful, but not especially so compared to its adversaries. The biggest issues the Leopard 2K will face in regards to long range engagements is the thin turret armour and lack of thermals. While the DM13 APFSDS round will fail to penetrate the turret cheeks of vehicles like the [[Challenger Mk.2]] and [[T-64B]], their rounds will have no such trouble with the Leopard 2K. The lack of thermals makes it difficult to scout for enemies through foliage, meaning trying to snipe is not an effective strategy against any enemies equipped with thermals, as they will almost certainly spot you first. You can use flank routes hidden from long range sightlines to get closer to identify your targets easier, or aim for the weakspots (including the sides and rear if you've flanked them, but front-on this would be the LFP on carousel autoloader designs as well as the turret ring/gun mantlet) on those enemy vehicles to counter-snipe them if need be.

'''Gameplay summary:'''

Although the Leopard 2K is somewhat weak when stock as all tanks are, it is a strong frontline tank while spaded. The good APFSDS round and 20 mm give it a strong position in the German high tier lineup. However, Leopard 2K tank commanders should play around the lack of armor, avoiding direct confrontations and fair fights for a flank-heavy playstyle, catching people off guard from unexpected angles. Your biggest strength is your mobility, the most proactive strength possible in the game, while your weakness is armor, something that matters relatively less at higher BRs than at lower BRs due to the introduction of darts - and also something you can negate entirely by using your mobility to avoid being in predictable sightlines altogether. The Leopard 2K is an exceptionally capable vehicle, and the only limiting factor will be your map awareness and positioning skills.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 120 mm gun with good performance
* Most manueuvrable Leopard model with very high torque
* Extremely good mobility
* Reverse gearbox allows fast retreats
* Has excellent optics with 8x-16x zoom level
* 20 mm Rh202 autocannon is also stabilized

'''Cons:'''

* Requires the player to utilize its strengths proactively at all times
* Armor is inadequate against autocannon fire
* Reload is slower than other Leopard 2 models
* Lacks thermal vision
* The 20mm has mediocre penetration, often failing to penetrate light tanks unless on their sides
* The 20 mm has HVAP-T(APCR) as ammo, having poor post-penetration damage

== History ==

In the 1960s, Germany and the United States were jointly-developing the MBT-70, and Germany was contractually prevented from developing any new MBTs independently until the joint project with the US was completed.

But development problems plagued the MBT-70 project, and it appeared that the vehicle would not be finished within an acceptable time frame—so Germany found a way to bypass contractual limitations for the MBT-70 development.

Instead of ordering the development of a new tank, the German government issued an order to the Porsche company to research ways to improve the Leopard I tank already in service with the German army. This enabled Germany to research a more advanced fighting vehicle without breaching the contract signed with the US.

Porsche's first study of the Leopard I revealed a lot of room for improvement, and second study focusing on upgrading the Leopard I to match the MBT-70's firepower was launched almost immediately. This eventually resulted in the construction of two prototype vehicles: one in 1969, and one in 1970 nicknamed Keiler (tusker).

In the early 1970s, Germany was able to back out of the MBT-70 project due to spiraling development costs. Instead, they continued work on the development of the Keiler, which was renamed to Leopard 2.

The Leopard 2 project was expected to yield two versions: the Leopard 2K armed with a cannon, and the Leopard 2FK armed with a gun/launcher similar to the MBT-70. In 1971, ten prototypes were ordered, and seven more orders followed shortly thereafter.

To get the most out of their prototypes, German engineers equipped each one with different components to determine what worked best. Some Leopard 2 versions were equipped with a 105 mm smoothbore cannon, whereas others were fitted with 120 mm smoothbore cannons. Some prototypes received a hydraulic suspension while others didn't, and there was even a version equipped with the 20 mm anti-air mount on the turret (similar to the one found on the Kpz-70).

Sixteen out of seventeen Leopard 2 prototypes were built and tested, yielding many refinements to the Leopard 2 design. Subsequent models further increased the Leopard 2's capabilities, with each variant making it more powerful—and ultimately into the Leopard 2 known today.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2k Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|WMxQNdaqA7E|'''You Need To Play This Tank Again: Leopard 2K''' - ''Virus''|gyrbSUvCj-8|'''Leopard 2K: the Original German Ingenuity''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|p6cWlyUnJQA|'''Top 7 off-road beasts''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:00 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|WA3jQgZLjAg|'''The Shooting Range #94''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:29 discusses the Leopard 2K.|vF02GuEIww0|'''Leopard 2K Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== 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/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2K: A Legend In The Making]]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Zachlam Tager

2024-08-19T00:55:48Z

U91965995: minor readability edits

{{Specs-Card
|code=il_ss_11_halftrack
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

During the IDF arming process during the 1948 Arab-Israeli War, the IDF employed several American half-tracks as their main APCs. Vehicles like the M2, M3, M5, and M9 were acquired from different sources. Many were adapted for different purposes, like the [[TCM-20]] SPAA. With the introduction of the French SS.11 ATGM in the 1950s (locally designated "Tager"), it was decided to use the abundant American half-tracks for anti-armour purposes. Even though they were somewhat obsolete by then, they saw most of their action during the Six-Day War of 1967 against T-54s. However due to a lack of doctrinal knowledge in of ATGM usage, many Tagers were ignored during the conflict, and it is not clear if any scored kills.

Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]], the '''Zachlam Tager'''<nowiki/>'s Tager missiles have, like most early ATGMs, keyboard-guided controls and slow speeds compared to contemporary tank shells. However, the missiles pack a hefty punch and are quite maneuverable once you get the hang of the controls, and are an enabler that lets you take on heavily armored Cold War heavy tanks front-on if need be - rewarding skillful play but with some amount of risk involved. Since the Zachlam Tager is fast, it can reach objectives faster than most MBTs, hide in well-camouflaged positions and strike at any enemy that tries to take back the area with its missiles. The missiles have a moderate speed for the tier, being faster than some early ATGMs such as the [[Type 60 ATM]]'s missiles or the [[ZBD86]]'s ATGM, but it is certainly not the fastest overall and does take a few seconds to reach its target. With fairly responsive controls for MCLOS missiles and also having leading speed among the small but still somewhat diverse MCLOS missile pool, the Zachlam Tager is only really held back by its very poor protection due to its open top and unarmored nature as well as the very small bank of only 6 ATGMs loaded at any given time.
== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


The armour on this half-track is negligible, as it can be penetrated from every side by a 7.62 machine gun under 400 m range. The front could resist light machine guns, but the driver and gunner windows can be penetrated regardless, disabling the carrier instantly. On top of that, the truck is open-topped, which means if it's hit by any chemical shell anywhere, or another tank explodes right behind it, the crew is doomed. The side shielding is so poor, that the carrier can be sometimes overpressured even by a machine gun.
[[File:Zachlam horizontal exposure check.jpg|thumb|right|When standing on a hill, always check if the missile rack is actually protected by the cover. If you cross the line, any APHE tank can destroy the Zachlam in one hit. When fighting HEAT tanks, do not expose binoculars any more than you must.]]
This also makes the hull less vulnerable to APHE, as sometimes even some of the most sensitive shells will fail to detonate upon hitting it. Unfortunately, even a glancing hit will almost always take out two crew members, so it is usually only relevant in AB after researching "Crew Replenishment". The top panels and missiles themselves are thick enough to detonate APHE and AP-I of autocannon belts, so it is better to not expose the ammo racks during hull-down battles.

There are also two spare missiles in the back of the truck, hidden within ammo crates that are 6.35 mm RHA thick and may not explode if hit indirectly, but burn instead.

The truck is short enough to hide behind many medium tanks and cover, though the weapons and the very top of the hull is generally exposed, which makes it unreliable in AB and it is impossible to use sniper scope when hiding behind such objects.

The binocular on top of the vehicle cannot be targeted by AB aim assist or hit, but will make it visible. This is most relevant when fighting artillery tanks, as they can use HE-VT to shell Zachlam from almost anywhere, even if any other tank can't touch it.

'''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}}

{{PAGENAME}}
is very fast when moving forward in a straight line, even competing with light tanks when spaded. Unfortunately, it has a poor reverse, so it's significantly less mobile than [[RakJPz 2]] and the operator must commit to their fights or be destroyed.

The Zachlam Tager is both a wheeled and tracked vehicle; it heavily suffers from the downsides of both types until all upgrades are researched - it can't turn well in place due to the wheels and will outright refuse to readjust when standing on a hill or in the mud (maximum turn speed of 0.3° a second), and it can't really use roads to accelerate due to the tracks. Carrier also has nearly no mass and does not keep momentum after collisions, so it's best to avoid crashing into obstacles.

The drive wheels are the tracks in the back - the front wheels do not generate any momentum and if the half-track manages to hang itself on some ladder or rocks, it will be forever stuck there, unless the missile launch recoil managed to kick the front of the truck off it.

Until the Zachlam Tager is spaded, it has a general forward speed of 42 km/h in AB and 30-35 km/h in RB. Researching all of the mobility modules together dramatically improves the acceleration, adds another 7 km/h of maximum off-road speed, allows the truck to almost spin in place on flat ground, and enables the ability to use paved roads to reach maximum speed of 70-80 km/h.

The truck barely has enough horsepower to push itself up steep hills, but it will still do so at 5 km/h speed in most cases.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=210|rbMinHp=131}}

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

Due to the overall fragility of the Zachlam, it is technically possible to skip repair tools entirely. Parts can only be used if the launcher was hit with pure AP or APDS or to repair friendlies (which is generally dangerous to do), and FPE is only usable if ammo racks in the back were hit, but didn't explode, which is very rare. Mobility upgrades have a much higher priority, as being able to reach vantage points allows the truck to never be put in danger of being hit in the first place and being fast enough to reach a fortified capture point first gives it more chances to actually affect the battle in a meaningful way, especially in AB.

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

{{main|Tager}}

The main weapons are the LFK SS.11 missiles. There are 4 of them on the top of the truck and 2 reserve missiles are stored in the boxes in the very back.

These missiles are wire guided, which means that in RB you will have to guide them with WASD (tank movement inputs) and cannot move the vehicle until they hit a target. In AB, they are guided with the mouse and do not prevent the {{PAGENAME}} from moving after launching (it is still necessary to stop to fire). These missiles cannot be efficiently cut off to attack multiple targets, as they will immediately drop to the ground if the control signal is lost.

SS.11 missiles have a very long guidance dead zone (about 150 m) in which you cannot really control them, but they are generally more responsive than others. While they are responsive, they also have very high inertia, and when turning horizontally they also tend to drop down, so some care must be taken when guiding or launching them. It is important to avoid situations in which missile must be guided into some sort of a crack inbetween rocks, as even if it's possible to push SS.11 through, the enemy tanks can easily suppress missiles guided straight with their MG.

When launched, the missiles will fly straight for about 70 m, then attempt to turn towards initial sniper crosshairs position. If it's necessary to launch them to the side, launch them upwards, as otherwise they will usually crash to the ground. At melee range, treat them like rockets. After the guidance system activates, it becomes possible to correct their course. Since the truck does not turn well in place and does not turn at all when standing upright, positioning and planning becomes very important.

Missiles fire from the left to the right and reload from the right to the left. Each shot forces a 1 second "reload". The ready rack is reloaded at a rate of 1 missile per 3 seconds, but only when the carrier is not firing (like on the tank autoloaders) or reloading, resulting in atleast 5 seconds wait after firing. If entirety of the ready rack was used, a forced 13 seconds reload penalty is applied after the ready ammo rack reloaded one missile, effectively making the carrier to stop firing and reloading for at least 18-23 seconds. Do note, that ammo rack reload penalty is applied even if capture point or AB mechanics already rearmed ready rack completely.

Rearm on a capture point takes 8 seconds per missile and tends to put missiles straight into missile ready rack. Since reload penalty is applied even if the vehicle rearmed its entire ammo pool in AB, rearm outside of a capture point takes 70 seconds + the forced reload of 13 seconds.

As such, it's optimal to let the Zachlam reload both reserve missiles before the ready ammo rack was completely used up, and should it somehow manage to entrench on a capture point, it's generally better to not use the last missile and to wait 8 seconds until the capture point puts next missile into the ready rack instead of incurring the reload penalty and being forced to wait for 21 seconds. This is also true in AB - even though all 4 missiles are reloaded at the same time while rearming on a capture point from the scratch, the Zachlam cannot fire-and-forget multiple missiles, and it cannot really guide missiles at point blank range, so it's usually detrimental to wait longer.

Unlike with most of the other wire guided missile carriers, it is possible to choose if you want to launch the missile straight forward or upwards. This allows a smart operator to bombard enemy tanks out and over cover and then unload its entire ammo rack when they lose patience and try to rush the position. Keep in mind, the half track must be stationary for missiles to fire, so it is important to prepare for a counter-attack properly.

In AB, the missiles are guided with a binocular on top of the vehicle without dependency on sniper crosshair and can be guided anywhere. Since enemy tanks have aim assist in AB, the most sensible strategy is to only pull out the binoculars out of cover without exposing anything else.

{{Notice| Be aware, that while arcade mode allows the Zachlam to guide missiles with the mouse, it also restricts control of missiles - if binoculars can't see the target, they will fail to guide the missile. SACLOS also makes them vulnerable to IRCM jamming. If you do not want to deal with indirect fire techniques, to snipe above cover pull tank optics out of cover, so it does not block the space in between camera and target and ensure that you can aim at the target directly without anything else being in the way.|!}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Tager]] missile || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 6 || -5°/+20° || N/A || N/A || 13.00 || 11.50 || 10.60 || 10.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Tager/Ammunition|LFK SS.11}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''6''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Zachlam is technically a very straightforward vehicle to play - you want to occupy any vantage point that protects the hull and hides the missiles, but allows you to aim directly at the enemy. You can even try to use its high speed to rush and bombard enemy team from a relatively short range of 200-250 m. The difficulties come with the numerous drawbacks of the vehicle.
[[File:Zachlam medium range hill sniping.jpg|thumb|right|A decent vantage point allows the Zachlam to scout and/or attack enemies pushing for a capture point from complete safety. The closer the capture point is, the easier it is to rearm afterwards.]]
When launching the missile directly forward, the only real concern is to not push it down too quickly, as otherwise it will crash into the ground. While it's possible to launch missiles sideways, they can prove to be too difficult to put back on course due to a heavy inertia in missile movements, so it would still require at least 300-400 m of range to guarantee a decent launch to the side, and there may or may not be any suitable cover.

In any mode, the operator should always remain as cold-blooded as possible and avoid making frantic movements. Knowing which push directions resemble an inescapable tunnel, which cover the Zachlam can hide behind and where to scout for potential targets or countersnipers is half the battle. For example, if an enemy tank would suddenly appear, the truck must be immediately turned as straight to the target as possible and stopped without any additional corrections, then a missile must be fired. If you didn't know someone was coming, it's probably already too late. Even if you did expect them, by panicking you will only give the enemy the necessary split second to start firing an MG, which usually destroys the Zachlam nearly instantly. However, if enemy did not expect you, and you were completely prepared, it's entirely possible to overwhelm at least 2 tanks before dying.

The missiles have extraordinary range, but in practice will almost never reach a far-away target in time due to how slow and moody they are. The sweet spot for a target is between 400 and 600 m, past the 150 m dead zone and within 3 seconds of missile flight time at most. The Zachlam can find limited success in using hills at its advantage, by firing missiles upward and dropping them on enemies from the safety of cover; or at point-blank, without control over the missiles due to the deadzone but with the advantage of being able to fire 4 missiles in rapid succession.

Since SS.11 is a quite fragile missile, it is a decent idea to not guide missile straight at the enemy tank, but slightly to the side until the last 60 m. This makes enemy less likely to just shoot it down and might make some less aware people unlikely to duck back into cover (for example, when they think that they aren't the primary target and don't know that ATGM can very quickly snap onto them.)

There are also certain considerations to be made regarding the 6 missile ammo limit and different missile control schemes in AB/RB. While many attack techniques from AB may also work in RB, they would require far more range, far more practice and will leave not as much room for error, as in AB.

'''AB tips'''

Most of the drawbacks of the Zachlam are not present, as such it can be played relatively freely, but avoid directly attacking tanks or provoking any HEAT armed SPG without the safety of a full hulldown, as aim assist makes them borderline invincible for you. Most of APHE tanks are also deadly, so it's generally better to stay low.

If you choose to play safely, you can stand at about 400-600 m range like with sniper tanks, but such playstyle won't net you a lot of hits in AB, because enemy tanks always receive an ATGM alert on their screen whenever you fire at their front. At the very least, you should try to blindside your opponents, or train your ability to judge distance towards the target and guided missiles, so that you can attack them even if they duck back behind a hill. If you get an artillery alert, simply move away as nothing is really at stake with such playstyle.

Even if you have nothing to do, do not forget to constantly look around you and scout enemy tanks, as this will indirectly make your teammates protect you and may give you free assists, which you can use to spawn a bomber to kill time while your launchers rearm.

In some cases, it is possible to use the Zachlam even in a city by hiding behind concrete blocks, containers or dumpsters, as they often hide the hull completely and allow you to scout and guide missiles over them (at least 150 m range is necessary for them to connect). Even an inexperienced operator should manage atleast a 25% hit rate, and in AB it's possible to reload outside of a capture point, so it's a viable tactic. Here are some practical examples:

<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200px">
File:Zachlam medium range entrench.jpg|By using indestructible decorations, try to deny enemy access to a capture point
File:Zachlam indirect fire sniper scope example.jpg|Fighting any rocket tank directly is definitely a suicide mission for the Zachlam, but you don't have to fight it head-on
</gallery>

Ultimately, the Zachlam's full attack potential is realized when standing on a fortified capture point, as it allows it to avoid waiting for 80 seconds to get more missiles and may lead to situations in which enemy team simply cannot move in to attack without an airstrike due to an endless suppressing fire from you. This only works on capture points which can fully protect the hull and missiles, which means that certain capture points, or even certain sides of those capture points are vastly superior to others.

Here are some examples of firing from well protected capture points. Do note, that missile rack should be pointing directly towards the target to reduce a chance of misfiring, and Zachlam must be parked at least 160 m away from opponents. Do not use the last missile to avoid the reload penalty and to continue supressing an enemy team:

<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200px">
File:Zachlam indirect suppressing fire from capture point risky.jpg|By getting to a fortified capture point fast enough, you can absolutely destroy enemy team's heavy or even medium tanks. But if it has no real cover for the truck, any light tank can easily annihilate you by intercepting you or attacking from the side.
File:Zachlam indirect suppressing fire from capture point safe.jpg|Some capture points are absolutely safe to rush to, but provide a very awkward firing position. Try to remove all fences and small objects that prevent direct line of sight towards binoculars, then rain hell onto incoming enemy team.
</gallery>

Unlike with the stand-off sniping, if enemy team calls artillery strike on you during this, fire off the last missile, let capture point instantly restore your ammo, then retreat. This will allow you to only wait for about 20 seconds instead of 80 before firing again, which means that you don't have to abandon the capture point completely.

'''RB tips'''

The Zachlam gets very few options. The safest way to play is simply as a scout, using hills for cover and scouting through the safety of your binoculars, occasionally sniping exposed tanks. Every enemy you encounter is an immense threat, and none is easy to destroy: even light vehicles may dodge or shoot down your missiles. You can only stay close to strategic points with the 6 missiles, and if none of the strategic points are in your team's control, there is simply nothing the Zachlam can do besides staying low and passively scouting.

'''Notable enemies'''

HEAT-wielding tanks - Any tank armed with a HEAT launcher like the familiar [[M-51]] is a threat to the Zachlam due to the ability to drop shells from a much higher angle than other tanks and no need to swap away from kinetic ammunition. Since the truck is open-topped, even a close miss might obliterate it. Make sure to duck further into cover when fighting these, especially in AB.

HE-wielding tanks - An even worse idea is to annoy dedicated artillery tanks like the [[2S3M]] or [[Type 75 SPH]]. Not only their users have much more experience with indirect fire than others, but most of such tanks also have HE-VT shells, which can explode above you, given the Zachlam no chance to retreat if you get in their way.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has four missiles ready to fire
* Missiles are loaded and armed quickly if the ready rack is not expended
* Has significantly better maximum range than other missile carriers
* Missiles can deal significant damage to targets, especially if the explosion detonates ammo racks or fuel tanks
* Can attack both directly and indirectly depending on the terrain and range
* Relatively small profile and sight position allows this vehicle to stay low when hull down
* Zachlam chassis is highly manoeuvrable with a high top speed when modified
* Has access to scouting, which is especially useful if the vehicle runs out of missiles
* Unassuming truck-like profile may trick enemies into ignoring the vehicle in urban environments
* Missile can be guided without using the sniper sight in AB mode

'''Cons:'''

* Has very light armour and is open topped which makes this vehicle very vulnerable to enemy fire, artillery, and enemy aircraft
* Cannot fire on the move
* Low ammunition count
* Slow reload penalty if the entire ready rack is fired too quickly
* Controls have a dead zone of ~150 m, which combined with launch/reload patterns makes fighting in cramped spaces difficult
* The missile's relatively slow speed can lead to a miss if the target is far away or moves and also allows a chance for the enemy to shoot it down
* Missiles can detonate prematurely on obstacles such as walls and trees
* Does not have horizontal traverse for its launcher which means the whole vehicle must be turned towards the direction of the target
* No secondary armament can force the vehicle out of combat if all missiles are expended
* Half-track chassis may get permanently stuck if driven carelessly into poor terrain
* Tall radio antenna can lead to the vehicle being spotted early by vigilant enemies
* Manual missile controls in RB and SB modes can be difficult to learn

== History ==

As part of its armament process leading up to and during the 1948 War of Independence, the armoured corps of the Israeli Defense Force (IDF) acquired a large number of WW2 surplus M2, M3, M5 and M9 halftracks from a variety of sources. These vehicles rapidly became the IDF's primary armoured personnel carriers for mechanized infantry units, and participated in every Israeli war until their eventual replacement by the [[M113 (Family)|M113]].

While the Allies had experimented with a variety of different weapon mounts for these halftracks during the war, Israel continued to do so in the late 1940s and early 1950s, mostly using French and locally-produced weapons. Halftracks with cannons, howitzers and mortars became commonplace, and were used as fire support for both armoured units and mechanized infantry units.

The development of the French SS.11 anti-tank guided missile in the 1950s greatly intrigued the Israelis, and they decided to acquire large quantities of the weapon system. Among other implementations, Israeli military industries experimentally mounted the weapon on M3 halftracks. Four rails were installed, each carrying a missile ready to launch. The Israelis gave the SS.11 the codename ''Tagar'' ("Provocateur"), which is misspelled as "Tager" in War Thunder. The full name ''Zachlam Tagar'' means "Tagar Half-track". The vehicles were deployed as part of the IDF's artillery corps, organized into multiple batteries, and attached to various armoured and mechanized regiments.

The Tagar's primary action was during the 1967 Six-Day War, where it was mostly meant to engage Syrian and Egyptian [[T-54/55 (Family)|T-54s]]. Tagars were thus possibly the first guided missile tank-destroyers ever to be used in actual combat. Unfortunately for the Israelis, their doctrine for the tactical application of high-mobility ATGM platforms was practically non-existent, resulting in the weapon being almost completely ignored by the armoured unit commanders, and being deployed sub-optimally in most battles where its was present. However, they reportedly did fire at enemy targets during the initial push into the Syrian Golan Heights, as well as during the battle of Abu-Ageila which directly paved the way to the Israeli takeover of the entire Sinai peninsula from Egypt. It is unclear whether the Tagars scored any kills during their engagements.

The Tagars were soon decommissioned following the Six-Day War. By the time the importance of ATGMs in modern warfare had become clear, Israel was already well on its way to replacing most of its halftracks with M113s.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=il_ss_11_halftrack Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
Vehicles of similar design or capabilities

* [[Type 60 ATM]]

* [[RakJPz 2]]
* [[AMX-13 (SS.11)]]
* [[Striker]]

Vehicles with the same chassis

* [[M3 Half-Track (Family)]]
** [[TCM-20]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7573-development-zachlam-m3-tager-half-track-abroad-en|[Devblog] Zachlam M3 (Tager): Half-Track Abroad]]

{{TankManufacturer Israeli Ordnance Corps}}
{{Israel tank destroyers}}
[[Category:Half-tracks]]

Strv 103A

2024-07-23T06:17:32Z

U91965995: Description / Survivability update

{{About|about=Swedish medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''|usage=other versions|link=Strv 103 (Family)}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=sw_strv_103a
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Strv 103A''' was the first production variant of the [[Strv 103 (Family)|Strv 103 family]]. It was delivered after the trials of the [[Strv 103-0|"zero series"]] provided satisfactory results. An order of 70 units was placed by the Army with a cost of 500 million kr (SEK). The first batch was delivered in 1964, and was quite liked by their crews. However, the vehicle also had some shortcomings, most notably in the form of its 300 HP engine, which was considered somewhat underpowered. This was remedied in the Strv 103B in 1970, with the gas turbine engine having its engine power increased to 490 HP.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]]. A unique vehicle in shape, it is a very unorthodox vehicle in design even beyond its turretless design. With a 4 second autoloader, almost invisible profile when hunkered behind a hill and laser rangefinder alongside its highly sloped frontal armor the Strv 103 is a juggernaut at long range. Almost no tank in the game at its Battle Rating save for the [[Ikv 91]] (Which is in the same tree and is very unlikely to be on the enemy team), [[OF-40]], [[VIDAR]] and a select few others can compete in the same league as the Strv 103 with their laser rangefinders, but with the 103's superior and extremely consistent reload rate it is second to none at holding down long sightlines. However, the Strv 103 is somewhat clunky to use in close quarters, due to its reliance on hull aiming, and unless the enemy bounces their shot or fails to do any meaningful damage you can easily be caught out and rushed down. The front armor of the Strv 103 is something to keep note of - it can deflect many APDS and even HEATFS rounds to the upper plate due to its extreme angle, although some rounds can still make their way through - but the side armor is not, so making sure nobody flanks you is a top priority. Alongside this, the Strv 103 is prone to taking engine or transmission damage when being fired upon - another reason to stay at range, lest your enemy simply move sideways and shoot your weak sides as you sit there immobilized without a turret.

Long story short, the Strv 103 is a very specific kind of vehicle. Unlike the [[Ikv 91]] which is essentially made of paper and fires slower, higher arcing shells, the Strv 103 can be the closest thing to a heavy tank at this BR if positioned and played correctly. However, improper positioning or being caught out in a crossfire can also very easily lead to a painful death as your crew and FPE charges slowly get whittled down. Utilizing your very low profile, long range dominance as well as the ability to survive on 1 crew member will be the key for victory in the Strv 103.

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


The Strv 103 has an extremely angled upper front plate - this high angle means so long as you angle the plate slightly upwards against enemy fire, almost all rounds will either fail to penetrate or simply shatter / bounce off due to said extreme angle. Normal APHE rounds and French AP rounds also stand little chance against the upper plate unless they are able to fire downwards into the plate - something you should never let anyone do, given the actual thickness of the plate is only 40 mm!

However, should you expose your lower hull too much when firing, enemies can penetrate the lower hull of the Strv 103 with a decent chance of success. It is highly advised to try and prevent this from ever happening, as while this only very rarely (against APHE or HEATFS) penetrates into the crew compartment, it almost certainly knocks out either the engine or transmission of the tank, immobilizing it.

A penetrating shot into the upper plate via HEATFS is still possible sometimes, and if this does happen there is a high likelihood that it will set off a fire due to the frontal fuel tank behind the upper plate. If your gun and transmission are unharmed, consider firing a shot back at the offender before using FPE, as it is always best to ''not'' take fire while you repair or reposition lest it actually immobilize you.

As mentioned in the description of the vehicle, the Strv 103 has fairly poor side armor. Being shot from the side or rear will most likely result in either instant death or a slow and painful death as the enemy disables your engine and slowly whittles down your crew.

A more [[Strv 103C]]-notable problem but something that still comes up in the 103A is facing APFSDS in the form of the [[T95E1]] or 9.0 uptiers - against darts, your armor '''will not hold up 99% of the time.''' Tread lightly if you see a vehicle capable of firing even a semi-capable MBT caliber gun, and make sure to knock them out first out of everyone else as they pose the greatest threat to your long-ranged playstyle and armor scheme.7

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 40 mm (77°) ''Upper Glacis'' 40 mm (74°) ''Lower Glacis'' || 30 mm +10 mm ''Upper'' 30 mm ''Lower'' || 30 mm || 20 mm
|-
| Cupola || 35 mm || 35 mm || 35 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Tracks are 20 mm thick while the suspension is 15 mm thick.
* The crew compartment is lined with 10 mm RHA.
* Storage boxes are 4 mm thick.

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


When "hull aim" mode is activated the tank automatically turns and adjusts suspension to actually aim the gun where the mouse pointer is. This persists even when the player attempts to turn the tank left or right manually while driving, so driving should preferably be done entirely with the mouse instead while the mode is activated.

There is a significant delay after letting the movement buttons go (about 0.7 seconds) before the gunner takes control of the tank instead of the driver and starts actually aiming. The lower the nose of the tank was before stopping, the faster the tank will start aiming, but this might not allow the tank to fire on the move, so a choice must be made depending on the situation.

Mobility upgrades are extremely important for this tank, as additional stability allows it to snipe when tilted horizontally (which is otherwise impossible) and to turn around smoothly without awkward delays.

The tank climbs better when the nose is pulled up, but is also extremely vulnerable when it does so.

A major drawback of the tank is that without transmission/engine the tank can no longer manoeuvre the hull to aim left or right, so it is important to try and turn the tank onto enemy before they fire. The tank still can rock up and down until the enemy destroyed both tracks, so it is possible to "hull down" when suddenly shot or "pike up" and retaliate against high ground.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=732|rbMinHp=478}}

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

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

{{main|L74 (105 mm)}}

The gun is exceptionally accurate even without any upgrades, but the drawback is that it is bound to the hull - any explosions nearby, any erratic movement of "hull aim" (especially when tilted horizontally) and any unaware teammate pushing the platform from behind will cause the hull to rock until it settles down, requiring extra patience to aim. It is best to just embrace this situation as a fact instead of sacrificing defences to reduce the wobble of the hull and just time the shots with it.

The reload takes only 4 seconds, making Strv 103A the fastest reloading "medium tank". This is further supported by extremely powerful ammunition.

The tank has access to laser rangefinder, which allows to instantly measure the range at any distance and take aim nearly automatically.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[L74 (105 mm)|105 mm L74]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
!Autoloader
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 50 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+12° || rowspan="2" | N/A || rowspan="2" | N/A || 33.6 || 33.6 || 40.8 || 45.1 || 48.0 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.0 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

The ammunition echoes previous Strv 101, but with addition of Slpprj m/62 which can cut through almost any tank within BR range. Coupled with extremely low profile of the tank, the gun can penetrate any LFP of any tank on the field and will often easily cut through the turrets of most heavy tanks.

Slpprh M/61 has better penetration against flat surfaces (like the turrets of some American heavy tanks), but has much worse angled penetration than M/62. Angled penetration is much more important at the rank VI, even more so when the enemy has high ground, so prioritize upgraded ammunition over the standard one.

Since the tank is super short, it makes sense to use HESH to shoot above destroyed enemies once it becomes impossible to shoot the remaining opponents directly with APDS. Remember to immediately pull the hull down to the ground, as HESH trajectory forces the tank to expose its LFP completely.

{{:L74 (105 mm)/Ammunition|slpprj m/61, slpprj m/62, slsgr m/61A, rökgr m/61, slspgr m/61}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''50''' || 46 ''(+4)'' || 41 ''(+9)'' || 36 ''(+14)'' || 31 ''(+19)'' || 26 ''(+24)''
|-
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! 10th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| 21 ''(+29)'' || 16 ''(+34)'' || 11 ''(+39)'' || 6 ''(+44)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.

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

{{main|ksp 58 (7.62 mm)}}

The {{PAGENAME}} has 3 x 7.62 mm ksp 58 machine guns, 2 on the left side in their own mount and one on top of the commander's cupola.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[ksp 58 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm ksp 58]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull || 500 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Hull || 500 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 1,500 (250) || 600 || ±10° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Strv 103A is an amazing tank to take in defensive positions and snipe with. Although it's mainly used for the sniping role, it can also do close quarters combat quite well if one needs to push out to a capture point. Due to the armour design of the Strv 103, surviving conventional shells that can be found on the early Cold War-era Soviet tanks is easy. The only challenges with the tank is to learn key positions to lock down with the rapid firing 105 mm [[L74 (105 mm)|L7-derived cannon]] and learning the shooting mechanics of hull-aim. It is important to stay on flat ground when playing this tank, as slopes can cause issues with the hull-aim.

While the Strv 103 can easily hold its own against conventional shells, against chemical and more modern kinetic rounds it starts to lose its points. HEATFS shells can easily penetrate the frontal armour, going through both the armour and engine, knocking out the crew behind it (this gets remedied with the later [[Strv 103C|103C]], which has slat armour at the front to prematurely detonate the shell). In full uptiers, it's also highly likely to get shot at by APFSDS shells, which ignore the armour completely. That's why when facing these vehicles, one should take full utility of the smoke launchers and smoke rounds to create a quick escape out and avoid getting shot at.

If the tank does get shot at, the survivability is quite high due to the crew all being located behind the transmission and the engine. And since the tank can be operated by only one crew member, the tank is mostly only destroyed by being set afire by the fuel tank and engine in the front of the tank, or by HEAT shells from tanks like the [[DF105]].

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Low profile
* Very short reload time
* Extremely survivable
** Effectively sloped front armour
** Can be controlled by one crew member
* Gunner and Commander perform the same roles, so there is no crew switch if either is knocked out

'''Cons:'''

* Slow aiming, significant delay between "travel" mode and "aiming" mode
* Vulnerable to flanking
* Only three crew members
* Gun is prone to damage
* Catches fire often when shot from the side and sometimes from the front, FPE is mandatory for survival
* Any detonation next to the hull can cause the tank (and, subsequently, the gun) to violently rock

== History ==


After 6 months of trial with the Strv 103-0 and the goal settings for requirements that the tank needed to pass were done in 1963 it was not till Autumn 1964 that the first order for the Strv 103 came in to AB Bofors. 1967 the Strv 103A started to deliver to the army, a total of 70 Strv 103As were ordered to the army as the first series production. Strv 103A had a 300hk powered gasturbine that during delivery proved to be not quite effective and would be required a change in the upcoming version of the Strv 103. Directly when the S tank got delivered instructor courses began and it was not till 1968 that the first conscripts go the education on the Strv 103 "S" systems.

=== [[wt:en/news/6505-development-strv-103-0-last-man-standing-en|Devblog]] ===
In the immediate postwar years, Sweden began looking for a replacement to the Centurion tanks, then in service with its army. The most straightforward solution was to once again look into the export market for potential candidates, although engineers were already working on a domestic design - the Kranvagn. While this process was ongoing, an engineer by the name of Sven Berge came up with a radical new tank design in 1956.

This new vehicle featured a turretless design with a cannon fixed to the hull, which would be trained onto its targets with the precise use of an adjustable suspension system. The design was based on results from a study on tank crew casualties during WWII and the Korean War, which showed a correlation between tank height and hit probability. As such, the 'S-Tank' was kept very small in dimensions and low in profile, while also utilizing some innovative new engineering solutions, such as a mixed power plant consisting of a diesel engine and a gas turbine.

In 1959, the Swedish government approved the construction and testing of two prototypes. In 1960, a pre-production batch of 10 vehicles of the '0-serie' was ordered for field trials, which went on into the mid '60s. Generating more than favorable test results, the vehicle was formally ordered into production and procured as the 'Stridsvagn 103'.

Despite its original purpose being to replace the Centurion tanks in the Swedish Army, the Strv 103 ended up serving alongside it for a number of decades, until it was ultimately decommissioned in the late 1990s. By that time, 290 Strv 103s were built, spanning over five variants.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sw_strv_103a Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|LufGqZTfvoI|'''MBTs with Best Armor''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 02:54 - ''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 ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

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

{{TankManufacturer AB Bofors}}
{{Sweden medium tanks}}

F-4S Phantom II

2024-07-18T15:00:28Z

U91965995: Wiki page overhaul to bring the page up to standard in the ARH age

{{About
|about = premium American jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage = other versions
|link = F-4 Phantom II (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=f-4s
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|StoreImage_{{PAGENAME}}_004.jpg}}
|store=12048
}}

== Description ==

The F-4 Phantom II served its most notable service period in the Vietnam War for both the US Air Force (USAF) and US Navy (USN). The USN had the [[F-4J Phantom II|F-4J]] as their latest aircraft, and it began to show its age in the post Vietnam War period. A modernization program began to keep the F-4J up to date with latest upgrades. Improvements were done in avionics, weapon systems, airframe, and undercarriage, but the two most notable improvements were wing leading-edge slats, for improved manoeuvrability, and new smokeless engines. The F-4S flew for USN up until the Phantom's retirement in the late 1980s, replaced by more modern aircraft like the [[F-14A Early|F-14 Tomcat]] and the F-18 Hornet.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''', introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]], is one of the top versions of the F-4 Phantom II in the game. While the overall play style is not very different from the F-4J, the performance improvements in manoeuvrability should allow the F-4S to occasionally get the upper hand over even more modern fighter designs that it can encounter. Outside the dogfighting range, the usual complement of BVR weaponry like the Sparrows alongside the PD radar should allow the F-4S to shoot down careless enemy fighters who can't evade in time.

== 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 12,192 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
| 2,080 || 2,058 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 26.5 || 27.4 || 155.0 || 145.2 || rowspan="2" | 850
|-
! Upgraded
| 2,224 || 2,140 || 25.5 || 26.0 || 217.6 || 185.0
|-
|}

==== 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
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ 
|-
|}

{| 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}} || 1,458 || 618 || 463 || ~11 || ~4
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 810 || < 750 || < 700 || -
|-
|}

==== 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" | General Electric J79-GE-10B || 2
| colspan="2" | 14,205 kg || colspan="2" | 408 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel
|-
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
| 15,964 kg || 18,047 kg || 20,070 kg || 27,058 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
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 5,250 kgf || 8,159 kgf
| 1.02 || 0.90 || 0.81 || 0.60
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,311 kgf (1,458 km/h) || 10,361 kgf (1,400 km/h)
| 1.30 || 1.15 || 1.03 || 0.77
|-
|}

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

While the F-4S completely lacks any armour plating or ballistic glass, meaning that the pilot and internal systems are exposed to damage from even small arms fire, the airframe itself is relatively sturdy thanks to the upgrades it got to better handle high-G sustained turns, and can take a few hits from opposing aircraft using 20 x 102 mm Vulcan or 20 x 110 mm USN rounds and remain airborne. Higher calibre guns however such as the BK-27 found on the Tornados, and the GSh-30-1 on the MiG-29 have a higher chance of severely crippling your performance or outright destroying the aircraft. As with the F-4J, the RIO (Radar Intercept Officer) in the back of the cockpit cannot take control of the aircraft if the pilot is knocked out, as it lacks the dual controls found on the USAF variants of the Phantom (C & E.)

The fuel tanks are self-sealing, but generally won't be able to stop a fire from igniting due to every aircraft at the F-4S' BR using guns that are at least 20 mm in calibre. They also take up a lot of space in the midsection and rear of the Phantom, making shots to the fuselage potentially fatal. There are additional fuel tanks located in the upper-front of the wings and in the bottom of the fuselage, but they are a much smaller and thinner target, so the chances that they get hit are much lower in comparison. You have an extinguisher to put out engine fires, but effectiveness may vary depending on the severity of damage to the rest of the airframe, along with your airspeed.

It is important to note that your countermeasures fire in pairs of two; with the introduction of separate flare/chaff firing, it is now possible to optimize your countermeasure drops in order to defend against both SARH and IR air-to-air missiles. 60 countermeasures at this BR is roughly the norm, but as you may face ARH missiles in the form of AIM-120As on the [[AV-8B_Plus|AV-8B+]] it is best to keep the idea of chaffing separately in the back of your head at all times.

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

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


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

* 60 x countermeasures

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10 !! width="4%" | 11
| rowspan="15" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_F-4C_Phantom_II.png]]</div>
|-
! [[Mk 11 mod 5 (20 mm)|20 mm Mk 11 mod 5]] cannons (750 rpg)
| || || || || || 1 || || || || ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 81 (250 lb)|250 lb LDGP Mk 81]] bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! [[Mk 81 Snakeye (250 lb)|250 lb Mk 81 Snakeye]] bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| 6 || 3 || || || || 6 || || || || 3 || 6
|-
! [[M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|750 lb M117 cone 45]] bombs
| 3 || 3 || || || || 3 || || || || 3 || 3
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| 2 || 2 || || || || 3 || || || || 2 || 2
|-
! [[Mk 79 Mod 1 incendiary]] bombs
| 1 || || || || || 1 || || || || || 1
|-
! [[FFAR Mighty Mouse]] rockets
| 38 || 57 || || || || 57 || || || || 57 || 38
|-
! [[Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP]] rockets
| 12 || 12 || || || || 12 || || || || 12 || 12
|-
! [[AIM-7F Sparrow]] missiles
| || 1* || || 1 || 1 || || 1 || 1 || || 1* ||
|-
! [[AIM-9H Sidewinder]] missiles
| || || 2* || || || || || || 2* || ||
|-
! 600 gal drop tanks
| || || || || || 1 || || || || ||
|-
| colspan="12" | Maximum permissible loadout weight: 7,257 kg Maximum permissible wing load: 3,000 kg Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
| colspan="13" | * Sparrows on hardpoints 2/10 cannot be carried in conjunction with Sidewinders on hardpoints 3/9 respectively
|-
|}

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

* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon (750 rpg)
* 1 x 600 gal drop tank
* 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles
* 6 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles + 48 x Zuni Mk32 Mod 0 ATAP rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles + 190 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 250 lb Mk 81 Snakeye bombs (4,500 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles + 18 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles + 12 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (9,000 lb total)
* 1 x 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon + 4 x AIM-7F Sparrow missiles + 4 x AIM-9H Sidewinder missiles + 8 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (8,000 lb total)
* 3 x Mk 79 Mod 1 incendiary bombs
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==


Being a slightly upgraded F-4J, the F-4S retains many of its predecessor's defining characteristics.

The main difference between the two is the F-4S' leading edge wing slats. These greatly increase manoeuvrability below ~970-1000 km/h SPD by allowing you to pull more AoA (Angle of Attack) which helps to tighten down your turning circle, but results in noticeably more energy bleed. Inversely, the slats will reduce the amount of AoA you can pull above the priorly-mentioned airspeed, which massively improves energy retention and delays pilot blackouts at the cost of an overall wider turn circle. This ability to control your AoA at various speeds can be an invaluable tool in winning engagements if properly mastered, but remember that you're still a Phantom; the F-4S can't turn tight enough to competitively dogfight most other top-tier aircraft even with the manoeuvrability upgrade, but it's good enough that you may be able to last in an extended engagement against a single opponent until an ally comes to your aid. 

The most powerful aspect of the F-4S is its weaponry. For IR-guided missiles, it carries AIM-9Hs, which are functionally very similar to their predecessor, the AIM-9Gs. Even though they have a fairly average turn performance with a max overload of 18G, their respectable range and long guidance time make them ideal for picking off inattentive players or AI planes. The crown jewel of the F-4S' arsenal however is the AIM-7F Sparrow, a Semi-Active Radar Homing missile. With enough range to reliably hit 15km+ shots from front-aspect, it offers a much needed range boost from the lacking-in-range AIM-7E-2s and starts pulling in much faster than AIM-7Es, making them an excellent all-rounder missile. Head-on snapshots from less than 3 km can be done, but you'll be pushing the limits of both your radar's lock speed and the Sparrow's 25G pull limit, so it may be beneficial to roll your aircraft to lessen the G load the missile will have to pull in some circumstances.

There are two types of vehicles you have to be wary of in the F-4S as of current: 4th generation fighters that completely outclass you, and Harriers. First off, 4th generation fighters such as the [[F-14 (Family) | F-14]], [[F-15A]], [[F-16A]] and [[MiG-29]] all have you completely beat in terms of flight performance. While you may attempt to fight them in a 1v1, unless the enemy pilot makes a severe lapse in judgement it will be all but certain you will be the one ejecting out of your plane. On the topic of missile armament, while the F-15A still comes equipped with AIM-7Ms (which are functionally identical to your AIM-7Fs) and the F-16A lacks SARH/ARH missiles, the F-14 comes equipped with the AIM-54 Phoenix Active Radar Homing (ARH) missile which has an effective launch range at least twice that of your 7Ms and the MiG-29 has 2 R-27ER/ET SARH missiles which have better range, a stronger motor and significantly faster speeds than your AIM-7M can hope to achieve, meaning even if you launch first you may not be guaranteed a win. The latter two aircraft also come equipped with a Track-While-Scan (TWS) mode capable radar, which can easily give your position away even from extreme ranges while your radar needs a hard lock to make sure if a target is, in fact, an enemy flying towards you at maximum speed.

The second problem you may face is, as said prior, Harriers. This may sound odd, as Harriers are a much lower Battle Rating than the F-4S, and even in a 1v1 situation aren't excellent dogfighters unless they take full advantage of their VTOL capabilities, but it is also of the most vital importance to remember the [[AV-8B_Plus | AV-8B+]] for the simple fact that it has AIM-120As. ARH missiles are much less reliant on holding a lock on the target than SARH missiles due to the seeker built into the missile itself, so all the AV-8B+ has to do is obtain a lock within visual range (<10km or so) and fire a missile at you, as the missile's own seeker will almost instantly turn itself on and lock your aircraft. To dodge these ARH missiles, you should first lower your altitude (if possible) to be as close to ground level as possible, as multipathing means that the missiles will not be able to track you properly if you are hugging the ground. However, this may not always be possible, or the terrain may have too many trees to realistically dive down and hold that altitude - so in that case, what should you do? The ideal way to dodge an ARH missile is not to try and notch the missile (keeping the missile lock 90 degrees to your aircraft), as the missile seeker is not as easily spoofed as a SARH missile. Instead, you should strive to 'go cold', i.e. turn a full 180 degrees around from the missile to make it harder for the missile to track you - in general, it is recommended to try both and see what works best for you depending on the situation you're in. What matters is the ability to be aware of the possibilty of facing ARH in a full uptier, so you can control your encounters as much as possible.

As always, you can carry ordinance for attacking bases. However, it is to be noted that this is generally not looked upon favorably by many teammates. This may not matter to ''you'' specifically, as you're only trying to grind, but it is always something to keep in mind that it may be in your best interest to fight ''for the team's benefit'' as it is also in your best interest to win the match and reap the rewards of the victory bonus. What people look at unfavorably are people who simply base bomb with ''no intention of even putting up a fight'' against enemy players should they come across one - as such, going for bases for extra RP and SL isn't something that should be shunned, but if base bombing alone is your goal some people may take issue with it and for good reason.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful Pulse-Doppler radar
* HMD allows significant off-boresight tracking for both the AIM-7F and AIM-9H
* Can carry up to 8 air-to-air missiles
* Very potent SARH missiles for its BR
* Can take off and land on aircraft carrier
* A wide range of suspended armaments, suitable for any playstyle
* Can carry enough bombs to destroy a base without significantly affecting its flight performance
* Slats provide valuable ability to control AoA and energy retention, increasing adaptability in aerial combat

'''Cons:'''

* Doesn't have an internal gun
* The external gun pod adversely affects flight performance
* The 20 mm Mk 11 mod 5 cannon is less efficient than other cannons at this BR
* Can't carry a gun pod and drop tank at the same time as they share the same hardpoint
* Quite large and heavy compared to other fighters at its rank
* Lack of guided munitions limits its potential in Ground Battles
* 60 countermeasures is mediocre in uptiers, which this aircraft sees extremely often

== History ==


The F-4S is a variant of the F-4 Phantom II, a twin-engine, all-weather jet fighter-bomber originally developed by McDonnell Douglas (now part of Boeing) for the United States Navy in the 1950s. The F-4S was the final production version of the F-4, and saw extensive service during the Cold War and in various conflicts around the world. The F-4S was an upgraded F-4J, with slats and a better turn speed.

The F-4S was developed in response to the need for an advanced fighter-bomber that could operate in all weather conditions and perform a wide range of missions, including air-to-air combat, ground attack, and reconnaissance. It featured improved avionics, a more powerful engine, and upgraded weapons systems compared to earlier variants of the F-4.

One of the F-4S's most significant upgrades was its advanced radar system, which could track multiple targets at once and provide the pilot with a clear picture of the battlefield. It was also equipped with a more sophisticated weapons delivery system, which allowed it to carry a wider variety of bombs and missiles, including the AIM-7 Sparrow and AIM-9 Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, as well as multiple types of unguided bombs and rockets.

The F-4S saw extensive service with the US Navy and Marine Corps. It was used in a variety of conflicts, including the Vietnam War, the Gulf War, and the Gulf of Sidra incident.

Despite its success in combat, the F-4S was eventually phased out of service in the late 1980s and early 1990s, as newer and more advanced fighter aircraft were introduced into the US military fleet. Today, several examples of the F-4S can be found on display in aviation museums and military bases around the world, serving as a reminder of the aircraft's important role in military history.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-4s Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|m-dyqOq5Xlo|'''F-4S Beginner's Tutorial in 10 Minutes''' - ''Jaek_''|IdPkE_xhUw0|'''Finally A Worthy Premium? - F-4S Phantom II''' - ''DEFYN''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[F-4 Phantom II (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8133-development-pre-order-f-4s-phantom-ii-pack-en|[Devblog] Pre-order: F-4S Phantom II pack]]

{{AirManufacturer McDonnell}}
{{USA jet aircraft}}
{{USA premium aircraft}}

2S25M

2024-07-18T12:13:17Z

U91965995: Removed redundant descriptions; added description for 3BM60 round's addition

{{About
| about = Russian light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = 2S25
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_2s25m
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Russian light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

The 2S25M "Sprut-SDM1" is a modernized development of the previous [[2S25]] Sprut-SD and the capstone to the Soviet amphibious tank line. Although the external appearance is very similar, it is based on a revised BMD-4M chassis with the same engine and transmission as the [[BMP-3]]. Compared to the original Sprut, the 2S25M loses a significant amount of reverse speed and a small amount of horsepower, although the overall mobility remains good. The improvements are in the fire-control system, which now features thermal sights for both the gunner and commander and thus fixes one of the 2S25's original flaws. It also now has access to the powerful 3BM60 APFSDS round to better deal with contemporary tanks. Although the 2S25M has impressive offensive capabilities, it routinely faces modern MBTs such as the [[Leopard 2A4]] and [[M1 Abrams]] that lessen or negate its mobility advantage. Thus, its playstyle demands even more caution.

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


The 2S25M, also known as the Sprut-D, is a very capable vehicle which uses speed and agility over armour. The light armour of the Sprut tends to be a "high risk-high reward" armour as it is only able to stop small firearms but generate little to no fragmentation from the penetration of a solid shot. However, chemical energy weapons such as HEAT and ATGMs will generate more than enough spall to defeat the crew. Armour is not to be relied on whatsoever, even against artillery fragmentation. Due to the oblique angles the frontal plates have, it is able to ricochet enemy projectiles but this is highly unlikely. One of the biggest drawbacks of the Sprut-D are the side-mounted ammo racks. In case of a successful penetration, these will be the first to detonate. It is advised to remove this racks to increase survivability of the platform. As with previous Russian light armour, the best armour is to not be seen by the enemy.

'''Armour type:'''

* Alloy ABT-102 (Hull, turret)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 18 mm (73°) ''Upper plate'' 40 mm (35°) ''Middle plate'' 23 mm (63°) ''Lower plate'' || 20 mm || 20 mm (0-15°) || 15 mm
|-
| Turret || 20 - 43 mm ''Turret front'' 20 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 20 mm || 20 mm || 15 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=775|rbMinHp=442}}

The Sprut-D leaves nothing to expect, high mobility and country-cross capabilities with a very powerful engine and reliable transmission. As seen in tanks based on the BMP-3 hull, the T/W ratio is impressive, giving a lightly-armoured vehicle a very high max speed as well as torque to advance even through the roughest of terrains. As its predecessor, it can reach speeds up to 70 km/h and 20 km/h on reverse with a gear change time from max forward drive to reverse in close to 5 seconds. It holds the ability to cross over water bodies, giving it an advantage in reaching positions no other vehicles are able to reach whatsoever. It has the ability to neutral steer, a feature not seen often in Russian vehicles.

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

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

{{main|2A75 (125 mm)}}

The Sprut-D is armed with a 2A75 125 mm smoothbore cannon, a similar cannon in performance as the T series tanks capable of firing the same munitions, including the 3BM60 'Svinets-2' of the [[T-80BVM]] or the [[T-72B3]] which is a very capable round. This round is able to pierce through all the tanks seen in game with some exceptions as the Leopard 2PL/A5/A6 turrets or M1A1/A2 turrets.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[2A75 (125 mm)|125 mm 2A75]] || 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°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 33.3 || 46.1 || 56.0 || 61.9 || 65.9 || rowspan="2" | 7.10
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 20.8 || 24.5 || 29.8 || 32.9 || 35.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:2A75 (125 mm)/Ammunition|3BK18M, 3OF26, 3BM42, 9M119M1, 3BM60}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''40''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|PKTM (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PKTM (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm PKTM]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 2,000 (250) || 700 || - || -
|-
| Pintle || 2,000 (250) || 700 || -8°/+50° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Sprut-D should be primarily used as a scout flanking vehicle due to its high speed, low profile, scouting capabilities and firepower. It holds primarily 3 uses:

'''Scouting:'''

As its name says, scouting. When on large maps, the scouting ability should be used at its full potential. The low profile and high speed make it able to crawl to cover fast and without creating much suspicion, while marking targets for friendlies to engage.

'''Flanking:'''

Due to the high speed and really powerful gun, it can be used to hit any enemy from behind. This tactic should be a "Hit n' Run", you should disable or destroy targets and leave before they can engage you. The powerful gun can take the heaviest of targets with ease if used properly

'''Sniping:'''

The capable optics, in combination with laser range finder and thermal optics, it is able to detect, target and engage enemy vehicles at all ranges thanks to any of its projectiles. Be aware of your ammo as it can only carry 22 on the carousel which can be consumed very fast, so make all shots count. Unless the commander is certain it has not been detected, moving between positions is advised to ensure survivability, especially when the player respawns as an aircraft and is aware of the {{PAGENAME}}'s position.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Powerful gun
* Good mobility, including the ability to neutral steer
* Autoloader allows consistent reload even with two crew members
* Amphibious
* Can use the 3BM60 APFSDS round, the best round in the tree at a BR of 10.0
* The reverse speed is still notable, even if it is a downgrade from the [[2S25]] prior to it
* Hydropneumatic suspension allows hull height adjustment, which can aid with defensive or offensive purposes
* Thermal vision for commander sights allows for more effective reconnaissance and targeting with a bit more height clearance

'''Cons:'''

* Paper-thin armour
* Despite having an autoloader, the reload speed is decently long (7.1 seconds)
* In terms of reversing capability, the 2S25M is a downgrade (20.4 km/h) compared to the 2S25 (70 km/h)
* The higher BR means advantages in mobility etc. may be less pronounced

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_2s25m Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


* [[2S25]]
* [[Object 685]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{USSR light tanks}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

Mi-4AV

2024-07-04T10:32:49Z

U91965995: Entire page overhauled to meet modern game standards; removed mentions of helicopter PvP battles and updated various descriptions

{{Specs-Card
|code=mi_4av
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The Mi-4 was designed as a response to the American H-19 Chickasaw and its effective deployment in the Korean war. Design and testing commenced in the early '50s, before being rushed into service in 1953. The Mi-4 would be adapted to many variants and see service with many countries around the world. One such variant was the '''Mi-4AV''' variant, where "AV" stands for "атаковать вооруженный" ("Atakovat Vooruzhennyy" — "Assault, Armed"). The Mi-4AV would serve a long and eventful life all around the world, from the orients of China to the deserts of Africa. Much like its American counterpart, after it was gradually phased out of military service, it was used in various domestic roles, including search and rescue, polar expeditioning, construction site cargo helicopter, firefighting, commercial flights, and much more.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO reporting name: ''Hound''), was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]]. The Mi-4AV is the starter helicopter for the Soviet tech tree, and at first seems very underwhelming, but once familiarized can be one of the best starter helicopters in the game. The Mi-4AV has access to the Falanga ATGM with 4 km of range which in the right scenarios can be very deadly to enemy tanks. Pilots of the Mi-4 must be very careful of the aircraft's underpowered engine and abysmal flight performance: due to being a piston-powered helicopter, the engine is somewhat inadequate at full combat loads, and the helicopter will feel even more sluggish than it already is. This makes the Mi-4AV a very easy target for most radar-guided SPAA at range, due to its inability to dodge incoming fire very easily. However, the 4 Falangas it carries can also engage enemy SPAAs at ranges further than any other helicopter at its Battle Rating, and can cause devastating damage if left uninterrupted. All in all, the helicopter lacks the agility of other, lighter helicopters found in other trees but boasts a high number of guided anti-tank missiles that have the furthest range of any ATGM on a starter helicopter and can deliver lethal long range fires if given the opportunity.

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

As a first generation transport helicopter, the {{PAGENAME}} is very slow, it is rare for it to reach 200 km/h. Additionally, the {{PAGENAME}} has a poor roll rate. When fully loaded, the performance deteriorates even more, making the helicopter an easy target. Pilots should keep this in mind when choosing the payload.

The newest pilots should not attempt to roll the helicopter more than 35°, since the {{PAGENAME}} is underpowered and cannot handle such manoeuvres. The weight will force the helicopter down (worse when fully loaded) and the main rotor will be unable to sustain the helicopter in this awkward position, making recovery impossible. The risk of stalling is significant, and it is recommended to set the the collective pitch to around 80% for cruising, and 100% only when climbing is needed.

It should be noted that even in hover mode, the underpowered engine will start overheating, forcing you to reduce engine power and slowing down the machine even more. Even once fully upgraded, this remains a burden. This is particularly important on hot weather maps such as [[Sinai]] or [[Tunisia]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 500 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 173 || 162 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! Upgraded
| 206 || 190
|-
|}

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

Unlike the later helicopters in the Soviet/Russian helicopter tree, the {{PAGENAME}} is essentially a transport helicopter with weapons strapped to it, and it carries no armour plating whatsoever.

The {{PAGENAME}} is also very vulnerable to engine damage because the engine is located in front of the pilot, in the nose of the helicopter. This is especially similar to the [[H-34 (France)|H-34]] it was designed as a response to, and means that the engine will often be the first part hit by ground fire. Once the already underpowered engine is hit, this will deteriorate performance even more, potentially to the point where the helicopter may no longer be able to stay in the air. Pilot snipes are also frequent, and will send you back to the vehicle selection screen faster than the time it takes for your helicopter to hit the ground.

The airframe itself is relatively resilient to machine gun fire, although anything above autocannon fire will easily rip the helicopter to shreds. The fuel tanks are self-sealing, but this will be one of the least hit parts on the helicopter. You may occasionally survive a grazing kinetic round (AP, APDS, APFSDS) to the rear part of the helicopter, but it is also a possibility that they hit the front and cripple or kill you outright with a single shot, so it's always best to not tempt fate in this regard.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
It is highly recommended to prioritize the 2P32M/K-4V modification (to increase the amount of missiles carried from 2 to 4) first and foremost, as it directly increases your combat capabilities in Ground Battles, your primary battlefield in the Mi-4AV. After this, performance modifications are recommended, as the helicopter is held back the most in its lacking engine power rather than its armament options. It is not particularly recommended to research bombs or NVDs as the Mi-4 can rarely get in close enough to drop bombs (or accurately bomb them due to its lack of CCIP as well as its docile airframe) and no longer sees Night Battles at its Battle Rating of 8.0 (Night Battles are now available only to players who opt in and have a vehicle of BR 10.0 or above in their lineups).

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Heli-Armaments}}
What the {{PAGENAME}} lacks in performance and durability, it makes up for in armament. Of the Rank V helicopters it is easily the most heavily armed, once fully upgraded, capable of carrying rockets, bombs, and anti-tank missiles. The most commonly used armament preset will be the 4 Falangas, as the other options generally synchronize poorly with the lumbering airframe of the Mi-4.

=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Offensive}}

{{main|TKB-481 (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm TKB-481 machine gun, nose turret (200 rpg)

The {{PAGENAME}} is armed with a single flexible TKB-481 machine gun. This gun has a limited arc of only +- 30° horizontally, -55° and 0° vertically. The gun possesses a decent amount of ammunition (200) and a high rate of fire (1,100 rounds per minute). This machine gun is mostly effective against soft vehicles and ground targets, such as artillery emplacements, armoured cars, trucks, and light vehicles. It lacks the penetration to damage anything heavier than some light tanks' roof armour.

Due to the limited arc and the relatively low calibre, air-to-air engagements relying on this machine gun can be difficult. It works best as a defensive armament against other light and poorly armoured helicopters such as the Franco–German [[Alouette (Family)]] and the American [[UH-1 (Family)|Hueys]]. Overall, it is best not to rely on this gun for self defense (i.e. don't be cocky and expect that you can win handily in a close range fight), but it is also important to remember it is still available as you may catch the odd propeller plane player off guard and pilot snipe them in return.

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Suspended}}


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[FAB-100sv (100 kg)|100 kg FAB-100sv]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-250M-46 (250 kg)|250 kg FAB-250M-46]] bombs
| || || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[S-5K]] rockets
| || || 16 || 16 || 16 || 16 || 16 || 16 || ||
|-
! [[9M17M Falanga]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || || || || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 500 kg
|-
|}

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

* 96 x S-5K rockets
* 2 x 9M17M Falanga missiles
* 4 x 9M17M Falanga missiles
* 6 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (600 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs + 4 x 9M17M Falanga missiles (1,000 kg total)
{{Navigation-End}}

The S-5 unguided rockets are available without research. They are not accurate and do not have a large explosive payload. Since it uses a shaped-charge warhead, a direct hit is required in order to damage most enclosed armoured vehicles, and aiming is complicated by the fact that the {{PAGENAME}} does not have a ballistic computer. Even on direct hit, due to the nature of HEAT warheads, damage may be minimal, so firing off multiple rockets at a target to thoroughly cripple or kill it is near-essential. Open-topped vehicles, however, are generally easy pickings so long as you land your rockets near them as you may overpressure them with even a glancing hit.
[[File:Mi-4AV convoy.jpg|thumb|{{PAGENAME}}s flying in formation carrying 96 x S-5K rockets]]

The 9M17M Falanga should be considered the main weapon of the {{PAGENAME}}. These missiles are semi-automatic (SACLOS), which means that the pilot does not need to manually fly the missile all the way to the target. It does, however, require that the pilot keep the sight crosshairs on the target in order to ensure a hit. This, in turn, means the helicopter must remain relatively stable, making it a vulnerable target. The Falanga has the longest range of all the anti-tank missiles available to starter helicopters (4 km vs. 3 km for the [[AS.11]]), which allows the {{PAGENAME}} to attack while remaining out of reach for most contemporary SPAAs. It is also important to note that the Falanga has a minimum effective range of around 500–600 m, as do other helicopter missiles, due to them having to 'pull in' for a short distance before aligning with your crosshairs.

You have access to 2 Falangas when stock, as well as the aforementioned S-5 unguided rockets. When fully upgraded, you can equip 4 Falangas, which is the preferred ideal loadout due to the other ordinance either needing the player to get in close (bombs and rockets) and drastically increasing your chances of being shot down near-instantly. The {{PAGENAME}} is also capable of carrying bombs up to 250 kg in weight, in two different sizes. Their use is quite situational because they require the helicopter to fly over the target, which is quite risky in a helicopter as slow, docile and fragile as the {{PAGENAME}}. In Realistic and Simulator battles, a time delay (at least 1.5s or longer at moderate altitude) should be set so the {{PAGENAME}} does not damage itself with its own bombs.

== Usage in battles ==


Pilots should be acutely aware this helicopter is not made for dedicated CAS (Close air Support), mainly because of its limitations such as a low top speed, big size, very low maneuverability and lack of countermeasures countermeasures. Instead, consider using it as a semi-mobile long-range fire support vehicle, using your Falanga missiles to stay out of range of enemy anti-aircraft fire and helping your team from afar.

Pilots must be alert of their surroundings, as you do not want to attract any unwanted attention to your helicopter. If you are trying to rush a capture point or a spot on the map with rockets, flying low and behind terrain is key, as even one aware anti-aircraft or autocannon-equipped player can easily spell doom for your lumbering helicopter. If you are trying to support your team at range with ATGMs, check the minimap every now and then as well as the killfeed to look for any enemy aircraft and/or anti-aircraft fire directed towards you. However docile your helicopter is, dodging is still an option at long range so vigilance is key to staying alive for long.

In general, the Mi-4AV is best suited for longer range, while its close range capabilities are limited not by rocket carrying capacity but by the airframe's large size and lacking agility. Players should plan accordingly and either exploit map geometry to unleash your large supply of rockets on unsuspecting enemies or stay at long range and maximizing your own strengths. A tip for dodging SPAA fire at range is to tilt your helicopter sideways when guiding in a Falanga. As long as you don't tip over the helicopter (a genuine concern for the Mi-4 due to its docile handling), the missile crosshair will still remain on target even when you roll the helicopter, meaning you can mostly guide in your missile undisturbed while dodging direct enemy gunfire. It is recommended to sway left and right somewhat unpredictably, as this will throw off most players aiming directly at the reticule. You can change directions accordingly when you see the enemy player adjust their aim, which will be noticeable by the tracers deviating from previously fired shells in direction. You should also '''immediately''' retarget to the enemy anti-air vehicle firing at you unless absolutely necessary, as staying alive and delivering long range fires is better than securing one kill and then immediately exploding midair.

'''Enemies worth noting'''

Most anti-aircraft vehicles will pose a direct threat to your helicopter as will some supporting vehicles. It is recommended to stay vigilant and attack targets with a priority list of sorts mentally in your head at all times. Important enemies (Priority Targets) are marked in bold text.

* '''[[Gepard]], [[Type 87]], [[PGZ09]]''': The Gepard and similar systems like it will be your primary threat. They are highly mobile, have fairly long detection and lock-on ranges, and fire shells with fairly high velocity, and as a result can be lethal should you not notice them. You can somewhat play around them by sticking to longer ranges (~3 kilometers from your targets) and swaying left and right in the roll axis to throw off their shells, as you guide in a Falanga into their turrets.

* [[Chieftain Marksman]], [[ItPsV Leopard]], [[ZA-35]]: The Marksman (or similar) anti-air systems available on these anti-aircraft guns are similar to or slightly inferior to the vehicles listed above; while they share cannons in the form of the 35 mm Oerlikon and are both mobile vehicles, the Marksman system has a shorter detection range (12 km compared to 20 km on the Gepard/PGZ09 and 40 on the Type 87) and has a critical flaw stemming from its design - the spread out guns. Compared to the Gepard and its contemporaries the Marksman family will generally spray out a far less accurate spread of bullets, which can sometimes be a benefit up close but can also be dangerous at range as stray bullets aimed slightly next to you may deviate towards your vehicle instead due to the nature of the spaced out guns. Treat them with the same respect as the vehicles above for the most part to ensure your survival.

* '''[[WZ305]]''': The WZ305 can be the absolute '''''worst''''' vehicle to face in any helicopter, not just the {PAGENAME}. The WZ305's DKY-1 proximity fused belt turns what was once a mediocre anti-aircraft vehicle in the form of the [[ZSU-57-2 (Family)|ZSU-57-2]] into one of the most lethal anti-aircraft guns of its tier, should the user be aware of any vehicles in flight. As helicopters generally maintain a somewhat consistent distance between the battlefield and themselves, and as the Mi-4 particularly is a very large and lumbering vehicle, the proximity shells will have a much easier time connecting with your vehicle than other early helicopters or aircraft. A tell-tale sign of a WZ305 being active is seeing tracers spaced out in groups of 4, or in general seeing an anti-aircraft gun with a slow fire rate. If you see a WZ305 firing at you, you have only one option: quickly break line-of-sight, and pray. The Mi-4 is very sluggish at changing heading and speed, so if the Z305's shots were anywhere near the mark you will almost certainly explode. However, if he misses his first burst, you may have just enough time to dive away and reposition yourself. Engage WZ305s with the '''highest''' level of priority and caution.

* '''[[M247]]''': The Sergeant York is a formidable proximity-fused SPAAG, and is a fairly common sight if you are fully uptiered or playing a lineup above 8.0. In essence a better version of the [[VEAK 40]] and [[WZ305]], the M247 can make short work of you should you be within 2.5 or so kilometers from the battlefield with its proximity shells. Your lack of a RWR (Radar Warning Receiver) means that even if an enemy M247 is locking you, you would be oblivious to it, and as the M247's proximity shell belt has no tracers the element of surprise can often feel almost unfair. However, the M247's proxy shells can often be fickle and self-detonate early, so you may have some time before the proximity fuse works properly and detonates your vehicle without warning. It is recommended to quickly fire off a missile at it the moment you spot one on the battlefield to not risk it altogether.

* [[M3 Bradley]], [[Begleitpanzer 57]], [[2S38]] and SAM systems: A caviat to note here is that the Begleit and 2S38 are impossible to face in the Mi-4 unless you are running a 8.3 or 9.0 lineup with the Mi-4 respectively. However, they are good examples of vehicles in their respective classes, so a mention will be made. Most 8.3 or 8.7 IFVs such as the Bradley or the [[BMP-2]] will not have proximity shells, a laser rangefinder (depends on vehicle) or IRST (Infra-Red Search and Track) to aid in their AA role, so unless you are within 1.5 or so kilometers and have enough velocity you can usually evade their autocannons and missiles. However, vehicles like the Begleitpanzer pack a laser rangefinder, thermals to aid with awareness as well as proximity shells and can absolutely decimate you with almost no warning. The 2S38 is even more extreme, with a shell that has much less explosive mass but is tracerless, and the vehicle also comes equipped with an IRST system which will give the vehicle the lead it needs to aim directly at you. Against these advanced systems, regardless of whether or not you have to be in a mixed battle to see them, you have very few options other than hoping you notice and fire your munitions first. Extra caution is required if you wish to use the Mi-4 at these higher Battle Ratings to any effect, and it is strongly encouraged that you bring a more advanced vehicle in its stead such as the [[Mi-24P]] to deal with these threats more equally.

SAM systems may also be sighted at 9.3 or above if you have your Mi-4 in a 8.3 or higher lineup. These SAMs mostly consist of [[Imp.Chaparral]]-fired AIM-9D missiles as well as Stinger, Mistral or Igla MANPADS and the odd [[Lvrbv 701]]-fired manual SAM, and if they lock on to you they will generally be a guaranteed kill on you. If you know such a system is up, it is best not to get too close, as most early MANPADS struggle to gain lock at 3 or so kilometers against helicopters. Against these systems there is not much you can do than hoping you get to them before they notice or get a lock on you, so extra vigilance is again required should the player wish to use the Mi-4 at these higher BRs.

=== Role in the team ===
Once a Soviet Mi-4 pilot chooses to spawn in, there are several points they need to prioritize to actively boost their team during the battle.

* Where on the map are the enemy forces?
* Where on the map do our forces need air support? (If our team is attempting to capture a zone, for example)
* Is one of our capture points in need of defense?

This will now let pilots ponder about how to engage, mainly between whether or not to focus on rushing in with rockets or providing long range fire support with the Falangas. The prudent tactic is usually to stay far away, but this may differ on different maps as some maps may not allow for long-range fires either due to poor weather conditions in the match or poor firing angles. It may be tempting to simply sit back and missile anyone who comes into view, as a sort of god smiting down his enemies, but always remember that supporting your team in need by going for campers at the back of the map or in hard-to-clear places or people on capture points is infinitely more valuable than just getting odd kills on people that would have died anyways to your teammates in under 20 seconds.

Also remember that;

* Despite the natural difficulties of the mode, Simulator mode is greatly rewarding due to the stealth element. This can situationally allow pilots to execute a more offensive close approach with rockets and/or bombs.
* The pilots should be in the habit of checking for enemy planes up before spawning. This will avoid imminent annihilation by enemy planes already in the air.
* A group of Mi-4s (or really any group of helicopters) is more like to survive than a single Mi-4. If you are in a squad or notice teammates who can communicate effectively, don't be afraid to ask them to try out a team strategy. It's generally more effective to attack in groups and in a coordinated way, and you might even end up finding a friend after the battle.

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:Radar_chart_Mi-4AV.png|thumb|Mi-4AV's attack helicopter capacities]]
'''Pros:'''

* Fairly hefty payload options
* Falanga missiles can outrange cannon-based SPAA
* Relatively durable airframe.
* Comes with half its ATGMs stock

'''Cons:'''

* Incredibly large; easy to spot from afar
* Woefully underpowered; has poor speed and agility across the board
* Missile tracking field-of-view is quite narrow.
* Critical components (cockpit, engine, motor, and oil cooler) are all located close together at the front of the vehicle
* No sight gyro-stabilization system for simulator modes.
* No ballistic computer.
* Most ordinance outside of the Falangas are ineffective

== History ==

The Soviet Army Aviation owes its emergence mostly to the transport landing helicopter Mi-4. The Mi-4 paved the way for helicopter usage in the Soviet national armed forces.

The Korean War was the main impetus in which provided the need for a Mi-4 helicopter which started its official development in the early 1950s. At the time, the American military was widely using helicopters as a force multiplier which enabled troops to advance and reinforce areas much quicker than when travelling by vehicle or more to a pinpoint location without needing finding or building an airfield. Through the use of helicopters, rapid and large scale operations became a possibility that had yet to be exploited to its fullest. At this time, the Americans were using different types of helicopters to do various tasks, depending on what payload was needed. Light helicopters were used for duties such as taking wounded back to hospitals, means of communication and spotters for artillery units. More massive helicopters were utilised for delivering troops, vehicles, supplies and artillery directly to the battlefield. The Korean War demonstrated the increased need for a role which rotor vehicles could fulfil within the Armed Forces.

Once realising their folly of not developing helicopters for inclusion in the armed forces, Soviet leadership decided they needed to make up for lost time and get to work designing and building their helicopter force. In October 1951, the leading aviation designers of the Soviet Union were called to the Kremlin. As a result of the meeting, tasks for developing new rotor vehicles were given to the aviation designers. Here, the Mil Design Bureau specifically was assigned to the designing and creating a landing-transport helicopter which could carry up to 12 persons. Quick work was needed because experimental models were required to be ready for trials one year after receiving this assignment.

Mikhail Mil began to work on a solution; however, unbeknownst to many, he already had a head start on this project which he called the VD-12 or Vertolyot Desantniy (a landing helicopter) which was designed to hold 12 persons. The design of Mikhail Mil's had been around since the end of the 40s. However, it never went anywhere because nobody was willing to support the project at the time. The lack of support extended from the military through the highest leadership in the country because they did not understand the battlefield benefits this tool would provide their soldiers. It wasn't until the Soviets were spectators in the Korean War that they saw firsthand the effectiveness of helicopters on the battlefield.

Initially the VD-12 was designed to receive a 1,000 HP engine; however, when the helicopter was ready to begin construction and to receive it, the engine was determined not to be ready for the deadline trials. Mil was then required to redesign the VD-12 to accept a more powerful and heavy engine, the Ash-82 developed by Arkadiy Shevetsov which was a couple of generations newer than the Ash-73TK utilised on the Tu-4 bomber. This piston engine had proven itself an excellent engine when employed on various aeroplanes. To accept this new engine, the helicopter needed to be enlarged to adequately encompass it. Yakovlev DB had intended on providing the rotor, main rotor head, wobble plate, reduction gear and engine for the project, however that was for the smaller VD-12 and all that had to be scrapped for the newer and larger helicopter. Igor Sikorsky developed the S-55 (H-19) which was very similar in size and layout, and Mil decided to model the more modern and larger helicopter off of the aspects of the S-55 which applied to his larger helicopter. The Radial engine was placed in the front nose with the drive shaft passing through the cockpit and turning the rotor, which left the lower section of the helicopter to be a large cargo cabin. Again the cabin needed to be able to hold 12 troops or various military equipment which weighed up to 1,600 kg.

With this plan in action, designers were working almost around the clock to complete the schematics. Within four months of the project starting, the prototype was rolled out of the hanger and prepped for flight. With the radial engine firing, the rotor began to spin, however during acceleration of the motor; the blades started to bend severely, threatening to break apart and destroy the helicopter. The rotor was powered down, and the minds went to work attempting to figure out what the issue was. Mil settled on the problem being the rotors fluttering, which for aircraft surfaces bending or flexion which causes material fatigue and the parts disintegrate thus destroying the entire project. To validate this theory, special weights were built in one night and then installed on the blades. A repeat of the experiment was conducted, and the rotor behaved in a manner it needed to work correctly. Further testing created a blade which was constructed to eliminate any flutter.

Seven months after receiving their assignment to develop and build a helicopter, the first helicopter trials were ready to begin. While the first test had the helicopter tethered to the ground to prevent any mishaps, on the 3rd of June, Vsevolod Vinnitskiy made the first free flight in the new helicopter. At this point, the VD-12 was the most significant and most massive lifting helicopter in the World. With the completion of the state's trials, the VD-12 began mass production, and its name was changed to Mi-4 and was introduced into service the next year.

In many ways the Mi-4 surpassed the US helicopter H-19's capabilities as the rear of the Mi-4 could open up and through the use of a ramp, men, vehicles and artillery could quickly be loaded and unloaded. Also installed under the nose of the helicopter was a gunner position with a 12.7 mm machine gun. The Soviet military found many uses for the new helicopter beyond just transporting people and equipment, and as more equipment was outfitted, the helicopter also took on roles such as ground attack and submarine hunter. More than 3,000 Mi-4 helicopters were produced during its years in service and proved to be an essential force multiplier on the battlefield for the Soviet Armed Forces.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mi_4av Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:MI-4AV userphoto 1.png|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|lTR8bhL4BUc|'''The Mi-24 Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:47 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|h_Gng-eiEXE|'''The Shooting Range #113''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 06:00 discusses the Mi-4AV.|Ndj0AenHKN8|'''Mil Mi-4 Transport Helicopter Making Of - MADE in the USSR''' - ''Epic Soviet Documentaries''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[H-34]] - Sikorsky Choctaw
* [[H-34 (France)]] - French variant of the Choctaw

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5708-development-uh-1-and-mi-4-early-birds-en|[Devblog] UH-1 and Mi-4: Early Birds]]

{{AirManufacturer Mil}}
{{USSR helicopters}}

Mi-4AV

2024-07-04T06:26:45Z

U91965995: Midway edit; UNFINISHED

{{Specs-Card
|code=mi_4av
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The Mi-4 was designed as a response to the American H-19 Chickasaw and its effective deployment in the Korean war. Design and testing commenced in the early '50s, before being rushed into service in 1953. The Mi-4 would be adapted to many variants and see service with many countries around the world. One such variant was the '''Mi-4AV''' variant, where "AV" stands for "атаковать вооруженный" ("Atakovat Vooruzhennyy" — "Assault, Armed"). The Mi-4AV would serve a long and eventful life all around the world, from the orients of China to the deserts of Africa. Much like its American counterpart, after it was gradually phased out of military service, it was used in various domestic roles, including search and rescue, polar expeditioning, construction site cargo helicopter, firefighting, commercial flights, and much more.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO reporting name: ''Hound''), was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]]. The Mi-4AV is the starter helicopter for the Soviet tech tree, and at first seems very underwhelming, but once familiarized can be one of the best starter helicopters in the game. The Mi-4AV has access to the Falanga ATGM with 4 km of range which in the right scenarios can be very deadly to enemy tanks. Pilots of the Mi-4 must be very careful of the aircraft's underpowered engine and abysmal flight performance: due to being a piston-powered helicopter, the engine is somewhat inadequate at full combat loads, and the helicopter will feel even more sluggish than it already is. This makes the Mi-4AV a very easy target for most radar-guided SPAA at range, due to its inability to dodge incoming fire very easily. However, the 4 Falangas it carries can also engage enemy SPAAs at ranges further than any other helicopter at its Battle Rating, and can cause devastating damage if left uninterrupted. All in all, the helicopter lacks the agility of other, lighter helicopters found in other trees but boasts a high number of guided anti-tank missiles that have the furthest range of any ATGM on a starter helicopter and can deliver lethal long range fires if given the opportunity.

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

As a first generation transport helicopter, the {{PAGENAME}} is very slow, it is rare for it to reach 200 km/h. Additionally, the {{PAGENAME}} has a poor roll rate. When fully loaded, the performance deteriorates even more, making the helicopter an easy target. Pilots should keep this in mind when choosing the payload.

The newest pilots should not attempt to roll the helicopter more than 35°, since the {{PAGENAME}} is underpowered and cannot handle such manoeuvres. The weight will force the helicopter down (worse when fully loaded) and the main rotor will be unable to sustain the helicopter in this awkward position, making recovery impossible. The risk of stalling is significant, and it is recommended to set the the collective pitch to around 80% for cruising, and 100% only when climbing is needed.

It should be noted that even in hover mode, the underpowered engine will start overheating, forcing you to reduce engine power and slowing down the machine even more. Even once fully upgraded, this remains a burden. This is particularly important on hot weather maps such as [[Sinai]] or [[Tunisia]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 500 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 173 || 162 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! Upgraded
| 206 || 190
|-
|}

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

Unlike the later helicopters in the Soviet/Russian helicopter tree, the {{PAGENAME}} is essentially a transport helicopter with weapons strapped to it, and it carries no armour plating whatsoever.

The {{PAGENAME}} is also very vulnerable to engine damage because the engine is located in front of the pilot, in the nose of the helicopter. This is especially similar to the [[H-34 (France)|H-34]] it was designed as a response to, and means that the engine will often be the first part hit by ground fire. Once the already underpowered engine is hit, this will deteriorate performance even more, potentially to the point where the helicopter may no longer be able to stay in the air. Pilot snipes are also frequent, and will send you back to the vehicle selection screen faster than the time it takes for your helicopter to hit the ground.

The airframe itself is relatively resilient to machine gun fire, although anything above autocannon fire will easily rip the helicopter to shreds. The fuel tanks are self-sealing, but this will be one of the least hit parts on the helicopter. You may occasionally survive a grazing kinetic round (AP, APDS, APFSDS) to the rear part of the helicopter, but it is also a possibility that they hit the front and cripple or kill you outright with a single shot, so it's always best to not tempt fate in this regard.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
It is highly recommended to prioritize the 2P32M/K-4V modification (to increase the amount of missiles carried from 2 to 4) first and foremost, as it directly increases your combat capabilities in Ground Battles, your primary battlefield in the Mi-4AV. After this, performance modifications are recommended, as the helicopter is held back the most in its lacking engine power rather than its armament options. It is not particularly recommended to research bombs or NVDs as the Mi-4 can rarely get in close enough to drop bombs (or accurately bomb them due to its lack of CCIP as well as its docile airframe) and no longer sees Night Battles at its Battle Rating of 8.0 (Night Battles are now available only to players who opt in and have a vehicle of BR 10.0 or above in their lineups).

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Heli-Armaments}}
What the {{PAGENAME}} lacks in performance and durability, it makes up for in armament. Of the Rank V helicopters it is easily the most heavily armed, once fully upgraded, capable of carrying rockets, bombs, and anti-tank missiles. The most commonly used armament preset will be the 4 Falangas, as the other options generally synchronize poorly with the lumbering airframe of the Mi-4.

=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Offensive}}

{{main|TKB-481 (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm TKB-481 machine gun, nose turret (200 rpg)

The {{PAGENAME}} is armed with a single flexible TKB-481 machine gun. This gun has a limited arc of only +- 30° horizontally, -55° and 0° vertically. The gun possesses a decent amount of ammunition (200) and a high rate of fire (1,100 rounds per minute). This machine gun is mostly effective against soft vehicles and ground targets, such as artillery emplacements, armoured cars, trucks, and light vehicles. It lacks the penetration to damage anything heavier than some light tanks' roof armour.

Due to the limited arc and the relatively low calibre, air-to-air engagements relying on this machine gun can be difficult. It works best as a defensive armament against other light and poorly armoured helicopters such as the Franco–German [[Alouette (Family)]] and the American [[UH-1 (Family)|Hueys]].

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Suspended}}


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[FAB-100sv (100 kg)|100 kg FAB-100sv]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-250M-46 (250 kg)|250 kg FAB-250M-46]] bombs
| || || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[S-5K]] rockets
| || || 16 || 16 || 16 || 16 || 16 || 16 || ||
|-
! [[9M17M Falanga]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || || || || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 500 kg
|-
|}

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

* 96 x S-5K rockets
* 2 x 9M17M Falanga missiles
* 4 x 9M17M Falanga missiles
* 6 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (600 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs + 4 x 9M17M Falanga missiles (1,000 kg total)
{{Navigation-End}}

The S-5 unguided rockets are available without research. They are not accurate and do not have a large explosive payload. Since it uses a shaped-charge warhead, a direct hit is required in order to damage most enclosed armoured vehicles, and aiming is complicated by the fact that the {{PAGENAME}} does not have a ballistic computer.
[[File:Mi-4AV convoy.jpg|thumb|{{PAGENAME}}s flying in formation carrying 96 x S-5K rockets]]

The 9M17M Falanga should be considered the main weapon of the {{PAGENAME}}. These missiles are semi-automatic (SACLOS), which means that the pilot does not need to manually fly the missile all the way to the target. It does, however, require that the pilot keep the sight crosshairs on the target in order to ensure a hit. This, in turn, means the helicopter must remain relatively stable, making it a vulnerable target. The Falanga has the longest range of all the anti-tank missiles available to starter helicopters (4 km vs. 3 km for the [[AS.11]]), which allows the {{PAGENAME}} to attack while remaining out of reach for most contemporary SPAA. It is also important to note that the Falanga has a minimum effective range of around 500–600 m.

The {{PAGENAME}} is also capable of carrying bombs up to 250 kg in weight. Their use is quite situational because they require the helicopter to fly over the target, which is quite risky in a helicopter as slow and fragile as the {{PAGENAME}}. In Realistic and Simulator battles, a time delay (2–3.5 s) should be set so the {{PAGENAME}} does not damage itself with its bombs.

== Usage in battles ==

Pilots should be aware this helicopter is not made for dedicated CAS (Close air Support), mainly because of some traits such as low top speed, big size, low manoeuvrability and zero countermeasures. Instead consider using it as tactical anti-tank support with mobile capacities around the allied half of the map, where it is far enough from enemy radars and anti-air vehicles.

The pilots must be alert of their surroundings, as they do not want to bring undue notice upon themselves. Ending being downed by a plane is a common situation. Strategy plays key in this helicopters ability to sneak into position, let loose a volley of rockets or zero-in an anti-tank guided missile onto an unsuspecting target. Use structures and terrain to act as shields when possible.

=== Mixed battles ===
It might be wise to use this helicopter only for ATGM duties in most long open maps, while benefiting from the rocket pods or bombs in close and cramped maps. Stay away from enemy tank packs and hunt light tanks flanking your team on the sides of the map with the rockets pods, or load ATGMs and become an efficient 4 km sniper. Multiple tactics for different maps. Trial and error should be made to ensure self-survival and team victory.

Do not forget to watch for any enemy aircraft spawning and be ready to swiftly return to base. Avoid staying around too much since helicopters are easily noticeable by sound and will be quickly taken down. Consider using this helicopter to control enemy offensives and defend points with ATGMs.

'''Night battles'''

Night battles, is possibly a decent moment to spawn with the Mi-4. Thanks to the NVD equipment, it has the visual upper hand against planes. The darker and the worst visibility, the easier will be for pilots on the Mi-4 to perform daring attacks. Always keeping in mind there are radars on the line, waiting for aerial threats. Stick to the Mi-4's rules of engagement during the daylight and you likely succeed.

'''Enemies worth noting'''

Just like it was historically considered, the NATO's tank represent the greater threat to the Soviet helicopter pilots.

* [[Gepard]] and [[Chieftain Marksman]]: The Marksman anti-air system available on these anti-aircraft is really dangerous on medium-long distances. With powerful radar, high turret rotation speed, and lethal cannons. They can open fire even before soviet pilots cross the horizon of the landscape thanks to their radar fire predictor. This is completely antagonistic for Mi-4's low speed and big size. The best odds is to make them a priority target and let loose a rapid rocket salvo. Their turrets are huge and with low armour, Mi-4's rockets will be capable of a precise dispatch.

* [[SIDAM 25]]: This Italian anti-aircraft's 4 cannons are extremely dangerous for your close attacks. They especially deadly on close-medium distances. The small size of this tank compared to other NATO's AAs make it harder to spot and once you get hit, it's unlikely you survive. As with most of the anti-aircraft vehicles, they have poor armour. Use an unguided rockets salvo to make them run for cover or take advantage of the long-range of your Falanga missiles.

* [[M3 Bradley|Bradley]], [[Warrior]] and [[Begleitpanzer 57|Begleitpanzer]]: These American, British, and German IFVs are not only threatening to ground vehicles, but also for low flying aircraft. They are well-armed, they equip a modern system of thermal optics and they are highly mobile. This means they will find helicopters comfortably anywhere on the map during the day or night and attempt to bring them down very hastily with their auto-cannons, ATGMs or time fuzed shells. The stealth and distance element is your best advantage versus them, avoid hurrying into the battle from obvious helicopter spawn points, instead opt for a short flank then get just barely altitude to engage them. Using things like trees and mountains as your reliable cover.

=== Role in the team ===
Once the Soviet Mi-4 pilots choose to spawn, there are several points they need to prioritize to actively boost their team during the battle.

* Where on the map are the enemy forces?
* Where on the map our forces need air support? (attempting to capture a zone for example)
* Is one of our capture points in need for defense? (quite often the enemy will even seize allied spawn point)

This will now let pilots ponder about how to engage, race slowly in, or stay far and use the Falanga ATGMs. The prudent tactic is usually to stay far but this may differ on different maps. Their role in the team can go about the ability to spot the threats from a greater and higher angle than the ground forces teammates. Effecting things such as opening a rocket salvo on a quick enemy flanker will enable the team to notice and destroy the threat. If the Mi-4 hasn't yet. The 4 Falanga can be put to good use on skilled hands, defeating 4 enemies with them will surely setback the enemy's spawn points. Mi-4's S-5K can be used to suppress the enemy groups pushing, on urban maps for example. If the battlefield is safe or uncared enough, the helicopter is fully able to capture a distant point by landing inside it. Possibly, coordinate with the allied fixed-wing aviation for a multi-directional attack on the opponent's anti-aircraft locations.

Spawning, closing in, sighting, and engaging targets then retreating to then repeat. This all should be potential tactics to survive and actively support the team during the battle.

Also remember that;

* Despite the natural difficulties of the mode, Simulator mode is greatly rewarding due to the stealth element. Situationally allows to execute a more offensive close approach.
* The pilots should promote the habit of checking for enemy planes up before spawning. This will avoid imminent annihilation by enemy planes already on air.
* A group of Mi-4 is more like to survive than a single Mi-4. Don't be irresolute to call for backups or communicate with your teammates for a coordinated attack.

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:Radar_chart_Mi-4AV.png|thumb|Mi-4AV's attack helicopter capacities]]
'''Pros:'''

* Excellent payload options compared to other Rank V helicopters.
* Falanga missiles can outrange cannon-based SPAA.
* 12.7 mm turret machine gun can be fired in the ATGM shooter view.
* Relatively durable airframe.
* Comes with ATGM stock not requiring it to be researched like other starter helicopters

'''Cons:'''

* No armour or bullet-proof glass.

Huge, slow and not very manoeuvrable.

* Missile tracking field-of-view is quite narrow.
* Critical components (cockpit, engine, motor, and oil cooler) located close together
* No sight gyro-stabilization system for simulator modes.
* No ballistic computer.

== History ==

The Soviet Army Aviation owes its emergence mostly to the transport landing helicopter Mi-4. The Mi-4 paved the way for helicopter usage in the Soviet national armed forces.

The Korean War was the main impetus in which provided the need for a Mi-4 helicopter which started its official development in the early 1950s. At the time, the American military was widely using helicopters as a force multiplier which enabled troops to advance and reinforce areas much quicker than when travelling by vehicle or more to a pinpoint location without needing finding or building an airfield. Through the use of helicopters, rapid and large scale operations became a possibility that had yet to be exploited to its fullest. At this time, the Americans were using different types of helicopters to do various tasks, depending on what payload was needed. Light helicopters were used for duties such as taking wounded back to hospitals, means of communication and spotters for artillery units. More massive helicopters were utilised for delivering troops, vehicles, supplies and artillery directly to the battlefield. The Korean War demonstrated the increased need for a role which rotor vehicles could fulfil within the Armed Forces.

Once realising their folly of not developing helicopters for inclusion in the armed forces, Soviet leadership decided they needed to make up for lost time and get to work designing and building their helicopter force. In October 1951, the leading aviation designers of the Soviet Union were called to the Kremlin. As a result of the meeting, tasks for developing new rotor vehicles were given to the aviation designers. Here, the Mil Design Bureau specifically was assigned to the designing and creating a landing-transport helicopter which could carry up to 12 persons. Quick work was needed because experimental models were required to be ready for trials one year after receiving this assignment.

Mikhail Mil began to work on a solution; however, unbeknownst to many, he already had a head start on this project which he called the VD-12 or Vertolyot Desantniy (a landing helicopter) which was designed to hold 12 persons. The design of Mikhail Mil's had been around since the end of the 40s. However, it never went anywhere because nobody was willing to support the project at the time. The lack of support extended from the military through the highest leadership in the country because they did not understand the battlefield benefits this tool would provide their soldiers. It wasn't until the Soviets were spectators in the Korean War that they saw firsthand the effectiveness of helicopters on the battlefield.

Initially the VD-12 was designed to receive a 1,000 HP engine; however, when the helicopter was ready to begin construction and to receive it, the engine was determined not to be ready for the deadline trials. Mil was then required to redesign the VD-12 to accept a more powerful and heavy engine, the Ash-82 developed by Arkadiy Shevetsov which was a couple of generations newer than the Ash-73TK utilised on the Tu-4 bomber. This piston engine had proven itself an excellent engine when employed on various aeroplanes. To accept this new engine, the helicopter needed to be enlarged to adequately encompass it. Yakovlev DB had intended on providing the rotor, main rotor head, wobble plate, reduction gear and engine for the project, however that was for the smaller VD-12 and all that had to be scrapped for the newer and larger helicopter. Igor Sikorsky developed the S-55 (H-19) which was very similar in size and layout, and Mil decided to model the more modern and larger helicopter off of the aspects of the S-55 which applied to his larger helicopter. The Radial engine was placed in the front nose with the drive shaft passing through the cockpit and turning the rotor, which left the lower section of the helicopter to be a large cargo cabin. Again the cabin needed to be able to hold 12 troops or various military equipment which weighed up to 1,600 kg.

With this plan in action, designers were working almost around the clock to complete the schematics. Within four months of the project starting, the prototype was rolled out of the hanger and prepped for flight. With the radial engine firing, the rotor began to spin, however during acceleration of the motor; the blades started to bend severely, threatening to break apart and destroy the helicopter. The rotor was powered down, and the minds went to work attempting to figure out what the issue was. Mil settled on the problem being the rotors fluttering, which for aircraft surfaces bending or flexion which causes material fatigue and the parts disintegrate thus destroying the entire project. To validate this theory, special weights were built in one night and then installed on the blades. A repeat of the experiment was conducted, and the rotor behaved in a manner it needed to work correctly. Further testing created a blade which was constructed to eliminate any flutter.

Seven months after receiving their assignment to develop and build a helicopter, the first helicopter trials were ready to begin. While the first test had the helicopter tethered to the ground to prevent any mishaps, on the 3rd of June, Vsevolod Vinnitskiy made the first free flight in the new helicopter. At this point, the VD-12 was the most significant and most massive lifting helicopter in the World. With the completion of the state's trials, the VD-12 began mass production, and its name was changed to Mi-4 and was introduced into service the next year.

In many ways the Mi-4 surpassed the US helicopter H-19's capabilities as the rear of the Mi-4 could open up and through the use of a ramp, men, vehicles and artillery could quickly be loaded and unloaded. Also installed under the nose of the helicopter was a gunner position with a 12.7 mm machine gun. The Soviet military found many uses for the new helicopter beyond just transporting people and equipment, and as more equipment was outfitted, the helicopter also took on roles such as ground attack and submarine hunter. More than 3,000 Mi-4 helicopters were produced during its years in service and proved to be an essential force multiplier on the battlefield for the Soviet Armed Forces.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mi_4av Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:MI-4AV userphoto 1.png|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|lTR8bhL4BUc|'''The Mi-24 Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:47 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|h_Gng-eiEXE|'''The Shooting Range #113''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 06:00 discusses the Mi-4AV.|Ndj0AenHKN8|'''Mil Mi-4 Transport Helicopter Making Of - MADE in the USSR''' - ''Epic Soviet Documentaries''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[H-34]] - Sikorsky Choctaw
* [[H-34 (France)]] - French variant of the Choctaw

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5708-development-uh-1-and-mi-4-early-birds-en|[Devblog] UH-1 and Mi-4: Early Birds]]

{{AirManufacturer Mil}}
{{USSR helicopters}}

Mi-4AV

2024-07-04T05:34:22Z

U91965995: Minor edits to description

{{Specs-Card
|code=mi_4av
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The Mi-4 was designed as a response to the American H-19 Chickasaw and its effective deployment in the Korean war. Design and testing commenced in the early '50s, before being rushed into service in 1953. The Mi-4 would be adapted to many variants and see service with many countries around the world. One such variant was the '''Mi-4AV''' variant, where "AV" stands for "атаковать вооруженный" ("Atakovat Vooruzhennyy" — "Assault, Armed"). The Mi-4AV would serve a long and eventful life all around the world, from the orients of China to the deserts of Africa. Much like its American counterpart, after it was gradually phased out of military service, it was used in various domestic roles, including search and rescue, polar expeditioning, construction site cargo helicopter, firefighting, commercial flights, and much more.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' (NATO reporting name: ''Hound''), was introduced in [[Update 1.81 "The Valkyries"]]. The Mi-4AV is the starter helicopter for the Soviet tech tree, and at first seems very underwhelming, but once familiarized can be one of the best starter helicopters in the game. The Mi-4AV has access to the Falanga ATGM with 4 km of range which in the right scenarios can be very deadly to enemy tanks. Pilots of the Mi-4 must be very careful of the aircraft's underpowered engine and abysmal flight performance: due to being a piston-powered helicopter, the engine is somewhat inadequate at full combat loads, and the helicopter will feel even more sluggish than it already is. This makes the Mi-4AV a very easy target for most radar-guided SPAA at range, due to its inability to dodge incoming fire very easily. However, the 4 Falangas it carries can also engage enemy SPAAs at ranges further than any other helicopter at its Battle Rating, and can cause devastating damage if left uninterrupted. All in all, the helicopter lacks the agility of other, lighter helicopters found in other trees but boasts a high number of guided anti-tank missiles that have the furthest range of any ATGM on a starter helicopter and can deliver lethal long range fires if given the opportunity.

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

As a first generation transport helicopter, the {{PAGENAME}} is very slow, it is rare for it to reach 200 km/h. Additionally, the {{PAGENAME}} has a poor roll rate. When fully loaded, the performance deteriorates even more, making the helicopter an easy target. Pilots should keep this in mind when choosing the payload.

The newest pilots should not attempt to roll the helicopter more than 35°, since the {{PAGENAME}} is underpowered and cannot handle such manoeuvres. The weight will force the helicopter down (worse when fully loaded) and the main rotor will be unable to sustain the helicopter in this awkward position, making recovery impossible. The risk of stalling is significant, and it is recommended to set the the collective pitch to around 80% for cruising, and 100% only when climbing is needed.

It should be noted that even in hover mode, the underpowered engine will start overheating, forcing you to reduce engine power and slowing down the machine even more. Even once fully upgraded, this remains a burden. This is particularly important on hot weather maps such as [[Sinai]] or [[Tunisia]].

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 500 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 173 || 162 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}}
|-
! Upgraded
| 206 || 190
|-
|}

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

Unlike the later helicopters in the Soviet/Russian helicopter tree, the {{PAGENAME}} is essentially a transport helicopter with weapons strapped to it, and it carries no armour plating whatsoever.

The {{PAGENAME}} is also very vulnerable to engine damage because the engine is located in front of the pilot, in the nose of the helicopter, much like the [[H-34 (France)|H-34]] it was designed as a response to. This means that it will often take the majority of the hits from ground fire. Once the already underpowered engine is hit, this will deteriorate the performance even more, to the point where the helicopter may no longer be able to stay in the air. Getting the pilot knocked out is also not an uncommon experience, which will end a game in the Mi-4 very quickly.

The airframe itself is relatively resilient to machine gun fire, although cannons will easily rip the helicopter to shreds. The fuel tanks are self-sealing, but this will be one of the least hit parts on the helicopter.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
It is highly recommended to prioritise the K4V modification (to increase the amount of missiles carried )and any performance upgrades as soon as possible.

One relatively easy way to use this helicopter is to play on Arcade Assault mode where you can rearm constantly and help your team against waves of enemies AI, while also researching more modules for the more challenging mixed battles. Researching the bombs first will be highly useful against AI units in the Arcade Assault mode, but their use is rather limited in mixed battles. The S-5K rockets are of very limited use against the modern MBTs the AI uses.

Helicopter Enduring Confrontation can allow for greater profit and module research. However, it is risky to fly there, since there are a lot of technologically superior enemies (such as the [[Ka-50|Ka-50)]] that will make quick work of the Mi-4 with their long-range guided missiles, giving it little to no chance of survival. It is up to the pilots whether the risk is worth the greater reward.

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Heli-Armaments}}
What the {{PAGENAME}} lacks in performance and durability, it makes up for in armament. Of the Rank V helicopters it is easily the most heavily armed, once fully upgraded, capable of carrying rockets, bombs, and anti-tank missiles.

=== Offensive armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Offensive}}

{{main|TKB-481 (12.7 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 12.7 mm TKB-481 machine gun, nose turret (200 rpg)

The {{PAGENAME}} is armed with a single flexible TKB-481 machine gun. This gun has a limited arc of only +- 30° horizontally, -55° and 0° vertically. The gun possesses a decent amount of ammunition (200) and a high rate of fire (1,100 rounds per minute). This machine gun is mostly effective against soft vehicles and ground targets, such as artillery emplacements, armoured cars, trucks, and light vehicles. It lacks the penetration to damage anything heavier than some light tanks' roof armour.

Due to the limited arc and the relatively low calibre, air-to-air engagements relying on this machine gun can be difficult. It works best as a defensive armament against other light and poorly armoured helicopters such as the Franco–German [[Alouette (Family)]] and the American [[UH-1 (Family)|Hueys]].

=== Suspended armament ===
{{Specs-Heli-Suspended}}


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="4%" | 1 !! width="4%" | 2 !! width="4%" | 3 !! width="4%" | 4 !! width="4%" | 5 !! width="4%" | 6 !! width="4%" | 7 !! width="4%" | 8 !! width="4%" | 9 !! width="4%" | 10
| rowspan="6" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[FAB-100sv (100 kg)|100 kg FAB-100sv]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[FAB-250M-46 (250 kg)|250 kg FAB-250M-46]] bombs
| || || || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || || ||
|-
! [[S-5K]] rockets
| || || 16 || 16 || 16 || 16 || 16 || 16 || ||
|-
! [[9M17M Falanga]] missiles
| 1 || 1 || || || || || || || 1 || 1
|-
| colspan="11" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 500 kg
|-
|}

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

* 96 x S-5K rockets
* 2 x 9M17M Falanga missiles
* 4 x 9M17M Falanga missiles
* 6 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (600 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs (1,000 kg total)
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M-46 bombs + 4 x 9M17M Falanga missiles (1,000 kg total)
{{Navigation-End}}

The S-5 unguided rockets are available without research. They are not accurate and do not have a large explosive payload. Since it uses a shaped-charge warhead, a direct hit is required in order to damage most enclosed armoured vehicles, and aiming is complicated by the fact that the {{PAGENAME}} does not have a ballistic computer.
[[File:Mi-4AV convoy.jpg|thumb|{{PAGENAME}}s flying in formation carrying 96 x S-5K rockets]]

The 9M17M Falanga should be considered the main weapon of the {{PAGENAME}}. These missiles are semi-automatic (SACLOS), which means that the pilot does not need to manually fly the missile all the way to the target. It does, however, require that the pilot keep the sight crosshairs on the target in order to ensure a hit. This, in turn, means the helicopter must remain relatively stable, making it a vulnerable target. The Falanga has the longest range of all the anti-tank missiles available to starter helicopters (4 km vs. 3 km for the [[AS.11]]), which allows the {{PAGENAME}} to attack while remaining out of reach for most contemporary SPAA. It is also important to note that the Falanga has a minimum effective range of around 500–600 m.

The {{PAGENAME}} is also capable of carrying bombs up to 250 kg in weight. Their use is quite situational because they require the helicopter to fly over the target, which is quite risky in a helicopter as slow and fragile as the {{PAGENAME}}. In Realistic and Simulator battles, a time delay (2–3.5 s) should be set so the {{PAGENAME}} does not damage itself with its bombs.

== Usage in battles ==

Pilots should be aware this helicopter is not made for dedicated CAS (Close air Support), mainly because of some traits such as low top speed, big size, low manoeuvrability and zero countermeasures. Instead consider using it as tactical anti-tank support with mobile capacities around the allied half of the map, where it is far enough from enemy radars and anti-air vehicles.

The pilots must be alert of their surroundings, as they do not want to bring undue notice upon themselves. Ending being downed by a plane is a common situation. Strategy plays key in this helicopters ability to sneak into position, let loose a volley of rockets or zero-in an anti-tank guided missile onto an unsuspecting target. Use structures and terrain to act as shields when possible.

=== Mixed battles ===
It might be wise to use this helicopter only for ATGM duties in most long open maps, while benefiting from the rocket pods or bombs in close and cramped maps. Stay away from enemy tank packs and hunt light tanks flanking your team on the sides of the map with the rockets pods, or load ATGMs and become an efficient 4 km sniper. Multiple tactics for different maps. Trial and error should be made to ensure self-survival and team victory.

Do not forget to watch for any enemy aircraft spawning and be ready to swiftly return to base. Avoid staying around too much since helicopters are easily noticeable by sound and will be quickly taken down. Consider using this helicopter to control enemy offensives and defend points with ATGMs.

'''Night battles'''

Night battles, is possibly a decent moment to spawn with the Mi-4. Thanks to the NVD equipment, it has the visual upper hand against planes. The darker and the worst visibility, the easier will be for pilots on the Mi-4 to perform daring attacks. Always keeping in mind there are radars on the line, waiting for aerial threats. Stick to the Mi-4's rules of engagement during the daylight and you likely succeed.

'''Enemies worth noting'''

Just like it was historically considered, the NATO's tank represent the greater threat to the Soviet helicopter pilots.

* [[Gepard]] and [[Chieftain Marksman]]: The Marksman anti-air system available on these anti-aircraft is really dangerous on medium-long distances. With powerful radar, high turret rotation speed, and lethal cannons. They can open fire even before soviet pilots cross the horizon of the landscape thanks to their radar fire predictor. This is completely antagonistic for Mi-4's low speed and big size. The best odds is to make them a priority target and let loose a rapid rocket salvo. Their turrets are huge and with low armour, Mi-4's rockets will be capable of a precise dispatch.

* [[SIDAM 25]]: This Italian anti-aircraft's 4 cannons are extremely dangerous for your close attacks. They especially deadly on close-medium distances. The small size of this tank compared to other NATO's AAs make it harder to spot and once you get hit, it's unlikely you survive. As with most of the anti-aircraft vehicles, they have poor armour. Use an unguided rockets salvo to make them run for cover or take advantage of the long-range of your Falanga missiles.

* [[M3 Bradley|Bradley]], [[Warrior]] and [[Begleitpanzer 57|Begleitpanzer]]: These American, British, and German IFVs are not only threatening to ground vehicles, but also for low flying aircraft. They are well-armed, they equip a modern system of thermal optics and they are highly mobile. This means they will find helicopters comfortably anywhere on the map during the day or night and attempt to bring them down very hastily with their auto-cannons, ATGMs or time fuzed shells. The stealth and distance element is your best advantage versus them, avoid hurrying into the battle from obvious helicopter spawn points, instead opt for a short flank then get just barely altitude to engage them. Using things like trees and mountains as your reliable cover.

=== Role in the team ===
Once the Soviet Mi-4 pilots choose to spawn, there are several points they need to prioritize to actively boost their team during the battle.

* Where on the map are the enemy forces?
* Where on the map our forces need air support? (attempting to capture a zone for example)
* Is one of our capture points in need for defense? (quite often the enemy will even seize allied spawn point)

This will now let pilots ponder about how to engage, race slowly in, or stay far and use the Falanga ATGMs. The prudent tactic is usually to stay far but this may differ on different maps. Their role in the team can go about the ability to spot the threats from a greater and higher angle than the ground forces teammates. Effecting things such as opening a rocket salvo on a quick enemy flanker will enable the team to notice and destroy the threat. If the Mi-4 hasn't yet. The 4 Falanga can be put to good use on skilled hands, defeating 4 enemies with them will surely setback the enemy's spawn points. Mi-4's S-5K can be used to suppress the enemy groups pushing, on urban maps for example. If the battlefield is safe or uncared enough, the helicopter is fully able to capture a distant point by landing inside it. Possibly, coordinate with the allied fixed-wing aviation for a multi-directional attack on the opponent's anti-aircraft locations.

Spawning, closing in, sighting, and engaging targets then retreating to then repeat. This all should be potential tactics to survive and actively support the team during the battle.

Also remember that;

* Despite the natural difficulties of the mode, Simulator mode is greatly rewarding due to the stealth element. Situationally allows to execute a more offensive close approach.
* The pilots should promote the habit of checking for enemy planes up before spawning. This will avoid imminent annihilation by enemy planes already on air.
* A group of Mi-4 is more like to survive than a single Mi-4. Don't be irresolute to call for backups or communicate with your teammates for a coordinated attack.

=== Pros and cons ===

[[File:Radar_chart_Mi-4AV.png|thumb|Mi-4AV's attack helicopter capacities]]
'''Pros:'''

* Excellent payload options compared to other Rank V helicopters.
* Falanga missiles can outrange cannon-based SPAA.
* 12.7 mm turret machine gun can be fired in the ATGM shooter view.
* Relatively durable airframe.
* Comes with ATGM stock not requiring it to be researched like other starter helicopters

'''Cons:'''

* No armour or bullet-proof glass.

Huge, slow and not very manoeuvrable.

* Missile tracking field-of-view is quite narrow.
* Critical components (cockpit, engine, motor, and oil cooler) located close together
* No sight gyro-stabilization system for simulator modes.
* No ballistic computer.

== History ==

The Soviet Army Aviation owes its emergence mostly to the transport landing helicopter Mi-4. The Mi-4 paved the way for helicopter usage in the Soviet national armed forces.

The Korean War was the main impetus in which provided the need for a Mi-4 helicopter which started its official development in the early 1950s. At the time, the American military was widely using helicopters as a force multiplier which enabled troops to advance and reinforce areas much quicker than when travelling by vehicle or more to a pinpoint location without needing finding or building an airfield. Through the use of helicopters, rapid and large scale operations became a possibility that had yet to be exploited to its fullest. At this time, the Americans were using different types of helicopters to do various tasks, depending on what payload was needed. Light helicopters were used for duties such as taking wounded back to hospitals, means of communication and spotters for artillery units. More massive helicopters were utilised for delivering troops, vehicles, supplies and artillery directly to the battlefield. The Korean War demonstrated the increased need for a role which rotor vehicles could fulfil within the Armed Forces.

Once realising their folly of not developing helicopters for inclusion in the armed forces, Soviet leadership decided they needed to make up for lost time and get to work designing and building their helicopter force. In October 1951, the leading aviation designers of the Soviet Union were called to the Kremlin. As a result of the meeting, tasks for developing new rotor vehicles were given to the aviation designers. Here, the Mil Design Bureau specifically was assigned to the designing and creating a landing-transport helicopter which could carry up to 12 persons. Quick work was needed because experimental models were required to be ready for trials one year after receiving this assignment.

Mikhail Mil began to work on a solution; however, unbeknownst to many, he already had a head start on this project which he called the VD-12 or Vertolyot Desantniy (a landing helicopter) which was designed to hold 12 persons. The design of Mikhail Mil's had been around since the end of the 40s. However, it never went anywhere because nobody was willing to support the project at the time. The lack of support extended from the military through the highest leadership in the country because they did not understand the battlefield benefits this tool would provide their soldiers. It wasn't until the Soviets were spectators in the Korean War that they saw firsthand the effectiveness of helicopters on the battlefield.

Initially the VD-12 was designed to receive a 1,000 HP engine; however, when the helicopter was ready to begin construction and to receive it, the engine was determined not to be ready for the deadline trials. Mil was then required to redesign the VD-12 to accept a more powerful and heavy engine, the Ash-82 developed by Arkadiy Shevetsov which was a couple of generations newer than the Ash-73TK utilised on the Tu-4 bomber. This piston engine had proven itself an excellent engine when employed on various aeroplanes. To accept this new engine, the helicopter needed to be enlarged to adequately encompass it. Yakovlev DB had intended on providing the rotor, main rotor head, wobble plate, reduction gear and engine for the project, however that was for the smaller VD-12 and all that had to be scrapped for the newer and larger helicopter. Igor Sikorsky developed the S-55 (H-19) which was very similar in size and layout, and Mil decided to model the more modern and larger helicopter off of the aspects of the S-55 which applied to his larger helicopter. The Radial engine was placed in the front nose with the drive shaft passing through the cockpit and turning the rotor, which left the lower section of the helicopter to be a large cargo cabin. Again the cabin needed to be able to hold 12 troops or various military equipment which weighed up to 1,600 kg.

With this plan in action, designers were working almost around the clock to complete the schematics. Within four months of the project starting, the prototype was rolled out of the hanger and prepped for flight. With the radial engine firing, the rotor began to spin, however during acceleration of the motor; the blades started to bend severely, threatening to break apart and destroy the helicopter. The rotor was powered down, and the minds went to work attempting to figure out what the issue was. Mil settled on the problem being the rotors fluttering, which for aircraft surfaces bending or flexion which causes material fatigue and the parts disintegrate thus destroying the entire project. To validate this theory, special weights were built in one night and then installed on the blades. A repeat of the experiment was conducted, and the rotor behaved in a manner it needed to work correctly. Further testing created a blade which was constructed to eliminate any flutter.

Seven months after receiving their assignment to develop and build a helicopter, the first helicopter trials were ready to begin. While the first test had the helicopter tethered to the ground to prevent any mishaps, on the 3rd of June, Vsevolod Vinnitskiy made the first free flight in the new helicopter. At this point, the VD-12 was the most significant and most massive lifting helicopter in the World. With the completion of the state's trials, the VD-12 began mass production, and its name was changed to Mi-4 and was introduced into service the next year.

In many ways the Mi-4 surpassed the US helicopter H-19's capabilities as the rear of the Mi-4 could open up and through the use of a ramp, men, vehicles and artillery could quickly be loaded and unloaded. Also installed under the nose of the helicopter was a gunner position with a 12.7 mm machine gun. The Soviet military found many uses for the new helicopter beyond just transporting people and equipment, and as more equipment was outfitted, the helicopter also took on roles such as ground attack and submarine hunter. More than 3,000 Mi-4 helicopters were produced during its years in service and proved to be an essential force multiplier on the battlefield for the Soviet Armed Forces.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=mi_4av Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images

<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:MI-4AV userphoto 1.png|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
File:Mi-4AV WTWallpaper 007.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|lTR8bhL4BUc|'''The Mi-24 Family''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:47 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|h_Gng-eiEXE|'''The Shooting Range #113''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 06:00 discusses the Mi-4AV.|Ndj0AenHKN8|'''Mil Mi-4 Transport Helicopter Making Of - MADE in the USSR''' - ''Epic Soviet Documentaries''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[H-34]] - Sikorsky Choctaw
* [[H-34 (France)]] - French variant of the Choctaw

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5708-development-uh-1-and-mi-4-early-birds-en|[Devblog] UH-1 and Mi-4: Early Birds]]

{{AirManufacturer Mil}}
{{USSR helicopters}}

Bf 109 K-4

2024-06-07T08:11:13Z

U91965995: The 109 K-4 no longer sees B-29s; Change made accordingly

{{About
| about = German fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Bf 109 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=bf-109k-4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. The Kurfürst is the pinnacle of the famed [[Bf 109 (Family)|109 series]]. "Kurfürst," representing the letter "K" in the Wehrmacht phonetic alphabet, translates to "prince-elector", a reference to the Electors of the Holy Roman Empire. The K-4's frame is the last iteration and was focused on ease of production rather than performance, yet it features the best power to weight ratio and acceleration of any 109, turning this machine into a beast. However, the age of the design is reflected in its poor high-speed characteristics.

[[File:Bf109 K-4 billythekid 001.png|350px|thumb|left|]]

Use the plane's outstanding climb rate and speed retention. Boom and zoom tactics should be this plane's primary mode of fighting. It has good acceleration when using WEP. This grants the machine reasonable diving and climbing abilities. If chased, dodge away from the enemy with fancy manoeuvres without losing too much speed. In Realistic Battles, try to do a climbing spiral, but be sure to be in a higher energy state than the enemy! A miscalculation and the foe will have the opportunity for an easy deflection shot.

However, there are also downsides. The top speed can be reached quickly, yet the plane is not fast when stock. While it does have an edge in agility, it has bad low-speed manoeuvrability. Furthermore, foes will not usually engage in manoeuvring combat, rendering any manoeuvrability advantage moot.

The K-4 can outmanoeuvre these planes at medium speeds (<450 km/h IAS): [[P-51]] (all types), [[P-47D-28|P-47D]], [[Typhoon_Mk_Ib/L|Typhoons]] and the [[La-9]]. However, it will have a hard time dealing with other late Rank IV aircraft, especially Spitfires. It is highly recommended to use rudder during rolls, as this increases the roll rate dramatically. This is useful if when trying to force an overshoot or when avoiding shots.

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

[[File:Bf109 K-4 call me hyper 001.jpg|300px|thumb|right|]]
For the pilots who flew the Bf 109, it could be a brutal aircraft, with a cramped cockpit and poorly located controls and levers, the pilot could get a serious workout during a dogfight, but don't think this aircraft is not worth the time as a majority of Germany's top aces flew Bf 109s. The {{PAGENAME}} was the final iteration of the aircraft, there really wasn't much more which could have been designed into it to take it any further. In comparison to the early versions which saw combat in the Spanish Civil War, the K-4 was over 300 km/h faster at 2,000 m higher than the Bf 109A. The aircraft morphed from a two-bladed wooden propeller to a three-bladed metal propeller with 20 mm or 30 mm autocannons and 13 mm heavy machine guns over two paltry 7 mm machine guns.

The {{PAGENAME}} is meant to dance in the sky with its quick speed, fast rate of climb and excellent energy retention, it can be used to Boom & Zoom in the vertical, unlike many other aircraft which require wide swaths of space to make their attack runs and retreats. The manoeuvrability of the aircraft allows it to make tight turns or quick evasive manoeuvres, especially those which cause a faster and heavier enemy to overshoot and then become the target themselves. To truly compete as a dogfighter and to milk every last bit of speed and manoeuvrability out of the aircraft, the pilot will want to fly it in the clean configuration without the 20 mm gunpods. The gunpods add weight, but for this aircraft, in the worst possible location with one hooked up under each wing, messing with the aircraft's centre of gravity and hampering the manoeuvrability of the aircraft. While it can still fly and fight, the gunpods will make dogfighting a bigger challenge, however, expert pilots may be able to negate some of those factors through sheer skill and luck.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 685 || 665 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.3 || 21.1 || 18.0 || 18.0 || rowspan="2" | 333
|-
! Upgraded
|761|| 720 || 18.3 || 19.0 || 32.2 || 23.8
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 437 || 408 || 260 || ~13 || ~7
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 390 || < 450 || > 715
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Compressor
! Optimal altitude
! 100% Engine power
! WEP Engine power
|-
! Setting 1
| 6,900 m || 1,250 hp || 1,775 hp
|-
|}

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


* 60 mm bulletproof glass in front and rear of the pilot
* Fuel tank with 21 mm steel plate behind it, and 4 mm plates surrounding it
* Pilot's seat has 4 mm steel plates underneath, with 8 mm steel making up the backrest
* 10 mm steel plates surrounding rear bulletproof glass
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="150px">
File:BF 109 K-4 All armor.png|All the armour plates on the 109 K-4.
File:Fuel tank 109 K4.png|Picture of the giant fuel tank the pilot is sitting on (self-sealing).
File:Steel 21.png|Seat armour plates of the K-4.
</gallery>

Willy Messerschmitt's design of the Bf 109 is known for its very lightweight construction, eliminating any unnecessary devices, parts, and even structural spars to allow for the fastest that this fighter could be and still be a strong fighter. Part of this challenge was ensuring there was enough protection for the pilot and certain critical components without overburdening the aircraft and making it sluggish with the addition of too much armour. For this aircraft, it makes sense that all the armour is centred around the pilot as this serves two purposes, aiding in the protection of the pilot and two, protecting the fuel tank which the pilot literally sits on top of.

The pilot's protection from the front comes mainly from the 60 mm bulletproof glass windscreen, headrest and various plates of armour between 4 and 10 mm in thickness which makes up the seat and headrest. These plates aid in protecting the pilot from both frontal attacks generally associated from attacking bombers with defensive positions, and also from the rear when being chased by an enemy fighter. Though the fuel tank is self-sealing when it has been shot, 4 mm and 20 mm steel plating also surrounds the tank as the first line of defence against enemy machine gun rounds, however, incoming 20 mm rounds may not have any problems getting through.

When attacking a {{PAGENAME}}, unless you can aim autocannon shots to blow off a wing, the best bet will be to aim for the fuselage starting from right behind the pilot all the way to the propeller. Hitting within this range allows you to hit one of the vital components of the aircraft including the fuel tank, the pilot, any of the coolers or the engine itself. The most successful attacks will happen from underneath the aircraft or from the sides, where there is no armour protection. If, however, you find yourself tailing a {{PAGENAME}}, use short bursts to spook the pilot into manoeuvring where they end up exposing the large surface areas of the aircraft and then unload where the rounds will have less chance to ricochet and more chances of taking out this aircraft.

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

The true acceleration power of the plane is only achieved very late into the grind. Specifically, the Tier 4 Engine injection modification provides a significant boost and is a top priority. On the way there, all engine upgrades should be taken. 13 mm belts are helpful for removing tracer rounds. The 20 mm gunpods with belts and the gun upgrade are viable choices, but engine injection remains a priority.

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

{{main|MK 108 (30 mm)|MG 151 (20 mm)|MG 131 (13 mm)}}

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

* A choice between two presets:
** 1 x 30 mm MK 108 cannon, nose-mounted (65 rpg) + 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 600 total)
** 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, nose-mounted (200 rpg) + 2 x 13 mm MG 131 machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 600 total)

Typical for Bf 109s was having a Motorkanone mounted to shoot through the propeller hub. Usually, these aircraft were outfitted with a 20 mm autocannon, which pilots of earlier 109s will have already had experience with, however, the {{PAGENAME}} provides the pilot with the option to choose their Motorkanone of choice, either a 20 mm MG 151 or a 30 mm MK 108. In real life, the 30 mm autocannon tended to jam during combat and can do the same in-game, until that is the module is upgraded and jamming frequency will lessen. For the most part, the difference between the 20 and 30 mm autocannons is power vs. ammunition count.
[[File:Bf109 K-4 bomberpilot1784.png|400px|thumb|right|]]
The 30 mm round is a slow but deadly round and when fired at close range it can have devastating results on its target. A large disadvantage due to its size and weight, it also only carries 65 rounds, which makes it necessary for the pilot to exercise trigger control and only fire when they are sure the rounds will hit. On the other hand, the 20 mm, though powerful in their own right, will not have the same heavy-hitting power as the 30 mm rounds, however, the {{PAGENAME}} can carry 200 of these rounds which travel faster and can be fired more rapidly. Typically, if the {{PAGENAME}} pilot is going to play the role of a bomber interceptor, the 30 mm round will be the most effective, however, when used as to intercept fighters and attackers, the 20 mm Motorkanone will probably be the best bet.

Regardless of the choice of cannons, the pilot will also have access to two 13 mm heavy machine guns, which are mounted on the top of the fuselage engine cowling. Having 300 rounds per gun will allow the pilot to continue to spew out damage even when the autocannons have run dry. Another option is to separate the firing control for the autocannons and the 13 mm MGs and instead track and fire enemy targets with the machine guns, utilise them as range finders and when the pilot sees they have a good firing solution, they can then employ the autocannons, thereby saving valuable ammunition and ensuring there is enough when it is needed.

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

{{main|SC500K (500 kg)|MG 151 (20 mm)}}

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

* Without load
* 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb (500 kg total)
* 2 x 20 mm MG 151 cannons, gunpods (wing-mounted) (135 rpg = 270 total)

There are a few aircraft which are featured in War Thunder, which become monster planes when they utilise gunpods to increase their firepower. The {{PAGENAME}} is no exception, especially considering that each pod contains a single 20 mm MG 151 autocannon, each of which holds 135 rounds of ammunition. Attacking enemy aircraft with three autocannons and two machine guns can cause devastating results, however, since the additional guns are wing‑mounted, the pilot will need to calculate for convergence so as not to waste ammunition. While the fuselage weapons fire on the line of sight, the underwing cannons will need additional adjustment to converge at the correct point. A convergence set too far may mean a number of the rounds will easily miss the enemy aircraft, while setting the convergence zone too close will do the same.

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:Cockpit_Bf109k4.jpg|thumbnail|right|The Bf 109 K-4's instrument panel.]]

The MK 108 is a double-edged sword: nicknamed by the allies for its characteristic sound, the Jackhammer lives true to its name: It is slow but powerful, with its main purpose being the demolition of heavy objects, such as the [[B-17G-60-VE|B-17G Flying Fortress]]. However, its common purpose in War Thunder remains to hunt fighter planes. The cannon's rate of fire is surprisingly high for its calibre with 660 rpm, meaning that, while deflection shots can be made, absolute trigger discipline must be maintained, since the 65 rounds will last you less than 6 seconds of continuous fire. Furthermore, the Minengeschoß shells are very slow. One must either become very good at leading the shells or close the distance. Kills are generally done from 300 m away, if not closer. On the plus side, the damage is equivalent to most 37 mm cannons upon hitting. Tip: In order to better learn and understand the cannon's trajectory, do not fire in conjunction with the machine guns.

The two additional machine guns are best fired alone. The MG 131 features HE shells (named IAI in-game, meaning Immediate Action Incendiary) as the Tracer belt. Yet, they are only highly effective in Simulator battles, where they will deal good damage to control surface areas, causing inexperienced pilots to lose control. In Arcade and Realistic battles, however, the instructor will dampen any such effects. Here, the damage-based Stealth and Fighter belts fare better.

The plane should equip one of two load-outs: with either the single 30 mm cannon or two 20 mm cannons. The single 30 mm is very capable of taking out two to three bombers, and the low muzzle velocity matters less due to the size of the targets. Starting the battle with three 20 mm cannons makes the plane very capable of taking out fighters due to the high shell density and sheer damage output. A single 20 mm does not deal enough damage, and the 30 mm with gunpods is rather ineffective due to the differing muzzle velocities of the 30 mm and 20 mm cannons.

One method that can be utilised is the prop pitch technique. Most of the later 109s have this, but it is really effective in the 109 K-4. This technique is using Manual Engine Control (found in sim controls) to set your prop pitch to 100% but throttle to 0%. This will turn your propeller into a giant air brake and is very helpful in forcing overshoots of the enemy aircraft. It can also be very helpful in diving, where you might get dangerously close to your rip speed.

=== Effective Strategies ===

When using the K-4, make sure to always have an altitude advantage. If any enemy is approaching at a higher altitude and/or energy state, the best bet is to dive away. This will usually work, as the enemy will probably lose interest, or be shredded apart in the dive process. Once the plane reaches 450 mph (ca. 724 km/h), hit the brakes and start slowing down so as to not rip the {{PAGENAME}} apart. To retain energy, level off while diving occasionally.

When the {{PAGENAME}} is at a higher altitude, smart enemy pilots will try to steer clear. This can be easily countered with a quick boom-and-zoom. The 30 mm cannon will take care of anything it hits, even bombers. The 30 mm cannon is practically useless in head-ons, however, so don't ever get into one. Use the {{PAGENAME}}'s superior turn rate and energy retention to get the enemy into the crosshairs. Fire away at close distances!

The K-4 performs exceptionally well against certain enemy planes. A pilot should remain vigilant for targets that are currently engaged in or have recently concluded a dogfight, as they may have depleted energy levels. Employing the element of surprise can prove highly effective in such situations. Engaging bombers is a viable option, but pilots should employ strategies that mitigate the threat posed by their defensive gunners.

Enemies worth noting:

* [[F2G-1]] - Despite being a naval plane that's designed for carrier operations, it will always outperform the K-4 at any altitude. The most viable tactic is to ambush one that is engaged. Deflection shooting and accurate shot placement are required, or else the F2G will climb away and loop behind the K-4. Employing the MK 108 helps to ensure that the enemy is destroyed, since this plane can take a ridiculous amount of damage. Lastly, having a teammate to coordinate with can vastly raise the chances of survival.
* [[P-51 (Family)|P-51s]] - They will always try to boom-and-zoom the {{PAGENAME}}. Be on constant lookout for enemies coming from behind. If one is chasing and can catch up, pretend to not notice them. When they start shooting, duck and do a loop towards the ground to gain energy. The P-51 will have a lot of speed when it tries to attack, and fortunately, will have its controls locked up. The P-51 will also bleed far too much speed trying to catch up. Head into a 20-degree climb with WEP and then attack them from above.
* [[Spitfire (Family)|Spitfires]] - They are very tough to deal with, and will always out-turn the {{PAGENAME}}, with engagements ending with the Spitfire firing from behind. Spitfires should be attacked alongside two teammates at once. Make sure that the Spitfire gets overwhelmed, then attack the spitfire from behind. Retain enough energy so the {{PAGENAME}} can climb back up to safety if the Spitfire ends up manoeuvring to the plane's rear. When a Spitfire is on the {{PAGENAME}}'s 6, dive. The Spitfire has a lot of drag with its oddly shaped wings, and will not be able to keep up.
* [[Template:USA bombers|American bombers]] - While other nation's bombers have varying threat levels, all American bombers are bursting with .50 cal machine guns at almost every angle. As such, the best way to attack a bomber with numerous defensive armaments, the K-4 pilot should:

# Fly above the bomber at distances where they cannot shoot at the the plane.
# Make sure the {{PAGENAME}} is approaching at a faster speed than the bomber.
# Fly directly above the bomber and descend on it.
# Approach the bomber as fast as possible, and shoot at it when close enough.
# Turn away, and level out to keep speed, regardless if the target is destroyed. Re-climb and re-start as needed.

===Simulator mode tips===
In Simulator, the Bf 109 K is a capable fighter that can perform many tasks. It offers great flight performance with its smooth handling, fast speed, and impressive climb rate. Its nose-mounted armaments do not require any convergence setting, making it very easy to aim. The nose gently slopes down from the windscreen, offering great over-the-nose vision. There are also a few bomb options to choose from, which are beneficial for ground-pounding or base-bombing, although these are not its primary objectives. The K model has an improved canopy side with fewer frames, and the non-transparent armour headset is replaced by a clear bulletproof glass, allowing some rear views. The metal framing around the glass is also thinner than that of the G models, giving you a better field of view on the tail. Finally, an aspect that is often ignored is that, starting from the G-6 model, the rectangular reflector glass of the gun-sight is replaced by a bigger trapezium glass. It is vertically longer, allowing the pilot to move its head up more and still see the reticle, thus getting even better views over the engine.

Before Take Off:

Bring at least 30 minutes of fuel for prolonged patrolling and fighting. The convergence does not really matter, it might be anywhere between 250-600 m. Taking off in a late Bf 109 is harder than in other aircraft, so one should familiarise themselves with the earlier 109s. When taking off, the Bf 109 will shift severely to the left side due to the considerable torque, so consider setting keybinds for left and right brakes, as they are more effective at directional control than the rudder while on the ground. As the plane just lifts off the ground it will automatically roll to the left again due to the torque, so you must immediately roll a little right to keep it level, or the left wingtip will strike the ground.

;Fighting in the air

* Dogfighting in SB involves everyday RB tactics and manoeuvres such as the Immelmann, Split-S, scissor, barrel roll, etc. The Bf 109 K handles very sluggishly on the roll axis at low speed, so take this into account if dogfighting at low speed/altitude. You can even pull the elevator fully for maximum agility, but only if you pull gently and gradually will the Bf 109 K manoeuvre as you wish. If the stick is pulled harshly and suddenly, the plane will start swaying around and enter a flat spin. The aircraft can quite easily recover from a flat spin by fully deflecting the elevators downward and moving the rudder to the opposite side of which the plane is spinning; then wait until it starts a dive and gather some speed to pull up.
* If you want to engage bombers, consider bringing gunpods to maximise your damage output. Against late-war heavy bombers like the B-17 Flying Fortress, relying solely on the one central cannon might also work, but that requires more professional evading and longer aiming which is considerably more dangerous, as the bombers you see will be better armed. Choosing between the 30 mm and 20 mm gunpods is up to you. The extra two MK 108 will significantly boost your one-second burst mass and damage, which can be used to a very destructive effect for experienced pilots doing deflection shots, however the pathetic 35 rounds per gun will not last long in, for example, a "destroy enemy bombers" mission where there are ~10 aircraft to down. The pair of MG151 is more balanced in terms of ammo and velocity, although they do not pack as much punch in a short firing window. Still, with the powerful mine shells, one to three passes are enough to destroy any aircraft. In fact, gunpods can also be helpful in dogfights against certain fighters, as long as the performance of the enemy aircraft is inferior.

;Landing

Landing may need practice for some. It is easy at first: decelerate and descent towards the runway, deploy combat, takeoff, landing flaps and gears in this order, fly at ~210 km/h before touchdown. Now note that you must align the plane with the airstrip correctly before touchdown and do not yaw to one side too much when braking, as the undercarriages are so close together that they cannot support such lateral force, causing the plane to wobble on its tyres dangerously or even tilt towards one side, striking a wingtip into the ground.

=== 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
|-
|}
[[File:Bf109 K-4 jonigustavo 001.png|thumb|right|300px|]]

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very powerful engine when using WEP, providing excellent acceleration and climb rate
* Good performance at medium altitude
* Can carry additional armament
* 30 mm cannon will usually destroy anything that it hits
* Can research a nose-mounted 20 mm MG 151 cannon, making deflection shooting more reliable
* Exceptional high-speed manoeuvrability
* All weaponry mounted in the nose, allowing easy aiming without having to worry about convergence
* The only Bf 109 plane in the game that can carry a 500 kg bomb ([[SC500K (500 kg)|SC500K]])

'''Cons:'''

* Low ammunition count for the 30 mm MK 108 and the 13 mm MG 131
* 30 mm shell has low velocity and high drop, forcing gigantic lead angle on targets
* Flimsy airframe, prone to react heavily to damage
* Stock 13 mm machine gun belts consist solely out of tracers which alerts the enemy, makes aiming the 30 mm difficult
* Fighters with lower top speeds but better low altitude performances (such as Russia's La-7 fighters) will find it quite easy to shoot down the K-4 when at a low‑energy state
* Very slow-deploying flaps
* In Simulator, canopy frames and razorback greatly limit the all-round view; huge engine torque causes severe drifting on takeoff

== History ==

=== Design and development ===
Throughout the 1920s and 1930s, the Luftwaffe (German Air Force) moved ahead at break-neck speeds to develop civilian aircraft which secretly doubled as military fighters and bombers, requiring only minor modifications for militarisation. Aircraft designated as transport and airline variants could easily be converted to bombers, and the initial Bf 109 was no different in its purposes. The birth of the Bf 109 started out as a requirement from Hermann Göring, Reichsminister of Aviation, proposed to the newly appointed Theo Croneiß of Bayerische Flugzeugwerke (BFW, Bavarian Aircraft Works). The requirement was for a single-seat high-speed courier plane, obviously, one which could be converted into a fighter when the time required. At the same time this requirement went out, the Reichsluftfahrtministerium's (RLM, Reich Aviation Ministry) Technisches Amt (C-AMT) or technical department was tasked with projecting aircraft requirements for potential future air combat and of the four main types determined to be essential, single-seat fighter requirements were published as L.A. 1432/33.
[[File:Bf109 K-4 wallysonbf 001.png|thumb|right|300px|]]
These fighter requirements were as follows:

* Top speed – 400 km/h (250 mph) at 6,000 m (19,690 ft) maintained for 20 minutes
* Total flight duration – 90 minutes
* Critical altitude of 4,000 m reached within 17 minutes
* Operational ceiling – 10,000 m (32,810 ft)
* Armed with 1 x 20 mm Motorkanone and two 7.92 mm machine guns
* Rated performance in the order of level speed, rate of climb and manoeuvrability

During the early years of BFW, Willy Messerschmitt designed the transport aircraft the BFW M.20, however due to several high-profile crashes of these transport aircraft, one of which included test pilot Hans Hackmack, a close friend of Erhard Milch (at the time, head of Luft Hansa and the German civil aviation authorities). With Erhard Milch, a lifelong hatred developed when Messerschmitt responded very callously to events about the crash. During this time, BFW went bankrupt and Messerschmitt went to work designing aircraft for a Romanian airline company. At the time requirements for L.A. 1432/33 were published, Messerschmitt was called back to Berlin and basically told his efforts were to be used for the Fatherland. Messerschmitt acquiesced and was given the specifications for the potential fighter, which after review, he proceeded to relate a very unfavourable opinion of the fighter as if built as described, the fighter would be literally obsolete as it rolled off the assembly line and unable to catch up to even medium bombers. After hearing the report and seeing the truth in Messerschmitt's words, the Technisches Amt awarded BFW the contract to build a fighter aircraft and Willy Messerschmitt was given free rein over the design of the aircraft.

Messerschmitt began design of the P.1034 (later known as Bf 109), and much like its older transport sibling the Bf 108, the new fighter was developed based on Messerschmitt's lightweight construction principle, the basis of which was to minimise the number of separate parts used, which would speed up construction and lead to ease of maintenance. For example, many of the main connection points for the airframe, engine frame and wings all had their connecting load points at the firewall. Another example was having the landing gear attached to the fuselage and not the wings, which allowed for removal of the wings without having to support the aircraft on jack-stands and also reduced the stress on the wing roots during takeoff and landing. One tell-tale sign of a Bf 109 is the landing gear slightly splayed outwards, this was to increase the stability of the aircraft while taxiing on the ground by providing a wider track, making it less prone to flipping over.

Forethought was put into the aircraft, especially for mechanics which would service the aircraft on the front-lines of battle. The entire engine cowling, weapon hatches, and other maintenance access panels could be removed, allowing the mechanics full access to service, repair and even replace critical parts on the aircraft with little difficulty. Pipe connections were colour-coded and electrical cabling plugged into junction boxes, this innovative design allowed for the swift replacement of old engines with new ones, a process that typically took only a matter of minutes. This level of efficiency and ease was unparalleled in most military aircraft of the time.

While a high-speed requirement would necessitate a small wing to decrease surface area, Messerschmitt knew this would require a more powerful engine to generate enough lift to maintain flight. The wings of the Bf 109 had several modifications which would compensate for these issues to include high-lift devices such as automatically opening leading edge slats and trailing edge flaps which had a large camber to allow for a significant increase in lift when deployed. To help increase the overall flap effectiveness, the ailerons would also "droop" to aid in the flap's work. The aircraft's weapons were all centrally located in the fuselage, with the large cannons mounted in the propeller hub and the machine guns located in the upper fuselage, leaving the wings to be very thin and light. This allowed for a significant increase in manoeuvrability.

Messerschmitt was ahead of his time, this was noted when the Bf 109 went to trials. Most experienced military pilots were seasoned World War I pilots who spent their time flying biplane fighters such as the He-51, aircraft with two sets of wings, an open cockpit, low wing loading and light g-forces, one look at the new Bf 109 produced sour reactions, especially from stunt and ace pilot Ernst Udet. At first, Udet had serious doubts about the Bf 109 and requested directly from Messerschmitt to remove the canopy to allow the pilot to judge the aircraft's speed through the air stream and to add a second wing with struts and wires; otherwise the aircraft was destined to fail as a fighter. Udet's initial test flight of the Bf 109 drastically changed his opinion of the revolutionary new fighter, forever altering how Germany designed and manufactured their fighters.

Throughout the years, the Bf 109 went through many iterations involving upgrades and fine-tuning. The last of the series was the Bf 109 K series, also known as Kurfürst. Unfortunately for this series, it was a compilation of model upgrades, modification kits and factory conversions which ultimately made both the production and maintenance of this aircraft a literal nightmare in both cost and complication with its maintenance. Due to problems with the series production and the late stage of the war when it entered, the K-4 model was the only version to be mass-produced. External changes included moving the radio equipment hatch, fuselage fuel tank filler point, the direction-finding loop and the addition of a retractable tail-wheel with clam-shell doors. Armament would include a 30 mm Motorkanone and two 13 mm machine guns with options to attach bombs or 20 mm cannon gondola-style pods; however, the suspended armament was rarely utilised. Between November 1944 and March 1945, a total of 1,593 Bf 109 K-4 fighters were produced, one in four Bf 109s listed in front-line fighting units was a Bf 109 K-4. Unfortunately, at this point in the war, the Bf 109 K-4 had two things going against it, first was the appearance of jet fighters which nullified any advantages the K-4 had achieved and secondly, the hastily trained novice pilots at this point of the war could not exploit the K-4's advantages which would eventually come from experience.

{{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 Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a single-seat monoplane fighter used by the Luftwaffe before and during WWII. It was used as a fighter, interceptor, high-altitude interceptor, fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.

The Bf 109K "Kurfuerst" was the last mass-produced variant of the Bf 109 family. It first reached front-line units in September 1944 (or early 1945, according to other data). The fighter was powered by the Daimler-Benz DB 605 DCM engine and had more powerful armament, with some variants equipped with two 15 mm or three 30 mm cannon.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=bf-109k-4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<div><ul>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Bf109 K-4 speedsteer1944.jpg|thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
<li style="display: inline-block;"> [[File:Bf109 K-4 *olfie- 001.jpg |thumb|none|250px|]] </li>
</ul></div>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|0I9fzmNuJyE|'''Enjoying The Beast - Bf 109 K-4''' - ''Napalmratte''|xMZo89CWWuA|'''Bf 109 K-4 Propeller Pitch Technique''' - ''JZA80 98' Supra''|Luxss9DRoZU|'''Bf 109 K-4 Vs Spitfires - Techniques and Strategies''' - ''Green Fury''|nYXB_a0RA40|'''War Thunder Realistic: Bf 109 K-4 [High-G Resistant]''' - ''Jengar''}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* North American [[P-51 (Family)|P-51]] Mustang
* Yakovlev [[Yak-9]]
* Kawasaki [[Ki-61 (Family)|Ki-61]]
* Fiat [[G.55 serie 1|G.55]]
* [[IAR-81C]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/100367-messerschmitt-bf-109-k-4/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
* [https://www.chuckhawks.com/messerschmitt_Bf109.htm <nowiki>[Chuck Hawks]</nowiki> The Best Fighter of its Generation (1935-1945): Messerschmitt Bf 109]
* [https://www.luftkrieg-ueber-europa.de/en/how-good-was-the-messerschmitt-bf-109/ <nowiki>[Luftkrieg über Europa]</nowiki> How good was the Messerschmitt Bf 109?]
* [http://kurfurst.org/ <nowiki>[Kurfürst]</nowiki> The Messerschmitt Bf 109 Performance Resource Site]

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

Bf 109 F-4

2024-06-07T08:07:50Z

U91965995: Minor wording improvements / removed unnecessary con

{{About
| about = German fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Bf 109 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=bf-109f-4
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|cockpit=cockpit_bf-109f-4.jpg
}}

== Description ==

Dogfights over the English channel showed the Spitfire Mk. V outperforming the Bf 109 E at the time and led to the Bf 109 F series. The Bf 109 F "Franz" series was a significant improvement over the Bf 109 E. It featured the DB 601 E engine, which boasted an over 25% increase in power. The F-4 was also fitted with the [[MG 151 (20 mm)|MG 151/20]] cannon, which was a 20 mm cannon that could fire a variety of shells. It was mounted through the propeller hub, so it didn't need to be synchronized with the prop, which would've most likely lowered the rate of fire. Over 1,800 F-4s were built, ranging from the regular fighter version (F-4) to reconnaissance variants like the F-4/R3. The Bf 109 F-4 also largely solved the issue with the Spitfire Mk. V having a performance edge over 109s.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. Much like in real life, the F-4 is a substantial improvement over previous 109s. The DB 601 E engine greatly increases the 109 F-4's capability as a fighter and can easily out-climb many American aircraft, like the [[P-47D-25]] and [[P-51D-5]]. However, it is still quite a draggy aircraft, and the previously mentioned fighters can easily keep up with it. Furthermore, the MG 151 cannon has relatively low velocity, which can be difficult for new players to aim and lead well with. Although the DB 601 E provides a substantial power increase, it still has the same overheating issue as earlier [[Bf 109 (Family)|Franz variants]]. Constant WEP usage is not recommended, as it can greatly heat-soak the engine and make it difficult to utilize maximum power after some time. Manual engine control is highly advised.
== General info ==
=== Flight performance ===
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}

In the hands of a good pilot and employing energy fighting tactics this aircraft can outfly and outmanoeuvre most of the prop planes it faces even at higher battle ratings during up-tier situations due to its low energy loss in turns, high acceleration, high sustained climb rate and low stall speed. It is slower than the later model 109s but it has a better turn rate. The Bf 109 can fly very well at the deck and at high altitude making it a complete energy fighter.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| 641 || 624 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 20.0 || 20.7 || 16.4 || 16.4 || rowspan="2" | 363
|-
! Upgraded
| 691 || 665 || 18.1 || 19.0 || 24.5 || 20.0
|-
|}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="7" | Limits
|-
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
|-
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 437 || 408 || 260 || ~13 || ~6
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
|-
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
|-
| < 450 || < 390 || < 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
|-
| 4,950 m || 1,185 hp || 1,333 hp
|-
|}

====Engine performance====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine Name
! colspan="3" | Number present
|-
| colspan="3" | Daimler-Benz DB-601E 12-cylinder || colspan="1" | 1
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine characteristics
|-
! colspan="2" | Weight (each)
! colspan="1" | Type
! colspan="1" | Cooling
|-
| colspan="2" | 610 kg || Inline || Water
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Stock)
|-
! colspan="1" | Mode
! colspan="2" | Max
! colspan="2" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="2" | 1,065 hp || colspan="2" | 1,212 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="2" | 1,053 hp || colspan="2" | 1,200 hp
|-
! colspan="4" | Engine power (Upgraded)
|-
! Mode
! colspan="2" | Max
! colspan="2" | Take-off
|-
| ''Arcade'' || colspan="2" | 1,305 hp || colspan="2" | 1,452 hp
|-
| ''Realistic/Simulator'' || colspan="2" | 1,170 hp || colspan="2" | 1,318 hp
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | WEP Duration
|-
! colspan="2" | Arcade
! colspan="2" | Realistic/Simulator
|-
| colspan="2" | 25 seconds || colspan="2" | Infinite
|-
|}

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

The Bf 109 F-4, although a small plane, is a sturdy plane that can survive a lot of damage and retain much of its manoeuvrability when damaged. Its self-sealing fuel tanks increase the chance to put out a fire.

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

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

{{main|MG 151 (20 mm)|MG 17 (7.92 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 20 mm MG 151 cannon, nose-mounted (200 rpg)
* 2 x 7.92 mm MG 17 machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

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

{{main|SC50JA (50 kg)|SC250JA (250 kg)|MG 151 (15 mm)|Flam C 250 incendiary}}

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

* Without load
* 4 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (200 kg total)
* 1 x 250 kg SC250JA bomb (250 kg total)
* 2 x 15 mm MG 151 cannons, wing-mounted (gunpods) (125 rpg = 250 total)
* 1 x Flam C 250 incendiary bomb

== Usage in battles ==

[[File:Cockpits_Bf109F-4.jpg|thumbnail|right|The Bf 109 F-4's instrument panel.]]

'''Arcade Battles:'''

The Bf 109 F-4 performs at its best when used as an energy fighter. Its flight performance is impressive up to 6,000 m then decreases, so at the beginning of the match, you can outclimb most of the other planes at its rank and then energy fight them in the vertical Boom & Zooming from above. Its low stall speed and ability to prop hang even at less than 100 km/h at more than 40 degrees for many seconds makes it an ideal aircraft for spiral turns and snapshots. Bf 109's good turn rate and roll rate allows it to turn fight not only US planes but also Lavochkins and Spitfires which lose their energy at their first turn. If you engage in a dogfight with a superior turn fighter you can still out turn him by creating some separation and using frontal barrel rolls until the other plane turn by turn loses enough energy and finally its turning ability. It is not recommended to turn-fight Japanese planes or Yak fighters; if engaged on a turn-fight go to the vertical and use the spiral climb stall technique. The high acceleration, turn rate, climb rate, excellent stall characteristics, at all altitudes makes it a wonder to fly. All this gets significantly reduced when gondolas are added on. The 20 mm MG 151 cannon when used with Air targets belt that have a significant amount of Minengeschoß filled shells and is devastating which can be used for a precise fake out head-on or precise long-distance shots allowing you to start shooting as far out as 2 km.

'''Arcade with joystick:''' Although the plane still has a yaw wobble, it is low and can be mitigated with Realistic controls. You can set yaw non-linearity to 3.8 adding some dead zone and decreasing multiplier to stiffen and reducing the wobble. The pitch and roll work well and give good controllability.

'''Realistic Battles:'''

A very good energy fighter for its rank, the Bf 109 F-4 can out climb most opponents due to its high power to weight ratio. However, use of WEP must be limited or else the engine will overheat, although [[Guide to manual engine controls|manual engine control]] can remedy this. Despite that, it can Boom & Zoom and Rope-a-Dope well, although one must watch out for severe control stiffening around 650 km/h.

Unfortunately, the F-4's 15 mm additional gondolas do not increase the damage output much at all, while reducing flight performance. However, it is recommended you at least use it once to see how effective it is because depending on how you play it can really boost your kill abilities. For example, if you prefer to get into a dogfight, the additional weaponry will not be noticeably effective. However, if you fight in the vertical, where level speed and agility are not necessarily most important, the additional MG 151's can mean the difference between a kill or nothing at all.

The Bf 109 F-4 is not a great plane when compared to the other Rank 3 planes, but it is effective nonetheless. Do not try to kill a plane by coming behind it and giving them all you got- you don't have much. Instead, try to scare your prey into a turn by peppering it with your 7.92 mm MG 17s, and then blow its wing off with the cannon.

Word to the wise: the F-4 is a fairly good turner for its class; if you are chased by a [[F4U (Family)|F4U]], [[P-51 (Family)|P-51]], [[P-47D-25|P-47D]], [[F6F (Family)|F6F]] or [[Typhoon (Family)|Typhoon]], turn and destroy. The flaps give the F-4 an exceptionally tight turning radius. Combat flaps can be deployed at speeds up to 437 km/h, while takeoff and landing flaps up to 408 and 260 respectively. With flaps deployed, the Bf 109 F-4 has tighter turn radius than almost any fighter it can face bar Spitfires and Zeroes (it can even keep up with a Yak-3 provided the fight is a contest of radius and not rate), and thus excels at scissoring fights. Be advised though, the flaps react extremely slowly to commands and if you accelerate rapidly, you may lose them; and the manoeuvrability of the Bf 109 F-4 without flaps is unimpressive. However, to survive a tangle with a [[Spitfire (Family)|Spitfire]] is an ordeal. The best strategy would be to scissor until the Spitfire either runs out of ammo or overshoots you and then try to dive and outrun it. Then, repeat. Do not try to out-climb the Spitfire, but try to outrun it in a dive. The [[Spitfire Mk Vc]] is superior to the F-4, so avoid them.

It is important to note the distinction between a rate fight and a radius fight. The flaps of the Bf 109 F-4 produce a significant amount of drag, reducing the sustained rate of turn while tightening the turn radius.

'''Simulator Battles:'''

In Simulator, the Bf 109 F-4 is quite a friendly fighter that can perform many tasks. It offers great flight performance with its smooth handling, adequate speed, and impressive climb rate and turn rate. Its nose-mounted armaments do not require any convergence settings, making it very easy to aim. The nose gently slopes down from the windscreen, offering great over-the-nose vision. There are also a few bomb options to choose from which are beneficial for ground-pounding or base-bombing, although these are not its primary objectives. However, the Friedrich does have rather limited cockpit view obstructed by its numerous canopy frames. Rear view is significantly worse as a solid armour plate headset is added, preventing the pilot from seeing what is behind which can sometimes be fatal. It also behaves poorly during takeoffs due to its torquey engine.

Bring at least 30 minutes of fuel for prolonged patrolling and fighting. The convergence does not really matter, it might be anywhere between 250-600 m. Depending on the task you wish to complete (eg destroy enemy attackers), gunpods can be helpful, if available. Although they slightly worsen the flight performance, that extra burst mass can be the difference between a "Hit" and "Aircraft destroyed". Finally, you can set keys for vertical head movement, as lifting up your head a little helps improving the over-the-nose visibility.

Taking off in a Bf 109 F is considerably harder than a lot other aircraft. When taking off, the Bf 109 will shift severely to the left side due to the huge torque, so consider setting keybinds for left and right brakes, as they are more effective at directional control than the rudder while on the ground. As the plane is just lifting off the ground it will start rolling to the left due to the torque, so you must immediately roll a little right to keep it level, or the left wingtip will strike the ground.

Dogfighting in SB involves everyday RB tactics. Utilise common manoeuvres such as Immelmann, Split-S, scissor, barrel roll, etc. The 200-round magazine of the Bf 109 F-4 does allow you to fire slightly longer bursts at slightly longer distances, but getting close until the target fills up the reticle is still a good choice. Note: the Bf 109 handles very sluggishly in the roll axis at low speed, so take this into account if dogfighting at low speed/altitude. You can even pull the elevator fully for maximum agility, but only if you pull gently and gradually will the 109 manoeuvre as you wish. If maximum elevator input is harsh and sudden, the plane will start swaying around and enter a flat spin. The aircraft can quite easily recover from a flat spin by fully deflecting elevators downward and rudder to the opposite side of which the plane is spinning, and wait until it starts a dive and gather some speed to pull up.

If you want to engage heavy aircraft, it is best to bring the 15 mm gun pods to maximise your damage output. However relying solely on the one MG151 cannon might also work, but that requires more professional evading, aiming, and a few more shots. Against well-armed targets (e.g. B-25) you should perform deflection shots to minimise the time you are exposed to their gunners, whereas against well-armoured aircraft with average/no defensive firepower (e.g. early IL-2), tailing them may get the job done quicker. With the powerful mineshells, 1-3 passes are enough to destroy any aircraft.

Landing may need practice for some. It is easy at first: decelerate and descent towards the runway, deploy combat, takeoff, landing flaps and gears in order, fly at ~200 km/h before touchdown. If the plane bounces up with landing flaps, use takeoff/combat flaps instead to reduce lift. Note that you must align the plane with the airstrip correctly prior to touchdown and do not yaw/break one side too much when breaking, as the main landing gears are so close together that they cannot support such sideways force, causing the plane to wobble dangerously or even tilt towards one side, striking a wingtip into the ground.

=== 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:'''

* Nimble, compared to Soviet and American counterparts
* Lethal 20 mm ''Minengeschoss'' shells available
* Relatively good climb rate, possibly as good as a Spitfire or a maxed-out P-39 Airacobra
* Good sustained turn
* Faster than most opponents, such as the Spitfire Mk V, Yak-3, and La-5, especially at altitude
* Good performance at medium altitudes
* Better than the F-4 tropical variant due to higher engine power
* The 15 mm cannons have high penetration against ground targets when using the Armored Targets belt
* All weaponry mounted in the nose, allowing easy aiming without having to worry about convergence
* Flaps tighten turn radius significantly, can win duels against most planes that aren't turnfighters

'''Cons:'''

* Overheats quickly
* Additional armament can critically reduce performance, especially in a dogfight
* Poor cockpit visibility
* Gun pods can't load stealth belts, reducing the element of surprise
* Turns sluggishly at speeds under 190 km/h
* Priority target when in AB mode due to its reputation of destroying planes with relative ease, especially when equipped with MG 151/15 gun pods in addition to the offensive armament of MG 17 machine gun and MG 151/20 cannon, smart players will try to eliminate the Bf 109 F-4 first.
* Gun pods have low ammo count, compared to the 20 mm MG 151 gun pods accessible to the G-2 variant
* For Sim, the numerous canopy frames and razorback greatly limit the all-round view, and huge engine torque causes severe turning when taking off
* Flaps react slowly, require some practice to use

== History ==


In real life the flight characteristics of this plane were remarkable, the F model is considered the pinnacle of Bf 109 development, having the nicest flying characteristics of all versions. It has empty weight of 2,390 kg, and a gross weight of 2,900 kg. Powered by a 1,350 hp the Daimler-Benz DB 601E inverted-vee engine the BF 109 F4 had a power to weight ratio of a giving of 0,46. It reaches a maximum speed of 624 km/h (388 mph) and an impressive rate of climb of 3,000 m (9,845 ft)/2.6 min. It also had a high ceiling of 12,000 m (39,375 ft), but a low range of combat of 850 km (530 mi) with a drop tank limiting its usefulness as a local high altitude interceptor. In real life this plane although impressive had its limitations, it could do well vs any allied fighter below 6,000 m and above 3,000 m. It could out turn a P-51D and out-climb it but it could not out zoom climb, outrun or out dive a P-51D or a P-47D at high altitude. We have to remember that the Franz (F version of 109) appeared because the Spitfire MK.V was performing better than the Emil version the BF 109 E in the cross Channel duels after the Battle of Britain. The F version regained the edge over the Spitfire MK V at high altitudes. The 109 faced in the first year of the Soviet invasion a massive score as they faced outdated soviet aeroplanes like the I-16s but also performed well against the Lagg-3s and Yaks-1. The F model improved in power and speed on the G1 Gustav version with a 1,475 hp DB 605A Engine entering combat on July 1942 but it had not improved handling characteristics over the F model.

{{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 Messerschmitt Bf 109 was a single-seat monoplane fighter used by the Luftwaffe before and during WWII. It was used as a fighter, interceptor, high-altitude interceptor, fighter-bomber and reconnaissance aircraft.

The Bf 109 F variant, or "Friedrich", was a replacement for the Emil. Friedrich reached front-line units in the Autumn of 1941 and, by the middle of the following year, almost two-thirds of Luftwaffe fighter regiments were equipped with the variant.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=bf-109f-4 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|PJLUJNFD1Nw|'''The Shooting Range #224''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:53 discusses allied efforts to capture the {{PAGENAME}}.|7wUT8anIIw0|'''Realistic: {{PAGENAME}} [German Engineering at its Best]"''' - ''Jengar''}}

== See also ==


;[[Bf 109 (Family)|Related development]]
* [[Bf 109 F-4 (USA)]]
* [[Bf 109 F-4/trop]]
* [[Bf 109 F-4 (Italy)]]

;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
* Macchi [[C. 205 serie 3]]
* Fiat [[G.55 sottoserie 0]]
* Kawasaki [[Ki-61-I tei]]
* Kawasaki [[Ki-100]]

== External links ==


* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/155545-messerschmitt-bf-109-f-4/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]

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

FIM-92 Stinger

2024-06-04T06:18:46Z

U91965995: Usage in Battles section added

[[File:Weapon FIM-92 Stinger.png|thumb|right|x250px|The FIM-92K missile after being launched from a Ozelot.]]

== Description ==

The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an American infrared homing surface-to-air missile. It exists in two variants: FIM-92E and FIM-92K, and was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]]. It is also known as the "'''Fliegerfaust 2 Stinger'''" in German service. The Stinger is what is commonly known as a MANPADS missile - short for MAN-Portable Air Defense System - and was developed to be portable and self-reliant. As such, the missile comes equipped with an Infra-Red Counter-Countermeasure (IRCCM) seeker, meaning it can reject enemy flares with devastating accuracy and home in straight towards an enemy aircraft. While lacking in range compared to larger, bulkier SAM systems such as the [[Tor-M1]] or [[ADATS]], the significantly more discreet hulls and moderate range of 6 km means just as in real life these missiles can pose a threat at a moment's notice.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|germ_flakpz_1a2_Gepard}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_lav_ad}}
* {{Specs-Link|il_machbet}}
* {{Specs-Link|germ_wiesel_2_adwc}}

== General info ==


The FIM-92E and 92K are identical outside of the 92K having a proximity fuse of 1 meter, noticeably increasing its lethality in cases of near misses.

{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | FIM-92E characteristics
|-
| '''Calibre''' || 70 mm
|-
| '''Mass''' || 10.1 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || IR
|-
| '''IRCCM''' || Yes
|-
| '''Aspect''' || All-Aspects
|-
| '''Lock range in rear-aspect''' || 11 km (6.84 mi)
|-
| '''Lock range in all-aspects''' || 6 km (3.73 mi)
|-
| '''Launch range''' || 5 km (3.11 mi)
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 670 m/s
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 13 G
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 15 secs
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 540 g TNTe
|-
| '''Fuze delay''' || 1 m
|-
| '''Fuze Sensitivity''' || 0.1 mm
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | FIM-92K characteristics
|-
| '''Calibre''' || 70 mm
|-
| '''Mass''' || 10.1 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || IR
|-
| '''IRCCM''' || Yes
|-
| '''Aspect''' || All-Aspects
|-
| '''Lock range in rear-aspect''' || 11 km (6.84 mi)
|-
| '''Lock range in all-aspects''' || 6 km (3.73 mi)
|-
| '''Launch range''' || 5 km (3.11 mi)
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' ||670 m/s
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 13 G
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 15 secs
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 540 g TNTe
|-
| '''Fuze delay''' || 1 m
|-
| '''Fuze Sensitivity''' || 0.1 mm
|-
| '''Trigger Radius''' || 1 m
|}

=== Effective damage ===

The Stinger produces somewhat low shrapnel. This is not to say the missile lacks lethality as some people like to claim, but as it is a man-portable missile its warhead simply isn't as large as conventional SAMs. A hit will usually prove fatal to almost all aircraft, but more resilient aircraft such as the [[Su-25 (Family)]] may occasionally survive a direct hit. It is however to be noted that often when a Su-25 is hit the aircraft itself may ''seem'' fine, but usually suffers irreparable damage to the control wires or fuel tanks in the process, so regardless of any situation firing off more than 2 Stingers at any aircraft is inadvisable.
=== Comparison with analogues ===

The Stinger is similar to its contemporaries which include but are not limited to the [[9M39 Igla | 9M39]], [[Type 91]], and [[Mistral SATCP | Mistral]] MANPADS class missiles. The 9M39 is roughly equivalent to the Stinger with a similar explosive warhead content and no proximity fuse like the FIM-92E, flying at a slightly slower speed and with a worse all aspect lock range, whereas the Mistral is closer to being a direct upgrade instead with more Gs pulled, a faster firing speed and a warhead with three times more filler. All in all, the Stinger is adequately balanced between practicality and efficiency.
== Usage in battles ==

Stingers are best used when an enemy plane is further away than gun range but is still causing you problems. Within an approximately 6 kilometer bubble around your vehicle, a Stinger launched with reasonable margins to the enemy will score a direct hit so long as the enemy does not actively dodge the missile. It is preferable that the missile is launched front aspect when it comes to maneuverability as it is more tricky to dodge a front aspect 10G missile than it is a rear aspect one - but it is also to be noted that this gives the enemy a chance to react. A good use for Stingers is to wait for an enemy aircraft to make a swooping pass, and then shoot the missile at the six of said enemy who will usually only be focusing on gaining some distance between the anti-aircraft systems and themselves. When doing this, it is also helpful to lead the missile - Stingers only pull in the low 10s of Gs, and as such giving the missile a figurative boost can and will often be the difference between a hit and a miss.

Against enemy rotary aviation the Stinger struggles more, unfortunately. The lack of an electro-optical track like its Strela contemporary means that if the seeker fails to see the helicopter you may be stuck staring at a helicopter 3 kilometers away leisurely taking care of your teammates with an unresponsive missile. In this case, it is advisable to try and get closer if possible, or to avoid areas with terrain clutter to reduce the chances of an unsuccessful lock.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fire-and-forget
* IRCCM makes it highly resistant to flares once launched
* K variant has a proximity fuse

'''Cons:'''

* Low overload of only 13 G sees that the missile is defeated by most defensive manoeuvres
* 6 km all aspect range is outranged by some AGMs
* Bad Short-Range Guidance
* Small Warhead
* Low Missile Guidance Time (15s)

== History ==


===Stinger Development===
In the 1960s, the US military's standard man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) was the FIM-43 Redeye, a missile launcher developed by Convair/Ponoma. However, the Redeye missiles were deemed to be too slow, unmanoeuverable, and could not distinguish its target source well enough to be an effective anti-aircraft weapon.<ref name="FAS_Stinger">Pike and Sherman 2000</ref> A program for an improved missile was launched in 1967, titled Redeye II. This new missile program was part of the Advanced Sensor Development Program, which sought to give the man-portable missile an all-aspect seeking capability. By 1971, Redeye II was chosen as the next standard MANPADS missile, and was given the designation FIM-92. The name of the program was eventually changed in March 1972 into the '''Stinger'''.<ref name="DS_Stinger">Parsch 2005</ref>
[[File:Sergeant shoulders the first Stinger to come off the production line.jpg|x250px|thumb|left|none|A US Army Sergeant shoulders a FIM-92 Stinger.]]

The contract to develop the missiles went to General Dynamics in June 1972.<ref name="FAS_Stinger" /> The first tests with the missiles began in November 1973, though technical problems caused delays that the first missile was only fired shoulder-launched in 1975.<ref name="DS_Stinger" /> The Stinger Production Qualification Test-Government (PQT-G) began in April 1976.<ref name="AT_Stinger">Army Technology "Stinger Man-Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS)"</ref> The PQT-G concluded in 1977, and resulted in a mass production contract in April 1978 for General Dynamics to produce the FIM-92A Stinger missiles. The missiles reached the US military, where the Stinger missiles reached IOC (Initial Operational Capability) status in February 1981, resulting in the Stinger's steady replacement of all other MANPADS in service. The basic model, the FIM-92A, featured a cooled conical-scan IR seeker that allowed all-aspect acquisition and homing abilities as well as a AN/PPX-1 Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF) system.<ref name="FAS_Stinger" />

Improvements into the FIM-92 stingers led to succeeding variants. The FIM-92B started development in 1977. It is also known as Stinger-POST (Passive Optical Seeker Technique) and featured an improved IR/UV seeker to better distinguish countermeasures. The next version, the FIM-92C began development in 1984 and was named as Stinger-RMP (Reprogrammable MicroProcessor). Introducing a new microprocessor that was reprogrammable, the Stinger-RMP allowed the Stinger platform to adapt to new threats and countermeasures without requiring a new missile design. The Stinger-RMP became the basis of the succeeding FIM-92D to G variants, which featured various improvements on the Stinger-RMP capabilities.<ref name="FAS_Stinger" />

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

== See also ==


* [[ATAS (AIM-92)]] - Helicopter-borne variant of the Stinger

== External links ==


=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Army Technology. "Stinger Man-Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS)." ''Army Technology'', Verdict Media Limited, [https://www.army-technology.com/projects/stinger-man-portable-air-defence-system-manpads/ Website]. Accessed 07 Apr. 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210407164547/https://www.army-technology.com/projects/stinger-man-portable-air-defence-system-manpads/ Web Archive]).
* Parsch, Andreas. "FIM-92" ''Designation Systems'', 14 Feb. 2005, [http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-92.html Website]. Accessed 07 Apr. 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210407163825/http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-92.html Web Archive]).
* Pike, John; Sherman, Robert. "FIM-92A Stinger Weapons System: RMP & Basic." ''Federation of American Scientists - Military Analysis Network'', 09 Aug. 2000, [https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/stinger.htm Website]. Accessed 07 Apr. 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210407163553/https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/stinger.htm Web Archive]).

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

ZSU-23-4

2024-06-04T01:29:17Z

U91965995: New Description Project

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

== Description ==


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

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

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

==== Ammunition ====

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

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

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

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

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

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

== Usage in battles ==


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

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

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

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

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

'''Cons:'''

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

== History ==


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

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

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

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

== Media ==


;Skins

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

== See also ==


'''Similar role in USSR'''

* [[BTR-ZD]]

'''Analogues in other nations'''

* [[M163]]
* [[SIDAM 25]]
* [[AMX-30 DCA]]

== External links ==


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

{{USSR anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Ratel 20

2024-05-28T00:59:48Z

U91965995: New Description Project

{{About
| about = British light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Ratel (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_ratel_20
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


The Ratel family of IFVs came to be in 1976 in South Africa to meet the needs of the South African Army. It pioneered many different areas of IFV development, such as being the first IFV in the world of a wheeled design to enter service worldwide, and the introduction of mine-protecting hulls on IFVs. The choice of a wheeled hull was due to the region's expansive deserts and relative lack of harsh terrain, as well as the longevity provided by wheels over tracked vehicles of similar types in maintenance. The Ratel 20 was the base variant of the Ratel family of IFVs, equipped with a 20 mm autocannon and MILAN anti-tank guided missiles. During its service with various militaries and international organizations, some of which still use the Ratels in active service, the Ratels provided valuable mobility and firepower to the lowest levels of the army, but were also often forced into situations beyond what they were originally designed for.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} British light tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]]. Keeping in line with the previous [[Ratel 90]], the Ratel 20 is in terms of chassis virtually unchanged. The only noticeable difference from the Ratel 90 is the turret and as a result the tank's armament, switching out the low velocity 90 mm gun for the original base configuration of a 20 mm autocannon and 7 MILAN ATGMs. This brings with it some playstyle changes, such as being able to use terrain more aggressively due to the increased gun depression, while losing the ability to directly go through enemies with the autocannon. As the hull is underpowered for both the Ratel 20 and 90, it is recommended that you pick ground that has relatively mild terrain features (but not none) to utilize your tank's above average gun angles but also level enough that your tank doesn't struggle moving up and down a hill.

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

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret, cupola)
* Cast homogeneous armour (gun mantlet)
* Wheel (tires, suspension rods)
* Bulletproof glass (driver windows)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 15 mm (30°) ''Front plate'' 10 mm (75°) ''Upper Glacis'' 20 mm (30°) ''Lower plate'' || 8 mm (26°) ''Top'' 10 mm (2-27°) ''Bottom'' || 10 mm (0-43°) || 6 mm
|-
| Turret || 12 mm (30°) ''Turret front'' 12 mm (8°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 10 mm (17-21°) || 10 mm (16°) || 10 mm (16°) ''Front part'' 10 mm ''Rear part'' 8 mm ''Gunner hatch''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" | 8-10 mm (spherical) || 8 mm (46-85°) ''Hatch''
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Wheels and suspension are 10 mm thick.

* Belly is 8 mm thick.
* Unlike Ratel 90, the radiator's armour is 10 mm instead of 5 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=437|rbMinHp=249}}

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

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

{{main|GI-2 (20 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[GI-2 (20 mm)|20 mm GI-2]] || 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" | 1,200 (150) || rowspan="2" | 750 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+38° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 22.7 || 31.4 || 38.1 || 42.1 || 44.8 || rowspan="2" | 10.40 || rowspan="2" | 9.20 || rowspan="2" | 8.48 || rowspan="2" | 8.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.2 || 16.7 || 20.2 || 22.4 || 23.8
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''M594:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''M601:''' {{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HVAP-T|High-velocity armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:GI-2 (20 mm)/Ammunition|HVAP-T, HEFI-T}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''10''' '''1,200''' || ''Clips'' ''Rounds'' || 9 ''(+1)'' 1,080 || 8 ''(+2)'' 960 || 7 ''(+3)'' 840 || 6 ''(+4)'' 620 || 4 ''(+6)'' 480 || 3 ''(+7)'' 360 || 2 ''(+8)'' 240 || 1 ''(+9)'' 120 || Yes
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Ammunition is modelled as 10 clips of 120 rounds.
* The visual discrepancy concerns the number of clips: 10 clips can be fired but only 8 are modeled.

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

{{main|MILAN}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[MILAN]] missile
|-
! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
|-
| 7 || ±5° || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:MILAN/Ammunition|MILAN}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''7''' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Missiles are modeled individually and disappear after having been launched.
* It is not possible to select how many missiles to bring into battle.
* The missiles deplete from 1 to 7.

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|4}}

{{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 || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
| Pintle || 3,000 (250) || 500 || -10°/+3° || ±120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

Use your excellent mobility on roads to flank the enemy and use your autocannon to hit side and rear armour. If you ever come face to face with a heavily armoured vehicle, use your ATGM. On rough terrain, support your teammates and use your ATGMs to pick off targets passing by. You can also help repair teammates and destroy lightly-armoured targets with your autocannon. Since your 20 mm isn't very useful against most tanks from the front, use it to take out tracks and gun barrels. The ratel is very long and hard to hide so always be careful that you are not exposing sections of your vehicle that the enemy can see.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* [[MILAN]] ATGM has good penetration values and overpressure capabilities
* Ratel chassis is decently mobile once fully upgraded; also great reverse speed of 17 km/h
* 20 mm GI-2 gun has a high rate of fire and a useful elevation of +38°; perfect against low flying aircraft

'''Cons:'''

* Large size; difficult to conceal and manoeuvre on urban maps
* No stabilizer; the vehicle must stop to use the GI-2 cannon effectively
* Low engine power; the wheels also struggles on snow, sand or mud
* GI-2 cannon has poor performance against sloped thin armour as those on [[BMP-1 (Family)]], [[R3 T106 FA]] or [[AUBL/74]]
* Armour is unreliable and poor; only 3 crew members and a large ATGMs rack

== History ==

'''Development'''
[[File:Ratel-20.jpg|alt=A UN Ratel-20 IFV in the Royal Tank Museum, Jordan.|left|thumb|A UN Ratel-20 IFV in the Royal Tank Museum, Jordan.]]
Named after the tenacious honey badger<ref>Scheepers, M., Pretorius, F. (2021) 'Loss of military equipment by the SADF at the Battle at Indungo during the Border War, 31 October 1987', ''Scientia Militaria, South African Journal of Military Studies'', Vol 49, Nr 2, pp. 58-9.</ref>, the Ratel Infantry Fighting Vehicle's development began in 1970 when the South African Defence Force required armoured vehicles which could cover the vast distances of the African plains. These requirements prioritised strong firepower and good protection to enable mechanised infantry to play their role within a highly mobile warfare doctrine. The SADF were already using British APCs, but these aligned with the British doctrine of mobilised infantry dismounting for engagements which was counter-intuitive to the direction of the diverging South African structure<ref name=":0">Harmse, K., Dunstan, S. (2017) ''South African Armour of the Border War 1975–89''. Oxford: Osprey Publishing, pp. 18-47.</ref>.
The SADF also used South African-designed armoured vehicles, yet these were liable to breakdowns and weapon failures which peaked during the South African Border War, exposing the weaknesses of older and cheaper IFV models and exposing the necessity for complete replacement to the more durable and reliable Ratel models. The South African derivative of the [[AML-90 (Family)|AML]], the [[Eland 90 Mk.7|Eland]] was successful as a reconnaissance vehicle with remarkable self-defence, and this would inspire the design of the Ratel which shares visual similarity<ref name=":0" />.

'''Combat usage'''

The Ratel would enter production in 1975 and see immediate success in the Angolan War from 1978. Despite a design based around flat terrain and infantry combat, the Ratel found itself excelling in challenging mountainous terrain and rainforests, fulfilling additional combat and support roles. In later produced modular variants, the Ratel utilised the cannon turret of the [[Eland 90 Mk.7|Eland]], ATGMs, and also support platforms such as observation and logistics<ref>O'Malley, T.J. (1996) ''Fighting Vehicles: Armoured Personnel Carriers and Infantry Fighting Vehicles''. London: Merlin Publications, pp. 98-9.</ref>.

The Ratel-20 would see combat in Operation Reindeer, 1978, Operation Sceptic, 1980, Operation Askari, 1983, and Operation Excite, 1988 for the SADF in Angola<ref name=":0" />. It still serves several African nations in the present day, including South Africa which maintains over one thousand Ratel IFVs in total comprising a significant percentage of the SADF's land fighting capability, and Ratel-20s have been used extensively by countries participating in United Nations peacekeeping missions<ref>Wezeman, P. (2011). 'South African Arms Supplies to Sub-Saharan Africa', Stockholm International Peace Research Institute.</ref>.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_ratel_20 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|8O6saI_fQ2Y|'''The Shooting Range #244''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 03:36 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;<nowiki>Other vehicles based on the Ratel chassis:</nowiki>
;* [[Ratel 90]]
;* [[ZT3A2]]

Vehicles of similar design and role:

* [[Warrior]]
* [[Marder A1-]]
* [[Pbv 302 (BILL)]]

== External links ==


;Bibliography:
<references />

{{TankManufacturer Sandock-Austral}}
{{Britain light tanks}}

[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

AMX

2024-05-21T06:16:34Z

U91965995: Pro/con additions

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

== Description ==

The '''AMX International AMX''', known in Italian service as '''A-11 ''Ghibli''''', is a joint venture between Alenia and Aermacchi of Italy, and EMBRAER of Brazil. Italy initiated a requirement for a new aircraft to replace the Fiat [[G.91 Y]]'s that were in service, while Brazil joined the venture primarily to replace an Italian aircraft in their service, the Aermacchi MB-326. After several prototypes, the AMX was adopted into service by the air forces of both Italy and Brazil. Initially, the primary variant in service was the A-11A, with the AMX-T serving as the dual-seater trainer variant. The AMX served for many decades and demonstrated its worth in multiple deployments. The variant featured in the game is the A-11B / AMX ACOL. The AMX ACOL was a further upgrade which outfitted 55 AMX-11A aircraft with new avionics. These enhancements included the addition of an INS/GPS navigation system, new communication systems, IFF, and new HUD displays. The most significant addition to the upgrade was the capability to deploy smart munitions, such as JDAM bombs, which later played an essential role in its deployment in Afghanistan.

It was introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]]. As a subsonic strike aircraft, it will fly similarly to other planes in its role, such as the [[A-10A|A-10]], [[Su-25 (Family)|Su-25]], [[Harrier (Family)|Harrier]], and, most notably, the [[A-6E TRAM]]. While it is capable of carrying up to two AIM-9Ls and comes equipped with internal countermeasures, it can also be used, though not intended, in an air-to-air role. This is preferably done when the pylons aren't loaded with ordnance, as it significantly affects the plane's performance. When utilized for its intended role, the AMX can carry up to six GBU Paveway II guided bombs or eight "dumb" unguided bombs. These capabilities can be devastating for enemy ground forces while showcasing the AMX's value as a formidable Close Air Support plane for allied forces.

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

''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
! colspan="2" | Max speed (km/h at _,___ m)
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (metres)
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb (metres/second)
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (metres)
|-
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
|-
! Stock
| ___ || ___ || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._ || rowspan="2" | ___
|-
! Upgraded
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
|-
|}

==== Details ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="6" | Features
|-
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
|-
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || 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 !! + !! -
|-
| 1,180  || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 850 || 793 || 500 || ~__ || ~__
|-
|}

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

==== Engine performance ====
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
|-
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
|-
| colspan="2" | Rolls-Royce Spey 807 || 1
| colspan="2" | 6,807 kg || colspan="3" | 417 kg/m2
|-
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | {{Annotation|Max Gross Weight|Mass of the fully equipped aircraft with heaviest weapons load}}
|-
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel
|-
| 1,856 kg || colspan="2" | Low-bypass turbofan
| 7,644 kg || 8,447 kg || 9,269 kg || 9,597 kg || 13,550 kg
|-
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
|-
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 34m fuel || MGW
|-
| ''Stationary'' || 4,719 kgf || -
| 0.62 || 0.56 || 0.51 || 0.49 || 0.35
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 5,120 kgf (1,000 - 1,180 km/h) || -
| 0.67 || 0.61 || 0.55 || 0.53 || 0.38
|-
|}

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

''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''

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

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

{{main|M61A1 (20 mm)}}

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

* 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (400 rpg)
* 120 x countermeasures

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


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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! !! width="6%" | 1 !! width="6%" | 2 !! width="6%" | 3 !! width="6%" | 4 !! width="6%" | 5 !! width="6%" | 6 !! width="6%" | 7
| rowspan="14" width="30%" | <div class="ttx-image">[[File:Hardpoints_{{PAGENAME}}.png]]</div>
|-
! [[GBU-12 Paveway II (277 kg)|277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II]] bombs
| || 1* || 1, 2 * || || 1, 2 * || 1* ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 82 (500 lb)|500 lb LDGP Mk 82]] bombs
| || 1 || 1, 2 || 1, 2 || 1, 2 || 1 ||
|-
! [[Mk 82 Snakeye (500 lb)|500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye]] bombs
| || 1 || 1, 2 || 1, 2 || 1, 2 || 1 ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 83 (1,000 lb)|1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1, 2 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[GBU-16 Paveway II (1,092 lb)|1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II]] bombs
| || 1* || 1* || || 1* || 1* ||
|-
! [[LDGP Mk 84 (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84]] bombs
| || || 1 || 1 || 1 || ||
|-
! [[GBU-24 Paveway III (2,000 lb)|2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III]] bombs
| || || 1* || || 1* || ||
|-
! [[BLU-1 incendiary]] bombs
| || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 || 1 ||
|-
! [[ARF/8M3(AP-AT)]] rockets
| || 25 || 25, 50 || || 25, 50 || 25 ||
|-
! [[AIM-9L Sidewinder]] missiles
| 1 || || || || || || 1
|-
! CLDP targeting pod
| || || || 1* || || ||
|-
! 580 l drop tanks
| || 1 || || || || 1 ||
|-
| colspan="8" | Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 1,500 kg
|-
| colspan="9" | * CLDP pod must be equipped when equipping guided bombs
|}

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

* 2 x 580 l drop tanks
* 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
* 150 x ARF/8M3(AP-AT) rockets
* 5 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (2,500 lb total)
* 8 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 8 x 500 lb Mk 82 Snakeye bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 6 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 3 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (6,000 lb total)
* 6 x 277 kg GBU-12 Paveway II bombs (1,662 kg total)
* 4 x 1,092 lb GBU-16 Paveway II bombs (4,368 lb total)
* 2 x 2,000 lb GBU-24 Paveway III bombs (4,000 lb total)
* 5 x BLU-1 incendiary bombs
{{Navigation-End}}

== Usage in battles ==

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

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Great payload options
** GBUs and thermals provide strong and accurate ground strike options for Ground Battles
* Internal mounted countermeasures
* Relatively nimble for a strike aircraft
* AIM-9Ls are potent in a downtier
** Gun radar can be used to detect enemies or slave your AIM-9Ls

'''Cons:'''

* Rather limited ammo for Vulcan standards
* Slow acceleration at lower speeds, struggles with larger payloads
* Subsonic speed
** Bleeds most of its energy in dogfights quickly, poor acceleration means you will almost always be on the defensive
* Once your AIM-9Ls are expended you are mostly helpless

== History ==

The story of AMX International began with a joint cooperation between Alenia-Aermacchi of Italy and EMBRAER of Brazil. The project emerged from the need to find a suitable replacement for the [[G.91 Y]] and to assume its role as a ground attacker. The [[G.91 Y]] was becoming outdated and unreliable, prompting the search for a more modern aircraft. Italy also sought an advanced multi-role platform with reconnaissance capabilities. Brazil joined the collaboration to replace the outdated Aermacchi MB-326, which was not adapted for modern warfare.

After several years of development, setbacks in the form of accidents, and prototype testing, the A-11 officially entered service in Italy by 1989. One of its main advantages as a fighter and attack aircraft is its significantly lower costs compared to its competitors. The A-11s are equipped with a variant of the EL/M-20001B radar, manufactured by Fiar in Italy and designed by Elta in Israel.

The A-11A has an extensive service record, thanks to its versatile armament options, including AIM-9L infrared-guided Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, as well as various bombs, rockets, and {{Annotation|PGM|Precision-Guided Munitions}}s. The Italian version features a 20 mm M61A1 Vulcan cannon, while the Brazilian version uses 30 mm Defa cannons due to a U.S. veto on the M61A1 cannon for Brazil.

For defence, the AMX is equipped with an active and passive electronic countermeasures system supplied by Elettronica, with the {{Annotation|RWR|Radar Warning Receiver}} mounted inside the tail fin. In terms of performance, the A-11 can reach speeds of 1053 km/h, thanks to the Rolls-Royce Spey 807 turbofan engine, providing a range of 889 km. Its rate of climb and service ceiling are impressive for an aircraft of its type.

Later in its service life, the A-11 received an upgrade known as the A-11B / AMX ACOL ({{Annotation|Aggiornamento Capacità Operative e Logistiche; Update to Logistical and Operative Capabilities}}), a mid-life update aimed at enhancing logistical and operative capabilities. This update included new avionics, an INS/GPS navigation system, improved communications systems, {{Annotation|IFF|Identification Friend or Foe}}, and new HUD displays. The most significant addition was the ability to deploy smart munitions, such as JDAM bombs, allowing A-11s to provide better close air support in Afghanistan. The A-11B first flew in September 2005, with the first batch of upgraded aircraft delivered in March 2007. The A-11B remains in service and is likely to continue so for the foreseeable future.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|5dWETK5VPHI|'''The Shooting Range #394''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:24 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

* [[Alpha Jet (Family)]]
* [[Jaguar (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [https://www.leonardo.com/it/news-and-stories-detail/-/detail/amx-acol-the-ghibli-at-the-nation-s-service (IT) AMX "Ghibli"]
* [https://www.lombardiabeniculturali.it/scienza-tecnologia/schede/3o210-00394/ (IT) AMX ACOL: il "Ghibli" al servizio del Paese]

{{AirManufacturer AMX International}}
{{Italy jet aircraft}}

VIDAR

2024-05-21T06:11:18Z

U91965995: Usage in Battles / Pro/Cons redux

{{Specs-Card
|code=sw_k9_vidar
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|store=12781
}}

== Description ==


The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a self-propelled artillery system fielded by Norway since 2019. The system is an export version of the South Korean K9 Thunder Self-Propelled Artillery Gun, which Norway acquired the system to replace its aging M109A3GNMs of American origin. The orders so far have been in two batches, the initial 2017 contract for 24 K9s and an extra order in 2022 for 4 more systems. The system has some differences compared to the South Korean version, most notably the ODIN fire control system developed domestically and direct-fire enabling equipment. This system was given to the ''Artilleribataljonen'' of the ''Brigade Nord'', the only artillery unit in the Norwegian army.

Introduced in [[Update "Sons of Attila"]], the VIDAR is fitted with excellent optics and fire control system. At its BR, it is one of the few vehicles with both a thermal imaging system and a laser rangefinder. Its best round is a 155 mm HE shell that is capable of destroying most tanks, but requires very good aiming when it faces heavily armoured targets like the [[T-55AM-1]]. The vehicle also has a fairly poor turret rotation speed and no stabilizer, and, being an artillery system, the armor protection is fairly thin and its gun depression limited. However, it has good mobility for a vehicle of its size, and a very good reverse speed of 42 km/h. The VIDAR is best suited for highly mobile warfare, moving around rapidly after firing a few accurate shells towards your enemies.

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


The VIDAR is a variant of the ROKA's K9A1 Thunder SPH, making it one of the newest vehicles in the game. However, even a modern SPH is still a SPH, so the vehicle does not sport armour thick enough to deflect anything above heavy MG fire at range. This is not a major issue in real life, as SPHs aren't meant to engage enemy armor directly, but in War Thunder is definitely something to keep note of. The vehicle can deflect 20 mm autocannon fire from the common [[Rh202 (20 mm)]] or similar cannons on various vehicles at this tier from mid to long range as well, but at close range it can most definitely give you a bad day.

The SPG is extremely sturdy and will not take overpressure damage unless hit by an enemy howitzer / large caliber HE shell or hit in three very specific weak spots - the belly right above the tracks next to the turret (very low likelihood), the turret ring or the gun breech (only vulnerable to 105+ mm HE and poses risk of the cannon barrel catching the shell), so anyone trying to fire a poorly placed chemical round at the VIDAR may find their shell doing surprisingly little before being blasted back to the hangar. Kinetic shells however will easily penetrate the vehicle anywhere, so positioning yourself so that teammates cover the flanks against enemy advances is always a good idea to stay in the fight for longer.

As for the crews, thanks to the long hull and large engine block, shrapnel from enemy shots to the hull generally have a hard time causing lethal damage to the turret crew (but costs the driver); if enemy players shoot the turret instead, if the spalling reaches your ammunition racks stationed in the turret rear you may experience what is known as a 'significant emotional event'.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 40 mm || 35 mm ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 35 mm || 10 - 35 mm
|-
| Turret || 35 mm ''Turret front'' 20 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 35 mm || 35 - 45 mm || 35 mm
|-
| Cupola || 20 mm || 20 mm || 20 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,420|rbMinHp=884}}
To drive the K9 series and its ~47 ton weight up to a max speed of 67 km/h, the K9 uses a powerpack with 1,000 HP. The STX Engine-MTU joint-venture for the MTU 881Ka-500 V8 engine and SNT Dynamics-Allison joint-venture for the X1100-5A3 transmission enables the vehicle to have a HP/t ratio of over 20, which is almost unheard of for a SPH in this weight class. This was due to the 'shoot-and-scoot' battle doctrine, and as a result the VIDAR is incredibly mobile for its size while also having high reverse to boot as well. Even other SPHs considered mobile like the [[2S3M]] top out at 18.9 HP/t and have less armour, lack the initial rate of fire and fire their shells at a noticeably lower velocity, giving the K9 and by extension the VIDAR a distinct niche.

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

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

{{main|CN98 (155 mm)}}

To provide credible and powerful deterrence against potential foreign adversaries, Hyundai WIA developed the domestic 155 mm CN98 L/52 howitzer for the K9 Thunder, while keeping it compatible with NATO standard 155 mm ammunition. This most certainly helped export the VIDAR to Norway; thanks to its rather fast reload rate (for the first three shells on the "ready-rack") the and a wide variety of compatible ammunition, the CN98 cannon makes the VIDAR a fearsome SPH against all enemies it faces, be it something hardened against nuclear war like the [[Object 279]] or something very modern such as the [[M1 Abrams]] if you hit their weakspots.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[CN98 (155 mm)|155 mm CN98]] || 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" | -4°/+70° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 8.8 || 12.2 || 14.8 || 16.4 || 17.4 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:CN98 (155 mm)/Ammunition|M107, M110, M107 (PF), 155mm OE F3}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}_1.png|right|thumb|250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}_2.png|right|thumb|250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''48'''
| Projectiles Propellants
| 34 ''(+14)'' 31 ''(+17)''
| 19 ''(+29)'' 21 ''(+27)''
| 10 ''(+38)'' 3 ''(+45)''
| 3 ''(+45)'' 1 ''(+47)''
| 1 ''(+47)'' N/A
| No
|-
|}
{{Clear}}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 575 || -6°/+15° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

VIDAR's [[CN98 (155 mm)|CN98 (155mm)]] cannon can only inflict damage with HE rounds, so players should be at least aware of how [[Damage mechanics#Overpressure|Overpressure]] works in War Thunder. Having some knowledge of where vehicles can be overpressured (turret rooftops, the upper plates of the hull, areas around hull ammunition storages and so on) is the bare minimum to be able to do any consistent damage to enemy vehicles.

The VIDAR can generally consider two types of enemies as its most noteworthy adversaries; vehicles with stabilized guns, which can fire on the move, and vehicles equipped with autocannons. While the VIDAR is constructed mainly out of 35 mm hardened steel plates as opposed to the thin aluminium of its older artillery brethren such as the [[M109 (Family) | M109]]s, it still requires smart planning and quick moving to remain intact. Any enemy main gun will make short work of the VIDAR, and the thin plating can only really resist HMG and certain autocannon rounds.

Talking about stabilizers first, the VIDAR finds itself at a Battle Rating where stabilizers start being more common. Iconic Cold War icons like the [[Leopard 1]] and [[M60]] don't come equipped with them, but vehicles such as the [[T-55A]], [[M60A1 (AOS)]], [[M3 Bradley]] and others like it are dime a dozen just 0.3 BRs higher at 8.3. These vehicles can, as the name implies, fire on the move, as their guns are stabilized in one or more axes, while your slow horizontal slew rate and lack of one means against these vehicles you are unlikely to fire the first shot against them while on the move yourself. It may be beneficial to find longer ranged sightlines or flanking the enemy in uptiers using your high mobility, as you may outflank and destroy enemy vehicles without them noticing your presence rather than accidentally meeting one of these vehicles head on and suffering the consequences of an unstabilized gun.

Against autocannons the VIDAR unfortunately doesn't fare much better, either, with superficial armor when it comes to protecting against direct enemy fire. This as a result means that if you take fire from the enemy you will at best be crippled, and at worst suffer a catastrophic detonation should one of the penetrating shells hit the ammo. The benefit of autocannons is that, even if unstabilized, they can usually be "sprayed" at a target and have generally somewhat accurate results. Vehicles with a high slew rate on their turrets such as the [[AMX-30 DCA]] and [[Marder IFV (Family) | Marder IFV]]s can also fire on the move quasi-stabilized as well, so if you hear autocannon fire near you stay vigilant. One of the benefits of fighting vehicles with such armament is that they too are also generally lightly armored, so as a result should you ambush them or get a direct hit on them first chances are you will win the engagement with minimal damage taken. Vehicles to generally be wary of around this BR would be stabilized autocannon vehicles such as the [[Gepard]], [[M3 Bradley]], [[BMP-2]] and many others.

Using the very good acceleration and overall high mobility of the VIDAR will help you relocate from long range firing position to firing position easily. The excellent sights will provide the opportunity to spot and engage enemies from afar, especially with the help of thermals, and the near-instant-use laser rangefinder means your gun will automatically elevate or depress to the correct distance setting within your aiming parameters, significantly easing your main downside of having to hit near the turret or hull roof specifically to cause proper overpressure damage. It is to be noted however that while the VIDAR itself is mobile, the turret traverse in the horizontal can be lacking. It is recommended to always point your turret towards potential enemies while on the move, should you encounter someone on the way to another area of the map. It is also noteworthy to keep the tank's limited gun depression in mind, as this may prove a hinderance on slopes or terrain with frequent vertical elevation changes. Try and find gentle slopes or flat ground if possible, as the VIDAR's large size and poor gun depression limit its effectiveness around hilly terrain.

The choice of HE-VT means the VIDAR can successfully engage aircraft. Using the laser rangefinder, one can target helicopters at range, both stationary and moving. However, it is somewhat inadvisable to aim at aircraft with the shells available unless they are flying directly at you - mostly due to M107 (PF)'s middling shell velocity of only 580 m/s, almost half that of your nominal HE shell (OE F3 155 mm) which flies at 935 m/s - meaning that hitting enemy aircraft unless highly experienced in other contemporaries which use the same shell will prove surprisingly difficult. It may help to just take a few shots, however, given that you are safe, as if your aim is true you can prove to the enemy that you are a force to be reckoned with and that there is no escape.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great firepower
* High reload rate for the first 3 ready rack shells
* Agile and nimble chassis
* Thermal imager and laser rangefinder
* 35 mm average all-around armour
** Can't be overpressured from <120 mm HE
** Cannot be penetrated by HMGs
** Can't set off some APHE rounds

'''Cons:'''

* Weak survivability
** Only partial protection from autocannons
* Poor gun depression
* Relatively small first-stage ammo rack
* HE-VT has low velocity compared to contemporaries like the [[Bkan 1C]] or [[Type 99]]'s HE-VT
* Lack of gun/sight stabilization

== History ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an export version of the South Korean K9 Thunder Self Propelled Artillery System, in service with the Norwegian Army. Norway decided to acquire a total of 24 K9 Thunder systems as well as 6 K10 ammo resupply vehicles in 2017 to replace their aging American-made M109A3GNM. The K9 won out in the competition which consisted of the CAESAR wheeled artillery system, the K9, German PzH2000 and M109G, with the M109G and K9 being the final two contenders before the K9 was selected in December of 2017 as the winner.

The VIDAR is operated by the only artillery unit in the Norwegian Army, the ''Artilleribataljonen'' of the ''Brigade Nord.'' The vehicle was manufactured by the company Hanwha Land Systems, deliveries started in 2019 and finished between 2020 and 2021. All units were considered operational by the Norwegian Army by January 1st, 2022. In November of 2022, Norway inked an additional deal to import 4 more K9 SPHs and 8 more K10 ammo resupply vehicles, raising the total to 28 VIDARs and 14 K10s soon to be in service.

The K9 Thunder was developed by South Korea, based on experiences with the K55 license-produced M109 howitzer. The vehicle was developed to be fully compatible with NATO ammunition, and to have good mobility to perform counterbattery fire and change positions rapidly. The K9's first prototype was unveiled in 1996. The contract for its development was awarded to Samsung Aerospace Industries and just 3 years later in 1999 the ROK Army started to receive its first units of the vehicle. The first nation to acquire the production rights for the system was Turkey.

The K9 has seen combat action in the Yeonpyeong bombardment of 2010, an artillery exchange between South Korean and North Korean soldiers. In this incident, 6 K9 systems from the South Korean Marine Infantry opened fire against North Korean positions. During the incident, some criticism was leveled at the K9 due to its return rate of fire being 1 round every 90 seconds - however, this was due to the fact that the K9's ammunition reserves were empty from the military exercise just minutes prior, meaning soldiers were running to the ammunition depots to fetch shells to fire back. The Korean Army deemed the K9's protection during the incident to be adequate against North Korean field gun shrapnel, and increased production of the K9 by a hundred extra units by 2011. This led to the K9s positioned near the border also retaining internal ammunition at all times, in case of a similar incident in the future.

The K9 has received very good export deals. Competing in the international markets with very powerful systems like the American M109 and German Pzh2000, it has sold more than 1,700 units, including those for South Korea. Turkey has also fitted their own version of the system, the T-155 Firtina, with 300 units expected to be deployed.

In December of 2013, the program to improve the K9's performance was passed, which led to the K9A1. The K9A1 modification upgraded the FCS of the K0 up to K55A1 standard, added GPS navigation on top of the original INS system, the addition of an APU and a night vision periscope for the driver as well as a rear view camera. The software was also updated from a DOS based framework up to a Windows based digital FCS, to provide a graphics based fire control system for the crew to enhance performance.

== Media ==

<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:XK-9 Prototype Taken At WMoK 2023-06-24.jpg|XK-9 (The predecessor to the K9/K9A1, produced in 1995 for testing) on display at the War Memorial of Korea
</gallery>

;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sw_k9_vidar Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|iaufXbHC0VU|'''The Shooting Range #377''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:24 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 ==


* [[wt:en/news/8435-development-pre-order-vidar-divine-vengeance-en|[Devblog] Pre-Order: VIDAR: Divine Vengeance]]

{{Sweden tank destroyers}}
{{Sweden premium ground vehicles}}

VIDAR

2024-05-21T01:27:57Z

U91965995: General edits to usage in battles ; UNFINISHED

{{Specs-Card
|code=sw_k9_vidar
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|store=12781
}}

== Description ==


The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a self-propelled artillery system fielded by Norway since 2019. The system is an export version of the South Korean K9 Thunder Self-Propelled Artillery Gun, which Norway acquired the system to replace its aging M109A3GNMs of American origin. The orders so far have been in two batches, the initial 2017 contract for 24 K9s and an extra order in 2022 for 4 more systems. The system has some differences compared to the South Korean version, most notably the ODIN fire control system developed domestically and direct-fire enabling equipment. This system was given to the ''Artilleribataljonen'' of the ''Brigade Nord'', the only artillery unit in the Norwegian army.

Introduced in [[Update "Sons of Attila"]], the VIDAR is fitted with excellent optics and fire control system. At its BR, it is one of the few vehicles with both a thermal imaging system and a laser rangefinder. Its best round is a 155 mm HE shell that is capable of destroying most tanks, but requires very good aiming when it faces heavily armoured targets like the [[T-55AM-1]]. The vehicle also has a fairly poor turret rotation speed and no stabilizer, and, being an artillery system, the armor protection is fairly thin and its gun depression limited. However, it has good mobility for a vehicle of its size, and a very good reverse speed of 42 km/h. The VIDAR is best suited for highly mobile warfare, moving around rapidly after firing a few accurate shells towards your enemies.

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


The VIDAR is a variant of the ROKA's K9A1 Thunder SPH, making it one of the newest vehicles in the game. However, even a modern SPH is still a SPH, so the vehicle does not sport armour thick enough to deflect anything above heavy MG fire at range. This is not a major issue in real life, as SPHs aren't meant to engage enemy armor directly, but in War Thunder is definitely something to keep note of. The vehicle can deflect 20 mm autocannon fire from the common [[Rh202 (20 mm)]] or similar cannons on various vehicles at this tier from mid to long range as well, but at close range it can most definitely give you a bad day.

The SPG is extremely sturdy and will not take overpressure damage unless hit by an enemy howitzer / large caliber HE shell or hit in three very specific weak spots - the belly right above the tracks next to the turret (very low likelihood), the turret ring or the gun breech (only vulnerable to 105+ mm HE and poses risk of the cannon barrel catching the shell), so anyone trying to fire a poorly placed chemical round at the VIDAR may find their shell doing surprisingly little before being blasted back to the hangar. Kinetic shells however will easily penetrate the vehicle anywhere, so positioning yourself so that teammates cover the flanks against enemy advances is always a good idea to stay in the fight for longer.

As for the crews, thanks to the long hull and large engine block, shrapnel from enemy shots to the hull generally have a hard time causing lethal damage to the turret crew (but costs the driver); if enemy players shoot the turret instead, if the spalling reaches your ammunition racks stationed in the turret rear you may experience what is known as a 'significant emotional event'.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 40 mm || 35 mm ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 35 mm || 10 - 35 mm
|-
| Turret || 35 mm ''Turret front'' 20 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 35 mm || 35 - 45 mm || 35 mm
|-
| Cupola || 20 mm || 20 mm || 20 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,420|rbMinHp=884}}
To drive the K9 series and its ~47 ton weight up to a max speed of 67 km/h, the K9 uses a powerpack with 1,000 HP. The STX Engine-MTU joint-venture for the MTU 881Ka-500 V8 engine and SNT Dynamics-Allison joint-venture for the X1100-5A3 transmission enables the vehicle to have a HP/t ratio of over 20, which is almost unheard of for a SPH in this weight class. This was due to the 'shoot-and-scoot' battle doctrine, and as a result the VIDAR is incredibly mobile for its size while also having high reverse to boot as well. Even other SPHs considered mobile like the [[2S3M]] top out at 18.9 HP/t and have less armour, lack the initial rate of fire and fire their shells at a noticeably lower velocity, giving the K9 and by extension the VIDAR a distinct niche.

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

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

{{main|CN98 (155 mm)}}

To provide credible and powerful deterrence against potential foreign adversaries, Hyundai WIA developed the domestic 155 mm CN98 L/52 howitzer for the K9 Thunder, while keeping it compatible with NATO standard 155 mm ammunition. This most certainly helped export the VIDAR to Norway; thanks to its rather fast reload rate (for the first three shells on the "ready-rack") the and a wide variety of compatible ammunition, the CN98 cannon makes the VIDAR a fearsome SPH against all enemies it faces, be it something hardened against nuclear war like the [[Object 279]] or something very modern such as the [[M1 Abrams]] if you hit their weakspots.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[CN98 (155 mm)|155 mm CN98]] || 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" | -4°/+70° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 8.8 || 12.2 || 14.8 || 16.4 || 17.4 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:CN98 (155 mm)/Ammunition|M107, M110, M107 (PF), 155mm OE F3}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}_1.png|right|thumb|250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}_2.png|right|thumb|250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''48'''
| Projectiles Propellants
| 34 ''(+14)'' 31 ''(+17)''
| 19 ''(+29)'' 21 ''(+27)''
| 10 ''(+38)'' 3 ''(+45)''
| 3 ''(+45)'' 1 ''(+47)''
| 1 ''(+47)'' N/A
| No
|-
|}
{{Clear}}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 575 || -6°/+15° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

VIDAR's [[CN98 (155 mm)|CN98 (155mm)]] cannon can only inflict damage with HE rounds, so players should be at least aware of how [[Damage mechanics#Overpressure|Overpressure]] works in War Thunder. Having some knowledge of where vehicles can be overpressured (turret rooftops, the upper plates of the hull, areas around hull ammunition storages and so on) is the bare minimum to be able to do any consistent damage to enemy vehicles.

The VIDAR can generally consider two types of enemies as its most noteworthy adversaries; vehicles with stabilized guns, which can fire on the move, and vehicles equipped with autocannons. While the VIDAR is constructed mainly out of 35 mm hardened steel plates as opposed to the thin aluminium of its older artillery brethren such as the [[M109 (Family) | M109]]s, it still requires smart planning and quick moving to remain intact. Any enemy main gun will make short work of the VIDAR, and the thin plating can only really resist HMG and certain autocannon rounds.

Talking about stabilizers first, the VIDAR finds itself at a Battle Rating where stabilizers start being more common. Iconic Cold War icons like the [[Leopard 1]] and [[M60]] don't come equipped with them, but vehicles such as the [[T-55A]], [[M60A1 (AOS)]], [[M3 Bradley]] and others like it are dime a dozen just 0.3 BRs higher at 8.3. These vehicles can, as the name implies, fire on the move, as their guns are stabilized in one or more axes, while your slow horizontal slew rate and lack of one means against these vehicles you are unlikely to fire the first shot against them while on the move yourself. It may be beneficial to find longer ranged sightlines or flanking the enemy in uptiers using your high mobility, as you may outflank and destroy enemy vehicles without them noticing your presence rather than accidentally meeting one of these vehicles head on and suffering the consequences of an unstabilized gun.

In terms of autocannons the VIDAR doesn't fare much better either, unfortunately. The VIDAR has very thin armor which is mostly superficial when it comes to protecting against enemy direct fire with a gun larger than 12.7 mm, which means most if not all autocannons with AP rounds or higher will easily go through your armor.

Using the very good acceleration and turning speeds of the VIDAR will help the commander move quickly from one favourable position to another. Using natural cover such as trenches, ditches, muddy riverbanks, or small clusters of trees will help conceal the vehicle while remaining within viewing distance of the battlefield. The excellent sights will provide the opportunity to spot and engage enemies from afar, and the near-instant-use laser rangefinder will automatically raise or lower the gun to the right horizontal elevation for the targeted enemy who finds himself at the receiving end of the L/52 cannon.

The choice of HE-VT means the VIDAR can successfully engage aircraft. Using the laser rangefinder, one can target helicopters at range, both stationary and moving. With some practice, it becomes relatively easy to engage moving aircraft using the high muzzle velocity, good sights, and good proximity fuzing radius. Enemy planes flying directly against the VIDAR can be "swatted" out of the sky with ease.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great firepower
* Fast reload rate for a SPH
* Agile and nimble chassis
* Thermal imager and laser rangefinder
* 35 mm average all-around armour
** Can't be overpressured from <120 mm HE
** Cannot be penetrated by HMGs
** Can't set off some APHE rounds

'''Cons:'''

* Weak survivability
** Only partial protection from autocannons
* Poor gun depression
* Relatively small first-stage ammo rack

== History ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an export version of the South Korean K9 Thunder Self Propelled Artillery System, in service with the Norwegian Army. Norway decided to acquire a total of 24 K9 Thunder systems as well as 6 K10 ammo resupply vehicles in 2017 to replace their aging American-made M109A3GNM. The K9 won out in the competition which consisted of the CAESAR wheeled artillery system, the K9, German PzH2000 and M109G, with the M109G and K9 being the final two contenders before the K9 was selected in December of 2017 as the winner.

The VIDAR is operated by the only artillery unit in the Norwegian Army, the ''Artilleribataljonen'' of the ''Brigade Nord.'' The vehicle was manufactured by the company Hanwha Land Systems, deliveries started in 2019 and finished between 2020 and 2021. All units were considered operational by the Norwegian Army by January 1st, 2022. In November of 2022, Norway inked an additional deal to import 4 more K9 SPHs and 8 more K10 ammo resupply vehicles, raising the total to 28 VIDARs and 14 K10s soon to be in service.

The K9 Thunder was developed by South Korea, based on experiences with the K55 license-produced M109 howitzer. The vehicle was developed to be fully compatible with NATO ammunition, and to have good mobility to perform counterbattery fire and change positions rapidly. The K9's first prototype was unveiled in 1996. The contract for its development was awarded to Samsung Aerospace Industries and just 3 years later in 1999 the ROK Army started to receive its first units of the vehicle. The first nation to acquire the production rights for the system was Turkey.

The K9 has seen combat action in the Yeonpyeong bombardment of 2010, an artillery exchange between South Korean and North Korean soldiers. In this incident, 6 K9 systems from the South Korean Marine Infantry opened fire against North Korean positions. During the incident, some criticism was leveled at the K9 due to its return rate of fire being 1 round every 90 seconds - however, this was due to the fact that the K9's ammunition reserves were empty from the military exercise just minutes prior, meaning soldiers were running to the ammunition depots to fetch shells to fire back. The Korean Army deemed the K9's protection during the incident to be adequate against North Korean field gun shrapnel, and increased production of the K9 by a hundred extra units by 2011. This led to the K9s positioned near the border also retaining internal ammunition at all times, in case of a similar incident in the future.

The K9 has received very good export deals. Competing in the international markets with very powerful systems like the American M109 and German Pzh2000, it has sold more than 1,700 units, including those for South Korea. Turkey has also fitted their own version of the system, the T-155 Firtina, with 300 units expected to be deployed.

In December of 2013, the program to improve the K9's performance was passed, which led to the K9A1. The K9A1 modification upgraded the FCS of the K0 up to K55A1 standard, added GPS navigation on top of the original INS system, the addition of an APU and a night vision periscope for the driver as well as a rear view camera. The software was also updated from a DOS based framework up to a Windows based digital FCS, to provide a graphics based fire control system for the crew to enhance performance.

== Media ==

<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:XK-9 Prototype Taken At WMoK 2023-06-24.jpg|XK-9 (The predecessor to the K9/K9A1, produced in 1995 for testing) on display at the War Memorial of Korea
</gallery>

;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sw_k9_vidar Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|iaufXbHC0VU|'''The Shooting Range #377''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:24 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 ==


* [[wt:en/news/8435-development-pre-order-vidar-divine-vengeance-en|[Devblog] Pre-Order: VIDAR: Divine Vengeance]]

{{Sweden tank destroyers}}
{{Sweden premium ground vehicles}}

Object 292

2024-05-21T00:54:52Z

U91965995: Armaments section clarification/rewording

{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_object_292
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=id50257_object_292_ussr
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' was the among one of the most ambitious attempts during the final days of the Soviet Union to create a next-generation tank cannon testbed. The Kirov Plant and Mobile Vehicle Engineering Institute planned to introduce a high-calibre smoothbore cannon to enable Soviet MBTs to be able to disable equivalent NATO MBTs at the longest possible distance. This meant choosing a calibre of 152 mm instead of the conventional 125 mm or slightly larger 130 mm, which were still common calibres in Warsaw-Pact countries, and mounting it onto a hybrid between the T-80BV and T-80U's turret. Due to a severe lack of funding as the Soviet Union was struggling with financial debt, although the cannon proved effective during field tests, the prototype was eventually shelved. However, experiences learned during the program would be further iterated on for future MBT prototypes.

The Object 292 was introduced during [[Update "Air Superiority"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/8709-event-call-of-the-dragon-earn-the-object-292-en|2024 Call of the Dragon event]]. While it may look like a T-80U without the ERA packages, the lack of an anti-aircraft machine gun and the significantly larger cannon gives it away quite easily. It's not the best protected tank at its tier, but the sheer penetration and damage from the monstrous 152 mm cannon more than makes up for any potential shortcomings by sending the source of the damage back to the hangar in a single shot; however, make sure to make every shot count, as a missed/ineffective shot will most likely be the death sentence of the Object 292.

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


If players do not recognize the design of Object 292, its engine sound will surely give its lineage away; the chassis is a T-80BV without the Kontakt-1 ERA blocks, while the turret is from the T-80U without its Kontakt-5 ERA blocks. It could be said that the Object 292's hull is somewhat like a T-80U with the T-80BV's composite armour layout (T-80U has a revised composite armour layout based on the T-80BV's), but the lack of Kontakt-5 also means its upper plate only has the base armour thickness at around 550 mm KE. The common Soviet weakspots still apply, in the form of the lower front plate and driver's port.

The turret is a different story, however. As it uses a revised T-80U turret, it has better protection than the T-80B series thanks to the new composite armour layout giving it a high degree of protection. A good example of this was the redesigning of the mantlet, which was reduced in size compared to its T-80 brethren. The area around the gun itself can reach up to 500 mm KE protection, making it much harder for lower-tier tanks to penetrate the turret directly, but some parts may still be vulnerable to accurate enemy fire. Commanders should be careful to avoid letting lucky shots hit the mantlet around the barrel, as this can also lead to the turret crew or entire turret system being knocked out of action. The shields on the sides of the turret are effective at stopping chemical rounds, although kinetic protection is expectedly not very substantial.

The turret has a number of weaknesses. Anything above the turret shields is vulnerable to direct APFSDS hits (causing the dart to hit at least one crew member and possibly the turret ammo rack) and HESH, with random parts of the roof causing the entire tank to implode when hit by any amount of overpressure damage. The bottom of the gun mantlet right under the gun has 0 to 1 mm RHA protection, causing the tank to implode when hit by explosives.

The overall internal layout is very similar to most Warsaw-Pact/Chinese MBTs, with a carousel autoloader located at the center mass of the vehicle. However, instead of having the projectiles lying below the propellant like the 6eTS series autoloader on T-64/80 series, the autoloader only consists of the projectiles, while the propellants are located either behind the turret (separated from the crew), or behind the carousel if it cannot fit into the autoloader.

The fuel tanks unfortunately negate all the effort to move critical modules into less vulnerable positions, as they explode hard enough to destroy the tank like any other Soviet MBT, so letting enemies hit the hull, particularly the LFP, is still a bad idea. The three-man crew is also retained with identical layout to the T-80 series - thus any penetrating shots up front that don't detonate the fuel will very likely knock out the driver and cause fatal damage to the turret crew by both the projectile and shrapnel. To make matters worse, if players decide to bring a full load of ammo at 30 rounds, there will be 14 spare propellant charges located exactly behind the autoloader carousel in the chassis. It is never a good idea to turn the Object 292 into a gas-turbine-driven mobile firework launcher, so either the tank needs to dig some cover for its LFP with the dozer blade or try to find at least some kind of solid cover for its hull.

As a last note, the tank doesn't have smoke grenades, only ESS. ESS allows to break automatic trackers of helicopters, but it will not prevent thermal gunner scopes from seeing the tank, and every tank and most aircraft at its rank have one, so it won't really help. It can make things worse, even, as Object 292 doesn't even have thermal scope itself. The tank itself isn't shining extremely bright in thermal sights, at least from the front, but if it will be blinded by its own smoke it will be an easy target for anything.

'''Armour type:'''

* High hardness rolled armour (hull front, sides, and rear)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, gun shield, cupola, driver hatch, gunner optics)
* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull top, turret top, engine vent, blowout racks)
* Structural steel (applique armour on hull sides and turret cheeks)
* Rubber-fabric screens (frontal and side skirts)
* Alloy BT-6 (engine compartment top)
* Aluminium (applique armour on hull sides)
* Tracks (applique armour on hull top)
* Armour radiation material (applique armour on cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull
| 50 mm (69°) ''Upper glacis'' 80 mm (59°) + 8 mm (16, 18°) ''Lower glacis''
| 50-100** mm (0-32°) + 8-16** mm 20 mm (32°) ''Bottom''
| 50 mm (0°, 30, 40°) 10 mm ''Engine vent'' 20 mm (53°) ''Bottom''
| 30 mm ''Front'' 10 mm ''Radiator vents'' 20 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Turret
| 250-1400** mm (11-76°) + 70 mm (22-28°) ''Cheeks'' 120-350** mm (0-45°) ''Gun mantlet''
| 100-750** mm (10-25°) + 70 mm (16-69°) 45 mm ''Propellant racks''
| 45-200** mm (1, 78°)
| 45 mm (63-82°) + 125 mm (78°) 30 mm ''Gunner optics'' 30 mm ''Propellant racks'' 45 mm ''Blowout panels''
|-
| Cupola
| colspan="4" style="text-align: center;" | 45 + 10 mm (cylindrical)
|-
|}
<nowiki>**</nowiki> Variable thickness armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Composite armour !! Frontal effective protection !! Side effective protection
|-
| Hull
| '''Upper glacis:''' 480-530 mm ''Kinetic'' / 450-600 mm ''Chemical''
| N/A
|-
| Turret
| '''Cheeks:''' 400-800 mm ''Kinetic'' / 500-800 mm ''Chemical'' '''Gun mantlet:''' 450-600 mm ''Kinetic'' / 700-900 mm ''Chemical''
| '''Front:''' 120-800 mm ''Kinetic'' / 400-850 mm ''Chemical''
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* The underbody is 20 mm thick, and the frontal and side skirts are 8 mm thick.
* A 30 mm thick internal RHA screen separate the crew compartment from the propellant racks at the turret rear.

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


To boost the tank with its larger gun, the engine is upgraded from the original Klimov GTD-1000 to the GTD-1250 used on T-80U series; thus it will have enhanced mobility than a conventional T-80BV while players still have to be careful not to over-extend since the relative-slow reverse speed for Soviet tanks still haunts Object 292. The speed is not terrible, but some NATO medium tanks will be faster to positions due to the same or better acceleration.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,705|rbMinHp=973}}

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

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

{{main|LP-83 (152 mm)}}

To engage and destroy NATO MBTs from the longest possible distance with a single shot, Soviet engineers came up with what was arguably the simplest but most effective solution: instead for opting for missiles or a longer barreled 125 mm, they opted to increase the calibre of the gun to 152.4 mm and in the process created one of the most lethal guns ever put on a MBT.

Although the installation of such a huge cannon into the T-80U's turret was not as hard as one might think, the Soviet engineers also developed a different autoloader for this prototype vehicle which resulted in a somewhat slower reloading rate of 10 seconds. Turret traverse however was not adversely affected, so outside of the reload and lack of machine guns the tank feels surprisingly similar to its normal T-80U contemporaries. The firepower itself is fearsome indeed, eclipsing even the [[Ariete AMV]], with only very few MBTs being able to survive a shot to their UFP - but should you miss, most MBTs can fire at least once if not twice back at you which is highly likely to result in being sent back to the hangar. Therefore, being accurate with your shots is crucial for this vehicle moreso than in other vehicles

As mentioned prior, the tank lacks thermal vision, so vigilance is highly recommended when playing the vehicle. It is best to stick to range, as your fairly long reload and lack of versatility as well as your exceptionally good muzzle velocity lend themselves well to a sniping playstyle.
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[LP-83 (152 mm)|152 mm LP-83]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Autoloader
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 30 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 22.8 || 31.6 || 38.4 || 42.5 || 45.2 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 14.3 || 16.8 || 20.4 || 22.6 || 24.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:LP-83 (152 mm)/Ammunition|152 mm APFSDS, 152 mm HE}}

The shells of the tank are extremely lethal and give the best in the world of kinetic and chemical shells, respectively.

The APFSDS has shell velocity of 1980 m/s and penetration of 401 mm at 60 degrees. Since the shell weights 7 kg, even a glancing penetration is going to take a life or utterly obliterate some module, whether its by dart itself or the shrapnel it creates. Any hit aimed vaguely in the direction of enemy ammo rack will destroy the target with practically no chance of survival. It's even worse than being hit by heaviest tandem ATGM, as other tanks (including already dead ones) and modules can't stop the penetrator, leaving literally no chance of survival and sometimes resulting in collateral hits.

The HE isn't as overwhelmingly powerful and doesn't have special features like the proximity fuse, but it nonetheless flies at 920 m/s and does same overpressure damage as heaviest artillery tanks. It could even penetrate and destroy Challenger 2 series through the driver port, something other tanks can't even dream of doing, so HE can be fired at the turret neck of virtually any tank and in 90% of the cases have the target destroyed, and in the other 10% cases have enemy gun barrel completely ruined.

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x300px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! Ammo part
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''30''' || Projectiles Propellants || 17 ''(+13)'' 17 ''(+13)'' || 1 ''(+29)'' 1 ''(+29)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* The {{PAGENAME}} uses two-piece ammunition, composed of propellant bags (orange) and projectiles (yellow).
* Projectiles and propellant bags are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* The autoloader contains 16 shells. Once these have all been fired, the autoloader must be replenished before being able to fire again.
* Blowout rack only: 17 (+13) shells.

== Usage in battles ==


When players see the Object 292 from afar, some might take it as a very odd modification of T-64A due to the turret design, while some might take it as a T-80U with all Kontakt-5 ERA packages destroyed; once their vehicle is hit by APFSDS flying at an unprecedented 1,980 m/s or bombarded by a huge "howitzer" shell, they will soon know what really hit them.

The most iconic feature of the Object 292 is the 152 mm LP-83 smoothbore cannon onboard; holding the record of the largest calibre smoothbore cannons ever completed for more than 3 decades, its ace is its fearsome penetration for both APFSDS and HE-FS shells. Having the highest penetration of all smoothbore cannons, the Object 292 is able to easily penetrate most vehicles it faces through even their most well-protected areas such as UFPs. Even if the shell didn't detonate enemy targets, the sheer penetration ensures critical damage to powerplant and crews, sometimes even completely disabling the turret system of enemy targets.

While using HE-FS is common for Warsaw-Pact/PLAGF MBTs, the Object 292 brings it to a new level - not only does it have devastating explosive content for its shell, it also has very high penetration for HE-FS at a whopping 61 mm, which also turns it into a makeshift APHE since most NATO and PLAGF tanks don't have good side armour to stop side shots, making it more reliable than APFSDS at close distance and still devastating as a makeshift howitzer to engage covered targets.

The 152 mm gun is more than enough to deter enemies from engaging Object 292 without careful consideration, which also makes it a good role to defend key breakthrough points as stationary support vehicle. However, as a prototype tank based on Soviet-era technology, the T-80BV hull and T-80U-equivalent turret also brings some flaws to the 292. First of all, the iconic Kontakt-5 or Kontakt-1 ERA packages are not present on the vehicle, although bolt mounts for them are present on the UFP. The T-80BV series served as the basis of the future T-80U series with revised composite armour formula for better protection, but this only stops APFSDS up to 500 mm penetration; while tanks at its tier might not have the chance to reliably disable Object 292, rushing into the battlefield against higher tier MBTs may not be the best idea.

The turret traverse speed isn't hindered by the weight of the gun itself and retains identical speed as its Soviet-era cousins which is at least 30% slower than NATO/PLAGF counterparts; it is always a good idea to turn the turret beforehand for as much reaction time as possible.

As for the autoloader system - while the tank can ensure consistent 10-second reload, separated propellant from carousel and has turret blowout panels for the propellents, the long reload time also means any missed or non-critical damage to enemy tanks without disabling the gun system gives the death sentence to Object 292, since most tanks at this tier can reload faster than the autoloader even with injured/disabled crew (in case the enemy has ready shell in breech), let alone tanks with autoloader; do remember there's 14 spare propellents for the other 14 shells inside the autoloader in case players decide to bring full-load, once they are hit by enemy shots, players can expect for a huge firework from the detonation of propellents and thus, 16 shells are more than enough to bring down enemy team.

Overall, while Object 292 brings unique experience to players with its devastating firepower and identical handling of Soviet MBTs to get used to easily, players also need situational awareness and not over-extent to deliver the fatal blow every time it fires - a surviving, gas-turbine-driven 152 mm cannon has both the physical and psychological power to deter enemy targets.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 152mm main gun enables this tank to engage targets from long distances and the damage is nearly impossible to survive in case of a critical hit
* Autoloader configuration and blow out panel help with survivability (beware that the blow out panel is only for the first-stage charge storage)
* Upgraded mobility from T-80BV series with GTD-1250 gas-turbine engine
* High explosive content HE-FS for long-range engagement against covered targets

'''Cons:'''

* Weakspots such as LFP and unreliable fuel tank still haunts the protection of hull
** Lacks any ERA for extra protection and having driver's visor exposed to incoming attacks
* No smoke grenades, so losing attention of aircraft is difficult
* No thermal sight while everyone at the rank has one, ESS is not very useful at this point as a consequence as well
* Only three crew members
* Longest reload time for autoloader MBTs at 10 seconds per consecutive shot
* Lacks both coaxial and HMG for gunning down light targets/aircrafts

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_object_292 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|O0PG5LJM-iI|'''The Shooting Range #393''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:24 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 ==


* [[wt:en/news/8707-development-call-of-the-dragon-object-292-en|[Devblog] Call of the Dragon: Object 292]]

{{USSR medium tanks}}

Type 99

2024-04-26T02:27:20Z

U91965995: Usage in Battles semi-minor additions

{{About
| about = Japanese tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Type 99 (Disambiguation)
}}

{{Specs-Card
|code=jp_type_99
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Type 99 155 mm {{Annotation|SPH|Self Propelled Howitzer}}''' (99式自走155mmりゅう弾砲) is currently one of the 155 mm howitzers in JGSDF service as the direct replacement of the obsolete, shorter-barreled [[Type 75 SPH|Type 75 155 mm SPH]]. The JGSDF had already planned for a replacement of the Type 75 SPH as early as 1985; development began in 1987, with {{Annotation|MHI|Mitsubishi Heavy Industries}} responsible for the extended hull based on the chassis of what would become the [[Type 89 IFV]], while {{Annotation|JSW|Japan Steel Works}} developed the weapon systems with a domestic 155 mm L/52 howitzer. The new SPH was ready for trials in 1996, and tests were conducted in 1998, with the first four SPH units delivered to the training corps. However, due to the high unit price, the complete replacement of all Type 75 SPHs will be fulfilled by the Type 99 SPH alongside a new, wheeled Type 19 155 mm SPH.

Introduced in [[Update "Air Superiority"]] as the second SPH of JGSDF, the Type 99 is equipped with a Japanese NATO standard 155 mm howitzer and shares similar shells, but due to the increased length, it offers a whopping 940 m/s shell velocity. The new gun system retains the relatively fast gun traverse speed and new autoloader for faster reload; meanwhile, tank crews have to beware of the rather underpowered engine and huge size; enemy commanders can easily spot this long-nosed "lying Pinocchio" from afar.

;Nicknames

* JGSDF Abbreviation: 99HSP / SP - (Howitzer) Self-Propelled
* Public nickname: {{Annotation|ロングノーズ|Rongu Nōzu}} - Lit. "Long Nose"

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

Instead of opting for NATO SPHs, the JGSDF initiated plans to develop a domestic SPH, resulting in the creation of the Type 99. The most distinctive feature of the Type 99 is its notably long 155 mm L/52 howitzer, contrasting with the short chassis based on the Type 89 IFV. This characteristic earned it the nickname "Long Nose." However, this length poses a challenge as it makes the Type 99 easily identifiable on the battlefield. With an overall length, including the barrel, measuring 11.3 m, it cannot move unnoticed unless enemies are overly focused on a specific area. The overall protection comprises 20 mm RHA plates for both the chassis and turret. This means that any .50 calibre heavy machine gun won't struggle to target the crews within 300 m, let alone autocannons at even longer ranges. Taking cover and staying behind the frontline is advisable to prolong its survival. Extra caution is needed to conceal the rear of the turret, as the last thing commanders want is to witness the detonation of the 30 shells and charges located directly behind it, creating a significant explosion.

Equipped with a mechanized loader, the Type 99 operates with a smaller crew than NATO/Warsaw Pact SPHs, numbering only four individuals. While the SPH is rather spacious, the driver and assistant loader are rather spread out while the gunner and commander are squeezed together, making for an easy collateral. This crew composition will usually result in needing at least two well-placed AP shots frontally, or one side-on hitting all three turret crew in a single shot. Other possibilities of one-shots are by overpressure, a sensitive APHE fused shell into the turret or the ammo rack.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 20 mm UFP (80°)
20 mm LFP
| 20 mm ''Top'' 20 mm ''Bottom'' ||20 mm
|20 mm
|-
| Turret || 20 mm ''Turret front'' 20 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 20 mm ||20 mm
|20 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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

As the hull was developed from Mitsubishi's [[Type 89 IFV]] with an extended length, the Type 99 retained the identical 6SY31WA V8 engine and transmission. While the 50 km/h speed and its 12.1 hp/t ratio might not seem particularly impressive, it does offer a -30 km/h reverse speed for a quick retreat.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=852|rbMinHp=531}}

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

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

{{main|JSW L/52 (155 mm)}}

To align with the late Cold War trend of self-propelled howitzers featuring long barrels, the Type 99 is equipped with a domestic 155 mm L/52 howitzer by JSW. The gun system boasts 30 shells in storage with an autoloader, enabling a firing rate of one shot every 7.5 seconds. Although not as rapid as the [[Bkan 1C]] at 3.2 seconds, this rate is more than sufficient for engaging tanks at its tier, which typically have longer reload times. The ballistics remain relatively straight due to its impressive 940 m/s velocity, facilitating easier long-range engagements. An area where the Type 99 excels is a supporting role.

However, caution is advised to avoid overextension, especially with the barrel exposed behind cover, as this may lead to the gun's disablement and, eventually, the Type 99 itself.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[JSW L/52 (155 mm)|155 mm JSW L/52]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Autoloader
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 30 || rowspan="2" | -2°/+70° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 10.6 || 14.6 || 17.8 || 19.6 || 20.9 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 7.1 || 8.4 || 10.2 || 11.3 || 12.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* M107: NATO standard 155 mm HE shell, providing a reasonable 9.1 kg TNTe explosive mass.
* M107(PF): M107, but equipped with a proximity fuse. The excellent velocity of the L/52, coupled with the proximity fuse, makes it a versatile ad-hoc AA shell.
* L15A2: The pinnacle of NATO 155 mm shells, it offers an impressive 14.8 kg TNTe explosive mass. It has the potential to obliterate even the most heavily armoured vehicles.
* M110: NATO Standard 155 mm Smoke shell.

{{:JSW L/52 (155 mm)/Ammunition|M107, M107 (PF), L15A2, M110}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''30''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 575 || -8°/+45° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


With a very high shell velocity of 940 m/s but low armour and a high profile, the Type 99 155 mm should be played as either a sniping vehicle or an anti-air vehicle. With the L15A2 high explosive shells, which have an explosive mass of 14.8 kg of TNT, it can destroy every vehicle at its rank and higher with a well-placed shot between the hull and the turret (Even the [[Maus]] or the [[Object 279]] heavy tanks). The hull of the Type 99 155 mm also has a large empty spot without any important modules, meaning that some enemy shells will just go through the hull without activating their explosive fuses, causing little to no damage. The bane of your existence are autocannon-equipped light tanks and SPAAGs as well as vehicles that fire chemical rounds, as a single hit can cause overpressure damage and detonate your ammunition. Avoid being hit by artillery at any cost, as the chance of getting hit by the artillery is much higher than other tanks due to its very large profile.

Since the HE shells don't have a tracer mark while firing, shooting at an enemy group from a long distance while staying near cover is the best way to go to not be seen. The Type 99's engine has very good backward speed of 31 km/h (RB), meaning that if a situation becomes too hot, shooting a smoke shell at the ground while driving backwards is a possible way to retreat out of a dangerous situation quickly. Alternately, the Type 99 can be played as an excellent anti-air vehicle to shoot down planes or helicopters nearby or from long distance. The even faster reload of only 7.5 seconds (from its predecessor [[Type 75 SPH]] with its 10 seconds reload), which also stays the same when its loader gets knocked out - thanks to its autoloader and a very fast shell velocity for a calibre of 155 mm - can make it very deadly for enemies in the sky. M107 (PF) is generally a lacking shell for AA duties due to its lack of velocity on even the [[VIDAR]], but the 940 m/s firing velocity of the Type 99 truly makes the destructive potential of this shell apparent. With one of the fastest howitzer reloads behind only the turretless [[Bkan 1C|Bandkanon]] and that high velocity, sniping aircraft has never been easier in a howitzer! It is also to be noted that proximity shells also have some minor uses against open top vehicles, as the overpressure damage will generally one-shot your enemies. If you see a [[M56]] or [[SU-100P]] hiding in a trench or near a rock, and your normal HE is struggling to actually hit them, a proximity shell can and will send them right back to the hangar, so keep this in the back of your head for added versatility.

The engine compartment is also frontally placed and separated by a 5 mm steel plate from the rest of the crew, meaning that when the frontal hull gets hit, the engine can soak up most if not all of the damage that could have been. Leaving the rest of the components and the crew itself unharmed. One of the major downsides of the Type 99 is the very lackluster gun depression of only -2 degrees, which can cause noticeable issues on hilly or bumpy terrain. This is a problem that the Type 99 encounters often, as purely flat maps are rare and you often find yourself in situations where even the [[Type 75 SPH]]'s -5 degrees would have sufficed to lob a shell at an enemy. Things you can do to mitigate these problems would be to avoid high inclined surfaces but also to reverse up hills to use your good gun elevation instead, although do keep in mind that a shot into your turret roof could be fatal. Overall, the Type 99 trades some noticeable strengths for some just-as-noticeable weaknesses, and is a versatile addition that doubles as a reliable anti-aircraft vehicle with plenty of shells to fling at tanks after.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Excellent shell velocity of 940 m/s (for a SPH)
** Can make the M107 (PF) a reliable AA shell
* 7.5-second auto-loader
* 30 shells in the ready rack
* 20 mm RHA armour offers a balance of protection without excessive weight
** Thin enough to avoid triggering most APHE fuses
** Effective protection against HMGs at longer ranges
* Moderate mobility with a respectable -30 km/h reverse speed
* Large and spacious
** Able to survive more than one penetration
'''Cons:'''

* Limited protection with 20 mm RHA armour
** Minimal defense against shell penetration
** In close-quarter combat, vulnerable to heavy machine guns
* Relatively small crew size
* Large and easily recognizable target
** Very long barrel can be exposed when positioned behind cover
** only -2 degrees of gun depression limits areas of effectiveness on certain maps

== History ==

=== Development ===
The previous [[Type 75 SPH|Type 75 self-propelled 155 mm howitzer]], which was formalized in 1975, has a maximum range of only 19 km even when using specially developed long-range ammo. On the other hand, the towed 155 mm howitzer FH-70 (jointly developed by Britain, West Germany and Italy), which began licensed production in 1983, has a maximum range of 30 km when using base-bleed ammunition. Even the French-made 120 mm towed mortar RT, which is deployed in infantry units, reaches a maximum range of 13 km when using rocket-assisted propellant. Maximum range stands as one of the most pivotal characteristics of artillery; thus, the maximum range of the Type 75 self-propelled howitzer fell short of contemporary standards, irrespective of its developmental era.

Consequently, development on the soon-to-be Type 99 SPH commenced in 1985. Initially, the sole consideration for the upgrade was to replace the Type 75's 155 mm L/30 with a longer L/39 calibre gun. However, as project requirements evolved, including the integration of a new fire control system and systematically newer features, the entire project underwent redevelopment in 1987, utilizing an adapted hull from a prototype [[Type 89 IFV]].

{{Annotation|JSW|Japan Steel Works}}, serving as the main contractor, spearheaded the development of the turret and cannon, collaborating with Mitsubishi overseeing the hull, Asahi Kasei for the entire shell, Nippon Yushi for the inner cylinder of the shell, and Hitachi for the ammunition carrier/loader. By 1996, the design phase of the vehicle concluded, with over 5 billion yen invested. Subsequently, technical and practical tests ensued with four proto-production vehicles. Upon the completion of all testing by 1998, the 4 vehicles were allocated to training divisions in 1999, officially marking the adoption of the "Type 99 self-propelled 155 mm howitzer".

=== Usage ===
The Type 99 SPH boasts a maximum firing range of approximately 30 km, surpassing that of the Type 75 SPH by more than 1.5 times. When equipped with the Type 93 Long-Range shell (base-bleed), the maximum range extends to approximately 40 km. Notably, a Type 03 Multi-Purpose shell (Cluster) was once developed and deployed, featuring submunitions with explosive charges capable of eliminating lightly armoured vehicles within a radius of approximately 100 m. However, this ammunition type was discontinued due to its violation of the Convention on Cluster Munitions.

Despite using an auto-loader, the Type 99 SPH offers enhanced flexibility, allowing loading at any angle. This results in faster loading compared to the Type 75, which required the main gun to be returned to a fixed angle for loading. Additionally, unlike the Type 75, which exclusively automatically loaded warheads, with charges manually loaded afterwards, the Type 99 is automatically loaded with uni-charged shells. With a maximum firing rate exceeding 6 rounds per minute and over 18 rounds per 3 minutes, it showcases a significant improvement in firepower.

Furthermore, the Type 99 ammunition feeder, exclusively developed for this vehicle, can be connected behind the hatch on the right rear of the turret. This configuration enables the automatic replenishment of ammunition, further enhancing the continuous rate of fire.

=== Replacement ===
While the initial objective of the Type 99 SPH was to replace the earlier [[Type 75 SPH]], the unit cost, reaching the extremely high approximate 960 million yen per unit, has limited manufacturing and procurement to a range of 6 to 8 vehicles annually. Failing on the complete replacement, a more cost-effective alternative emerged in the form of the Type 19 self-propelled 155 mm howitzer. Designed to replace the Japanese inventory of FH-70 towed howitzers, it shares the same advanced gun technology as the Type 99.

The Type 19, however, is not a direct replacement for its mechanized counterpart but serves as a supplement. Its primary role is to replace motorized artillery. Since its assignment to training corps in 2019, deployment to active units commenced in 2023.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=jp_type_99 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|a4pkpdAORXw|Type 99 SPH - Testing|8fzbY512SUo|Type 99 SPH - Auto-Loader|M6b8-pzq4cM|Type 99 SPH - Fuji Firing Range, 2013}}

== See also ==


;Related Development

* [[Type 75 SPH]]
* [[Type 89 IFV]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[VIDAR]]
* [[AuF1|AMX-30 AuF1]]
* [[Bkan 1C]]

== External links ==

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

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

{{Japan tank destroyers}}

T95E1

2024-04-12T05:05:03Z

U91965995: New Description Project

{{About
| about = American medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the American tank destroyer
| link = T95
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=us_t95e1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==


The T95 medium tank development program (not to be confused with the [[T95]]) started from a requirement to replace the aging M48 Patton. Two proposals were looked at, that being the T95 equipped with a 90 mm gun and the T96 with a 105 mm gun. The T95 program started with the base T95, which was equipped with a two-plane stabilizer and OPTAC fire control system, and the T95E1 was a further development of this with the two-plane stabilizer removed but with a simplified fire control system installed. The T95 program as a whole ended up being cancelled a few years later after multiple variants due to technological shortcomings, including poor accuracy of the smoothbore gun, problematic X-shaped transmission and overall marginal to nonexistent improvements over the M48 it was meant to supersede, although it was not without merits as the T95E7 turret evolved into the M60's 'long-nose/needle nose' turret upgrade.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica"]]. Equipped with a 90 mm smoothbore cannon capable of firing APFSDS, this tank is the first tank in the American tree that uses the ammunition type. Without some of the new tools found on other vehicles such as a stabilizer, laser rangefinder or thermal vision, one might assume the T95E1 is inferior to its competition. However, the T95E1 carries its own weight with a stable transmission, fairly high shell ballistics and a highly inclined turret that can deflect shots at range. Mobility is standard as is its armor protection, and overall the tank's greatest asset is that it is well rounded to a fault and can handle most terrain and ranges with little issue, without the turret speed penalties contemporaries have to deal with such as the [[T-55A]].

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

'''Armour type:''''

* Cast homogeneous armour
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Top side hull, Top rear hull, Rear hull roof)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 95 mm (64-71°), 51 mm (67-86°) ''Front glacis'' 127 mm (43-45°) ''Lower glacis'' || 101.6 mm ''Top - Front'' 50.8-72.6 mm ''Top - Crew compartment'' 32 mm ''Top - Engine compartment'' 19 mm (65°) ''Bottom - Front & Crew compartment'' 13 mm (65°) ''Bottom - Engine compartment'' || 19 mm (18°) ''Top'' 25 mm (4-64°) ''Bottom'' || 95 mm (19°) ''Front glacis'' 51 mm (11°) ''Driver compartment'' 25 mm (3°) ''Engine compartment''
|-
| Turret || 178 mm (6-78°) ''Turret front'' 178 mm (1-71°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 76-178 mm (24-52°) || 51 mm (4-39°) || 51 mm ''Front'' 38 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || 100 mm ''Cupola front'' 105 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 70 mm || 50 mm || 38 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels, torsion bars and tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 19 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=868|rbMinHp=495}}

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

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

{{main|T208E9 (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[T208E9 (90 mm)|90 mm T208E9]] || 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" | -10°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 34.3 || 47.4 || 57.6 || 63.7 || 67.8 || rowspan="2" | 11.05 || rowspan="2" | 9.78 || rowspan="2" | 9.01 || rowspan="2" | 8.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.4 || 25.2 || 30.6 || 33.8 || 36.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:T208E9 (90 mm)/Ammunition|T320, T340E14H, T339E14}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''50''' || 37 ''(+13)'' || 23 ''(+27)'' || 9 ''(+41)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

* Shells are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Racks 3 and 4 are first stage ammo racks. They total 22 shells and get filled first when loading up the tank.
* These racks are also emptied early: the rack depletion order at full capacity is: 3 - 4 - 1 - 2.
* Simply not firing when the gun is loaded will move ammo from racks 1 and 2 into racks 4 then 3. Firing will interrupt the restocking of the ready racks.

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M73 (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 || 1,800 (200) || 577 || -5°/+40° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M73 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M73]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,750 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The T95E1's playstyle consists of mostly setting up ambushes and/or on the frontlines. The APFSDS shell has more than enough power to destroy most tanks that it will face; however, on a uptier against [[Leopard A1A1]]'s, [[T-62M-1]]'s, and generally any 8.7 to 9.0 MBT, you will need to play more cautiously, thus the ambushing tactics come into play. You must be extremely aware of what is around you and be quicker than your enemy on the gun because the lack of stabilizers will make shooting on the move very difficult.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Stock APFSDS able to penetrate most enemies frontally
* Excellent post-penetration spalling from APFSDS
* Sloped frontal armour can bounce multiple shots with ease, but upper glacis and turret front bounce shots to each other
* Very good stock horizontal turret traverse
* Good gun depression of -10°, allows for some hull-down tactics
* High velocity firing makes long-range fighting easier, especially in the large maps
* Has a Smoothbore gun, with excellent recoil mount that decreases the recoil
* Acceptable top speed of 56 km/h
* The smoke shell (T339E14) has high velocity which helps you save allies at a long distance

'''Cons:'''

* Poor acceleration and low top speed cross-country
* Low reverse speed relative to other American medium tanks
* A prominent weak spot in the form of commander's cupola
* No ammunition choices other than APFSDS or HE
* No stabiliser - unable to accurately fire on the move
* Front armour vulnerable against sabot and HEAT rounds
* Limited accuracy of smoothbore cannon at long range
* Rear hull armour can be penetrated with .50 cals and therefore, engine and transmission are prone to damage
* Large ammo racks to the sides of driver, front hull penetration could lead to easy ammo detonation.
* Like with most Abrams series tanks, the engine deck is slightly raised, meaning that you will not be able to depress the gun over the rear of the tank.
* Lacking night vision device in an uptier

== History ==

In the early 1950s, the US began looking for a replacement for the M48 series. In September 1954, the T95 was selected for development; construction of pilot models began in 1957. The T95E1 differed from the T95 in the inclusion of a recoil system mount and the omission of a two-plane stabilizer, and was completed in early 1958.

The T95 program was shut down in July 1960 when it became clear that both the engine power and smoothbore cannon's accuracy were unsatisfactory and would provide no significant improvements over the M48 already in service. However, further development of the turret design contributed significantly to the turret used later on the M60A1.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_t95e1 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 ==


* [[wt:en/news/4752-t95e1-the-contender-en|[Devblog] T95E1: The Contender]]

{{TankManufacturer Ordnance Department}}
{{USA medium tanks}}

FIM-92 Stinger

2024-04-01T01:20:25Z

U91965995: Description etc added

[[File:Weapon FIM-92 Stinger.png|thumb|right|x250px|The FIM-92K missile after being launched from a Ozelot.]]

== Description ==

The '''{{PAGENAME}}''' is an American infrared homing surface-to-air missile. It exists in two variants: FIM-92E and FIM-92K, and was introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]]. It is also known as the "'''Fliegerfaust 2 Stinger'''" in German service. The Stinger is what is commonly known as a MANPADS missile - short for MAN-Portable Air Defense System - and was developed to be portable and self-reliant. As such, the missile comes equipped with an Infra-Red Counter-Countermeasure (IRCCM) seeker, meaning it can reject enemy flares with devastating accuracy and home in straight towards an enemy aircraft. While lacking in range compared to larger, bulkier SAM systems such as the [[Tor-M1]] or [[ADATS]], the significantly more discreet hulls and moderate range of 6 km means just as in real life these missiles can pose a threat at a moment's notice.

=== Vehicles equipped with this weapon ===


* {{Specs-Link|germ_flakpz_1a2_Gepard}}
* {{Specs-Link|us_lav_ad}}
* {{Specs-Link|il_machbet}}
* {{Specs-Link|germ_wiesel_2_adwc}}

== General info ==


The FIM-92E and 92K are identical outside of the 92K having a proximity fuse of 1 meter, noticeably increasing its lethality in cases of near misses.

{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | FIM-92E characteristics
|-
| '''Calibre''' || 70 mm
|-
| '''Mass''' || 10.1 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || IR
|-
| '''IRCCM''' || Yes
|-
| '''Aspect''' || All-Aspects
|-
| '''Lock range in rear-aspect''' || 11 km (6.84 mi)
|-
| '''Lock range in all-aspects''' || 6 km (3.73 mi)
|-
| '''Launch range''' || 5 km (3.11 mi)
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' || 670 m/s
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 13 G
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 15 secs
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 540 g TNTe
|-
| '''Fuze delay''' || 1 m
|-
| '''Fuze Sensitivity''' || 0.1 mm
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="display:inline-table;text-align:center"
! colspan="2" | FIM-92K characteristics
|-
| '''Calibre''' || 70 mm
|-
| '''Mass''' || 10.1 kg
|-
| '''Guidance''' || IR
|-
| '''IRCCM''' || Yes
|-
| '''Aspect''' || All-Aspects
|-
| '''Lock range in rear-aspect''' || 11 km (6.84 mi)
|-
| '''Lock range in all-aspects''' || 6 km (3.73 mi)
|-
| '''Launch range''' || 5 km (3.11 mi)
|-
| '''Maximum speed''' ||670 m/s
|-
| '''Maximum overload''' || 13 G
|-
| '''Missile guidance time''' || 15 secs
|-
| '''Explosive mass''' || 540 g TNTe
|-
| '''Fuze delay''' || 1 m
|-
| '''Fuze Sensitivity''' || 0.1 mm
|-
| '''Trigger Radius''' || 1 m
|}

=== Effective damage ===

The Stinger produces somewhat low shrapnel. This is not to say the missile lacks lethality as some people like to claim, but as it is a man-portable missile its warhead simply isn't as large as conventional SAMs. A hit will usually prove fatal to almost all aircraft, but more resilient aircraft such as the [[Su-25 (Family)]] may occasionally survive a direct hit. It is however to be noted that often when a Su-25 is hit the aircraft itself may ''seem'' fine, but usually suffers irreparable damage to the control wires or fuel tanks in the process, so regardless of any situation firing off more than 2 Stingers at any aircraft is inadvisable.
=== Comparison with analogues ===

The Stinger is similar to its contemporaries which include but are not limited to the [[9M39 Igla | 9M39]], [[Type 91]], and [[Mistral SATCP | Mistral]] MANPADS class missiles. The 9M39 is roughly equivalent to the Stinger with a similar explosive warhead content and no proximity fuse like the FIM-92E, flying at a slightly slower speed and with a worse all aspect lock range, whereas the Mistral is closer to being a direct upgrade instead with more Gs pulled, a faster firing speed and a warhead with three times more filler. All in all, the Stinger is adequately balanced between practicality and efficiency.
== Usage in battles ==
''Describe situations when you would utilise this missile in-game (vehicle, pillbox, base, etc)''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fire-and-forget
* IRCCM makes it highly resistant to flares once launched
* K variant has a proximity fuse

'''Cons:'''

* Low overload of only 13 G sees that the missile is defeated by most defensive manoeuvres
* 6 km all aspect range is outranged by some AGMs
* Bad Short-Range Guidance
* Small Warhead
* Low Missile Guidance Time (15s)

== History ==


===Stinger Development===
In the 1960s, the US military's standard man-portable air-defense system (MANPADS) was the FIM-43 Redeye, a missile launcher developed by Convair/Ponoma. However, the Redeye missiles were deemed to be too slow, unmanoeuverable, and could not distinguish its target source well enough to be an effective anti-aircraft weapon.<ref name="FAS_Stinger">Pike and Sherman 2000</ref> A program for an improved missile was launched in 1967, titled Redeye II. This new missile program was part of the Advanced Sensor Development Program, which sought to give the man-portable missile an all-aspect seeking capability. By 1971, Redeye II was chosen as the next standard MANPADS missile, and was given the designation FIM-92. The name of the program was eventually changed in March 1972 into the '''Stinger'''.<ref name="DS_Stinger">Parsch 2005</ref>
[[File:Sergeant shoulders the first Stinger to come off the production line.jpg|x250px|thumb|left|none|A US Army Sergeant shoulders a FIM-92 Stinger.]]

The contract to develop the missiles went to General Dynamics in June 1972.<ref name="FAS_Stinger" /> The first tests with the missiles began in November 1973, though technical problems caused delays that the first missile was only fired shoulder-launched in 1975.<ref name="DS_Stinger" /> The Stinger Production Qualification Test-Government (PQT-G) began in April 1976.<ref name="AT_Stinger">Army Technology "Stinger Man-Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS)"</ref> The PQT-G concluded in 1977, and resulted in a mass production contract in April 1978 for General Dynamics to produce the FIM-92A Stinger missiles. The missiles reached the US military, where the Stinger missiles reached IOC (Initial Operational Capability) status in February 1981, resulting in the Stinger's steady replacement of all other MANPADS in service. The basic model, the FIM-92A, featured a cooled conical-scan IR seeker that allowed all-aspect acquisition and homing abilities as well as a AN/PPX-1 Identification, Friend or Foe (IFF) system.<ref name="FAS_Stinger" />

Improvements into the FIM-92 stingers led to succeeding variants. The FIM-92B started development in 1977. It is also known as Stinger-POST (Passive Optical Seeker Technique) and featured an improved IR/UV seeker to better distinguish countermeasures. The next version, the FIM-92C began development in 1984 and was named as Stinger-RMP (Reprogrammable MicroProcessor). Introducing a new microprocessor that was reprogrammable, the Stinger-RMP allowed the Stinger platform to adapt to new threats and countermeasures without requiring a new missile design. The Stinger-RMP became the basis of the succeeding FIM-92D to G variants, which featured various improvements on the Stinger-RMP capabilities.<ref name="FAS_Stinger" />

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

== See also ==


* [[ATAS (AIM-92)]] - Helicopter-borne variant of the Stinger

== External links ==


=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Army Technology. "Stinger Man-Portable Air Defence System (MANPADS)." ''Army Technology'', Verdict Media Limited, [https://www.army-technology.com/projects/stinger-man-portable-air-defence-system-manpads/ Website]. Accessed 07 Apr. 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210407164547/https://www.army-technology.com/projects/stinger-man-portable-air-defence-system-manpads/ Web Archive]).
* Parsch, Andreas. "FIM-92" ''Designation Systems'', 14 Feb. 2005, [http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-92.html Website]. Accessed 07 Apr. 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210407163825/http://www.designation-systems.net/dusrm/m-92.html Web Archive]).
* Pike, John; Sherman, Robert. "FIM-92A Stinger Weapons System: RMP & Basic." ''Federation of American Scientists - Military Analysis Network'', 09 Aug. 2000, [https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/stinger.htm Website]. Accessed 07 Apr. 2021 ([https://web.archive.org/web/20210407163553/https://fas.org/man/dod-101/sys/land/stinger.htm Web Archive]).

{{Missiles}}

[[Category:Suspended armaments]]

FlaRakPz 1

2024-04-01T00:23:23Z

U91965995: New Description Project / Description revised

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_flarakpz_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==


Starting development in 1963 and fielded from 1977 onwards, the Roland Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) was a cornerstone of NATO air defense for multiple decades. The Roland SAM was developed as a Franco-German collaboration project, originally intended to defend airfields and frontline formations from enemy fixed and rotary wing aviation. The FlaRakPz 1 was one of the hulls modified to carry this new SAM, with the base hull being taken from the [[Marder IFV (Family) | Marder]] IFV. The Roland turret comes equipped with both a search and track radar, as well as an optical tracking system for use in good atmospheric conditions or in heavy jamming environments. It could fire the Roland 2 and Roland 3 SAMs, with the Roland 3 being an upgraded variant of the Roland 2 in terms of missile speed, warhead size and better guidance systems for all weather conditions. The FlaRakPz units were all retired in 2005, with its successor system (planned to be the LFK NG, a variant of the IRIS-T AAM) being cancelled in 2011 and its SHORAD (SHOrt Range Air Defense) role was transferred to the German Air Force instead.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]]. The FlaRakPz 1 is Germany's preferred vehicle of choice for enemy rotary aviation; the missiles don't require a lock to fire like the [[Ozelot]] and [[Gepard 1A2]]'s [[[FIM-92 Stinger|Stinger]] MANPADS surface to air missiles, and as the vehicle is equipped with an Infra-Red Search and Track radar (IRST) discreetly scan and lock enemy aircraft without alerting the RWRs on said aircraft. However, as the missiles have noticeable input delay when pulling in, they often struggle against fixed wing aviation, with even fairly low agility aircraft able to do a corkscrew style maneuver only for the Roland SAM to be unable to compensate and miss entirely. There is also the minor downside that you can't engage enemy armor with the missiles as you can in the [[ADATS]], and if your missile is still airborne you are forced to wait out the flight duration or wait for the missile to detonate to start your reloading animation. Overall, while the FlaRakPz 1 certainly has itself a niche, it's sadly held back by the very niche filling role it has due to a lack of flexibility against enemy targets.

== 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=852|rbMinHp=531}}

The FlaRakPz 1 is powered by a {{Annotation|MTU|Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH}} MB 833 Ea-500 that produces 441 kW (600 hp) at 2,200 RPM.

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

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

{{main|Roland}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Roland|Roland SAM]] (x2) || 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" | 10 (2) || rowspan="2" | -10°/+80° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 74.9 || 103.6 || 125.8 || 139.1 || 148.0 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 50.6 || 59.5 || 72.3 || 79.9 || 85.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Roland/Ammunition|Roland 2, Roland 3}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_XM975.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the [[XM975]] (identical).]]

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

== Usage in battles ==


;Arcade Battles

The {{PAGENAME}} does not have any additional armaments to attack other vehicles or protect itself, limiting its offensive ability towards even slightly-armoured targets. Due to this, moving any distance from the spawn point will result in death due to the thin armour and increased visibility, due to vehicle markers, making the {{PAGENAME}} an easy target. Both the Roland 2 and Roland 3 SAMs have a maximum speed of 900 m/s, with payloads of 3.3 kg and 4.45 kg of Composition B respectably, more than enough to deal with the only aircraft type (helicopters) it will encounter in this game mode. Moving alongside allies or waiting in or near spawn areas - where the {{PAGENAME}} has the best view of the sky - will be rewarding as when engaging medium to heavily armoured units, the explosive mass of the missiles will be most useful in destroying or disabling targets, requiring knowledge of vulnerable spots on enemy vehicles to deliver a finishing blow. Due to the large explosive mass of both missiles, it can destroy light targets with overpressure.

;Realistic Battles

In Realistic Battles, the vehicle's primary purpose is as an anti-aircraft weapon. There is no weapons on the {{PAGENAME}} that can serve as meaningful anti-armour tools (although the Roland 3's 54 mm of penetration can allow creative players to penetrate through light-armour or tank roofs) and the armour may as well be nonexistent. The vehicle is quite mobile however, and so the mobility should be used alongside the {{PAGENAME}}'s excellent radars by getting into optimal positions to search and engage targets.

The {{PAGENAME}}'s battlefield performance is greatly assisted by its SAG MPDR-16 search radar. Able to search targets up to 16 kilometers away in a 360 degree angle, the {{PAGENAME}} can serve as a really good warning indicator to alert teammates of any incoming airborne threats. Accompanying the search radar is the Thomson-CSF Domino 30 tracking radar that allows the {{PAGENAME}} player to begin locking onto targets from 12 kilometers away, which can allow a lot of breathing room for players to first locate the aerial target, track it, then engage once it approaches the Roland missile's firing range (6.3 km on the Roland 2 and 8 km on the Roland 3).

One issue with the above mentioned attack strategy is when encountering an aircraft with a radar-warning receiver (RWR). The {{PAGENAME}}'s searching and tracking function will trigger their RWR, leading them to know a radar-equipped SPAA is present and will perform evasive manoeuvre such as using the terrain to mask itself. To prevent this, the {{PAGENAME}}'s search radar can be configured to use the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) feature, which tracks the enemy by its heat instead of by radar. This benefits by not notifying the enemy that a radar has got it locked, but the IRST feature may produce less accurate tracking than radar.

Once the {{PAGENAME}} has gotten an aerial target locked on by radar or IRST, fire a Roland 2/3 missile once the enemy aircraft has gotten into range. The missile is controlled by "semi-automatic command to line of sight" (SACLOS) which only requires the player to place the crosshair onto target and the missile will head towards the crosshair's center. Pointing directly at an aerial target will only be simple if attacking a hovering helicopter or a jet heading right towards the {{PAGENAME}}, however most of the time when fighting fast-moving jets, the player-controlled crosshair may be able to track the aircraft faster than the missile. This will require the player to lead ahead of the aircraft with the crosshair, keeping an eye on the trailing missile to make sure its tracer is hovering right on top of the aircraft so that once it reaches the aircraft's range, it will detonate and take out or cripple the aircraft.

Note that the Roland missiles can be fired from the {{PAGENAME}} without a radar lock in case of emergencies, however this may require players to work a little harder to keep the {{PAGENAME}}'s turret continually pointing towards the enemy aircraft as the search/track radar does give some assistance in keeping the locked enemy in front of the {{PAGENAME}} turret. That said, the advantage of the {{PAGENAME}}'s ability to fire without a lock means that the enemy aircraft's countermeasures like flares or chaff will not affect the Roland missile flight, keeping the probability of a hit narrowed down to the player's skill and the enemy aircraft's ability to evade.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has Roland 3 missiles as a tier 2 modification, increasing the vehicle's offensive range to 8.5 km
* Roland 2 and Roland 3 missiles are reactive and manoeuvrable
* Active radar system with a scan range of 15 km
* Slightly higher-than-average max speed (70 km/h)
* Autoloader with 5-second reload
* Roland SAMs maintain their top speed up until their respective max range, and do not decelerate like other SAMs

'''Cons:'''

* Significantly lower missile velocity compared to the ADATS (1,200 m/s) and Stormer HVM (1,400 m/s)
* Only two missiles available before having to reload
* Lack of additional armament for close-range or armoured targets

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_flarakpz_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|naeDoEwZ5Pg|'''German SPAAs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 6:15 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|gQLL7BZs0NE|'''{{PAGENAME}}: Sparking Fun with SAMs''' - ''Napalmratte''|luvhoX8Ht1I|'''New anti-air defence''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:44 - ''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 ==


* [https://mtu-online-shop.com/media/files_public/952ae139f0fae50b15702ddf661cad33/3061601_MTU_Defense_Brochure.pdf MTU Defense Brochure]

{{Germany anti-aircraft vehicles}}

Jagdtiger

2024-03-31T15:59:43Z

U91965995: New Description Project Finished / Mobility etc also edited minorly

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

== Description ==


The Jagdtiger was the final evolution of German tank destroyers growing progressively heavier and heavily armed over the years - and as any extreme specialization in one field tends to cause, it was very lacking in many other areas, most notably mobility and gearbox reliability. First starting out as a vague requirement to mount a 12.8 cm gun to a self propelled hull in 1942 and then a [[Panther tank (Family)|Panther]] or [[Tiger I (Family)|Tiger 1]] hull in 1943, the vehicle was produced in low quantities from 1944 to 1945 based on the [[Tiger II (Family)|Tiger II]] hull instead. With the frontal armor just as thick as that of the Maus, it was a formidable foe, but as the engine was identical to the 19-ton lighter Tiger II which was already overstressed by its own weight, the 71-ton behemoth was incredibly unreliable and was incredibly sluggish to maneuver, frequently breaking down while trying to crest even a small mound of dirt. Low rate production, the poorly trained crews and its poor reliability meant that the Jagdtiger was overkill for most situations and contributed little to the war effort as a whole.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 186''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41. The Jagdtiger is best described as 'extreme', both in a good and bad way. On one hand, its frontal armor scheme rivals that of the [[Maus]], a non-trivial feat when you consider the Maus has over 200 mm of raw armor thickness, and its 12.8 cm cannon was if anything overkill against any enemy it saw during the war, with stories of its shells going straight through a building and penetrating a Sherman being well-known. On the other hand, the Jagdtiger is incredibly cumbersome, with a slow acceleration and especially slow turning, most noticeable on inclines. For how large it is it isn't near immobile like similar tank destroyers in its weight class such as the [[T95]] or [[Tortoise]], but it is by no means a mobile vehicle. Due to its lack of a turret and reliance on raw armor, the Jagdtiger fares poorly on urban maps, as they require the Jagdtiger to constantly turn around corners while exposing its much thinner sides constantly. It is also very vulnerable to chemical rounds - while they might not one-shot your vehicle, a chemical round penetrating your vehicle can do so against even the thickest parts of your armor with ease, so one penetration is sure to lead to several more which in turn ''will'' be fatal. As such, the Jagdtiger performs best as a second line supporting vehicle, sniping from long range or holding corridors for your team as opposed to pushing up yourself. This reduces any risk of being pincered or immobilized then flanked, and will also mean enemies will struggle to see you and land an accurate shot on your weakspots.

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


The Jagdtiger sports one of the thickest raw armor plates in the game, at an astounding 250 mm RHA thickness at the front. This is enough to deflect almost any AP or APHE round at range, and only at closer ranges can some APDS rounds pose a threat. However, later APDS rounds which are more akin to APFSDS rounds as well as chemical munitions generally bypass this armor very easily, so caution is necessary around these vehicles.

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


The Jagdtiger's mobility is fairly poor. While respectable for its size it is still a Tiger 2's engine with an additional 19 tons of armor, which makes accelerating much slower and as a result makes for very poor map traversal. Try and reduce the time spent turning your vehicle, so that you get to advantageous positions faster.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=994|rbMinHp=619}}

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

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

{{main|PaK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PaK44 (128 mm)|128 mm PaK44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+14° || rowspan="2" | ±10° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 4.4 || 6.1 || 7.4 || 8.2 || 8.7 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.29 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 3.0 || 3.5 || 4.2 || 4.7 || 5.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:PaK44 (128 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr, Sprgr. L/5, PzGr 43}}

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

{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''40''' || Projectiles Propellants || 29 ''(+11)'' 33 ''(+7)'' || 15 ''(+25)'' 27 ''(+13)'' || 1 ''(+1)'' 19 ''(+21)'' || N/A 15 ''(+25)'' || N/A 11 ''(+29)'' || N/A 1 ''(+39)'' || No
|}
'''Notes''':

* The {{PAGENAME}} uses two-piece ammunition, composed of propellant bags (orange) and projectiles (yellow). Both have separate racks.
* Projectiles and propellant bags are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Sides empty: 11 ''(+29)'' shells.

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

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull || 3,000 (150) || 900 || -6°/+4° || ±7°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Inherent as any other tank destroyer: limit the avenues of approach for your enemies with either obstacles or distance and try to pick off targets one-on-one and not several at the same time. Despite its heavy armour, the Jagdtiger should retreat after every shot, if the opposition possesses weapons with penetration defeating 180 mm of armour, or else the lower plate will provide a big target. Make sure to take each corner with plenty of momentum though, if an enemy destroys the tracks or transmission during a turn, the remaining momentum will carry the Jagdtiger into a firing position or to safety.

Obviously, close-quarter-combat (CQC: Urban areas, cities, ravines, etc) should be avoided as they invite ambushes to the very weak side of Jagdtiger. Of course, narrow passageways can also be turned into choke points (see above).

Sitting at an uneasy battle rating, the Jagdtiger meets opponents with guns that can go through its armour much less regularly in Realistic and Simulator. However, the British 20-pounder, also quite common at this rank, has an APDS shell that can go through your armour easily at medium range. However, other than up-tiers or tank destroyers firing HEATFS, no conventional rounds can really go through your armour in RB/SB. However, in arcade, its higher BR will make it face more modern opponents.

Foes able to frontally penetrate the Jagdtiger in hull down position (hiding the lower glacis) are labelled in ☠red.

Due to the potency of the 128 mm APHE shell, specific modules must not be a target. A successful hit into the crew compartment will result in any tank exploding.

;Specific enemies worth noting

'''RB/SB'''

*[[IS-3]]: Shoot the pike, albeit it can be difficult to get through if it is angled straight forward. A trapshot is also quite possible, as long as you can richochet a shell of of the gun mantlet and into the turret.
*[[IS-6]]: Shoot the right side of the turret beside the gun, where there are 2 "dots" and a relatively flat surface. You will be able to penetrate this area most of the time.
*☠[[SU-122-54]]: Anywhere, except try to avoid the gun mantle. No noteworthy armour, but it has a dangerous gun.
*[[T-44]]: The frontal chassis can be very trolly with its ricochets. Turret and lower glacis nearly guaranteed a penetration and knocking them out instantly.
*T-54s & ☠[[T-54 (1951)]]: All can be penetrated through the turret front (left and right of gun mantlet) from closer than 500 m. Except for the [[T-54 (1947)]] the Jagdtiger may also shoot the chassis' armour plate if it is pointed straight toward the Jagdtiger. Or just shoot the cupola and let the 700 grams of TNT equivalent do the rest
*☠[[M47]]: Pretty much anywhere.
*☠Any [[M48A1]]: Lot's of sloped armour. Frontally the commander's cupola can be picked, the turret ring, or gun mantlet.
*☠[[M60]]: Basically just a better M48. Shoot it as if it is an M48, especially the commander's cupola
*☠[[T95]]: Albeit a rare sight, the few specimens encountered are driven by madmen, or masochist. Either way, both tend to have a good understanding of enemy weak points. Inside 500 m the T95's stock AP shell can penetrate the upper and lower frontal plate and the APCR can pierce the superstructure, but not the chassis. Fortunately, the raw armour strength limits shrapnel power and penetrated shots will do minor area damage in the spacious crew compartment. Damage can be avoided entirely by staying at distances exceeding 500 m. The T95's armour is in all due respect superior to the Jagdtiger, yet features two protruding weak spots: The two cupolas, hitting them is another issue though. Combat should be engaged in ranges less than 500 m, beyond that accuracy will not allow aiming for weak spots.
*☠[[M103]]: So much sloped armour. Try to shoot into the turret trap (lower gun mantlet) or the turret ring.
*[[Panzer V Panther (Family)|Panther]] / [[M26 (Family)|Pershing]] / [[M46]]: Entire front is penetrable.
*[[Tiger II (H)]]: Right turret cheek to disable the turret for a safe reload. Alternatively, the lower glacis to get the transmission and a chance to knock out the entire crew.
*[[Maus]]: Turret cheeks, multiple hits will be necessary. If possible a shot into either the fuel tanks or chassis ammo rack for the 12,8 cm cannon should destroy the behemoth with a single shot.
*[[Jagdtiger]]: The lower plate is a good place to shoot. Make sure to hit at a good angle as the APBC can still bounce. Also, the flat parts of the superstructure when not angle work at close range.
*☠[[Leopard I|Leopard]]: Shoot it anywhere. Don't miss.

'''Arcade'''

*[[IS-4M]]: The drives hatch is hard to get through with the tiny hole behind the additional armour. More favourable is the lower plate, or the gun mantlet on his left side.
*☠[[T-10M]]: Shoot the lower glacis when not angled, or shoot the cupolas with HE.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Shares the same hull as the Tiger II, so the upper glacis plate is still very tough
* The front of the superstructure is very difficult to get through with anything less than APDS or HEAT
* With its 6-man crew and thick armour, it's difficult to knock out this tank with a single shot
* Totally and utterly impenetrable gun mantlet, even better than the T95's one
* 128 mm PaK 44 cannon is an accurate cannon with a surprisingly short reload time. It takes 20 seconds to reload with a decent crew. That is not bad considering the size and weight of the projectile that this gun fires
* PzGr 43 round has one of the highest penetrations of any APCBC round in the game
* Both the stock PzGr and PzGr 43 shells have an equivalent TNT explosive mass of 786 g, ensuring devastating post-penetration damage
* When hull down, the Jagdtiger is a true terror on the battlefield. Especially when there are few post-war tanks in the game

'''Cons:'''

* Big target with a lot of ammunition in its hull. Shells that penetrate through the side can prove fatal
* Despite having a better engine than the Tiger II (H), the Jagdtiger weighs 7 more tons. This leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to manoeuvrability and acceleration
* 20-second reload can be disastrous if the first shot missed
* Like most other tank destroyers, the Jagdtiger doesn't have a traversable turret. This makes dealing with flanking enemies a nightmare
* Just like all the other Tiger II's, the lower glacis is an easy target if not hull down
* Matchmaking can up-tier the Jagdtiger
* Corners of the superstructure are vulnerable to high penetration shells such as the M103's 120 mm AP shell, T-10's 122 mm APHE shell, British 183 mm and 120 mm shells, and Jagdtiger's own 128 mm APHE shell
* Armour is incredibly good, but can be penetrated easily by tanks with HEATFS rounds

== History ==

===Development===
This monster of a tank destroyer was inspired by the successes of previous tank destroyers such as the [[StuG III F|StuG III]] and the [[Marder III H|Marder]] series. Their efficiency in a battle called for a request by Army General Staff to mount an enormous 128 mm gun on a self-propelled vehicle for infantry support in early 1942, but then Hitler changed it from its intended role to a tank destroyer. The 128 mm design was chosen as toolings already existed for the calibre, as it originated from a naval cannon design, which also was used the basis of an anti-aircraft gun. The 128 mm cannon also had a very high hit rate when compared to other formidable calibres like the 105 mm and 88 mm.

In early 1943, the armoured chassis that was to carry the 128 mm gun was to be either the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] or [[Panther D|Panther]]. However, early modelling showed that the integration of the 128 mm onto the Panther chassis was unsuitable. On October 20, 1943, the design was changed to use the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]] chassis and a wooden model was constructed for presentation to Hitler. Approved for further production, two prototypes were produced by Porsche and Henschel. Porsche version had an eight-wheel suspension system while the Henschel version had a nine-wheel overlapping suspension system similar to the Tiger II construction. The rest of the body was consistent to the current German tank destroyer designs, an armoured casemate structure was used to hold the new 128mm Pak 44 L/55 gun. The prototypes were completed and presented in February 1944, and were approved for service, earning the designation '''Jagdpanzer VI''', but was later renamed to '''Jagdtiger'''. 150 of these Jagdtigers were ordered by the army, but only 88 (at most) were produced before the end of the war. Eleven of the Jagdtigers used the Porsche suspension system while the rest were using the Henschel suspension system.

What made the Jagdtiger very special was its enormous gun, the 128 mm Pak 44 L/55. At its introduction, no allied armour could withstand the shell it fires, and though the same lethality could be shared with the Tiger II's 88 mm Pak 43, it has a much greater effective range of over 3.5 kilometres (though a variant of the Jagdtiger was equipped with the 88 mm Pak 43 due to 128 mm gun shortages, this never entered service). The gun could penetrate an enemy tank hiding behind cover, such as a house, shooting right through the house and hitting the target on the other side. A disadvantage of the gun was its two-part ammunition, the shell and the propellant, which increases the loading time of the gun. The armour of the front of the Jagdtiger was 250 mm and 150 mm on the glacis plate. Like almost every casemate design, the Jagdtiger suffered from lack of turret traverse and must have the entire vehicle rotate when a target moves out of its traverse range. The Jagdtiger has the distinct title of the heaviest armoured fighting vehicle produced, weighing about 71 tons, but like most of Germany's heavy armoured vehicles late in the war, the Jagdtiger also suffered mechanical and mobility issues. The heavyweight caused it to be slow and was easy to break down if the vehicle had to rotate to aim the gun, due to the heavily strained transmission and suspensions. Also, the gun had to be locked down (cannot traverse) when not in use to avoid wearing out the mounting brackets, and a crew member had to exit the vehicle to unlock it before firing.

===Combat usage===
The Jagdtiger was first issued on September 1944 to the Western front in the hands of the 512th and 653rd Heavy Panzerjäger Battalions. Otto Carius, a Tiger Ace, commanded the 2nd Company of the 512th to defend against the Allied offensives. He comments that the "Jagdtigers could not be brought to their full potential on the battlefield due to many pressing issues". The two most pressing issues of the Jagdtiger was the mechanical failures and lack of crew training on the heavy beasts. The mechanical issues forced many Jagdtigers to be disabled and eventually destroyed by their own crew as they abandoned it. Only 20% of the Jagdtigers on the Western Front were lost in combat, the rest was due to the mechanical failures or out of fuel. Crew training was insufficient with the Jagdtiger and so was morale, Otto Carius noted that two Jagdtigers failed to fire on Allied armour more than a mile away in fear of an air attack, even though they were well concealed, and both broke down as they tried to withdraw from the fear of air attacks. One was disabled when it fell into a bomb crater and another was lost because of friendly fire from Volkssturm, as they had never seen a Jagdtiger before. In another instance, a lone Jagdtiger engaged an American tank platoon. When the tank platoon opened fire, the Jagdtiger withdrew not by backing up, but turned around due to inexperienced crew training, exposing the weaker side armour and was destroyed. Eventually, Otto Carius' company was surrounded in the Ruhr pocket and he ordered the guns of the surviving Jagdtigers destroyed and to surrender to the Americans. Of the ten tigers in Otto's 2nd Company of the 512th battalion, one was lost to friendly fire, another by combat, and the rest by breakdown or crew destruction. The total American armour kills reached was ten American tanks, making one Allied tank loss for each Jagdtiger loss.

Though Otto's memoir left a sour note on the Jagdtiger's combat effectiveness, it had some success. On January 17, 1945, two Jagdtigers engaged fortified positions near Auenheim with no loss. The next day, they engaged four bunkers at a distance of 1,000 m. The combat had 46 high-explosive and 10 armour-piercing shells fired on fortifications and tanks, the Jagdtigers were able to destroy a few Allied bunkers and tanks with no losses. Then in April 1945, 512th Battalion saw lots of action when the 1st company engaged Allied tanks and trucks on April 9th, destroying 11 tanks and over 30 other AFVs, the distance of engagement was more than 4,000 m and ended with only one Jagdtiger lost due to an air attack. The next few days, the 1st company proceeded to destroy five more Shermans before surrendering at Iserlohn. All activity of the 512th Battalion ended with the surrender of the last of the 2nd company April 15th in the same city.

The Jagdtiger's impact on the war for Germany was negligible. There were not enough of them to change the course of the situation for Germany, plus the kill-to-loss ratio makes its production waste of resources when much better models like the StuG were able to get even higher combat performances for a much more economical cost. It represents one of Germany's last attempts to model the belief that more armour and more firepower could equal success in a battlefield against a numerically superior enemy.

===Survivors===
Today, three Jagdtigers survive in museums. One is in Bovington Tank Museum in England, which is one of the 11 Porsche-suspension version and was captured in April 1945 by the British. Another is a Henschel-version at the National Armor & Cavalry Museum in Fort Benning, Georgia of America after being moved from the US Army Ordnance Museum, this was captured in March 1945. The last is in Kubinka Tank Museum in Russia, a Henschel-version that was captured on May 5, 1945, in Austria and is in the best mint condition of the three survivors.

{{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 Jagdtiger was developed by the Krupp and Henschel companies in 1943–1944 and was based on the chassis of the Tiger II heavy tank. It became the most powerful tank destroyer in the Wehrmacht.

A massive stationary cabin was installed on an elongated, 260 mm-long Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. B tank's hull. Its frontal armour plate had a thickness of 250 mm, at an inclination of 15 degrees, making it virtually invulnerable to all of the enemy's tank and anti-tank guns. The immense weight of its 128 mm 12,8 cm PaK 44 L/55 gun required a special installation procedure using a special lift-turning mechanism mounted in the crew compartment.

This vehicle had two types of chassis: the Henschel type, with torsion bars, and the Porsche type, with double-axis carriages and spring balancers. Seven tanks were built using the Porsche suspension. Afterwards, in order to standardize parts with the Tiger II tank, only the Henschel suspension was used. The vertical surfaces of the first 9 tank destroyers were covered with an anti-magnetic Zimmerit paste.

Around 88 of these vehicles were produced between December 1944 and April 1944.

Jagdtiger tank destroyers were delivered to the 653rd and 512th heavy tank destroyers battalions. These battalions fought on the Western Front. Two of these self-propelled guns entered the service of the 501st Battalion of the Waffen-SS, and fought with troops of the Red Army in Austria, in May 1945.

The majority of losses suffered by the Jagdtiger were caused by mechanical failure or attacks by Allied aircraft. Some of the vehicles were blown up and abandoned by their crews after running out of ammunition or fuel.

The Jagdtiger's disadvantages included its massive weight, which had a negative effect on its mobility and made its chassis more susceptible to breakage. Also, the vehicle was much too difficult to manufacture.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|xv9QAXPJVSc|'''Tank Chats #77 - Jagdtiger''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[Tiger II (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Tortoise]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/2655/current/|[Special] Jagdtiger "Hunting Tiger"]]
* [[Wikipedia:Jagdtiger|[Wikipedia] Jagdtiger]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2-germany-sd-kfz-186-jagdtiger/ <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Sd.Kfz.186 Jagdtiger]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Jagdtiger

2024-03-29T06:14:35Z

U91965995: New Description Project (First Paragraph)

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

== Description ==


The Jagdtiger was the final evolution of German tank destroyers growing progressively heavier and heavily armed over the years - and as any extreme specialization in one field tends to cause, it was very lacking in many other areas, most notably mobility and gearbox reliability. First starting out as a vague requirement to mount a 12.8 cm gun to a [[Panther tank (Family)|Panther]] or [[Tiger 1 (Family)]] in 1942, the vehicle was produced in low quantities from 1944 to 1945. With the frontal armor just as thick as that of the Maus, it was a formidable foe, but as the engine was identical to the 19-ton lighter Tiger II which was already overstressed by its own weight, the 71-ton behemoth was incredibly unreliable and was incredibly sluggish to maneuver, frequently breaking down while trying to crest even a small mound of dirt. Low rate production, the poorly trained crews and its poor reliability meant that the Jagdtiger was overkill for most situations and contributed little to the war effort as a whole.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' ([[Abbreviations#.28DE.29_Sd.Kfz._Index|Sd.Kfz. Index:]] '''Sd.Kfz. 186''') is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during the Closed Beta Test for Ground Forces before Update 1.41.

The Jagdtiger is a heavy tank destroyer, designed to take out targets from a distance, this is shown as in-game the tank truly shines at long range combat where manoeuvrability and weak spots don't become as much as a threat, but the biggest benefit for long-range firing is the 128 mm PaK44 L/55 main cannon, this gun can pierce over 200 mm of non-sloped armour at 2,000 m with APCBC rounds. The PaK44 was the largest anti-tank weapon in service during World War II, nothing rivalled its penetrating capability nor its combat range, and it was easily capable of taking out any fielded allied tank in a single hit. As it was essentially a modification of a naval gun, the ammunition was still 2-part (shot and charge) and could be fired with less charge for close range high explosive shells.

At mid-long range is invincible versus APHE & the majority of HESH ammunition, only APDS & HEAT can penetrate it frontally. Common enemies are the end of the line [[T-10M]] and the American [[M103]] both of which can pierce any part of tank armour with ease. Fortunately, pure armour strength limits the amount of spalling.

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides (Slope angle) !! Rear (Slope angle) !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 150 mm (49°) ''Front glacis'' 100 mm (49°) ''Bottom glacis'' || 80 + 5 mm (26°) || 80 mm (28-29°)|| 50 mm
|-
| Superstructure || 250 mm (2-28°) || 80 mm (26°) || 80 mm || 45 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The frontal armour of the tank is almost impossible to defeat, only the sides and rear are vulnerable.
* The lower glacis is pretty vulnerable, but a hulldown position can circumvent it.
* The superstructure side is covered with tracks, which provides another 30 mm extra armour to the sides.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=994|rbMinHp=619}}

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

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

{{main|PaK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[PaK44 (128 mm)|128 mm PaK44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+14° || rowspan="2" | ±10° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 4.4 || 6.1 || 7.4 || 8.2 || 8.7 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.29 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 3.0 || 3.5 || 4.2 || 4.7 || 5.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:PaK44 (128 mm)/Ammunition|PzGr, Sprgr. L/5, PzGr 43}}

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

{| 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
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''40''' || Projectiles Propellants || 29 ''(+11)'' 33 ''(+7)'' || 15 ''(+25)'' 27 ''(+13)'' || 1 ''(+1)'' 19 ''(+21)'' || N/A 15 ''(+25)'' || N/A 11 ''(+29)'' || N/A 1 ''(+39)'' || No
|}
'''Notes''':

* The {{PAGENAME}} uses two-piece ammunition, composed of propellant bags (orange) and projectiles (yellow). Both have separate racks.
* Projectiles and propellant bags are modeled individually and disappear after having been shot or loaded.
* Sides empty: 11 ''(+29)'' shells.

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

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG34 (7.92 mm)|7.92 mm MG34]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Hull || 3,000 (150) || 900 || -6°/+4° || ±7°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


Inherent as any other tank destroyer: limit the avenues of approach for your enemies with either obstacles or distance and try to pick off targets one-on-one and not several at the same time. Despite its heavy armour, the Jagdtiger should retreat after every shot, if the opposition possesses weapons with penetration defeating 180 mm of armour, or else the lower plate will provide a big target. Make sure to take each corner with plenty of momentum though, if an enemy destroys the tracks or transmission during a turn, the remaining momentum will carry the Jagdtiger into a firing position or to safety.

Obviously, close-quarter-combat (CQC: Urban areas, cities, ravines, etc) should be avoided as they invite ambushes to the very weak side of Jagdtiger. Of course, narrow passageways can also be turned into choke points (see above).

Sitting at an uneasy battle rating, the Jagdtiger meets opponents with guns that can go through its armour much less regularly in Realistic and Simulator. However, the British 20-pounder, also quite common at this rank, has an APDS shell that can go through your armour easily at medium range. However, other than up-tiers or tank destroyers firing HEATFS, no conventional rounds can really go through your armour in RB/SB. However, in arcade, its higher BR will make it face more modern opponents.

Foes able to frontally penetrate the Jagdtiger in hull down position (hiding the lower glacis) are labelled in ☠red.

Due to the potency of the 128 mm APHE shell, specific modules must not be a target. A successful hit into the crew compartment will result in any tank exploding.

;Specific enemies worth noting

'''RB/SB'''

*[[IS-3]]: Shoot the pike, albeit it can be difficult to get through if it is angled straight forward. A trapshot is also quite possible, as long as you can richochet a shell of of the gun mantlet and into the turret.
*[[IS-6]]: Shoot the right side of the turret beside the gun, where there are 2 "dots" and a relatively flat surface. You will be able to penetrate this area most of the time.
*☠[[SU-122-54]]: Anywhere, except try to avoid the gun mantle. No noteworthy armour, but it has a dangerous gun.
*[[T-44]]: The frontal chassis can be very trolly with its ricochets. Turret and lower glacis nearly guaranteed a penetration and knocking them out instantly.
*T-54s & ☠[[T-54 (1951)]]: All can be penetrated through the turret front (left and right of gun mantlet) from closer than 500 m. Except for the [[T-54 (1947)]] the Jagdtiger may also shoot the chassis' armour plate if it is pointed straight toward the Jagdtiger. Or just shoot the cupola and let the 700 grams of TNT equivalent do the rest
*☠[[M47]]: Pretty much anywhere.
*☠Any [[M48A1]]: Lot's of sloped armour. Frontally the commander's cupola can be picked, the turret ring, or gun mantlet.
*☠[[M60]]: Basically just a better M48. Shoot it as if it is an M48, especially the commander's cupola
*☠[[T95]]: Albeit a rare sight, the few specimens encountered are driven by madmen, or masochist. Either way, both tend to have a good understanding of enemy weak points. Inside 500 m the T95's stock AP shell can penetrate the upper and lower frontal plate and the APCR can pierce the superstructure, but not the chassis. Fortunately, the raw armour strength limits shrapnel power and penetrated shots will do minor area damage in the spacious crew compartment. Damage can be avoided entirely by staying at distances exceeding 500 m. The T95's armour is in all due respect superior to the Jagdtiger, yet features two protruding weak spots: The two cupolas, hitting them is another issue though. Combat should be engaged in ranges less than 500 m, beyond that accuracy will not allow aiming for weak spots.
*☠[[M103]]: So much sloped armour. Try to shoot into the turret trap (lower gun mantlet) or the turret ring.
*[[Panzer V Panther (Family)|Panther]] / [[M26 (Family)|Pershing]] / [[M46]]: Entire front is penetrable.
*[[Tiger II (H)]]: Right turret cheek to disable the turret for a safe reload. Alternatively, the lower glacis to get the transmission and a chance to knock out the entire crew.
*[[Maus]]: Turret cheeks, multiple hits will be necessary. If possible a shot into either the fuel tanks or chassis ammo rack for the 12,8 cm cannon should destroy the behemoth with a single shot.
*[[Jagdtiger]]: The lower plate is a good place to shoot. Make sure to hit at a good angle as the APBC can still bounce. Also, the flat parts of the superstructure when not angle work at close range.
*☠[[Leopard I|Leopard]]: Shoot it anywhere. Don't miss.

'''Arcade'''

*[[IS-4M]]: The drives hatch is hard to get through with the tiny hole behind the additional armour. More favourable is the lower plate, or the gun mantlet on his left side.
*☠[[T-10M]]: Shoot the lower glacis when not angled, or shoot the cupolas with HE.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Shares the same hull as the Tiger II, so the upper glacis plate is still very tough
* The front of the superstructure is very difficult to get through with anything less than APDS or HEAT
* With its 6-man crew and thick armour, it's difficult to knock out this tank with a single shot
* Totally and utterly impenetrable gun mantlet, even better than the T95's one
* 128 mm PaK 44 cannon is an accurate cannon with a surprisingly short reload time. It takes 20 seconds to reload with a decent crew. That is not bad considering the size and weight of the projectile that this gun fires
* PzGr 43 round has one of the highest penetrations of any APCBC round in the game
* Both the stock PzGr and PzGr 43 shells have an equivalent TNT explosive mass of 786 g, ensuring devastating post-penetration damage
* When hull down, the Jagdtiger is a true terror on the battlefield. Especially when there are few post-war tanks in the game

'''Cons:'''

* Big target with a lot of ammunition in its hull. Shells that penetrate through the side can prove fatal
* Despite having a better engine than the Tiger II (H), the Jagdtiger weighs 7 more tons. This leaves a lot to be desired when it comes to manoeuvrability and acceleration
* 20-second reload can be disastrous if the first shot missed
* Like most other tank destroyers, the Jagdtiger doesn't have a traversable turret. This makes dealing with flanking enemies a nightmare
* Just like all the other Tiger II's, the lower glacis is an easy target if not hull down
* Matchmaking can up-tier the Jagdtiger
* Corners of the superstructure are vulnerable to high penetration shells such as the M103's 120 mm AP shell, T-10's 122 mm APHE shell, British 183 mm and 120 mm shells, and Jagdtiger's own 128 mm APHE shell
* Armour is incredibly good, but can be penetrated easily by tanks with HEATFS rounds

== History ==

===Development===
This monster of a tank destroyer was inspired by the successes of previous tank destroyers such as the [[StuG III F|StuG III]] and the [[Marder III H|Marder]] series. Their efficiency in a battle called for a request by Army General Staff to mount an enormous 128 mm gun on a self-propelled vehicle for infantry support in early 1942, but then Hitler changed it from its intended role to a tank destroyer. The 128 mm design was chosen as toolings already existed for the calibre, as it originated from a naval cannon design, which also was used the basis of an anti-aircraft gun. The 128 mm cannon also had a very high hit rate when compared to other formidable calibres like the 105 mm and 88 mm.

In early 1943, the armoured chassis that was to carry the 128 mm gun was to be either the [[Tiger H1|Tiger I]] or [[Panther D|Panther]]. However, early modelling showed that the integration of the 128 mm onto the Panther chassis was unsuitable. On October 20, 1943, the design was changed to use the [[Tiger II (H)|Tiger II]] chassis and a wooden model was constructed for presentation to Hitler. Approved for further production, two prototypes were produced by Porsche and Henschel. Porsche version had an eight-wheel suspension system while the Henschel version had a nine-wheel overlapping suspension system similar to the Tiger II construction. The rest of the body was consistent to the current German tank destroyer designs, an armoured casemate structure was used to hold the new 128mm Pak 44 L/55 gun. The prototypes were completed and presented in February 1944, and were approved for service, earning the designation '''Jagdpanzer VI''', but was later renamed to '''Jagdtiger'''. 150 of these Jagdtigers were ordered by the army, but only 88 (at most) were produced before the end of the war. Eleven of the Jagdtigers used the Porsche suspension system while the rest were using the Henschel suspension system.

What made the Jagdtiger very special was its enormous gun, the 128 mm Pak 44 L/55. At its introduction, no allied armour could withstand the shell it fires, and though the same lethality could be shared with the Tiger II's 88 mm Pak 43, it has a much greater effective range of over 3.5 kilometres (though a variant of the Jagdtiger was equipped with the 88 mm Pak 43 due to 128 mm gun shortages, this never entered service). The gun could penetrate an enemy tank hiding behind cover, such as a house, shooting right through the house and hitting the target on the other side. A disadvantage of the gun was its two-part ammunition, the shell and the propellant, which increases the loading time of the gun. The armour of the front of the Jagdtiger was 250 mm and 150 mm on the glacis plate. Like almost every casemate design, the Jagdtiger suffered from lack of turret traverse and must have the entire vehicle rotate when a target moves out of its traverse range. The Jagdtiger has the distinct title of the heaviest armoured fighting vehicle produced, weighing about 71 tons, but like most of Germany's heavy armoured vehicles late in the war, the Jagdtiger also suffered mechanical and mobility issues. The heavyweight caused it to be slow and was easy to break down if the vehicle had to rotate to aim the gun, due to the heavily strained transmission and suspensions. Also, the gun had to be locked down (cannot traverse) when not in use to avoid wearing out the mounting brackets, and a crew member had to exit the vehicle to unlock it before firing.

===Combat usage===
The Jagdtiger was first issued on September 1944 to the Western front in the hands of the 512th and 653rd Heavy Panzerjäger Battalions. Otto Carius, a Tiger Ace, commanded the 2nd Company of the 512th to defend against the Allied offensives. He comments that the "Jagdtigers could not be brought to their full potential on the battlefield due to many pressing issues". The two most pressing issues of the Jagdtiger was the mechanical failures and lack of crew training on the heavy beasts. The mechanical issues forced many Jagdtigers to be disabled and eventually destroyed by their own crew as they abandoned it. Only 20% of the Jagdtigers on the Western Front were lost in combat, the rest was due to the mechanical failures or out of fuel. Crew training was insufficient with the Jagdtiger and so was morale, Otto Carius noted that two Jagdtigers failed to fire on Allied armour more than a mile away in fear of an air attack, even though they were well concealed, and both broke down as they tried to withdraw from the fear of air attacks. One was disabled when it fell into a bomb crater and another was lost because of friendly fire from Volkssturm, as they had never seen a Jagdtiger before. In another instance, a lone Jagdtiger engaged an American tank platoon. When the tank platoon opened fire, the Jagdtiger withdrew not by backing up, but turned around due to inexperienced crew training, exposing the weaker side armour and was destroyed. Eventually, Otto Carius' company was surrounded in the Ruhr pocket and he ordered the guns of the surviving Jagdtigers destroyed and to surrender to the Americans. Of the ten tigers in Otto's 2nd Company of the 512th battalion, one was lost to friendly fire, another by combat, and the rest by breakdown or crew destruction. The total American armour kills reached was ten American tanks, making one Allied tank loss for each Jagdtiger loss.

Though Otto's memoir left a sour note on the Jagdtiger's combat effectiveness, it had some success. On January 17, 1945, two Jagdtigers engaged fortified positions near Auenheim with no loss. The next day, they engaged four bunkers at a distance of 1,000 m. The combat had 46 high-explosive and 10 armour-piercing shells fired on fortifications and tanks, the Jagdtigers were able to destroy a few Allied bunkers and tanks with no losses. Then in April 1945, 512th Battalion saw lots of action when the 1st company engaged Allied tanks and trucks on April 9th, destroying 11 tanks and over 30 other AFVs, the distance of engagement was more than 4,000 m and ended with only one Jagdtiger lost due to an air attack. The next few days, the 1st company proceeded to destroy five more Shermans before surrendering at Iserlohn. All activity of the 512th Battalion ended with the surrender of the last of the 2nd company April 15th in the same city.

The Jagdtiger's impact on the war for Germany was negligible. There were not enough of them to change the course of the situation for Germany, plus the kill-to-loss ratio makes its production waste of resources when much better models like the StuG were able to get even higher combat performances for a much more economical cost. It represents one of Germany's last attempts to model the belief that more armour and more firepower could equal success in a battlefield against a numerically superior enemy.

===Survivors===
Today, three Jagdtigers survive in museums. One is in Bovington Tank Museum in England, which is one of the 11 Porsche-suspension version and was captured in April 1945 by the British. Another is a Henschel-version at the National Armor & Cavalry Museum in Fort Benning, Georgia of America after being moved from the US Army Ordnance Museum, this was captured in March 1945. The last is in Kubinka Tank Museum in Russia, a Henschel-version that was captured on May 5, 1945, in Austria and is in the best mint condition of the three survivors.

{{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 Jagdtiger was developed by the Krupp and Henschel companies in 1943–1944 and was based on the chassis of the Tiger II heavy tank. It became the most powerful tank destroyer in the Wehrmacht.

A massive stationary cabin was installed on an elongated, 260 mm-long Pz.Kpfw. VI Ausf. B tank's hull. Its frontal armour plate had a thickness of 250 mm, at an inclination of 15 degrees, making it virtually invulnerable to all of the enemy's tank and anti-tank guns. The immense weight of its 128 mm 12,8 cm PaK 44 L/55 gun required a special installation procedure using a special lift-turning mechanism mounted in the crew compartment.

This vehicle had two types of chassis: the Henschel type, with torsion bars, and the Porsche type, with double-axis carriages and spring balancers. Seven tanks were built using the Porsche suspension. Afterwards, in order to standardize parts with the Tiger II tank, only the Henschel suspension was used. The vertical surfaces of the first 9 tank destroyers were covered with an anti-magnetic Zimmerit paste.

Around 88 of these vehicles were produced between December 1944 and April 1944.

Jagdtiger tank destroyers were delivered to the 653rd and 512th heavy tank destroyers battalions. These battalions fought on the Western Front. Two of these self-propelled guns entered the service of the 501st Battalion of the Waffen-SS, and fought with troops of the Red Army in Austria, in May 1945.

The majority of losses suffered by the Jagdtiger were caused by mechanical failure or attacks by Allied aircraft. Some of the vehicles were blown up and abandoned by their crews after running out of ammunition or fuel.

The Jagdtiger's disadvantages included its massive weight, which had a negative effect on its mobility and made its chassis more susceptible to breakage. Also, the vehicle was much too difficult to manufacture.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|xv9QAXPJVSc|'''Tank Chats #77 - Jagdtiger''' - ''The Tank Museum''}}

== See also ==


;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis

* [[Tiger II (Family)]]

;Other vehicles of similar configuration and role

* [[Tortoise]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/2655/current/|[Special] Jagdtiger "Hunting Tiger"]]
* [[Wikipedia:Jagdtiger|[Wikipedia] Jagdtiger]]
* [https://tanks-encyclopedia.com/ww2-germany-sd-kfz-186-jagdtiger/ <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> Sd.Kfz.186 Jagdtiger]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

FlaRakPz 1

2024-03-29T05:05:11Z

U91965995: New Description Project

{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_flarakpz_1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==


Starting development in 1963 and fielded from 1977 onwards, the Roland Surface-to-Air Missile (SAM) was a cornerstone of NATO air defense for multiple decades. The Roland SAM was developed as a Franco-German collaboration project, originally intended to defend airfields and frontline formations from enemy fixed and rotary wing aviation. The FlaRakPz 1 was one of the hulls modified to carry this new SAM, with the base hull being taken from the [[Marder IFV (Family) | Marder]] IFV. The Roland turret comes equipped with both a search and track radar, as well as an optical tracking system for use in good atmospheric conditions or in heavy jamming environments. It could fire the Roland 2 and Roland 3 SAMs, with the Roland 3 being an upgraded variant of the Roland 2 in terms of missile speed, warhead size and better guidance systems for all weather conditions. The FlaRakPz units were all retired in 2005, with its successor system (planned to be the LFK NG, a variant of the IRIS-T AAM) being cancelled in 2011 and its SHORAD (SHOrt Range Air Defense) role was transferred to the German Air Force instead.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German self-propelled anti-aircraft vehicle {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]].

== 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=852|rbMinHp=531}}

The FlaRakPz 1 is powered by a {{Annotation|MTU|Motoren- und Turbinen-Union Friedrichshafen GmbH}} MB 833 Ea-500 that produces 441 kW (600 hp) at 2,200 RPM.

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

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

{{main|Roland}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Roland|Roland SAM]] (x2) || 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" | 10 (2) || rowspan="2" | -10°/+80° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 74.9 || 103.6 || 125.8 || 139.1 || 148.0 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 50.6 || 59.5 || 72.3 || 79.9 || 85.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Roland/Ammunition|Roland 2, Roland 3}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_XM975.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the [[XM975]] (identical).]]

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

== Usage in battles ==


;Arcade Battles

The {{PAGENAME}} does not have any additional armaments to attack other vehicles or protect itself, limiting its offensive ability towards even slightly-armoured targets. Due to this, moving any distance from the spawn point will result in death due to the thin armour and increased visibility, due to vehicle markers, making the {{PAGENAME}} an easy target. Both the Roland 2 and Roland 3 SAMs have a maximum speed of 900 m/s, with payloads of 3.3 kg and 4.45 kg of Composition B respectably, more than enough to deal with the only aircraft type (helicopters) it will encounter in this game mode. Moving alongside allies or waiting in or near spawn areas - where the {{PAGENAME}} has the best view of the sky - will be rewarding as when engaging medium to heavily armoured units, the explosive mass of the missiles will be most useful in destroying or disabling targets, requiring knowledge of vulnerable spots on enemy vehicles to deliver a finishing blow. Due to the large explosive mass of both missiles, it can destroy light targets with overpressure.

;Realistic Battles

In Realistic Battles, the vehicle's primary purpose is as an anti-aircraft weapon. There is no weapons on the {{PAGENAME}} that can serve as meaningful anti-armour tools (although the Roland 3's 54 mm of penetration can allow creative players to penetrate through light-armour or tank roofs) and the armour may as well be nonexistent. The vehicle is quite mobile however, and so the mobility should be used alongside the {{PAGENAME}}'s excellent radars by getting into optimal positions to search and engage targets.

The {{PAGENAME}}'s battlefield performance is greatly assisted by its SAG MPDR-16 search radar. Able to search targets up to 16 kilometers away in a 360 degree angle, the {{PAGENAME}} can serve as a really good warning indicator to alert teammates of any incoming airborne threats. Accompanying the search radar is the Thomson-CSF Domino 30 tracking radar that allows the {{PAGENAME}} player to begin locking onto targets from 12 kilometers away, which can allow a lot of breathing room for players to first locate the aerial target, track it, then engage once it approaches the Roland missile's firing range (6.3 km on the Roland 2 and 8 km on the Roland 3).

One issue with the above mentioned attack strategy is when encountering an aircraft with a radar-warning receiver (RWR). The {{PAGENAME}}'s searching and tracking function will trigger their RWR, leading them to know a radar-equipped SPAA is present and will perform evasive manoeuvre such as using the terrain to mask itself. To prevent this, the {{PAGENAME}}'s search radar can be configured to use the Infrared Search and Track (IRST) feature, which tracks the enemy by its heat instead of by radar. This benefits by not notifying the enemy that a radar has got it locked, but the IRST feature may produce less accurate tracking than radar.

Once the {{PAGENAME}} has gotten an aerial target locked on by radar or IRST, fire a Roland 2/3 missile once the enemy aircraft has gotten into range. The missile is controlled by "semi-automatic command to line of sight" (SACLOS) which only requires the player to place the crosshair onto target and the missile will head towards the crosshair's center. Pointing directly at an aerial target will only be simple if attacking a hovering helicopter or a jet heading right towards the {{PAGENAME}}, however most of the time when fighting fast-moving jets, the player-controlled crosshair may be able to track the aircraft faster than the missile. This will require the player to lead ahead of the aircraft with the crosshair, keeping an eye on the trailing missile to make sure its tracer is hovering right on top of the aircraft so that once it reaches the aircraft's range, it will detonate and take out or cripple the aircraft.

Note that the Roland missiles can be fired from the {{PAGENAME}} without a radar lock in case of emergencies, however this may require players to work a little harder to keep the {{PAGENAME}}'s turret continually pointing towards the enemy aircraft as the search/track radar does give some assistance in keeping the locked enemy in front of the {{PAGENAME}} turret. That said, the advantage of the {{PAGENAME}}'s ability to fire without a lock means that the enemy aircraft's countermeasures like flares or chaff will not affect the Roland missile flight, keeping the probability of a hit narrowed down to the player's skill and the enemy aircraft's ability to evade.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Has Roland 3 missiles as a tier 2 modification, increasing the vehicle's offensive range to 8.5 km
* Roland 2 and Roland 3 missiles are reactive and manoeuvrable
* Active radar system with a scan range of 15 km
* Slightly higher-than-average max speed (70 km/h)
* Autoloader with 5-second reload
* Roland SAMs maintain their top speed up until their respective max range, and do not decelerate like other SAMs

'''Cons:'''

* Significantly lower missile velocity compared to the ADATS (1,200 m/s) and Stormer HVM (1,400 m/s)
* Only two missiles available before having to reload
* Lack of additional armament for close-range or armoured targets

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

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_flarakpz_1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|naeDoEwZ5Pg|'''German SPAAs''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 6:15 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|gQLL7BZs0NE|'''{{PAGENAME}}: Sparking Fun with SAMs''' - ''Napalmratte''|luvhoX8Ht1I|'''New anti-air defence''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:44 - ''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 ==


* [https://mtu-online-shop.com/media/files_public/952ae139f0fae50b15702ddf661cad33/3061601_MTU_Defense_Brochure.pdf MTU Defense Brochure]

{{Germany anti-aircraft vehicles}}

VIDAR

2024-03-28T05:57:37Z

U91965995: Armament, mobility, general info revision up to modern standards (grammar etc)

{{Specs-Card
|code=sw_k9_vidar
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|store=12781
}}

== Description ==


The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a self-propelled artillery system fielded by Norway since 2019. The system is an export version of the South Korean K9 Thunder Self-Propelled Artillery Gun, which Norway acquired the system to replace its aging M109A3GNMs of American origin. The orders so far have been in two batches, the initial 2017 contract for 24 K9s and an extra order in 2022 for 4 more systems. The system has some differences compared to the South Korean version, most notably the ODIN fire control system developed domestically and direct-fire enabling equipment. This system was given to the ''Artilleribataljonen'' of the ''Brigade Nord'', the only artillery unit in the Norwegian army.

Introduced in [[Update "Sons of Attila"]], the VIDAR is fitted with excellent optics and fire control system. At its BR, it is one of the few vehicles with both a thermal imaging system and a laser rangefinder. Its best round is a 155 mm HE shell that is capable of destroying most tanks, but requires very good aiming when it faces heavily armoured targets like the [[T-55AM-1]]. The vehicle also has a fairly poor turret rotation speed and no stabilizer, and, being an artillery system, the armor protection is fairly thin and its gun depression limited. However, it has good mobility for a vehicle of its size, and a very good reverse speed of 42 km/h. The VIDAR is best suited for highly mobile warfare, moving around rapidly after firing a few accurate shells towards your enemies.

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


The VIDAR is a variant of the ROKA's K9A1 Thunder SPH, making it one of the newest vehicles in the game. However, even a modern SPH is still a SPH, so the vehicle does not sport armour thick enough to deflect anything above heavy MG fire at range. This is not a major issue in real life, as SPHs aren't meant to engage enemy armor directly, but in War Thunder is definitely something to keep note of. The vehicle can deflect 20 mm autocannon fire from the common [[Rh202 (20 mm)]] or similar cannons on various vehicles at this tier from mid to long range as well, but at close range it can most definitely give you a bad day.

The SPG is extremely sturdy and will not take overpressure damage unless hit by an enemy howitzer / large caliber HE shell or hit in three very specific weak spots - the belly right above the tracks next to the turret (very low likelihood), the turret ring or the gun breech (only vulnerable to 105+ mm HE and poses risk of the cannon barrel catching the shell), so anyone trying to fire a poorly placed chemical round at the VIDAR may find their shell doing surprisingly little before being blasted back to the hangar. Kinetic shells however will easily penetrate the vehicle anywhere, so positioning yourself so that teammates cover the flanks against enemy advances is always a good idea to stay in the fight for longer.

As for the crews, thanks to the long hull and large engine block, shrapnel from enemy shots to the hull generally have a hard time causing lethal damage to the turret crew (but costs the driver); if enemy players shoot the turret instead, if the spalling reaches your ammunition racks stationed in the turret rear you may experience what is known as a 'significant emotional event'.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 40 mm || 35 mm ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 35 mm || 10 - 35 mm
|-
| Turret || 35 mm ''Turret front'' 20 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 35 mm || 35 - 45 mm || 35 mm
|-
| Cupola || 20 mm || 20 mm || 20 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,420|rbMinHp=884}}
To drive the K9 series and its ~47 ton weight up to a max speed of 67 km/h, the K9 uses a powerpack with 1,000 HP.The STX Engine-MTU joint-venture for the MTU 881Ka-500 V8 engine and SNT Dynamics-Allison joint-venture for the X1100-5A3 transmission enables the vehicle to have a HP/t ratio of over 20, which is almost unheard of for a SPH in this weight class. This was due to the 'shoot-and-scoot' battle doctrine, and as a result the VIDAR is incredibly mobile for its size while also having high reverse to boot as well. Even other SPHs considered mobile like the [[2S3M]] top out at 18.9 HP/t and have less armour, lack the initial rate of fire and fire their shells at a noticeably lower velocity, giving the K9 and by extension the VIDAR a distinct niche.

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

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

{{main|CN98 (155 mm)}}

To provide credible and powerful deterrence against potential foreign adversaries, Hyundai WIA developed the domestic 155 mm CN98 L/52 howitzer for the K9 Thunder, while keeping it compatible with NATO standard 155 mm ammunition. This most certainly helped export the VIDAR to Norway; thanks to its rather fast reload rate (for the first three shells on the "ready-rack") the and a wide variety of compatible ammunition, the CN98 cannon makes the VIDAR a fearsome SPH against all enemies it faces, be it something hardened against nuclear war like the [[Object 279]] or something very modern such as the [[M1 Abrams]] if you hit their weakspots.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[CN98 (155 mm)|155 mm CN98]] || 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" | -4°/+70° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 8.8 || 12.2 || 14.8 || 16.4 || 17.4 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:CN98 (155 mm)/Ammunition|M107, M110, M107 (PF), 155mm OE F3}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Hager's X-Ray view with Vidar.png|thumb]]
[[File:Hager's X-Ray view with Vidar - 2.png|thumb]]

{| 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'''
! '''Visual discrepancy'''
|-
| '''48'''
|''Projectiles''
''Propellants''
| ''34(+14)''
31(+17)
| ''19(+29)''
21(+27)
| ''10(+38)''
3(+45)
| ''3(+45)''
1(+47)
| ''1(+47)''
N/A
| Yes
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 575 || -6°/+15° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

VIDAR's [[CN98 (155 mm)|CN98 (155mm)]] cannon can only inflict damage with HE rounds, so players should be at least aware of how [[Damage mechanics#Overpressure|Overpressure]] works in War Thunder. Having some knowledge of where vehicles can be overpressured (turret rooftops, the upper plates of the hull, areas around hull ammunition storages and so on) is the bare minimum to be able to do any consistent damage to enemy vehicles.

The VIDAR can generally consider two types of enemies as its most noteworthy adversaries; vehicles with stabilized guns, which can fire on the move, and enemy APCs, IFVs, and SPAAGs with high-calibre, rapid-firing heavy machine guns or autocannons. While the VIDAR is constructed mainly out of 35 mm hardened steel plates as opposed to the thin aluminium of its older artillery brethren such as the M109s, it still requires smart planning and quick moving to remain intact. Any enemy main gun will make short work of the VIDAR, and the thin plating can only resist HMG and certain autocannon rounds. Most enemy vehicles must therefore be considered lethal; while the vast majority of 12.7 mm (.50 cal) and 14.5 mm HMG rounds can be shrugged off, anything bigger is much more likely to either fully penetrate or at least severely harm the vehicle. Many 20 mm APDS rounds will go through the armour at normal engagement ranges. Any sort of HVAP or APDS bigger than 20 mm will ignore the steel plates; APFSDS will not even think of it as a barrier between itself and the crew or ammunition load! Here, enemy IFVs such as the Bradleys, Type 89, or BMP series can be considered dangerous opponents to face. An enemy missile hitting the VIDAR is more likely than not to destroy the vehicle.

Using the very good acceleration and turning speeds of the VIDAR will help the commander move quickly from one favourable position to another. Using natural cover such as trenches, ditches, muddy riverbanks, or small clusters of trees will help conceal the vehicle while remaining within viewing distance of the battlefield. The excellent sights will provide the opportunity to spot and engage enemies from afar, and the near-instant-use laser rangefinder will automatically raise or lower the gun to the right horizontal elevation for the targeted enemy who finds himself at the receiving end of the L/52 cannon.

The choice of HE-VT means the VIDAR can successfully engage aircraft. Using the laser rangefinder, one can target helicopters at range, both stationary and moving. With some practice, it becomes relatively easy to engage moving aircraft using the high muzzle velocity, good sights, and good proximity fuzing radius. Enemy planes flying directly against the VIDAR can be "swatted" out of the sky with ease.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great firepower
* Fast reload rate for a SPH
* Agile and nimble chassis
* Thermal imager and laser rangefinder
* 35 mm average all-around armour
** Can't be overpressured from <120 mm HE
** Cannot be penetrated by HMGs

'''Cons:'''

* Weak survivability
** Only partial protection from autocannons
* Poor gun depression
* Relatively small first-stage ammo rack

== History ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an export version of the South Korean K9 Thunder Self Propelled Artillery System, in service with the Norwegian Army. Norway decided to acquire a total of 24 K9 Thunder systems as well as 6 K10 ammo resupply vehicles in 2017 to replace their aging American-made M109A3GNM. The K9 won out in the competition which consisted of the CAESAR wheeled artillery system, the K9, German PzH2000 and M109G, with the M109G and K9 being the final two contenders before the K9 was selected in December of 2017 as the winner.

The VIDAR is operated by the only artillery unit in the Norwegian Army, the ''Artilleribataljonen'' of the ''Brigade Nord.'' The vehicle was manufactured by the company Hanwha Land Systems, deliveries started in 2019 and finished between 2020 and 2021. All units were considered operational by the Norwegian Army by January 1st, 2022. In November of 2022, Norway inked an additional deal to import 4 more K9 SPHs and 8 more K10 ammo resupply vehicles, raising the total to 28 VIDARs and 14 K10s soon to be in service.

The K9 Thunder was developed by South Korea, based on experiences with the K55 license-produced M109 howitzer. The vehicle was developed to be fully compatible with NATO ammunition, and to have good mobility to perform counterbattery fire and change positions rapidly. The K9's first prototype was unveiled in 1996. The contract for its development was awarded to Samsung Aerospace Industries and just 3 years later in 1999 the ROK Army started to receive its first units of the vehicle. The first nation to acquire the production rights for the system was Turkey.

The K9 has seen combat action in the Yeonpyeong bombardment of 2010, an artillery exchange between South Korean and North Korean soldiers. In this incident, 6 K9 systems from the South Korean Marine Infantry opened fire against North Korean positions. During the incident, some criticism was leveled at the K9 due to its return rate of fire being 1 round every 90 seconds - however, this was due to the fact that the K9's ammunition reserves were empty from the military exercise just minutes prior, meaning soldiers were running to the ammunition depots to fetch shells to fire back. The Korean Army deemed the K9's protection during the incident to be adequate against North Korean field gun shrapnel, and increased production of the K9 by a hundred extra units by 2011. This led to the K9s positioned near the border also retaining internal ammunition at all times, in case of a similar incident in the future.

The K9 has received very good export deals. Competing in the international markets with very powerful systems like the American M109 and German Pzh2000, it has sold more than 1,700 units, including those for South Korea. Turkey has also fitted their own version of the system, the T-155 Firtina, with 300 units expected to be deployed.

In December of 2013, the program to improve the K9's performance was passed, which led to the K9A1. The K9A1 modification upgraded the FCS of the K0 up to K55A1 standard, added GPS navigation on top of the original INS system, the addition of an APU and a night vision periscope for the driver as well as a rear view camera. The software was also updated from a DOS based framework up to a Windows based digital FCS, to provide a graphics based fire control system for the crew to enhance performance.

== Media ==

<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:XK-9 Prototype Taken At WMoK 2023-06-24.jpg|XK-9 (The predecessor to the K9/K9A1, produced in 1995 for testing) on display at the War Memorial of Korea
</gallery>
;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sw_k9_vidar Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|iaufXbHC0VU|'''The Shooting Range #377''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:24 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 ==


* [[wt:en/news/8435-development-pre-order-vidar-divine-vengeance-en|[Devblog] Pre-Order: VIDAR: Divine Vengeance]]

{{Sweden tank destroyers}}
{{Sweden premium ground vehicles}}

VIDAR

2024-03-27T01:21:38Z

U91965995: History revision / Partial description redux

{{Specs-Card
|code=sw_k9_vidar
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|store=12781
}}

== Description ==


The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a self-propelled artillery system fielded by Norway since 2019. The system is an export version of the South Korean K9 Thunder Self-Propelled Artillery Gun, which Norway acquired the system to replace its aging M109A3GNMs of American origin. The orders so far have been in two batches, the initial 2017 contract for 24 K9s and an extra order in 2022 for 4 more systems. The system has some differences compared to the South Korean version, most notably the ODIN fire control system developed domestically and direct-fire enabling equipment. This system was given to the ''Artilleribataljonen'' of the ''Brigade Nord'', the only artillery unit in the Norwegian army.

Introduced in [[Update "Sons of Attila"]], the VIDAR is fitted with excellent optics and fire control system. At its BR, it is one of the few vehicles with both a thermal imaging system and a laser rangefinder. Its best round is a 155 mm HE shell that is capable of destroying most tanks, but requires very good aiming when it faces heavily armoured targets like the [[T-55AM-1]]. The vehicle also has a fairly poor turret rotation speed and no stabilizer, and, being an artillery system, the armor protection is fairly thin and its gun depression limited. However, it has good mobility for a vehicle of its size, and a very good reverse speed of 42 km/h. The VIDAR is best suited for highly mobile warfare, moving around rapidly after firing a few accurate shells towards your enemies.

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

The VIDAR is based on ROKA's K9A1 Thunder SPH, although the vehicle can be said as one of the most modern vehicle in-game, the overall survivability is still not for frontline operations due to its nature of a SPH. The purpose of protection for SPH is for stopping close-call shrapnel from injuring the crew, supporting vehicles like such are usually deployed at the rear of battlefield to support the assault forces - this is no exception for VIDAR.

Thanks to the overall improved armor technology, the hardened armor on both the chassis and turret can now make sure even basic 20 mm ammunition (generally used by non-combat SPAA or as auxiliary weapon by some medium tanks) cannot harm the crew from any direction at ranges of 300 m or above, but do not take it as a medallion to go for the frontline - even weakest autocannons can still tear down the vehicle with relative ease through the turret neck or at point blank range.

The SPG is extremely sturdy and will not take overpressure damage unless obliterated by another artillery tank or hit into three very specific weak spots - the belly right above the tracks next to the turret (not going to happen under normal circumstances), the turret ring (while not impossible, might be difficult to hit before VIDAR fires) or the gun breech (only vulnerable to 105+ mm HE and poses risk of the cannon catching the shell), so anyone trying to parry VIDAR with HESH/HE/ATGM thinking "it's just another SPG" is going to have a very bad time. The kinetic shells will easily penetrate, so having a teammate to cover the flank against random snipers is always a good idea to extend VIDAR's service life for as long as possible.

As for the crews, thanks to the long hull and large engine block, shrapnel from enemy shots to the hull might have a hard time to cause lethal damage to the turret crew (but costs the driver); if enemy players are aware of the huge turret, the crew of four can rotate as generally only two of them will be knocked down by the projectile, unless the detonation of up to 48 shells at the rear of the turret happens, in which case there will be huge fireworks as the turret flies hundreds of meters away.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 40 mm || 35 mm ''Top'' 35 mm ''Bottom'' || 35 mm || 10 - 35 mm
|-
| Turret || 35 mm ''Turret front'' 20 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 35 mm || 35 - 45 mm || 35 mm
|-
| Cupola || 20 mm || 20 mm || 20 mm || 20 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,420|rbMinHp=884}}To drive the K9 series at its enormous size and up to 48 t in mass, ROKA seek STX Engine-MTU joint-venture for the MTU 881Ka-500 V8 engine and SNT Dynamics-Allison joint-venture for the X1100-5A3 transmission, which pushes the vehicle at up to 68 km/h while maintaining a very fast reverse speed (at -38 km/h), making it a very mobile SPH for its size.

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

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

{{main|CN98 (155 mm)}}
For countering possible enemies, Hyundai WIA developed the domestic 155 mm CN98 L/52 howitzer for K9 Thunder using NATO standard 155 mm ammunition, it is no exception for the export VIDAR for Norway; thanks to its rather fast reload rate (for the first three shells on the "ready-rack") the and varieties of ammunition, CN98 makes VIDAR a fearsome SPH even against "doomsday tank" and early-Cold War tanks, enemy aircraft will also fall victim of it if VT shell is loaded, turning it into a 155 mm anti-aircraft cannon. Do note that the gun does not have an autoloader and upon severe crew loss the reload speed advantage is lost.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[CN98 (155 mm)|155 mm CN98]] || 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" | -4°/+70° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 8.8 || 12.2 || 14.8 || 16.4 || 17.4 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:CN98 (155 mm)/Ammunition|M107, M110, M107 (PF), 155mm OE F3}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Hager's X-Ray view with Vidar.png|thumb]]
[[File:Hager's X-Ray view with Vidar - 2.png|thumb]]

{| 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'''
! '''Visual discrepancy'''
|-
| '''48'''
|''Projectiles''
''Propellants''
| ''34(+14)''
31(+17)
| ''19(+29)''
21(+27)
| ''10(+38)''
3(+45)
| ''3(+45)''
1(+47)
| ''1(+47)''
N/A
| Yes
|-
|}

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

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 600 (200) || 575 || -6°/+15° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

VIDAR's [[CN98 (155 mm)|CN98 (155mm)]] cannon can only inflict damage with HE rounds, so players should be at least aware of how [[Damage mechanics#Overpressure|Overpressure]] works in War Thunder. Having some knowledge of where vehicles can be overpressured (turret rooftops, the upper plates of the hull, areas around hull ammunition storages and so on) is the bare minimum to be able to do any consistent damage to enemy vehicles.

The VIDAR can generally consider two types of enemies as its most noteworthy adversaries; vehicles with stabilized guns, which can fire on the move, and enemy APCs, IFVs, and SPAAGs with high-calibre, rapid-firing heavy machine guns or autocannons. While the VIDAR is constructed mainly out of 35 mm hardened steel plates as opposed to the thin aluminium of its older artillery brethren such as the M109s, it still requires smart planning and quick moving to remain intact. Any enemy main gun will make short work of the VIDAR, and the thin plating can only resist HMG and certain autocannon rounds. Most enemy vehicles must therefore be considered lethal; while the vast majority of 12.7 mm (.50 cal) and 14.5 mm HMG rounds can be shrugged off, anything bigger is much more likely to either fully penetrate or at least severely harm the vehicle. Many 20 mm APDS rounds will go through the armour at normal engagement ranges. Any sort of HVAP or APDS bigger than 20 mm will ignore the steel plates; APFSDS will not even think of it as a barrier between itself and the crew or ammunition load! Here, enemy IFVs such as the Bradleys, Type 89, or BMP series can be considered dangerous opponents to face. An enemy missile hitting the VIDAR is more likely than not to destroy the vehicle.

Using the very good acceleration and turning speeds of the VIDAR will help the commander move quickly from one favourable position to another. Using natural cover such as trenches, ditches, muddy riverbanks, or small clusters of trees will help conceal the vehicle while remaining within viewing distance of the battlefield. The excellent sights will provide the opportunity to spot and engage enemies from afar, and the near-instant-use laser rangefinder will automatically raise or lower the gun to the right horizontal elevation for the targeted enemy who finds himself at the receiving end of the L/52 cannon.

The choice of HE-VT means the VIDAR can successfully engage aircraft. Using the laser rangefinder, one can target helicopters at range, both stationary and moving. With some practice, it becomes relatively easy to engage moving aircraft using the high muzzle velocity, good sights, and good proximity fuzing radius. Enemy planes flying directly against the VIDAR can be "swatted" out of the sky with ease.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great firepower
* Fast reload rate for a SPH
* Agile and nimble chassis
* Thermal imager and laser rangefinder
* 35 mm average all-around armour
** Can't be overpressured from <120 mm HE
** Cannot be penetrated by HMGs

'''Cons:'''

* Weak survivability
** Only partial protection from autocannons
* Poor gun depression
* Relatively small first-stage ammo rack

== History ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is an export version of the South Korean K9 Thunder Self Propelled Artillery System, in service with the Norwegian Army. Norway decided to acquire a total of 24 K9 Thunder systems as well as 6 K10 ammo resupply vehicles in 2017 to replace their aging American-made M109A3GNM. The K9 won out in the competition which consisted of the CAESAR wheeled artillery system, the K9, German PzH2000 and M109G, with the M109G and K9 being the final two contenders before the K9 was selected in December of 2017 as the winner.

The VIDAR is operated by the only artillery unit in the Norwegian Army, the ''Artilleribataljonen'' of the ''Brigade Nord.'' The vehicle was manufactured by the company Hanwha Land Systems, deliveries started in 2019 and finished between 2020 and 2021. All units were considered operational by the Norwegian Army by January 1st, 2022. In November of 2022, Norway inked an additional deal to import 4 more K9 SPHs and 8 more K10 ammo resupply vehicles, raising the total to 28 VIDARs and 14 K10s soon to be in service.

The K9 Thunder was developed by South Korea, based on experiences with the K55 license-produced M109 howitzer. The vehicle was developed to be fully compatible with NATO ammunition, and to have good mobility to perform counterbattery fire and change positions rapidly. The K9's first prototype was unveiled in 1996. The contract for its development was awarded to Samsung Aerospace Industries and just 3 years later in 1999 the ROK Army started to receive its first units of the vehicle. The first nation to acquire the production rights for the system was Turkey.

The K9 has seen combat action in the Yeonpyeong bombardment of 2010, an artillery exchange between South Korean and North Korean soldiers. In this incident, 6 K9 systems from the South Korean Marine Infantry opened fire against North Korean positions. During the incident, some criticism was leveled at the K9 due to its return rate of fire being 1 round every 90 seconds - however, this was due to the fact that the K9's ammunition reserves were empty from the military exercise just minutes prior, meaning soldiers were running to the ammunition depots to fetch shells to fire back. The Korean Army deemed the K9's protection during the incident to be adequate against North Korean field gun shrapnel, and increased production of the K9 by a hundred extra units by 2011. This led to the K9s positioned near the border also retaining internal ammunition at all times, in case of a similar incident in the future.

The K9 has received very good export deals. Competing in the international markets with very powerful systems like the American M109 and German Pzh2000, it has sold more than 1,700 units, including those for South Korea. Turkey has also fitted their own version of the system, the T-155 Firtina, with 300 units expected to be deployed.

In December of 2013, the program to improve the K9's performance was passed, which led to the K9A1. The K9A1 modification upgraded the FCS of the K0 up to K55A1 standard, added GPS navigation on top of the original INS system, the addition of an APU and a night vision periscope for the driver as well as a rear view camera. The software was also updated from a DOS based framework up to a Windows based digital FCS, to provide a graphics based fire control system for the crew to enhance performance.

== Media ==

<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:XK-9 Prototype Taken At WMoK 2023-06-24.jpg|XK-9 (The predecessor to the K9/K9A1, produced in 1995 for testing) on display at the War Memorial of Korea
</gallery>
;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=sw_k9_vidar Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|iaufXbHC0VU|'''The Shooting Range #377''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:24 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 ==


* [[wt:en/news/8435-development-pre-order-vidar-divine-vengeance-en|[Devblog] Pre-Order: VIDAR: Divine Vengeance]]

{{Sweden tank destroyers}}
{{Sweden premium ground vehicles}}

Maus

2024-03-26T05:12:27Z

U91965995: Usage in Battles was incorrectly hidden; Fixed

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

== Description ==

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

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

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 200 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 200 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 180 mm ''Top'' 100 mm ''Bottom'' 300 mm ''Weld joints''|| 150 mm (36°) ''Top'' 150 mm (31°) ''Bottom'' || 50 mm ''General area'' 100 mm ''Front roof''
|-
| Turret || 232 mm (3-53°)''Turret front'' 240 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 205 mm (30°) || 200 mm (15°) || 60 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The armour on the Maus is quite complex, and definitely does not end with the above-mentioned values
** Gun mantlet is 240 mm thick and nicely rounded, right around both guns the armour is 300 mm thick
** Tracks at the front are protected by 100+60 mm plates (100 mm basic plate + attached tracks)
** Behind the frontal upper plate on deck armour, there are many 60 mm highly sloped plates of armour, protecting the engine vents and turret ring from HEAT/HE shells and some small-calibre fire
** Frontal part of the belly is also 100 mm thick, with the rest being 50 mm
** Deck armour in front of these plates is also strengthened to an impressive 100 mm
** Side armour is split to two parts, top with 180 mm and bottom with 100 mm + tracks
** Even inside the tank there is armour - there are many 20 mm plates inside the tank, separating crew compartments from various modules, and partially protecting the interior from shrapnel that penetrated the tank from other areas
*** One plate is at the rear of the tank, between the enormous transmission and the fighting compartment
*** The second plate is more to the front, separating fighting compartment from the middle-mounted Engine and its radiators
*** The third plate is in the front between the driver's compartment and the engine
*** Around the driver there are many more 20 mm plates, adding some protection to fuel tanks located there

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


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

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

=== Modifications and economy ===

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

{{Specs-Economy}}

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

{{main|KwK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK44 (128 mm)|128 mm KwK44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 68 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.6 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 12.0 || 12.8 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.30 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.8 || 5.6 || 6.8 || 7.5 || 8.0
|-
|}

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''100''' || 76 ''(+24)'' || 51 ''(+49)'' || 26 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

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

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

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

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

== Usage in battles ==


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

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

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

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

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

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

'''General Playstyle'''

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

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

'''Potential Dangers'''

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

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

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

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

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

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

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

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

'''Cons:'''

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

== History ==

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

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

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

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

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

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
An experimental super-heavy tank built in Germany towards the end of the war. The project was developed by Ferdinand Porsche.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

== Media ==


;Skins

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

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

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

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

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

AMX-50 (TO90/930)

2024-03-26T01:29:18Z

U91965995: New Description Project / Revised entire article for readability etc

{{About
| about = premium French medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = AMX-50 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_50_1950
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_AMX-50_(TO90-930).jpg|ArtImage AMX-50 (TO90-930).png}}
|market=id50210_amx_50_to90_930_france
}}

== Description ==


The AMX-50 program started in 1945 as a requirement called NOM 141 (Project 141) as a 30 ton weight class medium tank. NOM 141 was to replace the then-new [[ARL-44]] as the next generation of indigenous French tanks, but development was protracted and went through many design iterations. The AMX-50s received their signature oscillating turrets in 1949 as the [[AMX M4]], equipped with a 90 mm cannon which was deemed inadequate by that point which led to an upgunning program. This resulted in two 100 mm equipped AMX-50s being produced, one being a conversion of the AMX M4 and the other being a new vehicle built from the ground up to [[AMX-50 (TOA100)]] standard. The AMX-50 (TO90/30) is an AMX-50 with the turret of the [[Char 25t]] - developed in 1950 and still retaining the 90 mm gun. An intermediate step, it unfortunately did not make it far into development as the French were looking towards a larger caliber and longer gun - something which eventually led to the development of the [[AMX-50 Surblinde]] and [[AMX-50 Surbaisse].

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium gift rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Apex Predators"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season X, "Royal Guard"]]. Veterans of the French tree will quickly notice that this vehicle shares a turret with the [[Char 25t]], an extremely potent light tank, which is sure to spark a smile for anyone in the know. The TO90 fires M82 APHE like the Char 25t does, but unlike American M82 fired from the US 90 mm the 90 mm on the French tanks has a longer barrel, meaning they penetrate over 20 mm more armor and break the 200+ threshold in penetration. Alongside the slightly faster shell velocity and 4 second autoloader of the turret and using your extreme mobility you can shred the flanks of an unaware enemy team with ease. The only things to note are your lack of armor against anything above autocannon fire and the fact that too much firing at once can empty your ready racks - if you can compensate for both, this vehicle is a beast that offers one-shot potential unlike any other tank in the tree down to its APHE round with high filler while also being incredibly nimble.

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


Though not thick, the armour is highly angled and can bounce some hastily placed shots. It will not bounce APDS or HEAT rounds, so be wary of enemy tank fire. However, it may be preferable to be hit by APDS or HEATFS over APHE, as APHE will usually kill you instantly while rounds like APDS can sometimes only knock out a single crew member. It is recommended to stay out of enemy line of fire if possible using your excellent mobility, as your strengths are in fast flanking maneuvers, not bouncing shells.

'''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}}

The AMX-50 (TO90/30) has excellent mobility. It is only around ~1 HP/t worse than the M18 in terms of horsepower per ton despite the vehicle weighing nearly three times as much, meaning it exhibits near light-tank levels of agility and reactivity. Its reverse gear is also more than adequate, with a -20 km/h reverse speed allowing for quick repositioning. This is the vehicle's strongest asset, so use it wisely.
{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,550|rbMinHp=884}}

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

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


The D.911 APX (90 mm) is a cannon capable of firing the M82 APHE round. Unlike on American vehicles using the same shell, this gun is longer and adds another 20 mm to the penetration and around 80 m/s to its velocity, making it even more lethal. The cannon may not go through every tank's frontal weakspots, especially Soviet MBT designs and heavy tanks, but you have the mobility to flank around them and lay an ambush. The 4 second autoloader leaves much wiggle room in case of a missed shot, which also means you can go for a disabling shot first if in a pinch.
{{main|D.911 APX (90 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D.911 APX (90 mm)|90 mm D.911 APX]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Autoloader
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 52 || rowspan="2" | -6°/+11° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 34.3 || 47.4 || 57.6 || 63.7 || 67.8 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 21.4 || 25.2 || 30.6 || 33.8 || 36.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:D.911 APX (90 mm)/Ammunition|T33 shot, M71A1 shell, M82 shot}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks AMX-50 (TO90 930).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
|-
| '''52''' || 49 ''(+3)'' || 42 ''(+10)'' || 35 ''(+17)'' || 28 ''(+24)'' || 21 ''(+31)'' || 17 ''(+35)'' || 13 ''(+39)'' || 1 ''(+51)'' || No
|-
|}

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

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,800 (150) || 551 || - || -
|-
| Pintle || 1,200 (150) || 551 || -5°/+20° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


The AMX-50 (TO90//30) is in a way a light tank in a medium tank's clothing; With the acceleration and mobility of something more akin to a [[M18 GMC|M18]] than any other medium tank in its weight class of 46 tons. Playing the TO90 is fairly straightforward - you have a 4 second autoloader and incredible mobility and adequate gun depression for what your gun is capable of, and as such the best tactic is usually to pick a flank and pick apart the enemy team from their vulnerable sides.

The higher penetration M82 round compared to its American contemporaries means that some weakspots are more easily penetrated (the best example being the ability to go through the entire turret face of the [[Tiger II (H)]] at closer ranges compared to the single, mostly inconsistent speck of armor the US M82 round has to hit accurately. One thing to note is the 12-round ready rack in the style of a drum magazine; in longer engagements you can very much run out of ammunition in the rack, so be wary when firing continuously. Retreat to a capture point or relocate if you're running low on ammo, both to reduce your chances of dying due to being unable to fire back and to confuse your enemies even more.

Vehicles you may want to be wary of are heavily armored behemoths such as the [[Maus]] or [[IS-4M]]. Ironically the higher BR [[T-10M]] has more frontal weakspots than the IS-4M against your gun; against the 4M you can't really do much frontally outside of nicking the commander, so barreling it is highly recommended. Against the other heavily armored tanks however the advice is fairly straightforward; disable them or get on their flanks without them noticing, then shoot into their much thinner side armor to bypass that protection to begin with.

With this vehicle positioning is key, but unfortunately this is an acquired skill and not an advantage you can easily exploit like armor or firepower. Pick either an excellent flanking route or a route most people avoid because it gets them less kills (a good example being near the bottom side of Poland as people funnel into the town for kills), and you'll generally find success. If you see an enemy ahead, try and ambush them instead of immediately cresting the hill only to get shot in the lower plate and exploding like a firework, as oscillating turrets are generally horrible fits for gun stability and even the 4 second reload would be insufficient if they see you coming. Be more patient, peeking out only when they're distracted or if you are confident you can win the gun fight, and the enemy team will be wondering why they're being pushed back to spawn as their entire front line collapses to your side flank push. It is also to note to try and avoid shooting upwards - oscillating turrets generally allow gun depression but are not so kind when the turret wishes to elevate, in part due to the drum style loader sticking out the back of the turret.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''
* Excellent mobility
* M82 APHE round has devastating post-penetration damage
* Armour can help bounce some poorly placed shots
* Turret rotation speed is good
* 4 second autoloader with 12 rounds in the rack is excellent for most engagements

'''Cons:'''
* Raw penetration power is somewhat lacking compared to the enemies it can face
* The armour is inadequate for consistent protection
* Pintle mounted machine gun is rifle caliber, and can only raise 20°
* Prolonged combat can run the ready racks dry, which take a while to reload

== History ==

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

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_50_1950 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|usqFRurvro4|'''Battle Pass: Royal Guard''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 02:34 - ''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/8063-development-battle-pass-vehicles-amx-50-to90-930-en|[Devblog] Battle Pass vehicles: AMX-50 (TO90/930)]]

{{France medium tanks}}
{{France premium ground vehicles}}

AMX-50 (TOA100)

2024-03-26T00:12:30Z

U91965995: New Description Project / First paragraph trimmed for ease of reading

{{About
| about = French medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = AMX-50 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_50
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


The AMX 50 project started life as a 30-ton weight class project requirement as NOM 141 (Project 141) in 1945, as the prospective next generation domestic French tank after the [[ARL-44]]. The familiar oscillating turret on all AMX 50s were introduced in 1949, equipped with a 90 mm gun, which we are all familiar with as the [[AMX M4]] - however, at this stage, the French Army was no longer content with the 90 mm gun, and the AMX M4 was canceled to make way for a new turret that housed a 100 mm cannon instead. Two prototypes of this new standard were produced, one which was modified from an AMX M4 and one which was built from the ground up as an AMX-50 (TOA100). Unfortunately for the AMX-50 (TOA100), the tank's protracted development meant the Army now wanted a 120 mm cannon instead of the 100 mm, and as at this point the hull was grossly underarmored and was lacking in many other technical areas as well, development of the AMX-50 shifted to what would now be known as the [[AMX-50 Surblinde]] instead.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}, introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]]. It features the same armament and turret as the [[Lorraine 40t]] on a more robust chassis, similar to that of the [[AMX M4]]. The AMX-50 (TOA100) is functionally not too different from the [[Lorraine 40t]] in terms of gameplay - it's a mobile hull with a fast-reloading gun, which doesn't fire APHE but still spalls adequately due to the French AP shell cap. The vehicle, as it is an oscillating turret design with a drum-feed autoloader, cannot fire when it runs out of ammo in the ready rack, and also cannot elevate too high due to how the turret is placed on its oscillating hinge. Armorwise the vehicle isn't particularly well protected, with thin armor all around, but you may be able to survive some lower caliber shots or autocannon fire if you're lucky. Play around the flanks, preferably around slight hills or ridges you can peek around sideways, and you can penetrate most enemies without issue. If you see an enemy you can't penetrate frontally or aren't confident, you can always shoot the barrel then use the extra time to shoot a very specific weakspot. A good example would be seeing something like an [[IS-3]] or [[IS-6]], while you could simply shoot the weakspots such as the front armour weld on the IS-3 or the mantlet/unangled upper plate of the IS-6, you could shoot their barrels out then take a careful shot if you're not feeling it then.
== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, cupola roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 35 mm (61°) ''Lower glacis'' 60 mm (39°) ''Front cheeks'' || 40 mm (24°) ''Top'' 40 mm ''Bottom'' || 40 mm (0-30°) 30 mm (30°) ''Transmission hatch'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 45 mm (39-56°) ''Turret front'' 30 mm (9-26°) ''Turret base'' 50 mm (7-82°) ''Barrel shroud'' || 30 mm (0-55°) ''Turret'' 30 mm (0-25°) ''Turret base'' || 30 mm (0-30°) ''Turret bustle'' 30 mm (6-22°) ''Pivot ball'' 20 mm (69-90°) ''Turret underside'' || 20 mm
|-
| Cupola || 30 mm (45°) || colspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 30 mm (conical) || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick. Suspension wheels are interleaved and thus overlap in some areas.
* Add-on tracks hang on the hull sides in the crew compartment area.
* Hull undersides above tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
* There is a 20 mm plate separating the crew compartment from the engine bay at the top of the hull.
* There is a 5 mm plate separating the crew compartment from the engine bay at the bottom of the hull.
* Overlapping wheels provide extra 20 mm to the hull's lower side.

The {{PAGENAME}}'s hull is very similar to that of the famous German medium tank, even in armour values. It is only slightly weak from the side, making angling quite ineffective. This armour should be able to deflect incoming shots from the weaker tanks it may encounter at its BR spread, notably the famous Soviet [[D-5T (85 mm)|85 mm D-5T]]. With its good slope, it can easily deflect APCR shots. The only negative point is the turret: it is very weak to incoming shots: with only 45 mm sloped at 52°, it is weaker than a [[T-34-85 (D-5T)]]'s hull. The turret armour is a noticeable downgrade from the [[AMX M4]], so you will need to be more careful about taking hits. The only way to avoid being taken down too easily is to increase distance between the AMX-50 position and the enemy. Don't worry about that: the 100 mm gun is suited for that purpose.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,550|rbMinHp=884}}

While not the fastest tank, the {{PAGENAME}} certainly is capable of many feats of agility. This tank may be the slowest French rank IV tank, which is not a bad thing considering French tank's general dynamic gameplay at this BR. "Don't put the tank in nasty front-line situations" is the best advice to follow with this tank. As it is, this 800+ HP engine should be able to carry the tank to any location in good time.

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

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

{{main|SA47 L/58 (100 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA47 L/58 (100 mm)|100 mm SA47 L/58]] || 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" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

The SA47 L/58 is a very potent gun for a rank IV tank: it performs in a similar way to the Soviet [[D-10T (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T]] equipped on the [[T-54/55 (Family)]] series. While not having any HE filler in their AP rounds, the French engineers somehow managed to optimize armour spalling on penetrating shots and muzzle velocity, making these shells very good at long-range engagements. This gun is also mounted with an autoloader, which provides it with a solid 4 seconds reload time. It has good gun depression and a fast turret traverse, which enables this tank to react quickly to flankers and take solid hulled-down position, its high gun placement minimizes the tank's silhouette behind hills.

==== Ammunition ====
{{:SA47 L/58 (100 mm)/Ammunition|100 mm Obus de rupture, 100 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
|-
| '''50''' || 49 ''(+1)'' || 44 ''(+6)'' || 37 ''(+13)'' || 30 ''(+20)'' || 23 ''(+27)''
|-
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
!
|-
| 16 ''(+34)'' || 12 ''(+38)'' || 7 ''(+43)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || No
!
|-
|}
This tank features an auto-loading system that removes the need for a crew member to reload the main gun, although a loader is present to restock the autoloader. A large drum of seven rounds is found underneath the gun breech for rapid use. Once this drum is empty, rounds in the hull will need to be placed in the autoloader rack before it can be used by the autoloader, which takes about 14 seconds to perform for one round. Nine rounds are found in three racks near the bottom of the hull behind the driver and machine-gunner while the rest of the stowage is found in the side sponsons above the tracks, aside from a small rack of 5 rounds near the rear of the turret.

'''Notes''':

* Ammo rack 9 is the autoloader drum and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills racks 8 through 1.
* If the autoloader drum is empty, the main gun cannot fire until ammo is loaded into the autoloader drum.
* Simply not firing when the main gun is loaded will load ammo from racks 1-8 into the ready rack, as long as there is ammo present in racks 1-8. Firing the main gun will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

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

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,800 (150) || 551 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

The small calibre of the MAC 31 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==

This medium tank performs good in its role, being versatile enough to take many battlefield roles: flanker, sniper and ambusher. The only thing it is insufficient at is absorbing damaging shots: there are too many weak spots on this tank to take anything bigger than HMG to the front. Don't stay too close to the front line since the reverse speed will not allow the tank to escape sufficiently fast and flanking manoeuvres will make the weak sides vulnerable.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Impressive top speed, allowing for rapid movement across the battlefield
* Highly manoeuvrable, enabling quick and agile responses to changing situations
* Wide tracks provide excellent mobility on various types of terrain, maintaining good speed
* Equipped with a crew of 5 members, enhancing operational efficiency and allowing more hits to be taken
* Powerful 100 mm main gun with an autoloader, delivering high penetration capabilities and relatively fast reload
* Stock APCBC shells offer exceptional conical spread, ensuring deadly frontal hits
* Fast turret rotation speed, enabling swift target acquisition and engagement
* Sloped frontal armour has the potential to ricochet lower rank guns and APCR rounds
* Higher muzzle velocity than the Soviet [[D-10T (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T]] gun, easier to aim at range
* Well-suited for flanking manoeuvres, offering tactical advantages

'''Cons:'''

* Armour is insufficient to protect against higher rank guns
* Weak lower front plate (LFP), vulnerable to enemy fire
* Turret shares the same lightly-armoured design as the [[Lorraine 40t]], posing a potential vulnerability
* Large, [[Panther D|Panther]]-like hull, making it challenging to conceal and minimize exposure
* Limited shell choices, lacking APHE, HEAT, APDS, or APFSDS rounds
* Shells lack explosive filler, resulting in rare one-hit knockouts from the side
* Lower penetration compared to the Soviet 100 mm APCBC rounds, with reduced post-penetration damage
* Gun elevation speed is slow due to oscillating turret design
* Incapacitated loader hampers the tank's ability to utilize its coaxial MG

== History ==


===Design===
In the late 1940s, the French Army was looking to replace the medium tanks Panther and ARL 44 that were becoming obsolete with a new 50t medium tank. The new tank was to be the future spearhead of French armoured divisions. The French company AMX started working on a proposal which was essentially an improved Tiger II on the drawing board. The project evolved and later resulted in the AMX-50 tank. The AMX-50 present in the game is the second prototype of the project.

===Development===
In order to save weight from the Tiger II's initial weight of 70 tons, the first AMX proposal was an underarmoured version of the Tiger II with only 30 mm armour plates. The French Army quickly indicated that such a thickness was too weak for the intended purpose. The armour of the hull was increased to 80 mm frontally and 40 mm for the sides and the weight-saving measures were then applied to other components. The original turret was changed for an oscillating turret whose design was already available and the suspension wheels were redesigned to get rid of the interleaving wheels. The new version was approved and a first prototype dubbed M4 was produced at the end of 1949 with a 90 mm SA 45 gun and a weight slightly above 50 tons. The second prototype called AMX-50/100 was produced 1 year later with the 100 mm SA 47 L/50 gun, a slightly modified turret and a weight close to 55 tons. After testing in 1952 and 1953, the French Army reclassified the AMX-50 as heavy tank as it could not reach more than 50 km/h on roads and 20 km/h off-road due to an insufficient output of the powerplant. The tank had a ratio of 15 hp/ton against the 20 expected. The availability of the more modern M47 medium tank through NATO cooperation made the need for the AMX-50 obsolete. Following its reclassification, there were several attempts to transform the AMX-50 in a real heavy tank like the AMX-50 Surbaissé or the AMX-50 Surblindé. But the need for heavy tanks would gradually disappear with the appearance of shaped charges (HEAT projectiles and missiles).

===Combat usage===
The AMX-50 never saw either service or combat action with the French Army.

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_50 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:38 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|4hSjkacg4CQ|'''The Shooting Range #98''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:24 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[AMX-50 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:AMX-50|[Wikipedia] AMX-50]]
* [https://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/AMX-50.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> AMX-50]

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

AMX-50 (TO90/930)

2024-03-25T01:16:56Z

U91965995: New Description Project | Unfinished, Please don't approve this edit yet

AMX-50 (TOA100)

2024-03-25T01:05:08Z

U91965995: New Description Project edit

{{About
| about = French medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = AMX-50 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=fr_amx_50
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==


France after World War 2 was quite ambitious with its tank development. There was a perceived need for an indigenous tank development capability, even as the war was still raging on near Germany, and these early developments led to the [[ARL-44]], France's first indigenous tank after WW2. While not an amazingly capable design, the vehicle was still self-produced and served as the basis for future domestic tank developments, which the AMX-50 (TOA100) is a part of. The requirements for a new tank to supersede the ARL-44 were already under way even as the tank was rolling off production lines, and the AMX 50 project started life as a 30-ton weight class project requirement as NOM 141 (Project 141) in 1945. The familiar oscillating turret on all AMX 50s were introduced in 1949 equipped with a 90 mm gun, which we are all familiar with as the [[AMX M4]]. However, at this stage, the French Army was no longer content with the 90 mm gun, and the AMX M4 was canceled to make way for a new turret that housed a 100 mm cannon instead, which became the AMX-50 (TOA100) we know today. Two prototypes were produced, one which was modified from an AMX M4 and one which was built from the ground up as an AMX-50 (TOA100). Outside of minor differences in the turret's shape, the prototype based on the AMX M4 did not have return rollers, but the new AMX-50 did come equipped with them. Unfortunately for the AMX-50 (TOA100), the tank's protracted development meant the Army now wanted a 120 mm cannon instead of the 100 mm, and as at this point the hull was grossly underarmored and was lacking in many other technical areas as well, development of the AMX-50 shifted to what would now be known as the [[AMX-50 Surblinde]] instead.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French medium tank {{Battle-rating}}, introduced in [[Update 1.75 "La Résistance"]]. It features the same armament and turret as the [[Lorraine 40t]] on a more robust chassis, similar to that of the [[AMX M4]]. The AMX-50 (TOA100) is functionally not too different from the [[Lorraine 40t]] in terms of gameplay - it's a mobile hull with a fast-reloading gun, which doesn't fire APHE but still spalls adequately due to the French AP shell cap. The vehicle, as it is an oscillating turret design with a drum-feed autoloader, cannot fire when it runs out of ammo in the ready rack, and also cannot elevate too high due to how the turret is placed on its oscillating hinge. Armorwise the vehicle isn't particularly well protected, with thin armor all around, but you may be able to survive some lower caliber shots or autocannon fire if you're lucky. Play around the flanks, preferably around slight hills or ridges you can peek around sideways, and you can penetrate most enemies without issue. If you see an enemy you can't penetrate frontally or aren't confident, you can always shoot the barrel then use the extra time to shoot a very specific weakspot. A good example would be seeing something like an [[IS-3]] or [[IS-6]], while you could simply shoot the weakspots such as the front armour weld on the IS-3 or the mantlet/unangled upper plate of the IS-6, you could shoot their barrels out then take a careful shot if you're not feeling it then.
== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}


'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour (hull, turret roof, cupola roof)
* Cast homogeneous armour (turret, cupola)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 80 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 35 mm (61°) ''Lower glacis'' 60 mm (39°) ''Front cheeks'' || 40 mm (24°) ''Top'' 40 mm ''Bottom'' || 40 mm (0-30°) 30 mm (30°) ''Transmission hatch'' || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 45 mm (39-56°) ''Turret front'' 30 mm (9-26°) ''Turret base'' 50 mm (7-82°) ''Barrel shroud'' || 30 mm (0-55°) ''Turret'' 30 mm (0-25°) ''Turret base'' || 30 mm (0-30°) ''Turret bustle'' 30 mm (6-22°) ''Pivot ball'' 20 mm (69-90°) ''Turret underside'' || 20 mm
|-
| Cupola || 30 mm (45°) || colspan="2" style="text-align:center" | 30 mm (conical) || 20 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 20 mm thick. Suspension wheels are interleaved and thus overlap in some areas.
* Add-on tracks hang on the hull sides in the crew compartment area.
* Hull undersides above tracks are 20 mm thick.
* Belly armour is 20 mm thick.
* There is a 20 mm plate separating the crew compartment from the engine bay at the top of the hull.
* There is a 5 mm plate separating the crew compartment from the engine bay at the bottom of the hull.
* Overlapping wheels provide extra 20 mm to the hull's lower side.

The {{PAGENAME}}'s hull is very similar to that of the famous German medium tank, even in armour values. It is only slightly weak from the side, making angling quite ineffective. This armour should be able to deflect incoming shots from the weaker tanks it may encounter at its BR spread, notably the famous Soviet [[D-5T (85 mm)|85 mm D-5T]]. With its good slope, it can easily deflect APCR shots. The only negative point is the turret: it is very weak to incoming shots: with only 45 mm sloped at 52°, it is weaker than a [[T-34-85 (D-5T)]]'s hull. The turret armour is a noticeable downgrade from the [[AMX M4]], so you will need to be more careful about taking hits. The only way to avoid being taken down too easily is to increase distance between the AMX-50 position and the enemy. Don't worry about that: the 100 mm gun is suited for that purpose.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=1,550|rbMinHp=884}}

While not the fastest tank, the {{PAGENAME}} certainly is capable of many feats of agility. This tank may be the slowest French rank IV tank, which is not a bad thing considering French tank's general dynamic gameplay at this BR. "Don't put the tank in nasty front-line situations" is the best advice to follow with this tank. As it is, this 800+ HP engine should be able to carry the tank to any location in good time.

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

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

{{main|SA47 L/58 (100 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[SA47 L/58 (100 mm)|100 mm SA47 L/58]] || 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" | -8°/+15° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 28.6 || 39.5 || 48.0 || 53.1 || 56.5 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00 || rowspan="2" | 4.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

The SA47 L/58 is a very potent gun for a rank IV tank: it performs in a similar way to the Soviet [[D-10T (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T]] equipped on the [[T-54/55 (Family)]] series. While not having any HE filler in their AP rounds, the French engineers somehow managed to optimize armour spalling on penetrating shots and muzzle velocity, making these shells very good at long-range engagements. This gun is also mounted with an autoloader, which provides it with a solid 4 seconds reload time. It has good gun depression and a fast turret traverse, which enables this tank to react quickly to flankers and take solid hulled-down position, its high gun placement minimizes the tank's silhouette behind hills.

==== Ammunition ====
{{:SA47 L/58 (100 mm)/Ammunition|100 mm Obus de rupture, 100 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
|-
| '''50''' || 49 ''(+1)'' || 44 ''(+6)'' || 37 ''(+13)'' || 30 ''(+20)'' || 23 ''(+27)''
|-
! 6th rack empty
! 7th rack empty
! 8th rack empty
! 9th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
!
|-
| 16 ''(+34)'' || 12 ''(+38)'' || 7 ''(+43)'' || 1 ''(+49)'' || No
!
|-
|}
This tank features an auto-loading system that removes the need for a crew member to reload the main gun, although a loader is present to restock the autoloader. A large drum of seven rounds is found underneath the gun breech for rapid use. Once this drum is empty, rounds in the hull will need to be placed in the autoloader rack before it can be used by the autoloader, which takes about 14 seconds to perform for one round. Nine rounds are found in three racks near the bottom of the hull behind the driver and machine-gunner while the rest of the stowage is found in the side sponsons above the tracks, aside from a small rack of 5 rounds near the rear of the turret.

'''Notes''':

* Ammo rack 9 is the autoloader drum and takes priority in being filled at the beginning of the battle, then fills racks 8 through 1.
* If the autoloader drum is empty, the main gun cannot fire until ammo is loaded into the autoloader drum.
* Simply not firing when the main gun is loaded will load ammo from racks 1-8 into the ready rack, as long as there is ammo present in racks 1-8. Firing the main gun will interrupt the loading of the ready racks.

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

{{main|MAC 31 (7.5 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MAC 31 (7.5 mm)|7.5 mm MAC 31]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,800 (150) || 551 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

The small calibre of the MAC 31 machine gun makes it largely ineffective against all armoured vehicles but the ones with an open compartment. It still can be used to ping targets as a rangefinding help or to mow down minor obstacles blocking your line of sight.

== Usage in battles ==

This medium tank performs good in its role, being versatile enough to take many battlefield roles: flanker, sniper and ambusher. The only thing it is insufficient at is absorbing damaging shots: there are too many weak spots on this tank to take anything bigger than HMG to the front. Don't stay too close to the front line since the reverse speed will not allow the tank to escape sufficiently fast and flanking manoeuvres will make the weak sides vulnerable.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* Impressive top speed, allowing for rapid movement across the battlefield
* Highly manoeuvrable, enabling quick and agile responses to changing situations
* Wide tracks provide excellent mobility on various types of terrain, maintaining good speed
* Equipped with a crew of 5 members, enhancing operational efficiency and allowing more hits to be taken
* Powerful 100 mm main gun with an autoloader, delivering high penetration capabilities and relatively fast reload
* Stock APCBC shells offer exceptional conical spread, ensuring deadly frontal hits
* Fast turret rotation speed, enabling swift target acquisition and engagement
* Sloped frontal armour has the potential to ricochet lower rank guns and APCR rounds
* Higher muzzle velocity than the Soviet [[D-10T (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T]] gun, easier to aim at range
* Well-suited for flanking manoeuvres, offering tactical advantages

'''Cons:'''

* Armour is insufficient to protect against higher rank guns
* Weak lower front plate (LFP), vulnerable to enemy fire
* Turret shares the same lightly-armoured design as the [[Lorraine 40t]], posing a potential vulnerability
* Large, [[Panther D|Panther]]-like hull, making it challenging to conceal and minimize exposure
* Limited shell choices, lacking APHE, HEAT, APDS, or APFSDS rounds
* Shells lack explosive filler, resulting in rare one-hit knockouts from the side
* Lower penetration compared to the Soviet 100 mm APCBC rounds, with reduced post-penetration damage
* Gun elevation speed is slow due to oscillating turret design
* Incapacitated loader hampers the tank's ability to utilize its coaxial MG

== History ==


===Design===
In the late 1940s, the French Army was looking to replace the medium tanks Panther and ARL 44 that were becoming obsolete with a new 50t medium tank. The new tank was to be the future spearhead of French armoured divisions. The French company AMX started working on a proposal which was essentially an improved Tiger II on the drawing board. The project evolved and later resulted in the AMX-50 tank. The AMX-50 present in the game is the second prototype of the project.

===Development===
In order to save weight from the Tiger II's initial weight of 70 tons, the first AMX proposal was an underarmoured version of the Tiger II with only 30 mm armour plates. The French Army quickly indicated that such a thickness was too weak for the intended purpose. The armour of the hull was increased to 80 mm frontally and 40 mm for the sides and the weight-saving measures were then applied to other components. The original turret was changed for an oscillating turret whose design was already available and the suspension wheels were redesigned to get rid of the interleaving wheels. The new version was approved and a first prototype dubbed M4 was produced at the end of 1949 with a 90 mm SA 45 gun and a weight slightly above 50 tons. The second prototype called AMX-50/100 was produced 1 year later with the 100 mm SA 47 L/50 gun, a slightly modified turret and a weight close to 55 tons. After testing in 1952 and 1953, the French Army reclassified the AMX-50 as heavy tank as it could not reach more than 50 km/h on roads and 20 km/h off-road due to an insufficient output of the powerplant. The tank had a ratio of 15 hp/ton against the 20 expected. The availability of the more modern M47 medium tank through NATO cooperation made the need for the AMX-50 obsolete. Following its reclassification, there were several attempts to transform the AMX-50 in a real heavy tank like the AMX-50 Surbaissé or the AMX-50 Surblindé. But the need for heavy tanks would gradually disappear with the appearance of shaped charges (HEAT projectiles and missiles).

===Combat usage===
The AMX-50 never saw either service or combat action with the French Army.

== Media ==


;Skins
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=fr_amx_50 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|PosWOnOGkSo|'''Best experimental vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 0:38 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|4hSjkacg4CQ|'''The Shooting Range #98''' - ''Pages of History'' section at 04:24 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[AMX-50 (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wikipedia:AMX-50|[Wikipedia] AMX-50]]
* [https://www.tanks-encyclopedia.com/coldwar/France/AMX-50.php <nowiki>[Tanks Encyclopedia]</nowiki> AMX-50]

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

Leopard 2K

2024-03-23T15:56:46Z

U91965995: New Description Project + minor Mobility section edit

{{About
| about = German medium tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Leopard 2 (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_leopard_2k
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==


The forerunner to the Leopard 2 was in many ways a return to form of what the Leopard 1 was designed as; the sacrifice of armor for incredible speed and firepower. The Leopard 2K started life as a project after the US-German MBT/KPz-70 program fell apart in 1970, as an urgent program to replace the now aging [[Leopard 1]]. There had been prior attempts at modernization and development, such as the ''vergoldeter Leopard'' (Gilded Leopard) program in 1967 which aimed to install an autoloader and coaxial autocannon to the Leopard 1, and the Bundeswehr decided to re-use parts of this development in a series of vehicles nicknamed 'Keiler', or 'tusker'. This resulted in two separate vehicles being prototyped and tested: The Leopard 2FK, which was armed with a gun/launcher system similar to the [[KPz-70]]'s, and the Leopard 2K, armed with a smoothbore 105 mm cannon. The Bundeswehr declared the 2K as the superior design in 1971, and development of the 2FK was abandoned as a result. There were 16 Leopard 2K prototypes produced (the 17th hull was cancelled), the first 10 equipped with the 105 mm smoothbore gun and the later 6 with the 120 mm smoothbore. These prototypes went through technical tests in between 1972 and 1975, but were ultimately held back due to development of the EMES-13 rangefinder stalling and the MLC 50 requirements (roughly 47.5 tons), which were insufficient in providing adequate protection against enemy tank fire. Unfortunately for the Leopard 2K, the lessons learned during the Yom Kippur War in 1973 alerted the Bundeswehr to the fact that armor was still very much relevant in tank engagements, which led to the easing of restrictions on weight to MLC 60 (55 tons). Coupled with the EMES-13 system finishing development, development moved on to produce what became the [[Leopard 2AV]], while the Leopard 2K was rejected due to its perceived inadequate armor against potential threats, ending its development.

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German medium tank {{Battle-rating}}, introduced in [[Update 1.77 "Advancing Storm"]]. The Leopard 2K is what the Leopard 2 could have been, following up on the Leopard 1's design choices in low armor in exchange for near unmatchable mobility and firepower. A titular glass cannon, the Leopard 2K is not heavily armored and can be penetrated almost anywhere by contemporary tank rounds. However, what the 2K lacks in armor it more than makes up for in the other two areas; speed and firepower. The 120 mm smoothbore cannon has enough penetration to simply point and click at the upper plate of very common enemies at this BR such as the [[T-72AV (TURMS-T)]], and coupled with the laser rangefinder can accurately fire shells at extreme ranges with adequate zoom on its optics. The vehicle is also equipped with an [[Rh202 (20mm)|Rh202]] autocannon on the roof, which is operated by the gunner, which lets the vehicle still fire the gun even when on 2 crew. The autocannon has a high traverse rate and has a high rate of fire, and can engage both enemy light vehicles, barrels, tracks and aircraft ubiquitously. The mobility is the standout feature of this tank, with an eye-watering '''30 HP/t''' power-to-weight ratio that lets it barrel across the map faster than almost anyone else. Even the extremely mobile [[XM-1 (GM)]] is just shy of 30 at 28.9HP/t, and outside of vehicles such as the [[VT1-2]] with its ''horrifying'' 50.6 HP/t it can outpace just about all MBTs it can face in the positioning game. This combination of the 20 mm autocannon, high damaging 120 mm smoothbore cannon and mobility that is almost unmatched by any other means the Leopard 2K is a beast of a tank that performs best when used to the extreme, going from firing position to firing position and always being unexpected.

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

The Leopard 2K has what can mostly be described as superficial armor. It can stop some autocannon fire to the upper plate and some areas of the turret but most contemporary rounds be they autocannon or tank caliber will go straight through. The vehicle should be treated as having almost no armor, and taking any sort of enemy fire should ideally be avoided at all costs to increase survivability.

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Armour!!Front (Slope angle)!!Sides!!Rear!!Roof
|-
| Hull || 160 mm ''Upper'' 120 mm ''Lower'' || 65 / 95 mm* ''Top'' 35 / 110 mm* ''Bottom'' || 38 / 48 mm* || 20 mm
|-
| Turret || 160-350 / 220-500 mm* ''Turret front'' || 60 / 90 mm* || 46 / 96 mm* || 20 mm
|-
|}
<nowiki>* Kinetic / Chemical</nowiki>

'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels are 15 mm thick, tracks are 20 mm thick, and torsion bars are 10 mm thick.

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


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=2,032|rbMinHp=1,327}}

The mobility of the {{PAGENAME}} is astonishing, making it one of the most agile MBTs at its BR if not in the entire game. A HP/t of 30 means that it easily outruns the sluggish T-72s in the Soviet tree, and it can even give the [[XM-1(GM)]] a run for its money while being significantly up-armed in terms of firepower. You will almost always be the front of the vanguard on your team, and very few vehicles on either side will be able to compete with you to advantageous positions.

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

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

{{main|Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)}}

The Leopard 2K's gun is a 120 mm Rheinmetall L44. It can be found on the later models of the tank, such as the [[Leopard 2A4]] and [[Leopard 2A5]], and shares round types with the [[Leopard 2A4]] which are: DM12 HEATFS, DM13 APFSDS, and DM23 APFSDS. Being fitted with a 120 mm Rheinmetall gun, it is effective at all ranges, capable of penetrating tanks at range in tandem with the laser rangefinder.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)|120 mm Rh120 L/44]] || 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" | 41 || rowspan="2" | -9°/+20° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 8.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.71 || rowspan="2" | 7.10 || rowspan="2" | 6.70
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:Rh120 L/44 (120 mm)/Ammunition|DM12, DM13, DM23}}

==== [[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
|-
| '''41''' || 11 ''(+30)'' || 1 ''(+40)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Note''':

* The 2nd ammo rack is a first-stage ammo stowage and will refill from the 1st rack.

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

{{main|Rh202 (20 mm)|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

The tank has a 20 mm anti-aircraft gun situated on top of the turret which can fire over cover and be used to knock out gun barrels and tracks, light tanks, helicopters and planes. The belts are alternating HEFI-T/HVAP-T, with 57 mm of penetration at 0 degrees at 10 m. The 20 mm has quite good elevation, and rotates independently from the turret, able to surprise light tanks attempting to flank following turret ring immobilization.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Rh202 (20 mm)|20 mm Rh202]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 750 (750) || 900 || -9°/+45° || ±180°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 4,000 (1,000) || 1,200 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

'''Stock gameplay:'''

As with any vehicle, the Leopard 2K finds itself at a serious disadvantage while stock. Without access to the APFSDS rounds, users will need to play more carefully. While the DM12 HEATFS round is powerful, it struggles against composite armour and ERA, as well as having lacklustre post-penetration effects. Players will have to aim more carefully to deal effective damage with the DM12 HEAT round.

'''Spaded gameplay:'''

The Leopard 2K is a powerful tank. The DM23 APFSDS round has adequate penetration, and it should be easy to destroy most enemy vehicles. The gun, ammo, and reload rate are comparable to other main battle tanks of the battle rating. The Leopard 2K does however struggle in some regards against top of the line tanks such as the [[Leopard 2A5]] and [[M1A2 Abrams]]. The armour on the Leopard 2K is rather limited, only effective against autocannon fire. Additionally, the lack of thermals means that it will be difficult for Leopard 2K players to spot enemy tanks before they are spotted. The biggest advantage is the speed of the 2K.

'''Long range engagements:'''

The Leopard 2K is capable at long range, but is outclassed by many other vehicles. The cannon is powerful, but not especially so compared to its adversaries. The biggest issues the Leopard 2K will face in regards to long range engagements are the thin turret armour and lack of thermals. While the DM13 APFSDS round will fail to penetrate the turret cheeks of vehicles like the [[Challenger Mk.2]] and [[T-64B]], their rounds will have no such trouble with the Leopard 2K. The lack of thermals makes it difficult to scout for enemies through foliage, meaning trying to snipe is not an effective strategy against any enemies equipped with thermals, as they will almost certainly spot you first.

'''Gameplay summary:'''

Although the Leopard 2K is somewhat weak when stock, it is an adequate frontline tank while spaded. The good APFSDS round and 20 mm give it a strong position in the German high tier lineup. However, Leopard 2K tank commanders should play to mitigate their disadvantages in thin armour and lack of thermals. The Leopard 2K does best in close to medium range fights.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 120 mm gun with effective rounds
* Most manoeuvrable Leopard model
* Very high torque
* Very fast even cross country, even faster on roads.
* Can actually reach top speed on flat grounds
* Can move in reverse as fast as it can move forward
* Has the best optics of all tanks in game with 8x-16x zoom level
* Full stabilized cannons (L/44 / Rh202)

'''Cons:'''

* Thin armour overall
* Reload is slower than other Leopard 2 models
* Very high profile, the 20 mm gun always sticks out behind cover
* Stock HEATFS round struggles against some enemy vehicles' armour, especially those with ERA or composite armour
* Doesn't have access to thermal imaging system
* Limited ammo selection
* Requires skill to fully utilize its potential
* You need to invest some skill points on the driver to actually benefit from its mobility
* The 20mm has very sluggish penetration, often failing to penetrate light tanks
* The 20 mm has HVAP-T(APCR) as ammo, thus it has very poor post-penetration damage
* Other contemporary MBTs can be faster or almost as fast as the Leopard 2k
* Lack of thermal sights limits the sniping capability of the tank

== History ==

In the 1960s, Germany and the United States were jointly-developing the MBT-70, and Germany was contractually prevented from developing any new MBTs independently until the joint project with the US was completed.

But development problems plagued the MBT-70 project, and it appeared that the vehicle would not be finished within an acceptable time frame—so Germany found a way to bypass contractual limitations for the MBT-70 development.

Instead of ordering the development of a new tank, the German government issued an order to the Porsche company to research ways to improve the Leopard I tank already in service with the German army. This enabled Germany to research a more advanced fighting vehicle without breaching the contract signed with the US.

Porsche's first study of the Leopard I revealed a lot of room for improvement, and second study focusing on upgrading the Leopard I to match the MBT-70's firepower was launched almost immediately. This eventually resulted in the construction of two prototype vehicles: one in 1969, and one in 1970 nicknamed Keiler (tusker).

In the early 1970s, Germany was able to back out of the MBT-70 project due to spiraling development costs. Instead, they continued work on the development of the Keiler, which was renamed to Leopard 2.

The Leopard 2 project was expected to yield two versions: the Leopard 2K armed with a cannon, and the Leopard 2FK armed with a gun/launcher similar to the MBT-70. In 1971, ten prototypes were ordered, and seven more orders followed shortly thereafter.

To get the most out of their prototypes, German engineers equipped each one with different components to determine what worked best. Some Leopard 2 versions were equipped with a 105 mm smoothbore cannon, whereas others were fitted with 120 mm smoothbore cannons. Some prototypes received a hydraulic suspension while others didn't, and there was even a version equipped with the 20 mm anti-air mount on the turret (similar to the one found on the Kpz-70).

Sixteen out of seventeen Leopard 2 prototypes were built and tested, yielding many refinements to the Leopard 2 design. Subsequent models further increased the Leopard 2's capabilities, with each variant making it more powerful—and ultimately into the Leopard 2 known today.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=germ_leopard_2k Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|WMxQNdaqA7E|'''You Need To Play This Tank Again: Leopard 2K''' - ''Virus''|gyrbSUvCj-8|'''Leopard 2K: the Original German Ingenuity''' - ''JustinPlaysYT''|p6cWlyUnJQA|'''Top 7 off-road beasts''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 4:00 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|WA3jQgZLjAg|'''The Shooting Range #94''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:29 discusses the Leopard 2K.|vF02GuEIww0|'''Leopard 2K Tank Review''' - ''Napalmratte''}}

== 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/5309-development-leopard-2k-a-legend-in-the-making-en|[Devblog] Leopard 2K: A Legend In The Making]]

{{Germany medium tanks}}

Maus

2024-03-23T15:10:40Z

U91965995: Final edit that adds a minor addendum that describes the ability to fire on the move at lower speeds

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

== Description ==

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

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

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 200 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 200 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 180 mm ''Top'' 100 mm ''Bottom'' 300 mm ''Weld joints''|| 150 mm (36°) ''Top'' 150 mm (31°) ''Bottom'' || 50 mm ''General area'' 100 mm ''Front roof''
|-
| Turret || 232 mm (3-53°)''Turret front'' 240 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 205 mm (30°) || 200 mm (15°) || 60 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The armour on the Maus is quite complex, and definitely does not end with the above-mentioned values
** Gun mantlet is 240 mm thick and nicely rounded, right around both guns the armour is 300 mm thick
** Tracks at the front are protected by 100+60 mm plates (100 mm basic plate + attached tracks)
** Behind the frontal upper plate on deck armour, there are many 60 mm highly sloped plates of armour, protecting the engine vents and turret ring from HEAT/HE shells and some small-calibre fire
** Frontal part of the belly is also 100 mm thick, with the rest being 50 mm
** Deck armour in front of these plates is also strengthened to an impressive 100 mm
** Side armour is split to two parts, top with 180 mm and bottom with 100 mm + tracks
** Even inside the tank there is armour - there are many 20 mm plates inside the tank, separating crew compartments from various modules, and partially protecting the interior from shrapnel that penetrated the tank from other areas
*** One plate is at the rear of the tank, between the enormous transmission and the fighting compartment
*** The second plate is more to the front, separating fighting compartment from the middle-mounted Engine and its radiators
*** The third plate is in the front between the driver's compartment and the engine
*** Around the driver there are many more 20 mm plates, adding some protection to fuel tanks located there

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


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

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

=== Modifications and economy ===

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

{{Specs-Economy}}

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

{{main|KwK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK44 (128 mm)|128 mm KwK44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 68 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.6 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 12.0 || 12.8 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.30 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.8 || 5.6 || 6.8 || 7.5 || 8.0
|-
|}

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''100''' || 76 ''(+24)'' || 51 ''(+49)'' || 26 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

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

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

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

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

== Usage in battles ==


'''Pros:'''

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

'''Cons:'''

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

== History ==

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

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

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

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

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

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
An experimental super-heavy tank built in Germany towards the end of the war. The project was developed by Ferdinand Porsche.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

== Media ==


;Skins

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

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

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

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

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

Maus

2024-03-23T15:05:01Z

U91965995: Moved modification advice to the Modifications section

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

== Description ==

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

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

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 200 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 200 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 180 mm ''Top'' 100 mm ''Bottom'' 300 mm ''Weld joints''|| 150 mm (36°) ''Top'' 150 mm (31°) ''Bottom'' || 50 mm ''General area'' 100 mm ''Front roof''
|-
| Turret || 232 mm (3-53°)''Turret front'' 240 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 205 mm (30°) || 200 mm (15°) || 60 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The armour on the Maus is quite complex, and definitely does not end with the above-mentioned values
** Gun mantlet is 240 mm thick and nicely rounded, right around both guns the armour is 300 mm thick
** Tracks at the front are protected by 100+60 mm plates (100 mm basic plate + attached tracks)
** Behind the frontal upper plate on deck armour, there are many 60 mm highly sloped plates of armour, protecting the engine vents and turret ring from HEAT/HE shells and some small-calibre fire
** Frontal part of the belly is also 100 mm thick, with the rest being 50 mm
** Deck armour in front of these plates is also strengthened to an impressive 100 mm
** Side armour is split to two parts, top with 180 mm and bottom with 100 mm + tracks
** Even inside the tank there is armour - there are many 20 mm plates inside the tank, separating crew compartments from various modules, and partially protecting the interior from shrapnel that penetrated the tank from other areas
*** One plate is at the rear of the tank, between the enormous transmission and the fighting compartment
*** The second plate is more to the front, separating fighting compartment from the middle-mounted Engine and its radiators
*** The third plate is in the front between the driver's compartment and the engine
*** Around the driver there are many more 20 mm plates, adding some protection to fuel tanks located there

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


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

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

=== Modifications and economy ===

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

{{Specs-Economy}}

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

{{main|KwK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK44 (128 mm)|128 mm KwK44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 68 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.6 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 12.0 || 12.8 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.30 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.8 || 5.6 || 6.8 || 7.5 || 8.0
|-
|}

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''100''' || 76 ''(+24)'' || 51 ''(+49)'' || 26 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

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

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

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

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

== Usage in battles ==


'''Pros:'''

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

'''Cons:'''

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

== History ==

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

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

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

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

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

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
An experimental super-heavy tank built in Germany towards the end of the war. The project was developed by Ferdinand Porsche.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

== Media ==


;Skins

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

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

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

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

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

Maus

2024-03-23T15:01:29Z

U91965995: Maus page completely re-worded and re-formatted to meet modern standards.

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

== Description ==

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

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

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 200 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 200 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 180 mm ''Top'' 100 mm ''Bottom'' 300 mm ''Weld joints''|| 150 mm (36°) ''Top'' 150 mm (31°) ''Bottom'' || 50 mm ''General area'' 100 mm ''Front roof''
|-
| Turret || 232 mm (3-53°)''Turret front'' 240 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 205 mm (30°) || 200 mm (15°) || 60 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The armour on the Maus is quite complex, and definitely does not end with the above-mentioned values
** Gun mantlet is 240 mm thick and nicely rounded, right around both guns the armour is 300 mm thick
** Tracks at the front are protected by 100+60 mm plates (100 mm basic plate + attached tracks)
** Behind the frontal upper plate on deck armour, there are many 60 mm highly sloped plates of armour, protecting the engine vents and turret ring from HEAT/HE shells and some small-calibre fire
** Frontal part of the belly is also 100 mm thick, with the rest being 50 mm
** Deck armour in front of these plates is also strengthened to an impressive 100 mm
** Side armour is split to two parts, top with 180 mm and bottom with 100 mm + tracks
** Even inside the tank there is armour - there are many 20 mm plates inside the tank, separating crew compartments from various modules, and partially protecting the interior from shrapnel that penetrated the tank from other areas
*** One plate is at the rear of the tank, between the enormous transmission and the fighting compartment
*** The second plate is more to the front, separating fighting compartment from the middle-mounted Engine and its radiators
*** The third plate is in the front between the driver's compartment and the engine
*** Around the driver there are many more 20 mm plates, adding some protection to fuel tanks located there

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


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

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

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

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

{{main|KwK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK44 (128 mm)|128 mm KwK44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 68 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.6 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 12.0 || 12.8 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.30 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.8 || 5.6 || 6.8 || 7.5 || 8.0
|-
|}

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''100''' || 76 ''(+24)'' || 51 ''(+49)'' || 26 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

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

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

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

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

== Usage in battles ==


'''Pros:'''

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

'''Cons:'''

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

== History ==

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

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

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

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

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

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
An experimental super-heavy tank built in Germany towards the end of the war. The project was developed by Ferdinand Porsche.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

== Media ==


;Skins

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

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

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

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

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

Maus

2024-03-22T06:25:05Z

U91965995: WIP edit

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

== Description ==

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

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

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 200 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 200 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 180 mm ''Top'' 100 mm ''Bottom'' 300 mm ''Weld joints''|| 150 mm (36°) ''Top'' 150 mm (31°) ''Bottom'' || 50 mm ''General area'' 100 mm ''Front roof''
|-
| Turret || 232 mm (3-53°)''Turret front'' 240 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 205 mm (30°) || 200 mm (15°) || 60 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The armour on the Maus is quite complex, and definitely does not end with the above-mentioned values
** Gun mantlet is 240 mm thick and nicely rounded, right around both guns the armour is 300 mm thick
** Tracks at the front are protected by 100+60 mm plates (100 mm basic plate + attached tracks)
** Behind the frontal upper plate on deck armour, there are many 60 mm highly sloped plates of armour, protecting the engine vents and turret ring from HEAT/HE shells and some small-calibre fire
** Frontal part of the belly is also 100 mm thick, with the rest being 50 mm
** Deck armour in front of these plates is also strengthened to an impressive 100 mm
** Side armour is split to two parts, top with 180 mm and bottom with 100 mm + tracks
** Even inside the tank there is armour - there are many 20 mm plates inside the tank, separating crew compartments from various modules, and partially protecting the interior from shrapnel that penetrated the tank from other areas
*** One plate is at the rear of the tank, between the enormous transmission and the fighting compartment
*** The second plate is more to the front, separating fighting compartment from the middle-mounted Engine and its radiators
*** The third plate is in the front between the driver's compartment and the engine
*** Around the driver there are many more 20 mm plates, adding some protection to fuel tanks located there

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


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

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

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

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

{{main|KwK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK44 (128 mm)|128 mm KwK44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 68 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.6 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 12.0 || 12.8 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.30 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.8 || 5.6 || 6.8 || 7.5 || 8.0
|-
|}

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''100''' || 76 ''(+24)'' || 51 ''(+49)'' || 26 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

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

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

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

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

== Usage in battles ==


'''Pros:'''

* Heavily-armoured tank, practically invincible if angled properly
* Capable of soaking a large amount of damage and very resilient to bombs and rockets
* Only vulnerable to large-calibre HE shells
* Turret sides are as strong as, if not stronger than, the front of the turret
* Access to smoke grenades
* Surprisingly good off-road manoeuvrability
* Makes decently fast turns in high gear movement or in neutral steering
* Very difficult to immobilize, due to extremely thick track skirts
* Powerful 128 mm cannon and rounds
* Secondary 75 mm coaxial cannon is surprisingly effective when using HEAT rounds
* Has commander sights, useful for looking around without moving the turret

'''Cons:'''

* Very slow
* Struggles on hilly terrain
* Requires good teamwork to perform adequately
* Slow turret rotation
* The sides of the Maus are littered with ammo racks
* Very loud engine, players will be able to locate the Maus just by the engine sounds
* Vulnerable at all ranges to modern rounds such as HEAT and sabot rounds
* Towing is practically impossible unless it is done by another Maus
* Large bombs will commonly cripple the Maus, or detonate its fuel tanks
* Optics have little zoom capability, making it difficult for hitting long range targets
* Big target for ATGMs
* No modern armour of any kind, relies completely on conventional armour plating
* Secondary 75 mm is hard to aim
* Commander sight does not allow for commander aiming

== History ==

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

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

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

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

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

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
An experimental super-heavy tank built in Germany towards the end of the war. The project was developed by Ferdinand Porsche.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

== Media ==


;Skins

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

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

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

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

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

Maus

2024-03-22T05:55:42Z

U91965995: Midpoint save (Work In Progress)

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

== Description ==

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

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

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

'''Armour type:'''

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

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 200 mm (55°) ''Front glacis'' 200 mm (35°) ''Lower glacis'' || 180 mm ''Top'' 100 mm ''Bottom'' 300 mm ''Weld joints''|| 150 mm (36°) ''Top'' 150 mm (31°) ''Bottom'' || 50 mm ''General area'' 100 mm ''Front roof''
|-
| Turret || 232 mm (3-53°)''Turret front'' 240 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 205 mm (30°) || 200 mm (15°) || 60 mm
|}
'''Notes:'''

* The armour on the Maus is quite complex, and definitely does not end with the above-mentioned values
** Gun mantlet is 240 mm thick and nicely rounded, right around both guns the armour is 300 mm thick
** Tracks at the front are protected by 100+60 mm plates (100 mm basic plate + attached tracks)
** Behind the frontal upper plate on deck armour, there are many 60 mm highly sloped plates of armour, protecting the engine vents and turret ring from HEAT/HE shells and some small-calibre fire
** Frontal part of the belly is also 100 mm thick, with the rest being 50 mm
** Deck armour in front of these plates is also strengthened to an impressive 100 mm
** Side armour is split to two parts, top with 180 mm and bottom with 100 mm + tracks
** Even inside the tank there is armour - there are many 20 mm plates inside the tank, separating crew compartments from various modules, and partially protecting the interior from shrapnel that penetrated the tank from other areas
*** One plate is at the rear of the tank, between the enormous transmission and the fighting compartment
*** The second plate is more to the front, separating fighting compartment from the middle-mounted Engine and its radiators
*** The third plate is in the front between the driver's compartment and the engine
*** Around the driver there are many more 20 mm plates, adding some protection to fuel tanks located there

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


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

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

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

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

{{main|KwK44 (128 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[KwK44 (128 mm)|128 mm KwK44]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 68 || rowspan="2" | -7°/+23° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 6.6 || 9.0 || 10.9 || 12.0 || 12.8 || rowspan="2" | 23.66 || rowspan="2" | 20.93 || rowspan="2" | 19.30 || rowspan="2" | 18.20
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 4.8 || 5.6 || 6.8 || 7.5 || 8.0
|-
|}

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

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

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

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

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


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

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

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

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

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

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''100''' || 76 ''(+24)'' || 51 ''(+49)'' || 26 ''(+74)'' || 1 ''(+99)'' || No
|-
|}
'''Notes''':

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

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

{{main|MG34 (7.92 mm)}}

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

== Usage in battles ==


'''Pros:'''

* Heavily-armoured tank, practically invincible if angled properly
* Capable of soaking a large amount of damage and very resilient to bombs and rockets
* Only vulnerable to large-calibre HE shells
* Turret sides are as strong as, if not stronger than, the front of the turret
* Access to smoke grenades
* Surprisingly good off-road manoeuvrability
* Makes decently fast turns in high gear movement or in neutral steering
* Very difficult to immobilize, due to extremely thick track skirts
* Powerful 128 mm cannon and rounds
* Secondary 75 mm coaxial cannon is surprisingly effective when using HEAT rounds
* Has commander sights, useful for looking around without moving the turret

'''Cons:'''

* Very slow
* Struggles on hilly terrain
* Requires good teamwork to perform adequately
* Slow turret rotation
* The sides of the Maus are littered with ammo racks
* Very loud engine, players will be able to locate the Maus just by the engine sounds
* Vulnerable at all ranges to modern rounds such as HEAT and sabot rounds
* Towing is practically impossible unless it is done by another Maus
* Large bombs will commonly cripple the Maus, or detonate its fuel tanks
* Optics have little zoom capability, making it difficult for hitting long range targets
* Big target for ATGMs
* No modern armour of any kind, relies completely on conventional armour plating
* Secondary 75 mm is hard to aim
* Commander sight does not allow for commander aiming

== History ==

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

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

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

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

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

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
An experimental super-heavy tank built in Germany towards the end of the war. The project was developed by Ferdinand Porsche.

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

== Media ==


;Skins

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

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

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

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

{{Germany heavy tanks}}

Maus

2024-03-22T03:08:46Z

U91965995: Additional edits to the Usage in Battles section - do not approve this edit yet (Unfinished)!

Maus

2024-03-22T01:57:58Z

U91965995: Interim edit saving; do not approve this yet