P-63A-10 (USSR) - Revision history

U38088265: /* Details */

2023-05-27T11:32:57Z

‎Details

U38088265: /* In-game description */ Reformatted

2022-10-21T21:50:42Z

‎In-game description: Reformatted

U44629479: Edits

2022-06-22T23:13:53Z

Edits

U38088265: /* Suspended armament */ Updated

2021-06-04T10:14:59Z

‎Suspended armament: Updated

U38088265: Edits

2021-05-11T15:35:27Z

Edits

U38088265: Edits

2021-03-26T18:37:34Z

Edits

Show changes

U3312106: /* Details */ Corrected optimal velocities values

2021-03-12T13:04:10Z

‎Details: Corrected optimal velocities values

U3312106: /* Details */

2021-02-17T07:51:26Z

‎Details

U3312106: /* External links */

2021-01-24T17:14:15Z

‎External links

U38088265 at 10:34, 30 December 2020

2020-12-30T10:34:33Z

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 ! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 |-
-| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 378 || 359 || 262 || ~12 || ~6
+| 887 <!-- {{Specs|destruction|body}} --> || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 378 || 359 || 262 || ~12 || ~6
 |-
 |}

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 The Kingcobra remained in Soviet service for several years after WWII. Besides being a solid aircraft, the tricycle undercarriage was considered good practice for jet fighters. At least two Soviet P-63s are known to exist today and are on display at two museums in Moscow, Russia.
-=== In-game description ===
+{{break}}
 Bell P-63A-6/A-7/A-8/A-9/A-10 Kingcobra Army Fighter
@@ Line 228: / Line 230: @@
 From October 1943 to December 1944, Bell Aircraft produced a total of 1,725 P-63A fighter aircraft, after which the design was replaced by the C modification.
 == Media ==

@@ Line 1: / Line 1: @@
 {{About
 | about = gift Soviet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
-| usage = other uses
+| usage = other versions
 | link = P-63 (Family)
 }}
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 <!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
-The P-63A-10 has fairly good all-round characteristics. As with most US aircraft, it handles well at high speeds. The elevator and roll do not compress much even past 600 km/h IAS, though the rudder does lose effectiveness past that point. Low speed manoeuvrability is poor and the turning performance becomes sluggish under around 300 km/h IAS. Unique for a US fighter is the good climb rate, comparable to the German [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109]] series. It matches the Bf 109 F-4 in climb up to 2000 meters and starts to fall behind slightly at 3000 meters. Past that, the P-63's performance decreases and the difference in climb rate becomes more pronounced, though it is still quite decent at 4000-5000 meters and can outclimb [[Fw 190 (Family)|Fw 190]]s and most Soviet fighters at these altitudes. Try not to go much higher than that.
+The P-63A-10 has fairly good all-round characteristics. As with most US aircraft, it handles well at high speeds. The elevator and roll do not compress much even past 600 km/h IAS, though the rudder does lose effectiveness past that point. Low speed manoeuvrability is poor and the turning performance becomes sluggish under around 300 km/h IAS. Unique for a US fighter is the good climb rate, comparable to the German [[Bf 109 (Family)|Bf 109]] series. It matches the Bf 109 F-4 in climb up to 2,000 m and starts to fall behind slightly at 3,000 m. Past that, the P-63's performance decreases and the difference in climb rate becomes more pronounced, though it is still quite decent at 4,000-5,000 m and can outclimb [[Fw 190 (Family)|Fw 190]]s and most Soviet fighters at these altitudes. Try not to go much higher than that.
 Kingcobras are known for their excellent roll rates, good vertical/horizontal energy retention, and poor manoeuvring energy retention. The P-63A-10's low-altitude speed and climb are excellent. Its top speed at sea level is about 595 km/h, matching the [[P-51D-5]] Mustang. It takes some time to reach this speed in level flight. Having some altitude and entering a shallow dive speeds up the process.
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 * 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Windscreen
-The Kingcobra provides quite a lot of protection for its pilot in both the front and back. Pilot snipes are a relatively rare occurrence as a result. However the rear placement of the engine poses some issues; it can block some fire from the rear, but this means that pursuing fighters can potentially damage or even knock out the engine. Another issue with the design is that the fuselage has essentially no room for fuel tanks, and they are placed in the outboard section of the wings as a result. The fuel tanks, though self-sealing, can be ignited by stray fire and will often spell doom for the Kingcobra. The durability is otherwise quite decent. Given some distance and mild evasive maneuvers, incoming fire will often bounce off with little damage.
+The Kingcobra provides quite a lot of protection for its pilot in both the front and back. Pilot snipes are a relatively rare occurrence as a result. However the rear placement of the engine poses some issues; it can block some fire from the rear, but this means that pursuing fighters can potentially damage or even knock out the engine. Another issue with the design is that the fuselage has essentially no room for fuel tanks, and they are placed in the outboard section of the wings as a result. The fuel tanks, though self-sealing, can be ignited by stray fire and will often spell doom for the Kingcobra. The durability is otherwise quite decent. Given some distance and mild evasive manoeuvres, incoming fire will often bounce off with little damage.
 This Soviet P-63A-10 avoids the garish yellow target camouflage of [[P-63A-10|the original US version]], making it harder to spot at low altitudes. This may be slightly helpful in game modes without markers.
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 * 2 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, wing-mounted (200 rpg = 400 total)
-The P-63A-10 replaces the P-63A-5's M4 cannon, originally inherited from the [[P-39 (Family)|P-39 Airacobra]], with a new M10 cannon. The M10 uses a disintegrating link feed system and has better performance: faster rate of fire, lower chance of jamming, and almost twice the ammunition. Unfortunately it still has atrocious accuracy when stock, so don't use it outside of point-blank range until the New 37 mm Cannon upgrade is researched. It takes practice to aim and is best used within 500 meters since it has a tendency to spark upon glancing hits. The good news is that a successful hit will usually obliterate any single-engined aircraft. For larger aircraft, hits to the tail or wings can be instantly fatal. Note that the Soviet Kingcobras are limited to HE rounds only for the 37 mm cannon as AP rounds were never delivered to the USSR historically. This is not a significant downside since the anti-tank capabilities of the M10 cannon were disappointing to begin with, lacking a full AP belt and suffering from substandard muzzle velocity and penetration. Pilots who wish to punch holes in tanks should consider the contemporary [[Yak-9T]] instead.
+The P-63A-10 replaces the P-63A-5's M4 cannon, originally inherited from the [[P-39 (Family)|P-39 Airacobra]], with a new M10 cannon. The M10 uses a disintegrating link feed system and has better performance: faster rate of fire, lower chance of jamming, and almost twice the ammunition. Unfortunately it still has atrocious accuracy when stock, so don't use it outside of point-blank range until the New 37 mm Cannon upgrade is researched. It takes practice to aim and is best used within 500 m since it has a tendency to spark upon glancing hits. The good news is that a successful hit will usually obliterate any single-engined aircraft. For larger aircraft, hits to the tail or wings can be instantly fatal. Note that the Soviet Kingcobras are limited to HE rounds only for the 37 mm cannon as AP rounds were never delivered to the USSR historically. This is not a significant downside since the anti-tank capabilities of the M10 cannon were disappointing to begin with, lacking a full AP belt and suffering from substandard muzzle velocity and penetration. Pilots who wish to punch holes in tanks should consider the contemporary [[Yak-9T]] instead.
 The four M2 Browning machine guns are still equipped with mid-war belts. For anti-aircraft purposes the Universal belt is the best due to the high content of M8 AP-I rounds. They are good at starting fires and will dispatch fragile opponents like Yaks and Bf 109s with ease. Unfortunately they don't have much burst mass and are less effective against sturdy targets than the typical US 6-gun complement; this is noticeable when fighting Fw 190s, for example. Another downside specific to the P-63A-10 and P-63C-5 Kingcobras is that their machine guns have less ammunition than the P-63A-5. The wing guns lost 50 rounds per gun to make room for the new wing hardpoints and the nose guns lost 20 rounds because of the new cannon installation. Mind your aim and fire in long bursts only if you're sure that they will hit. The cannon can finish off twin-engined fighters and bombers.
-The nose guns are tightly clustered and the two wing-mounted M2 Brownings are mounted midway on the wings. This makes convergence an issue. A common recommendation is to use 400-500 meters convergence to concentrate the machine gun fire. Consider turning on vertical targeting if using a lower convergence setting, this makes leading the cannon easier by compensating for its poor muzzle velocity. Vertical targeting will make attacking ground vehicles more awkward so it has more drawbacks in Ground RB.
+The nose guns are tightly clustered and the two wing-mounted M2 Brownings are mounted midway on the wings. This makes convergence an issue. A common recommendation is to use 400-500 m convergence to concentrate the machine gun fire. Consider turning on vertical targeting if using a lower convergence setting, this makes leading the cannon easier by compensating for its poor muzzle velocity. Vertical targeting will make attacking ground vehicles more awkward so it has more drawbacks in Ground RB.
 === Suspended armament ===
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 '''Air RB'''
-The P-63A-10 has good all-round characteristics and lends itself to several possible strategies. Examine what nations are present on the enemy team. Axis teams usually have Bf 109s, C.205s, J2Ms, and similar fighters that climb well and typically attack from above. US teams tend to have aircraft with good high altitude performance but similar or inferior climb and British teams almost invariably have Spitfires that climb very well. If you want to work with an altitude advantage against Axis teams, try sideclimbing once you reach 3,000-4,000 meters. If using Manual Engine Controls, open up the radiators to high percentages while climbing. They effectively keep the engine cool on WEP and can be closed more at high altitude or during combat. Consider taking more than the minimum fuel load of 16 minutes since WEP consumes fuel quickly.
+The P-63A-10 has good all-round characteristics and lends itself to several possible strategies. Examine what nations are present on the enemy team. Axis teams usually have Bf 109s, C.205s, J2Ms, and similar fighters that climb well and typically attack from above. US teams tend to have aircraft with good high altitude performance but similar or inferior climb and British teams almost invariably have Spitfires that climb very well. If you want to work with an altitude advantage against Axis teams, try sideclimbing once you reach 3,000-4,000 m. If using Manual Engine Controls, open up the radiators to high percentages while climbing. They effectively keep the engine cool on WEP and can be closed more at high altitude or during combat. Consider taking more than the minimum fuel load of 16 minutes since WEP consumes fuel quickly.
 Going after bombers is a valid option provided that they are not at extreme altitudes; attack from underneath, directly above, or the side and try not to sit on their tails. Open up with the machine guns early on, and once the distance is short enough for consistent hits to be scored, start using the cannon in short bursts. Ideally the machine guns can knock out defensive gunners and start fires while the cannon can rip off tails or wings. It is very satisfying to dismember a bomber with a well-placed cannon shot. Remember that though the P-63's engine is not located in the front, the unarmoured propeller hub is part of the same damage model. And even small calibre machine guns can ignite the wing fuel tanks with fatal results.
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 * 37 mm cannon can chew bombers easily
 * No fuel tank in the fuselage
-* Can carry an impressive 1500 lbs worth of bombs if the need arises
+* Can carry an impressive 1,500 lbs worth of bombs if the need arises
 * Almost double the amount of 37 mm shells compared to previous Bell aircraft
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 Bell P-63A-6/A-7/A-8/A-9/A-10 Kingcobra Army Fighter
-The A-6 series introduced two additional multipurpose pylons under the wings, which could hold two 500-lb (227-kg) bombs or two additional fuel tanks with a capacity of 75 gallons (284 liters). To provide the extra space needed, the Colt-Browning M2.5 12.7mm machine guns in the wings had their ammunition reduced from 250 to 200 rounds per gun. To reduce the risk of the plane going into a flat spin, the shape of the elevator fin was changed, and its area was reduced. A total of 130 A-6 aircraft were built.
+The A-6 series introduced two additional multipurpose pylons under the wings, which could hold two 500 lb (227 kg) bombs or two additional fuel tanks with a capacity of 75 gallons (284 liters). To provide the extra space needed, the Colt-Browning M2 .50 cal 12.7 mm machine guns in the wings had their ammunition reduced from 250 to 200 rounds per gun. To reduce the risk of the plane going into a flat spin, the shape of the elevator fin was changed, and its area was reduced. A total of 130 A-6 aircraft were built.
-During operation, the A-1, A-5, and A-6 aircraft exhibited a strain in the skin of their wings, so the A-7 series (150 planes) featured a thicker lining and reinforced structure. The fighter also had difficulty when exiting a dive or performing vertical maneuvers. This was partially countered by installing a counterbalance in the elevator control system and by increasing the area of the elevator fin. The problem was completely eliminated only by the time modification C was released.
+During operation, the A-1, A-5, and A-6 aircraft exhibited a strain in the skin of their wings, so the A-7 series (150 planes) featured a thicker lining and reinforced structure. The fighter also had difficulty when exiting a dive or performing vertical manoeuvres. This was partially countered by installing a counterbalance in the elevator control system and by increasing the area of the elevator fin. The problem was completely eliminated only by the time modification C was released.
-The A-8 series (200 aircraft) had the Allison V-1710 engine, equipped with a water-methanol mixture direct-injection afterburner which could be used to briefly increase engine power to 1800 hp. Also, the airplane was fitted with an improved propeller (the Aeroproducts A6425-D3), an N-6 camera was installed, and the aircraft's armor was upgraded to 85.5 kilograms.
+The A-8 series (200 aircraft) had the Allison V-1710 engine, equipped with a water-methanol mixture direct-injection afterburner which could be used to briefly increase engine power to 1,800 hp. Also, the airplane was fitted with an improved propeller (the Aeroproducts A6425-D3), an N-6 camera was installed, and the aircraft's armour was upgraded to 85.5 kg.
-The A-9 series (445 aircraft) had its armament strengthened at the request of the Red Army Air Force. A Colt-Browning M10 37mm cannon was installed. The new gun featured improved ballistics and 58 more rounds of ammunition per gun. To make space for this change, the ammunition for the fuselage guns was reduced to 250 rounds each. In addition, 5 kg of armor were added when the pilot's seat was upgraded.
+The A-9 series (445 aircraft) had its armament strengthened at the request of the Red Army Air Force. A Colt-Browning M10 37 mm cannon was installed. The new gun featured improved ballistics and 58 more rounds of ammunition per gun. To make space for this change, the ammunition for the fuselage guns was reduced to 250 rounds each. In addition, 5 kg of armour were added when the pilot's seat was upgraded.
-The A-10 series (730 aircraft) received new N-9 sights. The mass of the aircraft's armor had reached 121 kg, and the aircraft could carry 6 unguided rockets.
+The A-10 series (730 aircraft) received new N-9 sights. The mass of the aircraft's armour had reached 121 kg, and the aircraft could carry 6 unguided rockets.
 As the improved P-63A was being delivered to the Soviet Union, priority shifted to supplying the eastern armies preparing for military action against Japan. During the campaign of August 1945 in the Far East, the P-63 was used to escort bombers and reconnaissance aircraft as well as to cover troops from the air and attack Japanese encampments.
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 == Media ==
-''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''
+<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
 == See also ==
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 <!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 * ''topic on the official game forum;''
 * ''other literature.'' -->

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 {{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 <!-- ''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.'' -->
-{{main|AN-M64A1 (500 lb)}}
+{{main|FAB-250sv (250 kg)}}
 The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 * Without load
-* 3 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,500 lb total)
+* 3 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bombs (750 kg total)
-The P-63A-5 only had a single hardpoint under the fuselage for a 500 lb bomb. The P-63A-10 has new wing hardpoints and can carry triple the bomb load, a welcome improvement. The wing bombs will drop as a pair first and the second drop will release the fuselage bomb. The US 500 lb bomb is not particularly powerful but can still do good work if delivered with reasonable accuracy. The first drop is more forgiving since the two bombs have a decent combined blast radius. The second drop is more demanding but the centreline position allows you to deliver it precisely; it is very satisfying to land it next to or on top of an enemy tank.
+The P-63A-5 only had a single hardpoint under the fuselage for a bomb. The P-63A-10 has new wing hardpoints and can carry triple the bomb load, a welcome improvement. The wing bombs will drop as a pair first and the second drop will release the fuselage bomb. The 250 kg bomb is not particularly powerful but can still do good work if delivered with reasonable accuracy. The first drop is more forgiving since the two bombs have a decent combined blast radius. The second drop is more demanding but the centreline position allows you to deliver it precisely; it is very satisfying to land it next to or on top of an enemy tank.
 == Usage in battles ==

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 |-
 | < 410 || < 380 || < 410 || > 420
 |-
 |}
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 If there are no enemy fighters around, take the bomb payload. After spawning in, gain some altitude or speed and look for targets to bomb, preferably static or clustered tanks that are not likely to move. When the bombs have been expended, extend away and gain some altitude while getting your bearings. If enemy aircraft are present, climb some more and engage once you have an energy advantage. If the skies are clear you can fly around the map and strafe targets. Returning to base to reload the bombs is an option if the battle is not moving very quickly. If you think enemy aircraft will be inbound soon, climb to get the drop on them when they spawn in.
-The P-63A-10 cannot cope with enemy fighters when burdened with its full bombload. There is unfortunately no option to take only the centerline bomb, so think carefully before spawning in. If it turns out that your team does not have control of the air, you can ditch the ordinance and go after fighters, then return to the airfield once it's safe to reload the bombs. A more risky option is deliver the bombs and make a beeline towards your airfield using your sea level speed. Once covered by friendly airfield AA, you can climb and reset the engagement on your terms.
+The P-63A-10 cannot cope with enemy fighters when burdened with its full bombload. There is unfortunately no option to take only the centerline bomb, so think carefully before spawning in. If it turns out that your team does not have control of the air, you can ditch the ordnance and go after fighters, then return to the airfield once it's safe to reload the bombs. A more risky option is deliver the bombs and make a beeline towards your airfield using your sea level speed. Once covered by friendly airfield AA, you can climb and reset the engagement on your terms.
 A well-flown P-63A-10 can destroy and harass both ground and air targets. As long as you stay aware of your surroundings, few opponents will give you trouble and your team will appreciate the close air support and clear skies.

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 ! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
 |-
-| < 430 || < 430 || < 419 || > 250
+| < 410 || < 380 || < 410 || > 420
 |-
 |}

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 == External links ==
-''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 * ''topic on the official game forum;''
 * ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
-* ''other literature.''
+* ''other literature.''-->
 {{AirManufacturer Bell}}
 {{USSR fighters}}
 {{USSR premium aircraft}}