Re.2001 CB

This page is about the Italian fighter Re.2001 CB. For other versions, see Re.2001 (Family).

Re.2001 CB

Re.2001 serie 1

Re.2001 CN

Re.2001 CB

Re.2001 serie 1

Re.2001 CN

Italy

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
3.0	3.0	2.3

Class:

Fighter

Research:6 900

Purchase:32 000

Description

The Re.2001 CB is a rank II Italian fighter with a battle rating of 3.0 (AB/RB) and 2.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.85 "Supersonic".

The Re.2001 CB is a modification of the Re.2001 serie 1 into a fighter-bomber. The changes consist of bomb racks and bulletproof glass, which introduce minor performance penalties but make the aircraft much more useful against ground vehicles. The CB is a good choice for mixed battles, where its 250 kg and 100 kg bombs can do considerable damage against low rank vehicles.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 5 450 m530 km/h

Turn time18 s

Max altitude11 000 m

EngineAlfa Romeo R.A.1000 RC.41

TypeInline

Cooling systemWater

Take-off weight3 t

The Re.2001 CB's performance is generally similar to the Re.2001 serie 1. The top speed and climb rate are slightly worse owing to the weight of the new features. But the general characteristics of the serie 1 still apply. It is a fairly well rounded aircraft with good turning capabilities and average to below-average speed. The climb rate, roll rate, and energy retention are all decent.

Despite using the same RC.41 engine as the C. 202, the Re.2001 suffers from more severe overheating. Even opening the radiators fully is not enough to stop the engine from cooking itself when running WEP continuously. Use WEP sparingly and consider using Manual Engine Controls to help keep the engine cool outside of combat.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 5,450 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	508	494	11000	18.8	19.4	12.4	12.4	155
Upgraded	551	530		17.2	18.0	20.0	15.7

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	X	X

Limits
Wings (km/h)	Gear (km/h)	Flaps (km/h)			Max Static G
		Combat	Take-off	Landing	+	-
740	320	455	420	250	~12	~9

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 350	< 350	< 420	> 312

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
4,500 m	1,080 hp	1,214 hp

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural740 km/h

Gear320 km/h

• 8 mm Steel - Pilot's seat
• 8 mm Steel - Armoured plate behind the pilot
• 50 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
• Critical components located at the front of aircraft (pilot, engine, controls)
• More fuel tanks located in wings near the fuselage
• Fuel tank in the fuselage behind the pilot

The Re.2001 CB now has fairly thick bulletproof glass to protect the pilot from the front, something the serie 1 sorely lacked. Pilot snipes in head-ons are less of an issue, but still keep in mind that its water-cooled inline engine cannot take much punishment. The distribution of the fuel tanks also makes it easy to set the Re.2001 on fire, which is usually fatal.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB723 → 983

RB1 503 → 2 044

SB1 938 → 2 635

Total cost of modifications13 860

20 100

Talisman cost860

Crew training9 200

Experts32 000

Aces320

Research Aces250 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

50 / 120 / 240 %

130 / 130 / 130 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 690 Cost: 1 000 115 Radiator Research: 690 Cost: 1 000 115 Airframe Research: 780 Cost: 1 100 130 Compressor Research: 780 Cost: 1 100 130 Wings repair Research: 870 Cost: 1 300 145 Engine Research: 870 Cost: 1 300 145 Cover Research: 900 Cost: 1 300 150 Engine injection Research: 900 Cost: 1 300 150	EFS Research: 900 Cost: 1 300 150	safat7_belt_pack Research: 690 Cost: 1 000 115 GP50 Research: 690 Cost: 1 000 115 safat12_belt_pack Research: 780 Cost: 1 100 130 GP100 Research: 780 Cost: 1 100 130 safat7_new_gun Research: 870 Cost: 1 300 145 GP250 Research: 870 Cost: 1 300 145 safat12_new_gun Research: 900 Cost: 1 300 150 630PD Research: 900 Cost: 1 300 150

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Re.2001 CB is armed with:

• 2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, nose-mounted (350 rpg = 700 total)
• 2 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, wing-mounted (600 rpg = 1,200 total)

The Re.2001 has typical armament for an early Italian fighter. The twin 12.7 mm heavy machine guns are underwhelming, generally considered the second worst heavy machine guns in the game. They have very poor ballistics and a mediocre rate of fire, being incapable of dealing serious damage outside of 300-400 m. Their one redeeming quality is the availability of AP-I rounds. For best results, use the Air Targets belt, engage targets at close range, and lead generously.

The 7.7 mm machine guns are nothing special and are unlikely to take any target down by themselves. It is best to equip them with Stealth belts and focus on the heavy machine guns instead. The ballistics are similar between the two guns and they provide some supplemental damage.

Suspended armament

The Re.2001 CB can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 1 x 250 kg GP 250 bomb (250 kg total)
• 1 x 250 kg GP 250 bomb + 2 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (350 kg total)
• 1 x 250 kg GP 250 bomb + 2 x 100 kg GP 100T bombs (450 kg total)

The Re.2001 CB was designed to carry bombs and it does a good job in this regard. It actually carries a heavier maximum bomb load than the contemporary F.C.20 Bis twin-engined attacker. The 250 kg bomb has good explosive effects and is sufficient for destroying at least a single tank in combined battles, perhaps more if they are lightly armoured and closely bunched together. The 100 kg bombs require some more precision but are still large enough to be useful, especially against soft targets. The 50 kg bombs should be avoided as they will require almost a direct hit to destroy armoured vehicles.

Usage in battles

The Re.2001 CB can be used in air battles as a fighter since it does not differ greatly from the original Re.2001. In this role, it should be primarily used against other fighters as opposed to hunting bombers or heavy twin-engined fighters because of its lacklustre guns. It is best to drag opponents into extended engagements since it is unlikely that the Re.2001 will be able to destroy a target in one pass.

At the start of a match, try to climb and gain some altitude. If using MEC, open the radiators fully and keep an eye on the engine temperatures. If things get too hot, dial back the throttle and let the engine cool off. Scan around for enemies. The best targets are those that are fragile, less manoeuvrable than the Re.2001, and at a lower energy state. If you have a significant altitude advantage over your target, dive in, make a pass, then loop around. Repeat until your target has lost significant energy, then try to jump on their tail and hose them down with the machine guns. If you can force them to constantly manoeuvre and corral them into a turnfight, the results will usually be in your favour. A faster opponent that chooses to run instead can be difficult to dispatch. In that case, let them go and start climbing to reset the engagement.

The Re.2001 CB will fare better in head-ons compared to the original Re.2001, but committing to head-ons is still risky. Enemies with high-velocity machine guns or cannons are likely to damage you first, so only go all-in if your target has poor armament and using a fragile plane. Otherwise, fire off a burst, break off early, and observe what your target does after the merge. If they commit to a turnfight, again try to latch onto their tail. If they continue their course and are fast enough to escape, let them go and try to conserve your own energy.

Be wary of engaging targets that are as or more manoeuvrable than the Re.2001 in turning engagements. Try to obtain an altitude advantage before engaging and stick to boom-and-zoom or energy fighting tactics instead of flat turning. A Spitfire can put up a very tough fight if it has the same energy level as the Re.2001, but as with any plane, it becomes less threatening with less altitude and speed. Other targets that should be attacked with caution include planes with decent defensive armament like the IL-2 M-82. There is a very real chance that the IL-2's rear gunner can ignite or pilot-snipe the Re.2001 more quickly than it can whittle down the "flying tank" in turn. Large bombers with multiple engines and gunners are similarly hazardous. If you must engage these, try to set their engines on fire and break off.

It is generally best to leave ground attack duties to actual attackers like the Stuka since the Re.2001 CB does not have an airspawn, but if one insists on lugging bombs for destroying vehicles or finishing off a base, fly carefully and try to avoid attention. The performance of this aircraft suffers while it is carrying bombs and the engine overheating problems pose a major issue on extended trips to and from the front lines. Be careful of AAA emplacements and vehicles, even a few hits can cause oil or water leaks that necessitate a return to base.

Ground RB

The Re.2001 CB is the most useful in Ground RB, where its good bombload can finally be put to good use against player-controlled vehicles. Take the heaviest loadout, and upon spawning in, look around for choke points or sniping positions where stationary enemies are likely to be located. Once you have identified your target(s), enter a fairly steep dive and release the bombs shortly before you pull up. This approach is recommended since the Re.2001 CB's bombs do not have a generous blast radius; dropping bombs in shallow dives tends to be less accurate. After the bombs have been expended, examine if there are any enemy aircraft around. The Re.2001 has sufficient performance to deal with most other contemporary fighters and its overheating problems are not as egregious in the short duration of Ground RB battles. Just be careful of engaging aircraft with defensive armament. If the skies are clear, either return to base for another set of bombs or strafe targets to mark them for your team. Note that the Breda-SAFAT heavy machine guns have poor ballistics and poor penetration that drops off shockingly quickly, so the only ground targets that can be reliably harmed by the Re.2001's guns are those that lack roofs. Be careful when SPAA vehicles are active since the Re.2001 is poorly protected.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Nose-mounted 12.7 mm offensive guns
• Decent climb rate
• Has secondary loadouts, good for mixed battles
• Decent armour protection
• Good turn rate especially with flaps

Cons:

• Subpar firepower
• Outclassed by many of its opponents
• Bad control stiffening at high speed (500+ km/h)
• Engine overheats quickly

History

The Re.2000 "Falco I" was the Reggiane company's first successful fighter design. Taking some design notes from the Seversky P-35, the Re.2000 was a very capable design compared to other early Italian fighters like the Macchi C. 200. It did have several issues: the wing mounted fuel tanks were not self sealing and the engine was unreliable. In light of this, the Regia Aeronautica declined to order the Re.2000 for mass production and it was largely produced for export.

The Re.2000's basic design was good and its issues were solvable. After the Re.2000 first flew, the Italian government proposed that Reggiane look into equipping the Re.2000 with a R.A.1000 RC.41 inline engine, which was a license-produced version of the famous German DB601 that powered early Bf 109s. The RC.41 was more compact and mechanically reliable than the Re.2000's Piaggio radial engine. The Re.2000 design was modified to accept the engine and trim off some weight, and the resulting prototype Re.2001 "Falco II" first flew in June 1940. Further development work resulted in the addition of a 7.7 Breda-SAFAT machine gun in each wing, an electric engine starter, and other minor changes. Series production of the Re.2001 began in mid 1941, but delays in obtaining the engines resulted in the orders being cut from 200 aircraft to 110.

As with other Italian fighters, a large number of Re.2001 variants were explored. The Re.2001 CB was a fighter-bomber variant equipped with bomb racks, produced after late 1941. It was capable of mounting 100 kg and 250 kg bombs. Limited numbers of Re.2001 CBs were delivered to the 22° Gruppo, who later deployed to Malta to join in bombing raids against British forces. However, the Re.2001 was primarily used for bomber escort and other air combat roles and there is little information about the fighter-bomber exploits of the CB model.

Though the Re.2001 proved to be a capable fighter against RAF Spitfires and Hurricanes, attrition dwindled the numbers of Re.2001s in Italian service over time. It was never produced in large numbers due to the difficulty of its construction and the limited availability of engines, which were prioritized for the C.202 instead. Only 71 Re.2001s were operational by the summer of 1943 and the Allied invasion of Sicily cut their numbers further. The Italian armistice in September 1943 saw a portion of the 33 surviving Re.2001s transferred to the new Co-Belligerent Air Force, where they fought alongside the Allies against the Italian Social Republic and Nazi Germany until the end of the war. Combat aside, they were also used on a few occasions to carry money in underslung containers.

The few Re.2001s that survived World War II were largely scrapped in the postwar era since they were long obsolete compared to the fine "Series 5" fighters like the Macchi C.205 and Fiat G.55 that lingered in Italian service. A few were retained for communications tasks and meteorological testing. None are known to survive today.

A contemporary of the C.202 with the same engine and armament, the Re.2001 is not as famous in the present day as the Folgore. Much of this is due to its smaller production numbers and limited role in World War II. Only 237 Re.2001s were produced compared to over 1,000 C.202s and they were all deployed close to Italy. Its combat records show that it was still a formidable aircraft and a close match to the early Spitfires, especially in the hands of skilled pilots. Despite being a clean-sheet design, the Re.2005 "Sagittario" can be seen as the successor to the Re.2001 with similar aerodynamic features. Though the Sagittario was even harder to produce than the Re.2001, it had fantastic performance and could compete with the finest wartime Allied aircraft on equal terms.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Re.2001 CB from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

The Shooting Range #186 - Pages of History section at 04:10 discusses the Re.2001.

See also

Related development

• Re.2001 (Family)

External links

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

Reggiane Mechanical Factory (Officine Meccaniche Reggiane SpA)
Fighters	Re.2000 serie 1 · Re.2000 G.A.
	Re.2001 serie 1 · Re.2001 gruppo 22 · Re.2001 CB · Re.2001 CN
	Re.2002 Early
	Re.2005 serie 0
Export	J20