F3D-1

F3D-1

AM-1

F-84F

F3D-1

AM-1

F-84F

USA

V Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
7.7	7.0	7.0

Class:

Strike aircraft

Naval aircraft

Research:82 000

Purchase:240 000

Description

The F3D-1 is a rank V American naval jet fighter with a battle rating of 7.7 (AB) and 7.0 (RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.75 "La Résistance".

General info

Flight Performance

Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 1,524 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
810	786	10668	31.3	32.0	14.7	13.7	700
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 1,524 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
868	846	10668	28.8	30.0	23.3	18.8	700

Details

Features
Combat flap	Take-off flap	Landing flap	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
✓	✓	✓	✓	✓

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
932	314	460	~??	~?

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 620	< 650	< 620	No radiator

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
0 m	1470 kgf	No WEP

Survivability and armour

• 38 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
• 5 mm Steel plates in the nose.
• 3 mm Steel boxes in the tail.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The F3D-1 is armed with:

• 4 х 20 mm AN/M3 cannons, chin-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

Suspended armament

The F3D-1 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 2 х 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,000 lb total)
• 2 х Tiny Tim rockets
• 2 х 1000 lb AN-M65A1 bombs (2,000 lb total)
• 2 х 2000 lb AN-M66A2 bombs (4,000 lb total)

Usage in battles

The main thing to take into account when using the F3D-1 is that it is not made to combat other planes. It has four great cannons, but you will rarely be able to get them on target unless you are fighting lower rank vehicles or you manage to take an enemy aircraft by surprise. It is unsuited to the complexities of high-rank jet combat, having a poor climb rate, below average top speed and mediocre manoeuvrability. Instead, this plane works best as a ground pounder, working closely with fighters to keep it safe from harm. In other words, your team needs to have air superiority in order for you to be effective. Your cannons are effective against light vehicles and vehicle top armour. The 2000 lb bombs are powerful enough to destroy any target, allowing you to pinpoint dug in vehicles and end their game quickly. You also have access to Tiny Tim Rockets, which have extremely high penetration and post penetration damage. After dropping your payload and strafing targets, you can quickly return to base and rearm.

It is best not to linger over a combat zone, as your presence will attract the attention of players, who may spawn in fighters or SPAA and try to shoot you down. In higher rank matches, SPAA will jump at the chance to shoot down a slow, lumbering jet like you. Instead, it is best to quickly pinpoint a target, destroy it and then return to base. Keep on doing this as many times as you can. Fly low and around the edge of the map in order to avoid any anti-aircraft guns, observing the map and looking out for any potential targets. If you attract any unwanted attention from an enemy aircraft, your first point of call should be to call for help. It can save you a lot of hassle if a friendly SPAA or fighter can take out the enemy plane. If not you will need to analyse your enemy and work out if you have any advantages over it. If it is a high-rank plane like a Mig 15 or Sabre, your options are pretty limited. Your chances mostly depend on your skill to outwit your opponent, or their skill to outwit you.

Radars

The F3D-1 is equipped with an AN/APS-21 search radar, as well as an AN/APG-26 target tracking radar. Both radars are located in the nose of the aircraft.

AN/APS-21 - Target Detection Radar
Maximum Detection Range	Guaranteed Detection Range	Max Azimuth Scan Angle	Max Elevation Scan Angle
45,000 m	28,000 m	±85°	±16°
AN/APG-26 - Target Tracking Radar
Maximum Tracking Range	Minimum Tracking Range	Azimuth Tracking Angle	Elevation Tracking Angle
4,000 m	150 m	±60°	±60°

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Compressor		Offensive 20 mm	SBC mk.I
II	New boosters		Airframe		LFRC mk.12
III	Wings Repair	Engine		New 20 mm Cannons	MBC mk.I
IV	G-Suit		Cover		LBC mk.I

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Is equipped with the AN/APS-21 target detection radar and AN/APG-26 target tracking radar, with the best target detection range in the game
• Possesses target tracking radar with favourable matchmaking characteristics
• Decent bombload
• Can turn better than some other jets
• Good cannons
• Has a tail wheel so you cannot strike tail on takeoff or landing
• Can make it back to base on only one engine (you should be able to maintain ~400 kph in level flight)
• Engines mounted close to the centre line of aircraft means loss of an engine has less impact on controllability

Cons:

• Not at all fast enough to compete with top rank fighters
• Poor climb rate makes it impractical to engage bombers
• Not very maneuverable at low speeds

History

In late 1945, the US Navy was in search of a new carrier-based fighter that was to be jet-powered and able to fly in all weather. The two-seated, twin-engine fighter was to be equipped with a radar and with specifications for a top speed of 500 mph (805 km/h), an operating altitude of 40,000 ft (12,192 m), and able to detect an enemy 125 miles (201 km) away. The Douglas Aircraft Company were among the many companies that were asked to produce an aircraft able to meet these specifications. Led by designer Ed Heineman, Douglas produced the designs that the US Navy thought suited best and were offered a contract for three prototypes under the designation XF3D-1, with the nickname Skyknight, on 03 April 1946.

The XF3D-1 prototype made its first flight on 23 March 1948. Due to the favorable performance, the plane was then ordered on May 11th for production of 28 units as the F3D-1. The first production F3D-1 was delivered in early 1950. By February 1951, the F3D-1 was put into service. However, despite its status, the F3D-1 did not meet all standards for aircraft carrier operations, mainly due to underpowered engines. As such, priority shifted over towards the F3D-2 variant and only 28 F3D-1 planes were produced. In all, Douglas would produce 268 F3D Skyknights for U.S. service.

While the F3D-1 stayed stateside to train pilots and radar operators, the F3D-2 were sent to the Korea War in Spring of 1952. The F3D-2 Skyknights were assigned to Marine Corps night fighter squadrons to escort bombers in nighttime raids. While there, the F3D Skyknights racked up one of the best aerial victory record in Korea for a night-fighter, even scoring the first aerial jet-to-jet night victory against a Yak-15 in 03 November 1952. Only one F3D Skyknights were shot down during the rest of the Korean War.

After the Korean War, the F3D Skyknights became used as trainers or testing beds for the then-new air-to-air missiles (AAM) such as the AIM-7 Sparrow missiles. In the 1962, the F3Ds were renamed to the F-10 Skyknights, with the F3D-1 and F3D-2 being redesignated as F-10A and F-10B respectively. These would later be used in Vietnam, making the Skyknights the only jet fighter to have flown in the Korean and Vietnam War. The Skyknight's role in Vietnam was reduced, focusing more on electronic warfare with electronic countermeasure (ECM) equipment as the EF-10B in order to counter the new SA-2 Guideline surface-to-air missile. The Skyknights were also used to conduct reconnaissance over Cuba during the 1962 Cuban Missile Crisis.

In 1969 though, all US Navy F-10s were retired and used for testing on the new avionics systems which were implemented into the F-14 Tomcats. The Marines used their F-10s until May 1970.

Media

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

See also

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

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

External links

• [Wikipedia] Douglas F3D Skyknight
• [Combatairmuseum.org] Douglas F-3D-2T2 (TF-10B) Skyknight
• [Boeing.com] Historical Snapshot - F3D/F-10 SKYKNIGHT FIGHTER
• [Airvectors.net] The Douglas F3D Skyknight
• [Joebaugher.com] Douglas F3D-1/F-10A Skyknight

Douglas Aircraft Company
Strike Aircraft	A-20G-25 · A-26B-10 · A-26B-50 · AD-2 · AD-4 · A-1H
Bombers	TBD-1 · B-18A · SBD-3 · BTD-1 · A-26C-45 · A-26C-45DT
Turboprops	A2D-1
Jet Aircraft	F3D-1 · F4D-1
A-4 Skyhawk	A-4B · A-4E Early
Export	▄Havoc Mk I · ▄Boston Mk I · ▄DB-7 · ▂A-20G-30 · ▄AD-4 · ▄AD-4NA
A-4 Skyhawk	A-4H · A-4E Early (M) · Ayit · A-4E
	The Douglas Aircraft Company merged with McDonnell Aircraft Corporation in 1967 to form McDonnell Douglas.