Difference between revisions of "CL-13 Mk.4"

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{{About
 
{{About
 
| about = Italian jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
| about = Italian jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
+
| usage = other versions
 
| link = F-86 (Family)
 
| link = F-86 (Family)
 
}}
 
}}
Line 12: Line 12:
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} Italian jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].
+
In 1949, Canada wanted a new fighter to supplement its growing air force. The F-86 Sabre was a good option, but the Canadian government didn't want to have another American aircraft in service. As a compromise, Canada received a license to build their own Sabres and thus birthed the Canadair Sabre. The Mk.4 was originally intended to have Canada's own engine in place of the J47-GE-13; the Avro Canada Orenda 10. It would've been a substantial improvement over the J47 but it wasn't ready by the time the Mk.4 was introduced and as such, the J47 was kept in. Other than minor changes like the compass, it was largely the same as the Canadair Sabre Mk.2. Italy would end up receiving over 170 Mk.4 Sabres from the Royal Air Force and continued to use them until the F-104 Starfighter began service with the Italian Air force.
 
 
Flying very similarly to the [[F-86A-5]] Sabre, this early CL-13 is not as formidable as its younger siblings in the German tree. The J47-GE-13 engine does not allow it to climb or accelerate as quickly as most of its opposition and the machine gun armament can be lacking against jet aircraft. Still, it turns well and retains speed decently in a straight line. Play in a cautious support role for best results.
 
 
 
Succeeding the CL-13 Mk.4 is the [[F-86K (Italy)|Italian F-86K]], a heavily revised Sabre that trades manoeuvrability for much stronger armament and an afterburning engine producing nearly twice the thrust.
 
  
 +
Introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]], the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is quite similar to the [[F-86A-5]]. It has roughly the same acceleration and has identical armament. However, it does have an all-flying tail which does help with manoeuvrability. The J47-GE-13 engine does not allow it to climb or accelerate as quickly as most of its opponents and the machine gun armament can be lacking against jet aircraft. Players should expect many critical hits when using the guns. Overall, the '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a decent aircraft although it has some deficiencies like the lack of significant engine power and subpar [[M3 Browning (12.7 mm)|M3 Browning machine guns]].
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
 
=== Flight performance ===
 
=== Flight performance ===
Line 65: Line 62:
 
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
|-
 
|-
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 590 || 550 || 350 || ~11 || ~6
+
| 1,118 <!-- {{Specs|destruction|body}} --> || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 590 || 550 || 350 || ~11 || ~6
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 86: Line 83:
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
 
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
! colspan="2" | Empty mass || colspan="3" | Wing loading (full fuel)
+
! 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" | General Electric J47-GE-13 || 1
 
| colspan="2" | General Electric J47-GE-13 || 1
| colspan="2" | 4,940 kg || colspan="3" | 233 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
+
| colspan="2" | 5,042 kg || colspan="3" | 236 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
 
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff<br/>Weight
+
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff<br>Weight
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
 
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel
+
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 31m fuel
 
|-
 
|-
 
| 1,145 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
 
| 1,145 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
| 5,341 kg || 5,730 kg || 6,119 kg || 6,236 kg || 9,530 kg
+
| 5,427 kg || 5,846 kg || 6,248 kg || 6,326 kg || 9,530 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="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%)
 
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
 
|-
 
|-
 
! Condition || 100% || WEP
 
! Condition || 100% || WEP
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 33m fuel || MTOW
+
! 9m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 31m fuel || MTOW
 
|-
 
|-
 
| ''Stationary'' || 2,273 kgf || N/A
 
| ''Stationary'' || 2,273 kgf || N/A
| 0.43 || 0.40 || 0.37 || 0.36 || 0.24
+
| 0.42 || 0.39 || 0.36 || 0.36 || 0.24
 
|-
 
|-
| ''Optimal'' || 2,273 kgf<br/>(0 km/h) || N/A
+
| ''Optimal'' || 2,273 kgf<br>(0 km/h) || N/A
| 0.43 || 0.40 || 0.37 || 0.36 || 0.24
+
| 0.42 || 0.39 || 0.36 || 0.36 || 0.24
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 117: Line 114:
 
{{Specs-Avia-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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
 
* 6.35 mm steel - in front of pilot
 
* 6.35 mm steel - in front of pilot
 
* 38 mm bulletproof glass
 
* 38 mm bulletproof glass
Line 143: Line 141:
 
{{Specs-Avia-Suspended}}
 
{{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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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-M65A1 Fin M129 (1,000 lb)|HVAR}}
+
{{main|M117 cone 45 (750 lb)|AN-M65A1 Fin M129 (1,000 lb)|HVAR}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
Line 149: Line 147:
 
* Without load
 
* Without load
 
* 16 x HVAR rockets
 
* 16 x HVAR rockets
 +
* 2 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (1,500 lb total)
 
* 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)
 
* 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)
  
Line 156: Line 155:
 
The CL-13 Mk.4 is held back by its poor engine performance and is not as good at energy fighting as the MiG-15, for example, but going all-in on close quarters turnfighting may not end well either. It is rather contradictory; it turns well but bleeds energy while doing so, and it accelerates poorly but holds onto speed quite well outside of wild manoeuvring or hard vertical manoeuvres.
 
The CL-13 Mk.4 is held back by its poor engine performance and is not as good at energy fighting as the MiG-15, for example, but going all-in on close quarters turnfighting may not end well either. It is rather contradictory; it turns well but bleeds energy while doing so, and it accelerates poorly but holds onto speed quite well outside of wild manoeuvring or hard vertical manoeuvres.
  
Playing as a support fighter can mean many things, but for the most part it involves waiting for teammates to start engagements and jumping in later to pick off distracted enemies. This is not the most glamorous of playstyles, but charging into battle will usually result in being sent back to the hangar very quickly. At the start of the match, try to pick up some speed at low altitude to help the Sabre accelerate as best as it can, preferably somewhat off to the side. Once sufficient speed is attained (perhaps at around 800 kph), zoom climb up to medium altitude, level out, and start flying towards the center of the map. At this point, first contact should have been made with the enemy team and there will likely be a sizeable furball. Begin performing gentle boom-and-zoom attacks against low-energy opponents if there are not too many opponents looming above you. If an enemy gets on your six, use the excellent roll rate to dodge fire as best as possible and head towards teammates for assistance. Once your energy has been expended, try to extend away and regain altitude.
+
Playing as a support fighter can mean many things, but for the most part it involves waiting for teammates to start engagements and jumping in later to pick off distracted enemies. This is not the most glamorous of playstyles, but charging into battle will usually result in being sent back to the hangar very quickly. At the start of the match, try to pick up some speed at low altitude to help the Sabre accelerate as best as it can, preferably somewhat off to the side. Once sufficient speed is attained (perhaps at around 800 km/h), zoom climb up to medium altitude, level out, and start flying towards the center of the map. At this point, first contact should have been made with the enemy team and there will likely be a sizeable furball. Begin performing gentle boom-and-zoom attacks against low-energy opponents if there are not too many opponents looming above you. If an enemy gets on your six, use the excellent roll rate to dodge fire as best as possible and head towards teammates for assistance. Once your energy has been expended, try to extend away and regain altitude.
  
 
Turnfighting can often work since this Sabre is very nimble, but don't keep it up for long unless you are certain that it will secure a kill. Dumping all of your energy will make you a very easy target for enemy guns and missiles and regaining energy is difficult. Think twice before chasing enemies into vertical manoeuvres; the poor thrust-to-weight is unhelpful and the Mk.4 lacks missiles to shove up a stall-climbing target's tailpipe.
 
Turnfighting can often work since this Sabre is very nimble, but don't keep it up for long unless you are certain that it will secure a kill. Dumping all of your energy will make you a very easy target for enemy guns and missiles and regaining energy is difficult. Think twice before chasing enemies into vertical manoeuvres; the poor thrust-to-weight is unhelpful and the Mk.4 lacks missiles to shove up a stall-climbing target's tailpipe.
Line 162: Line 161:
 
Overall, flying the Mk.4 is a tricky affair. It has some parity with other early swept wing jets and it can outmanoeuvre most of its opponents, but said opponents can include jets with afterburners and missiles. There is really not much that the Mk.4 can do against supersonic jets like the [[F-100A (China)|F-100A]] unless they are very low on energy or are foolish enough to engage in a turnfight. The Mach 2 capable [[Lightning F.6|English Electric Lightning]] in particular has nearly 5 times the climb rate and is practically untouchable. Leave these targets for your teammates, who are hopefully better equipped than you, and find other enemies to engage.
 
Overall, flying the Mk.4 is a tricky affair. It has some parity with other early swept wing jets and it can outmanoeuvre most of its opponents, but said opponents can include jets with afterburners and missiles. There is really not much that the Mk.4 can do against supersonic jets like the [[F-100A (China)|F-100A]] unless they are very low on energy or are foolish enough to engage in a turnfight. The Mach 2 capable [[Lightning F.6|English Electric Lightning]] in particular has nearly 5 times the climb rate and is practically untouchable. Leave these targets for your teammates, who are hopefully better equipped than you, and find other enemies to engage.
  
===Radars===
+
=== Radars ===
 
<!--{{main|AN/APG-30}}-->
 
<!--{{main|AN/APG-30}}-->
 
The CL-13 Mk.4 is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
 
The CL-13 Mk.4 is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft.
Line 183: Line 182:
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
 +
 
* Decent speed for its rank
 
* Decent speed for its rank
 
* Magnificent roll rate
 
* Magnificent roll rate
 
* Can carry ground attack ordnance, better bombload than the [[G.91 pre-serie]] and [[G.91 R/1]]
 
* Can carry ground attack ordnance, better bombload than the [[G.91 pre-serie]] and [[G.91 R/1]]
 +
* Out turns most enemies due to being slower
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
 +
 
* General Electric J47-GE-13 engine shared by the [[F-86A-5|A-5]] is the weakest of any Sabre, substandard climb and acceleration
 
* General Electric J47-GE-13 engine shared by the [[F-86A-5|A-5]] is the weakest of any Sabre, substandard climb and acceleration
* Weak armament
+
* Weak armament - ineffective for the BR and small windows for opportunity
 +
* Due to the wide air frame, the guns are hard to use at their optimal range (sub 500m)
 
* Prone to exceeding its wing overload limit
 
* Prone to exceeding its wing overload limit
  
Line 204: Line 207:
  
 
== Media ==
 
== 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.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Skins
 +
 
 +
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=f-86_cl_13_mk4_italy Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
Line 210: Line 217:
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' -->
 +
 
;Related development
 
;Related development
  
* Canadair [[F-86 (Family)|Sabre]] (those Sabres manufactured with the designator "CL")
+
* Canadair [[F-86 (Family)|Sabres]]
* North American [[F-86 (Family)|F-86A/F]]
+
** [[CL-13A Mk 5]]
* North American [[F-86K (France)|F-86D]] Sabre
+
** [[CL-13B Mk.6]]
* North American [[F-100D|F-100]] Super Sabre
 
* North American [[FJ-4B|FJ-4]] Fury
 
  
 
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
 
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
  
* Dassault [[Super Mystere B2|Super Mystère]]
+
* Grumman [[F9F-8|F9F]] Cougar
* Grumman [[F9F-8|F-9]] Cougar
 
* Hawker [[Hunter F.1|Hunter]]
 
 
* Lavochkin [[La-15]]
 
* Lavochkin [[La-15]]
 
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-15]]
 
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-15]]
 
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-17]]
 
* Mikoyan-Gurevich [[MiG-17]]
 +
* Hawker [[Hunter F.1|Hunter]]
 +
* Dassault [[Super Mystere B2|Super Mystère]]
 
* Saab [[J29D|J29]] Tunnan
 
* Saab [[J29D|J29]] Tunnan
  
 
== External links ==
 
== 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;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
 
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
 
{{AirManufacturer Canadair}}
 
{{AirManufacturer Canadair}}
 
{{Italy jet aircraft}}
 
{{Italy jet aircraft}}

Latest revision as of 04:52, 16 October 2023

This page is about the Italian jet fighter CL-13 Mk.4. For other versions, see F-86 (Family).
f-86_cl_13_mk4_italy.png
GarageImage CL-13 Mk.4.jpg
360://https://old-wiki.warthunder.com/images/0/05/Cockpit_f-86_cl_13_mk4_italy.jpg
CL-13 Mk.4
AB RB SB
8.0 8.3 9.0
Research:120 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:340 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

In 1949, Canada wanted a new fighter to supplement its growing air force. The F-86 Sabre was a good option, but the Canadian government didn't want to have another American aircraft in service. As a compromise, Canada received a license to build their own Sabres and thus birthed the Canadair Sabre. The Mk.4 was originally intended to have Canada's own engine in place of the J47-GE-13; the Avro Canada Orenda 10. It would've been a substantial improvement over the J47 but it wasn't ready by the time the Mk.4 was introduced and as such, the J47 was kept in. Other than minor changes like the compass, it was largely the same as the Canadair Sabre Mk.2. Italy would end up receiving over 170 Mk.4 Sabres from the Royal Air Force and continued to use them until the F-104 Starfighter began service with the Italian Air force.

Introduced in Update 1.91 "Night Vision", the CL-13 Sabre Mk.4 is quite similar to the F-86A-5. It has roughly the same acceleration and has identical armament. However, it does have an all-flying tail which does help with manoeuvrability. The J47-GE-13 engine does not allow it to climb or accelerate as quickly as most of its opponents and the machine gun armament can be lacking against jet aircraft. Players should expect many critical hits when using the guns. Overall, the CL-13 Sabre Mk.4 is a decent aircraft although it has some deficiencies like the lack of significant engine power and subpar M3 Browning machine guns.

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes
Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps
Max speed
at 0 m1 093 km/h
Turn time24 s
Max altitude14 000 m
EngineGeneral Electric J47-GE-13
TypeJet
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight10 t

The CL-13 Mk.4 will feel immediately familiar to anyone who has flown the F-86A-5. The engine feels lacking; it does produce more thrust than the contemporary MiG-15's RD-45 engine, but considering that the Sabre weighs much more, the results are not pretty. And the MiG-15bis leaves the poor Sabre in the dust. Engine performance aside, the airframe has some perks. It has leading edge slats that allow it to turn quickly at low speeds, the sleek aerodynamics contribute to good top speed and horizontal energy retention, and the roll rate is fantastic. Hard turning should be done with caution however, as it tends to bleed energy, and at high speeds it's easy to break the wings.

Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 0 m - sea level)
Max altitude
(metres)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(metres/second)
Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 1,081 1,071 14000 25.4 25.9 30.7 28.8 700
Upgraded 1,105 1,093 22.7 24.0 46.2 38.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear Drogue chute
X X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
1,118 350 590 550 350 ~11 ~6
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 850 < 600 < 620 N/A

Engine performance

Engine Aircraft mass
Engine name Number Basic mass Wing loading (full fuel)
General Electric J47-GE-13 1 5,042 kg 236 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Takeoff
Weight
Weight (each) Type 9m fuel 20m fuel 30m fuel 31m fuel
1,145 kg Axial-flow turbojet 5,427 kg 5,846 kg 6,248 kg 6,326 kg 9,530 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%)
Condition 100% WEP 9m fuel 20m fuel 30m fuel 31m fuel MTOW
Stationary 2,273 kgf N/A 0.42 0.39 0.36 0.36 0.24
Optimal 2,273 kgf
(0 km/h)
N/A 0.42 0.39 0.36 0.36 0.24

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural0 km/h
Gear350 km/h
  • 6.35 mm steel - in front of pilot
  • 38 mm bulletproof glass
  • 20 mm steel - pilot's headrest
  • 12.7 mm steel - pilot's seat

The plane isn't the best at survivability due to having very little armour around the cockpit, but it does have strong spots as well, such as the 38 mm bullet-proof glass which can save you from some head-ons.

The CL-13 Mk.4's armour and bullet-proof glass

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 541 → 4 748 Sl icon.png
RB9 098 → 12 200 Sl icon.png
SB9 836 → 13 190 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications101 800 Rp icon.png
163 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 200 Ge icon.png
Crew training98 000 Sl icon.png
Experts340 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 800 Ge icon.png
Research Aces780 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
130 / 380 / 600 % Sl icon.png
202 / 202 / 202 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
300 Ge icon.png
Mods jet compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
300 Ge icon.png
Mods booster.png
New boosters
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods g suit.png
G-suit
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
bmg50_belt_pack
Research:
6 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
11 000 Sl icon.png
300 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
FRC mk.2
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
12 000 Sl icon.png
340 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
bmg50_new_gun
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
M117
Research:
6 400 Rp icon.png
Cost:
10 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
FLBC mk.1
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
18 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Offensive armament

Ammunition1 800 rounds
Fire rate1 200 shots/min
Main article: M3 Browning (12.7 mm)

The CL-13 Mk.4 is armed with:

  • 6 x 12.7 mm M3 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (300 rpg = 1,800 total)

Suspended armament

List of setups (3)
Setup 18 x HVAR rockets
8 x HVAR rockets
Setup 22 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bomb
Setup 32 x 1000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bomb

The CL-13 Mk.4 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • Without load
  • 16 x HVAR rockets
  • 2 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (1,500 lb total)
  • 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)

Usage in battles

The CL-13 Mk.4 is held back by its poor engine performance and is not as good at energy fighting as the MiG-15, for example, but going all-in on close quarters turnfighting may not end well either. It is rather contradictory; it turns well but bleeds energy while doing so, and it accelerates poorly but holds onto speed quite well outside of wild manoeuvring or hard vertical manoeuvres.

Playing as a support fighter can mean many things, but for the most part it involves waiting for teammates to start engagements and jumping in later to pick off distracted enemies. This is not the most glamorous of playstyles, but charging into battle will usually result in being sent back to the hangar very quickly. At the start of the match, try to pick up some speed at low altitude to help the Sabre accelerate as best as it can, preferably somewhat off to the side. Once sufficient speed is attained (perhaps at around 800 km/h), zoom climb up to medium altitude, level out, and start flying towards the center of the map. At this point, first contact should have been made with the enemy team and there will likely be a sizeable furball. Begin performing gentle boom-and-zoom attacks against low-energy opponents if there are not too many opponents looming above you. If an enemy gets on your six, use the excellent roll rate to dodge fire as best as possible and head towards teammates for assistance. Once your energy has been expended, try to extend away and regain altitude.

Turnfighting can often work since this Sabre is very nimble, but don't keep it up for long unless you are certain that it will secure a kill. Dumping all of your energy will make you a very easy target for enemy guns and missiles and regaining energy is difficult. Think twice before chasing enemies into vertical manoeuvres; the poor thrust-to-weight is unhelpful and the Mk.4 lacks missiles to shove up a stall-climbing target's tailpipe.

Overall, flying the Mk.4 is a tricky affair. It has some parity with other early swept wing jets and it can outmanoeuvre most of its opponents, but said opponents can include jets with afterburners and missiles. There is really not much that the Mk.4 can do against supersonic jets like the F-100A unless they are very low on energy or are foolish enough to engage in a turnfight. The Mach 2 capable English Electric Lightning in particular has nearly 5 times the climb rate and is practically untouchable. Leave these targets for your teammates, who are hopefully better equipped than you, and find other enemies to engage.

Radars

The CL-13 Mk.4 is equipped with an AN/APG-30 rangefinding radar, located in the nose of the aircraft. It will automatically detect other planes within the scanning area and display the range to the closest target. It is linked with a gyro gunsight and can help with aiming at close range.

AN/APG-30 - Rangefinding radar
Maximum
Tracking
Range
Minimum
Tracking
Range
Azimuth Tracking
Angle
Elevation Tracking
Angle
2,750 m 300 m ±9° ±9°

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Decent speed for its rank
  • Magnificent roll rate
  • Can carry ground attack ordnance, better bombload than the G.91 pre-serie and G.91 R/1
  • Out turns most enemies due to being slower

Cons:

  • General Electric J47-GE-13 engine shared by the A-5 is the weakest of any Sabre, substandard climb and acceleration
  • Weak armament - ineffective for the BR and small windows for opportunity
  • Due to the wide air frame, the guns are hard to use at their optimal range (sub 500m)
  • Prone to exceeding its wing overload limit

History

The Canadair CL-13 Sabre was a license-produced version of the famous American F-86 Sabre jet fighter. Its introduction in 1950 gave the Royal Canadian Air Force a modern jet fighter a year after Canada joined NATO. While initial marks of the CL-13 were very similar to existing US models, later versions featured new engines and airframe modifications that improved performance. The final Mark 6 was considered to be the ultimate Sabre by many. Much like their US counterparts, CL-13s were widely exported and saw extensive use with Pakistan, Germany, Greece, and other countries. Total production amounted to 1,815 aircraft.

The CL-13 Mk.4 variant was intended to use the domestic Orenda engine manufactured by Avro Canada, boasting increased thrust over the initial American J47-GE-13 engine used by previous models. An early version of the Orenda had been successfully tested on the one-off Mk. 3 prototype, known for setting a women's speed record in 1952. Still, developmental delays in the Orenda led to the Mk.4 reverting to the J47. The end result was a very similar aircraft to the CL-13 Mk. 2, itself a virtual carbon copy of the F-86E. Like the F-86E, the Mk.4 had an "all-flying" tail, modified windshield, and an improved flight control system over the F-86A series. The improvements over the Mk. 2 were limited to cockpit equipment and systems, including the air conditioning and canopy release. It first flew in August 1952.

438 Mk.4s were produced. The majority of these did not serve with the Royal Canadian Air Force; their greatest initial user was in fact the Royal Air Force. At the time that the CL-13 entered mass production, the RAF still relied on early straight-wing jet aircraft, lagging behind the swept-wing Sabre in terms of performance. The Hawker Hunter and Supermarine Swift had not entered service yet. The RAF placed substantial orders for CL-13s as a stopgap, including 428 Mk.4s. Some saw brief service in Canadian hands before being delivered to the RAF, and others were sent directly out of the factory. The Sabres equipped 11 units stationed in both Britain and Germany. Their service was brief and uneventful, and the Hawker Hunter quickly began to replace them after it became operational in 1954. The retired Sabres were still young in terms of airframe life and ended up being sent to other countries. Amusingly, the United States, the original inventor and user of the Sabre, was also given a batch of CL-13s. They were designated F-86E(M) to differentiate them from US-produced Sabres.

Italy received 179 (180 in some sources) ex-RAF Mk.4s in 1957. As in the US, they were also designated F-86E(M). Used primarily for air defense, the Mk.4 was tested with the domestic SISPRE C-7 infrared homing air-to-air missile, the first such missile designed by Italy. The Frecce Tricolore aerobatic team was equipped with these Sabres upon their formation in 1961. In 1963, a handful of Sabres were deployed to the Belgian Congo as part of UN peacekeeping, flown by Philippine pilots. The Sabres were replaced in military service by the F-104 Starfighter starting in 1963 and in aerobatic roles by the Fiat G.91 in 1964. All were phased out by 1965. While the CL-13 did not have an exciting career with the Aeronautica Militare Italiana, it provided a fairly modern aircraft capable of competing with subsonic Eastern Bloc jets until more advanced or domestic aircraft were ready, not unlike its role with the RAF. One Italian CL-13 is preserved today in the Italian Air Force Museum at Vigne de Valle.

Media

Skins

See also

Related development
Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

External links

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • other literature.


Canadair Limited
Fighters  CL-13 Mk.4* · ◄CL-13A Mk 5* · ◄CL-13B Mk.6*
  * These aircraft were license-built from North American Aviation who developed and built the F-86 Sabre fighter.

Italy jet aircraft
Aerfer  Sagittario 2 · Ariete
Fiat  G.91 pre-serie · G.91 R/1 · G.91 R/4 (Portugal) · G.91 Y · G.91 YS
AMX International  AMX · AMX A-1A (Brazil)
Panavia  Tornado ADV · ▄Tornado IDS · ▄Tornado IDS (1995)
  Foreign:
Vampire  Vampire FB 52A
F-84  ▄F-84F · ▄F-84G-21-RE
F-86  CL-13 Mk.4 · ▄F-86K
F-104  ▄F-104G · F-104S · ▄F-104S TAF (Turkey) · F-104S.ASA
F-16  ▄F-16A ADF
AV-8  ▄AV-8B Plus
Hungary 
Mikoyan-Gurevich  ◔MiG-15bis · ◔MiG-17PF · ◔MiG-21MF · ◔MiG-21bis-SAU · ◔MiG-23MF · ◔MiG-29
Ilyushin  ◔IL-28
Sukhoi  ◔Su-22M3
Saab  ◔JAS39EBS HU C