Firebrand TF Mk IV

Firebrand TF Mk IV

Sea Hurricane Mk IC

Firefly F Mk I

Firebrand TF Mk IV

Sea Hurricane Mk IC

Firefly F Mk I

Britain

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
3.7	3.7	4.3

Class:

Strike aircraft

Naval aircraft

Torpedo bomber

Research:11 000

Purchase:22 000

Description

The Firebrand TF Mk IV is a rank II British strike fighter with a battle rating of 3.7 (AB/RB) and 4.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.51 "Cold Steel".

The Firebrand can be considered as a British P-47. With extremely heavy armament as well as a respectable secondary load, the Firebrand is foremost a striker aircraft, then a fighter. Carrying 4 fast-firing and high-capacity Hispano Mk.V cannons, the Firebrand Mk IV can rip through all aircraft at its BR and all "soft" ground targets with ease. The torpedo options allow anti-ship capabilities, and conventional bombs effectively destroy ground targets.

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 4,572 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
540	526	9143	26.3	27.4	11.9	11.9	310
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 4,572 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
592	565	9143	23.8	25.0	19.1	15.1	310

Details

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

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flaps (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
		420	~10	~5

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 433	< 500	< 550	> 307

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
1,023 m	2,150 hp	2,448 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
3,880 m	1,975 hp	2,180 hp

Survivability and armour

• 12.7 mm Steel - Armour plate, upper seat back and headrest
• 42.8 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Firebrand TF Mk IV is armed with:

• 4 x 20 mm Hispano Mk.V cannons, wing-mounted (200 rpg = 800 total)

Suspended armament

The Firebrand TF Mk IV can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 1 x Mark XV torpedo
• 2 x 250 lb G.P. 250 lb Mk.IV bombs (500 lb total)
• 2 x 250 lb G.P. 250 lb Mk.IV bombs + 8 x RP-3 rockets (500 lb total)
• 2 x 500 lb G.P. 500 lb Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
• 1 x 1,000 lb G.P. 1,000 lb Mk.I bomb + 2 x 500 lb G.P. 500 lb Mk.IV bombs (2,000 lb total)
• 1 x 1,000 lb M.C. 1,000 lb Mk.I bomb + 2 x 500 lb G.P. 500 lb Mk.IV bombs (2,000 lb total)
• 1 x 1,000 lb G.P. 1,000 lb Mk.I bomb (1,000 lb total)
• 1 x 1,000 lb M.C. 1,000 lb Mk.I bomb (1,000 lb total)
• 8 x RP-3 rockets

Usage in battles

In Arcade battles, the Firebrand can actually excel. There are no speed limits or breakage and performance is exaggerated. Thus, the Firebrand can be used somewhat effectively as a fighter. Turning and handling are both still poor performers with this aircraft compared with Realistic battle while the climb rate is significantly increased.

Boom & Run is a good tactic in Arcade battles. Due to terrible handling characteristics, simply diving and flying flat is a good defensive tactic.

As a striker, the Firebrand can be extremely effective as well. Diving at an insane speed at targets is a good tactic, as its wings cannot rip and the Firebrand possesses amazing top speed and dive acceleration. Make sure to pull up quite soon, however, as handling is very poor.

Due to unlimited ammunition, the cannons are remarkably effective in Arcade battles.

When using the Firebrand as a striker, it is recommended to side climb at the beginning of the match. Perform a shallow dive until you reach the target, as speed will accumulate rapidly and the evasion of ground fire and enemy aircraft will be far easier. Plan ahead when striking your target - don't begin diving until you have approximated where the target may be once you reach it (say a destroyer or convoy), as turning to attack a target at high speed may rip the Firebrand's wings or slow you down significantly - resulting in easy prey for other fighters.

As a fighter, the Firebrand is more lacklustre. It possesses very poor handling capabilities, and manoeuvring is very sluggish. Partially due to wing-loading and weight, the Firebrand does, surprisingly, have a small turn radius and turns quite quickly, similar to the Me 410. However, turning with the Firebrand is not recommended - turning will severely bleed energy, enough to make you an eventual sitting duck.

High altitude performance, as well as zoom climbing, is extremely poor due to the lack of engine injection or throttle. Roll rate is poor as well, and the Firebrand is a massive target, compared to smaller and nimbler fighters such as the Bf-109. However, energy retention, as well as level-flight speed, is excellent. Using Boom & Run is recommended when using the Firebrand as a fighter, and using the Firebrand as a bomber hunter is also a good idea.

Always avoid fur balls with superior turning fighters, which includes almost all single-engine fighters at 4.3-5.3. In general, tactics for the Firebrand also apply for the Me-410, and vice versa.

Unlike Realistic battles, Simulator battles require the use of the cockpit, and the first-person view with the Firebrand is actually quite decent. It has quite a good view due to its decent bubble canopy. Unfortunately, due to the size of the cowling and wings, there are many blind spots around the plane.

Thus, the Firebrand offers good visibility for its battle rating level in simulator battles.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Not controllable	Controllable Auto control available	Not controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Auto control available	Separate	Controllable 2 gears	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		FTC mk.IV	HSBC mk.2
II		Compressor	Airframe		HMBC mk.2
III	Wings repair	Engine		Offensive 20 mm	HLBC mk.2
IV		Engine injection	Cover	New 20 mm cannons	HRC mk.8

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Unrivalled armament compared to planes of the 4.3-5.3 BR, Hispano Mk.V variant fires very fast compared to standard Mk.II
• High ammo capacity
• "Air targets" ammunition overwhelmingly effective - composed entirely of HEF
• Small turn radius
• Good durability
• Decent level speed
• Good secondary payload
• Torpedo options

Cons:

• Poor manoeuvrability and handling in general- roll rate, turn rate, etc. are very poor
• Large target
• Mediocre climb rate
• Poor high-altitude performance
• Controls unresponsive at speeds near 550 km/h (350 mph)
• Mediocre energy retention
• Lacks any bombload stock
• The Hispano Mk.Vs' bullet dispersion when firing can be frustrating

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft 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: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

The Blackburn Firebrand was a British naval torpedo strike fighter, originally designed as a naval fighter aircraft. Due to circumstances, it was overtaken by events, and by the time it finally entered service it was no longer relevant - and too late to enter service in World War II.

Originally designed to a 1939 tender by the Royal Navy's Admiralty, originally the Fairey Firebrand was intended as a carrier-borne escort fighters, with emphasis on range over speed. This was due to a prevailing school of thought that carrier fighters' primary task was that of escorting strikes on enemy forces, with the aerial defence of the fleet best left to the ships' own anti-aircraft guns. The original tender, N.8/39, specified a carrierborne fighter with a fixed forward armament of 4 20 mm cannons, preferrably one with a two-man crew of pilot and navigator for long-distance flights over water. Blackburn started preliminary work on such a design.

When World War II started in September of 1939, the Royal Navy had two aircraft in service in the fighter role: the Gloster Sea Gladiator and the Blackburn Skua, the latter incapable of intercepting German bombers or reconnaissance aircraft due to its slow top speed of 225 mph.

In 1940, the Admiralty belatedly realised the folly of their original tender, and modified the N.8/39 specification into a new set, N.11/40, which retained most of the previous specifications but explicitly called for a single-seat fighter with 400 mph performance and a 4-hour endurance. Both Blackburn and Hawker responded to this tender, Blackburn with their B-37 design which would eventually evolve into the Firebrand; and Hawker with their P.1009 proposal of a navalised Hawker Typhoon.

Meanwhile, events saw the Royal Navy improvise. As early as May of 1938 concepts were drawn up for a navalised Spitfire, but the need for re-equip RAF units saw the project frozen in favour of the Fairey Fulmar, which entered service in July of 1940. Orders were placed for the Grumman F4F Wildcat which in Royal Navy service became the Grumman Martlet, the first (landbased) examples entering Royal Navy service in August of 1940. With the immediate threat of German invasion receding after the Battle of Britain, both Hawker Hurricanes and Supermarine Spitfires were released for conversion to navalised Hawker Sea Hurricanes and Supermarine Seafires, both types entering service in 1941. When this happened, the N.11/40 specifications became irrelevant, but few in the Admiralty seemed to realise this. Thus, work on both the B-37 and P.1009 designs continued.

Following careful consideration, Blackburn's design was chosen over that of Hawker, and work on the B-37 began in earnest, with the prototype Firebrand making its maiden flight on February 27th 1942. Powered by the Napier Sabre, the new aircraft had promising potential, but this was overshadowed by serious problems: despite its specifications asking for a 400 mph performance it barely managed to top 330 mph, and more importantly, due to its size and weight (weighing in at roughly the weight of TWO Grumman Wildcats) it lacked the agility needed for a fighter. Even worse, problems with the complex Napier Sabre engine due to production and quality control issues at Napier caused severe troubles and delays in the testing program, with one of the prototypes being destroyed in an emergency landing after the engine ceased.

At this point, both the Wildcat and Seafire had already proven themselves in combat, and the Admiralty finally realised the Firebrand had become irrelevant. Rather than giving up on a troubled project, the Admiralty decided that the Firebrand had already progressed too far for cancellation.

Following the belated realisation the Firebrand would not make an adequate fighter, the Admiralty decided it would instead become a fast torpedo bomber as a replacement for the antiquated Fairey Swordfish, especially for use against heavily defended targets such as capital battleships. Following redesign, the first Firebrand torpedo bomber flew on March 31st 1943; by this time the design had been refined, but it still had alarming landing properties, such as abrupt trim changes during missed wire approaches and poor forward sight that made it liable to being rejected for carrier operations.

Out of the blue, the Air Ministry suddenly blocked the further supply of Napier Sabre engines to the Firebrand program, arguing it was urgently required for the Hawker Typhoon fighter-bomber. But once again, rather than cancelling the Firebrand, the Admiralty simply drew up a new set of specifications: S.8/43 called for a Firebrand powered by a radial Bristol Centaurus engine. As this new variant was being developped, Blackburn began with the production of a first batch of Firebrands, consisting of 9 F.I Sabre-engined fighters and 12 TF.II Sabre-engined torpedo bombers. Some of the latter were used to equip 708 Squadron, a trials unit to test the type's suitability for service

The Centaurus-engined variant, the TF.III, first flew on December 21st 1943, being converted from an airframe originally laid down for Sabre production. Except for the different type of engine, the prototype also differed in having a cut-down rear fuselage and teardrop canopy; wing-mounted airbrakes for rapid deceleration during a torpedo run; RATO hardpoints on the fuselage; and an airspeed indicator mounted outside of the cockpit, allowing the pilot to monitor his airspeed while looking over the nose during a carrier approach. However, the new Centaurus engine proved troublesome in combination with the original Sabre-engined airframe. The aircraft had insufficient aileron and rudder control to cope with the engine's torque, poor forward view, tailhook attachments which were not properly stressed to cope with landing loads, and an alarming tendency to drop a wing when stalling for deck landing. This resulted in a protracted development, eventually resulting in the carrier-capable TF.IV variant which first flew on May 17h 1945 - by which time the War in Europe had ended. By the time 813 Squadron of the Fleet Air Arm was finally re-formed as the first operational Firebrand unit... it was September 1st 1945, and World War II had ended in its entirety.

In the end, 102 Firebrand TF.IV were built, augmented by 68 Firebrand TF.IVs built from the outset to TF.V standard with longer-span aileron tabs and horn-balanced elevators, before production was cancelled in March of 1947. Subsequently, 63 of the TF.IVs were converted to TF.V standard (TF.5 after 1948), of which some were converted to TF.5A standard with power-boosted ailerons for improved handling at deck-landing speed.

Despite its protracted development, the Blackburn Firebrand was destined to serve only relatively shortly with two operational units, never seeing combat service. With the Royal Navy's Fleet Air Arm, it served with 813 Squadron from September 1945 until May 1953, being shorebased at RNAS Ford but with carrier deployments to HMS Implacable and HMS Indomitable; and with 827 Squadron from December 1950 until December 1952, being shorebased at RNAS Ford but with carrier deployments to HMS Illustrious and HMS Eagle. By the time both units started conversion to the Westland Wyvern, the Royal Navy had all but abandoned the concept of the torpedo strike fighter. An attempt to build an improved strike fighter based on the Firebrand, the Firecrest, was stillborn, with just three prototypes built before all work on the project was ceased.

Media

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See also

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

External links

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