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[ACE OF THE MONTH] Lt JG Tetsuzo Iwamoto………………………………………………………. 2
#A6M2 Mod 21, Petty Officer First Class Tetsuzo Iwamoto, Zuikaku Carrier Air Group,
Pearl Harbor Attack, 7th December 1941. Camouflage created by max_86z
[AIR FORCES] Israeli Air Force………………………………………………………………………………. 6
'P-51D-5 of the Israeli Air Force, 1956' skin by _TerremotO_
[EVENT] Landing in Normandy……………………………………………………………………………. 10
D-Day wallpaper
[VEHICLE PROFILE] TBF-1c / Avenger Mk 1………………………………………………………….. 12
A TBF-1C of the VC-8. Camouflage with custom damage textures created by Hueynam1234
[VEHICLE PROFILE] M46 Patton…………………………………………………………………………… 16
M46 Patton 64th Tank Bat. [Han River 1951] camouflage created by Tiger_VI
[EVENT] Battles over Malta………………………………………………………………………………… 19
Malta Siege wallpaper
[NATIONAL FORCES] 653rd Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion……………………………………. 21
Jagdtiger 653rd Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion *Germany 1945+, camouflage created by Tiger_VI
[AIR FORCES] Mexican Expeditionary Air Forces…………………………………………………. 24
P-47 wallpaper in Mexican Air Forces camouflage; Republic P-47D-28 from Escuadrón 201,
camouflage created by RiderR2
[VEHICLE PROFILE] Hawker Sea Fury……………………………………………………….. 27
Sea Fury wallpaper; Historical skin of Peter "Hoagy" Carmichael's Hawker Sea Fury, the
legendary one that shot down a MiG-15 over Korea. Camouflage created by printf8via
[HISTORICAL] Guns of the Air, the RCMs and HMGs………………………………… 31
[VEHICLE PROFILE] PzKpfw KV-1B 756(r)…………………………………………………. 35
KV-1B wallpaper
[NATIONAL FORCES] The Irish Air Corps……………………………………………………………… 39
No.1 Fighter Squadron, Irish Army Air Corps at Baldonnel, Ireland, by CmdNomad
[EVENT] Blue on Blue…………………………………………………………………………………………. 42
US light tanks wallpaper
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#A6M2 Mod 21, Petty Officer First Class Tetsuzo Iwamoto, Zuikaku Carrier Air Group, Pearl
Harbor Attack, 7th December 1941. Camouflage created by max_86z
[ACE OF THE MONTH] Lt JG Tetsuzo Iwamoto
1. June 2015 – Author: Mark Barber, War Thunder Historical Consultant
Tetsuzo Iwamoto was born in June
1916 in the Karafuto Prefecture of
Japan, the third of his parents’ three
sons and one daughter. His father was
a policeman by trade and became a
high ranking official after the family
move to Sapporo. After his father
retired the family moved to the
smaller city of Masuda, where
Tetsuzo
attended
the
city’s
Agricultural and Forestry High School
whilst his parents changed vocation
to farming. Whilst he was a gifted
student both academically and
physically, his popularity with his
teachers was poor due to his
insubordinate,
rebellious
and
sometimes outright rude nature.
The young Iwamoto graduated from
high school in 1934 but had already
decided that a farmer’s life was not
for him. Whilst ostensibly travelling
away from home to take his college
entrance exams, Iwamoto joined the
Imperial Japanese Navy as an enlisted
rating, a move which deeply
disappointed his parents who were
counting on his help with the family
farm. After about a year and a half’s
service Iwamoto was working as a
mechanic onboard the carrier Ryujo;
inspired by the lifestyle of the
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embarked aviators, he set his sights
on joining the elite fraternity of naval
fighter pilots. After passing his
entrance exams Iwamoto commenced
flying training and graduated in
December 1936.
Japanese A5M fighters engaged the
hostile aircraft and Iwamoto shot
down an incredible four enemy
aircraft with a fifth probable. On April
29th Iwamoto repeated the incredible
feat of shooting down four aircraft in
a day and, by the time he was ordered
back to Japan in September, he had
14 kills from 82 sorties and was the
top Japanese naval ace of the war.
After a tour as an instructor, Petty
Officer First Class Iwamoto returned
to the front line onboard the carrier
Zuikaku, now flying the legendary
A6M ‘Zero’ fighter. Iwamoto was
airborne for the day of infamy – the
attack on Pearl Harbor – but flew air
cover over the carrier group itself
rather than escorting the actual raid.
Iwamoto was heavily involved in the
air war in the Pacific from the outset,
regularly leading flights of A6Ms
against their American, British and
Australian counterparts. Iwamoto
flew in the violent air engagements of
the Battle of the Coral Sea in May
1942, during which Zuikaku’s air
group suffered significant losses. This
necessitated a return to Japan for
resupply and to train replacement
aircrew which resulted in Iwamoto
and his comrades missing the Battle
of Midway.
Tetsuzo Iwamoto
Six months of advanced flying training
followed,
including
embarked
operations. However, Iwamoto would
not see combat until February 1938.
Now part of the 12th Air Group,
Airman First Class Iwamoto was sent
to China where hostilities had been
raging between China and Japan since
July 1937. In his first combat mission,
his flight was attacked by a large
formation of Chinese I-15 and I-16
fighters over Nanchang. Breaking
away from the bombers they had
been charged to protect, the
The devastating losses of Midway
resulted in Iwamoto being pressed
back into service as a pilot instructor
in an effort to join the small team in
Japan who frantically tried to train
new aircrew to stem the advancing
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allies. After a year of instructional
duties, Chief Petty Officer Iwamoto
returned to the front line and joined
the 253rd Air Group, flying A6Ms from
Rabaul in November 1943. Involved in
daily air combat, the experienced
fighter leader led his cadre of
increasingly
junior
and
less
experienced pilots against the might
of the US Navy and USAAF. Whilst
operating from Rabaul, Iwamoto filed
claims for a staggering 142 enemy
aircraft shot down.
to the growing sentiment of antimilitarism he now faced, Iwamoto
developed drinking problems and
plunged into depression. When the
Allied Occupation Forces finally
departed Japan in 1952, Iwamoto
briefly found employment in a
spinning mill but even this was not to
last – the next year he began to suffer
from abdominal pains and after
several
operations
he
grew
increasingly weak. In May 1955, aged
only 38, Tetsuzo Iwamoto died of
septicemia from the last of his
operations. Several sources claim his
final words were to his wife: “when I
get well, I want to fly again.”
After withdrawing from Rabaul,
Iwamoto returned to Japan in June
1944 for a brief respite from the front
line, before fighting in the skies over
Formosa and the Philippines during
autumn and the winter. In November
1944 Iwamoto’s skill and leadership
were further recognised when he was
commissioned as an officer in the
ranks of the Japanese Navy, holding
the rank of Ensign. Iwamoto’s last
operational sorties were flown with
the 203rd Air Group, defending
Kyushu and Okinawa in the furthest
Southwest reaches of Japan against
the long ranged B-29 attacks and the
might of the US Navy’s carrier borne
air power. The last few months of
Iwamoto’s war were spent training
kamikaze pilots at Iwakuni airfield on
Honshu island.
Iwamoto’s final number of kills
remains open to debate. A
combination of the Japanese practice
of crediting victories to a squadron
rather than an individual, lost records
and discrepancies between the
confirmation process in Japan and
allied nations mean that the final tally
will never be known: most sources
officially credit Iwamoto with 80 kills;
his war diary claims 202 individual
victories, 26 shared and 22
unconfirmed. His wartime service
resulted in the award of the Order of
the Golden Kite, 5th Class. An
outspoken, opinionated and brash
man on the ground, Iwamoto was
conversely a tactically minded and
cool headed aviator who favoured hit
and run tactics over dogfighting.
There is a very good chance that he
was, and forever will be, the greatest
Japanese fighter ace of all time.
Iwamoto was promoted to SubLieutenant on his enforced retirement
from the Japanese Navy following his
nation’s surrender, Unable to find
work in a post war Japan, in part due
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With an upcoming update, we will add Cherryblossom Killmarkings used by Tetsuzo
Iwamoto made by Jej 'CharlieFoxtrot' Ortiz
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'P-51D-5 of the Israeli Air Force, 1956' skin by _TerremotO_ | download here
[AIR FORCES] Israeli Air Force
3. June 2015 - Author: Jan "RayPall" Kozák
The direct predecessor of the Israeli
Air Force (
, English
abbreviation IAF) was called Sherut
Avir, which was name for an air wing
of Israeli Haganah underground
armed forces. This air corps initially
possessed only a small number of
various militarised civil aircraft, but
Israeli agents soon negotiated aircraft
deliveries from Czechoslovakia, as the
Czechs already supplied Israel with
infantry weapons and ammunition at
the time.
five days after neighboring Arab
countries responded by quick
offensive, starting so-called War of
Independence.
The first aircraft acquired were Avia S199 fighters - Czechoslovakian
conversion of Messerschmitt Bf 109
G-6, equipped with Junkers Jumo
211F inline engine instead of the
standard Daimler-Benz DB 605.
Despite S-199’s poor handling
characteristics, the first Israeli fighter
squadron was formed, and following
the official founding of the Israeli Air
force on the 28th May 1948, four S199s, nicknamed Sakeen (“Knife” in
Hebrew), were deployed for the first
Dismantled fighters were then ferried
to Israel by air, with the first deliveries
arriving on 20th May 1948 - six days
after Israel declared statehood, and
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time on the 29th May, conducting
ground attack sorties against Egyptian
forces near Ashdod.
Spitfire. Until the end of hostilities,
new types of aircraft were purchased
from various sources, including
Boeing B-17 Flying Fortress heavy
bombers, de Havilland Mosquito
fighter bombers, and North American
P-51 Mustang fighters.
After the end of the War of
Independence, foreign volunteer
pilots, representing the core of IAF
flying personnel during the war, were
dismissed, and the IAF started to rely
on Israeli pilots only. Tactical
doctrines were developed including
the
importance
of
aerial
reconnaissance, new squadrons were
formed from acquired foreign planes.
During the early 1950s, the IAF also
entered the jet era by acquiring
Gloster Meteor jet fighters in 1953. In
1956, the IAF then participated in
Operation Kadesh - the codename of
the Israeli strike to reclaim the Suez
Canal, supported by France and Great
Britain.
An Isreali Air Force Pilot, 1949
Along with more S-199s, the
Czechoslovakians eventually provided
Israel with Supermarine Spitfire
LF.Mk.IXe fighters, delivering them
during 1948 with many of them
reaching their destination after the
cessation of hostilities. The first IAF
aerial victory was achieved on the 3rd
June, when Modi Alon, piloting an
Avia S-199, managed to shoot down
two Douglas DC-3 transport planes
used as makeshift bombers by the
Egyptian Air Force, which were
bombing Tel Aviv.
Former Israeli Air Force Spitfire Mk.IXe
On the 8th of June, the first aerial
dogfight also occurred, with Gideon
Lichtaman shooting down an Egyptian
During the operation, IAF Mustangs
conducted a daring low-level raid,
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cutting telephone lines in the Sinai
with their wings and propellers, while
transport planes assisted by carrying
paratroopers and the rest of IAF
provided air support and defended
ground units against Egyptian aircraft.
The brightest moment of the IAF then
came on the 5th of June 1967, when
Israeli fighters were able to cripple
Jordanian, Egyptian and Syrian air
forces with a single decisive strike,
achieving total air superiority over all
three countries as part of Operation
Focus. During the following Six-Day
War, Israeli pilots claimed over 450
enemy aircraft destroyed, with
absolute most of them destroyed on
the ground. After this conflict,
McDonnell Douglas F-4 Phantom
fighters (nicknamed Kurnass “Sledgehammer”) were sold to Israel
by the US, beginning the American
military support of Israel which has
been continuing until the present day.
domestically built IAI Sa’ar fighterbombers (licensed version of Dassault
Super Mystére).
Prime Minister Ben Gurion awarding IAF
Pilots
The biggest challenge for IAF came
with surprise joint strike of Egypt,
Syria and Jordan in 1973, starting Yom
Kippur War. This time, the IAF
suffered serious losses at the hands of
well-prepared Egyptian and Syrian
surface-to-air missile (SAM) positions
and
anti-aircraft
artillery
emplacements. The IAF was able to
effectively contribute in the conflict
and to cause severe losses on
Egyptian and Syrian air forces, but the
price was high - over 100 IAF aircraft
were shot down, most of them by
SAM and anti-aircraft fire. This painful
experience influenced IAF tactical
doctrines after the conflict with
attention focused on minimizing the
SAM threat.
The next conflict was a War of
Attrition between 1967 and 1970
against Egypt, characterized by
artillery ambushes, commando raids
and extensive air activity. The IAF,
equipped with Phantoms and
Dassault Mirage fighters, again
prevailed against Egyptian Air Force
possessing Soviet-made fighters such
as MiG-21, losing approximately 26
aircraft while claiming up to 114
Egyptian planes shot down. After the
War of Attrition, IAF was then further
modernized,
acquiring
more
Phantoms
and
Mirages,
supplemented by A-4 Skyhawks and
In the 1970s and during the early
1980s, the IAF not only effectively
replaced its losses from the Yom
Kippur War, but also managed to
significantly expand. Aside from
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Skyhawks and Phantoms, F-15 Eagle
and F-16 Fighting Falcon fighters were
acquired,
supplemented
by
domestically built IAI Nesher and IAI
Kfir fighters, the latter being a
derivative of the French Dassault
Mirage 5. In 1981, IAF conducted an
successfull airstrike on Osiraq nuclear
facility located in Iraq, while in 1982,
the IAF participated in the First
Lebanon War, destroying Syrian SAM
sites in Beqaa Valley in Lebanon and
claiming over 80 Syrian planes shot
down with no recorded loss in air-toair combat on Israeli side.
Deir ez-Zor, and from 2011, IAF
started to operate the Iron Dome
anti-rocket defence system.
From the ragtag collection of
militarised civilian planes in 1948 up
to one of the most modern air forces
of today in 2015, the Israeli Air Force
has undergone a fast development
hallmarked by numerous clashes with
numerically superior enemy. Thanks
to the skill of pilots and brilliant
strategy decisions, the IAF overcame
every challenge with pride and
honour, and can be rightfully proud of
its rich and interesting history.
From the 1990s to present day, the
main attention of the IAF has been
focused on the Gaza Strip, with IAF
activity culminating after a unilateral
Israeli withdrawal from Gaza in 2005.
In 2007, the IAF destroyed a
suspected Syrian nuclear facility in
There are many aircraft in the game
that have been connected with the
Israeli air force throughout its history,
try them out yourself in honour of
these skilled airmen.
In one of the following Updates, we will include the 'Israeli Air Force Roundel' decal to War
Thunder by Colin 'Fenris' Muir
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Wallpaper 1280x1024 | 1920x1080
[EVENT] Landing in Normandy
4. June 2015 - Author: The War Thunder Team
Towards the end of 1943, through to
the beginning of 1944, the German
forces began fortifying the French
coast, creating efficient protection,
ranging from the Mediterranean Sea
to La-Manche. The Main focus was
concentrated on fortifying the Pas-deCalais coast, where the Allies were
expected to make their main
offensive strike.
first line were covered with strategic
machinegun positioning and anti-tank
armaments, while platoon and
company
size
strong
points,
stretching approximately 1.5 to 2
kilometres, covered the second line.
Defensive positions maintained a 2
stage defence setup, populated with
mines, Czech hedgehogs, and various
traps. The defensive sectors of the
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Despite this, and having gathered
detailed intelligence on planned
German defensive strategies, British
and American troops were able to
strike where they were least
expected.
initial assault, and over 7,000 ships. In
addition to this, 11,000 aircraft were
deployed.
By the 11th of June, the Allies had
secured the Cotentin Peninsula
beyond Cherbourg, but progress
continued slowly as the Germans put
up fierce resistance. The end of the
Normandy campaign came with the
destruction of the German 7th Army
in the Falaise pocket in August.
When the landings finally began, only
14 of the 58 German divisions that
were situated in France were able to
face the Allies (85 divisions in total
were deployed in France and Italy,
while around 240 were still
concentrated on the Eastern front).
While there was stiff resistance in
other coastal areas, Omaha was the
only location where the success of the
Allied mission was in serious doubt.
As the invasion of Normandy was the
largest amphibious assault ever
launched, the manpower and
machinery involved were massive,
involving five army divisions in the
.
The allied invasion had a strong
psychological effect for both the
besieged Nazi army and Soviet forces,
who had fought their way from the
East. Great inspiration, and the ideals
of the unity of free nations,
encouraged every soldier and officer
of the Allied forces. It was now clear
to them: the victory in the Second
World War was at hand.
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A TBF-1C of the VC-8. Camouflage with custom damage textures created by Hueynam1234 |
Download here!
[VEHICLE PROFILE] TBF-1c / Avenger Mk 1
9. June 2015 - Author: Joe “Pony51” Kudrna
It may be a portly single engine
torpedo bomber, but do not
underestimate its combat potential
and its 2.7 BR rating is just right. It is
an excellent warplane where it can
wreck havoc on the ground and
participate with fellow fighters. While
not much, the rear .50 caliber
(12.7mm) upper turret has excellent
coverage and .30 caliber lower
(7.62mm) protects the lower rear.
until the much later (mid 1944) -3
version introducing wing hardpoints
for rockets and more bombs. The only
difference is the UK version is some
40 km/h slower.
The in game American TBF-1C and its
UK FAA counterpart Avenger Mk. 1
(TBF-1B per Grumman designation)
has two wing mounted .50 (12.7mm)
machine guns which replaced the
single .03 (7.62mm) nose gun in prior
versions. This is an excellent choice as
later variants were mainly involved
with radio and radar improvements
TBF-1C in X-Ray view
In the game it is a solid ship and
although only carry 4 bombs they are
500 pounders (225 KG) thus good on
the majority of targets, not to
mention the single “fish” (torpedo) if
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you want to hunt carriers.
Complimenting the bombs are a pair
of .50 “M2’s” for strafing goodness or
other aircraft should you choose. The
Avengers 2.7 BR puts it in bracket of
weaker aircraft and fortunately for
you the Avenger is robust and can
take licks and the 2 rear gunners will
dish out some hurt so fly it to the
gunners advantage. A dogfighter by
no means it is not a sitting duck, well,
a “turkey”, either. A gaggle of them
could easily take down a better
fighter. Don’t forget its amazing slow
speed ability, being a carrier aircraft it
has a very low stall speed allowing
tight turns (middling roll) to force
enemy aircraft to easily miss and
overshoot.
When faced with a TBF avoid giving
the top gunner an easy target, like
any bomber. Slashing attacks are best,
or in a pinch come in below an face
only the less effective bottom gunner.
Diving attacks work great too aiming
at the pilot, but be cautious of a slow
mover close to ground or you become
a lawn dart.
Premium Avenger Mk.1 available in British Tech Tree for 1000 GE
In the late 1930’s the US Navy need a
replacement
for
its
rapidly
obsolescent
Torpedo
Bomber
“Devastator” (TBD). Leroy Grumman
proposed design was accepted from
several entries, but it was a big, heavy
aircraft for the time. Designated the
TBF (as F is after D) it was ordered in
April 1940 with first flight was 7
August 1941 (the TBM is a TBF
produced by General *M*otors
automobile company, thus “M”).
Right off the bat it was a remarkably
balanced machine, stable flight,
spacious interior, and advanced
technologies in Grumman's other
aircraft. Its clever unique rear folding
wing was applied to Grumman’s older
F4F fighter which until the -4 variant
were fixed and the later F6F Hellcat
was designed with the same
mechanism from the start.
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Its real legacy was what it could do
and did. It was built large to carry
bulky equipment, but in doing so it
had space to carry larger special
equipment built later other carrier
aircraft could not carry, leading the
way in developing new radio, radar,
weapons, and an early AntiSubmarine Warfare (ASW) devices. It
also found itself in service with many
armed forces with UK’s Royal Navy
being an early user (their name
“Tarpon” was soon abandoned to
USN’s “Avenger”).
US President George H. W. Bush was
the youngest ever pilot of one and
award winning actor Paul Newman
was a top gunner in anther! Post war
it continued in military use in many
nations in a variety of rolls but also
found many civilian missions with
New Zealand using them to pioneer
crop dusting techniques while in
Canada many became fire bombers
and a reason so many are airworthy
today. Its most unusual wartime
credit must be shooting down a
passing German V-1 flying bomb! Its
most famous incident was the
mysterious disappearance of “Flight
19”’s 5 avenger in the “Bermuda
Triangle”.
Among
its
long
list
of
accomplishments is sinking the
transport sub I-52 and light carrier
Ryujo and Hiyo, final attack on
battleship Hiei and participated in the
Musashi and Yamato attacks. Future
This one is a beautiful turkey!
In one of the following Updates, we will include the Emblem "Plonky", No. 30 Squadron of
the Royal New Zealand Air Force, created by Jej 'CharlieFoxtrot' Ortiz
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TBF-1C with wings folded. Note the offset position of turret gun clears the vertical tail.
Picture from authors collection
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M46 Patton 64th Tank Bat. [Han River 1951] camouflage created by Tiger_VI |
Download here!
[VEHICLE PROFILE] M46 Patton
11, June 2015 - Author: The War Thunder Team
In War Thunder, the M46 Patton is a
USA Era V Medium Tank. It has a
Battle Rating of 7.0 for all game
modes. The Main armament of the
Patton is the 90mm M3A1 cannon.
There
are
several
types of
ammunition that are available to the
M46, The default shell available to
this vehicle is the M318A1 Armour
Piercing Shell, which does 206mm of
penetration at a 100m flat surface.
The M82 APCBC unlockable shell is
also available, which does 169mm of
penetration at a 100m flat surface. 2
different APCR shells, the M304 and
the M332, can also be unlocked and
used, doing 302mm and 314 mm of
penetration respectively at 100m.
There is also the M71 HE shell, which
does 19mm of penetration at all
distances.
M46 Patton in X-Ray view
The Thickest armour is at the front,
with the hull and frontal turret
maintaining 101mm of armour. The
sides of the Patton maintain a
thickness of 76mm, The rear hull
maintains 51mm, and the rear of the
turret, 76mm. The speed at which you
can reload by default is 11.8 seconds
per round. The Patton’s engine boasts
810 Horsepower at 2800 RPM, with a
top speed of 29 mph (47 km/h). The
M46 is also available as a premium,
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The “M46 Patton (73 Tank Battalion)”.
As a tier IV for the Americans, it
maintains the same Armament,
ammo types and armour, but comes
by default with an insignia of a tiger,
situated at the front of the tank.
Premium M46 "Tiger" from 73 Tank Battalion available in game for 6090 GE
The M46 Patton can see its
development arising as a replacement
to other vehicles in the U.S. armed
forces that had been used during
World War II. At the time, it was
mainly the M4 Sherman, and the M26
Pershing, that equipped the armed
forces. Although the M26 was
considered to have performed well at
the time, showing favourable results
when compared to earlier U.S. tanks
(the M4 Sherman Included), its
mobility was not considered up to par
with its intended use, sharing the
same
arguably
unreliable
transmission that was found on the
M4A3.
M26’s design. Improvements did not
stop with the transmission however,
and the amount of modifications that
were added seemingly mounted. As a
result, in November, the highly
improved tank received its new
designation: The M46. In comparison
to its predecessor, the M46 had
several
benefits,
including
modifications to the transmission,
improvements to the power plant
which lead to a higher power to
weight ratio, and a new main gun
with modifications to the barrel. In
total, 1,168 M26 Pershings were
rebuilt into the M46 Patton, spread
across two different variants.
In order to alleviate some of the
setbacks that were considered
prevalent with the M26, work began
in January, 1948, on improving the
The M46 served in combat
throughout the Korean War, and were
considered superior to the North
Korean T-34-85’s. The M46 served
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alongside other American tanks,
including the M26 and Sherman,
however as more Pattons were made
available to the U.S. fighting forces in
Korea, they were able to replace the
now inferior M26 completely, with its
full withdrawal by 1951.
USMC M-46 Patton Medium Tank in
Korea, 8th July 1952
In one of the following Updates, we will include the Emblem of US Marine Corps, created by
Branislav "InkaL" Mirkov
18
Wallpaper 1280x1024 | 1920x1080
[EVENT] Battles over Malta
12. June 2015 - Author: The War Thunder Team
The British already had possession of
a suitable 20mm aviation cannon
around the early 1940's - the HispanoSuiza HS.404, a French weapon which
had
been
purchased
and
manufactured under the designation
‘Hispano Mk.I’. This early version was
loaded
from
60-round
drum
magazines, and were installed on
Westland Whirlwinds and Bristol
Beaufighter night fighters, which gave
them enough firepower to destroy
German bombers relatively quickly.
The decision was then made to mount
this weapon on Spitfires and
Hurricanes as well. Regarding
Spitfires, a wing modification was
needed for this cannon armament.
Thus, the “B” wing type was
constructed, in contrast to the
original “A” wing suited for machine
gun armaments. This new wing
allowed the installation of two
Hispano Mk.I cannons and four .303
machine guns, albeit the cannons had
to be installed on their sides, as the
usual position of the drum magazine
being atop the weapon would not fit
into a Spitfire’s wing.
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Italian forces, confirming 45 Italian
aircraft shot down as of the end of
1940, with the help of aircraft ferry
operations replacing their losses. This
was a crucial part for the entire
operation, as the remote location of
the island strained the supply of spare
parts, and many Hurricanes had to be
grounded due to maintenance issues.
From January 1941, the situation
worsened for the British as they
encountered
the
Luftwaffe.
Experienced German fighter pilots
soon achieved air superiority over the
island, and German bombers attacked
Allied shipping routes in order to
literally starve the island’s defenders.
However, despite the Allies suffering
heavy losses in terms of ships and
aircraft, the British continued to fight.
It proved difficult though, as
Hurricanes were outperformed by the
more modern Bf 109 German fighter
aircraft.
One of the most well known
deployments
of
cannon-armed
Spitfires was at the Siege of Malta.
Situated in the Mediterranean Sea,
and held by British forces, Malta had
immeasurable
strategic
value.
Because of this “unsinkable aircraft
carrier”, as the island was often
referred to, the RAF were able to
successfully disrupt Axis shipping lines
and agitate the flow of supplies to
North Africa, thus weakening the Axis
forces situated there. Because of this,
it was planned that Malta would
become subject to devastating air
raids in order to destroy as much of
the British forces as possible. The air
raid campaign began on the 11th June
1940. RAF forces in the area consisted
mainly of Hawker Hurricane and
Gloster Gladiator fighters, with
Gladiators being steadily replaced by
Hurricanes onwards from 1940. The
British forces were able to hold their
own against the numerically superior
20
Jagdtiger 653rd Heavy Panzerjäger Battalion [Germany 1945]
camouflage created by Tiger_VI | Download here
[NATIONAL FORCES] 653rd Heavy
Panzerjäger Battalion
17. June 2015 - Author: Sean "Gingahninja" Connell
The 653rd Heavy Panzerjäger
Battalion
(Schwere
PanzerjägerAbteilung 653) was a Tank Destroyer
Battalion comprised of 3 Companies
outfitted with Ferdinand (Elefant)
tanks and the new Jagdtiger (Hunting
Tiger), armed with the powerful
12,8cm main gun.
The Jagdtiger was designed on a
lengthened Tiger II chassis in a
casemate style and approximately
150 were originally ordered, however
only about 80 were completed and
delivered to units. The 12,8cm main
gun was designed and manufactured
by the Krupp family in late 1944. The
weapon fired a 28kg or 62lb shell with
a muzzle velocity of approximately
950 m/s at a rate of 3 rounds per
minute. The gun could use a variety of
charges due to the design of having
two-piece ammunition where the
round and the cartridge were
separate from each other. This
allowed for a variety of roles the
Jagdtiger could fulfill. If the crew
opted to use a light or medium charge
21
then the gun was typically used in the
role of an artillery piece, while the
heavy cartridge, was used in anti-tank
roles where it fired a PzGr. 43 APCBCHE round. The PzGr. 43 was capable
of penetrating 200mm of armor at a
distance of 1000 meters and 148mm
of armor at a distance of 2000 meters.
Soviet Union under command from
the 17th Army until the Battle of
Berlin in May 1945.
In October of 1944 a new 3rd
Company was outfitted with the new
Jagdtiger which met up with 1st
Company on the Western Front and
saw combat against the US and UK.
1st Company saw combat in the
Ardennes Forest during the Battle of
the Bulge while the newly formed 3rd
Company took part in Operation
Nordwind under the command of the
17th SS Panzergrendier Division.
The Jagdtiger weighed approximately
72 tons and the vehicle was severely
underpowered due to the designers
using the same engine that powered
the Tiger I/II and the Panther. The
engine, a Maybach HL230 P30, was
capable of producing 690hp and was
constructed of cast iron which
allowed for the use of larger cylinders
at the cost of added weight of the
vehicle. The Jagdtiger could reach
speeds of approximately 34kmh or
21mph on road surfaces.
All three companies of the 653rd saw
combat throughout the war including
major battles such as the Battle of
Kursk and Dnieper where 1st
Company, consisting of Ferdinands,
saw action and suffered heavy losses
during the battle. In February 1944
1st Company received 11 new
Ferdinands and took part in the Battle
of Anzio in Italy.
Operation Nordwind was the last
major offensive by the German army
on the Western Front where the goal
was to break through the lines of the
US 7th Army and French 1st Army, in
the towns of Alsace and Lorraine,
located in the northeastern corner of
France. The operation as a whole was
unsuccessful where heavy casualties
were suffered by the German Army.
The 2nd and 3rd company suffered
heavy losses in August of 1943 where
only 12 vehicles were left operational
after heavy conflict on the Eastern
Front. The 12 vehicles remaining were
consolidated into 2nd Company
where it remained in conflict with the
Famous Tiger tank ace Otto Carius
commanded a Jagdtiger with the
512th Heavy Antitank Battalion
(Schwere Panzerjäger-Abteilung 512)
at the beginning of 1945, where
Carius’ company took part in the
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defense of the Rhine River which
subsequently surrendered to the US
Army on the 15th of April 1945. Carius
wrote in his memoir “Tigers in the
mud” that he believed the Jagdtiger’s
were not used to their fullest
potential. A great deal of Carius’
personal feeling was due to the poor
engine and transmission as well as
how frequent the main gun needed to
be recalibrated after travelling even
short distances off-road.
were much greater compared to the
allies.
Despite all of the problems that the
Jagdtiger encountered, Allied troops
still feared the tank due to the
inability of Allied tanks to penetrate
the front armor as well as how the
engagement distances in the Jagdtiger
In one of the future updates we will
introduce the "Emblem of Sturmgeschütz
Abteilung made by Branislav 'InkaL'
Mirkov
In the near future, you will be able to experience these, and other vehicles on an entirely
new location, 'Stalingrad'.
23
P-47 in Mexican Air Forces camouflage | 1280x1024 / 1920x1080
[AIR FORCES] Mexican Expeditionary Air Force
19. June 2015 - Author: Sean "Gingahninja" Connell
The history of the Mexican Air Force
goes all the way back to April 1913
during the Mexican Revolution when
the Secretary of War and Navy,
ordered two pilots of the Army’s
Auxiliary Aerial Militia to bomb
targets in Mexico City . In February of
1915 the Mexican leader of the Army,
founded the Military Aviation Arm,
which would become what is now
known as the Mexican Air Force.
twin engine bomber Farman F.50.
From 1923-1929 Mexico became
deeply involved in a violent territorial
war which included military support.
During this time, many battles were
decided by the use of air support.
From 1944 to 1945 the Mexican
Expeditionary Air Force (MEAF) was
training in the US alongside allied
forces through the Lend-Lease
agreement. The 201st Escuadron is
the most renowned MEAF for its
actions in the Pacific against the
Japanese. The 201st was outfitted
mainly with the P-47D “Jug”, which
was well suited for a ground attack
role that the MEAF would be primarily
In the 1920’s, under the advisement
of US Colonel Ralph O’Neill, the
Mexican Air Force would revamp its
outdated inventory of aircraft by
purchasing multiple British Avro 504K
and 504J model aircraft as well as the
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used for. The 201st flew 59 combat
missions in the Southwest Pacific
theatre over the Philippines, Luzon
and Formosa in which it was very
successful in its ground attack role.
there and had only five losses; three
were during combat operations and
two during training flights. These
losses had unfortunately played a big
part in why the squadron was not
used in support roles over Okinawa.
The P-47 which many would consider
an iconic aircraft used during WWII,
was not without its limitations which
would affect the performance of the
201st. Because the squadron was
used primarily as a CAS unit, the
mission was always considered
critical, mainly due to the fuel
consumption. During a mission to
bomb enemy positions in Formosa,
two 201st P-47’s had to emergency
land at alternate landing fields due to
fuel shortage. The average flight time
for a P-47 conducting a fighter sweep
in the Pacific was approximately 20
minutes. When outfitted with bombs
that flight time was cut down
considerably.
Republic P-47D-30-RA Thunderbolt from
Escuadrón 201 over the Philippines
during the summer of 1945
Over Luzon the 201st flew 31 combat
missions from June 4th ‘45 to July 4th
’45, in which the majority was preplanned Close Air Support (CAS)
missions. However, multiple missions
were initiated due to air or ground
alert for immediate action. Despite
reports of hostile aircraft in the area,
the squadron did not see any combat
against the Japanese aircraft. During
the 201st’s time over Formosa, it was
given the “OK” to go on active fighter
sweeps from July 6th-9th when
multiple enemy aircraft were spotted
in the area. Unfortunately no contact
was made with enemy aircraft. This
was the only time during the war for
the 201st that it was used in a fighter
sweep.
After WWII the Mexican Air Force
continued to acquire newer, more
modern aircraft and helicopters to
outfit itself with. Currently the most
modern aircraft of the Mexican Air
Force is the F-5 Freedom Fighter as
well as the Pilatus PC-9. The Mexican
Air Force also has a wide variety of
helicopters
including
UH-60
Blackhawks, Mi-8 and Mi-17’s. The
Mexican Air Force has not had to
operate during war time since WWII,
however they continue their efforts
with other Mexican Government
Agencies in combatting the Mexican
Drug Trade.
The 201st had 35 active pilots in the
Southwest Pacific during it’s time
25
Republic P-47D-28 from Escuadrón 201, camouflage created by RiderR2 | Download here
In one of the following Updates, we will include the "Mexican Air Force Roundel" to War
Thunder, by Colin 'Fenris' Muir
26
Wallpaper 1280x1024 | 1920x1080
[VEHICLE PROFILE] Hawker Sea Fury
22. June 2015 - Author: Scott “Smin1080p” Maynard
Representing the pinnacle of British
piston engined fighters at the end of
the Fleet Air Arm branch, the Hawker
Sea Fury is one of the finest propellor
driven aircraft in game due to its
excellent all round performance and
characteristics. Thanks to its historical
reputation and impressive design, the
Sea Fury is a favourite among the
virtual pilots of War Thunder.
undercarriage for easier carrier
recovery by comparison to its Seafire
predecessors. Pilots who are familiar
with the Hawker Tempest series
within the British tree will be able to
quickly master the Sea Fury. Indeed it
inherits
the
excellent
Bristol
Centaurus radial engine as well as the
sleek wing shape sporting a hard
hitting cannon arrangement from the
Hawker Tempest II.
Situated at the end of Era IV, the
aircraft sports a powerful engine, high
speeds, good rate of climb, surprising
agility as well as a wide track
The Sea Fury has 4 x 20mm Hispano
Mk V cannons with a total 580
maximum ammunition capacity.
27
flexible in a variety of situations and
fulfil its role as a fighter-bomber.
Much like its other Hawker brethren,
the Sea Fury is very dependant on
energy,
but
also
still
quite
maneuverable. Most aircraft that it
cannot beat in a turn fighting
situation, it can simply out-dive and
vice versa. This will of course require
knowledge and understanding of your
opponent and constant situational
awareness to review the situation and
act accordingly. Due to its high
performance as one of the final
production propellor driven aircraft,
the Sea Fury will often face the very
best in piston engined aircraft as well
as the early generation of jet aircraft.
However its combined all round
characteristics, particularly when
further enhanced with researched
upgrades, will be more than sufficient
to engage almost any opposition the
aircraft will come into contact with.
This extremely generous cannon load
is further complemented by invested
research into the “Offensive 20mm
belts” that offers the “Air Targets”
configuration. This is a highly efficient
and effective choice for air-to-air
engagements and ensures the
maximum potential out of your
ammunition supply in dogfights. As
well as this, the Sea Fury also has a
range of external stores available
after unlocking the appropriate
modifications 250lb or 500lb bombs
as well as RP-3 rockets which can be
mounted on hard points under the
wing, allowing the aircraft to remain
Historical skin of Peter "Hoagy" Carmichael's Hawker Sea Fury, the legendary Sea Fury that
shot down a MiG-15 over Korea. Camouflage created by printf8via | Download here!
28
interest in possible new piston
engined aircraft that would couple
great performance with all the
important factors required on a naval
aircraft such as a strong landing gear
system, good combat endurance and
excellent rate of climb. The Sea Fury
would use the proven Bristol
Centaurus
engine
from
its
predecessor the Tempest II and retain
much of the same clean shape with
several improvements. With the naval
version also came a folding wing
mechanism and carrier arresting
equipment for recovery. A large fivebladed propellor would make the
most of the over 2000 horsepower
provided by the Centaurus radial
engine. Thus with clear inspiration
from its Hawker Lineage, the Sea Fury
was borne into naval service too late
to see any service during the Second
World War.
A Sea Fury from No.804 Squadron gets
airborne off the deck of HMS Glory
The Sea Fury was Hawker’s very last
production piston engine aircraft and
the end of the family that began with
the original Hawker Fury. Progressing
through the Hurricane, Typhoon and
Tempest, the Sea Fury was the
culmination of development and
research as well as wartime
experience in combat that would
result in one of the world's greatest
propellor driven fighters. The aircraft
was originally put to the RAF as the
Hawker “Fury”, a lightweight and
more powerful version of the
Tempest II at a time when the dawn
of the jet age was already in full swing
and the piston engine was nearing its
final swansong for frontline fighters.
As a result the Air Force turned down
the Fury due to their already
sufficient Tempest II’s and ever
growing arsenal of jet aircraft such as
the Meteor and Vampire.
When the Sea Fury made its combat
debut in the Korean War, jet aircraft
were already in operation. Operated
in escort and fighter bomber roles
from aircraft Carriers such as HMS
Ocean and HMS Theseus, Sea Fury’s
relieved the already exhausted
Seafires and were adorned with
similar Black and White “Invasion
Stripes” to those used in D-Day after a
friendly fire incident with a US B-29
and Royal Navy Seafire. The pinnacle
of the Sea Furys Fleet Arm’s career
would come on the 9th August 1952,
when Peter Carmichael flying Sea Fury
WJ232 shot down a Mikoyan-
Whilst jet aircraft were already
established with the RAF, the Fleet Air
Arm was ever aware of the difficulty
in operating a brand new and highly
problematic technology from aircraft
carriers. As such it showed great
29
Gurevich MiG-15 jet aircraft after his
flight was attacked.
exhibits with many still in flying
condition.
At a time when many piston aircraft
were quickly swept aside, the Hawker
Sea Fury would prove itself time and
time again, serving not just with
Britain, but with several other
nations, such as Canada, Iraq,
Australia, Pakistan and Morocco. Still
a crowd favorite at many airshows,
the Sea Fury now finds its place as a
Air Racing aircraft and as museum
The snow covered deck of HMS Theseus
with Sea Fury’s and Firefly’s present
The Moroccan Airforce (Decal below) was equipped with the Sea Fury, jump in to the cockpit
and try it out for yourselves! Created by Colin 'Fenris' Muir
30
[HISTORICAL] Guns of the Air, the RCMs
and HMGs
23. June 2015 - Author: Joe “Pony51” Kudrna
A combat aircraft’s armament is just
as important in determining its
fighting ability as the pilot and aircraft
itself. The right combination of
weapons
under
the
right
circumstances is a determining factor
which can elevate even the most
average of aircraft into a deadly
warplane. To explore this, it must be
asked: how did armaments evolve?
develop, and machine-guns were an
obvious choice over pistols and rifles.
Most early airborne machine-guns
where either based on the Maxim
(machine) Gun, Danish Madsen, or
the new Lewis machine-gun, however
neither were optimal; a similar reality
for the first aircraft pressed into
combat.
The first air armaments were Rifle
Caliber Machine-guns (RCM), with
sizes varying roughly from 6mm to
9mm, and the Heavy Machine-Gun
(HMG, reference to diameter not
weight) ranging 10mm to 15mm
(including the .50 inch caliber).
When the First World War broke out
in mid 1914, the concept of aerial
combat was seen more as a fiction
than reality so there was limited
thought into the design of specific air
armaments. Still, some did foresee
the possibility battles in the air would
As the war progressed, increased
aircraft load capacity and better
performing machine guns resulted in
the production of the iconic twin
machine-gun bi-plane fighter. Of
31
course other armaments did exist but
it was almost entirely RCM
armaments and simple solid shot
rounds, often called “Ball” (holdover
term from musket ball) that found
their way onto aircraft. During the
war, John Moses Browning introduced
the highly reliable M1917 machinegun to the US Army that later lead to
the development of the improved
M1919 M1 .30-06 Springfield
(7.62x63) specialized aircraft version.
This was later re-chambered as the
British .303 (7.62x56mmR) and found
its way on virtually all British
warplanes post WWI and well into
WW2.
Conversely,
aviation
technology
accelerated as material science and
cheaper production offered an
abundance of stronger materials with
improved structural designs, which in
turn allowed aircraft builders to
replace vulnerable wood and fabric
with largely superior metal structures.
Higher speeds and larger payloads
where possible, and ambitious goals
in civilian aircraft were often met to
much fanfare, at times producing
better results than expected. This
“golden age” of aviation, as it is
called,
was
a
tremendous
technological revolution.
On the European front in 1918, US
General Pershing witnessed early
armoured
defenses,
armoured
vehicles, and even the world's first
armoured aircraft: the Junkers J.I.
Following
this,
he
demanded
something that would be capable of
combatting them. Working almost
simultaneously on the M1919,
Browning created what would
eventually be the M1921 M2 .50 inch
BMG (B for Browning,12.7x99mm),
effectively a scaled up M1919 and
.30-06 cartridge; however, he would
not stop its design there. Browning
and company continued to tinker with
the design, improving it further into
arguably the best HMG in the world.
It was not until years later that other
companies and nations would devote
the amount of time and effort to
further produce and improve their
own armament variants.
Curiously, as aircraft performance
rapidly improved year after year,
aircraft
armaments
generally
remained the same: just 2 RCM
machine-guns, and some with 4.
There
were,
however,
other
configurations that were proposed
and used - including HMG’s and the
first fighter mounted cannons in the
mid 1930’s - RCM’s, however,
remained the norm. Reliance on RCM
reached a crescendo in November
1934 when RAF Squadron Leader
32
Ralph Sorley specified all future RAF
fighters should be armed with no less
than eight RCM’s, arguing that
engagement times in combat would
be fleeting at best, and more rounds
in the air were needed. What he, and
most others, failed to realize was that
more modern use of materials made
aircraft resistant to RCM armaments.
persisted in many aircraft, being used
well past their combat effectiveness.
This was a most notable feature in
Luftwaffe aircraft.
Across the Atlantic, the USAAF made
use of the Browning lightened aircraft
version of its M1921 .50 inch
12.7x99mm HMG. The long, but
steady development, resulted in the
AN/M2 variant and its inclusion in
some fighter aircraft in the late 30’s.
With the experiences in Europe, it did
not take long to ramp up production
and make it standard in the US air
force’s warplanes, happening much
sooner than other factions, which
were just finishing their HMG designs.
It was also later that the RAF adopted
the AN/M2 instead of the Vickers
HMG. Also based on it was the slightly
inferior Italian Breda-SAFAT and
heavily modified unique Japanese Ho103/104. The semi-original Russian
Berezin was on par, but somewhat
better, than the AN/M2. Arguably, the
champion proved to be the German
MG-131, which was astoundingly 56%
lighter and smaller whilst maintaining
firepower close to that of the
Browning AN/M2. This proved a key
advantage for fighter aircraft, but
eventually, it was only used in small
amounts by the Luftwaffe mostly
latter Bf-109 and FW-190 models.
During the Battle of Britain, many
Luftwaffe bombers were able to
return to French shores. Although
they would be riddled with bullet
marks and holes, and keeping in mind
that many would never fly again, it
seemed to the RAF that they were
shooting paper wads. Equipping
Hurricane Mk. IIB fighters with 12
RCM’s did not seem to improve the
situation.
The
Luftwaffe
also
discovered the same reality, and
determined that even 20mm cannon
rounds had difficulty against larger
aircraft. However efforts to create
better RCM configurations continued,
Germany combined two MG-81J
armaments together into the
intimidating MG-81Z, and the
Russians developed certainly the
ultimate machine-gun ever produced:
the Ultra-ShKAS (Ultra-????) which
was capable of firing an astounding
3000 rounds per minute (but was still
soon abandoned for cannon). Despite
RCM’s minimal impact, it was seen
that cannons also had many
shortcomings, and even the 13mm
sized HMG’s could not easily fit into
the space allocated initially designed
for RCM. As a result, RCM armaments
While many sides had to deal with
various combat mission profiles and
targets, the Americans found
themselves in a very advantageous
situation, where the vast majority of
33
enemy aircraft they faced were more
vulnerable fighter; the Browning
M1921 AN/M2 HMG was an ideal
weapon in fighter engagements. It
also proved devastating against land
and sea units due to its fire rate,
velocity, mass, and penetrating
qualities, aided
with
multiple
installations. It also made the logistics
significantly simpler, including training
and maintenance (coupled with its
near identical M1919 .303), making it
standard in nearly every US aircraft .
At the time, it was the perfect
weapon for the US military and
USAAF in particular, making it a
legend of the time, and a major
weapon in many countries to this day.
34
Wallpaper 1280x1024 | 1920x1080
[VEHICLE PROFILE] PzKpfw KV-1B 756(r)
24 June 2015 - Author: Jan "RayPall“ Kozák
In War Thunder, the PzKpfw KV-1B
756(r) is a rank 3 German premium
heavy tank with a Battle Rating of 5.3.
Frontal armour is 75 mm thick both
on the lower glacis (26 degrees of
slope), and on the upper glacis (30
degrees of slope), with 40 mm plate
sloped under 72 degrees covering the
area between them. The un-sloped
side armour is 75 mm thick, while
lower rear armour thickness is 70 mm
under slope of 14 degrees (60 mm for
upper rear armour plate). An
additional 25 mm's of applique
armour is then fitted on both the
lower and upper frontal glacis, giving
it 100 mm of armour protection.
Three other 25 mm armour strips
As a premium, it comes with all
modifications (including ammunition)
already researched. Its weight is 47.5
tonnes, and maximum speed is 37
kph, which the tank can reach in 15
seconds when riding on flat surface.
The turret’s rotation speed is 12
degrees per second, while the reload
time is 6.2 seconds with a fully trained
loader.
35
then protect the turret ring. The
turret armour is 105 mm thick all
around, with the gun mantlet having
50 mm of armour protection. The
commander’s cupola has a thickness
of 50 mm all around, and the armour
is 30 mm thick on the top of the hull,
and 40 mm on the turret’s top.
MG 34 7.92 mm machine gun,
provided with 4350 rounds, while the
ammunition load for the main gun is
80 rounds.
Regarding firepower, the tank is
armed with the 7.5 cm KwK 40 L/48
gun. With basic Pzgr.39 APCBC
rounds, and at range of 10 meters,
this gun is able to penetrate up to 136
mm of armour against when flat, 123
mm against armour sloped under 30
degrees, and 51 mm against armour
sloped under 60 degrees. At a range
of 1000 meters, the penetration
decreases to 109 mm (flat armour),
98 mm (30 degrees slope) and 41 mm
(60 degrees slope) respectively, while
at the maximum range of 2000
meters, the penetration is 86 mm (flat
plate), 77 mm (30 degrees slope) and
32 mm (60 degrees slope).
Alternatively, you can use the Pzgr.40
APCR shell, giving you enhanced
penetration at medium and short
ranges (up to 177 mm), but with
worse penetration capabilities when
faced by sloped armour and when
firing at distant targets. The third
available ammunition type is then the
Hl.Gr.38B HEAT round, able to
penetrate 80 mm (flat plate), 69 mm
(30 degrees slope) and 39 mm (60
degrees slope) respectively at all
ranges in exchange for lower muzzle
velocity. As a secondary armament,
this tank is equipped with a coaxial
X-ray view of the PzKpfw KV-1B 755(r)
This tank is sometimes dubbed “Baby
Tiger” and despite the fact it’s
basically a Soviet tank, the nickname
is quite fitting. The frontal hull armour
is actually even better than that of the
Tiger (same thickness combined with
30 degrees slope), and when properly
angled, it can be very resilient to
enemy fire. Additionally, the rearmounted transmission means you
don’t need to worry about your tank
being immobilized by penetrations
from the front. In turn, the
performance of KwK 40 gun is fully
adequate on its given BR even with
basic ammunition, as it can still
reliably penetrate most of its
opposition, and when aimed at weak
spots, it can destroy virtually any
enemy tank encountered. However as
with the Tiger, you shouldn't fall
under the impression that you’re
invincible! Flank shots will be
extremely dangerous for you because
of large fuel tanks occupying the
space behind the side armour, which
are prone to being detonated or set
36
on fire. The gun mantlet is only 50
mm thick, and despite this being a
small target, even lighter guns can
penetrate you this way, disabling your
turret crew and threatening with
detonation of ammunition stowage in
the turret. That being said, it is
recommended to reduce your
ammunition load in order to remove
excess shells from your turret and
decrease the chance of an
ammunition explosion. When facing
this tank, it is also recommended to
shoot the driver’s vision slit, as
applique armour is missing there.
cm and short-barrelled 7.5 cm guns,
while the KV-1 could dispatch any
German tank at distance with ease.
However, the tide has turned with the
use of the PzKpfw IV Ausf.F2 medium
tank and the StuG III Ausf.F assault
gun, both being armed with the new
7.5 cm KwK 40 L/43 gun. This weapon
was able to penetrate the frontal
armour ofa KV-1 at combat ranges,
ending the Soviet superiority. The
Soviets responded with several new
variants of the KV-1 in an attempt to
strengthen their armour protection
(models 1941 and 1942), or to
improve mobility in exchange for
lighter armour (KV-1S). Even despite
these attempts, KV-1’s started to be
obsolete, and were gradually phased
out of service in favour of brand new
IS-series heavy tanks which had a
better armament and armour
protection.
With great armour, good firepower
for its BR, and good mobility for a
heavy tank, the PzKpfw KV-1B 756(r)
is definitely worth the GE’s spent, and
will offer you very enjoyable heavy
tank, allowing you to earn extreme
amounts of Silver Lions and Research
Points due to it being a premium
vehicle.
During fierce armoured clashes on the
Eastern Front, the Germans were able
to capture a number of KV-1’s, most
of them being abandoned by their
crews due mechanical failure or
combat damage. The Germans
eventually repaired these tanks,
painted them with their own
camouflage, and used them against
the Soviets under the designation
PzKpfw KV-1A 753(r) (for captured
model 1941 tanks) or PzKpfw KV-1B
755(r) (model 1942). These tanks
were mostly used with their original
armament, but the decision was
made to further modify captured KV-1
tanks
by
installing
German
When the German army encountered
Soviet KV-1 heavy tanks in 1941
during the opening stages Operation
Barbarossa, it was a shocking
experience. These Soviet behemoths
were impervious to German 3.7 cm, 5
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armaments and other modifications.
The resulting vehicle was designated
PzKpfw KV-1B 756(r), and was based
on the KV-1 model 1942 with a cast
turret and 25 mm applique armour.
The Soviet 76.2 mm F-34 gun was
removed, and the German 7.5 cm
KwK 40 L/43 gun was fitted along with
the new mantlet design taken from
the PzKpfw IV Ausf.G medium tank this change significantly enhanced the
tank’s firepower. Other changes
included a commander’s cupola from
the PzKpfw IV tank with wo-part
hatch, a ventilator on top of the turret
taken from the captured T-34 mod.
1942 medium tanks, and additional
utility baskets on the rear deck.
Only one PzKpfw KV-1B 756(r) was
produced. It was attached to the
204th Panzer Regiment, a part of the
22nd Panzer Division, and was
operational in 1943 during Battle of
Kursk. Its fate is unknown.
In one of the following Updates, we will include the "Emblem of the 22nd Panzer Division" to
War Thunder, created by Branislav "InkaL" Mirkov
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No.1 Fighter Squadron, Irish Army Air Corps at Baldonnel, Ireland.
Camouflage created by CmdNomad | Download here
[NATIONAL FORCES] The Irish Air Corps
25. June 2015 – Author: Mark Barber, War Thunder Historical Consultant
The origins of military aviation in
Ireland are nothing if not unique.
With the British government entering
into talks with the Provisional
Government of Southern Ireland in
1922, revolutionary leader Michael
Collins required an aircraft to
extricate from London should the
talks take a turn for the worse. With
the purchase of a single Martinsyde
Type A biplane, Irish military aviation
was born. By June of 1922 the Irish Air
Service HQ at Baldonnel had grown to
13 aircraft and 14 pilots. In 1924 the
Irish Defence Forces were officially
established.
from Baldonnel, but the airfield’s
Commanding Officer – Comdt James
Fitzmaurice – joined the German crew
on their 37 hour flight to Greenly
Island. The interwar period saw
further developments for the Irish Air
Corps when, following on from the
successful adoption of a pilot Cadet
Scheme, a similar Boy Apprentice
Scheme was introduced for ground
crews in 1936.
In 1928 the first successful
transatlantic flight from East to West
firmly put Irish aviation on the world
stage. Not only did the flight launch
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The same year also saw the
establishment of Ireland’s national
airline, Aer Lingus, which initially
shared Baldonnel with the Irish Air
Corps.
their Gladiators, were used to
intercept and shoot down dozens of
barrage balloons which had broke
free of their moorings in Britain and
drifted across to Ireland.
With war breaking out in Europe,
Ireland was in a position of being able
to remain neutral, although a state of
emergency was declared by the Irish
Government. The Irish Air Corps was
tasked with patrolling the nation’s
airspace and coastlines, wary of the
fact that British and German aircraft
were engaged in combat only a few
dozen miles away. The Irish Air Corps’
most modern aircraft at the time was
the Gloster Gladiator, of which only
four were supplied by Britain. Other
aircraft included the de Havilland
Dragon,
Supermarine
Walrus,
Westland Lysander and Avro Anson.
Defence Force image of Air Corps de
Havilland Vampire T-11 Trainers
After the war, with embargos
discontinued
and
less
of
a
requirement for military aircraft
across the world, the Irish Air Corps
was in a better position to import
more modern types. Hurricanes were
replaced by Supermarine Seafires
which had been denavalised to save
weight and in 1956 a de Havilland
Vampire trainer became Ireland’s first
military jet. After the punishing winter
of 1962/63, rotary wing aviation
followed with the allocation of
Alouette III helicopters for Search and
Rescue.
As combat continued between British
and German forces, 163 foreign
aircraft made forced landings in
Ireland; not only did this lead to the
very interesting scenario of British
and German aircrew being interned
very close to each other – sometimes
in adjacent buildings – but also gave
the ground crews of the Irish Air
Corps the opportunity to make these
aircraft safe for disposal and, in some
cases airworthy again and added to
the Air Corps’ books. In this way the
Irish Air Corps began operating its first
Hawker Hurricanes which, alongside
After a period of expansion in the
1970s, today’s Irish Air Corps’ main
capability lies with its rotary wing
fleet, transport aircraft and maritime
patrol assets.
In one of the following Updates, we will include the IAC roundel & emblem of the No. 1
Fighter Squadron IAC to War Thunder. Decals made by Colin 'Fenris' Muir >>>
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Wallpaper 1280x1024 | 1920x1080
[EVENT] Blue on Blue
26. June 2015 - Author: Adam “BONKERS” Lisiewicz
In 1917, the American Expeditionary
Forces led by General John Pershing
arrived in France to take part in the
fight against Germany on the Western
Front of World War I. It was then that
the Americans first saw the brand
new Renault FT-17 light tanks. This
vehicle, which was considered
revolutionary for its time, was found
to be perfect for the new US Tank
Force about to be created. In 1918,
thanks to the purchasing of the
relevant license, the Americans began
the serial manufacture of their own
FT-17, known as the M1917. These
machines, along with the Mark VII
heavy tank, were to form the
backbone of the US Tank Force.
Model of the FT-17
In 1920 however, all that changed.
With the passing of the National
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Defense Act, the idea of producing a
heavy tank was abandoned. Instead,
the designs were to be one of two
possible configurations – a 5-ton light
tank and a 15-ton medium tank. This
decision paved the way for a slew of
projects, prototypes and pilot models
produced by US manufacturers, albeit
the progress was slow because of very
tight budget restrictions. Also,
conflicting views of how to use tanks
– while many officers believed that
tanks should be limited to infantry
support roles, General Douglas
MacArthur, the Chief of Staff of the
US Army, supported the notion of
tanks being used by the cavalry in
staging fast offensives. Because the
Cavalry could not use “tanks” a new
definition for an armored vehicle was
born – the “Combat Car”.
blisteringly fast (with a top speed of
72 km/h on a beaten track), it was
only armed with three machine guns
(1 .50 cal. and two .30 cal.) and it's
maximum armour thickness clocked in
at only 16 mm. The Army at first was
interested with the T1 Combat Cars
designed by Walter Christie, but later
decided not to pursue with the
project. Christie's projects were,
however, picked up by the Soviet
Union, which then proceeded with
the production of the BT series of
tanks. In the USA, the Army chose the
T2 Light Tank prototype to be pushed
into mass production. Standardised as
the M2, it would then become the
main tank of the pre-World War II era.
Still, the new vehicles were, at best,
outfitted with .50 caliber machine
guns, which relegated them to
infantry
support
duties.
The
experiences of the Spanish Civil War
resonated throughout the US General
Staff, as reports proved that vehicles
should be armed with a cannon in
order to achieve any success in
combat against enemy armour. This
prompted the design of the M3 Light
Tank. Meanwhile, the US Army
quickly began modernising their M2
Light Tanks to the M2A4 standard.
This version featured a 37 mm gun as
the main armament, replacing the .50
cal M2 machine gun, as well as
improved
armour
protection.
Meanwhile, the T7 prototype, which
was to become the M3 Light Tank,
was beginning to take shape. The
tests
confirmed
the
vehicle's
Armoured Car М1
“Combat Cars” in today's terms can
be roughly described as tankettes –
fast, lightly armored, and armed with
fairly low-caliber weaponry. In the
1930s, two projects were developed
simultaneously for the cavalry and the
army – the Cavalry was supposed to
be supplied with the T5 pilot, later
known as the M1 Combat Car. While
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readiness for combat, and it was
pressed into serial production in
1941.
Based on combat reports from North
Africa, the Ordnance Department
quickly issued a specification for a
new light tank. It would be armed
with a 75 mm gun and be equipped
with as many parts from the M5 Light
Tank as possible to ease maintenance.
In 1943, the T24 prototype was
presented, and after further testing, it
was adopted into the US Army as the
Light Tank M24. Production started in
1944, and because of that, many
Armoured Divisions were not able to
replace their M3 and M5 light tanks
before the end of the war. The M24
was later used in Korea, however it
quickly proved to be inadequate to
the T-34-85 medium tank used by
North Korea. The M24 also took saw
battle in Indochina, where it was used
by the French during the Dien Bien
Phu siege.
М3A1 at Guadalcanal
The new M3 Light Tank, dubbed as
the “Stuart” or “Honey” by the British,
debuted in combat in November 1941
in North Africa. There, however, it
suffered heavy losses and was not
liked by the British, mainly due to its
lackluster armament. The Stuarts and
M2A4 tanks also took part in the
Pacific Campaign, fighting in the
Philippines and Guadalcanal – there,
however, tank vs. tank combat was a
rare sight, due to unfavourable
terrain. The M3 proved itself on
Guadalcanal, vastly multiplying the
firepower used against the Japanese
by the USMC. The criticisms levelled
at the M3 were noted, and soon an
upgraded version of the tank – the
M5 – surfaced. The appearance of the
M5 still did not solve the firepower
debacle – the tank still featured a 37
mm gun, which relegated its use to
recon and infantry support roles.
However, a new light tank was soon
to be on it's way.
М24 Chaffee
Even before the Korean War, the US
were already working on replacing it
with a more modern design. The T37
Light Tank prototype paved the way
for the M41 Walker Bulldog Light
Tank. The new machine was armed
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with a high-velocity 76 mm cannon,
and was capable of firing a variety of
shells, including Armour Piercing
Discarding Sabot. The Walker Bulldog
was too late to see widespread use
during the Korean War, but it did,
however, take part in the Vietnam
War, where it was used by the Army
of South Vietnam as a replacement of
the M24 Chaffee. The Bulldog was not
without its faults. It was very
uneconomical and only a small
number of aircraft could successfully
airlift it. The US Army later tried to
design new tanks to replace the M41
– mainly the T71 and the T92 – but
those designs never progressed
beyond prototype stage.
have a fighting chance against Soviet
heavy and main battle tanks. After
extensive testing and constant design
changes, the new tank was pressed
into service in 1967, under the
designation M551 “Sheridan”. It then
took part in the Vietnam War,
although there the crews never fired
an ATGM at the enemy because of
the infantry support character of the
mission. The Sheridans fighting in
Vietnam suffered many losses from
antitank
mines,
which
easily
punctured the aluminum hull of the
Sheridan. After Vietnam, the Sheridan
was used by the US Army in
Operation Just Cause, as well as in the
Gulf War. The last Sheridans were
removed from the inventory in 1996.
Currently, the M2 Bradley IFV and the
M1128 Stryker MGS fulfill the roles
normally assigned to light tanks in the
US Army.
The appearance of the T-54 medium
tank quickly brought forward the
question of up-gunning the M41. In
1950, the T49 prototype emerged,
armed with a 90 mm gun in place of
the 76 mm cannon used on the M41.
However, a slew of new designs
prompted the Ordnance Department
to cancel the plans of up-gunning the
M41. Instead, a new light tank was to
be developed. After nearly a decade,
a brand new design by Cadillac
captured the eyes of the US Brass.
Dubbed the XM551, the new tank was
to be armed not with a conventional,
high velocity cannon, but a 152 mm
short barreled gun-launcher, capable
of firing the MGM-51 Shillelagh
ATGM. This way, the new tank would
T49
With an upcoming Update, we will add the "Wolfpack" emblem of the 15th Tank
Battalion, 6th Armored Division to War Thunder, created by Branislav "InkaL" Mirkov >>>
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