Difference between pages "M4A4 (1st PTG) (China)" and "F-104A"

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(→‎See also: Added vehicles)
 
(F-104A is very fast and maneuverable over mach 1. It can only carry AIM-9Bs which take a lot of skill to use effectively at the F-104A's B.)
 
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{{Specs-Card
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{{Specs-Card|code=f-104a}}
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|code=cn_m4a4_sherman_1st_ptg
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{{About
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|store = 7055
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| about = jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 +
| usage = other versions
 +
| link = F-104 (Family)
 
}}
 
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the ground vehicle 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.'' -->
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<!-- ''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.'' -->
 
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
{{Break}}
 
{{Break}}
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} Chinese medium tank {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]].
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]].
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
−
=== Survivability and armour ===
+
=== Flight performance ===
−
<!--Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.-->
+
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
−
 
+
[[File:F-104A in the sunset.jpg|alt=F-104 Starfighter breaks the soundbarrier at sunset with its afterburner roaring|thumb|A F-104A Starfighter breaks the sound barrier at sunset]]
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The hull is very similar to the American [[M4|M4 Sherman]], with a 50.8 mm thick upper glacis and protruding hatches interrupting the glacis ( augmented with applique armour). Weak spots here include the machine gun port and ventilator on the right side. The hull sides feature applique armour plates covering the ammunition storage racks. The turret is also very similar but lacks the applique armour on the right cheek, leaving a small weakened zone in that area. Frontal protection is quite good for its rank and shots from smaller anti-tank guns can generally be shrugged off, particularly when hull down. However more powerful guns such as the [[Pz.IV F2|Panzer IV F2's]] long 75 mm can destroy the tank easily, so care should be taken.  
+
The F-104's are generally very fast and the F-104A is no exception. Even when it is stock the climb rate can be comparable to that of both the MiG's and the Phantom's. It's max speed of 2,079 kph is just as good if not better than other top tier jets. The acceleration of the F-104A is amazing so even when you are at low speeds it can quickly gain back the lossed energy. However, the jets maneuverability leaves much more to be desired. Although it can out turn other jets at it's BR it can only do so when it is going above mach 1, at low speeds any other top tier jets can easily out turn you. The F-104A  can only carry one load, 2 AIM-9B sidewinder air to air missiles. AIM-9B's are very difficult to use as they only pull 10G's and travel at 1.7 mach making hitting targets very difficult.
−
 
 
−
Guns with good penetration against sloped armour, such as those on the [[YaG-10 (29-K)]] and [[SU-85]] are particularly threatening as they are more than capable of penetrating your frontal armour without much issue. There are also a number of weak spots, notably, the flatter armour in front of the driver and machine gunner, the hull machine gun, the round section of armour in front of the right ammo rack, the rounded area in front of the transmission, and a thin square-shaped section of armour on the front of the turret to the right of the main gun. The side armour is only 38.1 mm thick and can be easily penetrated by just about any anti-tank gun, even many anti-aircraft guns, but the applique armour on this model can help if the tank is angled.
 
−
 
 
−
=== Mobility ===
 
−
<!-- ''Write about the mobility of the ground vehicle. Estimate the specific power and manoeuvrability, as well as the maximum speed forwards and backwards.'' -->
 
  
−
{{tankMobility|abMinHp= 620|rbMinHp= 354}}
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
−
 
+
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
−
== Armaments ==
+
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 10,668 m)
−
=== Main armament ===
+
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
−
<!-- ''Give the reader information about the characteristics of the main gun. Assess its effectiveness in a battle based on the reloading speed, ballistics and the power of shells. Do not forget about the flexibility of the fire, that is how quickly the cannon can be aimed at the target, open fire on it and aim at another enemy. Add a link to the main article on the gun: <code><nowiki>{{main|Name of the weapon}}</nowiki></code>. Describe in general terms the ammunition available for the main gun. Give advice on how to use them and how to fill the ammunition storage.'' -->
+
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
−
{{main|M3 (75 mm)}}
+
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
−
 
+
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="5" | [[M3 (75 mm)|75 mm M3]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
+
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
+
! Stock
−
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
+
| 2,104 || 2,079 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 32.4 || 33.0 || 190.9 || 182.9 || rowspan="2" | 1,180
−
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! ''Arcade''
+
! Upgraded
−
| rowspan="2" | 98 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+25° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Vertical || 22.85 || 31.62 || 38.40 || 42.47 || 45.18 || rowspan="2" | 6.50 || rowspan="2" | 5.75 || rowspan="2" | 5.30 || rowspan="2" | 5.00
+
| ___ || ___ || __._ || __._ || __._ || __._
−
|-
 
−
! ''Realistic''
 
−
| 14.28 || 16.80 || 20.40 || 22.56 || 24.00
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
==== Ammunition ====
+
==== Details ====
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
−
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)'''
 
−
|-
 
−
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M72 shot || AP || 91 || 88 || 78 || 67 || 57 || 49
+
! colspan="6" | Features
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M48 shell || HE || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10 || 10
+
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M61 shot || APCBC || 104 || 101 || 90 || 78 || 68 || 59
+
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓    <!-- ✓ -->
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
−
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
 
−
! colspan="10" | Shell details
+
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
−
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
+
! colspan="7" | Limits
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M72 shot || AP || 619 || 6.3 || N/A || N/A || N/A || 47° || 60° || 65°
+
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
 +
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M48 shell || HE || 463 || 6.3 || 0.4 || 0.5 || 666 || 79° || 80° || 81°
+
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M61 shot || APCBC || 618 || 6.79 || 1.2 || 14.0 || 63.7 || 48° || 63° || 71°
+
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 2,350 || 833 || 444 || ~12 || ~5
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
−
! colspan="7" | Smoke shell characteristics
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Ammunition
+
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
−
! Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
−
! Projectile<br>Mass (kg)
 
−
! Screen radius<br>(m)
 
−
! Screen deploy time<br>(s)
 
−
! Screen hold time<br>(s)
 
−
! Explosive Mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| M89 || 259 || 3.0 || 13 || 5 || 20 || 50
+
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
 +
|-
 +
| < 720 || < 950 || < 800 || N/A
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
+
==== Engine performance ====
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Full<br>ammo
+
! colspan="3" | Engine
−
! 1st<br>rack empty
+
! colspan="5" | Aircraft mass
−
! 2nd<br>rack empty
 
−
! 3rd<br>rack empty
 
−
! 4th<br>rack empty
 
−
! 5th<br>rack empty
 
−
! 6th<br>rack empty
 
−
! 7th<br>rack empty
 
−
! 8th<br>rack empty
 
−
! Visual<br>discrepancy
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| '''98''' || 91 ''(+7)'' || 89 ''(+9)'' || 86 ''(+12)'' || 79 ''(+19)'' || 62 ''(+36)'' || 46 ''(+52)'' || 31 ''(+67)'' || 1 ''(+97)'' || No
+
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
 +
! 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 J79-GE-3 || 1
−
[[File:Ammoracks_M4A4_(Italy).png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]
+
| colspan="2" | 6,182 kg || colspan="3" | 513 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
−
Notes:
 
−
* To go into battle with the turret basket empty of ammo, pack 79&nbsp;''(+19)'' shells (racks 1 to 4 emptied).
 
−
* To go into battle with the turret basket and the flanks empty of ammo, pack 31&nbsp;''(+67)'' shells (racks 1 to 7 emptied).
 
−
* The 8th rack is large and located in a weak spot: the bottom section of the armor. In case of penetration, there is a high risk of ammo rack detonation. Make sure not to expose your flanks unnecessarily.
 
−
 
 
−
=== Machine guns ===
 
−
<!-- ''Offensive and anti-aircraft machine guns not only allow you to fight some aircraft but also are effective against lightly armoured vehicles. Evaluate machine guns and give recommendations on its use.'' -->
 
−
{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M1919A4 (7.62 mm)}}
 
−
 
 
−
The M4A4 is armed with both a pintle-mounted 12.7 mm M2HB .50 cal machine gun and a coaxial 7.62 mm M1919A4 .30 cal machine gun. The latter is useful as a secondary machine gun to supplement the larger 12.7 mm machine gun, both increasing the volume of fire you can put out in a burst of your machine guns and providing a backup machine gun in case your .50 cal gunner runs out of ammo or is knocked out. The 12.7 mm machine gun is more useful as it does more damage and has more penetration. It can swivel independently of the main gun, but not a full 360 degrees around so you will still need to traverse the turret to follow moving targets. Both can be used to shoot at aircraft and unarmored spots on enemy vehicles, and the .50 cal specifically is capable of damaging vehicles with very light armour due to the penetration.
 
−
 
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
+
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
 +
! colspan="4" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff<br />Weight
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
+
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
 +
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 35m fuel
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Pintle || 300 (200) || 576 || -10°/+25° || ±60°
+
| 1,750 kg || colspan="2" | Afterburning axial-flow turbojet
 +
| 6,947 kg || 7,712 kg || 8,477 kg || 8,859 kg || 24,000 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.}}
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
+
! colspan="5" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="5" | [[M1919A4 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M1919A4]]
+
! Condition || 100% || WEP
 +
! 10m fuel || 20m fuel || 30m fuel || 35m fuel || MTOW
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
+
| ''Stationary'' || 3,936 kgf || 6,061 kgf
 +
| 0.87 || 0.79 || 0.71 || 0.68 || 0.25
 
|-
 
|-
−
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
+
| ''Optimal'' || 3,936 kgf<br />(0 km/h) || 7,751 kgf<br />(1,200 km/h)
 +
| 1.12 || 1.00 || 0.91 || 0.87 || 0.32
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
== Usage in battles ==
+
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
The M4 Sherman is an effective medium-range combat tank. Equipped with a fast-firing 75mm gun and with good handling characteristics, the M4 can be an extremely useful asset in most battles.
+
<!-- ''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.'' -->
 +
In terms of armour, there is no armour on the F-104A. Since the F-104A relies on high speed, it wouldn't need armour as that would reduce the speed and maneuverability of the plane.  
  
−
In battle the M4 performs well as an all-rounder; the thick turret front and 10 degrees of gun depression make the tank ideal for taking hull-down positions which protect the thinner hull armour from being penetrated by enemy fire. The sloped front upper glacis, when angled, also provides good protection against enemy fire. An unusual - and useful - difference is that the upper glacis is sloped at 56 degrees rather than the standard 45 degrees, making it more of a threat and more powerful due to improving the chances of a round ricochet. The only downfall may be the 2 crew member position in the front that protrudes out to form a flat surface, but both are covered with an additional 20 mm plate. The reasonable mobility of the Sherman makes flanking a viable tactic. The main weakness of the M4 is the side armour - not only is it vertical and thin, but behind it most of the ammunition is stowed. The tall silhouette of the tank also makes finding suitable cover difficult. Overall, the M4 Sherman can be considered as an armoured jack-of-all-trades - it will serve a tanker well, however it will not excel in any particular role.
+
== Armaments ==
 +
=== Offensive armament ===
 +
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
 +
{{main|M61 (20 mm)}}
  
−
In battle, try to use terrain as cover. Hull-down positions are especially strong in the M4 Sherman, as it has a good 10 degrees of gun depression. The gun mantlet and turret are reasonably strong, but avoiding shots is still the best strategy. In this respect, a hull-down position hides the vulnerable hull. If this is not available, then angling the hull armour to present a greater slope is often a good idea, as this can bounce some low-powered cannon at any range and at longer ranges, render the hull impenetrable.
+
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
  
−
Another way to play the M4 Sherman is to tap into its traditional cavalry role, its mobility. The M4 Sherman is a great flanker as it is fast enough to get the jump on the enemy's side. Defeat the enemy at their weak front lines or go around the entire enemy force. Once in position at their sides or rear, ambush them. Ideally, the enemy should be too busy focusing on allies attacking in the front to notice the M4 instantly. Take out the weaker light or medium tanks, the 75 mm gun is not very ideal against heavy tanks like the [[KV-1 (L-11)|KV-1]] so take out its friends to allow allies more room to outmanoeuvre the KV tank. An organized attack will increase the M4 chances on the battlefield and success.
+
* 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon, chin-mounted (750 rpg)
  
−
The presence of a pivot-mounted .50 calibre machine gun gives the Sherman some flexibility. It can engage softer targets such as some tank destroyers and many SPAAGs at short ranges when loading a HE shell would be inconvenient. While not ideal, they provide the Sherman tank with some measure of protection against aircraft- sometimes enough to dissuade a pilot from making another pass. It can be an effective rang-finder for targets at longer ranges where the M1919 in the turret would be less effective. While it pales in comparison to the destructive effect of tank guns, it provides the Sherman with some flexibility over other comparable vehicles, who are restricted to their rifle-calibre coaxial machine guns.
+
=== Suspended armament ===
 +
<!-- ''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|AIM-9B Sidewinder}}
  
−
'''Enemies worth noting:'''
+
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
  
−
[[KV I C 756 (r) (Germany)|KV I C 756 (r)]]:
+
* Without load
 +
* 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
  
−
A vehicle that the M4 Sherman will have trouble against is this German KV-1. While the [[KV-1 (L-11)|L-11]] is underpowered, the [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)|ZiS-5]] is potent enough to punch through the Sherman's front, and the Sherman is unable to penetrate the KV-1's thick armour especially with its dd-on armor plates. If this heavy tank is encountered and if it's angling the hull, aim at the gun mantlet as it is only 50mm thick. You can knock out its gunner easily. Or shoot at the thin copula, there's also some chance to kill the gunner. Of course, the best way is to shoot at its sides and rear without any angle, where its armour is unsloped, though it will still have to be at a close range to penetrate the armour. In addition, shots to the sides will most likely hit fuel tanks or ammunition storage, causing a fire or ammunition detonation and at best, time to reassess the situation.
+
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).'' -->
 +
The F-104A is a high speed, high altitude fighter-bomber / interceptor. It performs well in high altitude flights meant to intercept fighters and mainly bombers at high altitudes. When the F-104A is fighting at low altitudes with a slower plane, the pilot should consider a hit and run technique to out-speed and return to the target to avoid getting shot back. If you need to turn, be sure to extend your combat flaps as they significantly decrease your turn time.
  
−
[[Churchill Mk I]], [[Churchill Mk III]], [[Pz.Kpfw. Churchill (Germany)|Pz.Kpfw. Churchill]]:
+
The F-104A has a decent stock turn time of 33 seconds which is the average or decent turn time of most supersonic jets at rank VI for Russian jets. The F-104A will have difficulties when trying to hit an enemy less than 1 or 2 kilometers away using the 20mm M61 cannon since this cannon will take some time to warm-up before shooting and turn fights will also be difficult due to high speed maneuvers causing an average 8 or more Gs rendering the pilot unconscious for most of the time.
  
−
The Churchills, with their complex hulls and sturdy turrets, can be quite hard to kill at range. Again, maneuver as close to them as possible, the idea distance being no more than 200m. If they are angling their hull but facing their turret at you, only go for the turret. For the Mk I Churchills, aim at the near-vertical part of their rounded cheeks to ensure successful penetrations. For the Mk III and the German Churchill, also aim for their flat turret which is at most 89mm. The shell should go in easily and knock out most, if not all of the crew. Only when you are facing their hull without any angles should you shoot the hull, otherwise shoot the turret only, as their big tracks can easily get in front of the frontal hull. The side hull have multiple layers of armor, some of which are weirdly angled and can absorb plenty of shells.
+
Using the F-104A's M61 cannon against helicopters would be very easy since they're slow and most of the time are in constant direction and speed, while you are attacking from the side or back with speeds almost or higher than mach 1, the helicopter won't notice until you strafe at them.
  
−
[[Pz.IV F2]]/G/H/J:
+
Unfortunately, the AIM-9B sidewinder missiles the F-104A carries are lacking at its BR. Most other jets at top tier have much better air-to-air missiles which travel, lock and turn better than the AIM-9B.  Therefore, they should only be used in situations where they cannot effectively turn or dodge, or don't know its coming.
  
−
The historical nemesis of any Sherman, the Panzer IV is one of the Shermans biggest threats at this rank. The long barrel 75mm gun will easily penetrate the Sherman from the front. The F2 variant is admittedly easy to deal with. A single APCBC to its hull or turret should end it pretty quickly, even at long range. The other variants are slightly harder to deal with. They have thicker hull armour, at 80mm, which will be much harder to penetrate with the APCBC over 500m. Luckily the turret armour remains the same at 50mm. Either aim here with APCBC or sacrifice damage potential and use the AP round to penetrate the hull.
+
The F-104A isn't carrying any flares, so you would have to rely on the planes decent maneuverability, and high speed, and maybe turn off the afterburner and maybe even the engine to reduce the incoming AAMs chance to hit the plane. Always remember the insane climb rate for the plane, this means you can also face the incoming AAM at the sun even when the sun is at a steep angle. This in turn would spend more fuel since you would need to use afterburners to efficiently climb at steep angles, out-running short-range anti-air missiles are tricky since some go mach 1.7, while others go mach 2.5, do not expect all missiles to be outrun.
−
 
 
−
[[StuG III F]]/G:
 
−
 
 
−
Another historical nemesis of the Sherman, and another big threat. The StuG III packs the same punch as the Panzer IV line with its long barrel 75mm gun, whilst losing the turret, which turns out to be both an advantage and a disadvantage. Lacking a turret means that it will have to traverse the whole vehicle to target an enemy, but it also means that it has a lower profile. The StuG's armour profile is also more complex than the Panzer IV, with less flat areas. Certain areas are sloped and very bouncy. Luckily, there is a big weak spot. There are two flat plates on the front of the hull. The flat plate on the right is the drivers port. Shoot that and you are able to kill the driver, gunner and loader in one go. This is a very efficient way to destroy this vehicle. With the F variant, you can use APCBC to instantly one-shot this vehicle. With the G variant, it is more reliable to use AP at ranges within 500m to ensure penetration.
 
  
 
=== Modules ===
 
=== Modules ===
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
! Tier
 
! Tier
−
! colspan="2" | Mobility
+
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
−
! Protection
+
! Survivability
−
! colspan="2" | Firepower
+
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
 
|-
 
|-
 
| I
 
| I
−
| Tracks
+
| Fuselage repair
 
|
 
|
−
| Parts
+
|
−
| Horizontal Drive
+
| Offensive 20 mm
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| II
 
| II
−
| Suspension
+
|
−
| Brake System
+
| Compressor
−
| FPE
+
| Airframe
−
| Adjustment of Fire
+
|
−
| M61 shot
+
| AIM-9B
 
|-
 
|-
 
| III
 
| III
−
| Filters
+
| Wings repair
 +
| Engine
 
|
 
|
−
| Crew Replenishment
+
| New 20 mm cannons
−
| Elevation Mechanism
 
 
|
 
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| IV
 
| IV
−
| Transmission
+
| G-suit
−
| Engine
+
|
 +
| Cover
 +
|
 
|
 
|
−
| Artillery Support
 
−
| M89
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="6" |This is a premium vehicle: all modifications are unlocked on purchase
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
<!--Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in a bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".-->'''Pros:'''
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
−
* Excellent gun depression of -10° plus the angled frontal turret allows it to utilise hills very well
+
'''Pros:'''
−
* Great penetration and post-penetration damage when using M61 shells; can frontally penetrate and one-shot most opponents like the [[Pz.IV F2]], [[Chi-Nu]] and [[StuG III F|StuG III]] F
+
 
−
* Great turret traverse speed allows it to deal with multiple threats easily
+
* Good top speed for its rank
−
* Adequate top speed allows it to get to positions in time, or to do tactical manoeuvres like flanking
+
* Great rate of climb; even the F-4 Phantom may struggle to match it
−
* Pintle-mounted HMG provides an anti-aircraft defence or anti-tank duty against tanks like [[Marder III]]
+
* Decent high-speed maneuverability, in spite of its tiny wings
−
* Fitted with a vertical stabilizer, allowing more accurate fire on the move compared to other tanks, as well as better usage of shoot-n-scoot tactics
+
* 20 mm Vulcan gun can really do some serious damage
 +
* Has access to AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
 +
* Good roll rate for a jet
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
  
−
* Large profile and weak side armour; flankers like the Sd.kfz.234/2 can easily see and penetrate it
+
* Lousy low-speed maneuverability
−
* Frontal armour is still inadequate, will get frontally penetrated and one-shot by tanks like [[Pz.IV F2]] / G, [[StuG III F]] / G, [[M10 (Family)|M10]]
+
* Only one secondary weapon load
−
* The best M61 shell struggles to penetrate heavy targets like [[KV-1 (ZiS-5)]], Churchill Mk.III or even the T-34 and M10 when angled
+
* Can't carry bombs
−
* Trajectory is curved and velocity is low due to its short barrel, thus distant/moving targets are hard to shoot at
+
* Relatively low ammo count for the Vulcan; trigger discipline is necessary
−
* Hull traverse is quite slow, making it sluggish in a turn. Also the narrow tracks offer poor ground flotation, thus poor off-road capabilities. Can only reach its top speed on paved or hard surfaces
+
* M61 Vulcan doesn't shoot instantly, takes less than a second to rotate
−
* Roof armour of 19.5 mm thick is vulnerable to airstrikes with AP cannons. For example the widely used [[M2 Browning (12.7 mm)|M2 Browning]]
+
* No flares to counter AAMs
 +
* As with most jets, it tends to bleed off speed quickly in sustained turns
 +
* AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles are inadequate compared to other AAMs at top tier
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle 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: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''-->
+
<!-- ''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: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
−
===Vehicle background===
+
The F-104A Starfighter was the first in-service United States Air Force (USAF) fighter to fly at twice the speed of sound, and made its first flight on February 7th, 1954<ref>https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/lockheed-f-104a-starfighter/nasm_A19761017000</ref>. In [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6DV7q-ptOyQ&feature=youtu.be this video] from Lockheed Martin's archives, the Starfighter's maiden flight can be viewed. The F-104 began being designed in November 1952, when the USAF requested a superiority day fighter<ref name=":0">https://www.airplanesofthepast.com/f104-starfighter.htm</ref>. The USAF chose Lockheed Martin's prototype, with its unusually stubby straight wings, in a time when fighters had large, swept back, wings<ref name=":0" />. The first F-104A's were delivered to the 83rd Fighter-Interceptor squadron stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base on January 26, 1958, where they would break speed and altitude records<ref name=":0" />. One major record that was set by an F-104A was when Major Howard C. Johnson set a new altitude record by flying at 91,243 ft on May 7th, 1958<ref>https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=113</ref>.
−
The M4A4 (1st PTG) was one of many M4 medium tanks armed with a 75 mm gun provided by the U.S to China through the lend-Lease program in April 1944. It saw service during  World War 2 (1939-45) in China against the Japanese and went on to serve in the China civil war (1946-49) where it was destroyed by China communist forces in 1949. The tank had a "Tiger face" painted on it's manlet and "claws" painted on the armoured plate in front of the driver. The top of the tank was painted yellow in order for it to be recognized by the allied air unit.
 
  
 
== 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.'' -->
 +
 
 +
;Images
 +
 
 +
[[File:F-104A Starfighter Among the Stars.jpg|alt=F104A Starfighter flying with a full afterburner on a clear starry night (in-game screenshot)|left|thumb|F-104A Starfighter Among the Stars]]
 +
{{Break}}
 +
 
 +
;Videos
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|QAA4S31Hbhw|'''The Shooting Range #202''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:30 discusses the F-104 Starfighter.}}
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
 
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
 
<!-- ''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
−
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
+
* ''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.'' -->
−
;Vehicles equipped with the same chassis
+
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
−
* [[M4A4 (China)]]
+
 
−
* [[M4A4 (France)]]
+
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
−
* [[M4A4 (Italy)]]
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* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
  
 
== 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;''
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* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
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* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
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* ''other literature.''
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* ''other literature.'' -->
 +
=== References ===
 +
<references />
  
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{{China medium tanks}}
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{{AirManufacturer Lockheed}}
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{{China premium ground vehicles}}
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{{USA jet aircraft}}

Revision as of 21:34, 29 July 2020

Rank VI Israel | Premium | Golden Eagles
Merkava Mk.2D Pack
F-104A
f-104a.png
F-104A
USA flag.png USA
VI Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
9.7 9.3 9.7
Class:
Research:160 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:450 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game
This page is about the jet fighter F-104A. For other versions, see F-104 (Family).

Description

GarageImage F-104A.jpg


The F-104A Starfighter is a rank VI American jet fighter with a battle rating of 9.7 (AB/SB) and 9.3 (RB). It was introduced in Update "Starfighters".

General info

Flight performance

F-104 Starfighter breaks the soundbarrier at sunset with its afterburner roaring
A F-104A Starfighter breaks the sound barrier at sunset

The F-104's are generally very fast and the F-104A is no exception. Even when it is stock the climb rate can be comparable to that of both the MiG's and the Phantom's. It's max speed of 2,079 kph is just as good if not better than other top tier jets. The acceleration of the F-104A is amazing so even when you are at low speeds it can quickly gain back the lossed energy. However, the jets maneuverability leaves much more to be desired. Although it can out turn other jets at it's BR it can only do so when it is going above mach 1, at low speeds any other top tier jets can easily out turn you. The F-104A can only carry one load, 2 AIM-9B sidewinder air to air missiles. AIM-9B's are very difficult to use as they only pull 10G's and travel at 1.7 mach making hitting targets very difficult.

Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 10,668 m) 		Max altitude
(metres) 		Turn time
(seconds) 		Rate of climb
(metres/second) 		Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 2,104 2,079 18900 32.4 33.0 190.9 182.9 1,180
Upgraded ___ ___ __._ __._ __._ __._

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear Drogue chute
✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓ ✓
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
0 546 2,350 833 444 ~12 ~5
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 720 < 950 < 800 N/A

Engine performance

Engine Aircraft mass
Engine name Number Basic Mass Wing loading (full fuel)
General Electric J79-GE-3 1 6,182 kg 513 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Takeoff
Weight
Weight (each) Type 10m fuel 20m fuel 30m fuel 35m fuel
1,750 kg Afterburning axial-flow turbojet 6,947 kg 7,712 kg 8,477 kg 8,859 kg 24,000 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB) Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (WEP)
Condition 100% WEP 10m fuel 20m fuel 30m fuel 35m fuel MTOW
Stationary 3,936 kgf 6,061 kgf 0.87 0.79 0.71 0.68 0.25
Optimal 3,936 kgf
(0 km/h) 		7,751 kgf
(1,200 km/h) 		1.12 1.00 0.91 0.87 0.32

Survivability and armour

In terms of armour, there is no armour on the F-104A. Since the F-104A relies on high speed, it wouldn't need armour as that would reduce the speed and maneuverability of the plane.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Main article: M61 (20 mm)

The F-104A is armed with:

  • 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon, chin-mounted (750 rpg)

Suspended armament

Main article: AIM-9B Sidewinder

The F-104A can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • Without load
  • 2 x AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles

Usage in battles

The F-104A is a high speed, high altitude fighter-bomber / interceptor. It performs well in high altitude flights meant to intercept fighters and mainly bombers at high altitudes. When the F-104A is fighting at low altitudes with a slower plane, the pilot should consider a hit and run technique to out-speed and return to the target to avoid getting shot back. If you need to turn, be sure to extend your combat flaps as they significantly decrease your turn time.

The F-104A has a decent stock turn time of 33 seconds which is the average or decent turn time of most supersonic jets at rank VI for Russian jets. The F-104A will have difficulties when trying to hit an enemy less than 1 or 2 kilometers away using the 20mm M61 cannon since this cannon will take some time to warm-up before shooting and turn fights will also be difficult due to high speed maneuvers causing an average 8 or more Gs rendering the pilot unconscious for most of the time.

Using the F-104A's M61 cannon against helicopters would be very easy since they're slow and most of the time are in constant direction and speed, while you are attacking from the side or back with speeds almost or higher than mach 1, the helicopter won't notice until you strafe at them.

Unfortunately, the AIM-9B sidewinder missiles the F-104A carries are lacking at its BR. Most other jets at top tier have much better air-to-air missiles which travel, lock and turn better than the AIM-9B. Therefore, they should only be used in situations where they cannot effectively turn or dodge, or don't know its coming.

The F-104A isn't carrying any flares, so you would have to rely on the planes decent maneuverability, and high speed, and maybe turn off the afterburner and maybe even the engine to reduce the incoming AAMs chance to hit the plane. Always remember the insane climb rate for the plane, this means you can also face the incoming AAM at the sun even when the sun is at a steep angle. This in turn would spend more fuel since you would need to use afterburners to efficiently climb at steep angles, out-running short-range anti-air missiles are tricky since some go mach 1.7, while others go mach 2.5, do not expect all missiles to be outrun.

Modules

Tier Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
I Fuselage repair Offensive 20 mm
II Compressor Airframe AIM-9B
III Wings repair Engine New 20 mm cannons
IV G-suit Cover

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Good top speed for its rank
  • Great rate of climb; even the F-4 Phantom may struggle to match it
  • Decent high-speed maneuverability, in spite of its tiny wings
  • 20 mm Vulcan gun can really do some serious damage
  • Has access to AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles
  • Good roll rate for a jet

Cons:

  • Lousy low-speed maneuverability
  • Only one secondary weapon load
  • Can't carry bombs
  • Relatively low ammo count for the Vulcan; trigger discipline is necessary
  • M61 Vulcan doesn't shoot instantly, takes less than a second to rotate
  • No flares to counter AAMs
  • As with most jets, it tends to bleed off speed quickly in sustained turns
  • AIM-9B Sidewinder missiles are inadequate compared to other AAMs at top tier

History

The F-104A Starfighter was the first in-service United States Air Force (USAF) fighter to fly at twice the speed of sound, and made its first flight on February 7th, 1954[1]. In this video from Lockheed Martin's archives, the Starfighter's maiden flight can be viewed. The F-104 began being designed in November 1952, when the USAF requested a superiority day fighter[2]. The USAF chose Lockheed Martin's prototype, with its unusually stubby straight wings, in a time when fighters had large, swept back, wings[2]. The first F-104A's were delivered to the 83rd Fighter-Interceptor squadron stationed at Hamilton Air Force Base on January 26, 1958, where they would break speed and altitude records[2]. One major record that was set by an F-104A was when Major Howard C. Johnson set a new altitude record by flying at 91,243 ft on May 7th, 1958[3].

Media

Images
F104A Starfighter flying with a full afterburner on a clear starry night (in-game screenshot)
F-104A Starfighter Among the Stars


Videos
The Shooting Range #202 - Metal Beasts section at 00:30 discusses the F-104 Starfighter.

See also

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

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

External links

References

  1. ↑ https://airandspace.si.edu/collection-objects/lockheed-f-104a-starfighter/nasm_A19761017000
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 https://www.airplanesofthepast.com/f104-starfighter.htm
  3. ↑ https://www.militaryfactory.com/aircraft/detail.asp?aircraft_id=113


Lockheed Corporation
Fighters  XP-38G · P-38E · P-38G-1 · P-38J-15 · Bong's P-38J-15 · P-38K · P-38L-5-LO · YP-38
Bombers  B-34 · PV-2D
Jet Fighters  F-80A-5 · F-80C-10
  F-104A · F-104C
Export / License  A-29 · ▄Hudson Mk V
  ␗P-38L-1
  ␗F-104A · ▀F-104G · ␗F-104G · ▅F-104J · ▄F-104S
See Also  Mitsubishi Heavy Industries · Fiat Aviation

USA jet aircraft
  Fighters
F-4  F-4C Phantom II · F-4E Phantom II · F-4J Phantom II · F-4S Phantom II
F-5  F-5A · F-5C · F-5E · F-20A
F-8  F8U-2 · F-8E
F-80  F-80A-5 · F-80C-10
F-84  F-84B-26 · F-84F · F-84G-21-RE
F-86  F-86A-5 · F-86F-25 · F-86F-2 · F-86F-35
F-89  F-89B · F-89D
F-100  F-100D
F-104  F-104A · F-104C
F-14  F-14A Early · F-14B
F-15  F-15A
F-16  F-16A · F-16A ADF · F-16C
F9F  F9F-2 · F9F-5 · F9F-8
Other  P-59A · F2H-2 · F3D-1 · F3H-2 · F4D-1 · F11F-1
  Strike Aircraft
FJ-4  FJ-4B · FJ-4B VMF-232
A-4  A-4B · A-4E Early
A-6  A-6E TRAM
A-7  A-7D · A-7E · A-7K
AV-8  AV-8A · AV-8C
A-10  A-10A · A-10A Late
B-57  B-57A · B-57B
F-105  F-105D
F-111  F-111A

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