Difference between pages "P-38L-5-LO" and "ASU-85"

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{{Specs-Card
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{{Specs-Card|code=ussr_asu_85}}
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|code=p-38l
 
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|cockpit=356051/1206029
 
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}}
 
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{{About
 
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| about = American twin-engine fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 
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| usage = other uses
 
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| link = P-38 (Family)
 
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}}
 
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
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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.'' -->
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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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[[File:GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
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[[File:GarageImage_ASU-85.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
{{break}}
 
{{break}}
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The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American twin-engine fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.53 "Firestorm"]].
+
The '''{{specs|name}}''' is a Rank {{specs|rank}} Russian tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]]. It was designed to provide the VDV (''Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska''), the Soviet airborne forces, with an air-portable self-propelled gun for independent fire support and anti-tank capability in support of paratroopers during airborne operations.
  
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The P-38 Lightning is to be played primarily as an Air Superiority fighter. Boom & Zoom tactics are one of your greatest assets in this aircraft. By using your powerful armament, high speed, good maneuverability and good climb rate, in the hands of a skilled pilot, a P-38L is one of the greatest threats to an entire team.
+
== General info ==
 +
=== Survivability and armour ===
 +
<!--''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.''-->
 +
The front upper glacis plate, while only 45 mm thick, is quite heavily sloped and can occasionally ricochet rounds. The mantlet is also quite thick and rounded, and it can also bounce the occasional lucky shot.
 +
 
 +
However, the rest of the ASU-85 is very thinly armoured and vulnerable to even heavy machine guns. It is especially vulnerable to aircraft strafing.
 +
 
 +
'''Armour type:'''
 +
 
 +
* Rolled homogeneous armour
 +
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable"
 +
|-
 +
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
 +
|-
 +
| Hull || 45 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 45 mm (37°) ''Lower glacis'' <br> 50 mm ''Driver port''|| 6 mm || 6 mm (40°) ''Upper'' <br> 6 mm (18°) ''Lower'' || 6 mm
 +
|-
 +
| Superstructure || 45 mm (60°) ''Front glacis'' <br> 100 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 13 mm (37-38°) || 6 mm || 13 mm ''Front'' <br> 6 mm ''Rear''
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
'''Notes:'''
 +
 
 +
* Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick, tracks are 15 mm thick.
 +
 
 +
=== 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= 298|rbMinHp= 186|<!--AoAweight=(optional) -->}}The ASU-85 is based on the [[PT-76B]] and uses the same engine. It is somewhat heavier, however, and the mobility thus suffers comparatively. With a top speed of under 50 km/h, the ASU-85 is relatively slow for such a lightly armoured vehicle, but it is adequate enough for repositioning when needed. The ASU-85 also has a fairly slow reverse speed and only one reverse gear, inherited from the PT-76B.
 +
 
 +
It should also be noted that the ASU-85 is ''not'' amphibious, unlike the PT-76B it is based on.
 +
 
 +
== Armaments ==
 +
=== Main armament ===
 +
<!--''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.''-->
 +
{{main|D-70 (85 mm)}}The ASU-85 is armed with the '''85 mm D-70''', a significantly more powerful gun compared to the wartime Soviet 85 mm ZiS S-53 and D-5T guns and comparable in capability to the German 8,8 cm L/71 guns. The mounting has only 4° of gun depression due to the restricted size of the vehicle, but has a fairly generous amount of traverse for a casemate tank destroyer. It has a relatively low rate-of-fire for its calibre, reflecting the rather cramped crew compartment of the ASU-85.
  
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The P-38L is the last Lightning in the US Aviation tech tree that is able to be researched. This plane has some of the same defining factors of prior models of the Lightning, but with greater modifications to make this variant of the P-38 among the best planes in the game. The biggest upgrade over the P-38J-15 is the presence of air brakes on the P-38L, which means you can pull out of a dive much easier than in any other prior model. In addition, you also have the ability to research the "New Boosters" module, which greatly improves your roll-rate.
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The standard shell is the '''BR-372''' APBC shell with a lethal explosive filler. It has an excellent muzzle velocity and is accurate at long ranges. It will also easily penetrate most things that the ASU-85 may encounter. Anything that cannot be penetrated by the APBC shell will almost certainly be penetrable by the '''3BK7''' HEAT-FS round. Boasting 300 mm of penetration, it is capable of punching straight through a [[Tiger II (P)|Tiger II]]'s upper glacis and does not lose penetration over distance. However, it suffers the usual drawbacks of HEAT rounds (cannot go through obstacles like trees or fences) and is significantly less lethal than the APBC shell. The muzzle velocity is also lower, which can complicate aiming at long ranges.
  
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== General info ==
 
−
=== Flight Performance ===
 
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<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
 
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="8" | Characteristics
+
! colspan="6" | [[D-70 (85 mm)|85 mm D-70]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
+
! colspan="3" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity
 +
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Stabilizer
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 8,534 m)
+
| colspan="3" | 39 || -4°/+15° || ±15° || N/A
−
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
 
−
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
−
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(meters)
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! AB
+
! colspan="6" | Turret rotation speed (°/s)
−
! RB
 
−
! AB
 
−
! RB
 
−
! AB
 
−
! RB
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 660 || 647 || 12,192 || 23.4 || 23.9 || 13.4 || 15.6 || 332
+
! style="width:4em" |Mode
 +
! style="width:4em" |Stock
 +
! style="width:4em" |Upgraded
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 +
! style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
+
| ''Arcade'' || 4.2 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 8,534 m)
+
| ''Realistic'' || 4.2 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
−
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude (meters)
 
−
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
 
−
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(meters/second)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run (meters)
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! AB
+
! colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
−
! RB
 
−
! AB
 
−
! RB
 
−
! AB
 
−
! RB
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| ? || ? || 12,192 || ??.? || ??.? || ?.? || ?.? || 332
+
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Stock
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Full crew
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Expert qualif.
 +
! colspan="1" style="width:4em" |Prior + Ace qualif.
 +
|-
 +
| 11.2 || __.__ || __.__ || __.__
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
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====Details====
+
===== Ammunition =====
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{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 +
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead
 +
! colspan="6" | '''Penetration''' '''''in mm''''' '''@ 0° Angle of Attack'''
 +
|-
 +
! 10m
 +
! 100m
 +
! 500m
 +
! 1000m
 +
! 1500m
 +
! 2000m
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="5" | Features
+
| BR-372 || APBC || 230 || 227 || 214 || 199 || 186 || 172
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Combat flap
+
| OF-372 || HE || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11 || 11
−
! Take-off flap
 
−
! Landing flap
 
−
! Air brakes
 
−
! Arrestor gear
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X    <!-- ✓ -->
+
| 3BK7 || HEATFS || 300 || 300 || 300 || 300 || 300 || 300
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
−
 
+
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
! colspan="11" | Shell details
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 +
! rowspan="2" class="unsortable" | Type of <br /> warhead
 +
! rowspan="2" |Velocity <br /> in m/s
 +
! rowspan="2" |Projectile<br />Mass in kg
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse delay''
 +
''in m:''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Fuse sensitivity''
 +
''in mm:''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Explosive Mass in g<br /> (TNT equivalent):''
 +
! rowspan="2" | ''Normalization At 30° <br> from horizontal:''
 +
! colspan="3" | ''Ricochet:''
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="5" | Limits
+
! 0%
 +
! 50%
 +
! 100%
 
|-
 
|-
−
! rowspan="2" | Wing-break speed<br>(km/h)
+
| BR-372 || APBC || 1040 || 9.3 || 1.2 || 15 || 85 || +4° || 48° || 63° || 71°
−
! rowspan="2" | Gear limit<br>(km/h)
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Combat flap<br> (km/h)
 
−
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
! +
+
| OF-372 || HE || 1010 || 9.7 || 0.1 || 0.3 || 740 || +0° || 79° || 80° || 81°
−
! -
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 790 || 289 || 534 || ~9 || ~5
+
| 3BK7 || HEATFS || 925 || 7.2 || 0.1 || 0.1 || 1,590 || +0° || 65° || 72° || 75°
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
  
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
+
===== [[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] =====
 +
[[File:Ammoracks_ASU-85.png|right|thumbnail|x250px|[[Ammo racks|Ammo racks]] on the ASU-85.]]
 +
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities
+
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Full<br /> ammo
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |1st<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |2nd<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |3rd<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |4th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |5th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |6th<br />  rack empty
 +
! class="wikitable unsortable" |Visual<br /> discrepancy
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Ailerons<br>(km/h)
+
|| '''39''' || 33&nbsp;''(+6)'' || 26&nbsp;''(+13)'' || 19&nbsp;''(+20)'' || 13&nbsp;''(+26)'' || 7&nbsp;''(+32)'' || 1&nbsp;''(+38)'' || style="text-align:left" | No
−
! Rudder<br>(km/h)
 
−
! Elevators<br>(km/h)
 
−
! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
−
|-
 
−
| < 490 || < 460 || < 500 || > 240
 
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
 +
 +
Front empty: 26&nbsp;''(+13)''<br />Sides only: 33&nbsp;''(+6)''
 +
 +
=== 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|SGMT (7.62 mm)}}
  
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="3" | Compressor (RB/SB)
+
! colspan="7" | [[SGMT (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm SGMT]]
 
|-
 
|-
−
! colspan="3" | Setting 1
+
! colspan="7" | ''Coaxial mount''
 
|-
 
|-
−
! Optimal altitude
+
! colspan="4" rowspan="1" style="width:5em" |Capacity (Belt capacity)
−
! 100% Engine power
+
! rowspan="1" | Fire rate <br> (shots/minute)
−
! WEP Engine power
+
! rowspan="1" | Vertical <br> guidance
 +
! rowspan="1" | Horizontal <br> guidance
 
|-
 
|-
−
| 7,500 m || 2,540 hp || 2,845 hp
+
| colspan="4" | 2,000 (250) || 600 || N/A || N/A
 
|-
 
|-
−
<!--! colspan="3" | Setting 2
 
−
|-
 
−
! Optimal altitude
 
−
! 100% Engine power
 
−
! WEP Engine power
 
−
|-
 
−
| ?,??? m || ?,??? hp || ?,??? hp
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="3" | Setting 3
 
−
|-
 
−
! Optimal altitude
 
−
! 100% Engine power
 
−
! WEP Engine power
 
−
|-
 
−
| ?,??? m || ?,??? hp || ?,??? hp
 
−
|- -->
 
 
|}
 
|}
−
 
−
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
−
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 
−
* 38 mm Bulletproof glass - Cockpit windscreen
 
−
* 6.5 mm Steel - Front cockpit armor plate
 
−
* 6.5 mm Steel - Pilot's seat
 
−
* 9.5 mm Steel - Pilot's headrest
 
−
 
−
== 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|AN/M2 (20 mm)|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)}}
 
−
 
−
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 
−
* 1 x 20 mm AN/M2 cannon, nose-mounted (150 rpg)
 
−
* 4 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, nose-mounted (500 rpg = 2,000 total)
 
−
 
−
=== 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|AN-M64A1 (500 lb)|HVAR|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)}}
 
−
 
−
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordinance:
 
−
* Without load
 
−
* 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,000 lb total)
 
−
* 10 x 127 mm HVAR rockets
 
−
* 4 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine guns, suspended (340 rpg = 1360 total)
 
  
 
== Usage in battles ==
 
== Usage in battles ==
−
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles 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).'' -->
+
<!--''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the 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. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''-->
−
There are a few tactics to take into consideration when using the P-38L Lightning. All of them are viable, but some of them require more attention to detail, or else you can guarantee yourself a one-way ticket back to your garage.
+
The ASU-85 is a veritable glass cannon that relies on stealth and/or distance in order to survive on the battlefield. It is very vulnerable if caught in the open, especially to planes due to the very weak roof armour. The 85 mm gun is capable of handling almost any tank likely to be encountered by the ASU-85. Unfortunately, the ASU-85 lacks the mobility of its predecessor, the [[ASU-57]], and thus has to adopt a more passive playstyle. The stock APBC round is excellent for ambushes, which tend to involve a lot of side shots where the lethality of the explosive filler is valuable, especially with the long reload time of the gun. The HEAT-FS round is better suited for medium/long-range fighting, since it does not lose penetration over distance.  
−
 
 
−
===Air Superiority Roles===
 
−
The natural role for the P-38 is the Air Superiority role. When playing in this role, it is important to note that because the P-38L is classified as a "Heavy Fighter" but not an "Interceptor," you will often need to side-climb at the start of a match from the air field. Once you get to an optimal altitude of roughly 4,500 meters (14,760 feet) it is paramount you keep your speed up to avoid getting jumped on by some of the better climbing aircraft. When climbing, it is best you keep your speed somewhere in the neighborhood of roughly 210 MPH (337 KPH), to keep your energy up as well. It doesn't hurt if you climb higher, ''just be sure to keep your energy and speed constant.'' Once you have followed the steps to climb to altitude, start scanning for easier targets to support your allies. When you spot an enemy lower in altitude than you, dive down on them and line up your shots carefully- the 20 mm cannon has a good quantity of ammo, but it goes quickly in higher BR battles. Once you have lined-up your shots (preferably around 700-600 meters away,) fire a quick burst, then climb away to avoid a counter attack. This is where the dive-brakes come in great use, as they can keep your aircraft stable when in a dive and prevents the air frame from disintegrating in a dive. The P-38's nose-mounted weaponry will act as a buzz-saw on enemy planes, providing extremely accurate fire. Once you destroy your adversary, start scanning for new targets and eliminate those of the next highest value. ''Just remember to keep your speed, energy and altitude high enough.'' The recommended ammunition type for this role is the "Universal" ammunition for the .50 cals and the "Air Target" rounds for the 20 mm cannon.
 
−
 
 
−
'''Note-''' At your battle rating of 4.7, it is ill-advised to attack your opponents head-on- especially if it is an Fw 190, or any plane bearing the prefix "Yak." That being said, getting behind your opponents is the best course of action. '''This is not to say a successful head-on attack cannot be done.''' If you have no alternatives but to attack head-on, fire a quick burst, then quickly hit the deck. The nose-mounted weaponry in this scenario is your greatest asset, and the astonishingly good roll-rate of the P-38 can help avoid any incoming enemy fire.
 
  
−
It is not advised that you spend too much time in a turning engagement with this plane. While the P-38L has a phenomenal roll-rate and very powerful Allison engines, prolonged turning will bleed your energy and eliminate your greatest advantage- speed. In addition, you are a rather large target, and getting caught in a turning engagement will only render you a highly exposed target to other enemy planes.
+
The ASU-85 has a rather unorthodox method of using its smoke screen. Unlike most vehicles, which use smoke shells, singular canisters, or canister clusters, the ASU-85 uses two large drum like structures at the rear. When deployed, these will drop away, so it is relatively easy to tell from close range whether or not an ASU-85 has smoke or not, and how many it has. Due to the orientation of the drums, the smoke screen will actually form ''behind'' the tank and take about 2-3 seconds to fully envelope the assault gun.
  
−
===Ground Attack Roles===
+
Common opponent weakspots:
−
This is the role where paying attention to details is an absolute priority. This is given that the Anti-Aircraft fire is coming from actual players, and not an artificial intelligence, and one small mistake can send your plane down in a fireball. Nonetheless, the P-38L has all the tools necessary to be a ferocious Close Air Support aircraft. You have the option for two 500 lb bombs suspended underneath the fuselage of the plane or you can choose ten HVAR rockets. The distinguishing part of the Lightning when used in ground attack is that the bombs drop independently one-by-one, which allows for a second attack run if one needs to, allowing a chance for further kills. In addition to the options of bombs or rockets, the P-38's weaponry will punish any open-topped vehicles. The tactics for ground attack are mainly brought out in making diving attacks in Ground RB. However, as mentioned earlier, you must pay attention to your surroundings- as you have no markers for enemy aircraft, and a loss of situational awareness will be your undoing. That being said, approach the battlefield from high altitude, or come in low and fast. When you spot an enemy vehicle, line up your attack run, then drop your bomb when you are close to the ground. Using the dive brakes is extremely recommended, as you can lose control quickly or need to pull up at a moment's notice. '''It is paramount you do not have "Assault Fuse" for your bombs, as you will be caught in the blast radius.''' When you have completed your attack runs using bombs or rockets, try and strafe enemy positions to spot for your allies and possibly eliminate enemy Self Propelled Anti-Aircraft vehicles as well. You can also act still as an Air Superiority fighter to keep your friendly ground forces in the game.
 
  
−
===Specific enemies worth noting===
+
* Tiger II [[Tiger II (P)|(P)]], [[Tiger II (H)|(H)]], [[Tiger II (10.5 cm Kw.K)|105 mm]]: Turret cheeks. HEAT-FS can penetrate the hull front.
−
<!--Some concerning vehicles to worry about if playing this plane. (i.e. Japanese fighters will out turn you)-->
+
* [[Panther II]]: APBC can penetrate the turret face. HEAT-FS can penetrate the hull front.
−
====German Aircraft====
+
* [[T29|T29]]: Lower glacis. There are also weakspots in the gun mantlet, but they may be hard to hit at anything but close range.
−
At your battle rating of 4.7, you can (and will) get dragged into some 5.7 BR games. That being said, your greatest threats come from the Focke-Wulf Fw 190 A-8, given the speed and firepower it has. You also need to worry about late models of the Bf 109, such as the G-6, G-10, G-14 and the K-4 variants, which have the speed, firepower and even the manoeuverability to tear the Lightning apart. It is plausible you will face the Fw 190 D variants, which will give you a serious run for your money, as will the Ta 152's. At 4.7, you also need to take into consideration that you will be facing Allied aircraft captured by the Germans- most notable among them are the Tempest V and the P-47 Thunderbolt. The vast majority of the German planes you will be facing have a high climb rate and are excellent energy fighters, which can leave you at a gaping deficit when facing Axis teams.
+
* [[Caernarvon|Caernavron]]: Turret ring and lower glacis.
 +
* [[Tortoise|A39 Tortoise]]: Area surrounding the hull machine gun port.
 +
* [[T95|T95]]: Cupolas may be penetrated but do not trigger the explosive filler of AP rounds.
 +
* [[Jagdtiger|Jagdtiger]]: HEAT-FS can penetrate the hull front and superstructure.
  
−
====Japanese Aircraft====
+
=== Modules ===
−
Japanese planes are notorious for their extreme turning abilities, which usually decimates Allied teams. This does not change in the higher battle ratings. The most dangerous Japanese aircraft that the P-38L-5LO Lightning will face is the Mitsubishi J2M4 Raiden, which has a top speed to rival even the Mustang. In addition, the J2M4 Raiden carries an armament of four 20 mm cannons, which will tear the Lightning to bits. Another dangerous opponent for the P-38L is the A7M1 and the A7M2 Reppu, which also have powerful armaments and a tighter turn radius than a Zero.
 
−
 
 
−
====Russian Aircraft====
 
−
Any aircraft bearing the prefix "Yak" is going to give you issues. Most notable among all of these planes will be the Yak-3P, as the aircraft has very powerful nose-mounted weaponry and can turn exceptionally well. The Yak-9T will also give you some problems, as the Yak-9T's 37 mm cannon will turn your aircraft into pieces of flying debris with one well-placed hit. The La-7 will also be a viable threat, as it has powerful nose-mounted weaponry combined with amazing capabilities as an energy fighter. '''Do not head-on any variant of an Su-6 or IL-10''', as their weaponry is mainly designed for busting open tanks and pillboxes. Do not tail either of those attackers for long either, due to their 20 mm defensive cannon.
 
−
 
 
−
====British Aircraft====
 
−
The British aircraft are notorious for their turning capabilities and heavy armament at this Battle-Rating. Any late variant of the Spitfire is going to give you problems, most notable among these variants are the Spitfire F. Mk.IX, the Spitfire Mk.Vc, and the Spitfire Mk.Vc/trop. Another notable adversary is the Typhoon Mk.Ib /Late, due to its heavy armament and good turning abilities.
 
−
 
 
−
====Counter-tactics====
 
−
<!--What to expect, if it would be in command of the enemy and how to counter it. (i.e. They will most likely BnZ, etc.)-->
 
−
With all the aspects mentioned above, the P-38L-5-LO is by no means an easy plane to kill. A P-38L pilot will play this aircraft more conservatively / reserved- mostly using it in a Boom-n'-Zoom fashion. However, a P-38L is a large target, thus making it highly exposed in a turn. That is the best way to secure a kill on a P-38L. Even if you only set the Lightning on fire, all the fuel tanks are either on the inside of the fuselage or in the wing-tips. That being said, a P-38L pilot will only be able to put out a fire if they exceed the structural integrity of the plane.
 
−
 
 
−
In addition, the P-38L has a bubble canopy, which offers minimal protection from incoming fire. Getting a pilot snipe on a P-38L is not totally uncommon.
 
−
 
 
−
If a P-38L is diving on you, try to force it to over-shoot by pulling either a Corkscrew or a Split-S. If you pull a Corkscrew and the Lightning overshoots, position yourself for a well-placed burst and try to knock-out the pilot. If you choose to pull a Split-S and the Lightning over-shoots, re-position yourself to energy-fight the P-38L.
 
−
 
 
−
The P-38L is also a very good energy fighter, thus rendering it able to make some very tight turns, but only for so long. If a Lightning manages to get behind you, try to out-maneuver it to then get behind or force it into a vertical scissors fight. In a vertical scissors, a Lightning can only pull tight turns for so long before it bleeds too much energy- use that to your advantage.
 
−
 
 
−
'''Heads-up for German, Russian and Italian players!'''  While you may have strong nose-mounted weaponry to attack the Lightning in a head-on engagement, the P-38L will make you pay dearly. The "Air Targets" ammunition for the AN/M2 20 mm cannons makes the Lightning an even deadlier foe- especially if you are flying a Yak. If you find yourself facing a Lightning in a head-on engagement, fire a quick burst, then quickly dive to avoid being hit from incoming enemy return-fire.
 
−
 
 
−
'''It is ill-advised to try and out-dive a P-38L. This is directly resulting from the P-38L having a set of dive-brakes that will easily allow the pilot to reduce their speed if they are approaching the speed that the plane disintegrates. Of all the defensive actions you take, do not try to out-dive this plane.'''
 
−
 
 
−
===Manual Engine Control===
 
−
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 
−
|-
 
−
! colspan="7" | MEC elements
 
−
|-
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Mixer
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Pitch
 
−
! colspan="3" | Radiator
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Supercharger
 
−
! rowspan="2" | Turbocharger
 
−
|-
 
−
! Oil
 
−
! Water
 
−
! Type
 
−
|-
 
−
| Controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Separate || rowspan="2" | Not controllable || rowspan="2" | Not controllable
 
−
|-
 
−
|}
 
−
 
 
−
===Modules===
 
 
{| class="wikitable"
 
{| class="wikitable"
−
! colspan="1" | Tier
+
!Tier
−
! colspan="2" | Flight performance
+
! colspan="2" |Mobility
−
! colspan="1" | Survivability
+
!Protection
−
! colspan="2" | Weaponry
+
! colspan="3" |Firepower
 
|-
 
|-
−
| I
+
|I
−
| Fuselage Repair
+
|Tracks
−
| Radiator
+
|
 +
|Parts
 +
|Horizontal Drive
 +
|
 
|
 
|
−
| Offensive 12 mm
 
−
| DGP-1
 
 
|-
 
|-
−
| II
+
|II
−
| New Boosters
+
|Suspension
−
| Compressor
+
|Brake System
−
| Airframe
+
|FPE
−
| New 12 mm MGs
+
|Adjustment of Fire
−
| FMBC mk.1
+
|Airstrike
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
−
| III
+
|III
−
| Wings Repair
+
|Filters
−
| Engine
 
 
|
 
|
−
| Offensive 20 mm
+
|Crew Replenishment
 +
|Elevation Mechanism
 +
|Smoke Grenade
 +
|NVD
 +
|-
 +
|IV
 +
|Transmission
 +
|Engine
 
|
 
|
−
|-
+
|Rangefinder
−
| IV
+
|Improved Optics
−
| G-Suit
+
|3BK7
−
| Engine Injection
 
−
| Cover
 
−
| New 20 mm Cannons
 
−
| CTRC mk.3
 
−
|-
 
 
|}
 
|}
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
−
<!-- ''Summarize 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".'' -->
+
<!--''Summarize 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:'''
  
−
'''Pros:'''
+
* Excellent 85 mm gun
−
* Accurate armament of 4 x 12.7mm Browning MG's and 1 x 20mm AN/M2 cannon (great for long range shooting as its nose-mounted)
+
* Competitive stock APBC round with explosive filler
−
* Dive flaps to solve the P-38's high speed dive recovery problem
+
* Access to HEAT-FS with 300 mm of penetration
−
* Dive flaps boosts turn rate drastically for short durations
+
* Tiny profile
−
* Hydraulically boosted ailerons result in a higher roll rate
+
* Access to a coaxial machine gun
−
* Twin engines mean you can continue flying if one is damaged
+
* Access to night vision devices
−
* Good all around cockpit visibly
 
−
* When spaded can out-manoeuvre even Yak's and [[Spitfire_(Family)|Spitfire]]s
 
−
* Good energy retention
 
−
* Well armoured for a head-on, although caution is still needed
 
−
* Being a heavy fighter it can choose to spawn in attackers' spawn point for AB only
 
−
* Works well with MEC
 
−
* Can carry a variety of ground attack ordnance (either bombs or rockets)
 
−
* Good high altitude performance
 
−
* Adequate ammo for 20 mm cannons
 
−
* Very responsive controls even at lower speeds
 
−
* One of the few fighter aircraft with air brakes
 
−
* The 20 mm cannon has access to "Air Target" ammunition, which will punish enemy planes
 
−
* Can mount 2 x 2 12.7 mm gunpods for increased firepower at a slight performance hit
 
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
* High tendency to catch fire due to easy to hit fuel tanks inside wings, which means you cannot put out a fire without destroying the airframe
+
 
−
* Tendency to lock up at high speeds (700 kph+ or 435 mph+)
+
* Slow gun elevation and traverse
−
* Very poor turn rate without flaps
+
* Slow reload for an 85 mm gun
−
* Is not very durable
+
* Lightly armoured everywhere besides the front, especially vulnerable to aircraft strafing
−
* Nose mounted armament, precision is required
+
* Poor reverse speed
−
* .50 cal MGs are the early version with no all tracer belts
+
* Mediocre mobility, considering the light armour
−
* Large target as its a twin-engine fighter aircraft
+
* Poor gun depression
−
* Gunpods are mounted on the outboard wing sections, resulting in significant convergence
 
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, 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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
+
<!--''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ground vehicle in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, 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></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== Encyclopedia Info ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''-->
 +
===Development===
 +
A new assault gun was requested by the Armed Forces sometime before 1953. Due to the success of the [[ASU-57]], they tasked the OKB-40 design bureau headed by Nikolaj Astrov to design the vehicle. The design, designated ''Object 573'', was ready for tests in the latter half of 1953. Constant changes and improvement was made from the span of 1956 to 1957. The design used the chassis of the [[PT-76B|PT-76]] amphibious light tank design, though it did not have the same amphibious feature and had a new engine propelling it. The armament was an 85 mm D-70 gun derived from the 85 mm D-48 anti-tank gun. The design could carry 45 rounds inside and could fire a variety of rounds up to 1 km away. Secondary armament for the vehicle was a GMT or PKT coaxial machine gun. The improved design was going to accepted and enter production in 1958 as the ''SU-85'' (despite the existence of [[SU-85|a vehicle of the same name]]), but this was again delayed when the Ministry of Defense ordered an armoured roof to be installed. The design was to enter production in 1961, but by then the design was rather outdated for army forces usage. Thus, when the vehicle entered production, it was taken up by the VDV, the Soviet Airborne Forces, and renamed the '''ASU-85'''. The ASU-85 was produced from 1959 to 1966, while staying in service from 1959 all the way to 1993.
  
−
The concept of the plane was made in February 1937 when the US Army Air Corps made a requirement for a plane that had twin-engine and can act as a high-altitude interceptor that can hold a large amount of armament and ammunition. The term "interceptor" was used for the aircraft by the requirement authors, 1st Lt Benjamin S. Kelsey and Gordon P. Saville, to bypass the Air Corps' strict requirements on aircraft designs at the time. The specifications laid by this new requirements also called for a maximum speed of 360 mph (580 km/h) and able to climb to 20,000 ft altitude in six minutes, making it the toughest specifications at the time. Design proposals were made for the specifications, one of which would become the [[P-39N-0|Bell P-39 Airacobra]], but it was the Lockheed design team headed by Hall Hibbard and Clarence "Kelly" Johnson that made the final product. They made many designs with a twin-engine configuration. The prototypes made for the design used a twin-boom design to hold all the components of the aircraft. Various armaments were tested on the aircraft, from different machine gun combinations and autocannons. It was finally settled to four M2 .50 cal machine guns and one Hispano 20 mm autocannon. The aircraft armament configurations, all at the nose of the aircraft, was very unusual for American aircraft design, as most of their designs and those of their foreign contemporaries had the armament mounted on the wings angled forward. Because of this mounting, the aircraft is able to fire at a longer distance accurately than wing-mounts.
+
===Usage===
 +
The Soviet airborne forces primarily used the ASU-85 as a light infantry support/assault gun. Advancements in air-drop techniques and the advent of helicopters made its air deployment a more viable option in the early 1960s. The Soviet Union deployed 31 ASU-85s to each of its airborne divisions in and assault gun battalion. The Soviet Union used the ASU-85 during the Soviet-Afghan War with the airborne troops stationed there.
  
−
===Combat usage===
+
The ASU-85 was only given out to Poland and Vietnam. Poland used the ASU-85s in the same manner as the Soviet Union, with 31 vehicles in each airborne divisions. The ASU-85 are still in service in the Vietnamese military, with interests on improving their technical performances in early 2016.<ref name="JaneASU-85">Fisher, Richard D., Jr. "DSA 2016: Vietnam May Update Soviet Era ASU-85s." IHS Jane's 360, 21 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.</ref>
−
The P-38 performed very well in the Pacific and European theater's during World War II. They were used in roles such as Bombers Escorts, Escort V.I.P's, Performing reconnaissance over enemy locations, Combat Air Patrols, Ground Attack, Search and Rescue and other important and critical roles.
+
 
 +
The ASU-85 also serves as the genesis of other support vehicles using the derived PT-76 chassis. The most notable vehicle using a similar chassis was the [[ZSU-23-4|ZSU-23-4 "Shilka"]] anti-aircraft system.
  
 
== 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.''-->
 +
Skin and Camouflages for the [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=ussr&vehicleType=tank&vehicleClass=tank_destroyer&vehicle=ussr_asu_85 ASU-85] in Warthunder Live.
 +
{{Youtube-gallery|y2G4K-5ZvDw|The ASU-85 in Soviet Airborne service}}
 +
 
 +
==References==
 +
'''Citations'''
 +
<references />
 +
 
 +
'''Bibliography'''
 +
 
 +
* [Http://www.janes.com/article/59688/dsa-2016-vietnam-may-update-soviet-era-asu-85s [World News<nowiki>]</nowiki> Vietnam may update Soviet-era ASU-85s]
  
 
== 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 aircraft;''
 
−
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
 
−
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
 
  
−
* Bristol [[Beaufighter Mk VIc|Beaufighter]]
+
* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
−
* de Havilland [[Mosquito (Family)|Mosquito]]
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
−
* Kawasaki [[Ki-96]]
 
−
* Mitsubishi [[Ki-83]]
 
−
* Nakajima [[J5N1|J5N]]
 
−
* Northrop [[P-61C-1|P-61]] Black Widow
 
−
* Westland [[Whirlwind Mk I| Whirlwind]]
 
−
* Petlyakov [[Pe-3 (e)|Pe-3]]
 
−
* Savoia-Marchetti [[SM.92]]
 
  
 
== External links ==
 
== External links ==
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''encyclopedia page on the aircraft;''
+
* ''encyclopedia page on the tank;''
−
* ''other literature.''
+
* ''other literature.''-->
 +
 
 +
* [http://warthunder.com/en/news/3733-development-asu-85-death-from-the-skies-en/ [Devblog<nowiki>]</nowiki> ASU-85: Death from the Skies]
 +
* [[Wikipedia:ASU-85|[Wikipedia<nowiki>]</nowiki> ASU-85]]
  
−
{{AirManufacturer Lockheed}}
+
{{USSR tank destroyers}}
−
{{USA twin-engine fighters}}
 

Revision as of 22:14, 18 May 2020

RANK 6 BRITAIN
Rooikat 105 PACK
ASU-85
ussr_asu_85.png
ASU-85
USSR flag.png USSR
IV Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.3 6.3 6.3
Class:
Research:63 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:200 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

GarageImage ASU-85.jpg


The ASU-85 is a Rank IV Russian tank destroyer with a battle rating of 6.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows". It was designed to provide the VDV (Vozdushno-Desantnye Voyska), the Soviet airborne forces, with an air-portable self-propelled gun for independent fire support and anti-tank capability in support of paratroopers during airborne operations.

General info

Survivability and armour

The front upper glacis plate, while only 45 mm thick, is quite heavily sloped and can occasionally ricochet rounds. The mantlet is also quite thick and rounded, and it can also bounce the occasional lucky shot.

However, the rest of the ASU-85 is very thinly armoured and vulnerable to even heavy machine guns. It is especially vulnerable to aircraft strafing.

Armour type:

  • Rolled homogeneous armour
  • Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)
Armour Front Sides Rear Roof
Hull 45 mm (60°) Front glacis
45 mm (37°) Lower glacis
50 mm Driver port		 6 mm 6 mm (40°) Upper
6 mm (18°) Lower 		6 mm
Superstructure 45 mm (60°) Front glacis
100 mm Gun mantlet 		13 mm (37-38°) 6 mm 13 mm Front
6 mm Rear

Notes:

  • Suspension wheels are 10 mm thick, tracks are 15 mm thick.

Mobility

Game Mode Max Speed (km/h) Weight (tons) Engine power (horsepower) Power-to-weight ratio (hp/ton)
Forward Reverse Stock Upgraded Stock Upgraded
Arcade 49 6 15.9 298 401 18.74 25.22
Realistic 45 6 186 210 11.7 13.21
The ASU-85 is based on the PT-76B and uses the same engine. It is somewhat heavier, however, and the mobility thus suffers comparatively. With a top speed of under 50 km/h, the ASU-85 is relatively slow for such a lightly armoured vehicle, but it is adequate enough for repositioning when needed. The ASU-85 also has a fairly slow reverse speed and only one reverse gear, inherited from the PT-76B.

It should also be noted that the ASU-85 is not amphibious, unlike the PT-76B it is based on.

Armaments

Main armament

Main article: D-70 (85 mm)
The ASU-85 is armed with the 85 mm D-70, a significantly more powerful gun compared to the wartime Soviet 85 mm ZiS S-53 and D-5T guns and comparable in capability to the German 8,8 cm L/71 guns. The mounting has only 4° of gun depression due to the restricted size of the vehicle, but has a fairly generous amount of traverse for a casemate tank destroyer. It has a relatively low rate-of-fire for its calibre, reflecting the rather cramped crew compartment of the ASU-85.

The standard shell is the BR-372 APBC shell with a lethal explosive filler. It has an excellent muzzle velocity and is accurate at long ranges. It will also easily penetrate most things that the ASU-85 may encounter. Anything that cannot be penetrated by the APBC shell will almost certainly be penetrable by the 3BK7 HEAT-FS round. Boasting 300 mm of penetration, it is capable of punching straight through a Tiger II's upper glacis and does not lose penetration over distance. However, it suffers the usual drawbacks of HEAT rounds (cannot go through obstacles like trees or fences) and is significantly less lethal than the APBC shell. The muzzle velocity is also lower, which can complicate aiming at long ranges.

85 mm D-70
Capacity Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance 		Stabilizer
39 -4°/+15° ±15° N/A
Turret rotation speed (°/s)
Mode Stock Upgraded Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
Arcade 4.2 __.__ __.__ __.__ __.__
Realistic 4.2 __.__ __.__ __.__ __.__
Reloading rate (seconds)
Stock Prior + Full crew Prior + Expert qualif. Prior + Ace qualif.
11.2 __.__ __.__ __.__
Ammunition
Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Penetration in mm @ 0° Angle of Attack
10m 100m 500m 1000m 1500m 2000m
BR-372 APBC 230 227 214 199 186 172
OF-372 HE 11 11 11 11 11 11
3BK7 HEATFS 300 300 300 300 300 300
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead 		Velocity
in m/s 		Projectile
Mass in kg 		Fuse delay

in m:

Fuse sensitivity

in mm:

Explosive Mass in g
(TNT equivalent): 		Normalization At 30°
from horizontal: 		Ricochet:
0% 50% 100%
BR-372 APBC 1040 9.3 1.2 15 85 +4° 48° 63° 71°
OF-372 HE 1010 9.7 0.1 0.3 740 +0° 79° 80° 81°
3BK7 HEATFS 925 7.2 0.1 0.1 1,590 +0° 65° 72° 75°
Ammo racks
Ammo racks on the ASU-85.
Full
ammo 		1st
rack empty 		2nd
rack empty 		3rd
rack empty 		4th
rack empty 		5th
rack empty 		6th
rack empty 		Visual
discrepancy
39 33 (+6) 26 (+13) 19 (+20) 13 (+26) 7 (+32) 1 (+38) No

Front empty: 26 (+13)
Sides only: 33 (+6)

Machine guns

Main article: SGMT (7.62 mm)
7.62 mm SGMT
Coaxial mount
Capacity (Belt capacity) Fire rate
(shots/minute) 		Vertical
guidance 		Horizontal
guidance
2,000 (250) 600 N/A N/A

Usage in battles

The ASU-85 is a veritable glass cannon that relies on stealth and/or distance in order to survive on the battlefield. It is very vulnerable if caught in the open, especially to planes due to the very weak roof armour. The 85 mm gun is capable of handling almost any tank likely to be encountered by the ASU-85. Unfortunately, the ASU-85 lacks the mobility of its predecessor, the ASU-57, and thus has to adopt a more passive playstyle. The stock APBC round is excellent for ambushes, which tend to involve a lot of side shots where the lethality of the explosive filler is valuable, especially with the long reload time of the gun. The HEAT-FS round is better suited for medium/long-range fighting, since it does not lose penetration over distance.

The ASU-85 has a rather unorthodox method of using its smoke screen. Unlike most vehicles, which use smoke shells, singular canisters, or canister clusters, the ASU-85 uses two large drum like structures at the rear. When deployed, these will drop away, so it is relatively easy to tell from close range whether or not an ASU-85 has smoke or not, and how many it has. Due to the orientation of the drums, the smoke screen will actually form behind the tank and take about 2-3 seconds to fully envelope the assault gun.

Common opponent weakspots:

  • Tiger II (P), (H), 105 mm: Turret cheeks. HEAT-FS can penetrate the hull front.
  • Panther II: APBC can penetrate the turret face. HEAT-FS can penetrate the hull front.
  • T29: Lower glacis. There are also weakspots in the gun mantlet, but they may be hard to hit at anything but close range.
  • Caernavron: Turret ring and lower glacis.
  • A39 Tortoise: Area surrounding the hull machine gun port.
  • T95: Cupolas may be penetrated but do not trigger the explosive filler of AP rounds.
  • Jagdtiger: HEAT-FS can penetrate the hull front and superstructure.

Modules

Tier Mobility Protection Firepower
I Tracks Parts Horizontal Drive
II Suspension Brake System FPE Adjustment of Fire Airstrike
III Filters Crew Replenishment Elevation Mechanism Smoke Grenade NVD
IV Transmission Engine Rangefinder Improved Optics 3BK7

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Excellent 85 mm gun
  • Competitive stock APBC round with explosive filler
  • Access to HEAT-FS with 300 mm of penetration
  • Tiny profile
  • Access to a coaxial machine gun
  • Access to night vision devices

Cons:

  • Slow gun elevation and traverse
  • Slow reload for an 85 mm gun
  • Lightly armoured everywhere besides the front, especially vulnerable to aircraft strafing
  • Poor reverse speed
  • Mediocre mobility, considering the light armour
  • Poor gun depression

History

Development

A new assault gun was requested by the Armed Forces sometime before 1953. Due to the success of the ASU-57, they tasked the OKB-40 design bureau headed by Nikolaj Astrov to design the vehicle. The design, designated Object 573, was ready for tests in the latter half of 1953. Constant changes and improvement was made from the span of 1956 to 1957. The design used the chassis of the PT-76 amphibious light tank design, though it did not have the same amphibious feature and had a new engine propelling it. The armament was an 85 mm D-70 gun derived from the 85 mm D-48 anti-tank gun. The design could carry 45 rounds inside and could fire a variety of rounds up to 1 km away. Secondary armament for the vehicle was a GMT or PKT coaxial machine gun. The improved design was going to accepted and enter production in 1958 as the SU-85 (despite the existence of a vehicle of the same name), but this was again delayed when the Ministry of Defense ordered an armoured roof to be installed. The design was to enter production in 1961, but by then the design was rather outdated for army forces usage. Thus, when the vehicle entered production, it was taken up by the VDV, the Soviet Airborne Forces, and renamed the ASU-85. The ASU-85 was produced from 1959 to 1966, while staying in service from 1959 all the way to 1993.

Usage

The Soviet airborne forces primarily used the ASU-85 as a light infantry support/assault gun. Advancements in air-drop techniques and the advent of helicopters made its air deployment a more viable option in the early 1960s. The Soviet Union deployed 31 ASU-85s to each of its airborne divisions in and assault gun battalion. The Soviet Union used the ASU-85 during the Soviet-Afghan War with the airborne troops stationed there.

The ASU-85 was only given out to Poland and Vietnam. Poland used the ASU-85s in the same manner as the Soviet Union, with 31 vehicles in each airborne divisions. The ASU-85 are still in service in the Vietnamese military, with interests on improving their technical performances in early 2016.[1]

The ASU-85 also serves as the genesis of other support vehicles using the derived PT-76 chassis. The most notable vehicle using a similar chassis was the ZSU-23-4 "Shilka" anti-aircraft system.

Media

Skin and Camouflages for the ASU-85 in Warthunder Live.

The ASU-85 in Soviet Airborne service

References

Citations

  1. ↑ Fisher, Richard D., Jr. "DSA 2016: Vietnam May Update Soviet Era ASU-85s." IHS Jane's 360, 21 Apr. 2016. Web. 23 Sept. 2016.

Bibliography

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 vehicles;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


USSR tank destroyers
SU-76M  SU-76M · SU-76M (5th Gv.Kav.Corps) · SU-85A
SU-57B  SU-57B · SU-76D
T-34 Derivatives  SU-122 · SU-85 · SU-85M · SU-100 · SU-122P
Heavy Tank Derivatives  SU-100Y · ISU-122 · ISU-122S · SU-152 · ISU-152 · Object 268
SU-100P and Derivatives  SU-100P · Object 120
Wheeled  YaG-10 (29-K)
Airborne  ASU-57 · ASU-85
Rocket  BM-8-24 · BM-13N · BM-31-12
ATGM  IT-1 · Shturm-S · Object 775 · Khrizantema-S
Artillery  2S1 · 2S3M
Other  SU-5-1 · ZiS-30 · SU-122-54
USA  SU-57

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