Difference between pages "Do 335 A-1" and "Me 262 A-2a"

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m (Armaments)
 
m (Armaments)
 
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{{Specs-Card|code=do_335a_1}}
+
{{Specs-Card|code=me-262a-2a}}
 +
 
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
 
<!--''In the description, the first part needs to 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 screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''-->
 
<!--''In the description, the first part needs to 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 screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''-->
  
[[File:GarageImage_Do335A1.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
+
[[File:GarageImage_Me262A-2a.jpg|420px|thumb|left]]
 
{{break}}
 
{{break}}
The '''Do 335 A-1''' is a Rank IV German heavy fighter with a battle rating of 5.0 (AB), 5.7 (RB) and 5.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.57 "Battle March".
+
e '''Me 262 A-2a ''Sturmvogel''''' is a gift Rank V German jet fighter with a battle rating of 6.3 (AB) and 6.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced during the 2016 "War Thunder Chronicle" that took place between 23 December 2016 to 16 January 2017. It was obtained via completing 10 tasks as part of the event, and is currently now unobtainable.
 
 
The Do. 335 is a difficult plane to fly. It has good armament, however lacks anything else of substance. Sub-par climb, bad turning, and handling, as well as the lack of armor and a propensity to catch fire make this aircraft a very difficult grind. Pilots should utilize the air spawn, then climb as high as possible and go after bombers. Once available, the air belts are devastating against bombers; however, as the plane lacks armor and catches fire quickly, tailing should be avoided. It is also possible to Boom & Zoom with, however, the plane tends to veer off target in prolonged dives.
 
 
 
Contrary to popular belief the Do 335 ''`Pfeil´'' is not a super prop. The initial design was a ''`Schnellbomber´'' ''(speedy bomber)'', but with the start of the emergency fighter program, most bomber contracts were shelved to increase fighter production. At Dornier the idea arose to reconfigure the current bomber design into a heavy fighter to exploit the failure of Focke Wulf's Ta 154 ''`Moskito´''.
 
 
 
Consequently flight agility is mediocre, lending itself in feeling to Dornier's previous heavy fighters: [[Do17 Z-7|Do 17 Z-7]] and [[Do 217 N-1|Do 217N]]. Both of which were coincidentally bombers by birth too. Exception to this trait is the fantastic roll-rate, accomplished by boosted ailerons as seen on the [[Ta152H-1|Ta 152H-1]].
 
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
Line 23: Line 18:
 
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
 
! colspan="8" | ''Stock''
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 8,500 m)
+
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 6,000 m)
 
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
 
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(meters)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
Line 36: Line 31:
 
! RB
 
! RB
 
|-
 
|-
| 737 || 721 || 11,400 || 30.7 || 31.3 || 10.3 || 12.3 || 500
+
| 824 || 797 || 12,500 || 28.8 || 29.9 || 15.9 || 14.8 || 750
 
|-
 
|-
 
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
 
! colspan="8" | ''Upgraded''
 
|-
 
|-
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at ?,000 m)
+
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 6,000 m)
 
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
 
! rowspan="2" |Max altitude (meters)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
 
! colspan="2" | Turn time (seconds)
Line 53: Line 48:
 
! RB
 
! RB
 
|-
 
|-
| ? || ? || 11,400 || ??.? || ??.? || ?.? || ?.? || 500
+
| 909 || 865 || 12,500 || 27.7 || 28.0 || 24.5 || 20.0 || 750
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 84: Line 79:
 
! -
 
! -
 
|-
 
|-
| 940 || 270 || 450 || ~7 || ~4
+
| ??? || ??? || ??? || ~?? || ~?
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 97: Line 92:
 
! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
! Radiator<br>(km/h)
 
|-
 
|-
| < 380 || < 380 || < 380 || > 285
+
| < ??? || < ??? || < ??? || > ???
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
Line 111: Line 106:
 
! WEP Engine power
 
! WEP Engine power
 
|-
 
|-
| 7,070 m || 2,880 hp || 3,880 hp  
+
| ?,??? m || ??? hp || ?,??? hp  
 
|-
 
|-
 
<!--! colspan="3" | Setting 2
 
<!--! colspan="3" | Setting 2
Line 133: Line 128:
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== 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. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''-->
 
<!--''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''-->
* 8 mm Steel - Plate behind pilot seat
+
* 90 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
 +
* 16.5 mm Steel plates in front of 30 mm Mk 108 ammo boxes.
 +
* 15 mm Steel plates in fuselage in front of pilot.
 +
* 15 mm Steel plates behind the pilot.
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 
=== 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.''-->
 
<!--''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|MK 103 (30 mm)|MG 151/15 (15 mm)}}
+
{{main|MK 108 (30 mm)}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
  
* 1 x 30 mm MK 103 cannon (70 rpg)
+
* 2 x 30 mm MK 108 cannons (100 rpg = 200 total)
* 2 x 15 mm MG 151 cannon (200 rpg = 400 total)
 
  
The two 15 mm cannons and 30 mm cannon are all nose mounted in the aircraft.  
+
The two cannons are arranged in the nose of the aircraft. Each are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire with each other until empty.
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
=== 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.''-->
 
<!--''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|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)}}
+
{{main|SC250JA (250 kg)|SC500K (500 kg)|R4M}}
  
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordinance:
+
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be loaded with the following external ordinance:
  
 +
* Without load
 +
* 24 x R4M rockets
 
* 2 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (500 kg total)
 
* 2 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (500 kg total)
 
* 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb (500 kg total)
 
* 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb (500 kg total)
* 2 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs + 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb (1,000 kg total)
+
 
<!--
+
<!--=== Defensive armament ===
=== Defensive armament ===
 
 
''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available remove this subsection.''
 
''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available remove this subsection.''
 
-->
 
-->
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== Usage in the battles ==
 
== Usage in the 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 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 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 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).''-->
Boom & Zoom: While it does not have the capability to turn, accelerate or climb (sustained) quickly as might an energy fighting aircraft, it can be used to make quick, swooping attacks on enemy bombers, and in a limited capacity, fighters. Advantaged by its swift dive acceleration, Boom & Zoom is a viable tactic; however, it should be noted that prolonged engagements with enemy aircraft should be avoided, as energy fighters will quickly deplete its momentum, and turn-fighting aircraft will easily outmaneuver this lumbering aircraft. Instead, diving on a target with a lower energy state (it is permissible to engage some slower aircraft in level flight as the 335 can reach speeds well in excess of 450 km/h within seconds of leveling the aircraft out of a climb) and then simply running away and zoom climbing out of range if the target is not killed on the first run is a significant advantage for DO-335 pilots who wish to return home alive. It may take several runs to kill a target, even with the heavy armament possessed by this aircraft, however momentum conservation is a key advantage of the 335, and multiple swooping attack runs disallow slow, "walking" adjustment of fire by bomber turrets, and can deny a turn-fighter an opportunity to attack, and potentially significantly drain them of energy. Targets in a higher energy state (More altitude and/or speed) should not be engaged unless you can ensure that once you have followed through with the attack run, you will be moving fast enough to avoid retaliation by the target.
+
The Me 262 A-2a has can be utilized in several possible ways:
 +
 
 +
'''Air-supremacy-fighter''': ''Find and destroy other fighters''. While the historic purpose of the Me 262 was bomber interception, it performs well against other fighters. However, it must be played like a heavy fighter or, for instance, the Fw 190 series. Be careful and plan every step ahead, including your retreat and how you will regain lost energy. A standard attack looks like the following:
 +
# Find a target already engaged in combat and busy or an enemy who is alone.
 +
# Position yourself with either a speed or energy advantage in the enemy's blind-spot (where they would least expect you, attacking with the sun behind you is a good tactic).
 +
# Proceed closer to the enemy aircraft with the energy advantage you hold.
 +
# Launch a deadly surprise attack.
 +
# Escape any other nearby enemies with a "zoom climb" or a continuation of the approach at your maximum speed.
 +
# Once enough separation has been gained (3-5 km), regain energy by accelerating or climbing. Likewise, engaging a different target who has lower energy is an option.
 +
# Ground attack with bombs or rocket
 +
 
 +
These tactics are virtually the same as used by the Fw 190 series and also works on all early jets ([[Meteor F.3]], [[P-80A-5|P-80]], [[MiG-9]], [[F2H-2 Banshee|F2H]], [[Kikka]], [[R2Y2 Keiun-KAI V1|R2Y2]]), etc.
 +
 
 +
Against later jets, ([[Sea Meteor F. Mk.3|Sea Meteor]], [[La-15]], [[F9F-2 Panther|F9F]]), it gets trickier as they can easily neglect any energy advantage you built up due to their superior acceleration. The approach suggested above will still work, but needs to be executed with even more caution. Having allies nearby to assist is also often mandatory in matches like these, as a single 262 bears little threat to Korean War jets.
 +
 
 +
Against these superior foes, one of the 262's lesser strengths can be used - the turn rate. For '''a few''' turns, the A-2a can  out-manoeuvre most Korean War jets, apart from the naval carrier jets like the [[F9F-2 Panther|F9F Panther]] and [[Sea Meteor F. Mk.3|Seameteor]].
 +
 
 +
'''Bomber interceptor''': History's call. Seek and annihilate any heavy bombers with the impressive armament the Me 262 brings to the battlefield. Avoid getting shot at though! The 262's engines are weak and like to burn. If the engines catch on fire, throttle down and then shut off the engine (default "i") and go into a dive to gain speed. Rockets are also fun in this mode, as the A-2a has the option to carry up to 24, 55 mm R4M rockets. Don't forget to set a detonation timer for the R4M missiles so they do not require direct hits. 600-800 m is suggested.
 +
 
 +
'''Ground attacker''': Bad acceleration and a high stall speed - usually not the traits wielded by an attacker, but the A-2a has two very convincing arguments on its side: R4M rockets and bad [[Matchmaker|matchmaking]]. The 24 (48 second unlock) rockets can destroy light pillboxes, medium tanks, fortifications and mini bases with either the twin 250 Kg or single 500 Kg SC bomb. Peculiar to note is the ability of the MK 108 to destroy light pillboxes. 60-80 shots are needed from a very low angle and from short distance. Also, the Me 262 can get dragged up to games where it will face Korean War era jets. One could try, as an experienced pilot, to get the best out of the situation. Those who are not as skilled at ground attacking still benefit the team; if the match starts to take longer, a ground victory becomes an viable option. The same applies if the last enemy is hiding and the tickets start to count down.
 +
 
 +
As a heavy fighter, the A-2a is not nimble, but neither are other first generation jets. Compared to them, the Me 262 is actually quite agile and possesses a speed, roll, and damage output advantage against certain adversaries.
 +
 
 +
However, don't be fooled - this aircraft was the first operational jet fighter. Generally, anything 3 years younger than the 262 outclasses it. Against them, the 262's turn rate is your only advantage. Except Meteors. Avoid combat with Meteors if possible however if engaged in a sea meteor or later variant, do not simply dive as it will only make your situation worse. Try alternating barrel rolls to force them to overshoot. Joystick users can try the classic trick of banking the aircraft about 120-180 degrees out of phase of the enemy aircraft with a positive G-load but as usual they will need to watch their altitude carefully.
  
Made a problematic aircraft to master by its poor maneuverability, both anti-bomber operations and ground strafing are a challenging task in this aircraft; however, it does have bomb capacity for 1,000 kg of ordinance, and considering it's speed, it is moderately capable in the role of a medium or strategic bomber aircraft. Subsequently the ability to disrupt soft (20 mm) and hard (30 mm) ground targets far away from the initial fighter onslaught does provide some redemption for it's poor anti-aircraft capabilities.
+
The A-2a climb rate is actually not too bad as stock in 6.0-7.0 games but to climb well you need to be around 450 to 500 km/h for best climb rate which can be visually unappealing due to its low angle of climb. This in itself can be used to out-run and climb simultaneously as an advantage.
  
The Do 335’s design flaws make it particularly inapt at chasing other planes. It is nigh-impossible to try to aim while performing a dive, since the nose dances around in all directions and provides no stability to the aiming reticle. Indeed, aiming at the enemy while climbing is prone to the same inaccuracy. Trying to roll the wings to enter a quick dive, e.g. to escape an approaching enemy, is more akin to turning a ship than a heavy fighter. During ground attacks, its inability to aim properly makes more of a “spray and pray” than an accurate firing platform. The most useful approach would be to dive on bombers and attempt to hit with the 30 mm cannon at a distance.
+
====Specific enemies worth noting====
 +
<!--Some concerning vehicles to worry about if playing this plane. (i.e. Japanese fighters will out turn you)-->
 +
Comparison:<br />
 +
Other countries' first generation jets include the [[P-80A-5]], [[Meteor_F._Mk.3|Meteor Mk. 3]], [[Vampire_FB.5|Vampire]], [[MiG-9]], [[Kikka]] and [[Yak-15]]. The Me 262 is the heaviest of them and thus reigns straight line kinetic energy retention at high speeds.<br />
 +
'''Top speed''' goes to the [[F-80C-10_Shooting_Star|F-80]], followed by the MiG-9 and Meteor F.4. Not all is grim though! Both the Vampire and Yak-15 sit far at the end of the spectrum.
  
====Counter-Tactics====
+
The [[Sea_Meteor_F._Mk.3|Sea Meteor]] has the best '''acceleration''' in the horizontal, although it will break apart before it can reach its top speed. In the vertical, however, the weight and design of the Me 262 allows for the most rapid dive in this time era.<br />
<!--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.)-->
+
'''Turn rate''': '''''Do not turn in jets!''''', or heavy fighters like in this case. Pure horizontal maneuvers are reserved for emergency situations and should be avoided accordingly.
The Do 335 is fast in a dive, but flies like a brick. Out-turning it is easy in almost all aircraft it will face. Due to the center-mounted cannons, it is best to avoid head-ons.
 
  
 
===Manual Engine Control===
 
===Manual Engine Control===
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|-
 
|-
 
| I
 
| I
| Fuselage Repair, Radiator
 
 
|  
 
|  
| Offensive 15 mm
+
|  
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| II
 
| II
| Compressor
+
|  
| Airframe
+
|  
| Offensive 30 mm, ETC 250/II
+
|  
 
|-
 
|-
 
| III
 
| III
| Wing Repair, Engine
 
 
|  
 
|  
| New 15 mm Cannons
+
|  
 +
|
 
|-
 
|-
 
| IV
 
| IV
| Engine
+
|  
| Cover
+
|  
| New 30 mm Cannons, ETC 500/III
+
|  
 
|-
 
|-
 
|}
 
|}
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'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
* Excellent top speed at very high altitudes
+
* Essentially the same aircraft as the 262 A-1a but with a lower BR (which can be a huge difference in the aircraft that this plane meets).
* Great armament
+
* Half of the default belt shells consist of minengeschoß shell, which is deadly against anything, especially bombers.
* Great dive top speed
+
* Firing cannons does not slow you down as much as the A-1a.
* Great roll rate
+
* Decent energy retention.
* Internal bomb bay for second payload drop
+
* Able to be do some ground support with ordnance and then switch back as a fighter once payload is spent.
 +
* Good roll rate at low speeds.
 +
* Comes with a extremely unique camouflage paint scheme.
 +
* Fairly maneuverable at low speeds compared to most early jets.
 +
* Engine cowlings can be used in place of landing gear for emergency landings at high speed.
 +
* Cheap repair cost in RB.
 +
* Despite carrying only half the armament of the A-1a model, it is still a very capable fighter.
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
* Bad acceleration
+
* Has only 2 30 mm MK 108 cannons, so precise aiming is required.
* Sub par climb rate
+
* Rather slow compared to most other jets, but it's mitigated by having a lower BR than most jets.
* Sub par top speed at sea level
+
* Bad acceleration, just like most early jets.
* Tends to over-steer with mouse control on rudders and elevators, resulting in worse manuverabillity overall as you either will have to turn more gently in order to avoid over-steering, or wait for the instructor to compensate.
+
* Sluggish rate of climb, even with upgrades, still get out-climbed by the propeller driven aircraft like the Mark 24 Spitfire.
* Steering in a dive results in very poor accuracy.  
+
* Not very nimble at high speeds.
* Alignment of the engines along the center axis makes it extremely easy for either one or both to get damaged when attacked by enemy fighters, and potentially set on fire.
+
* Despite being reward aircraft, it does not make the same amount of SL like a premium aircraft.
* Heavily reliant on it's 30 mm Mk 103 with limited ammo to do the damage dealing as the 15 mm MG 151's won't be able to suffice considering the aircraft's handling.
+
* Expensive repair cost in AB.
 
+
* Poor turn rate.
 +
* Awful shell velocity for jet to jet combat ("snapshots" are possible, albeit very difficult).
 +
* Despite the ability to carry ordnance, the 262 A-2a is not a dedicated ground support aircraft.
 +
* Tends to "flip about" after doing a vertical manoeuver.
 +
* Unusually high angle of attack is required for level flight at most speed ranges as the Me 262 A-2a tends to bleed energy when turning.
 +
* Fuel feed cuts off if flying with inverted G-loads for an extended period of time.
 +
* Exposed jet engines that are very susceptible to damage.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
Line 258: Line 294:
 
* ''other literature.''
 
* ''other literature.''
  
{{Germany twin-engine fighters}}
+
{{Germany jet aircrafts}}

Revision as of 16:46, 4 January 2019

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
Me 262 A-2a
me-262a-2a.png
Me 262 A-2a
AB RB SB
6.7 6.7 6.7
Show in game


Description

GarageImage Me 262 A-2a.jpg


e Me 262 A-2a Sturmvogel is a gift Rank V German jet fighter with a battle rating of 6.3 (AB) and 6.7 (RB/SB). It was introduced during the 2016 "War Thunder Chronicle" that took place between 23 December 2016 to 16 January 2017. It was obtained via completing 10 tasks as part of the event, and is currently now unobtainable.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed
(km/h at 6,000 m)
Max altitude
(meters)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
824 797 12,500 28.8 29.9 15.9 14.8 750
Upgraded
Max Speed
(km/h at 6,000 m)
Max altitude (meters) Turn time (seconds) Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run (meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
909 865 12,500 27.7 28.0 24.5 20.0 750

Details

Features
Combat flap Take-off flap Landing flap Air brakes Arrestor gear
X X X
Limits
Wing-break speed
(km/h)
Gear limit
(km/h)
Combat flap
(km/h)
Max Static G
+ -
 ???  ???  ??? ~?? ~?
Optimal velocities
Ailerons
(km/h)
Rudder
(km/h)
Elevators
(km/h)
Radiator
(km/h)
< ??? < ??? < ??? > ???
Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
 ?,??? m  ??? hp  ?,??? hp

Survivability and armour

  • 90 mm Bulletproof glass in cockpit front.
  • 16.5 mm Steel plates in front of 30 mm Mk 108 ammo boxes.
  • 15 mm Steel plates in fuselage in front of pilot.
  • 15 mm Steel plates behind the pilot.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Main article: MK 108 (30 mm)

The Me 262 A-2a is armed with:

  • 2 x 30 mm MK 108 cannons (100 rpg = 200 total)

The two cannons are arranged in the nose of the aircraft. Each are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire with each other until empty.

Suspended armament

The Me 262 A-2a can be loaded with the following external ordinance:

  • Without load
  • 24 x R4M rockets
  • 2 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (500 kg total)
  • 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb (500 kg total)


Usage in the battles

The Me 262 A-2a has can be utilized in several possible ways:

Air-supremacy-fighter: Find and destroy other fighters. While the historic purpose of the Me 262 was bomber interception, it performs well against other fighters. However, it must be played like a heavy fighter or, for instance, the Fw 190 series. Be careful and plan every step ahead, including your retreat and how you will regain lost energy. A standard attack looks like the following:

  1. Find a target already engaged in combat and busy or an enemy who is alone.
  2. Position yourself with either a speed or energy advantage in the enemy's blind-spot (where they would least expect you, attacking with the sun behind you is a good tactic).
  3. Proceed closer to the enemy aircraft with the energy advantage you hold.
  4. Launch a deadly surprise attack.
  5. Escape any other nearby enemies with a "zoom climb" or a continuation of the approach at your maximum speed.
  6. Once enough separation has been gained (3-5 km), regain energy by accelerating or climbing. Likewise, engaging a different target who has lower energy is an option.
  7. Ground attack with bombs or rocket

These tactics are virtually the same as used by the Fw 190 series and also works on all early jets (Meteor F.3, P-80, MiG-9, F2H, Kikka, R2Y2), etc.

Against later jets, (Sea Meteor, La-15, F9F), it gets trickier as they can easily neglect any energy advantage you built up due to their superior acceleration. The approach suggested above will still work, but needs to be executed with even more caution. Having allies nearby to assist is also often mandatory in matches like these, as a single 262 bears little threat to Korean War jets.

Against these superior foes, one of the 262's lesser strengths can be used - the turn rate. For a few turns, the A-2a can out-manoeuvre most Korean War jets, apart from the naval carrier jets like the F9F Panther and Seameteor.

Bomber interceptor: History's call. Seek and annihilate any heavy bombers with the impressive armament the Me 262 brings to the battlefield. Avoid getting shot at though! The 262's engines are weak and like to burn. If the engines catch on fire, throttle down and then shut off the engine (default "i") and go into a dive to gain speed. Rockets are also fun in this mode, as the A-2a has the option to carry up to 24, 55 mm R4M rockets. Don't forget to set a detonation timer for the R4M missiles so they do not require direct hits. 600-800 m is suggested.

Ground attacker: Bad acceleration and a high stall speed - usually not the traits wielded by an attacker, but the A-2a has two very convincing arguments on its side: R4M rockets and bad matchmaking. The 24 (48 second unlock) rockets can destroy light pillboxes, medium tanks, fortifications and mini bases with either the twin 250 Kg or single 500 Kg SC bomb. Peculiar to note is the ability of the MK 108 to destroy light pillboxes. 60-80 shots are needed from a very low angle and from short distance. Also, the Me 262 can get dragged up to games where it will face Korean War era jets. One could try, as an experienced pilot, to get the best out of the situation. Those who are not as skilled at ground attacking still benefit the team; if the match starts to take longer, a ground victory becomes an viable option. The same applies if the last enemy is hiding and the tickets start to count down.

As a heavy fighter, the A-2a is not nimble, but neither are other first generation jets. Compared to them, the Me 262 is actually quite agile and possesses a speed, roll, and damage output advantage against certain adversaries.

However, don't be fooled - this aircraft was the first operational jet fighter. Generally, anything 3 years younger than the 262 outclasses it. Against them, the 262's turn rate is your only advantage. Except Meteors. Avoid combat with Meteors if possible however if engaged in a sea meteor or later variant, do not simply dive as it will only make your situation worse. Try alternating barrel rolls to force them to overshoot. Joystick users can try the classic trick of banking the aircraft about 120-180 degrees out of phase of the enemy aircraft with a positive G-load but as usual they will need to watch their altitude carefully.

The A-2a climb rate is actually not too bad as stock in 6.0-7.0 games but to climb well you need to be around 450 to 500 km/h for best climb rate which can be visually unappealing due to its low angle of climb. This in itself can be used to out-run and climb simultaneously as an advantage.

Specific enemies worth noting

Comparison:
Other countries' first generation jets include the P-80A-5, Meteor Mk. 3, Vampire, MiG-9, Kikka and Yak-15. The Me 262 is the heaviest of them and thus reigns straight line kinetic energy retention at high speeds.
Top speed goes to the F-80, followed by the MiG-9 and Meteor F.4. Not all is grim though! Both the Vampire and Yak-15 sit far at the end of the spectrum.

The Sea Meteor has the best acceleration in the horizontal, although it will break apart before it can reach its top speed. In the vertical, however, the weight and design of the Me 262 allows for the most rapid dive in this time era.
Turn rate: Do not turn in jets!, or heavy fighters like in this case. Pure horizontal maneuvers are reserved for emergency situations and should be avoided accordingly.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Not controllable Not controllable Not controllable Separate Not ontrollable Not controllable

Modules

Tier Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
I
II
III
IV

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Essentially the same aircraft as the 262 A-1a but with a lower BR (which can be a huge difference in the aircraft that this plane meets).
  • Half of the default belt shells consist of minengeschoß shell, which is deadly against anything, especially bombers.
  • Firing cannons does not slow you down as much as the A-1a.
  • Decent energy retention.
  • Able to be do some ground support with ordnance and then switch back as a fighter once payload is spent.
  • Good roll rate at low speeds.
  • Comes with a extremely unique camouflage paint scheme.
  • Fairly maneuverable at low speeds compared to most early jets.
  • Engine cowlings can be used in place of landing gear for emergency landings at high speed.
  • Cheap repair cost in RB.
  • Despite carrying only half the armament of the A-1a model, it is still a very capable fighter.

Cons:

  • Has only 2 30 mm MK 108 cannons, so precise aiming is required.
  • Rather slow compared to most other jets, but it's mitigated by having a lower BR than most jets.
  • Bad acceleration, just like most early jets.
  • Sluggish rate of climb, even with upgrades, still get out-climbed by the propeller driven aircraft like the Mark 24 Spitfire.
  • Not very nimble at high speeds.
  • Despite being reward aircraft, it does not make the same amount of SL like a premium aircraft.
  • Expensive repair cost in AB.
  • Poor turn rate.
  • Awful shell velocity for jet to jet combat ("snapshots" are possible, albeit very difficult).
  • Despite the ability to carry ordnance, the 262 A-2a is not a dedicated ground support aircraft.
  • Tends to "flip about" after doing a vertical manoeuver.
  • Unusually high angle of attack is required for level flight at most speed ranges as the Me 262 A-2a tends to bleed energy when turning.
  • Fuel feed cuts off if flying with inverted G-loads for an extended period of time.
  • Exposed jet engines that are very susceptible to damage.

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 an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

Read 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.

Sources

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

  • topic on the official game forum;
  • page on aircraft encyclopedia;
  • other literature.


Germany jet aircraft
Ar 234  Ar 234 B-2 · Ar 234 C-3
He 162  He 162 A-1 · He 162 A-2
Ho 229  Ho 229 V3
Me 163  Me 163 B · Me 163 B-0
Me 262 A  Me 262 A-1a · Me 262 A-1a/Jabo · Me 262 A-1a/U1 · Me 262 A-1/U4 · Me 262 A-2a
Me 262 C  Me 262 C-1a · Me 262 C-2b
Tornado  ◄Tornado IDS WTD61 · ◄Tornado IDS MFG · ◄Tornado IDS ASSTA1
West Germany  Alpha Jet A
USA  ◄F-84F
  ◄CL-13A Mk 5 · ◄CL-13B Mk.6 · ◄F-86K
  ◄F-104G
  ◄F-4F Early · ◄F-4F
USSR  ◊MiG-15bis
  ◊MiG-19S
  ◄MiG-21 SPS-K · ◊MiG-21MF · ◊MiG-21bis-SAU · ◊MiG-21 "Lazur-M"
  ◊MiG-23BN · ◊MiG-23MF · ◊MiG-23MLA
  ◊MiG-29 · ◄MiG-29G
  ◊Su-22UM3K · ◊Su-22M4
  ◊IL-28
Poland  ◊Lim-5P
Britain  ◄Sea Hawk Mk.100 · ◌Hunter F.58 (Swiss)
Italy  ◄G.91 R/3 · ◄G.91 R/4