The B18B is a Swedish bomber. It was introduced in Update 1.95 "Northern Wind".
Sweden had been using the Ju 86K (export version of the German Ju 86) or the B3C bomber as their main bomber. In 1938 a requirement was put forth to Swedish aircraft manufactures for a fast reconnaissance aircraft with a crew of three. SAAB was awarded the contract for the project and began to build the SAAB 18 alongside the smaller SAAB B17 bomber. At this point the B17 had the facilities priorities in construction, however, the B18 was modified from being just a reconnaissance aircraft to also being a medium bomber. The mid-project changes caused a significant delay in the production of the aircraft which didn't roll out for duty until mid-1944.
Initially, the B18A aircraft was deemed underpowered with the two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines, but would later be replaced by license-built Daimler-Benz DB 605 liquid-cooled engines. Later the B18B variant was modified to operate as a dive bomber/ground attack variant which could be outfitted with three 120 kg bombs or 12 m/51 rockets which could utilize both the internal bomb bay and hardpoints on under the wings. A single defensive positions utilised two 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine guns which had limited coverage the rear dorsal position of the aircraft. The pilot was in control of a single 13.2 mm m/39A machine gun.
The B18B was a multi-role aircraft which filled a need for the Swedish air forces, which continued on until 1959. This bomber can operate in two roles, either as a medium-altitude bomber working on destroying vehicles and anti-aircraft artillery targets or to bomb enemy bases. Flying at a higher altitude will help to avoid a majority of the fighter aircraft which tend to stay at the lower altitudes. The B18B can also be pressed into service in the lower altitudes and even on the deck. When outfitted with rockets, the B18B can dive-bomb ground targets to include tanks, bunkers, anti-aircraft artillery and naval ships.
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Belt | Belt filling | Armor penetration (mm) at a distance: | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 2000 m | ||
HEF-T/AP | 28 | 26 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 5 | |
HEF-T/AP/AP/AP | 28 | 26 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 5 | |
HEF-T/HEF-T/AP/HEF-T | 28 | 26 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 5 | |
AP | 28 | 26 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 5 |
Belt | Belt filling | Armor penetration (mm) at a distance: | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
10 m | 100 m | 500 m | 1000 m | 1500 m | 2000 m | ||
HEF-T/AP | 28 | 26 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 5 | |
HEF-T/AP/AP/AP | 28 | 26 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 5 | |
HEF-T/HEF-T/AP/HEF-T | 28 | 26 | 19 | 12 | 8 | 5 |
Name | Weight | Slot | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
4 × | 168 kg | |||||||
4 × | 256 kg | |||||||
4 × | 200 kg | |||||||
10 × | 500 kg | |||||||
3 × | 690 kg | |||||||
2 × | 1,026 kg | |||||||
2 × | 1,228.8 kg | |||||||
2 × | 240 kg |
Flight performance | |
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Survivability |
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Weaponry | ||
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