Flz.-Rakete Oerlikon
Contents
Description
The 8cm Flz.-Rakete Oerlikon is a Swiss-made unguided rocket carried by a small number of aircraft in War Thunder, most of which are found early in the Israeli tech tree.
Vehicles equipped with this weapon
General info
The 8cm Flz.-Rakete Oerlikon is a reliable unguided rocket boasting great armour penetration (300 mm) and a high maximum velocity (650 m/s). These characteristics make it effective in attacking well-armoured vehicles in Ground Battles, whilst its 1.6 kilograms of TNT equivalent is enough to defeat lighter vehicles while providing a reasonable amount of post-penetration damage. Its high velocity also gives it some utility in defeating larger aircraft whilst remaining out of the range of their defensive guns.
| Rocket characteristics | |
|---|---|
| Mass | 12.84 kg |
| Maximum speed | 650 m/s |
| Explosive mass | 1 kg |
| Explosive type | HBX |
| TNT equivalent | 1.6 kg |
| Armour penetration | 300 mm |
Effective damage
The 8cm Flz.-Rakete is a HEAT rocket with a great deal of penetrating power. The rocket contains a comparatively low amount of explosive filler, and as such an accurate hit is required for a kill on all but the lightest of targets. As the rockets are shaped charges rather than exclusively explosive, a poorly angled hit against a well armoured target can often fail to penetrate. The rocket performs well against most light to medium vehicles regardless, whilst heavier tanks often need a much steeper angle of attack to cause damage. Due to the high velocity of the rockets they can be launched from a greater range than many of their contemporaries, making them well-suited to defeating AA vehicles in Ground Realistic Battles.
Comparison with analogues
The 8 cm Flz. Rakete is comparable to the American FFAR Mighty Mouse, Soviet S-5K, British RN, and French SNEB type 23 rockets.
Usage in battles
Perfect for destroying tanks in Ground RB, and pillboxes and other vehicles in air battles. As the explosion is very small compared to HE rockets, it is not effective against soft targets unlike other rockets. On the other hand, the good armour-piercing capability makes the rocket very suitable for tank busting. Tanks are best engaged from the side at distances between 300 and 600 m.
In RB, it is also a reliable secondary weapon for air combat. In dogfight and head-on, situations fire salvos of at least 4 rockets. When tailing bombers, aim thoughtfully and fire single rockets to be able to re-adjust. Once you figured out the correct lead, you can fire salvos. Hits from 1.5 to 2.5 km are even possible.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Good armour-piercing penetration.
- High velocity.
- Good accuracy.
- Can be used in an air-to-air role.
Cons:
- Can ricochet when fired at an unfavourable angle.
- No proximity or distance fuse.
- Reduces the manoeuvrability of the carrier.
History
The Oerlikon-Bührle 8cm Flz.-Rakete Oerlikon is an unguided air-launched rocket produced in Switzerland by Oerlikon-Bührle. The rocket was developed from 1947 to 1952, and saw service with the Swiss Air Force until 1991. It was most notably carried by the de Havilland Venom and Hawker Hunter fighters as a convenient ground support option.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
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 article about the variant of the weapon;
- references to approximate analogues by other nations and research trees.
External links
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
