Me 262 A-1/U4
| This page is about the German strike aircraft Me 262 A-1/U4. For other versions, see Me 262 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Messerschmitt Me 262 A-1/U4 Pulkzerstörer (lit. "bomber destroyer"), also known as the Narwal (Narwhal), was a prototype interceptor variant of the Me 262 initially conceptualized in 1943. It was specifically ordered by the Luftwaffe to counter Allied bombing raids, as the already heavy four 30 mm MK 103 autocannons were deemed still not enough to "efficiently" destroy a bomber. To accomplish this task, the Narwal was equipped with a large 50 mm Mk 214 autocannon derived from the 50 mm Pak 38 anti-tank cannon, intended to destroy the bomber with few shots. Due to the weapon being overly complicated to produce, along with the need to modify the airframe to endure the recoil of such a large cannon, it underwent refinement until February 1945. During this time, the two prototypes was outfitted with a similar-calibre BK 5 autocannon (that already served with the Me 410 A-1/U4 and Me 410 B-2/U4) as a placeholder until the refined version of the Mk.214 autocannon, now designated Mk.214a, was equipped. The Narwal then underwent testing between March-April 1945. As the war in Europe came to a close, the need for a specialized bomber-hunter version of the Me 262 was deemed unnecessary as it would further drain the already dwindling resources that Germany had left, and as such the aircraft was not accepted for production.
Introduced in Update 1.41, the Me 262 A-1/U4 Narwal is the standard Me 262 A-1 armed with a single 50 mm Mk.214a cannon in the nose instead of four 30 mm MK 108. Due to the specialized armament, the Narwal will often struggle to land a hit onto any planes smaller than a bomber due to the low rate of fire of the cannon and relative inaccuracy (especially while stock). However, if it does, any aircraft smaller than a heavy bomber that is unfortunate enough to get hit by it would be instantly vaporized. As the Narwal has a much lower BR compared to the other Me 262 variants, it can further use its higher top speed against piston-engined fighter to quickly strike them down after they have bled most of their energy away in an attempt to chase you. However, it struggles against other jet fighters that have more reliable armaments.
Since the Mk.214a autocannon is a derivative of the Pak 38 anti-tank cannon, the Narwal has access to a high-velocity HVAP-T shell with great penetration, allowing it to perform tank-busting duties very efficiently even without suspended armaments. It is not dissimilar to the Hs 129 B-3 in this sense, but with much better top speed and mobility.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 824 | 798 | 12500 | 29.0 | 30.0 | 16.0 | 15.0 | 750 |
| Upgraded | 909 | 865 | 27.7 | 28.0 | 24.5 | 20.0 | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 1050 | 450 | 558 | 529 | 380 | ~10 | ~5 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 500 | < 600 | < 680 | N/A |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Empty mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | |||||
| Junkers Jumo 004B-1 | 2 | 4,280 kg | 287 kg/m2 | |||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Takeoff Weight | ||||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 16m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 53m fuel | ||
| 720 kg | Axial-flow turbojet | 4,894 kg | 5,041 kg | 5,409 kg | 5,961 kg | 6,255 kg | 6,520 kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%) | |||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 16m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 53m fuel | MTOW |
| Stationary | 910 kgf | N/A | 0.37 | 0.36 | 0.34 | 0.30 | 0.29 | 0.28 |
| Optimal | 910 kgf (0 km/h) |
N/A | 0.37 | 0.36 | 0.34 | 0.30 | 0.29 | 0.28 |
Survivability and armour
- 15 mm Steel - Behind the pilot
- 15 mm Steel - Pilot's headrest
- 15 mm Steel - Between cockpit and fore fuel tank
- 15 mm Steel - Instrument panel plate
- 90 mm Bulletproof glass
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Research the ammo belts ASAP! The mixed ammo belt is a nightmare. The stock ammo line up (HE(M)-T + HE-T + APHE) has only one effective anti-air round, the other two lack the knock-out ability for such a precise weapon. Unlocking the belts and the "New 50 mm cannon" should be your highest priority, as the stock cannon has a large dispersion radius which nearly requires the pilot to shoot within 500 m for an accurate hit. After this compressor and engine should be the next target as each one improves the acceleration of the "Pulkzerstörer" which is due to the design of all Schwalbe jets just short of awful. The remaining upgrades can be chosen at leisure. The cannon is not prone to overheat and top speed is not something to worry about as the 262 can only reach it with a dive anyway.
Armaments
Offensive armament
The Me 262 A-1/U4 is armed with:
- 1 x 50 mm Mk.214a cannon, nose-mounted (32 rpg)
Usage in battles
The main tactic to use against bombers is a head-on attack or a long-range shot. Aim for the large fuselage, as the 50 mm HEI-T shell will obliterate any plane it hits in one or two shots or will knock out the pilot. In a deflection shot from above, a 50 mm HEI-T to the wing almost always shreds the entire wing of the enemy or severely damages the wing to the extent a bomber will be unable to fly. A high dive from behind the bomber will offer the biggest and easiest target, but this should be avoided against the B-29.
A common set-up for an advantageous position in the battle is for the Me 262 to speed up to approximately 450 km/h, then immediately climb to the side by utilizing the jet's effective climb rate and energy retention. Continue to climb until you reach around 5,000 m then build up speed to hunt down enemy planes, fighters and bombers alike.
Compared to other fighter-jets, the "Pulkzerstörer" has an extraordinarily long-range hitting power. A long-range shot can be attempted! Do not be afraid to shoot from up to 1.2 km away, as the 50 mm is very accurate especially when the upgrade is unlocked. Furthermore, AI gunners will not engage you if you are attacking from farther than 660 m.
Unlike the other Me 262s the MK 214A has a great bullet trajectory making shots above 500 m (1,600 ft) very easy. Even shots up to 1,500 m (1 mile) are a common feat and unlike the American .50 cal M3 Browning the hitting power does not decline over distance.
The Mk 214A 50 mm cannon has extremely low accuracy in stock configuration. Unlocking the upgraded cannon is a must.
When used against ground targets other than AA batteries and lightly-armoured vehicles, the HVAP or AP-T belts will be effective. Medium Tanks will be destroyed by one direct hit with either type of shell from most angles, though the HVAP shells are more forgiving in this area, and can destroy Heavy Tanks if shot in the sides, rear, or roof. Light Pillboxes can be destroyed with a few hits using a high-angle dive (shooting through the roof), and from the side they can be destroyed by 4-5 hits; but in order to make sure you can pull out in time, start firing from a distance away if you want to destroy it in one pass. In Ground battles, use the same tactics. Equipping the AP-T belt is the most versatile if you are unsure of what types of targets you will hunt, as each shell contains an explosive filler which is more likely to detonate ammo or ignite fires in tanks or SPAAs of mixed battles, and will also deal adequate damage to any aircraft, especially if aimed at a larger module like an engine, in which it will explode.
Ammunition usage
Armoured Targets Belt (AP-T) - The AP-T belt is a good omni-purpose round, though expect some shots to pass right through aircraft structures and do no damage. The AP-T contains an explosive filler which can detonate inside the fuselage of a plane or inside of a tank. In most scenarios, the first hit will damage the aircraft (or in rare cases set it on fire), and the second will be the final blow. In Ground Forces, aim for the roofs of tanks or the rear of tanks within 500 m to be effective. A well-placed shot to the ammunition of any tank will detonate the ammunition in most cases.
Armored Targets Belt (HVAP-T) - The HVAP is extremely effective against ground targets and can penetrate up to 108 mm within 500 m. However, it lacks any explosive filler. Shots to planes will almost always result in the shell going straight through the plane with little or no damage. That being said; shots to critical components on planes such as wing spars or the fuselage may result in that component being blown off entirely.
Air Targets (HEI-T) - The Minengeschoß round will obliterate any plane on the first or second hit. If even one shell lands on an enemy, the enemy plane is at least critically damaged and will likely crash over time. Only in rare cases will this shell fail to destroy an enemy on the second shot (such as shooting the very end of a wing or elevator, or a heavily armoured fuselage). The B-29 is the only tough nut to crack with this ammunition due to its sheer size; aim for the wings or engines.
Aim well, and you will be rewarded. Do not overcompensate for the lead when aiming for planes- the 50 mm travels very quickly and in most cases (under 600 m) only a little lead is necessary.
Specific enemies worth noting
Against piston-fighters, energy advantage is a must- as with the standard Me262A-1. Do not dogfight with piston aircraft. Use energy tactics- always boom and zoom. Against fighters it is important to monitor ammunition as the Mk.214a only has 32 shots before a reload is needed. Most passes will only allow you to take 2 or 3 shots before you must reset the position and try again. Head-ons are a viable tactic (some enemies will fear facing a 50 mm and will actively try to avoid doing so), but engage from a long distance- even if you survive the pass, the Narwhal has very fragile engines.
Jet fighters are the biggest threat to the Narwhal. All jet-fighters will out-climb and out-accelerate you, and your gun has a very slow rate of fire. Thus, the Narwhal is often seen as an easy target. However, the Me 262 family is known for being manoeuvrable at low-speeds when compared to other Jets at its rank. Use your superior low-speed agility to avoid as many passes as you can, then punish a greedy enemy with a well-aimed 50 mm shell.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 50 mm minengeschoß will obliterate any enemy in one or two shots, especially effective against bombers
- Faster than its propeller mounting opposition
- Capable of long-range attacks
- Me-262 family are manoeuvrable against jets at lower speeds
- Excellent ground-attacker with HVAP-T shells
- Often seen as an easy target which will result in enemy pilots making mistakes which can be exploited
- Engine pods can be used as high-friction landing gear to make high speed (approx 400 km/h) emergency landings for rearming and repair, avoiding any serious damage to the structural integrity of the aircraft
Cons:
- Low energy will result in the Me 262 failing against a capable opponent
- Low rate of fire, especially considering that it will be facing a lot of fast-moving jets and nimble prop aircraft which is not the primary target for the 50 mm gun
- Horrendous stock accuracy in conjunction with poor stock ammunition
- Low ammo capacity of 32 rounds of ammo
- Historically weak Jumo 004 engines have average acceleration and as with most Me 262s, the take-off run is relatively long
- Some unlucky shots will pass right through your enemy, inflicting no damage (especially the case of HVAP rounds)
- Performance drop at higher altitudes
- Exposed engines that are very prone to damage, and will quickly deteriorate if damaged
History
The Me 262 A1/U4 was a modified version of the Me 262 designed to carry a single 50mm MK 214 cannon in the nose of the aircraft, which was capable of firing armor-piercing rounds.
The history of the Me 262 A1/U4 dates back to 1943 when the German Luftwaffe was looking for ways to increase the firepower of the Me 262. The aircraft was already equipped with four 30mm MK 108 cannons, but these were not powerful enough to take out heavily armored targets like bombers. The solution was to mount a powerful cannon in the nose of the aircraft, and the 50mm MK 214 was chosen for the job. The Me 262 A1/U4 was developed by modifying existing Me 262 airframes, with the first prototype being completed in March 1945. The aircraft had to be extensively modified to accommodate the large cannon, including the removal of the nose wheel, relocation of the cockpit, and strengthening of the airframe to withstand the recoil of the cannon.
The Me 262 A1/U4 was capable of firing up to eight rounds per minute, with each round capable of penetrating armor up to 80mm thick at a distance of 1,000 meters. However, the aircraft's range and maneuverability were severely impacted by the added weight of the cannon and ammunition. Only a small number of Me 262 A1/U4 aircraft were produced before the end of the war, and they never saw combat. The aircraft's first flight took place on April 15, 1945, just weeks before the end of World War II. Despite its limited service history, the Me 262 A1/U4 remains an interesting footnote in the development of jet-powered fighter aircraft and the technology of aircraft armament.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:
- reference to the series of the aircraft;
- links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.
External links
| Germany jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
|
Luftwaffe |
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| Ho 229 | Ho 229 V3 |
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| Me 262 | 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-1a · Me 262 C-2b | |
|
LSK |
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Swiss Air Force |
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