#history

The Type 75 SPH: a vehicle that was ahead of its time and played a key role in defending Japan for over 40 years. But how does it perform in War Thunder? Is it significantly different from other self‑propelled guns, and what are its strengths and weaknesses? Read more about this samurai in the article!

The PT-76 is a legendary amphibious combat vehicle designed by Soviet engineers specifically to cross Europe’s rivers and other water obstacles. Unfortunately, in the game, its amphibious capability is rarely useful, and this comes at the cost of extremely thin armor. On the other hand, this machine has a two-plane stabilizer and HEAT shells that can punch through almost any armor. So, how can you make the most of this unusual “swimmer”? Read on!

By the mid-2000s, Venezuela was looking for a new multirole platform to modernize its Fighter Air Groups. It was at this time that the Sukhoi Su-30MK2 (NATO reporting name: Flanker-G) was acquired, an aircraft that would make the Caribbean nation the sole Latin American operator of the legendary Flanker fighter family and which, for nearly two decades, has remained the country’s primary frontline air combat asset.

After WW1, a new type of tank emerged: the “Land Battleship”. This type of tank would be developed by multiple nations and in multiple forms. The Soviet Union was particularly keen on this design and continued work on it into WW2. This obsession would lead to two tanks in WW2, the SMK and T-100. Their complex development history would involve other well-known tanks that you may not know were linked.

The Thunderbolt Mk.1 was the first variant of the P‑47D supplied to the Royal Air Force under Lend‑Lease. As one of the heaviest single‑engine fighters of the war, it introduced RAF pilots to an American design philosophy built around structural strength, high‑altitude performance, and exceptional dive capability. Its large radial engine, robust airframe, and eight .50‑calibre Browning machine guns made it a formidable fighter‑bomber capable of absorbing significant damage while delivering powerful strikes against both air and ground targets.

Marat was a Soviet battleship of the Sevastopol class. Between 1928 and 1931, it underwent a major modernization, acquiring a modified silhouette and enhanced air defense, as well as improved living conditions for the crew. During World War II, Marat played a significant role in the defense of Leningrad; even after sustaining serious damage and partial flooding, it continued to shell enemy positions until the end of the siege. You can read more about this fearless veteran in the article!

The Yak-130 is a modern two seat Russian trainer with powerful engines and an ordnance loadout that packs a punch. Made to prepare future pilots for the complexity and maneuverability of 4th, and even 5th generation fighters, it is a real force to be reckoned with due to its high tech and supermaneuverable nature. Not only is the Yak-130 a menace in War Thunder, but this powerful trainer also has a unique history full of complications and many interesting partnerships.

The Supermarine Attacker was a fighter that emerged in the 1940s with the aim of replacing the legendary Gloster Meteor, the UK’s first jet fighter, which had already made aviation history, and simultaneously becoming the Royal Navy’s first frontline jet fighter. The Attacker failed to achieve its primary objective: the introduction of a modern, efficient single-engine jet aircraft for the Royal Air Force, and its service life was short due to poor overall performance and maintenance issues. Its history and service, spanning from 1950 to 1964, reflects the challenges of the transition to the jet age in the United Kingdom and the introduction of the first jet aircraft of the Royal Pakistan Air Force (RPAF). Throughout its 14 years of service, the aircraft never took part in any conflict or combat.

After Operation Uranus, the counteroffensive of the Battle of Stalingrad, it became painfully obvious that the USSR needed mobile heavy guns in order to destroy German fortifications and heavy tanks. The Red Army did have the KV-2 heavy tank for this duty at the time, but mass production of the KV-2 had ceased when the Kirov Plant was moved to Chelyabinsk. The new anti-fortification vehicle had to be faster than the KV-2, with thicker armor, and mount the powerful and more accurate ML-20 howitzer on a less expensive platform. The gun was too long and its recoil too powerful for it to be mounted in a turret, so a casemate structure was opted for. This would result in the soon-to-be-famous SU-152 'Zveroboy'.

In 1944, the Sukhoi Design Bureau started working on a new twin-engine fighter. The design process was slow, but the bureau soon acquired a captured German Me 262 Schwalbe ("Swallow"), which profoundly influenced the project's subsequent development. This culminated in the Su-9 in 1947, which retained the Me 262’s layout but had a different fuselage and wing design. Soon after, the Su-11 was created based on the Su-9, featuring more powerful TR-1 engines. However, in the game, the Su-11’s performance is much superior than that of the Su-9 or the Me 262. It stands out for its excellent acceleration and incredible energy conservation. Is it really that good?