The iconic F-14 Tomcat made its mark in naval aviation for its cultural significance and popularity. However, the defining weapon that sets the Tomcat apart from its peers is the long-range AIM-54 Phoenix missile. This weapon, intended to strike Soviet bombers from a long distance before they could fire deadly anti-ship cruise missiles, allowed the F-14 to perform its "Fleet Defense" role. Thus we will dive into the development behind this fascinating missile, the improvements it had, and how it would not be America writing the tomes on the AIM-54's combat usage, but instead Iran.
This guide is about the history to the 10,5 cm StuH 42 L/28. These guns were the mainstay of the German Army, from prewar till the very end. With performance upgrades along its life, it was effectively used in a multitude of roles such as direct support/assault artillery fire and counter artillery. The close up field support was effective against structures, infantry and tanks using a wide array of ammo types. It was only late in the war to be replaced by longer barreled variants such as L/30 and L/35. Being a formidable gun both in-game as well as IRL. It was used on all fronts, upgraded over time and used by multiple nations.
The M3 Bradley is a testament to American battlefield versatility, blending speed, firepower, and reconnaissance into a single armored platform. Developed alongside its M2 Bradley Infantry Fighting Vehicle (IFV) counterpart, the M3 Cavalry Fighting Vehicle (CFV) was tailored for both scouting and tank-killing missions, offering a balance of mobility, firepower, and survivability. Unlike main battle tanks, the M3 Bradley relies on hit-and-run tactics, ambushes, and rapid relocations to stay ahead of the enemy. Armed with a 25mm M242 Bushmaster autocannon, BGM-71 TOW anti-tank guided missiles, and a 7.62mm M240 machine gun, the M3 excels at engaging a wide range of targets. However, its armor protection is limited, requiring careful positioning and tactical awareness to survive on the battlefield.
The Fireflash is the first attempt the United Kingdom made at a guided air-to-air missile. Designed in 1949, it entered service in 1957 where it only remained for a year. Found on the British Swift F.7, it is the only beam-riding (SACLOS) AAM in-game, meaning it goes where your airplane's nose is pointing.
The F9F family was an extensive series of American Navy jet aircraft made up of many variants. These aircraft were well praised during their service, in total flying 78,000 sorties. They also were the first jet fighter aircraft to see air-to-air combat with the US Navy and played a big part in the war over Korea. After their service they would even be seen flying with the Blue Angels.
Conquering the sound barrier took multiple years of hard labor and ingenuity. Designers had to create engines suitable for flying at at least transonic speeds, adapt the airframe to the new environment, change the wing shape, and make it durable enough to sustain supersonic loads. Last but not least, the anticipated ‘sonic boom’ needed to eventually go from an achievement to a routine event, and that meant that all the cutting-edge solutions had to be as simple and cheap as possible.
The F8F-1 Bearcat is a rank III fighter-bomber in the US tech tree. It is known for its superb climb rate and turn time. It also can hold bombs and rockets for Ground Battles. During WW2, it was used in late 1945 as a carrier based fighter/attacker.
The BMD-4M is an upgraded version of the BMD-4, developed for the Воздушно-десантные войска России (Russian airborne troops). Its main advantage is component standardization, reducing production costs and simplifying maintenance. In War Thunder, it is a more affordable and efficient Premium option compared to the BMD-4 (a marketplace vehicle), offering improved protection, speed, and overall performance.
The Mi-8AMTSh is an upgraded attack variant of the Mi-8. It is equipped with a wide variety of weapons, ranging from extremely precise guided missiles such as the lethal 9M114 Shturm ATGM and the agile 9M39 Igla MANPAD to unguided ordinance like the compact S-8KO rocket and the massive FAB-500 bomb. The helicopter was also fitted with a large amount of countermeasures which can be helpful in some situations, despite the lack of an RWR, MAWS and LWS.
