Difference between revisions of "SA.342M Gazelle"

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* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/6057-development-sa-341f-sa-342m-gazelle-light-hunter-en SA.341F & SA.342M Gazelle: Light Hunter]
 
* [https://warthunder.com/en/news/6057-development-sa-341f-sa-342m-gazelle-light-hunter-en SA.341F & SA.342M Gazelle: Light Hunter]
  
 
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{{AirManufacturer Aerospatiale}}
 
{{France helicopters}}
 
{{France helicopters}}

Revision as of 15:32, 30 December 2019

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Chinese A-5C Pack
SA.342M Gazelle
sa_342m.png
SA.342M Gazelle
AB RB SB
9.3 9.3 9.7
Research:380 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:1 000 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game
This page is about the French utility helicopter SA.342M Gazelle. For other version, see SA.341F Gazelle.

Description

GarageImage SA.342M Gazelle.jpg


The SA.342M Gazelle is a rank VI French utility helicopter with a battle rating of 9.3 (AB/RB) and 9.7 (SB). This helicopter was introduced in Update 1.87 "Locked On".

Initially designed by Sud Aviation in 1966, the Gazelle helicopter project (SA 340, SA 341 and SA 342) was continued by Aérospatiale as a French five-seat transport, scout and light attack helicopter manufactured in both France and the United Kingdom. Manufacturing licenses were granted allowing a Yugoslavian company SOKO and the Arab British Helicopter Company in Egypt to also produce these aircraft.

The Turbomeca Artouste Astazou XIV turbine engine powers the SA.342M Gazelle. Initial testing of this helicopter utilised a standard tail-rotor taken from the Alouette, however, design changes switched to a Fenestron-style tail, the first helicopter to do so. The Fenestron tail or “fantail” differs from a conventional tail rotor as it contains eight to eighteen blades housed within the tail unit of the helicopter. Advantages of the Fenestron include substantial noise reduction, protection of tail rotor damage from contact with other objects and protection of ground personnel working around the tail section. With the aid of the Fenestron tail, the Gazelle was the world’s fastest helicopter in its class during its early years.

In the service of the French, the Gazelle SA.342M was utilised as a light support helicopter equipped with various rockets, anti-tank missiles and air-to-air missiles. Seven different suspended armament configurations allow the SA.342M to fulfil a versatile role in the fighting zone whether sniping armoured vehicles or hunting other aircraft loitering around the battlefield. Fast and agile with a punch, the Gazelle is a formidable foe with many surprises.

General info

Flight Performance

Describe how the helicopter behaves in the air. Maximum speed, manoeuvrability, speed and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.

Survivability and armour

Examine the survivability of the helicopter. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, how many engines the vehicle has. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Describe the offensive armament of the helicopter, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in battle, also what ammunition belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.

Suspended armament

Describe the helicopter's suspended armament: additional cannons under the winglets, any type of bombs, and rockets. Since any helicopter is essentially only a platform for suspended weaponry, this section is extremely important and deserves your special attention. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.

Usage in battles

Describe the tactics of playing in the helicopter, the features of using vehicles in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).

Modules

Tier Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
I Compressor Flak Jacket Offensive 20 mm
II Helicopter Frame HOT
III Engine Replacing Helicopter Blades New 20 mm Cannons HOT-2
IV Cover ATAM

Pros and cons

Summarize and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".

Pros:

Cons:

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the helicopter in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.

Media

Images
  • SA 342M WTWallpaper 001.jpg
  • SA 342M WTWallpaper 002.jpg
  • SA 342M WTWallpaper 003.jpg
  • SA 342M WTWallpaper 004.jpg
  • SA 342M WTWallpaper 005.jpg

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


Aérospatiale
Utility  SA 313B Alouette II · SA 316B Alouette III · SA.341F Gazelle · SA.342M Gazelle
Export  ◄SA 313B Alouette II · HKP2 · SA.342L Gazelle

France helicopters
Attack  ▄H-34 · EC-665 Tiger HAD · Tiger HAD Block 2 · EC-665 Tiger HAP
Utility  IAR 316B · SA 313B Alouette II · SA 316B Alouette III · SA.341F Gazelle · SA.342M Gazelle