Difference between revisions of "He 162 A-1"

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{{Specs-Card|code=he-162a-1}}
+
{{About
 +
| about = gift German jet fighter '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
 +
| usage = the regular version
 +
| link = He 162 A-2
 +
}}
 +
{{Specs-Card
 +
|code=he-162a-1
 +
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
 +
|market=He 162 A-1
 +
}}
  
 
== Description ==
 
== Description ==
−
''In the description, the first part needs to be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert screenshot of the vehicle. If the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle it is talking about.''
+
<!-- ''In the description, the first part should be about the history of and the creation and combat usage of the aircraft, as well as its key features. In the second part, tell the reader about the aircraft in the game. Insert a screenshot of the vehicle, so that if the novice player does not remember the vehicle by name, he will immediately understand what kind of vehicle the article is talking about.'' -->
 +
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} German jet fighter {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]] but was made available in [[Update 1.73 "Vive la France"]] as a reward during [[wt:en/news/5081-esport-victory-tournament-series-celebrating-war-thunder-s-5-year-anniversary-en|War Thunder's 5th Anniversary tournaments]] and later for [[wt:en/news/5863-esport-war-thunder-s-6th-birthday-tournaments-en|War Thunder's 6th Birthday tournaments]].
 +
 
 +
The He 162 A-1 is a unique jet design in the game, most notable for its top-mounted jet engine, a consequence of its development as an easily produced jet fighter for the Luftwaffe's Emergency Fighter Program. The program also called for the materials used in the design to be of wood rather than metal.
 +
 
 +
Still, the He 162 A-1 profile is tiny and stream-lined for a jet fighter. The wing span is relatively short, leading to the small target profile the He 162 presents. On the edges of the wings have drooping tips that were meant to stabilize the aircraft. A standard tricycle landing gear is used in the design.
 +
 
 +
The coloration in the design takes a two-tone colour scheme with brown and green on the top, with white camouflage for the underbelly. A good portion of the aircraft is green, but the brown scheme covers the engine, right wing, and right tailplane.
 +
 
 +
Two 30 mm Mk 108 cannons are mounted on the He 162 A-1, presenting great anti-bomber power in an intercepting role but with minimum ammunition. The recoil force is also substantial, causing the nose to dip and slowing down the aircraft when firing (full ammo dump can slow down the vehicle by 90 km/h). These reasons are also why the 20 mm MG 151/20 was considered in the [[He 162 A-2|fighter variant]].
 +
 
 +
When taking off in this plane, make sure its a shallow angle take off as any climb angle while taking off at 5 degrees or more will damage the tail and snap the control cable.
 +
 
 +
The He 162 A-1 is perhaps best played in a Boom-and-Zoom style game play, taking the altitude advantage and diving down on targets on a predictable path to lay waste with the 30 mm Mk 108 cannons. Though the He 162 A-1 has an adequate climb rate for this job, the He 162 A-1 suffers with a rather poor top speed, poor turn rates, a tendency to bleed off speed quickly in turns, and terrible acceleration, especially when compared to other jets.
 +
 
 +
To make the most out of the air speed, it is recommended to ascend and when the speed drops, dive a few hundred meters to regain speed and then use that to continue climbing upwards.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
−
=== Flight Performance ===
+
=== Flight performance ===
−
''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Maximum speed, maneuverability, speed and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Flight}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.'' -->
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="70%"
 +
! rowspan="2" | Characteristics
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Speed<br>(km/h at 6,000 m)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Max altitude<br>(metres)
 +
! colspan="2" | Turn time<br>(seconds)
 +
! colspan="2" | Rate of climb<br>(metres/second)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Take-off run<br>(metres)
 +
|-
 +
! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB !! AB !! RB
 +
|-
 +
! Stock
 +
| 801 || 776 || rowspan="2" | {{Specs|ceiling}} || 31.4 || 32.3 || 19.1 || 18.1 || rowspan="2" | 750
 +
|-
 +
! Upgraded
 +
| 875 || 840 || 28.8 || 30.0 || 28.2 || 23.4
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Details ====
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="6" | Features
 +
|-
 +
! Combat flaps !! Take-off flaps !! Landing flaps !! Air brakes !! Arrestor gear !! Drogue chute
 +
|-
 +
| ✓ || ✓ || ✓ || X || X || X    <!-- ✓ -->
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="7" | Limits
 +
|-
 +
! rowspan="2" | Wings (km/h)
 +
! rowspan="2" | Gear (km/h)
 +
! colspan="3" | Flaps (km/h)
 +
! colspan="2" | Max Static G
 +
|-
 +
! Combat !! Take-off !! Landing !! + !! -
 +
|-
 +
| {{Specs|destruction|body}} || {{Specs|destruction|gear}} || 677 || 648 || 500 || ~12 || ~7
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="4" | Optimal velocities (km/h)
 +
|-
 +
! Ailerons !! Rudder !! Elevators !! Radiator
 +
|-
 +
| < 500 || < 500 || < 580 || N/A
 +
|-
 +
|}
 +
 
 +
==== Engine performance ====
 +
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | Engine
 +
! colspan="4" | Aircraft mass
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="2" | Engine name || Number
 +
! colspan="2" | {{Annotation|Basic mass|Mass of the aircraft with pilot and engine oil, but no fuel or weapons load}} || colspan="2" | Wing loading (full fuel)
 +
|-
 +
| colspan="2" | BMW 003 || 1
 +
| colspan="2" | 1,990 kg || colspan="2" | 212 kg/m<sup>2</sup>
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | Engine characteristics
 +
! colspan="3" | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) || rowspan="2" | Max Takeoff<br>Weight
 +
|-
 +
! Weight (each) || colspan="2" | Type
 +
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 26m fuel
 +
|-
 +
| 673 kg || colspan="2" | Axial-flow turbojet
 +
| 2,132 kg || 2,342 kg || 2,465 kg || 2,495 kg
 +
|-
 +
! colspan="3" | {{Annotation|Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB)|The maximum thrust produced by each engine, while mounted in the aircraft. NOTE: Thrust varies significantly depending on speed & altitude.}}
 +
! colspan="4" | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (108%)
 +
|-
 +
! Condition || 100% || 108%
 +
! 8m fuel || 20m fuel || 26m fuel || MTOW
 +
|-
 +
| ''Stationary'' || 801 kgf || 910 kgf
 +
| 0.43 || 0.39 || 0.37 || 0.36
 +
|-
 +
| ''Optimal'' || 801 kgf<br>(0 km/h) || 910 kgf<br>(0 km/h)
 +
| 0.43 || 0.39 || 0.37 || 0.36
 +
|-
 +
|}
  
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
−
''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Armour}}
 +
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
 +
 
 +
* 15 mm of steel behind the pilot's seat.
 +
* No armour glazing
 +
 
 +
=== Modifications and economy ===
 +
{{Specs-Economy}}
 +
 
 +
Focus on upgrading the plane's performance. The better the performance, the better plane will perform. The gun/belts upgrade should be saved for last as the default belts are adequate for air to air combat.
  
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 +
{{Specs-Avia-Armaments}}
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 
=== Offensive armament ===
−
''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.''
+
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}
 +
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
 +
{{main|MK 108 (30 mm)}}
  
−
=== Suspended armament ===
+
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
−
''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''
 
  
−
=== Defensive armament ===
+
* 2 x 30 mm MK 108 cannons, chin-mounted (50 rpg = 100 total)
−
''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available remove this subsection.''
 
  
−
== Usage in the battles ==
+
The two 30 mm cannons are cheek mounted at the front of the aircraft. Both are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that both guns will fire with each other until empty.
−
''Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, 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).''
+
 
 +
== Usage in battles ==
 +
<!-- ''Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, 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).'' -->
 +
'''Bomber-hunting'''<br>
 +
The He 162 A-1 with its 30 mm cannons should be played in a bomber-hunting role as intended in its historical onset. This also plays into the power and flaws of the 30 mm as a bomber's larger profile and lesser mobility can allow for more 30 mm shells to hit with a pass.
 +
 
 +
Of course, this requires to get an altitude advantage, and there are several bombers that will straight-up climb up to altitudes faster than the He 162, like the B-29 ''Superfortress''. However, if able to get the jump on them via side-climbing or they are flying low, they will be prime targets.
 +
 
 +
Climb up to an altitude above the bomber, then proceed a descent in a Boom-and-Zoom style from the top. Once within range, optimally around 600 metres, fire a burst into the bomber's path. A good burst should instantly decimate the bomber. If the first pass did not destroy the bomber, it is recommended to use the diving speed to climb up and regain the altitude advantage. Try not to climb too steep an angle else more speed would be bled off than needed. Repeat the process on any large flying aircraft for tallies.
 +
 
 +
'''Fighters'''<br>
 +
The 30 mm are also very effective against fighters as one or two hits would tear the fighters apart with their impacts. However, the 30 mm suffers from low velocity and inaccuracy so distance would have to be close in to make hits. As such, it is not recommended to fire at targets past 600 metres, even if the indicator appears in arcade mode as the 30 mm accuracy would dip drastically enough that the aim indicator wouldn't help.
 +
 
 +
Manoeuvring with the He 162 A-1 is complicated as a jet fighter and as such a Boom-and-Zoom strategy like for bombers should be taken up as the main method of attack for the He 162. Attack unsuspecting fighters or those flying predictably when diving. Once in sights, the 30 mm should be fired in quick bursts, less than a second, as the low ammunition capacity leaves little to be wasted.
 +
 
 +
Going head-on with fighters is a viable tactic however due to the nose-mounted 30 mm firing straight forwards. The inaccuracy of the 30 mm can help and hinder at the same time. It helps in that it can act as a "shotgun" when spraying a burst when closing in, allowing the enemy to fly into a wide volley of fire and disintegrate. It hinders in that accuracy is lower, so a simple burst of rounds can't be relied on to hit the target, fire a longer volley then usual to saturate the front so either the enemy flies into it or is forced to turn away.
 +
 
 +
When conducting manoeuvres with the He 162 A-1, one manoeuvre to take caution with is the [[wikipedia:Immelmann_turn|Immelmann turn]]. The He 162 bleeds speed quickly when climbing at a steep angle and the boosting upwards for the movement would remove most of the energy in the He 162, and if not sufficiently fast enough can even leave the He 162 stalling in mid-air, open to any enemy fighters to take advantage and snipe it down. It is recommended to not perform this manoeuvre unless going more than 400 km/h.
 +
 
 +
====Specific enemies worth noting====
 +
<!--Some concerning vehicles to worry about if playing this plane. (i.e. Japanese fighters will out turn you)-->
 +
Any plane with an altitude and energy advantage over the He 162 A-1 while it is climbing or stalling in the air is a dangerous plane. Especially watch out for other jets that have better climbing ability and speed than the He 162 A-1.
 +
 
 +
While bombers are not inherently dangerous, do not linger behind some of more heavily armed ones like the B-29 ''Superfortress'' as they will cut up the He 162. When attacking, always try to go in Boom & Zoom style to minimize exposure to the enemy gunners.
 +
 
 +
====Counter-tactics====
 +
<!--What to expect, if it would be in command of the enemy and how to counter it. (i.e. They will most likely BnZ, etc.)-->
 +
Forcing the He 162 into a steep climb is a good way to deal with a He 162 on the tail due to its tendency to bleed off a lot of energy and speed when going straight up. Either way, an energy advantage can be obtained against the He 162 to get on its tail, which due to its poor acceleration would be unable to quickly boost away from its predicament. Beware that the He 162 in this situation may try to bleed off more speed and roll to force an overshoot, which it could then recover with a reversal by peppering the plane with devastating 30 mm shells.
 +
 
 +
Another opportunity to attack the He 162 A-1 is when it is out of ammunition. The 30 mm Mk 108 load is rather small, only 50 rounds per gun. A He 162 A-1 in prolonged combat will most likely be running low or out of ammunition, the latter can be found if they are attempting to break off any engagement and trying to zoom away from the battlefield. Though they could still perform evasive manoeuvre, the lack of ammunition will prevent them from taking any offensive action against an incoming plane ready to riddle them with shell holes.
  
 
=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== 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. Do not 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".''
+
<!-- ''Summarise 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 - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* 30 mm Mk 108 Minengeschoß will do a lot of damage to any plane it hits (either crippling or destroying the plane it hits).
 +
* No worries about different ammunition belt except for special purpose. All carry HEI-T/I shell load, with specialized rounds in HEI-T/HEI-T/HEI-T/I composition with different tracers for night and stealth.
 +
* Small target, tiny profile and short wingspan.
 +
* Does not have war emergency power, however, the throttle can push past 100% (up to 108%)
 +
* Accelerates quickly in a dive.
 +
* Excellent roll rate in AB, okay in RB.
 +
* Cockpit has good forward visibility.
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
−
*
+
 
 +
* Limited ammunition capacity for the 30 mm Mk 108 cannons.
 +
* 30 mm loses accuracy past 600 metres.
 +
* Poor top speed for a jet.
 +
* No air brakes.
 +
* Shallow climb angle when taking off.
 +
* Climbing upwards past an angle will bleed speed quickly, especially when going straight up.
 +
* Poor turn rate.
 +
* Terrible acceleration.
 +
* Poor rear view visibility due to jet engine mount.
 +
* Top mounted engine easily damaged from enemy shots coming from above or from overshooting the fuselage body.
 +
* Long take off distance (not easy to take off in maps with short runways)
 +
* Ammunition belts not suited for ground attack as there is no AP rounds in the ammunition belts.
 +
* Engine and oil will quickly overheat at 620 C° when using 108% throttle at low altitude in RB, with oil continuing to overheat past 2 km.
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
−
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft 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 "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.''
+
''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==
−
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
+
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' -->
  
−
== Read also ==
+
;Skins
−
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=he-162a-1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
 +
 
 +
== 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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
 
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
−
''ETC.''
 
  
−
== Sources ==
+
== External links ==
−
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
<!-- ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
−
* ''page on aircraft encyclopedia;''
+
* ''other literature.'' -->
−
* ''other literature.''
+
 
 +
* [https://forum.warthunder.com/index.php?/topic/320879-heinkel-he-162-a-2/ Official data sheet - more details about the performance]
 +
 
 +
{{AirManufacturer Heinkel}}
 +
{{Germany jet aircraft}}

Latest revision as of 06:32, 1 September 2024

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the gift German jet fighter He 162 A-1. For the regular version, see He 162 A-2.
He 162 A-1
he-162a-1.png
GarageImage He 162 A-1.jpg
He 162 A-1
Germany flag.png Germany
V Rank
Battle rating:
AB RB SB
6.3 6.0 6.7
Class:
Purchase:Bundle or Gift
Show in game
MARKET

Description

The He 162 A-1 is a gift rank V German jet fighter with a battle rating of 6.3 (AB), 6.0 (RB), and 6.7 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows" but was made available in Update 1.73 "Vive la France" as a reward during War Thunder's 5th Anniversary tournaments and later for War Thunder's 6th Birthday tournaments.

The He 162 A-1 is a unique jet design in the game, most notable for its top-mounted jet engine, a consequence of its development as an easily produced jet fighter for the Luftwaffe's Emergency Fighter Program. The program also called for the materials used in the design to be of wood rather than metal.

Still, the He 162 A-1 profile is tiny and stream-lined for a jet fighter. The wing span is relatively short, leading to the small target profile the He 162 presents. On the edges of the wings have drooping tips that were meant to stabilize the aircraft. A standard tricycle landing gear is used in the design.

The coloration in the design takes a two-tone colour scheme with brown and green on the top, with white camouflage for the underbelly. A good portion of the aircraft is green, but the brown scheme covers the engine, right wing, and right tailplane.

Two 30 mm Mk 108 cannons are mounted on the He 162 A-1, presenting great anti-bomber power in an intercepting role but with minimum ammunition. The recoil force is also substantial, causing the nose to dip and slowing down the aircraft when firing (full ammo dump can slow down the vehicle by 90 km/h). These reasons are also why the 20 mm MG 151/20 was considered in the fighter variant.

When taking off in this plane, make sure its a shallow angle take off as any climb angle while taking off at 5 degrees or more will damage the tail and snap the control cable.

The He 162 A-1 is perhaps best played in a Boom-and-Zoom style game play, taking the altitude advantage and diving down on targets on a predictable path to lay waste with the 30 mm Mk 108 cannons. Though the He 162 A-1 has an adequate climb rate for this job, the He 162 A-1 suffers with a rather poor top speed, poor turn rates, a tendency to bleed off speed quickly in turns, and terrible acceleration, especially when compared to other jets.

To make the most out of the air speed, it is recommended to ascend and when the speed drops, dive a few hundred meters to regain speed and then use that to continue climbing upwards.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 6 000 m840 km/h
Turn time30 s
Max altitude12 000 m
EngineBMW 003
TypeJet
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight3 t
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 801 776 12000 31.4 32.3 19.1 18.1 750
Upgraded 875 840 28.8 30.0 28.2 23.4

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 + -
1040 350 677 648 500 ~12 ~7
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 500 < 500 < 580 N/A

Engine performance

Engine Aircraft mass
Engine name Number Basic mass Wing loading (full fuel)
BMW 003 1 1,990 kg 212 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Takeoff
Weight
Weight (each) Type 8m fuel 20m fuel 26m fuel
673 kg Axial-flow turbojet 2,132 kg 2,342 kg 2,465 kg 2,495 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (108%)
Condition 100% 108% 8m fuel 20m fuel 26m fuel MTOW
Stationary 801 kgf 910 kgf 0.43 0.39 0.37 0.36
Optimal 801 kgf
(0 km/h) 		910 kgf
(0 km/h) 		0.43 0.39 0.37 0.36

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural1 040 km/h
Gear350 km/h
  • 15 mm of steel behind the pilot's seat.
  • No armour glazing

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 897 → 4 937 Sl icon.png
RB8 602 → 10 898 Sl icon.png
SB14 011 → 17 751 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications80 100 Rp icon.png
130 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 000 Ge icon.png
Crew training78 000 Sl icon.png
Experts270 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 500 Ge icon.png
Research Aces670 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
130 / 250 / 600 % Sl icon.png
190 / 190 / 190 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
16 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
26 000 Sl icon.png
490 Ge icon.png
Mods jet compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
9 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
10 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Research:
8 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
9 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
280 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
8 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
mk108_belt_pack
Research:
10 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
16 000 Sl icon.png
310 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
mk108_new_gun
Research:
8 700 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
270 Ge icon.png

Focus on upgrading the plane's performance. The better the performance, the better plane will perform. The gun/belts upgrade should be saved for last as the default belts are adequate for air to air combat.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 30 mm MK 108 cannon
Ammunition100 rounds
Fire rate600 shots/min
Main article: MK 108 (30 mm)

The He 162 A-1 is armed with:

  • 2 x 30 mm MK 108 cannons, chin-mounted (50 rpg = 100 total)

The two 30 mm cannons are cheek mounted at the front of the aircraft. Both are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that both guns will fire with each other until empty.

Usage in battles

Bomber-hunting
The He 162 A-1 with its 30 mm cannons should be played in a bomber-hunting role as intended in its historical onset. This also plays into the power and flaws of the 30 mm as a bomber's larger profile and lesser mobility can allow for more 30 mm shells to hit with a pass.

Of course, this requires to get an altitude advantage, and there are several bombers that will straight-up climb up to altitudes faster than the He 162, like the B-29 Superfortress. However, if able to get the jump on them via side-climbing or they are flying low, they will be prime targets.

Climb up to an altitude above the bomber, then proceed a descent in a Boom-and-Zoom style from the top. Once within range, optimally around 600 metres, fire a burst into the bomber's path. A good burst should instantly decimate the bomber. If the first pass did not destroy the bomber, it is recommended to use the diving speed to climb up and regain the altitude advantage. Try not to climb too steep an angle else more speed would be bled off than needed. Repeat the process on any large flying aircraft for tallies.

Fighters
The 30 mm are also very effective against fighters as one or two hits would tear the fighters apart with their impacts. However, the 30 mm suffers from low velocity and inaccuracy so distance would have to be close in to make hits. As such, it is not recommended to fire at targets past 600 metres, even if the indicator appears in arcade mode as the 30 mm accuracy would dip drastically enough that the aim indicator wouldn't help.

Manoeuvring with the He 162 A-1 is complicated as a jet fighter and as such a Boom-and-Zoom strategy like for bombers should be taken up as the main method of attack for the He 162. Attack unsuspecting fighters or those flying predictably when diving. Once in sights, the 30 mm should be fired in quick bursts, less than a second, as the low ammunition capacity leaves little to be wasted.

Going head-on with fighters is a viable tactic however due to the nose-mounted 30 mm firing straight forwards. The inaccuracy of the 30 mm can help and hinder at the same time. It helps in that it can act as a "shotgun" when spraying a burst when closing in, allowing the enemy to fly into a wide volley of fire and disintegrate. It hinders in that accuracy is lower, so a simple burst of rounds can't be relied on to hit the target, fire a longer volley then usual to saturate the front so either the enemy flies into it or is forced to turn away.

When conducting manoeuvres with the He 162 A-1, one manoeuvre to take caution with is the Immelmann turn. The He 162 bleeds speed quickly when climbing at a steep angle and the boosting upwards for the movement would remove most of the energy in the He 162, and if not sufficiently fast enough can even leave the He 162 stalling in mid-air, open to any enemy fighters to take advantage and snipe it down. It is recommended to not perform this manoeuvre unless going more than 400 km/h.

Specific enemies worth noting

Any plane with an altitude and energy advantage over the He 162 A-1 while it is climbing or stalling in the air is a dangerous plane. Especially watch out for other jets that have better climbing ability and speed than the He 162 A-1.

While bombers are not inherently dangerous, do not linger behind some of more heavily armed ones like the B-29 Superfortress as they will cut up the He 162. When attacking, always try to go in Boom & Zoom style to minimize exposure to the enemy gunners.

Counter-tactics

Forcing the He 162 into a steep climb is a good way to deal with a He 162 on the tail due to its tendency to bleed off a lot of energy and speed when going straight up. Either way, an energy advantage can be obtained against the He 162 to get on its tail, which due to its poor acceleration would be unable to quickly boost away from its predicament. Beware that the He 162 in this situation may try to bleed off more speed and roll to force an overshoot, which it could then recover with a reversal by peppering the plane with devastating 30 mm shells.

Another opportunity to attack the He 162 A-1 is when it is out of ammunition. The 30 mm Mk 108 load is rather small, only 50 rounds per gun. A He 162 A-1 in prolonged combat will most likely be running low or out of ammunition, the latter can be found if they are attempting to break off any engagement and trying to zoom away from the battlefield. Though they could still perform evasive manoeuvre, the lack of ammunition will prevent them from taking any offensive action against an incoming plane ready to riddle them with shell holes.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • 30 mm Mk 108 Minengeschoß will do a lot of damage to any plane it hits (either crippling or destroying the plane it hits).
  • No worries about different ammunition belt except for special purpose. All carry HEI-T/I shell load, with specialized rounds in HEI-T/HEI-T/HEI-T/I composition with different tracers for night and stealth.
  • Small target, tiny profile and short wingspan.
  • Does not have war emergency power, however, the throttle can push past 100% (up to 108%)
  • Accelerates quickly in a dive.
  • Excellent roll rate in AB, okay in RB.
  • Cockpit has good forward visibility.

Cons:

  • Limited ammunition capacity for the 30 mm Mk 108 cannons.
  • 30 mm loses accuracy past 600 metres.
  • Poor top speed for a jet.
  • No air brakes.
  • Shallow climb angle when taking off.
  • Climbing upwards past an angle will bleed speed quickly, especially when going straight up.
  • Poor turn rate.
  • Terrible acceleration.
  • Poor rear view visibility due to jet engine mount.
  • Top mounted engine easily damaged from enemy shots coming from above or from overshooting the fuselage body.
  • Long take off distance (not easy to take off in maps with short runways)
  • Ammunition belts not suited for ground attack as there is no AP rounds in the ammunition belts.
  • Engine and oil will quickly overheat at 620 C° when using 108% throttle at low altitude in RB, with oil continuing to overheat past 2 km.

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the 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></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).

Media

Skins

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


Heinkel Aircraft Company (Heinkel Flugzeugwerke)
Fighters  He 51 A-1 · He 51 B-1 · He 51 B-2/H · He 51 C-1 · He 51 C-1/L
  He 100 D-1
  He 112 A-0 · He 112 B-0 · He 112 V-5
Jet fighters  He 162 A-1 · He 162 A-2
Twin-engine fighters  He 219 A-7
Bombers  He 111 H-3 · He 111 H-6 · He 111 H-16
  He 115 C-1
  He 177 A-3 · He 177 A-5
Export  He 112 B-1/U2(Hungary) · He 112 B-1/U2(Romania) · He 112 B-2/U2 · A7He1
  T 2

Germany jet aircraft
Germany flag.png  Luftwaffe
He 162  He 162 A-1 · He 162 A-2
Me 163  Me 163 B · Me 163 B-0
Ho 229  Ho 229 V3
Ar 234  Ar 234 B-2 · Ar 234 C-3
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
GDR flag.png  LSK
Fighters  ◊MiG-15bis · ◊Lim-5P · ◊MiG-19S
  ◊MiG-21MF · ◊MiG-21bis-SAU · ◊MiG-21 "Lazur-M"
  ◊MiG-29
Attackers  ◊MiG-23BN · ◊MiG-23MF · ◊MiG-23MLA
  ◊Su-22UM3K · ◊Su-22M4
  ◊IL-28
FRG flag.png  Luftwaffe
F-84  ◄F-84F
F-86  ◄CL-13A Mk 5 · ◄CL-13B Mk.6 · ◄F-86K
F-104  ◄F-104G
F-4  ◄F-4F Early · ◄F-4F · ◄F-4F KWS LV
G.91  ◄G.91 R/3 · ◄G.91 R/4
Tornado  ◄Tornado IDS WTD61 · ◄Tornado IDS MFG · ◄Tornado IDS ASSTA1
Other  Alpha Jet A · ◄Sea Hawk Mk.100
Ex-LSK  ◄MiG-21 SPS-K · ◄MiG-29G · ◄Su-22M4 WTD61
Switzerland flag.png  Swiss Air Force
  ◌Hunter F.58 · FFA P-16

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