A-7K
| This page is about the gift American strike aircraft A-7K. For other versions, see A-7 Corsair II (Family). |
Contents
Description
The A-7K Corsair II is a gift rank VII American strike aircraft with a battle rating of 11.7 (AB), 11.3 (RB), and 10.7 (SB). It was introduced during Update "Sky Guardians" as a reward for the "Repair Factory" event.
General info
Flight performance
Describe how the aircraft behaves in the air. Speed, manoeuvrability, acceleration and allowable loads - these are the most important characteristics of the vehicle.
| Characteristics | Max speed (km/h at 0 m - sea level) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 1,114 | 1,108 | 12497 | 35.4 | 37.0 | 42.2 | 41.9 | 1,000 |
| Upgraded | ___ | ___ | __._ | __._ | __._ | __._ | ||
Details
| Features | |||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 1,254 | 407 | 484 | 457 | 406 | ~10 | ~4 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 700 | < 690 | < 500 | - |
Engine performance
| Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Engine name | Number | Basic mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | |||||
| Allison TF-41-A-1 | 1 | 9,196 kg | 395 kg/m2 | |||||
| Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Gross Weight | ||||||
| Weight (each) | Type | 15m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 53m fuel | ||
| 1,592 kg | Low-bypass turbofan | 10,562 kg | 10,910 kg | 11,768 kg | 13,053 kg | 13,748 kg | _,___ kg | |
| Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB/SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (100%) | |||||||
| Condition | 100% | WEP | 15m fuel | 20m fuel | 30m fuel | 45m fuel | 53m fuel | MGW |
| Stationary | 4,741 kgf | - | 0.45 | 0.43 | 0.40 | 0.36 | 0.34 | _.__ |
| Optimal | 6,378 kgf (200 km/h) |
- | 0.60 | 0.58 | 0.54 | 0.49 | 0.46 | _.__ |
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, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
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Armaments
| Ballistic Computer | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| CCIP (Guns) | CCIP (Rockets) | CCIP (Bombs) | CCRP (Bombs) | |
 |
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Offensive armament
The A-7K is armed with:
- A choice between two presets:
- 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon, chin-mounted (1,000 rpg)
- 1 x 20 mm M61A1 cannon + 120 x countermeasures
Suspended armament
The A-7K can be outfitted with the following ordnance presets:
- Without load
- 2 x AIM-9L Sidewinder missiles
- 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
- 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
- 24 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (6,000 lb total)
- 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
- 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (10,500 lb total)
- 12 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (12,000 lb total)
- 6 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (12,000 lb total)
- 4 x 2,000 lb GBU-8 (8,000 lb total)
- 6 x BLU-27/B incendiary bombs
- 6 x AGM-65B
- 2 x 20 mm GAU-4 cannons (1,200 rpg = 2,400 total)
- 2 x 30 mm GAU-13/A cannons (353 rpg = 706 total)
The A-7K can carry huge amount of suspended armament for ground attack use. Aircraft starts of with up to 24x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs, which is enough to dispose of a base in Air RB. After researching 500 lb Mk 82 bombs the plane is capable of destroying 2 bases with one run. It can also take 14x 750 lb M117, 12x 1000 lb LDGP Mk 83 and 6x 2000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs, which are more useful in Ground RB since they offer larger blast area. For use against ground vehicles the plane can carry 114x FFAR Mighty Mause unguided rockets, 4x GBU-8 TV guided bombs and 6x AGM-65B TV guided air-to-ground missiles. Guided munitions can be used with LANA Flir Navigation Pod, which provides thermal vision over the battlefield, making spotting targets easier. That makes A-7K a very potent CAS option that can bring havoc upon enemy team. Aircraft can also carry 6x BLU-27/B napalm bombs, and for self defense against enemy planes it starts with 2x AIM-9Js, which upgrade to AIM-9Ls. For incresed firepower the plane take 2x GAU-4 20 mm (1200 rounds each) or 2x GAU-13/A 30 mm (353 rounds each) gun pods.
Usage in battles
Air Realistic Battles
In Air RB the A-7K presents a very limited utility, mainly attacking ground targets. Bases are an option, but low top speed combined with limited manoeuvrability while carring ordinance make it dangerous, as you are an easy target for any fighter that can show up, and friendly planes will almost always get there before you do. Flying to the side low to the ground is recommended, until enemy aircraft will back out or start fighting with your team. Then you can target respawning bases behind the frontline, and once you are done, if you didn't get a chance to do so, you can try to use your missiles to take down enemies, but keep in mind you don't want to start actively fighting. If a fighter decides to target you, strongly consider dropping your ordinance and abandoning bombing run to increase your chances of survival. The strongest enemies you can encounter are MiG-29, F-16 and F-14. There is nothing the A-7K can realistically do to counter those aircraft, so you want to stay unseen as long as it is possible, though the AIM-9L can occasionally get rid of unsuspecting target.
Ground Realistic Battles
As a strike aircraft, A-7K is exceptionally well equipped for CAS missions. Guided ordinance with LANA Flir Navigation Pod make a very potent combo, allowing you to keep distance from SPAAGs, though SAM SPAA is still a huge threat, especially Pantsir-S1, as you spawn in within its range. The best thing you can do is fly close to the ground, go to the side of the map and only reveal yourself when you are close to the battlefield. Then you want to quickly spot SPAAs and target them with your AGMs or guided bombs using Navigation Pod. You can also go and check if there are any helicopters up and destroy them so your team can focus more on objectives.
Pros and cons
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:
- Carries enough ordinance to destroy 2 bases.
- Guided munitions make it very effective for CAS.
- Gets LANA Flir Navigation Pod for spotting ground targets.
- 20 mm M61A1 rotary cannon can shred enemy aircraft.
- AIM-9Ls can be pretty effective for air combat.
- Airframe is relatively sturdy.
Cons:
- Poor flight performance.
- Easy target for enemy aircraft.
- Lacks functional radar.
- Prone to catching on fire.
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
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
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
Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:
- topic on the official game forum;
- other literature.
| Chance Vought Aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | |
| Corsair | F4U-1A · F4U-1A (USMC) · F4U-1C · F4U-1D · F4U-4 · F4U-4B · F4U-4B VMF-214 |
| Float planes | O3U-1 · OS2U-1 · OS2U-3 |
| Attackers | AU-1 |
| Bombers | SB2U-2 · SB2U-3 |
| Jet aircraft | |
| Corsair II | A-7D · A-7E · A-7K |
| Crusader | F8U-2 · F-8E |
| Export | V-156-B1 · V-156-F · ▄Corsair F Mk II · F4U-7 · ▄F-8E(FN) |
| Captured | ▅F4U-1A |
| USA jet aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | |
| F9F | F9F-2 · F9F-5 · F9F-8 |
| F-80 | F-80A-5 · F-80C-10 |
| F-84 | F-84B-26 · F-84F · F-84G-21-RE |
| F-86 | F-86A-5 · F-86F-25 · F-86F-2 · F-86F-35 |
| F-89 | F-89B · F-89D |
| F-100 | F-100D |
| F-104 | F-104A · F-104C |
| F-4 | F-4C Phantom II · F-4E Phantom II · F-4J Phantom II · F-4S Phantom II |
| F-5 | F-5A · F-5C · F-5E · F-20A |
| F-8 | F8U-2 · F-8E |
| F-14 | F-14A Early · ▄F-14A IRIAF · F-14B |
| F-15 | F-15A · F-15C MSIP II · F-15E |
| F-16 | F-16A · F-16A ADF · F-16C |
| Other | P-59A · F2H-2 · F3D-1 · F3H-2 · F4D-1 · F11F-1 |
| Strike Aircraft | |
| FJ-4 | FJ-4B · FJ-4B VMF-232 |
| A-4 | A-4B · A-4E Early |
| A-7 | A-7D · A-7E · A-7K |
| AV-8 | AV-8A · AV-8C · AV-8B Plus · AV-8B (NA) |
| A-10 | A-10A · A-10A Late · A-10C |
| F-111 | F-111A · F-111F |
| Other | A-6E TRAM · F-105D · F-117 |
| Bombers | |
| B-57 | B-57A · B-57B |
