A-35B (France)
Contents
Description
The ▄A-35B is a Rank II French dive bomber
with a battle rating of 3.0 (AB), 2.7 (RB), and 3.3 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.73 "Vive la France".
General info
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.
Characteristics | |||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Stock | |||||||
Max Speed (km/h at 3,650 m) |
Max altitude (meters) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (meters/second) |
Take-off run (meters) | |||
AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | ||
? | ? | 7,100 | ??.? | ??.? | ??.? | ??.? | 307 |
Upgraded | |||||||
Max Speed (km/h at 3,650 m) |
Max altitude (meters) | Turn time (seconds) | Rate of climb (meters/second) |
Take-off run (meters) | |||
AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | ||
? | ? | 7,100 | ??.? | ??.? | ?.? | ?.? | 307 |
Details
Features | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Combat flap | Take-off flap | Landing flap | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | x |
Limits | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Wing-break speed (km/h) |
Gear limit (km/h) |
Combat flap (km/h) |
Max Static G | |
+ | - | |||
702 | 250 | 407 | ~12 | ~8 |
Optimal velocities | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ailerons (km/h) |
Rudder (km/h) |
Elevators (km/h) |
Radiator (km/h) |
< 257 | < 350 | < 380 | > 320 |
Compressor (RB/SB) | ||
---|---|---|
Setting 1 | ||
Optimal altitude | 100% Engine power | WEP Engine power |
1,767 m | 1,500 hp | 1,582 hp |
Setting 2 | ||
Optimal altitude | 100% Engine power | WEP Engine power |
3,962 m | 1,350 hp | 1,453 hp |
Survivability and armour
- 38 mm Bulletproof glass in front of pilot.
- 12.7 mm Steel plate behind the pilot.
- 6.35 mm Steel plate behind oil cooling system.
- 12.7 mm Steel plate in front of dorsal gunner.
Armaments
Offensive armament
The A-35B (France) is armed with:
- 6 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns (375 RPG = 2,250 total)
The six machine guns are arranged in bundles of two mounted in each wing. Each is armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire with each other until empty.
Suspended armament
The A-35B (France) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs + 2 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (total = 1,500 lb)
- 4 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (total = 2,000 lb)
- 1 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb (total = 2,000 lb)
Defensive armament
The A-35B (France) is armed with:
- 1 x 12.7 mm M2 Browning machine gun, dorsal turret (400 rpg = 400 total)
Usage in battles
The A-35B is best used as a "swing fighter", switching between ground targets and slow, lumbering air targets as your bombs get used up. The typical American 6 x 12.7 mm MG armament allows this aircraft to hit hard at targets that sit still long enough for you to get a bead on them.
Manual Engine Control
MEC elements | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
Oil | Water | Type | ||||
Not controllable | Controllable Automatic pitch |
Controllable | Not controllable | Combined | Controllable | Not controllable |
Modules
Tier | Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry |
---|---|---|---|
I | Fuselage Repair, Radiator | Offensive 12 mm, SBC-17 | |
II | Compressor | Airframe | New 12 mm MGs |
III | Wing Repair, Engine | Turret 12 mm, LBC-25 | |
IV | Engine Injector | Cover | New 12 mm MGs (turret) |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Maneouverable at low speeds
- Has dive brakes
Cons:
- Large and slow
- Small payload
History
At the beginning of the 1930s, the American company Vultee was developing a concept for a strike aircraft capable of effectively hitting ground targets, light vehicles and enemy infantry from low altitudes. Effective actions by Germany’s Ju-87 dive bombers in Europe served as a basis for the creation of a concept for the American A-31 Vengeance, a strike dive bomber with a machine gun battery in its wings. This new addition immediately caught the attention of the British delegation, which happened to be searching for a design like the Stuka to aid in the fight against Germany. In the course of modernization, the A-31 received a new 1700 hp engine and strengthened armament of five, and then seven high-caliber Browning machine guns (six in the wings and one more for defense against attacks from the rear), and a bomb load of up to 2000 pounds. Modernized version got new designation - Vultee A-35. In spite of a large export order, the Vengeance also served in the American air force and navy, and the reviews about it were contradictory. For the war in Europe, the bomber turned out to be ill-prepared. Its low speed, large silhouette and need to descend to drop its bombs made it very vulnerable to enemy flak cannons and fighters. However, in the Pacific Theater the vehicle performed well. The Japanese had far fewer anti-aircraft defenses, and the Vengeance served as an attack aircraft, a bomber and a submarine hunter.
Nonetheless, the main operators of the A-35 were foreigners. Several squadrons in the British Air Force were equipped with these dive bombers. The aircraft was delivered to Australia and Brazil, and it served in the Free French Army in Africa.
- From Devblog
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
Vultee Aircraft Corporation | |
---|---|
Export | P-66 · ▄A-35B · V-11 · V-12D |
France bombers | |
---|---|
Farman | F.222.2 · N.C.223.3 |
Latécoère | Late 298D |
Potez | Potez 633 |
Liore et Olivier | LeO 451 early · LeO 451 late |
Bloch | M.B.174A-3 · M.B.162 · M.B.175T |
American | V-156-F · Martin 167-A3 · ▄A-35B · ▄SB2C-5 · B-26C · ▄PBY-5A Late · ▄PB4Y-2 |
British | Lancaster MR.7 |