S.O.8000 Narval
Contents
Description
The S.O.8000 Narval was a prototype naval fighter interceptor created by SNCASO in the late 1940s. It was powered by a French postwar development of the Junkers Jumo 213, the same that powered the Fw-190D fighters. The aircraft featured good climb rate and high altitude performance thanks to a supercharger, it was also meant to be capable of strike missions, similar to the Republic P-47 Thunderbolt. However the project was abandoned in the 1950s, due to the rapid development of jet engine technology.
It was introduced as a premium pack in Update 1.73 "Vive la France" and was removed from the store after the 2019 Victory Day Sale, but was later reintroduced for the 2020 May Sale purchasable in-game for Golden Eagles 
. The Narval (French for Narwhal) is designed to be an interceptor, and it excels in this role with a good climb rate, interceptor spawn, high speed and 6 powerful cannons. It wields an extremely powerful sextet of the previously mentioned cannons, which happen to be the German MG 151s, wielding the dreaded Minengeschoß ammunition round which gives ballistics similar to most 37 mm cannons while keeping the various upsides of 20 mm cannons (light weight, high muzzle velocity and universal use) allowing you to shred bombers in a few well aimed bursts. However, the plane is not without its weaknesses. The rear mounted engine and propeller makes it easy for the engine to get knocked out when being tailed. It also has a particularly poor turn rate, so turning versus most planes is a death sentence, as it will make it easy for an opponent to snipe your pilot.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 8,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 700 | 677 | 11500 | 26.2 | 27.3 | 12.6 | 12.6 | 800 |
| Upgraded | 764 | 730 | 23.6 | 25.0 | 20.6 | 16.0 | ||
Details
| Features | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 900 | 330 | 450 | 370 | 270 | ~12 | ~6 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 482 | < 400 | < 520 | > 290 |
Survivability and armour
- 10 mm Steel plate in the nose.
- 50 mm Bulletproof glass in front of pilot.
- 10 mm Steel plate behind pilot.
Modifications and economy
2 × 100 / 230 / 480 % 2 × 172 / 172 / 172 % | Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armaments
Offensive armament
The S.O.8000 Narval is armed with:
- 6 x 20 mm MG 151 cannons, nose-mounted (250 rpg = 1,500 total)
The six cannons are arranged in bundles of three, each of which is cheek-mounted towards the underside of the fuselage. Each are armed with the same amount of ammunition, which means that all guns will fire with each other until empty.
Suspended armament
The S.O.8000 Narval can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- Without load
- 2 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bombs (2,000 lb total)
- 8 x T10 140 rockets
- 8 x T10 151 rockets
Usage in battles
The Narval has a well-distinguished silhouette, almost looking like a cross between a P-38 lightning and a Me 163 Komet. The first thing you will notice is the interestingly designed pair of wings. The inboard leading edge of its wing was swept back 24 degrees, while the outboard section was swept back 13.5 degrees and incorporated a dihedral angle. The superb roll rate was achieved with a combination of small ailerons at the tip of the wings and spoilers along with clipped wings which only slightly reduced the plane's turning capability. It also wears large double slotted flaps designed to decrease speed for carrier operations.
The powerful Arsenal 12H (which was a copy of the Junkers Jumo 213) allows the plane to get to a very high top speed at around 8,000 m and gives it brutal speed in a dive.
The plane is also made entirely out of metal, which allows it to take some punishment from enemy fighters.
The Narval is an exceptional interceptor, however due to its ability to mount either 2 x 1,000 lb bombs or 8 x T10 151 AP rockets, it can also make an effective strike fighter.
If going the interceptor route, you must climb to a high altitude in order to not only attack bombers, but make the most out of the 12H, where it performs the best.
On the flip side, if you are going for the strike fighter role, be aware that mounting rockets and bombs will throw the centre of gravity back, which worsens the already bad turn rate.
Manual Engine Control
| MEC elements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
| Oil | Water | Type | ||||
| Not controllable | Controllable Auto control available |
Controllable Auto control available |
Controllable Auto control available |
Separate | Controllable 2 gears |
Not controllable |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Very strong forward armament (6 x 20 mm MG 151s)
- Plenty of ammo
- Very high rip rate for a prop aircraft
- Solid roll rate
- 50 mm sloped bulletproof glass
- Excelent dive and energy retention
- Engine located at the back makes it less likely to be knocked out by bomber/attacker gunners or in a head-on attack
- Gets an interceptor spawn, which allows gives it an opportunity to climb well above its opponents
- Good visibility in the cockpit
- All guns are mounted in the aircraft's nose, making them accurate and having little to no convergence
Cons:
- During takeoff, pulling on the stick too early will damage the tail
- Feels sluggish at low speeds due to the massive weight
- Takes a bit of time to accelerate
- Climbs rather slowly, even with air spawn, so enemies may still be able to out-climb the Narval
- Poor turn-rate
- Rather fragile wings
- Wing sweep means that when you carry bombs, the centre of mass is thrown way back, affecting the already poor turn-rate
History
The Narval was a prototype twin-boom pusher Naval Fighter prototype created by Sud-Ouest (or SNCASO) during the late 1940s. It was to be powered by an Arsenal 12H02 V-12 which was a French postwar development of the Junkers Jumo 213 that famously powered the FW 190D series. The 12H would make a max 2,250 Hp that would power contra-rotating pusher propellers and could propel the Narval to 730 km/h (454 mph) at 8,000 m. The Narval also would've been armed with 6 x 20 mm cannons mounted vertically on the cheeks, with 3 on each cheek and hard points that could mount 1,000 kg (2,200 lb) of ordnance were placed under the wings. Because the 12H02 was tuned for high altitudes and had a turbo-supercharger, it likely would've been used as a High Altitude Bomber Interceptor, but due to the hard points, it could've also been used as a Strike Fighter, which gives it a similar role to the famed Republic P-47 Thunderbolt; a Strike Fighter/Interceptor.
However, only two prototypes were created, and the development of the Narval was abandoned by 1950 since the design was already obsolescent due to the advancements in jet engine technology. Even if SNASCO had continued development for the Narval, it is likely that it wouldn't have been accepted due to the cost of producing the plane, the massive weight (7 tonnes!) and the unorthodox design.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
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
| SNCA SO (Société nationale des constructions aéronautiques du sud-ouest) | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | S.O.8000 Narval |
| Jet Fighters | S.O.4050 Vautour IIN (late) |
| Jet Bombers | S.O.4050 Vautour IIA · S.O.4050 Vautour IIB · S.O.4050 Vautour IIN |
| Export | Vautour IIA IDF/AF · Vautour IIA · Vautour IIN |
| France fighters | |
|---|---|
| Dewoitine | D.371 · D.371 H.S.9 · D.373 · D.500 · D.501 · Pallier's D.510 · D.520 |
| Morane-Saulnier | M.S.405C1 · M.S.406C1 · M.S.410 |
| Arsenal | V.G.33C-1 |
| Bloch | M.B.152C1 · M.B.157 |
| Caudron | C.R.714 |
| Sud-Ouest | S.O.8000 Narval |
| American | H-75A-1 · H-75A-4 · ▄P-39Q-25 · ▄P-40F-5 Lafayette · ▄P-47D-22-RE · ▄P-63C-5 · F-6C-10-NA |
| ▄F6F-5 · ▄F6F-5N · F4U-7 · ▄F8F-1B | |
| Other countries | ▄Seafire LF Mk.III · ▄Yak-3 · Challe's ▄Yak-9T · NC.900 |
| Belgium | ▄Gladiator Mk I · ▄Spitfire FR Mk XIVe |
| Netherlands | ◘Sea Fury FB 51 |
| France premium aircraft | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | D.371 H.S.9 · Pallier's D.510 · ▄P-39Q-25 · ▄P-40F-5 Lafayette · ▄P-47D-22-RE · F-6C-10-NA |
| M.B.152C1 · ▄Yak-3 · Challe's ▄Yak-9T · NC.900 · S.O.8000 Narval | |
| Jet fighters | ◘Sea Hawk Mk.50 · Milan · Mirage F1C-200 |
| Strike aircraft | ▄AD-4NA · F-84F IAF |
| Bombers | Late 298D · ▄PBY-5A Late |
| Jet bombers | Vautour IIA IDF/AF · S.O.4050 Vautour IIN |
