SA 313B Alouette II (Germany)

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A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
This page is about the German utility helicopter SA 313B Alouette II (Germany). For other versions, see Alouette (Family).
◄SA 313B Alouette II
sa_313b.png
GarageImage SA 313B Alouette II (Germany).jpg
◄SA 313B Alouette II
AB RB SB
8.7 8.3 8.7
Research:Free
Purchase:390 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The SA.313B Alouette II was a French light multipurpose helicopter developed by Sud-Aviation in 1968 and widely supplied to both civilian and military organisations in various countries worldwide. Over 1,000 SA.313s were built, of which approximately 220 were delivered to West Germany. As standard, they were not equipped with armament, so this issue was addressed locally where the aircraft was intended to perform combat missions. The Germans mounted four 7.62 mm MG3 machine guns in pairs on skids of the landing gear. As anti-tank weaponry, the helicopter could carry SS.11 anti-tank guided missiles on special crossbeams along the fuselage sides. Alouette II helicopters served in the German armed forces until the mid-2000s.

Introduced in Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea", the Alouette II is a light, manoeuvrable and fast aircraft capable of providing effective ground support, and rapid withdrawal in case of danger or enemy air defence systems. However, it can prove challenging to pilot effectively, and will require time to get used to, as it lacks sufficient armour or powerful armaments.

General info

Flight performance

Max speed
at 0 m185 km/h
Max altitude2 300 m
EngineTurbomeca Artouste IIC6
Power380 hp
Take-off weight2 t

The Alouette II is a small, nimble utility helicopter capable of maintaining speeds of 225 km/h and is longitudinally stable above 35 km/h. The Alouette II design is the only helicopter in the game without some form of SAS mode aside from the Huey family, however since 1.91 the rotorcraft has the option for co-pilot assistance and since 1.89, autopilot assistance while in ATGM binocular view. The Alouette II is unstable with the default trim settings so it is highly recommended to go through test flight to assign the default trim settings. The Alouette II has the lowest retreating blade stall speed starting margin of only 185 km/h however retreating blade stalls can easily be recovered from by pitching up and yawing to the right in joystick mode.The Alouette also lacks rotor control authority compared to other helicopters and struggles to get into and maintain efficient gliding due to its tendency to yaw and pitch down with the high drag skeleton tail.

Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 0 m - at sea level)
Max altitude
(metres)
AB RB
Stock 168 155 2300
Upgraded 202 185

Survivability and armour

Crew2 people
Speed of destruction
Structural300 km/h
Gear320 km/h

The Alouette II has no armour. However its small size allows it to easily weave through forests to stay hidden and actively dodge ATGMs. However it is highly prone to rotor linkage, engine and fuel tank damage. The Alouette II does not have infrared imaging devices (but it does have an image intensifier) nor a Radar Warning System.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB9 288 → 12 566 Sl icon.png
RB2 742 → 3 709 Sl icon.png
SB4 621 → 6 252 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications113 800 Rp icon.png
210 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 100 Ge icon.png
Crew training110 000 Sl icon.png
Experts390 000 Sl icon.png
Aces1 700 Ge icon.png
Research Aces720 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
100 / 300 / 430 % Sl icon.png
196 / 196 / 196 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods jet compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods cd 98 main rotor.png
Replacing helicopter blades
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
300 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
26 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods heli flak jacket.png
Flak jacket
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png
Mods heli structure.png
Helicopter frame
Research:
13 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
24 000 Sl icon.png
300 Ge icon.png
Mods night vision device.png
NVD
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
26 000 Sl icon.png
320 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
37 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
68 000 Sl icon.png
850 Ge icon.png
Mods weapon.png
M163_Minigun_new_gun
Research:
7 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
175 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Night vision devices
Improves visibility by enhancing natural light or active illumination.

Offensive armament

Ammunition1 000 rounds
Fire rate1 200 shots/min
Main article: MG3 (7.62 mm)

The SA 313B Alouette II (Germany) is armed with:

  • 4 x 7.62 mm MG3 machine guns (250 rpg = 1,000 total)

The four machine guns are arranged with two above each landing skid. Only the default ammo belt is available. Due to their low calibre, they have limited effectiveness against helicopters and planes, and are almost useless against all but the lightest-armoured ground vehicles. However, they have a high rate of fire (1,200 rpm), which aids damage output at the expense of total firing time.

Suspended armament

List of setups (1)
Setup 14 x AS.11 missiles
Main article: AS.11

The SA 313B Alouette II (Germany) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • 4 x AS.11 missiles

Although few missiles can be carried, they are able to severely damage and destroy enemy tanks. It is important to note that although AS.11 missiles are usable, they are much worse than many missiles carried by other helicopters, and that the Alouette's anti-tank armament is weak in general.

Usage in battles

The Alouette doesn't have the power of a conventional helicopter. Being a 1950s helicopter, its engine is very weak compared to its counterparts. Use it at a low altitude and make use of the AS.11 missiles, but beware, the Alouette can only carry 4 of them which is a fairly low amount. Use them wisely. The Alouette, like most other starter helis, are extremely susceptible to death by fighter aircraft, because you have no means of self-defense except 4 rifle calibre machine guns.

The Alouette's small size makes it highly effective at sneaking zone captures in ground battles. Despite its slow speed, it is still able to get to certain capture zones faster than any ground vehicles in certain domination missions.

With joystick controls, it is best to fly the helicopter around 40 to 60 knots as it is stable in that region without SAS / autopilot flight assistance modes however do be aware of the helicopter creeping forward too close to the battlefield. The helicopter is highly susceptible to ATGM hits with SAS / autopilot modes, however it is much easier to fly with those modes active.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Small airframe
  • Small rotor system
  • Nimble
  • High rate of fire machineguns
  • Very stable at moderate to high speeds
  • Maintains energy well in turns (joystick)

Cons:

  • Spalling from a single hit tend to knock out the engine and/or rotor linkage system
  • AS.11 maximum range is 3.5 km
  • Missiles are very slow meaning hitting distant targets (+2 km) can be very hard
  • Can only carry 4 ATGMs limiting anti-tank usability
  • Very low redline speed limit (275 km/h)
  • Very low retreating blade stall mechanic speed limit (starts at 185 km/h and gets difficult to handle above 220 km/h, and is only recoverable with full real joystick controls past 260 km/h)

History

The light, multipurpose, single-engined SA.313B Alouette II (French for "Skylark") helicopter was developed by the French company Sud-Aviation in the 1960s and was widely used both by civilian and military organizations. Many other countries also obtained a license to manufacture these helicopters. In addition to civilian use, this light helicopter has a rich military history. The SA.313B fought wars in Algeria and Rhodesia and took part in several local conflicts. The model's success is demonstrated by the fact that the SA.313B is still being used for civilian purposes and by the militaries of some countries nowadays.

Since the SA.313B was not routinely equipped with weapons, this issue has been resolved directly in the places and countries where the vehicle has been used to fulfil combat objectives. The helicopter's armament has been rather exotic at times, such as when rifles and machine guns have been mounted in the apertures of the glass-enclosed front cabin. For the purposes of the game, we have chosen more well-founded projects for arming the SA.313B implemented by French and German crews. Machine gun installations comprised of four 7.62mm MG3 light machine guns placed in pairs on the skids using special fixtures. As an anti-tank weapon, the helicopter could carry SNEB unguided rockets, as well as SS.11 guided anti-tank missiles that were located on special transverse tube-shaped beams along the sides of the fuselage.

- From Devblog

Media

Skins
Images

See also

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

Germany helicopters
Attack 
Hip  ◊Mi-8TB
Hind  ◊Mi-24P · ◄Mi-24P HFS 80
Tiger  EC-665 Tiger UHT
Utility 
BO 105  BO 105 CB-2 · BO 105 PAH-1 · BO 105 PAH-1A1
Alouette  ◄SA 313B Alouette II
Huey  ◄UH-1D