V-156-B1

V-156-B1

Blenheim Mk IV

V-156-B1

Blenheim Mk IV

Britain

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.3	1.0	1.3

Class:

Bomber

Dive bomber

Naval aircraft

Research:2 900

Purchase:700

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This page is about the British bomber V-156-B1. For the French version, see V-156-F. For similar aircraft, see SB2 (Family).

Description

The V-156-B1 is a rank I British bomber with a battle rating of 1.3 (AB/SB) and 1.0 (RB). This aircraft was introduced in Update 1.75 "La Résistance".

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
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 4,084 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
343	328	6800	23.2	24.5	4.5	4.5	300
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 4,084 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
380	360	6800	20.9	22.0	8.2	6.2	300

Details

Features
Combat flaps	Take-off flaps	Landing flaps	Air brakes	Arrestor gear
X	X	✓	✓	✓

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flaps (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
		740	~14	~8

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< 300	< 350	< 320	> 299

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
2,895 m	750 hp	825 hp

Survivability and armour

• 9.5 mm Steel plate between cockpit and turret.
• 3 mm Steel boxes behind the gunner.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The V-156-B1 is armed with:

• 4 x 7.7 mm Browning .303 machine guns, wing-mounted (1,000 rpg = 4,000 total)

Suspended armament

The V-156-B1 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 1 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb + 2 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (700 lb total)
• 1 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bomb + 2 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (1,000 lb total)
• 1 x 1,000 lb AN-M65A1 bomb (1,000 lb total)

Defensive armament

The V-156-B1 is defended by:

• 1 x 7.7 mm Browning .303 machine gun, dorsal turret (600 rpg)

Usage in battles

The V-156-B1 is easily one of the more powerful aircraft in the low BRs, and can be an absolute monster at low BR matches in arcade due to its monoplane design, payload, and large amount of machine guns. It is adequate for grinding at low ranks due to its low repair cost and versatility. It can gladly function as both a fighter and an attacker, and once dumping bombs, is capable of boom-and-zooming enemies in the vicinity. In addition, it has airbrakes in the form of dive brakes, which come in useful when landing, attacking ground targets, or attempting to shake off an enemy. Although you have a turret, you should not rely on it to be able to destroy fighters on its own - it is good at fending off fighters, and keeping newer and/or more cautious players at bay, but it will only be able to shoot down fighters on its own by sheer luck. Your frontal armament, however, is more powerful - and with the usage of airbrakes at critical moments in the fight, such as when the enemy is close to you and approaching from the rear, you can use your airbrakes while reducing your throttle to zero to induce what is known as an 'overshoot'- forcing the enemy behind you to zoom over you instead of staying on your tail by means of a sudden speed decrease. This puts the enemy in front of you and allows you to use your four frontal machine guns to shoot down the lightly-armoured enemies you face at this battle rating.

Arcade Ground Strike maps - where the aim is to destroy the enemy's ground troops, and often, dogfights happen over ground targets at low altitudes - are where this aircraft will excel most. A suggested strategy is to use the aircraft as a dive-bomber in arcade battles, using your superior altitude and therefore speed advantages (you start in the bomber spawn) to hit ground targets before zooming back towards friendlies, or waiting until the fighters have started engaging, and then attack ground targets. The aircraft (at stock payload) has two 100 lb bombs and one 500 lb bomb.

While waiting for payload reload, go for enemy planes. British, German and Japanese aircraft are particularly vulnerable to your attacks due to their relatively low armament in a head-on engagement and lack of any and all armour protection. Soviet biplanes (the I-15s) will have heavier or equal armament, and American monoplanes will be harder to kill than biplanes due to robust construction and having similar speeds.

A suggested loadout is a minimum load of fuel (33 minutes, more than enough for arcade battles or realistic battles), Universal 7 mm belts on both defensive and offensive 7 mm guns (maximal AP-I ammunition) and the bombload of 2 x 250 lb bombs and 1 x 500lb bomb.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage repair	Radiator		Offensive 7 mm	FSBC mk.5
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 7 mm MGs
III	Wings repair	Engine		Turret 7 mm	FLBC mk.1
IV		Engine injection	Cover	New 7 mm MGs (turret)

Weaponry upgrades and engine should be prioritized with this aircraft, due to its role as an attacker. Its two primary roles are lugging bombs where they need to be in the minimal amount of time possible, and then using them to inflict maximum damage. The FSBC mk.5 gives quite an upgrade to the aircraft, replacing the 100 lb bombs (mediocre at best) with the more powerful 250 lb bombs. However, the FLBC mk 1 is a novelty, at best, and only really useful when lugging bombs onto bases in Operation mode in RB. However, the V-156-B1 is a very bad choice for such a role, and thus, it should be disregarded.

A good research pathway is FSBC mk.5 --> Offensive 7mm Belts --> New 7mm MGs --> Defensive 7mm Belts --> Engine --> New 7mm MGs (Turret) --> Engine Injection. Anything after that is fair game. However, the FLBC mk.1 should be left until last, due to its uselessness in battles.

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Gives the low rank British player a much needed replacement for the Swordfish.
• Faster than the Swordfish.
• Good payload.
• Four offensive machine guns can kill unarmoured ground targets and other aircraft.
• Above average speed for its BR, and its usual enemies- reserves and low-rank aircraft.
• Defensive machine gun keeps enemy fighters at bay.

Cons:

• Not particularly fast. Easy prey for low rank monoplanes and even some bi-planes.
• Dead meat if up-tiered or used actively as a fighter.
• Poor elevator response, especially at high speeds.
• Stock payload is mediocre at best.
• Single 303. inch defensive machine gun is better than nothing but only really serves as a deterrent. You will probably be dead by the time you've killed the enemy attacker.
• Not very manoeuvrable, especially with payloads equipped.

History

The Vought V-156-B1 was originally an American plane. It was designed and built to meet a United States Navy order for a new Scout bomber for carrier use. It had the United States Navy designation of the SB2U and was given the nickname the "Vindicator". Few orders for this aircraft was given by the United States Navy due to the equally good if not superior SBD Dauntless dive bomber. It ended up in the hands of the Fleet Air Arm after the defeat of France. The French ordered 50 of these planes before their collapse. The FAA used them on various escort carriers and called the plane the "Chesapeake". The Chesapeake was phased out in November 1941 and was replaced by the faithful and reliable Fairey Swordfish.

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

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• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.