He 162 A-2
Contents
This page is about the German jet fighter He 162 A-2. For other version, see He 162 A-1. |
Description
The He 162 A-2 is a rank V German jet fighter
with a battle rating of 6.3 (AB), 6.0 (RB), and 6.7 (SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.
General info
Flight performance
Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 6,000 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
Stock | 801 | 776 | 12000 | 31.4 | 32.3 | 19.1 | 18.1 | 750 |
Upgraded | 875 | 840 | 28.8 | 30.0 | 28.2 | 23.4 |
Details
Features | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear | Drogue chute |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X | X |
Limits | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
1040 | 350 | 700 | 700 | 500 | ~12 | ~7 |
Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
< 500 | < 500 | < 580 | N/A |
Engine performance
Engine | Aircraft mass | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Engine name | Number | Empty mass | Wing loading (full fuel) | |||
BMW 003 | 1 | 1,877 kg | 205 kg/m2 | |||
Engine characteristics | Mass with fuel (no weapons load) | Max Takeoff Weight | ||||
Weight (each) | Type | 7m fuel | 20m fuel | 23m fuel | ||
673 kg | Axial-flow turbojet | 2,044 kg | 2,313 kg | 2,375 kg | 2,495 kg | |
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB) | Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (108%) | |||||
Condition | 100% | 108% | 7m fuel | 20m fuel | 23m fuel | MTOW |
Stationary | 801 kgf | 910 kgf | 0.46 | 0.39 | 0.38 | 0.36 |
Optimal | 801 kgf (0 km/h) |
910 kgf (0 km/h) |
0.46 | 0.39 | 0.38 | 0.36 |
Survivability and armour
- 15 mm steel - bulkhead behind cockpit
- Engine exposed on top of the fuselage
- Fuel tanks in fuselage and wings below the engine
Modifications and economy
Armaments
Offensive armament
The He 162 A-2 is armed with:
- 2 x 20 mm MG 151 cannons, chin-mounted (120 rpg = 240 total)
The twin MG 151s are one of the weaker cannons equipped by the early Rank 5 jets. However, when compared to the 30 mm Mk. 108's found on other German jets, its cannons have acceptable muzzle velocity, though this will remain a problem. The ammo count is less than enough considering the speeds at which jet combat takes place.
Usage in battles
This aircraft is best used exclusively for Boom & Zoom attacks and fighting at high altitudes (over 5 km).
It bleeds energy fast in dogfights against early jets, and when matched with propeller planes, dogfights become suicide. Head-ons may seem like a good idea due to the plane's small size and powerful 20 mm cannons, but keep in mind that most of the time you will be fighting American or British aircraft, which will often one-shot or severely damage you with their multiple sets of .50 cal's or Hispanos.
He 162 is an excellent bomber hunter, especially if you choose to fly with minimum (7 min) fuel and go to intercept bombers attacking your team's bases. Your 20 mm and small size will make you a deadly opponent, but keep in mind that most propeller bombers at this rank have great defensive armaments. When up-tiered with jets you will probably never see a bomber in-game.
When attempting to Boom & Zoom enemy fighters, it is vital that you climb at least 1 km above the enemy. Try climbing along the corners of the map, as if you go head-on you'll run into fighters without the energy you need to get away. Avoid sharp turns when diving and pulling up as you lose energy very fast in this aircraft. This becomes even more important when up-tiered, as enemy jets at higher battle-ratings have no problem catching up to you just long enough to destroy you.
The best place for He 162 is combined battles, where it has relatively low SP requirements and does not face a large group of enemy fighters. In this mode fly with a minimum tank load (7 min) as it's all you need and it gives you agility. Just as in air realistic, use Boom & Zoom to shoot down enemies ground attacking your team or unsuspecting enemy fighters.
Modules
Tier | Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | |
---|---|---|---|---|
I | Fuselage repair | Offensive 20 mm | ||
II | Compressor | Airframe | ||
III | Wings repair | New 20 mm cannons | ||
IV | Engine | Cover |
"Offensive 20 mm", "Compressor", "Wings repair", then "Engine", is the recommended order of unlocking. Why? The stock MG 151 belts are bad as they lack the very powerful HE Minengeschosse. Compressor and Engine are no-brainers. Everything that improves acceleration is a must for early jets. Wings repair is superior to new cannons, the stock MG 151 does not overheat and accuracy is acceptable in short bursts.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Often faces propeller-powered aircraft
- Good climb rate for an early jet, even exceeding that of the F-80A
- Good acceleration for an early jet at speeds below 700 km/h
- Excellent shallow dive rate, can catch up even the MiG-9 and F-84B-26 in shallow dive
- Hard-hitting armament of two 20 mm MG 151/20 cannons that fires Minengeschoß shells
- Loses no energy in rudder turns still maintaining above acceptable turning radius
- Small wing surface area means difficult target to shoot down
- Will outturn nearly every early jet at 500 km/h excluding the Yak-15, Yak-17
- Very good visibility
- Does not have war emergency power, however, the throttle can push past 100% (up to 108% throttle)
- Good bomber hunter, especially if the bomber lacks defence armaments
- Can use its 108% throttle almost indefinitely above 6,000 m
- Great roll rate
Cons:
- Very fragile even for a jet, little damage can cause significant performance loss
- Not beginner-friendly, will need experience and practice to play efficiently
- Very significant speed loss when turning to dogfight enemies
- American counterparts of the same rank i.e. F-80A or F-84B-26, outmatch top-end acceleration and top speed
- Suitable only for energy fighting and Boom & Zoom, avoid dogfights at all costs, significant energy loss in rapid elevator turns
- Poor performance when stock
- Limited amount of ammunition, which means trigger discipline must be used
- Energy retention limited due to the high-speed engine performance and a lightweight airframe
- Easily out-turned by propeller-powered planes at lower speeds
- Setting throttle above 100% does not bring significant gain of power
- Little armour protecting the pilot, often gets pilot knocked-out
- Difficulty with take-off, struggles on some airfields
- Extended usage of the throttle over 100% burns out the jet engine (deteriorates quality of use until its own destruction)
- Engine mounted on top, vertical manoeuvre techniques need to account for the pitching-down moment of the engine thrust
- Engine easily overheats below 2,000 m
History
Initially, this Heinkel fighter was designated He 500, but by October, in order to fool enemy intelligence services, the RLM redesignated the plane He 162; the number being previously assigned to a Messerschmitt fast bomber prototype that competed with the Ju 88. At the same time, the fighter was named the Salamander, which initially was the codename for the very same fast bomber design. The official name at the start of introduction was Volksjäger to emphasize the usage as every man's fighter similar to Volkswagen aka VW.
Overall 170 to 320 aircraft were produced, most of them A-2 variants. The previous A-1 were first fitted with Mk108, but these shocked the airframe too hard and were changed into the less recoil-heavy MG 151/20. An interesting feature is the dorsal mounted engine. It serves two purposes; first: Easier maintenance like with Me 262s underwing gondolas and second - and most importantly: The high installation greatly reduced foreign object damage - or FOD. Unpaved runways were common on all sides in WW2 and rocks and other debris were often sucked into the intake -- the main cause of engine failures in early jets.
Albeit named the Volksjäger, the jet was a dangerous vehicle for beginners. Short flight time and a high stall speed compared to the gliders most recruits trained on caused a high after-combat crash rate, especially on landing approaches. Pilots often failed to attain the recommended landing speed of 250 km/h (100 more than the Bf109) due either inexperience or lack of fuel. The high landing speed was the cause of even more deadly problems.
In the air, however, the aircraft was praised even by its foes. Allied pilots loved to take the captured He 162s into the air, praising its smooth flight and good controllability. The only downside was the weak rudder and weak in the literal meaning. RAF pilot, Flt Lt. R. A. Marks, despite being instructed not to use heavy rudder on high speed, performed a low-altitude, high-speed barrel roll during a demonstration. A fin and rudder assembly ripped out of its socket, the sudden loss of control and insufficient height resulted in a fatal crash.
Like the Me 262 Schwalbe, the Volksjäger proved to be too little too late.
In-game description
Initially this Heinkel fighter was designated He 500, but by October, in order to fool enemy intelligence services, the RLM redesignated the plane He 162; the number being previously assigned to a Messerschmitt fast bomber prototype that competed with the Ju 88. At the same time, the fighter was named the Salamander, which initially was the codename for the entire program.
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;
- encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
- other literature.
Heinkel Aircraft Company (Heinkel Flugzeugwerke) | |
---|---|
Fighters | He 51 A-1 · He 51 B-1 · He 51 B-2/H · He 51 C-1 · He 51 C-1/L |
He 100 D-1 | |
He 112 A-0 · He 112 B-0 · He 112 V-5 | |
Jet fighters | He 162 A-1 · He 162 A-2 |
Twin-engine fighters | He 219 A-7 |
Bombers | He 111 H-3 · He 111 H-6 · He 111 H-16 |
He 115 C-1 | |
He 177 A-5 | |
Export | He 112 B-1/U2(Hungary) · He 112 B-1/U2(Romania) · He 112 B-2/U2 · A7He1 |
T 2 |
Germany jet aircraft | |
---|---|
Luftwaffe | |
He 162 | He 162 A-1 · He 162 A-2 |
Me 163 | Me 163 B · Me 163 B-0 |
Ho 229 | Ho 229 V3 |
Ar 234 | Ar 234 B-2 · Ar 234 C-3 |
Me 262 | Me 262 A-1a · Me 262 A-1a/Jabo · Me 262 A-1a/U1 · Me 262 A-1/U4 · Me 262 A-2a |
Me 262 C-1a · Me 262 C-2b | |
LSK | |
Fighters | ◊MiG-15bis · ◊Lim-5P · ◊MiG-19S |
◊MiG-21MF · ◊MiG-21bis-SAU · ◊MiG-21 "Lazur-M" | |
◊MiG-29 | |
Attackers | ◊MiG-23BN · ◊MiG-23MF · ◊MiG-23MLA |
◊Su-22UM3K · ◊Su-22M4 | |
◊IL-28 | |
Luftwaffe | |
F-84 | ◄F-84F |
F-86 | ◄CL-13A Mk 5 · ◄CL-13B Mk.6 · ◄F-86K |
F-104 | ◄F-104G |
F-4 | ◄F-4F Early · ◄F-4F · ◄F-4F KWS LV |
G.91 | ◄G.91 R/3 · ◄G.91 R/4 |
Tornado | ◄Tornado IDS WTD61 · ◄Tornado IDS MFG · ◄Tornado IDS ASSTA1 |
Other | Alpha Jet A · ◄Sea Hawk Mk.100 |
Ex-LSK | ◄MiG-21 SPS-K · ◄MiG-29G |
Swiss Air Force | |
◌Hunter F.58 · FFA P-16 |