Ju 88 A-4
| This page is about the German bomber Ju 88 A-4. For other versions, see Ju 88 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Ju 88 A-4 is a rank II German bomber with a battle rating of 3.0 (AB/RB) and 2.7 (SB). It has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27.
The Ju 88A-4 is very diverse with the ability to dive bomb and regularly bomb with large payloads. Its defensive armament is a little disappointing, but the two backwards-facing heavy machine guns can deal with light planes very quickly. However, the front is only covered by a light machine gun. Overall, the Ju 88 A-4 is a decent attack aircraft and fantastic fast medium bomber.
General info
Flight performance
| Characteristics | Max Speed (km/h at 5,600 m) |
Max altitude (metres) |
Turn time (seconds) |
Rate of climb (metres/second) |
Take-off run (metres) | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| AB | RB | AB | RB | AB | RB | |||
| Stock | 432 | 416 | 9800 | 31.4 | 32.7 | 4.2 | 4.2 | 530 |
| Upgraded | 479 | 455 | 28.7 | 30.0 | 10.2 | 6.8 | ||
Details
| Features | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
| ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X |
| Limits | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
| Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
| 0 | 310 | 457 | 428 | 280 | ~8 | ~8 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 350 | < 360 | < 370 | > 330 |
Survivability and armour
- 58 mm and 60 mm Bulletproof glass around the dorsal turret
- 12 mm Steel plate behind the pilot
- 12 mm Steel plates around the ventral turret
- 20 mm Steel plate behind the cockpit
Modifications and economy
| Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
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Armaments
Offensive armament
The Ju 88 A-4 is armed with:
- 1 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun, nose-mounted (750 rpg)
Suspended armament
The Ju 88 A-4 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- 10 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (500 kg total)
- 28 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,400 kg total)
- 4 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs (1,000 kg total)
- 4 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs + 10 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,500 kg total)
- 4 x 250 kg SC250JA bombs + 28 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (2,400 kg total)
- 2 x 500 kg SC500K bombs (1,000 kg total)
- 2 x 500 kg SC500K bombs + 10 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (1,500 kg total)
- 2 x 500 kg SC500K bombs + 28 x 50 kg SC50JA bombs (2,400 kg total)
- 1 x 1,000 kg SC1000L2 bomb + 1 x 500 kg SC500K bomb (1,500 kg total)
Defensive armament
The Ju 88 A-4 is defended by:
- 1 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun, 2 x dorsal turret (1,000 rpg = 2,000 total)
- 2 x 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun, ventral turret (900 rpg = 1,800 total)
Usage in battles
The Ju 88 A-4 is a versatile bomber. being able to both dive bomb and do horizontal bombing. The bomber has decent defensive armament and has a single offensive 7.92 mm MG 81 machine gun, which unfortunately won't really come in handy. You are able to carry up to 2,400 kg of bombs with this plane, making it a formidable bomber.
Air Battles:
In Air battles you should either bring the SC50 x28, SC500 x2 payload or the SC50 x28, SC250 x4 payload as they fully use the Ju 88 A-4's potential and will do a great job at damaging enemy bases, airfields and even ground targets. As soon as you spawn in, start climbing to make sure you are safe from enemy fighters. The greatest threats to you will be fighters and interceptors with astonishing climb rates, so remember to always check your surroundings.
Ground Battles:
In Ground battles you should ignore the 50 kg bombs as they won't do much against tanks and will only add weight to your plane, instead, bring 250 kg bombs, 500 kg bombs or the 1,000 kg bomb, these payloads won't use the Ju 88 A-4's full bomb capacity but they will make it more manoeuvrable and faster. Additionally, it is easier to hit ground targets with dive bombing tactics, so when you approach your target, extend the airbrakes ("H" by default) and reduce throttle if necessary to avoid too much speed which could result in your wings being ripped off.
Facing the Ju 88 A-4:
If you come across a Junkers 88 A-4, you will either be facing its cockpit or its tail most of the time. Attacking the bomber from below is also an option as it does not have any ventral gunners aiming down. If you are facing its cockpit, aim for the pilot as this will cause the plane to instantly be destroyed. If you are facing its tail, however, be carefull with the gunners and aim for the engines, bombers won't go far without them. Since the Ju 88 A-4 gets a bomber spawn, it is recommended to use planes with good climb rates.
Manual Engine Control
| MEC elements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
| Oil | Water | Type | ||||
| Not controllable | Controllable Auto control available |
Controllable Not auto controlled |
Controllable Not auto controlled |
Separate | Not controllable 1 gear |
Not controllable |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Highest variety of payload from any bombers in the German tech tree
- Fast bomber, can outrun lower-ranked foes
- Better and more reliable defensive armaments than the He 111 H-3
- Extremely manoeuvrable at low speeds (RB & SB)
- Airframe can withstand high speed during a dive and is equipped with air brakes
- Fairly resistant to small calibre bullets (.30 cal)
- One of the few bombers that can reliably destroy enemy airfields at lower rank battles (AB)
- Possesses a large payload (2,400 kg) that doesn't have that much penalty in overall performance
- The 50 kg bombs are very efficient at taking out individual ground targets
- Very useful in precision bombing
- Can perform exceptionally well even in some early rank II battles
- Defensive armament has a high rate of fire combined with AP-T ammunition that can easily start fires
Cons:
- Unfavourable matchmaking in arcade battles
- .50 calibre and cannon fire will quickly tear it apart
- Take-off from short runways is difficult
- Water-cooled engines and large radiator mean that any shots to the engine in RB or SB will usually result in engine failure
- Cannot reliably fly with one engine
- Big plane, ideal target for SPAAs when flying low
History
| Archive of the in-game description | |
|---|---|
|
The Ju 88 high-speed horizontal and dive bomber was one of the most versatile aircraft of WWII, and the Ju 88A-4 was the most well-known and highly mass produced of all the variants. Unlike its predecessors, the plane had a new 1,400 PS engine, letting the bomber move around at high speed. After experiencing difficulties in the Battle of Britain, the aircraft received additional metal sheeting in the cockpit walls and floor, as well as an armoured pilot's seat, shielding the pilot's back and sides. New MG 81 belt-fed machine guns replaced the older MG 15s that had previously been fitted. The increased aircraft mass also necessitated stronger landing gear with a bigger wheel diameter. The Ju 88A-4 was used against the Soviet Union in their maiden flights, and remained in the ranks until the end of the war. During WWII, nearly 15,000 Ju 88 bombers were built in different variations. | |
Media
- Skins
See also
External links
| Junkers Aircraft and Motor Works (Junkers Flugzeug- und Motorenwerke Aktiengesellschaft) | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | Ju 88 C-6 · Ju 388 J |
| Strike Aircraft | |
| Ju 87 | Ju 87 G-1 · Ju 87 G-2 |
| Bombers | Ju 88 A-1 · Ju 88 A-4 · Ju 188 A-2 · Ju 288 C |
| Ju 87 | Ju 87 B-2 · Ju 87 D-3 · Ju 87 D-5 · Ju 87 R-2 · Ju 87 R-2 Libya |
| Export | ▄Ju 87 D-3 · ▄Ju 87 R-2 · ▄Ju 88 A-4 |
| Germany bombers | |
|---|---|
| Arado | Ar 196 A-3 |
| Blohm & Voss | BV 138 C-1 · BV 238 |
| Dornier | Do 17 E-1 · Do 17 Z-2 · Do 217 E-2 · Do 217 E-4 · Do 217 K-1 · Do 217 M-1 |
| Focke-Wulf | Fw 189 A-1 · Fw 200 C-1 |
| Henschel | Hs 123 A-1 |
| Heinkel | He 111 H-3 · He 111 H-6 · He 111 H-16 · He 115 C-1 · He 177 A-3 · He 177 A-5 |
| Junkers | Ju 87 B-2 · Ju 87 R-2 · Ju 87 R-2 Libya · Ju 87 D-3 · Ju 87 D-5 · Ju 88 A-1 · Ju 88 A-4 · Ju 188 A-2 · Ju 288 C |
| Messerschmitt | Me 264 |
| Savoia-Marchetti | ▀S.M.79 serie 1 · ▀S.M.79 B · ▀S.M.79 serie 4 · ▀S.M.79 serie 8 |
| ▀S.M.79 AS · ▀S.M.79 bis/N · ▀S.M.79 bis/T.M | |
| Trophies | ▀Wellington Mk Ic |
