BB-1

BB-1

Po-2 Night Witch

Su-2 MV-5

BB-1

Po-2 Night Witch

Su-2 MV-5

USSR

I Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
1.7	1.3	1.7

Class:

Strike aircraft

Research:2 900

Purchase:700

Show in game

This page is about the Russian attacker BB-1. For other uses, see Su-2 (Family).

Description

The BB-1 in the garage

The BB-1 is a rank I Russian attacker with a battle rating of 1.7 (AB/SB) and 1.3 (RB). This aircraft has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.29.

In the mid-1930s, tensions were rising in Europe and the Soviet Union. Taking a look at the Soviet air forces of the time, it was determined that there was a need for a multi-purpose combat aircraft, which would not specialize in a role, but could be utilized as a bomber, attacker and even as a combat fighter if needed, however, its main job would be as a reconnaissance aircraft which would then attack targets it came across. Joseph Stalin personally issued the requirement for this aircraft and the project was code-named Ivanov. P.O. Sukhoi became the chief designer of this proposed aircraft while working at the Tupolev experimental design bureau and designed what initially was known as the ANT-51 first flying in 1937. Though a disappointment due to being outfitted with an 820 hp Shvetsov M-62 engine, the aircraft was outfitted with a Tumansky M-87 engine and now began production as the BB-1 (Blizhniy Bombardirovschik; Russian: Ближний Бомбардировщик — "short-range bomber").

Even small attacker aircraft can dominate the sky.

The BB-1 is a very forgiving aircraft, especially to those who are new to attack aircraft. While not a fast aircraft, it does allow pilots to buzz tree-tops and follow the terrain on the way to the targets. Though not an aircraft which is adequate to bomb bases, it does have a keen ability to hover slowly weaving around a battlefield where light trucks, anti-aircraft artillery and light tanks will be about. The bomb options and the machine gun load-outs allow for this attacker to drop bombs on ground targets along with strafing them with machine guns. Once passed the targets, the BB-1 can easily manoeuvre around and begin the attack run again. Enemy attackers and fighters which come along will attempt to eliminate the BB-1, but will quickly realize there is a rear-facing dorsal turret which a gunner mans a 7.26 mm ShKAS machine gun and can be quite effective at times hitting, damaging and disabling aircraft which choose to sit on the BB-1's tail. Though not a strong suit of the attacker, it can if need be, engage as a fighter. This attacker will not win any speed records when dogfighting, though, with its large wings and rudder, it does have the ability to turn remarkably fast making it difficult for an enemy fighter to get a firing solution.

Many War Thunder matches have been won with the BB-1 or its younger siblings (Su-2s) loading up with the smaller 50 kg bombs and methodically bombing key ground vehicles while the fighters continue to chase each other around. Don't let a lone BB-1 fooling you into thinking it won't do much damage, it is better to eliminate these aircraft first before brawling in dog fights with other fighters.

General info

Flight Performance

A BB-1 watching a Do 17 Z-7 go down in flames.

When attempting to land the BB-1 ensure you use the combat flap setting and not the landing flap setting. The combat flap setting allows the aircraft to settle down onto the runway whereas the landing flaps, decreases the speed too much, causing the aircraft to be nose-heavy and striking the propeller on the runway at touchdown.

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed (km/h at 6,600 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
444	435	8900	24.2	24.7	7.5	7.5	420
Upgraded
Max Speed (km/h at 6,600 m)		Max altitude (meters)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (meters/second)		Take-off run (meters)
AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
490	467	8900	22.1	23.0	15.2	9.8	420

Details

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

Limits
Wing-break speed (km/h)	Gear limit (km/h)	Combat flap (km/h)	Max Static G
			+	-
620	350	???	~??	~?

Optimal velocities
Ailerons (km/h)	Rudder (km/h)	Elevators (km/h)	Radiator (km/h)
< ???	< ???	< ???	> ???

Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude	100% Engine power	WEP Engine power
?,??? m	??? hp	?,??? hp

Survivability and armour

• No armour plating
• No armour glazing
• Critical components located at the front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
• More fuel tanks located in wings near the fuselage

The BB-1 was meant to be a light-weight attacker/bomber which could be produced rather quickly. To perform its mission adequately with the engines which were slated to be used, this aircraft needed to remain as light as possible, but still be able to carry an effective load of bombs. To eliminate weight where possible included not installing any protective armour or bulletproof windshields. Crazy as it sounds, another weight-saving method was to utilize wood panelling which is poor protection even against smaller 7 mm machine gun rounds. Though three fuel tanks are found in the aircraft (one in the fuselage in front of the cockpit and one in each wing), an ingenious solution of the time aided in the prevention of fuel tank fires and that was due to the aircraft having the ability to vent exhaust into the fuel tanks, preventing the burning of the fuel if the tank becomes ruptured.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The BB-1 is armed with:

• 4 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns (800 RPG = 3,400 total)

Suspended armament

The BB-1 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 4 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs (total = 200 kg)
• 4 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (total = 400 kg)
• 12 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs (total = 600 kg)
• 6 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (total = 600 kg)
• 2 x 250 kg FAB-250M43 bombs (total 500 kg)

Defensive armament

The BB-1 is defended with a:

• 1 x 7.62 mm ShKAS machine gun, dorsal turret mounted (900 RPG total)

Usage in battles

The BB-1's defensive gunner firing away with his ShKAS machine gun.

The BB-1 is one of the best low-BR ground attackers available. It can take up to 12 50kg bombs, with 8 of these being carried on the wings and an additional 4 in the bomb bay. These 4 can be dropped individually instead of 2 at a time like the wing-mounted ones. The aircraft also has a bomb sight, which can be very useful for precise bombing and allows you to set a 0 second fuse as you don't have to get close enough to be injured by it. It can also fight other fighters, having decent performance and a good turn rate, as well as quite a lot of firepower.

This aircraft is an all-rounder, able to destroy almost all ground targets. It has a rear gunner, but it's usefulness is limited due to it's limited firepower combined with the plane's already good turn rate, making the plane able to turn-fight. It can still be used, however, and if you are lucky you might score a few extra ground hits with it once your ammo has run out.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Not controllable	Separate	Not ontrollable	Not controllable

Modules

Tier	Flight performance		Survivability	Weaponry
I	Fuselage Repair	Radiator		Offensive 7 mm	KD-2
II		Compressor	Airframe	New 7 mm MGs
III	Wings Repair	Engine		Turret 7 mm	Der-19
IV		Engine Injection	Cover	New 7 mm MGs (turret)

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent ground attacker, decent dogfighter
• Very effective offensive guns for ground staffing
• Large bombload, several size options for different targets
• Bomb bay holds most smaller bombs which reduces drag
• Decent performance
• Has bombsight for accurate bombing
• Good manoeuvrability and responsive controls

Cons:

• No armour
• Defensive turret only has one 7.62 machine gun
• Limited to bombing light vehicles, anti-aircraft artillery and aircraft parked on the runway
• Works best at low altitudes, typically where fighters are hunting
• No dive flaps/brakes

History

Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the aircraft in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ History" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-name)/History) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article.

In-game description

"OKB Sukhoi BB-1 (Su-2) ""Ivanov"" Short-Range Bomber with M-87 engine.

A single-engine, mixed-construction monoplane light bomber with retractable landing gear and tail wheel. This project was developed as an entry in the 1936 competition for the best high-speed long-range ground-attack reconnaissance plane, to be known as the "Ivanov." The design and construction were completed in a record time of 6 months. The first flight of the SZ-1 (SZ: "Stalin's Mission"), with an M-62 engine, was made on August 25, 1937.

The prototype selected for mass production was the SZ-3, equipped with an M-87 engine. In March of 1939, even before government tests were completed, the "Ivanov" airplane (with the M-87A engine) was accepted by the Red Army Air Force. It entered mass production under the designation BB-1 (short-range bomber one).

Unlike the prototypes, the production model had a mixed construction. The fuselage was a wooden monocoque with plywood paneling, and the wings and stabilizer were metal. This choice was made because, due to the many all-metal aircraft in the USSR at the time, metal was in short supply.

The first production aircraft were fitted with air-cooled radial 14-cylinder OKB Tumansky M-87 engines, rated at 950 hp. The aircraft's armament included a battery of 4 fixed ShKAS 7.62mm machine guns with 850 rounds each, mounted in pairs on each wing. To protect the aircraft's rear, the navigator had a rotating MB-5 turret with another 7.62mm machine gun with 900 rounds of ammunition. The prototypes had a ventral MB-2 turret with a ShKAS machine gun, but this was removed as it seemed unlikely that any enemy fighter attacks would come from below when the plane was flying at a low altitude. However, it was soon shown that this was a poor decision, as such attacks were frequent in actual combat.

The plane's usual bomb load, when flying at its maximum range, was 400 kilograms. Overweight capacity was up to 600 kilograms. The maximum bomb load was 1200 kilograms. Bombs of up to 100 kilograms could be placed both in the internal bomb bay and suspended under the outer wings. KD-1 or KD-2 bomb racks were used to carry and drop these bombs. Rockets were not carried."

Media

Videos

The Grind - Spading the BB-1 - The Digital Time Traveler

Sukhoi BB-1, Tier-1 / Rank-1 Review - Angry Nerd Gaming

BB-1 "The Farmer" - the European Canadian

See also

Related development

• Sukhoi Su-2
• Sukhoi Su-6

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• Douglas SBD-3 Dauntless
• Ilyushin IL-2
• Junkers Ju 87D
• Kawasaki Ki-32

External links

• [Wikipedia] Sukhoi Su-2
• [Militaryfactory website] Sukhoi Su-2 - Light bomber / Close support / High-speed attack / Reconnisance aircraft
• [Worldwarphotos website] Photo gallery of Su-2 aircraft from World War II