Firecrest

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Rank IV USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Tu-1 Pack
Firecrest
b_48_firecrest.png
Firecrest
Research:155 000 Specs-Card-Activity.png
Purchase:32 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
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Description

GarageImage Firecrest.jpg


The Firecrest is a squadron rank II British fighter with a battle rating of 2.7 (AB), 2.3 (RB), and 3.3 (SB). It was introduced during Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy".

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 5,791 m)
Max altitude
(meters)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
587 568 10975 24.1 25.0 15.4 15.4 300
Upgraded
Max Speed
(km/h at 5,791 m)
Max altitude
(meters)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
 ??? 608 10975  ??.? 23.0  ??.? 19 300

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear
Limits
Wing-break speed
(km/h)
Gear limit
(km/h)
Combat flaps
(km/h)
Max Static G
+ -
430 ~10 ~4
Optimal velocities
Ailerons
(km/h)
Rudder
(km/h)
Elevators
(km/h)
Radiator
(km/h)
< 460 < 450 < 450 > 330
Compressor (RB/SB)
Setting 1
Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
1,280 m 2,580 hp 2,895 hp
Setting 2
Optimal altitude 100% Engine power WEP Engine power
4,980 m 2,310 hp 2,587 hp

Survivability and armour

Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Main article: Browning M3 (12.7 mm)

The Firecrest is armed with:

  • 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M3 machine guns, wing-mounted (300 rpg = 600 total)

Suspended armament

The Firecrest can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • Without load
  • 2 x 500 lb G.P. 500 lb Mk.IV bombs (1,000 lb total)
  • 1 x Mark XV torpedo
  • 8 x RP-3 rockets

Usage in battles

The Firecrest is a sub-average torpedo bomber with decent survive-ability. It has minimal effectiveness in air battles and almost no place in tank battles, however it has a place in naval battles (once the Mark XV torpedo is unlocked for use).

Due to the lackluster firepower with only two machine guns, one of the recommended ways to gain the necessary research points for unlocking modules is to simply attack AI targets like artillery and trucks, then tanks as the 500 lb bombs are unlocked prior to the torpedoes.

Once the torpedoes are unlocked, the Firecrest performs similarly to other torpedo bombers of the rank. Its only outstanding trait is in its high survive-ability that can help in destroying one target if the tactics are played to the plane's strength. Aim towards destroyer or cruiser as they are larger targets that are easier to hit and prioritize the vessels that are threatening allies on the seas. However, try to ensure the enemy ship is occupied with attacking surface targets so that their anti-air armament is not focused on the Firecrest to allow for some breathing room to position for an attack run.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Not controllable Not controllable
Auto control available
Controllable
Auto control available
Controllable
Auto control available
Separate Controllable
2 gears
Not controllable

Modules

Tier Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
I Fuselage repair Radiator HMBC mk.2
II Compressor Airframe Offensive 12 mm FTC mk.IV
III Wings repair Engine HRC mk.8
IV Engine injection Cover New 12 mm MGs

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • M3 .50 cals can do serious damage if used correctly, and have a high rate of fire
  • Good top speed overall
  • Respectably durable
  • RP-3 can be very usefull against tanks in Ground RB

Cons:

  • Not very maneuverable, especially at low speeds
  • Only two machine guns means limited damage output at the rank
  • Limited payload options

History

The Blackburn Firecrest was a British Torpedo Strike Fighter, derived from the earlier Blackburn Firebrand but designed from the outset as a torpedo strike fighter. Designed to the S.28/43 specification set by the Admiralty on February 26th 1943 for a 'Firebrand Torpedo Fighter with improved wing and improved pilot view', the Firecrest was designed with a number of issues of the Firebrand in mind. Specifically, effort was done to produce a type which had improved forward visibility to facilitate deck landings, and which had better lateral control at landing speeds. The design specification also called for the Firecrest to be powered by a Bristol Centaurus 77 engine powering a contra-rotating propeller.

Early on during its design, the Admiralty also ordered three prototypes which would have been driven by the Napier E.122 24-cylinder H-block engine, a 3500 hp development of the Napier Sabre used on the original Firebrand. However, it was soon found that in order to maintain an acceptable center of gravity, the heavy Napier engine would have to be installed behind the cockpit, which would require an extensive redesign and add considerable weight to the aircraft. As a result, the Napier E.122 powered variant was cancelled in October of 1945 before metal was cut on any of their prototypes. Just before completion of the design, the Centaurus 77 variant with its contra-rotating propeller was cancelled in January of 1946, and it was replaced by a 2,825 hp Centaurus 57 with a conventional five-bladed propeller. The first of three completed prototypes of the Firecrest flew on April 1st 1947.

The Firecrest differed from the Firebrand in having a cockpit that was set higher and more forward than that of the Firebrand, which combined with a shortened nose did improve the forward visibility during deck landing. A redesigned inverted gull wing conceptually not unlike that of the Vought Corsair did much to improve the type's low speed handling and take off characteristics: even at full weight, take-off was possible in just under 430 ft with a 29 mph headwind; it's landing run was an impressive 390 ft with a 5 mph headwind. With its conventional five-bladed propeller, the Firecrest's top speed lay at 380 mph, some 38 mph faster than the Firebrand despite weighing slightly more. Unlike the Firebrand which used hand-folded wings, the Firecrest had power-assisted folding wings with a double fold.

However, it soon became apparent that the Firecrest was even more sluggish in handling than the Firebrand, that the design in itself did not give any distinct advantages over the Firebrand or the newly developed Westland Wyvern, and that it was less versatile than types such as the Fairey Firefly or Hawker Sea Fury. As a result, all development work on the Firecrest ceased in September of 1947, with the second prototype only being used for structural testing, and the third prototype used to test the power-boosted ailerons which were eventually fitted to the Firebrand TF.5A. All three prototypes were bought back by Blackburn in 1950, and scrapped in 1952.

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.


Blackburn Aircraft Ltd.
Fighters  Firebrand TF Mk IV · Firecrest
Strike aircraft  Buccaneer S.1 · Buccaneer S.2 · Buccaneer S.2B

Britain fighters
Fury  Fury Mk I · Fury Mk II
Nimrod  Nimrod Mk I · Nimrod Mk II
Gladiator  Gladiator Mk II · Tuck's Gladiator Mk II · Gladiator Mk IIF · Gladiator Mk IIS
Sea Gladiator  Sea Gladiator Mk I
Hurricane  Hurricane Mk I/L · Hurricane Mk.I/L FAA M · Hurricane Mk IIB/Trop
Sea Hurricane  Sea Hurricane Mk IB · Sea Hurricane Mk IC
Martin-Baker  MB.5
Spitfire (early-Merlin)  Spitfire Mk Ia · Spitfire Mk IIa · Spitfire Mk.IIa Venture I · Spitfire Mk IIb · Spitfire Mk Vb/trop · Spitfire Mk Vb · Spitfire Mk Vc/trop · Spitfire Mk Vc
Spitfire (late-Merlin)  Spitfire F Mk IX · Spitfire LF Mk IX · Spitfire F Mk IXc · Plagis' Spitfire LF Mk IXc · Spitfire F Mk XVI
Spitfire (Griffon)  Spitfire F Mk XIVc · Spitfire F Mk XIVe · Prendergast's Spitfire FR Mk XIVe · Spitfire F Mk XVIIIe · Spitfire F Mk 22 · Spitfire F Mk 24
Seafire  Seafire LF Mk.III · Seafire F Mk XVII · Seafire FR 47
Typhoon  Typhoon Mk Ia · Typhoon Mk Ib · Typhoon Mk Ib/L
Tempest  Tempest Mk II · Tempest Mk V
Sea Fury  Sea Fury FB 11
Twin-engine fighters  Hornet Mk.I · Hornet Mk.III · Whirlwind Mk I · Whirlwind P.9
  Foreign:
Australia  ▄Boomerang Mk I · ▄Boomerang Mk II
France  ▄D.520 · ▄D.521
USA  ▄Martlet Mk IV · ▄Corsair F Mk II · ▄Hellcat Mk II · ▄Thunderbolt Mk.1 · ▄Mustang Mk IA

Britain squadron aircraft
Firecrest · Sea Harrier FRS.1