Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (l)
This page is about the Soviet bomber Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (l). For the Early version, see Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (e). For other versions, see Yer-2 (Family). |
Contents
Description
The Yer-2 (ACh-30B) Late was the last produced model of the Yermolayev Yer-2 medium bomber developed for Soviet air force in 1940. The base of the Yer-2 was the prewar airliner Bartini Stal-7. V. Yermolayev, appointed as the chief designer of OKB-240, was tasked with redesigning the Bartini into a long-range bomber after the arrest of its designer, Roberto L. Bartini, in February 1938. The prototype, named DB-240, first flew on 14th May 1940, and was plagued with performance issues due to the experimental Klimov M-106 engines not being ready in time, so the less powerful M-105 were used instead. The armament was deemed inadequate and engine problems plagued the plane as well as very long take off and landing run needed to get airborne. However, the plane was able to carry 1,000 kg of bombs over a distance of 4,100 km, so the plane was ordered into production at Factory No.18 in Voronezh as the Yermolayev Yer-2. Only 128 were made before the factory changed its production to much needed Il-2 strike aircraft in August 1941. The development of the Yer-2 continued with different engines without success until Charmoskiy ACh-30B diesel engines were tried. The diesel engines offered significantly lower fuel consumption at the expense of being much heavier than their gasoline powered versions. To install the engines, the airframe as well as wings had to be strengthened, the offset cockpit was redesigned to conventional side by side configuration and dorsal turret armament changed from single 12.7 mm UBT machine gun to single 20 mm ShVAK cannon and nose and ventral 7.62 mm ShKAS machine guns were changed for the 12.7 mm UBT. The Yer-2 ACh-30B was then ordered into production at Factory No. 39 in Irkutsk in December 1943. The Yer-2 remained in service until late 1940 when it was replaced by the Tu-4 in service.
The Yer-2 ACh-30B (late) has been in the game since the start of the Open Beta Test prior to Update 1.27. It can be distinguished from the early model by the widened cockpit. Unlike the preceding variants of Yer-2s, the ACh-30B powered ones can carry additional 1,000 kg bomb on external pylons, so their maximal bombload consists of 3 x 1,000 kg and 4 x 500 kg bombs unlike the 2 x 1,000 kg and 4 x 500 kg found on the previous versions. The defensive armament was also strengthened, with the dorsal ShVAK cannon posing a significant threat to any attack aircraft.
General info
Flight performance
The Yer-2's ACh-30B diesel engines were optimised for fuel economy and not pure performance. Thus, the ACh-30B-engined model is actually slower than the earlier M-105-engined models, especially because the diesel engines are significantly heavier than the earlier gasoline engines. The other aspects of its flight performance are unremarkable compared to other contemporary heavy bombers. It should also be kept in mind that the already poor flight performance is significantly degraded when carrying the maximum 5,000 kg payload.
The Yer-2 is also by no means an agile aircraft in the first place and the airframe will not tolerate much G-load, hence it is very ill-advised to make sudden control inputs with the aircraft unless playing in Arcade mode. In fact, the later diesel Yer-2 model has even lower structural G-tolerance than the early diesel-engined model.
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 | 397 | 384 | 11000 | 49.1 | 50.1 | 7.9 | 7.8 | 1,800 |
Upgraded | 433 | 415 | 47.0 | 48.0 | 11.7 | 9.5 |
Details
Features | ||||
---|---|---|---|---|
Combat flaps | Take-off flaps | Landing flaps | Air brakes | Arrestor gear |
✓ | ✓ | ✓ | X | X |
Limits | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Wings (km/h) | Gear (km/h) | Flaps (km/h) | Max Static G | |||
Combat | Take-off | Landing | + | - | ||
551 | 300 | 447 | 418 | 270 | ~3 | ~2 |
Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
---|---|---|---|
Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
< 290 | < 300 | < 270 | > 330 |
Survivability and armour
- 15 mm steel plate behind the pilot
- 15 mm steel plate behind the co-pilot
- 15 mm steel plate in front of rear ball gunner
Modifications and economy
Being a heavy strategic bomber, you should go for the bomb load upgrades first followed by turret 12 mm and 20 mm belts, as the ball ammo in the 12 mm belts is completely useless and the Berezin MG belts are loaded with incendiary rounds, increasing the chance of starting fires on attackers. The rest of the modules are up to the player, but the survivability modules are recommended to withstand the beating you will be getting by fighters and interceptors.
Armaments
Suspended armament
The Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (l) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- 20 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (2,000 kg total)
- 8 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bombs (2,000 kg total)
- 4 x 500 kg FAB-500sv bombs (2,000 kg total)
- 3 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000 bombs (3,000 kg total)
- 3 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000 bombs + 20 x 100 kg FAB-100sv bombs (5,000 kg total)
- 3 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000 bombs + 8 x 250 kg FAB-250sv bombs (5,000 kg total)
- 3 x 1,000 kg FAB-1000 bombs + 4 x 500 kg FAB-500sv bombs (5,000 kg total)
- 8 x 250 kg BRAB-250 bombs (2,000 kg total)
- 4 x 500 kg BRAB-500 bombs (2,000 kg total)
- 3 x 1,000 kg BRAB-1000 bombs (3,000 kg total)
- 3 x 1,000 kg BRAB-1000 bombs + 8 x 250 kg BRAB-250 bombs (5,000 kg total)
- 3 x 1,000 kg BRAB-1000 bombs + 4 x 500 kg BRAB-500 bombs (5,000 kg total)
Defensive armament
The Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (l) is defended by:
- 1 x 20 mm ShVAK cannon, dorsal turret (200 rpg)
- 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, nose turret (195 rpg)
- 1 x 12.7 mm Berezin UB machine gun, ventral turret (275 rpg)
Usage in battles
The Yer-2 with diesel ACh-30B engines is the last traditional heavy bomber in the Soviet line-up until the Tu-4, and it retains its previous models' strengths and weaknesses. The main draw of the diesel Yer-2s is the gigantic payload at its disposal (up to 5,000 kg), being the second best at the BR behind the British Lancaster. However, the heavier diesel engines mean that it is actually slower than the earlier M-105-engined variants.
The airframe itself is not very durable, and with only two engines, the aircraft cannot maintain flight if one engine is knocked out. As such, it is best to avoid any form of engagement at all costs. The late model diesel Yer-2 has a side-by-side pilot cockpit arrangement, but is otherwise near identical to the early diesel Yer-2.
Carrying the maximum payload will also significantly degrade the already underwhelming flight performance of the Yer-2. Because of this, some careful planning is required in order to be able to carry the payload to its target:
- high altitude bomber: the Yer-2 can attempt to climb to high altitudes in order to avoid attracting attention, but this is hampered by the poor performance the Yer-2 offers above 4,000 m due to its engine not receiving enough oxygen. While the safest playstyle, it is definitely the slowest and most boring one. It is recommended to side climb at the start of a match to avoid confrontation and gain altitude quickly. Ideally, one should climb to around 6,000–6,500 m to avoid being noticed by fighters below (and getting a marker in Arcade and Realistic Battles), and so that the planes that do notice it will have trouble climbing there quickly. At this altitude, airfield AA defences are also not a threat.
- medium altitude bomber: alternatively, one can maintain around 3,000–4,000 m altitude and flank around the map towards bases. It is recommended to use this playstyle when the aircraft is fully upgraded, as there is a higher chance of being attacked by enemy fighters who see the Yer-2 as easy prey. It is highly recommended to avoid flying through the middle of the battlefield at all costs, as this is where most fighters tend to concentrate their attention on.
It is also important to note that the Yer-2 cannot spawn on airfields in Simulator Battles, as the take-off run is too long. It will thus be freshly spawned in the air at the very rear edge of the team's side of the map. However, if a successful landing is made on one of the airfields, the Yer-2 can be respawned in the air over that airfield instead.
Manual Engine Control
MEC elements | ||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
Oil | Water | Type | ||||
Not controllable | Controllable Not auto controlled |
Not controllable Not auto controlled |
Controllable Not auto controlled |
Combined | Not controllable 1 gear |
Auto controlled |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Massive payload.
- Relatively powerful defensive armament.
- Has two pilots for redundancy.
Cons:
- Very poor flight performance, especially with the maximum bomb load.
- Has only two engines, cannot sustain flight with only one engine working.
- Wings are massive, flimsy and littered with fuel tanks.
- Performance suffers significantly above 4,000 metres.
- Pilots are placed very close to each other.
History
Archive of the in-game description | |
---|---|
The command staff of the Long-Range Air Force (LRAF) proposed adding a second pilot to the Yer-2's crew, placing him next to the commander. This decision significantly reduced the workload imposed on pilots during long flights. The pilot's cockpit now had two seats, and its appearance was completely changed. The pilots' chairs were located side by side (the commander's to the left and the co-pilot's to the right) under the improved canopy, which was now the classical type instead of the earlier asymmetrical version. The navigator's station was shifted to the forward section of the fuselage. The elliptical outlines of the forward section common to the Yer-2 were now straightened, and the upper section of the navigator's cockpit was lowered. These improvements only barely influenced the plane's flight characteristics, but they noticeably improved visibility from the pilot's cockpit. The navigator's work with his sextant became easier, thanks to the transparent astrodome. An OPB-2R sight was mounted instead of the PS-1 sight, resulting in the removal of its external fairing. Yer-2 bombers with the new two-seat cockpit and the new navigator's cockpit were produced at Factory No. 39 beginning in August 1944. 101 aircraft were built. Production continued into 1945, with the number of planes reaching 241. Yer-2 bombers built at the factory in Irkutsk entered service beginning in February 1944. Although these aircraft reached the front line when the war with Germany was almost over, they were used actively enough on the Northwestern and Baltic Fronts. Yer-2s made a significant contribution to the successful assault of the fortress city of Königsberg with their large-sized bombs. Based on their combat experience, the various crews formed a generally favourable attitude towards the Yer-2, built with ACh-30B diesel engines. The pilots liked its comfortable cockpit with excellent visibility, powerful defensive armament, large bomb capacity, and strong airframe structure. The aircraft's high survivability was also noted. Yer-2s with diesel engines practically never caught fire, since kerosene was much more difficult to ignite than petrol. Yer-2 bombers were withdrawn from service in 1946. |
Media
- Skins
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;
- other literature.
Yermolaev Design Bureau (Ермолаев Опытное конструкторское бюро) | |
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Bombers | Yer-2 (M-105) · Yer-2 (M-105R) LU · Yer-2 (M-105) TAT · Yer-2 (M-105R) TAT · Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (e) · Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (l) |
USSR bombers | |
---|---|
SB and Ar | SB 2M-100 · SB 2M-103 · SB 2M-103 MV-3 · SB 2M-103U · SB 2M-103U MV-3 · SB 2M-105 · Ar-2 |
Yer-2 (petrol) | Yer-2 (M-105) · Yer-2 (M-105) TAT · Yer-2 (M-105R) TAT · Yer-2 (M-105R) LU |
Yer-2 (diesel) | Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (e) · Yer-2 (ACh-30B) (l) |
Tu | Tu-2 · Tu-2S · Tu-2S-44 · Tu-2S-59 · Tu-4 |
Pe | Pe-2-1 · Pe-2-31 · Pe-2-83 · Pe-2-110 · Pe-2-205 · Pe-2-359 · Pe-8 |
IL | DB-3B · IL-4 |
Po | Po-2 · Po-2M |
Other | MBR-2-M-34 · TB-3M-17-32 · Yak-4 · Be-6 |
Lend-Lease | ▂PBY-5A Catalina · ▂Hampden TB Mk I · ▂A-20G-30 · ▂B-25J-30 |