B18B
Contents
| This page is about the Swedish bomber B18B. For other uses, see B18 (Family). |
Description
The B18B is a rank III Swedish bomber
with a battle rating of 3.7 (AB), 4.0 (RB), and 3.0 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.95 "Northern Wind".
Sweden had been using the Ju 86K (export version of the German Ju 86) or the B3C bomber as their main bomber. In 1938 a requirement was put forth to Swedish aircraft manufactures for a fast reconnaissance aircraft with a crew of three. SAAB was awarded the contract for the project and began to build the SAAB 18 alongside the smaller SAAB B17 bomber. At this point the B17 had the facilities priorities in construction, however, the B18 was modified from being just a reconnaissance aircraft to also being a medium bomber. The mid-project changes caused a significant delay in the production of the aircraft which didn’t roll out for duty until mid-1944.
Initially, the B18A aircraft was deemed underpowered with the two Pratt & Whitney R-1830 Twin Wasp radial engines, but would later be replaced by license-built Daimler-Benz DB 605 liquid-cooled engines. Later the B18B variant was modified to operate as a dive bomber/ground attack variant which could be outfitted with three 120 kg bombs or 12 m/51 rockets which could utilize both the internal bomb bay and hardpoints on under the wings. A single defensive positions utilised two 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine guns which had limited coverage the rear dorsal position of the aircraft. The pilot was in control of a single 13.2 mm m/39A machine gun.
The B18B was a multi-role aircraft which filled a need for the Swedish air forces, which continued on until 1959. This bomber can operate in two roles, either as a medium-altitude bomber working on destroying vehicles and anti-aircraft artillery targets or to bomb enemy bases. Flying at a higher altitude will help to avoid a majority of the fighter aircraft which tend to stay at the lower altitudes. The B18B can also be pressed into service in the lower altitudes and even on the deck. When outfitted with rockets, the B18B can dive-bomb ground targets to include tanks, bunkers, anti-aircraft artillery and naval ships.
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 | 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 | 549 | 533 | 10000 | 28.1 | 28.9 | 8.1 | 8.1 | 400 |
| Upgraded | 593 | 570 | 26.0 | 27.0 | 15.9 | 11.5 | ||
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 | + | - | ||
| 735 | 320 | 490 | 490 | 290 | ~7 | ~2 |
| Optimal velocities (km/h) | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Ailerons | Rudder | Elevators | Radiator |
| < 370 | < 350 | < 400 | > 420 |
Survivability and armour
- 10 mm steel - cockpit floor under pilot's seat
- 10 mm steel - pilot's seatback
- 10 mm steel - rear gunner protective plate
- 10 mm steel - cockpit floor under gunner's seat
- 10 mm steel - aft protective plate
Armaments
Offensive armament
The B18B is armed with:
- 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39A machine gun, nose-mounted (300 rpg)
Suspended armament
The B18B can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
- 18 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (900 kg total)
- 3 x 250 kg mb m/40 bombs (750 kg total)
- 3 x 250 kg mb m/40 bombs + 8 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (1,150 kg total)
- 2 x 500 kg mb m/41 bombs (1,000 kg total)
- 2 x 500 kg mb m/41 bombs + 8 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (1,400 kg total)
- 2 x 600 kg mb m/50 bombs (1,200 kg total)
- 2 x 600 kg mb m/50 bombs + 8 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (1,600 kg total)
- 12 x psrak m/49A rockets
- 12 x srak m/51 rockets
- 2 x hprak m/49 rockets
- 10 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs + 12 x psrak m/49A rockets (500 kg total)
- 10 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs + 12 x srak m/51 rockets (500 kg total)
- 10 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs + 2 x hprak m/49 rockets (500 kg total)
- 3 x 250 kg mb m/40 bombs + 12 x psrak m/49A rockets (750 kg total)
- 3 x 250 kg mb m/40 bombs + 12 x srak m/51 rockets (750 kg total)
- 3 x 250 kg mb m/40 bombs + 2 x hprak m/49 rockets (750 kg total)
- 2 x 500 kg mb m/41 bombs + 12 x psrak m/49A rockets (1,000 kg total)
- 2 x 500 kg mb m/41 bombs + 12 x srak m/51 rockets (1,000 kg total)
- 2 x 500 kg mb m/41 bombs + 2 x hprak m/49 rockets (1,000 kg total)
- 2 x 600 kg mb m/50 bombs + 12 x psrak m/49A rockets (1,200 kg total)
- 2 x 600 kg mb m/50 bombs + 12 x srak m/51 rockets (1,200 kg total)
- 2 x 600 kg mb m/50 bombs + 2 x hprak m/49 rockets (1,200 kg total)
Defensive armament
The B18B is defended by:
- 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine gun, dorsal turret (300 rpg)
- 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine gun, ventral turret (300 rpg)
Usage in battles
Describe the tactics of playing in the aircraft, the features of using aircraft in a team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view, but instead, give the reader food for thought. Examine the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).
Manual Engine Control
| MEC elements | ||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Mixer | Pitch | Radiator | Supercharger | Turbocharger | ||
| Oil | Water | Type | ||||
| Not controllable | Controllable Auto control available |
Controllable Auto control available |
Controllable Auto control available |
Separate | Not controllable 1 gear |
Not controllable |
Modules
| Tier | Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | |||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Fuselage repair | Radiator | Offensive 13 mm | m/40 | ||
| II | Compressor | Airframe | New 13 mm MGs | m/41 | m/49A | |
| III | Wings repair | Engine | Turret 13 mm | m/50 | m/51 | |
| IV | Engine Injection | Cover | New 13 mm MGs (turret) | m/49 | ||
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Extremely quick for a twin engine aircraft, especially at altitude. Able to cruise at ~560 km/h @ 5 km
- Above average climb rate for an aircraft of its size
- Defensive guns will melt any enemies that attack from behind
- Air spawn gives it a good opportunity for chasing down enemy bombers with its superior speed
- Versatile secondary weapons allow it to take on a variety of roles
Cons:
- Gunners are vulnerable and die easily
- Higher than average chance of getting set on fire
- Single forward facing 13.2mm inadequate for taking down larger aircraft like the BV 238
- Very nose heavy when landing, must take great care not to tip forward and crash
- As with most DB engined aircraft, the cooling system is vulnerable and you will find yourself overheating after only a few hits
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 long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the 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></ref>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <references />. This section may also include the vehicle's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under === In-game description ===, also if applicable).
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.
| Swedish Aeroplane Company Ltd. (SAAB) | |
|---|---|
| Pre-SAAB: SA / ASJA | |
| SA 'Jaktfalken' | J6B |
| SAAB 17 | B17A · B17B · S17BS |
| SAAB 18 | B18A · B18B · T18B · T18B (57) |
| SAAB 21 | J21A-1 · J21A-2 · A21A-3 · J21RA · A21RB |
| SAAB 29 'Tunnan' | J29A · A29B · J29D · J29F |
| SAAB 32 'Lansen' | J32B · A32A · A32A Röd Adam |
| SAAB 35 'Draken' | J35A · J35D |
| SAAB 37 'Viggen' | JA37C · JA37D · JA37DI · JA37DI F21 · AJ37 · AJS37 |
| SAAB 39 'Gripen' | JAS39A · JAS39C |
| SAAB 105 | SK60B · SAAB-105G |
| License Production | B3C (Ju 86K) |
| Export | SAAB-105OE · J35XS · ▄JAS39C · ◔JAS39EBS HU C |
| Sweden bombers | |
|---|---|
| B3 | B3C |
| B17 | B17A · B17B · S17BS |
| SAAB 18 | B18A · B18B · T18B · T18B (57) |
| T 2 | T 2 |
| Finland | ▄Ar 196 A-5 · ▄Ju 88 A-4 |
