H8K2
Contents
| This page is about the aircraft H8K2. For the premium H8K plane, see H8K3. |
Description
The H8K2 is a Rank II Japanese flying boat/heavy bomber
with a battle rating of 3.3 (AB) and 3.7 (RB/SB). This aircraft was introduced in Update 1.57 "Battle March".
General info
Flight performance
| 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 | 454 | 445 | 9500 | 33.9 | 34.8 | 3.5 | 3.5 | 750 |
| Upgraded | 500 | 476 | 32.1 | 33.0 | 10.5 | 6.5 | ||
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 | |
| + | - | |||
| 0 | 450 | ??? | ~6.2 | ~2.8 |
| 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
- 20mm steel plates protecting rear gunner
- 5mm steel behind pilots
- 5mm steel protecting dorsal gunner
- Self-sealing fuel tanks (6 in the mid-fuselage, 1 in each wingroot, 3 in each wing)
Armaments
Suspended armament
- 2 x Type 91 Mod.2 torpedoes
- 16 x 60 kg Navy Type 97 Number 6 bombs
- 8 x 250 kg Navy Type 98 Number 25 bombs
- 2 x 800 kg Navy Type 99 Number 80 AP bombs
- 2 x 800 kg Navy Type Number 80 Model 1 bombs
Defensive armament
- 1 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 navy cannon, tail turret (270 rpg)
- 1 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 navy cannon, nose turret (270 rpg)
- 1 x 20 mm Type 99 Model 1 navy cannon, 2 x beam turrets (270 rpg)
- 2 x 7.7 mm Type 92 navy machine gun, cockpit turrets (582 rpg)
- 1 x 7.7 mm Type 92 navy machine gun, dorsal turret (582 rpg)
Usage in battles
Describe the tactics of playing in an aircraft, the features of using vehicles 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 | ||||
| Controllable | Not controllable | Not controllable | Not controllable | Separate | Not controllable | Not controllable |
Modules
| Tier | Flight performance | Survivability | Weaponry | ||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| I | Fuselage repair | Radiator | Turret 7 mm | 12 in (mod30) | |
| II | Compressor | Airframe | New 7 mm MGs (turret) | ||
| III | Wings repair | Engine | Turret 20 mm | ||
| IV | Engine injection | Cover | New 20 mm cannons (turret) | 14 in (mod35) | |
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Excellent speed for the rank
- Good armament spread and damage (when they hit), including limited coverage under the plane
- Favourable matchmaking; always on Axis team
- Incredible climb rate
- (RB) Long Range Bomber spawn, putting it at usually around 4,500m on spawn
- Well armoured even for a non-Japanese bomber, with armoured pilot, gunners and self-sealing tanks
- Excellent RP and SL mods for rank 1, especially as bombs are incredibly cheap
Cons:
- Awful bomb load; 780kg TNT equivalent with largest load, with both wing bombs dropping together
- Guns are unreliable; cannons are the weak 20 mm Type 99 mod.1's, machine guns are single 7.7 mms, long reload on the cannons
- Landing is risky due to lack of land-suitable gear; the H8K must land on its hull
- High research cost of 40,000RP (more than the B7A and Ki-49 at Rank 3!)
- Huge target
History
Widely recognized as the best maritime combat aircraft of WWII, the H8K2 was the main production model of the H8K series of bombers, making up 112 of the 167 total H8Ks of all variants. In 1938, just as its predecessor, the H6K, was entering service, the Imperial Navy ordered the development of a larger aircraft with longer range suited for solo bombing and patrol missions. The resulting H8K flying boats, entering service in February 1942, performed well until the end of the war, and were respected by allied pilots for their fearsome defensive armament. After the war, an H8K2 (one of only four which survived the war) was captured by American forces, and was eventually returned to Japan in 1979, where it remains on display to this day.
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.
| Kawanishi Aircraft Company (川西航空機) | |
|---|---|
| Fighters | J6K1 |
| N1K | N1K1-Ja · N1K2-J · N1K2-Ja |
| Bombers | H6K4 · H8K2 · H8K3 |
| Hydroplane | N1K1 · E7K2 |
| Japan bombers | |
|---|---|
| Navy | |
| Carrier-based attack bomber | |
| B5N | B5N2 |
| B6N | B6N1 · B6N2 · B6N2a |
| B7A | B7A2 · B7A2 (Homare 23) |
| Carrier-based dive bomber | |
| D3A | D3A1 |
| D4Y | D4Y1 · D4Y2 · D4Y3 Ko |
| Shipboard Observation seaplane | |
| F1M | F1M2 |
| Land-based Attack bomber | |
| G4M | G4M1 |
| G5N | G5N1 |
| G8N | G8N1 |
| Flying boat | |
| H6K | H6K4 |
| H8K | H8K2 · H8K3 |
| Land-based Bomber | |
| P1Y | P1Y1 |
| Army | |
| Light | Ki-32 |
| Ki-48-II otsu | |
| Heavy | Ki-21-Ia · Ki-21-I hei |
| Ki-49-I · Ki-49-IIa · Ki-49-IIb · Ki-49-IIb/L | |
| Ki-67-I Ko · Ki-67-I otsu | |
| Other countries | ▅B-17E |
