Re.2002 Early

Re.2002 Early

Re.2001 serie 1

Re.2002 Early

Re.2001 serie 1

Italy

II Rank

Battle rating:

AB	RB	SB
2.3	2.3	2.3

Class:

Fighter

Research:9 200

Purchase:16 000

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Description

The Re.2002 Early is a rank II Italian fighter with a battle rating of 2.3 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy".

General info

Flight performance

Max speed

at 5 500 m530 km/h

Turn time19 s

Max altitude11 000 m

EnginePiaggio P.XIX. R.C. 45

TypeRadial

Cooling systemAir

Take-off weight3 t

While the Re.2002 looks like a modernized variant of the Re.2000 (and is, in fact, a design derived from the Re.2000), one must never forget the Re.2002 was designed to be a fighter bomber, not a pure-bred fighter. It does have a more powerful engine, but its overall weight is noticeably higher. Combined with rather bad climb rate and mediocre manoeuvrability, the Re.2002 is really an attacker disguised as a fighter. It is thus recommended to treat it like a single-seat attacker and use the corresponding playstyle.

Characteristics	Max Speed (km/h at 5,500 m)		Max altitude (metres)	Turn time (seconds)		Rate of climb (metres/second)		Take-off run (metres)
	AB	RB		AB	RB	AB	RB
Stock	511	496	11000	20.0	20.7	10.0	10.0	150
Upgraded	551	530		18.1	19.0	15.8	12.6

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	+	-
740	320	457	428	280	~10	~7

Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons	Rudder	Elevators	Radiator
< 350	< 350	< 380	> 200

Survivability and armour

Crew1 person

Speed of destruction

Structural740 km/h

Gear320 km/h

• 8 mm Steel - Pilot's seat
• 8 mm Steel - Armoured plate behind the pilot
• 50 mm Bulletproof glass - Armoured windscreen
• Critical components located at the front of aircraft (pilot, engine, controls)
• Fuel tank in the fuselage behind the pilot
• More fuel tanks located in wings near the fuselage

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference

AB449 → 610

RB925 → 1 257

SB1 240 → 1 686

Total cost of modifications8 430

9 510

Talisman cost640

Crew training4 500

Experts16 000

Aces180

Research Aces190 000

Reward for battleAB / RB / SB

30 / 80 / 150 %

118 / 118 / 118 %

Modifications

Flight performance	Survivability	Weaponry
Fuselage repair Research: 560 Cost: 630 115 Radiator Research: 560 Cost: 630 115 Airframe Research: 470 Cost: 530 95 Compressor Research: 470 Cost: 530 95 Wings repair Research: 530 Cost: 600 105 Engine Research: 530 Cost: 600 105 Cover Research: 550 Cost: 620 110 Engine injection Research: 550 Cost: 620 110	EFS Research: 550 Cost: 620 110	safat7_belt_pack Research: 560 Cost: 630 115 safat12_belt_pack Research: 470 Cost: 530 95 GP250 Research: 470 Cost: 530 95 safat7_new_gun Research: 530 Cost: 600 105 GP50 Research: 530 Cost: 600 105 safat12_new_gun Research: 550 Cost: 620 110 GP100 Research: 550 Cost: 620 110

Armaments

Offensive armament

Weapon 12 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun

Ammunition840 rounds

Fire rate700 shots/min

Weapon 22 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun

Ammunition1 260 rounds

Fire rate900 shots/min

The Re.2002 Early is armed with:

• 2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, nose-mounted (390 rpg left + 450 rpg right = 840 total)
• 2 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, wing-mounted (630 rpg = 1,260 total)

Suspended armament

List of setups (3)

Setup 11 x 250 kg GP 250 bomb

Setup 22 x 50 kg GP 50 bomb
1 x 250 kg GP 250 bomb

Setup 32 x 100 kg GP 100T bomb
1 x 250 kg GP 250 bomb

The Re.2002 Early can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 1 x 250 kg GP 250 bomb (250 kg total)
• 1 x 250 kg GP 250 bomb + 2 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (350 kg total)
• 1 x 250 kg GP 250 bomb + 2 x 100 kg GP 100T bombs (450 kg total)

Usage in battles

Given its low manoeuvrability, bad climb rate and low speed, the Re.2002 should be used as a single-seat attacker. For this purpose, it can carry quite a formidable payload for its size and rank - a single 250 kg bomb and up to 2 x 100 kg bombs, which adds up to 450 kg. In the air RB, this payload will come in handy for destroying a pillbox or two or knocking out some tanks, and you can use your MGs against softer targets.

However, if you do end up in an engagement, note that you can even deploy your take-off flaps up to 428 km/h, which when combined with brief bursts of WEP can sometimes provide a nasty surprise for an enemy fighter that thought it had the low-altitude manoeuvre advantage against all those slow, vulnerable ground-attack planes. And low-altitude fights are the ones you are likely to have in this machine.

However, it is in ground RB where the machine is truly useful. Given its low battle rating, its top payload is fully able to destroy any tank on the given BR spread and its 250 kg bomb has enough punch to knock out multiple targets if you're lucky (or skilled) enough to hit a cluster of thin-skinned vehicles. You can also use the Re.2002 as an impromptu dive bomber with the advantage of being able to defend itself against enemy fighters. But don't mistake the Re.2002 for a proper CAS plane, as it lacks the payload and the armour protection for repeated attacks, especially against prepared AA defense. The Re.2002 is thus great for hit and run attacks, after which you can either return to your airfield and rearm, or you can climb a little and try to pick off any sneaking enemy CAS aircraft.

With a subpar agility, climb rate and speed, but possessing a good payload for its rank, the Re.2002 is an attacker disguised as a fighter and should never be brought into a direct dogfight. Also, beware of head-on engagements: the only thing protecting your pilot from the front is a small piece of armoured glass and a large Piaggio radial engine that loves to catch fire.

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer	Pitch	Radiator			Supercharger	Turbocharger
		Oil	Water	Type
Controllable	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Controllable Not auto controlled	Separate	Not controllable 1 gear	Not controllable

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Good payload for its rank
• Large ammunition supply for its guns
• Armament is great for destroying light ground targets (AAA, artillery, armoured cars, etc.)
• Has armour, like the previous vehicle

Cons:

• Subpar agility
• Low climb rate
• Engine overheats quickly even with all modifications researched

History

The Re. 2002 was a return to the radial engine, combining the new structural features of the Re. 2001 with an engine comparable to the Re. 2000's. Agile and sturdy, it was the best fighter-bomber/attack plane the Italians had, and was respected by the Luftwaffe, who seized 60 of them when Italy surrendered. In total, 225 were built, the last 40 for the Luftwaffe. Another 40 continued on with Italian forces fighting with the Allies.

Reggiane had been unable to find sufficient DB 601 engines (being produced on license in Italy) to keep up with demand for the Re. 2001, so they switched back to a Piaggio-designed radial. This meant the wing system of the Re. 2001 could be kept in the new model. It first flew in October, 1940, and the Italian Air Force placed its first order in September, 1941. It first became operational in July of 1943, during the invasion of Sicily.

Media

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Re.2002 Early from live.warthunder.com.

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

• Official data sheet - more details about the performance

Reggiane Mechanical Factory (Officine Meccaniche Reggiane SpA)
Fighters	Re.2000 serie 1 · Re.2000 G.A.
	Re.2001 serie 1 · Re.2001 gruppo 22 · Re.2001 CB · Re.2001 CN
	Re.2002 Early
	Re.2005 serie 0
Export	J20