Difference between revisions of "A-7D"

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{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}
 
{{Specs-Avia-Offensive}}
 
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Describe the offensive armament of the aircraft, if any. Describe how effective the cannons and machine guns are in a battle, and also what belts or drums are better to use. If there is no offensive weaponry, delete this subsection.'' -->
{{main|M61 (20 mm)}}
 
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
  
 
* 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon, chin-mounted (1,000 rpg)
 
* 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon, chin-mounted (1,000 rpg)
 +
 +
The 20 mm M61 Vulcan is an excellent multi-purpose weapon that can fit into the {{PAGENAME}}'s role. With the high rate of fire of 6,000 RPM, the M61 can lay down massive amount of fire that can ensure hits onto the target.
 +
 +
Due to the rate of fire, the {{PAGENAME}} only needs to fire into the enemy's path only for a moment that the enemy aircraft would be pelted with multiple 20 mm shells. If this does not instantly destroy the aircraft, more than likely a critical control component has been damaged that a follow-up shot is made easier against them.
 +
 +
The 20 mm shells are powerful for the ground-attack roles, with 53 mm of point-blank penetration with any belts loaded. A quick burst can destroy light pill-boxes in Air Realistic Battles, as well as penetrate some medium tanks via the weaker armour areas. Though the ground vehicles that the {{PAGENAME}} can encounter in Ground Realistic Battles are often more well armoured against the 20 mm power, modules can very easily be damaged with the Vulcan's rate of fire, let alone any shots towards the tank's roof armour.
  
 
=== Suspended armament ===
 
=== Suspended armament ===

Revision as of 19:24, 20 April 2021

Rank IV USSR | Premium | Golden Eagles
Tu-1 Pack
a_7d.png
GarageImage A-7D.jpg
A-7D
AB RB SB
10.7 10.3 9.7
Research:300 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:830 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The A-7D Corsair II is a rank VII American strike aircraft with a battle rating of 10.7 (AB), 10.3 (RB), and 9.7 (SB). It was introduced in Update "Hot Tracks".

General info

Flight performance

Arrestor gear
Accelerates braking by grabbing the brake cable on the deck of the aircraft carrier
Air brakes
Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps
Max speed
at 0 m1 123 km/h
Turn time35 s
Max altitude12 497 m
EngineAllison TF-41-A-1
TypeJet
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight19 t
Characteristics Max Speed
(km/h at 0 m - sea level)
Max altitude
(metres)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(metres/second)
Take-off run
(metres)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
Stock 1,115 1,110 12497 35.4 37.1 42.6 42.3 1,000
Upgraded 1,132 1,123 34.6 35.0 68.4 55.0

Details

Features
Combat flaps Take-off flaps Landing flaps Air brakes Arrestor gear Drogue chute
X
Limits
Wings (km/h) Gear (km/h) Flaps (km/h) Max Static G
Combat Take-off Landing + -
1254 407 484 457 406 ~10 ~4
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 700 < 690 < 500 N/A

Engine performance

Engine Aircraft mass
Engine name Number Basic Mass Wing loading (full fuel)
Allison TF-41-A-1 1 9,101 kg 382 kg/m2
Engine characteristics Mass with fuel (no weapons load) Max Takeoff
Weight
Weight (each) Type 15m fuel 20m fuel 30m fuel 45m fuel 50m fuel
1,592 kg Low-bypass turbofan 10,361 kg 10,781 kg 11,902 kg 12,882 kg 13,302 kg 19,051 kg
Maximum engine thrust @ 0 m (RB / SB) Thrust to weight ratio @ 0 m (102%)
Condition 100% WEP 15m fuel 20m fuel 30m fuel 45m fuel 50m fuel MTOW
Stationary 6,073 kgf N/A 0.59 0.56 0.51 0.47 0.46 0.32
Optimal 6,134 kgf
(200 km/h)
N/A 0.59 0.57 0.52 0.48 0.46 0.32

Survivability and armour

Flares/Chaff
Aircraft countermeasures to distract IR and radar-guided missiles and also AA radar
Crew1 person
Speed of destruction
Structural1 254 km/h
Gear407 km/h

Design characteristics of the A-7D put its survivability in a mixed bag. While it has all the necessary traits to survive in a missile-frequent battle-rating, the plane design leaves survival beyond a hit minimal.

The radar warning receiver comes default with the plane, meaning it will be able to sense when an enemy plane has pinged it during its radar search, or is locking on for a SARH missile. This can give enough heads-up to an A-7D pilot to react appropriately to the situation.

Once upgrading the A-7D through Tier I modifications, the A-7D can acquire flares to use in the event when an aircraft gets on the A-7D tail (which will be frequent given the A-7D's poor turn rate) and fires an infrared missile. This can be really useful to thwart off a missile-run by an enemy diving onto the A-7D. The A-7D receives a large amount of flares too, with 120 units able to be expended, meaning that the A-7D can keep infrared missiles off for quite some time.

These flares can help out when using the A-7D to penetrate enemy lines and to reach distant ground target such as bases or the such. Such an attack will inevitably be discovered by the enemy high-performance jets at this battle-rating. One way to use the flares in this situation is to activate "Periodic Flares Release" control so that the flare automatically come out of the aircraft when the enemy begins closing in. While it may illuminate the A-7D to other enemy's visuals, it will deter easy infrared missile shots so that an enemy 3-5 kilometers behind the A-7D can't just carelessly pop off a missile and know it is a certain hit. This should allow enough time for the A-7D to successfully drop its payload onto its target and fly off hoping to either make it back to the airfield safety or make it into a friendly airspace envelope safely. However, without much external aid, it will be hard to shake off tailing enemy that follows through from the beginning of the attack run to its aftermath.

The large, not self-sealing, wing fuel tank in the A-7D.

However, the overall A-7D design leaves no space for error when it comes to getting hit. There are no empty spaces in the aircraft that can be hit and the plane is left out without too much trouble. Firstly, all but one of the four fuel tanks on the A-7D is not self-sealing, which is bad for the fuel storage on the plane. Secondly, one of the fuel tanks is huge and makes up a good portion of the wingspan (and it's a not self-sealing one at that). If this tank is hit, it will leak a good portion of the plane fuel. That is, if the tank does not catch fire from the hit, and it will burn continuously as it is representing a large fuel reserve and is not self-sealing. Having this or other fuel tanks get hit is a crippling blow to the A-7D.

These traits mean the A-7D deals with the aftermath of a hit terribly, but it does have enough design feature so that missiles are not an instant doom for the A-7D.

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB3 556 → 4 907 Sl icon.png
RB9 176 → 12 662 Sl icon.png
SB10 540 → 14 545 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications262 200 Rp icon.png
408 000 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost2 900 Ge icon.png
Crew training240 000 Sl icon.png
Experts830 000 Sl icon.png
Aces3 000 Ge icon.png
Research Aces1 140 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
80 / 320 / 600 % Sl icon.png
238 / 238 / 238 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods jet compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
8 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods booster.png
New boosters
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
420 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
470 Ge icon.png
Mods jet engine.png
Engine
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
600 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
8 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
420 Ge icon.png
Mods g suit.png
G-suit
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
470 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
600 Ge icon.png
Mods gunpods.png
Gun pod SUU-23/A.
Research:
8 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods heli false thermal targets.png
Flares/Chaff
Research:
8 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
Mk82
Research:
8 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon block rocket.png
LAU-3/A
Research:
8 800 Rp icon.png
Cost:
14 000 Sl icon.png
380 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 1.png
Mods ammo.png
M60_belt_pack
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
420 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods gunpods.png
Gun pod GPU-5/A.
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
420 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
M117
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
420 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow right 0.png
Mods napalm fire bomb.png
BLU-27/B
Research:
9 900 Rp icon.png
Cost:
15 000 Sl icon.png
420 Ge icon.png
Mods weapon.png
M60_new_gun
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
470 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
GAU_13A_belt_pack
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
470 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
Mk83
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
470 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods air to air missile.png
AIM-9J
Research:
11 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 000 Sl icon.png
470 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
GAU_13A_new_gun
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
600 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
Mk84
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
600 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow right 0.png
Mods optical guided bomb.png
GBU-8
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
600 Ge icon.png
Mods atgm heli preset.png
AGM-65A
Research:
14 000 Rp icon.png
Cost:
22 000 Sl icon.png
600 Ge icon.png

Armaments

Ballistic Computer
CCIP (Guns) CCIP (Rockets) CCIP (Bombs) CCRP (Bombs)
Icon GreenCheckmark.png Icon GreenCheckmark.png Icon GreenCheckmark.png Icon GreenCheckmark.png

Offensive armament

The A-7D is armed with:

  • 1 x 20 mm M61 cannon, chin-mounted (1,000 rpg)

The 20 mm M61 Vulcan is an excellent multi-purpose weapon that can fit into the A-7D's role. With the high rate of fire of 6,000 RPM, the M61 can lay down massive amount of fire that can ensure hits onto the target.

Due to the rate of fire, the A-7D only needs to fire into the enemy's path only for a moment that the enemy aircraft would be pelted with multiple 20 mm shells. If this does not instantly destroy the aircraft, more than likely a critical control component has been damaged that a follow-up shot is made easier against them.

The 20 mm shells are powerful for the ground-attack roles, with 53 mm of point-blank penetration with any belts loaded. A quick burst can destroy light pill-boxes in Air Realistic Battles, as well as penetrate some medium tanks via the weaker armour areas. Though the ground vehicles that the A-7D can encounter in Ground Realistic Battles are often more well armoured against the 20 mm power, modules can very easily be damaged with the Vulcan's rate of fire, let alone any shots towards the tank's roof armour.

Suspended armament

The A-7D can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • Without load
  • 2 x 20 mm M61 cannons (1,200 rpg = 2,400 total)
  • 2 x 20 mm M61 cannons + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
  • 2 x 20 mm M61 cannons + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
  • 2 x 30 mm GAU-13/A cannons (353 rpg = 706 total)
  • 2 x 30 mm GAU-13/A cannons + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
  • 2 x 30 mm GAU-13/A cannons + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
  • 24 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs (6,000 lb total)
  • 24 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (6,000 lb total)
  • 24 x 250 lb LDGP Mk 81 bombs + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (6,000 lb total)
  • 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs (12,000 lb total)
  • 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (12,000 lb total)
  • 24 x 500 lb LDGP Mk 82 bombs + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (12,000 lb total)
  • 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs (10,500 lb total)
  • 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (10,500 lb total)
  • 14 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (10,500 lb total)
  • 12 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs (12,000 lb total)
  • 12 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (12,000 lb total)
  • 12 x 1,000 lb LDGP Mk 83 bombs + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (12,000 lb total)
  • 6 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs (12,000 lb total)
  • 6 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (12,000 lb total)
  • 6 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (12,000 lb total)
  • 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets
  • 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
  • 114 x FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
  • 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
  • 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
  • 4 x AGM-65A missiles
  • 4 x AGM-65A missiles + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles
  • 4 x AGM-65A missiles + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles
  • 4 x AGM-65A missiles + 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (4,000 lb total)
  • 4 x AGM-65A missiles + 2 x 2,000 lb LDGP Mk 84 bombs + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (4,000 lb total)
  • 4 x AGM-65A missiles + 2 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AIM-9E Sidewinder missiles (1,500 lb total)
  • 4 x AGM-65A missiles + 2 x 750 lb M117 cone 45 bombs + 2 x AIM-9J Sidewinder missiles (1,500 lb total)

The A-7D can carry an assortment of bombs and unguided/guided rockets that are familiar to players of the American attacker line, with the primary differences to preceding attackers being that the A-7D have a staggering 6 hardpoints on its wing which can mount suspended weaponry, including the ability to carry dual 20 mm M61 gunpods or dual 30 mm GAU-13/A gunpods, a scaled down yet still equally deadly variant of the GAU-8/A belonging to the infamous Fairchild Republic A-10 Thunderbolt 2, that can shred anything staring down its barrel. Finally the inclusion of CCIP that assists in the usage of the aforementioned weaponry completes the A-7D as a deadly CAS package.

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).

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Posses a deadly 20 mm Vulcan gun, with ability to add two more 20 mm or 30 mm gun pods to the wings
    • 30 mm gun pods have a distinction of producing one of the highest one-second burst mass in the game
    • 20 mm Vulcan is also deadly enough to destroy a majority of ground targets in an air match
  • Can hold a wide variety of suspended armaments for ground-attack, air-attack, or both
  • CCIP for guns, rockets, and bombs mean the plane can use its payload with great accuracy and effectiveness
  • Air-attack payload can consist of two AIM-9J, which are very competitive against the A-7D's opponents
  • Has attacker spawn, which gives the A-7D an advantage in speed and climbing in the match start
  • Has radar warning receiver available at default to notify pilot of enemy radar pings or lock-ons
  • Unlocked flares give a substantial 120 flares to use to deter infrared missiles
  • Cockpit interior have a mini-map available and can be easily interpreted

Cons:

  • Flaps have weak structural integrity, and requires rather low air speed even for landing flaps
  • Air brakes cannot be extended when gear is deployed, hindering air brake flexibility when slowing down for a landing
  • Plane is sluggish, can only travel subsonic speed and is not maneuverable to be as effective as an air combatant
    • These traits make it difficult to lose a tailing enemy fighter
  • Is a large target and is filled with critical modules
    • Fuel tanks make up a good majority of plane interior

History

The A-7D Corsair II was the US Air Force version of the Navy's A-7 Corsair II. It was procured by the USAF due to the urging of the US Army, which wanted a subsonic aircraft to carry out close air support (CAS) missions for its ground forces. [1]

The A-7D had a number of differences from the earlier Navy Corsairs, due to different requirements by the Air Force. The TF-30 engine was replaced by a version of the Rolls-Royce Spey, called the TF-41. The TF-41-A1 version was used in the A-7D, producing 14,250 pounds of thrust. The two 20 mm cannons of the earlier Corsair IIs were replaced by the M61A1 rotary cannon. The avionics suite of the A-7D was also different from that of the earlier models; the AN/ASN-91 Central Computer was the centerpiece of the navigation and weaponry delivery system, which also featured the AN/APQ-126 radar, AN/AVQ-7 heads-up display, projected map display system, doppler radar, inertial navigation system, and a weapons control system.

Some aspects of the A-7D made it unique from all Navy variants of the Corsair II. It had a boom and receptacle in-flight refueling system, improved wheels, tires, and brakes, an ESCAPAC IC ejection system, and a new oxygen system. The US Navy A-7E shared many characteristics with the A-7, but these changes listed never made it to USN Corsair IIs. [2]

A total of 459 A-7Ds were built, with deliveries starting to the 57th Fighter Weapons Wing in 1970. Starting in 1972, the Air Force's 354th Tactical Fighter Wing operated A-7Ds from Korat Royal Thai Air Force Base in Thailand during the late stages of the Vietnam War. Four USAF A-7Ds were lost in combat and two more were lost to other causes during that conflict, with a total of 12,928 combat sorties. Towards the end of the Vietnam War, A-7Ds from Korat Royal Thai AIr Force Base saw combat over Cambodia against the Khmer Rouge in support of the Lon Nol government. The last combat mission in Cambodia by an A-7D occurred on 15 August 1973.

Starting in 1973, A-7Ds began to be allocated to the Air National Guard (ANG). ANG A-7Ds flew 34 combat sorties during the 1989 Operation Just Cause in Panama. The A-7D was fully retired in the early 1990's, having been replaced by the A-10 Thunderbolt, which first entered service in 1977.

Devblog

In the early 1960s, the US Navy sought to procure a new naval strike aircraft in order to replace the A-4 Skyhawk. However, to ensure a fast development and reduce costs, the new machine was supposed to be based on aircraft already in service with the USN at the time. One of the aircraft manufacturers taking part in the competition - Ling-Temco-Vought (LTV) - quickly developed an aircraft on the basis of their F-8 Crusader by shrinking the dimensions of the new aircraft and taking away its supersonic abilities in an effort to further save on costs.

The decision to do this was met with success as LTV's design was quickly declared the winner of the competition and given the official designation A-7 and named 'Corsair II', signaling the lineage from the older WWII-era fighter bomber F4U Corsair (also built by Vought). The aircraft undertook its maiden flight in September 1965, with serial production starting in 1966. In the first production batch, close to 200 A-7A Corsair IIs were built with many seeing action in the ongoing Vietnam War.

Driven by the need to acquire a new strike aircraft themselves, and encouraged by the successes achieved by the A-7 in Vietnam, the USAF ordered the development of a separate Army variant in 1968, which would become the A-7D. Apart from vastly improved avionics, the A-7D also featured a more powerful engine and an M61 Vulcan cannon instead of two single-barreled 20 mm cannons.

The A-7D entered production in 1968 and continued rolling off the assembly line until 1975 with over 450 units being produced. It served until the early 1990s before being retired from active service.

Media

Skins
Images
Videos

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

References

Bibliography


Chance Vought Aircraft
Fighters 
Corsair  F4U-1A · F4U-1A (USMC) · F4U-1C · F4U-1D · F4U-4 · F4U-4B · F4U-4B VMF-214
Float planes  OS2U-1 · OS2U-3
Attackers  AU-1
Bombers  SB2U-2 · SB2U-3
Jet aircraft 
Corsair II  A-7D · A-7E · A-7K
Crusader  F8U-2 · F-8E
Export  V-156-B1 · V-156-F · ▄Corsair F Mk II · F4U-7 · ▄F-8E(FN)
Captured  ▅F4U-1A

USA jet aircraft
  Fighters
F-4  F-4C Phantom II · F-4E Phantom II · F-4J Phantom II · F-4S Phantom II
F-5  F-5A · F-5C · F-5E · F-20A
F-8  F8U-2 · F-8E
F-80  F-80A-5 · F-80C-10
F-84  F-84B-26 · F-84F · F-84G-21-RE
F-86  F-86A-5 · F-86F-25 · F-86F-2 · F-86F-35
F-89  F-89B · F-89D
F-100  F-100D
F-104  F-104A · F-104C
F-14  F-14A Early · F-14B
F-15  F-15A
F-16  F-16A · F-16A ADF · F-16C
F9F  F9F-2 · F9F-5 · F9F-8
Other  P-59A · F2H-2 · F3D-1 · F3H-2 · F4D-1 · F11F-1
  Strike Aircraft
FJ-4  FJ-4B · FJ-4B VMF-232
A-4  A-4B · A-4E Early
A-6  A-6E TRAM
A-7  A-7D · A-7E · A-7K
AV-8  AV-8A · AV-8C
A-10  A-10A · A-10A Late
B-57  B-57A · B-57B
F-105  F-105D
F-111  F-111A