Difference between revisions of "B-25J-30 (USSR)"

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=== Survivability and armour ===
 
=== Survivability and armour ===
<!--''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured. Describe the armour, if there is any, also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.''-->
+
<!-- ''Examine the survivability of the aircraft. Note how vulnerable the structure is and how secure the pilot is, whether the fuel tanks are armoured, etc. Describe the armour, if there is any, and also mention the vulnerability of other critical aircraft systems.'' -->
* No armour plating
 
* No armour glazing
 
* Critical components located at the front of aircraft (fuel, pilot, engine, controls)
 
* More fuel tanks located in wings near the fuselage
 
  
 +
* 10 mm steel - front, sides & rear of the cockpit
 +
* 10 mm steel - the rim of pilot seats
 +
* 8 mm steel - below nose gunner
 +
* 8 mm steel - pilot seats
 +
* 9.5 mm - bulkhead after of dorsal turret
 +
* 6.35 mm steel - aft of waist gunners
 +
* 9.5 mm steel - tail turret
 +
* 38 mm Bulletproof glass - tail turret
 +
 +
Rugged, sturdy, though, the B-25 is all of those things. Featuring crew armour protection that outclasses the [[B-17G-60-VE|B-17 ''Flying Fortress'']] in a handier, smaller design, the B-25J is a tough nut to crack and even harder to devoid of the crew. Calibres above 20 mm are a must for a quick kill, otherwise, the B-25 will repay in kind. Gunner positions throughout the bomber effectively cover the front, sides, top and rear of the aircraft with just the underbelly left relatively unprotected to fighters rising in a power climb. The rear gunner with his dual .50 calibre machine guns is especially devastating when they are trained on a tailing enemy fighter.
 +
 +
The two Wright R-2600 air-cooled radial engines are themself hard to destroy and with dropped payload, the B-25J can keep flying on just a single damaged engine, denying under armed fighters the ability to lethally cripple it. Yet this aircraft does have an Achilles heel, its fuel tanks. While present in all planes, the armour, crew and bomb bay take up all the necessary space within the fuselage, while leaving only space in the wings to house the fuel tanks. A common downfall of this aircraft is the structural failure of the wing spar due to wing fires of the fuel tanks.
 
== Armaments ==
 
== Armaments ==
 
=== Offensive armament ===
 
=== Offensive armament ===
<!--''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|MAC 1934 (7.5 mm)}}
+
{{main|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)}}
  
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is armed with:
 +
* 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, nose-mounted (400 rpg = 800 total)
 +
* 4 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, cheek-mounted (400 rpg = 1,600 total)
 +
 +
=== Suspended armament ===
 +
<!--''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''-->
 +
{{main|FAB-50 (50 kg)|FAB-100 (100 kg)|FAB-250M43 (250 kg)|FAB-500 (500 kg)}}
 +
 +
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' can be outfitted with the following ordnance:
 +
 +
* 12 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs (total = 600 kg)
 +
* 8 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (total = 800 kg)
 +
* 8 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs + 4 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (total = 1,200 kg)
 +
* 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M43 bombs (1,000 kg toal)
 +
* 10 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs + 1 x 500 FAB-500 bomb (total = 1,000 kg)
 +
* 3 x 500 kg FAB-500 bombs (total = 1,500 kg)
  
* 4 x 7.5 mm [[MAC 1934 (7.5 mm)|MAC 1934]] machine guns (300 rpg = 1,200 total)
 
-->
 
<!--=== Suspended armament ===
 
''Describe the aircraft's suspended armament: additional cannons under the wings, bombs, rockets and torpedoes. This section is especially important for bombers and attackers. If there is no suspended weaponry remove this subsection.''-->
 
&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;&nbsp;''Main article:&nbsp;'''[[:Category:Suspended armaments|Bombs]]'''''-->
 
<!--
 
 
=== Defensive armament ===
 
=== Defensive armament ===
''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available, remove this subsection.''
+
<!-- ''Defensive armament with turret machine guns or cannons, crewed by gunners. Examine the number of gunners and what belts or drums are better to use. If defensive weaponry is not available, remove this subsection.'' -->
-->
+
{{main|Browning M2 (12.7 mm)}}
 +
 
 +
The '''''{{PAGENAME}}''''' is defended by:
 +
* 1 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun, nose turret (300 rpg)
 +
* 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, dorsal turret (400 rpg = 800 total)
 +
* 1 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (250 rpg)
 +
* 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, tail turret (600 rpg = 1,200 total)
 +
 
 
== Usage in the battles ==
 
== Usage in the 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 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).''-->
 
<!--''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 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).''-->
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=== Pros and cons ===
 
=== Pros and cons ===
<!--''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle regarding its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Do not use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - they have a substitution in the form of softer "inadequate", "effective".''-->
+
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' -->
  
 
'''Pros:'''
 
'''Pros:'''
*
+
* Very effective front-facing armament of 6 x 12.7 mm machine for aerial attack or ground strafing
 +
* Durable airframe which can take a beating
 +
* Heavy defensive armament on both left and rights sides and especially the tail gunner
 +
* Can provide initial cover for other bombers until fighters reach their altitude
 +
* Can be used as a tactical bomber, strategic bomber or as an attacker
 +
* Able to land on an aircraft carrier
 +
* Good dive speed
  
 
'''Cons:'''
 
'''Cons:'''
*
+
* The belly of the aircraft lacks any defence
 +
* Poor climb rate and energy retention
 +
* Less effective as a dogfighter due to its size, however, can perform Boom & Zoom without too much manoeuvring
 +
* Less effective as a high-altitude bomber (accuracy), better for mid to low altitude bombing
 +
* The elevator is easily shot off, the plane can still be controlled using flaps and adjusting engine power
  
 
== History ==
 
== History ==
Line 244: Line 278:
 
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
 
''An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.''
  
== Read also ==
+
== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example,''
+
<!--''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;''
 
* ''reference to the series of the aircraft;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''
+
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''-->
<!--''ETC.''-->
+
;Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
 +
* de Haviland [[Mosquito (Family)|Mosquito]]
 +
* Douglas [[A-26 (Family)|A-26 ''Invader'']]
 +
* Mitsubishi [[Ki-67-I_Ko|Ki-61 ''Hiyrū'']]
 +
* Nakajima [[Ki-49 (Family)|Ki-49 ''Donryu'']]
 +
* Vickers [[Wellington (Family)|Wellington]]
  
== Sources ==
+
;Other B-25 variants in-game
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
+
* [[B-25J-1]] - Very little difference between the J-1 and J-20, the J-1 has one less nose-mounted machine gun, slight armour difference.
 +
* [[B-25J-20]] - Very little difference between the J-1 and J-20, an additional nose-mounted machine gun, slight armour difference.
 +
* [[B-25J-30_(China)|B-25J-30]] (Chinese lend-lease) - Virtually same as J-20 variant. Identical to USSR version except uses U.S. type bombs.
 +
* [[PBJ-1H]] - U.S. Marine variant - 75 mm autocannon and eight nose-mounted machine guns, lower service ceiling, reduced bomb load compared to J-1, J-20 and J-30 variants, increased armour around the cockpit.
 +
* [[PBJ-1J]] - U.S. Marine variant - Identical to PBJ-1H in-flight characteristics and bomb loadout, no 75 mm cannon, a total of 12 nose-mounted machine guns.
 +
 
 +
== External links ==
 +
<!--''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
 
* ''page on aircraft encyclopedia;''
 
* ''page on aircraft encyclopedia;''
* ''other literature.''
+
* ''other literature.''-->
 +
 
 +
* vvsairwar.com website - [https://vvsairwar.com/2016/09/13/it-was-a-beautiful-aircraft-the-soviet-b-25s/ It was a beautiful aircraft - The Soviet B-25s]
 +
* lend-lease.net website - [https://lend-lease.net/articles-en/the-b-25-mitchell-in-the-ussr/ The B-25 Mitchell in the USSR]
 +
* lend-lease.net website - [https://lend-lease.net/articles-en/b-25-mitchel-in-14-gvbad/ The B-25 Mitchell in 14 GVBAD]
  
 
{{USSR bombers}}
 
{{USSR bombers}}

Revision as of 18:50, 6 November 2019

Rank VI | Premium | Golden Eagles
Challenger DS Pack
▂B-25J-30
b_25j_30_vvs_ussr.png
▂B-25J-30
Purchase:1 450 Specs-Card-Eagle.png
Show in game
This page is about the premium Russian bomber ▂B-25J-30 Mitchell. For other uses, see B-25 (Family).

Description

GarageImage B-25J-30 (USSR).jpg


The ▂B-25J-30 Mitchell is a rank III premium Russian bomber with a battle rating of 4.0 (AB/RB) and 4.3 (SB). This aircraft was introduced in Update 1.35. It costs 1,450 Golden Eagles. The B-25J-30 is a lend-lease vehicle for the Soviets and is essentially identical in-game to the USAAF counterpart. The minor differences are the reinforced steel pilot seats and extra armour for the dorsal gunner.

Design of the B-25 was the result of years of work and failed bids to win contracts with the United States Army Air Corps (USAAC). Initially designed to meet requirements for a payload of 1,200 lb (540 kg), a range of 1,200 mi (1,900 km) and flying at speeds faster than 200 mph (320 kph), prototypes were built, tested and refined. Although the original XB-21 and NA-40 never materialized into a production aircraft, requirements from the USAAC came out in March of 1939 for a medium bomber carrying a payload of 2,400 lb (1,100 kg) over 1,200 mi (1,900 km) at speeds around 300 mph (480 kph), North American modified their design of NA-40 and developed the NA-62 which went into prototype testing as the YB-25 and then ordered into production as the B-25.

The B-25 turned out to be the archetype of the medium bomber, carrying upwards of 3,000 lb (1,361 kg) of bombs and could fly at speeds up to 340 mph (547 kph). This twin-engine bomber was fast, it could carry a large payload for its size and had several defensive turrets and gunner stations at which it could defend itself from almost any angle. To increase its versatility, several models had forward-facing fixed machine guns fitted into the nose and the cheeks of the aircraft. Later models opted to removed the glazed nose and bombardier/nose-gunner station and outfit more machine guns and even a 75 mm autocannon for strafing ground targets and especially ships. This medium bomber at times acted more like a heavy attacker opting for low-level flights which would skim treetops and the ocean to sneak up on unwary targets. It was not uncommon for B-25s to fly just above the mast/smokestack height of enemy ships when attacking.

As later models moved from the dedicated bomber position and morphed into more of an attacker role, bomb payloads were reduced to allow for more armour around the cockpit and more offensive weapons and ammunition to fill the attacker mode it took on, especially under the command of U.S. Marine Corps squadrons. With more than 10,000 B-25 aircraft variants built, they saw action in all theatres of war and were even subject to part of the lend-lease program which China and the USSR benefitted from. So versatile was this aircraft that a flight of them were specifically outfitted and their crews trained to take off from an aircraft carrier and bomb mainland Japan in a daring raid. Impressive for an aircraft not meant to take off from an aircraft carrier.

The B-25 is a fantastic bomber, attacker or both and will suit many different pilots and their different approaches to the battlefields found in War Thunder. The tail gunner has been known to set many fighters alight with their dual .50 calibre machine guns and help to prolong the life of this bomber to allow the pilot to make it to their target whether it is to bomb it or strafe it.

General info

Flight Performance

Characteristics
Stock
Max Speed
(km/h at ?,000 m)
Max altitude
(meters)
Turn time
(seconds)
Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run
(meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
 ?  ? 7500  ??.?  ??.?  ??.?  ??.?  ???
Upgraded
Max Speed
(km/h at ?,000 m)
Max altitude (meters) Turn time (seconds) Rate of climb
(meters/second)
Take-off run (meters)
AB RB AB RB AB RB
 ?  ? 7500  ??.?  ??.?  ??.?  ??.?  ???

Details

Features
Combat flap Take-off flap Landing flap Air brakes Arrestor gear
X X X X X
Limits
Wing-break speed
(km/h)
Gear limit
(km/h)
Combat flap
(km/h)
Max Static G
+ -
0 294  ??? ~?? ~?
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

  • 10 mm steel - front, sides & rear of the cockpit
  • 10 mm steel - the rim of pilot seats
  • 8 mm steel - below nose gunner
  • 8 mm steel - pilot seats
  • 9.5 mm - bulkhead after of dorsal turret
  • 6.35 mm steel - aft of waist gunners
  • 9.5 mm steel - tail turret
  • 38 mm Bulletproof glass - tail turret

Rugged, sturdy, though, the B-25 is all of those things. Featuring crew armour protection that outclasses the B-17 Flying Fortress in a handier, smaller design, the B-25J is a tough nut to crack and even harder to devoid of the crew. Calibres above 20 mm are a must for a quick kill, otherwise, the B-25 will repay in kind. Gunner positions throughout the bomber effectively cover the front, sides, top and rear of the aircraft with just the underbelly left relatively unprotected to fighters rising in a power climb. The rear gunner with his dual .50 calibre machine guns is especially devastating when they are trained on a tailing enemy fighter.

The two Wright R-2600 air-cooled radial engines are themself hard to destroy and with dropped payload, the B-25J can keep flying on just a single damaged engine, denying under armed fighters the ability to lethally cripple it. Yet this aircraft does have an Achilles heel, its fuel tanks. While present in all planes, the armour, crew and bomb bay take up all the necessary space within the fuselage, while leaving only space in the wings to house the fuel tanks. A common downfall of this aircraft is the structural failure of the wing spar due to wing fires of the fuel tanks.

Armaments

Offensive armament

Main article: Browning M2 (12.7 mm)

The B-25J-30 (USSR) is armed with:

  • 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, nose-mounted (400 rpg = 800 total)
  • 4 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, cheek-mounted (400 rpg = 1,600 total)

Suspended armament

The B-25J-30 (USSR) can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

  • 12 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs (total = 600 kg)
  • 8 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (total = 800 kg)
  • 8 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs + 4 x 100 kg FAB-100 bombs (total = 1,200 kg)
  • 4 x 250 kg FAB-250M43 bombs (1,000 kg toal)
  • 10 x 50 kg FAB-50 bombs + 1 x 500 FAB-500 bomb (total = 1,000 kg)
  • 3 x 500 kg FAB-500 bombs (total = 1,500 kg)

Defensive armament

Main article: Browning M2 (12.7 mm)

The B-25J-30 (USSR) is defended by:

  • 1 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun, nose turret (300 rpg)
  • 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, dorsal turret (400 rpg = 800 total)
  • 1 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine gun, 2 x beam turrets (250 rpg)
  • 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, tail turret (600 rpg = 1,200 total)

Usage in the battles

Manual Engine Control

MEC elements
Mixer Pitch Radiator Supercharger Turbocharger
Oil Water Type
Controllable Not controllable Not controllable Not controllable Separate Not ontrollable Not controllable

Modules

Tier Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
I Fuselage Repair Radiator
II Compressor Airframe
III Wings Repair Engine
IV Engine Injection Cover

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Very effective front-facing armament of 6 x 12.7 mm machine for aerial attack or ground strafing
  • Durable airframe which can take a beating
  • Heavy defensive armament on both left and rights sides and especially the tail gunner
  • Can provide initial cover for other bombers until fighters reach their altitude
  • Can be used as a tactical bomber, strategic bomber or as an attacker
  • Able to land on an aircraft carrier
  • Good dive speed

Cons:

  • The belly of the aircraft lacks any defence
  • Poor climb rate and energy retention
  • Less effective as a dogfighter due to its size, however, can perform Boom & Zoom without too much manoeuvring
  • Less effective as a high-altitude bomber (accuracy), better for mid to low altitude bombing
  • The elevator is easily shot off, the plane can still be controlled using flaps and adjusting engine power

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 big, take it to a separate article, taking a link to an article about the vehicle and adding a block "/ historical reference" (example: https://wiki.warthunder.com/Name-vehicles/historical reference) and add a link to it here using the main template. Be sure to include links to sources at the end of the article.

In-game description

"North American B-25J-30 Mitchell twin-engine medium bomber/ground-attack aircraft

New armoured pilot seats appeared in the B-25J-25 series. Also, the wing leading edge was reinforced. Beginning with machine No. 44-30111, additional armour was fitted to the upper fuselage to prevent the turret-mounted machine guns from inadvertently hitting the bomber. From aircraft No. 44-30309 on, the Americans provided for the mounting of chemical spray tanks, similar to the Soviet VAPs, on external bomb racks.

The B-25J-30 had T-64 launchers for unguided HVAR missiles installed under the wing panels. The mechanical bomb hoist was replaced with an electric one. The gunsights were upgraded again, and a new high-precision Norden N-9B bombsight was mounted on the aircraft, beginning with No. 44-86793.

Provisions were made for carrying new guided glide bombs from plane No. 44-86692 on. The work to equip the aircraft with such bombs had begun back in 1943. GT-1 glide bombs were actually torpedoes with wings and tail fins. In July 1945, they were used to strike ships at the Japanese ports of Sasebo and Nagasaki. In Sasebo, they managed to damage and set fire to two vessels. The third bomb did not hit its target but dropped on the harbour works.

Although the В-25 had a good flight range, sometimes it was not sufficient, given the size of the Pacific Ocean Theatre. Fuel quantity had to be increased, so B-25s were modified on front-line airfields. Various additional tanks, removed from aircraft of other types, were mounted in the fuselage near the radio set.

A total of 4,318 B-25J aircraft were delivered. 72 more bombers were practically ready when their production was discontinued. Some of those machines were nevertheless completed later. 800 B-25Js of the total number were assembled directly as the ground-attack aircraft version. In addition, North American produced so-called conversion kits, which allowed the aircraft to be quickly converted on a front-line airfield. Thus, the real number of machines flying as the ground-attack aircraft version significantly exceeded the original eight hundred."

Media

An excellent addition to the article will be video guides, as well as screenshots from the game and photos.

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era
Other B-25 variants in-game
  • B-25J-1 - Very little difference between the J-1 and J-20, the J-1 has one less nose-mounted machine gun, slight armour difference.
  • B-25J-20 - Very little difference between the J-1 and J-20, an additional nose-mounted machine gun, slight armour difference.
  • B-25J-30 (Chinese lend-lease) - Virtually same as J-20 variant. Identical to USSR version except uses U.S. type bombs.
  • PBJ-1H - U.S. Marine variant - 75 mm autocannon and eight nose-mounted machine guns, lower service ceiling, reduced bomb load compared to J-1, J-20 and J-30 variants, increased armour around the cockpit.
  • PBJ-1J - U.S. Marine variant - Identical to PBJ-1H in-flight characteristics and bomb loadout, no 75 mm cannon, a total of 12 nose-mounted machine guns.

External links


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-2 · Po-2M · 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