T18B

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Challenger DS Pack
This page is about the Swedish bomber T18B. For other versions, see SAAB 18 (Family).
saab_t18b_1.png
GarageImage T18B.jpg
ArtImage T18B.png
T18B
Research:26 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:76 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
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Description

The T18B is a rank III Swedish bomber with a battle rating of 3.7 (AB), 4.3 (RB), and 4.0 (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.95 "Northern Wind".

General info

Flight performance

Air brakes
Allows you to dramatically reduce the flight speed by releasing special flaps
Max speed
at 6 000 m595 km/h
Turn time25 s
Max altitude11 000 m
Engine2 х Daimler-Benz DB-605B
Type
Cooling systemAir
Take-off weight9 t

The T18B-1 is an exceptionally fast aircraft at its rank, zooming past its contemporary bombers and reaching into fighter territory, able to reach an excellent 595 km/h (370 mph) in RB and a staggering 619 km/h (385 mph) in AB. Its high speed and reasonable armament platform of 2 x 20 mm cannons + 1 x 13.2 mm machine gun allows it to be a respectable multi-role aircraft that can take on almost any combat situation you throw at it. One might think that the high performance comes at the cost of payload, as would be traditional with the Schnellbomber type of bomber, but this is not the case with the T18B, as it carries more than enough ordnance to either heavily damage a base (AB) or destroy a few (RB).

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 572 555 11000 26.3 27.4 7.3 7.2 450
Upgraded 619 595 23.8 25.0 14.1 10.3

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 + -
735 320 467 438 290 ~7 ~3
Optimal velocities (km/h)
Ailerons Rudder Elevators Radiator
< 370 < 350 < 400 > 420

Survivability and armour

Crew2 people
Speed of destruction
Structural735 km/h
Gear320 km/h
Protective components found in the T18B.
  • 10 mm steel - cockpit floor under pilot's seat
  • 10 mm steel - pilot's backseat
  • 10 mm steel - rear gunner protective plate
  • 10 mm steel - cockpit floor under gunner's seat
  • 10 mm steel - aft protective plate

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB1 185 → 1 529 Sl icon.png
RB2 464 → 3 181 Sl icon.png
SB4 393 → 5 671 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications24 450 Rp icon.png
44 500 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost1 100 Ge icon.png
Crew training22 000 Sl icon.png
Experts76 000 Sl icon.png
Aces500 Ge icon.png
Research Aces320 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
80 / 180 / 290 % Sl icon.png
142 / 142 / 142 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Flight performance Survivability Weaponry
Mods aerodinamic fuse.png
Fuselage repair
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 800 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods radiator.png
Radiator
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 800 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mods armor frame.png
Airframe
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 000 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods compressor.png
Compressor
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 000 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods aerodinamic wing.png
Wings repair
Research:
1 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods new engine.png
Engine
Research:
1 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mods armor cover.png
Cover
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 900 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods metanol.png
Engine injection
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 900 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
akan_m47_belt_pack
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 800 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
m/40(250)
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 800 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods ammo.png
13_2_akan_m39_belt_pack
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 800 Sl icon.png
135 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
akan_m47_new_gun
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 000 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon torpedo.png
m/38
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 000 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
13_2_akan_m39_new_gun
Research:
1 100 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 000 Sl icon.png
150 Ge icon.png
Mods ammo.png
13_2_akan_m39_turret_belt_pack
Research:
1 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
m/41
Research:
1 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
m/49B
Research:
1 200 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 200 Sl icon.png
160 Ge icon.png
Mod arrow 0.png
Mods weapon.png
13_2_akan_m39_turret_new_gun
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 900 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon bomb.png
m/50(600)
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 900 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png
Mods pilon rocket.png
m/51
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 900 Sl icon.png
220 Ge icon.png

Your research path should be tailored to the role you wish to employ the T18B in. For the traditional bomber, it is important to research payload first as the stock payload is a pitiful 18 x 50 kg bombs. For the heavy fighter/interceptor, the offensive cannon upgrades are of great importance followed by flight performance upgrades. Ground attacker should be a mix of the two, as it is important for a ground-pounder to have both speed and payload.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The T18B is armed with:

  • 2 x 20 mm Akan m/41A cannons, chin-mounted (60 rpg = 120 total)
  • 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39A machine gun, wing-mounted (300 rpg)

Suspended armament

The T18B can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

1 2 3 4 5
Hardpoints T18B.png
50 kg sb m/42 bombs 4 10 4
250 kg mb m/40 bombs 3
500 kg mb m/41 bombs 2
600 kg mb m/50 bombs 2
psrak m/49B rockets 4 4
srak m/51 rockets 4 4
450 mm m/38 torpedoes 1
Maximum permissible loadout weight: 1,620 kg
Maximum permissible weight imbalance: 450 kg
Default weapon presets
  • 18 x 50 kg sb m/42 bombs (900 kg total)
  • 3 x 250 kg mb m/40 bombs (750 kg total)
  • 2 x 500 kg mb m/41 bombs (1,000 kg total)
  • 2 x 600 kg mb m/50 bombs (1,200 kg total)
  • 8 x psrak m/49B rockets
  • 8 x srak m/51 rockets
  • 1 x 450 mm m/38 torpedo

Defensive armament

Main article: Akan m/39 (13.2 mm)

The T18B is defended by:

  • 1 x 13.2 mm Akan m/39 machine gun, dorsal turret (300 rpg)

Compared to the other Saab 18 models, the T18B has one less defensive 13.2 mm Akan m/39, leaving its belly open for enemy fighters to attack from below if left unattended. The single 13.2 mm can still prove lethal to planes at the BR, if a enemy is straight behind the 13.2 mm can do quite some damage to their engine and knock out pilots.

Usage in battles

Speed and altitude are your best friends when flying the T18B-1, as you must keep both up in order to ensure your survival. You may be fast, but you are not invincible, as there are many aircraft at the BR that will easily catch you such as the P-47D, P-61, Bf 109 F-4 and the I-185 twins. However, you can easily turn the tables on your would-be attackers by forcing them to stall then shred them with your impressive forward armament.

Alternatively, you can take the offensive route by employing a heavy fighter flying style and hunt down enemy bombers. You can mainly do this as a result of your bomber air spawn, but you must be careful to avoid enemy interceptors. One must take care not to expend too much ammunition on a single target, so in order to avoid doing so, they must aim for the critical components of the enemy bomber (wings, engines or tail) if they can't force a head-on.

Lastly, the T18B can be used as a reasonably effective ground attacker thanks to its immense loadout options. It is not recommended to use the bomb loadouts that mount the extra m/42 bombs when employing this play style unless they are skilled with aiming their bombs, as the m/42 bombs have a very small explosion radius and have to be directly on target to nab a kill. Your ideal loadouts should be either the 3 x m/40 bombs, 3 x m/40 + 8 x m/49A rockets, or 2 x m/50 bombs + 8 x m/49A rockets for some overkill, as the m/50 bombs have a very high effective destruction radius of 18 meters, although the pilot should take care that they don't end up exploding themselves (also known as a "significant emotional event"). Using a time fuse for the m/50 bombs is a must, unless the pilot is going on a high altitude bombing mission instead of low altitude CAS. 2-4 seconds for the m/50 should suffice.

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

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Reasonably effective armament layout
  • Excellent speed, faster than a good amount of fighters at the tier
  • Good manoeuvrability for a twin-engine aircraft, especially for a bomber
  • Highly effective air brakes make landing and rearmament much easier
  • Can operate as a twin-engine fighter, high altitude bomber or strike fighter (depends on chosen payload)
  • Can mount rockets with up to 500 mm of penetration
  • Has access to two of the massive Swedish m/50 bombs
  • Has access to a torpedo
  • Despite only having one MG for defence, the MG itself is excellent

Cons:

  • Poor protective components compared to other strike fighters
  • Only one turret
  • Fairly unstable on landing
  • No ventral turret, defenceless when attacked from below
  • Torpedo has very poor drop speed, and you need to slow down a great amount to drop it

History

In 1941, Flygvapnet wanted a new modern torpedo bomber that would be able to drop aerial torpedoes. SAAB recommended the Saab 18 as the frame to be the base of the new torpedo bomber. The B 18A was first option considered due to it being slower so it would be able to drop the Swedish torpedoes, but the bomb bay was deemed too small to fit a torpedo. Plans were laid to have the torpedo external on the frame of the aircraft, but this was scrapped on completion of the design.

It was decided to use the B 18B which had a slightly longer frame and was planned to have a new designed bomb bay where they could fit in a torpedo. The resulting T 18B didn't prove successful as a torpedo bomber, it was trialled with a 53 cm torpedo which was most likely called Torpedo fm/45 but had to be loaded at a 4.5⁰ angle forward in the bomber bay. During trials of the torpedo it was shown that it could only make a successful drop from 15 m in the air which was not sufficient enough for Flygvapnet.

T 18B along with the new bomb bay got also a different more aerodynamic nose but also lost one of the defensive gunners below. Other trials went with the T 18B with a 57 mm.

Media

Skins
Images
Videos

See also

Related development
Aircraft of similar configuration and role

External links


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 · 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