Weapons

The Ruhrstahl X-4 missile was a World War 2, German-designed air-to-air missile, the first air-to-air missile of its kind to be produced. It is the earliest air-to-air missile that is available in War Thunder, and is available on the tech tree Fw 190 F-8. Let us dive into the interesting history of the missile, and later talk about how to use this unique missile!

The Mauser 20 mm MG 151/20 is a German 20 mm aircraft cannon converted from the 15 mm MG 151/15 cannon to a 20 mm after combat evaluation proved a larger high-explosive shell to be more effective than a high-velocity shell.

This article examines the history of the MAA-1 Piranha, the first Brazilian domestic air-to-air missile, tracing its conception, development, testings, and the various setbacks and historical contexts that shaped the program. The Piranha was a bold project for its time, that sought to elevate Brazil into the small group of countries that were capable of producing domestic air-to-air missiles, a group which, at the time, consisted of France, the USA, the USSR, Israel, South Africa, the United Kingdom, China, Taiwan, and Japan.

This article is about the history of the 2 cm guns using the 20×138mmB Rheinmetall ammunition, primarily the 2 cm KwK/Flak 30/38 L/50/65. It also covers usage by other nations represented in-game, such as Italy with Breda and Scotti guns, and includes a minor guide. The ammo and guns were the smallest mainstay unit of dual-purpose AA/AT guns, starting in the late 1920s and actively used and improved until 1945. These guns were used as infantry super heavy machine guns (Überschwere MGs), tank armaments (KwK), as well as infantry and vehicle AA guns (Flak).

The Ballistic Computer is a system found on some modern aircraft and helicopters used to aid the player in the delivery of unguided air-to-ground munitions. There are two key functions of the ballistic computer: Constantly Computed Impact Point (CCIP) and Constantly Computed Release Point (CCRP). CCIP continually calculates where munitions will land and gives the pilot an accurate impact point to aim with. CCRP allows the player to specify an impact point, the ballistic computer will then continually calculate at which point along the player’s flight path munitions will need to be released in order to hit the player’s designated impact point, and will only allow munitions to be released when that point is reached.

The iconic F-14 Tomcat made its mark in naval aviation for its cultural significance and popularity. However, the defining weapon that sets the Tomcat apart from its peers is the long-range AIM-54 Phoenix missile. This weapon, intended to strike Soviet bombers from a long distance before they could fire deadly anti-ship cruise missiles, allowed the F-14 to perform its "Fleet Defense" role. Thus we will dive into the development behind this fascinating missile, the improvements it had, and how it would not be America writing the tomes on the AIM-54's combat usage, but instead Iran.

While 1 mm more doesn't appear so much in size when comparing 75 mm to 76 mm, the Americans managed to make that one extra 1 mm impress with extra firepower boost against tanks during World War II. While the weapon was not without controversy on whether it was indeed the right weapon for the war, it proved sufficient in helping American tankers face-off against tougher enemy tanks to win the overall war. This is the story of how that weapon came to be. 

This article is about the history of the German 3.7 cm L/45 guns — mainly the PaK 36* and KwK 36 — as well as the tangentially related Navy 3.7 cm FlaK M42 L/69. The PaK 36 was the mainstay of towed anti-tank guns for Germany during World War II, being used from the war’s onset until the last days of the war, and were used in all sorts of roles, ranging from anti-tank operations in the late 1930s to infantry support using HE and fin-stabilized HEAT grenades during the closing days of the war. While the PaK 36 and its derivatives were largely obsolete by the end of World War II, their large production volume (20,000 units) meant that it wasn’t too hard to find them across various frontlines, still putting in work.

The AGM-12B, also known as the ASM-N-7A or more recognizably the Bullpup, was the world's first mass-produced precision guided Air-to-Ground munition. A fairly large warhead size and its MCLOS guidance give many U.S. vehicles the tools to engage SPAAs at range, at a BR where proximity fused shells and surface-to-air missiles start becoming increasingly lethal to aviation. While they may not be as advanced as Walleyes and Mavericks, which are autonomously guided, a good pilot can easily match them in accuracy with precise manual guidance against even the fastest moving targets.