The A-36 Apache is a rank II American attacker with a battle rating of 2.7 (AB/SB) and 3.0 (RB). It was introduced in Update 1.51 'Cold Steel'. North American Aviation Company was busy during 1942 building and shipping Mustang Mk.I fighters to England to be incorporated into the Royal Air Force to fight alongside the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawks. Free War Thunder - Apache Pack steam key. Free Steam KEYS! Free Steam Games. Steam Giveaways. Free games to download. This Pack includes: Helicopter AH-64A Peten (Rank 6 USA);2000 Golden Eagles;Premium account for 15 days.AH-64A PetenIn the early 70s the US Army Command defined requirements for a prospective fire support helicopter, thats major task was to eliminate.

• 2General info
• 3Armaments
• 4Usage in battles

Description

The AH-64D is a rank VII American attack helicopter with a battle rating of 10.7 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update 1.97 'Viking Fury'.

General info

Flight performance

The AH-64D Longbow, provides great manoeuvrability, incredible acceleration and overall providing a great speed of up to 319 km/h in arcade and 295 km/h in realistic and simulator game modes. It is fast as the Japanese AH-64D but the fastest AH.64D belongs to the British Army variant called the AH Mk.1. The U.S. Army AH-64D Longbow is able to do manoeuvres other helicopters can only dream about, from barrel roles, flips to loops. Which allow it to evade enemy missiles with ease and surprise, poor enemy tankers who will be helpless to defeat it.

Survivability and armour

The AH-64D Apache longbow, has only limited armour protection installed with bullet proof glass only being installed on the pilot windscreen. The helicopter uses Kevlar boron carbide, composite martial which is limited only to instrument, floor and side panels around the cockpit. It does not provide the same level of protection as seen on other helicopters such as the Mi-28N.

• Bullet proof glass installed only for the pilot - 22 mm thick.
• Installation of Kevlar boron carbide, composite martial only on the: Seats, cockpit side panels, Gunner floor panels and pilot instrument panel - 20 mm thick.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The AH-64D is armed with:

• A choice between two presets:
  • 1 x 30 mm M230E-1 cannon (1,200 rpg)
  • 1 x 30 mm M230E-1 cannon (1,200 rpg) + 4 x AIM-92 Stinger missiles

Suspended armament

The AH-64D can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• 76 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
• 8 x AGM-114K Hellfire II missiles
• 4 x AGM-114K Hellfire II missiles + 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
• 8 x AGM-114K Hellfire II missiles + 38 x Hydra-70 M247 rockets
• 16 x AGM-114K Hellfire II missiles

Defensive systems

The AH-64D only has the following Defensive systems installed:

• F-Flares - Up to 150 flares can be installed.
• IRCM - Infrared Counter Measures.
• AMASE - Apache Modular Aircraft Survivability Equipment.
• AIM-9/ICM - AIM 92 stingers and Infrared Counter Measures.

When unlocked, flares are not installed - this requires IRCM module (tier I) to be researched and installed, this provides up to 30 F-Flares. The next module called AMASE (tier II) provides up to 150 F-Flares, the additional 110 F-Flares are installed on the wingtips of the helicopter. Then the last module called AIM-9/ICM (tier III) allows for the installation of a maximum of four AIM-92 stinger missiles, which two are mounted on each wing tip, 30 F-Flares & IRCM module.

Usage in battles

Overview:

The AH-64D is very similar to the AH-64A Apache. The differences are the lack of an option to carry AIM-9L missiles, the new Longbow radar, improved Hellfires, and an improved ECM package. The Apache is an excellent helicopter for attacking ground targets, and can also hold its own against many enemy aircraft. Through adequate use of cover, teamwork, and game sense, the Apache can easily dismantle enemy teams. An Apache pilot must understand all of the tools at their disposal.

The Apache has an arsenal of weapons. The most effective anti-tank weapon in the Apache's arsenal is the AGM-114 Hellfire, which uses a top attack trajectory to destroy ground vehicles. There is functionally very little difference between the AGM-114B and K variants, used on early and late Apaches respectively.

Staying Alive:

Flying the Apache effectively can be more difficult than most players would imagine, processing information from optical sights, radar displays, and the radar warning receiver all at once can lead to information overload. If distracted by irrelevant information, a pilot can quickly lose situational awareness. Being successful in the Apache requires situational awareness above all else. Due to the fragility of the helicopter, any blindspot can lead to a quick and sudden death. Additionally, the mobility of the Apache is adequate but not impressive, so evasive manoeuvres are not always effective.

Using cover is a very important part of staying alive in the Apache. Always stay behind a hill or building in ground battles. When exposing yourself in order to fire on the enemy, be mindful to not gain too much altitude. Most importantly, Always listen to your RWR and MAW. If you hear an alarm, take evasive action immediately.

The biggest improvement of the later Apache variants is the ability to mount the Longbow radar system. This system, if used properly, will help maintain situational awareness.

Additionally, it is important to know when to use flares. Flares are extremely effective against heat-seeking missiles, but useless against any other missiles. It is the responsibility of the Apache pilot to recognize the threat and decide whether to use flares or not. For Apaches with MAW (missile alert warning), there is an option for flares to be dispensed automatically.

Using the Longbow Radar:

The radar of the Apache should be used as a secondary tool when engaging ground targets. As of update 1.99.1.45, the radar is not effective in obtaining target lock for ground vehicles. The AGM-114L radar guided Hellfire is not in the game, so guidance of Hellfires should be done by using the FLIR thermal imaging camera to lase targets. However, the radar is still useful in detecting enemy aircraft. By using the multi-function menu to switch radar mode, the radar will begin to search for air rather than ground targets. Keeping track of enemy aircraft is vital to survival in the Apache, as any plane can make quick work of the Apache if the helicopter is unprepared.

Air-to-Air (Stinger and Gun):

The Apache is surprisingly potent in air-to-air combat. Engagements should be conducted primarily through the use of the Stinger missile. The Stinger is a simple but effective air-to-air missile. It has an excellent seeker head and can obtain all aspect lock on almost any air target within 3-5 km (even propeller aircraft with a low heat signature). However, the Stinger can be easily fooled by flares or outmanoeuvred by a fast enemy aircraft. The best way to use the Stinger against enemy aircraft is when they are heading directly towards you. If fired at the right second, most enemies will struggle to dodge a Stinger.

If the enemy gets close, the 30 mm autocannon can be extremely effective. The gun will automatically aim with optical lock, so Apache pilots can aim accurately while taking evasive manoeuvres.

Close Range Air-to-Ground (Gun and Rockets):

At close range, the Apache has excellent offensive capability. The 30 mm autocannon is incredibly accurate even at surprisingly far distances. This cannon uses a High Explosive Dual Purpose round that can engage lightly armoured targets. Rocket pods can also be used, with the CCIP computer helping maintain accuracy even at further distances. Be careful when trying to use the Hellfire missile at close range. It can do a direct attack at closer ranges (rather than its usual top attack) but if fired at an odd angle, it may not have time to manoeuvre onto the target if fired at closer ranges.

The problem with trying to engage at close range is that doing so will put the Apache in huge amounts of danger. Enemy tanks will be able to quickly destroy the Apache with their main guns or anti-aircraft machine guns.

Long Range Air-to-Ground (Hellfire):

At longer ranges, the Hellfire missile can be used to full effect. The Hellfire will guide on its target as shown in the attached diagram. This is known as top attack. Being that it takes this path to the enemy target, the Hellfire can take upward of 30 seconds to reach its target at longer ranges. Do not fire at enemies that are about to move to cover, and make sure to fire multiple missiles at once in order to deal maximum damage. Because the Hellfire is laser guided, multiple missiles can be fired at once. They should be fired at intervals of 5-10 seconds, where between missiles the Apache can switch to a new ground target. This will allow for the quick destruction of multiple enemies. This tactic can be incredibly effective. Although the time to target for the most recently fired Hellfire is available on the HUD, pilots will have to keep track of all the missiles they have fired by memory and quick calculations.

Combatting enemy anti-aircraft vehicles can be a challenge. Always remain in cover and move unpredictably in combat. Use the radar warning receiver to obtain the general direction of enemy AA, and then attack with a Hellfire. An effective strategy is to fire a Hellfire, break optical lock to gain cover and avoid counterfire, and then pop back up and get lock again several seconds before the Hellfire hits. This strategy if applied correctly will result in a hit, as the Hellfire is smart enough to begin following the laser designator again once the Apache re-obtains its lock.

Modules

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Excellent ground attack armaments like the unique Hellfire missile and accurate 30 mm cannon
• Adequate air-to-air capability with the Stinger missile and radar
• Adequate speed and manoeuvrability
• Advanced countermeasure system with Radar Warning Receiver and Missile Alert Warning
• Longbow radar

Cons:

• Hellfire missiles have a long time to target
• Easily destroyed by Ka-50 & Ka-52 and enemy airplanes
• Does not have 'Fire and Forget' Hellfire missiles

History

The AH-64D Apache Longbow is an improved version of the AH-64A Apache. The AH-64B was not a production designation but instead was a proposed designation, and the AH-64C was later redesignated to the AH-64D because of their similarity. As such, the AH-64D was the second US Army production Apache variant.

The US Army began to draft plans to upgrade the existing AH-64A Apache fleet in the late 1980's. The upgrade centered around the Northrop Grumman APG-78 Longbow milimetric-wavelength fire-control radar. McDonnell Douglas converted four AH-64As in 1992 as a proof of concept. After this, production of the AH-64D, the designation for the upgraded AH-64As, began. The Longbow radar is mast-mounted, and it allows the usage of AGM-114L Hellfire 2 anti-tank guided missiles. Previous Hellfire variants required a continuous line-of-sight for the laser designator, while the Hellfire 2 has fire-and-forget capability. The APG-78 Longbow radar can also detect, classify, and prioritize twelve targets at once. It can 'see' through fog and smoke, which can prevent the operation of infra-red or TV systems.

Additionally, the AH-64D features improved electronics and avionics. The landing gear fairings are extended forward in order to accommodate more equipment, and the forward avionics bay has been expanded to incorporate more equipment as well. In 1999, the US Army ordered 530 AH-64A Apaches to be upgraded to the AH-64D variant. The AH-64D entered service in 1995. The AH-64D is in service with the United States, the United Kingdom, Israel, and the Netherlands.

Media

See also

• AH-64A Apache - An earlier version of the Apache, found in the American tech tree.
• AH Mk.1 - A British version of the Apache at the same rank.
• EC-665 Tiger UHT - A German attack helicopter at the same rank.
• EC-665 Tiger HAD - A French attack helicopter at the same rank.
• Mi-28N and Ka-52 - Russian attack helicopters at the same rank.

External links

• https://asc.army.mil/web/portfolio-item/aviation_apache-ah-64e/ - AH-64 on the US Army website.
• https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Boeing_AH-64_Apache#AH-64D - AH-64D on Wikipedia.
• http://www.military-today.com/helicopters/boeing_ah64d_longbow.htm - AH-64D on Military Today.
• https://www.army-technology.com/projects/apache/ - AH-64 on Army Technology.

• 2General info
  • 2.1Flight performance
• 3Armaments
• 4Usage in battles

Description

The A-36 Apache is a rank II American attacker with a battle rating of 2.7 (AB/SB) and 3.0 (RB). It was introduced in Update 1.51 'Cold Steel'.

North American Aviation Company was busy during 1942 building and shipping Mustang Mk.I fighters to England to be incorporated into the Royal Air Force to fight alongside the Curtiss P-40 Tomahawks. Unfortunately for England, lend-lease funds ran out and 93 unshipped Mustang IA/P-51s went to the U.S. Army Air Forces. North American did not want to stop production of the P-51s and pressured the USAAF for a fighter contract. Unfortunately for the fiscal year 1942, no government funds were available for new fighter aircraft, however when observed that attack aircraft funds were available, North American reconfigured the Mustang into a dive bomber, outfitting it with heavier wings, bomb racks and dive brakes. With this dive bomber/attack variant approved for manufacturing, NAA ramped up production and cranked out 500 A-36A aircraft.

The A-36 was outfitted with the Allison V-1710-87 inline water-cooled engine which was a failure for high altitude flying, however for lower altitude dive-bombing, this engine performed quite well. High enough speeds could be developed in a dive to rip the wings, so dive brakes were implemented to regulate the dive speed to around 390 mph (630 kph). Maintaining speed in a dive ensures enough energy is available to zoom climb back up to altitude or to get away from any enemy fighters which may have attempted to intercept you. Depending on the map, if there are a significant amount of ground targets (anti-aircraft batteries, trucks, light tanks...etc…) the dive bomber can convert to a strafing aircraft once the bombs are released. With six 12.7 mm machine guns, softer ground targets are no match and will be easy pickings.

The A-36 has a configuration which few other aircraft (U.S. or otherwise) can be outfitted with and that is two DGP-1 gun pods, with one being mounted under each wing. Each gun pod contains two more 12.7 mm M2 Browning machines guns with 340 RPG, bringing up the total machine gun count to 10 12.7 mm M2 machine guns with 2,700 rounds per load. En mass, these machine guns can produce devastating results both in the air and on the ground. While only two guns are mounted in the fuselage cowling, the other four (or eight if gun pods are equipped) are mounted in the wings and require the pilot to set convergence for best results. For those pilots which like to snipe from a distance, 500 – 650 m convergence may work best while those pilots who like to fight close quarters, a convergence of 250 – 350 m can be extremely devastating when all 10 guns bear down on the target.

As an early war multi-role aircraft, the A-36 can fit the play-style of just about any pilot and can be reconfigured to accommodate different maps and missions. Whether ground-pounding or dismantling aircraft with 10 guns at a time, the Apache (or Mustang as pilots typically referred to it as) will help pilots to hone their skills and prepare for the rest of the Mustang series available to play in War Thunder. Don’t be surprised when heading towards an enemy aircraft that they immediately take evasive manoeuvres to get away from the A-36 as they fully understand what could be in store for them if they stick around.

General info

Flight performance

The A-36's performance varies a lot depending on the external armaments carried. It's very sluggish with the 4 x 12.7 mm M2 Brownings in gunpods, and the more kg of bombs it carries the worse the performance gets. Without anything on the wings it has a great acceleration, decent turn time and can withstand from 11 to -5 G.

War Thunder Apache Pack

Details

Survivability and armour

Protective plates and glass

• 38 mm Bulletproof glass in front of the pilot
• 11.11 mm Steel plate behind the pilot
• 6.35 mm Steel plate in front of the engine
• 6.35 mm Steel plate between engine and pilot

The A-36’s armour configuration does a decent job of protecting the pilot, especially in frontal or head-on attacks. From behind the pilot’s seat backs up to an 11.11 mm steel plate, however from the front, the canopy windscreen contains 38 mm bulletproof glass. There is also a 6.35 mm steel plate both in front of the engine and behind it between the engine and the cockpit. To get to the pilot, bullets from the front will need to pass through the first plate, the engine and then the second plate. The chances are the engine will be disabled before the pilot is knocked out in a head-on attack. The front-most steel plate will help to protect the engine from smaller calibre machine gun fire, however, it does not fare so well once you start going against +20 mm rounds which have a greater punch.

Keep up speed and manoeuvrability which will make it difficult for any enemy fighter to get a bead on you and the different steel plates should do their job in protecting the fighter from stray bullets. The A-36 when outfitted with gun pods can become an absolute terror especially during head-on attacks, however, don’t think that just because of the armour in the aircraft, you are fine. Remember when performing head-on or diving attacks on bombers fire off rounds and then manoeuvre as bullets headed your way in which you fly into will have a greater impact, it is imperative to move out of their way rather than take a chance and hope that a 6.35 mm steel plate will fully protect the engine or the pilot.

Armaments

Offensive armament

The A-36 is armed with:

• 2 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, chin-mounted (300 rpg = 600 total)
• 4 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, wing-mounted (350 rpg = 1,400 total)

The A-36 is outfitted with six 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, the good thing about this is that they are all the same type of gun and will all have the same amount of bullet-drop, making it easier to predict where the rounds will end up, the unfortunate thing is that two are mounted in the nose while two others are mounted in each wing. The unfortunate part of this is that the pilot now has to consider setting the convergence range to help make the shots more effective. Setting them too close or too far from the range the pilot typically shoots from will most likely guarantee some rounds will miss due to the over/under correction. A good middle range to configure for will be 400 m as this doesn’t require the pilot to follow too close behind, but the bullets still have a bit of punch, however for those pilots which take the fight in closer, a convergence of 200-300 m will concentrate all the rounds into a tight sphere with a solid kick usually dismantling critical components from the aircraft under target.

Suspended armament

The A-36 can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 2 x 100 lb AN-M30A1 bombs (200 lb total)
• 2 x 250 lb AN-M57 bombs (500 lb total)
• 2 x 500 lb AN-M64A1 bombs (1,000 lb total)
• 4 x 12.7 mm Browning M2 machine guns, wing-mounted (340 rpg = 1,360 total)

Though not what one would typically consider a dive bomber, the A-36 does make a really effective attack aircraft outfitted with 100, 250 or 500 lb bombs. Whereas larger attackers and bombers are typically slow and clumsy when it comes to aiming for a target, the Apache is the opposite and actually a pioneer for later fast, small, single-pilot aircraft to take on this role. The Apache is relatively comfortable at flying at 12,000 ft (3,660 m) or at tree-top level, however, it does excel when it comes to dive-bombing. Though the larger the bombs it carries, the less manoeuvrability it has, that doesn’t matter when it comes to diving on the target, here the only critical issue is not building up too much speed as the wing load can only take so much before the wings snap off. Typically the best method is to approach the target in a dive at about 70° and starting from about 10,000 – 12,000 ft ( 3,040 – 3,660 m), deploy dive brakes and line up for the target. When between 2,000 – 4,000 ft (610 – 1,220 m) release bombs, retract dive brakes, full throttle and pull up in a zoom climb.

The smaller 100 and 250 lb bombs are good for lightly armoured targets such as anti-aircraft cannons, trucks and light tanks. The 500 lb bombs should be reserved for more heavily armoured targets such as pillboxes, medium and heavy tanks or even many targets clustered close together. Though bases could be bombed, these bombs are relatively ineffective, however in a pinch, if all of the other smaller targets have been destroyed, feel free to drop bombs on bases to help rack up some points for ordnance dropped.

For those pilots who don’t have the patience for bombing runs and just want to tear up the playing field with machine guns, the DGP-1 gun pods will be the suspended weapon of choice. Extending the aircraft’s already six .50 calibre machine guns to 10 is enough do some serious damage both in the air and on the ground. The pilot will need to set the convergence to a comfortable distance which suites their needs, however, for those which like to get in close to other aircraft, setting convergence from 200-300 m will allow the ten guns to focus their rounds typically blowing off a wing, the aircraft in half or just pelting the critical components into failure. For those which will use the gun pods for ground-attack, having the convergence a bit farther out, say 500 – 600 m will allow for manoeuvring around the terrain and position for success rather than having to be right on top of the target before you can get a clean shot. The gun pods also allow the pilot to switch up tactics mid-match to air attack or ground attack and even switch back depending on target availability.

Usage in battles

The A-36 is quite a unique aircraft for its rank. It is a sleek looking fighter-bomber and should be used as such. It has good speed for its rank and designation, decent armament and a good selection of payloads; the A-36's role varies depending on the game mode you play.

Air Arcade and Air Realistic - In air battles, you can target ground forces with your .50 cals, equip bombs and take out medium or heavy tanks. One thing to remember while ground-pounding, enemy aircraft will see you as a tempting target which might cause you to prematurely release your ordnance and then fight as a fighter instead. For a slight performance drop, you can equip the gun pods, which makes this plane absolutely formidable against any aircraft, especially during head-on attacks. Fighters and bombers alike will take heavy damage if not fully destroyed by the ten .50 calibre machine guns. Generally, it is best to focus on enemy aircraft in Air Arcade, while leaving the ground attack to more dedicated aircraft.

Ground Realistic - Ground RB allows you to really let the A-36 shine. It performs very well in the fighter-bomber role. If you equip bombs, you can quickly dive into battle, bomb a target and then begin engaging enemy aircraft. If you instead equip the gun pods, you should also equip the ground targets belt. The high amount of AP ammunition allows you to penetrate most German and Japanese vehicles through the roof, while the belt still retains high levels of effectiveness against aircraft, allowing you to be a true multi-role fighter bomber. The gun pods also allow you to hunt heavily armoured aircraft like the IL2.

Tip: taking off in Simulator Battles
Sea-level maximum speed (Auto engine control, no secondary weapons): Altitude: just above sea level (minimum safe altitude: 5m/16ft), 100% throttle, elevator trim: 4% up, aileron trim: 1% left, rudder trim: 0%, you should get a true airspeed of 523 kph/325 mph/282 kt. Maximum true speed (Auto engine control, no secondary weapons): Altitude: 1,760 m/5,775 ft, 100% throttle, elevator trim: 5% up, aileron trim: 1% left, rudder trim: 0%, you should get a true airspeed of 536 kph/333 mph/289 kt.

Manual Engine Control

Modules

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Decent armament for its rank
• Fast bomb reload unlike typical fighters in Arcade
• Highly agile for an attacker
• Two of the 6 x M2 12.7 mm machine guns are mounted under the fuselage, increasing accuracy
• Superior firepower than most other planes in rank
• Very good energy retention for an attacker
• Good performance at low altitude
• Very good dive speed
• Has air brakes
• Attacker spawn point, can be used to certain advantage
• It's a modified version the P-51 making it a decent fighter with the addition of two 12.7 mm machine guns in the bottom of the nose
• Can opt to equip 2 x DGP-1 gunpods, adding further 4 x 12.7 mm M2's to it's armament, giving the A-36 a very high burst-mass compared to its contemporaries

Cons:

• Fuselage mounted M2's are hooked up to a synchronizer, lowering their effective rate of fire (prevents them from shredding the propeller)
• Carrying payload slows you down
• Is not a dedicated attacker unlike the A-20G-25
• Will be easily out turned by fighters of other nations
• Does not have access to rockets or bombs over 500 lb, making it difficult to use against heavily armoured targets

War Thunder Microsoft Store

History

The A-36 Apache, also referred to as Mustang, was a ground attack variant of the P-51 Mustang. In 1942, the Mustang I began to see service with the Royal Air Force and saw its first combat. It performed well, and North American Aviation wanted to get a contract to produce it for the USAAF, but there was no funding for fighter contracts in 1942. Instead, they decided to market it as an attack aircraft, as there were contracts available. They modified the Mustang to make it a dive-bomber, and designated it the A-36 Apache. Bomb racks and dive brakes were added, and the wings were strengthened.

The A-36 Apache first saw service in North Africa, and after several issues were noticed, pilots began to learn the proper dive-bombing technique. Once it was used properly by experienced pilots, the A-36 became known as a very reliable and consistent aircraft. The A-36 was also used extensively in the Sicily Campaign. They were used to take out enemy gun positions and strong points as the Allied armies advanced. A-36's not only performed well in ground attack, but also in dogfights. The A-36 scored 84 aerial victories. As the fighting in Italy got fiercer, the A-36 began to face alarming casualties. This was in part because of missions that placed them against deadly ground fire, and the Germans would run cables across hilltops in order to snag A-36's out of the air.

By June 1944, the A-36 was replaced in Europe by more effective models, such as the P-47 Thunderbolt and P-40 Warhawks. The A-36 also served in the China-India-Burma theater, at a great disadvantage. It performed long range missions of reconnaissance, dive bombing, attack, and fighter missions. Its main opponent was the Japanese Nakajima Ki-43, which outclassed the A-36 completely. It was gradually phased out of service since 1944, with some being used as training aircraft. Although it was only produced in small numbers (around 500) and served only for a short time, the A-36 made significant contributions to the American war effort. Notably, it was the first P-51 Mustang variant to enter combat with the USAAF.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

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

Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:

• topic on the official game forum;
• encyclopedia page on the aircraft;
• other literature.