The UH-1 Iroquois multi-purpose helicopter, developed by Bell Helicopter, made its first flight on October 22nd 1956 and entered serial production in 1960. This helicopter is still in active use today, with more than 16,000 UH-1’s having been produced.

This helicopter is available for 8,910 Golden Eagles.

When: From today until October 25th (07:00 GMT).
Where: USA > Helicopters > Premium vehicles.

About this helicopter

• One standout feature of the UH-1C XM-30 is its ability to equip an experimental weapon kit with two 30 mm XM140 cannons. This helicopter can also take 7.62 mm M134 Minigun machine guns, Mighty Mouse rockets and BGM-71C Improved TOW ATGMs, plus a 40 mm M75 grenade launcher for good measure, making it a jack of all trades!

Today we’ll be taking a look at the Object 140, which is a premium medium tank with a long-barreled 100 mm gun and a 14.5 mm anti-aircraft gun on the turret roof.

At a glance:

• Long-barreled rifled 100 mm cannon!
  
• Cast-domed turret.
  
• 14.5 mm anti-aircraft machine gun.
  
• Slow reverse speed.

Vehicle History
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In 1953, Uralvagonzavod began experimental design work on a program to create a new medium tank. The prototype, designated Object 140, was ready in 1957, but its factory tests revealed a number of problems with the engine, transmission and chassis. A second prototype was soon built, but in 1958 all work on the Object 140 protected was stopped, as the tank turned out to be less advanced than the Object 430 experimental tank developed by a team of Kharkov engineers. One tank has survived to this day. This is the second prototype built with a welded sight and rangefinder, mixed with rollers from both prototypes. It was on display for a long time at the Kubinka Museum near Moscow, and in 2006 the prototype returned to its historical homeland, to the musem of the Nizhny Tagil Uralvagonzavod.
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Pre-order - Object 140 Pack
Can be purchased through the store in-game. Shop > Online Store
59.99

• Object 140 (Rank 6, USSR)
  
• 2000 Golden Eagles
  
• Premium account for 15 days
  
• Pre-order bonus: unique "Top Secret" title
  
• Pre-order bonus: unique "Blacksmith of Victory" decal
  

One of the interesting vehicles of the transition period from medium to main battle tank, the Object 140 is coming in the next major update as a new premium tank available for pre-order from today. It’s kind of a hybrid of characteristics between the T-54 and T-10M series tanks, so let’s take a look!



Despite the fact that the Object 140 was developed as a new medium tank in the USSR, its external appearance can easily be traced back to the T-44, T-54 and T-55 series of tanks. What may catch your eye is the tank’s new long gun with a developed muzzle brake. This 100 mm gun has a two-plane stabilizer and is 35 cm longer than the gun found on the T-54, which means it has slightly more muzzle velocity, having a positive effect on its kinetic penetrating abilities. In terms of ammunition, the Object 140 can fire high-explosive, APCBC, HEAT, and APDS rounds.

The Object 140 has one important advantage that’s useful for taking out aircraft, and that’s thanks to its 14.5 mm large-caliber KPVT anti-aircraft machine gun on the roof of the turret. This gun is ideal to fight off helicopters and aircraft in Ground Battles and is also quite effective against lightly armored ground targets!



As for mobility and armor, the Object 140 is moderately fast, has good maneuverability (except its reverse speed, typical to Soviet tanks), good angled armor plates and a cast rounded turret that will ricochet more than a dozen armor-piercing shells. Having said this, the Object 140 has no protection against heat-based shells or guided missiles, meaning it’s very vulnerable to these types of weapons. Nevertheless, this tank can be called truly universal in any combat situation as it can start a battle at long distance as a sniper, and then help storm capture points, covering teammates in the first line of attack.

That’s it for now! The Object 140 will be one of the best Soviet medium tanks in the game and will be an excellent addition to vehicle lineups for helping to research ranks I to VII. You’ll be able to pre-order from today and use this new tank in the next major update once released. See you around!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

Let’s have a look at Dunkerque, the lead ship of a class of two battleships built in the early 1930s in an effort to modernize the French capital ship fleet to meet the threats posed by the navies of its neighboring countries.

At a glance:

• High top speed!
  
• Powerful primary gun battery.
  
• Unorthodox weapons layout.
  
• Average anti-air protection.

Vehicle History
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Following the end of WWI and the subsequent signature of the Washington Naval Treaty in 1922, France was faced with a challenging situation for its navy. On the one hand, the pre-WWI dreadnoughts required immediate replacement while on the other hand, the newly signed treaty imposed severe restrictions on the construction of new capital ships. Furthermore, French shipbuilders had to consider various operational requirements for the future design, especially keeping in mind their competitiveness against new Italian and German warships. The ship‘s design changed several times as French engineers experimented with various concepts in order to meet the requirements set out for the program. With the design finalized in 1932, two battleships of what would become known as the Dunkerque class were ordered for construction for the French navy. The lead ship of the class was laid down shortly after in the dockyard at Brest. Dunkerque was subsequently launched in October 1935 and commissioned with the French navy by the end of the following year. During the ship’s brief interwar service, it took part in several naval exercises and visited a number of ports prior to the outbreak of WWII.

At the time hostilities broke out between Germany and France, Dunkerque was primarily tasked with hunting down Deutschland class cruisers, for which the Dunkerques had been purpose-built. Nevertheless, as military action against France became increasingly likely, Dunkerque was ordered to the port of Mers-el-Kébir in spring of 1940 where she would be on standby to oppose any operation by the Italian military. However, after France signed an armistice with Germany in June 1940, British forces launched an attack on the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir to prevent them falling into German hands. Severely damaging Dunkerque in the process, the warship was eventually towed to Toulon for heavy repairs, which advanced slowly due to a lack of resources. After the occupation of Vichy France by Germany, the crew of Dunkerque scuttled the ship to prevent its capture. Dunkerque remained scuttled in Toulon for the remainder of the war until the ship was finally stricken in 1955.
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Coming to War Thunder in the French Bluewater fleet tree, Dunkerque features a more modern battleship design representing a radical departure from pre-WWI dreadnoughts. With an advanced artillery system and a unique weapons layout as well as superior mobility, Dunkerque will soon not only become a formidable adversary to face on the high seas of naval battles but will also rightfully claim its place as the new top French Bluewater vessel. Let’s take a look!




Contrary to most other warships in War Thunder, Dunkerque features a truly unique design. Instead of having its armament spread out in a more or less even manner across the whole ship, Dunkerque’s designers opted for a more unorthodox layout, placing the ship’s entire primary battery consisting of eight 13” (330 mm) guns on the front section toward the bow. As a result, this layout always means the ship’s primary guns can fire on a single target and also provides for excellent firing angles in the forward arc.

Dunkerque’s 16 x 5.1” (130 mm) cannons forming the secondary battery are moved aft and spread out between three quadruple and two twin turrets, these guns can especially become useful to fend off smaller vessels, such as destroyers or torpedo boats at close range. Low-caliber AA artillery leaves much to be desired: only five twin mounts of non-automatic 37 mm caliber cannons, and large-caliber machine guns.




Interesting: The ship that initially crippled Dunkerque at the fateful battle of Mers-el-Kébir, HMS Hood, is also the same warship that Dunkerque conducted several patrols against Axis vessels at the outbreak of WWII.

In terms of protection, French naval designers placed significant emphasis on the use of sloped armor plates in order to save on weight while not compromising on the ship’s protection. As such, Dunkerque adopts an all or nothing armor scheme, which sees its main belt featuring 225 mm of plating while the turrets and barbettes are protected by up to 330 and 310 mm of steel plating, respectively. As a result, Dunkerque’s protection remains fairly good when facing enemy capital ships up to heavy cruisers. However, the ship is less capable at going into outright brawls with more heavily armed and armored battleships.



If this happens, Dunkerque has one ace up its sleeve: mobility! Possessing a comparably modest displacement for a battleship and very powerful machinery, Dunkerque can reach a top speed just short of 30 kts (54.6 km/h). This allows it to both chase more nimbler opponents while also enabling it to outmaneuver opponents outclassing her in a naval engagement.



Dunkerque has set course for War Thunder naval battles and is due to dock in ports with the release of the next major update. In the meantime, keep scanning the news section as we continue to release new info on the upcoming update. Until then, calm seas and good hunting captains!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

Until 1910, Canada did not have its own navy, relying on the might of the British Empire. After having created its own navy, Canada purchased two ships from Great Britain. The first of which was HMCS Niobe, arriving in Halifax on October 21st 1910. This date was not chosen at random. It was the anniversary of the Battle of Trafalgar and the main holiday of British sailors who initially trained the Canadians. Canada celebrated Trafalgar Day until 2014, when it decided to mark October 21st as Niobe Day.

This destroyer is available for 3,416 Golden Eagles.



When: From today until October 23rd (09:00 GMT).
Where: Britain > Bluewater fleet > Premium vehicles.

About this destroyer

• HMCS Haida participated in World War II and the Korean War and holds the record for the most enemies sunk among Canadian ships. Haida’s excellent anti-aircraft weapons protect itself and allied ships from aircraft, and its large crew allow it to remain in combat for a long time. Haida is a true all-rounder, having powerful torpedoes, main weaponry consisting of six 120 mm guns, and good performance.

Fury from the skies! Meet the 17th season of the Battle pass. In this one, you can get the Soviet light cruiser Murmansk and the He 177 A-3 German bomber, armed with the new Hs 293 guided bomb!

To receive Battle Pass rewards, you’ll need to regularly log into the game and complete tasks and challenges to progress. Each level of the Battle Pass will earn you a prize, be it a player icon, loading screen, title, decals, decorations, or premium vehicles!

Please note: This time, we’ve created a trophy for ground vehicles that includes three Battle Pass rewards from previous seasons that were not available on the marketplace, as well as one event vehicle. Opening this trophy will guarantee you either the T55E1, Toldi IIA, Sd.Kfz.251/22, or Ka-Chi, if you don’t have them currently. If you have them all, you’ll receive Silver Lions and a “Collector Golden Battles Wager” instead.

In the future, we’re planning to rotate different Battle Pass trophies that contain a different set of event vehicles that were not available for purchase.

The maximum reward for this wager is 1,000 Golden Eagles. To receive it, you need to win 12 battles using rank III and higher vehicles while destroying at least one player vehicle in each match. If you lose your match or don’t destroy a player three times, the wager will be over and the reward corresponding to the progress made will be given to you.




We’ve got a new set of decals, decorations, a profile icon, a trophy containing previous ground vehicles from the Battle Pass, and two new vehicles lined up for you this season! See the full list in the Battle Pass tab in the hangar, or check them out on our Wiki. Here’s some key rewards for Season 17:

1 random ground vehicle (T55E1, Toldi IIA, Sd.Kfz.251/22 or Ka-Chi) from previous Battle Pass seasons or events


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Opening this trophy will give you 1 random ground vehicle from previous Battle Pass seasons, or one from a previous event. If you already own all of them, you’ll be given Silver Lions and a “Collector Golden Battles Wager”.

A Premium Light Cruiser for the USSR at Rank III

An American light cruiser in service with the Soviet Navy, featuring ten 152 mm guns, a radar and excellent anti-aircraft armament.

More details here.



A Premium Bomber for Germany at Rank IV

A high-speed, long-range bomber with an impressive payload and the Henschel Hs 293 guided bomb, new to Germany.

More details here.
















Bomber pilot





The Battle Pass is a seasonal event where players can earn many rewards, from Silver Lions and boosters to exclusive season prizes: decorations, profile icons and premium vehicles. The rules are simple: you earn progress points and use them to unlock new stages, earning valuable prizes in the process.

You can unlock new stages and receive awards at any time during the season.


You can access the “Battle Pass” window through the promo block on the right side of the hangar screen.

Play

• You get progress points every day for entering the game.
  
• From 1 to 5 points.

Complete Battle Tasks

• You can check your Battle Tasks in the game. Complete them and receive progress points.
  
• From 2 to 5 points.

Complete Season Challenges

• One Challenge is available at the start of the season. Every week you get a new one, while three more can become available by unlocking stages.
  
• 30 points.

Learn more about the Battle Pass

On October 21st 1805, perhaps the most famous naval battle in the history of the Royal Navy took place near Cape Trafalgar. 27 British ships of the line, led by Admiral Horatio Nelson, entered the battle against 33 ships of the line of the combined fleets of France and Spain. The Royal Navy did not lose a single ship in the battle, capturing 21 enemy ships and sinking one. This victory is widely celebrated in Great Britain to this day.

This coastal boat is available for 910 Golden Eagles.



When: From today until October 23rd (09:00 GMT).
Where: Britain > Coastal fleet > Premium vehicles.

About this boat

• The Fairmile D (5001) is a representative of the last, fifth series of Fairmile D boats, produced during the Second World War. Due to its wooden hull it does not differ in survivability, but is fast and well armed, making it best suited for sudden daring attacks on enemy boats. It differs from the previous modification in the game, the Fairmile D (697), in the calibers of the torpedo tubes. Two are the same at 450 mm each, while the other two are 533 mm ones.

For this day, you’ll be able to get a decal of Nelson who led the British to a victory at Trafalgar!


“Horatio Nelson” decal

When: From today until October 23rd (09:00 GMT).
Task: Play 3 battles using British ships at rank III or above to receive the “Horatio Nelson” decal!

Additional details:

• Your activity must not be below 70%.
  
• You can complete the task in random battles, except for Enduring Confrontation missions, and [Assault] mode.
  
• Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → Trafalgar Day.
  
• You can find the decoration in the “Holidays” tab in the Customisation menu.

Your vehicles in the fall colors were great. Thanks for sharing your screenshots with us last week! This week - pictures with bodies of water! Any water feature will do, such as rivers or lakes, or the ocean! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!


Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen142. You have time until the 25th of October to submit your screenshot.

After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.

• Your screenshot must feature a body of water - a river, lake, or ocean.
  
• You must add the #WTscreen142 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).
  
• Artists may only win by popular vote once per four screenshot competitions.

[/b]

Screenshots need to be compliant with the War Thunder rules.

You need to be the author of the screenshot.

Screenshot needs to be new. You cannot use those which have previously been published or used in other competitions.

We will only accept raw screenshots from the game. You cannot use any editing software nor any other visual enhancements (like Nvidia Ansel filters).

You can use filters and settings built into War Thunder.

You can use the replay functionality built into War Thunder.

Rewards will be delivered to the author's account within 14 working days.

[/list]


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3325929727
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3348212240
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3347232979

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3347350265
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3348080543
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3347644751

Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!

Today we’ll be taking a look at the PLZ05, featuring a modern 155 mm self-propelled howitzer that’ll further strengthen the Chinese ground forces tree in the next major update!

At a glance:

• Long-barreled 155 mm Howitzer that can fire HE shells!
  
• Mechanized ammo rack with a decent reload time.
  
• Laser rangefinder for easy long-range shots.
  
• Top speed of 56 km/h.

Vehicle History
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The PLZ05 was developed as a replacement for the aging PLZ83(A) in service with the PLA, which started from the transition of large-caliber Chinese guns to 155 mm caliber. The PLZ05 was a further development of the PLZ45 using a domestic engine and transmission. This new vehicle received an automatic loader, similar to the Russian Msta-S, a laser rangefinder and an anti-fragment liner. The PLZ05 was accepted into service in 2005 and is currently in service with the ground forces of the PLA.
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In the next major update, the Chinese ground forces tree will receive their very own long-barreled capable vehicle with devastating high explosive rounds — the PLZ05! Despite its considerable dimensions, this vehicle is mobile, has a high rate of fire and is equipped with modern electronics. Let’s take a closer look!




The stand-out feature of the PLZ05 is its armament! It’s a long-barreled Chinese 155 mm howitzer that’s loaded using a mechanized ammunition rack, where an exemplary trained crew can achieve a rate of fire of about 8 rounds per minute for the first-stage ammo. This gun can fire a regular high-explosive shell, a HE shell with a radio fuze, a SAP round, plus a smoke shell.




Visually, the PLZ05 is a large beast and is quite a heavy vehicle, making it easy to spot and difficult to hide. However, this vehicle has a maximum top speed of 56 km/h, allowing you to find advantageous cover and retreat out of difficult situations more than once.



That’s it for this one! The PLZ05 will arrive at rank V of the Chinese ground forces tree as a powerful vehicle in this nation. Very soon you’ll be able to try out this vehicle in battle, but until then keep an eye out for other vehicles that await you in the next major update!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

Today we’ll be taking a look at the FV107 Scimitar, a British light tank with a 30 mm autocannon on a light chassis, capable of positioning itself well around the map and causing havoc to the enemy!

At a glance:

• 30 mm L21A1 automatic cannon using the same ammunition as the Fox.
  
• Great top speed of 80 km/h.
  
• Light armor.

Vehicle History
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The FV107 Scimitar dates back to 1967, when the (CVR(T)) chassis was first designed to replace the Saladin armored car. In addition to the FV101 Scorpion, the Scimitar was also designed by Alvis as a light reconnaissance tank with 30 mm automatic fire potential. The first prototype was shown in 1971 and accepted into service in 1973, with 486 of these vehicles being produced in total.

Since 1974, the Scimitar has served in several conflicts, including the Falklands War, Gulf War, Iraq War and the War in Afghanistan. In 1982 during the Falklands War, the Blues & Royals squadron operated the Scimitar and claimed to have shot down an Argentine Skyhawk with the 30 mm autocannon. In the 1991 Gulf War, Scimitars engaged Iraqi T-62s first hand. Over 300 Scimitars remained in service with the British Army until 2023, when it was phased out for the incoming Ajax. Some other operators include Belgium with over 150 vehicles in use until 2004 and Latvia with over 120 vehicles since 2014, still in service with them today.
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Great Britain will be receiving a very nice light tank in the next major update, and that’s the FV107 Scimitar! This vehicle is somewhat similar to two others already in the game: the Fox, as it has the same gun, and the Striker, as it has a very similar chassis. Let’s take a closer look!




Another long-awaited light tank is arriving to Great Britain’s ground forces tree. Let’s take a look at the gun first! As with the Fox that we added earlier this year, the Scimitar features exactly the same gun and ammo — the 30 mm L21A1 RARDEN cannon that can fire APDS, APHE (SAP-I) and HEI-T rounds. Despite having a slower rate of fire than contemporary autocannons, the Scimitar can still certainly hold up against armored threats when hitting enemies from the side and rear.

Interesting: The word “Scimitar” refers to a single-edged sword with a curved blade.

As for mobility, the Scimitar is slightly inferior to the Fox due to its higher weight and tracked chassis. This vehicle comes in at around 8 tons with a top speed of 80 km/h and is almost identical as the FV102 Striker already in the game, apart from the fact that the Scimitar is smaller. These chassis have familiarities as they’re both based on the Combat Vehicle Reconnaissance (Tracked) (CVR(T)) series of vehicles.




Did you know? The (CVR(T)) series of vehicles is huge! Over 3,500 vehicles were built on this chassis, including the Scorpion, Striker, Spartan, Samaritan, Sultan, Samson, Scimitar, Sabre and Stormer.

Just like the Fox, the Scimitar features light aluminum alloy armor — enough to survive hits against anything up to a .50 cal, but anything above that will knock out the 3 crew members inside. Be sure to keep this in mind in battle and support your allies by flanking and spotting with the scouting mechanic! To round it off, the Scimitar has smoke grenade launchers to conceal itself or to assist when repositioning, plus a 7.62 machine gun for good measure.



That’s it for today’s blog! The FV107 Scimitar is coming to the game in the next major update and will provide Great Britain with even more light tank capabilities. Until the next blog, have fun and see you soon!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

Today we’ll be taking a look at the main aircraft reward for the Guided Fury Battle Pass, a long-range German bomber featuring the brand-new Hs 293 guided bomb, which is not currently in the game!


At a glance:

• Hs 293 and Fritz X guided bombs!
  
• Decent defensive weapons.
  
• High top speed.

Vehicle History
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Development of the He 177 bomber began in Germany in 1936, with engineers tasked with creating a high-speed aircraft capable of carrying up to 1,000 kg of bombs. Heinkel engineers presented a test model in late 1937, and by early 1939, a test batch of 12 aircraft had been ordered. The creation and testing of the He 177 was fraught with difficulties, some of which were never overcome.

By the end of 1944, development was completed, but by that time the military situation had changed and the need for the He 177 had significantly decreased. In total, more than 1,000 aircraft of various modifications were produced, some of which took part in battles on the Eastern Front. Despite this, the protracted development process did not allow the He 177 to significantly influence the course of the war.

The He 177A-3/R3 modification was the first carrier of the Henschel Hs 293 gliding guided bomb. To accommodate this bomb, three external racks were installed on the aircraft with the under fuselage rack blocking the opening of the front bomb bay. He 177 A-3/R3 Greif aircraft were produced in small numbers and were used to train crews in using the Hs 293 guided bomb.

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The main reward for the upcoming Guided Fury Battle Pass season is the German He 177 A-3/R3 Greif bomber, featuring the new Hs 293 guided bomb. This aircraft is not only a rare collectible, but also embodies the fantastic technology at the time. It’s also a fun and profitable aircraft that’ll be good in air, ground and naval battles. Let’s have a look!

If you’re a veteran of War Thunder air battles, you’re probably familiar with the He 177 A-5. This is a very large, but quite fast long-range German bomber with a large payload, also capable of using the first ever guided bomb used in combat, the Fritz X. The new He 177 A-3/R3 retains the main advantages of the A-5, but brings with it premium status and the new Hs 293 guided bomb. This bomb is inferior to the Fritz X in terms of warhead mass, but to launch it you don’t need to go to high altitudes and aim through a bomb sight, as the Hs 293 is essentially a guided air-to-surface missile!




How on earth does it work? The cruise engine accelerates it on the starting segment of its trajectory, and then the bomb goes into guided gliding mode. You’ll need some training with it, but after using it for bit, you’ll be able to master the guidance of this bomb and be able to accurately destroy tanks and ships with it. Oh yeah, you can also learn the basics of using these types of weapons in tutorials from the hangar, by going to Battles > Tutorial > AGM with manual guidance.

In addition to being able to launch both the Fritz X and new Hs 293, the He 177 A-3/R3 remains an impressive bomber in terms of payload. You’ll have access to regular 48 x 50 kg to 4 x 1800 kg bombs, as well as incendiary and armor-piercing bombs for destroying ships. In minimum weight configurations, this aircraft can accelerate to speeds in excess of 500 km/h (or 310~ mph for our American and British readers). To protect it from fighter aircraft or to take potshots at enemy bombers when passing by them in Air Battles, the He 177 A-3/R3 has turrets with conventional and heavy machine guns, as well as 20 mm autocannons in the tail and lower nose turrets.




As always, there’s a couple of shortcomings with the He 177 A-3/R3. That’s its large dimensions and the presence of only a pair of engines, meaning when one of them is damaged and leaking, landing this huge bomber becomes a truly difficult job.




This epic and technically stunning marvel can be yours by completing challenges in the upcoming Guided Fury Battle Pass season, starting on October 23rd. Warm up your fingers, sip some tea and play some War Thunder to level up your Battle Pass — this aircraft is worth it!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.