Today we’ll be taking a look at the KV-7, an experimental three-barreled tank destroyer and the main reward for the Dreams Come True event!

At a glance:

• Three guns (one 76 mm, two 45 mm).
  
• Excellent armor!
  
• Great APHE shells.
  
• Average mobility.
  
• Poor gun elevation/depression.

Vehicle History
[expand type=details]
The design team at the Chelyabinsk plant aimed to create an assault tank on the KV-1 chassis and considered multi-barrel layout schemes. One of these options was a prototype with the U-13 gun system for placing one 76 mm F-34 gun and two 45 mm 20-K guns into the turret. In view of the difficult situation at the front and the urgent need for an armored vehicle with increased firepower, work proceeded rapidly.

The first prototype was produced in December 1941, and the assembly of a test batch began almost immediately afterward. Field tests were conducted on January 5th 1942 in Mytishchi near Moscow. The three-barreled KV-7 demonstrated low accuracy due to the poor design of the breech frame and the inaccuracy of the sight, which did not take into account the significant difference between the ballistics of the guns. As a result, having received the test results, Joseph Stalin himself personally ordered that further development of the three-barreled version be abandoned. The rest is history.
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For War Thunder’s birthday, we’ve selected a suitable and special vehicle, the three-barreled Soviet KV-7 U-13 premium tank as the main reward in the Dreams Come True event! Let’s dive into the strengths and weaknesses of this interesting monstrosity.




A quick look at the KV-7 will reveal that its main difference from regular tank destroyers lies in its armament. The KV-7 is equipped with a 76 mm F-34 cannon, familiar from early T-34 tanks, along with a pair of 45 mm 20-K cannons which were used in pre-war light tanks of the USSR, such as the BT-7, BT-5, and T-26. All three cannons can fire simultaneously, and despite the differences in ballistics, at short and medium ranges the shells from the three cannons still group together quite well.

If you’re an experienced Soviet ground forces player, you’ve likely mastered the excellent BR-350 rounds fired from the 76 mm cannon. Yeah, sometimes they might not have enough armor penetration for the heavier tanks, but any penetration causes a large explosion and significant damage to internal modules and crew. Because of this, it would be a wise idea to prioritize these shells as the main ammunition type for the KV-7, and load the 45 mm guns with, say, APCR or APBC rounds. The KV-7 features a variety of ammunition options for taking out various opponents, from lightly armored targets to the more heavily armored beasts, so make sure to select the right rounds for the job as some may not be as effective as others depending on the situation.




What about armor? The KV-7 inherits its hull protection from the KV-1. This means it has well-protected sides, and frontal hull armor over 100 mm thick with the additional plating. The front of the casemate itself is also 100 mm thick, comprised of a 25 mm plate on top of a 75 mm plate, along with a sturdy gun mantlet. Having said this, the KV-1’s weakpoints are still present on the KV-7, primarily the drivers port and flat casemate front. Like the KV-1, the KV-7 benefits from angling its chassis to increase survivability — however unlike a regular tank, doing this will make it harder to fire back as the KV-7 has limited firing angles. This tactic though can be used effectively to bait a shot before turning back and bearing down all three guns upon your enemy.



In terms of mobility the KV-7 performs as expected, being similar to the KV-1. The speed is average but sufficient enough to allow it to get into positions and fight the enemy aggressively when needed.

The premium KV-7 U-13 is the main reward for the Dreams Come True event which begins today! Overall the KV-7 is going to fit in well with Soviet ground forces lineups at ranks II-III. For players who would like to start their research of Soviet vehicles, the KV-7 presents the perfect opportunity to research ranks I to IV.

Click here to find out more details about the Dreams Come True event

Boo! Happy Halloween! Thanks for submitting your screenshots - They looked fantastic. A lot has been going on, and there is more to come! This week- take a picture of something with a piston-powered engine! This can be a picture of an early biplane, or even a few modern vehicles- but nothing with a jet or turbine engine. 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 #WTscreen144. You have time until the 8th of November 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 vehicle with a piston engine.
  
• You must add the #WTscreen144 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=3354907105
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3354940231
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3355864750

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3357511627
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3355157712
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3356115725

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

A unique take on the Mi-24 from South Africa — meet a new attack helicopter landing in the British helicopter tree, the Super Hind!

At a glance:

• Ingwe Tandem ATGMs!
  
• Optical-electronic countermeasures.
  
• Exhaust screen suppressors.
  
• Traversable 20 mm cannon.
  
• No air-to-air missiles.

Vehicle History
[expand type=details]
The Super Hind modernization program for the Mi-24 family of helicopters was developed by South African company Advanced Technologies and Engineering (ATE). The goal of the program was to extensively upgrade and retrofit the helicopter in order to equip it with advanced weaponry and improve its adaptability on the modern battlefield. It received extensive enhancements to its navigation systems, which enabled all-weather round-the-clock operation. 

First in line for the Super Hind was the Algerian Air Force, which signed a contract in 1999 to modernize 40 of their Mi-24V models. Later, helicopters from Bulgaria and Azerbaijan were also modernized under the Super Hind program.
[/expand]


The legendary Mi-24 “Crocodile” has received a noticeable upgrade in the form of the new Super Hind and is especially optimized for Ground Battles, featuring all new tandem ATGMs. In addition to this, South African engineers completely redesigned the front part of the Mi-24, where a sighting system and 20 mm autocannon with boxes for belts are located. Let’s take a look at this new squadron vehicle coming to the Firebirds major update!




After starting out with familiar rockets found on the Mi-24, such as the default S-8KO (of which there are 80) and S-24, the Super Hind is able to unlock up to eight INGWE anti-tank guided missiles. If you’ve ever used the South African ZT3A2 Ratel vehicle, you’ll be familiar with these missiles. They’re powerful and are located under the Super Hind’s wings and can engage targets up to 5 km away with pinpoint accuracy thanks to the help of excellent optics, speed and resistance to jamming. So, once they hit, what kind of damage can you expect? A lot! This missile can punch through 1000 mm of armor, and combining this with the tandem warhead means there’s not much that can withstand a hit from the INGWE.

Did you know? INGWE is the Zulu word for Leopard, it’s quite a rare sight to see a Leopard and a Crocodile working together in harmony!




The standard machine gun mounted in the nose of many Soviet Mi-24 models has been replaced with a rapid-firing 20 mm GI2 cannon equipped with AP rounds. These are highly effective for destroying light targets at close range, and can even punch through the roof of many MBTs. The cannon is fully traversable and can lock onto targets accurately even while performing maneuvers.

While the Super Hind is an adept hunter when it comes to ground vehicles, it can’t boast as much ability when confronted with airborne threats. This helicopter can’t carry any air-to-air missiles, so it must rely on its vast array of countermeasure systems and autocannon with automatic target tracker to fend off enemies in the air. While it lacks offense in this area, it’s thankfully not lacking in defense, being equipped with a large number of chaff and flares, exhaust screen suppressors, and optical-electronic jamming systems.



Like other squadron vehicles, the Super Hind can be obtained for free by playing the game while in a squadron and earning activity points. Though, if you can’t wait to fly this South African Croc, you can always purchase it directly with Golden Eagles. The Super Hind will be available in the next major update at rank VI in the British helicopter tree, where it will complement IFVs and the early Challenger 1 MBTs nicely in lineups.



That’s all for today! We hope you look forward to giving this helicopter a spin in the Firebirds update, until then, keep checking in for more devblogs and happy hunting!

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

Today, the Dreams Come True event featuring the KV-7 as the main reward has started! While exciting as it is, it’s War Thunder’s 12th birthday this year, so we wanted to spice it up a bit for you. We’re happy to announce a few side activities related to the KV-7 and the game’s anniversary!

KV-7 Dreams Come True Event Details

Your eyes don’t deceive you — there’s now a chance to win the famous IS-7. As it’s War Thunder’s 12th anniversary, we’re giving away IS-7 heavy tanks during our anniversary stream to 12 lucky winners through earned tickets during a new event. Read on!

When: From November 15th (11:00 GMT) until November 18th (11:00 GMT), earn mission points in the “Chasing the Older Brother” event and get tickets for a chance to win the famous IS-7, added directly to your account.

The “Chasing the Older Brother” is an event with arcade levels of difficulty where everyone plays in a KV-7 vs KV-7 mode with no aircraft set on “classic” small maps: [Domination] Kuban, [Domination] Poland, [Domination] Eastern Europe, [Domination] Abandoned Factory, [Domination] Karelia, [Domination #1] Mozdok, [Domination] Advance to the Rhine, [Domination] Sinai, [Domination] Volokolamsk. Everyone has 3 respawns.

To participate in the Chasing the Older Brother event you need to own the KV-7, which is obtainable during the Dreams Come True event.

You can find this event under Events & Tournaments from the hangar.

Let’s see what tickets are. 1 ticket is given for every 5,000 mission points earned in the “Chasing the Older Brother” event. Tickets are limited to 5 per day (a new day starts at 11:00 GMT), so the maximum amount of tickets you can acquire is 15.

You can track your daily progress by heading to your Profile > Achievements > “Chasing the older brother” section. Each ticket that you earn will have its own unique ID in your inventory.

A link to the full list of player IDs and ticket IDs will be added to this news after the event ends and before the anniversary stream starts. It will be removed after two weeks.

Here is a link to the full list of player IDs and ticket IDs (downloads file). It will be removed after two weeks.

You can look up your ID in the list by first finding it on your profile page and then searching the file for it — all your tickets with corresponding IDs are in it.

Read below to see how tickets give you a chance to win the IS-7.

How do earned tickets convert into a chance to win the IS-7? On November 22nd (16:00 GMT), we’re going to host an anniversary stream where among other things, this giveaway will take place with Mike and Tom being the hosts.

OFFICIAL TWITCH CHANNEL

Each ticket that you have will enter you into the giveaway draw. The more tickets you have, the higher chance you have of winning.


Twitch Drops will be available for the entire weekend on a select amount of content creator Twitch channels as well as the Official WT Channel during the anniversary giveaway stream. The exact channels can be seen on Twitch under the “Drops & Rewards” section. Be sure to watch to earn yourself some goodies!

Login to your Twitch account → link your Gaijin account → click “Allow” to be able to receive Twitch Drops!

When: From November 22nd (12:00 GMT) until November 25th (10:00 GMT).

• For 15 minutes watch time: 50% Research Points Booster for 10 battles
  
• For 30 minutes watch time: 50% Silver Lion Booster for 10 battles
  
• For 1 hour watch time: 1 day Premium Account
  
• For 2 hours watch time: “777th Tank Battalion Emblem” decal
  

As we celebrate War Thunder’s anniversary, we want to extend our heartfelt thanks to every player — both newcomers and long-time veterans. To mark this milestone, we’re thrilled to release a new cinematic trailer showcasing the War Thunder universe. Plus, by clicking on this link, you can earn a decal and get access to tasks for another three decals featured in the trailer!

Thank you for being part of this incredible journey!

War Thunder celebrates its 12th birthday on November 1st. It was on this day in 2012 that the game entered open testing. Since then, it has become larger and has grown incredibly in scale and ambition, winning the love of millions of players around the world.

We started the celebrations a week ago with in-game discounts and continued with discounts in the Gaijin Store, which is still ongoing. Now it’s time for the last stage of the celebration! Earn the premium KV-7 in the Dreams Come True event, get some awesome Esports camouflages from Twitch Drops, decorate your vehicles with an anniversary decal, and of course, the much-loved Maus temporarily returns to be researched, typical to our anniversary event.

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Take part in the Dreams Come True event to get two decals, a decoration and the KV-7 Soviet experimental premium tank destroyer.

This vehicle first appeared in 1941 and combines the well-protected KV-1 heavy tank chassis with powerful APHE shells from the T-34-76 series of tanks. The KV-7 has three guns — one 76 mm and two 45 mm.

Learn more about the KV-7 event here

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We wanted to spice it up a bit for you! We’re hosting KV-7 vs KV-7 battles during the “Chasing the Older Brother” event, where you can earn tickets for mission points. Those tickets will go into a draw, and 12 lucky winners will be drawn live on our anniversary stream, with each winning the IS-7, added directly to their account. During the anniversary stream there will also be Twitch Drops to earn some goodies.

Learn more about this event here

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“War Thunder 12 years” decal.

Get War Thunder’s 12th anniversary commemorative decal for playing one battle.

• Task: Play 1 battle with any vehicle at rank III or higher in any game mode to get the “War Thunder 12 years” decal.

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According to the glorious tradition, a giant has dropped by to pay us a visit: say hello to the legendary Maus tank. If you don’t yet have this tank, you’ll be able to research and purchase it for Silver Lions between the specified dates.

• To start researching the Maus, you need to have rank V of the German ground forces tree unlocked.
  
• Assign your Research Points from battles or convert research points into the Maus within the specified event time period! If you gained any research, the researchable Maus will not disappear after the event ends, meaning you’ll be able to finish researching it any time later.

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• Up to 50% off in the Gaijin Store.

Store Sale

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Take part in tournaments dedicated to War Thunder’s birthday, or watch livestreams on Twitch and get valuable rewards from Twitch Drops!

Air Superiority 2024

• The overall sound volume has been reduced in accordance with technical requirements of digital distribution services. Please note that it is the general volume levels that were reduced, while the volumes of separate game soundscape elements relative to each other have remained the same.

Patch notes reflect only key changes, meaning they may not include a complete list of all improvements made. Additionally, War Thunder is constantly being updated and some changes may not require an update. Changes reflected in patch notes are formed by taking reactions and requests of the community from the bug reporting service, forums and other official platforms into account. Bug fixes and changes are implemented in order of importance, for example a game-breaking bug will be worked on and implemented sooner.

JDS Murasame is the lead ship of a class of destroyers, built for the JMSDF in the late 1950s as successors to the Ayanami class in the antisubmarine warfare role.

At a glance:

• Versatile arsenal.
  
• Excellent mobility.
  
• Features torpedoes.

Vehicle History
[expand type=details]
The Murasame class of destroyers were ordered in the late 1950s as a replacement for the preceding Ayanami class. Construction of the lead ship, JDS Murasame, began in December 1957 with the keel being laid down in the Kobe shipyard. JDS Murasame was launched and subsequently commissioned into service in 1958 and 1959, respectively.

Although initially intended only to serve in the ASW role, JDS Murasame’s potent artillery arsenal also effectively enabled it to perform anti-aircraft duties. As a result, ships of the Murasame class were later on unofficially redesignated to all-purpose destroyers. After entering service, JDS Murasame took part in several oceangoing voyages and military exercises. Later on in her career, JDS Murasame was also used as a test platform for minesweeping equipment before ultimately being decommissioned in March 1988.
[/expand]




JDS Murasame (DD-107) will be a new early Cold War era destroyer arriving to the starting ranks of the Japanese Bluewater fleet in the Firebirds major update. Being a later successor to the JDS Harukaze already in the gamae, JDS Murasame features a greatly upgraded weapons arsenal while maintaining the good mobility of its predecessor. Sounds interesting to you? Then join us in today’s devblog as we explore the details of this new Japanese vessel coming to the game very soon!




As already mentioned, JDS Murasame is a successor design to some of the early Cold War Japanese destroyers, built for the JMSDF after WWII. Keeping in line with previous designs, shipbuilders placed emphasis on flexibility and JDS Murasame is no exception in this. Its arsenal best reflects this fact as the ship is equipped with three 5’’ (127 mm) Mark 16 cannons of American origin. Representing an upgraded version of the iconic Mk.12 cannon also found on JDS Harukaze, the Mk.16 cannons retain their signature high rate of fire and combine it with a longer barrel and heavier rounds, giving the cannon overall greatly improved ballistic properties and extending its range.

Furthermore, JDS Murasame is also equipped with a more powerful secondary battery consisting of two twin 3’’ (76 mm) cannons. Rounding off this arsenal are also a number of depth charge and torpedo launchers on either side of the ship. Overall, JDS Murasame is well equipped to face virtually any opponent on or above the sea’s surface thanks to its both powerful, but also very flexible weapon loadout.




Interesting: JDS Murasame’s 5’’ primary guns originate from the American carrier USS Midway, where the guns originally formed part of the ship’s arsenal.

However, JDS Murasame doesn’t only boast excellent firepower. In fact, this ship is also a very nimble vessel. Thanks to its powerful machinery, JDS Murasame can attain a top speed of 30 kts (56 km/h), similar to its predecessor. As a result, JDS Murasame can quickly maneuver on the sea, allowing captains to change their tactical approach virtually on the fly. On the other hand, being a light vessel also comes with the inherent drawback of not possessing extensive protection. As a result, JDS Murasame features only limited protection around its vital components which may enable it to absorb some damage from incoming fire, but not nearly enabling it enough to engage in brawls with other vessels.



JDS Murasame will soon reinforce the early ranks of the Japanese navy’s Bluewater fleet in War Thunder, becoming available for research to following the release of the Firebirds major update. In the meantime, be on the lookout for more news regarding the upcoming update. Until then, calm seas and happy hunting captains!

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 Sabra Mk.I, a tank that was derived from major upgrades made to the Magach 7 tank, featuring add-on armor modules and a new 120 mm gun!

At a glance:

• 120 mm gun similar to the Merkava tanks with a good reload speed!
  
• Effective APFSDS shell.
  
• Decent protection.
  
• Average mobility.

Vehicle History
[expand type=details]
As part of Magach 7C modernization, Israeli company Israel Military Industries (IMI) developed and created a prototype of the Sabra Mk.I MBT in 2002-2005, coming in as a deep and comprehensive modernization of the Magach series of tanks. The main differences of the project were a new 120 mm smoothbore gun, a set of add-on armor elements for the hull and turret, a new fire control system and an electromechanical turret drive. The Sabra program was proposed to Turkey as a possible modernization program for their fleet of M60 tanks. However, the Turkish had counter-proposals that led to further modifications and the construction of a second prototype under the designation Sabra Mk.II.
[/expand]




The Israeli Sabra Mk.I is quite literally the ultimate Magach and will provide an interesting alternative when placed in some high-ranking ground force lineups. It features a very similar gun as the Merkava Mk.3 but at a lower Battle Rating, so let’s take a closer look!




Further development of the Magach 7C led engineers to create the Sabra tank. Just by looks, the turret has a familiar silhouette with add-on armor modules, but most importantly there’s a new gun. This 120 mm smoothbore gun is a very close relative of some of the higher-ranking Merkava tanks and can fire three types of ammunition, including HEATFS, HE-TF and an M322 APFSDS round.

The Sabra’s armor is made using the same technology found on the Magach 7C — it consists of modules of combined armor welded onto the standard steel armor of the M60. However, the layout and composition of this add-on armor differs from the Magach. Some differences include more protection at the front of the turret by the gun mantlet, the upper plate and turret sides. How effective is it though? It’s capable of stopping HEAT based rounds, however kinetic shells will pierce straight through without a problem. Besides this, the dense layout and poor location of ammunition stored internally definitely decrease the survivability of the Sabra once it has been penetrated.




Despite all the above mentioned changes, the engine of the Sabra Mk.I is the same as the Magach 7C. In terms of maneuverability, both tanks are almost identical, meaning the overall mobility of the Sabra is somewhat poor. Don’t fret though, as there’s one more positive. The reload speed of the gun can be as low as 6 seconds on an Ace crew — something the Magach can’t do!



That’s it for today’s blog. The Sabra Mk.I will arrive at rank VII in the Israel ground forces tree in the Firebirds major update and is sure to provide extra firepower thanks to its 120 mm gun. Be sure to check out the news for more dev blogs that we’re currently cooking!

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

In this month’s Pages of History, you’ll be at the center of events that took place in different theaters of war. Belarus, the Philippines, Egypt and Hungary: take part in battles with the vehicles corresponding to these historic battles and receive prizes. 



Marmaduke “Pat” Pattle was a South African-born British pilot and one of the Allies’ most successful aces. In less than a year of combat, he is credited with shooting down more than fifty enemy aircraft, most of them while he was piloting a Hawker Hurricane. He fought in North Africa and Greece, leading No. 80 Squadron, which included the famous writer Roald Dahl. Pattle was killed on 20th April 1941 in an air battle near Athens with German Bf 110s.

You can immediately purchase this profile icon for Golden Eagles until December 3rd, 11:30 GMT without completing tasks. To find it, go to your Nickname → Achievements → Pages of History.


Completing each individual task will give you a trophy with one of the following rewards:

• 20-50% RP booster for 3-10 battles;
  
• 20-50% SL booster for 3-10 battles;
  
• 3-5 universal backups;
  
• Premium account for 1 day;
  
• A random camouflage for ground vehicles (out of the selection of camouflages currently obtainable in game for completing tasks, or purchasing with Golden Eagles).

• Tasks are available from 11:00 GMT until 11:30 GMT on the final day of each task.
  
• Tasks can be completed in random battles except for “Assault” mode.

On October 6th 1943, the Allies broke through Germany’s first line of defense in central Italy, but their further advance was hampered by the poor condition of local roads, which made supply difficult. Therefore, the assault on the Barbara Line, the second in a row, did not begin until November 2nd, but was completed within 24 hours. German troops retreated back to the Gustav Line.

On November 6th 1935, the single-seat Hawker Hurricane fighter took to the air for the first time. Almost 15,000 units of this aircraft were produced, and in the Battle of Britain, it was Hurricane pilots who achieved more than half of all aerial victories over the Luftwaffe.

On November 12th 1940, Britain raided the Italian naval base at Taranto. It was the first naval battle in which aircraft launched from ships attacked other ships. Fairey Swordfish torpedo bombers from the carrier HMS Illustrious used specially modified torpedos to hit the Italian fleet in the shallow bay. Italy lost half the battleships in the harbor.

After the end of the autumn thaw, the Wehrmacht resumed its advance on Moscow, and on November 15th 1941, Soviet troops began a defensive operation near Klin and Solnechnogorsk. During the fierce battles, German forces approached Moscow to a distance of only 14 km, but the Red Army managed to hold them back, and then seize the strategic initiative and go on the offensive along the same line.

On November 18th 1941, the British Empire launched an offensive on the North African front. After initial setbacks, the Allies managed to break through the Axis defenses, and on 28th November the New Zealand Division rejoined the defenders of the besieged Tobruk, and by the end of the year the German and Italian forces had retreated from the region. The success of the operation was Britain's first major victory against the Wehrmacht.

The Stalingrad strategic offensive operation, codenamed Operation Uranus, began on November 19th 1943. By November 22nd, hundreds of thousands of Axis troops were encircled east of the Don, and the encirclement tightened steadily until all Axis forces had surrendered by early February.

The French Normandie Squadron in the service of the Soviet Union was formed on November 25th 1942, by order of Charles de Gaulle. In 1943, it was transformed into a regiment. Normandie fought on the Eastern Front until the end of the war, participating in the Battle of Kursk and the Belorussian Operation. During Operation Gumbinnen, the regiment shot down 41 German aircraft without suffering a single loss. On November 28th 1944, for its services in crossing the Neman River in Lithuania, the regiment was named Normandie-Niemen.

Operation Road to Jerusalem was conducted in Iran from November 29th to December 7th, 1981. At midnight on November 29th, Iranian forces launched an attack on the Iraqi-held city of Bostan and captured it by morning — the first city recaptured by Iran since the beginning of the war. By the end of the operation, Iran had held off an Iraqi counterattack and liberated about 70 villages in Khuzestan Province.