[previewyoutube=Sfzyd2vwXPI;full][/previewyoutube] Brand new Rank VIII 4th generation aircraft with the iconic trio of the F-16, the MiG-29 and the Tornado! A selection of over 40 new and updated models of aircraft, ground vehicles and naval vessels. New models for naval crews with reworked voice overs for naval events, drop-tank mechanics, two new locations and as always, a long list of bug fixes and smaller updates and changes! Prepare yourself, Apex Predators have arrived in War Thunder! [quote]

Please feel free to leave your feedback on this Major update in the feedback thread by clicking here

Aircraft

Ground forces

Naval

Locations

Music and sound effects

Changelog

New Vehicles:

Aircraft

USA

• A-6E TRAM (Store Pack)
• F-16A
• F-16A ADF

Germany

• MiG-21 Lazur-M (Store Pack)
• Tornado IDS ASSTA1
• Tornado IDS (Winter Quest event)

USSR

• MiG-23ML (Store Pack)
• MiG-29 (9-13)

Great Britain

• F-4J(UK) Phantom II (Store Pack)
• Tornado Gr.1
• Sea Harrier FRS.1 (squadron vehicle)

Japan

• F-4EJ ADTW (Store Pack)

China

• J-7D (Store Pack)
• F-16A MLU

Italy

• F-104S TAF (Store Pack)
• F-16A ADF (Italy)
• Tornado IDS (1995)

France

• Mirage F1C-200 (Store Pack)
• Mirage 2000D-R1
• Late 298D (Winter Quest event)

Sweden

• J35XS (Store Pack)
• JA37D

Israel

• Kfir Canard (Store Pack)
• F-16A Netz

Ground vehicles

USA

• M728 (Store Pack)
• M1128 Wolfpack (premium)

Germany

• Ferdinand - updated model
• Gepard 1A2

USSR

• Strela-10M2
• -80UM-2 (Winter Quest event)
• IS-2 (1944) - updated model

Great Britain

• Khalid

Japan

• SUB-I-II

China

• WZ1001
• IS-2 (1944) - updated model

Italy

• CM52

France

• AMX-32/105
• 2C bis

Sweden

• T-55M

Israel

• Magach 7C

Helicopters

Germany

• Bo 105 CB-2 - Detailed cockpit has been updated.
• Bo 105 PAH-1 - Detailed cockpit has been updated.
• Bo 105 PAH-1A1 - Detailed cockpit has been updated.

Naval Fleet

USA

• PT-812
• USS Newport News (Winter Quest event)

Germany

• V-990
• Z-47 (premium)

USSR

• Letuchiy
• Ryany (premium)

Great Britain

• HMS Abdiel

Japan

• IJN Myoko (premium)

Italy

• RN Duca degli Abruzzi

New locations and missions:

• Location for combined battles Gold Quarry"
• Location for combined battles Snowy Poland

Location and mission updates

• Aircraft missions (AB, RB, Enduring Confrontation and Helicopter PvE):
  • If the AI operated air defence misses an aircraft it is more likely to take a higher preemptive angle allowing the player to see that it is being shot at. Prior to this change missed shots were mostly behind the players aircraft and were difficult to see.
• Night signal lighting has been added to the large dynamic airfields.
• Lighting on the location Ground Zero has been fixed (switched off).
• The physics of the landscape affecting movement on poor ground (dirt, snow, etc), have been changed.
• Aircraft carrier models for test flights of early carrier-based British aircraft (HMS Illustrious), USA (USS Lexington) and Japan (IJN Shokaku). The escort ships have also been replaced.

Enduring Confrontation:

Enduring Confrontation and Helicopter PvE (common changes for both game modes)

• Objects (vegetation like trees and buildings etc.) that are in the battle area of ground battles will now be removed at the start of the battle so that there are no problems with units being stuck in trees and houses.
• The distance between the conflict sides in ground battles has been reduced and standardised (there were missions with a distance between troop positions of 2-3 km).
• The length of anti-aircraft bursts now depends on their fire rate. Faster anti-aircraft guns now fire shorter bursts so that the number of rounds is about equal at all ranks.
• All AI controlled air defences now use tracer ammunition.
• A bug that might cause a ground battle to start at the edge of the map but not at the front line, resulting in troops deep at the rear of the enemy and the attack being drawn across the map has been fixed.
• The logic of generating a ground battle at the beginning of the mission has been fixed. Now the battle shouldnt start in squares where the initial points of the player spawns exist (helicopter pads/airfields).
• A bug where a convoy with some units stuck in one of the squares was able to cross the front line and go deeper into enemy territory with the rest of the units has been fixed.

Enduring Confrontation (changes do not affect helicopter PvE)

• New mission in the Grand Canyon location.
• The vehicles used in the missions now take into account the regular change of BR ranges simply to avoid situations where aircraft with low BR end up against next-generation anti-aircraft guns.

Helicopter PvE (changes do not affect EC)

• New mission in the Grand Canyon location.
• Falcon and AMX DCA 30 have been replaced with Gepard I.

Ground Vehicle model, damage model, characteristic and weaponry changes:

• M1128 - 761 shell has been replaced with the 774. Additional protection in form of grids and side shields is not available as an installed modification.
• M42, M42 (Japan) Rank has been changed from IV to III.
• M42, M42 (Japan) BR in the RB mode has been changed from 4.7 to 4.3.

Aircraft and helicopter model, damage model, characteristic and weaponry changes:

Weaponry

• 23mm Type 23-2K autocannon Speed of rounds has been changed from 705 m/sec to 720 m/sec.
• 1000 pounds AN-M65A1 bomb Bomb mass has been changed from 1104 to 1205 pounds. Source: OP 1280, Aircraft Bombs. OP 2216 Aircraft Bombs, fuzes and Associated components. T.M. 9-1325-200.
• 1000 pounds AN-M65A1 Fin M129 bomb Bomb mass has been changed from 1205 to 1104 pounds. Source: OP 1280, Aircraft Bombs. OP 2216 Aircraft Bombs, fuzes and Associated components. T.M. 9-1325-200.
• A2D-1 The position of the 500 pounds AN-M64A1 bombs on the pylons has been corrected.
• Ba.65 (K.14) L New preset with 4x100 kg SAP 100M bombs has been added to the suspended weaponry. (report).
• Buccaneer S.2 - 540 pounder Mk.M2 bomb has been added to the suspended weaponry.
• B-25J-1 Guiding angles of the upper turret have been changed from 89 to 82 degrees.
• Do-17 Z-2 Preset with 10SC50 + 1xSC250 has been added to the suspended weaponry.
• Fokker D.XXX-3 - Amount of the ammunition for the 7.7 mm FN Browning M.30 No.3 machine guns has been changed from 500 to 300 rounds.
• F-86F-2, F-86F-25 - 750 pounder 117 bomb has been added to the suspended weaponry.
• F9F-8 - Mighty Mouse missile blocks have been added to the suspended weaponry.
• F-100D Amount of the BLU-27 has been changed from 4 to 6 units. Source: T.O. 1F-100D(l)-1 (31 July 1973) (Change 5-15 September 1978 (report).
• Mirage F1C, Mirage F1CT - Amount of flares has been changed from 184 to 252 (report).
• S.O.4050 Vautour IIN A bug where the 10 151 missiles were missed in the suspended weaponry has been fixed(report).
• Z-19 - Set of AKD-9 ATGM has been added as a free set.
• Q-5A - 250-3 bomb has been added to the suspended weaponry.
• MiG-3-34 Ammunition capacity of the 20 mm ShVAK cannon has been changed from 200 to 400 rounds.
• Su-223 A bug due to which the right 30mm -30 cannon wasnt working when Flares/Chaff modification wasnt installed has been fixed (report).
• Yak-38, Yak-38M - Additional R-60 missiles have been added to the suspended weaponry.
• F-4J Helmet-mounted target designation system has been added.
• F-104S - Flares and chaff have been added

Other

• A-4B - Displaying of icons for the MK77 Mod 4 incendiary tanks has been corrected.
• AD-2, AD-4, AM-1 Modification for research non-contact 1000 pounds MK 13 Mod 0 mine has been added.
• Bf-109 (all modifications) - MG151/20 cannon has been added in the X_Ray view.
• Bf-110C-7 - Displaying of the bomb pylon has been fixed.
• F3H-2 Radar model has been changed from AN/APQ-50 to AN/APQ-51. Source: Navweps 01-245FCB-501 Flight Handbook - F3H-2 , -2M Demon. F3H-2M Standard Aircraft Characteristics - 15 May 1955.
• F7F-3 - Displaying of the weapon icons has been fixed (report)
• F8U-2 Radar model has been changed from AN/APQ-50 to AN/APS-67. Source: F8U-2 Crusader Standard Aircraft Characteristics - 30 January 1959.
• Hunter F.1 Radar model has been changed from AN/APG-30 to ARI.5820. Source: A.P. 4347A Pilot's Notes Hunter F.1.
• MD-500-TOW Ballistic calculator for unguided rockets has been removed.
• Rooivalk Mk1F CSH A bug where in some cases could cause the pointing cross in the gunner view to extend beyond the pointing area has been fixed.
• Seafire FR.47 - A bug that caused the miss of the part of the right flap in the damage model has been fixed.
• Swift F.1 Radar model has been changed from AN/APG-30 to ARI.5857. Spurce: A.P. 4348A & B Pilot's Notes Swift F.1 & F.2.
• Tiger UHT, A-129CBT A bug due to which 12,7 mm FN M3P machine guns required two modifications has been fixed.
• Q-5L A bug that caused parts of the aircraft to remain in the air when the wing was torn off has been fixed.
• UH-1B, UH-1C, UH-1CXM-30 Displaying of the 40mm 75 grenade launcher in the X-Ray view has been fixed.
• UH-1C, UH-1CXM30 - Displaying of the ATGM weaponry icons has been fixed.
• Mi-24 (all modifications) Displaying of the 23mm GSh-23L cannons in the X-Ray view has been added.
• Mi-28N MAW modification has been replaced by Flares/Chaff modification.
• Su-8 A bug due to which the stabilizer wasnt divided into two parts has been fixed.
• MiG-23MLA - R-60 missiles have been changed to R-60MK.
• MiG-23MLD - R-60 missiles have been changed to R-60M.
• F-4EJ Kai - AIM-9L missiles have been added to the armament nomenclature.
• MiG-21bis (Sweden) - R-60 missiles have been changed to R-60MK.
• T129 - Displaying of the IRCM elements when installing appropriate modifications has been fixed.
• AD-2, AD-4 Modification to research aircraft non-contact 1000 lbs Mk 13 Mod 0 mine has been added.
• AH-64 (all modifications), YAH-64 Magnification of the TADS scope has been changed from 4.1x-81.8x to 3.0-126.0.
• AH-1F, AH-1S, AH-1Q, UH-1C, UH-1CXM-30 Magnification of the M65 TSU sight has been changed from 24.0x to 2.0-13.0.
• A.109EOA-2 Magnification of the SFIM M334 scope has been changed from 4.1x-81.8x to 2.5-10.0.
• BO-105PAH-1, BO-105PAH-1A1 Magnification of the APX 397 scope has been changed from 20.0 to 3.2-10.8.
• BO-105CB2, Lynx Ah.Mk.1, G-lynx, A-129CBT, A-129A, HKP9A, HKP9A (FC) Magnification of the HeliTOW scope has been changed from 20.0 to 3.2-12.0.
• F9F-2, F9F-5 Modification to research 500 pounds AN-M64A1 bomb has been added.
• MiG-23MLA, MiG-23BN, MiG-23MLD Display of the GSh-23L cannons has been added to the X-Ray view.
• Mi-24 (all modifications) Magnification of the 9475 sight has been changed from 15.0x to 3.3-10.0.
• Mi-28NM A bug where the covers of containers might remain in the air when firing Vikhr missiles.
• Il-28 (all modifications), Tu-14T, Mi-4AV, Mi-24 (all modifications), Mi-35M, Yak-1 (all modifications), Yak-7B, Yak-3, Yak-9 (all modifications) A system of inert gas inflation of fuel tanks has been added.

Secondary weapon customization

• AD-2
• AD-4
• AD-4NA
• AM-1
• AU-1
• DH-110 Sea Vixen
• F2H-2
• F9F-2
• F9F-5
• F9F-8
• F-84F (all nations)
• Mi-24A
• Mi-24D
• Mi-24P, Mi-24P (Germany), Mi-24P HFS 80
• Mi-24
• Mi-35
• Su-6
• Su-6 (M-71F)
• Su-6 (AM-42)
• Su-8
• Yak-38
• Yak-38M

Flight Model changes:

• D-520 Flight model has been updated. Maximum refuelling capacity has been increased. Weight of empty aircraft has been reduced. Flight performance hasn't changed.
• N1K2 (all modifications), SAAB J/A-21 (all modifications), F-105D, F-89 (all modifications) Engine fire suppression systems have been added.
• A6M (all modifications) Flight model has been updated. Fuel consumption has been updated. Fuel distribution and fuel tank usage order has been clarified.
• FW-190A-5 (all modifications) / Ta-152C1 Flight model has been updated. It is now much easier to perform manoeuvres against propeller rotation direction. When approaching critical angle aircraft become more stable. 3 points landing is now easier to perform.
• F4U-4/4b - Engine power has been specified. Work on WEP and 3rd stage has been fixed.
• F4U-7 - Engine power brought to the values of F4U-4b (boos has been increased).
• Il-28 (all modifications), MiG-17 (all modifications), MiG-15 (all modifications), Tu-14, Yak-28 - Engine fire suppression systems have been added.
• La-15/174 Engine fire suppression systems have been added.
• P-63 (all modifications) Engine start/stop times have been adjusted. Engine RPM dynamics has been improved. Operation of the propeller group as a whole has been improved and stabilised. Aileron efficiency at low airflow speeds has been reduced.

Naval fleet model, damage model, characteristic and weaponry changes:

Naval weaponry:

• RN Aquila - Fire rate of the 152 mm/40 Armstrong mod.1899/1916 main calibre guns has been increased to 6 rounds per minute.
• Pr.7 Besposhchadny - 45 mm anti-aircraft guns have been replaced with 37mm 70- autocannons.
• LCM ZIppo - MG-3 machine guns have been replaced with 73

Naval characteristics, physics and damage model:

• IJN Fuso - The belt armour scheme in the area of aft main calibre turrets and aft tip armour have been corrected.
• USS Fargo (CL-106) - Bridge location and its armour have been fixed. Fire control centres have been moved deep inside the ship, below the waterline.
• HMS Hood - funnel cutouts have been removed from the armored deck. Incorrect armor thickness of some areas of the deck have been fixed. Armoring of the deck above the ammo stowages and under the main gun turrets has been corrected.
• Z12 Erich Giese, Z15 Erich Steinbrinck, Emden - the position of the radio room has been corrected. The size of the fuel tanks has been fixed. Position and size of the ammo stowages corrected.
• SMS Ostfriesland - a bug has been fixed that made the armour thickness of the coal bunkers equal to 3 mm.
• Emden - the models and number of the ammo elevators of the main guns have been fixed.
• HMS Diana - the position of the radio room, plot room, and the ammo stowages of the main calibre guns have been corrected. Fuel tanks added. Position and size of the engine and boiler rooms have been fixed. Added armour for the navigation bridge and some air defence installations.
• HMS Glorious - armouring of the main calibre turrets has been fixed, the armour layout of the fire director room on the bow has been fixed. The thickness of the torpedo bulkheads has been adjusted. Coal bunkers have been changed to fuel tanks.
• USS Alaska - The shape and size of the fuel tanks has been corrected.
• IJN Hyuga - Deck armour for bridges has been added.
• Admiral Graf Spee - The location of the crew compartments has been corrected.

Naval Visual models and visual parts:

• New sailor and officer models have been added to each game nation for modern ships. Visual crew models have been replaced on all modern ships.
• Parizhskaya kommuna - 12.7mm DShK machine guns have been moved from the spotlight platform on the mast to the fighting top above.
• Folaga - The name of the ship has been corrected (the abbreviation RN has been removed), the flag has been changed to a republican one.

Other

• New AI-controlled WWII aircraft carriers have been added:
  • USA:
    • USS Lexington (CV-2)
    • USS Saratoga (CV-3)
    • USS Enterprise (CV-6)
  • Britain:
    • HMS Illustrious
  • Japan:
    • IJN Shokaku

Interface

• Hit indicators (red markers seen at the screens sides) have been updated. Hits without armour penetration displayed in grey, new indicators added for the hits that disable a module, a crew member, or initiate a fire in the players vehicle.

Economy and research:

• F4U-1A (USMC) -Has been removed from the group with F4U-1A
• Kfir C.2 - BR for RB has been lowered to 10.7.

Customization

• A set of pilot icons featuring modern female pilots has been added. Icons are available for purchase with GE.
• M46 Tiger - Decal of the tiger has been returned to standard camouflage. Free camouflage of the 73rd tank battalion has been removed.
• New collections of decals and decorations for winter events have been added.
• Added the ability to purchase camouflages with Golden Eagles or by completing tasks for WW2 era destroyers. Each playable nation has its own typical colour palette and typical designs.

Game mechanics

• Suspended fuel tank mechanics have been added for aircraft: Tornado (all versions), iG-29, F-16 (all versions), Mirage 2000D R1.
• A mechanism for determining the explicit activity of a player has been added to naval battles. In cases where during battle and using any weaponry under control of the player, a single hit to the enemy player is not made and therefore the account will not receive awards and achievements for the battle.
• Scout drones are now able to put a marker on the map via the target camera. The marker is visible to all allies and shown on the minimap of the team, as well as on the ground.

Graphical

• The visual effect of pulse-width modulation has been added to missiles with attitude control engines.

Sound

• The music for high ranked ground and air battles has been expanded with seven new tracks. Existing tracks have been completely redesigned.
• Voice events for all nations in Naval Battles have been completely updated. Each nation has received a new voiceover set in its own language. Now in a naval battle you can hear three different roles for your naval vessel: Commander, Officers and Sailors. The first one gives orders for running of it and its weapons. The Officers and Sailors will report on the situation in the surrounding waters and the vessel's condition. Enemy detection, their type, direction and distance, your firing results, and more will now be voiced by appropriate reports. Damage reports, fires or floods, dangerous heeling and broken mechanisms will allow you to not miss anything important and start repairs in time. Different intonations that depend on the situation and the intensity of the battle, will help to immerse yourself in the atmosphere of sea battles! When the enemy is distant and your vessel is in no danger, your crew reports and orders will be calm and focused. But when the enemy is near and shots and explosions are thundering all around, it would be difficult to keep a calm tone of voice! We remind you that the language of the crew's speech can be selected in the game menu: one for all nations or the unique national one. The U.S. and British navies still use a single voice option (British), but in the near future the US Navy will get its own unique voices. This is the beginning of a major sound update in naval battle which will be expanded and improved with future updates.
• The sound of the overall battle picture for ground and naval battles has been adjusted. The attenuation of the sounds of guns and shots and explosions is more consistent with the distance to them allowing more emphasis to be placed on nearer, more important sounds.