HS 129 B1 Tank Buster is a German Air unit.
Overview[ | ]
The experiences of the Spanish Civil War were instrumental in the development of the precepts of modern warfare in Nazi Germany and aviation was no exception. The concept of a dedicated ground-attack aircraft, once balked at, was vindicated by the Kondor Legion and its use of the Henschel Hs 123 against Republican targets, spurring the development of dedicated aircraft.
The Henschel Hs 129 was the result of this program, created after three years of experimentation and iteration. It was built with survivability in mind, with the entire nose area enclosed in steel armored plating, angled to increase effective protection from anti-aircraft fire. The cramped cockpit was almost impossible to move in, with some of the instruments and the gunsight mounted outside the canopy. The pair of counter-rotating engines were also armored and provided an excellent, stable platform for tank-busting weaponry.
The B-1 refers to the initial production variant that entered production in December 1941, delivered at a steady trickle to the military. It originally mounted the 30mm MK 101 cannon in a centerline gun pod, but existing units were later rearmed with the much more effective 37mm Bordkanone 3,7 adapted from the FlaK 18, already proven on the Ju 87 G.
- Note: The Hs 129 B1 was produced in very small numbers, due to the low priority, with the B-2 version of the aircraft mounting the BK 3,7. The B-1 designation in the game likely refers to a refitted unit.
Strategy[ | ]
- As far as tank busters go, the HS 129 is one of the most effective strike aircraft in its group. Although weaker than its younger brother, the B-3 and its 75mm cannon, the B1 can easily wreak havoc and destroy any enemy armored unit in phase A and remain a threat to others in subsequent phases. Buy one, keep one.
- However, it needs either air superiority or heavy protection. It's not designed for dogfights and relatively slow, allowing enemy dogfighters to run it down with relative ease. At any rate, unless you are confident that you have control of the air, keep it closer to your side of the front and be ready to evacuate it at a moment's notice while deploying your own fighters to chase the enemy away.
Gallery[ | ]
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