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Swiss Aircraft Line & the C-3604!

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Today we’re announcing the Swiss aircraft line coming to the German aviation tree, and we’ll be taking at closer look at the C-3604 from the Second World War!

In the Leviathans major update, several aircraft from Switzerland will come to the game as a separate line in the German aircraft tree. Let’s do a quick breakdown on what you can expect: the Mirage IIIS C.70 export modification, a new variant of the Hawker Hunter F.58, the compact F-5E, as well as two variants of the formidable F/A-18 Hornet (plus one as a pre-order pack). The earliest Swiss aircraft to come is the C-3604 piston strike aircraft, fully designed by Swiss engineers!

[/p][h2]C-3604: A Strike Aircraft for Germany at Rank II[/h2][p]At a glance
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  • [p] Powerful autocannons
    [/p]
  • [p] Versatile ordnance options
    [/p]
  • [p] Tail gunner
    [/p]
[p]Vehicle History As Switzerland remained neutral during the Second World War, it faced increasing difficulty in importing modern combat aircraft. This fact prompted efforts to build indigenous designs for reconnaissance, ground-attack, and air defense roles. As a result, a line of Swiss military aircraft was developed during the late 1930s and 1940s by Eidgenössische Konstruktionswerkstätte (EKW) to provide domestically-produced alternatives, ultimately culminating in the EKW C-36 series.

The original C-3603 variant entered service in 1942 as a two-seat reconnaissance and light attack aircraft, featuring a mixed construction of metal and wood. While reliable, the C-3603 was underpowered and became vulnerable as aircraft technology advanced rapidly during the war. In response, EKW developed the C-3604 variant — a significantly upgraded version equipped with a more powerful engine and heavier armament. However, by the time of its introduction, the C-3604 was already obsolete compared to contemporary aircraft, and only a small number were produced. Nevertheless, the C-36 series stood the test of time and continued serving the Swiss air force well into the cold war as a trainer and target tug aircraft.


[/p][h2]Introducing the C-3604![/h2][p]
While individual Swiss aircraft have been a common sight in War Thunder’s skies for some time now, the Leviathans major update officially introduces a line of new Swiss aircraft to the German aircraft tree. A highlight of the new Swiss aircraft is the domestically designed C-3604 multirole aircraft. Today’s devblog is all about this new aircraft, so let’s dive right into the details!


The C-3604 is a further developed variant of the C-36 series of Swiss combat aircraft from the early postwar period, intended to remedy some of the shortcomings of the early production variant. The upgrades predominantly center around the aircraft’s engine, which is upgraded to a domestic variant of the Hispano-Suiza 12Y 1,300 HP inline engine. As a result, the aircraft is able to reach a top speed of 560 km/h at medium altitudes along with average agility.

Interesting: Variants of the C-36 served in auxiliary roles with the Swiss air force up until the late 1980s. A remarkable feat considering the aircraft was deemed outdated even as it entered service in the 1940s!


However, flight characteristics are one thing. Which weapons the aircraft brings to the fight is a different element altogether. Fortunately, the C-3604 doesn’t fall short in this aspect either. Equipped with a total of three 20 mm cannons and backed up by a pair of 7.5 mm machine guns, the C-3604 can certainly be considered all but lightly armed. Thanks to the autocannons, this aircraft won’t only make short work of other aircraft in aerial combat, but it can also pose a serious threat to ground targets as well, provided armor piercing ammunition is loaded.

For tougher ground opponents, the C-3604 can also be fitted with suspended ordnance. This means that you can choose to outfit this aircraft with 50 or 200 kg bombs, or also mount the powerful 8 cm Oerlikon rockets, which possess ample penetrating power to defeat most heavily armored targets.


The C-3604 will soon appear in the German aviation tech tree between He 112 B-0 and Fw 190 A-1 as part of the upcoming introduction of the Swiss subtree in the Leviathans major update! That’s all for today’s devblog. In the meantime, be sure to follow the news for the latest information regarding the upcoming update. Until then, clear skies and happy hunting pilots!

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

Screenshot Competition – Heat & Humidity!



Welcome to the 177th War Thunder Steam Screenshot Competition!


Thank you once again for the incredible screenshots—your submissions have great detail and creativity! For the next competition, we’ll be exploring the extremes of nature. Whether you’re charging through sun-bleached deserts or creeping through steamy jungle undergrowth, we want to see how your vehicles fare in these challenging environments. Capture your survival, strategy, and grit beneath scorching skies or beneath green canopies! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

[h2]Let’s begin the 177th edition of our competition![/h2]

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen177. You have time until the 27th of June 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.



[h3]Terms:[/h3]
    Your screenshot should be taken in a desert or jungle environment and can include any vehicle.
    You must add the #WTscreen177 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).
    Artists may only win by popular vote once per four screenshot competitions.
  • 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.


[h2]And now, time for the winners of the competition’s 176th edition – Dawn Patrol![/h2]

[h3]Winners selected via community votes:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3499274794
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3498949369
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3499921181

[h3]Winners selected by our judges:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3500563375
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3501282908
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3498787951

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

Introducing the Radar Control Screen & How It Works!

[p]In the Leviathans major update, we’ll be introducing a number of advanced SAM systems, including those with multiple vehicles. Today, we’d like to introduce you to something called the Radar Control Screen which will be added to many modern SPAAs in the game, making combat against aircraft more efficient. Let’s dive into the details!

[/p][previewyoutube][/previewyoutube][p]Interface under development[/p][p][/p][h2]How it works[/h2][p]By pressing the assigned key or by clicking on the radar icon on the action bar when in an SPAA vehicle with this functionality, the Radar Control Screen will pop up. Let’s walk through the layout. [/p][p][/p][h3]Plan Position Indicator (PPI)[/h3][p]The center of the screen shows the Plan Position Indicator (PPI), which displays target marks in polar coordinates (“range-azimuth”). On the PPI, targets are numbered with special indexes that are saved until the target is lost. When the target is detected again, it will be assigned a new free index. In addition, for advanced radars with TWS mode and the ability to use NCTR, the target marks contain information about the speed vector (a small line), and type — be it a plane, helicopter or fired ammunition. By simply clicking on the target in the PPI screen, you can aim the sight at it or switch the capture and can even fire.
[/p][p][/p][h3]Sight view[/h3][p]In the upper left corner there is a window showing your Sight view if the vehicle has one. In this window you can control the zoom and/or switch on NVD or thermal if your vehicle has them.

[/p][h3]Elevation-Azimuth Indicator[/h3][p]On the left side there is a vertical view indicator that displays azimuths and altitudes of all found targets. For NCTR-capable radars, target type marks are also displayed here.

[/p][h3]Target list[/h3][p]In the upper right corner there is the Target list table with detected targets. This table is a convenient tool for working with targets, as from this list you can select them to fire at, sort targets by azimuth, altitude, speed and threat level, and also immediately lock on to a target by double-clicking on it. Fire control from this table is most useful when playing with a controller or playing on console. [/p][h3]Controls[/h3][p]So we’ve gone through each part of the Radar Control Screen, let’s now get acquainted with the controls. Directly under the PPI are two panels that show the controls; one with radar and one with the fire control buttons. For radar control, you can turn the search radar on and off, switch between the radar and IRST, change the search modes, and scope scale. You can also select a target and acquire it. For fire control, you can launch missiles, turn the missile seeker on or off, and for SPAA with guns, capture the target and fire at it. The guns will receive automatic guidance to the lead point on the target tracked by the sensor. [/p][p][/p][p]It’s worth noting that the mouse control in the Radar Control Screen is a bit different — the right mouse button can now fire the missiles, and you can activate the necessary actions on the PPI, in the Target list table and with other elements of the screen with the left button. The mouse buttons are assigned automatically when switching to this screen, while your custom keyboard binds and other control keys you have assigned will work here as well.

[/p][h2]In conclusion [/h2][p]From the Plan Position Indicator, you’ll see the entire battle picture through the eyes of your radar. Keep your team informed of the current situation, find and identify threats, select priority targets and destroy them! However, don’t forget about threats from the ground — make sure to correctly position yourself before you scan the airspace and don’t forget to look around from time to time to move your vehicle to a safer place or to a point with a better view.

That’s it for this one, get ready for the Leviathans major update, which is coming real soon![/p]

Decorate your Steam Profile with War Thunder’s Steam Points Shop Items!

[p]Today we’re pleased to announce that we’ve added a full range of cosmetic items to the Steam Points Shop for War Thunder! If you’ve made Steam purchases or have simply been active on Steam, you’ve probably accumulated some Steam Points to spend in the Points Shop on the new War Thunder items:[/p]
  • [p]Animated Profile Backgrounds[/p]
  • [p]Animated Mini-Profile Backgrounds[/p]
  • [p]Animated Stickers[/p]
  • [p]Animated Avatars[/p]
  • [p]Animated Avatar Frame[/p]
[p]Click here to go to the Points Shop for War Thunder[/p][p][/p][p]We’ve also added War Thunder cards! For every $9 (or equivalent in your local currency) spent in the game via Steam you’ll get a Trading Card that you can either sell on Steam or trade with other players to craft a game badge and earn tradable items like emoticons, profile backgrounds, and coupons! Special respect to those who collect the level 5 badge![/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p][p][/p]

Pre-order: F/A-18C (Switzerland)



Pre-orders for Swiss Hornet with precision air-to-surface weapons have started today!

[h2]Pre-order - F/A-18C Hornet Pack[/h2]
To get to the Gaijin Store through Steam, go to the in-game hangar > Shop > Online Store!
79.99
  • F/A-18C Hornet (Rank VIII, Germany)
  • 3000 Golden Eagles
  • Premium account for 30 days
  • Pre-order bonus: unique title "Alpine Tiger"
  • Pre-order bonus: unique decal "Swiss Air Force Squadron 11 patch"




[h2]Introducing the Swiss F/A-18C![/h2]

In 1988, Switzerland conducted comparative tests between the F-16 and F/A-18, leading to the latter being selected as the new fighter for its air force. Deliveries took place between 1996 and 1999, with most of the aircraft being assembled in Switzerland. Swiss Hornets became the backbone of the country’s air defense. In the 2010s, the aircraft received some modern upgrades, namely to its avionics and weapons.



The premium Swiss Hornet will be one of the best aircraft in the game and a great way to speed up the research in the German aircraft tree. The F/A-18C features the AIM-7P Sparrow and AIM-9L Sidewinder air-to-air missiles, a huge arsenal of bombs, rockets and guided missiles, including laser and satellite guided bombs and Mavericks. It also has high-drag tail fin and incendiary bombs. Basically, you can combine many options to fit your mission needs!



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