TU-2S, the best Bomber in the game.

[Rich46yo]

Im ready to declare the TU-2S the best Bomber in the game. I realize that will cause a stir, most of all from the B-17 Lovers, but i can back up my assertions with solid fact after flying this plane enough to make this statement.

Yes the 17 has better defensive capabilities. Or does it? Does the speed and versatility of the TU make IT the better defensive airplane? I fly in Historical correct ways but to each their own. I level bomb at the TUs sweet spots in Alt where it can be very hard for fighters to catch unless they are in very good position. Pictures says 1000 words yes? And it gets to that "sweet" 8k to 12K quickly As well as getting to the target quickly. Looking at K/D the two bombers are so close its almost like one can forget which is more survivable and focus on which can do more damage once it gets there.

And the TU2S wins again. The Bomb Loads, most of all 2 X 4, is more versatile, bigger, and capable of better results. One set will shut down a small bases FHs and VH, or a VH bases VHs in two passes. 2 sets will shut down that base and take out enough of a town so that only fighter mop up is needed. If a CV is threatening a TU can scramble, get to Alt, get to the CV, and hit it hard enough, to make it the best maritime strike aircraft in the game.

Maybe the only mission a heavie like the 17 or 24 is better at is a classic squadron/Box attack on a strat where a group of the bombers can make it hard on fighters to penetrate a mass of them. Even there im not so sure.

Thanks to Aces High for giving us the best Bomber ever.

[earl1937]

Im ready to declare the TU-2S the best Bomber in the game. I realize that will cause a stir, most of all from the B-17 Lovers, but i can back up my assertions with solid fact after flying this plane enough to make this statement.

Yes the 17 has better defensive capabilities. Or does it? Does the speed and versatility of the TU make IT the better defensive airplane? I fly in Historical correct ways but to each their own. I level bomb at the TUs sweet spots in Alt where it can be very hard for fighters to catch unless they are in very good position. Pictures says 1000 words yes? (Image removed from quote.) And it gets to that "sweet" 8k to 12K quickly (Image removed from quote.) As well as getting to the target quickly. Looking at K/D the two bombers are so close its almost like one can forget which is more survivable and focus on which can do more damage once it gets there.

And the TU2S wins again. The Bomb Loads, most of all 2 X 4, is more versatile, bigger, and capable of better results. One set will shut down a small bases FHs and VH, or a VH bases VHs in two passes. 2 sets will shut down that base and take out enough of a town so that only fighter mop up is needed. If a CV is threatening a TU can scramble, get to Alt, get to the CV, and hit it hard enough, to make it the best maritime strike aircraft in the game.

Maybe the only mission a heavie like the 17 or 24 is better at is a classic squadron/Box attack on a strat where a group of the bombers can make it hard on fighters to penetrate a mass of them. Even there im not so sure.

Thanks to Aces High for giving us the best Bomber ever.

You make some good points, but the B-29 is the most lethal bomber in the game because of bomb load and defensive capacity. If AH ever remodels it, so that it flys a little better for the guys, you will see it used a lot more than it is now. I like the TU2 and have flown it several times lately, but to many "blind" spots which attacking aircraft can penetrate when attacking. It is very fast for a bomber and flies very well.

[Rich46yo]

I certainly would never say anything negative about the 29. For some things it will never have an equal. By that I mean strategic missions at high Altitudes ; Its worth every bit its price perk for sure. Also its iconic status makes it special and unique.

The versatility of the TU-2S continues to amaze me however. Most of all in the kind of smash and grab we do. When minutes matter and things must be coordinated. "Speed", I believe, is everything. Along with hitting power. Call it shock and awe. This is what you get when you can deliver 6,600 lbs X 3 of ord with the climb and speed about that of a fully loaded heavy Jabo. Which comes out to about 20,000 lb of HE compared to 3,000 lb without a speed or climb penalty and probably an increase in range.

No other bomber even comes close to delivering what the TU-2S does.

[Widewing]

The greatest weakness of the Tu-2S is that it has no counter to flank attacks by fighters. However, the fighter must be in position before the formation arrives. A tail chase will consume many miles to get in position. A lot can occur in that time.

[GScholz]

The Tu-2S looks awesome for its role as medium bomber. The only bomber I can think of that has similar abilities and saw action in numbers would be the Ju 188, and I've advocated its addition to the game several times. More than 1,200 of them were made and saw action from February 1943 onward. A top speed at medium alts of 310 mph. 6,600 lbs bomb load. Defensive armament of one 20mm cannon in a top turret and three 13mm machine guns.

[Volron]

Your title and comparison are flawed.

Now, if you said the Tu-2 is the best bomber with SPEED and PAYLOAD that has not a perk price, then you are right (IF I'm reading these charts in my half-sleep drone mode correctly).  Only the Ki-67 comes close in speed, and only around 20k.  The Peggy has better defensive firepower overall, but the Tu-2 does have better coverage below, if only slightly.  The only thing the B-26B has over the Tu-2 is better defensive firepower and coverage.  I have not taken the new B-26 out very much, so I can't really compare ability to absorb punishment.  If I were to compare with the old B-26, then the old B-26 is better.  Regardless, a better title would be, "Tu-2S, the best tactical bomber in the game.", or, "Tu-2S, the best medium bomber in the game.".


With all that being said, I do like the Tu-2 myself.  It's speed is quite nice, even at cruise settings, and it's payload is very sound.  And I can't get enough of that beautiful twin tail!   However the role I generally fly a bomber in, it is weak.  Tactically, the Tu-2 is a very, very solid choice.  Strategically though?  No.  The B-17 is far superior.  Doesn't mean I won't fly a Tu-2 on a strat run.   Hell, once in a blue moon you may run into a Betty heading for Strats.  If it's Rook, then it's probably me.

[bozon]

Without words.
            

[Rich46yo]

Yeah that Mossie is a Beaut, no question about it. Definitely fits into the Raiders bag-o-tricks. I love it as an Ord buster. And its fast, very fast. But its also helpless should it run  into a 190 or P47M type aircraft high up. Its bombload is limited, and it costs. But they never made a Mossie I didnt love.

I had already posted on the strengths of the heavies vs the TUs. No argument there tho the line has become a little blurred. Most of all in "most" game conditions.

I see the TU as filling a late war need. Towards the end of the war designs were coming that blurred the lines between "heavies" and "tactical" with bombers like the A-26 and TU-2S. Engines and designs had progressed to the point where "heavies" type loads could now be delivered at unheard of speeds and climb rates. The fact that both designs had long careers after the war speak volumes for the soundness of their designs and versatility of their airframes.

[Karnak]

The biggest problem for the Mossie XVI when comparing it to the Tu-2S is, in my opinion, the lack of versatility in its bomb loads.  It can take a cookie in the bomb bay, but that is total overkill for most targets, while the alternative is only 500lb bombs which work well on some targets, but are inadequate for many important targets.

The Tu-2S' two 1000kg bombs coupled with another 1000kg bomb or two 500kg bombs or with four 250kg bombs is a much more useful package.

[Rich46yo]

I notice since i came back puffy ack around CVs has been strengthened against level bombers flying over head. Im losing TUs to it at 9 or 10K which NEVER happened before. No complaints. I think its a good thing. I just never noticed cause I never hunted Cvs since coming back before the TU was brought in.

Before if you got over the CV at 8K in 26s you were safe and the CV was dead. It was just to easy before.

[Lusche]

I notice since i came back puffy ack around CVs has been strengthened against level bombers flying over head. Im losing TUs to it at 9 or 10K which NEVER happened before.

It hasn't been strenghtened. You just had some bad luck recently (and the Tu-2 isn't all that durable as well)

[Widewing]

Fact is, the Tu-2S is very frail for a bomber... Killed one with just three 20mm hit sprites seen. In contrast, the A-20 is a flying tank. It's vulnerable in the front due to front armor not being modeled (heavy armor plate and armored glass). But, from any other angle it's stout. Along with one other guy, I took off to meet a big raid, mostly Typhoons. They shot off my landing gear, one aileron, the rudder, one elevator, the rear turret, both engines were leaking oil. I shot down three fighters, and had three assists (damned Wirbles!). As I tried to belly-in the A-20, now out of ammo, gas and oil, a Ta 152 nailed me as I was on short final. Nothing else in this game can fight off 15 fighters and absorb that much damage, while remaining flyable.

[ReVo]

Fact is, the Tu-2S is very frail for a bomber... Killed one with just three 20mm hit sprites seen.

Interesting considering I pumped a dozen 30mm's into one TU2 in a formation in order to bring it down, then the second one took a half a dozen more and got a lucky single ping pilot kill.

[Karnak]

Fact is, the Tu-2S is very frail for a bomber... Killed one with just three 20mm hit sprites seen. In contrast, the A-20 is a flying tank. It's vulnerable in the front due to front armor not being modeled (heavy armor plate and armored glass). But, from any other angle it's stout. Along with one other guy, I took off to meet a big raid, mostly Typhoons. They shot off my landing gear, one aileron, the rudder, one elevator, the rear turret, both engines were leaking oil. I shot down three fighters, and had three assists (damned Wirbles!). As I tried to belly-in the A-20, now out of ammo, gas and oil, a Ta 152 nailed me as I was on short final. Nothing else in this game can fight off 15 fighters and absorb that much damage, while remaining flyable.

A-20 is freakishly tough for its weight of airplane.  The Tu-2S is a very light bomber, being only slightly heavier empty than an empty Mossie so its durability is about what I'd expect.

[icepac]

Pretty cool plane in that a single sortie can see you landing 14,000 damage from a single plane, chasing down a b29 near 30,000 feet and shooting it dow, and killing a fighter in an extended dogfight when you found it attacking your intended landing field.