Good day,
Posting this here as the Ai response from the forums told me to post here ( Request guidance as to where I’m supposed to post these issues - Machinery of War Discussion / Helicopter - War Thunder — official forum)
2)AH-1G pilot lacking turret control ( AH-1G pilot lacking turret control // Gaijin.net // Issues )
ISSUE: AH-1G platform (to include Tzefa A/B) should permit pilot to have turret vertical aiming control. This was accomplished via the M73 Reflex Sight.
SOURCE: TM 55-1520-221-10 (AH-1G Flight Manual : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive “Operator’s Manual AH-1G-Helicopter” from 12 December 1975)
DATA: Per Section 6-14(k)(4) on page 6-25, "the range potentiometer control allows the pilot to apply an elevation correctional signal to the turret weapons. Per Section 6-14(n)(2) on page 6-29, “The pilot may fire the turret mounted weapons by placing the PILOT/GUNNER select switch in the PILOT position. At this time the turret will return to or remain in the fixed (stowed) position. The pilot may now fire the turret mounted weapons by depressing the cyclic firing trigger.” With these two bits of information, this means that the only correction the pilot can give is off the stowed position (straight ahead) and only in the vertical may it be adjusted.
I do want to add the manager stated the image below, which makes no sense as it already returns to the stowed position currently in game. So it could be easily be added under the current turret control but with no X axis control put into the code (as they do simulate max angles of deflection throughout the swivel arc)
3)AH-1G platform lacking FFAR sight inside cockpit ( AH-1G platform lacking FFAR sight inside cockpit // Gaijin.net // Issues)
ISSUE : The US AH-1G platform (to include the Tzefa A/B) are lacking the FFAR rocket sight option in the cockpit. This is not available when selecting either primary or secondary weapons (primary cycles through the chin turret and underwing pylon miniguns/20mm and secondary just the rocket pods). Also, changing the pilot sight doesn’t provide this and only provides the chin turret or other mounted guns.
SOURCES: This is in accordance with TWO primary documents
TM 55-1520-221-10 (AH-1G Flight Manual : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive from April 1967)
TM 55-1520-221-10 (AH-1G Flight Manual : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive “Operator’s Manual AH-1G-Helicopter” from 12 December 1975)
ARGUMENT/DATA : Currently, there is no way to aim the FFAR rocket pods with any sort of accuracy from inside the cockpit as it entirely lacks a sight for said weapon. Not only does this punish any player using the helicopter when compared to other helicopters equipped with set reflex sights, which can be utilized to aim their rockets with far more accuracy, it is also blatantly not realistic or historically accurate.
OPERATIONS: From the 1975 TM, the components are explained on page 6-25. The key features are as follows:
*The Elevation Depress Knob (which is rotated to match the ballistic chart setpoint for the desired engagement parameters. This is per Section 6-14(k) on page 6-25, which states the Reflex Sight M73 operations “for the wing stores, the pilot uses the elevation/depression knob to set in correction per the ballistic data cards” and per Section 6-14(k)(1) which states that “the elevation/depression knob allows the pilot to vary the angle of the beamsplittor to adjust for range and airspeed when firing the wing stores.”)
*The prepared ballistic engagement setpoint chart (located under the inclinometer, which includes the altitude of engagement, distance from target, engagement airspeed and setpoint for the Elevation Depress Knob) and
*The Beam Splitter
The way the pilot would engage a target is by rotating the Elevation/Depress Knob to setpoint for the desired engagement altitude, airspeed and range. Range to target would be estimated by using the Reflex Sight M73 reticle (image 6-15) and by comparing known target size (E.G. T62 being approx. 9.34m). The individual steps are covered by Section 6-14(1)(a)-(d) and 2(a),(b),(g) for firing wing stores.
HOW TO FIX : There’s two ways to go about fixing this.
- The first one is the easiest and that is Gaijin selects a reasonable engagement profile (I’d say that 1000 feet of altitude at 1500 meters engagement at 90 knots is reasonable) from the visible ballistic chart that’s currently modeled in game and sets up a rocket sight for that. The player still has to estimate distance to target so this isn’t a game breaking change. As I don’t have a M73 Reflex Sight to access nor is there any simulations that I can give of it, the only explanation of what it would look like is that it’s the same exact reticle but set up for the engagement ballistic chart setpoints selected by Gaijin’s DEVs.
- This would be a bit more challenging as it would require a lot more programming and potentially key binds to accomplish. We could either a) have it where the player can manually adjust the elevation potentiometer or b) have it where we can designate a target area (such as we do with the chin turret currently) and have the sight auto adjust for the distance. Personally, I would recommend option A if this was the route taken as it still requires player skill to dictate if it works or not. This would require the knob to the left to adjust or some sort of feedback so the player knows what the setpoint is as well as either a linear transition of the sight from max to min setpoints or have it snap between established values (I’d recommend the former as there’s a lot of values on the chart).
- AH-1G lacking M-28A1 turret subsystem combo choice ( AH-1G lacking M-28A1 turret subsystem combo choice // Gaijin.net // Issues)
AH-1G models (including Tzefa A/B) lack two of the M-28A1 subsystem setups for the chin turret. Currently, in game, we have the dual 40mm or dual 7.7mm turret but lack the combo turret set up. This was actually shown to be intended with the development post by Gaijin and was actually modeled ([Development] AH-1G Cobra: Strike Fast, Strike Hard - News - War Thunder) but was never added. IAW the TM chart included, this was an approved configuration as well as available with all wing store configurations.
PRIMARY SOURCE:
TM 55-1520-221-10 (12DEC1975) Figure 6.32 **link: AH-1G Flight Manual : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive **
Page 6-58 through 6-61
Photos included:
TM 55-1520-221-10 coversheet
TM 55-1520-221-10 figure 6.32 Sheet 1 through 4
Original 3D model
Original Gaijin post discussing how it had mixed weapon capability
Current in game modifications and turret selection (as of 30JUN2026)
EDIT (addition 1): Was actually showcased in the Update 1.81 “The Valkyries” trailer (https://youtu.be/OUVzsaMhbAE?t=140 @ 2:20. credit for edit goes to more_bid)
EDIT (addition 2): Actually, for balancing purposes, we could also add the TAT-102A round-chambered chin turret. This was on the early AH-1G which looked similar to the M-28A1 system but only had one 7.7mm MG mounted. Photo is included (from the APR1967 TM AH-1G Flight Manual : Free Download, Borrow, and Streaming : Internet Archive page 6-14).
Also, per the 1975 TM, the 7.7mm minigun and 40mm can NOT be fired at the same time. This is on page 6-25 as per Section 6-14(i)(4).
“(4) The WEAPON SELECT switch is a three position switch which allows selection of the left and right weapons for firing simultaneously or individually. When placed in the L (left) position, the left position is selected for firing. When placed in the R (right) position, the right weapon is selected for firing. When placed in the BOTH position, both weapons will fire simultaneously if they are identical (two machineguns or two grenade launchers). If one of each weapon is installed in the turret assembly, only the machinegun will fire when the weapon select switch is placed in the BOTH position.”
