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Hello everybody. I’d like to suggest the Bücker Bü 181 C-3 Bestmann, a uniquely improvised ground-attack variant armed with Panzerfausts, for the German aviation tech tree in War Thunder. Originally designed as a trainer for the Luftwaffe, the Bü 181 was repurposed in the desperate final days of World War II as a last-ditch tank buster. Equipped with four Panzerfaust launchers, it saw limited success in its ground-attack role but suffered heavy losses due to the inherent risks of these missions. Despite its shortcomings, it could become a potential addition as an event premium or squadron vehicle.
Key Characteristics
- Luftwaffe aerobatic monoplane trainer aircraft
- Tank hunter variant derived from B-2 or C-2 subvariants
- Only armed with four Panzerfaust anti-tank grenade launchers
History
BackgroundThe Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann was a two-seat, single-engine trainer aircraft with fixed landing gear, built by Bücker Flugzeugbau GmbH in Rangsdorf near Berlin. Extensively operated by the Luftwaffe during World War II, it was named after a German maritime term referring to a member of the deck crew on coastal or fishing vessels.
The Bü 181 evolved from its predecessor, the Bü 180 Student, Bücker Flugzeugbau’s first low-wing monoplane design. While sharing some design characteristics with the Bü 180, the Bü 181 featured a more compact cabin with side-by-side seating. Powered by a Hirth HM 500A or HM 500B air-cooled, four-cylinder inline piston engine, it produced up to 78 kW (105 hp).
The Bü 181 prototype first flew in February 1939 and entered production in 1940. It became the Luftwaffe’s primary trainer due to its reliable performance and ease of handling. Wartime demand outpaced the production capacity of Bücker Flugzeugbau and allowed licensed manufacturing by Fokker in the Netherlands, Hägglund & Söner AB in Sweden, and Zlin Aviation Works in Czechoslovakia. By the end of World War II, over 3,000 Bü 181s had been produced. Although primarily a trainer, it was adapted for multiple roles, including aerobatics, liaison missions, glider towing, and even combat.
Operational HistoryIn early 1945, as Germany’s war situation deteriorated, the Luftwaffe issued an order to convert available Bü 181s into two specialized variants. The Bü 181 C-3 became a tank-busting aircraft equipped with Panzerfaust anti-tank grenade launchers, while the Bü 181 B-3 was adapted for night harassment missions, carrying three 50-kg bombs.
This suggestion focuses on the Bü 181 C-3, so we go with that. The Bü 181 C-3 was typically converted from Bü 181 B-2 or C-2 models, retaining its Hirth HM 500A or HM 500B respectively. Approximately 50 units were modified into this ground-attack configuration. The key distinction between the B-1/C-1 and B-2/C-2 subvariants lay in electrical systems, with the latter lacking pilot heating and cabin lights. The C-3 variant featured four Panzerfaust launchers mounted on pylons beneath and above each wing, approximately midway from the wing root. These launchers were remotely operated from the cockpit by the pilot.
Three squadrons of Bü 181s were converted into light attack roles by March 1945. Their missions were straightforward yet perilous: destroy enemy vehicles, as well as abandoned German equipment to prevent capture from the Soviet forces. Only one squadron is believed to have seen action during the final days of the war, engaging Soviet forces near Berlin. With Panzerfausts designed for ground use and an effective range of only 100 meters (330 feet), pilots had to fly dangerously close to their targets. The Bü 181 C-3’s slow speed and fragile design made it highly vulnerable to ground fire, often resulting in heavy losses and high pilot casualties.
Today, one Bü 181 C-3 restored in its tank-buster configuration is preserved and displayed at the Deutsches Technikmuseum Berlin, serving as a legendary proof of the use as last-ditch tank buster aircraft in World War II.
Specifications
Bücker Bü 181 C-3 BestmannGeneral Characteristics
- Crew: 2 (2 pilots or pilot and passenger) or (1 pilot in the attack aircraft role)
- Length: 7.85 m (25 ft 9 in)
- Height: 2.05 m (6 ft 9 in)
- Span: 10.6 m (34 ft 9 in)
- Wing Area: 13.5 sq m (145 sq ft)
- Propeller Type: 2-bladed fixed-pitch propeller
- Powerplant: 1 x Hirth HM 500A or 500B four-cylinder inverted air-cooled in-line piston engine
→ 78 kW (105 hp)- Empty Weight: 480 kg (1,058 lb)
- Max. Takeoff Weight: 750 kg (1,653 lb)
Performance (Clean configuration)
- Power-to-Weight Ratio: 0.104 kW/kg (0.06 hp/lb)
- Cruise Speed: 195 km/h (121 mph)
- Sea level Speed: 215 km/h (134 mph)
- Maximum Dive Speed: 440 km/h (270 mph)
- Wing Loading: 55.556 kg/sq m (11.4 lb/sq ft)
- Service Ceiling: 5,000 m (16,000 ft)
- Range: 800 km (500 miles)
Armament
- Rockets:
- 4 x Panzerfaust (anti-tank grenade launchers)
- Armour penetration of 200 mm (7.9 in)
- Effective range of up to 100 m (330 ft)
Conclusion | Why it should be in the game
With the addition of the F-117 to War Thunder as a bomb-only attacker, the Bü 181 C-3 Bestmann could find a fitting place as one of the most entertaining and unique aircraft in the game. Given its modest performance, a Battle Rating of 1.0 would be appropriate. Its armament, consisting of four Panzerfausts with an effective range of only 100 meters (330 feet), would make its utility in air battles extremely limited; thus, the Bu 181 C-3 could shine as a meme aircraft, much like the Polikarpov PO-2, only in the ground battle modes.
Although aircraft can no longer capture zones in ground battles, this feature should be reintroduced to make the Bü 181 C-3 an important asset. Its ability to land on capture zones and potentially reload would make it an interesting and unconventional value to gameplay. Beyond its in-game potential, the Bü 181 C-3 represents an aircraft with a fascinating history, especially transitioning from the Luftwaffe’s most important primary trainer to a desperate, last-ditch ground attack platform.
- Bücker Bü 181 C-3 Bestmann – Trainer for the Luftwaffe and Panzerjäger | LandmarkScout
- Bücker Bü.180 / 181 / 182
- https://discover.hubpages.com/education/The-Bcker-B-181-Bestmann#gid=ci028a34faf00325a3&pid=the-bcker-b-181-bestmann
- Warplanes of Germany: Luftwaffe Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann
- Bücker Bü 181 Bestmann - Wikipedia
Thank you for taking the time to read my suggestion! 😃