Kа-50 “Black Shark”, attack helicopter, USSR/Russia, rank VI. Premium (part of a pack).

Pros

• Excellent flight characteristics
• Armoured cockpit and some internal nodes
• ATGMs, AAMs and even bombs!

Cons

• The 30mm cannon has a limited range of motion
• 1 crew member

Ka-50 is the first, and as of now the only, helicopter in War Thunder that has a coaxial main rotor design. This build has several advantages over the traditional tail rotor design, including improved handling characteristics, manoeuvrability and cargo capacity. Upon reaching its maximum speed of over 300 km/h, the “Black Shark” is able to carry 2,300 kg of ordnance. The most notable features of this helicopter include the wide selection of suspended armaments and possible combinations thereof, the cockpit armour, and the 30mm cannon with its HEF and AP feeds.

In our game, the Ka-50 will be a premium rank VI helicopter in the USSR/Russian tech tree. The “Black Shark” will prove to be the perfect vehicle for many pilots thanks to its range of excellent characteristics one would expect to see in a top-of-the-line machine. There’s a lot to like here: great speed, responsive controls, decent cockpit defences against AA machine gun fire and, of course, a complete arsenal for taking out any type of target. The 30mm cannon installed on the right side may not have a full 360-degree firing arc, but to compensate for that, it can be loaded with a choice of either high-explosive fragmentation or armour-piercing shells. Its destructive power is more than enough to send anti-air guns, light ATGM carriers, and helicopters back to the hangar.

If you are planning an all-out assault on enemy aircraft, be sure to stock up on the air-defence system Igla-1V, which has the best rank among the air-to-air missiles in the entire game. The “Vikhr” ATGMs serve as the primary weapon for taking down armoured targets – you can bring up to 12 of those with you to battle, alongside other ordnance choices, of course. These new-generation missiles can easily take out state-of-the-art tanks fitted with an ERA system from a distance equal to 10,000 metres. The four suspended-armament points also allow the pilots to bring to combat things like unguided rockets, up to 1,000 kg of bombs and gun pods containing 23mm cannons – basically, the stuff that would keep enemy tank commanders occupied and sweating!

Last but not least, it’s impossible not to mention the Ka-50’s exterior design – its unique coaxial rotor build, smooth fuselage curves and aggressive dead-straight cockpit lines make this helicopter one of the most stunning and memorable in the game. Alongside the full armament set and all the modules, you will also get camouflages – the two-coloured green (default), cool black with shark jaws, as a pre-order bonus, and classic black could be purchased additionally. Beautiful, isn’t it?

The War Thunder Team