Ba.65 (K.14) L

Description

The Ba.65 (K.14) L is a rank Italian strike aircraft with a battle rating of (AB), (RB), and (SB). It was introduced in Update 1.69 "Regia Aeronautica".

The Breda Ba.65 (K.14) L does its job well thanks to a high ammo count and the fact that it receives an air spawn in Realistic Battles (which makes up for the slow top speed). In Realistic, most of the time you will be flying against Soviet planes or on some maps, Americans and British. Your tail gunner, which is armed with a 7.7 mm machine gun, will do medium to high amounts of damage if armed with Universal belts. The 7.7 mm machine gun is more dangerous the closer the enemy gets. If you get a chance at a head-on, go for it because you will most likely win- the plane has very strong frontal armament for its tier.

The Ba.65 is able to utilize its flaps to gain combat advantages, which is an uncommon feature in low BR planes. You can use them to slow down during a strafing run to put more rounds into the target. Also, if you've mapped different keys for small calibre and large calibre guns, the 7.7 mm machine guns will be recognized as small calibre and the 12.7 mm machine guns will be recognized as large calibre, and the guns will be able to fire separately. As for payload options, the 4 x 50 kg bombs are much more useful against the light ground targets you will see at this battle rating.

General info

Flight performance

Details

Survivability and armour

Armour plates

• The Ba.65 (K.14) L does not sport any armour plates or armoured glass.

Critical components

• All critical components are located on the central airframe:
  • The engine and the oil cooling system are at the front of the plane.
  • Two self-sealing fuel tanks are located behind the pilot seat and one behind the rear gunner.
  • Traction cables of control surfaces are on the right side in the tail section.
• Except for the armament and traction cables of control surfaces, there are no critical modules in the wings.
• The wings can take a decent amount of damage from MGs, except the tip that is easily blown off.
• However, 20 mm rounds will severe any wing clean.

Modifications and economy

Armaments

Offensive armament

The Ba.65 (K.14) L is armed with:

• 2 x 12.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, wing-mounted (350 rpg = 700 total)
• 2 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine guns, wing-mounted (500 rpg = 1,000 total)

Suspended armament

The Ba.65 (K.14) L can be outfitted with the following ordnance:

• Without load
• 4 x 50 kg GP 50 bombs (200 kg total)
• 2 x 100 kg GP 100T bombs (200 kg total)
• 4 x 100 kg SAP 100M bombs (400 kg total)

Defensive armament

The Ba.65 (K.14) L is defended by:

• 1 x 7.7 mm Breda-SAFAT machine gun, dorsal turret (500 rpg)

Usage in battles

Although the Ba.65 is an attacker, it can be used in an anti-fighter role with much success. The plane receives an air-spawn which invariably allows it a significant altitude advantage over enemy fighters. Boom & Zoom tactics, therefore, become very effective against slow, climbing, enemies. The Ba.65 has very good armament for its battle rating, and they will be enough to destroy any enemy fighter with one precise diving attack.

Otherwise, the Ba.65 can also be used effectively in the intended ground attack role. Use its airspawn to gain speed in a dive and reach the target before enemy fighters arrive. Then, the plane's bomb load are able to take out armoured ground targets and its devastating frontal armament can kill many more lightly and non-armoured targets.

Manual Engine Control

Pros and cons

Pros:

• Powerful armament for its low rank position. consisting of 2 x 7.7 mm and 2 x 12.7 mm MGs; capable of downing low-rank planes in seconds
• Both MGs have a lot of incendiary rounds; deadly against poorly armoured, fabric-covered low-BR planes
• Protected from some rear threats by the turret
• Decent energy retention
• Gets an airspawn
• 12.7 mm HMGs can take out light tanks from the rear and top, if aimed properly
• The payload is effective against ground targets at this battle rating

Cons:

• Slow top speed and acceleration
• Inferior turn rate compared to most monoplanes
• Low survivability
  • Catches fire easily
  • No armour or pilot protection
  • Relatively ineffective defensive armament
• Poor payload, can only carry up to 400 kg

History

The Breda Ba.65 Nibbio (Kite) is an Italian interwar, twin seater combat aircraft that was designed with versatility in mind. The aircraft was intended to perform a multitude of combat tasks ranging from conventional ground attack to intercepting hostile aircraft. However, due to many shortcomings of the Ba.65, it was later confined to pure ground support roles, and at the end of the war, converted to a trainer aircraft. Contrary to the positive first impressions that the aircraft left on its maiden flight in 1935, is the relative unpopularity among its crew due to the difficulties they faced while operating it.

Nevertheless, over 200 Ba.65 aircraft were built between 1935 and 1939. The aircraft fought on several theatres of war such as in Spain and North Africa, whilst some versions were also exported to Chile and Iraq.

- From the Devblog

Media

Images

• 

  Closeup on Ba.65 (K.14) L fuselage

Skins

• Skins and camouflages for the Ba.65 (K.14) L from live.warthunder.com.

Videos

See also

Aircraft of comparable role, configuration and era

• BB-1
• Wirraway (Great Britain)

External links

• [Devblog] Breda Ba.65 K14: The Sharp-eyed Hawk
• [Wikipedia] Breda Ba.65
• [Comando Supremo] Breda Ba.65 Fighter-Bomber Aircraft