War Thunder is bringing the IA 58A Pucará into the game as a premium pack aircraft for Germany at Rank IV, and it will arrive in the Heavy Cavalry major update. It is also the first domestically designed and produced Argentine aircraft to make its way into the game.
The real Pucará was built around low-level attack work, and the in-game version carries the same attitude. It mounts two 20 mm HS 804 cannons under the nose, four 7.62 mm Browning machine guns, and three hardpoints that can take bombs, rockets, and even a torpedo. The loadout list includes seven 500 lb bombs, four 750 lb bombs, three 1000 lb bombs, FFAR rockets, the new Aspid and Pampero rockets, and a torpedo if you want to take it in that direction.
For a prop aircraft, it is not fast. Twin Turbomeca Astazou XVIG turboprops push it to 500 km/h, and JATO boosters help it get off the ground with a full payload. That speed leaves it well behind most fighters, but the Pucará still has a responsive feel in the air and enough tools to punish ground targets from a careful approach.
Its real-world history is just as interesting. The Pucará was developed in Argentina in the 1960s, saw service in Operativo Independencia and the Falklands War, and later went to Sri Lanka, Colombia, and Uruguay. Argentina retired its last active example in 2019 after 44 years of service, which makes this addition feel like a fitting nod to a fairly unusual aircraft.
If you plan to pick it up when Heavy Cavalry lands, share your thoughts in the comments. You can also follow us on X, Bluesky, YouTube, and Instagram.
Source: Steam Community
