War Thunder has added the XF5U-1 “Flying Flapjack” as the headline vehicle for this year’s Dreams Come True event. The peculiar, disc-like prototype arrives as a Rank IV premium US fighter with a playstyle built around huge lift, very low stall speed, and tight turning.
The XF5U-1 in War Thunder keeps the oddball looks and experimental roots of the real aircraft. The design grew from Charles Zimmerman’s 1933 idea for a ‘‘flying pancake’’, tested first as the wooden V-173, then built up into the all-metal XF5U-1 with two Pratt & Whitney R-2000-7 radial engines. Testing and the rise of jets ended the program in 1947, but the machine left a handful of memorable quirks that War Thunder reproduces.
In practical terms the in-game XF5U-1 is built around lift and maneuverability rather than top speed. Expect roughly 600 km/h at sea level and up to about 700 km/h at altitude, but the defining traits are the extremely low stall speed and the ability to out-turn many conventional prop fighters. That makes it especially effective in vertical/slow-speed dogfights and stall contests where traditional fighters struggle.
The plane is armed with six 12.7 mm machine guns, arranged three per side in a vertical stack that helps with aiming at range. For combined arms battles the XF5U-1 can carry either a pair of 500 lb bombs or a pair of 1000 lb bombs.
Quick spec highlights
- Role: Premium US fighter, Rank IV
- Armament: Six 12.7 mm machine guns, bomb loadouts: 2 x 500 lb or 2 x 1000 lb
- Flight traits: Very low stall speed, strong lift, tight turning for a heavy prop fighter
- Top speeds: Around 600 km/h sea level, ~700 km/h at altitude
A few historical bits that feel like they belong in a pulp magazine: the V-173’s test flights reportedly prompted UFO calls from startled Connecticut locals, and the XF5U-1’s airframe was reportedly so robust that a wrecking ball was needed to destroy it when the project was canceled.
This addition arrives while the game continues to receive balance adjustments and fixes; we recently covered patch 2.49.0.48, which touched multiple aircraft and vehicle systems and may be useful background if you want to see what else changed this season.
Please note that the vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
If you want the plane, play the Dreams Come True event and complete the stages to earn the XF5U-1 and other rewards for free. Full event details are available on the Dreams Come True event announcement.
