Gaijin Entertainment will add the FR-1 Fireball to War Thunder’s US air tree as a Rank III premium in the next major update. The historic mixed‑propulsion design combines a front Wright Cyclone R-1820-72W radial and a rear General Electric J31 turbojet, and in-game stats put its max speed around 650 km/h with a sustained pace near 600 km/h at typical engagement heights.
The Fireball arrived in real life because the US Navy wanted something that could bridge the gap between prop fighters and the new jets in the early 1940s. Ryan’s composite design reached frontline squadrons in March 1945 but never saw combat. Structural problems and a spate of accidents led to widespread failures during postwar inspections, and the type was withdrawn by August 1947.
In War Thunder the Fireball will be the first aircraft in the game with true mixed propulsion, running both engines at once when needed. The front engine is listed at 1350 HP and the J31 produces roughly 1600 lb of thrust. The combination doesn’t make it a pure jet, but it gives the airframe good top speed, a strong climb, and handling that the announcement compares to mid‑war Bf 109s or early Griffon Spitfires in feel.
Firepower is light compared to later fighters: four 12.7 mm M2 .50 caliber guns with 300 rounds per gun. The jet intake and structure limited internal space on the real aircraft and Gaijin reflects that in-game, so the Fireball leans on accuracy and speed rather than heavy cannon armament. It can carry external loads for ground attack: two external fuel tanks plus up to four HVAR rockets, or a pair of 500 lb or 1000 lb bombs, or two 1000 lb mines. That loadout and the plane’s quick pace make it a selectable option for mixed battles where a pilot might deliver ordnance and then rejoin air combat quickly.
There’s a little pilot lore in the announcement too: because the propeller engine can be shut down while the jet runs, crews reportedly used the Fireball to pull alongside friends, cut the prop and leave the other pilot convinced their own engine had failed before the Fireball reengaged the prop and sped away.
Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.
For context, recent updates focused more on fixes than new vehicles; our coverage of War Thunder patch 2.49.0.48 noted a batch of bug fixes and quality of life tweaks rather than additions, so this premium’s arrival looks to be part of a larger content push in an upcoming major update.
If you’ve got thoughts on where the FR-1 Fireball should sit on the US tree leave a comment and follow us on X, Bluesky, and YouTube.
War Thunder
Developed by Gaijin Entertainment
War Thunder is the most comprehensive free-to-play, cross-platform, MMO military game dedicated to aviation, armored vehicles, and naval craft, from the early 20th century to the most advanced modern combat units. Join now and take part in major battles on land, in the air, and at sea.
- Genre: Shooter, Simulator, Tactical
- Platforms: Xbox Series X|S, PlayStation 4, Linux, PC (Microsoft Windows), PlayStation 5, Mac, Xbox One
- Modes: Single player, Multiplayer, Co-operative, Massively Multiplayer Online (MMO)
- Release: 2013-01-28
- Publisher: Gaijin Entertainment
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Age Rating:
PEGI 12 / USK 12 / CERO B / ACB PG / GRAC 12+ / ESRB T
- IGDB Rating: 74.2/100
