The Helicopter Tree: A Separate Branch

War Thunder’s helicopter line looks like part of the air tree and behaves like its own game. Each nation’s helicopter vehicles sit under the nation’s aviation branch, but they research separately from that nation’s fixed-wing aircraft. Progress in one does not unlock the other, and the vehicles, crews, and modifications are distinct. Understanding this early prevents the most common helicopter-line mistake: assuming your aircraft experience transfers.

What is shared and what is not

Element	Shared with fixed-wing?
Silver Lions, Golden Eagles, premium status	Yes — the wallet is account-wide
Battle Rating and matchmaking concepts	Yes — same system, applied to helicopters
Research points	No — helicopters spend and earn on their own line
Crews	No — separate helicopter crews
Modifications	No — researched per helicopter
Muscle memory	No — rotary flight is its own skill

The unlock logic

The helicopter line follows the same rank structure as the rest of the tech tree: earlier vehicles in the line unlock later ones, research points purchase the next vehicle, and modifications improve each airframe individually. The practical consequence is the same as any other line — rushing to the next vehicle without researching its modifications leaves you flying an under-performing aircraft at a higher battle rating.

What this means for your first points

1. Pick the nation deliberately. If you already fly one nation’s aircraft, you at least know its design tendencies; otherwise, treat it as a new start and evaluate the early helicopter vehicles the way you would any new line.
2. Expect a new learning curve. Rotary controls, hover management, and the ATGM workflow are new skills — see helicopter controls.
3. Budget for a second grind. Every nation’s helicopter line is a full research commitment. Start one, not three.

How helicopters meet aircraft

Helicopters play in the air battle modes, and at overlapping battle ratings they share the matchmaking pool with fixed-wing aircraft — meaning you will meet planes, and planes will meet you. The role split between the two is covered in helicopters vs planes. The BR and matchmaking mechanics themselves work as they do everywhere else; see battle rating explained.

The short version

Think of the helicopter line as a fourth branch with its own key. The currency is shared, the skills are not, and the fastest way in is to treat it as a fresh start with a plan — one nation, one rank at a time, modifications researched before the next purchase.