War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

2S1

2024-03-25T21:08:54Z

U74396666: New Description Project - USSR Priority: 2S1 Gvozdika

{{About
| about = Soviet tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the other version
| link = 2S1 (Italy)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_2s1
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''2S1 Gvozdika''' is a Soviet self-propelled howitzer that was introduced in 1972. The vehicle utilizes the MT-LBu chassis and is equipped with a 122 mm 2A18 howitzer. The vehicle is operated by four crews: commander, gunner, loader, and driver. It is separated into two principal compartments, with the driver in the front on the left and the other crews in the turret at the back. The 2S1 Gvozdika's welded steel armour offers minor protection against small arms fire and artillery shrapnel but is insufficient for direct confrontations with enemies. The first prototype was delivered in 1969 and entered service with the Soviet Army in the early 1970s. It made its public debut at a Polish Army parade in 1974. The vehicle has amphibious capabilities and can be ready for amphibious operations in under 20 minutes. Before entering the water, crews will activate the bilge pump, mount the trim vane at the front of the hull, attach shrouds above the drive sprocket and front roadwheels, and lower water deflectors on rear track covers. During amphibious operations, the vehicle's tracks propel it forward, while a bilge pump through the exhaust pumps out any water that enters.

Introduced in the [[Update "Sons of Attila"]], the 2S1 Gvozdika has a distinct playstyle when compared to other vehicles in its rank. It is armed with a 122 mm 2A18 howitzer and fires high explosive (HE) shells at adversaries rather than the more frequent armour-piercing (AP) ammunition used by tanks. However, the large calibre of the main armament means that even if the HE shell fails to penetrate most enemy vehicles that the 2S1 Gvozdika encounters, the sheer explosive strength of the ordnance frequently ensures severe damage, if not outright destruction. Built on a light chassis, the 2S1 Gvozdika boasts exceptional top speed, allowing the player to get into key positions early in the battle. However, players must be aware of the vehicle's slow turret traverse speed and thin armour structure, as missing a shot is typically fatal due to poor survivability and a high reload time.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The 2S1 has as much armour as light tanks such as the [[PT-76B]], light enough armour to be penetrated by the American .50 cal, so this tank is not the most protected.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 14 mm at 39° || 7 mm ''Top'' 7 mm ''Bottom'' || 7 mm || 7 mm
|-
| Turret || 7-14 mm ''Turret front'' 14-20 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 7 mm || 7 mm || 7 mm
|-
| Cupola || 14 mm || 14 mm || 14mm || 7-14 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

In RB, the mobility of the 2S1 is tolerable. It reaches a higher speed quicker than most tanks in its BR due to it being built on a light chassis but bleeds speed quickly when turning. Turning the 2S1 from a stand still is incredibly slow and driving forward or reversing first is suggested to gain the needed momentum to turn.

In AB, the 2S1 moves like a light tank, accelerates quickly and has a high speed with good turning with some speed bleeding.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=426|rbMinHp=265}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|2A31 (122 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[2A31 (122 mm)|122 mm 2A31]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 40 || rowspan="2" | -3°/+70° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | - || 8.8 || 12.2 || 14.8 || 16.4 || 17.4 || rowspan="2" | 13.00 || rowspan="2" | 11.50 || rowspan="2" | 10.60 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 5.9 || 7.0 || 8.5 || 9.4 || 10.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:2A31 (122 mm)/Ammunition|122mm 3OF24, 3BK-10, 122mm 3OF7, 122mm 3OF56}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''40''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The 2S1's biggest weakness is high fire rate guns such as AA and other howitzers as both can eviscerate your vehicle very quickly. In RB, it is suggested to use your howitzer as it was intended: long distance destruction. Use your speed to get to vantage points. The 2S1 does not have much gun depression so you will need to use the environment for your own concealment and gun shooting angles.

In AB, it is quite the opposite, since there is no point in concealment in arcade your best being in the second line behind heavy tanks and mediums picking off enemy heavy's and mediums.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fairly mobile
* HE rounds have enough filler to destroy any target
* Great elevation angles

'''Cons:'''

* Long profile
* Very weak armour
* Crew placement not ideal
* Extremely slow turret traverse
* Slow turn speed from standstill

== History ==

The development of a new self-propelled gun for the Soviet army was based on the well-proven D-30 howitzer and the chassis of the MT-LB multipurpose amphibious towing vehicle. The D-30 towed howitzer was modified to be placed in the SPG turret, the MT-LB chassis was lengthened by adding a wheel pair to improve the driving performance and increase the room of the fighting compartment. After a year of testing, the vehicle was put into service in September 1970 under the designation 2S1 Gvozdika. Serial production of the SPG continued until 1991. The vehicle was produced in the USSR, as well as in Bulgaria and Poland under license. The 2S1 is still in service with the armies of many countries of the world.

- ''From [[wt:en/news/8408-development-2s1-the-blast-blossom-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_2s1 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[2S1 (Italy)]]
* [[2S3M]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8408-development-2s1-the-blast-blossom-en|[Devblog] 2S1: The Blast Blossom]]

{{USSR tank destroyers}}

GAZ-AAA (4M)

2023-12-17T11:37:56Z

U74396666: Description update

{{About
| about = Soviet SPAA '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = the version equipped with a 12.7 mm DShK
| link = GAZ-AAA (DShK)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_gaz_4m
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''GAZ-AAA (4M)''' is the first variant of the GAZ-AAA-based self-propelled anti-aircraft gun family. It is a Soviet anti-aircraft truck developed in 1938, based on the GAZ-AAA truck platform and armed with a quad 7.62 mm Maxim light machine gun. The 7.62 mm Maxim light machine guns originate from a World War I Russian Imperial stockpile, of which thousands were available after the war ended. With the unexpected German invasion of the Soviet Union, the Soviets lacked dedicated anti-aircraft guns. As a result, during the early stages of World War II, many improvised and makeshift anti-aircraft guns are designed. Given its high fire rate, the quad 7.62 mm Maxim light machine gun was extremely effective against low-flying targets. Unfortunately, due to a lack of historical articles and resources, little is known about this improvised anti-aircraft gun. The GAZ-AAA (4M) was delivered in the late summer and winter of 1941, before being replaced by a more powerful variant, the GAZ-AAA (DShK). A total of 37,373 units were produced.

Introduced in [[Update 1.49 "Weapons of Victory"]], the GAZ-AAA (4M) is a very light vehicle that provides adequate deterrence against early aircraft like biplanes. It is not recommended to charge into the battle and engage any enemy vehicles since the weaponry does not have the penetration to damage anything. With a large ammunition pull available, players can fire confidently without fear of running out of bullets.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

This vehicle has extremely poor survivability. The gunner is completely exposed, and the rest of the 3-man crew is protected only by 1 mm of steel. Any machine gun can destroy the vehicle with ease, as can nearby artillery, rocket, or bomb strikes.

However, the vehicle's extremely thin armour does mean that it is possible for APHE rounds to overpenetrate, and pass through the vehicle without detonating and causing catastrophic damage.

'''Armour type:'''

* Structural steel
* Wood (Truck bed)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Driver's cabin || 1 mm (1°) || 1 mm (1-2°) || 1 mm || 1 mm
|-
| Cargo bed || 15 mm (1°) || 15 mm (1°) || 15 mm || 15 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Road wheels are 2 mm thick while the chassis was 5 mm thick.
* The truck bed is 15 mm of wood, which will probably not offer as much protection as the truck cab
* The radiator housing is unarmoured.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=71|rbMinHp=44}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|Maxim's (7.62 mm)}}

The main armament of the GAZ-AAA (4M) is 4 x 7.62 mm machine guns. For anti-air duty, these little guns do the job pretty well against biplanes and early monoplanes. The fire density given by the quad 7.62 mm MGs is good enough to damage a plane's critical components such as engine, cooling system, and fuel tank. They also have a huge amount of ammunition each gun, so one does not have to worry about constant reloads. Lastly, the guns have a depression of -10 degrees, something pretty rare for Soviet vehicles. The low projectile mass, however, will result in it not being able to hurt planes at a distance, and any armour plates inside the plane is likely to stop the bullet.

However, the biggest drawback of the armaments is the poor penetration of 10 mm at most, meaning that the GAZ-AAA (4M) simply cannot engage tanks when needed. It can only damage lightly armoured vehicles such as [[Flakpanzer I]], [[AS 42]], and [[P.7.T AA]]. The disadvantaged anti-tank capacity therefore greatly reduces this SPAA's effectiveness at anti tank missions, making itself very vulnerable when being hunted by tanks.

The recommended belts are APIT or API. APIT is great for new players to learn the trajectory of a weapon as this belt composes entirely of tracer bullets. Familiarising with the trajectory is crucial especially for the GAZ-AAA (4M) since it needs lots of bullets to down an aircraft, so tracers will help one to get used to the lead. When one is used to the trajectory, API might be a good choice as it has a bit less tracer, which helps to conceal the SPAA's position a bit. It also has an extra 1 mm of penetration which might become handy against certain vehicles like M13 MGMC, whose armour is right around 10 mm.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Maxim's (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Maxim's]] (x4) || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 8,000 (500) || rowspan="2" | 600 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+50° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 52.8 || 73.1 || 88.8 || 98.2 || 104.5 || rowspan="2" | 7.80 || rowspan="2" | 6.90 || rowspan="2" | 6.36 || rowspan="2" | 6.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 35.7 || 42.0 || 51.0 || 56.4 || 60.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|AI|Adjustment incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|T|Tracer}}
* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|T|Tracer}}
* '''API:''' {{Annotation|AP-I|Armour-piercing incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}
* '''APIT:''' {{Annotation|API-T|Armour-piercing incendiary tracer}}

{{:Maxim's (7.62 mm)/Ammunition|AP-I, T, AI, API-T}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''16''' || 8 ''(+8)'' || 4 ''(+12)'' || 0 ''(+16)'' || No
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The 4M GAZ-AAA is highly vulnerable to any vehicle, from tanks to planes. An encounter will most likely end with the GAZ-AAA destroyed. Prioritize enemy aircraft, as you are significantly vulnerable to strafing and bombing due to the lack of armour.

Stay back from the front lines yet don't be too far away from it, because most planes might go strafing the capture points, and if you are far away the low kinetic energy of your bullets will result in even weaker damage. So stay between a capture point and a friendly spawn point. You can find a hard cover and position yourself sideways, with the driver's cabin behind cover and the gunner exposed. This way the two crews at the front can be effectively protected.

When enemy planes spawn, shoot short bursts into their general direction to get their attention. Most planes will go head on with an SPAA, knowing that early SPAAs all have weak firepower and protection. If a plane dives on you, fire off a burst (remember to aim higher, as the bullet drop at head-on distance is more than you think) towards the plane and before it returns fire, quickly withdraw back to cover, as you cannot sustain much damage. As the plane flies by and climbs for another run, start firing long bursts at it. The 4 x 7.62 mm MGs have plenty of ammo per magazine and they do not overheat, so prolonged bursts will be your main method of damaging planes. Generally, shoot when they fly right past you, and avoid head-ons, as your firepower is not potent enough to destroy a plane in a second.

If a tank comes up to you, don't try to fight it as the tanks are built to be resistant to the rifle calibre rounds the Maxim fires. Withdraw to safety if encountering any thing more than a lightly armoured ground vehicle.

'''Enemies worth noting:'''

* [[Ju 87 (Family)|Ju 87]]: the Stuka has a durable airframe against the 4 x 7.62 mm MGs, so you need to put enough bullets into it to effectively damage it. The main threat comes from its bombs, an early Stuka can carry either 4 x 50 kg + 1 x 250 kg, or a huge 500 kg bomb, both of which are more than enough to destroy the GAZ-AAA with shrapnel. If you see a Stuka diving at you, move sideways to avoid the bombs.

* [[Pz.II]], [[M3 Stuart (Family)|M3 Stuart]], etc: these tanks, although designated as "light" tanks, are literally heavy tanks for the GAZ-AAA's weak guns, therefore impossible to get destroyed. They also have superior mobility and firepower, so if you see them it is best to leave them to your teammates. If it is safe enough you can shoot a few shots at their tracks, barrel, etc to show them on the minimap.

* [[M13 MGMC]]: this is a commonly seen SPAA with armour enough to resist rifle-calibre bullets and firepower enough to vaporise poorly protected crews. Target its dual .50 cal mount to disable its gunner first, then you can just shoot at the gun mount as its elevation drive, guns, ammo, etc are all exposed. The armoured cabin can only be penetrated if you two are face to face, a distance of more than 200 m will render your bullets useless.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Decent anti-aircraft capabilities afforded by the armament, can do satisfactory damage to aircraft of its rank
* Turns in a tight radius like a conventional truck
* Large amount of ammunition
* Able to reasonably damage lightly armoured vehicles of its kind such as [[M13 MGMC]] or [[M3 GMC]]
* More of a threat to small, nimble aircraft than the M13 or [[T17E2]]
* 6x4 truck design is sturdier and heavier than the 4 x 2 design of the [[GAZ-MM (72-K)]]
* Has a great rate of fire thanks to the four fast firing maxim guns
* Aircraft at early ranks are very common, meaning there will be plenty of aircraft for to be picked off
* Good at setting aircraft on fire
* Unique ability to fire tracer-less rounds. This allows you to pick off enemy planes without them even realizing that they are being shot at
* The fact that you cannot kill tanks will mean that you focus on enemy aircraft rather than stray and hunt tanks

'''Cons:'''

* Non-existent armour/protection, anything will penetrate and damage the vehicle
* Very lightweight, prone to being destroyed by ramming or being overturned by other vehicles
* Crew is not afforded much protection, owing to the improvised design
* Low speed of 43 km/h (27 mph), even slower cross-country
* Gunner is exposed and can easily be knocked out from a stray bullet
* Cannot be used effectively against anything other than trucks or aircraft due to its machine gun armament
* Outclassed by other AA vehicles in the same rank
* Vulnerable to strafing by enemy aircraft, especially to kamikaze attacks
* Can easily be tipped over in tight turns
* Machine guns are useless against armoured targets except for other GAZ trucks

== History ==

[[File:4MM GAZ AAA- truck hiding behind the hay, awaiting the enemy..jpg|thumb|right|{{PAGENAME}}<ref>http://www.wio.ru/galgrnd/flak/spflak.htm</ref>]]
Around the late 1920s, the Soviet Union was undergoing a mechanization revolution and realized that no purpose-built motor vehicles were available for them to help move cargo and materiel back and forth from point one to point two. The result was the GAZ-AAA truck, which was a truck based on the Ford Model AAA 6 x 4 truck. These trucks entered production in 1932 and were used in multiple roles in the civilian world and in the military.

In the military, the GAZ trucks were used as tractors for gun systems, fuel tankers, radio system, and even armoured cars. By 1931, an anti-aircraft version was created as well, in order to give the Soviet Union a mobile anti-aircraft system to work with. The design had four Maxim Model 1910/30 machine guns installed on a mount on the truck. This configuration was called the '''4M GAZ-AAA''' and served as a low-altitude air defence system after being adopted in 1931.

The 4M GAZ-AAA was a crude weapon. It was simply a truck with a gun mount on the back that connected to four 7.62 mm machine guns. These machine guns could all be simultaneously fired by one operator. The operator had no protection whatsoever as he had to stand in order to fire the gun, there were also no gun shields to protect him from any incoming fire. Despite that, it served as a part of the Soviet defence against the German invasion in 1941, where it was also used in an infantry-support role by laying down a large volume of fire onto the enemy. Many were seen destroyed in German newsreels, covering the roads as German troops advanced deeper into the Soviet Union.

The vehicle was unsatisfactory for the battlefield, and even ineffective against planes due to its low calibre. A new anti-aircraft system had to be devised for the role of mobile anti-aircraft system. This led to the development of the [[GAZ-MM (72-K)|GAZ-MM (72-K)]], which while still truck-mounted weaponry, had a noticeable increase in firepower with a 25 mm autocannon.

{{break}}
{{Navigation-Start|{{Annotation|Archive of the in-game description|An archive of the historical description of the vehicle that was presented in-game prior to Update 1.55 'Royal Armour'}}}}
{{Navigation-First-Simple-Line}}
This self-propelled anti-air mount based on the GAZ-AAA truck with four Maxim machine guns installed on its body was added to the arsenal in the mid-1930s and was the heaviest Soviet mount of the pre-war period. However, by the time WWII began it was no longer effective against airplanes.
{{Navigation-End}}

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=ussr_gaz_4m Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/devblog/current/776/|[Devblog] M2A2 / 4M GAZ-AAA / BF109B-1]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{TankManufacturer GAZ}}
{{USSR anti-aircraft vehicles}}
[[Category:Wheeled ground vehicles]]

TO-55

2023-12-17T11:23:47Z

U74396666: Description update

{{Specs-Card
|code=ussr_to_55
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''TO-55''' is the flamethrower modification of the T-55, which is the first variant of the [[T-54/55 (Family)|T-55 main battle tank family]]. The ATO-200 flamethrower is installed in this specially modified tank, which is intended to assist infantry in pushing against enemy defensive positions during battle. The original tank turret has been modified by incorporating an ATO-200 flamethrower that is coaxial with the main armament. Furthermore, the standard ammunition storage in the bow next to the driver has been modified to accommodate a flammable liquid tank with a capacity of 460 litres. The flamethrower is aimed by rotating the entire turret, and it is ignited by pyrotechnic charges. Instead of being manually controlled, the rate of fuel consumption is standard, averaging 36 litres per burst of flame. The implementation of the flamethrower inside a tank result in increased survivability of such weapon systems when compared to flamethrowers carried by infantry. The flamethrower has a maximum effective range of about 200 meters and an initial muzzle velocity of about 100 meters per second.

Introduced in [[Update "Sons of Attila"]], the TO-55 resembles the standard T-55 variant in appearance, but its coaxial armament has been replaced by a flame projector. The flame projector, while appealing, has a very limited range and is only useful for open/lightly armoured vehicles, making it a very situational armament. However, being built on the basis of the T-55, the TO-55 is a tried-and-true platform with dependable armour and adequate firepower, and can still shine in the right hands with good tactics and careful planning.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

''Describe armour protection. Note the most well protected and key weak areas. Appreciate the layout of modules as well as the number and location of crew members. Is the level of armour protection sufficient, is the placement of modules helpful for survival in combat? If necessary use a visual template to indicate the most secure and weak zones of the armour.''

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || ___ mm || ___ mm ''Top'' ___ mm ''Bottom'' || ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Turret || ___ - ___ mm ''Turret front'' ___ mm ''Gun mantlet'' || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm || ___ - ___ mm
|-
| Cupola || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=899|rbMinHp=513}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|D-10T2S (100 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[D-10T2S (100 mm)|100 mm D-10T2S]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 25 || rowspan="2" | -5°/+18° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 14.3 || 19.8 || 24.0 || 26.5 || 28.2 || rowspan="2" | 9.75 || rowspan="2" | 8.63 || rowspan="2" | 7.95 || rowspan="2" | 7.50
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 8.9 || 10.5 || 12.8 || 14.1 || 15.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:D-10T2S (100 mm)/Ammunition|BR-412D, OF-412, 3D3, 3BM-8, 3BK-5}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====


{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
! 6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''25''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|Flamethrower}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Flamethrower]]
|-
! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
|-
| 800 (800) || -3°/+16° || - || -
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|DShK (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[DShK (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm DShK]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 300 (50) || 600 || -10°/+60° || ±180°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the tactics of playing in the vehicle, the features of using vehicles in the team and advice on tactics. Refrain from creating a "guide" - do not impose a single point of view but instead give the reader food for thought. Describe the most dangerous enemies and give recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of the game in different modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Wonderful APHECBC shell to one-shot enemies while flanking
* Have stabilizer which help you aim the gun faster, Uueful corner peaking
* Various smoke options, with ESS that can be used when retreating and smoke shells to capture points in the open
* Better engine power than T-54
* Flamethrower can help blind enemy if you miss your shot in a fight
* Flamethrower model can help block some shot to the turret

'''Cons:'''

* Low main gun ammunition
* First stage ammo rack gets moved to the turret, thus most of the time there will be ammo in the turret which increases the chance to be destroy when hit even when you hull down.
* APHECBC have hard time penetrating other MBTs from the front, requiring targeting of weak points.
* Subpar turret rotation

== History ==

The predecessor of the Soviet TO-55 was the TO-54 tank, developed on the basis of the T-54 medium tank at the Malyshev Factory. In 1957, a new flamethrower tank was developed on the chassis of the T-55 tank, which used the more advanced ATO-200 flamethrower. TO-55 successfully passed the tests and was put into service in 1960. The tank was mass-produced in Omsk and Kharkov, a total of 830 TO-55 units were produced. The flamethrower tank was in service with the army until 1997.

- ''From [[wt:en/news/8418-development-to-55-the-scorched-land-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{USSR medium tanks}}
{{USSR premium ground vehicles}}

HMS Hood

2023-12-04T15:43:17Z

U74396666: Description history update

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_battlecruiser_hood
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Hood (51)''' is a member of the Admiral-class battlecruiser family. The HMS Hood was built for the British Navy during World War I in 1918. The HMS Hood was ordered before the Battle of Jutland in World War I, and her keel was laid in September 1916. On August 22, 1918, she was launched from John Brown. She was completed after World War I and commissioned on May 15, 1920. The Battle of Jutland in mid-1916 revealed serious flaws in her design, prompting drastic revisions that resulted in her completion two years later. As a result, she was the only ship of her class to be completed, as the Admiralty decided that starting from scratch on future battlecruisers would be preferable. Despite the appearance of newer and more modern ships, the HMS Hood remained the world's largest warship for 20 years after her commissioning, and her status was reflected in her nickname, "The Mighty Hood". The HMS Hood is exceptional in several ways: she was the final battle cruiser to be launched. During the interwar period, she was the most powerful vessel on the water. Above all, she was the proud steel ambassador of the entire British Navy and the country. From 1921 to 1941, she spent many years displaying the British flag in every port. In the eyes of the general public, she was unbeatable. In May 1941, the HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales were tasked with intercepting the German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen as they made their way to the Atlantic to attack convoys. The HMS Hood was hit by several shells, exploded, and sank on May 24, 1941, early in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, killing all but three of her 1,418-man crew. The loss massively affected British morale due to her publicly perceived invincibility.

Introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]], the HMS Hood is a powerful ship, but players should not expect it to be able to withstand enemy fire like some other, better-protected battlecruisers and battleships. Keep in mind that HMS Hood is a large ship, so entering objectives that are normally exposed may not be a good idea. The HMS Hood players should keep an eye on her buoyancy, as she tends to take on water much faster than many other ships of her class, as well as wallow and capsize very easily. Players should be cautious of enemy battleships since HMS Hood has relatively weak armour on the upper sections of the ship, making her vulnerable to heavy damage.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

HMS Hood stands out from other battlecruisers in many ways, but one of the most noticeable is in her armour protection. Typically, a battlecruiser was intended to be faster, but less armoured than the battleships of their generation. Hood instead, has equivalent protection to battleships of its generation, with a {{Annotation|12-inch|304.8 mm}} belt, inclined at 13 degrees to give it equivalent protection to the {{Annotation|13 inches|330.2 mm}} of armour found on the Queen Elizabeths. That is a drastic improvement over both the preceding battlecruisers in the Royal navy and the battlecruisers of other nations. The battlecruiser [[IJN Kongo]] for example, has a measly {{Annotation|8-inch|203 mm}} belt in comparison. This does fall to {{Annotation|7 inches|177.8 mm}} and then {{Annotation|5 inches|127 mm}} of armour higher on the hull, but the belt itself covers the entirety of the vitals from the foremost to sternmost turrets. The main belt will protect against all but the most powerful guns at typical battle ranges, and the lesser armoured portions of the hull don't have very many crew compartments either, leading the ship to be extremely survivable with its 1418 crew.

The turrets are also well armoured, with {{Annotation|15 inches|381 mm}} of armour on the mantlet and {{Annotation|12 inches|304.8 mm}} on the forward half of the turret. The rear half has {{Annotation|11 inches|279.4 mm}} of armour on both the sides and rear, and the roof has {{Annotation|5 inches|127 mm}} protecting from plunging fire. This will stop battleship shells at all but point blank range. The turret barbettes are reasonably protected above the deck with {{Annotation|12 inches|304.8 mm}} of armour above the deck, though this falls below the deck to {{Annotation|6-10 inches|152.4-254 mm}}. Notably, Hood doesn't have shell rooms in the barbettes like American battleships, lowering the chance of catastrophic fire when hit.

The deck also has multiple layers of armour as is typical on battlecruisers, the upper layer having {{Annotation|1.25 inches|31.75 mm}} of armour to trigger the fuses on shells and bombs, with a second, {{Annotation|0.75-inch|19.05 mm}} layer to stop the blast and splinters. Just in case a shell manages to get past these two layers there is also a third, {{Annotation|2-inch|50.8 mm}} plate above the magazines. Speaking of, the magazines are positioned well below the waterline, and should be well protected from enemy fire unless your opponent has Adalbert Shneider as their gunnery officer. Hood also has torpedo protection with up to 250 kg of effectiveness, which should protect against most torpedoes, with notable exceptions like the Japanese [[Type 93 (610mm) (Family)|Long Lance]].

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Hood is a fairly fast capital ship, capable of 57 km/h in RB, making her slightly faster than the IJN Kongo, and slightly slower than the Scharnhorst and Kronshtadt. Her acceleration is as can be expected of a ship her size, being quite poor. In addition, her 262 m long hull means she struggles to turn, having an enormous turning radius and bleeds a lot of speed while manoeuvring.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|15 inch/42 BL Mark I (381 mm)}}

Hood currently possesses the largest guns in the game, with eight 381 mm 15"/42 BL Mark I cannons mounted in four twin turrets, larger than those on the Bayern by 1 mm. She has two rounds available, 15 inch 4crh CPC, a SAPCBC shell, and 15 inch 4crh Mark XIIa APC, an APCBC shell. The SAPCBC shell, while having a smaller filler than the equivalent SAP shells on the Bayern and the Japanese 356 mm, is still the strongest SAP shell in the game, solely due to its penetration. Penetrating 487 mm at point blank, it has very minimal penetration falloff, and it still penetrates 308 mm at 15 km, while the Bayern can only penetrate 170 mm at that range, while the Japanese 356 mm SAP can't even reach that penetration at 1 km. This allows the Hood to smash any battleship designed before "all or nothing" armour schemes came into wide use, as while their main belts may be able to hold up, their weaker upper belts stand absolutely no chance, and several of these SAP shells finding their way around the realms of enemy ammunition magazines will have very entertaining results. Due to the high filler, even hits to the upper hull may cause a large enough explosion to detonate ammunition several decks below.

The APCBC shell is fairly strong with ~20 kg of TNT effective filler and decent penetration statistics, making it quite handy for punching deep into the internals of an opposing capital ship and bypassing most, if not all armour that it comes across while in regular battle ranges.

{{:15 inch/42 BL Mark I (381 mm)/Ammunition|15 inch 4crh CPC, 15 inch 4crh Mark XIIa APC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

Hood has the standard British secondaries of seven twin 102 mm 4"/45 Mark XVI cannons. These guns do barely any damage to cruisers or capital ships and, although the SAP shell can do work on opposing destroyers, they are most useful in the role of AA batteries. Unlike other British ships using the same gun, Hood's secondaries do not get the much superior HE-VT shell, due to the fact that she was sunk before the shell was developed in real life. The time-fused shells have a habit of exploding after passing behind an aircraft rather than next to it or simply just not close enough to do damage, but it is still better to have a flak field than not.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

Unlike the swarms of light AA guns that can be seen on other WW2-era capital ships, Hood's AA only consists of seven mounts due to the ship accidentally becoming an oversized reef before anti air spam came in vogue. However, three of those mounts are the glorious octuple 40 mm 2pdr QF Mk.VIII, which can spew a lovely cloud of 40mm shells into the general direction of an oncoming aircraft. The other four mounts are the more lackluster quadruple 12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V, which are essentially just there for moral support.

However, the true moral support comes in the form of five 20-barreled UP (Unrotated Projectile) rocket launchers, designed to hurl rockets which lay airborne tripwires attached to mines at enemy aircraft. While they are indicated as 'Auxiliary caliber guns' in-game, due to the fact that testing proved them as useless in-game as in real life, they were unfortunately not implemented.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IV (533 mm)}}

Hood has twelve 533 mm Mk.IV torpedoes, the same seen on HMS Marlborough, in four launchers, two per side, near the back of the superstructure. The torpedoes are awful, slow, hard to aim, and worst of all, unlike other WW1-era ships, these launchers and their reserve torpedoes are located above the waterline in very exposed positions, meaning they are prone to explode when hit. It is not advised to take them.

== Usage in battles ==


HMS Hood is a strong ship on the seas of War Thunder, however her captains should not expect to be capable of tanking enemy fire like some other, more extensively protected capital ships. The Hood does have a similar main armour belt thickness, but her belt is much smaller than other capital ships, a trade-off for her superior speed. In battle, this means that Hood is much more versatile than traditional battleships, as at 57 km/h (31 kn), she is roughly 15 km/h faster than the average speed of most battleships in game. Keep in mind that Hood is very large, so it may not be advisable to enter capture points which are usually exposed, but at least she can reliably keep up with the cruisers and capture the objective in a pinch. Captains of HMS Hood should keep a close eye on her buoyancy, as she has a tendency to take on water much more rapidly than many other ships of her class, and will have a tendency to wallow and capsize very easily as well.

As for notable enemies, [[SMS Bayern]] and [[Parizhskaya kommuna|Parizhskaya Kommuna]] are both ships that will consistently be seen in battles and can do considerable damage very quickly. Bayern can be dealt with by a hit to the front ammo rack with a salvo of SAP shells, and will usually be relatively easy to deal with so long as she isn't at an angle. The Parizhskaya Kommuna can be more difficult to defeat, so it is recommended to attempt to disable turrets before attempting to deal a fatal blow. Both Bayern and Parizhskaya Kommuna will reload faster than Hood, so her captains need to be careful when taking aim, as a mistake in aim can lead to rapid retaliation from the enemy.

The main opponent, though, is the Kronshtadt, which is faster than the Hood, highly survivable and possesses fast-firing 305 mm cannons with capable HE and AP shells that are on roughly par with the Hood's AP shells. It is recommended to aim for the ammunition behind the frontal turrets and hope they will show enough broadside at a close enough range that your own AP can get though the side armour.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Features eight 381 mm (15 inches) cannons with powerful shells to choose from
* Good top speed for her size
* Sufficient armour protection on the critical section of the ship
* Large profile allows the ship to absorb a lot of shells and contain the damage

'''Cons:'''

* Extremely huge, can be easily spotted and hit
* Relatively weak armour plating on the upper section of the ship
* Very poor agility due to hull size, makes dodging bombs and torpedoes difficult
* Extremely slow main turret traverse speed, inability to fire reactively
* Low secondary and anti-air defence for such a large ship

== History ==


=== [[wt:en/news/7691-development-hms-hood-the-imperial-representative-en|Devblog]] ===
The British Admiral-class battlecruisers date back to 1915, when an original battleship design with characteristics similar to Queen Elizabeth-class was converted into 30 knot battlecruisers. In 1916, the project was approved and orders were placed at the shipyards, but the Battle of Jutland, which showed the full omissions in the defence of the British battlecruisers, required new improvements to the project, which dragged on until August 1917.

Although four Admiral-class battlecruisers were ordered and laid down in shipyards, only one would be completed. The one ship of the class that would see completion would become HMS Hood, named after an 18th century British admiral. The ship was laid down in the John Brown & Company shipyard in Scotland in September 1916. Following its launching in 1918 and subsequent fitting-out, HMS Hood was commissioned into the ranks of the Royal Navy in May 1920, thus also becoming the largest warship in service at the time.

Upon entering service, HMS Hood took part in several showing-the-flag and training exercises in the interwar period. In November 1923 the ship set out to circumnavigate the globe as part of The Empire Cruise, visiting ports in South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States before returning to British waters in September 1924.
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1998-035-05, Schlachtschiff Bismarck, Seegefecht.jpg|thumb|350px|right|HMS Hood's explosion with HMS Prince of Wales near, taken from [[Prinz Eugen]]]]
At the outbreak of WWII, the recently overhauled HMS Hood was operating in the area around Iceland, hunting for German vessels. After the Fall of France, HMS Hood took part in Operation Catapult - the destruction of the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940, with HMS Hood briefly duelling French battleship Dunkerque and crippling her with four hits that would have sunk the vessel had she not been close enough to the shore to beach herself. However, HMS Hood's most famous and final engagement would become that of the Battle of the Denmark Strait in which the warship, along with HMS Prince of Wales clashed with the German battleship Bismarck and the accompanying heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. Suffering a lethal strike to one of its magazines shortly after the start of the engagement, HMS Hood blew up and sank within three minutes with catastrophic losses and only 3 survivors. Due to its popularity among the British at the time and its tragic loss during the vessel's fateful last engagement, HMS Hood retains its legendary status and is to this day one of the most well-known British warships.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_battlecruiser_hood Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7691-development-hms-hood-the-imperial-representative-en|[Devblog] HMS Hood: The Imperial Representative]]

{{Template:ShipManufacturer John Brown and Company}}
{{Britain battlecruisers}}

HMS Invincible

2023-12-04T15:03:13Z

U74396666: Description history update

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_battlecruiser_invincible
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Invincible (85)''' is a member of the Invincible-class battlecruiser family. The HMS Invincible was built for the British Navy by Elswick Yard in 1907 during the first decade of the twentieth century as the world's first battlecruiser. The HMS Invincible was formally known as armoured cruisers until 1911, when they were renamed battlecruisers by an Admiralty order dated November 24, 1911. Until then, a variety of unofficial designations were used, including cruiser-battleship, dreadnought cruiser, and battlecruiser. During World War I, she played a minor role in the Battle of Heligoland Bight because she was the oldest and slowest battlecruiser in the British navy. Despite numerous hits, the HMS Invincible and her sister ship, the HMS Inflexible, sank the armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau during the Battle of the Falkland Islands. During the Battle of Jutland in 1916, she was the flagship of the 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron. The squadron was detached from Admiral Beatty's Battlecruiser Fleet a few days before the battle for gunnery practice with the Grand Fleet, and it served as the Grand Fleet's heavy scouting force during the battle. During the battle, she was destroyed by an ammunition magazine explosion after one of her gun turrets' armour was penetrated.

Introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]], the HMS Invincible is well-protected and armed. Most of the ammunition magazines are located below the waterline, making them difficult to hit during battles. It also has a powerful secondary armament with a high rate of fire capable of dealing with close-range attacks from smaller enemy vessels. Her armour, on the other hand, is relatively weak against large-calibre armaments from other battleships. This, combined with the lack of deck armour and extremely poor anti-aircraft armament, renders the HMS Invincible extremely vulnerable to enemy aircraft. Players are advised to always stick with allies to obtain anti-aircraft fire coverage while engaging enemy vessels with its powerful main armament.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

HMS Invincible is a 20,000t vessel with 1,032 crew members, an average crew count for a battlecruiser. The ship has a 150 mm main armour belt which is backed up by 50 mm of turtleback armour and an array of coal bunkers. The main turrets have 177 mm armour on turret faces and barbettes.

This leaves the ship reasonably resistant to 152 mm and 203 mm shells at long to medium ranges, nevertheless enemy battleships with their much larger cannons will have little trouble cleaving through your protection at any practical range. The armour is ineffective at stopping shells of a calibre larger than 283 mm. The lack of AA guns and rather thin deck armour is insufficient when it comes to fending off strike aircraft.

Whilst the belt armour does extend far enough below the waterline to give some level of protection from shallow torpedoes, the ship is still vulnerable to torpedoes which hit below the belt armour.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|305 mm/45 Mark X (305 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:305 mm/45 Mark X (305 mm)/Ammunition|305 mm Mark IIa HE, 305 mm Mark VIa APC, 305 mm Mark VIIa SAPCBC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/40 QF mark III (102 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

{{:4 inch/40 QF mark III (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|76 mm/45 QF 3in 20cwt HA Mark I (76 mm)|3 pdr QF Hotchkiss (47 mm)}}

''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|R.G.F. Mark VI** (450 mm)}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Main battery of eight 305 mm guns with access to SAP rounds can make short work of enemy cruisers, and APC can punish larger targets
* Faster than the other capital ships, inferior only to [[SMS Von der Tann]] in terms of top speed
* Belt armour can shrug off medium calibre gunfire from cruisers and destroyers, and extends below the waterline to give protection against shallow torpedoes
* Shell rooms are well below the waterline and hard to hit with gunfire
* Numerous secondary battery guns with a high rate of fire that can easily deal with close range attacks from smaller unarmoured vessels
* Has underwater torpedo launchers, which can potentially catch close targets unaware

'''Cons:'''

* Vertical armour is very weak against large calibre guns from other capital ships; battleships can often cause crippling damage
* Non-existent deck armour and extremely poor anti-aircraft armament makes the Invincible highly vulnerable to bombers
* 305 mm guns struggle to penetrate battleship belt armour beyond 10km, and the APC rounds suffer from poor post-penetration damage
* Can only fire a full broadside while parallel to an opponent - Angling the ship will only allow a broadside of 6 guns
* Secondary battery SAP shells have low penetration; the guns will struggle to damage even most light cruisers
* Main battery turret armour is thin on the roof, often resulting in disabled turrets or damage gun breeches
* Vulnerable to deep running torpedoes
* Underwater torpedoes have low range and a relatively small warhead in comparison to most deck mounted torpedoes aboard cruisers and destroyers

== History ==

[[File:HMS Invincible (1907) British Battleship.jpg|thumb|600x600px|A photograph of HMS Invincible, the first British Battlecruiser, in 1907.]]
HMS Invincible was the lead ship of her class of three battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy. She was the first modern battlecruiser ever built, and pioneered the ship type, featuring less armour in exchange for more speed. Her construction led to a "battlecruiser arms race", including ships such as the German [[SMS Von der Tann|Von Der Tann]] and Derflingger classes as well as the Japanese Kongo class. During the First World War, Invincible participated in the Battle of the Heligoland Bight, as well as the Falklands Battle where she and her sister ship Inflexible sank the armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. She ultimately met her demise at the Battle of Jutland, when her magazines detonated following hits from the German force.

=== Design and development ===
Invincible, as the first battlecruiser ever built, was the brainchild of First Sea Lord Jackie Fisher, who was responsible for a wide range of innovations including the Dreadnought. The ships were designed to be fast, with a top speed of 25 knots (46 km/h), but also extremely well armed, with a main battery of 12 inch (305 mm) guns. However, this came at the expense of armour, meaning that Invincible had a weaker armour protection compared to the dreadnoughts. The massive 41 000 horsepower engines that powered the Invincible took up a massive amount of space inside the hull, requiring a reduction in armour.

Invincible, being a larger vessel than her armoured-cruiser predecessors, displaced over 20 000 tons at full load. She had an armament of eight 12 inch (305 mm) guns in four twin turrets, with one fore, one aft, and two on beam positions. The turrets were placed in a position so that all four turrets could fire on a broadside. Invincible carried a secondary armament of twelve 4 inch 40 QF naval guns in single mounts, placed across the fore and rear superstructures. She carried a single 76 mm and 47 mm gun for anti-aircraft defence, as well as four 450 mm torpedoes. Invincible was laid down in April of 1906, and launched a year later in 1907. She was fully commissioned in 1909 and entered service with the 1st Cruiser Squadron of the British Grand Fleet.

=== Operational History ===
Invincible entered service with the British Grand Fleet and participated in fleet manoeuvres along with the rest of the fleet. However, it was apparent during her early service that her main turrets were problematic as the faulty electric turret horizontal drives prevented them from turning properly. As a result, the battlecruiser spent much of late 1913 and early 1914 in dock, receiving new, hydraulic turret drives to replace her electric ones. She was also fitted with a new ranging fire director, but this had not been completed by the time of the outbreak of the First World War.

==== Heligoland Bight and the Falklands ====
Following the start of the First World War, Invincible saw her first action at the Battle of Heligoland Bight. There, she fired 18 rounds at the crippled cruiser Cöln, but failed to obtain hits. Later, Invincible participated in a more important action, the Battle of the Falklands. As part of the British West Indies squadron commanded by Rear Admiral Christopher Cradock, she steamed from Port Stanley (in the Falklands) with her sister ship Inflexible to intercept the German squadron led by Admiral Von Spee; Spee's cruiser squadron, led by armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, attempted to attack the British base at Port Stanley hours before. As the battlecruisers had a 5-knot advantage over the German armoured cruisers, they quickly caught up and began straddling the German cruisers with 12 inch shells. After a several hour long battle, both Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were sunk, the former with no survivors. Invincible was hit numerous times, but suffered no significant damage.

After the Falklands battle, Invincible returned to Port Stanley for repairs, followed by a more lengthy refit at Gibraltar. During this time, her ranging director was completed (it had been left unfinished with the outbreak of war) and her funnel was extended to reduce the amount of smoke entering the bridge and forward superstructure.

==== Battle of Jutland and sinking ====
[[File:InvincibleBlowingUpJutland1916.jpg|thumb|500x500px|HMS Invincible blowing up after a German shell detonated her ammunition magazines.]]
Invincible ultimately met her demise at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, just a year after she sank the cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at the Falklands. In May of that year, she was assigned to Admiral Beatty's battlecruiser group and ordered to cruise into the north seas to intercept a potential breakout of the German fleet. Soon after, Invincible, along with her sister ships Inflexible and Indomitable, spotted a group of seven enemy ships including two armoured cruisers and promptly fired upon them. They succeeded in crippling the cruiser Wiesbaden with a hit to the engine room, as well as a similar heavy hit to the cruiser Pillau.

Soon after, Beatty's battlecruisers spotted the German battlecruiser line, and promptly opened fire on the battlecruisers Lutzow and Derfflinger. Invincible hit Lutzow twice beneath the waterline, which would eventually lead to her demise. However, she ended up directly in front of Lutzow and Derfllinger, who fired several salvoes at her. One of these shots hit the ship's midships 12 inch shell magazines, which exploded and blew the ship in half. Almost her entire crew of 1026 were killed, including her commanding officer Rear Admiral Horace Hood; six survivors were rescued by escorting destroyers. Hood's widow would later launch the battlecruiser/fast battleship HMS Hood, the heaviest battleship in the world for 20 years.

Invincible lies at a depth of 55 metres in the North Sea, cut in half by the massive magazine explosion that doomed her. Her wreck is protected by the Protection of Military Remains act of 1986.

=== [[wt:en/news/6974-development-heroes-of-jutland-hms-invincible-en|Devblog]] ===
HMS Invincible was laid down in April 1906 as the lead ship of her class of three new armoured cruisers, intended to replace the preceding Minotaur-class. The ship was launched a year later and completed in March 1909, subsequently being commissioned into service with the Royal Navy. Thereafter, HMS Invincible took part in fleet manoeuvres and several reviews before being sent to drydock for refit. In 1911, the warship was officially redesignated into a battlecruiser, thus becoming the first ship of this kind.

In 1913, HMS Invincible was ordered to the dockyard once more to replace her electrically powered turret traverse mechanisms with hydraulic ones in order to fix ongoing problems and make the ship battle-worthy. However, while works were still being undertaken, the declaration of war on Germany in August 1914 signalled the start of WWI and HMS Invincible was quickly recommissioned.

Already at the outbreak of the conflict, HMS Invincible saw herself in the thick of the action, engaging German ships at the Battle of Heligoland Bight in late August 1914. Later that year, in December, HMS Invincible, along with her sister ship HMS Inflexible, took part in the Battle of the Falkland Islands, sinking the two German armoured cruisers, Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, during the engagement.

HMS Invincible also took part in what would become her last engagement - the well-known Battle of Jutland in May 1916. During the battle, HMS Invincible was struck by fire coming from the German battlecruisers Lützow and Derfflinger, detonating her midships magazine and causing the warship to break in half.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_battlecruiser_invincible Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="HMS Invincible Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|-LCzBAASxbo|'''HMS Invincible vs Von der Tann - Vehicle Comparison''' - ''Flipped StuG''}}

== See also ==


;Other WW1-era battlecruisers

* [[SMS Von der Tann]]
* [[IJN Ikoma]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6974-development-heroes-of-jutland-hms-invincible-en|[Devblog] Heroes of Jutland: HMS Invincible]]

=== References ===

* Bowman, C. (2016, July 23). Dive on the wreck of HMS Invincible (Watch). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.warhistoryonline.com/featured/dive-wreck-hms-invincible.html</nowiki>
* Naval Encyclopedia. (2020, October 15). Invincible class battlecruisers (1907). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.naval-encyclopedia.com/ww1/UK/invincible-class-battlecruisers/</nowiki>

{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
{{Britain battlecruisers}}

HMS Norfolk

2023-12-04T14:50:49Z

U74396666: Description history update

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_norfolk
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Norfolk (78)''' is a member of the County-class heavy cruiser family. Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. laid her down in July 1927 at Govan, and on December 12, 1928, she was launched. On April 30, 1930, she was commissioned. She was one of two ships in a class that also included the HMS Dorsetshire. In 1931, she carried a seaplane, and in 1932, she received a catapult. From the outbreak of World War II until 1945, the HMS Norfolk served in the Home Fleet. She participated in the sinking of the German Navy's battleships Scharnhorst and Bismarck during her time in service during World War II. She soon received numerous repairs for the damage she had sustained, as well as critical ship modifications. Her first repairs took place in Belfast, following a near-miss with a torpedo from the German submarine U-47. After returning to the UK in 1949, she was put on reserve. On January 3, 1950, she was sold to the British Iron & Steel Corporation for scrap. She left for Newport on February 14, 1950, arriving on February 19 to be broken up after 22 years of service, during which she received most of her battle honours, including her final one, from the Norfolk lineage.

Introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]], the HMS Norfolk's powerful main, secondary, and anti-aircraft armaments offer excellent firepower. Maintaining enemy ships at range will maximize HMS Norfolk's effectiveness, as well-aimed shots from the main armament can quickly disable any ship in the area. Additionally, the HMS Norfolk is highly capable of handling aircraft threats; enemy aircraft can be easily destroyed by its defensive armament. However, during combat, it is crucial that players remain mindful of them and do not depend too much on the armour to withstand attacks. It is suggested that players lead their team's assault on HMS Norfolk, supporting them with anti-aircraft fire and leading the attack on enemy vessels.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

Due to the displacement limitations imposed on the County-class, the Norfolk does not have much in the way of armour. Most of what little armour she has is concentrated around the main 8-inch gun magazines, which are protected inside an armoured box of 102 mm in the sides, 76 mm on the ends and on the deck. These boxes are located below the waterline, and make her quite resistant to ammunition detonations from destroyer or light cruiser main guns at range.

The machinery is protected by only a thin strip 25 mm of armour on the sides, ends, and deck, and is thus vulnerable to even destroyer main guns. The main gun turrets and barbettes are similarly poorly protected.

The rest of the ship has no armour plating on the hull above the waterline. This means that the ship tends to take a lot of damage from even HE shells. In particular, like most British cruisers, the Norfolk has an open bridge which is highly vulnerable to getting disabled.

The Norfolk has a respectable crew complement of 819 men. However, many of these crew members are located on the exposed anti-aircraft gun positions, which means that she tends to suffer considerable crew attrition from even relatively light HE hits, such as from destroyers.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Norfolk is fairly fast for a heavy cruiser. However, she is still a heavy cruiser, and thus her handling and acceleration/deceleration characteristics are still relatively cumbersome compared to those of lighter ships.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|8 inch/50 Mark VIII (203 mm)}}

The Norfolk's main armament consists of eight 8-inch Mark VIII guns distributed in four twin turrets. These guns have acceptable accuracy, though they will struggle to gain consistent hits at longer ranges. The shortest possible reload time with a fully trained crew is 12 seconds, which is fast for a heavy cruiser. There is no first-stage ammunition stowage, thus the reload is consistent no matter how much ammunition is left in the magazines.

The 8-inch guns have only two types of shell: HE and SAPCBC. The HE shell contains a powerful bursting charge of 10 kg of TNT. The SAPCBC shell is the only other shell present, with no access to a full AP shell. However, the SAPCBC makes up for this by providing a solid blend of penetrating power and explosive filler. Compared to the shells seen on the 8inch/55 on American heavy cruisers, the SAPCBC possesses over twice the penetration of the American Common shells, and twice the explosive filler of the American APCBC shell, with 5.2 kg of TNT, allowing the SAPCBC to be used to great effect against both cruisers and destroyers.

HE is used as the stock shell on the Norfolk, and while its large bursting charge deals heavy damage to light targets, the SAPCBC is more versatile and should immediately be researched following the basic survivability modifications, and SAPCBC should be used in nearly all circumstances.

The main guns have an unusual amount of elevation of 70 degrees: in real life, this was because the guns were expected to engage aircraft. However, as there is no time-fused or VT-fused shell available for the British 8-inch gun currently in the game, the Norfolk is unable to take full advantage of this feature.

{{:8 inch/50 Mark VIII (203 mm)/Ammunition|8 inch HE, 8 inch Mark I.B. SAPCBC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

The Norfolk is fitted with with four twin 4 inch/45 Mark XVI mounts, which were used on several destroyers in the British tech tree, two to a side amidships. These guns are mostly useful against aircraft, as unlike American cruisers with their broadside of eight 5 inch/38 Mk.12 guns, these guns have much poorer damage output. There are four shells available, HE, SAP, HE-TF, and HE-VT. The stock HE performs as can be expected for a gun of the calibre, doing minimal damage to anything it faces. The SAP shell has a reasonable 103mm of penetration at 1,000 m, and although the penetration rapidly falls off, it can still help defend the ship against surface threats. The HE-TF and HE-VT are both specialized for anti-aircraft, and can deal a reasonable amount of damage against enemy planes. It is recommended to take majority HE-VT, with some SAP as well.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

The star of the ship's AA are the two octuple 40 mm Pom-Pom mounts located just aft of the torpedoes. These will immediately dispatch aircraft, as well as patrol boats if necessary. Aside from those, and the dual-purpose 4 inch/45 mounts, the only other AA armament are eight single 20 mm Oerlikon Mk.IIs. Four are located around the superstructure, one is on the B turret, two are on the X turret, and one more can be found on the stern. These will aid in downing planes, and provide a nice light show at whatever they are shooting at. While the Norfolk's AA is inferior to other cruisers, such as its counterpart the London and other foreign ships, it will sufficient to defend the ship against air attack.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)}}

The Norfolk is equipped with two quadruple torpedo tubes, located on each side of the ship. They fire Mk.IX wet-heater torpedoes, which are superior to the antiquated Mk.V steam turbined torpedoes found on older cruisers in range and explosive mass, but are still unexceptional compared to foreign torpedoes like the Type 93. They will certainly save you if you get into a close-quarters brawl with an enemy ship, but they shouldn't be relied on aside from a last resort weapon

== Usage in battles ==

The Norfolk is a bit of a glass cannon, having excellent firepower but very poor armour protection for a heavy cruiser. Her armour will protect against magazine detonations from most cruiser shells, but the lack of armour elsewhere, especially on critical parts like her turrets and the bridge, mean that she can take crippling damage from even destroyers if they get within effective range. This means that she excels at providing medium range support and should generally avoid drawing too much attention to herself. She has a good turn of speed for a heavy cruiser, allowing her to get to tactically advantageous positions a little bit faster while the large fillers in her HE and SAPCBC shells can inflict heavy damage on destroyers and cruisers. It is recommended to become familiar with the armour schemes of enemy cruisers, and target those which have poor protection, as against them the massive bursting charge will shine, while you won't notice the inferior penetration of the shells.

The Norfolk is also one of the few 5.7 cruisers equipped with air-search radar, giving crucial early warning of any incoming enemy aircraft. She also has a very reasonable anti-aircraft armament suite, allowing her to provide effective air cover to teammates when necessary.

'''Specific enemies worth noting'''

'''Late destroyers + USS Atlanta'''

* Several late destroyers, such as the Porter, Somers, and Spokoinyy can prove to be a dangerous foe, as the Norfolk's general lack of armour protection makes it extremely vulnerable against a hail of small-calibre fire. When encountering them, you should remain calm, as they while they will sting, they will not sink you fast enough. Fire your opening salvo against them under the front turrets, as it will likely destroy the turrets, damage the bridge, and ideally cause an ammunition detonation as well. A larger threat, in both size and danger, is the USS Atlanta, which can rain a 14-gun broadside of 5" shells down on you. It is best to try to engage the Atlanta at range, where the long travel time of the Atlanta's shells proves to be a disadvantage, while your 8" guns are very well suited for engaging cruisers at long range

'''German 5.7 Cruisers'''

* The German trio of Admiral Hipper, Prinz Eugen, and Admiral Graf Spee are all extremely dangerous enemies, as they possess a blend of both firepower and armour that put the Norfolk to shame. You should never engage them directly, as they will soundly beat you in a duel. Instead, fight them when they are distracted by other people. Specifically, when fighting the Graf Spee, put extra effort into dodging the enemy's fire, as their poor fire rate and high single-shot damage means they rely on making every shell count.

'''Other County-class cruisers'''

* The Norfolk also happens to fall into the type of thin-skinned cruisers that it most efficiently engages, and thus enemy County-class cruisers should be dealt with immediately. Distribute your fire of SAP around different sections of the enemy ship, and let the excellent bursting charge of the shells do the rest of the work for you. Put effort into dodging enemy shots, as their return fire will hurt quite a bit.

'''Late light cruisers'''

* Light cruisers such as the Mikuma, Helena, Brooklyn, etc. possess a very high damage output, and their large broadsides and high fire rate will tear through the nonexistent armour of the Norfolk. However, their armour is also generally lacking, and you can defeat them if you are able to hit them more consistently than their return fire. Try to destroy their turrets, or damage their ammunition hoists to decrease their firepower. Ideally, you could immediately kill them with an ammunition detonation, and with a bit of luck one of your hits under the turrets may give you a quick victory.

'''Battleships and battlecruisers'''

* The Norfolk's position as a moderately high BR cruiser means it may regularly face battleships. Against them, there is very little that can be done. When fighting battleships, your best bet is to run to cover with your superior speed, dodge their shells, and attempt to deal some damage to their superstructure, while praying that your friendly battleships dispatch them quickly. If you spot an overextended battleship, using island cover to get close and make a suicidal torpedo attack may be viable.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire for a heavy cruiser
* Large shell explosive fillers
* Heavy anti-aircraft armament
* Relatively high top speed for a heavy cruiser
* Equipped with air-search radar
* Well-protected main gun ammunition magazines

'''Cons:'''

* Little to no armour protecting the ship outside of the magazines
* Mediocre main gun accuracy
* Can be matched against battleships
* Tends to lose crew quickly due to exposed secondary guns and anti-aircraft mounts and turret/bridge disables
* Lacks a floatplane

== History ==

The County-class cruisers were the first British cruisers designed under the restrictions of the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty. The treaty, which limited cruiser tonnage to 10,000 tons, clashed with the Royal Navy's need for a cruiser to defend its global trade routes to its colonies. To ensure a blend of firepower and range, the Royal Navy called for a long ship with four twin-turrets as their new heavy cruiser design. This became the County-class cruiser, a conservatively built ship with a very high freeboard, allowing for high directional stability. The superstructure was taken from a design first used on the HMS Enterprise, which transformed the scattered sections of conning towers, wheelhouses, navigating and signaling platforms, and fire control seen on World War I-era cruisers into a neat block at the front of the ship. The two boiler rooms, were ventilated into four uptakes, of which the central one was combined into a larger funnel, giving the Counties their distinctive funnel arrangement. However, the size of the ship left little displacement available to be allowed for armour protection, and thus the side armour was less of an armour belt and more of basic shrapnel protection.

HMS Norfolk was the lead ship of her subclass, which involved minor modifications such as the movement of the 4-inch guns further forward, the slight shortening of the superstructure, and the changing of the primary armament from the Mark I variant to the Mark II variant, with simplified loading. She was initially part of a four ship class, with an additional ship in the talks, but in the end she only received one sister, Dorsetshire, due to budget cuts. Construction started on Norfolk on July 8, 1927. She was launched on December 12, 1928, and entered service on April 30, 1930.

Norfolk became involved in the September 1931 Invergordon Mutiny, where sailors protested an imminent major pay cut. In the end, the sailors only received the minor pay cut the entire armed forces received, and the incident was settled peacefully. Between 1932 and 1934, she served with the America and West Indies Station at Bermuda, cruising around the Americas, engaging in exercises, providing hurricane relief, and protecting British interests in the area. In 1935, she moved to the East Indies Station, where she remained in 1939. Then, she returned back to Britain for a refit, and was in dockyard when the World War II began.

For the first years of the war, Norfolk was engaged with the Home Fleet in hunting German surface raiders, although she saw no success. In November 1939, she was damaged by the submarine U-47, necessitating repairs. Not long after, she was bombed in an air raid, requiring more repairs, where she also had a radar set installed. She was then engaged in several raids off the Norwegian coast, until December 1940, where she operated out of Freetown in the South Atlantic, and attempted to hunt down the raider Kormoran, but again with no success.

By April 1941, Norfolk had returned to Scapa Flow, where intelligence reports suggested the battleship Bismarck was readying for action. On May 20, 1941, Norfolk was patrolling with fellow heavy cruiser Suffolk in the Denmark Strait under the command of Rear Admiral W.F. Wake-Walker, when they received reports from that the Swedish cruiser Gotland had encountered two large warships with heavy escort. Realizing the situation brewing, the Admiralty sent out reconnaissance aircraft, but the Bismarck had already slipped away and was cruising through the North Sea. With the Home Fleet scrambling ships to sea, on May 23, Norfolk and Suffolk encountered Bismarck and Prinz Eugen in the Denmark Strait at a range of only 6 nautical miles, and the cruisers quickly disengaged. After sending out contact reports, the cruisers began shadowing the German ships. The Admiralty had the foresight to predict the Denmark Strait as a likely route for Bismarck to take, and had dispatched a force under Vice Admiral Holland, with HMS Hood, Prince of Wales, and destroyers to aid Wake-Walker. At 0516 the following morning, Holland arrived, with Norfolk and Suffolk still trailing behind the German ships. Shortly after, Holland engaged the Bismarck, but after just 10 minutes of firing, the Hood exploded, killing Holland and nearly the entire crew. After another 10 minutes, Prince of Wales was crippled, and withdrew. Norfolk witnessed the battle from 15 nautical miles away.

Following the spectacular defeat, the Royal Navy's resolve to sink the Bismarck grew. Norfolk joined Prince of Wales shortly after the battle concluded, as the British destroyers tried to find survivors from Hood. Despite the damage sustained to Prince of Wales, she kept pace with Norfolk and Suffolk as the cruisers continued to shadow Bismarck. However, early in the morning on the 25th, the cruisers lost contact with Bismarck. Prince of Wales broke off to refuel, and Norfolk and Suffolk split up. Norfolk was operating independently when Bismarck was spotted on the 26th by a PBY flying boat. She rapidly closed the distance to the contact report until the morning of the 27th, where she made visual contact with the now crippled Bismarck at 0753. Shortly after, she sighted the battleships HMS King George V and Rodney under Admiral John Tovey, who had come to finish the job Norfolk had started four days prior. At 0847, with Norfolk 10 nautical miles away, the final action of the Bismarck began, with Norfolk's sister Dorsetshire joining from the south. Norfolk joined in the shelling, and claimed two torpedo hits on Bismarck. After just over an hour of intense action, the four British ships had fired 2,800 shells at Bismarck, scoring 400 hits, reducing the Bismarck to a wreck. At 10:20, Tovey turned for home, and Dorsetshire finished off the Bismarck with torpedoes.

After the action, Norfolk returned to menial duties, now assigned the arduous task of escorting the Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union. She would participate in escorting the convoys through the unending daylight of the summers and the darkness of the arctic winters for the next few years.

On December 20, 1943, eastbound convoy JW 55B departed for the Soviet Union. Norfolk was at sea at the time escorting westbound convoy RA 55A back from Murmansk after an uneventful journey. The eastbound journey had been uneventful. It had been nearly a year since German capital ships had sortied against an Arctic convoy, at the Battle of the Barents Sea, and German battleships had been holed up in port since the loss of Bismarck. However, the two surviving battleships, Scharnhorst and Tirpitz, had proved a formidable fleet-in-being, and were always poised to strike from their Norwegian bases. Bruce Fraser, chief Admiral of the Home Fleet, and in charge of protecting the Arctic convoys, suspected that German surface ships may try to strike at JW 55B. He envisioned a decisive battle around Christmas against British and German battleships, where the threat of German battleships striking a the convoys could be permanently neutralized. On December 22, JW 55B was spotted by the Luftwaffe, and the next day, Fraser put to sea personally commanding his flagship HMS Duke of York, with a light cruiser and four destroyers as escort. Fraser proved to be correct, as on Christmas, Scharnhorst and five destroyers sortied from Norway.

As RA 55A was diverted north. Norfolk, along with light cruisers Belfast and Southampton, joined JW 55B instead. At 0900 on December 26, the cruisers encountered Scharnhorst, and immediately opened fire from 12,000 m, destroying the Scharnhorst's radar. Norfolk, whose guns produced the brightest flashes, was in turn targeted by Scharnhorst, but Scharnhorst soon broke off the battle, misidentifying Norfolk as a battleship. Norfolk and the cruisers pursued Scharnhorst, while struggling to keep pace in the heavy seas. Shortly after noon, the two sides exchanged fire again, disabling X turret on Norfolk and damaging her radar, but again broke off, while the German destroyers fruitlessly searched for JW 55B alone. Norfolk was eventually forced to retreat due to her damage, in addition to Southampton, leaving Belfast alone. However, they escaped undetected due to Scharnhorst's destroyed radar, and Belfast successfully maintained contact until Fraser arrived in Duke of York and sank Scharnhorst.

Following this, Norfolk eventually had her entire X turret removed and replaced with additional AA. These repairs and refits resulted in her being unable to participate in the D-Day landings. The rest of her wartime service was uneventful. On May 4, 1945, she served as the flagship of Operation Judgement, where Norfolk and several other ships escorted escort carriers for a raid on Kilbotn, Norway, where they sank a submarine and two other ships. After the war's conclusion, Norfolk ferried the Norwegian Royal Family back to Oslo, after their five year exile in London.

Norfolk remained in service until 1949, where she was transferred to reserve. In 1950, she sold off for scrapping. She was the third of five ships to bear the name Norfolk, and accounted for 6 of the 11 battle honors the lineage earned.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_norfolk Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{ShipManufacturer Fairfields}}
{{Britain heavy cruisers}}

HMS Abdiel

2023-12-04T14:41:45Z

U74396666: Description history update

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_minelayer_abdiel_class_abdiel
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Abdiel (M39)''' is a member of the Abdiel-class minelayer family. The HMS Abdiel was built at Thornycroft's Woolston shipyard on May 23, 1966, launched on January 22, 1967, and commissioned on October 17, 1967. Her official mission, as a "Exercise Minelayer" designated by the Ministry of Defence, was to train Royal Navy personnel in minelaying operations using dummy naval mines and to serve as a Forward Headquarters ship for mine clearance operations. Despite the fact that successive British governments have been opposed to the use of sea and land mines since the mid-1960s, she was capable of laying offensive mines during wartime. She was assigned to the Home Fleet (1942–1943), the Mediterranean Fleet (1941–1943), and the Eastern Fleet (1942–1942). Despite being built as a swift minelayer, her capacity and speed allowed her to be used as a fast transport ship as well. On September 10, 1943, during Operation Slapstick, mines sank the HMS Abdiel in Taranto harbour in Italy. Two German torpedo boats (S-54 and S-61) had laid the mines just hours before they left the harbour. After the captain of the USS Boise had earlier declined to transport the troops, the British 1st Airborne Division's troops (6th (Royal Welch) Parachute Battalion and 204 (Oban) Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery) board the HMS Abdiel. Two mines exploded beneath the HMS Abdiel shortly after midnight, and the minelayer sank in three minutes, killing many sailors and soldiers.

Introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]], the HMS Abdiel functions a lot like those destroyers with light armaments. She will struggle against targets with heavy weaponry, but she will have no trouble engaging weaker opponents. Given that the main armament has a very accurate range of about 5 km, it is crucial to aim your shots at opponents with more firepower. However, unless players have allies to support them, it is not recommended to initiate a fight with any stronger opponents. It is suggested that players seek out choke points leading to objectives and take advantage of her superior speed to arrive there first and plant mines; however, be cautious as she is a prime target for torpedoes fired by fast coastal vessels.

{{Notice|HMS Abdiel is classed as a light cruiser and has a low BR compared to other light cruisers. In this BR bracket, there are some maps that don't feature a cruiser spawn (namely Aleutian Islands) and there is a risk that you won't be able to spawn anything if your line-up consists only of HMS Abdiel herself.}}

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}


Other than the gun shields and some very light armour on the bridge, HMS Abdiel more resembles a destroyer than a light cruiser. She does however feel much tankier than the equivalent destroyers at this BR, likely due to her displacement and larger crew size.

If carrying mines in the stern then her survivability is much reduced. Often players will target her rear quarters trying to detonate the mines or rear ammo racks, so don't carry them unless you intend to use them.

Her front ammo racks are somewhat protected behind fuel tanks and are at least partially underwater, though magazine explosions seem to plague the entire British line, particularly from plunging 5"/38 fire at range. The rear ammo racks seem to be very vulnerable too as mentioned back.

She does contain a lot of empty space however, especially if mines are not being carried, hence feels as though she can take a lot more of a beating than equivalent BR ships.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}


HMS Abdiel, at 39 knots fully upgraded, is faster than many coastal torpedo boats. Acceleration is rapid compared to anything else in the British blue water fleet and she'll do 13 knots in full reverse. She feels more like a particularly responsive destroyer and is difficult to target against a skilled player using evasive manoeuvres. Rudder control is pretty much instant allowing you to dodge incoming shells.

Her speed and manoeuvrability allows capping and positioning unavailable to other ships, though as a Light Cruiser she is hampered by using the Heavy fleet spawn.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

With two twin 4"/45 turrets forward and another at the stern HMS Abdiel has similar firepower to other British ships at this BR. The stern turret can fire at relative fine angles forward, about 15 degrees off the bow. Turret traverse is somewhat slow though easily enough to keep the guns on target which manouvreing.

She therefore plays far more like a destroyer than a Light Cruiser.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.IIc (40 mm)}}

Secondaries amount to a single quad 40 mm pompom high-mounted on the rear superstructure. You often see Coastal vessels in downtiers and the pompoms tend to make short work of them.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}

{{:2pdr QF Mk.IIc (40 mm)/Ammunition|AP-T, HEF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

Dedicated AAA is rather weak with 2x quad .50 cals on either side of the bridge. You'll want to keep some 4" VT handy if there are aircraft around, particularly bombers operating above pompom range. She doesn't feel to be too vulnerable to low level air attack given the BR though can suffer from high altitude bombing if the player is distracted as she's a comparatively large target.

The 4" guns do provide an excellent rate of fire however so best to use individual ranged shots to walk the fire onto the approaching aircraft.

She certainly isn't a AAA cruiser, though can be effective.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Type M Mark I mine}}

HMS Abdiel can carry 40 Type M Mk1 contact mines which are dispensed from racks under the rear deck. These are 600 kg each and will happily cripple if not destroy any ship coming into contact with them.

== Usage in battles ==


The play style for HMS Abdiel will be familiar to those of lightly gunned destroyers. In downtiers you can happily bully weaker opponents, even literally pushing them around at contact range. Uptiers are more difficult, especially when carrying mines. It's important not to give easy shorts into your rear hull. It is also important to dodge incoming salvos as plunging fire through the forward deck can reach the magazines.

The 4" guns are very accurate inside of about 5 km so it's important to place your shots against opponents who have superior firepower. Using single ranged shots and walking the fire up and down the target seems to be surprisingly effective rather than spamming broadsides. At range varying speed and direction can make her a difficult target though closer in you are likely to be outgunned.

Unless there are clear choke points the obvious use for mines is at the cap points and Abdiel does make an exceptional vessel for taking such, even at much higher BRs where her speed can turn matches. A very useful vessel to keep around should the match situation require it. Her manoeuvrability is well suited to the inland cap points, where she'll often face coastal vessels. Though watch out for torpedoes as she's rather long.

Some caution is required early in the game where it is easy to get well ahead of the rest of your team and become the focus. On the other hand she's quite capable of dodging a lot of incoming fire, so long as they don't take her engines out, and using her to lay smoke to protect the spawn or advancing fleet can be effective.

In arcade battles, her ship class is clearly visible, though in RB some destroyer captains might not recognise her silhouette and be wary of taking on a Light Cruiser. She can also be effective as a scout, keeping enemy vessels in sight such that the rest of the fleet can engage.

Well worth keeping her in your roster for Enduring Confrontation too as her ability to get around the map to complete objectives is unparalleled.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Features fast-firing and accurate 4-inch guns
* High top speed and mobility
* Decent anti-air defense
* Can be loaded with 40 sea mines for area denial
* Exceptionally good fun to play

'''Cons:'''

* Being classed as a light cruiser, the ship is forced to spawn at longer ranges where the 4-inch guns are less effective
* Lacks any torpedo armament
* Practically no armour protection save for the bridge; highly vulnerable to enemy fire
* Extremely vulnerable magazines and mine racks, both sit way above the waterline
* Current meta doesn't particularly suit minelayers

== History ==

Designed to speed into contested waters and lay minefields overnight, the Abdiel-class proved to be very useful vessels, although they were rarely used in their intended role. A minefield laid in the Sicilian Channel claimed two Italian Destroyers and a couple of merchant ships, though only 2% of the UK's total minelaying effort was offensive in nature, rather than the tens of thousands of mines laid around Britain's coasts by small boats and aircraft.

Instead, the Abdiel-class became invaluable as supply vessels which could run the gauntlet of Axis airpower to help relieve Malta, Tobruk and participated in many evacuations. None of the Abdiel-classes were lost whilst performing their intended role as minelayers, though three were lost during the war. Including, rather ironically, HMS Abdiel to a mine in Taranto harbour.

A memorial to the fast minelayers can be found in Milford Haven, their operating base.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_minelayer_abdiel_class_abdiel Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos

{{Youtube-gallery|od0P74LbYqA|'''This is How You Play HMS Abdiel - Naval Gameplay''' - ''Cmdr. Tyrael''}}

== See also ==


* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbfT8Inqd3M&t=2s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbfT8Inqd3M]
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLWXAkOHdaU

== External links ==

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdiel-class_minelayer

https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-07ML-Abdiel.htm

https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/98851/War-Memorial-with-Sea-Mine-Milford-Haven.htm

*

{{ShipManufacturer J. Samuel White}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMS Dido

2023-12-04T14:39:15Z

U74396666: Description history update

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_dido
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Dido (37)''' is a member of the Dido-class light cruiser family. Constructed in 1940 for World War II, she saw service throughout the war. The keel of the HMS Dido was laid down on October 26, 1937, by the Birkenhead-based Cammell Laird Shipyard. She was launched on July 18, 1939, and commissioned on September 30, 1940, in Birkenhead. In September 1940, the HMS Dido was sent to Scapa Flow for overhaul after being commissioned. High-speed sweeps off Fair Isle and Greenland were part of this. Following this, the HMS Dido's first mission, in November 1940, was to ferry aircraft from the aircraft carrier Furious to West Africa. She escorted convoys in the Atlantic at the start of World War II before moving to the Mediterranean. The HMS Dido took part in the second battle of the Gulf of Sirte in 1942, the landings in Sicily in 1943, and the French south coast in 1944. She escorted Arctic convoys and supported strikes off the coast of Norway in 1945. After the war, the HMS Dido was used for ceremonial purposes. In July 1945, Queen Elizabeth and King George VI were brought to the Isle of Man by the HMS Dido. From 1946 until 1948, she was commanded by P. Reid. She took part in the Fleet Review in 1953 to honour the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II as flagship of the Reserve Fleet. Subsequently, in 1957, she was withdrawn from service and acquired by Thos. W. Ward for decommissioning. She was scrapped at Barrow-in-Furness.

Introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]], the HMS Dido is best used to shield allies from enemy aircraft and hunt enemy destroyers. She is very well protected against destroyers' standard armaments, and in exchange, her main armament can deal a significant amount of damage to them with just one salvo. At medium to long range, however, the HMS Dido will find it difficult to compete with even light cruisers. In addition, most light cruisers can penetrate the weak armour rather easily, so it is not advisable to engage enemy larger vessels unless players have multiple allies to support them.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s hull features 76 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA) plating over the sides of the machinery spaces with 25 mm of RHA covering the ends and the machinery deck. This plating covers the boilers and the parts of propeller shafts that are above the waterline. The steering gear is protected by 25.4 mm RHA plating all around. The main gun turrets and barbettes are also protected by 25.4 mm RHA, as is helm located in the central shaft leading down from the bridge.

The ammunition magazines are very well-protected against other light cruisers' and destroyers' main guns. They are located below the waterline and there is 50.8 mm RHA deck plating over the main gun magazines, as well as covering the bow and stern-facing ends of the magazines. The sides of the magazines are protected by 19.05 mm of anti-fragmentation armour. In addition, there are fuel tanks on each side of the magazines. This means that only plunging fire from high calibre guns can be expected to reach the magazines.

The rest of the hull is entirely unprotected by anything other than the standard 25 mm steel plating of light cruisers. The bridge, in particular, is open and quite vulnerable to getting disabled by even destroyers.

There is also 12.7 mm hardened armour plating facing the front of the 20 mm Oerlikon mounts.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s mobility is rather standard for a light cruiser. She is not quite as fast or as nimble as the ''Enterprise'', but her mobility is adequate for most needs.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|5.25 inch/50 QF Mark I (133 mm)}}

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s primary armament consists of ten QF 5.25-inch dual-purpose guns. These are most comparable to the 5"/38 guns carried by most American destroyers and the [[USS Atlanta|USS ''Atlanta'']]. The 5.25-inch gun's rate-of-fire is much lower (10 rounds/minute vs. 22 rounds/minute), firing generally heavier shells.

All of the main gun turrets are capable of full 360° traverse and elevating up to 70°, allowing them to engage aircraft effectively. They also have a relatively fast traverse rate compared to other light cruisers, although a bit on the slow side for engaging aircraft.

The ammunition types available consist of HE, SAP, and HE-VT. HE-VT is broadly superior to standard HE, especially against aircraft. Despite the heavier shells, both contain less explosive filler than the HE shells of the American 5"/38. The SAP is superior to the Common shells of the American 5"/38, having better penetration and more explosive filler. It is capable of penetrating light cruisers, and even heavy cruisers at close range.

{{:5.25 inch/50 QF Mark I (133 mm)/Ammunition|5.25 inch HE, 5.25 inch Mark II SAP, 5.25 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)}}

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s designated secondary armament is the two quadruple 2-pdr 'pom-pom' guns mounted amidships. These are primarily anti-aircraft guns, although they can be effective against lighter targets such as destroyers and coastal craft at close ranges.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}

{{:2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)/Ammunition|AP-T, HEF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s designated anti-aircraft armament consists of five single 20 mm Oerlikon mounts. These are lethal against coastal craft and aircraft that dare to approach within range.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)}}

The ''Dido'' is armed with two triple 21-inch torpedo tubes located next to the aft funnel, one on each side of the ship. Unlike on British destroyers, these torpedo tubes have wide traverse arcs. They are armed with the Mk. IX torpedo, which has a powerful 340 kg TNT warhead and long range (9.67 km) even without the torpedo modification.

== Usage in battles ==

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s unusual main gun battery makes her very specialised as an anti-aircraft and anti-destroyer ship. She is very well protected against destroyer guns, and in return, a single salvo from her ten 5.25-inch guns will inflict a great deal of damage to them.

Conversely, the ''Dido'' will struggle against even light cruisers at medium to long ranges, having to rely on whittling down the crews using fires and HE. At close range, her SAP is effective against light cruisers, and the high rate-of-fire compared to cruiser 6-inch guns can be used to disable and then overwhelm them. However, the ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s armour can be penetrated relatively easily by the 6-inch guns of most light cruisers, so engaging in straight-up trading fights will usually result in taking extensive damage, even if the ''Dido'' emerges victorious. The ''Dido'' is mostly helpless against heavy cruisers and battleships other than getting close enough to torpedo them.

Once the HE-VT shells have been unlocked, the 5.25-inch gun is quite effective against aircraft, though the relatively low rate-of-fire makes it less than ideal in the role compared to other true dual-purpose guns such as the British 4.5-inch or the American 5"/38 guns. The 'pom-poms' and 20 mm Oerlikons mostly function as back-up to the main guns. They should not be relied upon to shoot down aircraft except at close ranges.

Because of her weight distribution and narrow hull, Dido rolls rather dramatically in turns, leaning towards the outer side of the turning circle. It might prove detrimental in close range combat, as guns can't depress enough to fire at anything inside ~4 km range on the raised side (assuming full speed ahead, max rudder deflection).

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Well-protected ammunition magazines and machinery spaces.
* Primary armament dispersed across 5 turrets (3 bow, 2 stern).
* Main gun turrets have unrestricted traverse arcs and high elevation arcs.
* Access to HE-VT shells.
* High rate-of-fire for the main guns' calibre.
* Low horizontal gun dispersion.

'''Cons:'''

* Lightly armoured main gun turrets and unarmoured bridge.
* Low penetration and individual shell damage output compared to 6-inch guns.
* Low rate-of-fire compared to other dual-purpose main guns.
* Relatively small close/medium-range anti-aircraft battery.
* High vertical gun dispersion.

== History ==

[[File:HMS Dido (37).jpg|thumb|450x450px|HMS Dido at anchor in the Firth of Forth.]]
HMS ''Dido'' (37) was a British AA cruiser and the lead ship of her class, a series of 16 ships built in the late 1930s to the early 1940s. Designed for fleet air defence, the ships were armed with a 5.25-inch (133 mm) main battery capable of engaging both ships and naval vessels. ''Dido'' was commissioned in 1940 and deployed to the Mediterranean, serving there for the large part of the Second World War. She later deployed to the Arctic, and in 1945 accepted the surrender of the Kriegsmarine. ''Dido'' was present at the Coronation review of 1953 as the flagship of the Reserve fleet, and was scrapped in 1957.

=== Design and development ===
Following the four ships of the ''Arethusa'' class, the British navy decided to construct a new class of light cruiser for anti-aircraft duties - the ''Dido'' class. Displacing 6850 tons on full load, the ships were small even for a light cruiser. Their armour was also scarce, the main belt being just 3 inches (76 mm) thick. The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s main armament comprised 10 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns in five dual-purpose turrets, which served as the primary anti-ship and anti-aircraft armament. Her anti-aircraft armament was initially weak (quite surprising given her role), composed of three quad pom-poms and five single Oerlikon cannons; this was improved over the course of the Second World War. ''Dido'' was initially laid down in 1937, and was commissioned by 1940.

=== Operational history ===
Immediately after her commissioning, the ''Dido'' was sent to Scapa Flow, and spent the next couple months in training. However, she was soon dispatched to the British fleet in the Mediterranean, and soon began operating as part of the British East Mediterranean fleet. She ran supplies to Malta, and later helped move 7 million dollars of Gold away from the conflict-torn lands of Greece. She participated in several runs to the besieged island of Crete and was later damaged by bombs while escorting a troop convoy to Alexandria. She was later bombed again, but quickly repaired as she made up a significant portion of the ship-starved British East Mediterranean fleet.

''Dido'' spent the greater part of 1942 and 1943 in the Mediterranean, though she travelled back to the UK on several occasions for various reasons. In 1944, she was recalled to the UK and began convoy operations in the Arctic, and thereafter stayed in the northern Atlantic to lay mines and provide fire support. In May of 1945, she fired the last naval shot in Europe as she accepted the surrender of the Kriegsmarine; she then escorted the cruisers ''Prinz Eugen'' and ''Nurnberg'' to internment at Wilhelmshaven. Following the cessation of hostilities, ''Dido'' was reduced to reserve; she took part in the 1953 Coronation review of Queen Elizabeth II as the flagship of the reserve fleet. She was eventually sold for scrap in 1957.

=== [[wt:en/news/5948-development-hms-dido-the-peacemaker-en|Devblog]] ===
The Dido-class light cruiser was designed in the 1930s as convoy escorts and destroyer leaders, intended for operations in the Mediterranean. As such, ships of the Dido-class had to be both large enough to operate in rough waters as well as fast and manoeuvrable enough in order to keep up with destroyers, whilst at the same time remaining relatively cheap to produce in large numbers.

HMS Dido, the lead ship of her class, was laid down in October 1937. In July 1939, Dido was completed and commissioned into service a year later. HMS Dido's early service life was marked with convoy escort duties in the Atlantic, before joining the Eastern Mediterranean Fleet in April 1941.

As part of the Royal Navy's Mediterranean forces, HMS Dido took part in numerous major operations, including the landings at Sicily and mainland Italy as well as southern France. During her service in the Mediterranean, HMS Dido performed various roles, from doing supply runs over evacuating troops to bombarding shorelines.

By 1944, HMS Dido briefly returned to Great Britain, before being sent off on escort duties as part of the Arctic convoys. In 1945, HMS Dido was sent to Copenhagen, where the warship fired the last naval shot as part of the war in Europe, however not in anger, but in celebration of the surrender of the German Kriegsmarine.

Sometime after the end of WW2, HMS Dido joined the ranks of the Royal Navy reserve fleet, remaining in service for another good decade. In 1957 however, HMS Dido was decommissioned from service and sold for scrap.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_dido Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|bAGQ_HTxUfg|'''HMS Dido - SAP Master [First Impressions]''' - ''Napalmratte''|XnH-NsWFMnc|'''HMS Dido - Guide 129''' - ''Flipped StuG''}}

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5948-development-hms-dido-the-peacemaker-en|[Devblog] HMS Dido: The Peacemaker]]

=== References ===

*Mason, G. B., & Smith, G. (2004). HMS Dido, British AA Cruiser. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Dido.htm</nowiki>
* Helgason, G. (1995). Uboat.net. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4010.html</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Cammell Laird}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMS York

2023-12-04T14:34:49Z

U74396666: Description history update

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_york
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS York (90)''' is a member of the York-class heavy cruiser family. Mostly stationed on the North America and West Indies Station before World War II, she was constructed in the late 1920s for the British Navy. The HMS York design was intended to be smaller, cheaper, but more armoured. The HMS Exeter, her sister ship, was distinguished by its straight masts and funnels, whereas the HMS York's were angled to the rear. Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company, Jarrow, laid down the HMS York on May 18, 1927, launched the ship on July 17, 1928, and completed the ship on May 1, 1930. She became the flagship of Vice-Admiral Sir Reginald Drax, then his successor, Vice-Admiral Matthew R. Best, of the Home Fleet's 2nd Cruiser Squadron, when she was commissioned. The HMS York took part in the Norwegian Campaign in 1940 and escorted convoys in the Atlantic early in the war. In late 1940, the HMS York was moved to the Mediterranean theatre, where she escorted the larger ships of the Mediterranean Fleet and convoys. In March 1941, she was destroyed in an attack at Suda Bay, Crete, by Italian explosive motorboats from the 10th Flotilla MAS. In 1952, the wreck of the ship was salvaged and then scrapped.

Introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]], the HMS York is very much a heavy cruiser primarily used for long-range engagements and should be played as such. The HMS York is a formidable opponent due to its strong shell velocity, which allows players to inflict massive damage on other light and heavy cruisers. The HMS York is also a mobile vessel that can accelerate and turn quickly despite not being especially fast in a straight line due to being lightweight for a heavy cruiser. However, the HMS York is not fit for any close-quarters fighting due to her extremely inadequate armour protection.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The most prominent strength of the armour layout can be seen with the ammunition placement. Both the main and auxiliary ammunition storages are placed far below the waterline and encased by the thickest armour on the ship (102 mm / 4 in) resulting in an overall low probability of a catastrophic ammo detonation. The main belt armour of the York consists of 76 mm (3 in) of RHA which will stop most destroyer calibre rounds (127 mm / 5 in or lower) while degrading most light cruiser rounds at ranges above 5,000 m assuming they are not using full AP rounds.

There are three basic weaknesses. For one, the ship lacks an extensive reserve of crew meaning that hits to highly populated portions of the ship will result in the ship being crew knocked relatively quickly. Secondly, the ship's citadel roof armour is only 38 mm (1.5 in) thick, meaning that arcing shots from longer ranges can completely bypass the belt armour and wreak havoc on the internals of the ship. Lastly, the lack of antifragmentation armour near the bridge means that most HE shells that land next to it will result in the loss of the bridge, and thus in the loss of control of the ship until it is repaired.

The turrets and ammo elevators are protected by 25.4 mm (1 in) of armour. The steering gear is protected by 38.1 mm (1.5 in) of armour.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The HMS York is surprisingly agile and mobile when compared to many ships of similar size and scope. Agility is not often talked about much when referring to heavy cruisers but the HMS York is a special case. The ship can make especially sharp turns (so much so that captains should be wary if they're taking on water at the time of initiating the turn for fear of capsizing) that can often be used to dodge incoming shells if given enough time to react. This will also bolster a captain's ability to respond to incoming torpedoes with evasive manoeuvres to evade the incoming threat.

Mobility is a crucial asset that the York has access to to help maintain an advantageous position on the map. The top speed of 56 km/h allows for the York to keep up with even some destroyers resulting in captains of this ship being able to get early in positions or secure capture points.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
It is recommended that after researching the Tool Set and Fire Prevention Equipment (FPE) to immediately research the 8 in SAPCBC shell as the stock HE shell is often incapable of dealing significant damage to other cruisers, let alone battleships or battlecruisers. Once the shell is obtained then Rudder Replacement is a great choice as it improves the already impressive mobility of the ship.

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|8 inch/50 Mark VIII (203 mm)}}

The main armament of the HMS York consists of 3 twin turrets of the 8 inch/50 Mark VIII cannon. This cannon will become very familiar with captains of British heavy cruisers as it is used by all of them with the exception of the [[HMS Hawkins]]. This cannon is a potent weapon in the right hands as it can fire up to 5 salvos a minute with pinpoint accuracy, each of those salvos containing either an HE shell with enough explosive mass to make most destroyers think twice before engaging this ship, or an SAP shell that will make heavy cruisers such as the [[Prinz Eugen]] and [[USS New Orleans]] wary of this opponent.

{{:8 inch/50 Mark VIII (203 mm)/Ammunition|8 inch HE, 8 inch Mark I.B. SAPCBC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)}}

The HMS York is equipped with a total of four 4-inch guns in single mounts just aft of the bridge in single mounts. These cannons by themselves will not amount to much firepower, however with addition of the time-fused shell, they can be turned into potent AA weapons. The SAP shell is also of some note as it can deal with most destroyer level armour and can keep most PT boats from becoming overly ambitious.

{{:4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

The anti-aircraft armament of the HMS York consists of two main weapon types, first are the 20 mm Oerlikons scattered around the ship, and secondly are the 2 quadruple 12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V machine gun mounts placed on either side of the superstructure. While not amazing when compared to the AA armament of other cruisers such as the [[USS Helena]] or [[Prinz Eugen]], the HMS York is still able to adequately defend itself from most aerial attacks using terrain to the aircraft's advantage.

The 20 mm cannons are also capable of keeping most small craft such as PT boats at bay while the main cannons are occupied with other targets.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)}}

The Mk.IX torpedoes that the HMS York carries are medium range/medium yield torpedoes capable of knocking out most destroyers with a single torpedo and severely damaging cruisers with a single well-placed hit. The firing arcs on the launchers are decent enough where you do not need to make a full broadside to launch them, however you will need to turn your ship approximately 45 degrees to get a spread off.

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

Located amidships is a catapult with one Walrus Mk.I scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. The Walrus is equipped with only defensive machine gun turrets but it does carry 4 x 250 lb bombs. It also has the scout plane ability to cap zones and lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilise the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new! Carrying a far heavier bomb load than other scout planes, this unit has a very good chance to sink enemy boats or even a destroyer.

== Usage in battles ==

The York is very much a sniping cruiser and should be played as such. While it lacks a huge broadside, it makes up for this with a fantastic 5 rpm rate of fire, which is one of the best reloads in the game for heavy cruiser firepower. For comparison, the American heavy cruisers fire 3 rounds/per minute, nearly half as quickly. Combined with good shell velocity, this can make the York a frightening opponent for other cruisers, with its guns doing immense damage. Better yet, 2/3rds of the York's firepower is positioned on the bow, meaning it can angle severely and still do a good amount of damage. The York is also a fairly nimble ship, and while it isn't very fast in a straight line, its low weight for a heavy cruiser means it can get up to speed well, and can turn very quickly.

The York suffers once the gap in distance is closed. Its armour is mediocre, even for a British cruiser. While the ammo racks are well-protected (and will prove a challenge for anything except other heavy cruisers), its belt armour is very flat and very weak. While its deck armour is strong, it's only rolled armour, meaning arcing shells, bombs, and rockets can do immense damage if they hit the superstructure. The guns are also very weak, with just 25 mm of armour around the turrets, meaning they can be knocked out very easily, even by light cruisers. In addition, the York lacks the beefy AA armament of many other British ships. It has only four 4-inch DP guns, and just a handful of 20 mm and 12.7 mm small arms guns to combat aircraft at close range. Combined with its weak armour, this can make the York an enticing target for aircraft.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fantastic rate of fire with its main battery guns can make it a menace in gunnery duels
* Small and nimble, can move around the battlefield very well
* A small target that can be difficult to hit, especially at long range
* Access to torpedoes with good speed and damage, which can ward off flanking cruisers effectively
* Well-armoured ammo racks mean knock-outs from a single salvo can only be inflicted by heavy cruisers
* One scout seaplane carrying a potent bomb-load.

'''Cons:'''

* Poor secondary armament that can leave it vulnerable at close range and against aircraft (until short range AA engages)
* Tiny crew size - fires and flooding can kill it very quickly
* Poor belt and deck armour makes it vulnerable to arcing fire and bombs

== History ==

[[File:York, 1938.jpg|thumb|HMS York entering Havana harbour, 1938.]]
HMS York (90) was the lead ship of two York-class heavy cruisers built for the Royal Navy. She served in the North American theatre before the war, and escorted Atlantic convoys in the first part of the Second World War. She also participated in the British Norway campaign, and was later reassigned to the Mediterranean Squadron. However, while in service with the Mediterranean fleet, she was disabled by Italian explosive motorboats. Critically damaged, her wreck was abandoned by the Allies. She was salvaged and scrapped in 1952.

=== Design and development ===
The York was based on the earlier County-class cruisers, the first 8-inch heavy cruisers used by the United Kingdom. Lighter than the previous 10-thousand ton County-class cruisers, the York displaced 8,250 tons standard.<ref name=":0">Lettens, J. (2008)</ref> The York carried eight 8-inch (203 mm) guns in four dual turrets; this was the standard armament for later British heavy cruisers.<ref name=":0" />She also carried two triple torpedo tube launchers. Her anti-aircraft armament was rather sparse, and was never improved sufficiently to grant her good AA performance. She could make a top speed of 32 knots (59 km/h), and had an endurance of 24,600 km at 22 km/h.<ref name=":0" />

The York was laid down on May 16th 1927, and was launched on July 17th 1928. She was completed on May 1st 1930, and subsequently began serving with the British home fleet.<ref name=":1">Helgason, G. (1995)</ref>

=== Operational Service ===
The York entered service in 1930, serving as the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser squadron of the Home Fleet. Between 1934 and 1940, she served primarily with the North America/West Indies Station, though she was detached to the Mediterranean fleet for two years for the Italo-Abyssinian War.

At the start of the Second World War, York was based in Halifax as a part of Force F, a squadron tasked with hunting for commerce raiders and escorting convoys. She returned to the UK in late 1939, and underwent a refit before being assigned to the 1st Cruiser squadron of the Home Fleet. She also participated in the planned British invasion of Norway, and evacuated Anglo-French troops from Namsos following the German invasion.

In August of 1940, York was assigned to the 3rd Cruiser squadron of the British Mediterranean fleet. She participated in the Battle of Passero, where she sank the crippled destroyer Artigliere, and escorted the carrier HMS Illustrious during her raid on the Italian fleet at Taranto.<ref name=":1" /> However, in early 1941, she was disabled by explosive MTBs of the Italian navy. German bombers further damaged the ship, which was considered to be damaged beyond repair.<ref name=":1" /> As a result, the British abandoned the ship and destroyed its armament prior to their evacuation from Crete; the wreck was salvaged and scrapped in 1952.<ref name=":0" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_york Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Lettens, J. (2008, August 28). HMS York (1941). Retrieved November 16, 2020, from <nowiki>https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?123797</nowiki>
* Helgason, G. (1995). HMS York. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/1187.html</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company}}
{{Britain heavy cruisers}}

HMS Southampton

2023-12-04T14:28:57Z

U74396666: Description update

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_southampton
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Southampton (83)''' is a member of the Town-class light cruiser family. Launched on March 10, 1936, she was constructed by John Brown & Company, Clydebank, Scotland. During World War II, the HMS Southampton was part of the Home Fleet and was initially the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. The HMS Southampton, like its U.S. and Japanese counterparts of the time, was built in strict accordance with the London Treaty, which defined a light cruiser as having a main armament of no more than 6.1 in (155 mm) calibre. She has a fully flared bow and is distinguished by the absence of the prominent knuckle found on her sister-ships. This was due to some Admiralty officials being skeptical of the knuckle design's benefits. The HMS Southampton was repeatedly targeted by German air raids, but it was able to escape with only minor damage. However, a German air raid led by the renowned Oberst (Major) Werner Ennecerus severely damaged her in the Central Mediterranean, roughly 195 nautical miles east-southeast of Malta. There were 81 men killed. The HMS Southampton was damaged beyond repair and was eventually sunk by torpedoes from HMS Orion and HMS Gloucester.

Introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]], the HMS Southampton is one of the most capable light cruisers available to the British Navy. Firepower and protection are two areas where the HMS Southampton excels over earlier British light cruisers such as the [[HMNZS Leander]] and [[HMS Arethusa]]. In addition, she maintains a respectable torpedo arsenal that enables her to pose a threat to battleships as long as they are within effective torpedo range. The HMS Southampton has excellent protection for her ammunition magazines, which makes it difficult to destroy quickly. However, given her thin turret armour and unarmoured bridge, she is very easy to disable and frequently loses a large number of crew members during engagements. It is advised to stay with allies at all times to avoid being isolated and targeted.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The Southampton has much better overall protection than previous British light cruisers. The machinery is protected by a thick 114 mm citadel belt, with 63.5 mm ends. This provides good protection against even heavy cruiser guns at longer ranges when angled. However, the deck armour over the machinery is only 31 mm thick, which is mostly enough to protect against long range light cruiser fire, but not much more.

The main gun magazines are protected within armoured boxes, with 114 mm upper and 76 mm lower side protection. The roofs of the boxes are protected by 51 mm of armour. Altogether, the magazines are very well protected against light cruiser fire, and are difficult to penetrate even with heavy cruiser guns at range and when angled. The shell rooms adjacent to the magazines are much more lightly protected, at only 25.4 mm anti-fragmentation armour, but a hit there, while causing serious damage, will not be immediately fatal to the ship, unlike a magazine penetration.

The rest of the ship is much more lightly protected. The light turret and barbette protection remains a serious Achilles heel of the ship, like on preceding British light cruisers. It is only 25 mm thick, making even destroyer AP/SAP/Common shells a potential threat. Like almost all British cruisers, the Southampton also has an open bridge with only minimal splinter protection (6-9 mm). This makes her very vulnerable to getting disabled and losing crew to hits to the bridge, especially with HE shells.

The Southampton has a crew complement of 748 men, which is small compared to other light cruisers like the [[USS Cleveland]] or her half-sister-ship [[HMS Belfast|Belfast]].

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Southampton is a little slower compared to the other British cruisers at the same BR, though her speed remains fairly respectable for a ship of her size. Her handling and acceleration are about average.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)}}
The main armament of the Southampton consists of four turrets with triple BL 6-inch Mark XXIII guns. These guns have a high sustained rate of fire at 8 rounds/minute with the best possible crew. Due to the large number of barrels and high rate of fire, the Southampton is capable of throwing nearly 100 6-inch shells per minute at a target. The gun accuracy at medium ranges is reasonable, although the horizontal dispersion is quite noticeable. These guns can also elevate to 45 degrees, which allows them to be used to reasonable effect against aircraft, especially once HE-VT is available. The turrets all have a below-average traverse arc of only 145 degrees to each side, which means that the Southampton has to show more broadside than most other light cruisers in order to unmask all her guns.

The main guns have a selection of four shells: HE, HE-TF, HE-VT, and CPBC. The explosive fillers for the HE, HE-TF, and HE-VT shells are identical (a respectable ~4 kg TNT), with the HE shell being slightly better at setting fires to ships, while the HE-TF and HE-VT have higher shrapnel counts and can burst on air targets. There is little point in using the HE-TF shell once HE-VT is unlocked, since the latter is not dependent on accurate rangefinding and is therefore a much superior anti-aircraft shell. The CPBC semi-armour piercing shell combines a decent filler for a 6-inch shell (~1.87 kg TNT equivalent) with respectable penetration, and is the shell of choice against enemy cruisers.

==== Ammunition ====
{{:6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)/Ammunition|6 inch HE, 6 inch CPBC, 6 inch HE-TF, 6 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

The Southampton's secondary armament consists of eight QF 4-inch Mark XVI guns in four twin gun mounts, with two mounts on each side of the ship. These guns are most effective against aircraft, especially with HE-VT, although their high rate of fire (20 rounds per minute maximum each) can also make them a threat to coastal craft and even lighter destroyers.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

Complementing the 4-inch and 6-inch guns in the anti-aircraft role are two quadruple QF 2-pounder Mark VIII "pom-pom" mounts located on each side of the first funnel and two quadruple Vickers .50 cal heavy machine gun mounts on each side of the rear mast. The "pom-poms" can put out a lethal amount of 40 mm shells against aircraft or coastal craft that dare approach within effective range, but they have a substantial reload time once empty. The heavy machine guns are less effective, but can still be a deterrent at close ranges.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)}}

The Southampton has two triple torpedo tubes, one on each side of the ship. These fire the 21-inch Mark IX torpedo which has a speed and range of 67 km/h and 9.6 km, respectively (56 km/h and 12.34 km with the torpedo mode installed). The warhead is a hefty 340 kg TNT, and can be a threat to even battleships.

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

== Usage in battles ==

The Southampton is a quantum leap over the previous British light cruisers in terms of firepower. She has 50% more main gun firepower than her predecessor, the [[HMNZS Leander|Leander]]. The combination of a large number of barrels, high rate of fire, and decent shell explosive fillers makes her a very deadly opponent at short/medium ranges, especially to destroyers. She also maintains a respectable torpedo armament, allowing her to threaten even battleships if they get within effective torpedo range.

The protection is a bit more of a mixed bag. It is very hard to quickly destroy the Southampton due to her excellent magazine and belt protection, but the thin turret armour and unarmoured bridge mean that she is quite easy to disable and will tend to lose a lot of crew through turret and bridge disables. This is further exacerbated by the small crew complement. The ship itself has quite a large profile, and thus it is harder to take advantage of cover. She also has somewhat poor turret traverse arcs, which means she has to show a lot of broadside in order to use all of her turrets.

As she is depicted in her early-war configuration, the anti-aircraft suite of the Southampton is quite underwhelming, especially compared to the previous British cruisers and her sister-ship [[HMS Liverpool|Liverpool]]. This can be compensated to some extent with the main and secondary guns and good aim, since they have access to effective HE-VT shells, but the close-range anti-aircraft guns should not be relied upon, especially under AI control.

It is important to note that the Southampton can be matched against battleships at its battle rating. The 6-inch guns are mostly ineffective against battleships beyond setting fire to them with HE, so it is best to avoid fighting them head-to-head at all costs. The torpedoes are also an option if a battleship carelessly allows the Southampton to get within effective range.

The Southampton has a hangar, catapult, and handling facilities for aircraft, but is presently not capable of launching seaplanes.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Large broadside of 12 gun
* High rate of fire for main guns
* Large explosive filler in SAPCPBC rounds with effective penetration
* Thick magazine protection and machinery belt armour
* Access to HE-VT shells for both main and secondary guns
* Large torpedo warheads

'''Cons:'''

* Below average close-range anti-aircraft armament
* Below average turret traverse arcs
* Small crew complement
* Thin turret and non-existent bridge protection
* Large ship profile, and hence a large target
* Can face battleships

== History ==

[[File:HMS Southampton 1937.jpg|thumb|470x470px|HMS Southampton before her refit in 1937.]]
The HMS Southampton, pennant number 83, is a light cruiser of the Town class. Launched in 1936, she went on to see service during the Second World War. She initially served as the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser squadron of the Home Fleet, and later participated in several engagements with German vessels. She was reassigned to the Mediterranean in October of 1940. However, in January 1941, she was bombed by Italian aircraft and suffered crippling damage. As a result, she was scuttled with torpedoes from her escorts.<ref name=":1">Helgason, G. (1995)</ref>

=== Design and development ===
The Southampton was a member of the Town class, a group of light cruisers built in the 1930s. Initially intended to be built as Arethusa-class cruisers, the design was changed after the construction of the American Brooklyn-class and Japanese Mogami-class ships. The vessels were 180 metres long and displaced 11 000 tons, as they weren't regulated by the Washington naval treaty.<ref name=":0">RBJ. (2008)</ref> The ships carried an armament of twelve 152 mm guns in four triple turrets, a big upgrade from the six-gun Arethusas. The ships also carried numerous anti-aircraft defenses, and two triple torpedo launchers. She was capable of 32 knots (59 km/h).<ref name=":0" />

The HMS Southampton was laid down on November 11th 1934, and launched on March 10th 1936.<ref name=":0" /> She was formally commissioned into the Royal Navy in March of 1937.<ref name=":0" />

=== Operational history ===
Following her commissioning, the Southampton entered service with the 2nd Cruiser squadron of the British Home Fleet. After the outbreak of the Second World War, she participated in the hunts for the German merchant Johannes Molkenbuhr and the battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. During this time, she was damaged twice; first by a 500kg bomb while she was laid up at Rosyth, and later by a German air attack off the coast of Norway.<ref name=":1" />

In November of 1940, Southampton sailed for the Mediterranean. She later participated in the Battle of Cape Spartivento and escorted resupply missions to Malta. However, on January 11th of 1941, she was attacked by twelve Stukas of the Luftwaffe. Hit by two bombs, the ship caught fire and suffered severe damage. With 80 sailors dead and no electrical power, the decision was made to scuttle the ship. Thus, she was sunk by four torpedoes from the cruiser Orion and a single torpedo from her sister ship Gloucester.<ref name=":1" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_southampton Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|hZkupQZmfyc|'''The Shooting Range #163''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:35 discusses the HMS Southampton.}}

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Helgason, G. (1995). HMS Southampton. Retrieved November 17, 2020, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/1235.html</nowiki>
* RBJ. (2008, January 01). Light cruiser HMS Southampton (C83). Retrieved November 18, 2020, from <nowiki>https://shipshub.com/ships/180-1.html</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer John Brown and Company}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMS Hood

2023-12-03T03:33:23Z

U74396666: Minor updates on years

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_battlecruiser_hood
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Hood (51)''' is a member of the Admiral-class battlecruiser family. The HMS Hood was built for the British Navy during World War I in 1918. The Battle of Jutland, which occurred in mid-1916, revealed serious flaws in her design, despite drastic revisions before she was completed two years later. As a result, she was the only ship of her class to be completed, as the Admiralty decided it would be better to start from scratch on future battlecruisers. Despite the appearance of newer and more modern ships, the HMS Hood remained the world's largest warship for 20 years after her commissioning, and her status was reflected in her nickname, "The Mighty Hood." In May 1941, the HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales were tasked with intercepting the German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen as they made their way to the Atlantic to attack convoys. The HMS Hood was hit by several shells, exploded, and sank on May 24, 1941, early in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, killing all but three of her 1,418-man crew. The loss massively affected British morale due to her publicly perceived invincibility.

Introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]], the HMS Hood is a powerful ship, but players should not expect it to be able to withstand enemy fire like some other, better-protected battlecruisers and battleships. Keep in mind that HMS Hood is a large ship, so entering objectives that are normally exposed may not be a good idea. The HMS Hood players should keep an eye on her buoyancy, as she tends to take on water much faster than many other ships of her class, as well as wallow and capsize very easily. Players should be cautious of enemy battleships since HMS Hood has relatively weak armour on the upper sections of the ship, making her vulnerable to heavy damage.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

HMS Hood stands out from other battlecruisers in many ways, but one of the most noticeable is in her armour protection. Typically, a battlecruiser was intended to be faster, but less armoured than the battleships of their generation. Hood instead, has equivalent protection to battleships of its generation, with a {{Annotation|12-inch|304.8 mm}} belt, inclined at 13 degrees to give it equivalent protection to the {{Annotation|13 inches|330.2 mm}} of armour found on the Queen Elizabeths. That is a drastic improvement over both the preceding battlecruisers in the Royal navy and the battlecruisers of other nations. The battlecruiser [[IJN Kongo]] for example, has a measly {{Annotation|8-inch|203 mm}} belt in comparison. This does fall to {{Annotation|7 inches|177.8 mm}} and then {{Annotation|5 inches|127 mm}} of armour higher on the hull, but the belt itself covers the entirety of the vitals from the foremost to sternmost turrets. The main belt will protect against all but the most powerful guns at typical battle ranges, and the lesser armoured portions of the hull don't have very many crew compartments either, leading the ship to be extremely survivable with its 1418 crew.

The turrets are also well armoured, with {{Annotation|15 inches|381 mm}} of armour on the mantlet and {{Annotation|12 inches|304.8 mm}} on the forward half of the turret. The rear half has {{Annotation|11 inches|279.4 mm}} of armour on both the sides and rear, and the roof has {{Annotation|5 inches|127 mm}} protecting from plunging fire. This will stop battleship shells at all but point blank range. The turret barbettes are reasonably protected above the deck with {{Annotation|12 inches|304.8 mm}} of armour above the deck, though this falls below the deck to {{Annotation|6-10 inches|152.4-254 mm}}. Notably, Hood doesn't have shell rooms in the barbettes like American battleships, lowering the chance of catastrophic fire when hit.

The deck also has multiple layers of armour as is typical on battlecruisers, the upper layer having {{Annotation|1.25 inches|31.75 mm}} of armour to trigger the fuses on shells and bombs, with a second, {{Annotation|0.75-inch|19.05 mm}} layer to stop the blast and splinters. Just in case a shell manages to get past these two layers there is also a third, {{Annotation|2-inch|50.8 mm}} plate above the magazines. Speaking of, the magazines are positioned well below the waterline, and should be well protected from enemy fire unless your opponent has Adalbert Shneider as their gunnery officer. Hood also has torpedo protection with up to 250 kg of effectiveness, which should protect against most torpedoes, with notable exceptions like the Japanese [[Type 93 (610mm) (Family)|Long Lance]].

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Hood is a fairly fast capital ship, capable of 57 km/h in RB, making her slightly faster than the IJN Kongo, and slightly slower than the Scharnhorst and Kronshtadt. Her acceleration is as can be expected of a ship her size, being quite poor. In addition, her 262 m long hull means she struggles to turn, having an enormous turning radius and bleeds a lot of speed while manoeuvring.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|15 inch/42 BL Mark I (381 mm)}}

Hood currently possesses the largest guns in the game, with eight 381 mm 15"/42 BL Mark I cannons mounted in four twin turrets, larger than those on the Bayern by 1 mm. She has two rounds available, 15 inch 4crh CPC, a SAPCBC shell, and 15 inch 4crh Mark XIIa APC, an APCBC shell. The SAPCBC shell, while having a smaller filler than the equivalent SAP shells on the Bayern and the Japanese 356 mm, is still the strongest SAP shell in the game, solely due to its penetration. Penetrating 487 mm at point blank, it has very minimal penetration falloff, and it still penetrates 308 mm at 15 km, while the Bayern can only penetrate 170 mm at that range, while the Japanese 356 mm SAP can't even reach that penetration at 1 km. This allows the Hood to smash any battleship designed before "all or nothing" armour schemes came into wide use, as while their main belts may be able to hold up, their weaker upper belts stand absolutely no chance, and several of these SAP shells finding their way around the realms of enemy ammunition magazines will have very entertaining results. Due to the high filler, even hits to the upper hull may cause a large enough explosion to detonate ammunition several decks below.

The APCBC shell is fairly strong with ~20 kg of TNT effective filler and decent penetration statistics, making it quite handy for punching deep into the internals of an opposing capital ship and bypassing most, if not all armour that it comes across while in regular battle ranges.

{{:15 inch/42 BL Mark I (381 mm)/Ammunition|15 inch 4crh CPC, 15 inch 4crh Mark XIIa APC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

Hood has the standard British secondaries of seven twin 102 mm 4"/45 Mark XVI cannons. These guns do barely any damage to cruisers or capital ships and, although the SAP shell can do work on opposing destroyers, they are most useful in the role of AA batteries. Unlike other British ships using the same gun, Hood's secondaries do not get the much superior HE-VT shell, due to the fact that she was sunk before the shell was developed in real life. The time-fused shells have a habit of exploding after passing behind an aircraft rather than next to it or simply just not close enough to do damage, but it is still better to have a flak field than not.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

Unlike the swarms of light AA guns that can be seen on other WW2-era capital ships, Hood's AA only consists of seven mounts due to the ship accidentally becoming an oversized reef before anti air spam came in vogue. However, three of those mounts are the glorious octuple 40 mm 2pdr QF Mk.VIII, which can spew a lovely cloud of 40mm shells into the general direction of an oncoming aircraft. The other four mounts are the more lackluster quadruple 12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V, which are essentially just there for moral support.

However, the true moral support comes in the form of five 20-barreled UP (Unrotated Projectile) rocket launchers, designed to hurl rockets which lay airborne tripwires attached to mines at enemy aircraft. While they are indicated as 'Auxiliary caliber guns' in-game, due to the fact that testing proved them as useless in-game as in real life, they were unfortunately not implemented.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IV (533 mm)}}

Hood has twelve 533 mm Mk.IV torpedoes, the same seen on HMS Marlborough, in four launchers, two per side, near the back of the superstructure. The torpedoes are awful, slow, hard to aim, and worst of all, unlike other WW1-era ships, these launchers and their reserve torpedoes are located above the waterline in very exposed positions, meaning they are prone to explode when hit. It is not advised to take them.

== Usage in battles ==


HMS Hood is a strong ship on the seas of War Thunder, however her captains should not expect to be capable of tanking enemy fire like some other, more extensively protected capital ships. The Hood does have a similar main armour belt thickness, but her belt is much smaller than other capital ships, a trade-off for her superior speed. In battle, this means that Hood is much more versatile than traditional battleships, as at 57 km/h (31 kn), she is roughly 15 km/h faster than the average speed of most battleships in game. Keep in mind that Hood is very large, so it may not be advisable to enter capture points which are usually exposed, but at least she can reliably keep up with the cruisers and capture the objective in a pinch. Captains of HMS Hood should keep a close eye on her buoyancy, as she has a tendency to take on water much more rapidly than many other ships of her class, and will have a tendency to wallow and capsize very easily as well.

As for notable enemies, [[SMS Bayern]] and [[Parizhskaya kommuna|Parizhskaya Kommuna]] are both ships that will consistently be seen in battles and can do considerable damage very quickly. Bayern can be dealt with by a hit to the front ammo rack with a salvo of SAP shells, and will usually be relatively easy to deal with so long as she isn't at an angle. The Parizhskaya Kommuna can be more difficult to defeat, so it is recommended to attempt to disable turrets before attempting to deal a fatal blow. Both Bayern and Parizhskaya Kommuna will reload faster than Hood, so her captains need to be careful when taking aim, as a mistake in aim can lead to rapid retaliation from the enemy.

The main opponent, though, is the Kronshtadt, which is faster than the Hood, highly survivable and possesses fast-firing 305 mm cannons with capable HE and AP shells that are on roughly par with the Hood's AP shells. It is recommended to aim for the ammunition behind the frontal turrets and hope they will show enough broadside at a close enough range that your own AP can get though the side armour.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Features eight 381 mm (15 inches) cannons with powerful shells to choose from
* Good top speed for her size
* Sufficient armour protection on the critical section of the ship
* Large profile allows the ship to absorb a lot of shells and contain the damage

'''Cons:'''

* Extremely huge, can be easily spotted and hit
* Relatively weak armour plating on the upper section of the ship
* Very poor agility due to hull size, makes dodging bombs and torpedoes difficult
* Extremely slow main turret traverse speed, inability to fire reactively
* Low secondary and anti-air defence for such a large ship

== History ==


=== [[wt:en/news/7691-development-hms-hood-the-imperial-representative-en|Devblog]] ===
The British Admiral-class battlecruisers date back to 1915, when an original battleship design with characteristics similar to Queen Elizabeth-class was converted into 30 knot battlecruisers. In 1916, the project was approved and orders were placed at the shipyards, but the Battle of Jutland, which showed the full omissions in the defence of the British battlecruisers, required new improvements to the project, which dragged on until August 1917.

Although four Admiral-class battlecruisers were ordered and laid down in shipyards, only one would be completed. The one ship of the class that would see completion would become HMS Hood, named after an 18th century British admiral. The ship was laid down in the John Brown & Company shipyard in Scotland in September 1916. Following its launching in 1918 and subsequent fitting-out, HMS Hood was commissioned into the ranks of the Royal Navy in May 1920, thus also becoming the largest warship in service at the time.

Upon entering service, HMS Hood took part in several showing-the-flag and training exercises in the interwar period. In November 1923 the ship set out to circumnavigate the globe as part of The Empire Cruise, visiting ports in South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States before returning to British waters in September 1924.
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1998-035-05, Schlachtschiff Bismarck, Seegefecht.jpg|thumb|350px|right|HMS Hood's explosion with HMS Prince of Wales near, taken from [[Prinz Eugen]]]]
At the outbreak of WWII, the recently overhauled HMS Hood was operating in the area around Iceland, hunting for German vessels. After the Fall of France, HMS Hood took part in Operation Catapult - the destruction of the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940, with HMS Hood briefly duelling French battleship Dunkerque and crippling her with four hits that would have sunk the vessel had she not been close enough to the shore to beach herself. However, HMS Hood's most famous and final engagement would become that of the Battle of the Denmark Strait in which the warship, along with HMS Prince of Wales clashed with the German battleship Bismarck and the accompanying heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. Suffering a lethal strike to one of its magazines shortly after the start of the engagement, HMS Hood blew up and sank within three minutes with catastrophic losses and only 3 survivors. Due to its popularity among the British at the time and its tragic loss during the vessel's fateful last engagement, HMS Hood retains its legendary status and is to this day one of the most well-known British warships.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_battlecruiser_hood Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7691-development-hms-hood-the-imperial-representative-en|[Devblog] HMS Hood: The Imperial Representative]]

{{Template:ShipManufacturer John Brown and Company}}
{{Britain battlecruisers}}

HMS Hood

2023-12-03T03:31:01Z

U74396666: Minor updates

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_battlecruiser_hood
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Hood (51)''' is a member of the Admiral-class battlecruiser family. The HMS Hood was built for the British Navy during World War I. The Battle of Jutland, which occurred in mid-1916, revealed serious flaws in her design, despite drastic revisions before she was completed four years later. As a result, she was the only ship of her class to be completed, as the Admiralty decided it would be better to start from scratch on future battlecruisers. Despite the appearance of newer and more modern ships, the HMS Hood remained the world's largest warship for 20 years after her commissioning, and her status was reflected in her nickname, "The Mighty Hood." In May 1941, the HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales were tasked with intercepting the German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen as they made their way to the Atlantic to attack convoys. The HMS Hood was hit by several shells, exploded, and sank on May 24, 1941, early in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, killing all but three of her 1,418-man crew. The loss massively affected British morale due to her publicly perceived invincibility.

Introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]], the HMS Hood is a powerful ship, but players should not expect it to be able to withstand enemy fire like some other, better-protected battlecruisers and battleships. Keep in mind that HMS Hood is a large ship, so entering objectives that are normally exposed may not be a good idea. The HMS Hood players should keep an eye on her buoyancy, as she tends to take on water much faster than many other ships of her class, as well as wallow and capsize very easily. Players should be cautious of enemy battleships since HMS Hood has relatively weak armour on the upper sections of the ship, making her vulnerable to heavy damage.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

HMS Hood stands out from other battlecruisers in many ways, but one of the most noticeable is in her armour protection. Typically, a battlecruiser was intended to be faster, but less armoured than the battleships of their generation. Hood instead, has equivalent protection to battleships of its generation, with a {{Annotation|12-inch|304.8 mm}} belt, inclined at 13 degrees to give it equivalent protection to the {{Annotation|13 inches|330.2 mm}} of armour found on the Queen Elizabeths. That is a drastic improvement over both the preceding battlecruisers in the Royal navy and the battlecruisers of other nations. The battlecruiser [[IJN Kongo]] for example, has a measly {{Annotation|8-inch|203 mm}} belt in comparison. This does fall to {{Annotation|7 inches|177.8 mm}} and then {{Annotation|5 inches|127 mm}} of armour higher on the hull, but the belt itself covers the entirety of the vitals from the foremost to sternmost turrets. The main belt will protect against all but the most powerful guns at typical battle ranges, and the lesser armoured portions of the hull don't have very many crew compartments either, leading the ship to be extremely survivable with its 1418 crew.

The turrets are also well armoured, with {{Annotation|15 inches|381 mm}} of armour on the mantlet and {{Annotation|12 inches|304.8 mm}} on the forward half of the turret. The rear half has {{Annotation|11 inches|279.4 mm}} of armour on both the sides and rear, and the roof has {{Annotation|5 inches|127 mm}} protecting from plunging fire. This will stop battleship shells at all but point blank range. The turret barbettes are reasonably protected above the deck with {{Annotation|12 inches|304.8 mm}} of armour above the deck, though this falls below the deck to {{Annotation|6-10 inches|152.4-254 mm}}. Notably, Hood doesn't have shell rooms in the barbettes like American battleships, lowering the chance of catastrophic fire when hit.

The deck also has multiple layers of armour as is typical on battlecruisers, the upper layer having {{Annotation|1.25 inches|31.75 mm}} of armour to trigger the fuses on shells and bombs, with a second, {{Annotation|0.75-inch|19.05 mm}} layer to stop the blast and splinters. Just in case a shell manages to get past these two layers there is also a third, {{Annotation|2-inch|50.8 mm}} plate above the magazines. Speaking of, the magazines are positioned well below the waterline, and should be well protected from enemy fire unless your opponent has Adalbert Shneider as their gunnery officer. Hood also has torpedo protection with up to 250 kg of effectiveness, which should protect against most torpedoes, with notable exceptions like the Japanese [[Type 93 (610mm) (Family)|Long Lance]].

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Hood is a fairly fast capital ship, capable of 57 km/h in RB, making her slightly faster than the IJN Kongo, and slightly slower than the Scharnhorst and Kronshtadt. Her acceleration is as can be expected of a ship her size, being quite poor. In addition, her 262 m long hull means she struggles to turn, having an enormous turning radius and bleeds a lot of speed while manoeuvring.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|15 inch/42 BL Mark I (381 mm)}}

Hood currently possesses the largest guns in the game, with eight 381 mm 15"/42 BL Mark I cannons mounted in four twin turrets, larger than those on the Bayern by 1 mm. She has two rounds available, 15 inch 4crh CPC, a SAPCBC shell, and 15 inch 4crh Mark XIIa APC, an APCBC shell. The SAPCBC shell, while having a smaller filler than the equivalent SAP shells on the Bayern and the Japanese 356 mm, is still the strongest SAP shell in the game, solely due to its penetration. Penetrating 487 mm at point blank, it has very minimal penetration falloff, and it still penetrates 308 mm at 15 km, while the Bayern can only penetrate 170 mm at that range, while the Japanese 356 mm SAP can't even reach that penetration at 1 km. This allows the Hood to smash any battleship designed before "all or nothing" armour schemes came into wide use, as while their main belts may be able to hold up, their weaker upper belts stand absolutely no chance, and several of these SAP shells finding their way around the realms of enemy ammunition magazines will have very entertaining results. Due to the high filler, even hits to the upper hull may cause a large enough explosion to detonate ammunition several decks below.

The APCBC shell is fairly strong with ~20 kg of TNT effective filler and decent penetration statistics, making it quite handy for punching deep into the internals of an opposing capital ship and bypassing most, if not all armour that it comes across while in regular battle ranges.

{{:15 inch/42 BL Mark I (381 mm)/Ammunition|15 inch 4crh CPC, 15 inch 4crh Mark XIIa APC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

Hood has the standard British secondaries of seven twin 102 mm 4"/45 Mark XVI cannons. These guns do barely any damage to cruisers or capital ships and, although the SAP shell can do work on opposing destroyers, they are most useful in the role of AA batteries. Unlike other British ships using the same gun, Hood's secondaries do not get the much superior HE-VT shell, due to the fact that she was sunk before the shell was developed in real life. The time-fused shells have a habit of exploding after passing behind an aircraft rather than next to it or simply just not close enough to do damage, but it is still better to have a flak field than not.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

Unlike the swarms of light AA guns that can be seen on other WW2-era capital ships, Hood's AA only consists of seven mounts due to the ship accidentally becoming an oversized reef before anti air spam came in vogue. However, three of those mounts are the glorious octuple 40 mm 2pdr QF Mk.VIII, which can spew a lovely cloud of 40mm shells into the general direction of an oncoming aircraft. The other four mounts are the more lackluster quadruple 12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V, which are essentially just there for moral support.

However, the true moral support comes in the form of five 20-barreled UP (Unrotated Projectile) rocket launchers, designed to hurl rockets which lay airborne tripwires attached to mines at enemy aircraft. While they are indicated as 'Auxiliary caliber guns' in-game, due to the fact that testing proved them as useless in-game as in real life, they were unfortunately not implemented.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IV (533 mm)}}

Hood has twelve 533 mm Mk.IV torpedoes, the same seen on HMS Marlborough, in four launchers, two per side, near the back of the superstructure. The torpedoes are awful, slow, hard to aim, and worst of all, unlike other WW1-era ships, these launchers and their reserve torpedoes are located above the waterline in very exposed positions, meaning they are prone to explode when hit. It is not advised to take them.

== Usage in battles ==


HMS Hood is a strong ship on the seas of War Thunder, however her captains should not expect to be capable of tanking enemy fire like some other, more extensively protected capital ships. The Hood does have a similar main armour belt thickness, but her belt is much smaller than other capital ships, a trade-off for her superior speed. In battle, this means that Hood is much more versatile than traditional battleships, as at 57 km/h (31 kn), she is roughly 15 km/h faster than the average speed of most battleships in game. Keep in mind that Hood is very large, so it may not be advisable to enter capture points which are usually exposed, but at least she can reliably keep up with the cruisers and capture the objective in a pinch. Captains of HMS Hood should keep a close eye on her buoyancy, as she has a tendency to take on water much more rapidly than many other ships of her class, and will have a tendency to wallow and capsize very easily as well.

As for notable enemies, [[SMS Bayern]] and [[Parizhskaya kommuna|Parizhskaya Kommuna]] are both ships that will consistently be seen in battles and can do considerable damage very quickly. Bayern can be dealt with by a hit to the front ammo rack with a salvo of SAP shells, and will usually be relatively easy to deal with so long as she isn't at an angle. The Parizhskaya Kommuna can be more difficult to defeat, so it is recommended to attempt to disable turrets before attempting to deal a fatal blow. Both Bayern and Parizhskaya Kommuna will reload faster than Hood, so her captains need to be careful when taking aim, as a mistake in aim can lead to rapid retaliation from the enemy.

The main opponent, though, is the Kronshtadt, which is faster than the Hood, highly survivable and possesses fast-firing 305 mm cannons with capable HE and AP shells that are on roughly par with the Hood's AP shells. It is recommended to aim for the ammunition behind the frontal turrets and hope they will show enough broadside at a close enough range that your own AP can get though the side armour.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Features eight 381 mm (15 inches) cannons with powerful shells to choose from
* Good top speed for her size
* Sufficient armour protection on the critical section of the ship
* Large profile allows the ship to absorb a lot of shells and contain the damage

'''Cons:'''

* Extremely huge, can be easily spotted and hit
* Relatively weak armour plating on the upper section of the ship
* Very poor agility due to hull size, makes dodging bombs and torpedoes difficult
* Extremely slow main turret traverse speed, inability to fire reactively
* Low secondary and anti-air defence for such a large ship

== History ==


=== [[wt:en/news/7691-development-hms-hood-the-imperial-representative-en|Devblog]] ===
The British Admiral-class battlecruisers date back to 1915, when an original battleship design with characteristics similar to Queen Elizabeth-class was converted into 30 knot battlecruisers. In 1916, the project was approved and orders were placed at the shipyards, but the Battle of Jutland, which showed the full omissions in the defence of the British battlecruisers, required new improvements to the project, which dragged on until August 1917.

Although four Admiral-class battlecruisers were ordered and laid down in shipyards, only one would be completed. The one ship of the class that would see completion would become HMS Hood, named after an 18th century British admiral. The ship was laid down in the John Brown & Company shipyard in Scotland in September 1916. Following its launching in 1918 and subsequent fitting-out, HMS Hood was commissioned into the ranks of the Royal Navy in May 1920, thus also becoming the largest warship in service at the time.

Upon entering service, HMS Hood took part in several showing-the-flag and training exercises in the interwar period. In November 1923 the ship set out to circumnavigate the globe as part of The Empire Cruise, visiting ports in South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States before returning to British waters in September 1924.
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1998-035-05, Schlachtschiff Bismarck, Seegefecht.jpg|thumb|350px|right|HMS Hood's explosion with HMS Prince of Wales near, taken from [[Prinz Eugen]]]]
At the outbreak of WWII, the recently overhauled HMS Hood was operating in the area around Iceland, hunting for German vessels. After the Fall of France, HMS Hood took part in Operation Catapult - the destruction of the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940, with HMS Hood briefly duelling French battleship Dunkerque and crippling her with four hits that would have sunk the vessel had she not been close enough to the shore to beach herself. However, HMS Hood's most famous and final engagement would become that of the Battle of the Denmark Strait in which the warship, along with HMS Prince of Wales clashed with the German battleship Bismarck and the accompanying heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. Suffering a lethal strike to one of its magazines shortly after the start of the engagement, HMS Hood blew up and sank within three minutes with catastrophic losses and only 3 survivors. Due to its popularity among the British at the time and its tragic loss during the vessel's fateful last engagement, HMS Hood retains its legendary status and is to this day one of the most well-known British warships.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_battlecruiser_hood Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7691-development-hms-hood-the-imperial-representative-en|[Devblog] HMS Hood: The Imperial Representative]]

{{Template:ShipManufacturer John Brown and Company}}
{{Britain battlecruisers}}

HMNZS Leander

2023-12-03T03:23:35Z

U74396666: Updated as requested by DnaGonite

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_leander
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMNZS Leander (75)''' is a member of the Leander-class light cruiser family. Serving with the New Zealand Navy during World War II, she was formerly known as HMS Leander. Launched at Devonport on September 24, 1931, the HMNZS Leander was the lead ship of her class. On March 24, 1933, she received her commission as HMS Leander in the British Navy. She was a member of the British Navy's New Zealand Division, serving alongside HMS Achilles. She was renamed as HMNZS Leander in September 1941, when the New Zealand Division changed its name to the New Zealand Navy. On its way from Europe to New Zealand in August 1937, the HMS Leander conducted an aerial survey of Henderson, Oeno, and Ducie, and on each island, a British flag was planted and an inscription proclaiming "This island belongs to H.B.M. King George VI" was nailed up. When the New Zealand Division was renamed the New Zealand Navy in September 1941, she was renamed HMNZS Leander. During World War II, the HMNZS Leander initially served in the Pacific and Indian Oceans. The HMNZS Leander was transferred to the Mediterranean Fleet in June 1941 and participated in the Syria-Lebanon Campaign against the Vichy French. In September 1941, the HMNZS Leander returned to the Pacific Ocean after serving in the Mediterranean. However, during the subsequent Battle of Kolombangara, the HMNZS Leander was hit by a torpedo and was severely damaged, forcing her to abandon the war. She was first repaired in Auckland before being completely rebuilt in Boston. On August 27, 1945, she was returned to the British Navy. She was involved in the Corfu Channel Incident in 1946. She was decommissioned in 1950.

Introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]], the HMNZS Leander is very similar to the [[HMS Arethusa]], its predecessor, but has some upgrades over the former. First off, compared to the former, it has an all-around armour upgrade that greatly boosts its survival in battles. Second, it has an additional gun turret, which can provide the HMNZS Leander with some deadly firepower with good accuracy. Finally, it has more crew members and is faster than the HMS Arethusa. However, compared to the HMS Arethusa, it has a weaker anti-aircraft armament, so players are advised to be particularly alert for enemy aircraft during battles. To enhance survivability, it is advised to stay near allies to provide more anti-aircraft fire.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The HMNZS Leander is all-around armour upgrade over [[HMS Arethusa]]. This includes thicker belt armour (now 3 in), thicker armour over the magazines (3.5 in), and added anti-fragmentation armour around the bridge area of the superstructure. This added armour increases the already decent survivability against both destroyers and now to some extent cruisers. Captains of the Leander should take advantage of this added armour while knowing that it still cannot take hits from heavy cruisers, doing so will result in the loss of the ship extremely quickly. The overall survivability is increased as the HMNZS Leader boasts a total of 767 crewmen which allows more hits to be taken without suffering a fatal amount of crew loss. When all the additional armour and crew is taken into account, it allows captains of this ship to act much more aggressively than with previous British cruisers.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The HMNZS Leander boasts increased mobility and manoeuvrability over previous British cruisers. Even stock, this ship handles much better than previous ships such as the [[HMS Enterprise]] or the HMS Arethusa due to its quick rudder shifting time and faster acceleration. Once spaded, this ship turns into a fast cruiser at a 60 km/h (32 knots) forward and 26 km/h (14 knots) in reverse. This added speed along with a quick rudder shifting time allows for increased tactical flexibility in regards to positioning and manoeuvring the ship.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)|152 mm 6 inch/50 Mark BL XXIII]] (x8)
|-
! colspan="5" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Turret 1 (x2) || Turret 2 (x2) || Turret 3 (x2) || Turret 4 (x2)
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| colspan="5" | -5°/+60°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| colspan="5" | ±145°
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="5" | 1,600
|-
|}

The cannons of the HMNZS Leader are the same as on the previous ship, except now with another twin turret for a total of 8 guns in 4 turrets. They keep the fast reload of 7.5 seconds (with ace crew) along with their accuracy.

==== Ammunition ====
{{:6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)/Ammunition|6 inch HE, 6 inch CPBC, 6 inch HE-TF, 6 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)|102 mm 4 inch/45 Mark XVI]] (x8)
|-
! colspan="5" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Front port turret (x2) || Front starboard turret (x2) || Rear port turret (x2) || Rear starboard turret (x2)
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| -90°/+80° || -80°/+90° || colspan="2" | ±90°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| colspan="5" | -10°/+80°
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="5" | 2,000
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|20 mm Oerlikon Mk.II]] (x5)
|-
! colspan="6" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Front turret || Middle port turret || Middle starboard turret || Rear port turret || Rear starboard turret
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| colspan="3" | -5°/+65° || colspan="2" | -0°/+65°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| ±180 || -60°/+90° || -90°/+60° || colspan="2" | ±180
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="5" | 9,000
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V]] (x12)
|-
! colspan="4" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Front port turret (x4) ||Front starboard turret (x4) || Rear turret (x4)
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| colspan="3" | +25°/+75°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| colspan="3" | ±90°
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="3" | 24,000
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.V (533 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="9" | 533 mm steam turbined Mk.V torpedo
|-
! # on ship !! Mass (kg) !! Maximum speed in water (km/h) !! Travel distance (km) !! Depth stroke (m) !! Arming distance (m) !! Explosive type !! Explosive mass (kg)
|-
| 8 || 1,736 || 74 || 4.57 || 1.0 || 50 || TNT || 305
|-
|}

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

Located amidships is a catapult with one Osprey Mk IV scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. The Osprey may look familiar as it is a derivative of the [[Nimrod Mk II|Nimrod fighter]], but as a 2-seater equipped with a defensive machine gun along with the fixed machine gun and no bombs. It does have the scout plane ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilise the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new!

Note: the aircraft modelled on the ship is not the same as the aircraft that is flown when the scout plane ability is activated.

== Usage in battles ==


The Leander is very similar to the Arethusa, its predecessor, but has some upgrades over the former. It carries an extra gun turret, giving it an 8-shell broadside which, combined with the 7.5 secs reload, can give the Leander some dangerous firepower with good accuracy. The good turret traverse and SAP shells make this ship dangerous at close quarters, where it can deal good damage and good penetration to enemy cruisers. It carries the same secondary armament of eight 4-inch guns with four on each broadside, making it a menace for destroyers and larger aircraft. It's also faster than the Arethusa and boasts a larger crew. While the armour is still weak for a cruiser, it's stronger than the Arethusa, with much better protection for the ammo stowage and the gun turrets, as well as some armour for the rudder, which is rare for a light cruiser.

One drawback for the Leander is its weakened AA armament. While it isn't terrible, it's a far cry from the powerful AA screen of the Arethusa, and can leave it vulnerable if it has no friendly ships to offer additional AA fire. The Leander's guns also start to lack at 5.3. Lacking the AP shells of other nations, heavy cruisers can be a real challenge for the Leander, and it struggles to deal good damage at long range as a result.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful, fast-firing broadside, especially dangerous at close and medium ranges
* Great secondary armament, eight 4-inch guns is dangerous for destroyers and torpedo boats
* Good armour protection, especially around the ammo and guns
* Great turret traverse on main turrets
* Good top speed and manoeuvrability
* One scout seaplane.

'''Cons:'''

* Average AA armament, weaker than the previous Arethusa
* Armour still isn't enough to save it against heavy cruiser guns
* While the crew is larger than previous cruisers, it's still pretty small
* Big target compared to previous British ships
* No APCBC shells for the 6-inch guns

== History ==

[[File:British light cruiser HMS Leander (75) underway at sea in 1945.jpg|thumb|450x450px|HMNZS Leander (75) underway at sea in 1945.]]
HMNZS / HMS Leander was the lead ship of the eight-ship Leander class, built in the 1930s as a follow-up to the Emerald (E) class. Influenced by the design of the British County-class heavy cruisers, Leander carried a main armament of eight 6-inch guns in dual turrets. Commissioned in 1933, she served under the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy and was eventually given to the New Zealand Navy in 1941, renamed HMNZS Leander. She served in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean sea during the early days of the Second World War, primarily as a convoy escort. She later served in the Solomon Islands campaign and was hit by a 610 mm torpedo that put her out of service until the end of the war. Following the cessation of hostilities, Leander was repatriated to the UK, and served with the Mediterranean fleet until she was retired in 1948 and scrapped by 1950.

=== Design and development ===
The Leander-class cruisers originated as a successor to the British Emerald (or E) class, as the first class of light cruisers built by the United Kingdom since the end of the First World War. Influenced by the designs of the County and York classes of heavy cruisers, the Leander class had a similar hull design and gun arrangement. However, displacing 7270 tons standard, they were significantly lighter. Leander's powerful steam turbines allowed her to reach a top speed of almost 33 knots (61 km/h), but their large size meant that she had relatively low armour protection compared to her peers - up to 3 inches (76 mm) of armour at the magazines, and far less throughout the vessel.

Leander carried a main armament of eight 6-inch (152 mm) BL Mk 23 guns mounted in four twin turrets, similar to the layout of the County-class heavy cruisers. She also carried a secondary armament of four single 4-inch (102 mm) dual-purpose guns, though these were upgraded to dual turrets later in her career. Her initial anti-aircraft armament was also rather sparse, composed of just three quadruple Vickers machine guns (calibre 12.7 mm); this was also upgraded significantly in her later service. Leander, the first ship of her class, was laid down in February of 1930; following completion, she was commissioned in 1933.

=== Operational history ===
Following her completion, the Leander served in the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy, along with her sister ship Achilles. Back then, the defence of New Zealand's naval territory was conducted by the Royal Navy, and as a result, the ships were operated by the Royal Navy until the formation of the New Zealand navy in 1941. She participated in the Coronation Review of 1937, and later conducted an aerial survey of the south Pacific ocean. During the time before the war, she toured ports in New Zealand, and also participated in exercises in Australian and British waters.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Leander travelled to the port of Alexandria, in the Mediterranean. She was intended to serve in the British mediterranean fleet, but these plans were changed when she was instead given to the British East Indies squadron. During this period, she escorted convoys in the Red sea area and sank several vessels, including an Italian submarine and merchant raider.

In early 1941, Leander was formally given to the New Zealand Navy, which had been formed as an independent naval force. She was then reassigned to the Mediterranean squadron to replace several cruisers that had been destroyed. During this time, she participated in the Syria-Lebanon campaign, fighting against the Vichy French naval forces stationed in that area. After this action, Leander departed as an escort for a convoy bound for Australia, arriving in September of 1941.

In early 1942, with the Japanese raid on Pearl harbour and subsequent declaration of war, Leander began serving in the Pacific theatre. She escorted convoys during the Solomons campaign but was dry docked for several months when a crack was found in her hull. She was returned to service in March of 1943, replacing the sunken cruiser Helena in the Solomon campaign. It was there in July of 1943 when, during a short engagement with Japanese naval forces, Helena was hit by a 610 mm "long lance" torpedo. The damage was extreme, yet she survived and limped to port for repairs. In fact, the damage was extensive enough that she was taken out of service for the rest of the war. By late 1944, Leander had been paid off from the New Zealand Navy, most of her crew members going to her sister ship HMNZS Achilles. Following the completion of repairs, she was repatriated to the UK in late 1945. She saw little service, and was used as a target ship in 1948 before being scrapped by 1950.

=== [[wt:en/news/6084-development-hmnzs-leander-the-legend-of-defiance-en|Devblog]] ===
The Leander-class light cruisers were designed in the late 1920s under the influence of the York-class heavy cruisers. However, the Leander-class differed from previous light cruisers by placing a higher emphasis on seaworthiness and operating range, rather than on protection and firepower. This was done with the aim to make the Leander-class light cruisers more suitable for the commerce protection role.

Initially, five ships of the Leander-class were ordered in the early 1930s, with HMS Leader as the lead ship being laid down in September 1930. Leander was completed a year later and commissioned into service in March 1933. Initially, the warship served with the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, before being transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy after its formation in 1941. From there onwards, the ship sailed under its new designation HMNZS Leander.

Leander primarily served in the Pacific theatre during WW2, taking part in several smaller operations during her early service life. Leander was also briefly stationed in the Mediterranean, supporting allied troops in actions against Vichy France during the Syria-Lebanon campaign. After that, Leander once again returned to the Pacific, where she was severely damaged after an engagement with a small Japanese task force in July 1943. The damage suffered from a torpedo hit was so severe that it rendered Leander inoperable for the remainder of the war, until she was repaired in August 1945.

HMNZS Leander only had a very short post-war service life. The warship was officially decommissioned in 1948 and sold for scrap in 1950.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_leander Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6084-development-hmnzs-leander-the-legend-of-defiance-en|[Devblog] HMNZS Leander - The Legend of Defiance]]

=== References: ===

* New Zealand History. (2020). HMNZS Leander. Retrieved January 04, 2021, from <nowiki>https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/hmnzs-leander</nowiki>
* National Museum of the New Zealand Navy. (2020, June 08). Leander. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-collections/ships/leander/</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Devonport}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMS Whitby

2023-11-27T09:46:25Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Whitby

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_frigate_whitby
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Whitby (F36)''' is a member of the Whitby-class frigate family. She was built by Cammell Laird and Co. Ltd., Birkenhead. After being launched on July 2, 1954, she was commissioned on July 10, 1956. The HMS Whitby was designed as a specialized anti-submarine frigate capable of combating fast modern diesel-electric submarines. After completing her training, she was assigned to the 3rd Training Squadron, based in Londonderry Port. In 1960, Desmond Cassidi was appointed captain. In 1966, she served in the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. The HMS Whitby was the first ship to visit Greenland's coast since 1966 to perform fishery protection duties. In 1968, she participated in Navy Days at Portsmouth Dockyard. She was sold for scrap in 1979.

Introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]], the HMS Whitby is a fast vessel, but it is under-armed for its size. This is understandable given that its primary goal in history was to engage enemy submarines rather than exchange shots with enemy vessels. Unfortunately, this means that the HMS Whitby will struggle to compete in battles against destroyers and other lighter vessels with vastly superior firepower and rates of fire. This vessel is best used to assist allies in engaging enemy vessels and to target fast coastal vessels due to its superior mobility.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}

=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.5 inch/45 QF Mark IV (114 mm)}}
[[File:Whitby Firing Arcs.png|thumb|Firing angles and minimum gun elevation of HMS Whitby]]
''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:4.5 inch/45 QF Mark IV (114 mm)/Ammunition|4.5 inch HE, 4.5 inch SAP, 4.5 inch HE-TF, 4.5 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Limbo mortar}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|pAu3NgrW12Q|'''HMS Whitby - Type 12 ASW Frigate - One of the Navy's Most Beloved Frigates''' - ''Cmdr. Tyrael''}}

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{ShipManufacturer Cammell Laird}}
{{Britain frigates}}
{{Britain premium ships}}

HMCS Terra Nova

2023-11-27T09:27:13Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMCS Terra Nova

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_restigouche_class_terranova
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMCS Terra Nova (DDE 229)''' is a member of the Restigouche-class destroyer family. She was a member of the Canadian Navy from 1959 to 1997. She was a guided missile destroyer after her final overhaul. The HMCS Terra Nova was the sixth ship in her class and the first Canadian warship to bear the name. The ship's badge honours the Terra Nova River in Newfoundland as well as an earlier civilian ship, Terra Nova, which rose to prominence during a scientific expedition to Antarctica. On the ship's badge, they are depicted as a river and the Antarctic (represented by a penguin). The HMCS Terra Nova was decommissioned on July 11, 1997, and paid off on July 1, 1998. In October 2009, she and the HMCS Gatineau were sold to Aecon Fabco for scrapping. In mid-November 2009, they were towed to Pictou, Nova Scotia, for dismantling.

Introduced in [[Update "Sky Guardians"]], the HMCS Terra Nova is a fast and manoeuvrable vessel for her size. It is strongly advised to use her close to the coast to engage enemy fast coastal vessels while using cover to avoid enemy destroyers. The main armament has an extremely fast firing rate, making it extremely effective at destroying enemy vessels from a long distance. Players can also engage enemy aircraft with the main armament. The ammunition magazine, like most other vessels in her class, is located directly below the main armament, making her vulnerable to detonation from a well-placed shot. As a result, it is recommended that players find a location on the battlefield where they can see other enemy vessels but have difficulty firing back.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|3 inch/70 Mark 6 (76 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:3 inch/70 Mark 6 (76 mm)/Ammunition|3 inch NC101 HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|3 inch Mk.33 (76 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Limbo mortar}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|CrYG51sd02c|'''HMCS Terra Nova - Restigouche-Class DDE: Is it as Good as it Seems?''' - ''Cmdr. Tyrael''}}

== See also ==


;Other Canadian naval vehicles present in the game

* [[HMCS Brantford]]
* [[HMCS Haida]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{ShipManufacturer Victoria Machinery Depot}}
{{Britain frigates}}

HMS Leopard

2023-11-27T09:11:39Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Leopard

{{About
| about = British frigate '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other uses
| link = Leopard (Disambiguation)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_frigate_leopard
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Leopard (F14)''' is a member of the Leopard-class frigate family. She was built primarily to provide anti-aircraft protection for convoys. As such, they were outfitted with heavy anti-aircraft armament but did not need to be fast. Upon commission, the HMS Leopard, first commanded by Commander R.G. Gaunt, was to serve as part of the 7th Frigate Squadron in the South Atlantic and South America. Following a volcanic eruption, Leopard sailed for the island of Tristan da Cunha in 1961. Her crew helped with the relief effort and the recovery of personal belongings left behind by the island's residents. During exercises off Cape Point in 1963, the HMS Leopard collided with the South African minesweeper Pietermaritzburg, causing serious damage. She also took part in the Cod Wars with Iceland in 1973, patrolling for one week. In 1977, she was scrapped at Dartford.

Introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]], the HMS Leopard has excellent anti-aircraft armament for its size, which is consistent with its historical intended role. However, when compared to its cousin, the [[HMS Blackpool]], it has a lower top speed. This is also reflected in history, as its primary mission is to escort convoys against aircraft rather than duel with other enemy vessels. Players are advised to use the HMS Leopard in coastal areas, engaging enemy fast coastal vessels that are capturing the objectives with its fast-firing armaments. As the HMS Leopard does not perform well against larger enemy vessels, it is critical to use cover at all times.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)/Ammunition|4.5 inch HE, 4.5 inch SAP, 4.5 inch HE-TF, 4.5 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Two [[4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)|QF 4.5in cannons]], located at the aft and bow of the ship
* Raised [[QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)|QF STAAG]] AA mount near the center of the boat
* Bridge is hidden behind the bow's cannon
* Access to HE-VT shells
* Large crew complement

* Eight (separate) engine blocks, allowing for lasting mobility in combat scenarios.

'''Cons:'''

* Poor max speed compared to frigate's cousin, [[HMS Blackpool]]
* No torpedoes or other specialised high-explosives
* Ammunition for the STAAG and aft cannon are located in close proximity to each other

== History ==

HMS Leopard was the lead ship of the Type 41 anti-air frigates. The concept of this frigate began in 1944 when the Royal Navy sought a new anti-submarine frigate. Original requirements asked for a mass-producible frigate with enough speed (around 25 knots) to chase surfaced U-boats and sufficient main gun firepower to engage them<ref>Brown, David K.; Moore, George. Rebuilding the Royal Navy: Warship Design Since 1945 (p. 171). Pen & Sword Books.</ref>.

By 1945, the design concept witnessed significant changes due to the new threats and additional requirements. The new U-boat, Type XXI, could reach 15-18 kn submerged for an extended period, leaving the existing frigates (their speed was no more than 20 kn) or other escorts obsolete. Furthermore, the new enemy, the Soviet Union, who had paid a lot of attention to submarine warfare, would inevitably develop fast submarines. On the other hand, the Director of Anti-Submarine Warfare suggested to implement alternative Anti-Submarine Warfare (ASW) and Anti-Aircraft Warfare (AAW) armaments on the same hull as the previous 'Loch' and 'Bay' classes. The AAW type could provide air defense for the convoy and assist anti-submarine missions with a basic anti-submarine weapon such as depth charges. Besides, an Aircraft Direction (AD) type was added to guide land-based aircraft and provide early air warning for the convoy<ref>Friedman, Norman. British Destroyers & Frigates (Kindle Location 7232). Pen and Sword. Kindle Edition.</ref>.

Further design modifications were included in the post-war era. In 1946, the British observed the Bikini nuclear test, demonstrating that the open deck seemed vulnerable against the atomic explosion. Thus, the new frigate design featured an enclosed bridge with minimized altitude and integrated all operations rooms (compass deck, radar room, etc.) within the enclosed structure. Debates on powerplant of different variants continued into the late 1940s. Finally, in 1947, it was decided that the AAW and AD types would use diesel machinery to achieve an endurance of 4,500 miles at 15 kn<ref>Brown, David K.; Moore, George. Rebuilding the Royal Navy: Warship Design Since 1945 (p. 173). Pen & Sword Books.</ref>, while the ASW type would be equipped with new steam turbines to reach 27 kn for hunting down the Soviet equivalent of the Type XXI. In 1948, one AAW prototype (Leopard) and one AD prototype (Salisbury) were ordered, and the final design was approved by the Board in 1950<ref>Friedman, Norman. British Destroyers & Frigates (Kindle Location 7490). Pen and Sword.</ref>. This series of ships were marked as the 1951 Frigate Programme with Type 12 as ASW version, Type 41 as AAW type, and Type 61 as AD variant.

The AAW type shares the same all-welded<ref name=":0">Marriott, Leo. Royal Navy Frigates 1945-1983 (p.45). London IAN ALLAN LTD. </ref> hull (340ft length, 40ft beam, 16ft draught) and machinery (8 Admiralty Standard Range diesel engines) as the AD type and differs in armament and equipment. Type 41 mounted two twin 4.5-inch dual-purpose guns, while Type 61 has only one mount. Both ships are equipped with completed radar systems, including Type 275 anti-air fire control and Type 960 air-warning radar. Compared to Type 61, Type 41 also mounted Type 262 close range anti-air control system and the Type 992Q surface/low-level search system for engaging aircraft<ref>Marriott, Leo. Royal Navy Frigates 1945-1983 (p.51). London IAN ALLAN LTD. </ref>. That extra equipment and firepower caused the Type 41 to displace 1,835 tons, about a hundred tons heavier than Type 61 (1738 tons) <ref name=":1">Brown, David K.; Moore, George. Rebuilding the Royal Navy: Warship Design Since 1945 (p. 174). Pen & Sword Books.</ref>. The early number requirement for Type 41 was 11 in 1953, but eventually, only four ships were produced for the Royal Navy.

HMS Leopard was laid down at Portsmouth dockyard on 25 March 1953 and was launched on 23 May 1955<ref>Warlow, Ben; Colledge, J J. Ships of the Royal Navy (p. 530). Pen and Sword.</ref>. She and her sister ships formed the 7th Frigate Squadron to show the flag at the South American station during peacetime. On 29 July 1963, Leopard was involved in a collision with South African minesweeper Pietermaritzburg during training exercise Capex 63, sending the ship back to Portsmouth for repairs<ref>Arikin, William M.; Handler, Joshua. Naval Accidents 1945 – 1988 (p. 31). Neptune Papers No. 3.</ref>. Between October 1964 and February 1966, Leopard received a major refit to install new Type 965 and Type 993 radars with other ECM and ECCM equipment. In 1973, Leopard was deployed to support European trawlers in Britain's fishing dispute (or second 'Cod War') with Iceland. She was involved in a close confrontation with patrol ship Ægir but did not open fire. She also conducted another patrol in supporting British trawlers during a fishing dispute in 1975.

In the 1970s, the lack of missile armament made the Type 41 frigate obsolescent in modern warfare. However, a large-scale modernization of weapons was impracticable for economic reasons, as well as the ships' deteriorating condition<ref name=":0" />. Therefore, these frigates were either retired or sold to other countries in the late 1970s. In 1977, Leopard was sold for scrap at Dartford<ref name=":1" />.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_frigate_leopard Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


=== References ===
<references />

{{ShipManufacturer Portsmouth}}
{{Britain frigates}}

HMS Blackpool

2023-11-27T08:51:12Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Blackpool

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_frigate_whitby_blackpool
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Blackpool (F77)''' is a member of the Whitby-class frigate family. Between 1958 and 1960, the HMS Blackpool led the 6th Frigate Squadron under the command of Edward Ashmore. She was a member of the 25th Escort Squadron, which included HMS Rothesay, HMS Cavendish, HMS Brighton, HMS Blackpool, and HMS Llandaff between 1962 and 1964. She commanded the 28th Escort Squadron from 1964 to 1966. Between 7 June 1966 and 30 June 1971, she was leased to the New Zealand Navy. The HMS Blackpool was present at the Melbourne-Evans collision in 1969. In 1978, she was eventually sold for scrap.

Introduced in [[Update "Ixwa Strike"]], the HMS Blackpool is an excellent frigate due to her large crew size and powerful firepower. The HMS Blackpool, along with its forward-facing torpedoes, can even hold off enemy destroyers. Anti-aircraft capability is also acceptable, capable of engaging enemy aircraft and protecting allies during battles. Due to the awkward arrangement of the main armament, players will struggle to target enemy vessels close to the bow. Another significant limitation is that all ammunition is stored directly beneath the main armament, making it extremely vulnerable to detonation from enemy shots.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.5 inch/45 QF Mark IV (114 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:4.5 inch/45 QF Mark IV (114 mm)/Ammunition|4.5 inch HE, 4.5 inch SAP, 4.5 inch HE-TF, 4.5 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|21 inch Mk.20 Bidder (533 mm)|Limbo mortar}}
''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High survivability thanks to large crew size.
* Large amount of (forward-facing) torpedoes.
* Fast firing 4.5 inch/45 QF Mark IV main gun.
* Rear-facing twin 40 mm can cripple ships in close range.
* Good AA capabilities with HE-VT shell.
* Can hold its own against most other destroyers.

'''Cons:'''

* Main armament cannot effectively target anything closer than 4.30 km (2.67 mi) towards the bow.
* Bidder Torpedoes are capped at 37 km/h and have a small explosive warhead (89 kg TNT).
* All torpedo tubes and mortar cannot be aimed.
* Search & Tracking radar have poor scan rates.
* Large bridge: high risk of being disabled by even AA.
* Bridge, Fire Control and Radio rooms are all in close proximity to each other.
* All ammunition is stored directly below the main gun.
* Limbo mortar (currently) functions no differently to a Y-gun.
* Slightly below average speed.

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/7044-development-hms-blackpool-f77-officer-guardian-en|Devblog]] ===
Development of the Type 12 frigates, or Whitby-class as they would also become known, began in the early 1950s at the very start of the Cold War. Developed to be fast, ocean-going frigates for convoy escort duties, the Whitby-class featured a novel hull design and incorporated many new features all derived from the experience gained during WWII. Subsequently, the Whitby-class was constructed with a heavy focus on anti-submarine warfare capabilities, thus being able to effectively combat some of the most modern high-speed submarines.

As a result, ships of the class resembled destroyers in their size and, due to their high construction cost, only eight ended up being built by the late 1950s. The Whitbys remained in active service with the Royal Navy up until the 1970s before they were gradually decommissioned as more modern ships began to take their place.

Among the eight Whitby-class frigates built was also HMS Blackpool. Laid down in December 1954 and commissioned in August 1958, HMS Blackpool was the last Whitby-class frigate built for the Royal Navy. For the better part of her service career, HMS Blackpool was stationed around the Suez canal and operated in the Far East until the mid 1960s.

In 1966, HMS Blackpool was leased to the Royal New Zealand Navy and continued operating under the New Zealand flag until 1971. Upon being returned to the Royal Navy, HMS Blackpool was decommissioned and ultimately sold for scrap in 1980.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_frigate_whitby_blackpool Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:HMS Blackpool WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:HMS Blackpool WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:HMS Blackpool WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:HMS Blackpool WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:HMS Blackpool WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:HMS Blackpool WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
File:HMS Blackpool WTWallpaper 07.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7044-development-hms-blackpool-f77-officer-guardian-en|[Devblog] HMS Blackpool (F77): Officer Guardian]]

{{ShipManufacturer Harland and Wolff}}
{{Britain frigates}}

Dardo

2023-11-27T08:28:09Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: Dardo

{{About
| about = Italian light tank '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = VCC-80 Dardo (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=it_dardo_vcc
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''Dardo''' is an infantry fighting vehicle developed for the Italian Army to replace the M113 armoured personnel carrier. It was designed and built in Rome by the Iveco Fiat Oto Melara Syndicated Company. Oto Melara is in charge of the weapons and fire control systems, while Iveco is in charge of the hull and propulsion systems. The Dardo is primarily armed with a 25mm Oerlikon KBA autocannon and a turret that holds 200 rounds of ready-to-fire ammunition. The hull is made of welded aluminium alloy with steel armour plates added for extra protection. On each side of the turret, four 80mm smoke grenade launchers are installed. It is powered by a V6 turbo-charged, after-cooled diesel engine from Iveco. In 2004, the Dardo was deployed with the Italian Army as part of Italy's contribution to Operation Iraqi Freedom. Ten units were also sent to Afghanistan to reinforce the Italian battle groups. Some are also in use with the Italian contingent of the United Nations Interim Force in Lebanon.

Introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]], the Dardo works best as a support or flanking vehicle. It is recommended to find a location with a good overview of the battlefield and scout for enemies for your allies. The main armament is extremely effective against enemy lightly armoured vehicles, which are prevalent at this stage. Additionally, players should strive to unlock the TOW-2B anti-tank guided missile (ATGM) as soon as possible so that they can engage enemies from cover. However, the missile's effectiveness is unreliable, and it occasionally fails to damage the enemy at all.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

The survival of the Dardo is characterized by good armour and crew. The armour is made of rolled homogeneous armour and aluminium that make up an effective armour of 77 mm at the top of the hull, while at the bottom, the most vulnerable part, the armour amounts to 46 mm. This armour is very weak, it can barely defend against 20 mm shells.

Inside the Dardo there are 3 crew members: the driver, the commander and the gunner.

The engine is at the front of the vehicle and is separated from the driving area with a rolled homogeneous plate of 6 mm. This plate that separates the driver from the engine serves to increase the vehicle's resistance against shrapnel and fire.

'''Armour type:'''

* Rolled homogeneous armour
* Aluminium alloy 5083 (Hull front, hull rear)
* Aluminium alloy 7039 (Turret, hull sides)
* Composite screen (Sideskirts)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25 mm + 8 mm (78°) ''Upper'' 50 mm + 22 mm (38°) ''Lower'' || 25 mm (33°) ''Upper'' 25 mm, 52 mm, 32 mm ''Lower'' || 38 mm (30°) || 25 mm
|-
| Turret || 40 mm + 22 mm (18°) ''Turret front'' 40 mm + 6 mm (22°) ''Turret front sides'' 25 mm + 25 mm ''Gun mantlet'' || 40 mm (22-25°) || 40 mm (26°) || 40 mm (80°) ''Front'' 25 mm ''Rear''
|-
| Cupola || colspan="3" | 40 mm (cylindrical) || 25 mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:'''

* Sideskirts are 10 mm thick
* Tracks are 15 mm thick, wheels are 10 mm thick

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}

The Dardo has an Iveco V6 turbocharged diesel engine, capable of delivering 520 HP. This powerful engine is able to push the 23 ton Dardo to a speed of 70 km/h spread over 8 gears on almost any flat terrain: road, dirt, snow and sand. Its reverse gear is also good, -32 km/h. With this mighty engine it can climb slopes of up to 60%.

{{tankMobility|abMinHp=806|rbMinHp=460}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|Oerlikon KBA B02 (25 mm)}}

The main armament of the Dardo is a 25 mm Oerlikon KBA autocannon. The 25 mm Oerlikon KBA is used as an anti-aircraft weapon in systems such as the sophisticated DIANA in a twin installation, or in armoured vehicles such as the Dardo IFV, the self-propelled anti-aircraft artillery [[SIDAM 25]] and others in single, twin, or quad installations and is also embarked on naval units where it is used as a CIWS.

In-game, this formidable gun is the second highest performing 25 mm gun. With its formidable cadence of 560 rounds per minute and a projectile that can pierce up to 92 mm of armour, the Dardo is capable of rapid and very effective attacks. It is recommended to engage enemies from the side for greater efficiency.

The ammunition includes 4 belts, the Default belt, composed of one APDS and 2 HEI-T; the M792 belt composed of 3 HEI-T; the M791 belt composed of 3 APDS and the last one, the PMB 090 belt composed of 3 APFSDS. The most effective against tanks is the last one while the most useful for aerial targets is the second one.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Oerlikon KBA B02 (25 mm)|25 mm Oerlikon KBA B02]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 400 (100) || rowspan="2" | 560 || rowspan="2" | -10°/+60° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 54.5 || 75.5 || 91.7 || 101.4 || 107.9 || rowspan="2" | 10.40 || rowspan="2" | 9.20 || rowspan="2" | 8.48 || rowspan="2" | 8.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 34.1 || 40.1 || 48.7 || 53.9 || 57.3
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====

* '''Default:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''M792:''' {{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEI-T*|High-explosive incendiary tracer (self-destroying)}}
* '''M791:''' {{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}{{-}}{{Annotation|APDS|Armour-piercing discarding sabot}}
* '''PMB 090:''' {{Annotation|APFSDS|Armour-piercing fin-stabilized discarding sabot}}

{{:Oerlikon KBA B02 (25 mm)/Ammunition|APDS, HEI-T*, APFSDS}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|Ammo rack of 25 mm KBA of the VCC Dardo.]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || 3 ''(+1)'' || 2 ''(+2)'' || 1 ''(+3)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|BGM-71 TOW}}

The BMG-71 TOW entered service in 1972 with the US Army during the Vietnam War. This ATGM was a real success both operationally and commercially. The missile is based on a 127 mm HEAT warhead capable of penetrating up to 600 mm with a velocity of 345 m/s.

The Dardo can be equipped with the TOW-2 and TOW-2B variants. The TOW-2 is present on the stock tank. It penetrates 800 mm and has a speed of 329 m/s, very effective against any vehicle that does not have explosive reactive armour.

The TOW-2B is a researchable modification. Unlike the TOW-2, the 2B has the ability to detonate above the tank and direct its explosive power downwards. This allows the missile to completely destroy the tank from above ignoring all the ERA and NERA armour that a conventional ATGM would face from the front. The TOW-2B however is much slower and less penetrating than the TOW-2.

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[BGM-71 TOW]] missile || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Capacity (Belt) !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
| 8 (2) || -6°/+30° || N/A || N/A || 13.00 || 11.50 || 10.60 || 10.00
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:BGM-71 TOW/Ammunition|TOW-2, TOW-2B}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks {{PAGENAME}} ATGM.jpg|right|thumb|x250px|Ammo rack of ATGMs in the VCC Dardo.]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''4''' || 3 ''(+1)'' || 2 ''(+2)'' || 1 ''(+3)'' || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|Beretta MG42/59 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[Beretta MG42/59 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm Beretta MG42/59]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 1,200 (200) || 801 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==


When playing the Dardo, one of the best playstyles for it is either using it as a support or as a flanker. You should attempt to always have a good line of sight where you can take enemies off guard, to maximise the effectiveness of your armaments. One example being that the Dardo at times can be used effectively in urban combat. If you pick a side street to set up, when the enemy goes past, hopefully without seeing you, you will be able to hit them in the side with either your main cannon or with your ATGM. At the start of a match it can prove to be a very effective first spawn in the hands of an experienced player, as enemy players might not expect such a vehicle to cause them troubles early during a match.

While stock, your main way to be effective is to scout enemy players and take them out from long ranges with the use of your TOW-2 ATGM. Once you research the important modifications for this vehicle (APFSDS, TOW-2B, Thermals) then you may begin to play more solo and without having to rely on your teammates too much. Such modifications allow the Dardo to really be a devastating IFV that at times the enemy team won't have a proper counter, to deal with the issue. With TOW-2 you are easily able to take out enemies with one good placed hit, but won't always be reliable as some enemies can prove to be tough, and will be able to withstand a hit. Thankfully the Dardo has 2 launchers which mean that you can fire in quick succession, hopefully being enough to allow you to continue staying in the battle.

However, with the TOW-2B modification unlocked, Dardo's offensive capabilities are greatly improved, as the ATGM has the ability to attack enemies from the top of their turret roof, where for most tanks the armour is at its lowest. It can also be used to easily compromise enemy sniper positions, since people hiding behind cover are no longer a threat and must seek a better position where your ATGM can't affect them. Enemy players will usually be taken off guard when presented with a TOW-2B and that can also be used as a distraction for you to push and take an enemy out when they are damaged or confused. It's also good to note that if you are playing in your support role, the Dardo's scouting ability will be extremely useful for both you and your team.

In terms of its main weapon, the Dardo has a 25 mm Oerlikon-Buhrle cannon, which is able to use APDS and APFSDS. Its stock round for the 25 mm cannon is not too good at dealing with enemies but once the APFSDS round is unlocked, the Dardo can easily make short work of MBTs and light vehicles frontally or from the sides. However due to the Dardo's poor survivability, it is best advised that you stick far away from enemies and try pick them off with your TOW-2B. Generally speaking, just act as if the vehicle can be killed from anywhere, by any round. Its main cannon should only ever be used when you are in immediate danger, such as when a enemy helicopter is above you or when another enemy team ground vehicle has breached your defences. Dardo doesn't carry a lot of ammunition for either of your weapon systems so pick your targets and evaluate what place is the best to take out your enemy whilst not consuming too much of your ammunition.

Other neat additions that will greatly aid you is the Dardo's thermal imaging device made by Kollsman. Although only available for the gunner, it is a great asset that you'll be able to use once unlocked to easily pick out and spot enemies. In terms of defence systems it has access to smoke dischargers, which at times can prove to be very useful. Another system the Dardo has is a laser warning receiver which will alert you when either an enemy ground/air vehicle is looking at you. This also should apply for all game modes, be aware that in Arcade battles the enemies are able to see your weak spots when they aim at you, so keep that in mind if you decide to go hull-down as an experienced player might just go for a different module, such as your cannon barrel or breech, and finish you off slowly.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Access to TOW-2 and TOW-2B ATGMs.
* High rate of fire for main 25 mm cannon.
* Potent APFSDS round, able to deal with most enemies from the sides.
* Mobility is adequate once engine upgrade installed.

'''Cons:'''

* Survivability is inadequate, can be taken out by majority of enemies you'll face.
* To fire ATGMs, you must be stationary.
* APFSDS and TOW-2B are high tier modifications, meaning it can take a while to have access to them.

== History ==

During the late stages of the Cold War, OTO Melara, assisted by IVECO, had been designing a set of new multi-role armoured fighting vehicles in the hopes that enough interest would be generated to get the vehicles picked up either by the Italian army or by possible foreign customers. Several designs had been proposed (mainly to replace the ever-ageing M113 APC). The first attempt was the C-13 APC, which generated several variants, including an IFV and TUA version. It was ultimately never picked up likely due to political reasons, however what was used from the C-13 program would be re-used in future IFV projects, mainly the OTO Melara AV-90 and, the VCC-80 "Dardo".
[[File:IFV Dardo With Ariete.png|thumb|right|400px|IFV Dardo with Ariete PSO]]
The Dardo had a troubled development cycle. Originally OTO Melara had initially proposed an initial variant known as the 'VCL-80', which would have shared many aspects from the C-13. It originally was supposed to feature a MILAN ATGM launcher similar to the [[M3 Bradley]] series of vehicles. The VCL-80 stayed on paper, however shortly thereafter in the early 1980s a new and refined design came out, only known as the VCC-80 (not to be confused with the production VCC-80 "Dardo"). In 1982 the Italian army would place a contract for the VCC-80, which would be produced in very small pre-production/prototype batches, and underwent a series of changes during its development cycle. The VCC-80 would be tested with a high velocity medium support gun, the same gun tested years prior on the Fiat 6616. What would actually interest the Italian army would be the version fitted with a power-operated turret, mounted with a 25 mm Oerlikon-Buhrle cannon (capable of 600 rpm, and fed with 200 ready rounds stored in the turret, with extra rounds stored inside of the hull). In addition, it was also given the ability to equip itself with TOW ATGMs.

The general configuration of the VCC-80 would be conventional, being similar to other contemporary infantry fighting vehicles. What sets it out is the design, it being very well self proportioned and well executed. The hull as well as the turret of the VCC-80 is welded from plates of aluminium alloys (5083 and 7020 type). During its development, among the changes to the vehicle would be the fire control system, originally it had access to the Officine Galileo TURMS, present on the C1 Ariete and B1 Centauro. Eventually it was decided to use a mix, and the introduction of the Kollsman day/night sight which would be present on the the final version of the vehicle and subsequent production variants. The powerplant consists of an Iveco V6 turbo-charged after-cooled diesel, capable of 512hp (382.2 kW), coupled with an Iveco Fiat ZF type automatic transmission system with four forward/two reverse gears. The commander would be provided with six periscope sights, with 360° field of view. The cupola can be further fitted with 'JANUS' panoramic stabilized sight, although this is seen rarely. Additionally, a laser rangefinder and a thermal imager is provided for the gunner. Eventually the Italian army after extensive testing would order a grand total of 300 production units of the VCC-80 in 1988, designating it the VCC-80 "Dardo", and later downsized to 200 units due to the end of the Cold War. They'd be delivered through the following years and the final production vehicles would be delivered in the early 2000s.

Since then, the Italian army have not upgraded the vehicle much, in 2005 TOW-2B and TOW-2A ATGMs would be ordered to up-arm both the Dardo and the A129 Mangusta, mainly done due to the old TOW variants such as I-TOW being a bit too outdated for the modern setting. They would also at one point acquire a license from Germany to produce PBM-09 25 mm APFSDS to accompany the Dardo. Dardos are currently in use inside of the majority of the 'Bersalgiere' regiments. Since then, the VCC-80 "Dardo" has partaken in pretty much every theatre of war that Italy was involved in, such as in Afghanistan, as well as Italian United Nations missions in Lebanon. In terms of upgrade programs, there was an attempt once to do such thing. During Eurostatory of 2010, an international exhibition of the defense and security sector that takes place every two years in the Paris-Nord Villepinte exhibition center, would have Italy present their defense vehicles and items like usual, including the Dardo. This time however would be the first time the Dardo IFV was seen in the configuration CIO presented, this specific configuration would allow the Dardo IFV to have an unmanned HITFIST-OWS (Overhead Weapon Station) 30 mm cannon, which would also be able to be paired up with 2 Spike ATGM launchers (the launcher was also capable of using Kornet and INGWE). However following in-depth studies conducted jointly by the Army and industry, the poor cost/effectiveness ratio of the vehicle modernization emerged, and therefore, in 2016, the VCC-80 "Dardo" modernization program was abandoned in favour of a new platform that can respond to the needs of the Armed Forces.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=it_dardo_vcc Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:Italian Mix (1).png
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|X08w5IAydF4|'''The Shooting Range #258''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.|n0mHQggtrzg|'''Dardo IFV - First Impressions Review''' - ''Sako Sniper''}}

== See also ==


* [[M3A3 Bradley]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7188-development-dardo-ifv-first-hit-rights-en|[Devblog] Dardo IFV: first hit rights]]

{{TankManufacturer OTO Melara}}
{{Italy light tanks}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

HMS Liverpool

2023-11-27T08:03:04Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Liverpool

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_liverpool
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Liverpool (C11)''' is a member of the Town-class light cruiser family. She served in the British Navy from 1938 to 1952. The HMS Liverpool received four battle honours during World War II and was severely damaged in two attacks by Italian torpedo bombers. She worked with naval stations in the East Indies and China, as well as the Mediterranean and Home Fleet. In January 1940, while serving as the flagship of the China Station, the HMS Liverpool caused a diplomatic incident with Japan when she intercepted the liner Asama Maru off the coast of Japan. The battles of the Espero Convoy and Calabria, the Arctic Convoys, and Operation Harpoon during the Malta Convoys were also fought by the HMS Liverpool. During Operation Harpoon on June 14, 1942, the HMS Liverpool suffered damage from an air raid and was forced to spend the rest of the war in Rosyth, Scotland, for repairs and refitting. She was recalled to service in 1945 and assigned as the Mediterranean Fleet's flagship. When Egyptian guerrillas campaigned against the British administration of the Suez Canal Zone in the early 1950s, the HMS Liverpool anchored in Port Said to support them. The HMS Liverpool was decommissioned in 1952, at a time when the British Navy's strength was rapidly dwindling. She was scrapped in Rosyth in 1958.

Introduced in [[Update "Red Skies"]], the HMS Liverpool is one of the best light cruisers in the British Navy's inventory. Players are advised to take advantage of her high rate of fire to damage and overwhelm enemy ships. Its main armament is extremely effective against other light cruisers and destroyers, causing significant damage to internal components. The HMS Liverpool also has thick belt armour and magazine protection, making her difficult to knock out quickly by other enemy vessels. She also has a respectable torpedo arsenal, allowing her to pose a threat to battleships as long as they are within effective torpedo range. The HMS Southampton's ammunition magazines are well-protected, making them difficult to destroy quickly. She is, however, very easy to disable due to her thin turret armour and unarmoured bridge, and she frequently loses many crew members during engagements. To avoid being isolated and targeted, it is best to stick with allies during battles.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

As with the other Town-class light cruisers, the Liverpool's hull is considerably well-protected, especially when compared to the British heavy cruisers that ironically have much worse citadel armour. With 114.5 mm of citadel belt armour on the side, 63.5 mm on the bow and stern, and 36.5 mm on the deck, the Liverpool's machinery space is highly resilient to internal damage, especially when angled. The magazine protection is also identical to that on the Southampton and [[HMS Belfast|Belfast]], which serves to prevent magazine detonations from other cruisers' AP shells. However, the Liverpool has to expose a lot of her broadside in order to unmask the rear turret, essentially negating the Liverpool's belt armour.

For the first time in a British cruiser, the main gun turrets are also decently armoured, with 102 mm of armour at the front and 50.8 mm elsewhere. This mostly protects them against light cruiser HE shells and weaker AP shells from the front. However, she retains the same weakpoint shared by almost all British cruisers: the open bridge. This has some 12 mm protection around parts, but is still essentially unarmoured and very vulnerable to nearby explosions and any sizeable shell hits.

The Liverpool also does not have a very large crew complement at 748. This is further exacerbated by the fact that the Liverpool's crew compartments were almost entirely located near the deck, which means the ship will lose a lot of crew when a sizeable HE shell hits them and from any subsequent fires. The close proximity of the crew compartments and the shell rooms can also help the fire to spread to them, possibly causing ammunition detonations.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

With one main turret removed, the Liverpool is somewhat lighter and thus marginally faster than her sister ship Southampton, though her mobility and handling remain average.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)}}

The Liverpool's main armament consists of nine BL 6-inch Mark XXIII guns mounted in three triple turrets, two in the bow, and one in the stern. With one less turret compared to Belfast and Southampton, the Liverpool's burst damage is considerably worse than her sister ships'. However, sitting at a BR where less-protected cruisers and destroyers are common, Liverpool's armaments is a perfect weapon within her range, although easily outclassed by the more advanced cruisers when uptiered. The guns have a very short reload time for their calibre at 7.5 seconds with the best possible crew, which allows her to pump out shells consistently, especially at closer ranges. These guns have a significant amount of horizontal dispersion and are thus quite poor at long range shooting.

The Liverpool has four shell choices: a basic HE shell with 3.96 kg of TNT equivalent, the CPBC semi-AP shell with a large filler (1.87 kg TNT equivalent) that can deal significant damage against cruisers within 7 km, but loses its effectiveness at longer ranges, and HE-TF and HE-VT shells for long-range anti-aircraft purposes. Due to the lack of an AP shell, the Liverpool will struggle to deal damage at longer ranges against well-protected cruisers.

It is important to note that the Liverpool's 'Y' turret has a fairly poor turret traverse arc, which means it is difficult to use her firepower to its fullest without exposing a lot of the ship to damage.

==== Ammunition ====
{{:6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)/Ammunition|6 inch HE, 6 inch CPBC, 6 inch HE-TF, 6 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

The Liverpool has eight QF 4-inch Mark XVI cannons, mounted in four dual mounts behind her second funnel, two on each side of the ship. Since the main gun has a very high rate of fire, her secondary armament will not be needed as much against coastal craft and destroyers. It thus mainly serves as a long-range anti-aircraft battery, and can be quite effective once the HE-VT shell is available.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|QF Mark V (40 mm)|QF Mark VII (40 mm)}}

The Liverpool's anti-aircraft suite is mostly identical to the Belfast's, with twelve 40 mm Bofors Mark V cannon in six twin mounts. However, during her wartime refit, one of her rear turrets was removed in exchange for more space and topweight available to mount four more single 40 mm Bofors Mark VII autocannons. The 40 mm Bofors is one of the best naval medium range anti-aircraft guns, both in real life and in the game, thus the Liverpool can quite effectively defend herself against air attack, especially with good aim under manual control. The Bofors guns can also be deadly to coastal craft that get within range.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)}}

The Liverpool has two triple torpedo tubes mounted on each side of the ship. These fire the 21-inch Mark IX torpedo, which has a range and speed of 9.34 km and 67 km/h (12.35 km and 56 km/h with the torpedo mode installed). It carries a hefty 340 kg warhead.

== Usage in battles ==

The Liverpool relies on her high rate of fire and CPBC semi-AP round to damage and overwhelm enemy ships. The CPBC round combines reasonably good penetration with a much larger filler than the AP rounds found on most contemporary light cruisers. It is highly effective against other light cruisers and larger destroyers, inflicting serious damage on internal components. At close ranges, it is even capable of penetrating heavy cruiser belt armour.

Her thick belt armour and magazine protection, conversely, mean that she is quite hard to knock out quickly by other light cruisers, and destroyers will struggle to inflict much damage beyond knocking out the open bridge, especially at range. The Liverpool also has a reasonable amount of turret armour, which allows her to more comfortably engage at closer ranges than other British cruisers without worrying too much about getting her turrets knocked out.

All of these features, combined with the rather poor dispersion of the main guns, mean that the Liverpool is most effective at medium/close ranges, where the dispersion is less of an issue. The Liverpool also carries torpedoes with large warheads, allowing her to pose a threat to even battleships if she can get within effective torpedo range.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Thick belt armour and magazine protection
* Main guns have a high rate of fire for their calibre
* Large explosive filler and adequate penetration for the CPBC semi-AP shell
* Reasonable main gun turret protection
* Highly effective anti-aircraft armament
* Carries torpedoes with large warheads

'''Cons:'''

* Restricted rear turret traverse arc
* Inadequate penetration at longer ranges
* High horizontal dispersion, especially at long ranges
* Low crew complement
* Open bridge with inadequate armour protection
* Can be matched against battleships

== History ==

After completing the Leander-class and Arethusa-class cruisers in the early 1930s, the Royal Navy aimed to build more similar cruisers to meet its target of fifty cruisers. The problem was, by 1933, the foreign navies had started developing larger cruisers: Japan was constructing the Mogami class weighing more than 11,000 tons, and the United States had decided to build the 10,000-ton Brooklyn class, putting the smaller Leander and Arethusa at a significant disadvantage.

To counter the new cruisers from other leading fleets, the Admiralty revised the new design to increase displacement for twelve 6-inch guns and extra protection against 8-inch shells.<ref name="GillonoEUUnits">http://www.ww2ships.com/britain/gb-cl-001-b.shtml</ref> The design was crystallized in 1934 as "Town"-class cruisers named after British cities. Ten ships of this class were laid down and completed from 1935 to 1939, including the one original variant class (Southampton class) and two modified variants (1935 Programme cruisers & Edinburgh class).

HMS Liverpool (C11) was one of three 1935 Programme cruisers. The overall configuration of this group is similar to the Southampton class, but extra armour was added to main gun turrets (4 inches, compared to 2 inches on Southampton class) and deck over the machinery to increase deck protection to 1/4 inch (1 inch on Liverpool<nowiki>'</nowiki>s sister ship Gloucester). Furthermore, an additional director control tower was placed aft to separate fire control for the main and secondary armaments.<ref name="GillonoEUUnits2">Brown, David K.. Nelson to Vanguard: Warship Design and Development, 1923–1945 (Chatham's Distinguished Design) (p. 175). Pen & Sword Books.</ref> These modifications increased the total displacement from 9,110 tons to 9,600 tons. To maintain stability, the beam of the cruiser was increased by 0.8 inches to balance the increasing weight. Besides, the propulsion power was raised from 75,000 shp on the Southampton class to 82,000 shp.<ref name="GillonoEUUnits3">https://www.naval-encyclopedia.com/ww2/uk/town-class-cruisers-1936</ref>

Liverpool was ordered on 11 November 1935 at Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. The ship was laid down on 17 February 1936, and launched on 24 March 1937.<ref name="GillonoEUUnits4">https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/1230.html</ref> During her trials, Liverpool lost all engine power for short periods on two occasions caused by water in the fuel pump,<ref name="GillonoEUUnits2" /> delaying her commission to 2 November 1938.

All three cruisers of the 1935 Programme were initially deployed to East Indies Station. When the war broke out, she escorted British convoys on the Indian Ocean. On 14 November 1939, Liverpool transferred to Hong Kong to join the 5th Cruiser Squadron for trade defense duties and intercepting German blockade runners in Eastern waters. On 21 January 1940, she intercepted Japanese ocean liner Asama Maru, carrying German adults suitable for military service, just 35 nautical miles off the Japanese coast at the southern tip of the Boso Peninsula. The liner refused to stop until Liverpool fired a blank shell by her 3pdr saluting gun and took 21 German nationals onboard. The Japanese government officially protested the action as a violation of Japanese neutrality. As a result, nine of the Germans were returned, while the Japanese government promised not to offer passage as a way home for German citizens overseas.<ref name="TankArchives1stMCBerlin2">https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Liverpool.htm</ref>

HMS Liverpool and her sister ship Gloucester transferred to Mediterranean in May 1940. After Italy declared war on 10 June 1940, Liverpool and Gloucester bombarded Tobruk on 12 June, and sunk armed trawler Giovanni Bert.<ref name="GillonoEUUnits5" />

On 27 June 1940, three Italian destroyers - Espero, Zeffiro, and Ostro - departed Taranto with supplies to Tobruk. British scout planes spotted them around noon the next day. HMS Liverpool, part of the 7th Cruiser Squadron (7CS), covering British convoys at the time, was ordered to alter course to intercept. At 18:31 local time, Liverpool spotted the Italian destroyers and engaged with her main guns.<ref name="GillonoEUUnits5">Waters, Conrad. British Town Class Cruisers: Design, Development & Performance: Southampton & Belfast Classes (p. 168).</ref>

These high-speed (credited with 37 knots) destroyers proved challenging targets with smoke screens and falling visibility at dusk. The British cruisers did not score a hit until 19:30, when Espero was damaged and slowed by a 6inch shell. The Italian destroyer bravely turned against the British fleet to cover her fellow ships by sacrificing herself. Espero was immobilized at 20:00 and sunk 40 minutes later. The British only picked up fifty survivors.

The 7CS suffered a minor loss, with no casualties and only Liverpool being hit by one 4.7-inch shell. The shell hit her armour belt, knocking off a chip of armour and causing some splinters.<ref name="GillonoEUUnits" />

On 9 July 1940, HMS Liverpool, together with 7CS, participated the first fleet battle between the Royal Navy and Regia Marina, the Battle of Punta Stilo, which is result of convoy escorts from both sides. However, limited by her main guns' horizontal range, Liverpool hadn't achieved a hit by the time the Italian fleet was forced to retreat.

On 29 July, a single Italian 250 lb bomb hit HMS Liverpool during a high-altitude attack around 14:20. The bomb hit the bridge's front deck, penetrated 'B' gun deck and the forecastle deck, and stopped in the senior petty officer's pantry on the upper deck.<ref name="TankArchives1stMCBerlin">Waters, Conrad. British Town Class Cruisers: Design, Development & Performance: Southampton & Belfast Classes (p. 213). Pen & Sword Books.</ref> Fortunately, the fuse in the bomb's tail was damaged when it penetrated the bridge structure and was not functional. On 30 July, Liverpool reached Alexandria, where her crews fixed up small holes with wood. Then, on 5 August, the cruiser returned to patrol duties.

Liverpool stayed in her station for convoy escort and fleet operations until 14 October 1940. At around 18:55 local time, on her way to Alexandria with the Mediterranean Fleet, Liverpool was attacked by the Italian Air Force and hit by an aircraft torpedo at the fore-end of her starboard side, damaging the aviation fuel tank in the forward section. The volatile aviation fuel leak started to accumulate in the fore storage areas; then, an electrical failure ignited the vapour and detonated the aviation fuel tank containing 5,700 gallons of fuel at 19:20.<ref name="TankArchives1stMCBerlin" /> The explosion caused a huge flame to envelop the forward sections of Liverpool and blow away the 'A' turret roof. Fortunately, the forward magazine had been flooded to prevent further explosion. However, the bow's construction was severely damaged by the blast and beginning to separate from the ship. Two destroyers HMS Decoy and HMS Hereward, came to assist the firefighting efforts, and cruiser HMS Orion, covered by two anti-aircraft cruisers, attempted to tow Liverpool back to Alexandria. On the following day, the fire onboard was under control. The hanging bow of the cruiser acted as a rudder until it broke away at 14:35 on 15 October.<ref name="GillonoEUUnits4" /> On 16 October, Liverpool and her escorts finally reached Alexandria.

The damage to Liverpool was serious. She lost her entire bow in front of the 'A' turret; the 'A' turret itself needed the gunhouse replaced and the turret ring repaired (as well as a new roof); much of the electrical and engineering equipment was also damaged. Resources in Alexandria were far from enough to repair such damage, while the route to Gibraltar or the British Isles was too dangerous for the badly damaged cruiser. Luckily, as the United States agreed to repair British vessels, Liverpool could travel east and receive the permanent repairs at US ports. Even so, Liverpool would need a temporary bow to make the long voyage. Unfortunately, the limited resource and local workforce delayed the application of the bow. In the end, it took six months to collect enough material and install a temporary bow for Liverpool to begin sailing east on 30 April 1941. The cruiser steamed via Aden, Colombo, Singapore, Manila, and Honolulu. Finally, on 16 June 1941, she reached her destination at Mare Island, California, where she would receive repairs in the following four months. Once the work was finished in October, she departed for the British Isles through the Panama Canal. Liverpool arrived in the UK in December 1941, and took a refit to install a series of radar systems, including surface warning radar (Type 273), air warning radar (Type 281), and fire control radar for main guns & secondary armaments (Type 284/285).<ref name="TankArchives1stMCBerlin" /> Liverpool rejoined the Home Fleet in April 1942. In the following two months, she participated escorts for Arctic convoys. In June 1942, she was re-deployed to Mediterranean to reinforce Operation Harpoon for supplying Malta.

On 14 June 1942, when Liverpool was escorting convoys with Force W, the fleet was attacked by Italian torpedo bombers. At 14:20 local time, on the starboard of the convoy, Liverpool was targeted by four bombers. She successfully evaded three torpedoes, but the last one hit her starboard, right in the 'B' engine room beneath the rear mast. The torpedo made a 24 ft x 19 ft hole in the starboard, destroying turbine generators in the 'B' engine room, left two shafts on the starboard out of function. The water soon flooded in the 'B' engine room and kept entering into nearby sections such as the entire 'B' boiler room, therefore making the inner shaft on the port side inoperative as well. The unbalanced power output turned the cruiser 270° to starboard. Before the flooding was under control, it was estimated over 2,600 tons of water entered the ship, creating a list to 7°.<ref name="TankArchives1stMCBerlin3">Waters, Conrad. British Town Class Cruisers: Design, Development & Performance: Southampton & Belfast Classes (p. 216). Pen & Sword Books.</ref>

The situation for Liverpool was critical. She could only maintain 3 to 4 knots with the one remaining shaft while more airstrikes were on their way. The Italian Air Force in Sardinia shifted their focus on Liverpool instead of the convoy. Two destroyers, HMS Antelope and HMS Westcott came to tow Liverpool and support air defense. The small fleet was ordered to return Gibraltar. At 16:40 local time, a wave of Italian fighters dropped bombs on Liverpool. Two bombs nearly hit the starboard side, increasing the list to 9.5° and draught to 27ft 8in (standard draught for Liverpool is 20ft 7in). At 18:00, a coordinated attack of 11 high-altitude bombers and seven torpedo bombers attempted to sink the damaged cruiser. Luckily, the attack scored no hits on Liverpool. The Italians continued their attack for the rest of the day. A group of high-altitude bombers attacked at 20:15, and six torpedo bombers dropped their torpedoes from long range against Liverpool at 22:30. None of the attacks achieved further damage to Liverpool, while she brought down at least one bomber using her main guns.

In the afternoon of the 17th, Liverpool and her guarding destroyers safely reached Gibraltar, where she received some emergency repairs. On 5 August 1942, Liverpool was transferred to Rosyth for permanent repairs. Due to the significant damage, it would require a lot of time and resources to repair Liverpool fully. Therefore, the priority of repairing was lower than patching up slightly damaged ships. In 1944, modifications to adapt Liverpool to the Pacific area was added to the work. An anti-air battery replaced one aft turret, and more advanced radars were applied on the ship. In August 1945, Liverpool was ready for service, but at this time, it was too late for her to gain more Battle Honours. She was the only survivor of the three 1935 Programme cruisers.

Liverpool continued her service as flagship of the 15th Cruiser Squadron in the Mediterranean Fleet after the war. In 1953, she was reduced to Reserve Fleet, where she was kept until 1957 and moved to Disposal List. In 1958, Liverpool was sold for breaking up by P&W MacLellan at Borrowstounness.<ref name="TankArchives1stMCBerlin" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_liverpool Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7159-development-squadron-vehicles-hms-liverpool-en|[Devblog] Squadron Vehicles: HMS Liverpool]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{ShipManufacturer Fairfields}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}
{{Squadron ships}}

HMS Mohawk

2023-11-27T07:24:12Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Mohawk

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_tribal_mohawk
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
|market=id50152_hms_mohawk_great_britain
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Mohawk (L31)''' is a member of the Tribal-class destroyer family. The HMS Mohawk was completed in 1938 for the British Navy shortly before the outbreak of World War II in 1939 and was initially assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet. She was briefly involved in enforcing the arms blockade on the combatants in the Spanish Civil War in early 1939. The HMS Mohawk returned home shortly after World War II began and was assigned convoy escort duties, during which she was damaged by a German air raid. She escorted convoys to and from Norway during the Norwegian Campaign from April to May 1940. In June, the HMS Mohawk was assigned to the Mediterranean Fleet's 14th Destroyer Flotilla and began escorting convoys to Malta and Greece. Mohawk fought in the Battle of Calabria in July and the Battle of Cape Matapan in March 1941. The following month, as the 14th Destroyer Flotilla attacked an Italian convoy, she was sunk by torpedoes fired by an Italian destroyer, killing 41 of her crew.

Introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]], the HMS Mohawk is a fast destroyer with powerful main armaments mounted in the bow. The main armament is extremely accurate and capable of hitting targets as far away as 10 kilometers. The crew size is slightly above average, which is typical of Tribal-class destroyers but unusual for many other British Navy vessels. The HMS Mohawk, as one of the fastest destroyers with superior secondary armament and a high sustained rate of fire, should be used to engage light coastal craft as its primary goal. Maintain the HMS Mohawk near the coast and use her to protect allied coastal vessels as they capture objectives. Be wary of engaging other destroyers, as the ammunition magazines are easily detonated due to their proximity to the waterline and lack of armour protection.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}


Mohawk's mobility should be deemed adequate but not perfect. The Tribal-class was repurposed as fleet destroyers, and as such, the mobility performs fine enough to attend to the needs of flexible anti-air support for cruisers fleets, or while performing a flanking attack throughout naval engagements. The Tribal-class was fitted with three Admiralty three-drum boilers that powered two Parsons geared turbines generating 34,000 hp which translates into 67 km/h, reached in about 28 seconds.

The top speed is averagely on par or in few cases inferior against most German destroyers at ranks II and III. Thus it is likely no real mobility advantage can be played over German counterparts. Versus similarly ranked Japanese or Italian destroyers, the opposite occurs. Though minimal in some instances, the Mohawk might have the upper hand in catching up with enemy destroyers such as [[IJN Yuudachi]], [[IJN Kiyoshimo]] and [[IJN Ayanami]].

Do not forget about some other destroyers as the Japanese [[IJN Shimakaze]] and the Soviet [[Tashkent]] and [[Moskva]]: these feature outstanding top speed over 80 km/h. Therefore, it is crucial to quickly assess these mobility disparities when gunnery is leading a deadly salvo on such swift enemies.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

As a premium ship, all modifications have been researched.

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)/Ammunition|4.7 inch HE Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch SAP Mk.VA, 4.7 inch HE-TF Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch HE-VT Mk.VIIA}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.IIc (40 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}

{{:2pdr QF Mk.IIc (40 mm)/Ammunition|AP-T, HEF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX** (533 mm)|Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* A powerful set of four twin 4.7-inch cannons (most RN Destroyers only got 3 sets)
* Primary guns have great precision even at long ranges (~10 km)
* Crew size is slightly above average, an usual trait of the battle-ready [[Tribal (Family)|Tribal-class]]
* Dual-purpose guns; HE-VT shells for primary and secondary guns makes it easy to destroy aircraft
* Amongst the fastest Bluewater ships on the British naval tree

'''Cons:'''

* Carries only 4 torpedoes and limited depth charges
* Short-ranged auxiliary 12.7 mm machine guns
* Ammo racks are easily detonated by SAP or APCBC shells near the waterline; no armour present in the area

== History ==

=== [[wt:en/news/7342-development-export-order-destroyer-hms-mohawk-en|Devblog:]] ===
The destroyer Mohawk was laid down as one of the Tribal class destroyers on July 16th, 1936 at the Southampton shipyard. Like all destroyers of the series, the Mohawk differed from most ships of her class in high firepower of the main calibre and good torpedo armament, while maintaining a displacement under the London Treaty - no more than 1,850 tons. Immediately after construction, Mohawk joined the destroyer flotilla in the Mediterranean. Before WWII started, the destroyer performed training, diplomatic and civilian missions in the Mediterranean Sea.

After the war began, Mohawk went back to her native waters, where on October 16th, 1939, during the first Luftwaffe raid on the British Isles, she suffered from a nearby bomb explosion, fragments of which killed 15 crew members and mortally wounded the captain. During World War II, the destroyer began active combat service in Norwegian waters and then in the Mediterranean against the Italian fleet. As part of the 14th destroyer flotilla, Mohawk participated in the defeat of the Italians at Cape Matapan, where destroyers sank the heavily damaged cruisers Pola and Zara, after rescuing the remnants of their crews. On the morning of April 16th, 1941, the 14th Flotilla attacked an Italian convoy near Tunisia. The crippled and sinking leader of the escort, the Italian destroyer Luca Tarigo, was able to launch two torpedoes at the Mohawk in manual mode. Both torpedoes reached their target - the first hit the stern and damaged the controls, the second led to the explosion of the stern boiler and the deck breaking in two. The destroyer sank almost immediately, killing 41 crew members.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_tribal_mohawk Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Tribal (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7342-development-export-order-destroyer-hms-mohawk-en|[Devblog] "Export Order": Destroyer HMS Mohawk]]

{{ShipManufacturer Thornycroft}}
{{Britain destroyers}}
{{Britain premium ships}}

HMS Cadiz

2023-11-27T07:07:13Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Cadiz

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_battle_cadiz
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Cadiz (D79)''' is a member of the Tribal-class destroyer family. The HMS Cadiz was built by Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company. She was commissioned on April 12, 1946, after being launched on September 16, 1944. She was named after the Battle of Cadiz, a French siege of the Spanish town in 1810 that was eventually lifted in 1812 following the French defeat at the Battle of Salamanca. In 1956, she was transferred to the Pakistan Navy and commissioned as PNS Khaibar. During the 1971 Indo-Pakistan war, she was sunk off the coast of Karachi by the Indian Navy missile boat INS Nirghat.

Introduced in [[Update "Wind of Change"]] as a reward for [[Battle Pass: Season VII, "Armoured Elephant"]], the HMS Cadiz is a fast destroyer equipped with powerful main armaments mounted in the bow. She, like the HMAS Tobruk, possesses superior secondary armament and a high sustained rate of fire. As a result, aircraft and fast-attack vessels may view the HMS Cadiz as a potentially dangerous target. Keep the HMS Cadiz close to the coast, given that she is a lethal opponent for fast coastal craft. Use her to protect allied coastal vessels as they capture objectives to win the battle.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.5 inch/45 QF Mark IV (114 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:4.5 inch/45 QF Mark IV (114 mm)/Ammunition|4.5 inch HE, 4.5 inch SAP, 4.5 inch HE-TF, 4.5 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|QF Mark VII (40 mm)|QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:QF Mark VII (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX** (533 mm)}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Guns have a high rate of fire
* Main guns have access to an HE-VT round
* Main guns can rotate 360°
* Large and strong anti-aircraft battery of 14 40 mm guns

'''Cons:'''

* Very easy to hit ammo rack under the main guns
* Only forward-mounted guns mean that it is vulnerable to flanking

== History ==


=== [[wt:en/news/7653-development-battle-pass-vehicles-destroyer-hms-cadiz-d79-en|Devblog]] ===

The destroyer HMS Cadiz (D79) was laid down at the Scottish shipyard of the Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company in 1944, but was commissioned after the end of the war, in April 1946. The ship was assigned to the Home Fleet and participated in diplomatic cruises, exercises, and also in the Coronation Review (1953) to celebrate the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II. In 1956, the destroyer was sold to the Pakistan Navy. Before being sent to a new home port, the ship was modernised and refitted, and received a new name - PNS Khaibar. In 1971, during the Indo-Pakistani War, the destroyer Khaibar was sunk as a result of two hits by Soviet-made P-15 Termit anti-ship missiles launched by the Indian missile boat Nirghat. This was the first effective use of missiles of this class by the Indian navy.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_battle_cadiz Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|IfxpIFoBLoc|'''Battle Pass: Armoured Elephant''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 00:58 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Battle (Family)]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7653-development-battle-pass-vehicles-destroyer-hms-cadiz-d79-en|[Devblog] Battle Pass vehicles: destroyer HMS Cadiz (D79)]]

{{ShipManufacturer Fairfields}}
{{Britain destroyers}}
{{Britain premium ships}}

HMCS Haida

2023-11-27T06:57:30Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMCS Haida

{{About
| about = British destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
|usage = other Tribal-class destroyers
|link = Tribal (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_haida
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMCS Haida (41)''' is a member of the Tribal-class destroyer family. She was a member of the Canadian Navy from 1943 to 1963, serving in both World War II and the Korean War. She was named after the Haida tribe. The HMCS Haida, as the only surviving Tribal-class destroyer out of 27 vessels, sank more enemy surface tonnage than any other Canadian vessel and is thus known as the "Fightingest Ship in the Royal Canadian Navy." She was designated a National Historic Site of Canada in 1984 and now serves as a museum ship in Hamilton, Ontario, next to HMCS Star, an active Royal Canadian Naval Reserve Division. The HMCS Haida was named the Canadian Navy's ceremonial flagship in 2018.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]], the HMCS Haida is a powerful destroyer. The HMCS Haida is one of the best destroyers available, equipped with lethal anti-aircraft armaments and powerful torpedoes. Players should use its powerful ammunition to engage enemy destroyers and cover allies with its excellent anti-aircraft capability. However, in comparison to many other destroyers, its speed remains below average. This, combined with the subpar muzzle velocity of its main armaments, makes engaging targets at long range difficult.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}


The {{PAGENAME}} is like most destroyers in the game; thin armour, good mobility and respectable firepower. The destroyer has 10 to 23 mm of hull armour all around and 3 mm of anti-fragmentation armour protecting the 120 mm main battery guns. The 40 mm 2-Pounder "Pom-Pom" and 20 mm Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns are protected by 12.7 mm of hardened steel.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}


The Haida is by no means a slow ship. She is able to reach a top speed of 35.6 knots, but she is slower when compared to similar destroyers such as Leningrad, Fletcher, the Type 1936 / Type 1936B or even the Type 1934A. However, the rudder shift is very responsive with a shift time of around 2 seconds. This allows HMCS Haida to dodge its way through gunfights or during air attacks.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}
{{main|4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)/Ammunition|4.7 inch HE Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch SAP Mk.VA, 4.7 inch HE-TF Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch HE-VT Mk.VIIA}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}
{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.IIc (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mark 24 (20 mm)}}

The Haida is no slouch when it comes to AAA batteries for a destroyer. She is armed with one quad 40 mm 2-Pounder "Pom-Pom" mount accompanied by six twin 20 mm Oerlikon mounts. These are also very useful for tearing apart enemy torpedo boats that happen to stray too close. In addition, the 102 mm secondary mount acts as a heavy AAA mount. The 102 mm mount can be armed with High Explosives with fuses set inside.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.VIII (533 mm)|Mk.IX** (533 mm)|Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge}}

The Haida is also armed with a single quad 533 mm torpedo launcher. The torpedoes travel at a top speed of 39.1 knots and have a maximum range of 7.32 km. The torpedoes have an arming distance of 50 m, so be careful about the distance to the target. In addition, the torpedoes themselves pack a powerful punch, boasting a 327 kg warhead in each torpedo. There is a major factor that all players using either HMCS Haida or her non-premium counterpart- HMS Eskimo: the torpedo tubes have to be fired from nearly broadside angles, otherwise the torpedo tubes will be obstructed. Take care should you choose to fire your torpedoes.

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hard-hitting High-Explosive shells
* Lethal AAA mounts for a destroyer
* Relatively fast for her type
* Excellent manoeuvrability
* Powerful torpedo armaments

'''Cons:'''

* Subpar speed compared to her counterparts of other nations
* Muzzle velocity of the main cannons is sub-par when compared to those of German, Soviet and Japanese destroyers
* Terrible torpedo firing arcs: a player must practically fire torpedoes from broadsides
* AAA mounts tend to be lacking when compared to her American counterparts

== History ==


[[File:HMCSHaidaHamiltonA.jpg|thumb|450x450px|HMCS Haida docked at Hamilton Harbour.]]
HMCS Haida is a destroyer of the Tribal class of destroyers built for the British, Canadian and Australian navies during World War II. Named after the Haida people, HMCS Haida was commissioned in 1943 and had a storied service career, sinking the most enemy ship tonnage out of all Canadian ships in the Second World War. As such, she was nicknamed "The Fightingest ship in the Canadian Navy". Haida saw service during the Korean war and was eventually decommissioned and turned into a museum ship. She is still a museum ship today, berthed in Hamilton Harbour, and serves as the ceremonial flagship of the Royal Canadian Navy (RCN).

=== Design and development ===
In the early 1940s, the British built the Tribal class jointly for their own navy and for the Canadian and Australian navies. The RCM ultimately settled on the Tribal class, as it was heavily armed and could essentially be used as a "small cruiser". In total the RCN ordered eight Tribal class destroyers, which were modified with a new ventilation system to make them more suited to the harsh conditions of Canadian winter service. Haida was built by Vickers Armstrong shipyards at Newcastle, and was commissioned by September 18th 1943.

Haida displaced 1959 tons standard and had a crew of 259 officers and men. Her main armament consisted of six 4.7-inch (119 mm) guns in three dual mounts, along with a secondary 4-inch (102 mm) dual mount. She had an anti-aircraft armament of 1 quadruple 40 mm 2-pounder Pom-Pom gun, as well as six 20 mm Oerlikon guns. She carried a single quadruple torpedo tube mounting, as well as depth charge racks to counter submarines. Powered by steam turbines, Haida could reach a maximum speed of 36.5 knots (68 km/h).

=== Operational history ===
After her commissioning, Haida was based from the British Home Fleet, and immediately partook in convoy escort duties. She was part of the escort screen for convoy JW 55 B, and escorted the convoy away from the battleship Scharnhorst which was then destroyed by British battleships. Haida was subsequently reassigned to perform coastal sweeps of the English channel, in preparation for the D-Day landings of June 1944. During the evening of April 25th 1944, Haida saw her first action when her destroyer flotilla encountered a German torpedo boat flotilla with three Type 1939-class torpedo boats. Haida herself sank the T29 while T24 and T27 were damaged.

Just a week later in the evening of April 29th, Haida and her sister ship Athabaskan encountered the T24 and T27 as they tried to flee from their port. In the ensuing engagement, the Athabaskan was destroyed by torpedoes fired from T24, but Haida was able to severely damage the T27, which was later destroyed by British MTBs. Haida rescued 44 survivors from the Athabaskan, while the remaining crewmembers were either killed or taken prisoner by the Germans. In June of 1944, Haida, along with her squadron, encountered another German destroyer flotilla and engaged them in what would become known as the Battle of Ushant. During this engagement, the German destroyer Z32 was sunk jointly by Haida and her sister ship Huron.

In late June of 1944, Haida successfully sank the German submarine U-971 which had been spotted by British RAF Liberator bombers. In early July, she, along with the Polish destroyer ORP Blyskawica, encountered a German convoy and successfully sank two minesweepers and a merchant ship. Later on in August, the Haida encountered yet another convoy of German ships and sank two minesweepers and a patrol boat.

After her service in the English channel, Haida returned to Halifax for a much-needed refit and was fitted with new sensors. She returned to the Atlantic theatre in April of 1945, and saw one of the last actions of RCN vessels when she was part of an escorting force that attacked two U-Boats that attempted to torpedo their convoy. Both U-Boats were sunk, for the loss of one frigate.

After the cessation of hostilities in the European theatre, it had been intended that Haida be sent to the Pacific Theatre to serve in the American invasion of Japan. However, due to the dropping of Atomic bombs at Hiroshima and Nagasaki, there was no need for this, and the Haida was reduced to reserve in 1947. She later became the first Canadian destroyer to venture into the Hudson Bay. Following the start of the Korean War, Haida was reactivated and sent to the Korean theatre where she participated in several patrols, escorting aircraft carriers and shelling North Korean surface units. She later became part of the "Train Busters Club", a group of ships which had successfully destroyed North Korean trains by shelling them from the sea. She saw less service during the later part of the 1950s, as her ageing equipment began to deteriorate and malfunction.

Haida was reduced to reserve again in 1962, and was intended to be scrapped. However, members of her crew were able to purchase the ship from the RCN, and converted it into a museum ship. Initially, the Haida was docked on the Toronto waterfront, but she has now been moved to Hamilton Harbour. Nicknamed "The Fightingest Ship in the Canadian Navy", Haida is still a museum ship and serves as the ceremonial flagship of the Royal Canadian Navy.

=== [[wt:en/news/5818-fleet-development-hmcs-haida-commonwealth-veteran-en|Devblog]] ===
HMCS Haida was laid down on the 29th September, 1941 at the Vickers-Armstrong dockyard in Newcastle-upon-Tyne. In August 1943, the ship was launched and entered RCN service shortly afterwards. Haida's early service life is marked by escort duties as part of various Arctic convoys. In spring 1944, Haida was tasked to perform sweeps along the French coastline. Haida scored her first kill, sinking the German T-29 destroyer along with other members of her task force in April.

Prior to D-Day, Haida continued to run sweeps along the French coast, periodically engaging in skirmishes with German destroyers and torpedo boats. After sinking a German U-boat, Haida paired up with the Polish destroyer, Blyskawica in actions against German surface vessels off the western coast of France. During one such raid in August, Haida was damaged by a German ship - a 10 5mm round hit the stern section and returned to Halifax in September.

After repairs and refits, Haida continued her service off the coast of Norway in March 1945, serving as an escort and assisting in various operations. After the German surrender in May, Haida was sent to the Pacific in preparation for the invasion of the Japanese home islands. Whilst undergoing tropicalization refits however, Japan surrendered. This marked the end of WW2 and Haida's service as part of it.

In the postwar years, Haida switched between reserve and active status as well as undergoing several refits and upgrades. The Korean War called for Haida's service one final time. There, the ship operated as a destroyer escort, primarily performing shoreline bombardment and patrols.

After the Korean War, Haida was ultimately decommissioned from active service, but avoided being scrapped by being turned into a Toronto attraction in 1965. In the early 2000s, Haida underwent extensive restoration before becoming a National Historic Site at the Hamilton Waterfront. Today, HMCS Haida is the ceremonial flagship of the Royal Canadian Navy and still welcomes visitors from all over the globe.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_haida Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:HMCS Haida WTWallpaper001.jpg
File:HMCS Haida WTWallpaper002.jpg
File:HMCS Haida WTWallpaper003.jpg
File:HMCS Haida WTWallpaper004.jpg
File:HMCS Haida WTWallpaper005.jpg
File:HMCS Haida WTWallpaper006.jpg
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Other Canadian naval vehicles present in the game

* [[HMCS Brantford]]
* [[HMCS Terra Nova]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5818-fleet-development-hmcs-haida-commonwealth-veteran-en|[Devblog] HMCS Haida - Commonwealth Veteran]]

=== References ===

;Bibliography

* Parks Canada. (n.d.). HMCS Haida, National historic site. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.historicplaces.ca/en/rep-reg/place-lieu.aspx?id=7624</nowiki>
* Sarty, R. (2006, February 7). HMCS Haida. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.thecanadianencyclopedia.ca/en/article/haida-ship</nowiki>

{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
{{Britain destroyers}}
{{Britain premium ships}}

HMS Iron Duke

2023-11-27T06:15:28Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Iron Duke

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_battleship_iron_duke
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|store=12861
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Iron Duke (18)''' is a member of the Iron Duke-class battleship family. She was the lead ship in her class and was named after Arthur Wellesley, 1st Duke of Wellington. Her keel was laid in January 1912 by Portsmouth Dockyard. The HMS Iron Duke was launched ten months later and commissioned into the Home Fleet as the fleet flagship in March 1914. During World War I, the HMS Iron Duke served as the Grand Fleet's flagship, including at the Battle of Jutland. Early in the main fleet action, she inflicted significant damage on the German battleship SMS König. She was relieved as fleet flagship in January 1917. Following the war, Iron Duke served as the Mediterranean Fleet's flagship in the Mediterranean. She took part in the Allied intervention in the Russian Civil War in the Black Sea as well as the Greco-Turkish War. She also helped to evacuate refugees from Smyrna. She was assigned to the Atlantic Fleet in 1926 to serve as a training ship. She served in this capacity until the outbreak of World War II in September 1939, when she was moored as a harbour defense ship in Scapa Flow. She was badly damaged by German bombers in October and was run aground to avoid sinking. She continued to serve as an anti-aircraft platform throughout the war before being refloated and broken up for scrap in the late 1940s.

Introduced in [[Update "Kings of Battle"]], the HMS Iron Duke is one of the British Navy's very first battleships. The main armaments are distributed throughout the vessels in four turrets in a traditional layout. The HMS Iron Duke's armour protection is adequate, but it can be significantly improved by angling the armour to take advantage of her good main gun traverse arcs. Since the upper belt armour is thin, this is especially important when engaging other battleships. The HMS Iron Duke's greatest weakness is her lack of anti-aircraft armament. She has relatively thin deck armour, like almost all World War I ships, making her vulnerable to large bombs. For anti-aircraft protection, players should stick with other allies.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

HMS Iron Duke, like other British battleships of this time period uses a distributed armour scheme. Her main main belt has a thickness of {{Annotation|12 inches|304.8 mm}}, slightly angled to increase effectiveness. this falls off to {{Annotation|9 inches|228.6 mm}} and then {{Annotation|8 inches|203.2 mm}} on the hull, before finally ending with {{Annotation|6 inches|152.4 mm}} on the secondary armour deck. The main belt will be resistant to most battleships of the rank, but the higher ranked ships like the [[SMS Bayern]] or [[IJN Fuso]] will be able to penetrate it at most ranges, and the lower armour above the main belt will be easily penetrated by all capital ships. Iron Duke has no dedicated torpedo protection, though it does have coal bunkers which can absorb some hits.

The turrets are fairly well armoured, though not to the extreme of something like the [[USS Nevada]] with her {{Annotation|18 inches|457.2 mm}} of angled turret armour. HMS Iron Duke has 2 layers of turret armour, with the first coming in at {{Annotation|11 inches|279.4 mm}} of armour, covering the front, rear and sides and a second {{Annotation|3-inch|76.2 mm}} later contained within. This should be more than enough armor to stop most shells at anything but extremely close range. The top of the turrets also have multiple layers of armour, with both a {{Annotation|3-inch|76.2 mm}} and {{Annotation|4-inch|101.6 mm}} plate protecting from plunging fire. The turret barbette armour ranges from {{Annotation|9-10 inches|228.6-254 mm}}, which unfortunately means that every battleship will easily be able to destroy the ammo elevators, though these won't explode when hit. The magazines are placed well below the waterline, and have multiple layers of deck armour to detonate plunging fire and shield the magazine from hits, with two {{Annotation|1-inch|25.4 mm}} and a {{Annotation|1.25-inch|31.75 mm}} plate providing ample protection.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|13.5 inch/45 Mark 5(H) (343 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:13.5 inch/45 Mark 5(H) (343 mm)/Ammunition|13.5 inch HE, 13.5 inch APC Mk.Ia, 13.5 inch CPBC, 13.5 inch APC Mk.IIIa}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|6 inch/45 BL Mark VII (152 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

{{:6 inch/45 BL Mark VII (152 mm)/Ammunition|6 inch HE, 6 inch CPC}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)}}

''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IV (533 mm)}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==

''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.''

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/8521-development-pre-order-battleships-hms-iron-duke-and-ijn-yamashiro-en|[Devblog] Battleships HMS Iron Duke and IJN Yamashiro!]]

{{ShipManufacturer Portsmouth}}
{{Britain battleships}}
{{Britain premium ships}}

HMS Tiger

2023-11-27T05:55:39Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Tiger

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_tiger
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=HMS Tiger (Britain)
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Tiger (C20)''' is a member of the Tiger-class light cruiser family. She was ordered for the British Navy during World War II and completed after the war. The HMS Tiger entered service in 1960, serving in the Far East and then with the Home Fleet before retiring at the end of 1966. Before returning to service in the early 1970s, the HMS Tiger was converted to a "helicopter and command cruiser" and outfitted with guided missile anti-aircraft defence. She served until 1978, when she was placed on reserve and designated for disposal. There were plans to bring her back into service for her flight deck capacity during the Falkland War, but they were scrapped. The HMS Tiger was eventually scrapped in 1986.

Introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6145-special-battlefield-engineer-en|"Battlefield Engineer"]] event, the HMS Tiger is an uncommon cruiser. She has limited firepower and thus lacks the strike punch of contemporary light cruisers. This is partially offset by her extremely fast rate of fire. Her access to radar fire control makes her a very dangerous threat to enemy vessels, as she can compute firing solutions much faster than traditional optical rangefinders and can operate in the presence of smoke. Her quick rate of fire also allows her to adjust her fire much faster in response to enemy vessel movements, making it more difficult to consistently evade her shells. The HMS Tiger is also very good at anti-aircraft defence. The HMS Tiger, on the other hand, is less well protected than other modern British light cruisers, with a thinner main belt, poorer turret protection, and an exposed ammunition magazine. Players should avoid using her to engage heavier-armed vessels because they can easily penetrate the armour and detonate the ammunition magazine.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}


The Tiger's main belt consists of a 89 mm RHA over the magazines, thinning out to 82.55 mm over the machinery space. There is also the second section of 51 mm RHA that extends above the main belt to provide additional protection to the engine compartment. The citadel ends are protected by only 51 mm of RHA.

The main gun turrets are lightly armoured, with 55 mm RHA on the front turret face and 20 mm on the rest of the turret. The deck armour plating consists of 50 mm RHA that covers the entire length of the ship. Unlike the majority of its tech tree equivalents, this armour is situated on the weather deck, effectively protecting not just the engines rooms but all systems below the bridge and turrets. This provides effective protection against plunging fire from light cruiser AP shells and smaller.

The main battery magazines are located below the waterline and protected by the main belt. However, the main gun shells rooms are only protected by the 25 mm barbette armour, and are thus quite vulnerable. Destroying these will not instantly destroy the ship, but will still cause heavy damage and eliminate all ammunition for the associated turret, rendering it unable to fire. The secondary gun magazines are situated entirely behind the main armour belt.

The bridge and radio room are completely unprotected. This makes them extremely vulnerable to getting disabled from even small calibre hits.

The Tiger has a reasonably sized crew count of 880, which is above average for a British cruiser although smaller than that of the [[HMS Belfast|Belfast]].

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Tiger has a slower top speed than the other contemporary British light cruisers, with mobility comparable to that of the [[HMS Arethusa|Arethusa]]. She is considerably larger than the Arethusa, and thus is a bit less manoeuvrable.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|6 inch/50 QF Mark N5 (152 mm)}}

The main armament consists of four [[6 inch/50 QF Mark N5 (152 mm)|6 inch/50 QF Mark N5]] guns mounted in two turrets, one forward and one aft. These guns are able to fire HE, AP, and HE-VT. These guns have a maximum rate of fire of 20 rounds/minute with the best possible crew, by far the quickest reload of a gun this calibre. Her quick reload allows her to rapidly switch ammunition types to best suit the current situation. Despite the fast reload, because she only has four guns the Tiger's maximum shell output (4 x 20 = 80 rounds/minute) is still significantly lower than that of the other contemporary British light cruisers, Belfast and Southampton (12 x 8 = 96 rounds/minute).

The Tiger is the only British light cruiser with proper AP shells. These have significantly more penetration than the CPBC SAP shells normally found on British light cruisers at the cost of having only half the explosive filler. Her HE shells are significantly more powerful than the standard British 6 in HE shell, having nearly twice the explosive filler.

The main gun turrets are true dual purpose mounts, featuring a fast turret traverse (17°/second), high gun elevation (80°), and wide firing arcs of ±150°. Both turrets can also traverse through 360°, allowing the Tiger to keep track of targets (especially air targets) no matter their position relative to the ship. The HE-VT shell is also highly effective against aircraft.

As a postwar ship, the Tiger is also one of the few British ships equipped with radar fire-control, allowing her to obtain firing solutions at much higher speeds than traditional optical rangefinders, and to maintain target tracking through smoke. She can also use the radar to obtain firing solutions against aircraft, greatly enhancing the usefulness of both her main and secondary guns against aircraft.

{{:6 inch/50 QF Mark N5 (152 mm)/Ammunition|6 inch HE, 6 inch AP, 6 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|3 inch/70 Mark 6 (76 mm)}}

The secondary armament consists of a six the [[3 inch/70 Mark 6 (76 mm)|3 inch/70 Mark 6]] dual-purpose guns in three twin turrets, one ahead of the bridge and one on either side of the superstructure. These guns have very high rate of fire of 90 rounds/minute until the 322 ready-use rounds for each turret are depleted, whereupon it will drop to a still-respectable 75 rounds/minute. All turrets can rotate through 360° and can elevate up to 89°, although for obvious reasons they cannot fire through the superstructure of the ship. They are highly accurate even out to the maximum range of around 9.8 km

These turrets only fire one type of ammunition, the NC101 HE-VT proximity fused shell. This shell is highly effective against aircraft and coastal boats, and can even be used to knock out the open main gun mounts of some destroyers.

The Tiger's secondary guns also benefit from the use of the radar fire control, allowing them to potentially be used to engage aircraft at long range.

{{:3 inch/70 Mark 6 (76 mm)/Ammunition|3 inch NC101 HE-VT}}

== Usage in battles ==

The Tiger is a rather unusual cruiser. She has only four guns in two turrets, thus she lacks the first strike punch of most contemporary light cruisers (which have anywhere between 9 to 12 guns). Losing one turret will also effectively cut her firepower in half. However, this is somewhat compensated for by her very high rate of fire, thus if the situation permits she can still rack up a considerable amount of damage over time, helped by the large explosive filler of her HE shells. She also has access to AP, and is thus able to penetrate the main belts of other cruisers at ranges where the CPBC SAP shell of other British 6 in gun cruisers will struggle. Her access to radar fire control makes her a very dangerous threat to destroyers because it can compute firing solutions at a much faster rate than traditional optical rangefinders and can continue functioning through smoke. Her fast rate of fire also allows her to adjust her fire much more quickly in reaction to destroyer movements, making it harder to consistently evade her shells.

It is in the anti-aircraft role that the Tiger excels in particular, with all her armament consisting of dual-purpose guns capable of firing HE-VT. Her radar fire control system also works against aircraft, allowing her to compute firing solutions against aircraft and further enhancing the effectiveness of her dual--purpose guns.

The Tiger is, however, less well-protected than the other contemporary British light cruisers, especially [[HMS Belfast|Belfast]], having a thinner main belt, worse turret protection, and exposed shell rooms. She tends to fare poorly in slugging matches, as it is relatively easy to disable her main gun turrets (often permanently by detonating the shell rooms, removing their ammunition). She also has no torpedoes, and thus has no real answer to battleships.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very high rate of fire on both main and secondary guns
* All guns can traverse 360° and elevate enough to fire on aircraft and have access to HE-VT shells
* Access to high-penetration main gun AP shells
* Above average explosive filler for HE/HE-VT shells
* Above average crew count for a British cruiser
* Radar fire control

'''Cons:'''

* Below average broadside shell count (four shells) with mediocre accuracy
* Has only two lightly armoured main gun turrets
* Shell room is above the main armoured belt
* Relatively low top speed
* Unarmoured bridge
* Can be matched against battleships

== History ==


[[File:HMS Tiger 1963.jpg|left|thumb|350px|HMS Tiger shortly before her conversion in 1963.]]
HMS Tiger (C20) was the lead ship of the Tiger-class, a set of three light cruisers built for the Royal Navy following the end of the Second World War. Initially laid down as a Minotaur-class light cruiser (a smaller derivative of the Crown Colony and Town class cruisers), she was completely redesigned while being built and eventually launched as a completely new design. Featuring an advanced semi-automatic main battery and fully-automatic anti-aircraft armament, she was the last "gun cruiser" built for the Royal Navy.

HMS Tiger was launched in 1945, but inefficiencies in her construction resulted in her being completed almost 15 years later in 1959. She served as the flagship of the Mediterranean fleet from 1959 to 1960, and later participated in the Indonesian confrontation. In 1968, she began a lengthy conversion into a command helicopter cruiser. This resulted in the removal of her aft guns and the installation of a massive hangar and deck complex, from which she could operate multiple Westland Wessex antisubmarine helicopters. HMS Tiger was subsequently used as a flagship. Due to her high crew complement and high operating costs, HMS Tiger was decommissioned in the late 1970s and placed in reserve, ultimately being scrapped in the late 1980s.

=== Design and development ===
During the Second World War, the British navy conducted a massive cruiser-building program, building many vessels of the Dido, Arethusa, Town, Crown Colony and Minotaur (Swiftsure) classes. The last of these classes, the Minotaur / Swiftsure class, was under construction in 1944 when the British navy realized that there was neither the budget, nor the manpower, to operate those ships. As a result, the British naval command decided to barter with the Royal Australian Navy (RAN) to get them to purchase two Minotaur-class cruisers for the cost of 9 million British pounds. However, this deal failed to materialize, and as a result, the last three ships of the Minotaur-class were suspended. They sat in drydock, possibly waiting to be disposed of. However, a dramatic change in British naval construction plans saved them from the breaker's yard.

==== Cruiser vs destroyer debate ====
In 1945, it was hoped that the Battle-class destroyers could accomplish most of the roles that cruisers could, thereby eliminating the need for cruisers. However, British First Sea Lord Andrew Cunningham realized that there wasn't enough budget for the construction of new, 3-turreted destroyers (later the Daring-class) that could truly accomplish the roles of cruisers. As a result, the Royal Navy decided that they would need to build a new class of cruisers. The only hulls available for this purpose were the three unfinished Minotaur-class hulls: Bellerophon (renamed Tiger), Defence (renamed Lio'), and Blake (retained her name). As a result, the Tiger was launched, albeit in an unfinished state, in late 1945.

Meanwhile, the argument about cruisers persisted. Several designs were considered and argued, while the choice of main armament (mainly the choice between 5-inch, 5.25-inch or 6-inch guns) was contested as well. By 1948, a new Minotaur-class design had been developed (otherwise known as Design Z), mounting ten 6-inch guns in five automatic dual turrets and displacing almost 18000 tons fully loaded. However, with the reelection of Winston Churchill in 1951, the British naval budget was reduced, and the Design Z 'Minotaurs' were cancelled. Between 1945 and 1954, no work was done on the Tiger-class cruisers. However, in 1954, it was decided that the Tigers would be completed, albeit to a completely new design, using completely new armament.

==== Hull, sensors and armament ====
[[File:HMS Tiger forward view.jpg|right|thumb|x350px|HMS Tiger from the bow, taken at the Portsmouth Navy Day of 1980. Note the prominent dual 6-inch turret located fore of her superstructure.]]
The redesigned Tiger-class was designed with a main battery of four 6-inch QF Mk N5 guns in two double semi-automatic dual-purpose (DP) guns. These weapons had initially been developed as a faster-firing version of the BL Mk 23 guns mounted on the preceding cruiser classes. HMS Tiger received the weapon with a brand-new semi-automatic turret, allowing rates of fire of up to 20 rounds per minute (RPM). As well, the Tiger's main armament was capable of 360-degree rotation. In practice, the Mk N5 guns were extremely unreliable and jammed after just 30 seconds of continuous fire; however, RN command found this to be irrelevant, as the response speed after enemy detection was believed to be the determining factor in future naval engagements; this was especially true for dealing with the fast-flying jet aircraft of the Tiger's time.

HMS Tiger was armed with an anti-aircraft armament of six 3-inch QF Mk N1 guns in three dual turrets. These guns had an extremely high rate of fire at 90-120 RPM, but were prone to jamming after short bursts, similar to her primary armament.

The Tiger's hull was retained from her original 1945 design, but was widened substantially to accommodate her new equipment. She also received a completely new, modernized superstructure that was much wider than the superstructures fitted to her WWII counterparts; thus, she is easily distinguished from ships such as HMS Swiftsure, her half-sister.

HMS Tiger carried a Type 992Q surface radar with a range of 56 km, a Type 960 air warning radar with a range of 310 km, a Type 277Q surface/air radar with a range of 220 km, and five MRS 3 fire directors for each 6-inch and 3-inch turret. Her peacetime crew complement would've been 698 officers and men, while her wartime crew complement would've been almost 900 crew members. The implementation of these changes took nearly four years; as a result, HMS Tiger was fully commissioned on March 18th, 1959.

=== Operational history ===
Following her launch, the HMS Tiger spent most of 1959 and 1960 in trials testing her highly-advanced armament. It was during this time that the navy realized the true extent of her armament's unreliability - her 3-inch guns experienced teething troubles that resulted in severe unreliability, while her 6-inch guns were prone to jamming after short periods of firing. The 3-inch gun issues were mostly fixed by late 1960, but her 6-inch guns remained unreliable and were never fully fixed. During this time, she sailed to visit several Baltic ports, and deployed to the Mediterranean as the flagship of the British Mediterranean fleet.

In the earlier part of the 1960s, HMS Tiger deployed to the eastern theatre to serve during the Indonesian Confrontation. However, her operational capabilities were hindered by a lack of crew members, due to the Navy manpower shortages of the '60s. She was known by the public to be "only partly operational", and the Glasgow Herald went as far as calling the Tiger a "floating office". In 1966, she hosted talks between the British government and the new Rhodesian leadership under Ian Smith, who had unilaterally declared independence from the United Kingdom.

==== Later career and conversion ====
HMS Tiger was placed in reserve in 1966, being extremely obsolete due to the introduction of new guided-missile surface combatants. However, the decision was made to convert her, along with her sister ships, into guided helicopter cruisers. At the time, the British parliament had found that this would've been the cheapest option, costing 5 million pounds per vessel. The conversion took until 1972; the Tiger's rear armament was removed, and replaced with a massive flight deck and hangar to support the operation of four Westland Wessex helicopters. The rear pair of 3-inch mounts were removed and replaced with a pair of Sea Cat missile launchers for launching Sea Cat Surface-to-air missiles.

By 1972, the Tiger was operational again, and the government wasn't happy about it; the conversion had cost 12.8 million, rather than the 5 million it was supposed to cost. As a result, the Lion's conversion was cancelled, and she was placed into reserve; Lion ended up as a spare parts ship, providing parts for the Tiger and Blake. This was done to such an extent that the Tiger's crew members began calling her the 'Liger', due to the massive amount of Lion's parts used to keep her operational.
[[File:HMS Tiger (1945) Helicopter deck.jpg|thumb|350px|HMS Tiger after her conversion, showing the massive rear helicopter deck and hangar.]]
HMS Tiger saw little service as a helicopter cruiser, being decommissioned in 1978. Her only major event during this time was the 1977 Silver Jubilee fleet review for Queen Elizabeth II. Being an extremely large vessel, she was costly to operate compared to the guided missile destroyers that the Royal Navy had invested itself into. Thus, she was placed on the "awaiting disposal" list in early 1979, along with her sister Blake.

In early 1982, the Falklands war broke out, and HMS Tiger was immediately reactivated, along Blake. The Royal navy had seriously considered sending the Tigers to the Falklands for several reasons; firstly, their large 6-inch main artillery guns could be used for shore bombardment, but more importantly, they had the third-largest helicopter decks in the Royal Navy (after the carriers Hermes and Invincible). In fact, the decks were large enough to operate the Sea Harrier S/VTOL aircraft, and this capability had been tested by Blake in the early 70s. However, at the end, the ship's large operating costs doomed them, and both were inactivated again once the Falklands conflict came to a close. HMS Tiger remained in reserve until 1986, when she was sold for scrap.

=== [[wt:en/news/6141-development-hms-tiger-the-annihilator-en|Devblog]] ===
The three Tiger-class cruisers were initially laid down as Minotaur-class cruisers early on in WW2. However, their construction priority was considered low as British naval warfare at the time centred a lot around anti-submarine warfare - a role which ships of this class weren't intended to fill. Thus, the ships would only be partially completed by the end of WW2, with their design being acknowledged as outdated.

After WW2, the decision was made to complete the ships' construction, but to a different design. Work on completing the new Tiger-class light cruiser began in the early 1950s with the ships seeing completion by the end of the decade. The ships were refitted and modernized extensively, however, they remained outdated designs due to rapid advancements in technology and the changing nature of warfare. As a result, the class was soon afterwards converted into helicopter cruisers and went on to serve with the Royal Navy until the late 1970s. Tiger-class light cruisers were the final British 6-inch gun armed cruisers and the world's last large-calibre artillery ships, no one else has built such ships.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_tiger Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:HMS Tiger WTWallpaper001.jpg
File:HMS Tiger WTWallpaper002.jpg
File:HMS Tiger WTWallpaper003.jpg
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File:HMS Tiger WTWallpaper005.jpg
File:HMS Tiger WTWallpaper006.jpg
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</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|CHMGFBVu078|'''HMS Tiger (C20): Exploring the Royal Navy's Last Gun Cruiser''' (review starts at 1:11) - ''Cmdr. Tyrael''|yWWFv8qY5rQ|'''Battlefield Engineer: all new vehicles''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 7:46 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''|Lw9HPGCdSYA|'''HMS Tiger - Ship Review - Not a S(t)inker!''' - ''Napalmratte''|JUizHkj9gl4|'''The HMS Tiger In Game''' - ''TheEuropeanCanadian''}}

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6141-development-hms-tiger-the-annihilator-en|[Devblog] HMS Tiger: The Annihilator]]

=== References ===

* Academic. (2010). HMS Tiger (C20). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from <nowiki>https://enacademic.com/dic.nsf/enwiki/296347</nowiki>
* Sharma, R. (2018, January 23). HMS Tiger (C20) - Alchetron, The Free Social Encyclopedia. Retrieved January 04, 2021, from <nowiki>https://alchetron.com/HMS-Tiger-(C20)</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer John Brown and Company}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMS Hood

2023-11-27T05:42:16Z

U74396666: New Description Project - USA Priority: HMS Hood

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_battlecruiser_hood
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Hood (51)''' is a member of the Admiral-class battlecruiser family. The HMS Hood was built for the British Navy during World War I. The Battle of Jutland, which occurred in mid-1916, revealed serious flaws in her design, despite drastic revisions before she was completed four years later. As a result, she was the only ship of her class to be completed, as the Admiralty decided it would be better to start from scratch on future battlecruisers. Despite the appearance of newer and more modern ships, Hood remained the world's largest warship for 20 years after her commissioning, and her status was reflected in her nickname, "The Mighty Hood." In May 1941, the HMS Hood and HMS Prince of Wales were tasked with intercepting the German battleship Bismarck and the heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen as they made their way to the Atlantic to attack convoys. The HMS Hood was hit by several shells, exploded, and sank on May 24, 1941, early in the Battle of the Denmark Strait, killing all but three of her 1,418-man crew. The loss massively affected British morale due to her publicly perceived invincibility.

Introduced in [[Update "Danger Zone"]], the HMS Hood is a powerful ship, but players should not expect it to be able to withstand enemy fire like some other, better-protected battlecruisers and battleships. Keep in mind that HMS Hood is a large ship, so entering objectives that are normally exposed may not be a good idea. HMS Hood players should keep an eye on her buoyancy, as she tends to take on water much faster than many other ships of her class, as well as wallow and capsize very easily. Players should be cautious of enemy battleships since HMS Hood has relatively weak armour on the upper sections of the ship, making her vulnerable to heavy damage.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

Hood, while not possessing very exceptional armour, is still reasonably protected, being superior in belt armour to IJN Kongō, and of course being leaps and bounds over the previous British battlecruiser in the tech tree, HMS Invincible. Her armour consists of three layers, all rolled cemented armour, extending from below the waterline to the main deck, and is inclined slightly, which marginally improves its effectiveness. The lowest layer, the main belt, is 305 mm thick and extends from the forward to aft turrets on the ship, and on par with some battleships, though it should be noted that the belt is not very tall and the majority of the hull above the waterline is not protected by it. The second layer is 178 mm thick, extending as far as the main belt, and is more than enough to shrug off cruiser shells. The top layer, 127 mm, extends from just aft of A turret to the end of the main deck.

Her deck armour consists of the three layers, being 32 mm, 51 mm, and 25 mm thick from top to bottom, 108 mm in total which should be enough to keep most shells from the deepest internals at most battle ranges in game, though the middle decks are a bit more vulnerable. Her turrets have a 381 mm thick turret face, tapering off to 305 mm and then 279 mm on the sides. Her barbettes have 305 mm above the deck, and 229 mm - 152 mm below the deck, with 127 mm further down. She also has an armoured conning tower, with 254 mm on the front and 279 mm on the sides.

Overall, her armour protection not the most impressive but certainly not bad and is certainly better than certain other capital ships.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Hood is a fairly fast capital ship, capable of 57 km/h in RB, making her slightly faster than the IJN Kongo, and slightly slower than the Scharnhorst and Kronshtadt. Her acceleration is as can be expected of a ship her size, being quite poor. In addition, her 262 m long hull means she struggles to turn, having an enormous turning radius and bleeds a lot of speed while manoeuvring.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|15 inch/42 BL Mark I (381 mm)}}

Hood currently possesses the largest guns in the game, with eight 381 mm 15"/42 BL Mark I cannons mounted in four twin turrets, larger than those on the Bayern by 1 mm. She has two rounds available, 15 inch 4crh CPC, a SAPCBC shell, and 15 inch 4crh Mark XIIa APC, an APCBC shell. The SAPCBC shell, while having a smaller filler than the equivalent SAP shells on the Bayern and the Japanese 356 mm, is still the strongest SAP shell in the game, solely due to its penetration. Penetrating 487 mm at point blank, it has very minimal penetration falloff, and it still penetrates 308 mm at 15 km, while the Bayern can only penetrate 170 mm at that range, while the Japanese 356 mm SAP can't even reach that penetration at 1 km. This allows the Hood to smash any battleship designed before "all or nothing" armour schemes came into wide use, as while their main belts may be able to hold up, their weaker upper belts stand absolutely no chance, and several of these SAP shells finding their way around the realms of enemy ammunition magazines will have very entertaining results. Due to the high filler, even hits to the upper hull may cause a large enough explosion to detonate ammunition several decks below.

The APCBC shell is fairly strong with ~20 kg of TNT effective filler and decent penetration statistics, making it quite handy for punching deep into the internals of an opposing capital ship and bypassing most, if not all armour that it comes across while in regular battle ranges.

{{:15 inch/42 BL Mark I (381 mm)/Ammunition|15 inch 4crh CPC, 15 inch 4crh Mark XIIa APC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

Hood has the standard British secondaries of seven twin 102 mm 4"/45 Mark XVI cannons. These guns do barely any damage to cruisers or capital ships and, although the SAP shell can do work on opposing destroyers, they are most useful in the role of AA batteries. Unlike other British ships using the same gun, Hood's secondaries do not get the much superior HE-VT shell, due to the fact that she was sunk before the shell was developed in real life. The time-fused shells have a habit of exploding after passing behind an aircraft rather than next to it or simply just not close enough to do damage, but it is still better to have a flak field than not.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

Unlike the swarms of light AA guns that can be seen on other WW2-era capital ships, Hood's AA only consists of seven mounts due to the ship accidentally becoming an oversized reef before anti air spam came in vogue. However, three of those mounts are the glorious octuple 40 mm 2pdr QF Mk.VIII, which can spew a lovely cloud of 40mm shells into the general direction of an oncoming aircraft. The other four mounts are the more lackluster quadruple 12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V, which are essentially just there for moral support.

However, the true moral support comes in the form of five 20-barreled UP (Unrotated Projectile) rocket launchers, designed to hurl rockets which lay airborne tripwires attached to mines at enemy aircraft. While they are indicated as 'Auxiliary caliber guns' in-game, due to the fact that testing proved them as useless in-game as in real life, they were unfortunately not implemented.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IV (533 mm)}}

Hood has twelve 533 mm Mk.IV torpedoes, the same seen on HMS Marlborough, in four launchers, two per side, near the back of the superstructure. The torpedoes are awful, slow, hard to aim, and worst of all, unlike other WW1-era ships, these launchers and their reserve torpedoes are located above the waterline in very exposed positions, meaning they are prone to explode when hit. It is not advised to take them.

== Usage in battles ==


HMS Hood is a strong ship on the seas of War Thunder, however her captains should not expect to be capable of tanking enemy fire like some other, more extensively protected capital ships. The Hood does have a similar main armour belt thickness, but her belt is much smaller than other capital ships, a trade-off for her superior speed. In battle, this means that Hood is much more versatile than traditional battleships, as at 57 km/h (31 kn), she is roughly 15 km/h faster than the average speed of most battleships in game. Keep in mind that Hood is very large, so it may not be advisable to enter capture points which are usually exposed, but at least she can reliably keep up with the cruisers and capture the objective in a pinch. Captains of HMS Hood should keep a close eye on her buoyancy, as she has a tendency to take on water much more rapidly than many other ships of her class, and will have a tendency to wallow and capsize very easily as well.

As for notable enemies, [[SMS Bayern]] and [[Parizhskaya kommuna|Parizhskaya Kommuna]] are both ships that will consistently be seen in battles and can do considerable damage very quickly. Bayern can be dealt with by a hit to the front ammo rack with a salvo of SAP shells, and will usually be relatively easy to deal with so long as she isn't at an angle. The Parizhskaya Kommuna can be more difficult to defeat, so it is recommended to attempt to disable turrets before attempting to deal a fatal blow. Both Bayern and Parizhskaya Kommuna will reload faster than Hood, so her captains need to be careful when taking aim, as a mistake in aim can lead to rapid retaliation from the enemy.

The main opponent, though, is the Kronshtadt, which is faster than the Hood, highly survivable and possesses fast-firing 305 mm cannons with capable HE and AP shells that are on roughly par with the Hood's AP shells. It is recommended to aim for the ammunition behind the frontal turrets and hope they will show enough broadside at a close enough range that your own AP can get though the side armour.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Features eight 381 mm (15 inches) cannons with powerful shells to choose from
* Good top speed for her size
* Sufficient armour protection on the critical section of the ship
* Large profile allows the ship to absorb a lot of shells and contain the damage

'''Cons:'''

* Extremely huge, can be easily spotted and hit
* Relatively weak armour plating on the upper section of the ship
* Very poor agility due to hull size, makes dodging bombs and torpedoes difficult
* Extremely slow main turret traverse speed, inability to fire reactively
* Low secondary and anti-air defence for such a large ship

== History ==


=== [[wt:en/news/7691-development-hms-hood-the-imperial-representative-en|Devblog]] ===
The British Admiral-class battlecruisers date back to 1915, when an original battleship design with characteristics similar to Queen Elizabeth-class was converted into 30 knot battlecruisers. In 1916, the project was approved and orders were placed at the shipyards, but the Battle of Jutland, which showed the full omissions in the defence of the British battlecruisers, required new improvements to the project, which dragged on until August 1917.

Although four Admiral-class battlecruisers were ordered and laid down in shipyards, only one would be completed. The one ship of the class that would see completion would become HMS Hood, named after an 18th century British admiral. The ship was laid down in the John Brown & Company shipyard in Scotland in September 1916. Following its launching in 1918 and subsequent fitting-out, HMS Hood was commissioned into the ranks of the Royal Navy in May 1920, thus also becoming the largest warship in service at the time.

Upon entering service, HMS Hood took part in several showing-the-flag and training exercises in the interwar period. In November 1923 the ship set out to circumnavigate the globe as part of The Empire Cruise, visiting ports in South Africa, India, Australia, New Zealand, Canada and the United States before returning to British waters in September 1924.
[[File:Bundesarchiv Bild 146-1998-035-05, Schlachtschiff Bismarck, Seegefecht.jpg|thumb|350px|right|HMS Hood's explosion with HMS Prince of Wales near, taken from [[Prinz Eugen]]]]
At the outbreak of WWII, the recently overhauled HMS Hood was operating in the area around Iceland, hunting for German vessels. After the Fall of France, HMS Hood took part in Operation Catapult - the destruction of the French fleet at Mers-el-Kébir in July 1940, with HMS Hood briefly duelling French battleship Dunkerque and crippling her with four hits that would have sunk the vessel had she not been close enough to the shore to beach herself. However, HMS Hood's most famous and final engagement would become that of the Battle of the Denmark Strait in which the warship, along with HMS Prince of Wales clashed with the German battleship Bismarck and the accompanying heavy cruiser Prinz Eugen. Suffering a lethal strike to one of its magazines shortly after the start of the engagement, HMS Hood blew up and sank within three minutes with catastrophic losses and only 3 survivors. Due to its popularity among the British at the time and its tragic loss during the vessel's fateful last engagement, HMS Hood retains its legendary status and is to this day one of the most well-known British warships.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_battlecruiser_hood Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7691-development-hms-hood-the-imperial-representative-en|[Devblog] HMS Hood: The Imperial Representative]]

{{Template:ShipManufacturer John Brown and Company}}
{{Britain battlecruisers}}

HMS Invincible

2023-11-27T05:30:13Z

U74396666: New Description Project - USA Priority: HMS Invincible

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_battlecruiser_invincible
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Invincible (85)''' is a member of the Invincible-class battlecruiser family. The HMS Invincible was built for the British Navy during the first decade of the twentieth century as the world's first battlecruiser. During World War I, she played a minor role in the Battle of Heligoland Bight because she was the oldest and slowest battlecruiser in the British navy. Despite numerous hits, the HMS Invincible and her sister ship, the HMS Inflexible, sank the armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau during the Battle of the Falkland Islands. During the Battle of Jutland in 1916, she was the flagship of the 3rd Battlecruiser Squadron. The squadron was detached from Admiral Beatty's Battlecruiser Fleet a few days before the battle for gunnery practice with the Grand Fleet, and it served as the Grand Fleet's heavy scouting force during the battle. During the battle, she was destroyed by an ammunition magazine explosion after one of her gun turrets' armour was penetrated.

Introduced in [[Update "Hot Tracks"]], the HMS Invincible is well-protected and armed. Most of the ammunition magazines are located below the waterline, making them difficult to hit during battles. It also has a powerful secondary armament with a high rate of fire capable of dealing with close-range attacks from smaller enemy vessels. Her armour, on the other hand, is relatively weak against large-calibre armaments from other battleships. This, combined with the lack of deck armour and extremely poor anti-aircraft armament, renders the HMS Invincible extremely vulnerable to enemy aircraft. Players are advised to always stick with allies to obtain anti-aircraft fire coverage while engaging enemy vessels with its powerful main armament.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

HMS Invincible is a 20,000t vessel with 1,032 crew members, an average crew count for a battlecruiser. The ship has a 150 mm main armour belt which is backed up by 50 mm of turtleback armour and an array of coal bunkers. The main turrets have 177 mm armour on turret faces and barbettes.

This leaves the ship reasonably resistant to 152 mm and 203 mm shells at long to medium ranges, nevertheless enemy battleships with their much larger cannons will have little trouble cleaving through your protection at any practical range. The armour is ineffective at stopping shells of a calibre larger than 283 mm. The lack of AA guns and rather thin deck armour is insufficient when it comes to fending off strike aircraft.

Whilst the belt armour does extend far enough below the waterline to give some level of protection from shallow torpedoes, the ship is still vulnerable to torpedoes which hit below the belt armour.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|305 mm/45 Mark X (305 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:305 mm/45 Mark X (305 mm)/Ammunition|305 mm Mark IIa HE, 305 mm Mark VIa APC, 305 mm Mark VIIa SAPCBC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/40 QF mark III (102 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

{{:4 inch/40 QF mark III (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|76 mm/45 QF 3in 20cwt HA Mark I (76 mm)|3 pdr QF Hotchkiss (47 mm)}}

''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|R.G.F. Mark VI** (450 mm)}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Main battery of eight 305 mm guns with access to SAP rounds can make short work of enemy cruisers, and APC can punish larger targets
* Faster than the other capital ships, inferior only to [[SMS Von der Tann]] in terms of top speed
* Belt armour can shrug off medium calibre gunfire from cruisers and destroyers, and extends below the waterline to give protection against shallow torpedoes
* Shell rooms are well below the waterline and hard to hit with gunfire
* Numerous secondary battery guns with a high rate of fire that can easily deal with close range attacks from smaller unarmoured vessels
* Has underwater torpedo launchers, which can potentially catch close targets unaware

'''Cons:'''

* Vertical armour is very weak against large calibre guns from other capital ships; battleships can often cause crippling damage
* Non-existent deck armour and extremely poor anti-aircraft armament makes the Invincible highly vulnerable to bombers
* 305 mm guns struggle to penetrate battleship belt armour beyond 10km, and the APC rounds suffer from poor post-penetration damage
* Can only fire a full broadside while parallel to an opponent - Angling the ship will only allow a broadside of 6 guns
* Secondary battery SAP shells have low penetration; the guns will struggle to damage even most light cruisers
* Main battery turret armour is thin on the roof, often resulting in disabled turrets or damage gun breeches
* Vulnerable to deep running torpedoes
* Underwater torpedoes have low range and a relatively small warhead in comparison to most deck mounted torpedoes aboard cruisers and destroyers

== History ==

[[File:HMS Invincible (1907) British Battleship.jpg|thumb|600x600px|A photograph of HMS Invincible, the first British Battlecruiser, in 1907.]]
HMS Invincible was the lead ship of her class of three battlecruisers built for the Royal Navy. She was the first modern battlecruiser ever built, and pioneered the ship type, featuring less armour in exchange for more speed. Her construction led to a "battlecruiser arms race", including ships such as the German [[SMS Von der Tann|Von Der Tann]] and Derflingger classes as well as the Japanese Kongo class. During the First World War, Invincible participated in the Battle of the Heligoland Bight, as well as the Falklands Battle where she and her sister ship Inflexible sank the armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. She ultimately met her demise at the Battle of Jutland, when her magazines detonated following hits from the German force.

=== Design and development ===
Invincible, as the first battlecruiser ever built, was the brainchild of First Sea Lord Jackie Fisher, who was responsible for a wide range of innovations including the Dreadnought. The ships were designed to be fast, with a top speed of 25 knots (46 km/h), but also extremely well armed, with a main battery of 12 inch (305 mm) guns. However, this came at the expense of armour, meaning that Invincible had a weaker armour protection compared to the dreadnoughts. The massive 41 000 horsepower engines that powered the Invincible took up a massive amount of space inside the hull, requiring a reduction in armour.

Invincible, being a larger vessel than her armoured-cruiser predecessors, displaced over 20 000 tons at full load. She had an armament of eight 12 inch (305 mm) guns in four twin turrets, with one fore, one aft, and two on beam positions. The turrets were placed in a position so that all four turrets could fire on a broadside. Invincible carried a secondary armament of twelve 4 inch 40 QF naval guns in single mounts, placed across the fore and rear superstructures. She carried a single 76 mm and 47 mm gun for anti-aircraft defence, as well as four 450 mm torpedoes. Invincible was laid down in April of 1906, and launched a year later in 1907. She was fully commissioned in 1909 and entered service with the 1st Cruiser Squadron of the British Grand Fleet.

=== Operational History ===
Invincible entered service with the British Grand Fleet and participated in fleet manoeuvres along with the rest of the fleet. However, it was apparent during her early service that her main turrets were problematic as the faulty electric turret horizontal drives prevented them from turning properly. As a result, the battlecruiser spent much of late 1913 and early 1914 in dock, receiving new, hydraulic turret drives to replace her electric ones. She was also fitted with a new ranging fire director, but this had not been completed by the time of the outbreak of the First World War.

==== Heligoland Bight and the Falklands ====
Following the start of the First World War, Invincible saw her first action at the Battle of Heligoland Bight. There, she fired 18 rounds at the crippled cruiser Cöln, but failed to obtain hits. Later, Invincible participated in a more important action, the Battle of the Falklands. As part of the British West Indies squadron commanded by Rear Admiral Christopher Cradock, she steamed from Port Stanley (in the Falklands) with her sister ship Inflexible to intercept the German squadron led by Admiral Von Spee; Spee's cruiser squadron, led by armoured cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau, attempted to attack the British base at Port Stanley hours before. As the battlecruisers had a 5-knot advantage over the German armoured cruisers, they quickly caught up and began straddling the German cruisers with 12 inch shells. After a several hour long battle, both Scharnhorst and Gneisenau were sunk, the former with no survivors. Invincible was hit numerous times, but suffered no significant damage.

After the Falklands battle, Invincible returned to Port Stanley for repairs, followed by a more lengthy refit at Gibraltar. During this time, her ranging director was completed (it had been left unfinished with the outbreak of war) and her funnel was extended to reduce the amount of smoke entering the bridge and forward superstructure.

==== Battle of Jutland and sinking ====
[[File:InvincibleBlowingUpJutland1916.jpg|thumb|500x500px|HMS Invincible blowing up after a German shell detonated her ammunition magazines.]]
Invincible ultimately met her demise at the Battle of Jutland in 1916, just a year after she sank the cruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau at the Falklands. In May of that year, she was assigned to Admiral Beatty's battlecruiser group and ordered to cruise into the north seas to intercept a potential breakout of the German fleet. Soon after, Invincible, along with her sister ships Inflexible and Indomitable, spotted a group of seven enemy ships including two armoured cruisers and promptly fired upon them. They succeeded in crippling the cruiser Wiesbaden with a hit to the engine room, as well as a similar heavy hit to the cruiser Pillau.

Soon after, Beatty's battlecruisers spotted the German battlecruiser line, and promptly opened fire on the battlecruisers Lutzow and Derfflinger. Invincible hit Lutzow twice beneath the waterline, which would eventually lead to her demise. However, she ended up directly in front of Lutzow and Derfllinger, who fired several salvoes at her. One of these shots hit the ship's midships 12 inch shell magazines, which exploded and blew the ship in half. Almost her entire crew of 1026 were killed, including her commanding officer Rear Admiral Horace Hood; six survivors were rescued by escorting destroyers. Hood's widow would later launch the battlecruiser/fast battleship HMS Hood, the heaviest battleship in the world for 20 years.

Invincible lies at a depth of 55 metres in the North Sea, cut in half by the massive magazine explosion that doomed her. Her wreck is protected by the Protection of Military Remains act of 1986.

=== [[wt:en/news/6974-development-heroes-of-jutland-hms-invincible-en|Devblog]] ===
HMS Invincible was laid down in April 1906 as the lead ship of her class of three new armoured cruisers, intended to replace the preceding Minotaur-class. The ship was launched a year later and completed in March 1909, subsequently being commissioned into service with the Royal Navy. Thereafter, HMS Invincible took part in fleet manoeuvres and several reviews before being sent to drydock for refit. In 1911, the warship was officially redesignated into a battlecruiser, thus becoming the first ship of this kind.

In 1913, HMS Invincible was ordered to the dockyard once more to replace her electrically powered turret traverse mechanisms with hydraulic ones in order to fix ongoing problems and make the ship battle-worthy. However, while works were still being undertaken, the declaration of war on Germany in August 1914 signalled the start of WWI and HMS Invincible was quickly recommissioned.

Already at the outbreak of the conflict, HMS Invincible saw herself in the thick of the action, engaging German ships at the Battle of Heligoland Bight in late August 1914. Later that year, in December, HMS Invincible, along with her sister ship HMS Inflexible, took part in the Battle of the Falkland Islands, sinking the two German armoured cruisers, Gneisenau and Scharnhorst, during the engagement.

HMS Invincible also took part in what would become her last engagement - the well-known Battle of Jutland in May 1916. During the battle, HMS Invincible was struck by fire coming from the German battlecruisers Lützow and Derfflinger, detonating her midships magazine and causing the warship to break in half.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_battlecruiser_invincible Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="HMS Invincible Devblog Images" heights="200">
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 005.jpg|
File:HMS Invincible WTWallpaper 006.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|-LCzBAASxbo|'''HMS Invincible vs Von der Tann - Vehicle Comparison''' - ''Flipped StuG''}}

== See also ==


;Other WW1-era battlecruisers

* [[SMS Von der Tann]]
* [[IJN Ikoma]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6974-development-heroes-of-jutland-hms-invincible-en|[Devblog] Heroes of Jutland: HMS Invincible]]

=== References ===

* Bowman, C. (2016, July 23). Dive on the wreck of HMS Invincible (Watch). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.warhistoryonline.com/featured/dive-wreck-hms-invincible.html</nowiki>
* Naval Encyclopedia. (2020, October 15). Invincible class battlecruisers (1907). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.naval-encyclopedia.com/ww1/UK/invincible-class-battlecruisers/</nowiki>

{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
{{Britain battlecruisers}}

M551

2023-11-27T05:14:53Z

U74396666: New Description Project - USA Priority: M551 "Sheridan" Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle (AR/AAV)

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_m551
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''M551 "Sheridan" Armored Reconnaissance/Airborne Assault Vehicle (AR/AAV)''' was a light tank developed by the U.S. and named after American Civil War hero General Philip Sheridan. It was intended to be parachute-landed and swim across rivers. It was armed with the technically advanced but difficult-to-use 152 mm M81 tank gun, which could fire both conventional ammunition and the MGM-51 Shillelagh anti-tank guided missile (ATGM). Despite the use of cutting-edge technologies at the time, the results were unfavourable. It saw extensive combat in the Vietnam War, where flaws in the platform became apparent, most notably its low survivability and reliability. It was later used in the National Training Centre as a simulated Soviet armoured opposition force (OPFOR) to train US military units on simulated tank-on-tank armoured combat to test combat effectiveness in a desert environment. They were decommissioned in 2003.

Introduced in [[Update 1.59 "Flaming Arrows"]], the M551 "Sheridan" AR/AAV is extremely difficult to operate due to its lack of armour. Despite having high penetration, the conventional ammunition it received has a high shell drop at range. Players should research and unlock the MGM-51 Shillelagh ATGM as soon as possible. The MGM-51 Shillelagh ATGM is a vast improvement over conventional rounds, capable of eliminating almost everything with a single shot and vastly extending the engagement range beyond that of most of its opponents. Players should still be wary of enemy vehicles due to their weak armour and use cover as much as possible to ensure their survival.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Tank-Armour}}

'''Armour type:'''

* Aluminum Alloy 7039
* Rolled homogeneous armour (Turret)
* Cast homogeneous armour (Gun mantlet)

{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope Angle°) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 25.4 mm (70°), 12.7 mm (87°) ''Front Glacis'' 31.7 mm (33°) ''Lower Glacis'' 25.4 mm (2-80°) ''Driver's port'' || 19 + 2 mm ''Top'' 25.4 mm (0-56°) ''Bottom'' || 12.7 mm (49-50°) ''Top'' 19 mm (32-55°) ''Bottom'' || 19 mm 12.7 mm ''Engine grilles''
|-
| Turret || 25.4 mm (6-78°) ''Turret front'' 31.7 mm (1-81°) ''Gun mantlet'' || 25.4 mm (50-55°) || 25.4 mm (46-54°) || 19 mm
|-
| Cupola || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm || 31.7 mm
|-
|}
'''Notes:'''

* Suspension wheels and tracks are 15 mm thick.

Against most opponents, the M551 can be destroyed with a single shot. It's best to just stay in one spot along a road and wait for an enemy to pass by where so that they present their vulnerable side armour and vitals to target at. Once the ATGMS are unlocked then the player can stay out of range from everything but ATGMs.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=465|rbMinHp=265}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armaments ==
{{Specs-Tank-Armaments}}
=== Main armament ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|1}}

{{main|M81 (152 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M81 (152 mm)|152 mm M81]] || colspan="5" | Turret rotation speed (°/s) || colspan="4" | Reloading rate (seconds)
|-
! Mode !! Capacity !! Vertical !! Horizontal !! Stabilizer
! Stock !! Upgraded !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
! Stock !! Full !! Expert !! Aced
|-
! ''Arcade''
| rowspan="2" | 30 || rowspan="2" | -8°/+19° || rowspan="2" | ±180° || rowspan="2" | Two-plane || 38.1 || 52.7 || 64.0 || 70.8 || 75.3 || rowspan="2" | 15.60 || rowspan="2" | 13.80 || rowspan="2" | 12.72 || rowspan="2" | 12.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 23.8 || 28.0 || 34.0 || 37.6 || 40.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:M81 (152 mm)/Ammunition|M409A1, M657A2, MGM-51B Shillelagh}}

==== [[Ammo racks]] ====
[[File:Ammoracks_{{PAGENAME}}.png|right|thumb|x250px|[[Ammo racks]] of the {{PAGENAME}}]]

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! Full ammo
! 1st rack empty
! 2nd rack empty
! 3rd rack empty
! 4th rack empty
! 5th rack empty
!6th rack empty
! Visual discrepancy
|-
| '''30''' || 28 ''(+2)'' || 26 ''(+4)'' || 21 ''(+9)'' || 14 ''(+16)'' || 8 ''(+22)''
|1 ''(+29)''|| No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|3}}

{{main|M2HB (12.7 mm)|M73 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M2HB (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm M2HB]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 577 || -10°/+70° || ±60°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[M73 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm M73]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Coaxial || 3,000 (250) || 500 || N/A || N/A
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The Sheridan, even with the ability to fire ATGMs, is an extremely difficult tank to use due to it having no armour. Even some high-power MGs can penetrate the armour easily. The stock heat round while having high penetration drops like a rock at range and bounces a lot. Immediately upon reaching the tier 2 modifications research the ATGM missiles. Once those are unlocked the Sheridan becomes a fast and mobile missile platform that out ranges most vehicles in game. With only the stock HEAT always aim for ammo racks. This is pretty much the only way to destroy the heavier tanks. The mobile AAs will be the M551's biggest problems. While the Sheridan can drive circles around most of its heavy opponents, the fast anti-air turret can keep up with the M551, able to tear the armour to pieces. The ATGMs are a vast improvement over the HEAT rounds, knocking pretty much everything with a single shot and extending the Sheridan's range past that of most of its opponents.

Stay in the back, everything will knock out the tank in one hit. Use the M551's speed and manoeuvrability to get around enemies. Don't be afraid to get in real close to the enemy, because with only HEAT, the 152 mm's effective range is very limited. Once ATGMs are usable, the Sheridan becomes an extremely formidable sniper. Able to fire on target, destroy a target, then move position for another opportunity. In Arcade, the Sheridan is an easy target for everyone, but in realistic and simulator its speed makes it a very hard target to hit.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Dual-purpose cannon which can fire either regular shells or [[Anti-tank guided missiles|guided missiles]]
* Very fast turret traverse
* The ATGM usually knocks out tanks in one hit
* Rather small profile in comparison to other Rank V vehicles
* Can unlock NVD (Night Vision Devices) as a Tier 4 modification.
* The ATGM has 431 mm of penetration and therefore can easily penetrate most enemy tanks frontally

'''Cons:'''

* Very thin armour
* No kinetic rounds, only chemical rounds are available (which detonates on obstacles such as fences and therefore cannot shoot through them)
* Low ammunition storage at only 30 rounds
* ATGMs reload several seconds longer than normal ammunition
* Can only hold 10 ATGM ammunition total
* All non-ATGM shells have low velocity; the absence of a rangefinder worsens this problem
* At his BR it can find some tanks equipped with reactive armour that neutralizes the ATGM

== History ==

{{main|M551/History|l1=History of the M551}}

===Development===
In the post-war period, U.S. Army specified for a new light tank that is light enough for air-transportation and have a large cruising range. The first resulting light tank, the [[M41A1|M41 ''Walker Bulldog'']], did not meet these specifications and the following development such as the [[T92]] were cancelled after the discovery of the amphibious Soviet [[PT-76B|PT-76]] tank, which added a requirement for the light tank to also be amphibious. A new tank design began development, using aluminum alloy to save weight, a fabric screen for flotation, and a controversial [[M81 (152 mm)|152 mm gun/launcher]] for firepower with the Shillelagh missiles. However, the design's lightweight and mobility made it favorable and so the tank was approved for Army standard in May 1966 and designated the '''M551 ''Sheridan'''''. Between 1966 to 1970, 1,662 Sheridans were produced at a program cost of $1.3 billion.<ref name="ZalogaM551">Zaloga, 2009</ref>

===Deployment===
The Sheridan first saw service in June 1967 in the 1/63rd Armor Regiment at Fort Riley. The first air usage of the Sheridan came from the 1/17th Cavalry at Fort Bragg. Its first overseas deployment was to South Korea in November 1968 and Europe in January 1969. 800 Sheridans were deployed worldwide by 1971. Troubles with the 152 mm Gun/Launcher plagued the M551's early service life as attempts were made to fix the issues in the weapon's ammo propellant and ability to fire missiles.<ref name="ZalogaM551" />

The Sheridan's tank's first combat would be seen in Vietnam under the urging of General Creighton Abrams. The tank first arrived in January 1969 modified for the environment in a configuration dubbed "Two-Box M551" with many complex mechanical instrument boxes removed (save for two), as well as the ability to fire the Shillelagh missiles disabled and the production of a fletchette ammunition for the 152 mm gun/launcher. First impressions of the Sheridan were positive due to the weapon's effectiveness in anti-infantry and bunker busting roles, as well as the mobility able to maintain speed with the M113 armoured personnel carriers. However, experience soon soured when the lack of armour became apparent compared to the [[M48A1|M48 Pattons]] employed in the theater, with the M551 vulnerable to mines and the numerous hand-held anti-tank weaponry.<ref name="ZalogaM551" />

Post-Vietnam, the M551 Sheridans underwent a product improvement program (PIP) that upgraded the design. The next combat operation would be in Operation Just Cause in Panama, featuring the first and only time tanks were parachuted into a combat zone. Inserted with the 82nd Airborne Division, the M551 proved a popular psychological weapon against the opposing forces. After Panama, the M551 were also deployed to Saudi Arabia as part of the Gulf War in both Operation Desert Shield and Desert Storm, where in the latter they fought Iraqi units equipped with [[T-55A|T-55s]] and [[T-72A|T-72s]] in the only time in the M551's history that the gun-launched Shillelagh missiles were used against an enemy.<ref name="ZalogaM551" />

Back in the United States, the M551 also found use in the U.S. Army's National Training Center at the Mojave desert in California, where they are dressed up to look like Soviet vehicles to play as the "opposing forces" to train the army units on tactics in the battlefield. After the Gulf War, the Sheridan's combat career came to an end and so they remained in service at the National Training Center until 2004. The Sheridans were retired without any replacement in the airborne tank role. Though attempts had been made in the late 1990's for a replacement, the Army decided that an airborne tank was simply not worth the cost for a specialized vehicle.<ref name="ZalogaM551" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_m551 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|YuBjyMQLRy0|'''Airmobile tanks''' discusses the {{PAGENAME}} at 3:53 - ''War Thunder Official Channel''}}

== See also ==
''Links to the articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the vehicles;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/3736-development-m551-sheridan-en|[Devblog] M551 Sheridan]]

=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Zaloga Steven. ''M551 Sheridan: US Airmobile Tanks 1941-2001'' Great Britain: Osprey Publishing Ltd., 2009

{{USA light tanks}}

{{TankManufacturer Cadillac}}
[[Category:ATGM vehicles]]

HMS London

2023-11-27T05:00:25Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS London

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_london
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS London (69)''' is a member of the County-class heavy cruiser family. The HMS London was laid down on February 23, 1926, at Portsmouth Dockyard, launched on September 14, 1927, and commissioned on January 31, 1929. The HMS London served with the 1st Cruiser Squadron until March 1939 and was Admiral Max Horton's flagship during his command of the 1st Cruisers. She was undergoing extensive reconstruction at the Chatham Dockyard beginning in March 1939, and her appearance was significantly altered. She was given a new superstructure above the main deck and resembled a Fiji-class light cruiser in many ways. In March 1941, the reconstruction work was finally completed. In May 1941, the HMS London was involved in the pursuit of the German battleship Bismarck. The HMS Amethyst was trapped by advancing Chinese forces up the Yangtze River in the spring of 1949. The HMS London sailed up the river to help free the HMS Amethyst but was hit several times as a result. The HMS London returned to Hong Kong for repairs, which lasted until the end of July. The HMS London remained in Chinese waters until August 1949, when she was relieved by the HMS Kenya, after which she returned to the UK in the autumn of 1949. She was retired to a reserve in the Fal until she was scrapped in 1950.

Introduced in [[Update 1.97 "Viking Fury"]], the HMS London is a true glass cannon, and players should treat her as such. Players should position themselves in areas where they can continuously fire on enemy vessels. However, in open maps, this is not a good strategy as the main armaments are rather inaccurate beyond 10 km. When it comes to accomplishing this, having map knowledge is extremely beneficial. Use cover to get closer while keeping an eye out for potential enemies. Find defensive positions near objectives where players can camp while also supporting the frontline of the team. However, unless there is an emergency, do not push into the objective. The HMS London is better suited to assisting teammates rather than leading the assault.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}


Compared to her predecessor the Norfolk, the London has a 88.9 mm main belt, compared to the Norfolk's 25 mm. This is a very welcome change, but it doesn't amount to much. The machinery is slightly better protected, but the rest of the hull above the waterline has no armour at all (aside from a tiny 38 mm plate to protect the steering gears), and neither does the enormous superstructure. The London is a massive glass cannon, and should be played with caution. The one saving grace of the London's survivability is the very safe location of the London's magazines. They are well underwater and protected by a 100 mm plate inside the ship. Catastrophic ammunition detonations from cruiser-calibre guns are extremely rare, and even battleships may struggle to slip a shell into the right spot.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}


The mobility on the London is nothing to write home about. Capable of 60 km/h, 1 km/h slower than the Norfolk, the London still has the same top speed of nearly every WW2-era heavy cruiser. The manoeuvrability is also nothing exceptional. She'll get the job done, but she won't do it faster than any other cruiser.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|8 inch/50 Mark VIII (203 mm)}}

HMS London retains the 8"/50 Mark VIII guns seen on previous British heavy cruisers. As with the others, the guns are reasonably accurate, although at long ranges the dispersion will start to show itself. The shortest achievable reload time is 12 seconds, which is quite fast by heavy cruiser standards. There is no first-stage ammunition stowage, so the reload rate will always remain quick no matter how much ammunition is remaining.

There are two shells available, an HE shell and a researchable SAPCBC shell. The HE shell performs as can be expected from heavy cruiser HE - solid against light targets, but unable to significantly damage heavier ships. The researchable SAPCBC shell on the other hand is one of the most powerful shells available to any heavy cruiser, possessing a excellent blend of penetration while also having a massive 5.2 kg bursting charge. This, combined with the quick fire rate, means that London's damage output is nothing short of exceptional, and if you are left to your own devices, you can inflict massive damage upon the enemy team. However, the lack of a proper AP shell also means the London will struggle against heavy targets, such as battleships.

HE is used as the stock shell, while SAPCBC can be researched immediately after purchasing the ship. It is recommended to get the SAPCBC quickly, but only after basic survivability modifications.

{{:8 inch/50 Mark VIII (203 mm)/Ammunition|8 inch HE, 8 inch Mark I.B. SAPCBC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

The London has four twin 4" turrets behind the funnels, able to bring two to bear for a broadside. They are the same guns found on the Hunt-class and V-class destroyers. In terms of their ability to damage surface targets, their utility is extremely limited, especially compared to American 5" cruiser secondaries, which will outclass the British 4"s in every way. However, when it comes to downing planes, the London's secondaries will do the job reasonably well. Four shells are available: HE, HE-TF, HE-VT, and SAP. HE is the stock shell, while the rest must be researched. Getting the HE-VT first as a tier III modification to bolster the London's long-range AA is advisable, as the rest are not very useful. After finishing more important modifications, get SAP in case the guns ever must be used against surface targets. Save the HE-TF as one of the last modifications you research, as it is simply redundant when the HE-VT is available.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)|QF Mark VII (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mark V (20 mm)}}

Of the three County-class cruisers in game, the London's AA outshines them all. Compared to her predecessor, the Norfolk, which has just enough AA to protect herself and ward off enemy planes, the London's AA can truly be called fitting for a late-war cruiser. The most powerful guns are the octuple 40 mm Pom-Poms, one located to each side of the forward funnel. These guns output a staggering amount of shells, and can easily mow down any aircraft or light ship. They are supplemented by four 40 mm QF Mk VII guns, two per side. In addition, the London has eight twin 20 mm Oerlikon turrets, and four single Oerlikons. The extensive AA coverage makes the London a very challenging target to bomb.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)}}

The London continues to use the 533 mm Mk.IX wet-heater torpedoes seen on other British cruisers, in one quadruple launcher per side. They are a welcome improvement over the antiquated steam turbined Mk.V torpedoes seen on earlier cruisers, but are still unexceptional weapons, with subpar speed and no access to reserves. It's best to retain them as last ditch weapons to expend when being forced into a brawl. Other than those scenarios, you may as well play like you don't have torpedoes.

== Usage in battles ==

The London's main playstyle revolves around its two defining characteristics - its devastating SAP round, its quick reload, and its awful protection. The London is a true glass cannon, and you should play it as such. Position yourself into places where you can continuously pound enemy cruisers and destroyers with firepower, while they either unable to hit you or are preoccupied with an ally. The longer you can fire unmolested by the enemy, the better. However, this does not mean camping is a good strategy - at ranges around 10km, the inaccuracy of the main guns starts to show. Thus, you must figure out how to work your way into closer-range engagements. Playing the London to its fullest requires toeing a careful line - you must keep your guns firing as often and as effectively as possible, while also not dying in the process. Having map knowledge helps a lot when it comes to achieving this. Use cover to get in close, while being aware of where enemies are likely to appear. Find defensive positions near caps, where you can camp while also providing support to your team's frontline. However, do not push into the cap yourself unless it is an emergency and the ownership of the cap will decide the game, or the area is completely clear! By covering your team and letting more durable ships push the cap, you will be far more useful than if you rushed into the cap yourself and were sunk.

It is also useful to have knowledge of your enemies. Know which ships pose the biggest threats, and how you can sink them before they can sink you. When fighting an Omaha, hit their engines and ammunition, if fighting an Admiral Graf Spee, dodge their shells while destroying their turrets and ammunition hoists, when fighting battleships, pray he shoots somebody else, etc. Knowing the ideal way to fight any enemy you face is key to preserving your ship, which allows you to keep your firepower in action for longer.

All in all, the London is a challenging ship to play, as the weak armour, poor gun arcs, and absolutely enormous stature make her a very vulnerable ship. However, in the hands of an experienced captain, her advantages can be pushed, her vulnerabilities diminished, and blow by blow, her firepower will win battles.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Very effective anti-air defences
* Excellent main battery
** Great fire rate for a heavy cruiser (4-5 RPM, depending on crew skill)
** Devastating SAP shells with high penetration and high bursting charge
* Ammunition is stored under the water line and is well protected
* Carries torpedoes which are useful in close range encounters
* Decent speed for a heavy cruiser

'''Cons:'''

* Guns lack AP shells to deal with battlecruisers and battleships
* No bridge protection and enormous superstructure, losing control is very common in this ship
* Armour is hardly present at all
** 89 mm belt armour won't hold up to enemy fire
** Majority of hull is unarmoured
** Lacks deck armour against plunging shells
* Outgunned by battleships, battlecruisers, and some American heavy cruisers
* Mildly inconvenient gun arcs
* Lacks a floatplane, which most other same-rank cruisers have

== History ==

=== The Treaty Cruiser ===
The County class, named after regional areas of Great Britain, was the largest class of heavy cruisers of the Royal Navy. Under the 1924 Washington treaty limits, they had a standard load under 10,000 tons and four twin-turrets with eight pieces of 8 inches (203 mm) guns in total. Limited by the regulation, the County class had little protection on the main belt with only 1 inch (25 mm) but a completed armour box (1-4 inches) covering the magazine parts. The 8" gun was new to the Royal Navy; it had a high muzzle velocity of 3,150 ft/sec (960 m/s) and a range of 20 miles (32 km). It was a very accurate gun and was the smallest gun in the RN to require mechanical handling of the shell and charge - the shell weighed 256 lbs (116 kg). The guns could elevate to 65° and under director control could sustain a firing rate of 4 rounds per minute.<ref name="Brown" />

Considering the operating environment in remote stations and the duty of being a quick reaction force in hot zones, they had significant autonomy and a large hull for overseas consistency and stability in bad weather, as well as comfort equipment like air conditioning for tropical areas.

Ordered in 1925, HMS London, the first of the second block of County-class heavy cruisers, was laid down on 22 February 1926, launched 14 September the following year and completed 5 February 1929 in Portsmouth. The installed engines were manufactured by Fairfield Shipbuilders and Engineers of Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

Compared to the first block, the Kent class, the London class removed a protective bulge on the waterline, which forced a modified hull design that increased length by 2 feet 8 inches and incorporated internal bulges for torpedo protection. The command superstructure was also moved further back and funnels lengthened to prevent interference from smoke.

=== The 1930s ===
Entering service in early 1929, HMS London was sent to the Mediterranean, where she became the flagship of the First Cruiser Squadron and operated until March 1939. Her first notable task was to quell the uprising on Cyprus in 1931. The British had administered the island since 1878, and gave the status of a crown colony in 1925. However, that status irritated the Greek Cypriots who sought for an eventual union with Greece.<ref name="Klapsis" />

In 1931, the local administration decided to raise tax to cover a local budget deficit, which triggered a severe reaction among Greek Cypriots. On 21 October, more than 5,000 Greek Cypriots rallied on the island. They stripped the British flag, besieged Government House and burned it.

The Royal Navy was asked to aid the civil powers. HMS London and her sister ship Shropshire as well as two destroyers were sent to suppress the uprising. On 24 October, London landed groups of Royal Marines and armed sailors to protect government offices. The protestors hurled verbal abuse at London<nowiki/>'s marines and sailors, waving the Greek flag in their faces and throwing stones, to make the marines and sailors lose their cool and open fire in the hope that Greece might intervene militarily. But the British held fire. On 25 October, the revolt leaders were arrested, and the protests gradually fizzled out in the following days, marking a successful end to London<nowiki/>'s first mission.

On 18 July 1936, the Fascist General Franco led an uprising by twelve military garrisons on mainland Spain and five in Spanish Morocco, igniting the Spanish Civil War. The Royal Navy was involved from the beginning of the conflict. Soon after the war had started, HMS London with her sister ship Devonshire were on station at Gibraltar. On 22 July, London was tasked with evacuating British civilians in Barcelona.

London stayed at Barcelona until 22 August when HMS Shropshire replace her role for evacuation. During the period, more than 1,800 civilians were evacuated via HMS London. After that, London received a refit in Portsmouth in November, during which four additional high-angle 4-inch guns were fitted. At the end of 1936, HMS London was tasked with hunting down gunrunners in Western Mediterranean. Although her aircraft found a suspicious-looking vessel that might be a gunrunner, the cruiser failed to catch them. In 1937, London was called back to Britain for the coronation of King George VI.

=== 1939 - 1941 ===
With war clouds gathering fast in the late 1930s and naval construction restrictions being discarded equally rapidly, the Admiralty decided to reconstruct the County Class cruisers for better preparations in future combat. HMS London was the first and only one of the County class to rebuild and modernize completely. She entered Chatham in March 1939, and the rebuild proved complex and lasted until February 1941.

Significant modifications were added during the reconstruction. A new 4-inch (102 mm) armour belt was added to the waterline to cover the machinery spaces. A series of radars, including Type 279 for air warning and Type 284/285 for fire control, were installed. Most notably, a brand-new enlarged superstructure with aircraft hangars replaced the original command tower to provide more space and comfort for operations in bad weather. The newly added superstructure also changed the arrangement of funnels from three to only two. Besides, two twin high-angle 4-inch guns and additional 2-pounder AA guns were added to the ship. The significant increase in displacement after modernization resulted in increased structural stresses on the hull. During subsequent service, these stresses, together with the harsh serving environment in the Arctic, were most likely to have been the cause of the leakages in fuel and feed water systems during later service.

During the reconstruction, German bombers targeted Chatham frequently, and air raids often interrupted the work, delaying London<nowiki/>'s progress. The cruiser was finally commissioned for service with the Home Fleet on 7 February 1941.

On 5 March, HMS London left Chatham, heading north to join the Home Fleet in Scapa Flow. After arriving at Scapa, London participated in fleet exercises for practising main and sub calibre gunnery, air defence, and testing new radar equipment. London also played a role as a simulated cruiser target for battleships of Home Fleet.

On 2 April, London left Scapa Flow with the carrier HMS Argus, which was being used to transport fighter planes to the Mediterranean. The cruiser escorted Argus to a position near Gibraltar, where she handed the duty to HMS Sheffield from Force H.

HMS London spent some time with the battleship King George V keeping watch on Brest to prevent the breakout of German battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. The two German ships had stayed in France since February 1941 and would be there for another year. London<nowiki/>'s next mission was escorting slow convoys out of Sierra Leone, during which she had to conduct circuitous movements around the six-knot merchant ships to adapt to their slow speed.

On 12 May, London carried 600 Army soldiers from England to Gibraltar. The consistent high speed and plentiful space made the cruiser an ideal ship for transportation, and it would conduct more such operations throughout the rest of the war. After offloading her passengers at Gibraltar, London stayed in port for a few days, as she was due to return to Britain carrying soldiers going home on leave. Together with the cruiser HMS Edinburgh, she provided escort for a UK-bound convoy, carrying evacuees from Gibraltar. During her time in Gibraltar, Italian aircraft tried to bomb the port but missed. London<nowiki/>'s AA guns went to engage, but the planes were too far away to shoot down. Sailing north from Gibraltar on 23 May, London encountered a Vichy French ship that she stopped and searched.

Shortly before 5 p.m., on 24 May, London received an immediate order to take over shadowing duties, searching the German battleship Bismarck, which was cornered and destroyed on 27 May, leaving HMS London re-ordered to search for German supply ships in the central and southern Atlantic.

On 31 May, HMS London called in at Bathurst, Gambia, to land some of the troops embarked at Gibraltar. HMS London sailed again that afternoon, hunting for German supply ships. On 4 June at 07° 35' N – 31° 29' W, London found the German supply ship Esso Hamburg, a 17,000-ton fuel tanker, which had in fact refuelled the Prinz Eugen on the morning of 28 May. On 5 June, HMS London found another German supply ship, Egerland, flying the Panamanian flag. To prevent her from scuttling herself, London opened fire on her at a very long range, setting the ship on fire. The vessel's crew set scuttling charges and abandoned ship, with several boatloads of Germans taken aboard the already crowded London.

HMS London headed to Sierra Leone to offload her passengers, and for part of the way, she helped escort a convoy heading in the same direction. London left the convoy on 7 June and went ahead.

On 6 July, HMS London left Sierra Leone and four days later came across another Vichy French merchant ship that was boarded and searched. On 24 July, London was suddenly called back to England from Gibraltar for searching for a new German raider in North Atlantic. Soon, London was deployed to Iceland for further operation.

The high seas raider alert proved to be a false alarm and, after loitering off Iceland for a short while, London came down to Scapa Flow, arriving on 23 July. In the following two months, London was assigned to multiple convoy-escorting missions near Home waters until 22 September, when London was selected for VIP transport. Her mission was to carry a group of American and British government officials, military persons, and business tycoons to Archangel in the far north of Russia to discuss the Lend-Lease agreement and other cooperation in the war.

Covered by the bad weather in the Arctic region, London maintained a high speed on her way to Russia to prevent reconnaissance or attacks from German U-boats and Luftwaffe. HMS London deposited her precious cargo at Archangel on 27 September. To hide from being bombed, London left Archangel on 28 September, and waited for the diplomats to return. During this time, she escorted a UK-bound convoy, which had been the first Arctic convoy journey of the war. On 2 October, London returned to Archangel to pick up the VIPs.

=== 1942 ===
HMS London returned to England for another refit from November 1941 to January 1942 to fix the cracks in the upper deck and leaking around the machinery spaces caused by the previous reconstruction.

In early February, London completed her refit, and she sailed for Iceland, from where she would conduct "Patrol White", a series of patrols preventing German raiders in the northern areas, typically the Denmark Strait and Norwegian Sea. For London, it would mean many months in the Arctic. The combination of endlessly severe wind, gale-whipped waves, and extremely low temperature created a difficult environment in the Arctic and pushed London and her crews to their limits. Even with her high freeboard, the icing on the upper deck and superstructure is still a usual sight in the Patrol White.

In mid-February, HMS London became the flagship of the First Cruiser Squadron, including her sister ship HMS Norfolk, the only two available heavy cruisers remaining in Home Fleet. The expanded scale of war meant the Royal Navy had to dispatch the already depleted fleet to the Far East while the new ships were still under construction. Luckily, the US Navy Task Force 39.1, including battleship USS Washington, two heavy cruisers, and a flotilla of destroyers, joined the escort for arctic convoy to relieve the British. At that time, Anglo-American naval operations were frequently mounted to sink the German battleship, Tirpitz.

On 7 March, London returned to Iceland from a Patrol White for refuelling but immediately put to sea under urgent orders of the Admiralty, traveling all night at high speed on action stations as German battleship Tirpitz left Trondheim and headed north early that day in search of convoy PQ12. In the following day, London joined the strike force with the aircraft carrier HMS Victorious, which launched a wave of torpedo bombers to Tirpitz. Unfortunately, none of the torpedoes caused damage to the German battleship. Tirpitz was able to seek refuge in the Vestfjord unharmed. London kept patrolling in the Norwegian Sea until early April when she returned Scapa Flow for supply and fueling.

On 28 April, HMS made a sortie from Scapa to cover the convoy PQ15 and QP11, together with HMS King George V, Nigeria, and Victorious, as well as USS Washington, Wichita, and Tuscaloosa, alongside some destroyers. The Home Fleet Task Force sailed along the convoy between Norway and Iceland: London and three other cruisers closely around the merchant ships, while the battleships guard in the distance for Germany warships.

On April 29, the pocket battleship Admiral Scheer was reported to be at sea, but she turned around without attacking the convoy. On the following day, the Luftwaffe's bombers attacked the convoy. London provided air defence with both her main and secondary batteries. The Luftwaffe continued the attack on May 1, and the cruisers provided essential air defence for the convoy. London, in particular with her radar-guided high angle 4-inch guns, claimed shooting down six Ju 88s.

HMS London was back at Scapa Flow by May 5 and nothing much happened for the following nine days until May 14, when London left Scapa with battleship Duke of York, aircraft carrier Victorious, and a flotilla of destroyers in an attempt to rescue cruiser HMS Trinidad, which was badly damaged by German bombers on her way to Russia. After emergency repairs in Murmansk, Trinidad headed for the Scapa on May 13, accompanied by four destroyers. However, German aircraft spotted Trinidad late in the evening of May 14 and demobilized Trinidad in the following strike. The ship was abandoned and sunk by escorting destroyers on May 15.

On June 27, HMS London, alongside HMS Norfolk, USS Tuscaloosa, and USS Wichita, participated in the escort of the PQ17 convoy from Iceland. Similar to PQ15, the cruisers provided close-range escorts for the convoy. The cruisers were five miles in front, zig-zagging to reduce the risk of being hit by torpedoes. By July 1, although London and other cruisers sent their aircraft for anti-submarine patrol, the convoy was spotted by a U-boat. The Germans were planning a combined offensive involving U-boats, bombers, and surface units. On July 3, battleship Tirpitz and heavy cruiser Admiral Hipper sortied from Altenfjord, pocket battleship Scheer and heavy cruiser Lützow sortied in the far north of Norway.

Meanwhile, PQ17 was under attack from bombers and U-boats. In the early hours of July 4, a single plane shot out of a fog bank and dropped its torpedo, hitting a cargo vessel and damaging her so badly she had to be scuttled. Later the same day, a group of torpedo-bombers attacked and sank another merchant ship. Just under an hour later, more than thirty German aircraft attacked the convoy again. Several were shot down, but two more ships were damaged. London contributed to the air defence with her AA guns, helping to disrupt the torpedo bombers.

By the evening of July 4, the Admiralty was confident that Tirpitz was in the Altenfjord. The increasing volume of German signals traffic seemed to indicate that something was about to happen. In the early hours of July 4, the Admiralty had advised London, the flagship of the cruisers, to stay with the convoy until it was level with North Cape (25° East).

At the Admiralty in London, the latest deciphered German signals revealed the German had mistaken HMS London for a King George V-class battleship, sailing in company with three escorting destroyers. Because of her rebuilt superstructure and the relatively huge hull, London<nowiki/>'s silhouette was different from any other British cruisers. The foggy weather also made it hard for the scout plane to correctly identify HMS London. The presence of British battleships or aircraft carriers certainly made the Germans cautious. As in the example of PQ12, the airstrike from HMS Victorious halted the engagement of Tirpitz. However, in the Admiralty's view, if the convoy continued on its way, it would be harassed by enemy U-boats and aircraft. Any enemy heavy ships would most likely be encountered east of North Cape, beyond the effective range of Home Fleet. The enemy would need no more than ten hours to reach the convoy, and could return to safety in less than that time. Hence, the decision was made to scatter the convoy, with the intention of minimizing the greater losses anticipated from a surface attack compared with those inflicted by U-boats and aircraft.<ref name="Vego" />

In the evening of July 4, the Admiralty sent orders to Admiral Hamilton, who was in charge of First Cruiser Squadron on HMS London.

At 9:11 p.m. on the cruiser's bridge, the first signal arrived. Marked 'MOST IMMEDIATE', it said:<ref name="Churchill" />

{{Quote|CRUISER FORCE WITHDRAW TO THE WESTWARDS AT HIGH SPEED}}

Twelve minutes later, another equally alarming signal hit HMS London:

{{Quote|IMMEDIATE… OWING TO THREAT FROM SURFACE SHIPS, CONVOY IS TO DISPERSE AND PROCEED TO RUSSIAN PORTS}}

This was followed, at 9.36 p.m., by the signal that has gone down as one of the most notorious in naval history:

{{Quote|MOST IMMEDIATE. CONVOY IS TO SCATTER}}

On the night of 4 July, HMS London and the other warships sped away from the dismissing convoy. The destroyers and cruisers continued a nightmare dash at high speed through the fog and a sea scattered with icebergs. As the cruisers and destroyers sped on, the communicators in London read with mounting horror the signals from PQ17 merchant ships as they were ripped apart by aircraft and U-boats. Captain of HMS London offered to go back, but Rear Admiral Hamilton reminded him that his ships were low on oil and had lost their fuel ship somewhere in the scattered convoy.<ref name="Ballantyne" />

The rest was an absolute disaster for the convoy. On 5 July, 14 of 34 merchant ships were sunk or demobilized by air strikes and U-boats. In the following week, nine more merchantmen were sunk or abandoned. Ultimately only eleven merchant ships reached their intended destination – two British, seven American, and two Russian. The destruction of PQ17 triggered a series of consequences in all aspects. For the Royal Navy, the arctic convoy was held until September when a new tactic was planned for escorting convoy.

HMS London returned to Scapa on 8 July and stayed there until September 1942 when the arctic convoys was restarted, then she moved to Hvalfjord. London had departed Hvalfjord on 14 September in company with Norfolk, Sussex, Cumberland, and Sheffield, together with destroyers to escort the convoy PQ18. The British cruiser force patrolled between Bear Island and Spitzbergen, coming to within 700 miles of the North Pole.

PQ18 suffered ten out of forty merchant vessels sunk while QP14, coming the other way, lost three out of fifteen supply ships. Two British warships were also lost. At the same time, the Germans paid a high price, losing forty aircraft and three U-boats. After that, HMS London provided covers for QP15, a convoy returning to the UK.

=== 1943 ===
HMS London kept on her station in the arctic area until 17 November, when she returned Scapa and was nominated for refit in Tyne shipyard. She sailed up the Tyne to Middle Dock at North Shields for another refit. The refit lasted five months and involved considerable strengthening for cracks and repairing leaks of oil tanks. A new surface warning radar, Type 273, and fire control radar, Type 282, for 40 mm cannons were added. The cruiser's aircraft launch gear was removed, and seven additional 20 mm cannons (eight single 20 mm cannons had been fitted during the previous refit, in place of her machine guns). By 4 May 1943, HMS London was back at Scapa Flow and on sea trials before resuming convoy escort work and patrols in the Denmark Strait.

London spent some time in Scapa for training. In early July, she was deployed with HMS Belfast and HMS Kent with destroyers in diversionary moves around Norway to distract attention away from the Allied landings in Sicily by reinforcing Hitler's fear about an invasion of Norway. Around the same time, London took part in Operation Holder, convoying supplies, personnel, and mail to Royal Navy bases in north Russia. On 9 July, London returned to Scapa and resumed interception duties to prevent the breakout of German warships for attacks on Atlantic convoy in the following months.

In October 1943, HMS London was sent on a special mission to waters around the island of Spitzbergen, far to the north of Iceland, where it was suspected the Germans were maintaining a secret radio intercept station. The cruiser sailed around the island but failed to find any such station.

Late in the same month, the cruiser helped escort a convoy of five US-built minesweepers and six metal-hulled motor launches to Murmansk. For London, service in the Arctic was coming to a close as she was about to receive orders for another diplomatic mission, this time carrying members of the Prime Minister's staff to Egypt. In early November, she was tasked to Plymouth to pick up the mission members, ending London<nowiki/>'s activity in the Arctic.

Arriving at Plymouth on 10 November, HMS London carried members of the Prime Minister's staff, while Churchill himself sailed to Egypt for the Cairo conference in the battlecruiser HMS Renown. London also loaded the 'Stalingrad Sword,' a gift from King George VI to the people of Stalingrad that celebrated the great victory over the Germans. It had been carried from Plymouth to Egypt by HMS London before being put on the plane with the British delegation.

London stayed at Alexandria during the Cairo conference, and in early December, set out on the journey home carrying VIP passengers. Arriving at Gibraltar on 13 December, London left for the UK four days later for troop transportation. On 21 December, she arrived in the Clyde, disembarked her passengers, and two days later sailed for Rosyth to undergo another refit, during which four twin 20 mm guns were fitted to reinforce the AA defence.

=== 1944 ===
In early February 1944, HMS London was back on the Clyde for mail and new drafts of sailors. By then, the Admiralty had decided to deploy her for service in Eastern Fleet. On 13 March, London arrived at Colombo, one of the two major British naval bases in Ceylon, and, four days later, transferred to the other, Trincomalee.

On 21 March, as a member of the British fleet, London participated in Operation Diplomat, which was a naval training operation between Royal Navy and US Navy. The operations aimed to practice operational procedures and tactics that the British Pacific fleet would use. On 27 March, London met the US Task Group 58.5. In the following month, London was assigned to Task Force 70 for Air Rescue duty for aircraft carriers. On 19 April, the task force attacked the island of Sabang with no serious opposition from the Japanese. London provided close covers to carriers during attacks on Sabang. On 24 April, the Task Force returned to Trincomalee for resupply.

On 30 April, HMS London was assigned to Task Force 67 with her sister ship HMS Suffolk. The fleet sailed to Exmouth Bay, Western Australia for Operation Transom, an air raid marking the return of the British fleet in the Pacific. London was reassigned to Task Force 66 on 15 May to provide escorts for aircraft carriers during the airstrike on the Japanese-held Surabaya. She accompanied British aircraft carriers for the rest of May until they returned to Trincomalee.

On 12 September, after a period of fleet exercises, London arrived at Bombay, where she entered dry dock for hull cleaning and essential maintenance. Thirteen days later, London left Bombay, carried out some gunnery practice, and headed for Ceylon. She was to join Task Group 63.2 to escort aircraft carrier for a bombardment mission in mid-October against Car Nicobar in the Nicobar Islands, north of Sumatra. London contributed to air defence on 19 October, when the fleet shot down seven Japanese torpedo bombers in total.

=== 1945 ===
In early 1945, HMS London provided convoy escorts in the Indian ocean. On 8 April 1945, London joined the British East Indies Fleet's Task Force 63 for another bombardment mission. The warships were left in two groups, with London in Group One alongside HMS Queen Elizabeth, the French battleship Richelieu and destroyers. Group Two included the escort carriers Khedive and Emperor, the cruiser Cumberland and the destroyers Virago and Venus.

On 11 April, London and battleships carried out a bombardment on coastal artillery at Sabang. In the following week, London provided close escorts for carrier operations until TF63 returned to Trincomalee on 18 April.

On 13 May, London set sail for Simonstown naval base in South Africa where she was dry-docked for a refit, in which a barrage fire control radar (Type 283) and new surface warning radar (Type 277) were added on the ship. HMS London returned to her duty in early August of 1945, preparing for an amphibious assault in southern Malaya. But the operation was canceled on 15 August, just at the same time when Japan surrendered. After Japan surrendered, on 28 August, HMS London arrived in Sabang to disarm the local Japanese garrison and received charts of the Japanese minefields off Malaya and Singapore from the Japanese delegation.

On 14 October, at Colombo, London embarked around 400 passengers and 200 bags of mail and the following morning set sail for home, arriving at Sheerness three weeks later. By 9 November, HMS London returned her home at Chatham marking the end of her story in WWII.

London might have come through the Second World War unscathed and unnoticed, but ahead lay her sternest test under fire and it would make headlines around the world.

=== After the war ===
Prior to joining the Royal Navy Reserve, HMS London was used as troop transport from UK to Colombo (26 Nov 1945), Sydney (19 Jan 1946) and after a brief refit in Devonport, to Singapore (May 1946). She returned to Plymouth in late June that year.

But by the end of 1946, London was refitted for further service in the Far East as she was the only modernized 8-inch gun cruiser in Royal Navy. The refit was completed in 1947. After working up, the cruiser joined the 5th Cruiser Squadron at Royal Navy China Station in Hong Kong to protect British interests and civilians in the Eastern waters.

During her final deployment, the most notable event was the attempt to rescue HM Sloop Amethyst, known as the Yangtze Incident, from 20 April to 21 April 1949.

After World War Two, a Chinese civil war broke out between the nationalists led by Chiang Kai Shek, who were bitter enemies of the Communists led by Mao Tse Tung. By mid-April 1948, the Communists were a short distance from Nanking, the capital of the Nationalist Government, and were building up forces to cross the Yangtze River. To demonstrate protection for British subjects in Chinese waters, the Royal Navy was asked to maintain at least one large ship (cruiser size) with two smaller ships in Shanghai and one small ship at Nanking.

On 17 April 1949, London sailed from Hong Kong to Shanghai. At that time, frigates Amethyst and Black Swan were stationed at Shanghai and destroyer Consort at Nanking. The Naval Attaché at Nanking advised that the Communist army would attempt to cross the Yangtze River on 21 April, and British ships should avoid any involvement. On 20 April, Amethyst came to relieve Consort at Nanking, and at 9:30 a.m., Amethyst was under artillery fire from the north bank. The frigate's bridge and machinery room were hit by shells, causing the frigate to lose control and beached on Rose Island.<ref name="Hughes" />

On 20 April, HMS London, flying the flag of Vice-Admiral Madden, was approaching the mouth of the Yangtze River bound for Shanghai on a flag-showing visit. During the forenoon, London was receiving information from Amethyst that she was attacked by unexpected fire and demobilized. The Admiral ordered the frigate, Black Swan, to join London and decided to weigh anchor on 21 April and proceed upriver with Black Swan to rescue Amethyst.

In the early morning of the following day, London and Black Swan moved upriver. The British ships anchored off at 8:00 a.m., as Amethyst managed to move out of Rose Island. Admiral Madden called Amethyst to rejoin the fleet. But, due to the death of the navigator and damage to charts, Amethyst was unable to set the correct heading. In this case, London and Black Swan weighed anchor again at 10:26 a.m. and moved up the river. In less than a few minutes, the Communists opened fire on London and Black Swan with large-calibre howitzers and small-calibre cannons. London counterattacked with her main guns and secondary armaments. The large-calibre batteries were easy to spot and destroy, while smaller calibre weapons were well concealed and difficult to hit. At some time before 11:00 a.m., a howitzer shell hit the bridge, injuring the captain. At that time, considering the low possibility of escorting Amethyst under heavy fire and increasing damage on the ship, Admiral Madden decided to withdraw at 11:04 a.m. London and Black Swan turned back and arrived in Shanghai later that day.

London had been under fire for 48 minutes in an overall period of 3 hours.<ref name="Dalrymple" /> In that period, London fired 155 rounds of 8-inch, 449 rounds of 4-inch, and more than 2,600 small calibre AA guns. Among London<nowiki/>'s crew, 13 people are dead and 59 people wounded, of whom two died later. Amethyst would make her escape in three months.

After some temporary repairs in Shanghai, HMS London departed on 14 June, heading south to Singapore, where she spent a few weeks. On 18 June, London left Singapore and on her way to the UK. She arrived in Chatham on 8 September. By the end of 1949, she received an inspection to determine if she could serve further after an overall refit. However, London<nowiki/>'s ageing machinery and construction meant it would be too expensive to keep in service. She was placed on the Disposal List and laid up at Falmouth before sale to BISCO for demolition by T W Ward on 3 January 1950. The ship went to Barrow-in-Furness under tow and arrived at the breaker's yard on 22 January. Work on demolition was completed later that year.

=== [[wt:en/news/6626-development-hms-london-anticipated-calibre-en|Devblog]] ===
The County-class cruisers, also known as the A-Type cruisers, were the first British cruiser vessels to be developed in the interwar period of the 1920s. Their design being heavily influenced by the restrictions imposed by the Washington Naval Treaty, meant that British shipbuilders had to find compromises during development in order to comply with the treaty as well as to meet the requirements of the Royal Navy for a ship capable of trade route protection.

This resulted in the creation of a ship design with good cruising range and adequate firepower, but very light armour protection in order to stay within treaty restrictions. The orders for the first ships were placed in the mid 1920s and construction began in 1924.

HMS London (C69) was laid down in February 1926 and commissioned into service in January 1929 as the lead ship of the second batch of County-class cruisers to be built, known as the London subclass. During the 1930s, HMS London took part in a goodwill visit to Venice and assisted in the evacuation of civilians from Barcelona during the Spanish Civil War, before being sent to drydock for refit in 1939.

In 1941, HMS London took part in the hunt for the battleship Bismarck, after which the ship was once again dry-docked for repairs. The following year, HMS London assisted in escorting several convoys in the Atlantic, after which she was assigned to South African waters in 1943, before joining the Eastern Fleet. HMS London continued serving in the postwar years, during which the ship got involved in an incident in Chinese waters in 1949 which left it heavily damaged. Being deemed uneconomical for repairs, HMS London was sold for scrap in January 1950.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_london Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:HMS London WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:HMS London WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:HMS London WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
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File:HMS London WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
</gallery>

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|0-YjdmEjnkQ|'''HMS London & HMS Kent - Double Flipped Review''' - ''Flipped StuG''}}

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6626-development-hms-london-anticipated-calibre-en|[Devblog] HMS London: Anticipated Calibre]]

=== References ===

;Citations
<references>
<ref name="Ballantyne">Ballantyne, I. (2002). ''HMS London: Warships of the Royal Navy''. Casemate Publishers.</ref>
<ref name="Churchill">Churchill, W. (1951). ''The Second World War-Volume 4: The Hinge of Fate''. Rosetta Book LLC.</ref>
<ref name="Brown">Brown, D. K. (2012). ''Nelson to Vanguard: Warship Design and Development 1923 1945''. Seaforth Publishing.</ref>
<ref name="Dalrymple">Dalrymple, Gordon. & Stewart, Neil. (2011). ''HMS London in the River Yangtze 20 & 21 April 1949.'' Monograph No.170.</ref>
<ref name="Klapsis">Klapsis, A. (2009). Between the Hammer and the Anvil. The Cyprus Question and Greek Foreign Policy from the Treaty of Lausanne to the 1931 Revolt.</ref>
<ref name="Hughes">Hughes, W.R.N..(1979). HMS Amethyst - the Yangtse Incident 1948. Naval Historical Review.</ref>
<ref name="Vego">Vego, M. (2016). The Destruction of Convoy PQ17: 27 June–10 July 1942. ''Naval War College Review'', ''69''(3), 83-142.</ref>
</references>

;Bibliography

* Anderson, P. (2019). British Government Maritime Evacuations in the Spanish Civil War, 1936–1939. ''War in History'', ''26''(1), 65-85.
* Beesly, P. (1990). Convoy PQ 17: A study of intelligence and decision‐making. ''Intelligence and National Security'', ''5''(2), 292-322.
* Chen, C. (2007, May). Heavy Cruiser London. Retrieved November 17, 2020, from <nowiki>https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=326</nowiki>
* Colledge, J. J., & Warlow, B. (2010). ''Ships of the Royal Navy: The complete record of all fighting ships of the Royal Navy from the 15th century to the present''. Casemate/Greenhill.
* Helgason, G. (1995). HMS London (69). Retrieved November 17, 2020, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/1178.html</nowiki>
* Irving, D. J. C. (1968). ''The Destruction of Convoy PQ. 17''. Cassell.

{{ShipManufacturer Portsmouth}}
{{Britain heavy cruisers}}

HMS Norfolk

2023-11-27T04:38:26Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Norfolk

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_norfolk
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Norfolk (78)''' is a member of the County-class heavy cruiser family. Fairfield Shipbuilding & Engineering Co. Ltd. laid her down in July 1927 at Govan, and on December 12, 1928, she was launched. On April 30, 1930, she was commissioned. She participated in the sinking of the German Navy's battleships Scharnhorst and Bismarck during her time in service during World War II. After returning to the UK in 1949, she was put on reserve. On January 3, 1950, she was sold to the British Iron & Steel Corporation for scrap. She left for Newport on February 14, 1950, arriving on February 19 to be broken up after 22 years of service, during which she received most of her battle honours, including her final one, from the Norfolk lineage.

Introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]], the HMS Norfolk's powerful main, secondary, and anti-aircraft armaments offer excellent firepower. Maintaining enemy ships at range will maximize HMS Norfolk's effectiveness, as well-aimed shots from the main armament can quickly disable any ship in the area. Additionally, the HMS Norfolk is highly capable of handling aircraft threats; enemy aircraft can be easily destroyed by its defensive armament. However, during combat, it is crucial that players remain mindful of them and do not depend too much on the armour to withstand attacks. It is suggested that players lead their team's assault on HMS Norfolk, supporting them with anti-aircraft fire and leading the attack on enemy vessels.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

Due to the displacement limitations imposed on the County-class, the Norfolk does not have much in the way of armour. Most of what little armour she has is concentrated around the main 8-inch gun magazines, which are protected inside an armoured box of 102 mm in the sides, 76 mm on the ends and on the deck. These boxes are located below the waterline, and make her quite resistant to ammunition detonations from destroyer or light cruiser main guns at range.

The machinery is protected by only a thin strip 25 mm of armour on the sides, ends, and deck, and is thus vulnerable to even destroyer main guns. The main gun turrets and barbettes are similarly poorly protected.

The rest of the ship has no armour plating on the hull above the waterline. This means that the ship tends to take a lot of damage from even HE shells. In particular, like most British cruisers, the Norfolk has an open bridge which is highly vulnerable to getting disabled.

The Norfolk has a respectable crew complement of 819 men. However, many of these crew members are located on the exposed anti-aircraft gun positions, which means that she tends to suffer considerable crew attrition from even relatively light HE hits, such as from destroyers.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Norfolk is fairly fast for a heavy cruiser. However, she is still a heavy cruiser, and thus her handling and acceleration/deceleration characteristics are still relatively cumbersome compared to those of lighter ships.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|8 inch/50 Mark VIII (203 mm)}}

The Norfolk's main armament consists of eight 8-inch Mark VIII guns distributed in four twin turrets. These guns have acceptable accuracy, though they will struggle to gain consistent hits at longer ranges. The shortest possible reload time with a fully trained crew is 12 seconds, which is fast for a heavy cruiser. There is no first-stage ammunition stowage, thus the reload is consistent no matter how much ammunition is left in the magazines.

The 8-inch guns have only two types of shell: HE and SAPCBC. The HE shell contains a powerful bursting charge of 10 kg of TNT. The SAPCBC shell is the only other shell present, with no access to a full AP shell. However, the SAPCBC makes up for this by providing a solid blend of penetrating power and explosive filler. Compared to the shells seen on the 8inch/55 on American heavy cruisers, the SAPCBC possesses over twice the penetration of the American Common shells, and twice the explosive filler of the American APCBC shell, with 5.2 kg of TNT, allowing the SAPCBC to be used to great effect against both cruisers and destroyers.

HE is used as the stock shell on the Norfolk, and while its large bursting charge deals heavy damage to light targets, the SAPCBC is more versatile and should immediately be researched following the basic survivability modifications, and SAPCBC should be used in nearly all circumstances.

The main guns have an unusual amount of elevation of 70 degrees: in real life, this was because the guns were expected to engage aircraft. However, as there is no time-fused or VT-fused shell available for the British 8-inch gun currently in the game, the Norfolk is unable to take full advantage of this feature.

{{:8 inch/50 Mark VIII (203 mm)/Ammunition|8 inch HE, 8 inch Mark I.B. SAPCBC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

The Norfolk is fitted with with four twin 4 inch/45 Mark XVI mounts, which were used on several destroyers in the British tech tree, two to a side amidships. These guns are mostly useful against aircraft, as unlike American cruisers with their broadside of eight 5 inch/38 Mk.12 guns, these guns have much poorer damage output. There are four shells available, HE, SAP, HE-TF, and HE-VT. The stock HE performs as can be expected for a gun of the calibre, doing minimal damage to anything it faces. The SAP shell has a reasonable 103mm of penetration at 1,000 m, and although the penetration rapidly falls off, it can still help defend the ship against surface threats. The HE-TF and HE-VT are both specialized for anti-aircraft, and can deal a reasonable amount of damage against enemy planes. It is recommended to take majority HE-VT, with some SAP as well.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

The star of the ship's AA are the two octuple 40 mm Pom-Pom mounts located just aft of the torpedoes. These will immediately dispatch aircraft, as well as patrol boats if necessary. Aside from those, and the dual-purpose 4 inch/45 mounts, the only other AA armament are eight single 20 mm Oerlikon Mk.IIs. Four are located around the superstructure, one is on the B turret, two are on the X turret, and one more can be found on the stern. These will aid in downing planes, and provide a nice light show at whatever they are shooting at. While the Norfolk's AA is inferior to other cruisers, such as its counterpart the London and other foreign ships, it will sufficient to defend the ship against air attack.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)}}

The Norfolk is equipped with two quadruple torpedo tubes, located on each side of the ship. They fire Mk.IX wet-heater torpedoes, which are superior to the antiquated Mk.V steam turbined torpedoes found on older cruisers in range and explosive mass, but are still unexceptional compared to foreign torpedoes like the Type 93. They will certainly save you if you get into a close-quarters brawl with an enemy ship, but they shouldn't be relied on aside from a last resort weapon

== Usage in battles ==

The Norfolk is a bit of a glass cannon, having excellent firepower but very poor armour protection for a heavy cruiser. Her armour will protect against magazine detonations from most cruiser shells, but the lack of armour elsewhere, especially on critical parts like her turrets and the bridge, mean that she can take crippling damage from even destroyers if they get within effective range. This means that she excels at providing medium range support and should generally avoid drawing too much attention to herself. She has a good turn of speed for a heavy cruiser, allowing her to get to tactically advantageous positions a little bit faster while the large fillers in her HE and SAPCBC shells can inflict heavy damage on destroyers and cruisers. It is recommended to become familiar with the armour schemes of enemy cruisers, and target those which have poor protection, as against them the massive bursting charge will shine, while you won't notice the inferior penetration of the shells.

The Norfolk is also one of the few 5.7 cruisers equipped with air-search radar, giving crucial early warning of any incoming enemy aircraft. She also has a very reasonable anti-aircraft armament suite, allowing her to provide effective air cover to teammates when necessary.

'''Specific enemies worth noting'''

'''Late destroyers + USS Atlanta'''

* Several late destroyers, such as the Porter, Somers, and Spokoinyy can prove to be a dangerous foe, as the Norfolk's general lack of armour protection makes it extremely vulnerable against a hail of small-calibre fire. When encountering them, you should remain calm, as they while they will sting, they will not sink you fast enough. Fire your opening salvo against them under the front turrets, as it will likely destroy the turrets, damage the bridge, and ideally cause an ammunition detonation as well. A larger threat, in both size and danger, is the USS Atlanta, which can rain a 14-gun broadside of 5" shells down on you. It is best to try to engage the Atlanta at range, where the long travel time of the Atlanta's shells proves to be a disadvantage, while your 8" guns are very well suited for engaging cruisers at long range

'''German 5.7 Cruisers'''

* The German trio of Admiral Hipper, Prinz Eugen, and Admiral Graf Spee are all extremely dangerous enemies, as they possess a blend of both firepower and armour that put the Norfolk to shame. You should never engage them directly, as they will soundly beat you in a duel. Instead, fight them when they are distracted by other people. Specifically, when fighting the Graf Spee, put extra effort into dodging the enemy's fire, as their poor fire rate and high single-shot damage means they rely on making every shell count.

'''Other County-class cruisers'''

* The Norfolk also happens to fall into the type of thin-skinned cruisers that it most efficiently engages, and thus enemy County-class cruisers should be dealt with immediately. Distribute your fire of SAP around different sections of the enemy ship, and let the excellent bursting charge of the shells do the rest of the work for you. Put effort into dodging enemy shots, as their return fire will hurt quite a bit.

'''Late light cruisers'''

* Light cruisers such as the Mikuma, Helena, Brooklyn, etc. possess a very high damage output, and their large broadsides and high fire rate will tear through the nonexistent armour of the Norfolk. However, their armour is also generally lacking, and you can defeat them if you are able to hit them more consistently than their return fire. Try to destroy their turrets, or damage their ammunition hoists to decrease their firepower. Ideally, you could immediately kill them with an ammunition detonation, and with a bit of luck one of your hits under the turrets may give you a quick victory.

'''Battleships and battlecruisers'''

* The Norfolk's position as a moderately high BR cruiser means it may regularly face battleships. Against them, there is very little that can be done. When fighting battleships, your best bet is to run to cover with your superior speed, dodge their shells, and attempt to deal some damage to their superstructure, while praying that your friendly battleships dispatch them quickly. If you spot an overextended battleship, using island cover to get close and make a suicidal torpedo attack may be viable.

=== Pros and cons ===

'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire for a heavy cruiser
* Large shell explosive fillers
* Heavy anti-aircraft armament
* Relatively high top speed for a heavy cruiser
* Equipped with air-search radar
* Well-protected main gun ammunition magazines

'''Cons:'''

* Little to no armour protecting the ship outside of the magazines
* Mediocre main gun accuracy
* Can be matched against battleships
* Tends to lose crew quickly due to exposed secondary guns and anti-aircraft mounts and turret/bridge disables
* Lacks a floatplane

== History ==

The County-class cruisers were the first British cruisers designed under the restrictions of the 1922 Washington Naval Treaty. The treaty, which limited cruiser tonnage to 10,000 tons, clashed with the Royal Navy's need for a cruiser to defend its global trade routes to its colonies. To ensure a blend of firepower and range, the Royal Navy called for a long ship with four twin-turrets as their new heavy cruiser design. This became the County-class cruiser, a conservatively built ship with a very high freeboard, allowing for high directional stability. The superstructure was taken from a design first used on the HMS Enterprise, which transformed the scattered sections of conning towers, wheelhouses, navigating and signaling platforms, and fire control seen on World War I-era cruisers into a neat block at the front of the ship. The two boiler rooms, were ventilated into four uptakes, of which the central one was combined into a larger funnel, giving the Counties their distinctive funnel arrangement. However, the size of the ship left little displacement available to be allowed for armour protection, and thus the side armour was less of an armour belt and more of basic shrapnel protection.

HMS Norfolk was the lead ship of her subclass, which involved minor modifications such as the movement of the 4-inch guns further forward, the slight shortening of the superstructure, and the changing of the primary armament from the Mark I variant to the Mark II variant, with simplified loading. She was initially part of a four ship class, with an additional ship in the talks, but in the end she only received one sister, Dorsetshire, due to budget cuts. Construction started on Norfolk on July 8, 1927. She was launched on December 12, 1928, and entered service on April 30, 1930.

Norfolk became involved in the September 1931 Invergordon Mutiny, where sailors protested an imminent major pay cut. In the end, the sailors only received the minor pay cut the entire armed forces received, and the incident was settled peacefully. Between 1932 and 1934, she served with the America and West Indies Station at Bermuda, cruising around the Americas, engaging in exercises, providing hurricane relief, and protecting British interests in the area. In 1935, she moved to the East Indies Station, where she remained in 1939. Then, she returned back to Britain for a refit, and was in dockyard when the World War II began.

For the first years of the war, Norfolk was engaged with the Home Fleet in hunting German surface raiders, although she saw no success. In November 1939, she was damaged by the submarine U-47, necessitating repairs. Not long after, she was bombed in an air raid, requiring more repairs, where she also had a radar set installed. She was then engaged in several raids off the Norwegian coast, until December 1940, where she operated out of Freetown in the South Atlantic, and attempted to hunt down the raider Kormoran, but again with no success.

By April 1941, Norfolk had returned to Scapa Flow, where intelligence reports suggested the battleship Bismarck was readying for action. On May 20, 1941, Norfolk was patrolling with fellow heavy cruiser Suffolk in the Denmark Strait under the command of Rear Admiral W.F. Wake-Walker, when they received reports from that the Swedish cruiser Gotland had encountered two large warships with heavy escort. Realizing the situation brewing, the Admiralty sent out reconnaissance aircraft, but the Bismarck had already slipped away and was cruising through the North Sea. With the Home Fleet scrambling ships to sea, on May 23, Norfolk and Suffolk encountered Bismarck and Prinz Eugen in the Denmark Strait at a range of only 6 nautical miles, and the cruisers quickly disengaged. After sending out contact reports, the cruisers began shadowing the German ships. The Admiralty had the foresight to predict the Denmark Strait as a likely route for Bismarck to take, and had dispatched a force under Vice Admiral Holland, with HMS Hood, Prince of Wales, and destroyers to aid Wake-Walker. At 0516 the following morning, Holland arrived, with Norfolk and Suffolk still trailing behind the German ships. Shortly after, Holland engaged the Bismarck, but after just 10 minutes of firing, the Hood exploded, killing Holland and nearly the entire crew. After another 10 minutes, Prince of Wales was crippled, and withdrew. Norfolk witnessed the battle from 15 nautical miles away.

Following the spectacular defeat, the Royal Navy's resolve to sink the Bismarck grew. Norfolk joined Prince of Wales shortly after the battle concluded, as the British destroyers tried to find survivors from Hood. Despite the damage sustained to Prince of Wales, she kept pace with Norfolk and Suffolk as the cruisers continued to shadow Bismarck. However, early in the morning on the 25th, the cruisers lost contact with Bismarck. Prince of Wales broke off to refuel, and Norfolk and Suffolk split up. Norfolk was operating independently when Bismarck was spotted on the 26th by a PBY flying boat. She rapidly closed the distance to the contact report until the morning of the 27th, where she made visual contact with the now crippled Bismarck at 0753. Shortly after, she sighted the battleships HMS King George V and Rodney under Admiral John Tovey, who had come to finish the job Norfolk had started four days prior. At 0847, with Norfolk 10 nautical miles away, the final action of the Bismarck began, with Norfolk's sister Dorsetshire joining from the south. Norfolk joined in the shelling, and claimed two torpedo hits on Bismarck. After just over an hour of intense action, the four British ships had fired 2,800 shells at Bismarck, scoring 400 hits, reducing the Bismarck to a wreck. At 10:20, Tovey turned for home, and Dorsetshire finished off the Bismarck with torpedoes.

After the action, Norfolk returned to menial duties, now assigned the arduous task of escorting the Arctic convoys to the Soviet Union. She would participate in escorting the convoys through the unending daylight of the summers and the darkness of the arctic winters for the next few years.

On December 20, 1943, eastbound convoy JW 55B departed for the Soviet Union. Norfolk was at sea at the time escorting westbound convoy RA 55A back from Murmansk after an uneventful journey. The eastbound journey had been uneventful. It had been nearly a year since German capital ships had sortied against an Arctic convoy, at the Battle of the Barents Sea, and German battleships had been holed up in port since the loss of Bismarck. However, the two surviving battleships, Scharnhorst and Tirpitz, had proved a formidable fleet-in-being, and were always poised to strike from their Norwegian bases. Bruce Fraser, chief Admiral of the Home Fleet, and in charge of protecting the Arctic convoys, suspected that German surface ships may try to strike at JW 55B. He envisioned a decisive battle around Christmas against British and German battleships, where the threat of German battleships striking a the convoys could be permanently neutralized. On December 22, JW 55B was spotted by the Luftwaffe, and the next day, Fraser put to sea personally commanding his flagship HMS Duke of York, with a light cruiser and four destroyers as escort. Fraser proved to be correct, as on Christmas, Scharnhorst and five destroyers sortied from Norway.

As RA 55A was diverted north. Norfolk, along with light cruisers Belfast and Southampton, joined JW 55B instead. At 0900 on December 26, the cruisers encountered Scharnhorst, and immediately opened fire from 12,000 m, destroying the Scharnhorst's radar. Norfolk, whose guns produced the brightest flashes, was in turn targeted by Scharnhorst, but Scharnhorst soon broke off the battle, misidentifying Norfolk as a battleship. Norfolk and the cruisers pursued Scharnhorst, while struggling to keep pace in the heavy seas. Shortly after noon, the two sides exchanged fire again, disabling X turret on Norfolk and damaging her radar, but again broke off, while the German destroyers fruitlessly searched for JW 55B alone. Norfolk was eventually forced to retreat due to her damage, in addition to Southampton, leaving Belfast alone. However, they escaped undetected due to Scharnhorst's destroyed radar, and Belfast successfully maintained contact until Fraser arrived in Duke of York and sank Scharnhorst.

Following this, Norfolk eventually had her entire X turret removed and replaced with additional AA. These repairs and refits resulted in her being unable to participate in the D-Day landings. The rest of her wartime service was uneventful. On May 4, 1945, she served as the flagship of Operation Judgement, where Norfolk and several other ships escorted escort carriers for a raid on Kilbotn, Norway, where they sank a submarine and two other ships. After the war's conclusion, Norfolk ferried the Norwegian Royal Family back to Oslo, after their five year exile in London.

Norfolk remained in service until 1949, where she was transferred to reserve. In 1950, she sold off for scrapping. She was the third of five ships to bear the name Norfolk, and accounted for 6 of the 11 battle honors the lineage earned.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_norfolk Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{ShipManufacturer Fairfields}}
{{Britain heavy cruisers}}

HMS Hawkins

2023-11-27T04:20:24Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Hawkins

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_hawkins
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Hawkins (D86)''' is a member of the Hawkins-class heavy cruiser family. The ship was not finished until 1919, despite being built for the British Navy during World War I. She served as the flagship of the China Station until 1928, when she was briefly assigned to the Atlantic Fleet. After that, she was placed on reserve. Recommissioned in 1932 to serve on the East Indies Station, the HMS Hawkins was placed back into reserve three years later. She was decommissioned in 1937 and repurposed as a training vessel for cadets in 1938. She was converted back into a heavy cruiser by the British Navy, and her original armament was reinstalled when World War II broke out in 1939. Early in 1940, the HMS Hawkins was back in action, this time with the South Atlantic Division, where she escorted convoys and patrolled for Axis commerce raiders. She was moved to the Indian Ocean the next year, and in early 1941, she participated in a small-scale campaign in East Africa. The ship made its way back home for a protracted refit at the end of the year. After it was finished in the middle of 1942, the HMS Hawkins was given to the Eastern Fleet, where she spent the next two years performing her previous escort and patrolling duties. To take part in Operation Neptune, the naval component of the June invasion of Normandy, she travelled back to the UK early in 1944. On June 6, she bombarded the German coastal defenses. While she was being repaired, the British Navy decided to turn her back into a training ship; however, that plan was abandoned in 1945. That year, the HMS Hawkins was returned to reserve, and in 1947, she was used for bombing trials. Later that year, she was sold for scrap.

Introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]], the HMS Hawkins's main strength lies in its main armament; compared to light cruisers, it is incredibly potent for its battle rating and can deal enormous damage. Among all the heavy cruisers in her class, she also fires at the fastest rate. While not as powerful as that of the German and American aircraft carriers, the HMS Hawkins does have a respectable anti-aircraft armament. The armour configuration of HMS Hawkins is also more akin to that of a heavy cruiser from World War I. Destroyers and light cruisers may find it challenging to overcome the dispersed armour, but the deck armour is inadequate. Particularly dangerous are bombs and rockets. It is suggested that players take the lead in the assault on enemy vessels while keeping a careful eye out for enemy aircraft.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The Hawkins has a distributed armour scheme that protects large parts of the hull from HE and light shells, similar to the contemporary British light cruiser [[HMS Enterprise]]. The maximum thickness of the belt is 76 mm surrounding the machinery spaces, thinning out to 63 mm, 50.8 mm, and 38 mm towards the bow, and 63 mm and 57 mm towards the stern. This is enough to protect against most HE shells from destroyers and cruisers, and when angled can also protect against destroyer and light cruiser AP shells. There is also an upper 50.8 mm strake of armour above the machinery main belt, which merges with the 50.8 mm bow belt. The decks are thinly protected by only 13 mm of armour, making the Hawkins quite vulnerable to plunging fire and aircraft weapons.

The ammunition magazines are further protected by armoured boxes with 13 mm sides and 25 mm roofs. However, the ready racks for the main guns are located outside these boxes. Hits to the ready racks may detonate the ready-use ammunition, which is not immediately fatal to the ship but will still cause heavy damage.

Hawkins' main guns are only lightly protected by 25 mm open-backed shields, typical of World War I-era cruisers. These guns can be disabled by nearby explosions if they occur behind the mounting. Unlike most cruisers, the Hawkins' fixed torpedo tubes are protected by armour plating. The underwater torpedo tubes are practically impossible to detonate, but the upper tubes can be vulnerable to shells that land on the 13 mm deck above them.

Unlike almost all British cruisers, the Hawkins has a relatively significant amount of armour protecting the bridge, consisting of 76.2 mm on the front and sides. However, the roof of the bridge is unprotected, so overhead explosions can potentially damage or disable the bridge.

The Hawkins has a crew complement of 749, considerably more than that of the other 5.0 British cruisers, Enterprise, [[HMS Dido|Dido]], and [[HMS Arethusa|Arethusa]], and above average compared to those of other nations, except notably the Soviet cruisers [[Krasny Kavkaz]] and [[Krasny Krym]].

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Hawkins is the slowest British cruiser currently in the game, with a fully upgraded top speed of only 55 km/h. She is also quite long and bulky, making her handling and turning performance very poor, comparable to a battleship's mobility.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|7.5 inch/45 BL Mk.VI (190 mm)}}

The Hawkins is armed with seven BL 7.5-inch Mark VI guns distributed in single mounts. Two of these are located amidships besides the second funnel, thus the Hawkins can only bring a maximum of six guns to bear on a broadside. These guns have a fairly high rate-of-fire for their calibre, each main gun mounting capable of up to 6 rounds/minute with the 10-round ready-use ammunition, dropping down to 5 rounds/minute once the ready-use ammunition has been expended. They have quite low horizontal dispersion, but noticeable vertical dispersion, which tends to lead to a lot of straddles even with accurate ranging.

There are two ammunition types available, HE and SAPC. The HE shell has a large explosive filler (8 kg TNTeq), is highly effective against lightly armoured targets such as destroyers, and will break the hulls of light patrol craft with a direct hit. The SAPC shell also has a large 4.29 kg TNTeq explosive filler, and is most effective against armoured targets such as cruisers. However, it has a low penetration power, making it ineffective at long ranges and against heavily armoured targets.

The 'X' mount (second stern-most mount) has significantly worse traverse arcs than the other main gun mounts because of some superstructure in the way. To fully unmask the maximum six-gun broadside requires exposing a lot more of the ship's broadside.

{{:7.5 inch/45 BL Mk.VI (190 mm)/Ammunition|7.5 inch HE, 7.5 inch SAPC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)}}

The Hawkins' secondary armament consists of four QF 4-inch Mark V guns. These guns are primarily meant for anti-aircraft defence, although they can also engage surface targets. However, their small number (only two per side), low rate of fire, and relatively weak shells limit their effectiveness against both surface and air targets. They also do not have access to HE-VT shells, unlike most secondary guns on other British cruisers, further restricting their ability against air targets.

{{:4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}
{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.V (533 mm)}}

The Hawkins is fitted with a total of six 21-inch torpedo tubes, three on each side of the ship. However, these are fixed torpedo tubes, thus requiring the whole ship to turn in order to aim them and making them very hard to use. Four of these are located under the aft mast and above the main armour belt, while another two are located underwater below the bridge.

These tubes fire 21-inch Mark V torpedoes. Without the torpedo mode installed, they have a range of only 4.57 km, severely restricting their usefulness as anything other than last-ditch close quarters weapons. With torpedo mode installed, the range extends to a more usable 12.34 km, at the cost of much reduced speed.

== Usage in battles ==

The Hawkins' main strength lies in its main guns. The BL 7.5-inch guns are very powerful for the battle rating, doing huge damage compared to the 6-inch (and smaller) guns of light cruisers. She also has the highest rate-of-fire of any of the 4.7–5.0 heavy cruisers (triple that of the [[IJN Kako|Kako]] and 50% more than the [[USS Northampton (CA-26)|USS Northampton]]). Both the HE and SAPC shells have very potent explosive fillers capable of causing lethal damage to destroyers and cruisers. At this battle rating, many cruisers and destroyers do not have fully enclosed main gun mountings, and it is not uncommon for a single HE shell from the Hawkins to disable multiple open gun mounts at a time. However, Hawkins' inefficient World War I-era layout means that she can only bring six guns to bear at most on a target, even though she has seven main guns.

The Hawkins has a fairly adequate AA armament, though it pales in comparison to its German and American rivals. The secondary armament is unremarkable, with just four 4-inch guns, and only two on a broadside. It's best not to rely on them. They also do not have access to HE-VT shells, which considerably limits their anti-aircraft capabilities. The Hawkins also has torpedo tubes, but these are fixed tubes that require the whole ship to turn in order to aim them. This considerably complicates their usage, especially in a close quarters fight, although their high speed (without torpedo mode installed) and powerful warheads somewhat make up for this. With the torpedo mode, they have a 12.34 km range but a much lower speed.

The Hawkins' armour layout is also more reminiscent of a World War I cruiser. The distributed armour can be difficult for destroyers and light cruisers to contend with, especially using HE, but the deck armour is dreadful. Bombs and rockets are especially dangerous. Turret protection is also non-existent and highly vulnerable to HE shells. The ready-use main gun ammunition is also located in exposed positions, and this can be detonated to cause heavy damage to the ship.

The Hawkins is slow, even for a heavy cruiser, doing just 55 km/h even when fully upgraded. This makes repositioning very difficult, and she is thus very unresponsive when facing quickly-changing situations. Her manoeuvrability is also very poor, which makes it very hard to evade shell salvos or torpedoes.

Altogether, the Hawkins tends to perform poorly at close ranges because of her poor handling and weak main armament protection. At medium ranges, she can take advantage of her powerful shells, while her own armour is capable of blocking damage from lighter shells, and it is much harder for enemies to aim at the main guns to disable them. At long ranges (10+ km), the thin deck armour may be an issue, as she will start to receive plunging fire that hits the deck plating more than the belt. Her accuracy and SAP penetration are also quite poor at these ranges.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire for the main gun calibre
* Large explosive filler in shells
* Above average close-range anti-aircraft armament
* Well-distributed hull armour protection against light AP shells and HE
* Fast and powerful close-range torpedoes
* Protected bridge

'''Cons:'''

* Poor speed and manoeuvrability, even for a heavy cruiser
* Thin deck protection and exposed ready-use ammunition
* SAPC shells have low penetration
* Poor secondary armament
* Thin main gun protection in open-backed mountings
* Fixed torpedo tubes

== History ==

HMS Hawkins (D86) was the lead ship of the Hawkins-class of heavy cruisers. Launched in 1917, the ship would go on to serve as the flagship of the 5th Light Cruiser squadron based in the Eastern theatre, as well as the flagship of the 2nd Wing based in the Atlantic. In 1930, she was decommissioned, had her armament removed and became a training ship. However, she was recommissioned in 1939 with the outbreak of the Second World War. Hawkins served as a convoy escort ship and participated in the D-Day naval bombardment. In early 1945, Hawkins was placed in reserve; she served as a cadet training ship and a target ship, and was scrapped in mid-1947.<ref name=":0">D-Day Encyclopedia. (n.d.)</ref>

=== Design and Construction ===
The Hawkins was the lead ship of the Hawkins-class of five heavy cruisers. Designed during the first half of WWI, the ships were designed as a series of fast, lightly-armoured heavy cruisers capable of hunting down similar German cruisers and commerce raiders of its era. By 1915, the design had been finalized, despite there being no need for a cruiser of its configuration due to the eradication of German commerce raiders.<ref name=":1">Alvama. (1970)</ref>

The ship was 184 metres long and displaced 12,190 tons full load.<ref name=":0" /> Main armament consisted of seven 7.5-inch (190 mm) guns in single mounts - five were mounted on the centreline while two were mounted at the sides. The ships initially carried a mix of 76 mm and 2-pounder (40 mm) AA guns, but these were removed in later refits. Hawkins was also initially armed with a pair of triple torpedo tubes, but these were removed in 1937. The ship had light armour protection with a maximum thickness of 3 inches (76 mm), and could make 30 knots (55 km/h).<ref name=":0" />

Five ships of the Hawkins-class were ordered: Hawkins, Raleigh, Frobisher, Effingham and Cavendish. However, Cavendish was reconstructed during construction as an aircraft carrier and entered service as HMS Vindictive. HMS Hawkins was laid down on June 3rd 1916 and launched on October 1st 1917. She was completed and commissioned in July 1919.<ref name=":1" />

=== Operational Service ===
[[File:HMS Hawkins Underway.jpg|thumb|490x490px|HMS Hawkins Underway, circa 1929-1935.]]
Following the completion of sea trials, Hawkins served as the flagship of the 5th Light Cruiser Fleet, based in the China Sea. She served in the Eastern Theatre until 1928, when she was transferred back to the Atlantic as the flagship of the 2nd Wing. In 1930, she was decommissioned and placed in reserve, where she was used by cadets of the Royal Navy for training purposes. In 1937, she had her 7.5-inch guns and torpedo tubes removed, as required by the London Naval Treaty.<ref name=":0" />

Upon the outbreak of the Second World War, Hawkins was recommissioned and had her main guns reinstalled. She was immediately deployed to the southern Atlantic, serving convoy escort duties. She served in the Indian ocean between 1942 and 1944, and captured many Axis merchantmen and freighters. She also served in the naval bombardment preceding the D-Day invasions.<ref name=":0" />

In August of 1944, Hawkins was again relegated to cadet-training units. She was placed into reserve and 1945, and served as a cadet training ship for an additional year. In 1947, she was used as a target ship for RAF bomb-dropping tests<ref name=":1" /> and was scrapped shortly thereafter.<ref name=":0" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_hawkins Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* D-Day Encyclopedia. (n.d.). HMS Hawkins - Battle of Normandy. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from <nowiki>https://www.dday-overlord.com/en/material/warships/hms-hawkins</nowiki>
* Alvama. (1970, January 01). British heavy cruiser HMS Hawkins (D86) 1916-1947. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from <nowiki>http://warshipsresearch.blogspot.com/2017/05/british-heavy-cruiser-hms-hawkins-d86.html</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Chatham Dockyard}}
{{Britain heavy cruisers}}

HMS Enterprise

2023-11-27T04:07:03Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Enterprise

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_enterprise_d52
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Enterprise (D52)''' is a member of the Emerald-class light cruiser family. On June 28, 1918, the keel of the vessel built by John Brown & Company was laid down. Launched on December 23, 1919, she was put into service on April 7, 1926. She served as the fourteenth ship in the British Navy to be assigned the name HMS Enterprise, a name that is still in use today. The HMS Enterprise was part of Home Fleet in April 1940, having patrolled the Atlantic Ocean since the start of World War II. She participated in another deployment in the Indian Ocean in 1941, escorting numerous convoys through areas patrolled by Japanese warships. As part of Operation Neptune, the HMS Enterprise was assigned to the A-bombing force in May 1944. It began firing on the German landings on the American landing beach on June 6, 1944, specifically targeting Saint-Martin-de-Varreville and heading toward Utah Beach. It took part in the fire support of Allied land forces in Normandy in the days after Operation Overlord began, particularly during the encirclement of Cherbourg. The HMS Enterprise assisted in the repatriation of British soldiers from Asia and Africa beginning in May 1945. She made her last trip back to the UK on January 13, 1946. She was turned over to British Iron & Steel Corporation on April 11 for scrapping, and on April 21 she arrived at J Cashmore in Newport, Wales, for dismantling.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]], the HMS Enterprise is one of the first British light cruisers. It has excellent short-range anti-aircraft armament, good maneuverability, good speed, and a well-distributed armour arrangement to protect most of the important components. The main armament configuration of the HMS Enterprise is typical for a light cruiser from World War I. The main armament is dispersed throughout the ship, primarily in single mounts. This makes it more difficult to take out every gun on board, but it also means that the main armament's ammunition magazines are dispersed throughout the ship's length, above the waterline. It is recommended that players accompany ally destroyers and assist them in fighting against enemy vessels.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The Enterprise has distributed anti-fragmentation armour plating around the hull. The machinery, engine spaces, and amidships 6-inch gun magazines are protected by a 76 mm armoured belt that reaches up to the upper deck. Towards the bow, the belt reduces to 38.1 mm and reaches up to the tip of the bow. The belt is thickened over the bow 6-inch gun magazine and shell room to 57.1 mm. Towards the stern, the armour belt reduces to 50.8 mm, covering the magazines and shell rooms of the stern 6-inch guns. It is important to note that there are gaps in the armour plating through which the stern-most magazine can be hit from certain angles. In addition, the belt does not reach the end of the stern, and in particular, the steering gear is unprotected by armour.

The entire deck is covered by 25.4 mm plating, and there are five 25.4 mm internal bulkheads also protecting the main gun magazines and subdividing the ship.

The twin 6-inch turret is protected by 25.4 mm of armour, as are the single mounts. The single mounts are, however, open-backed, so they are more vulnerable to nearby HE shell explosions and splinters. Finally, all 20 mm Oerlikon mounts (twin and single) have 12.7 mm armour plating facing the front of the mounts.

The Enterprise's main gun ammunition magazines are quite well covered by the armour plating. However, they are all located well above the waterline and sited under each main gun mount, hence there is a lot of main gun ammunition scattered around the ship. This increases the chance of a magazine hit, especially from heavy cruisers that can fairly easily penetrate the armour even at range. The secondary ammunition magazine is also only protected by the thinner 38.1 mm bow belt, and is thus quite vulnerable.

The bridge is completely unarmoured and a large target. It is quite vulnerable to critical damage, which will result in the ship being unable to steer.

The Enterprise has a sizeable crew complement at 574. While nowhere near as large as the absurdly overpopulated Soviet starter cruisers [[Krasny Krym]] and [[Krasny Kavkaz]] (with 870+ crew), this compares favourably with most other starter light cruisers.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Enterprise is the fastest British cruiser currently in the game. Her acceleration is excellent, and she will reach her top speed without any trouble. The long, narrow hull does, however, make her a bit slow to turn, especially compared to the previous destroyers in the tech tree.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|6 inch/45 BL Mark XII (152 mm)}}

The Enterprise's main armament consists of seven BL 6-inch Mk. XII guns. Two of these are located in an experimental prototype twin gun bow turret, while the rest are in open-backed single mounts, a legacy of her design era during World War I. Only six of these guns can be brought to bear on a single target at best due to the inefficient World War I-era gun layout scattered all over the ship. All of the gun mounts can elevate up to 40°, allowing limited anti-aircraft usage. It is important to note that the bow turret's traverse and elevation speeds are considerable slower than those of the single gun mounts.

The rate-of-fire is 7 rounds/minute for all guns. It is important to note, however, that the bow twin turret can only maintain this using the first stage ammunition rack, which can contain up to 20 rounds. Once this is empty, the reload drops to a glacial 5 rounds/minute. The single mounts do not have first stage racks, and can thus maintain a constant rate-of-fire.

The ammunition choices consist of HE, SAPBC, and HE-TF. The HE round contains a considerable amount of filler (6.66 kg TNT equivalent), and will cause substantial damage to lightly armoured parts, destroyers, and smaller craft. The SAPBC has a respectable amount of penetration and a decent amount of explosive filler. It is sufficient against other light cruisers. It will, however, struggle against heavy cruiser belt armour past 5 km. HE-TF is primarily meant for use against aircraft, though its utility is limited by the gun elevation arcs of the main guns.

{{:6 inch/45 BL Mark XII (152 mm)/Ammunition|6 inch HE, 6 inch CPBC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)}}

The secondary armament consists of three QF 4-inch Mk. V high-angle guns in single mounts. Two of these are located amidships in front of the torpedo tubes, with the third located between the two stern main gun mounts. They are primarily intended as anti-aircraft and anti-torpedo boat weapons. Ammunition choices are HE, SAP, and HE-TF. The SAP is of limited utility except against certain armoured coastal craft, and it is not recommended to bring a lot of it, if at all. HE-TF is slightly more effective against aircraft than HE, although due to the way rangefinding works in the game, it is quite difficult to get the shells to burst at the right distance, especially against fast-moving aircraft.

{{:4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.IIc (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

The Enterprise has a considerable amount of light anti-aircraft guns. These consist of two quadruple QF 2-pdr 'pom-pom' mounts, six twin and six single 20 mm Oerlikon mounts. These can put up a deadly barrage against low-flying aircraft with their combined rate-of-fire, and are also very deadly towards torpedo boats that dare to get within range.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.V (533 mm)}}

The Enterprise has two quadruple 21-inch (533 mm) torpedo tubes, one on each side of the ship. They are armed with 21-inch Mk.V torpedoes. These boast a respectable top speed of 74 km/h and a considerable 305 kg warhead, but have a stock range of only 4.57 km. The torpedo mode modification can increase this to 12.34 km, at the cost of reducing the speed to only 46 km/h.

Unlike the British destroyers, the Enterprise has decent firing arcs on the torpedo tubes, especially towards the stern. They are thus somewhat easier to use in combat.

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

Located amidships is a catapult with one Kingfisher Mk I, a US Navy provided OS2U-1 scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. Alongside the typical abilities of strafing, dropping 2 x 100 lb bombs, and capping zones, the Kingfisher and other scout planes have the added ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilise the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new!

== Usage in battles ==

The Enterprise is one of the first British cruisers, and should get players used to the rest of the British cruisers. It boasts fantastic short-range anti-aircraft defences, good speed, decent manoeuvrability (for a cruiser), and well-distributed armour plating protecting most vital components from medium calibre HE damage.

The Enterprise's main armament layout is typical for a cruiser of its generation (World War I era). The guns are distributed all over the ship, mostly in single mounts. This means that it is harder to knock out all of the guns, but it also means that the ship has ammunition magazines for the main guns scattered all over the length of the ship, above the waterline. She can only bring six of the seven main guns to bear on any single target at most, and this requires showing a considerable amount of broadside.

The 6-inch HE shells have a high amount of explosive filler, and will wreak havoc against poorly armoured targets and easily hull break wooden coastal craft. The guns also have good muzzle velocity, making them decent at medium/long ranges. The SAPBC shells have acceptable penetration and a considerable amount of explosive filler; they are capable of penetrating heavy cruiser belt armour at close ranges (<5 km).

The real strength of the Enterprise is found in its powerful short-range anti-aircraft armament. With two quadruple 2-pdr 'pom-pom' mounts and 18 Oerlikon 20 mm cannon in single and twin mounts, backed up by three 4-inch guns, she has the best anti-aircraft armament of the starter light cruisers.

The Enterprise has fairly good armour compared to other starter light cruisers, with decent deck and belt armour covering large parts of the hull. This makes her quite resilient against destroyer HE shells. However, she also has numerous ammunition magazines located above the waterline behind the plating, so anything that can penetrate her plating is likely to hit the magazines with potentially devastating results.

Because of her high speed, considerable firepower, and decent anti-fragmentation armour, the Enterprise can function well accompanying friendly destroyers and supporting them against enemy destroyers. When angled, her armour is quite resilient against destroyer and coastal boat fire, and her own 6-inch guns are devastating against lightly armoured destroyers. However, it is important not to go in unsupported, as the 6-inch guns have a low rate-of-fire compared to destroyer guns, and in a straight up slugging match against other destroyers the Enterprise can be withered down through fire and crew damage.

Other 6-inch gun light cruisers such as the American [[Omaha (Family)|Omaha-class cruisers]] and German [[Emden]] can be a serious threat, as their SAP shells can quite easily penetrate the anti-fragmentation armour, and HE shells will wreck the weaker armoured turret/gun mounts and unarmoured bridge. It should also be noted that many of them can out-reload and/or bring more guns to bear than the Enterprise can.

Heavy cruisers with guns larger than 6 inches are extremely dangerous opponents, as they can easily penetrate the light armour, causing critical damage and possibly detonating the magazines. The torpedoes (without the torpedo mode installed) can be useful in a pinch against such targets, as their high speed makes them difficult for relatively unwieldy heavy cruisers to evade, though the short range means it is quite risky to use them.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fantastic short-range anti-aircraft defences.
* Good top speed and manoeuvrability for a cruiser.
* Fast, high damage torpedoes.
* 6-inch HE shells have the highest explosive filler mass of all starter light cruisers.
* Decent crew complement size and well-distributed armour plating provide good survivability against destroyer HE shells.
* One scout seaplane.

'''Cons:'''

* Can only bring 6 guns to bear at most.
* Lower rate-of-fire than most other 6-inch gun cruisers.
* Very short ranged torpedoes (without torpedo mode installed).
* Above-waterline ammo racks under each main gun.
* Completely unarmoured and large bridge.

== History ==

=== Design and development ===
HMS Enterprise (D52) was one of two Emerald-class cruisers built for the Royal Navy at the end of the First World War. The Emerald-class cruisers were designed as a successor to the Danae-class with greater speed and forward firepower. In this they succeeded, being 33 knots to the old ships' 29 and with three guns firing forward to their two. Their larger displacement also bought significantly greater range for patrol duty. Though successful, this came at a cost; Emerald was over 50% larger than Danae and had twice the horsepower, making the ships vastly more expensive to build. Enterprise was completed too late to see service during the First World War, but served extensively in the East Indies during the interwar period. During construction she was given an experimental twin turret instead of her forward single mounts, which proved to be successful, evolving into the designs of the later Arethusa and Leander-class cruisers. Enterprise served extensively during the Second World War in the Atlantic and within home waters; she was eventually scrapped in 1946.

Enterprise displaced 7580 tons standard and had a crew complement of 572 officers and crew. Her main armament consisted of seven BL 6-inch (152 mm) Mk 12 mounts in five single and one dual turret. Secondary armament consisted of several 4-inch (102 mm) guns, as well as numerous lower-calibre anti-aircraft guns. Throughout the course of her service, Enterprise's anti-aircraft armament was improved several times. Powered by steam turbines, Enterprise was capable of making 33 knots (61 km/h) on 80,000 shaft horsepower.

=== Operational history ===
After her commissioning, HMS Enterprise was assigned to the East Indies squadron, remaining there until 1928. Her service resulted in the creation of the Enterprise Cup (from a trophy donated by the sailors of the Enterprise), which remains a hotly-contested rugby competition in Kenya, Uganda and Tanzania. After returning to the UK for refit, Enterprise returned to the East Indies, remaining there until 1937.

At the start of the Second World War, Enterprise was sent back to the Atlantic where she spent the first several months of war as a convoy escort. She later evacuated 10 million dollars worth of British gold (625 million today adjusting for inflation) to Canada as part of Operation Fish, and repeated the same actions transporting a third of the Norwegian gold reserve to the British isles as part of the Norwegian evacuation, dodging air attack in the process. She later participated in the negotiations with the Vichy French fleet, and subsequently, the bombardment of the French Fleet at the Mediterranean port of Mers-El-Kebir.

In early 1941, Enterprise was reassigned to the East Indies squadron to hunt for the German raider Admiral Scheer; after the start of the war in the Pacific, she rescued sailors from the heavy cruisers Cornwall and Dorsetshire which had been sunk by Japanese forces. In between, she fought in Iraq, being stationed at Basra in order to destroy a pro-German revolt in the country. In early 1942, Enterprise was redeployed to the home fleet, and later participated in the Battle of the Bay of Biscay, where she sank a German torpedo boat using torpedoes. She served as part of the bombardment force during the D-Day landings, slowly making her way up the coast and into the Netherlands by late-1944 in her duty as naval gunfire support. Following the conclusion of these duties, she was reduced to reserve in October 1944.

Her age and obsolescence made her useless to a rapidly shrinking, post-war Royal Navy. Plans were drawn up for her transfer to Canada; however, after these fell through, she was refitted for troop repatriation. After repatriating British troops in 1946, HMS Enterprise was sold for scrap.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_enterprise_d52 Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5481-fleet-development-the-first-light-cruisers-in-war-thunder-en|[Devblog] The first Light Cruisers in War Thunder]]

=== References ===

* Helgason, G. (1995). HMS Enterprise. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/1215.html</nowiki>
* Mason, G. B. (1999). HMS Enterprise. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Enterprise.htm</nowiki>
* Friedman, N. (2011). ''British Cruisers: Two World Wars and After,'' accessed 16 April 2021. ''(pages 64-65)''

{{ShipManufacturer John Brown and Company}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMS Abdiel

2023-11-27T03:34:07Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Abdiel

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_minelayer_abdiel_class_abdiel
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Abdiel (M39)''' is a member of the Abdiel-class minelayer family. She was assigned to the Home Fleet (1942–1943), the Mediterranean Fleet (1941–1943), and the Eastern Fleet (1942–1942). Despite being built as a swift minelayer, her capacity and speed allowed her to be used as a fast transport ship as well. On September 10, 1943, during Operation Slapstick, mines sank the HMS Abdiel in Taranto harbour in Italy. Two German torpedo boats (S-54 and S-61) had laid the mines just hours before they left the harbour. After the captain of the USS Boise had earlier declined to transport the troops, the British 1st Airborne Division's troops (6th (Royal Welch) Parachute Battalion and 204 (Oban) Anti-Tank Battery, Royal Artillery) board the HMS Abdiel. Two mines exploded beneath the HMS Abdiel shortly after midnight, and the minelayer sank in three minutes, killing many sailors and soldiers.

Introduced in [[Update "Apex Predators"]], the HMS Abdiel functions a lot like those destroyers with light armaments. She will struggle against targets with heavy weaponry, but she will have no trouble engaging weaker opponents. Given that the main armament has a very accurate range of about 5 km, it is crucial to aim your shots at opponents with more firepower. However, unless players have allies to support them, it is not recommended to initiate a fight with any stronger opponents. It is suggested that players seek out choke points leading to objectives and take advantage of her superior speed to arrive there first and plant mines; however, be cautious as she is a prime target for torpedoes fired by fast coastal vessels.

{{Notice|HMS Abdiel is classed as a light cruiser and has a low BR compared to other light cruisers. In this BR bracket, there are some maps that don't feature a cruiser spawn (namely Aleutian Islands) and there is a risk that you won't be able to spawn anything if your line-up consists only of HMS Abdiel herself.}}

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}


Other than the gun shields and some very light armour on the bridge, HMS Abdiel more resembles a destroyer than a light cruiser. She does however feel much tankier than the equivalent destroyers at this BR, likely due to her displacement and larger crew size.

If carrying mines in the stern then her survivability is much reduced. Often players will target her rear quarters trying to detonate the mines or rear ammo racks, so don't carry them unless you intend to use them.

Her front ammo racks are somewhat protected behind fuel tanks and are at least partially underwater, though magazine explosions seem to plague the entire British line, particularly from plunging 5"/38 fire at range. The rear ammo racks seem to be very vulnerable too as mentioned back.

She does contain a lot of empty space however, especially if mines are not being carried, hence feels as though she can take a lot more of a beating than equivalent BR ships.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}


HMS Abdiel, at 39 knots fully upgraded, is faster than many coastal torpedo boats. Acceleration is rapid compared to anything else in the British blue water fleet and she'll do 13 knots in full reverse. She feels more like a particularly responsive destroyer and is difficult to target against a skilled player using evasive manoeuvres. Rudder control is pretty much instant allowing you to dodge incoming shells.

Her speed and manoeuvrability allows capping and positioning unavailable to other ships, though as a Light Cruiser she is hampered by using the Heavy fleet spawn.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

With two twin 4"/45 turrets forward and another at the stern HMS Abdiel has similar firepower to other British ships at this BR. The stern turret can fire at relative fine angles forward, about 15 degrees off the bow. Turret traverse is somewhat slow though easily enough to keep the guns on target which manouvreing.

She therefore plays far more like a destroyer than a Light Cruiser.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.IIc (40 mm)}}

Secondaries amount to a single quad 40 mm pompom high-mounted on the rear superstructure. You often see Coastal vessels in downtiers and the pompoms tend to make short work of them.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}

{{:2pdr QF Mk.IIc (40 mm)/Ammunition|AP-T, HEF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

Dedicated AAA is rather weak with 2x quad .50 cals on either side of the bridge. You'll want to keep some 4" VT handy if there are aircraft around, particularly bombers operating above pompom range. She doesn't feel to be too vulnerable to low level air attack given the BR though can suffer from high altitude bombing if the player is distracted as she's a comparatively large target.

The 4" guns do provide an excellent rate of fire however so best to use individual ranged shots to walk the fire onto the approaching aircraft.

She certainly isn't a AAA cruiser, though can be effective.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Type M Mark I mine}}

HMS Abdiel can carry 40 Type M Mk1 contact mines which are dispensed from racks under the rear deck. These are 600 kg each and will happily cripple if not destroy any ship coming into contact with them.

== Usage in battles ==


The play style for HMS Abdiel will be familiar to those of lightly gunned destroyers. In downtiers you can happily bully weaker opponents, even literally pushing them around at contact range. Uptiers are more difficult, especially when carrying mines. It's important not to give easy shorts into your rear hull. It is also important to dodge incoming salvos as plunging fire through the forward deck can reach the magazines.

The 4" guns are very accurate inside of about 5 km so it's important to place your shots against opponents who have superior firepower. Using single ranged shots and walking the fire up and down the target seems to be surprisingly effective rather than spamming broadsides. At range varying speed and direction can make her a difficult target though closer in you are likely to be outgunned.

Unless there are clear choke points the obvious use for mines is at the cap points and Abdiel does make an exceptional vessel for taking such, even at much higher BRs where her speed can turn matches. A very useful vessel to keep around should the match situation require it. Her manoeuvrability is well suited to the inland cap points, where she'll often face coastal vessels. Though watch out for torpedoes as she's rather long.

Some caution is required early in the game where it is easy to get well ahead of the rest of your team and become the focus. On the other hand she's quite capable of dodging a lot of incoming fire, so long as they don't take her engines out, and using her to lay smoke to protect the spawn or advancing fleet can be effective.

In arcade battles, her ship class is clearly visible, though in RB some destroyer captains might not recognise her silhouette and be wary of taking on a Light Cruiser. She can also be effective as a scout, keeping enemy vessels in sight such that the rest of the fleet can engage.

Well worth keeping her in your roster for Enduring Confrontation too as her ability to get around the map to complete objectives is unparalleled.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Features fast-firing and accurate 4-inch guns
* High top speed and mobility
* Decent anti-air defense
* Can be loaded with 40 sea mines for area denial
* Exceptionally good fun to play

'''Cons:'''

* Being classed as a light cruiser, the ship is forced to spawn at longer ranges where the 4-inch guns are less effective
* Lacks any torpedo armament
* Practically no armour protection save for the bridge; highly vulnerable to enemy fire
* Extremely vulnerable magazines and mine racks, both sit way above the waterline
* Current meta doesn't particularly suit minelayers

== History ==

Designed to speed into contested waters and lay minefields overnight, the Abdiel-class proved to be very useful vessels, although they were rarely used in their intended role. A minefield laid in the Sicilian Channel claimed two Italian Destroyers and a couple of merchant ships, though only 2% of the UK's total minelaying effort was offensive in nature, rather than the tens of thousands of mines laid around Britain's coasts by small boats and aircraft.

Instead, the Abdiel-class became invaluable as supply vessels which could run the gauntlet of Axis airpower to help relieve Malta, Tobruk and participated in many evacuations. None of the Abdiel-classes were lost whilst performing their intended role as minelayers, though three were lost during the war. Including, rather ironically, HMS Abdiel to a mine in Taranto harbour.

A memorial to the fast minelayers can be found in Milford Haven, their operating base.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_minelayer_abdiel_class_abdiel Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos

{{Youtube-gallery|od0P74LbYqA|'''This is How You Play HMS Abdiel - Naval Gameplay''' - ''Cmdr. Tyrael''}}

== See also ==


* [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbfT8Inqd3M&t=2s https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gbfT8Inqd3M]
* https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=rLWXAkOHdaU

== External links ==

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Abdiel-class_minelayer

https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-07ML-Abdiel.htm

https://www.tracesofwar.com/sights/98851/War-Memorial-with-Sea-Mine-Milford-Haven.htm

*

{{ShipManufacturer J. Samuel White}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMS Dido

2023-11-26T19:12:52Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Dido

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_dido
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Dido (37)''' is a member of the Dido-class light cruiser family. Constructed in 1940 for World War II by the British shipbuilder Cammell Laird Shipyard, located in Birkenhead, she saw service throughout the war. She participated in several combat missions in the Mediterranean and Arctic theatres of operation. After the war, the HMS Dido was used for ceremonial purposes. In July 1945, Queen Elizabeth and King George VI were brought to the Isle of Man by the HMS Dido. From 1946 until 1948, she was commanded by P. Reid. She took part in the Fleet Review in 1953 to honour the coronation of Queen Elizabeth II as flagship of the Reserve Fleet. Subsequently, in 1957, she was withdrawn from service and acquired by Thos. W. Ward for decommissioning. She was scrapped at Barrow-in-Furness.

Introduced in [[Update 1.85 "Supersonic"]], the HMS Dido is best used to shield allies from enemy aircraft and hunt enemy destroyers. She is very well protected against destroyers' standard armaments, and in exchange, her main armament can deal a significant amount of damage to them with just one salvo. At medium to long range, however, the HMS Dido will find it difficult to compete with even light cruisers. In addition, most light cruisers can penetrate the weak armour rather easily, so it is not advisable to engage enemy larger vessels unless players have multiple allies to support them.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s hull features 76 mm of rolled homogeneous armour (RHA) plating over the sides of the machinery spaces with 25 mm of RHA covering the ends and the machinery deck. This plating covers the boilers and the parts of propeller shafts that are above the waterline. The steering gear is protected by 25.4 mm RHA plating all around. The main gun turrets and barbettes are also protected by 25.4 mm RHA, as is helm located in the central shaft leading down from the bridge.

The ammunition magazines are very well-protected against other light cruisers' and destroyers' main guns. They are located below the waterline and there is 50.8 mm RHA deck plating over the main gun magazines, as well as covering the bow and stern-facing ends of the magazines. The sides of the magazines are protected by 19.05 mm of anti-fragmentation armour. In addition, there are fuel tanks on each side of the magazines. This means that only plunging fire from high calibre guns can be expected to reach the magazines.

The rest of the hull is entirely unprotected by anything other than the standard 25 mm steel plating of light cruisers. The bridge, in particular, is open and quite vulnerable to getting disabled by even destroyers.

There is also 12.7 mm hardened armour plating facing the front of the 20 mm Oerlikon mounts.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s mobility is rather standard for a light cruiser. She is not quite as fast or as nimble as the ''Enterprise'', but her mobility is adequate for most needs.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|5.25 inch/50 QF Mark I (133 mm)}}

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s primary armament consists of ten QF 5.25-inch dual-purpose guns. These are most comparable to the 5"/38 guns carried by most American destroyers and the [[USS Atlanta|USS ''Atlanta'']]. The 5.25-inch gun's rate-of-fire is much lower (10 rounds/minute vs. 22 rounds/minute), firing generally heavier shells.

All of the main gun turrets are capable of full 360° traverse and elevating up to 70°, allowing them to engage aircraft effectively. They also have a relatively fast traverse rate compared to other light cruisers, although a bit on the slow side for engaging aircraft.

The ammunition types available consist of HE, SAP, and HE-VT. HE-VT is broadly superior to standard HE, especially against aircraft. Despite the heavier shells, both contain less explosive filler than the HE shells of the American 5"/38. The SAP is superior to the Common shells of the American 5"/38, having better penetration and more explosive filler. It is capable of penetrating light cruisers, and even heavy cruisers at close range.

{{:5.25 inch/50 QF Mark I (133 mm)/Ammunition|5.25 inch HE, 5.25 inch Mark II SAP, 5.25 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)}}

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s designated secondary armament is the two quadruple 2-pdr 'pom-pom' guns mounted amidships. These are primarily anti-aircraft guns, although they can be effective against lighter targets such as destroyers and coastal craft at close ranges.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}

{{:2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)/Ammunition|AP-T, HEF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s designated anti-aircraft armament consists of five single 20 mm Oerlikon mounts. These are lethal against coastal craft and aircraft that dare to approach within range.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)}}

The ''Dido'' is armed with two triple 21-inch torpedo tubes located next to the aft funnel, one on each side of the ship. Unlike on British destroyers, these torpedo tubes have wide traverse arcs. They are armed with the Mk. IX torpedo, which has a powerful 340 kg TNT warhead and long range (9.67 km) even without the torpedo modification.

== Usage in battles ==

The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s unusual main gun battery makes her very specialised as an anti-aircraft and anti-destroyer ship. She is very well protected against destroyer guns, and in return, a single salvo from her ten 5.25-inch guns will inflict a great deal of damage to them.

Conversely, the ''Dido'' will struggle against even light cruisers at medium to long ranges, having to rely on whittling down the crews using fires and HE. At close range, her SAP is effective against light cruisers, and the high rate-of-fire compared to cruiser 6-inch guns can be used to disable and then overwhelm them. However, the ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s armour can be penetrated relatively easily by the 6-inch guns of most light cruisers, so engaging in straight-up trading fights will usually result in taking extensive damage, even if the ''Dido'' emerges victorious. The ''Dido'' is mostly helpless against heavy cruisers and battleships other than getting close enough to torpedo them.

Once the HE-VT shells have been unlocked, the 5.25-inch gun is quite effective against aircraft, though the relatively low rate-of-fire makes it less than ideal in the role compared to other true dual-purpose guns such as the British 4.5-inch or the American 5"/38 guns. The 'pom-poms' and 20 mm Oerlikons mostly function as back-up to the main guns. They should not be relied upon to shoot down aircraft except at close ranges.

Because of her weight distribution and narrow hull, Dido rolls rather dramatically in turns, leaning towards the outer side of the turning circle. It might prove detrimental in close range combat, as guns can't depress enough to fire at anything inside ~4 km range on the raised side (assuming full speed ahead, max rudder deflection).

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Well-protected ammunition magazines and machinery spaces.
* Primary armament dispersed across 5 turrets (3 bow, 2 stern).
* Main gun turrets have unrestricted traverse arcs and high elevation arcs.
* Access to HE-VT shells.
* High rate-of-fire for the main guns' calibre.
* Low horizontal gun dispersion.

'''Cons:'''

* Lightly armoured main gun turrets and unarmoured bridge.
* Low penetration and individual shell damage output compared to 6-inch guns.
* Low rate-of-fire compared to other dual-purpose main guns.
* Relatively small close/medium-range anti-aircraft battery.
* High vertical gun dispersion.

== History ==

[[File:HMS Dido (37).jpg|thumb|450x450px|HMS Dido at anchor in the Firth of Forth.]]
HMS ''Dido'' (37) was a British AA cruiser and the lead ship of her class, a series of 16 ships built in the late 1930s to the early 1940s. Designed for fleet air defence, the ships were armed with a 5.25-inch (133 mm) main battery capable of engaging both ships and naval vessels. ''Dido'' was commissioned in 1940 and deployed to the Mediterranean, serving there for the large part of the Second World War. She later deployed to the Arctic, and in 1945 accepted the surrender of the Kriegsmarine. ''Dido'' was present at the Coronation review of 1953 as the flagship of the Reserve fleet, and was scrapped in 1957.

=== Design and development ===
Following the four ships of the ''Arethusa'' class, the British navy decided to construct a new class of light cruiser for anti-aircraft duties - the ''Dido'' class. Displacing 6850 tons on full load, the ships were small even for a light cruiser. Their armour was also scarce, the main belt being just 3 inches (76 mm) thick. The ''Dido''<nowiki/>'s main armament comprised 10 5.25-inch (133 mm) guns in five dual-purpose turrets, which served as the primary anti-ship and anti-aircraft armament. Her anti-aircraft armament was initially weak (quite surprising given her role), composed of three quad pom-poms and five single Oerlikon cannons; this was improved over the course of the Second World War. ''Dido'' was initially laid down in 1937, and was commissioned by 1940.

=== Operational history ===
Immediately after her commissioning, the ''Dido'' was sent to Scapa Flow, and spent the next couple months in training. However, she was soon dispatched to the British fleet in the Mediterranean, and soon began operating as part of the British East Mediterranean fleet. She ran supplies to Malta, and later helped move 7 million dollars of Gold away from the conflict-torn lands of Greece. She participated in several runs to the besieged island of Crete and was later damaged by bombs while escorting a troop convoy to Alexandria. She was later bombed again, but quickly repaired as she made up a significant portion of the ship-starved British East Mediterranean fleet.

''Dido'' spent the greater part of 1942 and 1943 in the Mediterranean, though she travelled back to the UK on several occasions for various reasons. In 1944, she was recalled to the UK and began convoy operations in the Arctic, and thereafter stayed in the northern Atlantic to lay mines and provide fire support. In May of 1945, she fired the last naval shot in Europe as she accepted the surrender of the Kriegsmarine; she then escorted the cruisers ''Prinz Eugen'' and ''Nurnberg'' to internment at Wilhelmshaven. Following the cessation of hostilities, ''Dido'' was reduced to reserve; she took part in the 1953 Coronation review of Queen Elizabeth II as the flagship of the reserve fleet. She was eventually sold for scrap in 1957.

=== [[wt:en/news/5948-development-hms-dido-the-peacemaker-en|Devblog]] ===
The Dido-class light cruiser was designed in the 1930s as convoy escorts and destroyer leaders, intended for operations in the Mediterranean. As such, ships of the Dido-class had to be both large enough to operate in rough waters as well as fast and manoeuvrable enough in order to keep up with destroyers, whilst at the same time remaining relatively cheap to produce in large numbers.

HMS Dido, the lead ship of her class, was laid down in October 1937. In July 1939, Dido was completed and commissioned into service a year later. HMS Dido's early service life was marked with convoy escort duties in the Atlantic, before joining the Eastern Mediterranean Fleet in April 1941.

As part of the Royal Navy's Mediterranean forces, HMS Dido took part in numerous major operations, including the landings at Sicily and mainland Italy as well as southern France. During her service in the Mediterranean, HMS Dido performed various roles, from doing supply runs over evacuating troops to bombarding shorelines.

By 1944, HMS Dido briefly returned to Great Britain, before being sent off on escort duties as part of the Arctic convoys. In 1945, HMS Dido was sent to Copenhagen, where the warship fired the last naval shot as part of the war in Europe, however not in anger, but in celebration of the surrender of the German Kriegsmarine.

Sometime after the end of WW2, HMS Dido joined the ranks of the Royal Navy reserve fleet, remaining in service for another good decade. In 1957 however, HMS Dido was decommissioned from service and sold for scrap.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_dido Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|bAGQ_HTxUfg|'''HMS Dido - SAP Master [First Impressions]''' - ''Napalmratte''|XnH-NsWFMnc|'''HMS Dido - Guide 129''' - ''Flipped StuG''}}

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5948-development-hms-dido-the-peacemaker-en|[Devblog] HMS Dido: The Peacemaker]]

=== References ===

*Mason, G. B., & Smith, G. (2004). HMS Dido, British AA Cruiser. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Dido.htm</nowiki>
* Helgason, G. (1995). Uboat.net. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4010.html</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Cammell Laird}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMS York

2023-11-26T18:57:47Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS York

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_york
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS York (90)''' is a member of the York-class heavy cruiser family. Mostly stationed on the North America and West Indies Station before World War II, she was constructed in the late 1920s for the British Navy. The HMS York took part in the Norwegian Campaign in 1940 and escorted convoys in the Atlantic early in the war. In late 1940, the HMS York was moved to the Mediterranean theatre, where she escorted the larger ships of the Mediterranean Fleet and convoys. In March 1941, she was destroyed in an attack at Suda Bay, Crete, by Italian explosive motorboats from the 10th Flotilla MAS. In 1952, the wreck of the ship was salvaged and then scrapped.

Introduced in [[Update "Starfighters"]], the HMS York is very much a heavy cruiser primarily used for long-range engagements and should be played as such. The HMS York is a formidable opponent due to its strong shell velocity, which allows players to inflict massive damage on other light and heavy cruisers. The HMS York is also a mobile vessel that can accelerate and turn quickly despite not being especially fast in a straight line due to being lightweight for a heavy cruiser. However, the HMS York is not fit for any close-quarters fighting due to her extremely inadequate armour protection.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The most prominent strength of the armour layout can be seen with the ammunition placement. Both the main and auxiliary ammunition storages are placed far below the waterline and encased by the thickest armour on the ship (102 mm / 4 in) resulting in an overall low probability of a catastrophic ammo detonation. The main belt armour of the York consists of 76 mm (3 in) of RHA which will stop most destroyer calibre rounds (127 mm / 5 in or lower) while degrading most light cruiser rounds at ranges above 5,000 m assuming they are not using full AP rounds.

There are three basic weaknesses. For one, the ship lacks an extensive reserve of crew meaning that hits to highly populated portions of the ship will result in the ship being crew knocked relatively quickly. Secondly, the ship's citadel roof armour is only 38 mm (1.5 in) thick, meaning that arcing shots from longer ranges can completely bypass the belt armour and wreak havoc on the internals of the ship. Lastly, the lack of antifragmentation armour near the bridge means that most HE shells that land next to it will result in the loss of the bridge, and thus in the loss of control of the ship until it is repaired.

The turrets and ammo elevators are protected by 25.4 mm (1 in) of armour. The steering gear is protected by 38.1 mm (1.5 in) of armour.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The HMS York is surprisingly agile and mobile when compared to many ships of similar size and scope. Agility is not often talked about much when referring to heavy cruisers but the HMS York is a special case. The ship can make especially sharp turns (so much so that captains should be wary if they're taking on water at the time of initiating the turn for fear of capsizing) that can often be used to dodge incoming shells if given enough time to react. This will also bolster a captain's ability to respond to incoming torpedoes with evasive manoeuvres to evade the incoming threat.

Mobility is a crucial asset that the York has access to to help maintain an advantageous position on the map. The top speed of 56 km/h allows for the York to keep up with even some destroyers resulting in captains of this ship being able to get early in positions or secure capture points.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
It is recommended that after researching the Tool Set and Fire Prevention Equipment (FPE) to immediately research the 8 in SAPCBC shell as the stock HE shell is often incapable of dealing significant damage to other cruisers, let alone battleships or battlecruisers. Once the shell is obtained then Rudder Replacement is a great choice as it improves the already impressive mobility of the ship.

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|8 inch/50 Mark VIII (203 mm)}}

The main armament of the HMS York consists of 3 twin turrets of the 8 inch/50 Mark VIII cannon. This cannon will become very familiar with captains of British heavy cruisers as it is used by all of them with the exception of the [[HMS Hawkins]]. This cannon is a potent weapon in the right hands as it can fire up to 5 salvos a minute with pinpoint accuracy, each of those salvos containing either an HE shell with enough explosive mass to make most destroyers think twice before engaging this ship, or an SAP shell that will make heavy cruisers such as the [[Prinz Eugen]] and [[USS New Orleans]] wary of this opponent.

{{:8 inch/50 Mark VIII (203 mm)/Ammunition|8 inch HE, 8 inch Mark I.B. SAPCBC}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)}}

The HMS York is equipped with a total of four 4-inch guns in single mounts just aft of the bridge in single mounts. These cannons by themselves will not amount to much firepower, however with addition of the time-fused shell, they can be turned into potent AA weapons. The SAP shell is also of some note as it can deal with most destroyer level armour and can keep most PT boats from becoming overly ambitious.

{{:4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

The anti-aircraft armament of the HMS York consists of two main weapon types, first are the 20 mm Oerlikons scattered around the ship, and secondly are the 2 quadruple 12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V machine gun mounts placed on either side of the superstructure. While not amazing when compared to the AA armament of other cruisers such as the [[USS Helena]] or [[Prinz Eugen]], the HMS York is still able to adequately defend itself from most aerial attacks using terrain to the aircraft's advantage.

The 20 mm cannons are also capable of keeping most small craft such as PT boats at bay while the main cannons are occupied with other targets.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)}}

The Mk.IX torpedoes that the HMS York carries are medium range/medium yield torpedoes capable of knocking out most destroyers with a single torpedo and severely damaging cruisers with a single well-placed hit. The firing arcs on the launchers are decent enough where you do not need to make a full broadside to launch them, however you will need to turn your ship approximately 45 degrees to get a spread off.

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

Located amidships is a catapult with one Walrus Mk.I scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. The Walrus is equipped with only defensive machine gun turrets but it does carry 4 x 250 lb bombs. It also has the scout plane ability to cap zones and lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilise the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new! Carrying a far heavier bomb load than other scout planes, this unit has a very good chance to sink enemy boats or even a destroyer.

== Usage in battles ==

The York is very much a sniping cruiser and should be played as such. While it lacks a huge broadside, it makes up for this with a fantastic 5 rpm rate of fire, which is one of the best reloads in the game for heavy cruiser firepower. For comparison, the American heavy cruisers fire 3 rounds/per minute, nearly half as quickly. Combined with good shell velocity, this can make the York a frightening opponent for other cruisers, with its guns doing immense damage. Better yet, 2/3rds of the York's firepower is positioned on the bow, meaning it can angle severely and still do a good amount of damage. The York is also a fairly nimble ship, and while it isn't very fast in a straight line, its low weight for a heavy cruiser means it can get up to speed well, and can turn very quickly.

The York suffers once the gap in distance is closed. Its armour is mediocre, even for a British cruiser. While the ammo racks are well-protected (and will prove a challenge for anything except other heavy cruisers), its belt armour is very flat and very weak. While its deck armour is strong, it's only rolled armour, meaning arcing shells, bombs, and rockets can do immense damage if they hit the superstructure. The guns are also very weak, with just 25 mm of armour around the turrets, meaning they can be knocked out very easily, even by light cruisers. In addition, the York lacks the beefy AA armament of many other British ships. It has only four 4-inch DP guns, and just a handful of 20 mm and 12.7 mm small arms guns to combat aircraft at close range. Combined with its weak armour, this can make the York an enticing target for aircraft.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fantastic rate of fire with its main battery guns can make it a menace in gunnery duels
* Small and nimble, can move around the battlefield very well
* A small target that can be difficult to hit, especially at long range
* Access to torpedoes with good speed and damage, which can ward off flanking cruisers effectively
* Well-armoured ammo racks mean knock-outs from a single salvo can only be inflicted by heavy cruisers
* One scout seaplane carrying a potent bomb-load.

'''Cons:'''

* Poor secondary armament that can leave it vulnerable at close range and against aircraft (until short range AA engages)
* Tiny crew size - fires and flooding can kill it very quickly
* Poor belt and deck armour makes it vulnerable to arcing fire and bombs

== History ==

[[File:York, 1938.jpg|thumb|HMS York entering Havana harbour, 1938.]]
HMS York (90) was the lead ship of two York-class heavy cruisers built for the Royal Navy. She served in the North American theatre before the war, and escorted Atlantic convoys in the first part of the Second World War. She also participated in the British Norway campaign, and was later reassigned to the Mediterranean Squadron. However, while in service with the Mediterranean fleet, she was disabled by Italian explosive motorboats. Critically damaged, her wreck was abandoned by the Allies. She was salvaged and scrapped in 1952.

=== Design and development ===
The York was based on the earlier County-class cruisers, the first 8-inch heavy cruisers used by the United Kingdom. Lighter than the previous 10-thousand ton County-class cruisers, the York displaced 8,250 tons standard.<ref name=":0">Lettens, J. (2008)</ref> The York carried eight 8-inch (203 mm) guns in four dual turrets; this was the standard armament for later British heavy cruisers.<ref name=":0" />She also carried two triple torpedo tube launchers. Her anti-aircraft armament was rather sparse, and was never improved sufficiently to grant her good AA performance. She could make a top speed of 32 knots (59 km/h), and had an endurance of 24,600 km at 22 km/h.<ref name=":0" />

The York was laid down on May 16th 1927, and was launched on July 17th 1928. She was completed on May 1st 1930, and subsequently began serving with the British home fleet.<ref name=":1">Helgason, G. (1995)</ref>

=== Operational Service ===
The York entered service in 1930, serving as the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser squadron of the Home Fleet. Between 1934 and 1940, she served primarily with the North America/West Indies Station, though she was detached to the Mediterranean fleet for two years for the Italo-Abyssinian War.

At the start of the Second World War, York was based in Halifax as a part of Force F, a squadron tasked with hunting for commerce raiders and escorting convoys. She returned to the UK in late 1939, and underwent a refit before being assigned to the 1st Cruiser squadron of the Home Fleet. She also participated in the planned British invasion of Norway, and evacuated Anglo-French troops from Namsos following the German invasion.

In August of 1940, York was assigned to the 3rd Cruiser squadron of the British Mediterranean fleet. She participated in the Battle of Passero, where she sank the crippled destroyer Artigliere, and escorted the carrier HMS Illustrious during her raid on the Italian fleet at Taranto.<ref name=":1" /> However, in early 1941, she was disabled by explosive MTBs of the Italian navy. German bombers further damaged the ship, which was considered to be damaged beyond repair.<ref name=":1" /> As a result, the British abandoned the ship and destroyed its armament prior to their evacuation from Crete; the wreck was salvaged and scrapped in 1952.<ref name=":0" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_york Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Lettens, J. (2008, August 28). HMS York (1941). Retrieved November 16, 2020, from <nowiki>https://www.wrecksite.eu/wreck.aspx?123797</nowiki>
* Helgason, G. (1995). HMS York. Retrieved November 16, 2020, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/1187.html</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Palmers Shipbuilding and Iron Company}}
{{Britain heavy cruisers}}

HMS Southampton

2023-11-26T18:45:02Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Southampton

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_southampton
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Southampton (83)''' is a member of the Town-class light cruiser family. Launched on March 10, 1936, she was constructed by John Brown & Company, Clydebank, Scotland. During World War II, the HMS Southampton was part of the Home Fleet and was initially the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. The HMS Southampton was repeatedly targeted by German air raids, but it was able to escape with only minor damage. However, a German air raid led by the renowned Oberst (Major) Werner Ennecerus severely damaged her in the Central Mediterranean, roughly 195 nautical miles east-southeast of Malta. There were 81 men killed. The HMS Southampton was damaged beyond repair and was eventually sunk by torpedoes from HMS Orion and HMS Gloucester.

Introduced in [[Update 1.89 "Imperial Navy"]], the HMS Southampton is one of the most capable light cruisers available to the British Navy. Firepower and protection are two areas where the HMS Southampton excels over earlier British light cruisers such as the [[HMNZS Leander]] and [[HMS Arethusa]]. In addition, she maintains a respectable torpedo arsenal that enables her to pose a threat to battleships as long as they are within effective torpedo range. The HMS Southampton has excellent protection for her ammunition magazines, which makes it difficult to destroy quickly. However, given her thin turret armour and unarmoured bridge, she is very easy to disable and frequently loses a large number of crew members during engagements. It is advised to stay with allies at all times to avoid being isolated and targeted.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The Southampton has much better overall protection than previous British light cruisers. The machinery is protected by a thick 114 mm citadel belt, with 63.5 mm ends. This provides good protection against even heavy cruiser guns at longer ranges when angled. However, the deck armour over the machinery is only 31 mm thick, which is mostly enough to protect against long range light cruiser fire, but not much more.

The main gun magazines are protected within armoured boxes, with 114 mm upper and 76 mm lower side protection. The roofs of the boxes are protected by 51 mm of armour. Altogether, the magazines are very well protected against light cruiser fire, and are difficult to penetrate even with heavy cruiser guns at range and when angled. The shell rooms adjacent to the magazines are much more lightly protected, at only 25.4 mm anti-fragmentation armour, but a hit there, while causing serious damage, will not be immediately fatal to the ship, unlike a magazine penetration.

The rest of the ship is much more lightly protected. The light turret and barbette protection remains a serious Achilles heel of the ship, like on preceding British light cruisers. It is only 25 mm thick, making even destroyer AP/SAP/Common shells a potential threat. Like almost all British cruisers, the Southampton also has an open bridge with only minimal splinter protection (6-9 mm). This makes her very vulnerable to getting disabled and losing crew to hits to the bridge, especially with HE shells.

The Southampton has a crew complement of 748 men, which is small compared to other light cruisers like the [[USS Cleveland]] or her half-sister-ship [[HMS Belfast|Belfast]].

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Southampton is a little slower compared to the other British cruisers at the same BR, though her speed remains fairly respectable for a ship of her size. Her handling and acceleration are about average.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)}}
The main armament of the Southampton consists of four turrets with triple BL 6-inch Mark XXIII guns. These guns have a high sustained rate of fire at 8 rounds/minute with the best possible crew. Due to the large number of barrels and high rate of fire, the Southampton is capable of throwing nearly 100 6-inch shells per minute at a target. The gun accuracy at medium ranges is reasonable, although the horizontal dispersion is quite noticeable. These guns can also elevate to 45 degrees, which allows them to be used to reasonable effect against aircraft, especially once HE-VT is available. The turrets all have a below-average traverse arc of only 145 degrees to each side, which means that the Southampton has to show more broadside than most other light cruisers in order to unmask all her guns.

The main guns have a selection of four shells: HE, HE-TF, HE-VT, and CPBC. The explosive fillers for the HE, HE-TF, and HE-VT shells are identical (a respectable ~4 kg TNT), with the HE shell being slightly better at setting fires to ships, while the HE-TF and HE-VT have higher shrapnel counts and can burst on air targets. There is little point in using the HE-TF shell once HE-VT is unlocked, since the latter is not dependent on accurate rangefinding and is therefore a much superior anti-aircraft shell. The CPBC semi-armour piercing shell combines a decent filler for a 6-inch shell (~1.87 kg TNT equivalent) with respectable penetration, and is the shell of choice against enemy cruisers.

==== Ammunition ====
{{:6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)/Ammunition|6 inch HE, 6 inch CPBC, 6 inch HE-TF, 6 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

The Southampton's secondary armament consists of eight QF 4-inch Mark XVI guns in four twin gun mounts, with two mounts on each side of the ship. These guns are most effective against aircraft, especially with HE-VT, although their high rate of fire (20 rounds per minute maximum each) can also make them a threat to coastal craft and even lighter destroyers.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

Complementing the 4-inch and 6-inch guns in the anti-aircraft role are two quadruple QF 2-pounder Mark VIII "pom-pom" mounts located on each side of the first funnel and two quadruple Vickers .50 cal heavy machine gun mounts on each side of the rear mast. The "pom-poms" can put out a lethal amount of 40 mm shells against aircraft or coastal craft that dare approach within effective range, but they have a substantial reload time once empty. The heavy machine guns are less effective, but can still be a deterrent at close ranges.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)}}

The Southampton has two triple torpedo tubes, one on each side of the ship. These fire the 21-inch Mark IX torpedo which has a speed and range of 67 km/h and 9.6 km, respectively (56 km/h and 12.34 km with the torpedo mode installed). The warhead is a hefty 340 kg TNT, and can be a threat to even battleships.

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

== Usage in battles ==

The Southampton is a quantum leap over the previous British light cruisers in terms of firepower. She has 50% more main gun firepower than her predecessor, the [[HMNZS Leander|Leander]]. The combination of a large number of barrels, high rate of fire, and decent shell explosive fillers makes her a very deadly opponent at short/medium ranges, especially to destroyers. She also maintains a respectable torpedo armament, allowing her to threaten even battleships if they get within effective torpedo range.

The protection is a bit more of a mixed bag. It is very hard to quickly destroy the Southampton due to her excellent magazine and belt protection, but the thin turret armour and unarmoured bridge mean that she is quite easy to disable and will tend to lose a lot of crew through turret and bridge disables. This is further exacerbated by the small crew complement. The ship itself has quite a large profile, and thus it is harder to take advantage of cover. She also has somewhat poor turret traverse arcs, which means she has to show a lot of broadside in order to use all of her turrets.

As she is depicted in her early-war configuration, the anti-aircraft suite of the Southampton is quite underwhelming, especially compared to the previous British cruisers and her sister-ship [[HMS Liverpool|Liverpool]]. This can be compensated to some extent with the main and secondary guns and good aim, since they have access to effective HE-VT shells, but the close-range anti-aircraft guns should not be relied upon, especially under AI control.

It is important to note that the Southampton can be matched against battleships at its battle rating. The 6-inch guns are mostly ineffective against battleships beyond setting fire to them with HE, so it is best to avoid fighting them head-to-head at all costs. The torpedoes are also an option if a battleship carelessly allows the Southampton to get within effective range.

The Southampton has a hangar, catapult, and handling facilities for aircraft, but is presently not capable of launching seaplanes.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Large broadside of 12 gun
* High rate of fire for main guns
* Large explosive filler in SAPCPBC rounds with effective penetration
* Thick magazine protection and machinery belt armour
* Access to HE-VT shells for both main and secondary guns
* Large torpedo warheads

'''Cons:'''

* Below average close-range anti-aircraft armament
* Below average turret traverse arcs
* Small crew complement
* Thin turret and non-existent bridge protection
* Large ship profile, and hence a large target
* Can face battleships

== History ==

[[File:HMS Southampton 1937.jpg|thumb|470x470px|HMS Southampton before her refit in 1937.]]
The HMS Southampton, pennant number 83, is a light cruiser of the Town class. Launched in 1936, she went on to see service during the Second World War. She initially served as the flagship of the 2nd Cruiser squadron of the Home Fleet, and later participated in several engagements with German vessels. She was reassigned to the Mediterranean in October of 1940. However, in January 1941, she was bombed by Italian aircraft and suffered crippling damage. As a result, she was scuttled with torpedoes from her escorts.<ref name=":1">Helgason, G. (1995)</ref>

=== Design and development ===
The Southampton was a member of the Town class, a group of light cruisers built in the 1930s. Initially intended to be built as Arethusa-class cruisers, the design was changed after the construction of the American Brooklyn-class and Japanese Mogami-class ships. The vessels were 180 metres long and displaced 11 000 tons, as they weren't regulated by the Washington naval treaty.<ref name=":0">RBJ. (2008)</ref> The ships carried an armament of twelve 152 mm guns in four triple turrets, a big upgrade from the six-gun Arethusas. The ships also carried numerous anti-aircraft defenses, and two triple torpedo launchers. She was capable of 32 knots (59 km/h).<ref name=":0" />

The HMS Southampton was laid down on November 11th 1934, and launched on March 10th 1936.<ref name=":0" /> She was formally commissioned into the Royal Navy in March of 1937.<ref name=":0" />

=== Operational history ===
Following her commissioning, the Southampton entered service with the 2nd Cruiser squadron of the British Home Fleet. After the outbreak of the Second World War, she participated in the hunts for the German merchant Johannes Molkenbuhr and the battlecruisers Scharnhorst and Gneisenau. During this time, she was damaged twice; first by a 500kg bomb while she was laid up at Rosyth, and later by a German air attack off the coast of Norway.<ref name=":1" />

In November of 1940, Southampton sailed for the Mediterranean. She later participated in the Battle of Cape Spartivento and escorted resupply missions to Malta. However, on January 11th of 1941, she was attacked by twelve Stukas of the Luftwaffe. Hit by two bombs, the ship caught fire and suffered severe damage. With 80 sailors dead and no electrical power, the decision was made to scuttle the ship. Thus, she was sunk by four torpedoes from the cruiser Orion and a single torpedo from her sister ship Gloucester.<ref name=":1" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_southampton Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Videos
{{Youtube-gallery|hZkupQZmfyc|'''The Shooting Range #163''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:35 discusses the HMS Southampton.}}

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


=== References ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Helgason, G. (1995). HMS Southampton. Retrieved November 17, 2020, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/1235.html</nowiki>
* RBJ. (2008, January 01). Light cruiser HMS Southampton (C83). Retrieved November 18, 2020, from <nowiki>https://shipshub.com/ships/180-1.html</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer John Brown and Company}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMNZS Leander

2023-11-26T18:27:29Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMNZS Leander

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_leander
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMNZS Leander (75)''' is a member of the Leander-class light cruiser family. Serving with the New Zealand Navy during World War II, she was formerly known as HMS Leander. Launched at Devonport on September 24, 1931, the HMNZS Leander was the lead ship of her class. On March 24, 1933, she received her commission as HMS Leander in the British Navy. She was a member of the British Navy's New Zealand Division, serving alongside HMS Achilles. She was renamed as HMNZS Leander in September 1941, when the New Zealand Division changed its name to the New Zealand Navy.

Introduced in [[Update 1.87 "Locked On"]], the HMNZS Leander is very similar to the [[HMS Arethusa]], its predecessor, but has some upgrades over the former. First off, compared to the former, it has an all-around armour upgrade that greatly boosts its survival in battles. Second, it has an additional gun turret, which can provide the HMNZS Leander with some deadly firepower with good accuracy. Finally, it has more crew members and is faster than the HMS Arethusa. However, compared to the HMS Arethusa, it has a weaker anti-aircraft armament, so players are advised to be particularly alert for enemy aircraft during battles. To enhance survivability, it is advised to stay near allies to provide more anti-aircraft fire.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The HMNZS Leander is all-around armour upgrade over [[HMS Arethusa]]. This includes thicker belt armour (now 3 in), thicker armour over the magazines (3.5 in), and added anti-fragmentation armour around the bridge area of the superstructure. This added armour increases the already decent survivability against both destroyers and now to some extent cruisers. Captains of the Leander should take advantage of this added armour while knowing that it still cannot take hits from heavy cruisers, doing so will result in the loss of the ship extremely quickly. The overall survivability is increased as the HMNZS Leader boasts a total of 767 crewmen which allows more hits to be taken without suffering a fatal amount of crew loss. When all the additional armour and crew is taken into account, it allows captains of this ship to act much more aggressively than with previous British cruisers.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The HMNZS Leander boasts increased mobility and manoeuvrability over previous British cruisers. Even stock, this ship handles much better than previous ships such as the [[HMS Enterprise]] or the HMS Arethusa due to its quick rudder shifting time and faster acceleration. Once spaded, this ship turns into a fast cruiser at a 60 km/h (32 knots) forward and 26 km/h (14 knots) in reverse. This added speed along with a quick rudder shifting time allows for increased tactical flexibility in regards to positioning and manoeuvring the ship.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)|152 mm 6 inch/50 Mark BL XXIII]] (x8)
|-
! colspan="5" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Turret 1 (x2) || Turret 2 (x2) || Turret 3 (x2) || Turret 4 (x2)
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| colspan="5" | -5°/+60°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| colspan="5" | ±145°
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="5" | 1,600
|-
|}

The cannons of the HMNZS Leader are the same as on the previous ship, except now with another twin turret for a total of 8 guns in 4 turrets. They keep the fast reload of 7.5 seconds (with ace crew) along with their accuracy.

==== Ammunition ====
{{:6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)/Ammunition|6 inch HE, 6 inch CPBC, 6 inch HE-TF, 6 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)|102 mm 4 inch/45 Mark XVI]] (x8)
|-
! colspan="5" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Front port turret (x2) || Front starboard turret (x2) || Rear port turret (x2) || Rear starboard turret (x2)
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| -90°/+80° || -80°/+90° || colspan="2" | ±90°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| colspan="5" | -10°/+80°
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="5" | 2,000
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="6" | [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|20 mm Oerlikon Mk.II]] (x5)
|-
! colspan="6" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Front turret || Middle port turret || Middle starboard turret || Rear port turret || Rear starboard turret
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| colspan="3" | -5°/+65° || colspan="2" | -0°/+65°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| ±180 || -60°/+90° || -90°/+60° || colspan="2" | ±180
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="5" | 9,000
|-
|}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
|-
! colspan="4" | [[Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V]] (x12)
|-
! colspan="4" | Turrets (Bow to stern)
|-
! || Front port turret (x4) ||Front starboard turret (x4) || Rear turret (x4)
|-
! scope="row" | Vertical guidance
| colspan="3" | +25°/+75°
|-
! scope="row" | Horizontal guidance
| colspan="3" | ±90°
|-
! scope="row" | Total ammo capacity
| colspan="3" | 24,000
|-
|}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.V (533 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center"
! colspan="9" | 533 mm steam turbined Mk.V torpedo
|-
! # on ship !! Mass (kg) !! Maximum speed in water (km/h) !! Travel distance (km) !! Depth stroke (m) !! Arming distance (m) !! Explosive type !! Explosive mass (kg)
|-
| 8 || 1,736 || 74 || 4.57 || 1.0 || 50 || TNT || 305
|-
|}

=== Scout plane ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Plane}}

Located amidships is a catapult with one Osprey Mk IV scout plane which provides unique offensive and defensive abilities, expanding tactical options. Ship-launched scout planes fly just like regular tree units but lack munition choices and cockpit views. The Osprey may look familiar as it is a derivative of the [[Nimrod Mk II|Nimrod fighter]], but as a 2-seater equipped with a defensive machine gun along with the fixed machine gun and no bombs. It does have the scout plane ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilise the aircraft and consider when best to use it, for example to cap a point early or late in the match, to create a smoke screen to stymie enemy bombardment and repair, to attack enemy units directly, or perhaps something completely new!

Note: the aircraft modelled on the ship is not the same as the aircraft that is flown when the scout plane ability is activated.

== Usage in battles ==


The Leander is very similar to the Arethusa, its predecessor, but has some upgrades over the former. It carries an extra gun turret, giving it an 8-shell broadside which, combined with the 7.5 secs reload, can give the Leander some dangerous firepower with good accuracy. The good turret traverse and SAP shells make this ship dangerous at close quarters, where it can deal good damage and good penetration to enemy cruisers. It carries the same secondary armament of eight 4-inch guns with four on each broadside, making it a menace for destroyers and larger aircraft. It's also faster than the Arethusa and boasts a larger crew. While the armour is still weak for a cruiser, it's stronger than the Arethusa, with much better protection for the ammo stowage and the gun turrets, as well as some armour for the rudder, which is rare for a light cruiser.

One drawback for the Leander is its weakened AA armament. While it isn't terrible, it's a far cry from the powerful AA screen of the Arethusa, and can leave it vulnerable if it has no friendly ships to offer additional AA fire. The Leander's guns also start to lack at 5.3. Lacking the AP shells of other nations, heavy cruisers can be a real challenge for the Leander, and it struggles to deal good damage at long range as a result.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful, fast-firing broadside, especially dangerous at close and medium ranges
* Great secondary armament, eight 4-inch guns is dangerous for destroyers and torpedo boats
* Good armour protection, especially around the ammo and guns
* Great turret traverse on main turrets
* Good top speed and manoeuvrability
* One scout seaplane.

'''Cons:'''

* Average AA armament, weaker than the previous Arethusa
* Armour still isn't enough to save it against heavy cruiser guns
* While the crew is larger than previous cruisers, it's still pretty small
* Big target compared to previous British ships
* No APCBC shells for the 6-inch guns

== History ==

[[File:British light cruiser HMS Leander (75) underway at sea in 1945.jpg|thumb|450x450px|HMNZS Leander (75) underway at sea in 1945.]]
HMNZS / HMS Leander was the lead ship of the eight-ship Leander class, built in the 1930s as a follow-up to the Emerald (E) class. Influenced by the design of the British County-class heavy cruisers, Leander carried a main armament of eight 6-inch guns in dual turrets. Commissioned in 1933, she served under the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy and was eventually given to the New Zealand Navy in 1941, renamed HMNZS Leander. She served in the Indian Ocean and Mediterranean sea during the early days of the Second World War, primarily as a convoy escort. She later served in the Solomon Islands campaign and was hit by a 610 mm torpedo that put her out of service until the end of the war. Following the cessation of hostilities, Leander was repatriated to the UK, and served with the Mediterranean fleet until she was retired in 1948 and scrapped by 1950.

=== Design and development ===
The Leander-class cruisers originated as a successor to the British Emerald (or E) class, as the first class of light cruisers built by the United Kingdom since the end of the First World War. Influenced by the designs of the County and York classes of heavy cruisers, the Leander class had a similar hull design and gun arrangement. However, displacing 7270 tons standard, they were significantly lighter. Leander's powerful steam turbines allowed her to reach a top speed of almost 33 knots (61 km/h), but their large size meant that she had relatively low armour protection compared to her peers - up to 3 inches (76 mm) of armour at the magazines, and far less throughout the vessel.

Leander carried a main armament of eight 6-inch (152 mm) BL Mk 23 guns mounted in four twin turrets, similar to the layout of the County-class heavy cruisers. She also carried a secondary armament of four single 4-inch (102 mm) dual-purpose guns, though these were upgraded to dual turrets later in her career. Her initial anti-aircraft armament was also rather sparse, composed of just three quadruple Vickers machine guns (calibre 12.7 mm); this was also upgraded significantly in her later service. Leander, the first ship of her class, was laid down in February of 1930; following completion, she was commissioned in 1933.

=== Operational history ===
Following her completion, the Leander served in the New Zealand division of the Royal Navy, along with her sister ship Achilles. Back then, the defence of New Zealand's naval territory was conducted by the Royal Navy, and as a result, the ships were operated by the Royal Navy until the formation of the New Zealand navy in 1941. She participated in the Coronation Review of 1937, and later conducted an aerial survey of the south Pacific ocean. During the time before the war, she toured ports in New Zealand, and also participated in exercises in Australian and British waters.

Following the outbreak of the Second World War, Leander travelled to the port of Alexandria, in the Mediterranean. She was intended to serve in the British mediterranean fleet, but these plans were changed when she was instead given to the British East Indies squadron. During this period, she escorted convoys in the Red sea area and sank several vessels, including an Italian submarine and merchant raider.

In early 1941, Leander was formally given to the New Zealand Navy, which had been formed as an independent naval force. She was then reassigned to the Mediterranean squadron to replace several cruisers that had been destroyed. During this time, she participated in the Syria-Lebanon campaign, fighting against the Vichy French naval forces stationed in that area. After this action, Leander departed as an escort for a convoy bound for Australia, arriving in September of 1941.

In early 1942, with the Japanese raid on Pearl harbour and subsequent declaration of war, Leander began serving in the Pacific theatre. She escorted convoys during the Solomons campaign but was dry docked for several months when a crack was found in her hull. She was returned to service in March of 1943, replacing the sunken cruiser Helena in the Solomon campaign. It was there in July of 1943 when, during a short engagement with Japanese naval forces, Helena was hit by a 610 mm "long lance" torpedo. The damage was extreme, yet she survived and limped to port for repairs. In fact, the damage was extensive enough that she was taken out of service for the rest of the war. By late 1944, Leander had been paid off from the New Zealand Navy, most of her crew members going to her sister ship HMNZS Achilles. Following the completion of repairs, she was repatriated to the UK in late 1945. She saw little service, and was used as a target ship in 1948 before being scrapped by 1950.

=== [[wt:en/news/6084-development-hmnzs-leander-the-legend-of-defiance-en|Devblog]] ===
The Leander-class light cruisers were designed in the late 1920s under the influence of the York-class heavy cruisers. However, the Leander-class differed from previous light cruisers by placing a higher emphasis on seaworthiness and operating range, rather than on protection and firepower. This was done with the aim to make the Leander-class light cruisers more suitable for the commerce protection role.

Initially, five ships of the Leander-class were ordered in the early 1930s, with HMS Leader as the lead ship being laid down in September 1930. Leander was completed a year later and commissioned into service in March 1933. Initially, the warship served with the New Zealand Division of the Royal Navy, before being transferred to the Royal New Zealand Navy after its formation in 1941. From there onwards, the ship sailed under its new designation HMNZS Leander.

Leander primarily served in the Pacific theatre during WW2, taking part in several smaller operations during her early service life. Leander was also briefly stationed in the Mediterranean, supporting allied troops in actions against Vichy France during the Syria-Lebanon campaign. After that, Leander once again returned to the Pacific, where she was severely damaged after an engagement with a small Japanese task force in July 1943. The damage suffered from a torpedo hit was so severe that it rendered Leander inoperable for the remainder of the war, until she was repaired in August 1945.

HMNZS Leander only had a very short post-war service life. The warship was officially decommissioned in 1948 and sold for scrap in 1950.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_leander Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6084-development-hmnzs-leander-the-legend-of-defiance-en|[Devblog] HMNZS Leander - The Legend of Defiance]]

=== References: ===

* New Zealand History. (2020). HMNZS Leander. Retrieved January 04, 2021, from <nowiki>https://nzhistory.govt.nz/war/hmnzs-leander</nowiki>
* National Museum of the New Zealand Navy. (2020, June 08). Leander. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://navymuseum.co.nz/explore/by-collections/ships/leander/</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Devonport}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMS Arethusa

2023-11-26T07:24:22Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Arethusa

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_cruiser_arethusa
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Arethusa (26)''' is a member of the Arethusa-class light cruiser family. The keel of the vessel was laid on January 25, 1933, by Chatham Dockyard. Captain Philip Vian launched her on March 6, 1934, and put her into service on May 21, 1935. Following her completion, Arethusa was deployed to the Mediterranean and remained there when World War II broke out in September 1939. She was called back to the Home Fleet, along with her sister Penelope, early in 1940, and they joined the rest of the class to form the 2nd Cruiser Squadron. She took part in the Norwegian Campaign in April 1940, but she did not join the Nore Command until May 8th. There, she helped with the evacuations from French Atlantic ports and supported the defending forces in Calais. In 1946, there existed an informal proposal to sell her to the Royal Norwegian Navy; however, this plan was shelved, and she was assigned to category 'B' reserve. In 1949, the British Navy used HMS Arethusa for trials and experiments before giving her to the British Iron & Steel Corporation for disposal since her class of ships was deemed too small to be worthy of modernisation. She showed up at Cashmore's, Newport, on May 9, 1950, for the breakup.

Introduced in [[Update 1.91 "Night Vision"]], the HMS Arethusa is intended to be a budget light cruiser. First of all, it is a slow ship. It also inherits the Enterprise-class light cruiser's inadequate armour protection, plus it has weaker belt armour and even worse deck armour, which leaves the HMS Arethusa vulnerable to rocket and bomb attacks. This, along with her small crew complement, makes it difficult for it to withstand significant damage, particularly from other light cruisers. Most enemy light cruisers are capable of dealing serious damage to the HMS Arethusa, so players should exercise caution when nearing them. Nonetheless, the HMS Arethusa's strong main armament and good fire rate help to offset many of its shortcomings. This, along with her excellent turret traverse, makes the HMS Arethusa a formidable opponent for destroyers and light coastal ships at medium-to-close range.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

In order to save displacement, the Arethusa's protection is concentrated around vital components. The thickest armour is located around the magazines, which are protected by an armoured box with 76 mm sides below the waterline. This mostly protects the Arethusa from instant destruction due to magazine powder explosions. However, the shell rooms located next to the powder magazines are much less well protected, with only 25 mm protection. If a shell room is hit, it will explode and cause considerable damage to the ship, though the ship will survive if enough crew remains. Both of these are sited behind fuel tanks, thus increasing their protection level somewhat.

The Arethusa, like the Leander, does not have a full length armour belt, but it does have a 57 mm belt protecting the machinery. This is sufficient to withstand most destroyer fire when angled and from medium range (5,000 m or beyond). However, it will not reliably protect against light cruiser fire. Deck protection is also quite thin at only 25 mm.

Like almost all British cruisers, the Arethusa has an open unarmoured bridge. This makes it very vulnerable to getting disabled from even nearby HE shell explosions.

Unlike the preceding [[HMS Enterprise|Enterprise]], all of the Arethusa's main armament is protected in fully enclosed turrets with 25 mm all-round armour. This makes them less vulnerable to HE blast and fragmentation from nearby hits, but it is still fairly thin and can be easily penetrated by even destroyer shells.

The Arethusa has a crew complement of 623, which is somewhat above average for a light cruiser at its battle rating, and also more than what the [[HMS Enterprise|Enterprise]] gets.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Arethusa is fairly slow for a light cruiser, especially without upgrades and compared to the preceding Enterprise. Even upgraded, she is still the slowest of the British light cruisers. On the other hand, because of her small size, she has good handling for a light cruiser, and can make fairly tight turns quickly.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)}}

The Arethusa's main armament consists of six BL 6-inch Mark XXIII guns mounted in three twin turrets. These have a relatively fast rate of fire, at a maximum of 8 rounds/minute, and good accuracy for a heavy cruiser. Unlike the preceding Enterprise, her turrets do not have a first stage ammunition rack, and are thus able to sustain their high rate of fire.

The stock HE shell comes with just under 4 kg of TNT equivalent, which is great for use against coastal vessels, is marginally effective against destroyers, and fairly useless against any cruiser. Though, it can be helpful in starting fires or knocking out crew in exposed weapon positions.

The CPBC semi-armour piercing shell has a powerful explosive filler (1.78 kg of TNT equivalent) and sufficient penetration to get through most light cruisers' belt armour at medium range. These shells are also highly effective against destroyers as the fuse sensitivity is just 7 mm with a delay of 8 m. This means that the shell will fuse on a destroyer's thin plating before exploding inside the ship, inflicting substantial damage damage.

The Arethusa also has access to HE-VT and HE-DF shells for anti-aircraft purposes. Proximity-fused HE-VT is flatly superior to HE-DF because the former is not reliant on accurate range-finding in order to burst near its target, rendering the latter shell mostly pointless. Combined with the fact that the Arethusa can also elevate her main guns up to 60 degrees, this allows her to effectively engage aircraft, especially less agile heavy bombers, with the main armament. The HE-VT can also be used instead of the basic HE shell against surface targets with similar effectiveness.

The Arethusa does not have a proper AP shell, thus the main armament lacks the penetration to threaten heavy cruisers except at close range.

{{:6 inch/50 BL Mark XXIII (152 mm)/Ammunition|6 inch HE, 6 inch CPBC, 6 inch HE-TF, 6 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}
{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}
{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 2 (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mark V (20 mm)}}

''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}
{{main|Mk.V (533 mm)}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

The Arethusa is a general improvement over the Enterprise in all but a few ways. Firstly, the Arethusa features a better main armament. While the number of guns goes down to six, the broadside is up to six thanks to the three dual-gunned superfiring turrets. These guns also have a better rate of fire, firing a shot every 7.5 seconds. This, combined with the Arethusa's good turret traverse, can make this ship a monster at medium-to-close range. Carrying on from the Enterprise, the Arethusa still bolsters a powerful AA screen, but now with better DP guns thanks to the dual-mounted 4-inch guns, with a 3 second reload. These guns can be deadly both to large aircraft and to enemy destroyers and patrol boats, giving the Arethusa more survivability at close range than its predecessor. It also still features the fast torpedoes of the Enterprise, as well as good turning time.

The Arethusa does sacrifice some elements of its design. Firstly, it's a slow ship, doing just 26 knots when stock. It also inherits the poor armour of the Enterprise, with the addition of having even worse deck armour (making this ship vulnerable to bombs and rockets) and weaker belt armour. This, combined with the ship's low crew tally, means it struggles to take on a good amount of damage, especially from other cruisers. This ship can still be played effectively against light cruisers and destroyers, but Arethusa players should be cautious around the armoured light cruisers of Russia and America, as well as heavy cruisers of any design, which can punish the Arethusa's small size and poor armour.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire on both main and secondary guns
* Large explosive shell fillers for their calibre and type
* Excellent anti-aircraft armament suite
* Above average manoeuvrability
* Access to HE-VT shells
* Fully enclosed main gun turrets and good magazine protection

'''Cons:'''

* No AP shell
* Small main gun broadside
* Thinly armoured outside the magazines
* Slowest British light cruiser
* Open unarmoured bridge

== History ==

[[File:HMS Arethusa 1942 IWM FL 889.jpg|thumb|450x450px|HMS Arethusa as seen in 1942.]]
HMS Arethusa was the lead ship of her class, a set of four light cruisers built for the Royal Navy. Designed as a lighter version of the [[HMNZS Leander|Leander]] class to counter Merchant-raider ships, they had a smaller displacement and armament but were big enough to serve as fleet cruisers. Commissioned in 1935, Arethusa served in the Mediterranean theatre before the outbreak of war, and later participated in a variety of conflicts including the Norwegian campaign and Mediterranean campaign. Struck by a torpedo in late 1942, she was inoperational until late 1943 and didn't see active service until the D-Day landings in June of 1944. She had the honour of ferrying King George VI over the English channel to inspect the Allied forces in Normandy, but was later damaged by a naval mine and put out of service for the rest of the war. She was used for weapons trials until 1949, and subsequently scrapped.

=== Design and development ===
In the 1930s, there was serious concern over the potency of armed merchant raiders (merchant ships retrofitted with heavy armament), and as a result, the Royal Navy ordered a new class of vessels to counter these ships. The new vessel featured a toned-down version of Leander's hull, with less armament. Even so, they were able to outgun (and possibly outrun) merchant cruisers by a fair margin. The Arethusa herself displaced just 5220 tons standard, and was capable of making 32 knots (59 km/h).

The Arethusa was armed with six 6-inch (152 mm) BL Mk 23 guns in three dual turrets - two fore (in the A and B positions) and one aft (in the Y position). Her secondary armament was composed of four single 4-inch (102 mm) guns, though this was replaced in a later refit. Her anti-aircraft armament was initially scarce, but was improved over time. She carried two triple 533 mm torpedo tubes in beam positions.

Arethusa was laid down in 1933, and launched in March of 1934. After completion, she was commissioned in 1935.

=== Operational history ===
After her commissioning, the Arethusa was assigned to the British Mediterranean squadron, and remained there at the start of the Second World War. She was then recalled to the British Home Fleet, and subsequently served in the Norwegian campaign. In June of 1940, she joined Force H at Gibraltar, and participated in the attack on French Forces based at Mers-el-Kebir. She later participated in the Hunt for Bismarck, and was later employed on convoy escort duties in the Mediterranean.

In November of 1942, Arethusa was struck by an Italian torpedo that caused severe damage; after temporary repairs, she was sent to the Charleston dockyard in the US and remained there until late 1943. During this time, her anti-aircraft armament was improved significantly, and she was fitted with new dual 4-inch mountings. After her return to service, she participated in the D-Day landings and provided fire support for the forces landing at Sword Beach. She was also given the honor of carrying King George VI across the English Channel to inspect allied forces in the Normandy region. However, she was hit by a mine several days later and sent back to the shipyards for repair. Arethusa saw little service for the rest of the war, and was placed into reserve in November of 1945. There were plans to sell her to the Netherlands navy, but these plans failed to come through and Arethusa was eventually scrapped by 1950.

=== [[wt:en/news/6363-development-hms-arethusa-mistress-of-the-seas-en|Devblog]] ===
The development of the Arethusa-class light cruisers began because their predecessors - type Leander ships, were not very suitable for fleet operations at sea nor as a lead destroyer. Type Leander cruisers didn't have the manoeuvrability to be leaders, nor did they meet the minimum silhouette requirements for night operations. British engineers had to create a new, lighter, and more manoeuvrable ship based on the Leander.

The result of this endeavour was the creation of the Arethusa-class in the early 1930s - a light cruiser design based on the Leander-class, with reductions in firepower, protection and other aspects to accomodate for weight savings. The design was soon approved for construction, with six ships being initially ordered, although five were actually built in the end.

HMS Arethusa, the lead ship of her class, was laid down in January 1933, being commissioned in May 1935. Upon her completion, HMS Arethusa was immediately assigned to the Mediterranean, where she would also witness the outbreak of WWII in September 1939. Early in the war, HMS Arethusa operated off the coast of Norway, assisted in the evacuation of troops from France in 1940 and protected numerous Allied convoys in the Atlantic and Mediterranean.

Later in the war, in 1942, HMS Arethusa suffered heavy damages as a result of an airborne torpedo attack by axis forces, knocking the ship out of action for almost 2 years before finally being repaired in the US. Arethusa's final major operation of WWII were the Allied landings in Normandy in 1944. HMS Arethusa was put in reserve in the immediate postwar years and was later scrapped in May 1950.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_cruiser_arethusa Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6363-development-hms-arethusa-mistress-of-the-seas-en|[Devblog] HMS Arethusa: Mistress of the Seas]]

=== References ===

* Mason, G. B., & Smith, G. (2004). HMS Arethusa, British Light Cruiser. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-06CL-Arethusa.htm</nowiki>
* Helgason, G. (1995). Uboat.net. Retrieved January 07, 2021, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4009.html</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Chatham Dockyard}}
{{Britain light cruisers}}

HMAS Tobruk

2023-11-26T06:12:00Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMAS Tobruk

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_battle_tobruk
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMAS Tobruk (D37)''' is a member of the Battle-class destroyer family. The HMAS Tobruk was completed in 1950 at the Cockatoo Island Dockyard. In the late 1950s, she served with the Far East Strategic Reserve three times and was deployed twice to the Korean War. She was decommissioned in 1960 and sold for scrap in 1971 after being damaged beyond economic repair during a gunnery exercise by sister ship HMAS Anzac.

Introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]], the HMAS Tobruk is a fast destroyer with powerful main armaments mounted in the bow. She has superior secondary armament and a very good, sustained rate of fire, much like the [[HMS Armada]]. As a result of this, aircraft and fast-attack boats may find the HMAS Tobruk to be a dangerous target. The HMAS Tobruk is a very deadly opponent for coastal craft, so it is best to play her close to the coast. Utilize her to safeguard allied coastal vessels as they capture objectives to win the battle.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}
''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}
''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}
{{main|4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)/Ammunition|4.5 inch HE, 4.5 inch SAP, 4.5 inch HE-TF, 4.5 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}
{{main|QF Mark VII (40 mm)|QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:QF Mark VII (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}
{{main|Mk.IX** (533 mm)}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==


HMAS Tobruk is similar to her sister ship in the British tech tree, [[HMS Armada]]. While the Tobruk has a slower top speed and loses a main battery gun it gains better turret traverse and an even more impressive secondary 40 mm battery. The Tobruk is a fantastic fast assault ship thanks to its forward-mounted main battery. Use the excellent rate of fire and turret traverse to push the enemy constantly while keeping a small profile to reduce any incoming damage. Don't be afraid to bully patrol boats with the Tobruk's excellent turret traverse and the colossal number of 40 mm guns. At close ranges the torpedoes can be very effective thanks to their good damage. With a large crew size for a destroyer and decent armour protection where it matters don't be afraid to weather some fire before retreating. Use the opportunity of cover from islands to hide the bulk of your ship. Keep your front turrets pointed outwards to harass oncoming ships.

The Tobruk is a great destroyer but not a cruiser and shouldn't be used to fight them. The small calibre of the shells means even the SAP rounds are pretty hopeless against cruisers. Cruiser guns will happily negate the armour that the Tobruk does boast so avoid them at all costs in a solo encounter. If you have teammates to back you up the Tobruk is a great compliment to a mixed team when bringing its large quantity of torpedoes to bear on larger targets. The Tobruk gets good torpedoes of significant quantity. This is offset by launchers that turn slowly and have a poor firing arc, especially the forward-most launcher. Only use the torpedoes if you can avoid enemy fire or if the enemy is already in your firing arc. Turning your ship in order to make use of the torpedoes negates your narrow profile advantage and makes you an easy target. From the side the Tobruk is a big ship.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* High rate of fire with the main battery guns, 20 rounds per minute sustained with no second-stage ammo system
* Efficient AA/auxiliary armament of multiple 40 mm guns, which can make short work of both aircraft and patrol boats, as well as damaging destroyers at close range
* Decent armour protection over ammo storage and the main guns, more than many destroyers get
* Very fast turret traverse can be a nasty surprise for enemy ships that try to flank you, and make the guns very effective against aircraft if used in that role
* Plenty of torpedoes

'''Cons:'''

* Small calibre of main shells makes fighting cruisers completely futile
* Torpedo launchers have poor traverse and firing arcs, making them difficult to use safely or effectively
* Turrets are big, flat targets, meaning they get knocked out easily by direct hits

== History ==

[[File:HMAS Tobruk (AWM 301573).jpg|thumb|HMAS Tobruk in Jervis Bay, circa. 1954-1958. Note the two Mk VI gun turrets ahead of her superstructure.]]
The Battle Class, HMAS ''Tobruk'' was a destroyer of the Battle class commissioned for the Australian navy. As one of the two-ship "Australian Battle" class, she featured an improved main armament and more advanced gunnery equipment. She was commissioned too late to see service in the Second World War, but served in the Korean war and Malayan Emergency. She was severely damaged in a gunnery accident in 1960, and was written off and sold for scrap.

'''<big>Design and development</big>'''

The Battle class, the predominant late-war British destroyer design before the emergence of the Daring class, was designed to be built in several flotillas. The 1943 "Battles" were thus known as the "Early Battle Class". The United Kingdom intended to build the later Battle class ships with the new QF 4.5 inch Mark VI turret, but these ships were cancelled in early 1945 due to the end of hostilities in the western theatre. However, two ships had been laid down by the Australian navy, which were built and completed nevertheless, to be known as the "Australian Battle" Class ships. Construction was very slow, and ''Tobruk'' wasn't commissioned until the early 1950s.

HMAS ''Tobruk'' displaced 3400 tons full, making her very large for a WWII-era destroyer. She carried a main armament of four 4.5 inch QF Mark VI guns in two twin turrets - these advanced turrets were capable of firing at 20 rounds per minute (RPM). Tobruk carried an anti-aircraft armament of twelve 40 mm Bofors guns in three dual and six single mounts, as well as two quintuple torpedo tubes. Fitted with steam turbines developing 50 000 shaft horsepower, she was able to make 31.5 knots (58 km/h).

<big>'''Operational history'''</big>

After her commissioning in 1951, ''Tobruk'' was deployed to the Korean Theatre to assist naval operations there, primarily serving as a shore bombarder and carrier escort. She returned to Australia in late 1952 for a refit, then deployed to Korea again, this time staying until 1954. After she returned home, ''Tobruk'' underwent a refit, and was deployed as part of an Australian naval squadron to southeast Asia (the Far East Strategic Reserve). She later served during the Malayan Emergency, and received a second battle star (her first in Korea) for it. In September of 1960, ''Tobruk'' was conducting exercises with her sister ship ''Anzac'' when a targeting error caused a shell from ''Anzac'' to hit her; the damage was severe, and two of ''Anzac's'' crew members were charged for the accident. It was deemed that the damage was uneconomical to repair, and as a result, ''Tobruk'' was placed in reserve and later scrapped.

=== [[wt:en/news/6487-development-hmas-tobruk-advance-australia-en|Devblog]] ===
HMAS Tobruk was one of two late Battle-class destroyers of the so-called "Australian Battle-class" design. These were based on a cancelled third and final batch of Battle-class destroyers ordered for the Royal Navy in the late stages of WWII. Nonetheless, the Australian government proceeded with ordering the construction of two ships of this subclass, thus earning it its name.

HMAS Tobruk was the second of the two ships to be ordered and was laid down on 5 August 1946 in Sydney. Being built in the immediate postwar years meant that construction progressed slowly, resulting in the ship being only commissioned into RAN service in May 1950.

From there, HMAS Tobruk took part in several conflicts of the 1950s, such as the Korean War and the Malayan Emergency, earning the ship two battle honours. In the late 1950s, HMAS Tobruk was subjected to its first of two friendly fire incidents, which caused light structural damage and the loss of one crew member.

The second incident, which also sealed HMAS Tobruk's fate, occurred in September 1960. Namely, the ship was once again hit by friendly fire, this time coming from her sistership HMAS Anzac during a gunnery exercise off Jervis Bay. However, the damage was severe enough to be considered uneconomical to perform repairs, resulting in the ship being decommissioned in late 1960.

HMAS Tobruk undertook its final sea voyage under tow to Japan where the ship was ultimately broken up for scrap in 1972.

In War Thunder, HMAS Tobruk will be a new destroyer coming to rank III of the British naval forces tree as part of the upcoming update 1.95 "Northern wind". Compared to the existing Battle-class destroyer in game - HMS Armada - HMAS Tobruk offers its aspiring captains improved anti-air firepower and survivability, coming at the cost of slightly reduced mobility and a cut down primary armament suit.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_battle_tobruk Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="150">
File:HMAS Tobruk WTWallpaper 01.jpg|
File:HMAS Tobruk WTWallpaper 02.jpg|
File:HMAS Tobruk WTWallpaper 03.jpg|
File:HMAS Tobruk WTWallpaper 04.jpg|
File:HMAS Tobruk WTWallpaper 05.jpg|
File:HMAS Tobruk WTWallpaper 06.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/6487-development-hmas-tobruk-advance-australia-en|[Devblog] HMAS Tobruk: Advance Australia!]]

=== References ===

* Royal Australian Navy. (2020, August 05). HMAS Tobruk (I). Retrieved January 04, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.navy.gov.au/hmas-tobruk-i</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Cockatoo Docks}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMS Armada

2023-11-25T18:06:12Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Armada

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_battle_2series
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Armada (D14)''' is a member of the Battle-class destroyer family. Her name commemorates the English triumph over the Spanish Armada in 1588. Hawthorn Leslie and Company built the HMS Armada on the Tyne. Launched on December 9, 1943, she was put into service on July 2, 1945. The HMS Armada joined the British Pacific Fleet in 1945, but it did not participate in any combat operations during World War II. Following that year, the HMS Armada was sent to the Far East as a part of the 19th Destroyer Flotilla, where it carried out a range of tasks. The following year, the HMS Armada and the rest of the 19th Destroyer Flotilla returned to the UK, stopping at several ports along the way, mostly for "fly-the-flag" visits. As the HMS Armada arrived in the UK, she was put into reserve. As a member of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, the HMS Armada deployed to the Mediterranean in 1949. The HMS Armada was taken out of service in 1960 and sold to Thos. W. Ward in 1965 to be scrapped at Inverkeithing.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]], the HMS Armada is a fast destroyer with powerful main armaments mounted in the bow. Although the main armament ammunition is not as effective as that of other destroyers, it more than makes up for it with a very good, sustained rate of fire. Thanks to her superior secondary armament, the HMS Armada is a dangerous target for aircraft and fast-attack boats. Given that the HMS Armada is a very lethal opponent for coastal craft and has anti-aircraft capabilities that can be extremely useful in covering allied coastal craft, she excels at aiding and covering allied coastal ships in capturing objectives.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

Like most destroyers, the ''Armada'' does not have comprehensive armour plating or an armoured belt, only some plating over critical locations. It has 6.35 mm hardened armour plating covering the sides of the main and secondary ammunition magazines in the bow and the stern. This, combined with the 16 mm steel hull, is sufficient to protect against autocannon and machine gun fire except at very close ranges, as well as most destroyer HE shells, but will not stop destroyer SAP shells or anything bigger. There is also 15 mm of anti-fragmentation armour on the deck above the magazines, which will stop destroyer HE shells, but nothing more.

The main gun turrets are protected by 12.7 mm of anti-fragmentation armour, which is insufficient against destroyer HE shells or larger. Their barbettes for the bow gun turrets are protected by 9.53 mm of armour. The "P" main gun turret behind the funnel is an open mounting, and it is thus more vulnerable to getting disabled. The 40 mm Bofors turret between the torpedo tubes has 12.7 mm anti-fragmentation armour towards the front, but only 6.35 mm around the sides. The other Bofors guns in {{Annotation|STAAG|stabilized tachymetric anti-aircraft gun}} turrets, as well as the torpedo tubes, are unarmoured.

The only other protected locations are the bridge (9.53 mm) and the rangefinder (6.35 mm).

Notably, the boiler room, funnel, and propeller shafts are completely unarmoured other than by the hull plating, thus they are quite vulnerable to large-calibre shells. In particular, the ''Armada'' has only one funnel, so having it destroyed will completely cripple the ship's mobility.

The ''Armada'' has a crew of 260, which gives it relatively decent survivability for a destroyer, though it is inferior in that respect to the large German destroyers (most of which have crews of around 320) and some American ones (such as the [[USS Sumner|USS ''Allen M. Sumner'']]).

It is also important to note that Armada's ammunition magazines are somewhat exposed above the waterline, so she is vulnerable to ammunition rack damage and explosions. It is not possible to have the magazines under the waterline.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The ''Armada'' is currently the fastest British bluewater ship in the game. Few destroyers will be able to outrun her in a straight line (namely, ''[[Moskva]]'', ''[[Leningrad]]'', ''[[Tashkent]]'', ''[[Spokoinyy]]'', and [[IJN Shimakaze|''Shimakaze'']]). She accelerates well and has a relatively tight turning radius.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.5 inch/45 QF Mark IV (114 mm)}}

The ''Armada'' is armed with five QF 4.5-inch Mark IV guns, four of which are concentrated in two dual-gun bow turrets, with the fifth gun in an open-backed turret mounting behind the funnel amidships. All of these mountings can traverse through a full 360°, allowing the ''Armada'' to keep its guns bearing on a target regardless of the ship's manoeuvres.

The two bow turrets are true dual-purpose mountings, capable of elevating up to 80°. Combined with the HE-VT (proximity fuse) shells, they are very deadly against aircraft. They are capable of firing at 20 rounds/minute. Although ships like the American destroyers and the Japanese [[IJN Akizuki|''Akizuki'']] can fire faster than the ''Armada'', the former two can only do so as long as their first order racks are not empty; once empty, their rate of fire drops to 15 rounds/minute. The ''Armada'' does not have a first order rack, and it can sustain its rate of fire as long as it has ammunition.

Because of the limited field-of-fire available to the amidships single-gun turret, it is usually better to rely on only the two bow turrets for most engagements. Attempting to use the other turret requires exposing a lot of broadside, which usually results in more damage taken. The amidships turret also has a lower rate of fire of only 15 rounds/minute, and its elevation is limited to 55°, thus it is not as useful against aircraft.

The ''Armada'' has access to HE, HE-TF, SAP, and HE-VT rounds. Once HE-VT has been unlocked, there is no point in using HE or HE-TF, as the HE-VT acts identically to regular HE against surface targets, and is also far, far superior against aircraft compared to HE-TF. Despite the smaller calibre, the 4.5-inch gun's SAP actually has slightly more penetration than the older QF 4.7-inch gun's SAP at all ranges up to 15 km thanks to its superior ballistics. The smaller calibre comes at the cost of explosive filler, though the higher rate of fire of the 4.5-inch gun more or less compensates for that.

The main guns also have fairly noticeable dispersion and shell travel times at longer ranges, hence they are quite hard to hit with consistently at ranges beyond 5 km, especially if trying to aim for specific modules or against smaller craft.

{{:4.5 inch/45 QF Mark IV (114 mm)/Ammunition|4.5 inch HE, 4.5 inch SAP, 4.5 inch HE-TF, 4.5 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|QF Mark V (40 mm)|QF Mark VII (40 mm)|QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)}}

The ''Armada''<nowiki/>'s secondary armament consists solely of 40 mm Bofors guns. Four of these are in the stern on twin {{Annotation|STAAG|stabilized tachymetric anti-aircraft gun}} mountings, with another twin mounting in between the two quintuple torpedo tube mounts. There are a further two single Bofors mountings, one on each side of the bridge, making for a total of eight 40 mm Bofors guns. These guns are highly effective against low/medium altitude aircraft, and are also deadly against enemy coastal fast attack boats when manually aimed.

The stern Bofors turrets can traverse through 360°, although their ability to engage aircraft dead ahead of the Armada is limited due to the ship's superstructure blocking the way. Thus, it is best to present the stern of the ship towards aircraft, whenever possible, if relying on the Bofors guns for anti-aircraft defence.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:QF Mark V (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX** (533 mm)}}

The ''Armada'' has two quintuple 21-inch torpedo tube mountings located amidships, allowing for a respectable torpedo salvo. Like all British destroyers, however, these mountings have very restricted fields-of-fire, requiring the target to be almost directly abeam of the ship. They also traverse quite slowly and are thus quite risky to use, unless the torpedoes are being fired while out of combat or against unaware opponents.

The 21-inch Mark IX torpedo itself is a rather respectable weapon, with a good range of 9.6 km and a large explosive warhead of 340 kg. It is considerably slower than the American 21-inch Mark 15 and German G7a torpedo, though it has almost double the range and a much larger warhead than the American weapon. This range can be extended further by installing the torpedo mode modification, if necessary.

== Usage in battles ==


HMS ''Armada'' is a fast destroyer with decent durability and relatively powerful bow-mounted main armament. While the 4.5-inch guns' shells are individually weaker than that of other destroyers, the sustained rate of fire is very good and somewhat compensates for this. The ''Armada'' also has excellent secondary armament in the form of its multiple Bofors 40 mm guns, making it a dangerous target for aircraft or fast attack boats.

The ''Armada'' excels at helping contesting capture zones, as she is an extremely deadly opponent for coastal craft, and her anti-aircraft capabilities can be invaluable in covering allied coastal craft. The accuracy of the 4.5-inch gun is not very good at long ranges, so she will struggle to land many shells on small coastal craft at longer ranges.

It is important to keep in mind that most other nations' contemporary destroyers have significantly stronger broadsides, hence it is ill-advised to engage in duels with such opponents. Showing the broadside on the ''Armada'' only brings one other main gun into play in exchange for presenting a much larger target, which is usually not worth the risk. Engaging cruisers is also ill-advised, as the 4.5-inch gun will struggle to inflict enough damage before they cripple or destroy the ''Armada''.

Given the bow-oriented armament, it can be very tempting to present a bow-only profile towards enemies, but it is also important to note that the ''Armada'' does not have good protection for the turrets and bridge and these can be fairly easily knocked out by even autocannons. The ammunition magazines are also partially exposed above the waterline and have only slight armour plating along the sides, and none from the front and rear. Well-placed SAP shells can easily penetrate there, with potentially fatal results.

The Mk. IX torpedoes have a long range and pack the second heaviest warhead in the 533 mm class, but the torpedo tubes are slow to traverse and have poor firing arcs. It is not recommended to turn the ship simply to launch torpedoes, since that requires showing a virtually full broadside. Only use the torpedoes when an enemy is already in front of them, or there is little risk of return fire. It may also be worth considering not bringing them at all, considering their limited utility and the torpedo detonation risk if the tubes are hit.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Dual-purpose rapid-traverse, rapid-firing main guns; capable of very high elevation in the bow mountings.
* Relatively survivable for a British destroyer.
* Fastest British bluewater ship in the game.
* Access to HE-VT shells.
* Heavy secondary anti-aircraft armament of 40 mm Bofors guns.
* Main guns are concentrated forward.

'''Cons:'''

* Smaller calibre and fewer main guns than contemporary destroyers from other nations.
* Main gun turret behind the funnel has restricted elevation and field-of-fire; cannot engage targets directly behind the ship.
* Highly restricted firing arcs on torpedo tubes.
* Prone to getting crippled from funnel damage since it has only one funnel.
* Losing a bow turret dramatically cripples damage output.
* Ammunition magazines are partially exposed above the waterline.

== History ==

The original concept of the Battle class was to give destroyers the ability to engage air targets with their main guns. Early war experiences such as the Norwegian campaign (April-June 1940) revealed the need for a dual-purpose battery for destroyers or smaller ships in defending airstrikes, as existing guns did not have enough elevation for targeting aircraft. On 21 October 1940, the Director of Tactical and Staff Duties Division (DTSD), a directorate of the Admiralty Naval Staff of the Royal Navy responsible for the tactical use and crew training of naval weapons, stated that all future long-range guns for destroyers and smaller ships should be dual-purpose.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Trucks" /> However, at this time, the problem was that the largest destroyer gun that had enough elevation was the 4-inch gun, which was considered not "man enough" for a destroyer.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Trucks">Friedman, Norman. British Destroyers & Frigates. Chapter 6. "Battle" Class. Pp 108. Pen and Sword.</ref> Other dual-purpose batteries used on capital ships at the time were too heavy for a destroyer.

Meanwhile, opinion on specifications was divided within the Admiralty. The idea of the 1942 destroyer was discussed at a 9 April 1941 Deputy Controller's meeting. Director of Naval Construction (DNC) and Director of Naval Ordnance (DNO) both suggested the new ship to be a rearmed Tribal class by replacing one of the twin 4.7-inch mounts with a twin 4-inch gun, while DTSD wanted to build more 4-inch L class, and Assistant Chief of the Naval Staff-Home Waters (ACNS(H)) preferred new ships with more light anti-air guns (the Hazemeyers Bofors) and most main guns facing forward. In the following month's Controller meeting, DNC sketched a design with four 4.7-inch or twin 4-inch guns and four cornered light AA guns to meet requirements from different departments.

Still, this was a rough design, and replenishment was added to the arrangement in the rest of 1941: a new mounting of twin 4.5-inch with a new director was selected to replace 4.7-inch and 4-inch as primary weapons; all main armaments facing forward; a single 4-inch was placed on the middle planform to fire starshell for night operations. Construction of ten ships began in April 1942, and the remaining six were ordered on 12 August 1942. During the construction of the first 16 ships (1942 Battle class), extra modifications, including electronic power and provisions for Arctic operations, were added, causing the total displacement to increase to 2,285 tons.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Trucks2">Friedman, Norman. British Destroyers & Frigates. Chapter 6. "Battle" Class. Pp 110. Pen and Sword.</ref>

HMS ''Armada'' is one of the 16 Battle-class Group 1 (1942), named for the English victory over Spanish Armada in 1588. She was laid down on 29 December 1942 in Hawthorn Leslie, Newcastle, and launched on 9 December 1943. However, due to the delays of the MK.VI director and fire control systems, ''Armada'' would not be commissioned until June 1945.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Trucks3">Lt Cdr Geoffrey, B Mason. 2004. HMS ''Armada'' – Battle class Destroyer. (<nowiki>https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-75Battle-HMS_Armada.htm</nowiki>)</ref> By that time, she was the one of the five Battle class still equipped with the 4-inch gun. As there was an increasing need for anti-air fire for actions in the Pacific, most Battle class had the single 4-inch gun replaced with two Bofors.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Trucks4">Friedman, Norman. British Destroyers & Frigates. Chapter 6. "Battle" Class. Pp 112. Pen and Sword.</ref>

''Armada'' was nominated to 19th Destroyer Flotilla in British Pacific Fleet in June 1945. However, it would take months to conduct acceptance trials, equipment trials, and crew training, and when ''Armada'' joined the Pacific fleet in Hong Kong, December 1945, the war was already over.

In the next ten months, HMS ''Armada'' stayed in the Far East with the 19th Destroyer Flotilla to provide escorts for British flagged ships in Chinese and Indo-Chinese waters. In addition, the Flotilla visited several ports in Japan and Australia. In October, ''Armada'' was ordered for return to the UK and sent to the Reserve fleet. After three years in reserve, ''Armada'' was recalled for service with the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla in 1949. With the Flotilla, she would conduct fleet exercises, patrols, and port visits around Mediterranean coasts until April 1953, when she was sent to refit. In January 1956, ''Armada'' returned to duty with the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla and took part in Operation Musketeer against Egypt. After the United Nations intervention, ''Armada'' returned to the UK with the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla. ''Armada'' was assigned the flotilla leader in the next four years, participating in fleet exercises, visiting missions, and NATO exercises with Home Fleet. In 1960, ''Armada'' was reduced to the Reserve Fleet and was sold for breaking at the end of 1965.<ref name="ZalogaLendLease_Trucks3" />

=== [[wt:en/news/5835-fleet-development-hms-armada-d14-keeping-the-birds-at-bay-en|Devblog]] ===
Realizing the heavy losses to air attacks and the inability of the then current destroyer designs to deal with aerial threats, the Royal Navy decided to act. In 1941, the first plans for what would become the replacement for the Tribal-class were drawn up.

Contrary to previous classes, the new destroyers would focus on powerful AA armament, featuring large calibre, high-angle dual purpose guns assisted by a number of smaller calibre AA cannons. The proposed design was accepted in autumn of 1941 under the name "Battle-class" with initial plans to build a total of 16 ships, forming two flotillas. The first order for 10 ships was issued in April 1942, with the second order for the remaining six ships following in August.

Despite the orders already being placed, further debate among high-ranking officials about the final design of the ship continued. As the initial ships were already under construction, changes to the existing design couldn't be applied anymore. This led to several more subclasses being developed, but that's a story for another time.

Although the first ships were launched by November 1943, delays in their completion were caused by late deliveries of critical fire control systems. In the end, only a handful of ships were completed by the end of WW2 and none of them saw any combat action. However, most of the ships of the Battle-class continued to serve well into the Cold War.

HMS Armada was one of these early ships of the class to be completed, but due to similar reasons, was only commissioned into service in July 1945. After several port visits throughout the UK, she was placed in reserve in 1947 only to rejoin active service in 1949 as part of the 3rd Destroyer Flotilla, operating in the Mediterranean.

During the mid 1950s, HMS Armada was involved in the Suez Crisis, but rejoined the Home Fleet shortly after. In 1960, HMS Armada was decommissioned and five years later, in 1965, taken apart for scrap.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_battle_2series Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5835-fleet-development-hms-armada-d14-keeping-the-birds-at-bay-en|[Devblog] HMS Armada (D14): Keeping The Birds at Bay]]

=== References ===
<references />

{{ShipManufacturer R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMS Vega

2023-11-25T17:54:51Z

U74396666: Update as required by DnaGonite

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_v_class_vega
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Vega (L41)''' is a member of the V-class destroyer family. As part of the 9th Order of the 1916–1917 Naval Program, the HMS Vega was ordered on June 30, 1916. William Doxford & Sons laid her down in Sunderland, England, on December 11, 1916, and she was launched on September 1, 1917. On December 14, 1917, she was commissioned into service after being completed on December 12, 1917. The HMS Vega saw action in the final year of World War I, serving with the Grand Fleet or Harwich Force. In 1918, the ship sustained damage while in fleet service. The HMS Vega later served with the Atlantic Fleet's 6th Destroyer Flotilla in 1921. After that, she was put into reserve and given to the Reserve Fleet. The HMS Vega was chosen to be converted into an anti-aircraft escort destroyer as part of the 1939 Rearmament Programme after World War II began. She arrived at Chatham Dockyard in May 1939 to start the conversion process. When she re-entered service in 1939, her pennant number changed to L41. The HMS Vega resumed her role in the North Sea convoy in July 1940. This ended on November 11, 1940, when she was severely damaged after running into a naval mine off Sunk Head, Harwich, England. She took part in the remainder of the war after the repairs were finished in late 1942. The HMS Vega was decommissioned and put into reserve again on August 15, 1945, the day that the armistice with Japan ended World War II. She was sold by Clayton and Davies at Dunston on Tyne on March 4, 1947, to BISCO for scrapping. On March 26, 1947, she arrived at the shipbreaker's yard.

Introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]], the HMS Vega is a unique destroyer for beginners; it has no torpedo armament and is entirely devoted to gunnery. The HMS Vega is vulnerable in close-quarters combat given that other vessels equipped with torpedoes could quickly destroy it, or out-turn it as the ship's turrets rotate very slowly. Therefore, it is more advisable to favour mid-range encounters, where the HMS Vega's exceptional gunnery and great manoeuvrability can be utilized to their fullest.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The Vega lacks survivability, but not necessarily to a crippling degree. There is no additional armour beyond the structural steel used in the Vega, and any ammunition can penetrate the Vega. This is a vulnerability shared by all destroyers, save for some American destroyers with minor anti-fragmentation hull armour. This flaw applies to all external components of the Vega as well, so primary weaponry and anti-aircraft mounts will be disabled frequently, even by machine gun fire. In addition to this, the size and crew count of the Vega is quite small, so the Vega will be destroyed quite easily.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

While suffering from a very low speed, Vega can showcase a decent manoeuvrability, enabling it to evade incoming fire where other destroyers would struggle. Mobility is a significant advantage of the Vega and should be used to both obtain and hold strategic positions and outmanoeuvre enemy fire.

{{NavalMobility
|SpeedForwardStockAB = 57
|SpeedBackStockAB = 17
|TurnTimeStockAB = 108.117
|TurnSpeedStockAB = 40
}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

Two twin 4"/45 Mark XVI turrets provide the primary armament of the Vega, and they are powerful compared to other destroyers at a similar BR range. The rate of fire on these turrets is unparalleled among the starter destroyers of any nation, with 20 rounds per minute nearly doubling the other nation's rates of fire. The ammunition fired is also competitive among the starter destroyers, with the 4" shells of the Vega being more powerful than both the American and Soviet 4" shells. The German 12.7 cm, the Japanese 120 mm, and the Italian 120 mm are more destructive shell-for-shell than the smaller 4"/45 Mark XVI, but the Vega still maintains the significant rate of fire advantage over those guns.

Also notable is the very good front firing angles of the guns. Both turrets are fully traversable around 360°, and the rear turret has no obstructions near it, so it only has a very small blind area at the very front of the ship. Even a slight angling of the Vega will allow 100% of the ship's main armament to be brought upon a target. In addition to this, the turrets have a very good maximum elevation of 80°, allowing for potential combating of air targets. However, the turrets on the Vega do suffer from some significant weaknesses; the rotation speed is painfully slow, even with the appropriate Primary Armament Targeting modification researched. Moreover, the guns are elevated so close range combat with coastal vessels can potentially be impaired by a lack of gun depression. These issues are particularly impactful at the BR of the Vega due to the prevalence of fast and nimble vessels.

The twin 4"/45 Mark XVI turrets on the Vega have access to HE, SAP, HE-TF, and HE-VT shells. The HE shells can be used to target coastal vessels and destroyers to an extent, but internal damage and turret damage is limited by a relatively small explosive mass of 1.55 kg of TNT. More recommendable in destroyer-to-destroyer combat is the SAP shell, capable of penetrating enemy armour and exploding internally to disable engines, detonate ammo racks, and more quickly reduce enemy crew counts. SAP, in conjunction with the high rate of fire, is competent against coastal vessels as well, although the hull-break provided by HE ammunition is more reliable. HE-TF and HE-VT are valid choices for combating air targets, with the high elevation of the guns, and HE-VT is more reliable than the HE-TF if given a choice between the two.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

Four single-mount 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II autocannons make up the secondary armament of the Vega. These are good at combating air targets and coastal vessels due to their high rate of fire and adequate overall damage output. These guns are only limited by the rather small number of them available on the Vega, and thus can't be completely relied upon as a complete defence against fast targets.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''20 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''20 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}

{{:20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-T, AP-T, HEF-I}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge}}

The Vega does not have access to torpedoes, and can only equip depth charges. The depth charges have an explosive mass of 130 kg of TNT and are effective at delivering close range damage, although the range of these significantly limit their impact on larger battles.

== Usage in battles ==

The Vega is a unique starter destroyer, completely focused on gunnery and lacking any torpedo armament. Close range combat is dangerous for the Vega, as other ships with torpedoes may easily dispatch the Vega, or fast enemies could outrun the very slow rotation rate of the Vega's turrets. It's therefore more recommendable to favour mid-range engagements, where the superb gunnery and great manoeuvrability of the Vega can shine. The high rate of fire and adequate explosive filler of the 4" guns will make targeting evasive coastal vessels and destroyer components much easier than any other destroyer at the Vega's battle rating.

Attacking the enemy head-on might be a good idea, as you can fire both your guns at the target while turning only about ten degrees to a side. Rapidly switch sides to disrupt the enemy's aim, and keep firing with both cannons. Load the SAP shell and aim for their engines or ammunition racks. Never let torpedo boats get close. Your poor traverse will make aiming at them near impossible. Try opening fire at any you see from afar, fast reload rates will make that job easier. Taking sharp turns will tilt your ship, making aiming guns, which have nearly no depression, difficult.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Fantastic rate of fire with effective shell choice
* Nearly perfect firing angles for both turrets
* Dual-purpose main armament capable of targeting planes
* Very manoeuvrable

'''Cons:'''

* No torpedoes
* Poor survivability
* Very poor turret rotation

== History ==

The V-class of destroyers were built and initially deployed during the First World War, and were some of the most advanced vessels of their type. Notable improvements in engine technology allowed for more efficient engines to be fit in smaller spaces, and resulted in a more compact and powerful destroyers. The Vega was part of the Admiralty V subclass, which were intended to combat newly designed German destroyers. The V-class destroyers also served in WW2, after refits, as escorts. The Vega specifically underwent the WAIR refit, which focused more on anti-aircraft capability.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_v_class_vega Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{ShipManufacturer William Doxford and Sons}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMS Verdun

2023-11-25T17:45:00Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Verdun

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_v_class_verdun
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Verdun (L93)''' is a member of the Admiralty V-class destroyer family. She is the only destroyer in the British navy to be named Verdun, after the Battle of Verdun, and is among the oldest destroyers to have served in both World Wars I and II. The HMS Verdun, which was launched on August 21, 1917, at the Hawthorn Leslie shipyard in Hebburn, Tyneside, was finished in November of the same year. She was a member of the Harwich Force and the Grand Fleet. On November 8, 1920, she was tasked with returning The Unknown Warrior's remains to Britain. In May 1940, the HMS Verdun's pennant number was changed from D93 to L93 after it was decided to modify her into an anti-aircraft escort destroyer. On November 1, 1940, a bomb damaged the HMS Verdun while she was serving as a convoy escort out of Rosyth and in the North Sea, killing 11 men, including her captain. After being fixed at Harwich, she escorted convoys along the east coast for the remainder of the war. Following VE Day, the HMS Verdun was placed into reserve before being sold in April 1946 to be scrapped at Granton, Edinburgh.

Introduced in [[Update "Direct Hit"]], the HMS Verdun is a very primitive destroyer that has limited firepower. Having just two turrets at the front and rear of the ship, she finds it difficult to deliver enough firepower to rival other destroyers. As her historical role intended, players are advised to stay close to allies and serve as an anti-aircraft escort. Direct combat with enemy destroyers is not advised unless there are other allies nearby to provide support.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''20 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF-T|High-explosive fragmentation tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}
* '''20 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF-I|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary}}

{{:20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)/Ammunition|HEF-T, AP-T, HEF-I}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_v_class_verdun Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[V class (Family)]]

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{ShipManufacturer R. and W. Hawthorn, Leslie and Company}}
{{Britain destroyers}}
{{Britain premium ships}}

HMS Daring

2023-11-25T10:55:44Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Daring

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_daring_class_daring
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Daring (D05)''' is a member of the Daring-class destroyer family. Built on the Tyne by Swan, Hunter, and Wigham Richardson, the HMS Daring was designed by the Wallsend Slipway & Engineering Company and served as the lead ship of her class. She was laid down on September 29, 1945, and launched on August 10, 1949, by Mrs. Leonard Hall, the First Lord of the Admiralty's daughter-in-law, George Hall. As the sixth ship bearing her name in the British Navy, she was first put into service on February 3, 1952. After serving five commissions, the HMS Daring was put into reserve in December 1968 and eventually sold for scrap in 1971.

Introduced in [[Update "La Royale"]], the HMS Daring is similar to the HMS Diana, as they were both classified under the same destroyer family. Compared to other destroyers, she is significantly larger, as she was built for far-reaching operations. Still, the HMS Daring was not protected by armour. This substantially increases the risk of ammunition detonation during battles, especially since her ammunition rack is located above the waterline. Players need to keep a certain distance from the enemy to avoid being targeted.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)/Ammunition|4.5 inch HE, 4.5 inch SAP, 4.5 inch HE-TF, 4.5 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|QF Mark V (40 mm)|QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:QF Mark V (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX** (533 mm)}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===

''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".''

'''Pros:'''

*

'''Cons:'''

*

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_daring_class_daring Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{ShipManufacturer Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMS Diana

2023-11-25T10:33:31Z

U74396666: Minor edits

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_daring_class_diana
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Diana (D126)''' is a member of the Daring-class destroyer family. She was designed and constructed amid World War II, incorporating experiences from the Pacific campaign, such as long-range and the ability to effectively replenish at sea. Yarrow and Co. Ltd. (Yard No. 1846) constructed the HMS Diana in Clydebank, Glasgow. She was laid down on April 3, 1947, and launched on Thursday, May 8, 1952, by Lady McGrigor, the wife of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Rhoderick McGrigor. The HMS Diana was first put into service on March 29, 1954. During construction, the originally planned name, HMS Druid, was renamed to HMS Diana. The HMS Diana was almost as big as a pre-war light cruiser, so at its time, it was regarded as a large destroyer. Along with her sister ship, HMS Decoy, she was acquired by the Peruvian Navy in 1969 and served until 1993.

Introduced in [[Update "Fire and Ice"]], the HMS Diana and her predecessor share certain characteristics. She is far more resilient and durable due to her design for far-reaching operations. Nevertheless, the HMS Diana is not an exception to the rule that the majority of early British destroyers lacked armour protection. This is a fatal flaw that greatly increases the risk of ammunition detonation, as the hull lacks any armour plates and the ammunition rack is situated above the waterline. To avoid being targeted, players should maintain some distance from the enemy.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

When compared to her real life predecessor, the [[Battle (Family)|Battle-class destroyer]], {{PAGENAME}} features similar characteristics along with some noticeable changes. She retains two forward-facing 4.5 inch turret of the Battle-class, but receives also an additional turret at the stern. Being designed for operation range and survivability, she is also considerably more resilient to enemy fire thanks to the compact crew compartment.

However, the Diana still shares the common weakness with other British WWII destroyers in terms of armour (or lack thereof). Her hull is almost devoid of any armour save for a thin layer of anti-fragmentation armour around the bridge and turrets. In addition, her anti-air and rear turret's shell room were located way above the waterline, both of them were fatal weak spot that will be exposed when doing broadsides and can be somewhat counterintuitive to the ship's additional firepower improvement.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

Being optimized for operation range, the Diana's top speed is below average for a destroyer. In addition, the ship's displacement will also affect her mobility, making her a bit less manoeuvrable.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)}}

The Diana features six 4.5 inch QF Mark V guns as her main armament, mounted in three twin turrets arranged in A-Bs-X position. These were the same weapon system as [[HMAS Tobruk]] and thus shared the same automatic ramming system and shell choice from its Australian counterpart, providing great and consistent rate of fire at 20 rpm with no first-stage ammo rack.

The gun has four shell choices: a HE shell with 2.32 kg of TNT equivalent, enough to cause damage to any unarmoured ship, a HE-TF and a HE-VT shell for anti-air purposes with the same filler as regular HE shell, and a SAP shell with largely the same performance as the one from British 5-inch guns.

As mentioned in the "Survivability and armour" section. While it is tempting to do broadsides to exploit the Diana's additional firepower at the rear, in doing so will expose her unprotected magazines at her bow and stern to the enemy. Thus, while in firefight, it is recommended to face her bow to the enemy at all times only use her frontal armament to minimize the risk of detonation.

{{:4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)/Ammunition|4.5 inch HE, 4.5 inch SAP, 4.5 inch HE-TF, 4.5 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|QF Mark V (40 mm)|QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)}}

For dedicated anti-air defence, the Diana features six 40 mm Bofors autocannon in two STAAG dual mounts flanking the bridge and one Mk V mount located behind her second funnel.

Compared to the Battle-class destroyers, the Diana's AA defense is somewhat of a downgrade due to the lower gun count and less coverage. Nevertheless, they still provide great defense against enemy aircraft, especially when used in tandem with the 4.5 inch guns.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:QF Mark V (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX** (533 mm)}}

As with other late British destroyers, the Diana is equipped with five 533 mm Mk.IX** torpedoes, launched from a single quintuple launcher located on the midship section. With 587.2 kg of TNT explosive equivalent and decent speed of 76 km/h, these powerful torpedoes are useful against any targets, especially at close range. However, the low quantity of torpedoes on board along with the launcher's poor firing arc significantly restrict its usefulness, as her captains will be forced to show the vulnerable broadsides to launch them.

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Six fast-firing and powerful 4.5 inch guns with no first-stage ammo racks
* Turret has good traverse speed and coverage
* Survivable against destroyers due to high crew count
* Good anti-air coverage

'''Cons:'''

* Critical modules were largely unarmoured, vulnerable to armour-piercing shells
* Auxiliary shell room at the bow and rear magazine is above the waterline, making it a fatal weak spot
* Relatively sluggish for a destroyer due to high displacement
* Carries only five torpedoes with restrictive firing arc

== History ==

HMS Diana was laid down at Clydebank, Glasgow on 3rd April 1947, launched on 8th May 1952, and was commissioned on 29th March 1954. Originally planned to be named Druid, this was changed to Diana during construction. HMS Diana was considered a large destroyer, with the design coming from lessons of the Pacific War where long endurance was very important.

With a main armament of six 4.5 inch (114 mm) dual-purpose guns in 3 fully enclosed twin turrets and being fully radar-controlled, the fire control system was considered the most advanced in the Royal Navy at the time. The guns were regarded as highly accurate with a high rate of fire. Completing the armament were 2 x 40 mm Bofors, 5 torpedo tubes and a triple "Squid" anti-submarine mortar.

Seeing combat in the Suez Crisis, HMS Diana was involved with the sinking of Egyptian frigate Domiat, which was engaged in a gun duel with the cruiser HMS Newfoundland. This engagement marked the last time in conflict a ship was sunk by another by gunfire only.

In 1968, Diana was diverted from her route to assist in the search for the British-made, Israeli-ordered submarine Dakar. During this search, Diana diverted again to assist Spanish tanker MV Bahia Blanca which was on fire.

In 1969, HMS Diana was sold to the Peruvian navy, renamed BAP Palacios, and refitted at Cammell Laird with new radar and 8 Exocet missiles.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_daring_class_diana Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{ShipManufacturer Yarrow Shipbuilders}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMS Diana

2023-11-25T10:33:00Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Diana

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_daring_class_diana
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The HMS Diana (D126) is a member of the Daring-class destroyer family. She was designed and constructed amid World War II, incorporating experiences from the Pacific campaign, such as long-range and the ability to effectively replenish at sea. Yarrow and Co. Ltd. (Yard No. 1846) constructed the HMS Diana in Clydebank, Glasgow. She was laid down on April 3, 1947, and launched on Thursday, May 8, 1952, by Lady McGrigor, the wife of Admiral of the Fleet Sir Rhoderick McGrigor. The HMS Diana was first put into service on March 29, 1954. During construction, the originally planned name, HMS Druid, was renamed to HMS Diana. The HMS Diana was almost as big as a pre-war light cruiser, so at its time, it was regarded as a large destroyer. Along with her sister ship, HMS Decoy, she was acquired by the Peruvian Navy in 1969 and served until 1993.

Introduced in Update "Fire and Ice", the HMS Diana and her predecessor share certain characteristics. She is far more resilient and durable due to her design for far-reaching operations. Nevertheless, the HMS Diana is not an exception to the rule that the majority of early British destroyers lacked armour protection. This is a fatal flaw that greatly increases the risk of ammunition detonation, as the hull lacks any armour plates and the ammunition rack is situated above the waterline. To avoid being targeted, players should maintain some distance from the enemy.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

When compared to her real life predecessor, the [[Battle (Family)|Battle-class destroyer]], {{PAGENAME}} features similar characteristics along with some noticeable changes. She retains two forward-facing 4.5 inch turret of the Battle-class, but receives also an additional turret at the stern. Being designed for operation range and survivability, she is also considerably more resilient to enemy fire thanks to the compact crew compartment.

However, the Diana still shares the common weakness with other British WWII destroyers in terms of armour (or lack thereof). Her hull is almost devoid of any armour save for a thin layer of anti-fragmentation armour around the bridge and turrets. In addition, her anti-air and rear turret's shell room were located way above the waterline, both of them were fatal weak spot that will be exposed when doing broadsides and can be somewhat counterintuitive to the ship's additional firepower improvement.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

Being optimized for operation range, the Diana's top speed is below average for a destroyer. In addition, the ship's displacement will also affect her mobility, making her a bit less manoeuvrable.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)}}

The Diana features six 4.5 inch QF Mark V guns as her main armament, mounted in three twin turrets arranged in A-Bs-X position. These were the same weapon system as [[HMAS Tobruk]] and thus shared the same automatic ramming system and shell choice from its Australian counterpart, providing great and consistent rate of fire at 20 rpm with no first-stage ammo rack.

The gun has four shell choices: a HE shell with 2.32 kg of TNT equivalent, enough to cause damage to any unarmoured ship, a HE-TF and a HE-VT shell for anti-air purposes with the same filler as regular HE shell, and a SAP shell with largely the same performance as the one from British 5-inch guns.

As mentioned in the "Survivability and armour" section. While it is tempting to do broadsides to exploit the Diana's additional firepower at the rear, in doing so will expose her unprotected magazines at her bow and stern to the enemy. Thus, while in firefight, it is recommended to face her bow to the enemy at all times only use her frontal armament to minimize the risk of detonation.

{{:4.5 inch/45 QF Mark V (114 mm)/Ammunition|4.5 inch HE, 4.5 inch SAP, 4.5 inch HE-TF, 4.5 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|QF Mark V (40 mm)|QF STAAG Mark II (40 mm)}}

For dedicated anti-air defence, the Diana features six 40 mm Bofors autocannon in two STAAG dual mounts flanking the bridge and one Mk V mount located behind her second funnel.

Compared to the Battle-class destroyers, the Diana's AA defense is somewhat of a downgrade due to the lower gun count and less coverage. Nevertheless, they still provide great defense against enemy aircraft, especially when used in tandem with the 4.5 inch guns.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE clips:''' {{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP clips:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEFI-T|High-explosive fragmentation incendiary tracer}}

{{:QF Mark V (40 mm)/Ammunition|HEFI-T, AP-T}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX** (533 mm)}}

As with other late British destroyers, the Diana is equipped with five 533 mm Mk.IX** torpedoes, launched from a single quintuple launcher located on the midship section. With 587.2 kg of TNT explosive equivalent and decent speed of 76 km/h, these powerful torpedoes are useful against any targets, especially at close range. However, the low quantity of torpedoes on board along with the launcher's poor firing arc significantly restrict its usefulness, as her captains will be forced to show the vulnerable broadsides to launch them.

== Usage in battles ==

''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Six fast-firing and powerful 4.5 inch guns with no first-stage ammo racks
* Turret has good traverse speed and coverage
* Survivable against destroyers due to high crew count
* Good anti-air coverage

'''Cons:'''

* Critical modules were largely unarmoured, vulnerable to armour-piercing shells
* Auxiliary shell room at the bow and rear magazine is above the waterline, making it a fatal weak spot
* Relatively sluggish for a destroyer due to high displacement
* Carries only five torpedoes with restrictive firing arc

== History ==

HMS Diana was laid down at Clydebank, Glasgow on 3rd April 1947, launched on 8th May 1952, and was commissioned on 29th March 1954. Originally planned to be named Druid, this was changed to Diana during construction. HMS Diana was considered a large destroyer, with the design coming from lessons of the Pacific War where long endurance was very important.

With a main armament of six 4.5 inch (114 mm) dual-purpose guns in 3 fully enclosed twin turrets and being fully radar-controlled, the fire control system was considered the most advanced in the Royal Navy at the time. The guns were regarded as highly accurate with a high rate of fire. Completing the armament were 2 x 40 mm Bofors, 5 torpedo tubes and a triple "Squid" anti-submarine mortar.

Seeing combat in the Suez Crisis, HMS Diana was involved with the sinking of Egyptian frigate Domiat, which was engaged in a gun duel with the cruiser HMS Newfoundland. This engagement marked the last time in conflict a ship was sunk by another by gunfire only.

In 1968, Diana was diverted from her route to assist in the search for the British-made, Israeli-ordered submarine Dakar. During this search, Diana diverted again to assist Spanish tanker MV Bahia Blanca which was on fire.

In 1969, HMS Diana was sold to the Peruvian navy, renamed BAP Palacios, and refitted at Cammell Laird with new radar and 8 Exocet missiles.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_daring_class_diana Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{ShipManufacturer Yarrow Shipbuilders}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMS Kelvin

2023-11-24T16:23:35Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Kelvin

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_k_class
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Kelvin (F37)''' is a member of the K-class destroyer family. The Fairfield Shipbuilding and Engineering Company, Limited laid the HMS Kelvin down at Govan, Scotland, on October 5, 1937. She was launched on January 19, 1939, and put into service on November 27, 1939, bearing the pennant number F37. In World War II, the HMS Kelvin participated in combat in multiple theatres. She scuttled HMS Ivanhoe, which had struck a mine off Texel during the Texel Disaster, in September 1940 as a member of the 5th Destroyer Flotilla. She also bombarded Cherbourg in October while accompanying the battleship HMS Revenge in October 1940. The HMS Kelvin was one of the few destroyers of the J, K, and N classes to survive the war. It was broken up at Troon, Scotland, and sold for scrap on April 6, 1949.

Introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]], the destroyer HMS Kelvin is incredibly fragile. The HMS Kelvin has very little armour protection throughout the ship, making it extremely vulnerable in close-quarters combat with other destroyers. With 208 crew members, the HMS Kelvin is a remarkably unimpressive vessel compared to its German and American counterparts. Ammunition detonation is a serious risk, as some ammunition racks are situated above the waterline. All things considered, playing the HMS Kelvin demands extreme caution. It works best as a support destroyer, engaging opponents from a distance.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The Kelvin has absolutely no armour protection other than the gun shields. The main guns have 3.2 mm-thick shields, which will protect against nothing more than light machine gun bullets, while the Vickers .50 cal machine guns have 12.7 mm shields. The hull is standard 16 mm steel, which is resistant to low calibre HE and machine guns, but not much more.

The bow main gun ammunition racks are located slightly below the waterline, but the ones in the stern, as well as the bow secondary ammunition storage, are exposed above the waterline. This makes the Kelvin very vulnerable to ammunition detonation from hits at the waterline, and caution should be taken.

The machinery of the Kelvin is also exposed above the waterline, and she is vulnerable to engine damage as well. In addition, the Kelvin has only one funnel, so if it is destroyed, her mobility will be substantially crippled.

The Kelvin has a crew of 208, which is unremarkable compared to most other destroyers, and substantially worse than the German destroyers, as well as some American ones.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Kelvin has a respectable top speed, and she will easily keep pace with most other destroyers. Her acceleration is good, and she will easily reach her top speed.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)}}

The Kelvin's main armament consists of six QF 4.7-inch Mk. XII guns, four of them in dual-gun bow A and B turrets, with another two in a stern dual-gun X turret. The upper B and X turrets have unrestricted traverse, while the lower A turret is restricted to 145° to either side. Because of this, the Kelvin can bring all of its gun turrets to bear on a target ahead while showing very little broadside. This can make her harder to hit, especially at range and on the move. The maximum elevation is only 40°, which makes them of limited use against aircraft. The traverse speed of the turrets is also somewhat below average.

The guns have a rate of fire of 12 rounds/minute while the 30-round first-stage ammunition rack is not empty, dropping to 10 rounds/minute when they are empty.

The 4.7-inch gun can fire HE, HE-TF, SAP, and HE-VT. HE-VT is flatly superior to HE and HE-TF, hence there is no point using the latter two once HE-VT has been unlocked. It is also very effective against aircraft, though the poor gun elevation means that the Kelvin will often not be able to engage attacking aircraft with the main guns. SAP is useful against armoured targets such as American destroyers with belt armour or light cruiser armour at closer ranges. Due to the smaller calibre, the shells of the 4.7-inch gun generally lack in explosive filler compared to contemporary guns such as the American 5"/38 or the German 12.8 cm guns.

{{:4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)/Ammunition|4.7 inch HE Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch SAP Mk.VA, 4.7 inch HE-TF Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch HE-VT Mk.VIIA}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)}}

The secondary armament of the Kelvin consists of a quadruple 2-pounder 'pom-pom' mount. This weapon is mounted amidships, behind the funnel, and is primarily an anti-aircraft weapon. However, it can be very deadly against coastal craft due to its high rate of fire and relatively potent 40 mm rounds.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}

{{:2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)/Ammunition|AP-T, HEF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

In addition to the 'pom-pom' mount, the Kelvin carries two quadruple Vickers .50 cal heavy machine gun turrets. The heavy machine guns have a high rate of fire, but a fairly long reload. It is effective against aircraft at close range, as well as against unarmoured coastal attack craft, but is mostly useless against armoured targets or other destroyers.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX (533 mm)|Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge}}

The Kelvin has two quintuple 21-inch torpedo tube mountings located amidships, allowing for a respectable torpedo salvo. Like all British destroyers, however, these mountings have very restricted fields-of-fire, requiring the target to be almost directly abeam of the ship. They also traverse quite slowly and are thus quite risky to use, unless the torpedoes are being fired while out of combat or against unaware opponents.

The 21-inch Mark IX torpedo itself is a rather respectable weapon, with a good range of 9.6 km and a large explosive warhead of 340 kg. It is considerably slower than the American 21-inch Mark 15 and German G7a torpedo, though it has almost double the range and a much larger warhead than the American weapon. This range can be extended further by installing the torpedo mode modification, if necessary.

The Kelvin also has two 'Y-gun' depth charge throwers located behind the aft torpedo tubes. These cannot be aimed, and are thus very rarely useful at all.

== Usage in battles ==
''Describe the technique of using this ship, the characteristics of her use in a team and tips on strategy. Abstain from writing an entire guide – don't try to provide a single point of view, but give the reader food for thought. Talk about the most dangerous opponents for this vehicle and provide recommendations on fighting them. If necessary, note the specifics of playing with this vehicle in various modes (AB, RB, SB).''

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 360° traverse on the B and X turrets
* Main guns are concentrated forward
* Large torpedo broadside, with long range, hard-hitting torpedoes
* Access to HE-VT shells
* Accurate main guns
* Above average top speed and mobility

'''Cons:'''

* Non-existent armour protection
* Only one funnel
* Above-waterline ammunition racks
* Very restricted torpedo tube firing arcs
* Below average anti-aircraft defences

== History ==

The K class, HMS Kelvin (F37) was a British destroyer of the K class, built for the Royal Navy during the Second World War. Designed as a follow-up to the preceding [[HMS Jervis|J class]], the ship was designed as a Tribal-class destroyer with more focus on guns and less focus on torpedoes. HMS Kelvin was laid down in October 1937 and commissioned by November 1939. She saw some service during the Second World War, including the task of transporting British Prime Minister Winston Churchill across the English Channel after the D-Day invasion. HMS Kelvin survived the war, and was scrapped by 1949.

=== Design ===
The J, K and N class destroyers were a group of three classes of destroyers built as a follow-up to the preceding Tribal class. At that point in time, the British Admiralty experienced a shift in destroyer doctrine which favoured guns over torpedoes - this trend was continued through the war until the introduction of the Battle class. HMS Kelvin was armed with a main armament of three twin 4.7 inch (119 mm) QF Mark XII dual-purpose main guns, with two fore and one aft. She also carried a secondary armament of a single quad pom-pom anti-aircraft gun, along with two quadruple 12.7 mm anti-aircraft machine guns. HMS Kelvin did not carry any torpedo tubes, but could carry depth charges for anti-submarine warfare. Powered by steam turbines delivering 44,000 shp, she could make 36 knots (67 km/h).

=== Operational History ===
The HMS Kelvin was commissioned by November 1939 and entered service with the British Navy in the British 5th Destroyer Flotilla. She would later scuttle the destroyer HMS Ivanhoe after the latter struck a mine during the Texel disaster. She escorted the battleship HMS Revenge as she bombarded the port of Cherbourg, and was subsequently reassigned to the British Mediterranean fleet under Admiral James Somerville.

After arriving in the Mediterranean theatre, HMS Kelvin<nowiki>'</nowiki>s first action was to bombard the town of Benghazi with her sister ships Kashmir, Kelly, and Kipling. She survived this action with little loss of life, but needed repairs and was thus sent all the way to Bombay in India. By March 1942, she had returned to the Mediterranean, and took part in the Second Battle of Sirte, where her convoy was attacked by a formidable Italian force including the battleship Littorio.

Later in 1942, Kelvin contributed to the sinking of the Italian torpedo boat Lupo, alongside the J-class destroyers Jervis, Janus, and Javelin. In January 1943, she bombarded the port city of Zuwara which culminated in the Battle off Zuwara, where the destroyers sank an Italian convoy attempting to evacuate from Tripoli. She then left the Mediterranean theatre yet again, to be refitted back in the UK. In June 1944, she transported the British Prime Minister Winston Churchill, along with various other foreign leaders, across the English Channel to inspect the troops that had landed in the D-Day landings. She then returned to the Mediterranean theatre, where she would stay for the rest of the war. HMS Kelvin survived the war and was broken up for scrap in 1949; she earned eight battle stars for her service during the Second World War.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_k_class Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


=== References ===

* Mason, G. B. (2004). HMS Kelvin, Destroyer. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-39K-HMS_Kelvin.htm</nowiki>
* Helgason, G. (1995). HMS Kelvin (F37). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4458.html</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Fairfields}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMS Grafton

2023-11-24T16:07:36Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Grafton

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_g_grafton
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Grafton (H89)''' is a member of the G-class destroyer family. She was constructed in the mid-1930s, when the HMS Grafton was stationed in Spanish waters from 1936 to 1939 to enforce the non-interventionist agreements reached by Britain and France during the Spanish Civil War. She was transferred from the Mediterranean Fleet to the UK for escort and contraband inspection duties after World War II began. When the Norwegian Campaign started in April 1940, the HMS Grafton was undergoing refit; after the work was finished, the HMS Grafton escorted convoys to Norway. In May, she rescued British troops from the bridgehead of Dunkirk; however, a German submarine sank her after she stopped to recover survivors from a destroyer.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]], the HMS Grafton is equipped with heavy firepower for her size. However, she remains extremely vulnerable to most enemy destroyers. The HMS Grafton is most useful when employed as a quick-light support destroyer, evading enemy fire with its superior mobility. The HMS Grafton may be able to survive confrontation with other enemy destroyers thanks to her powerful main armament, but she will almost definitely come out of it severely damaged. Therefore, the best chances are to move or hide deep behind the enemy, attack first, and maintain the distance.

== General info ==
HMS Grafton performs excellently in the destroyer vs. destroyer area, thanks to her 4 x 120 mm 4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII main guns. Her mobility is also remarkable, but the less appealing aspects are her lacklustre anti-air defences and the yet below-average crew size. The ship surely stands out from the other low-rank destroyers because of her entirely dark-grey hull, with a maroon red deck. Although, she can be found using the completely different camouflage scheme of HMS bulldog (under the different pennant number H91) in western approaches' white tone. The ship features a completely raked bow and a hull with a lot of freeboard, similar to the [[Tribal (Family)|Tribal-class]] hull. Another way to differentiate her from other destroyers, is her four single turrets, two at the bow and two located in the stern.

Notice the anti-air fire is expected to be low, mainly [[Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)]] turrets. A double set of quadruple torpedo mountings can be seen just abaft her two inclined funnels.

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

[[File:G-class Main armour .png|thumb|4.97 mm of antifragmentation armour plate on Grafton's main gun.|200x200px]]
The crew size is an essential indicator of survivability amongst destroyers but HMS Grafton does not offer any significative advantage over other Rank I destroyers, with her crew being only of 145. Captains must be prudent in their combat actions to preserve the life of their complement.

The armour present on HMS is limited to gun shielding and turret protections consisting of:

* 12.7 mm of antifragmentation armour
* 4.97 mm of antifragmentation armour

This antifragmentation armour stops HE shells and low calibre machine guns (7.7 mm). But it won't be enough to stop heavy machine gun calibre or higher calibres (20 mm and larger), also any SAP shell or HE with base fuze will disable the turret. Thus the only use of the armour is to conceal and to fragment any HE shells; protecting the crew and the gun's breech from the shrapnel while the armour resists the damage. <gallery mode="packed" heights="180">
File:G-class turret damage 1.png|Turret state after German HE (Sprgr. Kpf.Z) impact. Armour successfully deters the shell.
File:G-class turret damage 2.png|Turret state after German HE with base fuze (L/4.4 Bd.Z) impact; note the ammo rack damage.
File:G-class turret damage 3.png|Turret damage by Japanese Type 1 SAP. It causes lethal damage to the turret and the gun due to combined effects.
</gallery>
[[File:G-class aa armour.png|thumb|265x265px|12.7 mm armour plate protecting the Vickers Mk.V AA mountings.]]
HMS Grafton's hull is made of 16 mm of steel while the superstructure is protected by 10 mm of steel.

This armour won't provide significant protection against most of the destroyer's main calibre shells (100+ mm). The hull armour is only practical against 12.7 mm or less. Any HE shell impact to the hull, will cause the total loss of crew in that compartment. Usually, shells with more than 2 kg of explosive mass.

The superstructure can protect against low calibre machine guns but any aircraft with automatic cannons like the Soviet [[IL-2 (1941)|IL-2s]] or the German [[Ju 87 (Family)|Ju 87s]] will pierce the superstructure of the ship. Increasing the risk of an ammo rack detonation because of the aircraft's strafing rounds. This packed with the poor anti-air defences is not a good deed for survivability; be observant.

'''Ammo racks'''

On the bow section, is present an unsafe spot for the Grafton: the ammo racks. This area is filled with ready ammo racks near both turrets and just beneath it, a big stash of ammunition is located. This ammo storage is unprotected by any fuel tank or armour and is located above the waterline. Enemy ships will often target this zone with AP or HE with base fuze, because of how easy it is to hit it and detonate the main ammo rack.

APCBC shells found on destroyers such as those on the Italian bluewater ships at rank I, can cause catastrophic damage to the ammo rack with some precise shooting. The elevator for the ammo can also be damaged during combat, hindering the reload rate of the main guns.

The numerous torpedoes inside the torpedo tubes are actually well protected against HE and shrapnel. It is unlikely they will generate any harm for the Grafton- Only a very well placed SAP or AP shot might detonate them.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

HMS Grafton offers a very low top speed compared to the other destroyers of its rank, but an excellent turn rate, allowing it to easily avoid torpedoes even without Rudder Replacement modification.

Mobility plays an important role in the playstyle of the Grafton. Because of the poor targeting speed of the main cannons, the H89 will need to often steer to help the turrets get on target. Captains must be clever to fire first using the mobility in their odds. With the torpedoes, something similar happens. The H89 needs to steer quite a lot to allow the release of torpedoes.

Performing evasive manoeuvres against planes or torpedoes shouldn't be much trouble for the agile Grafton.

{{NavalMobility
|SpeedForwardStockAB = 55
|SpeedBackStockAB = 16
|TurnTimeStockAB = 89.983
|TurnSpeedStockAB = 38.5
}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

"Tool set" and "Fire protection equipment should be immediately acquired. After this, "smoke screen" and mobility modules can be researched over the firepower.

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)}}

HMS Grafton is armed with 4 x turrets of 4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm) guns.

These guns were used widely by destroyers during WWII. It is worth familiarizing yourself with the ballistics and the damage mechanics. They are remarkably adequate in terms of damage. The gun's explosive mass of 3 kg of TNT is excellent, a new taste of firepower potential when compared with the unavailing 721 g of TNT in the Town-class. The fire rate is very good, 12 rounds/min. Once the ready-ammo rack is used, the fire rate is reduced to a still very useful 10 rounds/min.

Now, any small boat will often sink into hull break due to the strong blast force. It is actually possible to dispose of a small patrol boat with a single shot per turret. Hence 4 patrol boats can be destroyed in quick succession by the 4 main cannons due to the rapid-fire and the powerful explosive mass. They also hold the ability of dual-purpose guns, this expands the value against not only naval threats but aerial threats.
[[File:G-class turrets .png|thumb|325x325px|The CPXVII turret mounting limited the elevation of the 4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII cannon up to 40°.]]
The guns provide reasonable elevation angles (40°), which are not 90° but achieve the purpose of fighting against enemy aircraft. It was deemed acceptable during WWII since the intention was to engage an enemy aircraft attacking another member of the fleet, the destroyers acting as an anti-air screen for the battlefleet during air raids.

The trouble of the armament is about the mounting itself, the CPXVII. These turret mountings are really slow on the horizontal traverse, only 7.0°/s. This difficult slow traverse is very noticeable if the ship is halted. It affects the ability to quickly retaliate fire to any ship encountered in a new untargeted direction.

Any destroyer with the same level of mobility and with faster turret traverse will have an advantage over HMS Grafton, like the German destroyers [[Z15 Erich Steinbrinck]] or [[T22]].

{{:4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)/Ammunition|4.7 inch HE Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch SAP Mk.VA, 4.7 inch HE-TF Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch HE-VT Mk.VIIA}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

The 12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V turrets are present in HMS Grafton on an anti-air role.

The range in which the AI gunners start to open fire is below 2,000 m. The player must remember this range since the guns will start to open fire often too late to perform manoeuvres against low-level bombers or torpedo attackers.

The Vickers mountings are placed amidships, one in starboard and one in port. They have really good elevations angles of 75° which generally allow them to overlap their range to fire together against a target. The intended purpose of these guns is to provide an obstacle to enemy aviation, but their use is limited to close ranges, often too close. The Vickers also lack the stopping power of autocannons to successfully down all-metal planes. Armoured attackers will also be a significant concern to the heavy machine guns.

The 2 turrets of 4 Vickers Mk.V heavy machine guns offer really good damage against any patrol boat. This is notable on other vehicles such as the [[MGB-61]] in the coastal fleet, that uses the Vickers as the main armament. Grafton can engage any patrol boat with them, however, the 120 mm cannons remain the first choice because of the hull-break capacities.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|T|M1 tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|M2 armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|I|M1 incendiary}}
* '''12.7 mm I:''' {{Annotation|T|M1 tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|I|M1 incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|I|M1 incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|I|M1 incendiary}}
* '''12.7 mm API:''' {{Annotation|T|M1 tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|M2 armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|I|M1 incendiary}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|M2 armour-piercing}}

{{:Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)/Ammunition|T, AP, I}}

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.VIII (533 mm)|Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge}}

HMS Grafton can carry 8 x 533 mm Mk.VIII torpedoes.
[[File:G-class torpedo tubes.png|thumb|343x343px|Both torpedo tubes offer rather limited firing arcs. ]]
The torpedoes possess a very good explosive mass of 327 kg of TNT, and one hit is often lethal enough to sink any destroyer. The range, however, is not great, only 4.57 km. It can be increased at the expense of speed with the installation of the torpedo mode modification, reaching 6.40 km. This installation should be based on the tactics and preferences of the player.

Some players consider is appropriate to install this modification and release the torpedoes early on to maybe hit and sink some ship. While other players value the speed of the torpedoes, and rather close encounters with the target to then engage with an inevitable torrent of torpedoes. The benefit and drawbacks of this lay on the type of map and mode encountered. For the Grafton, the recommended torpedo playstyle is with the torpedo mode on, this will allow to release the torpedo from very far away and safe distances to then manoeuvre for a covered position. This also helps to conserve the ship from more lethal enemies with even greater survivability in close engagements.

The torpedo tubes own a problem that must be noted, they have poor targeting angles. The aft torpedo tube is limited in firing angle by the depth charges guns, while the forward torpedo tube is limited by tows and emergency boats. Grafton must be almost completely horizontal to the targeted direction to release all the torpedoes from broadside. So steering to port or starboard is a common process of the torpedoing. This will make very vulnerable the Grafton as it shows the entire length to the enemy; so players should plan their strategy once all of this is understood- Is worth to know since the torpedoes play a striking role in the armament of latter British destroyers.

Grafton carries 2 Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge guns, located near the aft, one on starboard side and one on port side.

Historically, the depth charges allowed the Grafton to fend off submarines. However, as these vessels are not in-game, the depth charges are a very situational weapon, as they can sometimes be used to great effect against patrol boats attempting to get really close to the Grafton.

They are reloaded very quickly, so they can be constantly dropped to protect the Grafton against patrol boats in a backwards retreat with the visual cover of smoke discharges.

== Usage in battles ==

HMS Grafton brings new standards to the destroyers in terms of firepower and mobility. But it remains a very soft target against enemies on a higher battle rating. This leads to the Grafton serving as a fast light support destroyer with a powerful punch. So the gameplay from the former Escort destroyer, the [[HMS Churchill]], does not vary as much.

It should be played always on the move using the great mobility to keep her untouched, near allies or behind them. Grafton might survive duels with other destroyers thanks to the powerful guns but the crew and the ship will suffer. Therefore the best chances are to strike first and remain safe while moving or hiding far away in the back of the map.

Open maps will bring a vast sea to cruise with the G class. Don't hesitate in using the smoke screens to protect allies and the destroyer. But is advisable to use the mobility to get to safer areas near the shore or behind the main combat fleet. The small boats in those shore areas will fall prey of the Grafton.

'''Auxiliary Destroyer role'''

With the great long-range gunnery abilities of the main cannons, the destroyer can be used to provide anti-air cover. The proximity fuze HE-VT Mk.VIIA is useful when the player is manually controlling the turrets as anti-air; the player can see how well- or bad, his shots are leading to the target. Players can also let the AI-controlled gunners fire, but a highly trained crew is required for the best efficiency.

The Vickers Mk.V are valuable when an aircraft starts to close in with the Grafton. But might not be enough to stop the aircraft on time.

If HMS Grafton is soon to be attacked, players can perform the following defensive manoeuvre:

# Once an enemy attacker approach is reported by the team or the ship's observers, perform a U-turn until the ship is sailing oppositely to the current attacker direction.
# Release the smokescreen to hide the location from the attacker and to increase the chances of making the aircraft miss the attack.
# Order the gunners to open fire or to cease fire, depending on how many allied ships and enemies are involved. (If open fire is ordered, the enemy plane might locate the ship behind the smoke. If the open fire is not ordered, the plane might fly past the smoke cover and bomb the ship)
# Continue the manoeuvres until the enemy plane has been destroyed or proceed to leave to combat zone using more smoke cover.

{{Notice
|Performing this manoeuvre in a battle group increases the probabilities of survival, squad up!}}

=== Enemies worth nothing ===
Imperial Japanese Navy - IJN ▅

[[IJN Ayanami]]: This destroyer is in the same rank as HMS Grafton, but she holds almost double the crew complement, exactly 221 crew members. This increases her survivability and decreases the chances for Grafton. The best chance is to strike first, fire concisely enough to reduce her crew into even number or to sink the ship once for all. Torpedoes will do quick work of her but cannons are more reliable and immediate. Stay away and try to not let her notice and engage the G-class.

* Japanese destroyers carry numerous lethal torpedoes. However, such torpedoes are also very fragile; target them when possible, as they act as an easy exposed ammo rack when not launched.

German Navy - Kriegsmarine ▀

[[K2]]: This destroyer is heavily armoured and may resist many HE shots, so SAP shells should also be fired at this ship in key locations. Thus her crew will start to decrease drastically - HMS Grafton once again must fire first, the K-2's guns are very lethal and can sink the Grafton in scant seconds. Target her critical areas as the big boxy turrets, the engines or bridge to cripple the firepower and mobility, and proceed to finish her off with the Grafton's superior fire rate. She is also really slow so do not hesitate to avoid the ship and manoeuvre for a better gun solution, or even torpedo attack her.

* Aside from this ship, German destroyers in rank I are highly mobile. Be alert for their flanking manoeuvres.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Powerful main armaments of 4 x 120 mm guns, with a great explosive mass of 3 kg ballistics and fire rate
* Useful mobility and adequate turning time; great on Arcade mode
* 8 x torpedoes are useful for area saturation
* Diversity of shells for the main guns (HE, SAP, HE-TF, HE-VT)
* Dual purpose main cannons; can perform as anti-air
* Improved speed and armament when compared with reserve [[HMS Churchill]]

'''Cons:'''

* Poor crew size; captains couldn't realize how fast it decreases against ships with 300 or 200 crew members
* Absence of auxiliary armament of any sort
* Only 2 turrets with Vickers Mk.V anti-air machine guns; also deficient due to short-range (less than 2,000 m)
* Non-existent protection of the ammo ready and main racks; they can be easily detonated
* Reduced numbers of depth charges guns; no guns in the stern of the ship
* Modest ammo count of the main guns is easily expended

== History ==

HMS Grafton was laid down in August 1934 as the fifth ship of nine G-class destroyers being built by British dockyards in the interwar years. Almost two years later, in March 1936, the ship was completed and joined the ranks of the Royal Navy.

HMS Grafton spent her early service days as part of the 1st Destroyer Flotilla operating in the Mediterranean. During the Spanish Civil War, HMS Grafton assisted in enforcing the non-intervention policy alongside warships of other nations.

During the outbreak of WW2 in September 1939, HMS Grafton was undergoing refits at Malta, being called back to British waters in the following October. In early 1940, Grafton underwent minor overhaul work before being assigned to escort convoys headed for Norway.

At the same time, the war situation in France was looking desperate with the start of the Siege of Calais. Operation Dynamo, the allied effort of evacuating cut-off troops from Dunkirk, commenced shortly after. HMS Grafton answered the call and assisted with evacuating troops from the 27th, May 1940.

Two days later, however, HMS Grafton spotted survivors of the previously sunk destroyer HMS Wakeful and stopped to commence rescue efforts. Stationary, Grafton presented herself as easy prey for any attacker. Soon enough, she found herself in the crosshairs of the German submarine U-62.

Although severely damaged by the torpedo attack, HMS Grafton stayed afloat long enough for her survivors to be rescued by the destroyer HMS Ivanhoe. Realizing the extent of her damage, the decision was made to scuttle HMS Grafton by gunfire from Ivanhoe. After the shelling, HMS Grafton quickly sank to the bottom, marking the end of her service life and contribution to WW2.

''- From [[wt:en/news/5838-fleet-development-hms-grafton-h89-the-spirit-of-self-sacrifice-en|Devblog]]''

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_g_grafton Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:G-class Vickers turret.png|Fully elevated Vickers Mk.V turrets
</gallery>

== See also ==


;[[G-class (Family)|Related development]]

* [[ORP Garland]]

;Shared operational history

* [[HMS Arethusa]]

;Analogues of other nations

* [[USS Barker]] (United States)
* [[Leopard]] (Germany)
* [[Frunze]] (USRR)
* [[RN Dardo]] (Italy)

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5838-fleet-development-hms-grafton-h89-the-spirit-of-self-sacrifice-en|[Devblog] HMS Grafton (H89): The spirit of self-sacrifice]]
* The Royal Navy, 1930-2000: innovation and defence, p19-41:, Pugh, Harding, editor, (2004)
* British Destroyers, March, (1967) p.401.
* [[wikipedia:HMS_Grafton_(H89)|[Wikipedia] HMS Grafton (H89)]]

{{ShipManufacturer Thornycroft}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMAS Nepal

2023-11-24T15:55:20Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMAS Nepal

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_n_class
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMAS Nepal (G25)''' is a member of the N-class destroyer family. Initially commissioned as HMAS Norseman in 1941, she was renamed HMAS Nepal during repairs in recognition of Nepal's role in the UK's war effort during World War II. She had sustained significant damage during an air raid on the shipyard owned by John I. Thornycroft and Company. Despite being put into service as the HMAS in 1942, the ship continued to be a part of the larger organization that was commanded by the UK. The HMAS Nepal served in the Indian Ocean for the majority of its wartime tenure as a vessel in the British Eastern Fleet. The HMAS Nepal was transferred to the British Pacific Fleet at the beginning of 1945 and served with them for the rest of the war. The HMAS Nepal was decommissioned upon her return to Sydney in October 1945, and upon her return to the UK, she was recommissioned as HMS Nepal. She was scrapped in 1956.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]], the HMAS Nepal and the [[HMS Eskimo]] have nearly the same auxiliary batteries and main armament. The HMAS has more torpedoes, a more potent anti-aircraft battery, and a faster top speed than the HMS Eskimo, but she lacks the latter vessel's strong secondary battery and larger crew. This enables the HMAS Nepal to be a multipurpose vessel while retaining the HMS Eskimo's potent long-range engagement ability.

== General info ==
=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

With a straight stem bow, reduced length and single funnel, the Nepal is a smaller destroyer than her Tribal counterparts, and thus a smaller target. However, the main disadvantage this ship experiences is its less than desirable survivability particularly at close range.
The Nepal is a lightly-armoured destroyer; with armour plating of up to 12.7 mm on most gun emplacements, with anti-fragmentation armour of 3.2 mm on its main batteries. The Nepal has exposed ammo stowages on the bow and stern at multiple points, making it especially vunerable to fire and ammunition detonations, and the hull and superstructure has no armour above or below the waterline. Unlike previous Tribal-class destroyers which had a 3-boiler room layout, the N-class destroyers have two adjacent boiler rooms: this makes them vunerable to losing all power as a penetrating hit at any area near the boiler rooms is likely to destroy both boilers, and these are not protected by armour or fuel tanks.

A crew of 208 sailors means that this destroyer has a much lower crew complement than many of its contemporaries and is less survivable. As such, this ship is best used at range from opponents.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

The Nepal has two Admiralty three-drum boilers feeding two steam turbines, and can reach up to 46 knots at flank, and has good turning. Furthermore, the stern armament can be brought to bear against a forward target at a relatively low degree of turn: as such, it is not always necessary to present the full hull of the ship to deliver a broadside which allows it to present a smaller target to opponents.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}
{{main|4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)}}

''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)/Ammunition|4.7 inch HE Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch SAP Mk.VA, 4.7 inch HE-TF Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch HE-VT Mk.VIIA}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}
{{main|4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)}}

''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

{{:4 in QF Mark V (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}
{{main|2pdr QF Mk.IIc (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}
{{main|Mk.IX** (533 mm)|Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge}}

''Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.''

== Usage in battles ==


The N-class is similar to the other rank II destroyer [[HMS Eskimo]], sharing an identical main armament and near-identical auxiliary batteries. While the N-class lacks the Tribal's powerful secondary battery and larger crew size, it makes up for it with a better top speed, more torpedoes, and a more effective AA battery. This makes the N-class something of a jack-of-all-trades, while also still giving it the powerful long-range firepower found on the Tribal.

The N-class' guns are the star of the show. While the 4.7-inch cannons lack the deadly rate of fire of the American 5-inch guns, they still pack a hefty punch. They are also some of the most accurate destroyer guns in the game, only beaten in accuracy by the 100 mm guns of the Akizuki. Having four of the guns pointing forwards also allows the N-class to concentrate a constant, heavy barrage of fire directly forwards, allowing it to leave a smaller profile for enemy guns to hit. Make use of the N-class effectiveness at long-ranges and attack other destroyers from afar.

When opponents do get closer, the N-class is still a nasty ship to fight. While the main turrets have a slow traverse, the guns at close ranges are scarily accurate and will hit hard when they do impact. In addition, the N-class has 5 torpedoes, which have an average speed but do immense damage on impact. One torpedo hit can be enough to sink some destroyers, and will do heavy damage to the light cruisers the N-class can fight in an uptier. Aircraft will also struggle immensely against the N-class, thanks to its powerful AA battery. The 20 mm guns can cause a spray of fire for fighter-bombers to avoid, while the quad-barreled 40 mm cannon will make short work of larger aircraft that stray too close. The N-class is also a very fast destroyer once fully upgraded, allowing it to get in and out of position with ease, as well as dictate the flow of the battle effectively.

The main opponents to the N-class are destroyers with fast-firing guns (like the American destroyers and the Germans with the 12.7 cm guns), who can out-gun the N-class effectively at close range. In addition, destroyers with fast torpedoes can make short work of the N-class, which lacks effective counter-torpedo capabilities and is a very easy ship to sink, thanks in part to its vulnerable ammo stowage. Lastly, the N-class should avoid cruisers at all costs. Cruisers can out-gun the N-class at any range, and some can even out-torpedo it as well.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Accurate and powerful guns gives the N-class effective and deadly long-range salvoes
* Good top speed and mobility allows for fast responses to situations across the map
* Effective AA armament can make short work of attack aircraft
* Torpedoes have good distance and a hefty explosive mass, allowing for huge damage on impact

'''Cons:'''

* Poor turret traverse can cause issues in close quarter combat
* Torpedoes are slow compared to contemporaries, especially with the torpedo mode upgrade
* Weak auxiliary armament for defending against torpedo boats, especially when also being attacked by aircraft

== History ==

[[File:HMAS Nepal AWM-301077.jpg|thumb|HMAS Nepal (ex-Norseman), date unknown.]]
HMAS Nepal was a N-class destroyer built for the Royal Australian Navy. Initially launched as HMS Norseman, the ship was severely damaged by air raids during construction and renamed HMAS Nepal, destined to serve with the Australian Navy. HMAS Nepal served extensively during the Second World War, primarily in the Indian and Pacific theatres of war. Following the cessation of hostilities, she was returned to the British, who eventually scrapped her by 1956.

=== Design and construction ===
The N-class of destroyers were the final class in the trio of classes known as the J-, K-, and N-classes. They were the heaviest-armed out of the three classes and carried a substantial main armament. As with the previous J- and K-classes, the N-class had a reduced torpedo armament in favour of carrying additional anti-aircraft guns. The HMAS Nepal was initially ordered and built as HMS Norseman, but in December of 1941, an air raid caused serious damage to the unfinished ship. As a result, the decision was made to complete her as HMAS Nepal, in honour of the Nepalese contribution to the war effort.

HMAS Nepal displaced 1,760 tons standard and had a crew of 226 officers and men. The ship's main armament consisted of six 4.7 inch (119 mm) QF Mk XII dual-purpose main guns in three dual turrets, two fore and one aft. The ship's anti-aircraft armament consisted of a single 4 inch QF Mk V gun, a four-barreled 40 mm Pom Pom gun, and numerous smaller anti-aircraft guns. Powered by steam turbines producing 40,000 shaft horsepower, the ship was able to reach a max speed of 36 knots (67 km/h).

=== Operational history ===
After her commissioning as HMAS Nepal, the ship was loaned to the Australian navy, while the United Kingdom retained ownership of the ship itself. She was immediately assigned to the Home Fleet, and was used in the filming of the war film In Which We Serve. In July of 1942, the ship was transferred to the British Eastern Fleet, which it would serve with for most of the duration of the Second World War. The ship participated in the later parts of the Madagascar campaign, and participated in convoy escort / patrol duties in the Eastern theatre. In March of 1943, she sailed to Australia for a refit.

Following the completion of the refit, Nepal returned to the Eastern theatre and provided cover during Operation Cockpit and Operation Transom. During this time, she frequently escorted aircraft carriers, and also provided fire support to units on land. In March of 1945, she was transferred to the British Pacific Fleet, and remained there until the end of the war without seeing much action. She was thereafter returned to the British, who reduced her into reserve. She was subsequently used as a training and trials ship, before being scrapped by 1956. HMAS Nepal earned four battle stars for her WWII service.

=== [[wt:en/news/5814-fleet-development-hmas-nepal-g25-air-raid-survivor-en|Devblog]] ===
HMAS Nepal was laid down in Great Britain in September of 1939, initially under the name of "Norseman". As one of the last ships of the N-class destroyer type, she was launched in December 1941, but was soon severely damaged while still in the shipyard during a German air raid.

Despite the severe damage, the ship was repaired and renamed to Nepal, in recognition of Nepal's contribution to the British war effort. After the repairs were completed, the ship was formally commissioned into service with the Royal Australian Navy in May 1942, although still remaining the property of the Royal Navy.

In July 1942, HMAS Nepal was assigned to the British Eastern Fleet and shortly afterwards set out for Kenya. In September, HMAS Nepal was involved in the Madagascar campaign. Before heading to Australia for refits in spring 1943, the ship served as a convoy escort and performed anti-submarine patrols.

After her two-month long refit, HMAS Nepal resumed operations in June 1943, taking part in some major operations in 1944 as a carrier escort. The ship underwent another refit in August 1944, before embarking on some of her final operations.

HMAS Nepal remained active in the Pacific theatre until the end of WW2, until being decommissioned from RNA service in October 1945. The ship was commissioned once more into the Royal Navy shortly after, being ordered to return to Britain.

In the postwar years, HMAS Nepal underwent repairs and modifications, briefly serving as a minesweeper and training ship. In the early 1950s, HMAS Nepal was part of the reserve and awaiting some proposed upgrades. However, those upgrades were eventually cancelled and the decision was made to scrap the ship. January 1956 marked the end of HMAS Nepal's 14-year service life as she was sold off for scraps to the British Iron & Steel Corporation.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_n_class Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==
''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''

* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/5814-fleet-development-hmas-nepal-g25-air-raid-survivor-en|[Devblog] HMAS Nepal (G25): Air Raid Survivor]]

=== References ===

* Naval History Society of Australia. (2017, March 29). HMAS Nepal Archives. Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.navyhistory.org.au/ranships/hmas-nepal/</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Thornycroft}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMS Eskimo

2023-11-24T15:42:52Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Eskimo

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_tribal
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.png}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Eskimo (F75)''' is a member of the Tribal-class destroyer family. Larger and more heavily armed than the previous I class, the HMS Eskima was designed to counter the large destroyers being built abroad and to increase the firepower of the destroyers already in service. Throughout World War II, the HMS Eskimo saw action in Burma, the English Channel, Norway, and the Mediterranean. The HMS Eskimo served as a hospital ship and a headquarters ship following the war. In 1949, it was finally used as a practice target before being scrapped.

Introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]], the HMS Eskimo excels best as a gunnery ship. Even at a great distance, the HMS Eskimo can easily defeat other destroyers owing to the enormous calibre and accuracy of its main armament. Furthermore, the front of the HMS Eskimo houses the majority of its main armament. This means that the HMS Eskimo can inflict significant damage while maintaining a small profile. This, along with its quick speed and sufficient auxiliary armament, can make the HMS Eskimo a great support/escort ship, even in high-ranked battles.

== General info ==
Painted under a dark grey hull, and a black coloured stripe all around her waterline, the Eskimo's raised freeboard distance and raked bow can be easily highlighted from other latter destroyers. Despite using a fairly conventional main weaponry layout which will be seen in several other British destroyer classes, the Eskimo can be also differentiated by her turret located in the aftmost part of the ship.

The main downside to the Tribal is its vulnerability. Not only is it far from the smallest destroyer, making it a big target, but it's also built out of ammo racks.

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

The Eskimo is lightly armoured overall. anti-fragmentation armour plates no thicker than 12.7 mm protect most of the gun emplacements. While the main turrets are protected by 3.2 mm of anti-fragmentation armour. As seen on the [[HMS Grafton]] and previous destroyers, this anti-fragmentation armour is mainly effective in protecting the gun breech versus HE shells. Any other type of shell is likely to go through this type of armour and disable the turret.

Regarding survivability, the Eskimo is packed with a lot of ammunition storages for the quick-firing high calibre main and secondary cannons. The most dangerous zones are the bow and the stern. There is no armour whether above or below the waterline; and the area is not even effectively protected by fuel tanks. This means an accurate enemy salvo is likely to cause ammunition damage or a catastrophic detonation of the ammo magazines. The ammunition storages are not limited within the hull, but as another drawback of the high rate of fire, there are large quantities of ready-use ammo racks near most of the high-calibre cannons. SAP and APCBC shells are likely to cause a lot of damage to all the ammo storages since they are only protected by steel boxes.

Another aspect to consider is the constant loss of the ship's control. The transmission and engine rooms are located in an easily targetable area. There is no fuel tank or armour plates to protect none of them from enemy fire, unlike adversaries as the German destroyer [[Z25]] or the Italian [[RN Corazziere]] which are decently protected with fuel tanks in those areas.

A complement of 260 members remains average amongst the majority of destroyers at the rank: average of 267. While it is significantly less than most of the German adversaries, with an average of 325 crew members in their destroyers at the same battle rating. This places the Tribal class at a tactical disadvantage when duelling with all German destroyers.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

{{NavalMobility}}

The Eskimo's mobility should be deemed adequate but not perfect. The Tribal class was repurposed as fleet destroyers, and as such, the mobility performs fine enough to attend to the needs of flexible anti-air support for cruisers fleets, or while performing a flanking attack throughout naval engagements. The Tribal class was fitted with three Admiralty three-drum boilers that powered two Parsons geared turbines generating 34,000 hp which translates into 67 km/h, reached in about 28 seconds.

The top speed is averagely on par or in few cases inferior against most German destroyers at ranks II and III. Thus it is likely no real mobility advantage can be played over German counterparts. Versus similarly ranked Japanese or Italian destroyers, the opposite occurs. Though minimal in some instances, the Eskimo might have the upper hand in catching up with enemy destroyers such as [[IJN Yuudachi]], [[IJN Kiyoshimo]] and [[IJN Ayanami]].

Do not forget about some other destroyers as the Japanese [[IJN Shimakaze]] and the Soviet [[Tashkent]] and [[Moskva]]: these feature outstanding top speed over 80 km/h. Therefore, it is crucial to quickly assess these mobility disparities when gunnery is leading a successful salvo on such swift enemies.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)}}

The Tribal class was the most modern, largest and heavily armed British destroyer class during the early stages of World War II. This is noticeable in the Eskimo's emphasis on absolute firepower. She is armed with 6 x 4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII cannons in 3 turrets, each one capable of firing 3 kg of explosives in a total broadside at effective distances of around 10 km. Because of the double cannon mountings, the salvo accuracy should be properly preserved under these large distances, despite the gun ballistics not having a nearly flat trajectory.

The initial rate of fire of 12 rounds per minute is reasonably effective during the first moments of a battle, but once the ready-use ammo rack is spent, the fire rate decreases to 10 shots per minute, though this still remains an advantageous rate of fire versus most Japanese, Italian, Soviet and some German destroyers, with their guns firing at a fixed 8 rounds per minute. The Eskimo's firepower generally outmatches in quantity, flexibility, and explosive damage to the majority of German destroyers around her battle rating. But it severely falls back in the rate of fire, to ships such as the [[Type 1936 (Family)|German Type 1936 destroyers]] having an initial fire rate of 18 rounds per minute.

Preferring a heavy calibre armament and anti-air defences over torpedoes, the Eskimo is capable of engaging most destroyers around her rank with HE shells. With some skills and tactics, it can even counter some early light cruisers as the [[IJN Isuzu]] and [[IJN Kuma]] with the correct use of SAP rounds, although extended duels against cruisers are not advised. Also, the 4-inch dual-mounted gun located towards the aft of the ship can be a nasty surprise for coastal vessels trying to get the jump on the Tribal.

With the multipurpose CPXIX turret mountings, all 6 main guns can provide heavy anti-aircraft fire, when using either the HE-VT or the HE-TF. Yet the flaw of these turret mountings is the insufficient elevation angles of only 40°, an inherited drawback from the previous CPXVII mounting found on the [[HMS Grafton]].

{{:4.7 inch/45 Mk.XII (120 mm)/Ammunition|4.7 inch HE Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch SAP Mk.VA, 4.7 inch HE-TF Mk.VIIA, 4.7 inch HE-VT Mk.VIIA}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

A single 4 inch/45 Mark XVI mounting is present in the auxiliary role.

Although limited in quantity, the dual 102 mm turret is sure to provide a very respectable anti-air defence and supporting fire versus seaborne targets. The Mark XVI can be considered as one of the best support guns available for the British bluewater fleet. This is due to its great initial fire rate of 20 rounds per minute, nearly 90° elevation angles and various shell options; also very intimidating to any small boat because of the hullbreaking stopping power.

The rather limited ammunition and the aftward location of the emplacement will be the weaknesses of this gun. Most of the time players will need to decide, based on their strategy, to load more anti-air shells or load HE and SAP for sea targets. Once researched, HE-VT is recommended for air coverage as it will explode more accurately near the targeted aircraft. The targeting is speed is fairly slow but this could be aided by the mobility of the vessel itself.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.IIc (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Vickers Mk.V (12.7 mm)}}

The anti-air armament consists of a pair of single mounted 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II autocannons, each one is located on either side of the bridge. Another 2 mountings of 12.7 mm Vickers Mk.V machine guns are located amidship, in between the funnels. Lastly, a single mounting of a quadruple 40 mm 'pom-pom' gun is located just aftward the torpedo tubes, in a superstructure.

These anti-aircraft guns will create what can be seen as the last layer of air defence for the Eskimo.

Firstly, the 40 mm 'pom-pom' gun will outrange the 12.7 mm Vickers machine guns and 20 mm Oerlikon cannons when attacking air targets; with a range of 4 km. Also helping the auxiliary 102 mm gun when dealing with high altitude threats diving from the air coverage dead zone of the Eskimo. Since the main batteries will be unable to deal with dive bombers as the [[Ju 87 (Family)|Ju 87s]], the preservation of the ship will be relegated to this quadruple set of 2 pounder guns and the auxiliary gun.

When it comes to range, the Oerlikon guns will be the second to open fire (about 2 km), their stopping power can be arguably good, depending on the armour of the aircraft attacking. The main disadvantage of the mounting is the poor density of fire since only a single gun is available per side. The elevation angle of only 50° is another concern, meaning that any aircraft attacking from high or distant enough, will remain untouched by the 20 mm cannons.

Here is where the seemingly insufficient and obsolete 12.7 mm machine guns can do their part, although limited to only about a 1 kilometre of effectiveness, they bring a dense light anti-aircraft fire with the flexibility to aim up to 75° degrees. They are likely to not cause a lot of instantaneous stopping damage, but their blazing tracer rounds can help to discourage and intimidate reckless enemy pilots - lighting fires is also a possibility, especially on Japanese aircraft as the [[P1Y1 mod. 11 "Ginga"]], [[A6M3]] or [[B7A2]] .

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Mk.IX** (533 mm)|Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge}}

Anti-submarine roles were not largely envisaged for the Tribal class, thus the Eskimo is barely equipped with few depth charges and absent of any mine-laying types of equipment. An important contrast from other destroyers such as the [[Hunt (Family)|Hunt-class]] destroyers or the [[HMS Spey|River-class]] frigates, which are heavily equipped with explosive ASW equipment.

The torpedo weaponry is quite reduced since the Tribal class was meant to favour heavy artillery power rather than a lightly armed torpedo-carrying destroyer. Also the torpedoes lack the speed of more contemporary torpedoes, though they do pack a big punch if they score a hit.

== Usage in battles ==


While the Tribal can fill numerous roles (and works well as a general all-rounder destroyer), it excels best as a gunnery ship. Thanks to the hefty calibre of its shells, as well as the accuracy of the guns, the Tribal can give other destroyers a good beating even from a distance. In addition, the concentration of 2/3rds of the Tribal's guns at the front of the ship means the Tribal can still pump out a good amount of damage while keeping a small profile. Still, if the Tribal's position is relatively safe from being shot at, don't be afraid to swing the rear turret around and let rip.

Combined with its fast speed and adequate auxiliary armament, this can make the Tribal an excellent support/escort ship during uptiers or higher ranked battles. Keep in mind the ship's 4.7-inch guns will begin to struggle against cruisers so they should maybe be repurposed towards air defence or fast attack craft, all trying to keep the Tribal away from close quarters fighting.

{{Notice|HMS Eskimo might suffer at close quarters, due to poor main gun traverse speed, no armour and average crew size.}}

The Tribal class possessed heavy armament and decent mobility, as such, it was used for the most intense battles and because of this same reason, they suffered a lot of casualties. This illustrates how to engage in battles more safely, heading to a new concept for British destroyers in the Bluewater fleet: Accurate gunnery.

The act of accurate gunnery means a lot in the Tribal class, mainly based on the unarmoured ship and reduced crew complement in pro of increasing the offensive capabilities of the class. Inside the Tribal class, Eskimo is the precise definition of gunnery thanks to the six devastating main calibre cannons, therefore her playstyle should be based on outranging other destroyers, while Eskimo lands accurate fire from the safety of distance. Ideally, the way to do this is to reach for the farthest areas of the map, where the enemy's poor gunnery skill will be given away.

It is important to tame this distant gunnery gameplay since it will be crucial for all other Royal Navy's destroyers with similar capacities such as [[HMAS Nepal]], [[HMS Kelvin]], [[HMS Jervis]], and [[HMCS Haida]]. All of those destroyers will share similar endurance, crew complement, main firepower, and mobility.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Numerous auxiliary and anti-air weaponry, as well as some torpedoes (4) and depth charges
* Primary guns have great precision even at long ranges (~10 km)
* Dual purpose guns; HE-VT shells for primary and secondary guns makes it easy to destroy aircraft
* 3 kg of explosive in the HE shells is great versus other destroyers and small vessels
* Top speed is average, but amongst the fastest Bluewater ships on the British Naval Tree
* The destroyer with the largest crew complement of the British rank II

'''Cons:'''

* Ammo racks are easily detonated by SAP or APCBC shells near the waterline; no armour present in the area
* Crew size remains below average versus German, American and Soviet destroyers
* Limited torpedo count may be ineffective versus heavier fleets due to small quantity
* Outmatched in most combat aspects versus early light cruisers as [[Köln]], [[Leipzig]] or [[IJN Agano]]

== History ==

Despite the Tribal class being originally designed to be light cruisers, HMS Eskimo quickly find herself outmatched in the everchanging battle for naval supremacy. Consequently, she was recategorized as a destroyer, with a fleet support role in mind. She was laid down in 1936 and was ready for service in March 1939. Her service life was challenged with a lot of battles and situations through which opportunely, she outlived all, unlike many sister ships of her class.

Her first taste of battle came at home, during her stance at Royal Navy base Scapa Flow. She was being repaired of turbine problems, when on 17th October, the Luftwaffe undertook the first bombings in British territories, this time directed to the naval base and the ships stationed there, Eskimo amongst them. During the air raid, she supported bringing down an aircraft. After the attack, she ran in support of HMS Iron Duke which was damaged by the attack.

This brief confrontation with four Ju 88 bombers of the Kampfgeschwader 1/30 proved an invaluable experience since it was then acknowledged how ineffective the elevation angles of the main calibre guns were against aircraft. This lead to later modifications such as the unmounting of one of the main twin 4.7 in guns and replacing it with a set of 4 inch/45 Mark XVI 102 mm guns and additional 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, amongst other search radar and rangefinding technologies for enhanced anti-air defence.

After patrol and escort duties near the Home Fleet, Eskimo had another major trial of fire, this time, the Second Battle of Narvik, in April 1940. She was appointed escort as part of a task force comprising numerous ships, such as HMS Repulse, Rodney, and Valiant. This campaign in Norwegian waters proved to be as fierce as the First Battle of Narvik, and arguably the gravest moment for the Eskimo and her crew.

'''Battle at Narvik'''

Attached to the battleship HMS Warspite and other eight destroyers, the battlegroup was tasked to clean up the German destroyer presence in the Ofotfjord inlet, all the way past Narvik town.

On 13th April, around midday, the combat group of Warspite including Eskimo made their entrance into the Norwegian fjord. The stakes were high as it was unknown the number of submarines in the area, originally thought to be one but in reality more than five. The eight German destroyers in the area seem stranded, likely low on fuel. After passing Baroy, Eskimo and the other British destroyers took the lead of the advance, waiting for a sure German ambush. Warspite's Swordfish planes were dispatched to scout all corners of the fjord. The first German destroyer to be spotted was Hans Lüdemann; everyone involved in the battle was now advised of the action to unfold.

The fjord soon became full of torpedoes as Eskimo and the British warships advanced, more German destroyers were meeting up the fight. The aircraft carrier HMS Furious sent more Swordfish support, which greatly helped in evading torpedoes. After gunnery duels, the German ships were running low on ammunition. Eskimo was busy pursuing Hermann Künne deeper in the fjord when the destroyer Erich Giese noticed her passing and launched torpedoes, which missed. Some of the allied destroyers were having a rough time dealing with damage thus they decided to retreat. Eskimo continued the pursuit along with HMS Forester until Hermann Künne beached in Herjangsfjord, where Eskimo torpedoed her; by then all the crew had already abandoned the ship and no casualties occurred.
[[File:HMS Eskimo's photo damage.jpg|thumb|261x261px|Eskimo<nowiki>'</nowiki>s bow damaged; docked at a Norwegian port before sailing to England.]]
Around 2 p.m., Eskimo and Forester advanced steadily into the Rombaksfjord. Signalled by Swordfish surveillance, Eskimo was told about more enemy ships further in the fjord. Eskimo and Forester decided to proceed and brawl with the destroyers rather than waiting for the other destroyers to link up. The narrower inlet became a problem to the British ships as the torpedoes became harder to dodge. Georg Thiele was nearly out of torpedoes but as last luck, her last torpedo hit directly on the bow of Eskimo. The badly damaged Eskimo kept fighting with the remaining turrets but then retreated in reverse due to the vast damage, with the help of Forester.

Valiantly leading and surviving the whole naval assault on Narvik, she was sent off for repair. She spent the majority of 1940-1942 as escort for the bigger ships of the Home Fleet or as escort of convoys, without major incidences.

On 12th July 1943, while part of Operation Husky, she was attacked by German dive bombers. A small bomb landed directly on the Eskimo, causing damage to the gear room and fires on the ship. 19 crewmembers perished while another 22 were injured. After the ship was brought to sailable conditions she was towed to base for repair and armament refits. This proved once more how the limited dual-purpose design of the CPXIX mounting could be used by enemy aircraft diving from above the blind spot of the Eskimo.

{{Notice|Of the twelve Tribal class destroyed, six were sunk by aerial strike, two more were damaged.}}

Her life would event rather quietly until June 1944, where she took part in minor surface engagements versus German destroyers, near Isle de Bas. She sank the ZH1 and helped in the attack of other German destroyers. A few days later along with HMCS Haida, she attacked the submarine U-971 on the English channel. The submarine was first spotted and attacked by a Czech Liberator bomber, who then voiced over the location to the two ships. Once at the scene, Eskimo released depth charges which effectively made the submarine rise to the surface, just to be met by the heavy fire of the ships. The submarine sustained heavy damage and was evacuated by the crew which was taken onboard the ships.

'''Eskimo<nowiki>'</nowiki>s fate'''

In the last year of the war, she was appointed to serve in the Far East theatre, where she worked alongside other Australian Tribal classes in dealing with the remnants of the Imperial Japanese Navy. After the end of the war in Europe, she was sent home on 4th November 1945.

Having a very respectable survivor status as one of the four Tribal classes remaining from the total 16 built, Eskimo was sold for scrapping on 27th June 1949.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_tribal Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[Tribal (Family)]]

;Shared operational history

* [[HMS Jervis]]

;Analogues on other nations

* [[Fletcher (Family)]]
* [[USS Phelps]]
* [[Z12 Erich Giese]]
* [[Z43]]
* [[Pr.7U (Family)]]
* [[IJN Shimakaze]]
* [[IJN Yugumo]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/4666-development-tribal-class-destroyer-en|[Devblog] Tribal-class destroyer]]
* [https://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DD-34Tribal-HMS_Eskimo.htm <nowiki>[Naval History.net]</nowiki> Full service record of HMS Eskimo]

=== References ===

;Bibliography

* British Destroyer vs German Destroyer: Narvik 1940, David Greentree, David Campbell, 2018.
* British Destroyers & Frigates: The Second World War and After, Norman Friedman, 2006.

{{Manufacturer Vickers-Armstrongs}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMS Calpe

2023-11-24T15:32:21Z

U74396666: Minor edits

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_hunt_2series
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''HMS Calpe (L71)''' is a member of the Type II Hunt-class destroyer family. The HMS Calpe was constructed in response to the start of World War II and took part in the Dieppe Raid in addition to escorting convoys. Gibraltar was once known by the name Calpe. On December 13, 1943, she worked with the USS Wainwright to help sink the German U-boat U-593. After being lent and later purchased by the Danish Navy, the HMS Calpe served there until 1966, when she was scrapped in Sweden in the end.

Introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]], the HMS Calpe is a slow destroyer, with fewer crews than average. Therefore, the destroyer is unable to exchange shots with other destroyers or move quickly enough to avoid danger. Players should practice their gunnery if they want to become proficient with the HMS Calpe, as her potent main armament can deal a great deal of damage when fired correctly. The The HMS Calpe is most effective by staying near the coast and dealing with enemy light boats that are capturing the objectives. If an enemy destroyer is approaching, it is best to form a group with a friendly destroyer before engaging.

== General info ==
The Hunt class is reasonably slow and won't likely reach most of the distant capture zones alive. Her crew size is another unfavourable factor, since she is not fast enough to avoid the enemy artillery but also not strong enough to resists them.

Players using the Calpe should practice their gunnery skills if they want to master this escort destroyer. As her powerful 4 inch/45 Mark XVI cannons will cause a lot of unstoppable damage if fired accurately.

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

Unlike her extremely fast destroyer adversaries, HMS Calpe relies on quick firepower and covered positioning as the best means of defence.

The compact and unaggressive silhouette scarcely resembles a regular British destroyer of early World War II epoch, such as the G-class or the K-class; this is because the ship was built to accompany and oftentimes disappear amongst the cargo ships.

This concealment plays a relevant role in the survivability of the Calpe. As with the slow top speed and small size, one of the best ways to survive in the Calpe is to hide with the coastal borders area or near land formations; awaiting for any vulnerable patrol boat or aircraft to reach within firing range.

Calpe's moderate crew size won't allow any direct combat with dedicated destroyers, whose crew size numbers are often double. Destroyers such as the German [[Z12 Erich Giese]], the Japanese [[IJN Yugumo]] and the Italian [[RN Comandante Margottini]], fit very well in this class. Their equally powerful firepower and yet adequate crew size are a challenge for the slow Calpe.

'''Armour'''

HMS Calpe's hull is made of 16 mm of steel while the superstructure is protected by 4 mm of steel.

This is just not enough to stop most rounds, as even aircraft's heavy machine guns (12.7+ mm) can strafe the Calpe and cause considerable damages and crew casualties.

The turret's antifragmentation armour protects against any HE shell, but they remain highly vulnerable to SAP rounds. The armour is still useful to conserve the indispensable fire rate of the main turrets until the threats have been eliminated. If the turrets get disabled by SAP shells, Calpe could rely on the 40 mm 2pdr gun to survive until the main turrets are repaired.

'''Ammo racks'''

The ammunition is well placed just under the waterline, however, there's a large amount of ready-use ammo racks inside steel containers near all the main turrets, each of them with 40 rounds. It only takes a single direct hit with a powerful shell to cause major damage to the destroyer.

If the players want to decrease the chances of this ammo to detonate, they can simply engage at will using the high rate of fire until all the ready-use ammo rack is spent.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

[[File:Hunt L71 Bridge.png|thumb|The bridge could be easily targeted, limiting even more the mobility of HMS Calpe.]]
Even with the below-average top speed, the ship will eventually reach distant grid squares in the naval maps, however, HMS Calpe should not be played this way; unless as part of a larger fleet - Calpe won't usually be the first in the battle group in Realistic battles.

The mobility is similar to the [[HMS Churchill]], another escort destroyer, in which staying near the coastal areas provides better rewards and protection from the marauding combat-worthy fleet destroyers. This slow pace is actually beneficial for her gameplay, as she is now capable of positioning safely behind the combat. Using her small size to lurk in the boats' area is also a valid tactic.

The worst scenario for the Hunt class is rough open seas, as the short length and narrow hull decreases seakeeping. This coupled with the already reduced speed, just makes Calpe a sitting duck for anyone faster or with bigger guns- Some torpedoes are also twice faster than her, like the lethal Japanese "Long Lance" Torpedo [[Type 93 Model 1, Mod 2 (610 mm)|Type 93 Model 1]].

To aid the stability problem she has been fitted with rare fin stabilizers under her waterline. Although not popular amongst other British destroyers of the era, they reduce the roll and increase the seaworthiness while on stern sea. This mobility improvement also helps to increase the effectiveness of anti-air fire while underway.

{{NavalMobility}}

In calm waters and fully upgraded, HMS Calpe reaches top speed within just 25 seconds. From full speed, a total halt is achieved in around 30 seconds, with a subsequent total reverse speed in only 13 seconds. This good aspect of the mobility should help the captains when evading incoming torpedo attacks or when steering during manoeuvres in shallow waters.

Her turn range is moderately large for a destroyer meant to fight against submarines, with a full steering circle in approximately 1 minute 25 seconds but sustaining a speed of 35 km/h in full steering.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Depending on the patience and perseverance of the player commanding the HMS Calpe, the mobility modifications should be acquired first - after FPS and Tool Set of course. If slow speed is not an issue, several firepower modifications can be acquired, such as the SAP shells and the Primary turrets targeting speed.

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

Lack of firepower is not what Calpe is known for, in fact, she is one of the fastest-firing ships at her rank, with an overwhelming initial fire rate of 20 rounds per min!

Calpe is primarily armed with a set of 3 x turrets each holding 2 cannons of the British-made, dual-purpose 4 inch/45 Mark XVI., one located in the bow, and the other 2 located in the aft of the ship.

The guns provide an enhancement in fire rate from early British destroyers, however, the explosive damage per round is yet lower than the G-class (H89)'s 3 kg of TNT (1.55 kg on Calpe). This means the player needs to fire accurately, otherwise, the enemy will remain afloat. One of the recommended ways is to fire using the ranging fire key. This will enable the turrets to fire each gun individually, providing leading and correction for the fast-firing cannons in the other turrets. This not only develops a good naval artillery accuracy but also helps when engaging a ship nearby as evenly dispersing the shells through their entire hull causes irreparable sudden damage to the ship and the crew. - As if the HMS Calpe is engaging the target with a non-stop barrage of shells!

It is not recommended to use this ranging fire tactic at long ranges, as it severely limits the amount of damage due to correction errors and inaccuracies in each firing. Hence, it is more powerful to fire in full volleys at long distance - also the splash is more easily observable in Realistic battles.

{{Notice|To use ranging fire, proceed to Ship Controls configurations. It is also possible to select if the turrets will fire with all cannons, in Options.}}

The guns provide decent ballistics thanks to the shells' 811 m/s muzzle velocity, which is comparable or better than what is presented earlier in the British destroyers. The elevation angles are notoriously reliable, nearly 90°, this is because the guns are dual-purpose, able to engaging both seaborne and airborne targets effectively. The variety of shells is also useful for facing off against most of the targets at her rank. With the turrets and their targeting speed of 17°/s, faster than any earlier British destroyer.

The HE is advised as standard ammunition versus most sea targets. SAP is often required to counter the decently armoured American destroyers and Soviet Armoured boats. While HE-VT is the recommended shell against any air target.

Although they have a low explosive mass, HE shells are still powerful enough to trigger a hull break on most small boats, which is helpful when defending coastal areas. The range of the guns is over 12 km, usable for any situation where really good gunnery is needed; like with cargo ships on Encounter mode.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)}}

Amidships, a single quadruple 40 mm 2pdr Quick Firing Mk.VIII automatic cannon is mounted.

Although being more range-limited when compared to the main armament, the 2 pounder cannons provide flexible firepower against any agile fast craft or aircraft reaching within the safe space of the Hunt class. Though, note that when stock, the gun's targeting speed is really poor and might take up to 20 seconds to acquisition a target lead. Although once on the target, the are deadly at close range, as the tight packet cannon offer devastating damage with also acceptable penetration and explosive damage.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}

{{:2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)/Ammunition|AP-T, HEF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mark 24 (20 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

On both starboard and port, several 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II and 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mark 24 are located.

If both the 40 mm turret and the main turrets fail to stop an incoming threat, the 20 mm Oerlikon guns will be there as last resort stopping power. Their AI gunner range is roughly of only 1.5 km but their fire rate and damage remains noteworthy because of the amount of guns present on each side of the ship. They are also useful for really agile small boats trying to sneak behind or from the sides of Calpe.

Bombers like the German [[He 111 (Family)]] or nimble fighters like the Japanese naval fighters, [[A6M2]] will have a tough time against them because of how fast and powerful they fire. Notwithstanding, attack planes like the [[Ju 87 (Family)]] or the Soviet [[IL-2 (1942)]] will be sturdy armoured opponents to the Oerlikons; all unfortunately ending with them too close to HMS Calpe and raining fire upon it - Oftentimes these planes can chew up multiple shoots from the 20 mm at point-blank range and remain airworthy.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge}}

While the ships carries a large number of depth charges available, their use is currently limited. As they were historically used by Allied escort destroyers to protect convoys from German submarines; vehicles not present in the game yet.

== Usage in battles ==

Because of the not-record-breaking speeds of the HMS Calpe, she won't usually find combat quickly rather depending on the map. But she can reach those points just in time to guard them, and to provide air protection to any allied ship in her proximity; mainly when the enemy air force is on the way with bombs under their wings; as a solid anti-air emplacement. This tactic serves more in Realistic battles because on Arcade, the enemy planes can easily bomb the Hunt class and she needs to always be on the move - players perhaps should navigate on the allied side of the map.

One of the easiest ways to play the Hunt class is to engage lighter boats or ships. For this, proceed to the coastal areas of the map and if necessary get inside capture zones. Look for a place adequate to avoid any pop-up attacks. As a single bomb of more than 500 kg might be fatal for the Hunt Class destroyer. The same care must be taken for areas where torpedo strikes against the slow Calpe might arrive.

In high-ranked battles versus other more combat capable destroyers, Calpe players must practice how to protect themselves with accurate and first-fired attacks over the enemy; those attacks must be resolute enough to maim the enemy capacities to retaliate. Additional only to a good sense of teamwork to remain near the most influential player's combat fleets, providing anti-air defences while they engage other ships. Captains can let the firepower of the HMS Calpe reach overwhelmingly the enemy destroyers while staying safe from behind. Or go full-in on the coastal approaches, hoping to face-off the entire enemy mosquito fleet.

The Hunt class relishes on close maps, as her really fast firepower can be put to test duelling with anyone close. On the other hand, distance engagements are also beneficial for the integrity of the ship, but they require more skills from; the choice is up to the player.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 3 turrets with 2 cannons each provide adequate damage and gun ballistics; more effective than single mounted turrets
* 102 mm turrets are capable of hullbreaking any troublesome small boat
* Excellent initial rate of fire of 20 rounds/m; even more effective with the use of ranging fire key
* Dual purpose main cannons give an adequate anti-air defence
* Effective amount of secondary and auxiliary armaments; with numerous depth charges also available
* Modest crew size improvement from the early British destroyers (+19 from [[HMS Grafton]])
* Unique fin-stabilized hull amongst British destroyers

'''Cons:'''

* Not enough top speed to match analogous destroyers; playstyle is similar to the equally-paced [[HMS Churchill]]
* No torpedo armament; limits the anti-ship capabilities to just the main guns
* Below average crew size when compared with other nations' destroyers
* Main ammunition can be depleted quickly because of the high rate of fire
* No significant armour protection in the hull or near the ammo storage

== History ==


Even before the outbreak of the Second World War, the British Admiralty had noted the importance of persuasive merchant protection, with the concept of Escort Destroyers.

Hence, after some major flaws were corrected in the sloop-based Hunt class design, the Type II HMS Calpe was laid down complete in 1941, following being ordered on the 1939 emergency program; just in time for the commencement of the Second World War. After acceptable trials despite her short and narrow hull with also an insufficient range for open sea work, she sailed to the Royal Navy's base in Scapa Flow, Scotland and remained on standby for any operation limited to the Mediterranean and the North Seas.

On Early 1942, HMS Calpe participated along the Home Fleet in various exercises, convoy patrols on the North West approach and as Escort for Minelaying operations.

'''Operation Jubilee'''

From July to august of the same year, she took part in the preparations of the Operation Jubilee, also known as the Dieppe raid. Under the control of Major-General Roberts (OC, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division) and Captain John Hugues-Hallet RN (Naval Commander for the raid), she was used as a command ship for the coordination of the landing operations and RAF's attacks.

She received heavy fire caused by enemy aircraft and artillery batteries from the shore, causing numerous casualties on the ship's crew. Even after these intense German bombardments, the ship performed as a hospital for the raid's wounded, protecting the life of about 250 casualties.

After the inconclusive raid, she escorted the surviving forces and landing crafts back to Portsmouth.

'''Task Force H'''

In October, she was placed briefly back on escorting duties and flotillas patrols, until she was appointed for the North African Theatre.

HMS Calpe was sent to Gibraltar and put inside the Task Force H, where she patrolled the western Mediterranean and Atlantic, protecting more convoys and executing anti-submarine warfare. She took part in Operation Torch, Retribution, Husky and Avalanche; principally in support and Escorting role - various times under E-boat attacks and Luftwaffe's strike but surviving intact.

'''Demand for resolution'''

One of her most difficult times during service was in December 1943. She was part of an Escorting convoy group comprising HMS Holcombe and HMS Tynedale (Both Hunt-class Destroyers), working along with the US Destroyers, USS Wainwright, USS Benson and USS Niblack.

Over the Bay of Bougie, off the coast of Algeria, the convoy KMS34 was intercepted by the German submarines U-593 and U-223.

Early in the morning of the 12th, the U-593 spotted the convoy and shifted to periscope depth for an attack. It was a hit, regardless of the extended zig-zagging of 120° every 5 minutes, HMS Tynedale received a torpedo impact on the port side abreast the funnels breaking the ship in half. The convoy immediately started "Swamp operations" - a codename for wolfpacks hunting during convoy protection. The U-593 remained under attack range despite the launching of the depth charges, and not much later after the first destroyer sank, they engaged the second Hunt-class, hitting her aft and sinking the HMS Holcombe. HMS Calpe now was left alone on account of the Royal Navy.

The U-593 now took evasive actions and went off the defensive. Around 8:15 PM of that same day, U-593 surfaced to recharge batteries, to her misfortune, she was spotted by a South-African Wellington Bomber and its searchlight. This brief encounter was then reported to HMS Calpe and the US escort destroyers.

On the morning of December 13th, The Asdic operator (Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee, later named Sonar) onboard the Calpe identified a submarine contact forward; the hunt has begun. Along with USS Wainwright, Calpe performed depth charges attacks continuously damaged the submarine. The commander, (Lieutenant) Kapitänleutnant Kelbling Gerd gave the order to dive deeper, but an explosion damaged the submarine and water begun to ship in, making the dive impossible and slowing the submarine. The submarine commander himself recalled how the unusual noises similar to "pebbles hitting a wall", could be heard on both sides of the submarine's hull. This is thought to be the sonar ping effect of both Asdic devices from Calpe and Wainwright sweeps, working on proximity to sink the U-593.

On the vicinity of the coordinates 37° 49' N., 06° 00' E, Calpe and Wainwright performed numerous runs with depth charges patters of 6 or even 10-charges pattern at once. Wainwright's captain, Commander Walter W. Strohbehn, intended to ram the submarine but about 2:47 p.m. the submarine surfaced because of the extensive hull and mechanical damage.

Upon the appearance of the submarine, it was received by fire from both sides, with Wainwright 2,000 yards north-west of her and Calpe 2,000 yards south-west. The U-boat crew started to quickly abandon the ship and the Commanding Officer of Calpe, Lieutenant Commander H. Kirkwood, ordered a halt of fire since no attempt of retaliation was made by the German submarine. Calpe and Wainwright closed the distance over 100 yards with the submarine and Calpe sent a motorboat with the task of avoiding any scuttling operation, however, the scuttling was already achieved and the submarine sank at 3:08 p.m near 37° 41' N., 06° 06' E with the destroyers capturing the entire submarine crew, who had no casualties.

HMS Calpe and USS Wainwright were awarded a shared submarine elimination because of the fine teamwork, taking into account no previous joint drill were executed.
[[File:Hunt L71.jpg|thumb| HMS Calpe in Malta, Nov 6th 1945.]]
''"A pleasure to work with" - "She turned in a polished performance, always being in the proper place, always being ready and she was quick to grasp the intentions of this ship."'' - Commander Walter W. Strohbehn

'''Fate'''

The experienced HMS Calpe was then transferred to Malta from where she participated in even more operations of allied landings and close shore support in the Mediterranean theatre, until the end of the war.

In defiance of her original design limitations, HMS Calpe eventually served with a flotilla in the Indian ocean until November 1946, then returned to Britain. She was loaned and eventually sold to Denmark in 1952 under the name of HDMS Rolf Krake. She remained active until October 1966, ultimately being scrapped in Denmark and Sweden.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_hunt_2series Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:Hunt L71 Top View.png|Deck view of HMS Calpe
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[HMS Brissenden]]

;Similar playstyle

* [[HMS Churchill]]
* [[HMS Montgomery]]

== External links ==


* [http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DE-Calpe.htm Service History record, HMS Calpe - Naval History.net]
* [https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4643.html Notable History moments, HMS Calpe - Uboat.net]

{{ShipManufacturer Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson}}
{{Britain destroyers}}

HMS Calpe

2023-11-24T15:29:19Z

U74396666: New Description Project - Great Britain Priority: HMS Calpe

{{Specs-Card
|code=uk_destroyer_hunt_2series
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
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== Description ==

The '''HMS Calpe (L71)''' is a member of the Type II Hunt-class destroyer family. HMS Calpe was constructed in response to the start of World War II and took part in the Dieppe Raid in addition to escorting convoys. Gibraltar was once known by the name Calpe. On December 13, 1943, she worked with the USS Wainwright to help sink the German U-boat U-593. After being lent and later purchased by the Danish Navy, HMS Calpe served there until 1966, when she was scrapped in Sweden in the end.

Introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]], the HMS Calpe is a slow destroyer, with fewer crews than average. Therefore, the destroyer is unable to exchange shots with other destroyers or move quickly enough to avoid danger. Players should practice their gunnery if they want to become proficient with the HMS Calpe, as her potent main armament can deal a great deal of damage when fired correctly. HMS Calpe is most effective by staying near the coast and dealing with enemy light boats that are capturing the objectives. If an enemy destroyer is approaching, it is best to form a group with a friendly destroyer before engaging.

== General info ==
The Hunt class is reasonably slow and won't likely reach most of the distant capture zones alive. Her crew size is another unfavourable factor, since she is not fast enough to avoid the enemy artillery but also not strong enough to resists them.

Players using the Calpe should practice their gunnery skills if they want to master this escort destroyer. As her powerful 4 inch/45 Mark XVI cannons will cause a lot of unstoppable damage if fired accurately.

=== Survivability and armour ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}

Unlike her extremely fast destroyer adversaries, HMS Calpe relies on quick firepower and covered positioning as the best means of defence.

The compact and unaggressive silhouette scarcely resembles a regular British destroyer of early World War II epoch, such as the G-class or the K-class; this is because the ship was built to accompany and oftentimes disappear amongst the cargo ships.

This concealment plays a relevant role in the survivability of the Calpe. As with the slow top speed and small size, one of the best ways to survive in the Calpe is to hide with the coastal borders area or near land formations; awaiting for any vulnerable patrol boat or aircraft to reach within firing range.

Calpe's moderate crew size won't allow any direct combat with dedicated destroyers, whose crew size numbers are often double. Destroyers such as the German [[Z12 Erich Giese]], the Japanese [[IJN Yugumo]] and the Italian [[RN Comandante Margottini]], fit very well in this class. Their equally powerful firepower and yet adequate crew size are a challenge for the slow Calpe.

'''Armour'''

HMS Calpe's hull is made of 16 mm of steel while the superstructure is protected by 4 mm of steel.

This is just not enough to stop most rounds, as even aircraft's heavy machine guns (12.7+ mm) can strafe the Calpe and cause considerable damages and crew casualties.

The turret's antifragmentation armour protects against any HE shell, but they remain highly vulnerable to SAP rounds. The armour is still useful to conserve the indispensable fire rate of the main turrets until the threats have been eliminated. If the turrets get disabled by SAP shells, Calpe could rely on the 40 mm 2pdr gun to survive until the main turrets are repaired.

'''Ammo racks'''

The ammunition is well placed just under the waterline, however, there's a large amount of ready-use ammo racks inside steel containers near all the main turrets, each of them with 40 rounds. It only takes a single direct hit with a powerful shell to cause major damage to the destroyer.

If the players want to decrease the chances of this ammo to detonate, they can simply engage at will using the high rate of fire until all the ready-use ammo rack is spent.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}

[[File:Hunt L71 Bridge.png|thumb|The bridge could be easily targeted, limiting even more the mobility of HMS Calpe.]]
Even with the below-average top speed, the ship will eventually reach distant grid squares in the naval maps, however, HMS Calpe should not be played this way; unless as part of a larger fleet - Calpe won't usually be the first in the battle group in Realistic battles.

The mobility is similar to the [[HMS Churchill]], another escort destroyer, in which staying near the coastal areas provides better rewards and protection from the marauding combat-worthy fleet destroyers. This slow pace is actually beneficial for her gameplay, as she is now capable of positioning safely behind the combat. Using her small size to lurk in the boats' area is also a valid tactic.

The worst scenario for the Hunt class is rough open seas, as the short length and narrow hull decreases seakeeping. This coupled with the already reduced speed, just makes Calpe a sitting duck for anyone faster or with bigger guns- Some torpedoes are also twice faster than her, like the lethal Japanese "Long Lance" Torpedo [[Type 93 Model 1, Mod 2 (610 mm)|Type 93 Model 1]].

To aid the stability problem she has been fitted with rare fin stabilizers under her waterline. Although not popular amongst other British destroyers of the era, they reduce the roll and increase the seaworthiness while on stern sea. This mobility improvement also helps to increase the effectiveness of anti-air fire while underway.

{{NavalMobility}}

In calm waters and fully upgraded, HMS Calpe reaches top speed within just 25 seconds. From full speed, a total halt is achieved in around 30 seconds, with a subsequent total reverse speed in only 13 seconds. This good aspect of the mobility should help the captains when evading incoming torpedo attacks or when steering during manoeuvres in shallow waters.

Her turn range is moderately large for a destroyer meant to fight against submarines, with a full steering circle in approximately 1 minute 25 seconds but sustaining a speed of 35 km/h in full steering.

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}

Depending on the patience and perseverance of the player commanding the HMS Calpe, the mobility modifications should be acquired first - after FPS and Tool Set of course. If slow speed is not an issue, several firepower modifications can be acquired, such as the SAP shells and the Primary turrets targeting speed.

== Armament ==
{{Specs-Fleet-Armaments}}
=== Primary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Primary}}

{{main|4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)}}

Lack of firepower is not what Calpe is known for, in fact, she is one of the fastest-firing ships at her rank, with an overwhelming initial fire rate of 20 rounds per min!

Calpe is primarily armed with a set of 3 x turrets each holding 2 cannons of the British-made, dual-purpose 4 inch/45 Mark XVI., one located in the bow, and the other 2 located in the aft of the ship.

The guns provide an enhancement in fire rate from early British destroyers, however, the explosive damage per round is yet lower than the G-class (H89)'s 3 kg of TNT (1.55 kg on Calpe). This means the player needs to fire accurately, otherwise, the enemy will remain afloat. One of the recommended ways is to fire using the ranging fire key. This will enable the turrets to fire each gun individually, providing leading and correction for the fast-firing cannons in the other turrets. This not only develops a good naval artillery accuracy but also helps when engaging a ship nearby as evenly dispersing the shells through their entire hull causes irreparable sudden damage to the ship and the crew. - As if the HMS Calpe is engaging the target with a non-stop barrage of shells!

It is not recommended to use this ranging fire tactic at long ranges, as it severely limits the amount of damage due to correction errors and inaccuracies in each firing. Hence, it is more powerful to fire in full volleys at long distance - also the splash is more easily observable in Realistic battles.

{{Notice|To use ranging fire, proceed to Ship Controls configurations. It is also possible to select if the turrets will fire with all cannons, in Options.}}

The guns provide decent ballistics thanks to the shells' 811 m/s muzzle velocity, which is comparable or better than what is presented earlier in the British destroyers. The elevation angles are notoriously reliable, nearly 90°, this is because the guns are dual-purpose, able to engaging both seaborne and airborne targets effectively. The variety of shells is also useful for facing off against most of the targets at her rank. With the turrets and their targeting speed of 17°/s, faster than any earlier British destroyer.

The HE is advised as standard ammunition versus most sea targets. SAP is often required to counter the decently armoured American destroyers and Soviet Armoured boats. While HE-VT is the recommended shell against any air target.

Although they have a low explosive mass, HE shells are still powerful enough to trigger a hull break on most small boats, which is helpful when defending coastal areas. The range of the guns is over 12 km, usable for any situation where really good gunnery is needed; like with cargo ships on Encounter mode.

{{:4 inch/45 Mark XVI (102 mm)/Ammunition|4 inch HE, 4 inch SAP, 4 inch HE-TF, 4 inch HE-VT}}

=== Secondary armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Secondary}}

{{main|2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)}}

Amidships, a single quadruple 40 mm 2pdr Quick Firing Mk.VIII automatic cannon is mounted.

Although being more range-limited when compared to the main armament, the 2 pounder cannons provide flexible firepower against any agile fast craft or aircraft reaching within the safe space of the Hunt class. Though, note that when stock, the gun's targeting speed is really poor and might take up to 20 seconds to acquisition a target lead. Although once on the target, the are deadly at close range, as the tight packet cannon offer devastating damage with also acceptable penetration and explosive damage.

* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm HE:''' {{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}
* '''40 mm AP:''' {{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP-T|Armour-piercing tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|HEF|High-explosive fragmentation}}

{{:2pdr QF Mk.VIII (40 mm)/Ammunition|AP-T, HEF}}

=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-AA}}

{{main|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mark 24 (20 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

On both starboard and port, several 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II and 20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mark 24 are located.

If both the 40 mm turret and the main turrets fail to stop an incoming threat, the 20 mm Oerlikon guns will be there as last resort stopping power. Their AI gunner range is roughly of only 1.5 km but their fire rate and damage remains noteworthy because of the amount of guns present on each side of the ship. They are also useful for really agile small boats trying to sneak behind or from the sides of Calpe.

Bombers like the German [[He 111 (Family)]] or nimble fighters like the Japanese naval fighters, [[A6M2]] will have a tough time against them because of how fast and powerful they fire. Notwithstanding, attack planes like the [[Ju 87 (Family)]] or the Soviet [[IL-2 (1942)]] will be sturdy armoured opponents to the Oerlikons; all unfortunately ending with them too close to HMS Calpe and raining fire upon it - Oftentimes these planes can chew up multiple shoots from the 20 mm at point-blank range and remain airworthy.

=== Additional armament ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Additional}}

{{main|Y-gun Mk.VII depth charge}}

While the ships carries a large number of depth charges available, their use is currently limited. As they were historically used by Allied escort destroyers to protect convoys from German submarines; vehicles not present in the game yet.

== Usage in battles ==

Because of the not-record-breaking speeds of the HMS Calpe, she won't usually find combat quickly rather depending on the map. But she can reach those points just in time to guard them, and to provide air protection to any allied ship in her proximity; mainly when the enemy air force is on the way with bombs under their wings; as a solid anti-air emplacement. This tactic serves more in Realistic battles because on Arcade, the enemy planes can easily bomb the Hunt class and she needs to always be on the move - players perhaps should navigate on the allied side of the map.

One of the easiest ways to play the Hunt class is to engage lighter boats or ships. For this, proceed to the coastal areas of the map and if necessary get inside capture zones. Look for a place adequate to avoid any pop-up attacks. As a single bomb of more than 500 kg might be fatal for the Hunt Class destroyer. The same care must be taken for areas where torpedo strikes against the slow Calpe might arrive.

In high-ranked battles versus other more combat capable destroyers, Calpe players must practice how to protect themselves with accurate and first-fired attacks over the enemy; those attacks must be resolute enough to maim the enemy capacities to retaliate. Additional only to a good sense of teamwork to remain near the most influential player's combat fleets, providing anti-air defences while they engage other ships. Captains can let the firepower of the HMS Calpe reach overwhelmingly the enemy destroyers while staying safe from behind. Or go full-in on the coastal approaches, hoping to face-off the entire enemy mosquito fleet.

The Hunt class relishes on close maps, as her really fast firepower can be put to test duelling with anyone close. On the other hand, distance engagements are also beneficial for the integrity of the ship, but they require more skills from; the choice is up to the player.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 3 turrets with 2 cannons each provide adequate damage and gun ballistics; more effective than single mounted turrets
* 102 mm turrets are capable of hullbreaking any troublesome small boat
* Excellent initial rate of fire of 20 rounds/m; even more effective with the use of ranging fire key
* Dual purpose main cannons give an adequate anti-air defence
* Effective amount of secondary and auxiliary armaments; with numerous depth charges also available
* Modest crew size improvement from the early British destroyers (+19 from [[HMS Grafton]])
* Unique fin-stabilized hull amongst British destroyers

'''Cons:'''

* Not enough top speed to match analogous destroyers; playstyle is similar to the equally-paced [[HMS Churchill]]
* No torpedo armament; limits the anti-ship capabilities to just the main guns
* Below average crew size when compared with other nations' destroyers
* Main ammunition can be depleted quickly because of the high rate of fire
* No significant armour protection in the hull or near the ammo storage

== History ==


Even before the outbreak of the Second World War, the British Admiralty had noted the importance of persuasive merchant protection, with the concept of Escort Destroyers.

Hence, after some major flaws were corrected in the sloop-based Hunt class design, the Type II HMS Calpe was laid down complete in 1941, following being ordered on the 1939 emergency program; just in time for the commencement of the Second World War. After acceptable trials despite her short and narrow hull with also an insufficient range for open sea work, she sailed to the Royal Navy's base in Scapa Flow, Scotland and remained on standby for any operation limited to the Mediterranean and the North Seas.

On Early 1942, HMS Calpe participated along the Home Fleet in various exercises, convoy patrols on the North West approach and as Escort for Minelaying operations.

'''Operation Jubilee'''

From July to august of the same year, she took part in the preparations of the Operation Jubilee, also known as the Dieppe raid. Under the control of Major-General Roberts (OC, 2nd Canadian Infantry Division) and Captain John Hugues-Hallet RN (Naval Commander for the raid), she was used as a command ship for the coordination of the landing operations and RAF's attacks.

She received heavy fire caused by enemy aircraft and artillery batteries from the shore, causing numerous casualties on the ship's crew. Even after these intense German bombardments, the ship performed as a hospital for the raid's wounded, protecting the life of about 250 casualties.

After the inconclusive raid, she escorted the surviving forces and landing crafts back to Portsmouth.

'''Task Force H'''

In October, she was placed briefly back on escorting duties and flotillas patrols, until she was appointed for the North African Theatre.

HMS Calpe was sent to Gibraltar and put inside the Task Force H, where she patrolled the western Mediterranean and Atlantic, protecting more convoys and executing anti-submarine warfare. She took part in Operation Torch, Retribution, Husky and Avalanche; principally in support and Escorting role - various times under E-boat attacks and Luftwaffe's strike but surviving intact.

'''Demand for resolution'''

One of her most difficult times during service was in December 1943. She was part of an Escorting convoy group comprising HMS Holcombe and HMS Tynedale (Both Hunt-class Destroyers), working along with the US Destroyers, USS Wainwright, USS Benson and USS Niblack.

Over the Bay of Bougie, off the coast of Algeria, the convoy KMS34 was intercepted by the German submarines U-593 and U-223.

Early in the morning of the 12th, the U-593 spotted the convoy and shifted to periscope depth for an attack. It was a hit, regardless of the extended zig-zagging of 120° every 5 minutes, HMS Tynedale received a torpedo impact on the port side abreast the funnels breaking the ship in half. The convoy immediately started "Swamp operations" - a codename for wolfpacks hunting during convoy protection. The U-593 remained under attack range despite the launching of the depth charges, and not much later after the first destroyer sank, they engaged the second Hunt-class, hitting her aft and sinking the HMS Holcombe. HMS Calpe now was left alone on account of the Royal Navy.

The U-593 now took evasive actions and went off the defensive. Around 8:15 PM of that same day, U-593 surfaced to recharge batteries, to her misfortune, she was spotted by a South-African Wellington Bomber and its searchlight. This brief encounter was then reported to HMS Calpe and the US escort destroyers.

On the morning of December 13th, The Asdic operator (Anti-Submarine Detection Investigation Committee, later named Sonar) onboard the Calpe identified a submarine contact forward; the hunt has begun. Along with USS Wainwright, Calpe performed depth charges attacks continuously damaged the submarine. The commander, (Lieutenant) Kapitänleutnant Kelbling Gerd gave the order to dive deeper, but an explosion damaged the submarine and water begun to ship in, making the dive impossible and slowing the submarine. The submarine commander himself recalled how the unusual noises similar to "pebbles hitting a wall", could be heard on both sides of the submarine's hull. This is thought to be the sonar ping effect of both Asdic devices from Calpe and Wainwright sweeps, working on proximity to sink the U-593.

On the vicinity of the coordinates 37° 49' N., 06° 00' E, Calpe and Wainwright performed numerous runs with depth charges patters of 6 or even 10-charges pattern at once. Wainwright's captain, Commander Walter W. Strohbehn, intended to ram the submarine but about 2:47 p.m. the submarine surfaced because of the extensive hull and mechanical damage.

Upon the appearance of the submarine, it was received by fire from both sides, with Wainwright 2,000 yards north-west of her and Calpe 2,000 yards south-west. The U-boat crew started to quickly abandon the ship and the Commanding Officer of Calpe, Lieutenant Commander H. Kirkwood, ordered a halt of fire since no attempt of retaliation was made by the German submarine. Calpe and Wainwright closed the distance over 100 yards with the submarine and Calpe sent a motorboat with the task of avoiding any scuttling operation, however, the scuttling was already achieved and the submarine sank at 3:08 p.m near 37° 41' N., 06° 06' E with the destroyers capturing the entire submarine crew, who had no casualties.

HMS Calpe and USS Wainwright were awarded a shared submarine elimination because of the fine teamwork, taking into account no previous joint drill were executed.
[[File:Hunt L71.jpg|thumb| HMS Calpe in Malta, Nov 6th 1945.]]
''"A pleasure to work with" - "She turned in a polished performance, always being in the proper place, always being ready and she was quick to grasp the intentions of this ship."'' - Commander Walter W. Strohbehn

'''Fate'''

The experienced HMS Calpe was then transferred to Malta from where she participated in even more operations of allied landings and close shore support in the Mediterranean theatre, until the end of the war.

In defiance of her original design limitations, HMS Calpe eventually served with a flotilla in the Indian ocean until November 1946, then returned to Britain. She was loaned and eventually sold to Denmark in 1952 under the name of HDMS Rolf Krake. She remained active until October 1966, ultimately being scrapped in Denmark and Sweden.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=uk_destroyer_hunt_2series Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed-hover" heights="200">
File:Hunt L71 Top View.png|Deck view of HMS Calpe
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[HMS Brissenden]]

;Similar playstyle

* [[HMS Churchill]]
* [[HMS Montgomery]]

== External links ==


* [http://www.naval-history.net/xGM-Chrono-10DE-Calpe.htm Service History record, HMS Calpe - Naval History.net]
* [https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/4643.html Notable History moments, HMS Calpe - Uboat.net]

{{ShipManufacturer Swan Hunter and Wigham Richardson}}
{{Britain destroyers}}