War Thunder Wiki - User contributions [en]

USS Asheville

2022-10-27T16:29:42Z

U92026966:

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor gun boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] as part of the fleet closed beta test.

Being near the end of the costal line, the armament and utility of the Asheville is greatly improved over previous gun boats, such as a rapid firing 3" gun, or access to radar targeting module. Serving in the Vietnam war, Asheville excels in harassment tactics by destroying gun mounts of light Bluewater ships and sinking costal ships alike, then vacating the area before return fire can be sent.

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

The USS Asheville suffers from a severe lack of armour, even against small arms fire. As a light coastal vessel, it does not have access to anti-fragmentation armour with an armour thickness barely surpassing 8 mm. This lack of armour is compensated with an impressive mobility. Due to the superstructure being very tall, it is a primary target for enemy fire, making it easy for all sorts of calibre to significantly damage the bridge and leave the ship commandless until it is repaired. The best armour for the Asheville is to remain unseen and hidden, primarily close to rocky locations or against any environmental cover that is big enough for the Asheville.

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

The Asheville is a pretty agile vessel, featuring a CODOG (Combined Diesel Or Gas) propulsion system, making it able to reach high speeds in a quick manner. It has a pretty responsive rudder even at low speeds. However, sometimes the rudder tends to "stick" when going backwards, making relatively hard to keep a constant heading while going on reverse. While it is not faster than many of the rest of coastal vessels seen in game, it certainly has a high endurance and speed for a vessel its size.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

{{main|3-inch Mk.34 (76 mm)}}

The main armament is the 76 mm Mk.34 gun located on the bow. It has an excellent rate of fire and elevation angles. It has access to HE, APHE and HE-VT rounds. At its battle rating, HE rounds vary in effectiveness against lightly armored PT boats with changes to damage models and shell interactions changes from patch to patch, but it currently takes multiple direct strikes to kill even the most lightly crewed of boats. APHE shells are of great use versus more armoured gun boats allowing you to deal with them way faster. HE-VT rounds combined with excellent gun elevation angles and radar allow you to deal with planes from a safe distance, compensating for the lacking dedicated anti-air armament (it should be noted that the Asheville only has a tracking radar onboard and not a search radar as well, so aerial target acquisition must still be done manually). Switching ammo type can take around 10 seconds. The gun also overheats quickly and it can take some time to bring it back online, which should be taken into account when engaging bigger or more numerous targets.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 3 (40 mm)}}

The Asheville has a single 40 mm L/60 Mark 3 Bofors cannon located on the stern. While it might not seem extremely useful in combat, in practice it helps mitigate weaknesses of the primary armament. It provides a fast way to deal with threats directly behind the ship where the main gun can't cover or it can even be used to replace the main cannon during repairs. Its good damage output combined with a very short reload time allows you to shred any lighter enemy vessels. Overall, it's a great secondary to have for close quarters situations the main battery won't be able to handle.

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

{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}}

The Asheville has access to two twin AN-M2 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. They are effective against lightly armoured vessels such as the German LS3 and Russian G5, as well as low flying/slow flying aircraft such as floatplanes. when confronting aircraft, keep in mind that the general range that 12.7 mounts will accurately engage aircraft is about 500m, giving limited coverage from incoming CAS. because of the 12.7's limited range, its is advised to instead use the 3" inch HE-VT shells for defense, or to use the rear mounted 40mm, as both of these weapons have a much more comfortable engagement distance.
== Usage in battles ==
Asheville currently has a peculiar playstyle compared to other costal vessels due to updated damage modules and changes to 3" shells, Asheville is a glass cannon that can no longer hull break light PT boats as was possible in previous updates, nor survive for an extended period of time since the majority of crew is found in the bridge which can be easily knocked out. Because of this, positioning is the most important skill for a captain of an Asheville if they wish to produce results. Finding firing angles that apposing ships don't expect and hitting them in rapid succession until they die is the bread and butter of Asheville's gameplay. If the target fails to die after the fourth or fifth shot, GET OUT. Any retaliation the Asheville faces is likely to end in her demise, so don't let the enemy even get a glance of Asheville and captains will do much better playing her.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

*Upgraded 3" mount with better fire rate, access to radar tracking
*Access to 3" APHE, HE-VT as well as stock HE to allow Asheville to deal with an array of targets
*Nimble and quick, allowing Asheville to quickly get into position and reposition when spotted
*40mm mount in the back can deal with offending aircraft or PT boats if 3" gun is knocked out

'''Cons:'''

*Low number and unprotected crew results in immediate knock outs, even 7.62 machine guns are a threat
*Single main armament 3"-gun, will quickly overheat
*Large ship for crew size, likely to be spotted, leading to quick death
*Exposed ready rack behind 3"-gun mount, easy to hit and detonate

== History ==

USS Asheville (PGM-84) was the lead ship of the Asheville class, a series of seventeen patrol gunboats built for the US Navy. Completed in 1967, she saw service in the Vietnam War as a blockade ship and patrol vessel. Following the end of hostilities in Vietnam, Asheville returned to the United States as a training vessel; she would eventually serve as a training ship in the Great Lakes, and was transferred in 1977 to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.<ref name=":0">Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006)</ref><ref name=":1">Priolo, G. (1996)</ref>

=== Design and construction ===
The Asheville was designed as a small gunboat, and thus displaced 240 tons. She carried an armament of a single 3-inch (76 mm) gun at the bow, a 40 mm Bofors gun at the rear and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns.<ref name=":1" /> Being a patrol boat, she had a small crew complement of just 37. Equipped with a CODOG (combined gas and diesel propulsion) system, she could make a top speed of 40 knots (74 km/h).<ref name=":1" /> Asheville was laid down on April 15th 1964 by the Tacoma boat-building company. She was launched on May 1st 1965, and commissioned on April 1st 1967.<ref name=":1" />

=== Operational History ===
[[File:USS Asheville (PG-84).jpg|thumb|400x400px|USS Asheville underway in 1966.]]
Following her commissioning and shakedown cruise, the Asheville was homeported at San Diego, California. She departed the port in April and sailed to Hawaii, then Guam, then her final destination of South Vietnam to serve in the Vietnam War.<ref name=":0" /> She saw eight years of service in the Asian and Pacific theatre, though large parts were spent in port due to a shortage of men and engine parts to service her rather unreliable propulsion system. She frequently conducted blockade missions off of the Vietnamese coast, in an effort to prevent the flow of arms and supplies to the communist rebels in South Vietnam.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

In December of 1972, the United States stopped its military involvement in Vietnam; this halted Asheville's combat activities. She remained in the Western Pacific for an additional two years, visiting a variety of Pacific ports. She then sailed for Chicago via the Panama canal, and arrived at her final destination in December of 1974. She served as a training vessel on the Great lakes between 1974 and 1977;<ref name=":0" /> she was decommissioned on January 31st 1977 and simultaneously stricken from the navy list. She was then given to the Maine Maritime academy as a training vessel; her name is now taken by USS Asheville (SSN-758), a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.<ref name=":0" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_ashville_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 ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006). Asheville, USS. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>https://ncpedia.org/asheville-uss</nowiki>
* Priolo, G. (1996). NavSource Online:Motor Gunboat/Patrol Gunboat Photo Archive. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/11084.htm</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Tacoma Boatbuilding Co.}}
{{USA boats}}

Thunderbolt (PT-556)

2022-10-26T00:44:43Z

U92026966: re-wrote description to better describe the ship.

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_elco_80ft_pt_boat_thunderbolt
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor torpedo boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]] as part of the fleet release into Open Beta Test.

The Thunderbolt is an Elco 80Foot-class patrol boat that is unique from her sister craft in the form of having a quad 20mm gun mount found at the aft of the vessel.

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

Similar to the other [[:Category:Coastal Fleet USA|Elco boats]], the PT-556 has 6.35 mm of hardened armour protecting the helmsman, who is a critical crew member. With a crew complement of 12 predominately operating guns above deck, this boat can be knocked out relatively easily. The quad [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Oerlikon]] mount on the rear features a protected "basket" with an open top, sporting the same 6.35 mm sides and back with a 12.7 mm front plate.

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


This boat weighs as much as the heavier [[Elco 80 ft PT-565|PT-565]] while maintaining the top speed of the lighter [[Elco 80 ft PT-314|PT-314]], helping this boat live up to the nickname "Thunderbolt" which is scribed on the rear quad mount. With a top speed of 106 km/h in Arcade Battles, this boat is among the fastest in game. Additionally it sports a high reverse speed and is capable of tight turns.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

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

The primary armament consists of a quad-mounted 20 mm [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Oerlikon Mk.II]] turret aft and a single cannon at the front. They are extremely deadly to any small targets.

Both turrets have fast traverse rate and good elevation angles so there should be no problem in engaging aircraft. Short bursts are all it should take to take out any unarmoured targets or aircraft. The ballistics should be familiar from the other PT boats. You should have some trigger discipline because you don't have enough ammunition to "spray and pray".

The placement of the quad mount makes for a forward dead zone of roughly 20 degrees and roughly 45 degrees left and right of the bow. This can limit the ability to engage targets with maximum closing speed and maximum firepower at once.

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

{{main|AN-M4 (37 mm)}}

The secondary armament on this boat is a 37 mm AN-M4 cannon at the front of the boat. The low rate of fire and low velocity makes it unsuitable for general use but can act as a decent supporting fire to the 20 mm cannons when the secondary armament control switch is set to the ON position. It is unsuitable for anti-aircraft because of the problems mentioned above and the fact that it has poor elevation angles. The high explosive shells also self-destruct so you can't engage with them past medium ranges. The penetration rates of the armour-piercing shells are on par with the main Oerlikon cannons so you can have it as your backup for armoured targets.

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

{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}}

The PT-556 utilizes the same AA layout as the [[Elco 80 ft PT-565#Anti-aircraft armament|PT-565]], however it does offer twice the ammunition load at 8,000 rounds for the two dual-mount [[AN-M2 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm AN-M2]] emplacements. The dual-mount 12.7 mm machine guns are decent at hitting slow-flying aircraft such as floatplanes, as well as damaging frail PT boats such as the reserve torpedo boats. However, against targets at a distance greater than 500 m, the .50 cal MGs will struggle to hit the target. Even if they do hit, at such distances the damage dealt is unnoticeable, so expect the .50 cals to be of no use unless the offending aircraft or PT is right on top of the Thunderbolt.

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

{{main|Mk.13 (569 mm)}}

The PT-556 carries four Mk.13 torpedoes with 178 kg of explosives, a pretty weak explosive mass compared to counterparts from other countries. Still, it still packs some punch to cripple enemy ships, and since you're carrying four torpedoes instead of two like other PT boats, these can be very helpful in case if you've missed a hit. Setting the depth stroke to 4 m instead of 1 m can alleviate the low explosive mass, but it is still recommended to fire the torpedoes in a salvo of two unless you are confident a single torpedo will strike the target.

== Usage in battles ==

The PT-556 is a PT boat that packed with heavy firepower in the form of 5 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons and other supplementary armaments. As its nickname ''Thunderbolt'' suggests, the playstyle of this boat is strike hard and strike fast before retreating.

Due to the boat's poor survivability, speed and positioning is the key of success. Never rush into the enemy and instead utilizing covers or moving in pack with your teammates. In this way, you can provide heavy fire support on any distracted enemy.

Against destroyers, the PT-556 has no trouble to destroy them with four small torpedoes, albeit usually requires more than one hit to kill them. Thanks to your 4 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, you can kill the enemy destroyer by engaging the ship from the sides, then spray your lead into every section the ship's side to wipe out the crew, this is more effective than concentrating on a single section.

Because the main armament is located at the rear of the boat, the Thunderbolt is best used either in a broadside or at a disengaging angle when fighting small PT boats, but against larger ships and destroyers its recommended to be bow in to reduce the chances of being struck by an HE shell, as well as getting closer to the targeted ship to get a more accurate torpedo spread off.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Main armament consists of five hard-hitting 20 mm Oerlikon cannons
* Rear 4 x 20 mm Oerlikon turret provided very dense cone of fire
* Fast and agile as it is a motor boat
* Can carry 4 x torpedoes, 2 on each side
* AA defence consisting of 4 x 12.7 mm AN-M2 machine guns which provide enough protection
* 37 mm gun can be equipped with AP shells to deal with armoured targets
* 37 mm AN-M4 rounds are pure HE or pure AP and no mix

'''Cons:'''

* 20 mm cannons have low velocity and awkward angle and therefore are hard to aim
* Very poor survivability
* Ammunition storage is next to the fuel tank
* Each individual torpedo is quite weak and often requires more than one hit to sunk enemy destroyer
* 37 mm gun is not accurate

== History ==

PT-556 was an Elco 80-foot class Motor Torpedo Boat of the United States Navy. It was laid down by the Electric Launch Company (Elco) in Bayonne, NJ, on 1 July 1943. She was launched on 16 September 1943 and completed and commissioned on 20 October 1943.

PT-556 had a length of 80 ft, a beam of 20 ft 8 in, and a draft of 5 ft. The displacement was 56 tons and it was manned by a crew of 17. The ship was powered by three 1,500 shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, turning three shafts; a speed of 41 knots could be achieved. The armament consisted of two twin .50 cal mounts (total of four machine guns), four 21 inch torpedoes, and one Elco Thunderbolt quadruple 20 mm mount (total of four 20 mm cannons). The PT-556 was one of the few torpedo boats to be equipped with the Elco Thunderbolt mount.

PT-556 was first assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Twenty-Nine (MBTRon 29), under the command of CDR S. Stephen Daunis, USN. MBTRon 29 was assigned to the Mediterranean and was based at Calvi, Corsica, and later Leghorn, Italy. Operating under the British Coastal Forces, the squadron saw action along the northwestern coast of Italy and southern coast of France.

PT-556 was transferred to the Soviet Union on 12 April 1945, and was reclassified as TK-435. Her fate after transfer is unknown.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_elco_80ft_pt_boat_thunderbolt Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:Tutorial naval.jpg|Naval tutorial screen features a graphic of the {{PAGENAME}}.
File:Tutorial naval win.jpg|Another graphic example of the {{PAGENAME}} after completing the tutorial.
</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 ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

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

{{ShipManufacturer Elco}}
{{USA boats}}
{{USA premium ships}}

USS Asheville

2022-10-25T17:59:48Z

U92026966: Added section to useages in battle

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor gun boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] as part of the fleet closed beta test.

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

The USS Asheville suffers from a severe lack of armour, even against small arms fire. As a light coastal vessel, it does not have access to anti-fragmentation armour with an armour thickness barely surpassing 8 mm. This lack of armour is compensated with an impressive mobility. Due to the superstructure being very tall, it is a primary target for enemy fire, making it easy for all sorts of calibre to significantly damage the bridge and leave the ship commandless until it is repaired. The best armour for the Asheville is to remain unseen and hidden, primarily close to rocky locations or against any environmental cover that is big enough for the Asheville.

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

The Asheville is a pretty agile vessel, featuring a CODOG (Combined Diesel Or Gas) propulsion system, making it able to reach high speeds in a quick manner. It has a pretty responsive rudder even at low speeds. However, sometimes the rudder tends to "stick" when going backwards, making relatively hard to keep a constant heading while going on reverse. While it is not faster than many of the rest of coastal vessels seen in game, it certainly has a high endurance and speed for a vessel its size.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

{{main|3-inch Mk.34 (76 mm)}}

The main armament is the 76 mm Mk.34 gun located on the bow. It has an excellent rate of fire and elevation angles. It has access to HE, APHE and HE-VT rounds. At its battle rating, HE rounds inflict great damage to smaller boats and the gun accuracy allows to use this round with success against bigger targets and destroyers at closer ranges. APHE shells are of great use versus more armoured gun boats allowing you to deal with them way faster. HE-VT rounds combined with excellent gun elevation angles and radar allow you to deal with planes from a safe distance, compensating for the lacking dedicated anti-air armament. Switching ammo type can take around 10 seconds. The gun also overheats quickly and it can take some time to bring it back online, which should be taken into account when engaging bigger or more numerous targets.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 3 (40 mm)}}

The Asheville has a single 40 mm L/60 Mark 3 Bofors cannon located on the stern. While it might not seem extremely useful in combat, in practice it helps mitigate weaknesses of the primary armament. It provides a fast way to deal with threats directly behind the ship where the main gun can't cover or it can even be used to replace the main cannon during repairs. Its good damage output combined with a very short reload time allows you to shred any lighter enemy vessels. Overall, it's a great secondary to have for close quarters situations the main battery won't be able to handle.

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

{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}}

The Asheville has access to two twin AN-M2 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. They are effective against lightly armoured vessels and low-flying aircraft and have little use outside those two target groups.

== Usage in battles ==
Asheville currently has a peculiar playstyle compared to other costal vessels due to updated damage modules and changes to 3" shells, Asheville is a glass cannon that can no longer hull break light PT boats as was possible in previous updates, nor survive for an expended period of time since the majority of crew is found in the bridge which can be easily knocked out. Because of this, positioning is the most important skill for a captain of an Asheville if they wish to produce results. Finding firing angles that apposing ships don't expect and hitting them in rapid succession until they die is the bread and butter of Asheville's gameplay. If the target fails to die after the fourth or fifth shot, GET OUT. Any retaliation the Asheville faces is likely to end in her demise, so don't let the enemy even get a glance of Asheville and captains will do much better playing her.

=== 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 ==

USS Asheville (PGM-84) was the lead ship of the Asheville class, a series of seventeen patrol gunboats built for the US Navy. Completed in 1967, she saw service in the Vietnam War as a blockade ship and patrol vessel. Following the end of hostilities in Vietnam, Asheville returned to the United States as a training vessel; she would eventually serve as a training ship in the Great Lakes, and was transferred in 1977 to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.<ref name=":0">Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006)</ref><ref name=":1">Priolo, G. (1996)</ref>

=== Design and construction ===
The Asheville was designed as a small gunboat, and thus displaced 240 tons. She carried an armament of a single 3-inch (76 mm) gun at the bow, a 40 mm Bofors gun at the rear and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns.<ref name=":1" /> Being a patrol boat, she had a small crew complement of just 37. Equipped with a CODOG (combined gas and diesel propulsion) system, she could make a top speed of 40 knots (74 km/h).<ref name=":1" /> Asheville was laid down on April 15th 1964 by the Tacoma boat-building company. She was launched on May 1st 1965, and commissioned on April 1st 1967.<ref name=":1" />

=== Operational History ===
[[File:USS Asheville (PG-84).jpg|thumb|400x400px|USS Asheville underway in 1966.]]
Following her commissioning and shakedown cruise, the Asheville was homeported at San Diego, California. She departed the port in April and sailed to Hawaii, then Guam, then her final destination of South Vietnam to serve in the Vietnam War.<ref name=":0" /> She saw eight years of service in the Asian and Pacific theatre, though large parts were spent in port due to a shortage of men and engine parts to service her rather unreliable propulsion system. She frequently conducted blockade missions off of the Vietnamese coast, in an effort to prevent the flow of arms and supplies to the communist rebels in South Vietnam.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

In December of 1972, the United States stopped its military involvement in Vietnam; this halted Asheville's combat activities. She remained in the Western Pacific for an additional two years, visiting a variety of Pacific ports. She then sailed for Chicago via the Panama canal, and arrived at her final destination in December of 1974. She served as a training vessel on the Great lakes between 1974 and 1977;<ref name=":0" /> she was decommissioned on January 31st 1977 and simultaneously stricken from the navy list. She was then given to the Maine Maritime academy as a training vessel; her name is now taken by USS Asheville (SSN-758), a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.<ref name=":0" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_ashville_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 ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006). Asheville, USS. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>https://ncpedia.org/asheville-uss</nowiki>
* Priolo, G. (1996). NavSource Online:Motor Gunboat/Patrol Gunboat Photo Archive. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/11084.htm</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Tacoma Boatbuilding Co.}}
{{USA boats}}

USS Asheville

2022-10-25T17:51:56Z

U92026966: added Pro's and Con's

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor gun boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] as part of the fleet closed beta test.

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

The USS Asheville suffers from a severe lack of armour, even against small arms fire. As a light coastal vessel, it does not have access to anti-fragmentation armour with an armour thickness barely surpassing 8 mm. This lack of armour is compensated with an impressive mobility. Due to the superstructure being very tall, it is a primary target for enemy fire, making it easy for all sorts of calibre to significantly damage the bridge and leave the ship commandless until it is repaired. The best armour for the Asheville is to remain unseen and hidden, primarily close to rocky locations or against any environmental cover that is big enough for the Asheville.

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

The Asheville is a pretty agile vessel, featuring a CODOG (Combined Diesel Or Gas) propulsion system, making it able to reach high speeds in a quick manner. It has a pretty responsive rudder even at low speeds. However, sometimes the rudder tends to "stick" when going backwards, making relatively hard to keep a constant heading while going on reverse. While it is not faster than many of the rest of coastal vessels seen in game, it certainly has a high endurance and speed for a vessel its size.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

{{main|3-inch Mk.34 (76 mm)}}

The main armament is the 76 mm Mk.34 gun located on the bow. It has an excellent rate of fire and elevation angles. It has access to HE, APHE and HE-VT rounds. At its battle rating, HE rounds inflict great damage to smaller boats and the gun accuracy allows to use this round with success against bigger targets and destroyers at closer ranges. APHE shells are of great use versus more armoured gun boats allowing you to deal with them way faster. HE-VT rounds combined with excellent gun elevation angles and radar allow you to deal with planes from a safe distance, compensating for the lacking dedicated anti-air armament. Switching ammo type can take around 10 seconds. The gun also overheats quickly and it can take some time to bring it back online, which should be taken into account when engaging bigger or more numerous targets.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 3 (40 mm)}}

The Asheville has a single 40 mm L/60 Mark 3 Bofors cannon located on the stern. While it might not seem extremely useful in combat, in practice it helps mitigate weaknesses of the primary armament. It provides a fast way to deal with threats directly behind the ship where the main gun can't cover or it can even be used to replace the main cannon during repairs. Its good damage output combined with a very short reload time allows you to shred any lighter enemy vessels. Overall, it's a great secondary to have for close quarters situations the main battery won't be able to handle.

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

{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}}

The Asheville has access to two twin AN-M2 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. They are effective against lightly armoured vessels and low-flying aircraft and have little use outside those two target groups.

== 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:'''

* upgraded 3" mount with better fire rate, access to radar tracking
* access to 3" APHE, HE-VT as well as stock HE to allow Asheville to deal with an array of targets
* nimble and quick, allowing Asheville to quickly get into position and reposition when spotted
* 40mm mount in the back can deal with offending aircraft or PT boats if 3" gun is knocked out

*

'''Cons:'''

* Low number and unprotected crew results in immediate knock outs, even 7.62 machine guns are a threat
* single main armament 3"-gun, will quickly overheat
* Large ship for crew size, likely to be spotted, leading to quick death
* exposed ready rack behind 3"-gun mount, easy to hit and detonate

*

== History ==

USS Asheville (PGM-84) was the lead ship of the Asheville class, a series of seventeen patrol gunboats built for the US Navy. Completed in 1967, she saw service in the Vietnam War as a blockade ship and patrol vessel. Following the end of hostilities in Vietnam, Asheville returned to the United States as a training vessel; she would eventually serve as a training ship in the Great Lakes, and was transferred in 1977 to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.<ref name=":0">Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006)</ref><ref name=":1">Priolo, G. (1996)</ref>

=== Design and construction ===
The Asheville was designed as a small gunboat, and thus displaced 240 tons. She carried an armament of a single 3-inch (76 mm) gun at the bow, a 40 mm Bofors gun at the rear and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns.<ref name=":1" /> Being a patrol boat, she had a small crew complement of just 37. Equipped with a CODOG (combined gas and diesel propulsion) system, she could make a top speed of 40 knots (74 km/h).<ref name=":1" /> Asheville was laid down on April 15th 1964 by the Tacoma boat-building company. She was launched on May 1st 1965, and commissioned on April 1st 1967.<ref name=":1" />

=== Operational History ===
[[File:USS Asheville (PG-84).jpg|thumb|400x400px|USS Asheville underway in 1966.]]
Following her commissioning and shakedown cruise, the Asheville was homeported at San Diego, California. She departed the port in April and sailed to Hawaii, then Guam, then her final destination of South Vietnam to serve in the Vietnam War.<ref name=":0" /> She saw eight years of service in the Asian and Pacific theatre, though large parts were spent in port due to a shortage of men and engine parts to service her rather unreliable propulsion system. She frequently conducted blockade missions off of the Vietnamese coast, in an effort to prevent the flow of arms and supplies to the communist rebels in South Vietnam.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

In December of 1972, the United States stopped its military involvement in Vietnam; this halted Asheville's combat activities. She remained in the Western Pacific for an additional two years, visiting a variety of Pacific ports. She then sailed for Chicago via the Panama canal, and arrived at her final destination in December of 1974. She served as a training vessel on the Great lakes between 1974 and 1977;<ref name=":0" /> she was decommissioned on January 31st 1977 and simultaneously stricken from the navy list. She was then given to the Maine Maritime academy as a training vessel; her name is now taken by USS Asheville (SSN-758), a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.<ref name=":0" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_ashville_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 ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006). Asheville, USS. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>https://ncpedia.org/asheville-uss</nowiki>
* Priolo, G. (1996). NavSource Online:Motor Gunboat/Patrol Gunboat Photo Archive. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/11084.htm</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Tacoma Boatbuilding Co.}}
{{USA boats}}

USS Asheville

2022-10-25T17:42:58Z

U92026966: increased wording in description section

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor gun boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] as part of the fleet closed beta test. Being near the end of the costal line, the armament and utility of the Asheville is greatly improved over previous gun boats, such as a rapid firing 3" gun, or access to radar targeting module. Serving in the Vietnam war, Asheville excels in harassment tactics by destroying gun mounts of light Bluewater ships and sinking costal ships alike, then vacating the area before return fire can be sent.

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

The USS Asheville suffers from a severe lack of armour, even against small arms fire. As a light coastal vessel, it does not have access to anti-fragmentation armour with an armour thickness barely surpassing 8 mm. This lack of armour is compensated with an impressive mobility. Due to the superstructure being very tall, it is a primary target for enemy fire, making it easy for all sorts of calibre to significantly damage the bridge and leave the ship commandless until it is repaired. The best armour for the Asheville is to remain unseen and hidden, primarily close to rocky locations or against any environmental cover that is big enough for the Asheville.

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

The Asheville is a pretty agile vessel, featuring a CODOG (Combined Diesel Or Gas) propulsion system, making it able to reach high speeds in a quick manner. It has a pretty responsive rudder even at low speeds. However, sometimes the rudder tends to "stick" when going backwards, making relatively hard to keep a constant heading while going on reverse. While it is not faster than many of the rest of coastal vessels seen in game, it certainly has a high endurance and speed for a vessel its size.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

{{main|3-inch Mk.34 (76 mm)}}

The main armament is the 76 mm Mk.34 gun located on the bow. It has an excellent rate of fire and elevation angles. It has access to HE, APHE and HE-VT rounds. At its battle rating, HE rounds inflict great damage to smaller boats and the gun accuracy allows to use this round with success against bigger targets and destroyers at closer ranges. APHE shells are of great use versus more armoured gun boats allowing you to deal with them way faster. HE-VT rounds combined with excellent gun elevation angles and radar allow you to deal with planes from a safe distance, compensating for the lacking dedicated anti-air armament. Switching ammo type can take around 10 seconds. The gun also overheats quickly and it can take some time to bring it back online, which should be taken into account when engaging bigger or more numerous targets.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 3 (40 mm)}}

The Asheville has a single 40 mm L/60 Mark 3 Bofors cannon located on the stern. While it might not seem extremely useful in combat, in practice it helps mitigate weaknesses of the primary armament. It provides a fast way to deal with threats directly behind the ship where the main gun can't cover or it can even be used to replace the main cannon during repairs. Its good damage output combined with a very short reload time allows you to shred any lighter enemy vessels. Overall, it's a great secondary to have for close quarters situations the main battery won't be able to handle.

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

{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}}

The Asheville has access to two twin AN-M2 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. They are effective against lightly armoured vessels and low-flying aircraft and have little use outside those two target groups.

== 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 ==

USS Asheville (PGM-84) was the lead ship of the Asheville class, a series of seventeen patrol gunboats built for the US Navy. Completed in 1967, she saw service in the Vietnam War as a blockade ship and patrol vessel. Following the end of hostilities in Vietnam, Asheville returned to the United States as a training vessel; she would eventually serve as a training ship in the Great Lakes, and was transferred in 1977 to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.<ref name=":0">Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006)</ref><ref name=":1">Priolo, G. (1996)</ref>

=== Design and construction ===
The Asheville was designed as a small gunboat, and thus displaced 240 tons. She carried an armament of a single 3-inch (76 mm) gun at the bow, a 40 mm Bofors gun at the rear and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns.<ref name=":1" /> Being a patrol boat, she had a small crew complement of just 37. Equipped with a CODOG (combined gas and diesel propulsion) system, she could make a top speed of 40 knots (74 km/h).<ref name=":1" /> Asheville was laid down on April 15th 1964 by the Tacoma boat-building company. She was launched on May 1st 1965, and commissioned on April 1st 1967.<ref name=":1" />

=== Operational History ===
[[File:USS Asheville (PG-84).jpg|thumb|400x400px|USS Asheville underway in 1966.]]
Following her commissioning and shakedown cruise, the Asheville was homeported at San Diego, California. She departed the port in April and sailed to Hawaii, then Guam, then her final destination of South Vietnam to serve in the Vietnam War.<ref name=":0" /> She saw eight years of service in the Asian and Pacific theatre, though large parts were spent in port due to a shortage of men and engine parts to service her rather unreliable propulsion system. She frequently conducted blockade missions off of the Vietnamese coast, in an effort to prevent the flow of arms and supplies to the communist rebels in South Vietnam.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

In December of 1972, the United States stopped its military involvement in Vietnam; this halted Asheville's combat activities. She remained in the Western Pacific for an additional two years, visiting a variety of Pacific ports. She then sailed for Chicago via the Panama canal, and arrived at her final destination in December of 1974. She served as a training vessel on the Great lakes between 1974 and 1977;<ref name=":0" /> she was decommissioned on January 31st 1977 and simultaneously stricken from the navy list. She was then given to the Maine Maritime academy as a training vessel; her name is now taken by USS Asheville (SSN-758), a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.<ref name=":0" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_ashville_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 ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006). Asheville, USS. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>https://ncpedia.org/asheville-uss</nowiki>
* Priolo, G. (1996). NavSource Online:Motor Gunboat/Patrol Gunboat Photo Archive. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/11084.htm</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Tacoma Boatbuilding Co.}}
{{USA boats}}

Thunderbolt (PT-556)

2022-10-25T17:25:56Z

U92026966: updated anti-aircraft section

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_elco_80ft_pt_boat_thunderbolt
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor torpedo boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]] as part of the fleet release into Open Beta Test.

The Thunderbolt acts as a WWII PT boat that utilizes maximum harassment with her quad 20 mm turret mount and an assortment of weaponry to sink PT boats and destroyers alike while reaping the SL and RP benefits of being a premium vessel.

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

Similar to the other [[:Category:Coastal Fleet USA|Elco boats]], the PT-556 has 6.35 mm of hardened armour protecting the helmsman, who is a critical crew member. With a crew complement of 12 predominately operating guns above deck, this boat can be knocked out relatively easily. The quad [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Oerlikon]] mount on the rear features a protected "basket" with an open top, sporting the same 6.35 mm sides and back with a 12.7 mm front plate.

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


This boat weighs as much as the heavier [[Elco 80 ft PT-565|PT-565]] while maintaining the top speed of the lighter [[Elco 80 ft PT-314|PT-314]], helping this boat live up to the nickname "Thunderbolt" which is scribed on the rear quad mount. With a top speed of 106 km/h in Arcade Battles, this boat is among the fastest in game. Additionally it sports a high reverse speed and is capable of tight turns.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

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

The primary armament consists of a quad-mounted 20 mm [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Oerlikon Mk.II]] turret aft and a single cannon at the front. They are extremely deadly to any small targets.

Both turrets have fast traverse rate and good elevation angles so there should be no problem in engaging aircraft. Short bursts are all it should take to take out any unarmoured targets or aircraft. The ballistics should be familiar from the other PT boats. You should have some trigger discipline because you don't have enough ammunition to "spray and pray".

The placement of the quad mount makes for a forward dead zone of roughly 20 degrees and roughly 45 degrees left and right of the bow. This can limit the ability to engage targets with maximum closing speed and maximum firepower at once.

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

{{main|AN-M4 (37 mm)}}

The secondary armament on this boat is a 37 mm AN-M4 cannon at the front of the boat. The low rate of fire and low velocity makes it unsuitable for general use but can act as a decent supporting fire to the 20 mm cannons when the secondary armament control switch is set to the ON position. It is unsuitable for anti-aircraft because of the problems mentioned above and the fact that it has poor elevation angles. The high explosive shells also self-destruct so you can't engage with them past medium ranges. The penetration rates of the armour-piercing shells are on par with the main Oerlikon cannons so you can have it as your backup for armoured targets.

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

{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}}

The PT-556 utilizes the same AA layout as the [[Elco 80 ft PT-565#Anti-aircraft armament|PT-565]], however it does offer twice the ammunition load at 8,000 rounds for the two dual-mount [[AN-M2 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm AN-M2]] emplacements. the 12.7 dual-mount guns are decent at hitting slow moving aircraft such as float planes, as well as damage frail PT boats such as the reserve G5 and LS3. However, against targets at a distance greater than 500m~, the 12.7's will struggle to hit the intended target. Even if they do hit, at such distances the damage dealt by them is unnoticeable, so expect the 12.7's to be of no use unless the offending aircraft or PT is right on top of the Thunderbolt.

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

{{main|Mk.13 (569 mm)}}

The PT-556 carries four Mk.13 torpedoes with 178 kg of explosives, a pretty weak explosive mass compared to counterparts from other countries. Still, it still packs some punch to cripple enemy ships, and since you're carrying four torpedoes instead of two like other PT boats, these can be very helpful in case if you've missed a hit. Setting the depth stroke to 4 m instead of 1 m can alleviate the low explosive mass, but it is still recommended to fire the torpedoes in a salvo of two unless you are confident a single torpedo will strike the target.

== Usage in battles ==

The PT-556 is a PT boat that packed with heavy firepower in the form of 5 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons and other supplementary armaments. As its nickname ''Thunderbolt'' suggests, the playstyle of this boat is strike hard and strike fast before retreating.

Due to the boat's poor survivability, speed and positioning is the key of success. Never rush into the enemy and instead utilizing covers or moving in pack with your teammates. In this way, you can provide heavy fire support on any distracted enemy.

Against destroyers, the PT-556 has no trouble to destroy them with four small torpedoes, albeit usually requires more than one hit to kill them. Thanks to your 4 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, you can kill the enemy destroyer by engaging the ship from the sides, then spray your lead into every section the ship's side to wipe out the crew, this is more effective than concentrating on a single section.

Because the main armament is located at the rear of the boat, the Thunderbolt is best used either in a broadside or at a disengaging angle when fighting small PT boats, but against larger ships and destroyers its recommended to be bow in to reduce the chances of being struck by an HE shell, as well as getting closer to the targeted ship to get a more accurate torpedo spread off.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Main armament consists of five hard-hitting 20 mm Oerlikon cannons
* Rear 4 x 20 mm Oerlikon turret provided very dense cone of fire
* Fast and agile as it is a motor boat
* Can carry 4 x torpedoes, 2 on each side
* AA defence consisting of 4 x 12.7 mm AN-M2 machine guns which provide enough protection
* 37 mm gun can be equipped with AP shells to deal with armoured targets
* 37 mm AN-M4 rounds are pure HE or pure AP and no mix

'''Cons:'''

* 20 mm cannons have low velocity and awkward angle and therefore are hard to aim
* Very poor survivability
* Ammunition storage is next to the fuel tank
* Each individual torpedo is quite weak and often requires more than one hit to sunk enemy destroyer
* 37 mm gun is not accurate

== History ==

PT-556 was an Elco 80-foot class Motor Torpedo Boat of the United States Navy. It was laid down by the Electric Launch Company (Elco) in Bayonne, NJ, on 1 July 1943. She was launched on 16 September 1943 and completed and commissioned on 20 October 1943.

PT-556 had a length of 80 ft, a beam of 20 ft 8 in, and a draft of 5 ft. The displacement was 56 tons and it was manned by a crew of 17. The ship was powered by three 1,500 shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, turning three shafts; a speed of 41 knots could be achieved. The armament consisted of two twin .50 cal mounts (total of four machine guns), four 21 inch torpedoes, and one Elco Thunderbolt quadruple 20 mm mount (total of four 20 mm cannons). The PT-556 was one of the few torpedo boats to be equipped with the Elco Thunderbolt mount.

PT-556 was first assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Twenty-Nine (MBTRon 29), under the command of CDR S. Stephen Daunis, USN. MBTRon 29 was assigned to the Mediterranean and was based at Calvi, Corsica, and later Leghorn, Italy. Operating under the British Coastal Forces, the squadron saw action along the northwestern coast of Italy and southern coast of France.

PT-556 was transferred to the Soviet Union on 12 April 1945, and was reclassified as TK-435. Her fate after transfer is unknown.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_elco_80ft_pt_boat_thunderbolt Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:Tutorial naval.jpg|Naval tutorial screen features a graphic of the {{PAGENAME}}.
File:Tutorial naval win.jpg|Another graphic example of the {{PAGENAME}} after completing the tutorial.
</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 ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

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

{{ShipManufacturer Elco}}
{{USA boats}}
{{USA premium ships}}

Thunderbolt (PT-556)

2022-10-24T19:24:21Z

U92026966: Updated Description section

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_elco_80ft_pt_boat_thunderbolt
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor torpedo boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]] as part of the fleet release into Open Beta Test. Thunderbolt Acts as a WWII PT boat that utilizes maximum harassment with her quad 20mm turret mount and assortment of weaponry to sink PT boats and destroyers alike while reaping the SL and RP benefits of being a premium vessel.

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

Similar to the other [[:Category:Coastal Fleet USA|Elco boats]], the PT-556 has 6.35 mm of hardened armour protecting the helmsman, who is a critical crew member. With a crew complement of 12 predominately operating guns above deck, this boat can be knocked out relatively easily. The quad [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Oerlikon]] mount on the rear features a protected "basket" with an open top, sporting the same 6.35 mm sides and back with a 12.7 mm front plate.

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


This boat weighs as much as the heavier [[Elco 80 ft PT-565|PT-565]] while maintaining the top speed of the lighter [[Elco 80 ft PT-314|PT-314]], helping this boat live up to the nickname "Thunderbolt" which is scribed on the rear quad mount. With a top speed of 106 km/h in Arcade Battles, this boat is among the fastest in game. Additionally it sports a high reverse speed and is capable of tight turns.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

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

The primary armament consists of a quad-mounted 20 mm [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Oerlikon Mk.II]] turret aft and a single cannon at the front. They are extremely deadly to any small targets.

Both turrets have fast traverse rate and good elevation angles so there should be no problem in engaging aircraft. Short bursts are all it should take to take out any unarmoured targets or aircraft. The ballistics should be familiar from the other PT boats. You should have some trigger discipline because you don't have enough ammunition to "spray and pray".

The placement of the quad mount makes for a forward dead zone of roughly 20 degrees and roughly 45 degrees left and right of the bow. This can limit the ability to engage targets with maximum closing speed and maximum firepower at once.

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

{{main|AN-M4 (37 mm)}}

The secondary armament on this boat is a 37 mm AN-M4 cannon at the front of the boat. The low rate of fire and low velocity makes it unsuitable for general use but can act as a decent supporting fire to the 20 mm cannons when the secondary armament control switch is set to the ON position. It is unsuitable for anti-aircraft because of the problems mentioned above and the fact that it has poor elevation angles. The high explosive shells also self-destruct so you can't engage with them past medium ranges. The penetration rates of the armour-piercing shells are on par with the main Oerlikon cannons so you can have it as your backup for armoured targets.

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

{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}}

The PT-556 utilizes the same AA layout as the [[Elco 80 ft PT-565#Anti-aircraft armament|PT-565]], however it does offer twice the ammunition load at 8,000 rounds for the two dual-mount [[AN-M2 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm AN-M2]] emplacements.

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

{{main|Mk.13 (569 mm)}}

The PT-556 carries four Mk.13 torpedoes with 178 kg of explosives, a pretty weak explosive mass compared to counterparts from other countries. Still, it still packs some punch to cripple enemy ships, and since you're carrying four torpedoes instead of two like other PT boats, these can be very helpful in case if you've missed a hit. Setting the depth stroke to 4 m instead of 1 m can alleviate the low explosive mass, but it is still recommended to fire the torpedoes in a salvo of two unless you are confident a single torpedo will strike the target.

== Usage in battles ==

The PT-556 is a PT boat that packed with heavy firepower in the form of 5 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons and other supplementary armaments. As its nickname ''Thunderbolt'' suggests, the playstyle of this boat is strike hard and strike fast before retreating.

Due to the boat's poor survivability, speed and positioning is the key of success. Never rush into the enemy and instead utilizing covers or moving in pack with your teammates. In this way, you can provide heavy fire support on any distracted enemy.

Against destroyers, the PT-556 has no trouble to destroy them with four small torpedoes, albeit usually requires more than one hit to kill them. Thanks to your 4 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, you can kill the enemy destroyer by engaging the ship from the sides, then spray your lead into every section the ship's side to wipe out the crew, this is more effective than concentrating on a single section.

Because the main armament is located at the rear of the boat, the Thunderbolt is best used either in a broadside or at a disengaging angle when fighting small PT boats, but against larger ships and destroyers its recommended to be bow in to reduce the chances of being struck by an HE shell, as well as getting closer to the targeted ship to get a more accurate torpedo spread off.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Main armament consists of five hard-hitting 20 mm Oerlikon cannons
* Rear 4 x 20 mm Oerlikon turret provided very dense cone of fire
* Fast and agile as it is a motor boat
* Can carry 4 x torpedoes, 2 on each side
* AA defence consisting of 4 x 12.7 mm AN-M2 machine guns which provide enough protection
* 37 mm gun can be equipped with AP shells to deal with armoured targets
* 37 mm AN-M4 rounds are pure HE or pure AP and no mix

'''Cons:'''

* 20 mm cannons have low velocity and awkward angle and therefore are hard to aim
* Very poor survivability
* Ammunition storage is next to the fuel tank
* Each individual torpedo is quite weak and often requires more than one hit to sunk enemy destroyer
* 37 mm gun is not accurate

== History ==

PT-556 was an Elco 80-foot class Motor Torpedo Boat of the United States Navy. It was laid down by the Electric Launch Company (Elco) in Bayonne, NJ, on 1 July 1943. She was launched on 16 September 1943 and completed and commissioned on 20 October 1943.

PT-556 had a length of 80 ft, a beam of 20 ft 8 in, and a draft of 5 ft. The displacement was 56 tons and it was manned by a crew of 17. The ship was powered by three 1,500 shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, turning three shafts; a speed of 41 knots could be achieved. The armament consisted of two twin .50 cal mounts (total of four machine guns), four 21 inch torpedoes, and one Elco Thunderbolt quadruple 20 mm mount (total of four 20 mm cannons). The PT-556 was one of the few torpedo boats to be equipped with the Elco Thunderbolt mount.

PT-556 was first assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Twenty-Nine (MBTRon 29), under the command of CDR S. Stephen Daunis, USN. MBTRon 29 was assigned to the Mediterranean and was based at Calvi, Corsica, and later Leghorn, Italy. Operating under the British Coastal Forces, the squadron saw action along the northwestern coast of Italy and southern coast of France.

PT-556 was transferred to the Soviet Union on 12 April 1945, and was reclassified as TK-435. Her fate after transfer is unknown.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_elco_80ft_pt_boat_thunderbolt Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:Tutorial naval.jpg|Naval tutorial screen features a graphic of the {{PAGENAME}}.
File:Tutorial naval win.jpg|Another graphic example of the {{PAGENAME}} after completing the tutorial.
</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 ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

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

{{ShipManufacturer Elco}}
{{USA boats}}
{{USA premium ships}}

USS Asheville

2022-10-22T06:07:01Z

U92026966: edit and additions to Primary armament

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor gun boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.79 "Project X"]] as part of the fleet closed beta test.

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

The USS Asheville suffers from a severe lack of armour, even against small arms fire. As a light coastal vessel, it does not have access to anti-fragmentation armour with an armour thickness barely surpassing 8 mm. This lack of armour is compensated with an impressive mobility. Due to the superstructure being very tall, it is a primary target for enemy fire, making it easy for all sorts of calibre to significantly damage the bridge and leave the ship commandless until it is repaired. The best armour for the Asheville is to remain unseen and hidden, primarily close to rocky locations or against any environmental cover that is big enough for the Asheville.

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

The Asheville is a pretty agile vessel, featuring a CODOG (Combined Diesel Or Gas) propulsion system, making it able to reach high speeds in a quick manner. It has a pretty responsive rudder even at low speeds. However, sometimes the rudder tends to "stick" when going backwards, making relatively hard to keep a constant heading while going on reverse. While it is not faster than many of the rest of coastal vessels seen in game, it certainly has a high endurance and speed for a vessel its size.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

{{main|3-inch Mk.34 (76 mm)}}

The main armament is the 76 mm Mk.34 gun located on the bow. It has an excellent rate of fire and elevation angles. It has access to HE, APHE and HE-VT rounds. At its battle rating, HE rounds vary in effectivness against lightly armored PT boats with changes to damage models and shell interactions changes from patch to patch, but it currently takes multiple direct strikes to kill even the most lightly crewed of boats. APHE shells are of great use versus more armoured gun boats allowing you to deal with them way faster. HE-VT rounds combined with excellent gun elevation angles and radar allow you to deal with planes from a safe distance, compensating for the lacking dedicated anti-air armament (it should be noted that the Asheville only has a tracking radar onboard and not a search radar as well, so aerial target acquisition must still be done manually). Switching ammo type can take around 10 seconds. The gun also overheats quickly and it can take some time to bring it back online, which should be taken into account when engaging bigger or more numerous targets.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 3 (40 mm)}}

The Asheville has a single 40 mm L/60 Mark 3 Bofors cannon located on the stern. While it might not seem extremely useful in combat, in practice it helps mitigate weaknesses of the primary armament. It provides a fast way to deal with threats directly behind the ship where the main gun can't cover or it can even be used to replace the main cannon during repairs. Its good damage output combined with a very short reload time allows you to shred any lighter enemy vessels. Overall, it's a great secondary to have for close quarters situations the main battery won't be able to handle.

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

{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}}

The Asheville has access to two twin AN-M2 12.7 mm heavy machine guns. They are effective against lightly armoured vessels and low-flying aircraft and have little use outside those two target groups.

== 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 ==

USS Asheville (PGM-84) was the lead ship of the Asheville class, a series of seventeen patrol gunboats built for the US Navy. Completed in 1967, she saw service in the Vietnam War as a blockade ship and patrol vessel. Following the end of hostilities in Vietnam, Asheville returned to the United States as a training vessel; she would eventually serve as a training ship in the Great Lakes, and was transferred in 1977 to the Massachusetts Maritime Academy.<ref name=":0">Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006)</ref><ref name=":1">Priolo, G. (1996)</ref>

=== Design and construction ===
The Asheville was designed as a small gunboat, and thus displaced 240 tons. She carried an armament of a single 3-inch (76 mm) gun at the bow, a 40 mm Bofors gun at the rear and two 12.7 mm heavy machine guns.<ref name=":1" /> Being a patrol boat, she had a small crew complement of just 37. Equipped with a CODOG (combined gas and diesel propulsion) system, she could make a top speed of 40 knots (74 km/h).<ref name=":1" /> Asheville was laid down on April 15th 1964 by the Tacoma boat-building company. She was launched on May 1st 1965, and commissioned on April 1st 1967.<ref name=":1" />

=== Operational History ===
[[File:USS Asheville (PG-84).jpg|thumb|400x400px|USS Asheville underway in 1966.]]
Following her commissioning and shakedown cruise, the Asheville was homeported at San Diego, California. She departed the port in April and sailed to Hawaii, then Guam, then her final destination of South Vietnam to serve in the Vietnam War.<ref name=":0" /> She saw eight years of service in the Asian and Pacific theatre, though large parts were spent in port due to a shortage of men and engine parts to service her rather unreliable propulsion system. She frequently conducted blockade missions off of the Vietnamese coast, in an effort to prevent the flow of arms and supplies to the communist rebels in South Vietnam.<ref name=":0" /><ref name=":1" />

In December of 1972, the United States stopped its military involvement in Vietnam; this halted Asheville's combat activities. She remained in the Western Pacific for an additional two years, visiting a variety of Pacific ports. She then sailed for Chicago via the Panama canal, and arrived at her final destination in December of 1974. She served as a training vessel on the Great lakes between 1974 and 1977;<ref name=":0" /> she was decommissioned on January 31st 1977 and simultaneously stricken from the navy list. She was then given to the Maine Maritime academy as a training vessel; her name is now taken by USS Asheville (SSN-758), a Los Angeles-class nuclear submarine.<ref name=":0" />

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_ashville_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 ===

;Citations
<references />

;Bibliography

* Ashe, W., & Holland, R. (2006). Asheville, USS. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>https://ncpedia.org/asheville-uss</nowiki>
* Priolo, G. (1996). NavSource Online:Motor Gunboat/Patrol Gunboat Photo Archive. Retrieved November 19, 2020, from <nowiki>http://www.navsource.org/archives/12/11084.htm</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Tacoma Boatbuilding Co.}}
{{USA boats}}

Thunderbolt (PT-556)

2022-10-22T04:48:46Z

U92026966: made edits and added sections to secondary armament, additional armament, and usages in battle

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_elco_80ft_pt_boat_thunderbolt
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American motor torpedo boat {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.83 "Masters of the Sea"]] as part of the fleet release into Open Beta Test.

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

Similar to the other [[:Category:Coastal Fleet USA|Elco boats]], the PT-556 has 6.35 mm of hardened armour protecting the helmsman, who is a critical crew member. With a crew complement of 12 predominately operating guns above deck, this boat can be knocked out relatively easily. The quad [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Oerlikon]] mount on the rear features a protected "basket" with an open top, sporting the same 6.35 mm sides and back with a 12.7 mm front plate.

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


This boat weighs as much as the heavier [[Elco 80 ft PT-565|PT-565]] while maintaining the top speed of the lighter [[Elco 80 ft PT-314|PT-314]], helping this boat live up to the nickname "Thunderbolt" which is scribed on the rear quad mount. With a top speed of 106 km/h in Arcade Battles, this boat is among the fastest in game. Additionally it sports a high reverse speed and is capable of tight turns.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

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

The primary armament consists of a quad-mounted 20 mm [[Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)|Oerlikon Mk.II]] turret aft and a single cannon at the front. They are extremely deadly to any small targets.

Both turrets have fast traverse rate and good elevation angles so there should be no problem in engaging aircraft. Short bursts are all it should take to take out any unarmoured targets or aircraft. The ballistics should be familiar from the other PT boats. You should have some trigger discipline because you don't have enough ammunition to "spray and pray".

The placement of the quad mount makes for a forward dead zone of roughly 20 degrees and roughly 45 degrees left and right of the bow. This can limit the ability to engage targets with maximum closing speed and maximum firepower at once.

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

{{main|AN-M4 (37 mm)}}

The secondary armament on this boat is one 37 mm AN-M4 cannon at the front of the boat. The low rate of fire and low velocity makes it unsuitable for general use but can act as a decent supporting fire to the 20mm cannons when the secondary armament control switch is set to the ON position. It is unsuitable for anti-aircraft because of the problems mentioned above and the fact that it has poor elevation angles. The high explosive shells also self-destruct so you can't engage with them past medium ranges. The penetration rates of the armour-piercing shells are on par with the main Oerlikon cannons so you can have it as your backup for armoured targets.

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

{{main|AN-M2 (12.7 mm)}}

The PT-556 utilizes the same AA layout as the [[Elco 80 ft PT-565#Anti-aircraft armament|PT-565]], however it does offer twice the ammunition load at 8,000 rounds for the two dual-mount [[AN-M2 (12.7 mm)|12.7 mm AN-M2]] emplacements.

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

{{main|Mk.13 (569 mm)}}

The PT-556 carries four Mk.13 torpedoes with 178 kg of explosives, which is pretty weak compared its counterparts from other countries. Still, it is still pack some punch to cripple enemy ship, and since you're carrying ''four'' torpedoes instead of two like other PT boats, these can be very helpful in case if you've missed a hit. setting the depth stroke to 4m instead of 1m can alleviate the aforementioned issues, but it is still recommended to fire the torpedoes in duo salvo's unless you are confident a single torpedo will strike the targets ammo rack if it's a destroyer, or anywhere if it is a smaller coastal vessel.

== Usage in battles ==

The PT-556 is a PT boat that packed with heavy firepower in the form of 5 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons and other supplementary armaments. As its nickname ''Thunderbolt'' suggests, the playstyle of this boat is strike hard and strike fast before retreating.

Due to the boat's poor survivability, speed and positioning is the key of success. Never rush into the enemy and instead utilizing covers or moving in pack with your teammates. In this way, you can provide heavy fire support on any distracted enemy.

Against destroyers, the PT-556 has no trouble to destroy them with four small torpedoes, albeit usually requires more than one hit to kill them. Thanks to your 4x Oerlikon turret, you can kill the enemy destroyer by engaging the ship from the sides, then spray your lead into every section the ship's side to wipe out the crew, this is more effective than concentrating on a single section.

Because the main armament mount is located at the rear of the boat, the Thunderbolt is best used either in a broadside or at a disengaging angle when fighting small PT boats, but against larger ships and destroyers its recommended to be bow in to reduce the chances of being struck by a HE shell, as well as getting yourself closer to the offending ship to get a more accurate torpedo spread off.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Main armament consists of five hard-hitting 20 mm Oerlikon cannons
* Rear 4 x 20 mm Oerlikon turret provided very dense cone of fire
* Fast and agile as it is a motor boat
* Can carry 4 x torpedoes, 2 on each side
* AA defence consisting of 4 x 12.7 mm AN-M2 machine guns which provide enough protection
* 37 mm gun can be equipped with AP shells to deal with armoured targets
* 37 mm AN-M4 rounds are pure HE or pure AP and no mix

'''Cons:'''

* 20 mm cannons have low velocity and awkward angle and therefore are hard to aim
* Very poor survivability
* Ammunition storage is next to the fuel tank
* Each individual torpedo is quite weak and often requires more than one hit to sunk enemy destroyer
* 37 mm gun is not accurate

== History ==

PT-556 was an Elco 80-foot class Motor Torpedo Boat of the United States Navy. It was laid down by the Electric Launch Company (Elco) in Bayonne, NJ, on 1 July 1943. She was launched on 16 September 1943 and completed and commissioned on 20 October 1943.

PT-556 had a length of 80 ft, a beam of 20 ft 8 in, and a draft of 5 ft. The displacement was 56 tons and it was manned by a crew of 17. The ship was powered by three 1,500 shp Packard W-14 M2500 gasoline engines, turning three shafts; a speed of 41 knots could be achieved. The armament consisted of two twin .50 cal mounts (total of four machine guns), four 21 inch torpedoes, and one Elco Thunderbolt quadruple 20 mm mount (total of four 20 mm cannons). The PT-556 was one of the few torpedo boats to be equipped with the Elco Thunderbolt mount.

PT-556 was first assigned to Motor Torpedo Boat Squadron Twenty-Nine (MBTRon 29), under the command of CDR S. Stephen Daunis, USN. MBTRon 29 was assigned to the Mediterranean and was based at Calvi, Corsica, and later Leghorn, Italy. Operating under the British Coastal Forces, the squadron saw action along the northwestern coast of Italy and southern coast of France.

PT-556 was transferred to the Soviet Union on 12 April 1945, and was reclassified as TK-435. Her fate after transfer is unknown.

== Media ==

<gallery mode="packed" heights="200">
File:Tutorial naval.jpg|Naval tutorial screen features a graphic of the {{PAGENAME}}.
File:Tutorial naval win.jpg|Another graphic example of the {{PAGENAME}} after completing the tutorial.
</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 ==
''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''

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

{{ShipManufacturer Elco}}
{{USA boats}}
{{USA premium ships}}

Wiesel 1A2

2022-10-22T03:36:19Z

U92026966: Updated ammo rack table

{{About
| about = German tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Wiesel (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_wiesel_1_tow
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

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

The armour on the Wiesel 1A2 is more likely meant for keeping the crew members out of the weather elements than actually for protecting the crew from any form of gunfire barring the weakest rifle-calibre ammunition. The 60° slope on the front of the tank will only spare the crew from rifle-calibre machine gun fire, providing about ~25 mm of protection against projectiles. Against heavy machine gun fire and large calibres, the front plate will be pierced, and the crew and ammo will quickly take damage.

In terms of survivability, the Wiesel performs rather poorly there as well. Being a compact tank, the crew of 3 men and the ammunition are cramped together, turning any penetration of the tank into a crew knock out, if not an outright ammo rack detonation since the racks are sitting behind the commander and the gunner. The only saving grace is the frontally left-mounted engine and transmission, which on extreme occasion will absorb an incoming projectile, even a main battle tank shell, but again, this is a rare occurrence.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 8 mm (60°) || 8 mm ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' || 8 mm || 6 - 8 mm
|-
| Missile launcher || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
The mobility of the Wiesel 1a2 is quite excellent, boasting 30 horsepower per ton with 87HP(spaded) on a 2.9T chasse. with such acceleration the Wiesel can quickly reach its top speed on both hard road and grassland ground very fast. The Wiesel does quite well climbing hills and steep inclines when spaded. Commanders of a spaded Wiesel can expect the tank to reach a top speed of about 51 KM/H on grass dirt terrain, and about 65 on roads, although higher speeds can be achieved in prolonged straight-line dashes.{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=124|rbMinHp=77}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
The modification acquisition order for the Wiesel differs from other tanks severely. After getting Parts and FPE, the modification that should be pursued is the TOW-2A. Acquiring this missile will allow the Wiesel to frontally engage and kill any target at its BR with few exceptions, granting the tank a significant power boost. The next modification to be acquired is the thermals, as this will allow faster target acquisition and allow for more tolerable conditions in night battles. After the previously mentioned modifications are obtained, all other modifications are to be gathered at the user's preference.

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

{{main|BGM-71 TOW}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BGM-71 TOW]] missile || 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" | 8 || rowspan="2" | ±20° || rowspan="2" | ±45° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 26.4 || 36.5 || 44.3 || 49.0 || 52.1 || rowspan="2" | 13.00 || rowspan="2" | 11.50 || rowspan="2" | 10.60 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| TOW-2 || ATGM || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800
|-
| TOW-2A || ATGM (tandem) || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800
|-
| TOW-2B || ATGM (OTA) || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Missile details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| TOW-2 || ATGM || 329 || 3,750 || 21.45 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 4,410 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
| TOW-2A || ATGM (tandem) || 329 || 3,750 || 22.63 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 4,510 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="13" | Proximity-fused missile details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Arming distance (m)
! rowspan="2" | Trigger radius (m)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| TOW-2B || ATGM (OTA) || 309 || 3,750 || 22.59 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 30 || 3 || 3,380 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}

==== [[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
|-
| '''8''' || 7(+1) || 6(+2) || 5(+3) || 4(+4) || 3(+5) || 2(+6) || No
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 1,200 || -10°/+50° || -30°/+120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The primary use of the Wiesel 1a2 should be that of a ambush tank destroyer. utilizing the ATGM's impressive depression angle of -20* to conceal itself on the tops of hills and in ditches allow the tank to be all but invisible to enemy armor. In terrains that lack such features such as cities, the Wiesel is able to best fulfill its role by hiding in corners and dead ends angles so that approaching the Wiesel will not be able to react in time. Due to the long reload of the ATGM's paired with the paper-thin armor, it is not recommended to brawl with this tankette, however if the Wiesel has the element of Suprise, the punchy TOW-2A can deliver a killing blow in a single hit. Another aspect to note is the insanely good power to weight ratio, allowing Wiesel to scale steep inclines and allows the Wiesel to access locations not often accessible to most tanks: use this fact to place the Wiesel in a spot that enemy tanks will not be expecting it.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great ATGM, including top-down attack modification for countersniping and NERA tanks
* Good mobility
* Small silhouette, making it easy to hide
* Can properly hulldown behind short cover and has reasonable turret depression for the hills and high ground
* Can scout while being an ATGM tank - renders smoke screens and cover useless in AB, makes it easier to call for help and to get a replacement in RB

'''Cons:'''

* Almost no armour - can be broken, bullied and destroyed by using HMG or even LMG alone, will not sustain explosive damage either
* While the crew is located low enough to survive some AP shots passing through the roof, the ammo racks are placed way too high, it is necessary to spend ammunition fast to survive
* Low ATGM count, considering it can't stand up for itself in close quarters when rearming (Usually irrelevant in AB)
* TOW-2B is a tier 4 upgrade, until then 1A2 is not much better than ATGMs of lower BR

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle 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 vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-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 vehicle'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|EPuqc5s_aeE|'''The Shooting Range #276''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[M113A1 (TOW)]]
* [[M113A1 (TOW) (China)]]
* [[CM25]]
* [[UDES 33]]
* [[Pvrbv 551]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7376-development-wiesel-armored-vehicles-mk20-tow-2-adwc-en|[Devblog] Wiesel armored vehicles: MK20/TOW/2 ADWC]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Wiesel 1A2

2022-10-22T03:29:12Z

U92026966: added section to "usage in battle"

{{About
| about = German tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Wiesel (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_wiesel_1_tow
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

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

The armour on the Wiesel 1A2 is more likely meant for keeping the crew members out of the weather elements than actually for protecting the crew from any form of gunfire barring the weakest rifle-calibre ammunition. The 60° slope on the front of the tank will only spare the crew from rifle-calibre machine gun fire, providing about ~25 mm of protection against projectiles. Against heavy machine gun fire and large calibres, the front plate will be pierced, and the crew and ammo will quickly take damage.

In terms of survivability, the Wiesel performs rather poorly there as well. Being a compact tank, the crew of 3 men and the ammunition are cramped together, turning any penetration of the tank into a crew knock out, if not an outright ammo rack detonation since the racks are sitting behind the commander and the gunner. The only saving grace is the frontally left-mounted engine and transmission, which on extreme occasion will absorb an incoming projectile, even a main battle tank shell, but again, this is a rare occurrence.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 8 mm (60°) || 8 mm ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' || 8 mm || 6 - 8 mm
|-
| Missile launcher || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
The mobility of the Wiesel 1a2 is quite excellent, boasting 30 horsepower per ton with 87HP(spaded) on a 2.9T chasse. with such acceleration the Wiesel can quickly reach its top speed on both hard road and grassland ground very fast. The Wiesel does quite well climbing hills and steep inclines when spaded. Commanders of a spaded Wiesel can expect the tank to reach a top speed of about 51 KM/H on grass dirt terrain, and about 65 on roads, although higher speeds can be achieved in prolonged straight-line dashes.{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=124|rbMinHp=77}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}
The modification acquisition order for the Wiesel differs from other tanks severely. After getting Parts and FPE, the modification that should be pursued is the TOW-2A. Acquiring this missile will allow the Wiesel to frontally engage and kill any target at its BR with few exceptions, granting the tank a significant power boost. The next modification to be acquired is the thermals, as this will allow faster target acquisition and allow for more tolerable conditions in night battles. After the previously mentioned modifications are obtained, all other modifications are to be gathered at the user's preference.

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

{{main|BGM-71 TOW}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BGM-71 TOW]] missile || 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" | 8 || rowspan="2" | ±20° || rowspan="2" | ±45° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 26.4 || 36.5 || 44.3 || 49.0 || 52.1 || rowspan="2" | 13.00 || rowspan="2" | 11.50 || rowspan="2" | 10.60 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| TOW-2 || ATGM || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800
|-
| TOW-2A || ATGM (tandem) || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800
|-
| TOW-2B || ATGM (OTA) || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Missile details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| TOW-2 || ATGM || 329 || 3,750 || 21.45 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 4,410 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
| TOW-2A || ATGM (tandem) || 329 || 3,750 || 22.63 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 4,510 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="13" | Proximity-fused missile details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Arming distance (m)
! rowspan="2" | Trigger radius (m)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| TOW-2B || ATGM (OTA) || 309 || 3,750 || 22.59 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 30 || 3 || 3,380 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}

==== [[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
|-
| '''8''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 1,200 || -10°/+50° || -30°/+120°
|-
|}

== Usage in battles ==

The primary use of the Wiesel 1a2 should be that of a ambush tank destroyer. utilizing the ATGM's impressive depression angle of -20* to conceal itself on the tops of hills and in ditches allow the tank to be all but invisible to enemy armor. In terrains that lack such features such as cities, the Wiesel is able to best fulfill its role by hiding in corners and dead ends angles so that approaching the Wiesel will not be able to react in time. Due to the long reload of the ATGM's paired with the paper-thin armor, it is not recommended to brawl with this tankette, however if the Wiesel has the element of Suprise, the punchy TOW-2A can deliver a killing blow in a single hit. Another aspect to note is the insanely good power to weight ratio, allowing Wiesel to scale steep inclines and allows the Wiesel to access locations not often accessible to most tanks: use this fact to place the Wiesel in a spot that enemy tanks will not be expecting it.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Great ATGM, including top-down attack modification for countersniping and NERA tanks
* Good mobility
* Small silhouette, making it easy to hide
* Can properly hulldown behind short cover and has reasonable turret depression for the hills and high ground
* Can scout while being an ATGM tank - renders smoke screens and cover useless in AB, makes it easier to call for help and to get a replacement in RB

'''Cons:'''

* Almost no armour - can be broken, bullied and destroyed by using HMG or even LMG alone, will not sustain explosive damage either
* While the crew is located low enough to survive some AP shots passing through the roof, the ammo racks are placed way too high, it is necessary to spend ammunition fast to survive
* Low ATGM count, considering it can't stand up for itself in close quarters when rearming (Usually irrelevant in AB)
* TOW-2B is a tier 4 upgrade, until then 1A2 is not much better than ATGMs of lower BR

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle 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 vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-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 vehicle'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|EPuqc5s_aeE|'''The Shooting Range #276''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[M113A1 (TOW)]]
* [[M113A1 (TOW) (China)]]
* [[CM25]]
* [[UDES 33]]
* [[Pvrbv 551]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7376-development-wiesel-armored-vehicles-mk20-tow-2-adwc-en|[Devblog] Wiesel armored vehicles: MK20/TOW/2 ADWC]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Wiesel 1A2

2022-10-15T21:54:58Z

U92026966: added paragraph to modifications

{{About
| about = German tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Wiesel (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_wiesel_1_tow
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

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

The armour on the Wiesel 1A2 is more likely meant for keeping the crew members out of the weather elements than actually for protecting the crew from any form of gunfire barring the weakest rifle-calibre ammunition. The 60° slope on the front of the tank will only spare the crew from rifle-calibre machine gun fire, providing about ~25 mm of protection against projectiles. Against heavy machine gun fire and large calibres, the front plate will be pierced, and the crew and ammo will quickly take damage.

In terms of survivability, the Wiesel performs rather poorly there as well. Being a compact tank, the crew of 3 men and the ammunition are cramped together, turning any penetration of the tank into a crew knock out, if not an outright ammo rack detonation since the racks are sitting behind the commander and the gunner. The only saving grace is the frontally left-mounted engine and transmission, which on extreme occasion will absorb an incoming projectile, even a main battle tank shell, but again, this is a rare occurrence.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 8 mm (60°) || 8 mm ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' || 8 mm || 6 - 8 mm
|-
| Missile launcher || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm || ___ mm
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
The mobility of the Wiesel 1a2 is quite excellent, boasting 30 horsepower per ton with 87HP(spaded) on a 2.9T chasse. with such acceleration the Wiesel can quickly reach its top speed on both hard road and grassland ground very fast. The Wiesel does quite well climbing hills and steep inclines when spaded. Commanders of a spaded Wiesel can expect the tank to reach a top speed of about 51 KM/H on grass dirt terrain, and about 65 on roads, although higher speeds can be achieved in prolonged straight-line dashes.{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=124|rbMinHp=77}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
The modifications for the Wiesel differs from standard acquisition of other tanks severely. While most tanks prioritize getting parts and FPE, the first modification that should be pursued is the TOW-2A. acquiring this missile will allow the Wiesel to frontally engage and kill any target at its BR with few exceptions, granting the tank a significant power boost. the second modification that is to be acquired is the thermals, as this will allow faster target acquisition and allow for more tolerable conditions in night battles. After the previously mentioned modifications are obtained, all other modifications are to be gathered at the users preference. While prioritizing parts and FPE may seem standard practice, the Wiesel seldom uses either because any shot connecting to the chasse of the Wiesel results in a crew knock-out.{{Specs-Economy}}

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

{{main|BGM-71 TOW}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BGM-71 TOW]] missile || 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" | 8 || rowspan="2" | ±20° || rowspan="2" | ±45° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 26.4 || 36.5 || 44.3 || 49.0 || 52.1 || rowspan="2" | 13.00 || rowspan="2" | 11.50 || rowspan="2" | 10.60 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| TOW-2 || ATGM || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800
|-
| TOW-2A || ATGM (tandem) || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800
|-
| TOW-2B || ATGM (OTA) || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Missile details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| TOW-2 || ATGM || 329 || 3,750 || 21.45 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 4,410 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
| TOW-2A || ATGM (tandem) || 329 || 3,750 || 22.63 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 4,510 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="13" | Proximity-fused missile details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Arming distance (m)
! rowspan="2" | Trigger radius (m)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| TOW-2B || ATGM (OTA) || 309 || 3,750 || 22.59 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 30 || 3 || 3,380 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}

==== [[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
|-
| '''8''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 1,200 || -10°/+50° || -30°/+120°
|-
|}

== 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:'''

* Great ATGM, including top-down attack modification for countersniping and NERA tanks
* Good mobility
* Small silhouette, making it easy to hide
* Can properly hulldown behind short cover and has reasonable turret depression for the hills and high ground
* Can scout while being an ATGM tank - renders smoke screens and cover useless in AB, makes it easier to call for help and to get a replacement in RB

'''Cons:'''

* Almost no armour - can be broken, bullied and destroyed by using HMG or even LMG alone, will not sustain explosive damage either
* While the crew is located low enough to survive some AP shots passing through the roof, the ammo racks are placed way too high, it is necessary to spend ammunition fast to survive
* Low ATGM count, considering it can't stand up for itself in close quarters when rearming (Usually irrelevant in AB)
* TOW-2B is a tier 4 upgrade, until then 1A2 is not much better than ATGMs of lower BR

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle 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 vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-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 vehicle'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|EPuqc5s_aeE|'''The Shooting Range #276''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[M113A1 (TOW)]]
* [[M113A1 (TOW) (China)]]
* [[CM25]]
* [[UDES 33]]
* [[Pvrbv 551]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7376-development-wiesel-armored-vehicles-mk20-tow-2-adwc-en|[Devblog] Wiesel armored vehicles: MK20/TOW/2 ADWC]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

Wiesel 1A2

2022-10-14T16:55:37Z

U92026966: added sections to armor, survivability, and mobility.

{{About
| about = German tank destroyer '''{{PAGENAME}}'''
| usage = other versions
| link = Wiesel (Family)
}}
{{Specs-Card
|code=germ_wiesel_1_tow
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} German tank destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Ground Breaking"]].

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

The armor on the Wiesel 1a2 is more likely meant for keeping the crew members out of the elements of weather than actually protect the crew from any form of gunfire barring the weakest rifle caliber ammunition. The angling of 60* on the front of the tank will only spare the crew from 7.62 machinegun fire, providing about 25~ mm of protection against projectiles. against 12.7 guns and up, the front plate will be pierced, and the crew and ammo will quickly take damage.

In terms of survivability, the Wiesel also preforms rather poorly there as well. being a compact tank, the crew of 3 and ammunition are jam packed together, causing any penetration of the tank to result in a crew knock out, if not an outright detonation of the tank since the ammo rack of the tank is touching the backs of the commander and gunner. The only saving grace to the tank is the front left mounted engine and transmission, which on extreme occasion will absorb an incoming projectile, even a main battle tank shell, but again, this is a rare occurrence.

'''Armour type:''' 


{| class="wikitable"
|-
! Armour !! Front (Slope angle) !! Sides !! Rear !! Roof
|-
| Hull || 8 mm (60 degree's) || 8 mm ''Top'' 8 mm ''Bottom'' || 8 mm || 6 - 8 mm
|-
| colspan="5" |
|-
|}

'''Notes:''' 


=== Mobility ===
The mobility of the Wiesel 1a2 is quite excellent, boasting 30 horsepower per ton with 87HP(spaded) on a 2.9T chasse. with such acceleration the Wiesel can quickly reach its top speed on both hard road and grassland ground very fast. The Wiesel does quite well climbing hills and steep inclines when spaded. Commanders of a spaded Wiesel can expect the tank to reach a top speed of about 51 KM/H on grass dirt terrain, and about 65 on roads, although higher speeds can be achieved in prolonged straight-line dashes.{{Specs-Tank-Mobility}}


{{tankMobility|abMinHp=124|rbMinHp=77}}

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

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

{{main|BGM-71 TOW}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[BGM-71 TOW]] missile || 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" | 8 || rowspan="2" | ±20° || rowspan="2" | ±45° || rowspan="2" | N/A || 26.4 || 36.5 || 44.3 || 49.0 || 52.1 || rowspan="2" | 13.00 || rowspan="2" | 11.50 || rowspan="2" | 10.60 || rowspan="2" | 10.00
|-
! ''Realistic''
| 17.9 || 21.0 || 25.5 || 28.2 || 30.0
|-
|}

==== Ammunition ====
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
|-
! 10 m !! 100 m !! 500 m !! 1,000 m !! 1,500 m !! 2,000 m
|-
| TOW-2 || ATGM || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800
|-
| TOW-2A || ATGM (tandem) || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800 || 800
|-
| TOW-2B || ATGM (OTA) || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100 || 100
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="11" | Missile details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| TOW-2 || ATGM || 329 || 3,750 || 21.45 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 4,410 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
| TOW-2A || ATGM (tandem) || 329 || 3,750 || 22.63 || 0.4 || 0.1 || 4,510 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
! colspan="13" | Proximity-fused missile details
|-
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
! rowspan="2" | Type of warhead
! rowspan="2" | Velocity (m/s)
! rowspan="2" | Range (m)
! rowspan="2" | Projectile mass (kg)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay (m)
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity (mm)
! rowspan="2" | Arming distance (m)
! rowspan="2" | Trigger radius (m)
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (g)
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
|-
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
|-
| TOW-2B || ATGM (OTA) || 309 || 3,750 || 22.59 || 0.05 || 0.1 || 30 || 3 || 3,380 || 80° || 82° || 90°
|-
|}

==== [[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
|-
| '''8''' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __ ''(+__)'' || __
|-
|}

=== Machine guns ===
{{Specs-Tank-Weapon|2}}

{{main|MG3A1 (7.62 mm)}}

{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="50%"
|-
! colspan="5" | [[MG3A1 (7.62 mm)|7.62 mm MG3A1]]
|-
! Mount !! Capacity (Belt) !! Fire rate !! Vertical !! Horizontal
|-
| Pintle || 1,000 (200) || 1,200 || -10°/+50° || -30°/+120°
|-
|}

== 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:'''

* Great ATGM, including top-down attack modification for countersniping and NERA tanks
* Good mobility
* Small silhouette, making it easy to hide
* Can properly hulldown behind short cover and has reasonable turret depression for the hills and high ground
* Can scout while being an ATGM tank - renders smoke screens and cover useless in AB, makes it easier to call for help and to get a replacement in RB

'''Cons:'''

* Almost no armour - can be broken, bullied and destroyed by using HMG or even LMG alone, will not sustain explosive damage either
* While the crew is located low enough to survive some AP shots passing through the roof, the ammo racks are placed way too high, it is necessary to spend ammunition fast to survive
* Low ATGM count, considering it can't stand up for itself in close quarters when rearming (Usually irrelevant in AB)
* TOW-2B is a tier 4 upgrade, until then 1A2 is not much better than ATGMs of lower BR

== History ==

''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the vehicle 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 vehicle and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Vehicle-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 vehicle'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|EPuqc5s_aeE|'''The Shooting Range #276''' - ''Metal Beasts'' section at 00:28 discusses the {{PAGENAME}}.}}

== See also ==


* [[M113A1 (TOW)]]
* [[M113A1 (TOW) (China)]]
* [[CM25]]
* [[UDES 33]]
* [[Pvrbv 551]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7376-development-wiesel-armored-vehicles-mk20-tow-2-adwc-en|[Devblog] Wiesel armored vehicles: MK20/TOW/2 ADWC]]

{{Germany tank destroyers}}

USS Baltimore

2022-09-30T22:57:13Z

U92026966: grammar fix 2

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_cruiser_baltimore_class
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=items_USS Baltimore (CA-68) (USA)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6981-special-operation-w-i-n-t-e-r-en|2020 Operation W.I.N.T.E.R.]] event.

The Baltimore-class heavy cruisers represent the zenith of the United States Navy "screening fleet" doctrine during World War II. The ships of this class feature a variety of gun calibres placed all over the ship, with the emphasis on providing anti-air defense to fleet carriers taken to another level.

The {{PAGENAME}}, the lead ship of the class, features a very high amount of anti-air armaments amongst cruisers with 72 in total. This huge amount of guns (consisting of powerful 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon autocannons) will keep all but the most daring of enemy aircraft at bay. Her anti-ship firepower is also not to be underestimated, as she features nine 8 inch (203 mm) cannons with super-heavy APCBC shells and versatile 127 mm secondary turrets. This makes the Baltimore a force to be reckoned with in top rank naval battles.

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

In terms of overall armour, the Baltimore does not have as much armour as a [[Admiral Hipper|Hipper-class heavy cruiser]], it is somewhat on par with IJN counterparts such as the [[IJN Mogami|Mogami]].

As with most of the US destroyers and some cruisers, the Baltimore's hull is clad with anti-fragmentation armour to protect her crew from HE shells, with her deck armour having 28.5 mm of thickness, 12.7 mm on her bow and stern, and 19 mm on the central compartments. When angled properly, she can absorb any cruiser-calibre HE shells with little to no crew loss and is immune to destroyer-calibre HE shells as long as they don't damage her wide array of secondary and AA armaments. As crew compartments and critical modules are placed far away from each other, the Baltimore is highly resilient to fire damage.

In terms of armour and module protection, the Baltimore is expectedly well-armoured. Her frontal and rear auxiliary magazine rooms are located below the waterline and are clad with 76 mm of armour at the sides, 63.5 mm at the deck, 140 mm at the bulkhead, and 127 mm at the stern. Her citadel is very well-armoured, with 152 mm on all sides except 63.5 mm at the deck. Her main turrets are protected with 203 mm armour at the front, 82.5 mm at the sides, 76 mm at the top, and 36.5 mm at the rear, and thus are harder to be taken out.

Baltimore's protection is not without weakness, however. Her fatal weakspots are the main magazine rooms which are located inside the shell elevator sitting way above the waterline, designed with the intention of providing Baltimore with consistent firepower without having to restock the ready racks. While the shell elevator is heavily-protected (with 160 mm of armour), well-aimed AP shots that manage to get inside the magazine are likely to detonate it, causing fatal damage.

Having lots of AA also means lots of crew (1,560). However, lots of crew can also be lost due to the AA and secondary turrets being repeatedly destroyed. It is not recommended to repair the ship unless major damage has been sustained.

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

The Baltimore's top speed is on par with that of the [[Admiral Hipper|Hipper-class heavy cruiser]], her agility is better however. She is unlikely to evade a torpedo if spotted too late, but being a heavy cruiser, she should survive a hit or two.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}The modifications that should be first gotten for any ship and Baltimore included is first parts and FPE, as these will allow you to survive fights are repair modules essential to whatever you intend to do.

'''Used as a solo ship/brawling ship'''

If intended to be used solo, getting the 8-inch Mk.21 APCBC will allow Baltimore to engage armored ships that the stock SAP shell will otherwise struggle to pen. following this should be the first 2 armament modifications allowing all secondary guns to turn more efficiently. following this modification should be 8 inch HE for rank 2 modifications. For rank 3, the modifications that should be acquired are in order of 1st: Primary armament, 2nd: improved rangefinder, and 3rd propeller replacement. As for rank 4 as well as all the other modifications of the other ranks, it doesn't matter what order they are acquired, as long as both the 8 Inch and 5 Inch SAP modifications are left for last, as these are 2 shells that will likely never be used.

'''Used as a squad anti-air/fire support ship'''

If intended to be used as an AA escort ship/fire support ship, researching the anti-air armament and auxiliary armament are the initial priority after part and FPE. following this modification, rudder replacement will likely prove to be the best choice as it will allow the ship to better maneuver around other ships and position itself where it wants to be to defend itself and its allies. following this, only one modification is of any importance in fulfilling the role of an anti-air cruiser: 5-inch AAVT Mk.31. after this modification is acquired, all other modifications are users' preference, as none of them will directly or indirectly improve the Baltimore's anti-air ability.

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

{{main|8 inch/55 Mark 12 (203 mm)}}

The Baltimore features 9 x 8 inch/55 Mark 12 cannons in three triple turrets arranged in an A-Bs-X setup as her main armament. The guns have a rather mediocre traverse speed, but with a decent amount of firing angle to help increase her survivability when angled.

As with any other American heavy cruisers, the Baltimore's main guns have a mediocre rate of fire than its contemporaries, with 15 seconds (ace crew) of reload time, though this is a noticeable improvement compared to other American heavy cruisers armed with a similar-sized guns. The guns are also quite accurate with relatively low dispersion.

The ship utilizes a "common" type SAP shells as the default shell, which is completely inadequate against most opponents that she will face. While the shell has a sizeable filler of 4.84 kg of TNT equivalent, its penetration of 71 mm at 10 km is terrible (especially for its calibre), and is unable to put a dent in most enemy cruisers beyond 7.5 km range. This means you have to get dangerously close to enemies to deal damage, thus exposing yourself as a target for enemy ships.

Depending on your preference, you might want to get the "super-heavy" APCBC shell first before getting repair kits and FPE. The "super-heavy" shell is the trademark of the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, since these shells are heavier than others, weighing over 151 kg, while most of the other nations' shells usually weigh around 110 kg. This gives them a longer flight time, but a steeper angle. The idea behind its design was that, at long ranges (~9 km), the shells would penetrate battleship's decks from above instead of hitting the much thicker side armour, potentially reaching critical components. With 256 mm of penetration at 10 km and the aforementioned unique properties, the shell is able to reach further into enemy ship's critical components, dealing much higher post-penetration damage than its counterparts due to the weight of the shell.

Other than the "super-heavy" APCBC shell, the Baltimore also has access to a general-purpose HE shell with decent 9.5 kg of TNT equivalent filler to soften enemy ships, and a "special" SAP shell with a marginally better penetration but less filler, which is still ill-suited against anything beyond 8 km.

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

{{main|5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}

The Baltimore features 12 x 5 inch/38 Mk.12 dual-purpose guns in six double turrets, two on the port and starboard sides each, and one at the front and the rear of her superstructure. These turrets have similar characteristics to those on the late war American destroyers such as the [[USS Somers|Somers]] or the [[USS Moffett|Moffett]], but with even faster reload (2.8 seconds with ace crew). As she can use up to 8 guns at once (the same as the aforementioned destroyers), the dual-purpose guns provide formidable supporting fire against enemy cruisers and destroyers, and act as potent defence against enemy PT boats and aircraft.

The shell choice of the secondary armaments is the same as found on the destroyers; a basic HE shell which provides good continuous damage, an SAP shell which ironically has better penetration than the main gun's SAP shell and thus more capable at dealing damage, and an HE-VT shell for anti-air purposes.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 2 (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

When it comes to anti-air armaments, the Baltimore takes the whole cake. The Baltimore features a staggering 48 x 40 mm Bofors AA cannons in 12 quadruple turrets and 24 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons placed all over the ship. Without even taking the dual-purpose 127 mm guns into account, the Baltimore can create a literal "bullet hell" for any aircraft and PT boats that are either brave or foolish enough to come close to it and quickly dispatch them. In addition, these guns are also very useful for disabling enemy secondary and AA armaments at closer ranges (~4 km) and chipping away at their crew.

It should be noted, however, that the Baltimore will usually lose several guns (and a considerable amount of crew in the process) during firefights, and that her AA defence capabilities may be significantly reduced before the enemy team decides to spawn as aircraft.

===Scout plane===
{{main|OS2U-1}}Located on the stern are two catapults with one OS2U-1 scout plane each which provide 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 OS2U-1 and other scout planes have the added ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilize 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! With two scout planes one can risk a cap attempt at the beginning of the match, saving the second for any opportunity that presents itself.
== Usage in battles ==

With a wide variety of guns on board and great protection, the Baltimore feels right at home when protecting allies from aircraft and surface targets, as well as acting as a vanguard for the team, providing heavy firepower and taking several hits in return.

Without the super-heavy APCBC shells at the start, the Baltimore's 203 mm guns with an awful stock "common" SAP shell which struggle to damage anything beyond 8 km. Your main priority is to quickly gain access to the "super-heavy" APCBC rounds: one should target enemy cruisers and destroyers at closer range (within 7.5 km), or play as the brawler by utilizing both the primary and secondary armaments and get closer to enemy ship to get more chance of a clean shots and more damage.

Once the "super-heavy" APCBC shell and the damage control kit (repair kit and FPE) is unlocked, the Baltimore's full potential as a universal gun cruiser will be unleashed. Due to the unique properties of the shell, at longer ranges, the shell is capable of penetrating the usually weaker deck armour instead of side armour, punching deep into the ship with its weight, and dealing devastating damage as a result. This allows a keen captain to take out enemy ship's key compartments (engines, drive shaft, ammo racks) and potentially capable of even ammoracking enemy battleships. Other than this, the HE shell is handy for softening enemy targets or finishing them off, while the "special" SAP shell is not that much better than the "common" SAP shell.

Other than the powerful 203 mm guns, the Baltimore utilizes rapid-firing 127 mm secondary guns to deal additional damage. As the AI gunners are quite inaccurate, you may want to handle the gun youself while the main gun is reloading to fire more precise shots at the enemy.

While the anti-air AI gunners can do their job well (especially at longer ranges) due to them spraying huge clouds of shells at the enemy aircraft, you might want to take control of the gun yourself if the enemy manages to slip closer to you or your allies.

When trying to survive in the USS Baltimore, the large amount of crew paired with her anti-fragmentation belt and other armour layers allows her to take a beating, however, her survivability can be exponentially increased if her captain chooses correctly when to repair. Boasting a huge anti-air profile, Baltimore's AA guns also pose as a crew sink drain for enemy HE, knocking out the 40 mm and 20 mm mounts together with the AA gun crews. If a careless repair is initiated, all destroyed anti-air mounts will be repaired and filled with a fresh crew that will become vulnerable to the next HE barrages. being selective about when to repair will decrease the number of times the AA mounts are destroyed and subsequently reduce the amount of crew bleed from engagements with other ships. Repairing damaged mounts only when an enemy air attack is anticipated or imminent is often the best course of action unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hull is clad with layers of anti-fragmentation armour, highly resilient to cruiser-calibre HE shells and fire damage
* Very well-armoured, can take a lot of punishments when angled properly
* Decent mobility for a heavy cruiser
* Great armaments
** Accurate main guns with much better fire rate than other American heavy cruisers
** Super-heavy APCBC shells have high penetration and post-penetration damage, capable of dealing considerable damage even against battleships
** Large amounts of fast-firing secondary 127 mm guns providing good supplementary damage at mid-to-close ranges
** 72 anti-air guns provide amazing aerial and close range defences
* Large crew size, with proper handling and damage control, she can stay afloat for the entire match
* Two scout seaplanes.

'''Cons:'''

* Very large target, easy to hit at longer ranges without angling and is vulnerable to torpedoes
* Atrocious stock grind, as the default common SAP shell have very poor penetration
* While faster than other American cruisers, the guns still have somewhat slow rate of fire compared to its contemporaries of other nations
* No torpedo armaments, have to rely solely on the guns to deal damage
* Rear turret's firing arc is obstructed by scout plane catapults, can make firing on retreat somewhat tricky
* While heavily armoured, a well-placed AP shots can detonate her ready shells in the elevator

== History ==

[[File:USS Baltimore 1943.jpg|thumb|450x450px|USS Baltimore (CA-68) anchored at Guantanamo Bay in 1943.]]
USS Baltimore (CA-68) was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruisers built for the United States during the Second World War. Based on the preceding unique heavy cruiser Wichita, the Baltimores were extremely heavily armed and carried a potent anti-aircraft armament, though like all other American cruisers, they lacked torpedo armament. Baltimore saw extensive service in the Pacific Theatre during the Second World War, and carried Franklin D. Roosevelt to his meeting with American military leaders at Pearl Harbour. After the war, she was reduced to reserve, but reactivated for the Korean War. Despite false allegations by the North Koreans that Baltimore had been sunk by North Korean G-5 torpedo boats, she was actually reduced to reserve, and scrapped by 1973.

=== Design and development ===
The Baltimore class was designed to be a successor to the previous [[USS Pensacola|Pensacola]], [[USS Northampton|Northampton]], [[USS Portland|Portland]] and [[USS New Orleans|New Orleans]] classes. The ship's design was based off of the USS Wichita, a unique heavy cruiser built just before the outbreak of hostilities. The hull itself was also extremely similar to the hull of the [[USS Cleveland|Cleveland]] class, a class of light cruiser that was then under construction. Superficially, the Baltimores look extremely similar to the Clevelands, but carried a heavier main armament. Built to this specification, the USS Baltimore was laid down in May of 1941, and commissioned after the start of the war in April of 1943.

Baltimore was 205 metres long and displaced almost 14000 tons standard, making her considerably heavier than her predecessors. Her main armament consisted of nine 8-inch (203 mm) guns in three triple turrets, the same layout as the preceding cruiser classes. However, Baltimore carried a significantly-improved secondary and anti-aircraft armament suite, composed of twelve 5-inch (127 mm) guns in six dual mounts, 48 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns in 12 quad mounts, and 24 Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns in single mounts. Powered by steam turbines delivering 120 000 shaft horsepower, she was capable of making 33 knots (61 km/h).

=== Operational history ===
Following her commissioning in 1943, Baltimore joined the Pacific Fleet and spent October-November 1943 in training off the coast of California. Between November 1943 and June of 1944, Baltimore was part of a coastal bombardment force that provided fire support at the Makin Islands, Kwajalein and Truk landings. During this time, the force made great use of Baltimore's heavy main guns, proving themselves to be effective coastal bombardment weapons. Baltimore continued to provide this fire support capacity until June of 1944, when she returned to the Continental United States.

After returning to the United States, Baltimore embarked President Franklin D. Roosevelt and transported him to Pearl Harbour, where the president met with Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur. After the meeting, Baltimore transported the President to Alaska, and then returned to active duty. She spent the last part of the war providing fire support for American troops at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the cessation of hostilities, Baltimore joined the "magic carpet fleet" and transported American veterans back to their homeland.

After the war ended, Baltimore joined the reserve fleet at Bremerton, where she stayed until the Korean War started. She was reactivated in 1951 and assigned to the Atlantic fleet, meaning that she did not see service in the Korean theatre. She later represented the United States at the UK Fleet Review of 1953, and spent a short time in the Eastern Theatre before being reduced to reserve again. A North Korean museum claims that the Baltimore was sunk by G-5 Torpedo Boats in 1950, and has an exhibit showing "the actual boat" that sank the Baltimore. In fact, the Baltimore was never in the Korean Theatre during the war, and was scrapped in 1973. Baltimore earned a total of 9 war stars for her service during the Second World War.

=== [[wt:en/news/7003-development-uss-baltimore-ca-68-1943-en|Devblog]] ===
The development of new heavy cruisers for the US Navy began after the outbreak of World War II. The restrictions of the London and Washington Treaties ceased to be relevant, so the United States enthusiastically began to refine the projects built within the limits of the restrictions. Based on the heavy cruisers of the USS Wichita class, a new cruiser was developed to correct the issues of its predecessor, namely low stability and a shortage of anti-aircraft weapons, and also with improved seaworthiness, protection and range. The lead ship of the new series, the heavy cruiser USS Baltimore, was laid down in 1941. The distinctive features of the new large series of cruisers are extremely powerful and versatile anti-aircraft weapons and an increased hull width for increased stability. The USS Baltimore entered service in 1943 and immediately began performing combat missions in the Pacific. Until the end of World War II, Baltimore was in the midst of naval war, taking part in a number of US operations. After a short "vacation" it was re-commissioned in 1951, but did not take part in the new, Korean War. The ship was decommissioned from service in May 1956.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="USS Baltimore (CA-68) Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[USS Pittsburgh]], a 1953 modernization of the standard Baltimore

;Similar vessels

* [[Admiral Hipper]]
* [[HMS London]]
* [[IJN Tone]]
* [[RN Zara]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7003-development-uss-baltimore-ca-68-1943-en|[Devblog] USS Baltimore (CA-68) (1943)]]
* [https://www.navysite.de/ca/ca68.htm NavySite's page on the USS Baltimore]

=== References ===

* Chen, C. (2005, December). Heavy Cruiser Baltimore (CA-68). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=165</nowiki>
* Wertheim, E. (2019, September 02). USS Baltimore (CA-68). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1996/july/uss-baltimore-ca-68</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Bethlehem Steel}}
{{USA heavy cruisers}}
{{Winter Event}}

USS Baltimore

2022-09-30T22:55:42Z

U92026966: grammatical fixes

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_cruiser_baltimore_class
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=items_USS Baltimore (CA-68) (USA)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6981-special-operation-w-i-n-t-e-r-en|2020 Operation W.I.N.T.E.R.]] event.

The Baltimore-class heavy cruisers represent the zenith of the United States Navy "screening fleet" doctrine during World War II. The ships of this class feature a variety of gun calibres placed all over the ship, with the emphasis on providing anti-air defense to fleet carriers taken to another level.

The {{PAGENAME}}, the lead ship of the class, features a very high amount of anti-air armaments amongst cruisers with 72 in total. This huge amount of guns (consisting of powerful 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon autocannons) will keep all but the most daring of enemy aircraft at bay. Her anti-ship firepower is also not to be underestimated, as she features nine 8 inch (203 mm) cannons with super-heavy APCBC shells and versatile 127 mm secondary turrets. This makes the Baltimore a force to be reckoned with in top rank naval battles.

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

In terms of overall armour, the Baltimore does not have as much armour as a [[Admiral Hipper|Hipper-class heavy cruiser]], it is somewhat on par with IJN counterparts such as the [[IJN Mogami|Mogami]].

As with most of the US destroyers and some cruisers, the Baltimore's hull is clad with anti-fragmentation armour to protect her crew from HE shells, with her deck armour having 28.5 mm of thickness, 12.7 mm on her bow and stern, and 19 mm on the central compartments. When angled properly, she can absorb any cruiser-calibre HE shells with little to no crew loss and is immune to destroyer-calibre HE shells as long as they don't damage her wide array of secondary and AA armaments. As crew compartments and critical modules are placed far away from each other, the Baltimore is highly resilient to fire damage.

In terms of armour and module protection, the Baltimore is expectedly well-armoured. Her frontal and rear auxiliary magazine rooms are located below the waterline and are clad with 76 mm of armour at the sides, 63.5 mm at the deck, 140 mm at the bulkhead, and 127 mm at the stern. Her citadel is very well-armoured, with 152 mm on all sides except 63.5 mm at the deck. Her main turrets are protected with 203 mm armour at the front, 82.5 mm at the sides, 76 mm at the top, and 36.5 mm at the rear, and thus are harder to be taken out.

Baltimore's protection is not without weakness, however. Her fatal weakspots are the main magazine rooms which are located inside the shell elevator sitting way above the waterline, designed with the intention of providing Baltimore with consistent firepower without having to restock the ready racks. While the shell elevator is heavily-protected (with 160 mm of armour), well-aimed AP shots that manage to get inside the magazine are likely to detonate it, causing fatal damage.

Having lots of AA also means lots of crew (1,560). However, lots of crew can also be lost due to the AA and secondary turrets being repeatedly destroyed. It is not recommended to repair the ship unless major damage has been sustained.

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

The Baltimore's top speed is on par with that of the [[Admiral Hipper|Hipper-class heavy cruiser]], her agility is better however. She is unlikely to evade a torpedo if spotted too late, but being a heavy cruiser, she should survive a hit or two.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}The modifications that should be first gotten for any ship and Baltimore included is first parts and FPE, as these will allow you to survive fights are repair modules essential to whatever you intend to do.

'''Used as a solo ship/brawling ship'''

If intended to be used solo, getting the 8-inch Mk.21 APCBC will allow you to engage armored ships that the stock SAP shell will otherwise struggle to pen. following this should be the first 2 armament modifications allowing all your other guns to turn more efficiently. following this modification should be 8 inch HE for rank 2 modifications. For rank 3, the modifications that should be acquired are in order of 1st: Primary armament, 2nd: improved rangefinder, and 3rd propeller replacement. As for rank 4 as well as all the other modifications of the other ranks, it doesn't matter what order they are acquired, as long as both the 8 Inch and 5Inch SAP modifications are left for last, as these are 2 shells that will likely never be used.

'''Used as a squad anti-air/fire support ship'''

If intended to be used as an AA escort ship/fire support ship, researching the anti-air armament and auxiliary armament are your initial priority after part and FPE. following this modification, rudder replacement will likely prove to be the best choice as it will allow the ship to better maneuver around other ships and position itself where it wants to be to defend itself and its allies. following this, only one modification is of any importance in fulfilling the role of an anti-air cruiser: 5-inch AAVT Mk.31. after this modification is acquired, all other modifications are users' preference, as none of them will directly or indirectly improve the Baltimore's anti-air ability.

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

{{main|8 inch/55 Mark 12 (203 mm)}}

The Baltimore features 9 x 8 inch/55 Mark 12 cannons in three triple turrets arranged in an A-Bs-X setup as her main armament. The guns have a rather mediocre traverse speed, but with a decent amount of firing angle to help increase her survivability when angled.

As with any other American heavy cruisers, the Baltimore's main guns have a mediocre rate of fire than its contemporaries, with 15 seconds (ace crew) of reload time, though this is a noticeable improvement compared to other American heavy cruisers armed with a similar-sized guns. The guns are also quite accurate with relatively low dispersion.

The ship utilizes a "common" type SAP shells as the default shell, which is completely inadequate against most opponents that she will face. While the shell has a sizeable filler of 4.84 kg of TNT equivalent, its penetration of 71 mm at 10 km is terrible (especially for its calibre), and is unable to put a dent in most enemy cruisers beyond 7.5 km range. This means you have to get dangerously close to enemies to deal damage, thus exposing yourself as a target for enemy ships.

Depending on your preference, you might want to get the "super-heavy" APCBC shell first before getting repair kits and FPE. The "super-heavy" shell is the trademark of the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, since these shells are heavier than others, weighing over 151 kg, while most of the other nations' shells usually weigh around 110 kg. This gives them a longer flight time, but a steeper angle. The idea behind its design was that, at long ranges (~9 km), the shells would penetrate battleship's decks from above instead of hitting the much thicker side armour, potentially reaching critical components. With 256 mm of penetration at 10 km and the aforementioned unique properties, the shell is able to reach further into enemy ship's critical components, dealing much higher post-penetration damage than its counterparts due to the weight of the shell.

Other than the "super-heavy" APCBC shell, the Baltimore also has access to a general-purpose HE shell with decent 9.5 kg of TNT equivalent filler to soften enemy ships, and a "special" SAP shell with a marginally better penetration but less filler, which is still ill-suited against anything beyond 8 km.

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

{{main|5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}

The Baltimore features 12 x 5 inch/38 Mk.12 dual-purpose guns in six double turrets, two on the port and starboard sides each, and one at the front and the rear of her superstructure. These turrets have similar characteristics to those on the late war American destroyers such as the [[USS Somers|Somers]] or the [[USS Moffett|Moffett]], but with even faster reload (2.8 seconds with ace crew). As she can use up to 8 guns at once (the same as the aforementioned destroyers), the dual-purpose guns provide formidable supporting fire against enemy cruisers and destroyers, and act as potent defence against enemy PT boats and aircraft.

The shell choice of the secondary armaments is the same as found on the destroyers; a basic HE shell which provides good continuous damage, an SAP shell which ironically has better penetration than the main gun's SAP shell and thus more capable at dealing damage, and an HE-VT shell for anti-air purposes.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 2 (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

When it comes to anti-air armaments, the Baltimore takes the whole cake. The Baltimore features a staggering 48 x 40 mm Bofors AA cannons in 12 quadruple turrets and 24 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons placed all over the ship. Without even taking the dual-purpose 127 mm guns into account, the Baltimore can create a literal "bullet hell" for any aircraft and PT boats that are either brave or foolish enough to come close to it and quickly dispatch them. In addition, these guns are also very useful for disabling enemy secondary and AA armaments at closer ranges (~4 km) and chipping away at their crew.

It should be noted, however, that the Baltimore will usually lose several guns (and a considerable amount of crew in the process) during firefights, and that her AA defence capabilities may be significantly reduced before the enemy team decides to spawn as aircraft.

===Scout plane===
{{main|OS2U-1}}Located on the stern are two catapults with one OS2U-1 scout plane each which provide 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 OS2U-1 and other scout planes have the added ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilize 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! With two scout planes one can risk a cap attempt at the beginning of the match, saving the second for any opportunity that presents itself.
== Usage in battles ==

With a wide variety of guns on board and great protection, the Baltimore feels right at home when protecting allies from aircraft and surface targets, as well as acting as a vanguard for the team, providing heavy firepower and taking several hits in return.

Without the super-heavy APCBC shells at the start, the Baltimore's 203 mm guns with an awful stock "common" SAP shell which struggle to damage anything beyond 8 km. Your main priority is to quickly gain access to the "super-heavy" APCBC rounds: one should target enemy cruisers and destroyers at closer range (within 7.5 km), or play as the brawler by utilizing both the primary and secondary armaments and get closer to enemy ship to get more chance of a clean shots and more damage.

Once the "super-heavy" APCBC shell and the damage control kit (repair kit and FPE) is unlocked, the Baltimore's full potential as a universal gun cruiser will be unleashed. Due to the unique properties of the shell, at longer ranges, the shell is capable of penetrating the usually weaker deck armour instead of side armour, punching deep into the ship with its weight, and dealing devastating damage as a result. This allows a keen captain to take out enemy ship's key compartments (engines, drive shaft, ammo racks) and potentially capable of even ammoracking enemy battleships. Other than this, the HE shell is handy for softening enemy targets or finishing them off, while the "special" SAP shell is not that much better than the "common" SAP shell.

Other than the powerful 203 mm guns, the Baltimore utilizes rapid-firing 127 mm secondary guns to deal additional damage. As the AI gunners are quite inaccurate, you may want to handle the gun youself while the main gun is reloading to fire more precise shots at the enemy.

While the anti-air AI gunners can do their job well (especially at longer ranges) due to them spraying huge clouds of shells at the enemy aircraft, you might want to take control of the gun yourself if the enemy manages to slip closer to you or your allies.

When trying to survive in the USS Baltimore, the large amount of crew paired with her anti-fragmentation belt and other armour layers allows her to take a beating, however, her survivability can be exponentially increased if her captain chooses correctly when to repair. Boasting a huge anti-air profile, Baltimore's AA guns also pose as a crew sink drain for enemy HE, knocking out the 40 mm and 20 mm mounts together with the AA gun crews. If a careless repair is initiated, all destroyed anti-air mounts will be repaired and filled with a fresh crew that will become vulnerable to the next HE barrages. being selective about when to repair will decrease the number of times the AA mounts are destroyed and subsequently reduce the amount of crew bleed from engagements with other ships. Repairing damaged mounts only when an enemy air attack is anticipated or imminent is often the best course of action unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hull is clad with layers of anti-fragmentation armour, highly resilient to cruiser-calibre HE shells and fire damage
* Very well-armoured, can take a lot of punishments when angled properly
* Decent mobility for a heavy cruiser
* Great armaments
** Accurate main guns with much better fire rate than other American heavy cruisers
** Super-heavy APCBC shells have high penetration and post-penetration damage, capable of dealing considerable damage even against battleships
** Large amounts of fast-firing secondary 127 mm guns providing good supplementary damage at mid-to-close ranges
** 72 anti-air guns provide amazing aerial and close range defences
* Large crew size, with proper handling and damage control, she can stay afloat for the entire match
* Two scout seaplanes.

'''Cons:'''

* Very large target, easy to hit at longer ranges without angling and is vulnerable to torpedoes
* Atrocious stock grind, as the default common SAP shell have very poor penetration
* While faster than other American cruisers, the guns still have somewhat slow rate of fire compared to its contemporaries of other nations
* No torpedo armaments, have to rely solely on the guns to deal damage
* Rear turret's firing arc is obstructed by scout plane catapults, can make firing on retreat somewhat tricky
* While heavily armoured, a well-placed AP shots can detonate her ready shells in the elevator

== History ==

[[File:USS Baltimore 1943.jpg|thumb|450x450px|USS Baltimore (CA-68) anchored at Guantanamo Bay in 1943.]]
USS Baltimore (CA-68) was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruisers built for the United States during the Second World War. Based on the preceding unique heavy cruiser Wichita, the Baltimores were extremely heavily armed and carried a potent anti-aircraft armament, though like all other American cruisers, they lacked torpedo armament. Baltimore saw extensive service in the Pacific Theatre during the Second World War, and carried Franklin D. Roosevelt to his meeting with American military leaders at Pearl Harbour. After the war, she was reduced to reserve, but reactivated for the Korean War. Despite false allegations by the North Koreans that Baltimore had been sunk by North Korean G-5 torpedo boats, she was actually reduced to reserve, and scrapped by 1973.

=== Design and development ===
The Baltimore class was designed to be a successor to the previous [[USS Pensacola|Pensacola]], [[USS Northampton|Northampton]], [[USS Portland|Portland]] and [[USS New Orleans|New Orleans]] classes. The ship's design was based off of the USS Wichita, a unique heavy cruiser built just before the outbreak of hostilities. The hull itself was also extremely similar to the hull of the [[USS Cleveland|Cleveland]] class, a class of light cruiser that was then under construction. Superficially, the Baltimores look extremely similar to the Clevelands, but carried a heavier main armament. Built to this specification, the USS Baltimore was laid down in May of 1941, and commissioned after the start of the war in April of 1943.

Baltimore was 205 metres long and displaced almost 14000 tons standard, making her considerably heavier than her predecessors. Her main armament consisted of nine 8-inch (203 mm) guns in three triple turrets, the same layout as the preceding cruiser classes. However, Baltimore carried a significantly-improved secondary and anti-aircraft armament suite, composed of twelve 5-inch (127 mm) guns in six dual mounts, 48 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns in 12 quad mounts, and 24 Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns in single mounts. Powered by steam turbines delivering 120 000 shaft horsepower, she was capable of making 33 knots (61 km/h).

=== Operational history ===
Following her commissioning in 1943, Baltimore joined the Pacific Fleet and spent October-November 1943 in training off the coast of California. Between November 1943 and June of 1944, Baltimore was part of a coastal bombardment force that provided fire support at the Makin Islands, Kwajalein and Truk landings. During this time, the force made great use of Baltimore's heavy main guns, proving themselves to be effective coastal bombardment weapons. Baltimore continued to provide this fire support capacity until June of 1944, when she returned to the Continental United States.

After returning to the United States, Baltimore embarked President Franklin D. Roosevelt and transported him to Pearl Harbour, where the president met with Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur. After the meeting, Baltimore transported the President to Alaska, and then returned to active duty. She spent the last part of the war providing fire support for American troops at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the cessation of hostilities, Baltimore joined the "magic carpet fleet" and transported American veterans back to their homeland.

After the war ended, Baltimore joined the reserve fleet at Bremerton, where she stayed until the Korean War started. She was reactivated in 1951 and assigned to the Atlantic fleet, meaning that she did not see service in the Korean theatre. She later represented the United States at the UK Fleet Review of 1953, and spent a short time in the Eastern Theatre before being reduced to reserve again. A North Korean museum claims that the Baltimore was sunk by G-5 Torpedo Boats in 1950, and has an exhibit showing "the actual boat" that sank the Baltimore. In fact, the Baltimore was never in the Korean Theatre during the war, and was scrapped in 1973. Baltimore earned a total of 9 war stars for her service during the Second World War.

=== [[wt:en/news/7003-development-uss-baltimore-ca-68-1943-en|Devblog]] ===
The development of new heavy cruisers for the US Navy began after the outbreak of World War II. The restrictions of the London and Washington Treaties ceased to be relevant, so the United States enthusiastically began to refine the projects built within the limits of the restrictions. Based on the heavy cruisers of the USS Wichita class, a new cruiser was developed to correct the issues of its predecessor, namely low stability and a shortage of anti-aircraft weapons, and also with improved seaworthiness, protection and range. The lead ship of the new series, the heavy cruiser USS Baltimore, was laid down in 1941. The distinctive features of the new large series of cruisers are extremely powerful and versatile anti-aircraft weapons and an increased hull width for increased stability. The USS Baltimore entered service in 1943 and immediately began performing combat missions in the Pacific. Until the end of World War II, Baltimore was in the midst of naval war, taking part in a number of US operations. After a short "vacation" it was re-commissioned in 1951, but did not take part in the new, Korean War. The ship was decommissioned from service in May 1956.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="USS Baltimore (CA-68) Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[USS Pittsburgh]], a 1953 modernization of the standard Baltimore

;Similar vessels

* [[Admiral Hipper]]
* [[HMS London]]
* [[IJN Tone]]
* [[RN Zara]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7003-development-uss-baltimore-ca-68-1943-en|[Devblog] USS Baltimore (CA-68) (1943)]]
* [https://www.navysite.de/ca/ca68.htm NavySite's page on the USS Baltimore]

=== References ===

* Chen, C. (2005, December). Heavy Cruiser Baltimore (CA-68). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=165</nowiki>
* Wertheim, E. (2019, September 02). USS Baltimore (CA-68). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1996/july/uss-baltimore-ca-68</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Bethlehem Steel}}
{{USA heavy cruisers}}
{{Winter Event}}

USS Baltimore

2022-09-30T22:54:25Z

U92026966: separating the general initial modification recommendation from the solo section.

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_cruiser_baltimore_class
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=items_USS Baltimore (CA-68) (USA)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6981-special-operation-w-i-n-t-e-r-en|2020 Operation W.I.N.T.E.R.]] event.

The Baltimore-class heavy cruisers represent the zenith of the United States Navy "screening fleet" doctrine during World War II. The ships of this class feature a variety of gun calibres placed all over the ship, with the emphasis on providing anti-air defense to fleet carriers taken to another level.

The {{PAGENAME}}, the lead ship of the class, features a very high amount of anti-air armaments amongst cruisers with 72 in total. This huge amount of guns (consisting of powerful 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon autocannons) will keep all but the most daring of enemy aircraft at bay. Her anti-ship firepower is also not to be underestimated, as she features nine 8 inch (203 mm) cannons with super-heavy APCBC shells and versatile 127 mm secondary turrets. This makes the Baltimore a force to be reckoned with in top rank naval battles.

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

In terms of overall armour, the Baltimore does not have as much armour as a [[Admiral Hipper|Hipper-class heavy cruiser]], it is somewhat on par with IJN counterparts such as the [[IJN Mogami|Mogami]].

As with most of the US destroyers and some cruisers, the Baltimore's hull is clad with anti-fragmentation armour to protect her crew from HE shells, with her deck armour having 28.5 mm of thickness, 12.7 mm on her bow and stern, and 19 mm on the central compartments. When angled properly, she can absorb any cruiser-calibre HE shells with little to no crew loss and is immune to destroyer-calibre HE shells as long as they don't damage her wide array of secondary and AA armaments. As crew compartments and critical modules are placed far away from each other, the Baltimore is highly resilient to fire damage.

In terms of armour and module protection, the Baltimore is expectedly well-armoured. Her frontal and rear auxiliary magazine rooms are located below the waterline and are clad with 76 mm of armour at the sides, 63.5 mm at the deck, 140 mm at the bulkhead, and 127 mm at the stern. Her citadel is very well-armoured, with 152 mm on all sides except 63.5 mm at the deck. Her main turrets are protected with 203 mm armour at the front, 82.5 mm at the sides, 76 mm at the top, and 36.5 mm at the rear, and thus are harder to be taken out.

Baltimore's protection is not without weakness, however. Her fatal weakspots are the main magazine rooms which are located inside the shell elevator sitting way above the waterline, designed with the intention of providing Baltimore with consistent firepower without having to restock the ready racks. While the shell elevator is heavily-protected (with 160 mm of armour), well-aimed AP shots that manage to get inside the magazine are likely to detonate it, causing fatal damage.

Having lots of AA also means lots of crew (1,560). However, lots of crew can also be lost due to the AA and secondary turrets being repeatedly destroyed. It is not recommended to repair the ship unless major damage has been sustained.

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

The Baltimore's top speed is on par with that of the [[Admiral Hipper|Hipper-class heavy cruiser]], her agility is better however. She is unlikely to evade a torpedo if spotted too late, but being a heavy cruiser, she should survive a hit or two.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}The modifications that should be first gotten for any ship and Baltimore included is first parts and FPE, as these will allow you to survive fights are repair modules essential to whatever you intend to do.

'''Used as a solo ship/brawling ship'''

if intended to be used solo, getting the 8-inch Mk.21 APCBC will allow you to engage armored ships that the stock SAP shell will otherwise struggle to pen. following this should be the first 2 armament modifications allowing all your other guns to turn more efficiently. following this modification should be 8 inch HE for rank 2 modifications. For rank 3, the modifications that should be acquired are in order of 1st: Primary, 2nd: improved rangefinder, and 3rd propeller replacement. As for rank 4 as well as all the other modifications of the other ranks, it doesn't matter what order they are acquired, as long as both the 8 Inch and 5Inch SAP modifications are left for last, as these are 2 shells that will likely never be used.

'''Used as a squad anti-air/fire support ship'''

If intended to be used as an AA escort ship/fire support ship, researching the anti-air armament and auxiliary armament are your initial priority after part and FPE. following this modification, rudder replacement will likely prove to be the best choice as it will allow the ship to better maneuver around other ships and position itself where it wants to be to defend itself and its allies. following this, only one modification is of any importance in fulfilling the role of an anti-air cruiser: 5-inch AAVT Mk.31. after this modification is acquired, all other modifications are users' preference, as none of them will directly or indirectly improve the Baltimore's anti-air ability.

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

{{main|8 inch/55 Mark 12 (203 mm)}}

The Baltimore features 9 x 8 inch/55 Mark 12 cannons in three triple turrets arranged in an A-Bs-X setup as her main armament. The guns have a rather mediocre traverse speed, but with a decent amount of firing angle to help increase her survivability when angled.

As with any other American heavy cruisers, the Baltimore's main guns have a mediocre rate of fire than its contemporaries, with 15 seconds (ace crew) of reload time, though this is a noticeable improvement compared to other American heavy cruisers armed with a similar-sized guns. The guns are also quite accurate with relatively low dispersion.

The ship utilizes a "common" type SAP shells as the default shell, which is completely inadequate against most opponents that she will face. While the shell has a sizeable filler of 4.84 kg of TNT equivalent, its penetration of 71 mm at 10 km is terrible (especially for its calibre), and is unable to put a dent in most enemy cruisers beyond 7.5 km range. This means you have to get dangerously close to enemies to deal damage, thus exposing yourself as a target for enemy ships.

Depending on your preference, you might want to get the "super-heavy" APCBC shell first before getting repair kits and FPE. The "super-heavy" shell is the trademark of the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, since these shells are heavier than others, weighing over 151 kg, while most of the other nations' shells usually weigh around 110 kg. This gives them a longer flight time, but a steeper angle. The idea behind its design was that, at long ranges (~9 km), the shells would penetrate battleship's decks from above instead of hitting the much thicker side armour, potentially reaching critical components. With 256 mm of penetration at 10 km and the aforementioned unique properties, the shell is able to reach further into enemy ship's critical components, dealing much higher post-penetration damage than its counterparts due to the weight of the shell.

Other than the "super-heavy" APCBC shell, the Baltimore also has access to a general-purpose HE shell with decent 9.5 kg of TNT equivalent filler to soften enemy ships, and a "special" SAP shell with a marginally better penetration but less filler, which is still ill-suited against anything beyond 8 km.

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

{{main|5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}

The Baltimore features 12 x 5 inch/38 Mk.12 dual-purpose guns in six double turrets, two on the port and starboard sides each, and one at the front and the rear of her superstructure. These turrets have similar characteristics to those on the late war American destroyers such as the [[USS Somers|Somers]] or the [[USS Moffett|Moffett]], but with even faster reload (2.8 seconds with ace crew). As she can use up to 8 guns at once (the same as the aforementioned destroyers), the dual-purpose guns provide formidable supporting fire against enemy cruisers and destroyers, and act as potent defence against enemy PT boats and aircraft.

The shell choice of the secondary armaments is the same as found on the destroyers; a basic HE shell which provides good continuous damage, an SAP shell which ironically has better penetration than the main gun's SAP shell and thus more capable at dealing damage, and an HE-VT shell for anti-air purposes.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 2 (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

When it comes to anti-air armaments, the Baltimore takes the whole cake. The Baltimore features a staggering 48 x 40 mm Bofors AA cannons in 12 quadruple turrets and 24 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons placed all over the ship. Without even taking the dual-purpose 127 mm guns into account, the Baltimore can create a literal "bullet hell" for any aircraft and PT boats that are either brave or foolish enough to come close to it and quickly dispatch them. In addition, these guns are also very useful for disabling enemy secondary and AA armaments at closer ranges (~4 km) and chipping away at their crew.

It should be noted, however, that the Baltimore will usually lose several guns (and a considerable amount of crew in the process) during firefights, and that her AA defence capabilities may be significantly reduced before the enemy team decides to spawn as aircraft.

===Scout plane===
{{main|OS2U-1}}Located on the stern are two catapults with one OS2U-1 scout plane each which provide 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 OS2U-1 and other scout planes have the added ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilize 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! With two scout planes one can risk a cap attempt at the beginning of the match, saving the second for any opportunity that presents itself.
== Usage in battles ==

With a wide variety of guns on board and great protection, the Baltimore feels right at home when protecting allies from aircraft and surface targets, as well as acting as a vanguard for the team, providing heavy firepower and taking several hits in return.

Without the super-heavy APCBC shells at the start, the Baltimore's 203 mm guns with an awful stock "common" SAP shell which struggle to damage anything beyond 8 km. Your main priority is to quickly gain access to the "super-heavy" APCBC rounds: one should target enemy cruisers and destroyers at closer range (within 7.5 km), or play as the brawler by utilizing both the primary and secondary armaments and get closer to enemy ship to get more chance of a clean shots and more damage.

Once the "super-heavy" APCBC shell and the damage control kit (repair kit and FPE) is unlocked, the Baltimore's full potential as a universal gun cruiser will be unleashed. Due to the unique properties of the shell, at longer ranges, the shell is capable of penetrating the usually weaker deck armour instead of side armour, punching deep into the ship with its weight, and dealing devastating damage as a result. This allows a keen captain to take out enemy ship's key compartments (engines, drive shaft, ammo racks) and potentially capable of even ammoracking enemy battleships. Other than this, the HE shell is handy for softening enemy targets or finishing them off, while the "special" SAP shell is not that much better than the "common" SAP shell.

Other than the powerful 203 mm guns, the Baltimore utilizes rapid-firing 127 mm secondary guns to deal additional damage. As the AI gunners are quite inaccurate, you may want to handle the gun youself while the main gun is reloading to fire more precise shots at the enemy.

While the anti-air AI gunners can do their job well (especially at longer ranges) due to them spraying huge clouds of shells at the enemy aircraft, you might want to take control of the gun yourself if the enemy manages to slip closer to you or your allies.

When trying to survive in the USS Baltimore, the large amount of crew paired with her anti-fragmentation belt and other armour layers allows her to take a beating, however, her survivability can be exponentially increased if her captain chooses correctly when to repair. Boasting a huge anti-air profile, Baltimore's AA guns also pose as a crew sink drain for enemy HE, knocking out the 40 mm and 20 mm mounts together with the AA gun crews. If a careless repair is initiated, all destroyed anti-air mounts will be repaired and filled with a fresh crew that will become vulnerable to the next HE barrages. being selective about when to repair will decrease the number of times the AA mounts are destroyed and subsequently reduce the amount of crew bleed from engagements with other ships. Repairing damaged mounts only when an enemy air attack is anticipated or imminent is often the best course of action unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hull is clad with layers of anti-fragmentation armour, highly resilient to cruiser-calibre HE shells and fire damage
* Very well-armoured, can take a lot of punishments when angled properly
* Decent mobility for a heavy cruiser
* Great armaments
** Accurate main guns with much better fire rate than other American heavy cruisers
** Super-heavy APCBC shells have high penetration and post-penetration damage, capable of dealing considerable damage even against battleships
** Large amounts of fast-firing secondary 127 mm guns providing good supplementary damage at mid-to-close ranges
** 72 anti-air guns provide amazing aerial and close range defences
* Large crew size, with proper handling and damage control, she can stay afloat for the entire match
* Two scout seaplanes.

'''Cons:'''

* Very large target, easy to hit at longer ranges without angling and is vulnerable to torpedoes
* Atrocious stock grind, as the default common SAP shell have very poor penetration
* While faster than other American cruisers, the guns still have somewhat slow rate of fire compared to its contemporaries of other nations
* No torpedo armaments, have to rely solely on the guns to deal damage
* Rear turret's firing arc is obstructed by scout plane catapults, can make firing on retreat somewhat tricky
* While heavily armoured, a well-placed AP shots can detonate her ready shells in the elevator

== History ==

[[File:USS Baltimore 1943.jpg|thumb|450x450px|USS Baltimore (CA-68) anchored at Guantanamo Bay in 1943.]]
USS Baltimore (CA-68) was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruisers built for the United States during the Second World War. Based on the preceding unique heavy cruiser Wichita, the Baltimores were extremely heavily armed and carried a potent anti-aircraft armament, though like all other American cruisers, they lacked torpedo armament. Baltimore saw extensive service in the Pacific Theatre during the Second World War, and carried Franklin D. Roosevelt to his meeting with American military leaders at Pearl Harbour. After the war, she was reduced to reserve, but reactivated for the Korean War. Despite false allegations by the North Koreans that Baltimore had been sunk by North Korean G-5 torpedo boats, she was actually reduced to reserve, and scrapped by 1973.

=== Design and development ===
The Baltimore class was designed to be a successor to the previous [[USS Pensacola|Pensacola]], [[USS Northampton|Northampton]], [[USS Portland|Portland]] and [[USS New Orleans|New Orleans]] classes. The ship's design was based off of the USS Wichita, a unique heavy cruiser built just before the outbreak of hostilities. The hull itself was also extremely similar to the hull of the [[USS Cleveland|Cleveland]] class, a class of light cruiser that was then under construction. Superficially, the Baltimores look extremely similar to the Clevelands, but carried a heavier main armament. Built to this specification, the USS Baltimore was laid down in May of 1941, and commissioned after the start of the war in April of 1943.

Baltimore was 205 metres long and displaced almost 14000 tons standard, making her considerably heavier than her predecessors. Her main armament consisted of nine 8-inch (203 mm) guns in three triple turrets, the same layout as the preceding cruiser classes. However, Baltimore carried a significantly-improved secondary and anti-aircraft armament suite, composed of twelve 5-inch (127 mm) guns in six dual mounts, 48 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns in 12 quad mounts, and 24 Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns in single mounts. Powered by steam turbines delivering 120 000 shaft horsepower, she was capable of making 33 knots (61 km/h).

=== Operational history ===
Following her commissioning in 1943, Baltimore joined the Pacific Fleet and spent October-November 1943 in training off the coast of California. Between November 1943 and June of 1944, Baltimore was part of a coastal bombardment force that provided fire support at the Makin Islands, Kwajalein and Truk landings. During this time, the force made great use of Baltimore's heavy main guns, proving themselves to be effective coastal bombardment weapons. Baltimore continued to provide this fire support capacity until June of 1944, when she returned to the Continental United States.

After returning to the United States, Baltimore embarked President Franklin D. Roosevelt and transported him to Pearl Harbour, where the president met with Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur. After the meeting, Baltimore transported the President to Alaska, and then returned to active duty. She spent the last part of the war providing fire support for American troops at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the cessation of hostilities, Baltimore joined the "magic carpet fleet" and transported American veterans back to their homeland.

After the war ended, Baltimore joined the reserve fleet at Bremerton, where she stayed until the Korean War started. She was reactivated in 1951 and assigned to the Atlantic fleet, meaning that she did not see service in the Korean theatre. She later represented the United States at the UK Fleet Review of 1953, and spent a short time in the Eastern Theatre before being reduced to reserve again. A North Korean museum claims that the Baltimore was sunk by G-5 Torpedo Boats in 1950, and has an exhibit showing "the actual boat" that sank the Baltimore. In fact, the Baltimore was never in the Korean Theatre during the war, and was scrapped in 1973. Baltimore earned a total of 9 war stars for her service during the Second World War.

=== [[wt:en/news/7003-development-uss-baltimore-ca-68-1943-en|Devblog]] ===
The development of new heavy cruisers for the US Navy began after the outbreak of World War II. The restrictions of the London and Washington Treaties ceased to be relevant, so the United States enthusiastically began to refine the projects built within the limits of the restrictions. Based on the heavy cruisers of the USS Wichita class, a new cruiser was developed to correct the issues of its predecessor, namely low stability and a shortage of anti-aircraft weapons, and also with improved seaworthiness, protection and range. The lead ship of the new series, the heavy cruiser USS Baltimore, was laid down in 1941. The distinctive features of the new large series of cruisers are extremely powerful and versatile anti-aircraft weapons and an increased hull width for increased stability. The USS Baltimore entered service in 1943 and immediately began performing combat missions in the Pacific. Until the end of World War II, Baltimore was in the midst of naval war, taking part in a number of US operations. After a short "vacation" it was re-commissioned in 1951, but did not take part in the new, Korean War. The ship was decommissioned from service in May 1956.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="USS Baltimore (CA-68) Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[USS Pittsburgh]], a 1953 modernization of the standard Baltimore

;Similar vessels

* [[Admiral Hipper]]
* [[HMS London]]
* [[IJN Tone]]
* [[RN Zara]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7003-development-uss-baltimore-ca-68-1943-en|[Devblog] USS Baltimore (CA-68) (1943)]]
* [https://www.navysite.de/ca/ca68.htm NavySite's page on the USS Baltimore]

=== References ===

* Chen, C. (2005, December). Heavy Cruiser Baltimore (CA-68). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=165</nowiki>
* Wertheim, E. (2019, September 02). USS Baltimore (CA-68). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1996/july/uss-baltimore-ca-68</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Bethlehem Steel}}
{{USA heavy cruisers}}
{{Winter Event}}

USS Baltimore

2022-09-30T22:53:02Z

U92026966: added section to modification selection section

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_cruiser_baltimore_class
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=items_USS Baltimore (CA-68) (USA)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6981-special-operation-w-i-n-t-e-r-en|2020 Operation W.I.N.T.E.R.]] event.

The Baltimore-class heavy cruisers represent the zenith of the United States Navy "screening fleet" doctrine during World War II. The ships of this class feature a variety of gun calibres placed all over the ship, with the emphasis on providing anti-air defense to fleet carriers taken to another level.

The {{PAGENAME}}, the lead ship of the class, features a very high amount of anti-air armaments amongst cruisers with 72 in total. This huge amount of guns (consisting of powerful 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon autocannons) will keep all but the most daring of enemy aircraft at bay. Her anti-ship firepower is also not to be underestimated, as she features nine 8 inch (203 mm) cannons with super-heavy APCBC shells and versatile 127 mm secondary turrets. This makes the Baltimore a force to be reckoned with in top rank naval battles.

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

In terms of overall armour, the Baltimore does not have as much armour as a [[Admiral Hipper|Hipper-class heavy cruiser]], it is somewhat on par with IJN counterparts such as the [[IJN Mogami|Mogami]].

As with most of the US destroyers and some cruisers, the Baltimore's hull is clad with anti-fragmentation armour to protect her crew from HE shells, with her deck armour having 28.5 mm of thickness, 12.7 mm on her bow and stern, and 19 mm on the central compartments. When angled properly, she can absorb any cruiser-calibre HE shells with little to no crew loss and is immune to destroyer-calibre HE shells as long as they don't damage her wide array of secondary and AA armaments. As crew compartments and critical modules are placed far away from each other, the Baltimore is highly resilient to fire damage.

In terms of armour and module protection, the Baltimore is expectedly well-armoured. Her frontal and rear auxiliary magazine rooms are located below the waterline and are clad with 76 mm of armour at the sides, 63.5 mm at the deck, 140 mm at the bulkhead, and 127 mm at the stern. Her citadel is very well-armoured, with 152 mm on all sides except 63.5 mm at the deck. Her main turrets are protected with 203 mm armour at the front, 82.5 mm at the sides, 76 mm at the top, and 36.5 mm at the rear, and thus are harder to be taken out.

Baltimore's protection is not without weakness, however. Her fatal weakspots are the main magazine rooms which are located inside the shell elevator sitting way above the waterline, designed with the intention of providing Baltimore with consistent firepower without having to restock the ready racks. While the shell elevator is heavily-protected (with 160 mm of armour), well-aimed AP shots that manage to get inside the magazine are likely to detonate it, causing fatal damage.

Having lots of AA also means lots of crew (1,560). However, lots of crew can also be lost due to the AA and secondary turrets being repeatedly destroyed. It is not recommended to repair the ship unless major damage has been sustained.

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

The Baltimore's top speed is on par with that of the [[Admiral Hipper|Hipper-class heavy cruiser]], her agility is better however. She is unlikely to evade a torpedo if spotted too late, but being a heavy cruiser, she should survive a hit or two.

{{NavalMobility}}

=== Modifications and economy ===
{{Specs-Economy}}'''Used as a solo ship/brawling ship'''

The modifications that should be first gotten for any ship and Baltimore included is first parts and FPE, as these will allow you to survive fights are repair modules essential to whatever you intend to do. afterwards, researching the modifications depends on what you intend to do with Baltimore. if intended to be used solo, getting the 8-inch Mk.21 APCBC will allow you to engage armored ships that the stock SAP shell will otherwise struggle to pen. following this should be the first 2 armament modifications allowing all your other guns to turn more efficiently. following this modification should be 8 inch HE for rank 2 modifications. For rank 3, the modifications that should be acquired are in order of 1st: Primary, 2nd: improved rangefinder, and 3rd propeller replacement. As for rank 4 as well as all the other modifications of the other ranks, it doesn't matter what order they are acquired, as long as both the 8 Inch and 5Inch SAP modifications are left for last, as these are 2 shells that will likely never be used.

'''Used as a squad anti-air/fire support ship'''

If intended to be used as an AA escort ship/fire support ship, researching the anti-air armament and auxiliary armament are your initial priority after part and FPE. following this modification, rudder replacement will likely prove to be the best choice as it will allow the ship to better maneuver around other ships and position itself where it wants to be to defend itself and its allies. following this, only one modification is of any importance in fulfilling the role of an anti-air cruiser: 5-inch AAVT Mk.31. after this modification is acquired, all other modifications are users' preference, as none of them will directly or indirectly improve the Baltimore's anti-air ability.

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

{{main|8 inch/55 Mark 12 (203 mm)}}

The Baltimore features 9 x 8 inch/55 Mark 12 cannons in three triple turrets arranged in an A-Bs-X setup as her main armament. The guns have a rather mediocre traverse speed, but with a decent amount of firing angle to help increase her survivability when angled.

As with any other American heavy cruisers, the Baltimore's main guns have a mediocre rate of fire than its contemporaries, with 15 seconds (ace crew) of reload time, though this is a noticeable improvement compared to other American heavy cruisers armed with a similar-sized guns. The guns are also quite accurate with relatively low dispersion.

The ship utilizes a "common" type SAP shells as the default shell, which is completely inadequate against most opponents that she will face. While the shell has a sizeable filler of 4.84 kg of TNT equivalent, its penetration of 71 mm at 10 km is terrible (especially for its calibre), and is unable to put a dent in most enemy cruisers beyond 7.5 km range. This means you have to get dangerously close to enemies to deal damage, thus exposing yourself as a target for enemy ships.

Depending on your preference, you might want to get the "super-heavy" APCBC shell first before getting repair kits and FPE. The "super-heavy" shell is the trademark of the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, since these shells are heavier than others, weighing over 151 kg, while most of the other nations' shells usually weigh around 110 kg. This gives them a longer flight time, but a steeper angle. The idea behind its design was that, at long ranges (~9 km), the shells would penetrate battleship's decks from above instead of hitting the much thicker side armour, potentially reaching critical components. With 256 mm of penetration at 10 km and the aforementioned unique properties, the shell is able to reach further into enemy ship's critical components, dealing much higher post-penetration damage than its counterparts due to the weight of the shell.

Other than the "super-heavy" APCBC shell, the Baltimore also has access to a general-purpose HE shell with decent 9.5 kg of TNT equivalent filler to soften enemy ships, and a "special" SAP shell with a marginally better penetration but less filler, which is still ill-suited against anything beyond 8 km.

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

{{main|5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}

The Baltimore features 12 x 5 inch/38 Mk.12 dual-purpose guns in six double turrets, two on the port and starboard sides each, and one at the front and the rear of her superstructure. These turrets have similar characteristics to those on the late war American destroyers such as the [[USS Somers|Somers]] or the [[USS Moffett|Moffett]], but with even faster reload (2.8 seconds with ace crew). As she can use up to 8 guns at once (the same as the aforementioned destroyers), the dual-purpose guns provide formidable supporting fire against enemy cruisers and destroyers, and act as potent defence against enemy PT boats and aircraft.

The shell choice of the secondary armaments is the same as found on the destroyers; a basic HE shell which provides good continuous damage, an SAP shell which ironically has better penetration than the main gun's SAP shell and thus more capable at dealing damage, and an HE-VT shell for anti-air purposes.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 2 (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

When it comes to anti-air armaments, the Baltimore takes the whole cake. The Baltimore features a staggering 48 x 40 mm Bofors AA cannons in 12 quadruple turrets and 24 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons placed all over the ship. Without even taking the dual-purpose 127 mm guns into account, the Baltimore can create a literal "bullet hell" for any aircraft and PT boats that are either brave or foolish enough to come close to it and quickly dispatch them. In addition, these guns are also very useful for disabling enemy secondary and AA armaments at closer ranges (~4 km) and chipping away at their crew.

It should be noted, however, that the Baltimore will usually lose several guns (and a considerable amount of crew in the process) during firefights, and that her AA defence capabilities may be significantly reduced before the enemy team decides to spawn as aircraft.

===Scout plane===
{{main|OS2U-1}}Located on the stern are two catapults with one OS2U-1 scout plane each which provide 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 OS2U-1 and other scout planes have the added ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilize 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! With two scout planes one can risk a cap attempt at the beginning of the match, saving the second for any opportunity that presents itself.
== Usage in battles ==

With a wide variety of guns on board and great protection, the Baltimore feels right at home when protecting allies from aircraft and surface targets, as well as acting as a vanguard for the team, providing heavy firepower and taking several hits in return.

Without the super-heavy APCBC shells at the start, the Baltimore's 203 mm guns with an awful stock "common" SAP shell which struggle to damage anything beyond 8 km. Your main priority is to quickly gain access to the "super-heavy" APCBC rounds: one should target enemy cruisers and destroyers at closer range (within 7.5 km), or play as the brawler by utilizing both the primary and secondary armaments and get closer to enemy ship to get more chance of a clean shots and more damage.

Once the "super-heavy" APCBC shell and the damage control kit (repair kit and FPE) is unlocked, the Baltimore's full potential as a universal gun cruiser will be unleashed. Due to the unique properties of the shell, at longer ranges, the shell is capable of penetrating the usually weaker deck armour instead of side armour, punching deep into the ship with its weight, and dealing devastating damage as a result. This allows a keen captain to take out enemy ship's key compartments (engines, drive shaft, ammo racks) and potentially capable of even ammoracking enemy battleships. Other than this, the HE shell is handy for softening enemy targets or finishing them off, while the "special" SAP shell is not that much better than the "common" SAP shell.

Other than the powerful 203 mm guns, the Baltimore utilizes rapid-firing 127 mm secondary guns to deal additional damage. As the AI gunners are quite inaccurate, you may want to handle the gun youself while the main gun is reloading to fire more precise shots at the enemy.

While the anti-air AI gunners can do their job well (especially at longer ranges) due to them spraying huge clouds of shells at the enemy aircraft, you might want to take control of the gun yourself if the enemy manages to slip closer to you or your allies.

When trying to survive in the USS Baltimore, the large amount of crew paired with her anti-fragmentation belt and other armour layers allows her to take a beating, however, her survivability can be exponentially increased if her captain chooses correctly when to repair. Boasting a huge anti-air profile, Baltimore's AA guns also pose as a crew sink drain for enemy HE, knocking out the 40 mm and 20 mm mounts together with the AA gun crews. If a careless repair is initiated, all destroyed anti-air mounts will be repaired and filled with a fresh crew that will become vulnerable to the next HE barrages. being selective about when to repair will decrease the number of times the AA mounts are destroyed and subsequently reduce the amount of crew bleed from engagements with other ships. Repairing damaged mounts only when an enemy air attack is anticipated or imminent is often the best course of action unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hull is clad with layers of anti-fragmentation armour, highly resilient to cruiser-calibre HE shells and fire damage
* Very well-armoured, can take a lot of punishments when angled properly
* Decent mobility for a heavy cruiser
* Great armaments
** Accurate main guns with much better fire rate than other American heavy cruisers
** Super-heavy APCBC shells have high penetration and post-penetration damage, capable of dealing considerable damage even against battleships
** Large amounts of fast-firing secondary 127 mm guns providing good supplementary damage at mid-to-close ranges
** 72 anti-air guns provide amazing aerial and close range defences
* Large crew size, with proper handling and damage control, she can stay afloat for the entire match
* Two scout seaplanes.

'''Cons:'''

* Very large target, easy to hit at longer ranges without angling and is vulnerable to torpedoes
* Atrocious stock grind, as the default common SAP shell have very poor penetration
* While faster than other American cruisers, the guns still have somewhat slow rate of fire compared to its contemporaries of other nations
* No torpedo armaments, have to rely solely on the guns to deal damage
* Rear turret's firing arc is obstructed by scout plane catapults, can make firing on retreat somewhat tricky
* While heavily armoured, a well-placed AP shots can detonate her ready shells in the elevator

== History ==

[[File:USS Baltimore 1943.jpg|thumb|450x450px|USS Baltimore (CA-68) anchored at Guantanamo Bay in 1943.]]
USS Baltimore (CA-68) was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruisers built for the United States during the Second World War. Based on the preceding unique heavy cruiser Wichita, the Baltimores were extremely heavily armed and carried a potent anti-aircraft armament, though like all other American cruisers, they lacked torpedo armament. Baltimore saw extensive service in the Pacific Theatre during the Second World War, and carried Franklin D. Roosevelt to his meeting with American military leaders at Pearl Harbour. After the war, she was reduced to reserve, but reactivated for the Korean War. Despite false allegations by the North Koreans that Baltimore had been sunk by North Korean G-5 torpedo boats, she was actually reduced to reserve, and scrapped by 1973.

=== Design and development ===
The Baltimore class was designed to be a successor to the previous [[USS Pensacola|Pensacola]], [[USS Northampton|Northampton]], [[USS Portland|Portland]] and [[USS New Orleans|New Orleans]] classes. The ship's design was based off of the USS Wichita, a unique heavy cruiser built just before the outbreak of hostilities. The hull itself was also extremely similar to the hull of the [[USS Cleveland|Cleveland]] class, a class of light cruiser that was then under construction. Superficially, the Baltimores look extremely similar to the Clevelands, but carried a heavier main armament. Built to this specification, the USS Baltimore was laid down in May of 1941, and commissioned after the start of the war in April of 1943.

Baltimore was 205 metres long and displaced almost 14000 tons standard, making her considerably heavier than her predecessors. Her main armament consisted of nine 8-inch (203 mm) guns in three triple turrets, the same layout as the preceding cruiser classes. However, Baltimore carried a significantly-improved secondary and anti-aircraft armament suite, composed of twelve 5-inch (127 mm) guns in six dual mounts, 48 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns in 12 quad mounts, and 24 Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns in single mounts. Powered by steam turbines delivering 120 000 shaft horsepower, she was capable of making 33 knots (61 km/h).

=== Operational history ===
Following her commissioning in 1943, Baltimore joined the Pacific Fleet and spent October-November 1943 in training off the coast of California. Between November 1943 and June of 1944, Baltimore was part of a coastal bombardment force that provided fire support at the Makin Islands, Kwajalein and Truk landings. During this time, the force made great use of Baltimore's heavy main guns, proving themselves to be effective coastal bombardment weapons. Baltimore continued to provide this fire support capacity until June of 1944, when she returned to the Continental United States.

After returning to the United States, Baltimore embarked President Franklin D. Roosevelt and transported him to Pearl Harbour, where the president met with Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur. After the meeting, Baltimore transported the President to Alaska, and then returned to active duty. She spent the last part of the war providing fire support for American troops at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the cessation of hostilities, Baltimore joined the "magic carpet fleet" and transported American veterans back to their homeland.

After the war ended, Baltimore joined the reserve fleet at Bremerton, where she stayed until the Korean War started. She was reactivated in 1951 and assigned to the Atlantic fleet, meaning that she did not see service in the Korean theatre. She later represented the United States at the UK Fleet Review of 1953, and spent a short time in the Eastern Theatre before being reduced to reserve again. A North Korean museum claims that the Baltimore was sunk by G-5 Torpedo Boats in 1950, and has an exhibit showing "the actual boat" that sank the Baltimore. In fact, the Baltimore was never in the Korean Theatre during the war, and was scrapped in 1973. Baltimore earned a total of 9 war stars for her service during the Second World War.

=== [[wt:en/news/7003-development-uss-baltimore-ca-68-1943-en|Devblog]] ===
The development of new heavy cruisers for the US Navy began after the outbreak of World War II. The restrictions of the London and Washington Treaties ceased to be relevant, so the United States enthusiastically began to refine the projects built within the limits of the restrictions. Based on the heavy cruisers of the USS Wichita class, a new cruiser was developed to correct the issues of its predecessor, namely low stability and a shortage of anti-aircraft weapons, and also with improved seaworthiness, protection and range. The lead ship of the new series, the heavy cruiser USS Baltimore, was laid down in 1941. The distinctive features of the new large series of cruisers are extremely powerful and versatile anti-aircraft weapons and an increased hull width for increased stability. The USS Baltimore entered service in 1943 and immediately began performing combat missions in the Pacific. Until the end of World War II, Baltimore was in the midst of naval war, taking part in a number of US operations. After a short "vacation" it was re-commissioned in 1951, but did not take part in the new, Korean War. The ship was decommissioned from service in May 1956.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

;Images
<gallery mode="packed" caption="USS Baltimore (CA-68) Devblog Images" heights="150">
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 001.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 002.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 003.jpg|
File:USS Baltimore WTWallpaper 004.jpg|
</gallery>

== See also ==


;Related development

* [[USS Pittsburgh]], a 1953 modernization of the standard Baltimore

;Similar vessels

* [[Admiral Hipper]]
* [[HMS London]]
* [[IJN Tone]]
* [[RN Zara]]

== External links ==


* [[wt:en/news/7003-development-uss-baltimore-ca-68-1943-en|[Devblog] USS Baltimore (CA-68) (1943)]]
* [https://www.navysite.de/ca/ca68.htm NavySite's page on the USS Baltimore]

=== References ===

* Chen, C. (2005, December). Heavy Cruiser Baltimore (CA-68). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=165</nowiki>
* Wertheim, E. (2019, September 02). USS Baltimore (CA-68). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1996/july/uss-baltimore-ca-68</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Bethlehem Steel}}
{{USA heavy cruisers}}
{{Winter Event}}

USS Helena

2022-09-18T17:30:42Z

U92026966: Added text to the mobility section, mentioning average top speed and sweeping turns. added text under the "usage in battles" section.

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a premium rank {{Specs|rank}} American light cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.93 "Shark Attack"]] purchasable in-game with Golden Eagles {{ge}}. The {{PAGENAME}} was available in the store in a [[wt:en/news/7087-shop-new-packs-and-a-unique-bundle-en|premium pack]] until it was removed after the [[wt:en/news/7417-shop-war-thunder-birthday-sale-in-gaijin-net-store-en|9th Anniversary Sale]].

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

Armour on Helena is pretty strong for a light cruiser, as it can definitely hold out against large calibre HE shells. One should remember that Brooklyn-class cruisers oftentimes could survive a torpedo hit, so if you have enough crew, you can easily tank one or even two torpedoes. Your main concern while playing Helena should be high calibre AP shells, as they can wreck your ship in no time, especially if they are coming from fast reloading guns like American 5"/38, or if they are shot at you by a ship with lots of guns like [[IJN Suzuya]].

Turret face armour is 165 mm, side, rear and top armour are 76 mm, 76 mm, and 51 mm thick respectively, and mantlets are 100 mm of RHA. Barbettes are 152 mm of rolled cemented armour. Secondaries are protected only by 32 mm of antifragmentation armour, so expect them to be knocked out as soon as any high calibre shell hits them.

Bow ammo magazines are protected by 51 mm of antifragmentation armour on the top and sides, and 127 mm of antifragmentation armour in the front. They are also hidden deep below the waterline and behind fuel tanks, which makes them a very difficult target. Aft shells and charges are protected from the top and rear by the same armour as bow magazines, but since there are no fuel tanks, they get 120 mm rolled cemented armour as side armour. Rear of the bow ammo stowage and front of the aft ammo stowage are protected by 95 mm of rolled cemented armour. Ammo elevators are protected by 127 mm of antifragmentation armour.

Bridge is protected by 127 mm of antifragmentation armour on the sides and 57 mm of the same armour on the top.

Thanks to the unit system (engines and boilers are alternating inside the hull) it's very hard to disable propulsion on the ship, even with a torpedo.

=== Mobility ===
{{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}
Helena's mobility while not a hinderance, is also nothing to boast about as she only has a rather average top speed. Reaching both her maximum forward and reverse speed fairly quickly, Helena can change direction decently well, however her single rudder design causes her to take somewhat sweep turns. Because of this, while being near cover may be preferable, it is best to avoid narrow waterways for fear of beaching in a tight corridor.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

[[File:6"-47 Mk.16 Triple.png|thumb|259x259px|A 6"/47 Mk.16 triple turret as seen on [[USS Cleveland (CL-55)]].]]
{{main|6 inch/47 Mk.16 (152 mm)}}

USS Helena carries a main armament of fifteen 6"/47 Mk.16 guns. As the standard main armament of American light cruisers, these guns are very effective anti-ship weapons. The guns are capable of firing at 10 rounds per minute (6-second reload), meaning that they have a high rate of fire for a 6 inch cannon (only the German triple 6-inch turrets fire faster at 12 rounds per minute). With the Helena's large main armament complement, this means that you can fire 150 shells per minute! The guns have good firing arcs and good ballistics as well for a gun of its size. However, they have a relatively slow turret traverse speed compared to its contemporaries. Helena's turrets are also well placed, though the #3 turret has relatively. bad firing arcs due to its location behind the #1 and #2 turrets.

The gun has access to four shell types - Mk.34 HC, Mk.35 AP, Mk. 34 HC with base fuse and Mk.34 HC-VT. Of these, the Mk. 35 AP is typically the best choice against armoured targets (i.e. heavy cruisers and battleships) as it is the only shell with good penetration values. The Mk.34 HC with base fuse could potentially be used against lighter-armoured cruisers, as it has superior penetration values compared to the original shell. Typically, one should take ~50% Mk.35 AP, ~40% Mk. 34 HC with base fuse, and ~10% Mk.34 HC-VT in case you want to attempt to shoot down aircraft with the main guns. The Mk.34 base fuse is superior to the original Mk.34 HC shell as it has better penetration values but retains the explosive mass.

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

{{main|5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}

USS Helena is equipped with eight 5"/38 (12.7 cm) Mark 12 guns mounted in four dual-purpose turrets. These guns are extremely effective against surface and air targets alike, and are capable of firing at an obscene 22 rounds per minute while using first-stage ammunition. The weapon also has a very good vertical and horizontal rotation speed, and is capable of engaging aircraft due to its high-angle capability (up to 85 degrees).

USS Helena gets access to the standard three shell types - Mk.34 AAC, Mk.46 Common SP, and Mk.31 AAVT. The SP is typically the best pick for heavier-armoured targets such as cruisers, while the AAC shell works better against unarmoured targets due to its large explosive filler. The Mk.31 AAVT is a great option for dealing with air targets due to its proximity fuse - a single direct hit should be enough to destroy an incoming bomber.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 2 (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

The Helena gets access to sixteen 40 mm Bofors guns in four quad mounts. These weapons are extremely potent anti-aircraft guns due to their accuracy and punching power. Though these weapons fire slower than the 20 mm Oerlikon or 12.7 mm AN-M2, they more than make up for it due to their hard-hitting 40 mm shells. These guns are capable of shredding aircraft and small boats from ranges of 2.5 km away, though effectiveness will drop off after that range due to the large bullet drop. The guns fire from 4-round clips that reload continuously, meaning that they are capable of continuous fire. However, note that they will eventually jam after firing too long.

As well, USS Helena gets access to twelve single 20 mm Oerlikon cannons. The 20 mm Oerlikon Cannon was the standard light anti-aircraft gun for several nations, including the United States, and replaced the prior AN-M2 Browning machine gun. This weapon is an effective short-range AA gun, and has great firing angles. These guns are very helpful and can boost the volume of AA fire at shorter ranges. Take note that the guns fire from a drum magazine that will need to be reloaded. Because of the magazine design, the gun will not jam with continuous fire.

=== Scout plane ===
{{main|SOC-1}}

Located on the stern are two catapults with one SOC-1 scout plane each which provide 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 SOC-1 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! With two scout planes one can risk a cap attempt at the beginning of the match, saving the second for any opportunity that presents itself.

== Usage in battles ==
'''Against PT boats:'''

HE should be the only shells used against these ships as the AP and HE-BF will punch straight through without detonating inside the ship, assuming that you decide to use your primaries at all. in general, just tasking the 5" guns or AA suite (using X+2 and X+3 on a selected enemy respectively) to the PT boat will almost always make short work of it.

'''Against frigates/destroyers/cruisers with light amounts of armor:'''

Against these ships, an aggressive playstyle is often preferable. Consistent volleys of either HE or AP from Helena will quickly degrade crew count, internal modules and gun batteries. For ships with ammo racks near the hull, constant AP volleys will lead to quick ammo detonations. Furthermore, these ships will often be relying on HE to do damage, which Helena's anti-fragmentation hull will easily absorb. Even if said ships use AP or SAP, Helena's fire rate on her 6" guns will simply overwhelm the opposing ship. To this end, taking the enemy or enemies head on in an aggressive manner will often lead to won confrontations.

'''Against Heavily armed/armored light and heavy cruisers:'''

For fighting ships that can match or outperform Helena in terms of damage per volley or is very well armored, Helena can still compete. Using the high fire rate of the 6" guns and Helena's AP shell, the primary target in such engagements should either be the main guns of the opposing ship, or the bridge. If the bridge is the first to be taken out, consider aiming for ammo racks as the enemy vessel will no longer be able to change course, allowing for an easier chance to be detonated by a well-placed volley. If multiple primary turrets are taken out, consider switching to HE and saturate the enemy ship, starting fires and punching holes into the waterline is key. If targeted by multiple ships of this group, consider forcing a disengage via sailing away from the enemies in an evasive manner. If done so while using smokescreen's, its likely to cause the enemy ships to change targets.

'''Against Battlecruisers and Battleships: '''

If confronted with the opposition of a battlecruiser or battleship, it is likely to end in Helena's demise, not the other way around. However, there are still options for Helena, even when confronted with such a predicament. By switch to HE and showering the entire ships surfaces, Helena has the chance to kill lightly armored secondary's and potentially start fires, some of which may lead to ammo detonations. However, all of this must be done in great volume and is not guaranteed to work. To this end, players who attempt this style of combat must understand that they will not be fighting the battleship or battlecruiser, but rather harassing it. Chances of survival or success increases when this is done by multiple ships, so it is advisable to do this with a premade group and plan. All of this is said with the assumption that the player has chosen to engage the enemy BB or BC. In general, it is best to simply avoid or ignore these ships in hopes that they do the same.

'''Against Aircraft: '''

The anti-air complement on the Helena is by no means the best, especially compared to other American cruisers such as the Baltimore class or New-Orleans class of heavy cruisers, but Helena is no slouch either. Loading HE-VT into both the 6" and 5" guns can prove to be quite effective, however high-flying targets can prove troublesome for the 6" guns to elevate to. Engaging the enemy aircraft as soon as possible to give the HE-VT rounds as many opportunities to find their mark is often the best course of action.

== ''Agaij'' ==
=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* 2 x triple-mount 6 inch and 2 x dual-mount 5 inch cannons can fire straight ahead, allowing decent firepower while only exposing a small silhouette towards the enemy
* Extensive use of antifragmentation armour, rendering Helena as almost HE-"proof"
* Best citadel armour out of all light cruisers in the game
* One of the highest main calibre fire rates out of all light cruisers (10 rpm)
* Very hard to disable all of the engines with one torpedo hit, thanks to unit system of machinery (transmission and engines are alternated inside the ship)
* Highest ammo count out of all cruisers
* Shells and charges are hidden below waterline, are protected by loads of antifragmentation armour, rolled cemented armour and fuel, making it very hard to one hit kill Helena
* Second thickest turret face in the game (only [[Chapayev]] and [[Sverdlov]] have thicker turret armour)
* Second best AA in game in terms of amount of guns, best AA in game in terms of ammo and flexibility (out of all light cruiser that is)
* Mobility is comparable to other ships (except top tier Japanese and Italian cruisers)
* Bridge is protected by 127 mm of antifragmentation armour
* One of the highest crew counts in the game
* Two scout seaplanes

'''Cons:'''

* Citadel and ammoracks are well armoured, but other parts of the ship are protected by only 16 mm of antifragmentation armour
* Detonation of forward magazines will destroy all shells for the front turrets, depriving the ship 3/5ths of its firepower
* There are some shells hidden inside barbettes, so unlucky hit may cause heavy fires or even one hit kill a ship
* Auxiliary turrets have their first stage ammo stowages unprotected, so unlucky hits may cause heavy fires
* Second worst 152 mm penetration in game (but it's still enough to kill any vessel)
* Turret No. 3 can shoot only when retreating or when showing broadside
* No torpedo armament

== History ==

[[File:USS Helena (1940).jpg|thumb|500x500px|USS Helena as seen in 1940.]]
USS Helena (CL-50) was a ship of the Brooklyn class of light cruisers built for the United States during the early 1930s. As the first American cruisers built to the specifications of the London Naval Treaty, they were designed to counter the Japanese Mogami-class and featured a similar armament of fifteen 6-inch guns. Helena was completed to an altered design featuring improved machinery protection and greatly-improved anti-aircraft armaments. Helena was commissioned in 1939 and spent her first two years in training. She was torpedoed during the attack on Pearl Harbour, repaired, and returned to service. She saw extensive action and managed to damage or sink several Japanese ships during the Battles of Guadalcanal, but was sunk during the Solomons campaign when she was torpedoed by Japanese destroyers.

=== Design and development ===
As the London naval treaty limited the amount of heavy cruisers with 8-inch main armament, the American naval designers decided to create a ship displacing 10 thousand tons with a 6-inch main armament. As well, they found that a light cruiser with a 6-inch main armament could overwhelm a comparable heavy cruiser due to their higher fire rate. As a result, the designers pushed forward with a new 6-inch armament light cruiser: the Brooklyn class.

However, during Brooklyn's design process, it was discovered that the Japanese intended to arm their new Mogami class with fifteen 6-inch guns. As a result, the Brooklyn's design was amended to include an additional 3-gun turret mounted in a rear-facing non superfiring position. Helena was initially built to this design and was launched in August of 1938. However, she featured a revised machinery layout which improved her survivability, as well as a revised secondary armament of eight 5-inch/38 guns in dual enclosed mounts. Her anti-aircraft armament was initially unchanged, but was refitted significantly later on during the war.

Helena was 185 metres long and displaced exactly 10 thousand tons standard, and 13 300 tons full. She had a main armament of fifteen 6-inch (152 mm) guns in five triple turrets, three fore and two aft. The #3 turret, mounted ahead of the superstructure, faced backwards and was unable to fire forwards. Her secondary armament consisted of the aforementioned 5-inch (127 mm) guns, and her anti-aircraft armament initially consisted of eight 12.7 mm AN/M2 machine guns - later on, these would be augmented by several quadruple 28 mm "Chicago Pianos", and then replaced entirely with a heavy anti-aircraft suite of 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon cannons. Her engines delivered a total of 100 000 shaft horsepower (shp), allowing her a top speed of 32.5 knots (60 km/h).

=== Operational history ===
[[File:Helena at Pearl Harbour.jpg|thumb|350x350px|The Pearl Harbour attack of December 7th 1941. Helena can be seen on the left in the foreground.]]
Helena was commissioned in December of 1939, after the start of the Second World War. Due to the neutrality of the United States, Helena participated in training exercises for the most part of 1939, 1940 and 1941. She sailed to Montevideo, Uruguay to inspect the wreck of the German pocket battleship Graf Spee, and then proceeded through the Panama Canal to join the Pacific Fleet. She was docked in the position normally reserved for the battleship Pensylvannia in December of 1941, as the battleship had been dry docked for repairs.

On December 7th 1941, the Japanese fleet attacked Pearl Harbour with a massive aerial attack. A pilot from the first wave mistook the Helena to be the battleship Pensylvannia, and hit her with a torpedo which caused severe damage. Despite this, the crews closed off flooded compartments and turned on the auxiliary generators, which allowed her 5-inch guns to return fire against the enemy. During this time, four other torpedo bombers attempted to hit the cruiser, but all missed. The second wave of bombers had worse luck, due to the determined anti-aircraft fire that the cruiser provided: at least four bombs missed, and Helena was credited with shooting down six aircraft, out of the 29 aircraft shot down in total by American forces.
[[File:USS Helena after reconstruction.jpg|thumb|350x350px|USS Helena seen after her 1942 refit. Note the reconstructed superstructure.]]
Helena was given temporary repairs, and sailed for Mare Island in California for more complete repairs. There, she was given a new superstructure, and her anti-aircraft armament was completely redone. Her old 1.1-inch (28 mm) and 12.7 mm guns were removed and replaced with a combination of 16 40 mm Bofors guns and numerous 20 mm Oerlikons. After the completion of repairs, Helena sailed back to the Pacific to participate in the Guadalcanal campaign.

==== Guadalcanal campaign ====
After arriving in the Guadalcanal theatre, Helena joined a cruiser force tasked with destroying enemy ships in the Guadalcanal area. She soon saw her first combat action during the night of October 12 1942, when the force spotted a Japanese bombardment unit composed of the cruisers Furataka, Aoba, Kinugasa, and several accompanying destroyers; this action was to be known as the battle of Cape Esperance. Helena, along with the other cruisers, opened fire at 5 km range, at a point where the Japanese force were completely unaware of the American force. Helena, along with the other cruisers, were successful in hitting the Furutaka and destroyer Fubuki multiple times. Both ships were eventually destroyed later in the night.

After the battle of Cape Esperance, Helena was attached to a heavy unit tasked with defending an American convoy bound for the beaches of Guadalcanal. They arrived on November 12th, and Helena covered the landings. However, a Japanese force, centered on the fast battleships Hiei and Kirishima, was also approaching with the intention of shelling the American troops. As a result, these two forces collided in a battle known as the Naval Battle of Guadalcanal.

The ships encountered each other at close range, causing confusion among the American units. In the following engagement, Helena engaged the destroyer Akatsuki, which was then engaged by multiple vessels and sank. She then hit the destroyers Amatsukaze, Murasame and Samidare with 6-inch rounds, causing heavy damage. However, during this time, the flagship San Francisco had been hit by multiple heavy rounds from the battleship Hiei, and Helena rushed to protect her. In the following engagement, two American destroyers were sunk and 4 more ships heavily damaged; Helena herself emerged relatively unscathed. The Japanese squadron lost the battleship Hiei, as well as two destroyers. The surviving ships of the battered squadron retreated to the southeast; during this time, the cruiser Juneau was hit by a torpedo launched from the submarine I-26 which exploded her magazines and caused her to sink; however, Helena did not stop to pick up survivors as the squadron's commanding officer deemed her to be too precious to risk (since there was a submarine in the area).

==== Later service and sinking ====
[[File:1920px-USS Helena, St. Louis, and Honolulu underway 80-G-57074.jpg|thumb|500x500px|Helena (foreground) with her sister ships Honolulu and St. Louis.]]
In January of 1943, the Helena was assigned to a new unit to attack Japanese positions in the New Georgia campaign. During this time, her 5-inch guns received new HE-VT shells, which she fired as the first use of the proximity-fused shell in American service. She served extensively as a fire support ship, firing thousands of high-calibre shells in support of American troops.

On July 4th of 1943, Helena was part of an invasion squadron to land troops at Rice Anchorage. She proceeded to bombard the Japanese positions under the cover of darkness along with the other cruisers and destroyers, but her shell flashes alerted a force of three Japanese destroyers who had been tasked with landing reinforcements for the Japanese garrison. The destroyers withdrew, not before they fired 24 Type 93 'Long Lance' torpedoes at the Americans. Helena was not hit, but a destroyer was sunk and the convoy turned to avoid what was believed to be a submarine (the Americans failed to sight the Japanese destroyers). During this time, Helena's #2 ammunition hoist broke down and her #5 guns suffered a jam. These issues were resolved as she steamed towards the Kula gulf,

The next night, the Japanese force returned with 10 destroyers, intending to land the troops again. The American force closed in, and soon after, the Japanese force detected the American squadron using their radar. The Japanese force then began a determined attack with gunfire and torpedoes while the Americans fired back. In the course of 3 minutes, Helena, along with her other cruisers, fired over 1,500 6-inch rounds at the enemy. The destroyer Niizuki was sunk, and the Americans turned right to follow the fleeing Japanese destroyers.

However, shortly after the initial engagement, Helena was hit by a torpedo launched by the Japanese destroyers. The torpedo caused extensive damage and exploded the forward magazines, ripping her bow off of the ship. However, she continued to steam forward at 25 knots. Soon after, she was hit by an additional pair of torpedoes deep under the waterline which broke her keel and flooded the machinery spaces - with no power, the order was given to abandon ship. Soon after, the broken keel caused Helena to break into three parts - the midsection sank quickly while the stern and bow remained afloat.

At this point, the American force had not yet realized that the Helena was destroyed - however, after failing to contact her, they found her wreck and rescued many survivors from the water. Over 100 men were not rescued and ended up on a Japanese-occupied island, where they were protected by coastwatchers and eventually rescued on July 15th. Helena's name was carried on by a Baltimore-class cruiser launched in 1945; her wreck was eventually located in 2018 by an expedition carried out by the late Microsoft founder Paul Allen.

== Media ==


;Skins

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

== See also ==


* [[USS Brooklyn]]

== External links ==


=== References ===

* Chen, P. C. (2004). Heavy Cruiser Pensacola. Retrieved January 12, 2021, from <nowiki>https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=144</nowiki>
* Naval History and Heritage Command. (2005, October 25). Helena II (CL-50). Retrieved January 12, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/h/helena-cl-50-ii.html</nowiki>
* Werner, D. (2018, April 06). USS Helena (CL 50): Ready, Willing and Valiant. Retrieved January 12, 2021, from <nowiki>https://usnhistory.navylive.dodlive.mil/2018/04/06/uss-helena-cl-50-ready-willing-and-valiant/</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Brooklyn Navy Yard}}
{{USA light cruisers}}
{{USA premium ships}}

USS Baltimore

2022-09-18T01:48:51Z

U92026966: added section to "uses in battle" describing how to increase survival time of the ship by being selective when to repair

{{Specs-Card
|code=us_cruiser_baltimore_class
|images={{Specs-Card-Image|GarageImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg|ArtImage_{{PAGENAME}}.jpg}}
|market=items_USS Baltimore (CA-68) (USA)
}}

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a gift rank {{Specs|rank}} American heavy cruiser {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced during [[Update "Hot Tracks"]] as a reward for the [[wt:en/news/6981-special-operation-w-i-n-t-e-r-en|2020 Operation W.I.N.T.E.R.]] event.

The Baltimore-class heavy cruisers represent the zenith of the United States Navy "screening fleet" doctrine during World War II. The ships of this class feature a variety of gun calibres placed all over the ship, with the emphasis on providing anti-air defense to fleet carriers taken to another level.

The {{PAGENAME}}, the lead ship of the class, features the highest amount of anti-air armaments of all cruisers in the game (72 in total). This huge amount of guns (consisting of powerful 40 mm Bofors and 20 mm Oerlikon autocannons) will keep all but the most daring of enemy aircraft at bay. Her anti-ship firepower is also not to be underestimated, as she features nine 8 inch (203 mm) cannons with super-heavy APCBC shells and versatile 127 mm secondary turrets. This makes the Baltimore a force to be reckoned with in top rank naval battles.

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

In terms of overall armour, the Baltimore does not have as much armour as a [[Admiral Hipper|Hipper-class heavy cruiser]], it is somewhat on par with IJN counterparts such as the [[IJN Mogami|Mogami]].

As with most of the US destroyers and some cruisers, the Baltimore's hull is clad with anti-fragmentation armour to protect her crew from HE shells, with her deck armour having 28.5 mm of thickness, 12.7 mm on her bow and stern, and 19 mm on the central compartments. When angled properly, she can absorb any cruiser-calibre HE shells with little to no crew loss and is immune to destroyer-calibre HE shells as long as they don't damage her wide array of secondary and AA armaments. As crew compartments and critical modules are placed far away from each other, the Baltimore is highly resilient to fire damage.

In terms of armour and module protection, the Baltimore is expectedly well-armoured. Her frontal and rear auxiliary magazine rooms are located below the waterline and are clad with 76 mm of armour at the sides, 63.5 mm at the deck, 140 mm at the bulkhead, and 127 mm at the stern. Her citadel is very well-armoured, with 152 mm on all sides except 63.5 mm at the deck. Her main turrets are protected with 203 mm armour at the front, 82.5 mm at the sides, 76 mm at the top, and 36.5 mm at the rear, and thus are harder to be taken out.

Baltimore's protection is not without weakness, however. Her fatal weakspots are the main magazine rooms which are located inside the shell elevator sitting way above the waterline, designed with the intention of providing Baltimore with consistent firepower without having to restock the ready racks. While the shell elevator is heavily-protected (with 160 mm of armour), well-aimed AP shots that manage to get inside the magazine are likely to detonate it, causing fatal damage.

Having lots of AA also means lots of crew (1,560). However, lots of crew can also be lost due to the AA and secondary turrets being repeatedly destroyed. It is not recommended to repair the ship unless major damage has been sustained.

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

The Baltimore's top speed is on par with that of the [[Admiral Hipper|Hipper-class heavy cruiser]], her agility is better however. She is unlikely to evade a torpedo if spotted too late, but being a heavy cruiser, she should survive a hit or two.

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

{{main|8 inch/55 Mark 12 (203 mm)}}

The Baltimore features 9 x 8 inch/55 Mark 12 cannons in three triple turrets arranged in an A-Bs-X setup as her main armament. The guns have a rather mediocre traverse speed, but with a decent amount of firing angle to help increase her survivability when angled.

As with any other American heavy cruisers, the Baltimore's main guns have a mediocre rate of fire than its contemporaries, with 15 seconds (ace crew) of reload time, though this is a noticeable improvement compared to other American heavy cruisers armed with a similar-sized guns. The guns are also quite accurate with relatively low dispersion.

The ship utilizes a "common" type SAP shells as the default shell, which is completely inadequate against most opponents that she will face. While the shell has a sizeable filler of 4.84 kg of TNT equivalent, its penetration of 71 mm at 10 km is terrible (especially for its calibre), and is unable to put a dent in most enemy cruisers beyond 7.5 km range. This means you have to get dangerously close to enemies to deal damage, thus exposing yourself as a target for enemy ships.

Depending on your preference, you might want to get the "super-heavy" APCBC shell first before getting repair kits and FPE. The "super-heavy" shell is the trademark of the Baltimore-class heavy cruisers, since these shells are heavier than others, weighing over 151 kg, while most of the other nations' shells usually weigh around 110 kg. This gives them a longer flight time, but a steeper angle. The idea behind its design was that, at long ranges (~9 km), the shells would penetrate battleship's decks from above instead of hitting the much thicker side armour, potentially reaching critical components. With 256 mm of penetration at 10 km and the aforementioned unique properties, the shell is able to reach further into enemy ship's critical components, dealing much higher post-penetration damage than its counterparts due to the weight of the shell.

Other than the "super-heavy" APCBC shell, the Baltimore also has access to a general-purpose HE shell with decent 9.5 kg of TNT equivalent filler to soften enemy ships, and a "special" SAP shell with a marginally better penetration but less filler, which is still ill-suited against anything beyond 8 km.

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

{{main|5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}

The Baltimore features 12 x 5 inch/38 Mk.12 dual-purpose guns in six double turrets, two on the port and starboard sides each, and one at the front and the rear of her superstructure. These turrets have similar characteristics to those on the late war American destroyers such as the [[USS Somers|Somers]] or the [[USS Moffett|Moffett]], but with even faster reload (2.8 seconds with ace crew). As she can use up to 8 guns at once (the same as the aforementioned destroyers), the dual-purpose guns provide formidable supporting fire against enemy cruisers and destroyers, and act as potent defence against enemy PT boats and aircraft.

The shell choice of the secondary armaments is the same as found on the destroyers; a basic HE shell which provides good continuous damage, an SAP shell which ironically has better penetration than the main gun's SAP shell and thus more capable at dealing damage, and an HE-VT shell for anti-air purposes.

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

{{main|Bofors L/60 Mark 2 (40 mm)|20 mm/70 Oerlikon Mk.II (20 mm)}}

When it comes to anti-air armaments, the Baltimore takes the whole cake. The Baltimore features a staggering 48 x 40 mm Bofors AA cannons in 12 quadruple turrets and 24 x 20 mm Oerlikon cannons placed all over the ship. Without even taking the dual-purpose 127 mm guns into account, the Baltimore can create a literal "bullet hell" for any aircraft and PT boats that are either brave or foolish enough to come close to it and quickly dispatch them. In addition, these guns are also very useful for disabling enemy secondary and AA armaments at closer ranges (~4 km) and chipping away at their crew.

It should be noted, however, that the Baltimore will usually lose several guns (and a considerable amount of crew in the process) during firefights, and that her AA defence capabilities may be significantly reduced before the enemy team decides to spawn as aircraft.

===Scout plane===
{{main|OS2U-1}}Located on the stern are two catapults with one OS2U-1 scout plane each which provide 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 OS2U-1 and other scout planes have the added ability to lay down smoke cover (up to 3 times). Captains will be wise to remember to utilize 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! With two scout planes one can risk a cap attempt at the beginning of the match, saving the second for any opportunity that presents itself.
== Usage in battles ==

With a wide variety of guns on board and great protection, the Baltimore feels right at home when protecting allies from aircraft and surface targets, as well as acting as a vanguard for the team, providing heavy firepower and taking several hits in return.

Without the super-heavy APCBC shells at the start, the Baltimore's 203 mm guns with an awful stock "common" SAP shell which struggle to damage anything beyond 8 km. Your main priority is to quickly gain access to the "super-heavy" APCBC rounds: one should target enemy cruisers and destroyers at closer range (within 7.5 km), or play as the brawler by utilizing both the primary and secondary armaments and get closer to enemy ship to get more chance of a clean shots and more damage.

Once the "super-heavy" APCBC shell and the damage control kit (repair kit and FPE) is unlocked, the Baltimore's full potential as a universal gun cruiser will be unleashed. Due to the unique properties of the shell, at longer ranges, the shell is capable of penetrating the usually weaker deck armour instead of side armour, punching deep into the ship with its weight, and dealing devastating damage as a result. This allows a keen captain to take out enemy ship's key compartments (engines, drive shaft, ammo racks) and potentially capable of even ammoracking enemy battleships. Other than this, the HE shell is handy for softening enemy targets or finishing them off, while the "special" SAP shell is not that much better than the "common" SAP shell.

Other than the powerful 203 mm guns, the Baltimore utilizes rapid-firing 127 mm secondary guns to deal additional damage. As the AI gunners are quite inaccurate, you may want to handle the gun youself while the main gun is reloading to fire more precise shots at the enemy.

While the anti-air AI gunners can do their job well (especially at longer ranges) due to them spraying huge clouds of shells at the enemy aircraft, you might want to take control of the gun yourself if the enemy manages to slip closer to you or your allies.

When trying to survive in the Baltimore, the large amount of crew paired with her anti-fragmentaion belt and other armor layers allows her to take a beating, however her survivability can be exponentially increased if her captain can choose when to repair correctly. boasting a huge anti-air profile, Baltimore's AA guns also pose as a crew sink drain for enemy HE as the 40mm and 20mm mounts are destroyed. If a careless repair is initiated, all destroyed anti-air mounts will be repaired and filled with crew that will become vulnerable to the next HE barrages. being selective of when to repair will decrease the number of times the AA mounts are destroyed and subsequently reduce the amount of crew bleed from engagements with other ships. repairing damaged mounts only when an enemy air attack is anticipated or imminent is often the best course of action unless circumstances dictate otherwise.

=== Pros and cons ===


'''Pros:'''

* Hull is clad with layers of anti-fragmentation armour, highly resilient to cruiser-calibre HE shells and fire damage
* Very well-armoured, can take a lot of punishments when angled properly
* Decent mobility for a heavy cruiser
* Great armaments
** Accurate main guns with much better fire rate than other American heavy cruisers
** Super-heavy APCBC shells have high penetration and post-penetration damage, capable of dealing considerable damage even against battleships
** Large amounts of fast-firing secondary 127 mm guns providing good supplementary damage at mid-to-close ranges
** 72 anti-air guns provide amazing aerial and close range defences
* Large crew size, with proper handling and damage control, she can stay afloat for the entire match
* Two scout seaplanes.

'''Cons:'''

* Very large target, easy to hit at longer ranges without angling and is vulnerable to torpedoes
* Atrocious stock grind, as the default common SAP shell have very poor penetration
* While faster than other American cruisers, the guns still have somewhat slow rate of fire compared to its contemporaries of other nations
* No torpedo armaments, have to rely solely on the guns to deal damage
* Rear turret's firing arc is obstructed by scout plane catapults, can make firing on retreat somewhat tricky
* While heavily armoured, a well-placed AP shots can detonate her ready shells in the elevator

== History ==

[[File:USS Baltimore 1943.jpg|thumb|450x450px|USS Baltimore (CA-68) anchored at Guantanamo Bay in 1943.]]
USS Baltimore (CA-68) was the lead ship of her class of heavy cruisers built for the United States during the Second World War. Based on the preceding unique heavy cruiser Wichita, the Baltimores were extremely heavily armed and carried a potent anti-aircraft armament, though like all other American cruisers, they lacked torpedo armament. Baltimore saw extensive service in the Pacific Theatre during the Second World War, and carried Franklin D. Roosevelt to his meeting with American military leaders at Pearl Harbour. After the war, she was reduced to reserve, but reactivated for the Korean War. Despite false allegations by the North Koreans that Baltimore had been sunk by North Korean G-5 torpedo boats, she was actually reduced to reserve, and scrapped by 1973.

=== Design and development ===
The Baltimore class was designed to be a successor to the previous [[USS Pensacola|Pensacola]], [[USS Northampton|Northampton]], [[USS Portland|Portland]] and [[USS New Orleans|New Orleans]] classes. The ship's design was based off of the USS Wichita, a unique heavy cruiser built just before the outbreak of hostilities. The hull itself was also extremely similar to the hull of the [[USS Cleveland|Cleveland]] class, a class of light cruiser that was then under construction. Superficially, the Baltimores look extremely similar to the Clevelands, but carried a heavier main armament. Built to this specification, the USS Baltimore was laid down in May of 1941, and commissioned after the start of the war in April of 1943.

Baltimore was 205 metres long and displaced almost 14000 tons standard, making her considerably heavier than her predecessors. Her main armament consisted of nine 8-inch (203 mm) guns in three triple turrets, the same layout as the preceding cruiser classes. However, Baltimore carried a significantly-improved secondary and anti-aircraft armament suite, composed of twelve 5-inch (127 mm) guns in six dual mounts, 48 40 mm Bofors anti-aircraft guns in 12 quad mounts, and 24 Oerlikon anti-aircraft guns in single mounts. Powered by steam turbines delivering 120 000 shaft horsepower, she was capable of making 33 knots (61 km/h).

=== Operational history ===
Following her commissioning in 1943, Baltimore joined the Pacific Fleet and spent October-November 1943 in training off the coast of California. Between November 1943 and June of 1944, Baltimore was part of a coastal bombardment force that provided fire support at the Makin Islands, Kwajalein and Truk landings. During this time, the force made great use of Baltimore's heavy main guns, proving themselves to be effective coastal bombardment weapons. Baltimore continued to provide this fire support capacity until June of 1944, when she returned to the Continental United States.

After returning to the United States, Baltimore embarked President Franklin D. Roosevelt and transported him to Pearl Harbour, where the president met with Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur. After the meeting, Baltimore transported the President to Alaska, and then returned to active duty. She spent the last part of the war providing fire support for American troops at Iwo Jima and Okinawa. After the cessation of hostilities, Baltimore joined the "magic carpet fleet" and transported American veterans back to their homeland.

After the war ended, Baltimore joined the reserve fleet at Bremerton, where she stayed until the Korean War started. She was reactivated in 1951 and assigned to the Atlantic fleet, meaning that she did not see service in the Korean theatre. She later represented the United States at the UK Fleet Review of 1953, and spent a short time in the Eastern Theatre before being reduced to reserve again. A North Korean museum claims that the Baltimore was sunk by G-5 Torpedo Boats in 1950, and has an exhibit showing "the actual boat" that sank the Baltimore. In fact, the Baltimore was never in the Korean Theatre during the war, and was scrapped in 1973. Baltimore earned a total of 9 war stars for her service during the Second World War.

=== [[wt:en/news/7003-development-uss-baltimore-ca-68-1943-en|Devblog]] ===
The development of new heavy cruisers for the US Navy began after the outbreak of World War II. The restrictions of the London and Washington Treaties ceased to be relevant, so the United States enthusiastically began to refine the projects built within the limits of the restrictions. Based on the heavy cruisers of the USS Wichita class, a new cruiser was developed to correct the issues of its predecessor, namely low stability and a shortage of anti-aircraft weapons, and also with improved seaworthiness, protection and range. The lead ship of the new series, the heavy cruiser USS Baltimore, was laid down in 1941. The distinctive features of the new large series of cruisers are extremely powerful and versatile anti-aircraft weapons and an increased hull width for increased stability. The USS Baltimore entered service in 1943 and immediately began performing combat missions in the Pacific. Until the end of World War II, Baltimore was in the midst of naval war, taking part in a number of US operations. After a short "vacation" it was re-commissioned in 1951, but did not take part in the new, Korean War. The ship was decommissioned from service in May 1956.

== Media ==


;Skins

* [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicleCountry=usa&vehicleType=ship&vehicleClass=heavy_cruiser&vehicle=us_cruiser_baltimore_class Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]

;Images
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== 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/7003-development-uss-baltimore-ca-68-1943-en|[Devblog] USS Baltimore (CA-68) (1943)]]

=== References ===

* Chen, C. (2005, December). Heavy Cruiser Baltimore (CA-68). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://ww2db.com/ship_spec.php?ship_id=165</nowiki>
* Wertheim, E. (2019, September 02). USS Baltimore (CA-68). Retrieved January 19, 2021, from <nowiki>https://www.usni.org/magazines/proceedings/1996/july/uss-baltimore-ca-68</nowiki>

{{ShipManufacturer Bethlehem Steel}}
{{USA heavy cruisers}}
{{Winter Event}}