Dunkerque - Revision history

U12017485: /* Description */ New Description Project

2024-11-24T15:32:31Z

‎Description: New Description Project

U12017485: /* History */ Separated second attack into a new paragraph

2024-11-24T12:52:20Z

‎History: Separated second attack into a new paragraph

U12017485: Added /* History */

2024-11-24T12:47:44Z

Added ‎History

U12017485: rephrased the AA point a bit.

2024-11-21T08:15:24Z

rephrased the AA point a bit.

U22067555: Added manufacturer template

2024-11-21T01:27:28Z

Added manufacturer template

U12017485: Added /* Survivability and armour /, / Mobility /, / Primary armament /, / Secondary armament / and / Pros and cons */

2024-11-20T22:53:34Z

Added ‎Survivability and armour: , ‎Mobility: , ‎Primary armament: , ‎Secondary armament: and ‎Pros and cons

U38088265: /* Secondary armament */

2024-11-20T19:25:53Z

‎Secondary armament

U38088265: Created page

2024-11-20T17:47:05Z

Created page

New page

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

== Description ==

The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French battleship {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Firebirds"]].

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

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

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

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

{{NavalMobility}}

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

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

{{main|330 mm/52 model 1931 (330 mm)}}
''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''

{{:330 mm/52 model 1931 (330 mm)/Ammunition|330 mm OEA Mle 1935 HE, 330 mm OPF Mle 1935 SAPCBC}}

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

{{main|130 mm/45 model 1932 (130 mm)}}
''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''

{{:130 mm/45 model 1932 (130 mm)/Ammunition|130 mm OEA Mle 1934 HE, 130 mm OPF Mle 1933 SAP}}

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

{{main|37 mm/50 model 1933 (37 mm)|Hotchkiss (13.2 mm)}}
''An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control <code>Select anti-aircraft weapons</code>. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.''

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

== Usage in battles ==

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

=== Pros and cons ===

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

'''Pros:'''
*

'''Cons:'''
*

== History ==

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

== Media ==

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

== See also ==

''Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:''
* ''reference to the series of the ship;''
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.''

== External links ==

''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
* ''topic on the official game forum;''
* ''other literature.''

{{France battleships}}

@@ Line 6: / Line 6: @@
 == Description ==
 <!-- ''In the first part of the description, cover the history of the ship's creation and military application. In the second part, tell the reader about using this ship in the game. Add a screenshot: if a beginner player has a hard time remembering vehicles by name, a picture will help them identify the ship in question.'' -->
-The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is a rank {{Specs|rank}} French battleship {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update "Firebirds"]].
+'''Dunkerque''' was laid down in December 1932 and launched in October 1935. Her trials began in April 1936 before the superstructures were fully complete, with her commissioning taking place in December 1936 after extensive sea trials. Trials continued into 1938, including gunnery training and an endurance cruise to the Caribbean and Senegal from January to March 1938. In September 1938, she became the flagship of the Atlantic Squadron. With the beginning of the Second World War, Dunkerque formed the core of France's Force de Raid, participating in missions such as convoy escorts and operations with British naval forces. Following France's armistice in 1940, Britain arrived at the French naval base at Mers-el-Kébir, demanding the surrender of the French fleet. When the ultimatum was declined, the British fleet opened fire, striking Dunkerque with four 15-inch shells, causing significant damage and casualties. A follow-up British aerial attack caused even more severe damage, with an explosion of the depth charges on a torpedo boat moored to the starboard. Despite severe damage, Dunkerque received temporary repairs and returned to Toulon in February 1942 for full restoration. In November 1942, as German forces advanced into Vichy France, the French Navy scuttled Dunkerque while she was in dry dock to prevent her capture. Post-war, she was deemed beyond repair, officially stricken from the naval register in September 1955, and sold for scrap in 1958.
 == General info ==
@@ Line 86: / Line 88: @@
 <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' -->
 [[File:Dunkerque docked.jpg|thumb|Dunkerque during her visit in Liverpool, May 1939]]
-Dunkerque's keel was laid down in December 1932 at the Arsenal de Brest, with construction initially constrained to the Le Salou No. 4 dock. Upon her launch on 2 October 1935, she lacked the first 17 metres of her bow, which was later completed at the Laninon graving docks. Her initial sea trials began in April 1936, even before her superstructures were fully complete, and with some of her secondary and light anti-aircraft guns not yet installed. Dunkerque attained a speed of 29.43 knots during trials on 15 May. Fully commissioned in December 1936, her trials extended into 1938, marked by extensive machinery tests and gunnery evaluations, with minor modifications made throughout the testing period. In May 1937, she represented France at the Naval Review at Portsmouth, United Kingdom, for the coronation of King George VI, which was followed by a French naval review off the Île de Sein later that month. Throughout 1937 and into 1938, she conducted extensive gunnery trials and fleet exercises off the coast of Brittany and in the Morgat area. From 20 January 1938 until 6 March 1938, she embarked on an endurance cruise, visiting the Caribbean and Senegal. On 1 September 1938, Dunkerque officially became the flagship of the Atlantic Squadron and began exercises with the rest of the squadron, including operations with the aircraft carrier Béarn and gunnery exercises against the hulk of the Danton-class battleship Voltaire.
+Dunkerque's keel was laid down in 24 December 1932 at the Arsenal de Brest, with construction initially constrained to the Le Salou No. 4 dock. Upon her launch on 2 October 1935, she lacked the first 17 metres of her bow, which was later completed at the Laninon graving docks. Her initial sea trials began in April 1936, even before her superstructures were fully complete, and with some of her secondary and light anti-aircraft guns not yet installed. Dunkerque attained a speed of 29.43 knots during trials on 15 May. Fully commissioned in December 1936, her trials extended into 1938, marked by extensive machinery tests and gunnery evaluations, with minor modifications made throughout the testing period. In May 1937, she represented France at the Naval Review at Portsmouth, United Kingdom, for the coronation of King George VI, which was followed by a French naval review off the Île de Sein later that month. Throughout 1937 and into 1938, she conducted extensive gunnery trials and fleet exercises off the coast of Brittany and in the Morgat area. From 20 January 1938 until 6 March 1938, she embarked on an endurance cruise, visiting the Caribbean and Senegal. On 1 September 1938, Dunkerque officially became the flagship of the Atlantic Squadron and began exercises with the rest of the squadron, including operations with the aircraft carrier Béarn and gunnery exercises against the hulk of the Danton-class battleship Voltaire.
 At the onset of the Second World War, Dunkerque, alongside her sister ship Strasbourg, formed the core of France's Force de Raid, an elite squadron tasked with hunting German surface raiders and protecting Allied shipping routes. Throughout 1939 and early 1940, she participated in several missions, including convoy escorts across the Atlantic and collaborative operations with British naval forces.
@@ Line 98: / Line 100: @@
 In November 1942, as German forces advanced to occupy Vichy France, the French Navy decided to scuttle its fleet to prevent it from falling into German hands. Dunkerque was scuttled in dry dock by her crew. As German soldiers entered the docks in Toulon, the crew began flooding the dock, and explosive charges set inside the vessel were detonated. Germans soldiers stood, watching as seawater flooded the crippled vessel. When Italian forces, who were interested in acquiring French naval assets, inspected Dunkerque after the scuttling, they found the damage too extensive to justify salvage or repair efforts. She remained in the dockyard as a wreck for the remainder of the war.
-Post-war, the remains of Dunkerque were assessed and deemed beyond repair. She was officially stricken from the naval register on 15 September 1955 and subsequently sold for scrap.
+Post-war, the remains of Dunkerque were assessed and deemed beyond repair. She was officially stricken from the naval register on 15 September 1955 and sold for scrap on 30 September 1958.
 == Media ==

@@ Line 89: / Line 89: @@
 At the onset of the Second World War, Dunkerque, alongside her sister ship Strasbourg, formed the core of France's Force de Raid, an elite squadron tasked with hunting German surface raiders and protecting Allied shipping routes. Throughout 1939 and early 1940, she participated in several missions, including convoy escorts across the Atlantic and collaborative operations with British naval forces.
 [[File:Dunkerque damage.jpg|thumb|Damage from the explosion of the Terre-Neuve]]
-In June 1940, following France's armistice with Germany, concerns grew within the British government about the fate of the French fleet potentially falling into Axis hands. This led to Operation Catapult, aimed at neutralising the French naval assets. On 3 July 1940, British forces arrived at Mers-el-Kébir and issued an ultimatum to the French fleet, including Dunkerque. After negotiations failed, the British opened fire. Dunkerque was struck by four 15-inch shells: the first ricocheted off Turret II; the second penetrated an unarmoured section of the aft hull without detonating, causing only minor damage; and the final two penetrated through the main belt into the engine and boiler rooms, killing 180 crew members and causing flooding and significant internal damage, which forced her to be beached to prevent sinking. During the action, Dunkerque opened fire at the British vessels but failed to score any hits. Three days later, on 6 July, the British launched a follow-up attack with [[Swordfish Mk II|Swordfish]] torpedo bombers. While the attack resulted in no direct hits to Dunkerque, a torpedo struck the motor torpedo boat Terre-Neuve, moored on Dunkerque’s starboard side near the superfiring main gun turret. Moments later, the depth charges stored on the MTB detonated in an enormous explosion equivalent to 1,400 kg of TNT. This caused far more damage than the earlier hits from the 15-inch guns, bending internal torpedo bulkheads, decks, and double-bottom plates, dislodging two of the main belt armour plates and two fire directors, tearing off external plating, and killing a further 30 sailors.
+Three days later, on 6 July, the British launched a follow-up attack with [[Swordfish Mk II|Swordfish]] torpedo bombers. While the attack resulted in no direct hits to Dunkerque, a torpedo struck the motor torpedo boat Terre-Neuve, moored on Dunkerque’s starboard side near the superfiring main gun turret. Moments later, the depth charges stored on the MTB detonated in an enormous explosion equivalent to 1,400 kg of TNT. This caused far more damage than the earlier hits from the 15-inch guns, bending internal torpedo bulkheads, decks, and double-bottom plates, dislodging two of the main belt armour plates and two fire directors, tearing off external plating, and killing a further 30 sailors.
 Despite the severe damage, magazines stayed intact and the efforts were made to repair Dunkerque. Temporary repairs allowed her to be refloated, and eventually, in February 1942, she returned to Toulon for full restoration.

@@ Line 80: / Line 80: @@
 * Penetrating a turret will cut down the firepower by half
 * Inadequate penetration of the SAP shells and no dedicated {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}  rounds
-* No radar or {{Annotation|HE-VT|High-explosive variable time fuse}} shells, along with very poor [[37 mm/50 model 1933 (37 mm)|37 mm autocannons]] and a small number of [[Hotchkiss (13.2 mm)|low-calibre]] guns, resulting in relatively poor anti-air armament
+* Lack of radar, {{Annotation|HE-VT|High-explosive variable time fuse}} shells, along with very poor [[37 mm/50 model 1933 (37 mm)|37 mm autocannons]] and a small number of [[Hotchkiss (13.2 mm)|low-calibre]] guns, are resulting in relatively poor anti-air armament
 * Very large vessel makes for an attractive target to surface vessels and bombers alike

@@ Line 103: / Line 103: @@
 * ''topic on the official game forum;''
 * ''other literature.'' -->
 {{France battleships}}

@@ Line 12: / Line 12: @@
 {{Specs-Fleet-Armour}}
 <!-- ''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.'' -->
-''Talk about the vehicle's armour. Note the most well-defended and most vulnerable zones, e.g. the ammo magazine. Evaluate the composition of components and assemblies responsible for movement and manoeuvrability. Evaluate the survivability of the primary and secondary armaments separately. Don't forget to mention the size of the crew, which plays an important role in fleet mechanics. Save tips on preserving survivability for the "Usage in battles" section. If necessary, use a graphical template to show the most well-protected or most vulnerable points in the armour.''
+[[File:Dunkerque Ammoracked.jpg|thumb|Dunkerque's enormous ammo racks prone to being penetrated negate any benefits from otherwise decent armour scheme for her BR]]
 === Mobility ===
 {{Specs-Fleet-Mobility}}
 <!-- ''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.'' -->
-''Write about the ship's mobility. Evaluate its power and manoeuvrability, rudder rerouting speed, stopping speed at full tilt, with its maximum forward and reverse speed.''
+For a battleship, Dunkerque is relatively mobile, having good speed in a straight line, acceptable turn rate and a well protected bridge and steering gear, making it more likely for her to maintain high mobility under enemy fire. That said, this mobility is limited by her large size, in effect, making it essential to plan two steps ahead especially when it comes to evading enemy torpedoes.
 {{NavalMobility}}
@@ Line 30: / Line 37: @@
 <!-- ''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.'' -->
 {{main|330 mm/52 model 1931 (330 mm)}}
-''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''
+[[File:Dunkerque 330 mm 52 model 1931.jpg|thumb|Two four-gun turrets make for a unique setup]]
 {{:330 mm/52 model 1931 (330 mm)/Ammunition|330 mm OEA Mle 1935 HE, 330 mm OPF Mle 1935 SAPCBC}}
@@ Line 38: / Line 50: @@
 <!-- ''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.'' -->
 {{main|130 mm/45 model 1932 (130 mm)}}
-''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''
+[[File:Dunkerque 130 mm 45 model 1932.jpg|thumb|Three turrets of [[130 mm/45 model 1932 (130 mm)]] (front: twin-mount, aft: quad-mount)]]
 {{:130 mm/45 model 1932 (130 mm)/Ammunition|130 mm OEA Mle 1934 HE, 130 mm OPF Mle 1933 SAP, 130 mm OEA Mle 1934 HE-TF}}
@@ Line 57: / Line 70: @@
 === 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:'''
+* Excellent firing angles for both primary and secondary weapons
 '''Cons:'''
+* Main gun magazines are prone to exploding
 == History ==

@@ Line 40: / Line 40: @@
 ''Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control <code>Select secondary weapon</code>. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.''
-{{:130 mm/45 model 1932 (130 mm)/Ammunition|130 mm OEA Mle 1934 HE, 130 mm OPF Mle 1933 SAP}}
+{{:130 mm/45 model 1932 (130 mm)/Ammunition|130 mm OEA Mle 1934 HE, 130 mm OPF Mle 1933 SAP, 130 mm OEA Mle 1934 HE-TF}}
 === Anti-aircraft armament ===