Thunderbolt (PT-556) - Revision history

U38088265: /* Ammunition */ Converted to transclusion

2023-03-05T22:11:50Z

‎Ammunition: Converted to transclusion

U38088265: /* Survivability and armour */

2022-10-26T19:15:36Z

‎Survivability and armour

U44629479: Edits

2022-10-26T19:10:57Z

Edits

U69651212: Grammar edits

2022-10-26T18:36:42Z

Grammar edits

U44629479: Edits

2022-10-26T07:05:26Z

Edits

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

2022-10-26T00:44:43Z

re-wrote description to better describe the ship.

U44629479: Edits

2022-10-25T17:51:09Z

Edits

U92026966: updated anti-aircraft section

2022-10-25T17:25:56Z

updated anti-aircraft section

U44629479: Edits

2022-10-24T19:26:28Z

Edits

U92026966: Updated Description section

2022-10-24T19:24:21Z

Updated Description section

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 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 ===
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 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 ===

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 {{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.'' -->
-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.
+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 ===

@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 {{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 float planes, 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.
+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 ===
@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 == 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).'' -->
-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 play style of this boat is strike hard and strike fast before retreating.
+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.

@@ Line 14: / Line 14: @@
 {{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.'' -->
-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.
+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 ===
@@ Line 20: / Line 20: @@
 <!-- ''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.'' -->
-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.
+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}}
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 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".
+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.
@@ Line 45: / Line 45: @@
 {{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.
+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 ===
@@ Line 52: / Line 52: @@
 {{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.
+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 float planes, 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 ===
@@ Line 63: / Line 63: @@
 == 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).'' -->
-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.
+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 play style 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.
@@ Line 69: / Line 69: @@
 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.
+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 it is 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 ===
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 * 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
+* Fast and agile as it is a motorboat
 * 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

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 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.
+The Thunderbolt is an Elco 80 ft-class patrol boat that is unique from her sister craft since she sports a quad 20 mm gun mount at the aft of the vessel.
 == General info ==

@@ 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 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.
+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 ==

@@ 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 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 '''{{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 ==
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 ;Skins
 * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_elco_80ft_pt_boat_thunderbolt Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.]
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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.''
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 == External links ==
 ''Paste links to sources and external resources, such as:''
 * ''topic on the official game forum;''
 * ''other literature.''