Today we’d like to show you two remarkable battleships that will be coming in the Line of Contact major update! Meet the Pacific Theater veteran USS South Dakota (BB-57) and Britain’s finest battleship, the King George V-class HMS Prince of Wales!
USS South Dakota
The American battleship South Dakota (BB-57) is the lead ship of the class, designed to address the primary shortcoming of her North Carolina-class predecessors, that being insufficient protection against 406 mm (16 inch) guns.
In order to adhere to the strict 35,000 ton displacement limit, she featured an innovative armor scheme which included a 310 mm thick main armor belt mounted at a 19-degree angle deep within the hull, protected by outer 19 - 32 mm plating that acted as a layer of defense against armor-piercing ballistic caps. USS South Dakota was urgently commissioned on March 20th 1942, after the United States entered the Second World War. She actively participated in combat operations in the Pacific, and during the war her crew was credited with shooting down 64 aircraft, being awarded 13 battle stars.
After the war on January 31st, 1947, she was placed in reserve. Later on June 1st, 1962, she was removed from the fleet list, and soon sold for scrap.
In War Thunder, USS South Dakota relies on powerful armament consisting of nine 406 mm main guns in three massive turrets. Secondary armament consists of 127 mm dual-purpose cannons in twin mounts, along with a staggering number of anti-aircraft weaponry, consisting of 40 and 20 mm cannons. USS South Dakota boasts exceptional protection, with the main armor belt featuring a distinctly spaced pattern and strategically angled armor. She also carries a pair of Vought OS2U Kingfishers with small bombs mounted under the wings for reconnaissance. South Dakota is a well-balanced, survivable long-range battleship, whose only drawback is her less-than-stellar speed and slow shell ballistics.
HMS Prince of Wales
King George V-class battleships were built within the strict constraints of the international naval treaties, which limited several aspects of how ships were built. After a long period of “shipbuilding recess”, British designers were faced with the challenge of designing modern battleships within the maximum permitted displacement of 35,000 tons. The main challenge was balancing powerful armament, reliable protection and a high speed. As a result, a controversial but necessary step was taken, which was to arm the ship with 356 mm guns instead of more powerful 381 mm or 406 mm guns, which were considered a weakness compared to ships from other countries. The second ship of the class, HMS Prince of Wales, was laid down in January 1937 and commissioned in March 1941, well into the Second World War. In May 1941, HMS Prince of Wales, along with the battlecruiser HMS Hood, engaged the German battleship Bismarck in the Denmark Strait. In that battle, Hood was destroyed, but Prince of Wales scored several hits on the flagship of the Kriegsmarine, damaging its fuel tanks and influencing the German decision to stop the attack.
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Did you know? HMS Prince of Wales’ motto is German, “Ich dien” (I serve).
HMS Prince of Wales’ fate was tragic. In late 1941, she, along with the battlecruiser HMS Repulse, was sent to the Far East to intercept Japanese boats. On December 10th 1941, off the coast of Malaya, both ships, deprived of any air cover, were attacked by Japanese aircraft. After sustaining multiple torpedo and bomb hits, HMS Prince of Wales sank, becoming one of the first battleships sunk solely by air power on the high seas.
In War Thunder, HMS Prince of Wales comes in at rank VI for the British Bluewater fleet. She stands out for her unusual primary battery of four 356 mm guns, mounted in turrets at the front and back, with another turret with two 356 mm guns elevated linearly above the front. Her secondary armament consists of 16 dual-purpose 133 mm guns, while the core of her anti-aircraft battery consists of the famous eight-barreled 40 mm pom-poms, reinforced by 40 mm and 20 mm automatic guns. Her armor is robust, though concentrated in the center of the ship’s profile. Her main armor belt reaches 381 mm, and her armored deck is 152 mm thick.
Like other top-tier battleships for Britain, such as HMS Vanguard, HMS Prince of Wales prioritizes armor and increased survivability over firepower. In battle, you’ll often have to get up close to the most armored opponents, working alongside cruisers, or shoot at longer distances to inflict damage from above. However, HMS Prince of Wales is quite capable of becoming a key player in any battle and will delight you with epic moments and incredible survivability!