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USS North Dakota was the second of two American Delaware-class battleships, built by the US Navy in the late 1900’s as a response to the appearance of dreadnought-type battleships. Arriving with the release of the “New Power” major update, USS North Dakota will become one of the first American battleships available to captains in War Thunder!
Briefly: Heavily armed and well-protected, USS North Dakota is a typical battleship of its era and the first ship of its class to become available to American captains in the game.
USS North Dakota, battleship, USA
Pros
Heavy-duty firepower
Good armor protection
Large complement
Cons
Low mobility
Lackluster AA
History
When the British Dreadnought was built, the United States had been completing their own “all-big-guns” battleship, the South Carolina class. Despite the fact that the new ships were not generally inferior to the British competitor, they were criticized for their small hull size and weak auxiliary artillery.
As a result, the Delaware-class battleships were developed during the mid 1900s. Being larger, better armed and more protected than the preceding South Carolinas, the Delaware-class battleships were ordered for construction and laid down in 1907. The two ships of the class, USS Delaware and USS North Dakota, were both commissioned into service with the USN in April 1910. Although sister ships, USS North Dakota featured a different propulsion system than USS Delaware - namely a steam turbine instead of a traditional steam engine.
Both ships saw only limited action, despite serving through the WWI period. While USS Delaware was operating overseas in European waters, USS North Dakota was kept close to the American shoreline due to concerns about its novel propulsion system. Following the end of WWI, both ships mostly continued their peaceful service until the signing of the Washington Naval Treaty in 1922.
Upon the treaty’s signing, the Navy’s strength was limited, particularly in battleships. As a result, both of the Delaware-class battleships were gradually put out of service during the 1920s while newer battleships were built to replace them. USS Delaware was broken up for scrap in 1924, while USS North Dakota eventually met the same fate in 1931, after serving as a target ship for several years.
In War Thunder, USS North Dakota will be the first battleship to join the ranks of the American naval research tree and also among the first vessels of this type to make its way into the game. Embodying all aspects for which these highly anticipated ironclads are known for, USS North Dakota will surely send some mighty shockwaves upon appearing in War Thunder naval battles in the very near future!
One of more characteristic features which define a battleship is, of course, its large-calibre primary battery, and boy, does USS North Dakota manage to impress in this regard! Possessing a primary arsenal consisting of a total of 10 x 12’’ (305 mm) cannons, split into five twin turrets, USS North Dakota promises to pack one of the heaviest broadsides among the first wave of battleships arriving with the upcoming update.
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In addition to all the large-calibre artillery, USS North Dakota also comes fitted with seven 5’’ (127 mm) secondary battery cannons, mounted in casemates on either side of the ship’s hull. Furthermore, four 3’’ (76 mm) cannons make up the warship’s AA arsenal, while USS North Dakota also has a small trick up its sleeve in the shape of a pair of fixed underwater torpedo launchers on the ship’s bow. However, due to a lack of short range automatic weapons, USS North Dakota is a more than inviting target for pilots, looking to bag a juicy score!
During regular gun engagements with other warships however, USS North Dakota promises good survivability, mainly thanks to its thick armor protection as well as large complement. Specifically, the 1,384 crewmembers operate a warship whose vital components are protected by a 279 mm strong belt. Furthermore, the conning tower and turrets are encased in 292 and up to 305 mm of armor plating, respectively.
On the flip side of the coin, possessing great firepower and protection usually comes to the detriment of mobility and USS North Dakota is no exception in this regard. Despite being powered by a steam turbine, generating 33,875 horsepower, USS North Dakota can only reach a rather pedestrian 21.8 kts (40.4 km/h) top speed. As a result, captains are best advised to stay clear of confined fighting areas and instead focus on providing deadly long-range fire support for their allies from more open waters.
USS North Dakota arrives in War Thunder with the release of the “New Power” major update and will become available to all captains as one of the first battleships in the US naval tree. In the meantime, keep a close watch on the news horizon as we continue unveiling what the “New Power” major update has in store for you. Until then, calm seas and happy hunting captains!
The War Thunder Team