[2023] USS Texas (BB-35): The First and the Last

A lil somethin somethin: You can find the details for this event on the announcement page here.

USS Texas is one of two New York-class battleships constructed for the U.S. Navy prior to the outbreak of WWI. Considered as one of the most powerful warships at the time of its construction, in its 1945 configuration the USS Texas will soon reinforce the top rank of the American bluewater fleet in War Thunder as it docks in player ports with the arrival of the next major update!

Briefly: The first American super dreadnought built at the eve of WWI, serving through both world wars and introducing many technological innovations throughout its service.

USS Texas (BB-35): battleship, USA
Features:

• Heavy primary battery guns.
  
• Excellent anti-air armament.
  
• Competitive protection.
  
• High displacement.
  
• Low mobility.
  
• Air search radar.

In War Thunder, USS Texas will be a powerful new battleship awaiting seasoned captains at the top rank of the American bluewater fleet in the next major update. Sporting a superior mix of offensive and defensive weapons, coupled with excellent protection, USS Texas will soon become a formidable adversary to face in the high seas of naval battles!




USS Texas’ main battery consists of ten of the already familiar 14”/45 Mk.8 (356mm) cannons, which veteran captains may recognize from USS Arizona and USS Nevada. Unlike these later designs however, the guns on USS Texas are mounted in five pairs of centerline mounts. Although possessing fewer total guns than USS Arizona, the added redundancy in having an additional turret reduces the impact a critical blow to the main weapons can have on the ship’s overall fighting capability. Furthermore, the vessel’s primary guns are augmented by a strong secondary battery consisting of six 5’’ (127 mm) and ten 3” (76 mm) cannons, which come in handy especially when dealing with smaller and more nimble targets at closer ranges.




In stark contrast to most other American battleships currently present in War Thunder, USS Texas has notably improved anti-aircraft defenses, thus making the warship an excellent AA platform. The previously mentioned 10 dual-purpose 3’’ (76 mm) guns are complemented by 10 quad 40 mm Bofors and 44 single 20 mm cannons providing an impressive level of firepower against not just hostile aircraft but also torpedo boats. As a result, allied vessels with poorer AA capabilities can effectively team up with USS Texas to remain under its protective umbrella.

Fun Fact: After 33 years of active service and a long list of accomplishments in the US Navy, the USS Texas is the only Super Dreadnought class battleship existing anywhere in the world today and is listed as a world historic engineering marvel. The warship is currently undergoing a major restoration in Galveston, Texas.

Like other U.S. dreadnought battleships of time, USS Texas features a formidable armor layout, with its main belt going up to 305 mm in thickness which is additionally reinforced by torpedo bulges to increase the protection against this deadly underwater threat.. Furthermore, 356 mm of armor plating shields the gun turrets, thus resulting in excellent overall protection against incoming enemy fire. This coupled with a high crew count of 1,810 sailors gives USS Texas superb combat endurance. However, the ship’s high displacement also results in comparably low mobility with USS Texas only being able to reach a top speed of 21 kts (39 km/h)



USS Texas will appear in the game with the release of the next major War Thunder update. We’d also like to share some photos with you of this majestic ship in the process of restoration from a volunteer on the project. These are from Joe “Pony51” Kudrna, who is a devoted fan of the game and Technical Moderator on the international forum. Thank you, Joe!