Difference between revisions of "USS Porter"

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== Description ==
 
== 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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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}} American destroyer {{Battle-rating}}. It was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]].
+
The '''{{Specs|name}}''' is the lead ship of her class of 8 destroyers, and the only one to be lost in combat. Laid down in 1933, she would enter service in 1936. She would get underway from Pearl Harbour on the 5th of December 1941, missing the attack by two days. She would only see combat in one major battle, receiving critical damage from a torpedo strike in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. After the crew had abandoned ship, Porter was scuttled by fire from the USS Shaw. Sources vary on the source of the torpedo, and it was either sunk by the Japanese submarine I-21 or a ditching Grumman TBF Avenger's torpedo, although this seems unlikely due to the state of American torpedoes at this point in the war.
 +
 
 +
USS Porter was introduced in [[Update 1.95 "Northern Wind"]]. With a main battery of 4 double-mount {{Annotation|5-inch|127 mm}}/38 guns, captains can expect to be able to deal with most destroyers and some light cruisers with relative ease. The primary battery has a  {{Annotation|22 rounds-per-minute|2.72 second}} reload when on ace crew, and although the guns begin to struggle against more heavily armoured light cruisers and heavy cruisers, the blistering rate of fire makes up for it. Compared to her sister ships such as the [[USS Moffett]], she is in an earlier 1941 refit, and therefore has a much more paltry anti-aircraft armament, down to only 2 double heavy machine gun mounts, though the proximity shells of the main battery can help deal with any major threats.
  
 
== General info ==
 
== General info ==
Line 12: Line 14:
 
{{Specs-Fleet-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.'' -->
 
<!-- ''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.'' -->
The Porter is equipped with anti-frag armour, but this only helps against HE, and is useless against shells from most cruisers. That being said, given its large crew size (for a destroyer) and anti-frag protection, Porter can serve as a destroyer leader, and (briefly) tank shells whilst the rest of its team follows up behind. The Porters turrets are somewhat protected from HMG and autocannon fire, but are also large and prone to being disabled by dedicated artillery pieces above 7 6 mm, though you do have eight of them. The ship also has a row of torpedo tubes which serve as an easy to see ammo rack to detonate, if torpedoes are brought along.
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As with most American destroyers, USS Porter is protected against {{Annotation|5-6-inch|127-152 mm}} high explosive rounds by a {{Annotation|.5-inch|12.7 mm}} anti-fragmentation armour belt. This is incapable of stopping armour-piercing rounds, but significantly reduces splinter damage inside the hull, massively reducing the amount of damage done inside the ship. This belt covers the machinery spaces amidships, however the rest of the hull is left unprotected by any armour.
 +
 
 +
USS Porter's magazines lie underneath the aft two turrets slightly above the waterline, leaving them exposed to enemy fire. Any hit to this area of the ship will almost certainly result in total loss of the ship. Captains of USS Porter should make every effort to make this area difficult to hit, preferably using other object such as land, or erratic movements. When possible captains should take hits amidships where the armour belt can soak up some of the damage. Porter houses 194 crewmen; less that that of similar rank destroyers such as the [[Gearing (Family)|Gearing-class destroyers]], resulting in slightly lower survivability under fire than other American destroyers.
  
 
=== Mobility ===
 
=== Mobility ===
 
{{Specs-Fleet-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.'' -->
The ability to steam above 60 km/h, makes the Porter a very fast vessel, at the cost of some turning time.
+
The USS Porter, with its top speed of {{Annotation|37 kn|69 km/h,43 mph}}, is the fastest destroyer in the United States Navy bluewater fleet. She will be easily capable of taking any objectives, and the high speed of the vessel can allow her to make it to critical areas before other, slower destroyers are able. Taking roughly 30 seconds to accelerate to flank speed, and only 37 seconds to come to a halt, the Porter is very responsive to engine room commands. The rudder responds swiftly, taking less than a second at high speed to begin moving the ship. Speed falls to a respectable {{Annotation|26 kn|48 km/h,30 mph}} when in a sustained turn, but continuous evasive action is still ill-advised, for risk of making Porter a slow and vulnerable target.
  
{{NavalMobility}}
+
{{NavalMobility
 +
|SpeedForwardStockAB = 62
 +
|SpeedBackStockAB = 26
 +
|TurnTimeStockAB = 130.35
 +
|TurnSpeedStockAB = 43
 +
}}
  
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
 
=== Modifications and economy ===
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{{main|5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}
 
{{main|5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)}}
  
Eight, 5-inch cannons, makes the Porter one of the most dangerous destroyers in the game. That being said, due to the turrets being of a pre-war design, they have a relatively slow reaction time, as they turn rather slowly. Hence, the Porter's require a player to think of precisely when and where an enemy will come from. The rate of fire can easily be cut to under twenty rounds per minute, but the guns have a poor arc and velocity, and thus excel in close to medium range engagements.
+
Eight 5-inch cannons make the Porter one of the most dangerous destroyers in the game. That being said, due to the turrets being of a pre-war design, they have a relatively slow reaction time, as they turn rather slowly. Hence, the Porter's require a player to think of precisely when and where an enemy will come from. The rate of fire can easily be cut to under twenty rounds per minute, but the guns have a poor arc and velocity, and thus excel in close to medium range engagements.
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
+
 
! colspan="8" | Penetration statistics
+
{{:5 inch/38 Mk.12 (127 mm)/Ammunition|5 inch AAC Mk.34, 5 inch Common Mk.32, 5 inch SP Common Mk.46, 5 inch AAVT Mk.31}}
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
! colspan="6" | Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
 
|-
 
! 1,000 m !! 2,500 m !! 5,000 m !! 7,500 m !! 10,000 m !! 15,000 m
 
|-
 
| AAC Mk.34 || HE || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36
 
|-
 
| Common Mk.32 || Common || 124 || 103 || 77 || 58 || 46 || 37
 
|-
 
| SP Common Mk.46 || SP Common || 150 || 125 || 93 || 71 || 56 || 45
 
|-
 
| AAVT Mk.31 || HE-VT || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36 || 36
 
|-
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable sortable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
! colspan="10" | Shell details
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>mass (kg)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(s)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
|-
 
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
|-
 
| AAC Mk.34 || HE || 792 || 25 || 0 || 0.1 || 3,220 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
|-
 
| Common Mk.32 || Common || 792 || 24.49 || 0.01 || 6 || 1,150 || 47° || 60° || 65°
 
|-
 
| SP Common Mk.46 || SP Common || 792 || 25 || 0.01 || 6 || 906.5 || 48° || 63° || 71°
 
|-
 
|}
 
{| class="wikitable" style="text-align:center" width="100%"
 
! colspan="12" | Proximity-fused shell details
 
|-
 
! rowspan="2" data-sort-type="text" | Ammunition
 
! rowspan="2" | Type of<br>warhead
 
! rowspan="2" | Velocity<br>(m/s)
 
! rowspan="2" | Projectile<br>mass (kg)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse delay<br>(m)
 
! rowspan="2" | Fuse sensitivity<br>(mm)
 
! rowspan="2" | Arming distance<br>(m)
 
! rowspan="2" | Trigger radius<br>(m)
 
! rowspan="2" | Explosive mass<br>(TNT equivalent) (g)
 
! colspan="3" | Ricochet
 
|-
 
! 0% !! 50% !! 100%
 
|-
 
| AAVT Mk.31 || HE-VT || 792 || 25 || 0 || 0.1 || 457 || 23 || 3,220 || 79° || 80° || 81°
 
|-
 
|}
 
  
 
=== Secondary armament ===
 
=== Secondary armament ===
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{{main|1.1 inch/75 Mk.1 (28 mm)}}
 
{{main|1.1 inch/75 Mk.1 (28 mm)}}
  
The Porter has only two 1-inch AA guns. They are slow to traverse, and slow to fire, and you are better off using your main cannons with timed fuse shells for any really AA damage. Still they do serve as a deterrent and early warning system
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The USS Porter has two {{Annotation|1.1-inch|28 mm}}/75 "Chicago Pianos", one mounted forward of the bridge and the other mounted to the aft of the rear fire director. The {{Annotation|1.1-inch|28 mm}} lacks punch when compared to the more effective [[Bofors L/60 Mark 1 (40 mm)|40 mm Bofors]] found on later USN destroyers, and while useful in close quarters, cannot be relied on to be able to get reliable hits until a plane is either about to or has already released its payload. Captains are therefore advised to utilize the AAVT shells on the main guns when attempting to destroy aircraft in the beginning of the attack run, and allow the {{Annotation|1.1-inch|28 mm}} mounts to serve as a deterrent and final line of defense for the ship.
 +
 
 +
{{:1.1 inch/75 Mk.1 (28 mm)/Ammunition|1.1 inch Mk.1 HE-T}}
  
 
=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
 
=== Anti-aircraft armament ===
Line 148: Line 103:
  
 
=== Operational History ===
 
=== Operational History ===
After her commissioning, the Porter embarked on a shake-down cruise to Northern Europe and St. John’s, Newfoundland. In August 1937, she transferred to the Pacific fleet and was based out of San Diego, where she operated until the start of the Second World War. Through a stroke of luck, the Porter was not at Pearl Harbour on the day of the attack, having left port two days earlier. She then spent the next few months in training, before joining TF 16 heading towards the Solomon Islands. Upon arriving at the Solomon, the American carrier force engaged Japanese naval units in an engagement to be known as the Battle of Santa Cruz. In the ensuing action, Porter was torpedoed and eventually scuttled by the destroyer Shaw. The origin of the torpedo is not clear; however, a Japanese submarine is likely the culprit. Porter earned one battle star for her service during the Second World War.
+
After her commissioning, the Porter embarked on a shakedown cruise to Northern Europe and St. John's, Newfoundland. In August 1937, she transferred to the Pacific fleet and was based out of San Diego, where she operated until the start of the Second World War. Through a stroke of luck, the Porter was not at Pearl Harbour on the day of the attack, having left port two days earlier. She then spent the next few months in training, before joining TF 16 heading towards the Solomon Islands. Upon arriving at the Solomons, the American carrier force engaged Japanese naval units in an engagement to be known as the Battle of Santa Cruz. In the ensuing action, Porter was torpedoed and eventually scuttled by the destroyer Shaw. The origin of the torpedo is not clear; however, a Japanese submarine is likely the culprit. Porter earned one battle star for her service during the Second World War.
  
 
== Media ==
 
== Media ==

Latest revision as of 22:01, 24 July 2023

Rank VI USA | Premium | Golden Eagles
A-10A Thunderbolt (Early)
us_destroyer_porter_1941.png
GarageImage USS Porter.jpg
USS Porter
AB RB SB
5.0 5.0 5.0
Class:
Research:18 000 Specs-Card-Exp.png
Purchase:47 000 Specs-Card-Lion.png
Show in game

Description

The Porter-class, USS Porter (DD-356), 1941 is the lead ship of her class of 8 destroyers, and the only one to be lost in combat. Laid down in 1933, she would enter service in 1936. She would get underway from Pearl Harbour on the 5th of December 1941, missing the attack by two days. She would only see combat in one major battle, receiving critical damage from a torpedo strike in the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands. After the crew had abandoned ship, Porter was scuttled by fire from the USS Shaw. Sources vary on the source of the torpedo, and it was either sunk by the Japanese submarine I-21 or a ditching Grumman TBF Avenger's torpedo, although this seems unlikely due to the state of American torpedoes at this point in the war.

USS Porter was introduced in Update 1.95 "Northern Wind". With a main battery of 4 double-mount 5-inch/38 guns, captains can expect to be able to deal with most destroyers and some light cruisers with relative ease. The primary battery has a 22 rounds-per-minute reload when on ace crew, and although the guns begin to struggle against more heavily armoured light cruisers and heavy cruisers, the blistering rate of fire makes up for it. Compared to her sister ships such as the USS Moffett, she is in an earlier 1941 refit, and therefore has a much more paltry anti-aircraft armament, down to only 2 double heavy machine gun mounts, though the proximity shells of the main battery can help deal with any major threats.

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Main fire tower3 / 3 / 3 mm
Hull16 mm (steel)
Superstructure4 mm (steel)
Number of section7
Displacement2 597 t
Crew194 people

As with most American destroyers, USS Porter is protected against 5-6-inch high explosive rounds by a .5-inch anti-fragmentation armour belt. This is incapable of stopping armour-piercing rounds, but significantly reduces splinter damage inside the hull, massively reducing the amount of damage done inside the ship. This belt covers the machinery spaces amidships, however the rest of the hull is left unprotected by any armour.

USS Porter's magazines lie underneath the aft two turrets slightly above the waterline, leaving them exposed to enemy fire. Any hit to this area of the ship will almost certainly result in total loss of the ship. Captains of USS Porter should make every effort to make this area difficult to hit, preferably using other object such as land, or erratic movements. When possible captains should take hits amidships where the armour belt can soak up some of the damage. Porter houses 194 crewmen; less that that of similar rank destroyers such as the Gearing-class destroyers, resulting in slightly lower survivability under fire than other American destroyers.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB84 / 35 km/h
RB69 / 29 km/h

The USS Porter, with its top speed of 37 kn, is the fastest destroyer in the United States Navy bluewater fleet. She will be easily capable of taking any objectives, and the high speed of the vessel can allow her to make it to critical areas before other, slower destroyers are able. Taking roughly 30 seconds to accelerate to flank speed, and only 37 seconds to come to a halt, the Porter is very responsive to engine room commands. The rudder responds swiftly, taking less than a second at high speed to begin moving the ship. Speed falls to a respectable 26 kn when in a sustained turn, but continuous evasive action is still ill-advised, for risk of making Porter a slow and vulnerable target.

Mobility Characteristics
Game Mode Upgrade Status Maximum Speed (km/h) Turn Time (s) Turn Radius (m)
Forward Reverse
AB Stock 62 26 ~130.35 ~247.8
Upgraded 84 35 ___ ___
RB/SB Stock ___ ___ ___ ___
Upgraded 69 29 ___ ___

Modifications and economy

Repair costBasic → Reference
AB2 112 → 2 745 Sl icon.png
RB3 314 → 4 308 Sl icon.png
Total cost of modifications19 790 Rp icon.png
32 700 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost980 Ge icon.png
Crew training13 000 Sl icon.png
Experts47 000 Sl icon.png
Aces400 Ge icon.png
Research Aces280 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
190 / 480 / 100 % Sl icon.png
136 / 136 / 136 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Seakeeping Unsinkability Firepower
Mods new ship hull.png
Dry-Docking
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship rudder.png
Rudder Replacement
Research:
890 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship screw.png
Propeller Replacement
Research:
830 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 400 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship engine.png
Engine Maintenance
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 600 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods ship damage control crew.png
Damage Control Division
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods ship fire control crew.png
Fire Division
Research:
890 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
Smokescreen
Research:
890 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods ship anti fragmentation protection.png
Shrapnel Protection
Research:
830 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 400 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods ship venting.png
Ventilation
Research:
830 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 400 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship pumps.png
New Pumps
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 600 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods ship ammo wetting.png
Ammo Wetting
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 600 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
127mm_usa_mk32_common_sap_ammo_pack
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods new aa caliber turrets.png
Anti-Air Armament Targeting
Research:
990 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 600 Sl icon.png
145 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
127mm_usa_mk46_special_common_sap_ammo_pack
Research:
890 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods new aux caliber turrets.png
Auxiliary Armament Targeting
Research:
890 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 500 Sl icon.png
130 Ge icon.png
Mods he frag proxi fuze ship.png
127mm_usa_mk31_aavt_radio_fuse_ammo_pack
Research:
830 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 400 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods new main caliber turrets.png
Primary Armament Targeting
Research:
830 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 400 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods ship rangefinder.png
Improved Rangefinder
Research:
830 Rp icon.png
Cost:
1 400 Sl icon.png
120 Ge icon.png
Mods torpedo.png
Torpedo Mode
Research:
1 600 Rp icon.png
Cost:
2 600 Sl icon.png
230 Ge icon.png

Armament

Primary armament

4 х Turret2 x 5 inch/38 Mk.12 cannon, mount Mk.22
Ammunition720 rounds
Vertical guidance-10° / 35°

Eight 5-inch cannons make the Porter one of the most dangerous destroyers in the game. That being said, due to the turrets being of a pre-war design, they have a relatively slow reaction time, as they turn rather slowly. Hence, the Porter's require a player to think of precisely when and where an enemy will come from. The rate of fire can easily be cut to under twenty rounds per minute, but the guns have a poor arc and velocity, and thus excel in close to medium range engagements.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
1,000 m 2,500 m 5,000 m 7,500 m 10,000 m 15,000 m
AAC Mk.34 HE 36 36 36 36 36 36
Common Mk.32 Common 124 103 77 58 46 37
SP Common Mk.46 SP Common 150 125 93 71 56 45
AAVT Mk.31 HE-VT 36 36 36 36 36 36
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(s)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
AAC Mk.34 HE 792 25 0 0.1 3,220 79° 80° 81°
Common Mk.32 Common 792 24.49 0.01 6 1,150 47° 60° 65°
SP Common Mk.46 SP Common 792 25 0.01 6 906.5 48° 63° 71°
Proximity-fused shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(s)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Arming
distance (m)
Trigger
radius (m)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
AAVT Mk.31 HE-VT 792 25 0 0.1 457 23 3,220 79° 80° 81°

Secondary armament

2 х Turret4 x 1.1 inch/75 Mk.1 automatic gun
Ammunition7800 rounds
Belt capacity65 rounds
Fire rate150 shots/min

The USS Porter has two 1.1-inch/75 "Chicago Pianos", one mounted forward of the bridge and the other mounted to the aft of the rear fire director. The 1.1-inch lacks punch when compared to the more effective 40 mm Bofors found on later USN destroyers, and while useful in close quarters, cannot be relied on to be able to get reliable hits until a plane is either about to or has already released its payload. Captains are therefore advised to utilize the AAVT shells on the main guns when attempting to destroy aircraft in the beginning of the attack run, and allow the 1.1-inch mounts to serve as a deterrent and final line of defense for the ship.

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
Mk.1 HE-T HEF-T* 2 2 2 2 2 2
Shell details
Ammunition Type of
warhead
Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay
(m)
Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
Mk.1 HE-T HEF-T* 823 0.42 0 0.1 14.7 79° 80° 81°

Anti-aircraft armament

2 х Turret2 x 12.7 mm Browning AN-M2 machine gun
Ammunition4000 rounds
Belt capacity200 rounds
Fire rate577 shots/min
Main article: AN-M2 (12.7 mm)

With only two 12.5 machine guns, some PT boats have better dedicated AA weaponry. Regardless, they can still deter some planes, but cannot cover the front of the ship at all.

Additional armament

Setup 116 x 533 mm steam turbined Mk.15 torpedo
Main article: Mk.15 (533 mm)

With 15 torpedoes, with a decent range and speed, the Porter can be a torpedo boat, but aside from serving as an ammo rack, in game, the high speed and rough terrain makes carrying torpedoes a very situational weapon, and one that largely shines in Naval EC

Usage in battles

Destroyer Hunter

With double the guns of almost every destroyer around its BR, the Porter is a great anti destroyer hunter, a role it should stick to in an up-tier given its low calibre main battery. Due to its large size and poor lacklustre armour (which only helps against HE fire), the Porter should refrain from a cruiser gun duel, and instead cap points or cover more protected or faster allies in the shallow and narrow areas around caps.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • 8 x 5-inch dual-purpose guns give it excellent firepower
  • Decent rate of fire
  • Good mobility
  • Utilizes anti-fragmentation armour to protect the crew and internal components
  • Carries 16 torpedoes, allowing it to create an area of denial at mid-to-long ranges

Cons:

  • AA power is lacklustre due to only 2 x 12.7 mm AN-M2 Browning machine guns and 2 x 1.1"/75 calibre guns.
  • The turrets lack any true armour making them vulnerable, much like its successor, USS Somers
  • Shorter torpedo distance compared to its contemporaries
  • Has a small crew size of 194

History

USS Porter off of Yorktown, Virginia in 1939. Note the cruiser-like appearance of her superstructure.

The USS porter (DD-356) was the lead ship of her class of large destroyers built for the United States Navy before the Second World War. Designed as a destroyer leader to lead large groups of destroyers in combat, the Porter was built with a substantial main armament, making her one of the most heavily-armed destroyers of her time. Porter saw some service during the Second World War in the pacific theatre, and was eventually scuttled after being torpedoed at the Battle of the Santa Cruz Islands.

Design and development

During the interwar period, the United States Navy built a number of large destroyers, or destroyer leaders, designed to lead destroyer flotillas in future conflicts. The first of these classes, the Porter class, was designed and built in the early 1930s. Porter was the lead ship of this class, and was laid down in December 1933. She was launched two years later in December 1935, and commissioned by August 1936.

Porter carried a main armament of eight 5-inch (127 mm) guns in four dual mounts - this was an exceptionally-heavy armament for a destroyer, matched only by her successor class, the Somers-class. Her anti-aircraft armament was extremely weak, with just two quadruple 28 mm (1.1 inch) Chicago Piano anti-aircraft mounts and two 12.7 mm (0.5 inch) AN/M2 machine guns. Porter had a massive engine block delivering 50 000 shaft horsepower, allowing her to reach a maximum speed of 35 knots. However, unlike the succeeding Somers-class, Porter had two funnels, limiting her to eight 533 mm torpedo tubes in two quad mounts. She had a crew of 194 officers and men.

Operational History

After her commissioning, the Porter embarked on a shakedown cruise to Northern Europe and St. John's, Newfoundland. In August 1937, she transferred to the Pacific fleet and was based out of San Diego, where she operated until the start of the Second World War. Through a stroke of luck, the Porter was not at Pearl Harbour on the day of the attack, having left port two days earlier. She then spent the next few months in training, before joining TF 16 heading towards the Solomon Islands. Upon arriving at the Solomons, the American carrier force engaged Japanese naval units in an engagement to be known as the Battle of Santa Cruz. In the ensuing action, Porter was torpedoed and eventually scuttled by the destroyer Shaw. The origin of the torpedo is not clear; however, a Japanese submarine is likely the culprit. Porter earned one battle star for her service during the Second World War.

Media

Skins
Videos

See also

External links

References

  • Helgason, G. (1995). USS Porter. Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https://uboat.net/allies/warships/ship/5149.html
  • Navy History and Heritage Command. (2019, August 9). Porter III (DD-356). Retrieved January 26, 2021, from https://www.history.navy.mil/research/histories/ship-histories/danfs/p/porter-iii.html


New York Shipbuilding Corporation
Gun Destroyers (DD) 
Porter-class  USS Porter
Cruiser, Light (CL) 
Cleveland-class  USS Cleveland
Fargo-class  USS Fargo
Worcester-class  USS Roanoke
Large Cruisers (CB) 
Alaska-class  USS Alaska
Battleships (BB) 
Wyoming-class  USS Arkansas

USA destroyers
Clemson-class  USS Welborn C. Wood · USS Barker · USS Litchfield
Farragut-class  USS Aylwin
Bagley-class  USS Bagley
Porter-class  USS Porter · USS Phelps · USS Moffett
Somers-class  USS Somers · USS Davis
Fletcher-class  USS Fletcher · USS Bennion · USS Cowell
Allen M. Sumner-class  USS Sumner
Gearing-class  USS Gearing · USS Frank Knox
Mitscher-class  USS Mitscher · USS Wilkinson