Difference between revisions of "USS Texas"
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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}}''' | + | The USS Texas was a New York-class battleship. Built as the first ship of her class, even before the lead ship USS New York, she was built by Newport News Shipbuilding shipyard and laid down on 17th April 1911 and commissioned on 12th March 1914. USS Texas was the first in many things for the US Navy, including the first ship worldwide to carry 14-inch (356 mm) guns, the first US battleship to mount anti-aircraft guns, the first US battleship to be able to launch aircraft, the first US warship to control gunfire with directors and range keepers, and one of the first US warships to receive a production radar. She is also the last surviving dreadnought-style battleship, conserved as a museum ship in dry-dock in Galveston, Texas. |
| + | |||
| + | USS Texas served in WWI in Europe without seeing any action. In 1926, she underwent a refit that added torpedo blisters to the sides of the hull. At the beginning of WWII, she patrolled the Atlantic until returning to the United States in 1941. In 1942, she would return to the Atlantic and then the Mediterranean as part of a task force supporting Operation Torch. During the North African landings, she conducted two fire support missions bombarding Vichy French positions. Until D-Day in 1944, she resumed escorting convoys. She supported the Omaha beach landing and Rangers attacking Pointe du Hoc. After the capture of France, she left to the Pacific to take part in the Battle of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. She was placed in reserve on 18th June 1946, and became a museum ship in 1948. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''{{Specs|name}}''' was introduced in [[Update "Sons of Attila"]] as the third 14-inch US Navy battleship. Unlike [[USS Arizona|Arizona]], she possesses less firepower due to having only ten guns instead of twelve found on Arizona. As a WWI-era coal-powered dreadnought, USS Texas is quite slow and sluggish. Her magazines, although at the waterline, are protected by 305 mm thick belt armour which is sufficient protection against most long-range shells coming in at an angle. As USS Texas is in her 1945 refit, she has an anti-air search radar at her disposal, giving information about incoming threats from afar and with her large battery of medium and light autocannons ready to deal with any threat. | ||
== General info == | == General info == | ||
| Line 12: | Line 16: | ||
{{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.'' --> | ||
| − | + | Being the last of the US Navy dreadnoughts before [[USS Nevada]] introduced the "all-or-nothing" armour scheme, USS Texas uses the older distributed armour scheme. Compared to the other US battleships at her rank, this means she has both a thinner and narrower main belt than both the [[USS Nevada]] and [[USS Arizona]], with a {{Annotation|12-inch|304.8 mm}} belt. This is still greater than the earlier Delaware and [[Wyoming (Family)|Wyoming-class]] battleships, but the belt doesn't cover nearly as extensive an area. It quickly falls off to {{Annotation|9 inches|228.6 mm}} of armour covering the majority of the hull, ending slightly below the secondary battery with {{Annotation|6.5 inches|165.1 mm}} of armour plating. While this is beneficial when fighting light cruisers and below, this does allow strong heavy cruisers and battleships to still quite easily punch through the belt at typical ranges; the armour only serving to trigger the fuse on armour-piercing shells. Overall, this armour scheme is better for fighting cruisers, but compared to contemporary rank battleships like the [[USS Nevada|Nevada]] it will be worse off in a battleship duel. | |
| + | |||
| + | As is standard for US battleships, the main-battery turrets are still well armoured, though not to the extreme extent of the later battleships. A {{Annotation|14-inch|355.6 mm}} plate, angled at 26 degrees serves as the main protection, and should protect from all but the most powerful battleship guns at point blank range; more than adequate enough for 99 percent of engagements. The sides and rear of the turrets however fall down to {{Annotation|8 inches|203.2 mm}}, capable of being penetrated by nearly every cruiser. Captains should remember to keep their turrets oriented towards the majority of threats, as being shot from these angles will easily disable them. The top is well protected from plunging fire with a {{Annotation|5.75-inch|146.05 mm}} plate, and the barbettes are reasonably armoured with {{Annotation|12 inches|304.8 mm}} of armour covering the majority, although there are some sections fore and aft with only {{Annotation|10 inches|254 mm}}. The deck has a complicated, multilayer layout. The upper layer ranges from {{Annotation|1.75 inches|44.45 mm}} to {{Annotation|2.75 inches|69.85 mm}} in thickness, and serves to trigger the fuse on plunging shells or AP bombs. The second layer then ranges from {{Annotation|1-inch|25.4 mm}} to {{Annotation|1.5 inches|38.1 mm}} of armour, and should stop any explosive damage or splinters from reaching the magazines or the engine room. The magazines are positioned mostly below the waterline, but as with other American battleships, a small amount does protrude over the waterline; captains should attempt to make this difficult to hit. | ||
| + | |||
| + | Finally, the USS Texas is in her 1945 refit, and therefore has access to torpedo bulges. These will absorb up to 250 kg warheads, the same as other US battleships. This should protect from most torpedo drops, although a few select torpedoes like those found on the [[PT-810]] or, of course, anything with the [[Type 93 (610 mm) (Family)|Long Lance]] will blow past this protection, and usually only one or two of these are lethal. Captains should not rely on this torpedo protection, and instead should attempt to avoid torpedoes as much as possible; if a torpedo hit is inevitable, avoid a hit near the magazines if at all possible. | ||
=== 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.'' --> | ||
| − | + | USS Texas as designed was intended to hit {{Annotation|21.0 kn|39 km/h;24.2 mph}} at flank speed, similar to that of other US Navy battleships at the time. Over time, this would fall incredibly slightly to {{Annotation|20.5 kn|38 km/h;23 mph}} with the extra weight of the torpedo bulges, armour and anti-aircraft guns. This places her squarely between the [[USS Arizona]] which is still in its prewar refit and [[USS Nevada]], the current slowest US battleship. It takes Texas approximately 40 seconds to attain this speed and 50 seconds to come to a halt. Just like with other battleships, Texas has a wide turning circle, and whilst doing so her speed falls to only {{Annotation|14.0 kn|26 km/h;16 mph}}. It also takes her quite some time to respond to the helm, approximately 4-5 seconds passing before she actually begins the turn. Captains should be wary of this tendency when attempting to traverse congested waters, as it is exceedingly easy to run aground when attempting to do so. Another quirk of the Texas is that similar to the [[USS Arizona|Arizona]], her bow does like to swing back around in the opposite direction after turning, so some slight rudder usage might be necessary to keep the bow in the intended direction. | |
{{NavalMobility}} | {{NavalMobility}} | ||
| Line 31: | Line 39: | ||
{{main|14 inch/45 Mk.12 (356 mm)}} | {{main|14 inch/45 Mk.12 (356 mm)}} | ||
| − | + | The commissioning of the New York class introduced the 14" (356 mm) gun as the most powerful naval cannon in the world until the British commissioned the first of the Queen Elizabeth class ships later that year, and was still quite formidable even by the end of WW2. Mounted in five double turrets, there is a measure of resiliency by less loss of firepower from a disabled turret. | |
| + | |||
| + | Only armour-piercing and high-explosive shells are available for the ship. The HE shells are decidedly mediocre for the calibre in terms of explosive filler, but the AP shells have a very respectable level of penetration for a high tier ship, especially as the range increases. | ||
{{:14 inch/45 Mk.12 (356 mm)/Ammunition|14 inch Mk.9 HE, 14 inch Mk.8 APCBC}} | {{:14 inch/45 Mk.12 (356 mm)/Ammunition|14 inch Mk.9 HE, 14 inch Mk.8 APCBC}} | ||
| Line 53: | Line 63: | ||
== Usage in battles == | == 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).'' --> | <!-- ''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).'' --> | ||
| − | + | In ship-to-ship combat, the Texas will be similar to the [[USS Nevada]] and [[USS Arizona]], which struggle against the latest battlecruisers and battleships; all three are at least 20 years older and the technology differences shows. What Texas will excel at is AAA cover, with its excellent AAA quantity and quality, assisted by radar to spot incoming threats. Try to stay near friendly ships to protect them against aerial threats and any small torpedo boats trying to sneak in. | |
=== Pros and cons === | === Pros and cons === | ||
<!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' --> | <!-- ''Summarise and briefly evaluate the vehicle in terms of its characteristics and combat effectiveness. Mark its pros and cons in the bulleted list. Try not to use more than 6 points for each of the characteristics. Avoid using categorical definitions such as "bad", "good" and the like - use substitutions with softer forms such as "inadequate" and "effective".'' --> | ||
| − | |||
'''Pros:''' | '''Pros:''' | ||
| − | * | + | |
| + | * 10 x 14" (356 mm) main guns | ||
| + | * 5 individual turrets | ||
| + | * Massive number of AA guns | ||
| + | * Aerial search and tracking radars | ||
| + | * Resistant to HE shells | ||
'''Cons:''' | '''Cons:''' | ||
| − | * | + | |
| + | * Armour weak against AP shells | ||
| + | * Sluggish manoeuvring | ||
| + | * No dual purpose 127 mm, heavy AA is limited to the 76 mm guns. | ||
| + | * 14" rounds weaker compared to other newer types | ||
== History == | == History == | ||
<!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | <!-- ''Describe the history of the creation and combat usage of the ship in more detail than in the introduction. If the historical reference turns out to be too long, take it to a separate article, taking a link to the article about the ship and adding a block "/History" (example: <nowiki>https://wiki.warthunder.com/(Ship-name)/History</nowiki>) and add a link to it here using the <code>main</code> template. Be sure to reference text and sources by using <code><nowiki><ref></ref></nowiki></code>, as well as adding them at the end of the article with <code><nowiki><references /></nowiki></code>. This section may also include the ship's dev blog entry (if applicable) and the in-game encyclopedia description (under <code><nowiki>=== In-game description ===</nowiki></code>, also if applicable).'' --> | ||
| − | '' | + | The USS Texas is truly "The First and the Last". Although ordered after the USS New York (BB-34), construction started, was finished, and commissioned into the US Navy two months ahead. At commissioning she was the first capital ship in world to mount 14" cannons and the first US Navy "super dreadnought". This was just a start! |
| + | USS Texas lists of '''Firsts''' ''in the US Navy'': | ||
| + | |||
| + | * Anti-Air gun installation, 3" on top of the ship cranes; August 1916 | ||
| + | * Test "kite balloon" in mid 1918 | ||
| + | * Test feasibility of carrying exposed aircraft across ocean 20 October - 4 November 1918 (platforms installed by British Royal Navy at Jarrow Slake, England). | ||
| + | * First to launch aircraft; 11 March 1919 | ||
| + | * First to mount radar; Late 1938 | ||
| + | * First US warship to be decommissioned and become a permanent museum | ||
| + | |||
| + | Finally | ||
| + | |||
| + | * '''''The Last''''' Dreadnought style battleship left afloat in the world. | ||
| + | |||
| + | USS Texas served in the US Navy an extraordinarily long time even before becoming a museum, was a witness to monumental changes in human history. Some key dates compared to events in Texas history to illustrate world events. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''17 April 1911:''' construction of what will be ''USS Texas (''BB-35), began. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 15 April 1912: the ''RMS Titanic'' sank, a tragic event still discussed today. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''18 May 1912:''' Just ''33 days after'' the Titanic tragedy the ''USS Texas'' is launched into the water. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''12 March 1914''': ''USS Texas'' is commissioned into the US Navy, the most powerful warship in the world. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 28 July 1914: A month following the assassination of ''Archduke Franz Ferdinand'', Europe erupts into '''''World War One'''''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 6 April 1917: After years of avoiding it, the United States is drawn into the war. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 11 November 1918: "''The war to end all wars''" concludes. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 6 February 1922: The "<u>Washington Naval Treaty</u>" was signed, a ten year moratorium on battleship construction however allowed upgrades. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''31 July 1925''': Instead of the original plan to scrap, due to the treaty the plans changed to a massive modernization of the ''USS Texas''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''23 November 1926''': Effectively a new ship, the ''Texas'' one again became the USN Flagship. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''Approximately 1935''': With rising geopolitical tensions, the anticipated decommissioning was once again postponed. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''1 September 1939''': '''''World War 2 begins'''''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 6 and 9 August 1945: Two '''''atomic bombs dropped''''' on Japan, heralding the nuclear age. | ||
| + | |||
| + | 14 October 1947: The Bell X-1 was ''first aircraft to officially break the sound barrier''. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''21 April 1948''': USS Texas is officially decommissioned, ownership transferred to the State of Texas and becoming a permanent museum. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''30 April 1948:''' her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''13 December 1988''' to '''8 September 1990''': USS Texas was dry docked and underwent extensive restoration before reopening. | ||
| + | |||
| + | '''31 August 2022''': USS Texas began a second, more extensive restoration project requiring replacement of corroded torpedo budges. | ||
== Media == | == Media == | ||
<!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> | <!-- ''Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.'' --> | ||
| − | '' | + | |
| + | ;Skins | ||
| + | * [https://live.warthunder.com/feed/camouflages/?vehicle=us_battleship_texas Skins and camouflages for the {{PAGENAME}} from live.warthunder.com.] | ||
| + | |||
| + | ;Videos | ||
| + | {{Youtube-gallery|tLDSjKHU6RA|'''Saving Battleship Texas: Tow to Dry Dock''' - ''Battleship Texas''|cTW6RX5ECMc|'''Battleship Texas, Climbing A Turret''' - ''Tom Scott, The Older One''}} | ||
== See also == | == See also == | ||
| Line 77: | Line 150: | ||
* ''reference to the series of the ship;'' | * ''reference to the series of the ship;'' | ||
* ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | * ''links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.'' --> | ||
| − | + | ||
| − | * | + | * [[HMS Marlborough]], another battleship with very similar layout |
| − | |||
== External links == | == External links == | ||
| Line 85: | Line 157: | ||
* ''topic on the official game forum;'' | * ''topic on the official game forum;'' | ||
* ''other literature.'' --> | * ''other literature.'' --> | ||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| − | |||
| + | * [[wt:en/news/8419-development-uss-texas-bb-35-the-first-and-the-last-en|[Devblog] USS Texas (BB-35): The First and the Last]] | ||
| + | * [https://battleshiptexas.org Battleship Texas Foundation], the organization in charge of restoring the U.S.S. Texas | ||
| + | * [https://battleshiptexas.info/index.html Battleship Texas Info], an extremely detailed site about the Texas, created by one of the restoration volunteers. | ||
| + | |||
| + | {{ShipManufacturer Newport News}} | ||
{{USA battleships}} | {{USA battleships}} | ||
Latest revision as of 09:22, 7 July 2024
Contents
Description
The USS Texas was a New York-class battleship. Built as the first ship of her class, even before the lead ship USS New York, she was built by Newport News Shipbuilding shipyard and laid down on 17th April 1911 and commissioned on 12th March 1914. USS Texas was the first in many things for the US Navy, including the first ship worldwide to carry 14-inch (356 mm) guns, the first US battleship to mount anti-aircraft guns, the first US battleship to be able to launch aircraft, the first US warship to control gunfire with directors and range keepers, and one of the first US warships to receive a production radar. She is also the last surviving dreadnought-style battleship, conserved as a museum ship in dry-dock in Galveston, Texas.
USS Texas served in WWI in Europe without seeing any action. In 1926, she underwent a refit that added torpedo blisters to the sides of the hull. At the beginning of WWII, she patrolled the Atlantic until returning to the United States in 1941. In 1942, she would return to the Atlantic and then the Mediterranean as part of a task force supporting Operation Torch. During the North African landings, she conducted two fire support missions bombarding Vichy French positions. Until D-Day in 1944, she resumed escorting convoys. She supported the Omaha beach landing and Rangers attacking Pointe du Hoc. After the capture of France, she left to the Pacific to take part in the Battle of Iwo Jima and Okinawa. She was placed in reserve on 18th June 1946, and became a museum ship in 1948.
New York-class, USS Texas (BB-35), 1945 was introduced in Update "Sons of Attila" as the third 14-inch US Navy battleship. Unlike Arizona, she possesses less firepower due to having only ten guns instead of twelve found on Arizona. As a WWI-era coal-powered dreadnought, USS Texas is quite slow and sluggish. Her magazines, although at the waterline, are protected by 305 mm thick belt armour which is sufficient protection against most long-range shells coming in at an angle. As USS Texas is in her 1945 refit, she has an anti-air search radar at her disposal, giving information about incoming threats from afar and with her large battery of medium and light autocannons ready to deal with any threat.
General info
Survivability and armour
Being the last of the US Navy dreadnoughts before USS Nevada introduced the "all-or-nothing" armour scheme, USS Texas uses the older distributed armour scheme. Compared to the other US battleships at her rank, this means she has both a thinner and narrower main belt than both the USS Nevada and USS Arizona, with a 12-inch belt. This is still greater than the earlier Delaware and Wyoming-class battleships, but the belt doesn't cover nearly as extensive an area. It quickly falls off to 9 inches of armour covering the majority of the hull, ending slightly below the secondary battery with 6.5 inches of armour plating. While this is beneficial when fighting light cruisers and below, this does allow strong heavy cruisers and battleships to still quite easily punch through the belt at typical ranges; the armour only serving to trigger the fuse on armour-piercing shells. Overall, this armour scheme is better for fighting cruisers, but compared to contemporary rank battleships like the Nevada it will be worse off in a battleship duel.
As is standard for US battleships, the main-battery turrets are still well armoured, though not to the extreme extent of the later battleships. A 14-inch plate, angled at 26 degrees serves as the main protection, and should protect from all but the most powerful battleship guns at point blank range; more than adequate enough for 99 percent of engagements. The sides and rear of the turrets however fall down to 8 inches, capable of being penetrated by nearly every cruiser. Captains should remember to keep their turrets oriented towards the majority of threats, as being shot from these angles will easily disable them. The top is well protected from plunging fire with a 5.75-inch plate, and the barbettes are reasonably armoured with 12 inches of armour covering the majority, although there are some sections fore and aft with only 10 inches. The deck has a complicated, multilayer layout. The upper layer ranges from 1.75 inches to 2.75 inches in thickness, and serves to trigger the fuse on plunging shells or AP bombs. The second layer then ranges from 1-inch to 1.5 inches of armour, and should stop any explosive damage or splinters from reaching the magazines or the engine room. The magazines are positioned mostly below the waterline, but as with other American battleships, a small amount does protrude over the waterline; captains should attempt to make this difficult to hit.
Finally, the USS Texas is in her 1945 refit, and therefore has access to torpedo bulges. These will absorb up to 250 kg warheads, the same as other US battleships. This should protect from most torpedo drops, although a few select torpedoes like those found on the PT-810 or, of course, anything with the Long Lance will blow past this protection, and usually only one or two of these are lethal. Captains should not rely on this torpedo protection, and instead should attempt to avoid torpedoes as much as possible; if a torpedo hit is inevitable, avoid a hit near the magazines if at all possible.
Mobility
USS Texas as designed was intended to hit 21.0 kn at flank speed, similar to that of other US Navy battleships at the time. Over time, this would fall incredibly slightly to 20.5 kn with the extra weight of the torpedo bulges, armour and anti-aircraft guns. This places her squarely between the USS Arizona which is still in its prewar refit and USS Nevada, the current slowest US battleship. It takes Texas approximately 40 seconds to attain this speed and 50 seconds to come to a halt. Just like with other battleships, Texas has a wide turning circle, and whilst doing so her speed falls to only 14.0 kn. It also takes her quite some time to respond to the helm, approximately 4-5 seconds passing before she actually begins the turn. Captains should be wary of this tendency when attempting to traverse congested waters, as it is exceedingly easy to run aground when attempting to do so. Another quirk of the Texas is that similar to the Arizona, her bow does like to swing back around in the opposite direction after turning, so some slight rudder usage might be necessary to keep the bow in the intended direction.
| Mobility Characteristics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Mode | Upgrade Status | Maximum Speed (km/h) | |
| Forward | Reverse | ||
| AB | |||
| Upgraded | 44 | 13 | |
| RB/SB | |||
| Upgraded | 38 | 11 | |
Modifications and economy
| Seakeeping | Unsinkability | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armament
Primary armament
The commissioning of the New York class introduced the 14" (356 mm) gun as the most powerful naval cannon in the world until the British commissioned the first of the Queen Elizabeth class ships later that year, and was still quite formidable even by the end of WW2. Mounted in five double turrets, there is a measure of resiliency by less loss of firepower from a disabled turret.
Only armour-piercing and high-explosive shells are available for the ship. The HE shells are decidedly mediocre for the calibre in terms of explosive filler, but the AP shells have a very respectable level of penetration for a high tier ship, especially as the range increases.
| 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 | ||
| Mk.9 HE | HE | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 | 71 |
| Mk.8 APCBC | APCBC | 637 | 597 | 536 | 484 | 439 | 372 |
| Shell details | ||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Ammunition | Type of warhead |
Velocity (m/s) |
Projectile mass (kg) |
Fuse delay (s) |
Fuse sensitivity (mm) |
Explosive mass (TNT equivalent) (kg) |
Ricochet | |||||
| 0% | 50% | 100% | ||||||||||
| Mk.9 HE | HE | 823 | 635 | 0 | 0.1 | 46.67 | 79° | 80° | 81° | |||
| Mk.8 APCBC | APCBC | 823 | 635 | 0.035 | 17 | 15.24 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
Secondary armament
Some ships are fitted with weapons of various calibres. Secondary armaments are defined as weapons chosen with the control Select secondary weapon. Evaluate the secondary armaments and give advice on how to use them. Describe the ammunition available for the secondary armament. Provide recommendations on how to use them and which ammunition to choose. Remember that any anti-air armament, even heavy calibre weapons, belong in the next section. If there is no secondary armament, remove this section.
| 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 | ||
| Mk.15 common | Common | 114 | 94 | 68 | 50 | 38 | 26 |
| 5 inch APC | APC | 191 | 157 | 115 | 84 | 64 | 44 |
| 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% | ||||||||||
| Mk.15 common | Common | 960 | 22.68 | 0.005 | 6 | 780 | 47° | 60° | 65° | |||
| 5 inch APC | APC | 960 | 22.68 | 0.015 | 5 | 770 | 48° | 63° | 71° | |||
Anti-aircraft armament
An important part of the ship's armament responsible for air defence. Anti-aircraft armament is defined by the weapon chosen with the control Select anti-aircraft weapons. Talk about the ship's anti-air cannons and machine guns, the number of guns and their positions, their effective range, and about their overall effectiveness – including against surface targets. If there are no anti-aircraft armaments, remove this section.
Usage in battles
In ship-to-ship combat, the Texas will be similar to the USS Nevada and USS Arizona, which struggle against the latest battlecruisers and battleships; all three are at least 20 years older and the technology differences shows. What Texas will excel at is AAA cover, with its excellent AAA quantity and quality, assisted by radar to spot incoming threats. Try to stay near friendly ships to protect them against aerial threats and any small torpedo boats trying to sneak in.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- 10 x 14" (356 mm) main guns
- 5 individual turrets
- Massive number of AA guns
- Aerial search and tracking radars
- Resistant to HE shells
Cons:
- Armour weak against AP shells
- Sluggish manoeuvring
- No dual purpose 127 mm, heavy AA is limited to the 76 mm guns.
- 14" rounds weaker compared to other newer types
History
The USS Texas is truly "The First and the Last". Although ordered after the USS New York (BB-34), construction started, was finished, and commissioned into the US Navy two months ahead. At commissioning she was the first capital ship in world to mount 14" cannons and the first US Navy "super dreadnought". This was just a start! USS Texas lists of Firsts in the US Navy:
- Anti-Air gun installation, 3" on top of the ship cranes; August 1916
- Test "kite balloon" in mid 1918
- Test feasibility of carrying exposed aircraft across ocean 20 October - 4 November 1918 (platforms installed by British Royal Navy at Jarrow Slake, England).
- First to launch aircraft; 11 March 1919
- First to mount radar; Late 1938
- First US warship to be decommissioned and become a permanent museum
Finally
- The Last Dreadnought style battleship left afloat in the world.
USS Texas served in the US Navy an extraordinarily long time even before becoming a museum, was a witness to monumental changes in human history. Some key dates compared to events in Texas history to illustrate world events.
17 April 1911: construction of what will be USS Texas (BB-35), began.
15 April 1912: the RMS Titanic sank, a tragic event still discussed today.
18 May 1912: Just 33 days after the Titanic tragedy the USS Texas is launched into the water.
12 March 1914: USS Texas is commissioned into the US Navy, the most powerful warship in the world.
28 July 1914: A month following the assassination of Archduke Franz Ferdinand, Europe erupts into World War One.
6 April 1917: After years of avoiding it, the United States is drawn into the war.
11 November 1918: "The war to end all wars" concludes.
6 February 1922: The "Washington Naval Treaty" was signed, a ten year moratorium on battleship construction however allowed upgrades.
31 July 1925: Instead of the original plan to scrap, due to the treaty the plans changed to a massive modernization of the USS Texas.
23 November 1926: Effectively a new ship, the Texas one again became the USN Flagship.
Approximately 1935: With rising geopolitical tensions, the anticipated decommissioning was once again postponed.
1 September 1939: World War 2 begins.
6 and 9 August 1945: Two atomic bombs dropped on Japan, heralding the nuclear age.
14 October 1947: The Bell X-1 was first aircraft to officially break the sound barrier.
21 April 1948: USS Texas is officially decommissioned, ownership transferred to the State of Texas and becoming a permanent museum.
30 April 1948: her name was struck from the Naval Vessel Register.
13 December 1988 to 8 September 1990: USS Texas was dry docked and underwent extensive restoration before reopening.
31 August 2022: USS Texas began a second, more extensive restoration project requiring replacement of corroded torpedo budges.
Media
- Skins
- Videos
See also
- HMS Marlborough, another battleship with very similar layout
External links
- [Devblog] USS Texas (BB-35): The First and the Last
- Battleship Texas Foundation, the organization in charge of restoring the U.S.S. Texas
- Battleship Texas Info, an extremely detailed site about the Texas, created by one of the restoration volunteers.
| Newport News Shipbuilding & Drydock Co. | |
|---|---|
| Gun Destroyers (DD) | |
| Clemson-class | USS Welborn C. Wood · HMS Churchill* |
| Heavy Cruisers (CA) | |
| Des Moines-class | USS Newport News |
| Battleships (BB) | |
| New York-class | USS Texas |
| New Mexico-class | USS Mississippi |
| *USS Herndon in UK service | |
| USA battleships | |
|---|---|
| Delaware-class | USS North Dakota |
| Wyoming-class | USS Wyoming · USS Arkansas |
| New York-class | USS Texas |
| Nevada-class | USS Nevada |
| Pennsylvania-class | USS Arizona |
| New Mexico-class | USS Mississippi |
| Tennessee-class | USS Tennessee |
