Difference between revisions of "VTB-8"

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(Added section on Darne M1922 machine gun.)
(Added history section for VTB-8.)
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<!-- ''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.'' -->
 
<!-- ''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.'' -->
 
{{main|Darne M1922 (7.7 mm)}}
 
{{main|Darne M1922 (7.7 mm)}}
When looking at 7.7mm guns in naval forces, it's common sense to compare the Darne M1922 with the 1916 Lewis gun found on the British MTB-1 and MTB Vosper series boats at the same battle rating. In fact, the ballistics between these two guns are very close, as the bullets share the same mass. The Darne M1922 has a somewhat slower muzzle velocity but a much higher rate of fire, more bullets per magazine, and can reload almost three times faster. This makes it a superior weapon to use on the fly. However, its overall damage per second is lower due to having only two barrels vs the 4-8 per British vessel.
+
''Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: <code><nowiki>{{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}</nowiki></code>. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.''
 
 
While weapons of this calibre work well against open-topped tanks, they struggle to do meaningful damage through the hull of a boat. As such, they're complemented best by quick movement, extraordinary volume of fire, and ambush tactics. For maximum effect, captains will want to get close to retain as much shot velocity as possible and target vulnerable areas. This is particularly important if the opponent's hull is angled. Precise fire into flat sides of the hull will allow you to pick off crew compartments, since the bullets struggle to reach vital components like the engines. Raking the opponent's gun positions may help you approach in one piece, but only if there are no gunshields present to stop your shot.
 
 
 
The difference in belts relates to their ratio of AP and API rounds. The damaging effects of these two bullet types are nearly identical, so the choice of belt isn't particularly important. However, the solid AP shot is slightly heavier and thus is listed as having slightly increased penetration under certain circumstances. The incendiary filler in the API rounds appears to have negligible effect on surface targets, if any can be observed at all, but incendiary rounds are theoretically better against aircraft. The choice of which type of belt to take is up to personal preference.
 
  
 
* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|T|Tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|T|Tracer}}
 
* '''Universal:''' {{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|T|Tracer}}{{-}}{{Annotation|AP|Armour-piercing}}{{-}}{{Annotation|T|Tracer}}
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== 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).'' -->
''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).''
+
Impressed by the success of the British and Italian torpedo boat fleets during WW1, the French navy bought two boats from the British company Thornycroft in 1921 for use as testbeds. These boats were given the designation VTA-1 and VTB-1, shorthand for "vedette torpilleur" with an A appended for small boats, and B appended for boats carrying two or more torpedoes. A handful of experimental boats followed, leading to the construction of VTB-8 and VTB-9 in 1935 - a series of two craft, and the first to be designed and built entirely by the French. Powered by two marine petrol engines with a combined 2,200 horsepower, the boat was designed to run at 46 knots (85.2 km/h) with a maximum laden speed of 48 knots (88.9 km/h). If unladen with equipment, however, VTB-8 proved that speeds of nearly 52 knots (96.3 km/h) were possible. This emphasis on speed was questioned, however, when VTB-9 broke apart and sank at top speed near Barfleur on the 9th of August, 1939. More difficulties arose when it was found that the Loire claw system responsible for suspending and dropping the 45 cm torpedoes into the water, suffered from fragility and a lack of precision. For these reasons, no other boats of the class were constructed. VTB-8 continued to serve in some capacity during WW2, being transferred to Britain under the name B063 shortly before the surrender of France, and was present at the evacuation of Dunkirk. In 1941, it was transferred back into the service of the free French forces, before being decommissioned in January of 1944, a few months before the war ended.
  
 
== 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.'' -->
 
''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.''
 +
[[File:Vtb-8-fnfl-1.jpg|thumb|VTB-8 undergoing testing at Cherbourg in 1933.]]
  
 
== See also ==
 
== See also ==
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* [[wt:en/news/9050-development-french-coastal-fleet-closed-testing-begins-soon-en|[Devblog] French Coastal Fleet Closed Testing Begins Soon!]]
 
* [[wt:en/news/9050-development-french-coastal-fleet-closed-testing-begins-soon-en|[Devblog] French Coastal Fleet Closed Testing Begins Soon!]]
 +
* https://forum.warthunder.com/t/vtb-8-the-first-operational-motor-boat-of-the-french-navy/28626
 +
* http://www.ww2ships.com/france/f-sc-001-b.shtml
 +
* http://www.navypedia.org/ships/france/fr_cf_vtb8.htm
  
 
{{ShipManufacturer Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire}}
 
{{ShipManufacturer Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire}}
 
{{France boats}}
 
{{France boats}}

Revision as of 22:03, 24 September 2024

fr_vtb8.png
GarageImage VTB-8.jpg
VTB-8
Research:Free
Purchase:Free
Show in game

Description

The VTB-8 is a rank I French motor torpedo boat with a battle rating of 1.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced in Update "Dance of Dragons".

General info

Survivability and armour

Armourfront / side / back
Hull40 mm (wood)
Superstructure15 mm (wood)
Number of section3
Displacement26 t
Crew10 people

As with all reserve torpedo boats, there is no real armour to speak of. VTB-8's 40mm thick wooden hull and 15mm thick wooden superstructure is typical of early torpedo boats and is shared with the MAS-561, PT-6, and Type T-14. The radio station and pilothouse are relatively small and set roughly amidships, which reduces the size of the target the enemy needs to hit to damage the craft's steering. The single gun mount is very small and therefore hard to disable, which will allow you to keep firing in desperate situations. If it is somehow destroyed, it won't affect your overall crew count. In total, the boat can hold ten crew members, with three in each hull section and one in the pilothouse, needing a minimum of three crew to operate.

Mobility

Speedforward / back
AB125 / 37 km/h
RB89 / 26 km/h

The boat is surprisingly agile, but it's primary asset is its speed. Being faster than any reserve boat other than the Russian G-5, you can beat the competition to the capture point, escape from big ships, and close the distance with the enemy as needed.

Mobility Characteristics
Game Mode Upgrade Status Maximum Speed (km/h) Turn Time (s) Turn Radius (m)
Forward Reverse
AB Stock ___ ___
Upgraded 125 37
RB/SB Stock ___ ___
Upgraded 89 26

Modifications and economy

Repair cost
ABfree
RBfree
Total cost of modifications3 890 Rp icon.png
177 Sl icon.png
Talisman cost190 Ge icon.png
Crew trainingfree
Experts1 000 Sl icon.png
Aces10 Ge icon.png
Research Aces80 000 Rp icon.png
Reward for battleAB / RB / SB
10 / 10 / 100 % Sl icon.png
100 / 100 / 100 % Rp icon.png
Modifications
Seakeeping Unsinkability Firepower
Mods new ship hull.png
Dry-Docking
Research:
440 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 Sl icon.png
40 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship rudder.png
Rudder Replacement
Mods new ship screw.png
Propeller Replacement
Research:
810 Rp icon.png
Cost:
35 Sl icon.png
75 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship engine.png
Engine Maintenance
Research:
720 Rp icon.png
Cost:
35 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png
Mods ship damage control crew.png
Damage Control Division
Mods ship fire control crew.png
Fire Division
Mods engine smoke screen system.png
Smokescreen
Research:
380 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 Sl icon.png
35 Ge icon.png
Mods new ship pumps.png
New Pumps
Mods tank ammo.png
7.7 mm AP belt
Research:
440 Rp icon.png
Cost:
19 Sl icon.png
40 Ge icon.png
Mods tank ammo.png
7_7mm_lewis_navy_incendiary_ammo_pack
Research:
380 Rp icon.png
Cost:
17 Sl icon.png
35 Ge icon.png
Mods new main caliber turrets.png
Primary Armament Targeting
Mods ship art support.png
Artillery Support
Research:
720 Rp icon.png
Cost:
35 Sl icon.png
65 Ge icon.png

Armament

Primary armament

Turret2 x 7.7 mm Darne M1922 machine gun
Ammunition3600 rounds
Belt capacity150 rounds
Fire rate900 shots/min
Main article: Darne M1922 (7.7 mm)

Provide information about the characteristics of the primary armament. Evaluate their efficacy in battle based on their reload speed, ballistics and the capacity of their shells. Add a link to the main article about the weapon: {{main|Weapon name (calibre)}}. Broadly describe the ammunition available for the primary armament, and provide recommendations on how to use it and which ammunition to choose.

  • Universal: AP · T · AP · T
  • 7.7 mm AP belt: AP · AP · AP · T
  • 7.7 mm API belt: IT · IT · IT · IT

Penetration statistics
Ammunition Penetration @ 0° Angle of Attack (mm)
10 m 100 m 500 m 1,000 m 1,500 m 2,000 m
T 9 8 7 6 5 4
AP 9 9 8 6 5 5
IT 8 8 6 5 4 4
Shell details
Ammunition Velocity
(m/s)
Projectile
mass (kg)
Fuse delay Fuse sensitivity
(mm)
Explosive mass
(TNT equivalent) (g)
Ricochet
0% 50% 100%
T 835 0.01 - - - 47° 56° 65°
AP 830 0.01 - - - 47° 56° 65°
IT 830 0.01 - - - 47° 56° 65°

Additional armament

Setup 12 x 45 cm 1909R torpedo
Main article: 1909R (450 mm)

Describe the available additional armaments of the ship: depth charges, mines, torpedoes. Talk about their positions, available ammunition and launch features such as dead zones of torpedoes. If there is no additional armament, remove this section.

Usage in battles

The boat is very fast for a reserve vessel, beating out all but the sleek duralumin G-5 for top speed. This can be used to your advantage when attacking capture points or for closing the distance with your enemy - something you will need to do regularly to achieve any sort of lethality from your small calibre weapons. The tripod gun mount provides an excellent 360 degree firing arc as well as between -10 and 80 degrees of elevation for use against aircraft. Keeping this in mind, it's best to attack all targets "bow-in" to expose as little of your hull as possible. Given the wooden construction, it's not the best boat for "bow-tanking" but that is by far your best hope for survival against aware enemies. As with all belt-fed weapons, managing your reloads is key. However, with a weapon of this low calibre, you need as many bullets as possible to be ready before you hit that several second reload downtime. If you believe an engagement is coming up or lack visibility on the threats ahead, make sure to empty your magazine and get a fresh one.

Pros and cons

Pros:

  • Fast and agile
  • Stable gunnery platform at high speeds
  • 360° arc of fire for both guns, with very good vertical guidance
  • Good survivability for the BR
  • Small silhouette
  • Tiny steering gear is very unlikely to suffer critical damage

Cons:

  • Poor firepower
  • Limited selection of ammunition
  • Very short range of the torpedoes, making them extremely situational

History

Impressed by the success of the British and Italian torpedo boat fleets during WW1, the French navy bought two boats from the British company Thornycroft in 1921 for use as testbeds. These boats were given the designation VTA-1 and VTB-1, shorthand for "vedette torpilleur" with an A appended for small boats, and B appended for boats carrying two or more torpedoes. A handful of experimental boats followed, leading to the construction of VTB-8 and VTB-9 in 1935 - a series of two craft, and the first to be designed and built entirely by the French. Powered by two marine petrol engines with a combined 2,200 horsepower, the boat was designed to run at 46 knots (85.2 km/h) with a maximum laden speed of 48 knots (88.9 km/h). If unladen with equipment, however, VTB-8 proved that speeds of nearly 52 knots (96.3 km/h) were possible. This emphasis on speed was questioned, however, when VTB-9 broke apart and sank at top speed near Barfleur on the 9th of August, 1939. More difficulties arose when it was found that the Loire claw system responsible for suspending and dropping the 45 cm torpedoes into the water, suffered from fragility and a lack of precision. For these reasons, no other boats of the class were constructed. VTB-8 continued to serve in some capacity during WW2, being transferred to Britain under the name B063 shortly before the surrender of France, and was present at the evacuation of Dunkirk. In 1941, it was transferred back into the service of the free French forces, before being decommissioned in January of 1944, a few months before the war ended.

Media

Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.

VTB-8 undergoing testing at Cherbourg in 1933.

See also

Links to articles on the War Thunder Wiki that you think will be useful for the reader, for example:

  • reference to the series of the ship;
  • links to approximate analogues of other nations and research trees.

External links


Ateliers et Chantiers de la Loire (ACL)
Motor Torpedo Boats 
VTB-8-class  VTB-8 · VTB-9
VTB-11-class  VTB-11 · VTB-13 · VTB-14
Destroyers 
Jaguar-class  Leopard
Battleships 
Bretagne-class  Lorraine
See also  Loire Aviation

France boats
Motor torpedo boats  VTB-8 · VTB-9 · VTB-11 · VTB-14
  VLT-1 · VLT-2 · VTB-19
  MTB-96
Motor gun boats  L9059 · La Combattante · VTB-13
Gunboats  La Suprise