USS Baltimore
Contents
Description
The Baltimore-class,USS Baltimore (CA-68), 1943 is a gift rank V American heavy cruiser with a battle rating of 6.0 (AB/RB/SB). It was introduced during Update "Hot Tracks" as a reward for the 2020 Operation W.I.N.T.E.R. event.
General info
Survivability and armour
The does not have as much armor as a hipper-class heavy cruiser, it is somewhat on par with IJN counterparts such as the mogami.
Having lots of AA also means lots of crew. However, lots of crew can also be lost due to the AA being destroyed. It is not recommended to repair the ship unless major damages has been sustained.
Mobility
Baltimore's speed is a bit slower than other heavy cruisers. Her agility is better however, displacing 30% less than a Mogami.
She is unlikely to evade a torpedo, but being a heavy cruiser, she should survive a hit or two.
| Mobility Characteristics | |||
|---|---|---|---|
| Game Mode | Upgrade Status | Maximum Speed (km/h) | |
| Forward | Reverse | ||
| AB | |||
| Upgraded | 71 | 29 | |
| RB/SB | |||
| Upgraded | 61 | 25 | |
Modifications and economy
| Seakeeping | Unsinkability | Firepower | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
|
Armament
Primary armament
Baltimore, being a WW2 US cruiser, shoots super-heavy AP shells out of her 203mm guns. These shells are heavier than others, weighing over 150kg. Most other nations' shells weigh usually 110kg. This gives them a longer flight time, but a steeper angle. The idea was that at long ranges, the shells would penetrate battleship's decks from above instead of hitting the much thicker side armor.
Secondary armament
Her secondaries are found on most WW2 US ships. Dual purpose, dual 127mm turrets. She has six of them. Those turrets are her first line of defense against PT boats and aircraft.
Anti-aircraft armament
As with most WW2 US ships, AA armament is where she shines. Compared to a Cleveland-class light cruiser, Baltimore has many more 40mm bofors emplacements. She has twelve quadruple 40mm Bofors turrets, and twenty-four 20mm Oerlikon single guns. This is much stronger than what could be mounted on light cruisers, giving her an awesome close range firepower.
Unlike the Cleveland-class, she cannot fire Variable Time Fuze shells out of her main guns. Giving her slightly less long range AA power compared to a Cleveland.
Usage in battles
Baltimore feels right at home when protecting allies from aircraft. Her 203mm guns have a difficult time killing dreadnoughts, she should shoot first at other cruisers and destroyers.
Her super-heavy 203mm shells are useful to shoot above islands while avoiding incoming fire.
She can count on close range AA to protect her from most air attacks while staying near islands.
Pros and cons
Pros:
- Amazing AA defenses
- Super-heavy AP shells
Cons:
- Rather small for a heavy cruiser
- Small crew amount compared to other heavy cruisers
History
Laid down on 26 May 1941 at Bethlehem Steel Company's Fore River Shipyard in Quincy, Massachusetts, she was launched on 28 July 1942, sponsored by the wife of Mayor of Baltimore Howard W. Jackson. The cruiser was commissioned on 15 April 1943 under the command of Captain Walter C. Calhoun.
Following the completion of her fitting-out, Baltimore departed for Hampton Roads on 17 June 1943, briefly visited the United States Naval Academy at Annapolis on 20 June, then conducted exercises off the Virginia Capes two days later. She went to Norfolk for upkeep between 24 June and 1 July, when she departed for shakedown off Trinidad. Operating from Port of Spain, the cruiser conducted gunnery training before returning to Hampton Roads on 24 July. Four days later, she steamed to Boston for post-shakedown availability (repairs to correct deficiencies found during shakedown) and to correct a leak in the main battery hydraulic piping. Returning to Norfolk in early September after the completion of the repairs, Baltimore and the destroyer Sigourney departed for the west coast. They transited the Panama Canal on 25 September and arrived in San Diego on 4 October, after which she trained off the west coast from 9 to 13 October. Departing San Diego three days later, the cruiser arrived at Pearl Harbor independently on 29 October after a brief stopover at San Francisco.
Between November 1943 and June 1944 Baltimore was a unit of the fire support and covering forces at the Makin Islands landings (20 November – 4 December 1943); Kwajalein invasion (29 January – 8 February 1944), and the Truk raid (16–17 February) and Eniwetok seizure (17 February – 2 March). On the 17th, Lt. (j.g.) Denver M. Baxter, USNR, flying one of the heavy cruiser's Vought OS2U Kingfishers, covered by two Grumman F6F Hellcats, rescued Lt. (jg.) George M. Blair, USNR, of VF-9 less than 6,000 yards from Dublon Island inside Truk lagoon where he had ditched his flak crippled Hellcat.
Baltimore continued to provide fire support in the Marianas attacks (21–22 February), the Palau-Yap-Ulithi-Woleai raid (30 March – 1 April); the Hollandia (currently known as Jayapura) landing (21–24 April); the Truk-Satawan-Ponape raid (29 April – 1 May), air strikes against Marcus Island (19–20 May) and Wake Island (23 May), the Saipan invasion (11–24 June); and the Battle of the Philippine Sea (19–20 June).
Returning to the United States in July 1944, she embarked President Franklin D. Roosevelt and his party and steamed to Pearl Harbor. After meeting with Admiral Chester Nimitz and General Douglas MacArthur, the President was carried to Alaska where he departed Baltimore 9 August 1944.
Returning to the war zone in November 1944, she was assigned to the 3rd Fleet and participated in the attacks on Luzon (14–16 December 1944; and 6–7 January 1945); Formosa (3–4, 9, 15, and 21 January); the China coast (12 and 16 January); and Okinawa (22 January).
On 26 January she joined the 5th Fleet for her final operations of the war: Honshū Island attacks (16–17 February); Iwo Jima operation (19 February – 5 March); and the 5th Fleet raids in support of the Okinawa operation (18 March – 10 June).
After the cessation of hostilities Baltimore served as a unit of the "Magic Carpet" fleet and then as a part of the naval occupation force in Japan (29 November 1945 – 17 February 1946). Departing the Far East 17 February 1946 she returned to the United States and went out of commission in reserve 8 July 1946 at Bremerton, Washington.
Baltimore was recommissioned 28 November 1951 and assigned to the U.S. Atlantic Fleet. She was deployed with the 6th Fleet in the Mediterranean during the summers of 1952, 1953, and 1954. In June 1953 she represented the United States Navy in the British Fleet Review at Spithead, England. On 5 January 1955 she was transferred to the Pacific Fleet and was deployed with the 7th Fleet in the Far East between February and August 1955.
Baltimore being dismantled at Zidell shipbreaking yard in September 1972.
Baltimore commenced pre-inactivation overhaul upon her return from the Far East and went out of commission in reserve at Bremerton, 31 May 1956 after only a total of 6.75 years in active service. She was struck from the Navy List 15 February 1971, sold 10 April 1972 to Zidell Ship Dismantling Company Portland, Oregon, and subsequently scrapped September 1972.
Media
Excellent additions to the article would be video guides, screenshots from the game, and photos.
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
| USA heavy cruisers | |
|---|---|
| Pensacola-class | USS Pensacola |
| Northampton-class | USS Northampton |
| Portland-class | USS Portland |
| New Orleans-class | USS New Orleans |
| Baltimore-class | USS Baltimore · USS Pittsburgh |
| Des Moines-class | USS Des Moines · USS Newport News |
