Graf Zeppelin
Revision as of 03:06, 24 August 2017 Changed protection level for "Ship:Graf Zeppelin" ([Edit=Allow only administrators] (expires 03:06, 31 August 2017 (UTC)) [Move=Allow only administrators] (indefinite)) | Revision as of 07:01, 16 May 2019 | |||
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|Anno=<!-- you can write below short description for the ship. it will replace default once. --> | |Anno=<!-- you can write below short description for the ship. it will replace default once. --> | |||
? | A high-speed aircraft carrier armed with numerous secondary and dual-purpose guns. She had the most powerful propulsion among all German Navy ships. The carrier was never completed because Germany's shipbuilding program priorities changed during the course of World War II. | + | A high-speed aircraft carrier armed with numerous secondary and dual-purpose guns. She had the most powerful propulsion among all German Navy ships. The carrier was never completed because Germany's shipbuilding program priorities changed during the course of World War II.<br><br>''{{#var:ship_name}}'' was first released for sale worldwide on 21 August 2017. She was not well-received by the player base, and Wargaming [https://worldofwarships.com/en/news/common/Graf-Zeppelin-Situation-Update/ removed her from sale] after only five days. After [[Ship:Update_0.8.0|Update 0.8.0]] reworked the aircraft carrier class, ''Graf Zeppelin'' was re-balanced and placed back on sale for the first time in nearly 20 months on 15 April 2019. <br><br>{{Model3DViewer|7ad1ee167b9b432e95395a28e55c133d}} | |
|Performance=<!-- write text about performance in battles below --> | |Performance=<!-- write text about performance in battles below --> | |||
? | + | ''Graf Zeppelin'' is the only German aircraft carrier available in World of Warships at this point in time. As such she differs greatly from all the other carriers present and gives her own unique flavor in-game. She currently sits at Tier VIII. | ||
? | + | ''Graf Zeppelin's'' hull is worth a special mention. For one she boasts a threatening amount of secondary armament, which makes her a risky target for destroyers that can not avoid getting spotted. This also opens up the opportunity to use her late-game as a platform which engages through her secondaries and planes, but such maneuvers need to be carefully calculated or else the destruction of the ship will be imminent. Secondly, she features a reinforced hull plating which makes her immune to non-IFHE guns with a caliber of up to 128mm. Destroyer captains engaging her with artillery should be aware of that and switch to AP-shells in these cases. | ||
? | ''Graf Zeppelin'' | + | The most potent planes of ''Graf Zeppelin'' are her torpedo bombers. Being able to fly at speeds of up to 260 knots they are capable of traveling far distances with ease, and can do quick “boom and zoom” attacks even against vessels with stronger AA defenses. Their torpedoes however are not hitting particularly hard, and the planes are rather fragile, so it should be kept in mind that several runs will be required to deal notable damage and that ships with high continuous dps are a big threat. Every attack run can drop up to three torpedoes, which will be dropped in a wedge shape. As every squadron consists of nine planes, ''Graf Zeppelin'' can make three attack runs with three planes each. However, the flooding chance for these torpedoes is quite low, making DoT stacks difficult with this German carrier. | |
+ | ||||
+ | Being the only viable plane type on ''Graf Zeppelin'' against destroyers, her attack aircraft will satisfy the player with good hitting power and rocket penetration (40mm), but unlike the torpedo bombers they do not possess a superior speed and are in fact on the slower side of T8 aircraft. Every attack run will release up to eight rockets, so timing the drop for a narrow reticle is highly recommended. With eight planes in total per squadron that results in four attack runs. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | The remaining plane type are the dive bombers, which while they offer a faster diving approach, are lacking in terms of striking power and penetration. However, using the same plane as the torpedo bombers they are fast enough to travel across the map quickly. Each attack run will consist of two dive bombers with one bomb each, and the entire squadron will consist of eight planes in total. Unfortunately, some ships are completely immune to these weapons, and while the circular reticle means you can approach from any angle, it also means that even the best aimed drops can result in no hits. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | In terms of playstyle her captain should capitalize on the torpedo bombers whenever possible, launching fast attack waves against capital ships which do not possess the means of dodging her fish. Her rocket planes should be used against agile targets such as destroyers and maneuverable cruisers. When having the opportunity, spotting destroyers with the fighter plane consumable is an option that should be considered, however they lack the speed to be effective against enemy aircraft unless the opponent actively closes the distance to them. | |||
|Pros=<!-- write list of positive points below. use * as in ordinary wiki-list. --> | |Pros=<!-- write list of positive points below. use * as in ordinary wiki-list. --> | |||
? | * | + | * Access to the fastest planes at Tier VIII, which will form her torpedo and dive bombers | |
? | * | + | * Comes equipped with a potent secondary battery | |
? | * | + | * Her rocket planes hit hard and penetrate even battleship plating | |
? | + | |||
? | + | |||
|Cons=<!-- write list of negative points below. use * as in ordinary wiki-list. --> | |Cons=<!-- write list of negative points below. use * as in ordinary wiki-list. --> | |||
? | ||||
* As a Tier VIII aircraft carrier, captains may face off against large amounts of high tier AA. | * As a Tier VIII aircraft carrier, captains may face off against large amounts of high tier AA. | |||
* Unable to train captains for any other carriers, and requires a specialized German captain to perform well. | * Unable to train captains for any other carriers, and requires a specialized German captain to perform well. | |||
? | * | + | * Poor surface detectability | |
? | + | * Highly situational dive bombers with low alpha strike | ||
? | + | * Her AA is lacking, making it difficult to repel air attacks. | ||
|Research=<!-- write text about priority sequence of research below --> | |Research=<!-- write text about priority sequence of research below --> | |||
? | As a | + | As a Premium ship, ''Graf Zeppelin'' doesn't have any upgrades to research. | |
|OptimalConfiguration=<!-- write some general text about selection of optimal configuration below (optional)--> | |OptimalConfiguration=<!-- write some general text about selection of optimal configuration below (optional)--> | |||
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|Upgrades=<!-- write text about best upgrades below --> | |Upgrades=<!-- write text about best upgrades below --> | |||
The recommended upgrades for ''Graf Zeppelin'' are as follows: | The recommended upgrades for ''Graf Zeppelin'' are as follows: | |||
? | *'''Slot 1''': | + | *'''Slot 1''': {{Air Groups Modification 1}} | |
? | *'''Slot 2''': | + | *'''Slot 2''': {{Aircraft Engines Modification 1}} | |
? | *'''Slot | + | *'''Slot 3''': {{Secondary Battery Modification 1}} | |
? | *'''Slot | + | *'''Slot 4''': {{Torpedo Bombers Modification 2}} | |
? | *'''Slot | + | *'''Slot 5''': {{Flight Control Modification 1}} | |
? | + | |||
? | + | |||
? | + | |||
? | '''Upgrade Slot | + | '''Upgrade Slot 3''' also offers the usage of {{Attack Aircraft Modification 1}}, which could be viable if the player deems the aiming time for the attack aircraft to be too short. | |
|CommanderSkills=<!-- write text about best set of Commander Skills below --> | |CommanderSkills=<!-- write text about best set of Commander Skills below --> | |||
? | ''Graf Zeppelin'' | + | The prime focus of skills should lie on improving the performance of ''Graf Zeppelin's'' torpedo bombers and aircraft in general. Additional skills distributed to her secondary performance are however an option, but should not shift the priority away from ''Graf Zeppelin's'' strengths. | |
{{Commander Skills | {{Commander Skills | |||
? | | Priority Target = | + | | Priority Target = 3 | |
| Preventative Maintenance = | | Preventative Maintenance = | |||
| Expert Loader = | | Expert Loader = | |||
? | | | + | | Air Supremacy = 3 | |
| Direction Center for Catapult Aircraft = | | Direction Center for Catapult Aircraft = | |||
? | | Dogfighting Expert = | + | | Dogfighting Expert = 2 | |
| Incoming Fire Alert = | | Incoming Fire Alert = | |||
? | | | + | | Last Gasp = 2 | |
? | | High Alert = | + | | High Alert = | |
| Jack of All Trades = 1 | | Jack of All Trades = 1 | |||
| Expert Marksman = | | Expert Marksman = | |||
? | | Torpedo Acceleration = | + | | Torpedo Acceleration = 1 | |
| Smoke Screen Expert = | | Smoke Screen Expert = | |||
? | | | + | | Improved Engines = 2 | |
? | | Adrenaline Rush = | + | | Adrenaline Rush = 3 | |
| Last Stand = | | Last Stand = | |||
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| Survivability Expert = 1 | | Survivability Expert = 1 | |||
| Torpedo Armament Expertise = | | Torpedo Armament Expertise = | |||
? | | | + | | Aircraft Armor = 3 | |
? | | Basic Firing Training = | + | | Basic Firing Training = 1 | |
| Superintendent = | | Superintendent = | |||
? | | Demolition Expert = | + | | Demolition Expert = 3 | |
| Vigilance = | | Vigilance = | |||
? | | Manual Fire Control for Secondary Armament = | + | | Manual Fire Control for Secondary Armament = | |
? | | Fire Prevention = | + | | Fire Prevention = 1 | |
| Inertia Fuse for HE Shells = | | Inertia Fuse for HE Shells = | |||
? | | | + | | Sight Stabilization = 3 | |
? | | Advanced Firing Training = | + | | Advanced Firing Training = 1 | |
? | | Manual Fire Control for AA Armament = | + | | Manual Fire Control for AA Armament = 1 | |
| Radio Position Finding = | | Radio Position Finding = | |||
? | | Concealment Expert = | + | | Concealment Expert = 3 | |
}} | }} | |||
|Consumables=<!-- write text about selection of Consumables below --> | |Consumables=<!-- write text about selection of Consumables below --> | |||
? | ''Graf Zeppelin'' | + | ||
+ | Like other aircraft carriers, ''Graf Zeppelin'' can not control the consumables of the ship. | |||
+ | ||||
+ | ''{{#var:ship_name}}'' can equip the following consumables: | |||
+ | * '''Slot 1:''' {{Damage Control Party}} | |||
+ | * '''Slot 2:''' {{Fighter}} | |||
+ | ||||
+ | ''Graf Zeppelin's'' aircraft can equip the following consumables: | |||
+ | Attack Aircraft: | |||
+ | * '''Slot 1:''' {{Engine Cooling}} (3 charges by default) | |||
+ | * '''Slot 2:''' {{Patrol Fighters}} (3 charges by default) | |||
+ | ||||
+ | Torpedo Bombers: | |||
+ | * '''Slot 1:''' {{Engine Cooling}} (2 charges by default) | |||
+ | * '''Slot 2:''' {{Patrol Fighters}} (3 charges by default) | |||
+ | * '''Slot 3:''' {{Repair}} (3 charges by default) | |||
+ | ||||
+ | Dive Bombers: | |||
+ | * '''Slot 1:''' {{Engine Cooling}} (2 charges by default) | |||
+ | * '''Slot 2:''' {{Patrol Fighters}} (3 charges by default) | |||
+ | ||||
|Camouflage=<!-- write text about useful camouflage below --> | |Camouflage=<!-- write text about useful camouflage below --> | |||
? | As a | + | As a Premium ship, ''Graf Zeppelin'' comes included with [[Ship:Camouflage#Premium_Camouflage|Type 10 camouflage]] that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, and increases the amount of experience she earns. | |
|Signals=<!-- write text about best set of signals below --> | |Signals=<!-- write text about best set of signals below --> | |||
? | As a premium aircraft carrier, ''Graf Zeppelin'' can mount | + | As a premium aircraft carrier, ''Graf Zeppelin'' can mount eight signal flags simultaneously. | |
? | + | |||
+ | {{Signal Flags | |||
| November Echo Setteseven = 2 | | November Echo Setteseven = 2 | |||
| Mike Yankee Soxisix = 1 | | Mike Yankee Soxisix = 1 | |||
| India X-Ray = 3 | | India X-Ray = 3 | |||
? | | Juliet Yankee Bissotwo = | + | | Juliet Yankee Bissotwo = | |
| Victor Lima = 3 | | Victor Lima = 3 | |||
| Hotel Yankee = | | Hotel Yankee = | |||
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| Sierra Mike = 1 | | Sierra Mike = 1 | |||
| India Delta = | | India Delta = | |||
? | | Juliet Whiskey Unaone = | + | | Juliet Whiskey Unaone = 3 | |
? | | India Yankee = | + | | India Yankee = | |
| Juliet Charlie = | | Juliet Charlie = | |||
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|Gallery=<!-- write below list of files with description (if necessary) separated with | --><gallery> | |Gallery=<!-- write below list of files with description (if necessary) separated with | --><gallery> | |||
File:GZLaunch.jpg | File:GZLaunch.jpg | |||
? | File:GZCitMog.png|An AP bomb from ''Graf Zeppelin | + | File:GZCitMog.png|An AP bomb from ''Graf Zeppelin''’s air wing finds the ''[[Mogami]]''’s citadel. | |
File:GZMogDead.jpg | File:GZMogDead.jpg | |||
File:GZSecondaries.png | File:GZSecondaries.png | |||
? | File:GZDBYammy.jpg|A German dive bomber returns to base after dropping its' ordinance on an enemy [[ | + | File:GZDBYammy.jpg|A German dive bomber returns to base after dropping its' ordinance on an enemy ''[[Yamato]]''. | |
File:GZFighters.png | File:GZFighters.png | |||
File:GZDBSquad.png | File:GZDBSquad.png | |||
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<h2>''Graf Zeppelin'', 1939</h2> | <h2>''Graf Zeppelin'', 1939</h2> | |||
====Construction==== | ====Construction==== | |||
? | :Deutsche Werke; Kiel, Germany | + | :Builder: Deutsche Werke; Kiel, Germany | |
:Laid down: 28 December 1936 | :Laid down: 28 December 1936 | |||
:Launched: 8 December 1938 | :Launched: 8 December 1938 | |||
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---- | ---- | |||
====Machinery==== | ====Machinery==== | |||
? | :16 La Mont boilers | + | :16 La Mont boilers | |
+ | : 4 Brown-Boveri turbines | |||
---- | ---- | |||
====Performance==== | ====Performance==== | |||
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}} | }} | |||
</div> | </div> | |||
? | [[File:Graf_Zeppelin_0.jpg| | + | [[File:Graf_Zeppelin_0.jpg|none|frame|x300px|link=|The launching of ''Graf Zeppelin'', 8 December 1938.]] | |
===Design History=== | ===Design History=== | |||
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===Service History=== | ===Service History=== | |||
? | Despite all the efforts put into her design and construction, ''Graf Zeppelin'' would never come into being as the first completed aircraft carrier of the Axis powers of Europe. Finally laid down in 1937 — following the Anglo-German Naval Treaty of 1935 where Germany successfully negotiated for the right to build aircraft carriers — the fate of ''Graf Zeppelin'' and her unnamed sister ship would be argued over by three men: Grand Admiral of the Kriegsmarine Erich Raeder, head of the Luftwaffe Hermann Göring, and Admiral Karl Dönitz. Raeder was the driving force behind the addition of aircraft carriers to the Kriegsmarine, following visitations to see Japan’s powerful carrier force earlier in the 1930’s. An aircraft carrier would require aircraft, however, and this would require an establishment of a Fleet Air Arm, leading to the short-lived ''Trägergruppe'' (or "Carrier Group"). This, however, would be under the split jurisdiction of the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe, and Göring jealously fought off any attempts that would undermine his complete control of every military aircraft Germany | + | Despite all the efforts put into her design and construction, ''Graf Zeppelin'' would never come into being as the first completed aircraft carrier of the Axis powers of Europe. Finally laid down in 1937 — following the Anglo-German Naval Treaty of 1935 where Germany successfully negotiated for the right to build aircraft carriers — the fate of ''Graf Zeppelin'' and her unnamed sister ship would be argued over by three men: Grand Admiral of the Kriegsmarine Erich Raeder, head of the Luftwaffe Hermann Göring, and Admiral Karl Dönitz. Raeder was the driving force behind the addition of aircraft carriers to the Kriegsmarine, following visitations to see Japan’s powerful carrier force earlier in the 1930’s. An aircraft carrier would require aircraft, however, and this would require an establishment of a Fleet Air Arm, leading to the short-lived ''Trägergruppe'' (or "Carrier Group"). This, however, would be under the split jurisdiction of the Kriegsmarine and the Luftwaffe, and Göring jealously fought off any attempts that would undermine his complete control of every military aircraft in Germany's inventory. Dönitz, an influential admiral himself, knew that the greatest successes enjoyed by the Kaiserliche Marine was at the hands of their U-boats, and believed that Germany could never muster a naval force to contest the Royal Navy on the surface; he pushed to have resources that would be expended on any aircraft carriers shifted elsewhere. | |
+ | ||||
+ | Given all of the various factors involved, Raeder’s ambitions of adding a total of four aircraft carriers to the Kriegsmarine would ultimately prove impossible. Nevertheless, construction of ''Graf Zeppelin'' and her sister ''Flugzeugträger B'' proceeded uninterrupted until the outbreak of World War II in 1939, halting construction as wartime resources were spent elsewhere (and Raeder still battled Göring politically). In late February 1940, the frustrated Raeder ordered ''Flugzeugträger B'' to be broken up and scrapped, although ''Graf Zeppelin'' was spared this fate, rusting in a drydock at Kiel. Her sixteen 150mm secondaries were transferred to coastal installations in recently conquered Norway in April 1940 with Hitler’s approval. She first went to sea in July 1940 to be transferred to Gotenhafen, Germany (now Gdynia, Poland) where she continued to languish in port without any progress. She moved again to Stettin in November 1941 to stay out of Russian air strike range, where she was used as a floating warehouse by the Kriegsmarine. Following the successful Japanese carrier strike on Pearl Harbor, Raeder had the ammunition to finally gain approval from Hitler to continue construction on ''Graf Zeppelin'' on 13 May 1942. Construction continued slowly from then on, moving back to a floating drydock in Kiel come December 1942. In late January 1943, however, Hitler had become disenchanted with the Kriegsmarine and ordered all large surface ships to be scrapped. In the political chaos that followed, Raeder was relieved as the head of the Kriegsmarine by Dönitz. Dönitz managed to convince Hitler to withdraw his order to scrap most surface ships, but agreed to halt the construction of all large capital ships. Thus, in February 1943 ''Graf Zeppelin''’s construction was halted for the last time. In April, she was towed to a wharf near Stettin, where she sat for two years with a 40-man skeleton crew. | |||
? | + | In April 1945, as Soviet forces drew near, her crew flooded and detonated the ship in port, bringing an end to Germany’s only purpose-built aircraft carrier to ever near completion. Her life was not yet over, however. In March 1946, in violation of agreements with the Allied powers, the Soviets re-floated ''Graf Zeppelin''. She was towed out of Stettin in the summer of 1947 — believed to be headed for the Soviet Union — with her flight deck loaded with containers. What happened after this point is not fully known. Western historians state that she struck a mine off the Gulf of Finland, and was scrapped after her damaged wreck was dragged to Leningrad. Soviet records indicate that she briefly made port in Swinemünde, then was towed out of harbor on 16 August 1947 and used as a target hulk for bombs, shells, and torpedoes. In 2006, her wreckage was discovered in 80 meters of water north of Władysławowo, Poland, confirming the final resting place of the Kriegsmarine's lone aircraft carrier. | ||
? | + | ===Historical Inaccuracies=== | ||
+ | * ''Graf Zeppelin''’s stat card depicts the ship had it been completed in 1945; the Bf 109T was in service until the summer of 1944. The aircraft was also outdated by 1942 and newer planes were sought when work on the aircraft carrier resumed that same year. | |||
+ | * The 37 mm Flak LM/42 anti-aircraft gun entered service in autumn 1943; construction on ''Graf Zeppelin'' ceased in early 1943. The 37 mm Flakzwilling 30 was originally intended for the ship. | |||
+ | * Actual planned aircraft capacity was 42; twelve Bf 109Ts & thirty Ju 87Cs. This was later revised to thirty Bf 109Ts and twelve Ju 87 D-4s. | |||
+ | * The Ju 87C was also a torpedo bomber. | |||
+ | * Stuka sirens are present on Graf Zeppelin's Ta-152C-1/R14 bombers. | |||
|HistoricalGallery=<!-- write below list of files with description (if necessary) separated with | --><gallery> | |HistoricalGallery=<!-- write below list of files with description (if necessary) separated with | --><gallery> | |||
+ | File:Graf Zeppelin wappen.png|The ''wappen'' (coat of arms) of ''Graf Zeppelin''. | |||
File:Graf Zeppelin 1936.jpg|The keel for ''Graf Zeppelin'' in December 1936. | File:Graf Zeppelin 1936.jpg|The keel for ''Graf Zeppelin'' in December 1936. | |||
File:Graf-Zeppelin-2.jpg|''Graf Zeppelin'' after her launching on 8 December 1938. | File:Graf-Zeppelin-2.jpg|''Graf Zeppelin'' after her launching on 8 December 1938. | |||
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File:Graf Zeppelin.jpeg|Projected recognition drawing of ''Graf Zeppelin'' had she been completed in September 1942. | File:Graf Zeppelin.jpeg|Projected recognition drawing of ''Graf Zeppelin'' had she been completed in September 1942. | |||
File:Graf Zeppelin 1943-1.jpg|''Graf Zeppelin'' in drydock in March 1943. | File:Graf Zeppelin 1943-1.jpg|''Graf Zeppelin'' in drydock in March 1943. | |||
? | File:GrafZeppelin1947.jpg| ''Graf Zeppelin'' in 1947 at | + | File:GrafZeppelin1947.jpg| ''Graf Zeppelin'' in 1947 at Swinemünde, prior to her sinking as a target ship. | |
? | File:Graf zeppelin flugzeugtraeger modell 01.jpg|Bow view of a model of ''Graf Zeppelin'', at the Aeronauticum. | + | File:Graf zeppelin flugzeugtraeger modell 01.jpg|Bow view of a model of ''Graf Zeppelin'', at the Aeronauticum in Nordholz, Germany. | |
+ | File:Wreck of Zeppelin.jpg|Sidescan sonar survey of the wreck of ''Graf Zeppelin''. | |||
</gallery> | </gallery> | |||
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*Chesneau, R., Gardiner, R. (1980). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships: 1922-1946. London UK: Conway Maritime Press. | *Chesneau, R., Gardiner, R. (1980). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships: 1922-1946. London UK: Conway Maritime Press. | |||
*Breyer, S. (1989). Graf Zeppelin: The German Aircraft Carrier. West Chester. PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. | *Breyer, S. (1989). Graf Zeppelin: The German Aircraft Carrier. West Chester. PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd. | |||
+ | *[https://is-expl.com/explorations/2 SANTI Expedition to ''Graf Zeppelin''] | |||
}}<!-- DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE. DO NOT INSERT ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE --> | }}<!-- DO NOT DELETE THIS LINE. DO NOT INSERT ANYTHING BELOW THIS LINE --> |
Revision as of 07:01, 16 May 2019
105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/31 mount6 х 2 pcs. |
Firing Range6.25 km. |
Rate of Fire17.91 shots/min. |
Reload Time3.35 sec. |
HE Shell105 mm Spr.Gr. Kz. |
Maximum HE Shell Damage1,200 |
Initial HE Shell Velocity900 m./s. |
Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell5 % |
150 mm/55 SK C/28 on a Dop. MPL C/36 mount8 х 2 pcs. |
Firing Range6.25 km. |
Rate of Fire8 shots/min. |
Reload Time7.5 sec. |
HE Shell150 mm Spr.Gr. L/4.5 |
Maximum HE Shell Damage1,700 |
Initial HE Shell Velocity875 m./s. |
Chance of Fire on Target Caused by HE Shell8 % |
105 mm/65 SK C/33 on a Dop. L. C/31 mount6 х 2 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second99.6 |
. . . Firing Range4.5 km. |
37 mm/69 Flak M42 on an LM/42 mount11 х 2 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second113.3 |
. . . Firing Range3.51 km. |
20 mm/65 C/38 on a Flak 35 Vierling L/38 mount7 х 4 pcs. |
. . . Average Damage per Second44.8 |
. . . Firing Range2.01 km. |
Maximum Speed32 knot |
Turning Circle Radius1 140 m. |
Rudder Shift Time13.7 sec. |
Surface Detectability Range15.71 km. |
Air Detectability Range11.06 km. |
Graf Zeppelin — German special premium Tier VIII aircraft сarrier.
A high-speed aircraft carrier armed with numerous secondary and dual-purpose guns. She had the most powerful propulsion among all German Navy ships. The carrier was never completed because Germany's shipbuilding program priorities changed during the course of World War II.
Graf Zeppelin was first released for sale worldwide on 21 August 2017. She was not well-received by the player base, and Wargaming removed her from sale after only five days. After Update 0.8.0 reworked the aircraft carrier class, Graf Zeppelin was re-balanced and placed back on sale for the first time in nearly 20 months on 15 April 2019.
Modules
Speed (knot) | IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SQUADRON_MED_DAMAGE (HP/min) | IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SQUADRON_AMMO_AMOUNT | Hit Points (HP) |
Research price (exp) |
Purchase price () | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Me 155A | 136 | 1,320 | 0 | 0 |
Maximum Torpedo Damage (HP) | Speed (knot) | Hit Points (HP) |
Research price (exp) |
Purchase price () | ||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Ta 152C-1/R14 | 5,333 | 181 | 1,710 | 0 | 0 |
Compatible Upgrades
Slot 1 |
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Slot 2 |
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Slot 3 |
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Slot 4 |
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Slot 5 |
Player Opinion
Performance
Graf Zeppelin is the only German aircraft carrier available in World of Warships at this point in time. As such she differs greatly from all the other carriers present and gives her own unique flavor in-game. She currently sits at Tier VIII.
Graf Zeppelin's hull is worth a special mention. For one she boasts a threatening amount of secondary armament, which makes her a risky target for destroyers that can not avoid getting spotted. This also opens up the opportunity to use her late-game as a platform which engages through her secondaries and planes, but such maneuvers need to be carefully calculated or else the destruction of the ship will be imminent. Secondly, she features a reinforced hull plating which makes her immune to non-IFHE guns with a caliber of up to 128mm. Destroyer captains engaging her with artillery should be aware of that and switch to AP-shells in these cases.
The most potent planes of Graf Zeppelin are her torpedo bombers. Being able to fly at speeds of up to 260 knots they are capable of traveling far distances with ease, and can do quick “boom and zoom” attacks even against vessels with stronger AA defenses. Their torpedoes however are not hitting particularly hard, and the planes are rather fragile, so it should be kept in mind that several runs will be required to deal notable damage and that ships with high continuous dps are a big threat. Every attack run can drop up to three torpedoes, which will be dropped in a wedge shape. As every squadron consists of nine planes, Graf Zeppelin can make three attack runs with three planes each. However, the flooding chance for these torpedoes is quite low, making DoT stacks difficult with this German carrier.
Being the only viable plane type on Graf Zeppelin against destroyers, her attack aircraft will satisfy the player with good hitting power and rocket penetration (40mm), but unlike the torpedo bombers they do not possess a superior speed and are in fact on the slower side of T8 aircraft. Every attack run will release up to eight rockets, so timing the drop for a narrow reticle is highly recommended. With eight planes in total per squadron that results in four attack runs.
The remaining plane type are the dive bombers, which while they offer a faster diving approach, are lacking in terms of striking power and penetration. However, using the same plane as the torpedo bombers they are fast enough to travel across the map quickly. Each attack run will consist of two dive bombers with one bomb each, and the entire squadron will consist of eight planes in total. Unfortunately, some ships are completely immune to these weapons, and while the circular reticle means you can approach from any angle, it also means that even the best aimed drops can result in no hits.
In terms of playstyle her captain should capitalize on the torpedo bombers whenever possible, launching fast attack waves against capital ships which do not possess the means of dodging her fish. Her rocket planes should be used against agile targets such as destroyers and maneuverable cruisers. When having the opportunity, spotting destroyers with the fighter plane consumable is an option that should be considered, however they lack the speed to be effective against enemy aircraft unless the opponent actively closes the distance to them.Pros:
- Access to the fastest planes at Tier VIII, which will form her torpedo and dive bombers
- Comes equipped with a potent secondary battery
- Her rocket planes hit hard and penetrate even battleship plating
Cons:
- As a Tier VIII aircraft carrier, captains may face off against large amounts of high tier AA.
- Unable to train captains for any other carriers, and requires a specialized German captain to perform well.
- Poor surface detectability
- Highly situational dive bombers with low alpha strike
- Her AA is lacking, making it difficult to repel air attacks.
Research
Optimal Configuration
Upgrades
The recommended upgrades for Graf Zeppelin are as follows:
- Slot 1: Air Groups Modification 1
- Slot 2: Aircraft Engines Modification 1
- Slot 3: Secondary Battery Modification 1
- Slot 4: Torpedo Bombers Modification 2
- Slot 5: Flight Control Modification 1
Upgrade Slot 3 also offers the usage of Attack Aircraft Modification 1 , which could be viable if the player deems the aiming time for the attack aircraft to be too short.
Commander Skills
The prime focus of skills should lie on improving the performance of Graf Zeppelin's torpedo bombers and aircraft in general. Additional skills distributed to her secondary performance are however an option, but should not shift the priority away from Graf Zeppelin's strengths.
Recommended Commander Skills | ||||||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Cost (points) |
Endurance | Attack | Support | Versatility | ||||
1 |
★★★ |
|
|
★★★ |
|
|
|
★★ |
2 |
|
★ |
|
★ |
|
★★ |
★★★ |
|
3 |
|
★ |
|
★★★ |
★ |
|
★★★ |
|
4 |
|
★ |
|
★★★ |
★ |
|
|
★★★ |
Key: ★★★ - Extremely Useful ★★ - Frequently Useful ★ - Occasionally Useful No stars - Meh Χ - Not recommended |
Consumables
Like other aircraft carriers, Graf Zeppelin can not control the consumables of the ship.
Graf Zeppelin can equip the following consumables:
- Slot 1: Damage Control Party
- Slot 2: Template:Fighter
Graf Zeppelin's aircraft can equip the following consumables: Attack Aircraft:
- Slot 1: Engine Cooling (3 charges by default)
- Slot 2: Template:Patrol Fighters (3 charges by default)
Torpedo Bombers:
- Slot 1: Engine Cooling (2 charges by default)
- Slot 2: Template:Patrol Fighters (3 charges by default)
- Slot 3: Template:Repair (3 charges by default)
Dive Bombers:
- Slot 1: Engine Cooling (2 charges by default)
- Slot 2: Template:Patrol Fighters (3 charges by default)
Camouflage
As a Premium ship, Graf Zeppelin comes included with Type 10 camouflage that lowers her detection radius, reduces the accuracy of incoming shells, and increases the amount of experience she earns.
Signals
As a premium aircraft carrier, Graf Zeppelin can mount eight signal flags simultaneously.
Recommended Signal Flags | |||||
---|---|---|---|---|---|
Combat | |||||
|
|
|
|
★★★ |
★★★ |
★★★ |
★ |
★★ |
★ |
★★ |
|
|
|
Note: Use of the Juliet Charlie signal makes detonation impossible.
Gallery
An AP bomb from Graf Zeppelin’s air wing finds the Mogami’s citadel.
A German dive bomber returns to base after dropping its' ordinance on an enemy Yamato.
Historical Info
Historical Gallery
References
- Chesneau, R., Gardiner, R. (1980). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships: 1922-1946. London UK: Conway Maritime Press.
- Breyer, S. (1989). Graf Zeppelin: The German Aircraft Carrier. West Chester. PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
- SANTI Expedition to Graf Zeppelin
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Germany | IV Rhein • VI Weser • VI Erich Loewenhardt • VIII August von Parseval • VIII Graf Zeppelin • VIII Graf Zeppelin B • X Manfred von Richthofen • X Max Immelmann |
Pan-Asia | VIII Sanzang |
Spain | |
Europe | |
Netherlands | |
Italy | VIII Aquila |
Commonwealth | |
Pan-America |