Aircraft
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Learn more about aircraft carriers in World of Warships. Transcript
Contents
Types of Aircraft
There are five types of aircraft that can become involved in battles in World of Warships:[1]
- Attack aircraft utilize a large number of small-caliber rockets to light fires and strike fast, maneuverable vessels that are lightly armored.
- Torpedo bombers carry air-dropped torpedoes that can cause hull damage and floods, and are best delivered against slower, less maneuverable targets.
- Bombers carry either high explosive, effective against all targets, or armor-piercing bombs, effective against heavy targets.
- Fighters are air-to-air specialists that can be used against enemy aircraft, or for spotting.
- Spotting aircraft, launched from a ship's catapult, can be used to increase a ship's firing range and provide players a different camera angle from which to aim their shots.
Icons
| Aircraft Type | Minimap and HUD Icon [2] |
Ship UI Icon |
|---|---|---|
| Attack Aircraft (HE rockets) |
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| Attack Aircraft (AP rockets) |
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| Torpedo Bombers | 
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| High Explosive Bombers | 
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| High Explosive Skip Bombers | 
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| Armor-Piercing Bombers | 
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| Fighters | 
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| Interceptors | 
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| Spotting Aircraft | 
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| Airstrike (HE bombs) | 
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| Airstrike (Depth Charges) | 
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Player-Controlled Aircraft
Aircraft carrier players have access to three of the aircraft types noted above with which they can attack enemy surface ships: attack aircraft, torpedo bombers, and bombers. (While some fighters are also launched from a carrier, they are not player-controlled.)
Each of these aircraft types can attack surface ships only and their payload is single-use, meaning that once their rockets or bombs or torpedoes are expended, they must return to their carrier in order to re-arm and launch again. Bombers are almost universally slower than fighters while carrying their ordnance to a target.
If an aircraft carrier is destroyed, her player will still retain control of the current aircraft squadron until all shells are fired or until three minutes expire.
Attack Aircraft
Attack planes of the 
United States Navy have access to two types of rocket: the smaller, "traditional" rocket, and the much larger "Tiny Tim" rocket that features higher damage, penetration and fire chance over their counterparts, at the cost of the number of rockets carried per plane.
Attack planes of the 
Kriegsmarine also have access to two types of rocket: the standard high explosive rocket on Graf Zeppelin, and armor-piercing rockets on its other carriers.
Max Immelmann, Chkalov and Béarn do not carry attack aircraft.
Battleship Kearsarge also carries attack aircraft.
Aerial Rocket Data
Torpedo Bombers
When performing an attack run with torpedo bombers, captains will notice a yellow are in the attack cone; this is the distance in which the torpedoes must travel before they arm. If a torpedo strikes before arming, it will not do damage. The torpedo attack cone also closes quite slowly, so captains should take the time to plan out their attack runs before beginning them.
Indomitable and Béarn do not carry torpedo bombers.
Battleship Ise and cruiser Tone also carry torpedo bombers.
Aerial Torpedo Data
Bombers
Dive Bombers
A dive bomber approaches at high altitude, then dives toward the target — using the aircraft itself to aim — before releasing its bomb at low level and pulling out and away.
Traditional dive bombers, found on most carriers, are probably the most difficult weapon type to use, as their aiming reticle is fairly hard to understand, and properly "leading" a target before entering the attack run takes some practice to get right. The payoff for HE bombs is a high fire chance and good damage. The armor-piercing versions can be devastating.
Level Bombers
Like strategic land bombers, level bombers fly high and level and use a bomb sight to aim. The 
Royal Navy employs this type of bomber.
Level bombers have an aiming system that is generally easier to use. Offsetting this, they generally do less damage.
Skip Bombers
Skip bombers approach their target low, almost at water level like torpedo bombers, attempting to bounce their HE bombs off the water's surface. Soviet carriers, Max Immelmann and Béarn employ this type of bomber.
Aerial Bombs
There are two main types: High Explosive (HE) bombs favored by United States and Royal Navy carriers, and armor-piercing (AP) bombs favored by the Imperial Japanese Navy and the Kriegsmarine.
Aerial Bomb Data
Controls
Individual squadrons are controlled using the WASD keys and the mouse. Aircraft will automatically retain a set forward throttle, regardless of player input. Squadrons are steered using a combination of the mouse and the "A" and "D" keys. The "W" and "S" keys are used to apply a limited time boost and air braking, respectively. The amount of remaining boost is indicated by the curved bar on the left side of the HUD when controlling a squadron. Boost will automatically regenerate when not being used, but captains can also use the Engine Cooling (
) squadron consumable to immediately replenish the boost bar.
Left-clicking will begin an attack run. While in the attack mode, squadron control remains the same.
Pressing "F" when controlling a squadron will relinquish control of the squadron, returning both the captain and their aircraft to the carrier. Surviving aircraft from an attack run will automatically return to their carrier.
Automated Aircraft
Two of the aircraft types in World of Warships are not controlled by the player.
Fighters
If enemy aircraft appear within the patrolled area, the fighters will attack them. Fighters can destroy as many enemy aircraft as their number patrolling the area. Afterwards, the consumable effect expires, even if they have shot down fewer planes than the number of fighters in the flight. The fighters disappear and the reload time begins.
- For surface combatants, the Catapult Fighter (
) consumables consist of a squadron of two to four aircraft that orbit their home ship at a radius of 0.9 km for 60 seconds. They will attempt to engage enemy aircraft within their action radius of 3 km.
- Aircraft carrier-based attack squadrons have access to the Patrol Fighter (
) consumable. Similar to the Fighter consumable, when activated a squadron of three to seven fighters is called to the location at which it was activated. The fighters will attempt to engage enemy aircraft within their action radius of 2.5 to 3.6 km.[4] Patrol fighters last for 60 seconds, allowing them to be used as a passive scouting tool.
- For aircraft carrier captains, a CAP Fighter (
) is automatically activated when the carrier is spotted. Each consumable consists of a squadron of four fighters that orbit the vessel at a distance of 0.9 km for 10 minutes. They will attempt to engage enemy aircraft within their action radius of 3 km.
- The detectability range of all carrier-launched fighters is 7.5 km except for the fighters of all German, tier IV and British tier VI carriers. Their fighters have a detectability range of 5 km.
Interceptors
Other fighter skills
The aircraft carrier commander skill Direction Center for Fighters adds one fighter to CAP Fighter squadrons but not to Patrol Fighter or Interceptor squadrons.
A number of aircraft carrier commander skills impact both Patrol Fighter and Interceptor squadrons:
- Search and Destroy – 10% larger patrol radius.
- Patrol Group Leader – +1 charge to the consumable.
- Enhanced Reactions – very quick counter-attack, longer action time, but slower arrival time.
The Consumables Specialist skill improves the turn-around time of all catapult aircraft.
Spotting Aircraft
) consumable launches a plane from the ship's catapult. However, instead of attacking enemy aircraft, the unarmed Spotting Aircraft increases the ship's main battery range by 20% and gives an "aerial" perspective when scoping. It is available on all Tier IX and X cruisers, Russian cruisers from Tier VI and higher, British cruisers from Tiers V - VIII, as well as all Japanese battleships from Tier IV and higher and American battleships from Tier VI and higher. Ships with access to catapult-launched aircraft usually must choose between equipping either a Catapult Fighter or a Spotting Aircraft, which has a longer duration and cooldown and a larger orbital radius of 3 km (1.2 km for USN ships).The cruiser commander skill Eye in the Sky makes the use of spotting aircraft more reactive.
Land-Based Aircraft
Land-based aggressor aircraft appear in several scenarios, notably Operation Dynamo and Cherry Blossom. With Update 0.8.0, these scenarios have been removed. There is no indication that they will return.
Air strikes
Air strikes are delivered by a squadron of level bomber that drops a spread of bombs over a player-designated area. This reticle is square, and is comparable to 2 battleships in size. When the area is selected by the player, the squadron of planes will appear and fly over to the area after a brief delay. Once they reach the area, they are subject to AA fire and the survivors will deploy a large number of bombs. After deploying, the planes will fly upwards, similar to returning carrier planes, and disappear. Air strikes have a limited striking range, and they cannot spot ships or other planes.
Air strikes drop a large number of HE bombs that are equipped with parachutes to slow their descent. This makes air strike bombs significantly easier to dodge than normal carrier bombs. Ships can have anywhere from 1 to 3 squadrons available. Similarly to depth charges, they can be used one at a time or all at once. When one is used, the cooldown for that single charge begins immediately. The reload time listed in port is for a single charge of the air strike. Charges reload one at a time.
Currently, air strikes are only present on the new Dutch cruisers, starting with Tier VI Kijkduin.
ASW Planes
Anti-submarine warfare (ASW) planes are a type of air strike that attack submarines. In terms of mechanics, they operate very similarly to anti-ship air strikes. Instead of dropping HE bombs, ASW planes drop depth charges. These are effective against submarines at surface and attack depth. To make up for their lack of standard depth charges, some battleships and cruisers have access to ASW planes.
Ships and Their Aircraft Weapons
| Ship Type | Nation or Ship | Rockets | Bombs | Skip Bombs | Torpedoes | Airstrike |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Aircraft Carrier | USA, UK, Kaga, Kaga B, Sanzang | HE | HE | -- | yes | -- |
| Aircraft Carrier | Japan, Graf Zeppelin, Graf Zeppelin B, Enterprise | HE | AP | -- | yes | -- |
| Aircraft Carrier | Germany | AP | AP | -- | yes | -- |
| Aircraft Carrier | USSR | HE | -- | HE | yes | -- |
| Aircraft Carrier | Erich Loewenhardt | AP | HE | -- | yes | -- |
| Aircraft Carrier | Max Immelmann | -- | -- | HE | yes | -- |
| Aircraft Carrier | Chkalov | -- | HE | HE | yes | -- |
| Aircraft Carrier | Indomitable | HE | HE | -- | -- | -- |
| Aircraft Carrier | Béarn | -- | AP | HE | -- | -- |
| Battleship | Ise | -- | -- | -- | yes | -- |
| Cruiser | Tone | -- | -- | -- | yes | -- |
| Battleship | Kearsarge | HE | -- | -- | -- | -- |
| Cruiser | Netherlands (Tiers VI–X) | -- | -- | -- | -- | HE bombs |
Air-to-Air Combat
Air-to-air combat occurs automatically through the usage of the CAP Fighter (), Catapult Fighter () and Patrol Fighter () consumables. When activated, AI-controlled fighters will appear and engage enemy aircraft within their range. The aircraft launched from the Catapult Fighter and CAP Fighter consumables will follow their host ship, while Patrol Fighters will remain where they were activated. All three consumables have limited life spans.
Fighters on the Mini-map
Each fighter squadron has a radius of action. When deployed, the squadron appears on the mini-map as a filled-in circle showing its range of action. The color is red for enemy and green for friend. The squadron will attack enemy aircraft that stray into that circle; attack aircraft should avoid entering a red circle.
Notes
With Update 0.8.0, the various fighters may attack and shoot down enemy bombers, but no longer affect their aiming. The New Aircraft Carriers: How Best to Use Them?
- ↑ Other aircraft and dirigibles can be seen in the skies above some Maps. These are decorative and do not become involved in battle.
- ↑ Minimap and HUD Icons come in a range of attractive colors: Enemy (red, shown) , Team (green)
, Division Mate (gold) 
, One's Own (white) 
, Penalty (pink) 
.
- ↑ 3.00 3.01 3.02 3.03 3.04 3.05 3.06 3.07 3.08 3.09 3.10 3.11 3.12 3.13 Unverified
- ↑ See Update_0.8.0.3. With the skill rework in Update 0.10.0 this radius can be increased.
List of carrier-based aircraft (Wikipedia)
From World of Warships News:
- Naval Legends: Essex Aircraft Nov. 2015
- Naval Legends - Aviation: Part 1 Nov. 2017
- Naval Legends - Aviation: Part 2 Nov. 2017
- USSR Reconnaissance Aircraft June 2018
- Naval Aviation: How to Set a Plane on Floats (Naval Aviation 2) July 2018
- Naval Aviation: A Shift from Second to Third-Generation Fighter Aircraft (Naval Aviation 3) Aug. 2018
- Great Britain: The Shift from Second to Third-Generation Fighter Aircraft (Naval Aviation 4) Sep. 2018
- Naval Aviation: From the Second to Third Generation of Fighter Aircraft of the USA (Naval Aviation 5) Sep. 2018
- Naval Aviation: The Shift from Second to Third-Generation Fighter Aircraft in Japan (Naval Aviation 6) Nov. 2018
- Naval Legends: US Carrier-Based Aircraft – Part 1 Jan. 2019
- Naval Legends: US Carrier-Based Aircraft – Part 2 Jan. 2019
