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Graf Zeppelin

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Graf Zeppelin
Graf_Zeppelin_wows_main.jpg
Tech Tree Position
Graf_Zeppelin_icon_small.png
General
Purchase priceSpecial Doubloons
Hit Points52,600 
Secondary Armament #1
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 Shell%
Secondary Armament #2
150 mm/55 SK C/28 on a Dop. MPL C/36 mount8 х 2 pcs.
Firing Range6.25 km.
Rate of Fireshots/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 Shell%
AA Defense
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.
Maneuverability
Maximum Speed32 knot
Turning Circle Radius1 140 m.
Rudder Shift Time13.7 sec.
Concealment
Surface Detectability Range15.71 km.
Air Detectability Range11.06 km.
Battle Levels
12345678910
Wows_anno_flag_germany.png
VIII
Ship_PGSA518_Graf_Zeppelin.png
Special

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

Hull Hit Points
(HP)
Armor
(mm)
Armor
(mm)
Main Turrets
(pcs.)
Secondary Gun Turrets
(pcs.)
AA Mounts
(pcs.)
Torpedo Tubes
(pcs.)
Hangar Capacity
(pcs.)
Research price
(exp)
Purchase price
(Credits)
Graf Zeppelin52,60091006/87/11/6 00
Attack Aircraft Speed
(knot)
IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SQUADRON_MED_DAMAGE
(HP/min)
IDS_SHIP_PARAM_SQUADRON_AMMO_AMOUNTHit Points
(HP)
Research price
(exp)
Purchase price
(Credits)
Me 155A1361,320 00
Torpedo Bombers Maximum Torpedo Damage
(HP)
Speed
(knot)
Hit Points
(HP)
Research price
(exp)
Purchase price
(Credits)
Ta 152C-1/R145,3331811,710 00
Bombers Maximum Bomb Damage
(HP)
Speed
(knot)
Hit Points
(HP)
Research price
(exp)
Purchase price
(Credits)
Ta 152C-1/R141811,650 00
Engine Maximum Speed
(knot)
Research price
(exp)
Purchase price
(Credits)
Propulsion: 200,000 hp32 00

Compatible Upgrades

 Slot 1 
Air Groups Modification 1
Auxiliary Armaments Modification 1
Damage Control Party Modification 1
 Slot 2 
Damage Control System Modification 1
Aircraft Engines Modification 1
 Slot 3 
Secondary Battery Modification 1
Torpedo Bombers Modification 1
Attack Aircraft Modification 1
Aerial Torpedoes Modification 1
 Slot 4 
Damage Control System Modification 2
Attack Aircraft Modification 2
Torpedo Bombers Modification 2
Bombers Modification 1
Airstrike Modification 1
 Slot 5 
Flight Control Modification 1
Concealment System Modification 1
Squadron Consumables Modification 1

Player Opinion

Performance

Warning. The data presented in the AA Defense sidebar section may be incorrect.
Refer to the in-game Port screens for more useful data.

Graf Zeppelin was the only German aircraft carrier available in World of Warships until the release of Update 0.9.6. 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 227 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, Graf Zeppelin's greatest assets are her torpedo bombers. Their exceptional speed allows them to repeatedly strike enemy ships with a short downtime between strikes, somewhat compensating for their low alpha strike. Attack aircraft should be saved for isolated targets or more agile ships such as destroyers and cruisers. Dive bombers lack reliability, but they can serve well as spotters thanks to their speed. Lastly, the carrier herself can be surprisingly effective at dealing with enemy surface ships thanks to her accurate secondary guns, but doing so offensively can be extremely risky.

Pros:

  • Fastest torpedo bombers and dive bombers in the game
  • Good rocket damage, penetration and fire chance
  • Torpedo bombers drop three (3) torpedoes per attack run
  • Bombs dropped by dive bombers have good accuracy
  • Outstanding secondary armament, a serious threat when properly upgraded
  • Citadel is fairly difficult to hit as it sits below the waterline

Cons:

  • Attack aircraft are fragile and very slow
  • Torpedo bombers and dive bombers have poor agility
  • Aerial torpedoes are slow
  • Poor AP bomb damage, with only two (2) bombs per drop
  • Fairly weak AA suit for a heavy carrier
  • Worst concealment among all aircraft carriers

Research

As a Premium ship, Graf Zeppelin doesn't have any upgrades to research.

Optimal Configuration

Upgrades

The recommended upgrades for Graf Zeppelin are as follows:

Upgrade Slot 3 also offers the usage of Attack Aircraft Modification 1 : +2 seconds attack time., 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.

Consumables

Like other aircraft carriers, Graf Zeppelin can not control the consumables of the ship.

Graf Zeppelin can equip the following consumables:

Graf Zeppelin's aircraft can equip the following consumables: Attack Aircraft:

Torpedo Bombers:

Dive Bombers:

Camouflage

As a premium ship, Graf Zeppelin comes with Default permanent camouflage and a set of permanent combat bonuses.

Signals

Note: Use of the Juliet Charlie signal makes detonation impossible.

Gallery

Historical Info

Historical Gallery

Video

References

  1. Graf Zeppelin-class aircraft carrier - Wikipedia
  2. Chesneau, R., Gardiner, R. (1980). Conway’s All the World’s Fighting Ships: 1922-1946. London UK: Conway Maritime Press.
  3. Breyer, S. (1989). Graf Zeppelin: The German Aircraft Carrier. West Chester. PA: Schiffer Publishing Ltd.
  4. SANTI Expedition to Graf Zeppelin

Ship Change Log

See here for links to Update notes.

  • Made available for testing in the game by supertesters starting from Update 0.6.8.

Testing Changes

  • August 9, 2017:
    • Squadron composition changed 2-3-0 from to 2-0-3, with PC-500 RS (Paulina) AP bomb as an optional module.
  • August 16, 2017:
    • HE bomb aiming reticle changed from elliptical to circular.
    • AP bomb characteristics changed:
      • Normalisation improved to 20 degrees.
      • Drop angle improved to 90 degrees.
      • Flight time increased to 5 seconds.
    • Secondary battery characteristics changed:
      • Range decreased to 6250 meters.
      • Accuracy improved.
  • August 28, 2017:
    • Graf Zeppelin owners issued a clone for public testing.
    • Refunds offered to current owners.
    • Those who kept their ships after the changes were finalised were issued a custom permanent camouflage.
  • September 12, 2017:
    • Two versions of Graf Zeppelin clones were issued for testing.
    • The First Version:
      • AP bomb characteristics changed:
        • Dispersion ellipse reduced from 54m х 270m to 54m х 210m.
        • Velocity increased from 345m/s to 375m/s, penetration subsequently improved.
        • Bomb fall time reduced from 6 seconds to 3.8 seconds.
      • Aircraft take-off time reduced.
      • The tier of fighters has been reduced to 7, without changes in their battle performance.
    • The Second Version:
      • AP bomb characteristics changed:
        • Dispersion changed from an elliptical 54m х 270m to a circular 120m х 120m.
        • Dispersion when ALT-attack is used increased from -50% to -20%.
        • Dispersion when ALT-attack is used and under DFAA increased from 40% to 50%.
        • Velocity increased from 345m/s to 375m/s, penetration subsequently improved.
        • Bomb fall time reduced from 6 seconds to 1 second.
  • September 26, 2017:
    • Previous testing versions removed.
    • A clone of Graf Zeppelin with deepwater torpedoes issued for testing:
      • Squadron composition of 2-3-0.
      • Torpedo type F5.
      • Range of 2 km.
      • Torpedo speed of 33 knots.
      • Maximum torpedo damage of 10500.
      • Torpedo depth at 5.85m (due to draught difference, DDs are mostly immune, other classes are mostly hit).
      • Squadron formation: cross.
  • October 11, 2017:
    • Deepwater torpedo clone characteristics changed:
      • The radius of the aiming reticle of the bombers is reduced.
    • A new clone of Graf Zeppelin issued for testing:
      • Squadron composition of 0-3-2.
      • No fighter planes.
      • Two types of bombers, AP and HE.
        • The reticle remains circular, but with a similar reduced radius.
      • Deepwater torpedoes only.
  • October 19, 2017:
    • Both of the above issued for public testing.
    • Dispersion ellipse of AP bombs reduced to 105m х 105m; HE bombs unchanged.
    • AP bombs and deepwater torpedoes received unique icons.
  • November 9, 2017:
    • Previous testing versions removed.
    • Two versions of Graf Zeppelin clones were issued for testing.
    • The First Version:
      • Squadron composition of 1-0-3.
      • Fighter squadron has 9 planes.
      • Fighter planes reduced to Tier VII, with no reduction in their battle performance.
      • Bomber squadrons may choose between AP and HE bombs.
      • Aircraft take-off time reduced by half.
      • Aircraft landing time reduced.
    • The Second Version:
      • Squadron composition of 1-2-1.
      • Fighter and bomber squadrons have 9 planes.
      • Fighter planes reduced to Tier VII, with no reduction in their battle performance.
      • Bomber squadrons may choose between AP and HE bombs.
      • Torpedoes may only hit battleships or aircraft carriers.
      • Aircraft take-off time reduced by half.
      • Aircraft landing time reduced.
  • December 19, 2017:
    • Previous testing versions removed.
    • Two clones of Graf Zeppelin created for testing:
      • Torpedo bomber squadrons carry standard torpedoes, although deepwater torpedos that may not strike destroyers can be instead equipped.
      • Bomber squadrons may choose between AP and HE bombs.
      • Increased the number of fighter squadrons and decreased their total capacity in the hangar, to increase the total capacity of strike planes.
      • Secondary battery repositioned, allowing it to fire on both the port and starboard sides.
      • Hydroacoustic Search consumable added, with characteristics similar to Tier VII cruisers.
        • 4.2km detection of ships.
        • 2.97km detection of torpedoes.
        • 94 seconds duration.
        • 180 seconds cooldown, or 120 seconds cooldown with the premium consumable.
    • The First Version:
      • Squadron composition of 1-2-1.
      • Fighter squadron has 8 planes, with a total capacity of 16.
      • Torpedo bomber squadrons have 5 planes, with a total capacity of 27.
      • Dive bomber squadron has 9 planes, with a total capacity of 29.
    • The Second Version:
      • Squadron composition of 2-0-3.
      • Fighter squadrons have 5 planes, with a total capacity of 24.
      • Dive bomber squadrons have 5 planes, with a total capacity of 48.
  • February 6, 2018:
    • The above two versions will be issued for testing between the 9th of February to the 23rd of February.
  • February 9, 2018:
    • The above two versions were issued to players with incorrect statistics.
      • The deepwater torpedoes were intended to be able to strike cruisers, in addition to battleships and aircraft carriers.
      • The first version incorrectly increased the bomber squadron by 2 planes, and reduced the fighters by two planes.
  • March 14, 2018:
    • Release statistics revealed. Two squadron compositions may be chosen from.
    • The initial composition:
      • Squadron composition of 2-0-3.
      • Fighter squadrons have 5 planes.
      • Dive bomber squadrons have 5 planes.
    • The variant composition:
      • Squadron composition of 1-2-1.
      • Fighter squadron has 8 planes.
      • Torpedo bomber squadrons have 5 planes.
      • Dive bomber squadron has 9 planes.
    • Dive bomber squadrons may select from AP or HE bombs.
    • Torpedo bomber squadrons may select from standard torpedoes, or deepwater torpedoes that cannot hit destroyers.
    • Fighter squadrons retain their increased HP at Tier VII.
    • Hydroacoustic Search consumable remains present from testing.
    • Squadron take-off and landing remains faster than other similar carriers.
    • These statistics replace the existing statistics of the Graf Zeppelin on the live server on release of update 0.7.3.
    • Players have the option of refunding their Graf Zeppelin until the release of update 0.7.5.
  • First appeared for sale in August 2017.
  • Update 0.6.10.1:
    • Two versions of the ship were added to the client for testing by supertesters, developers, and special contributors.
  • Update 0.6.14:
    • The action time of the Damage Control Party consumable was increased from 5 to 30 seconds, while fire resistance coefficient was changed to 0.8.
  • Update 0.6.15:
    • A bonus of -10% to the cost of the post battle repair service was added to the Type 10 permanent camouflage.
  • Update 0.7.10:
    • The ranges of the Hydroacoustic Search consumable were unified - 3 km for detecting torpedoes, 4 km for detecting ships.
  • Update 0.7.12:
    • The penetration for the HE shell of the 150 mm secondary battery was increased from 36 to 37 mm.
  • Update 0.8.0:
    • The Fighter squadron was changed to an Attack squadron:
      • Attack Aircraft per squadron: 9; Attack Aircraft per attack group: 3; Amount of rockets per aircraft: 4.
    • The Dive Bombers were changed:
      • Dive Bomber aircraft per squadron: 8; Dive Bomber aircraft per attack group: 2; Amount of bombs per aircraft: 1.
    • The Torpedo Bombers were changed:
      • Torpedo Bomber aircraft per squadron: 8; Torpedo Bomber aircraft per attack group: 2; Amount of torpedoes per aircraft: 1.
    • For replacement and compensation due to the carrier rework, refer to this page.
    • For consumables mounted by squadrons, refer to this page.
    • For consumables mounted by Graf Zeppelin, refer to this page.
  • Update 0.8.1.1:
    • Damage per torpedo was reduced from 6,000 to 4,533.
  • Update 0.8.2:
    • The position of aircraft on deck was corrected.
  • Update 0.8.4:
    • The Dive Bombers were changed:
      • Armor penetration increased by 11 mm.
      • Attack time increased from 6 to 8 s.
      • Bomb drop speed increased by 13%.
      • Bomb normalization increased by 5 degrees.
      • The inner and outer ellipses of the sight were slightly reduced.
    • The Torpedo Bombers were changed:
      • Torpedo damage increased from 4,333 to 5,333.
      • Chance to cause flooding was increased from 25% to 29%.
  • Update 0.8.6:
    • The penetration of the 105 mm secondary batteries was increased from 18 to 26 mm.
  • Update 0.8.10:
    • Experience earnings when suffering a defeat were reduced by 10%.
  • Update 0.9.2:
    • Camera movement when viewing secondary guns was fixed.
    • The Dive Bombers were changed:
      • The minimum time between attacks for bomber squadrons was increased from 5 s to 8.5 s.
  • Update 0.9.6:
    • The Dive Bombers were changed:
      • Bomb damage was reduced from 7,000 to 5,800.
      • Bomb spread was increased by 15%.
  • Update 0.9.7:
    • Attack Aircraft reticle was rotated 90 degrees to appear horizontally.
    • A bug that caused the post battle repair cost to be 60,000 credits instead of 52,500 credits was fixed.
  • Update 0.10.0:
    • Patrol fighter speed was increased to 235 knots.
  • Update 0.10.5:
    • Attack Aircrafts now gain altitude at the start of an attack run.
    • Attack Aircrafts now fire a pre-emptive machine gun strike for 3.8 seconds before firing the rockets
  • Update 0.10.8:
    • The chance of two bombs hitting the center of the aiming ellipse was increased.
  • Update 0.11.0:
    • Animations for the launching of aircraft via the catapult were added.
  • Update 0.11.1:
    • Minor corrections to the geometry and textures of the ship.
  • Update 12.3:
    • Fixed an issue that caused the ship's last flight of torpedo bombers to drop two torpedoes instead of three.
  • Update 12.5:
    • Fixed the geometry and textures of the ship.

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