Today we’re going to be talking about and showcasing two brand-new Premium Battleships that have been added to the Air Superiority major update — the French Courbet and the Italian Leonardo da Vinci.


Vehicle History

The Battleship Courbet became the lead ship in a series of the first French Battleships that were built shortly before the outbreak of the First World War. Courbet saw action in two World Wars, but was grounded during the Allied landings in Normandy and used as a breakwater and stationary air defense battery. This ship is the sistership of one of the best French ships already in War Thunder, Battleship Paris.



Courbet is ambiguous but that makes this ship an even more interesting dreadnought! Featuring 6 turrets that house 305 mm main caliber guns, they’re arranged in such a way that only five can fire from the port or starboard side at one time. In addition to this if you want to be cheeky, the Courbet can fire four of the six main turrets directly from front, instead of two like on most other Battleships. Like most early Battleships, Courbet has mediocre defense against aircraft, however the auxiliary weapons consist of 22 x 138 mm guns, with 11 of them having the capability to fire simultaneously from one side which is excellent!





Now present in the game after being added in the recent Air Superiority major update, the Courbet is a premium Rank V Premium Battleship for France’s Bluewater fleet tree, purchasable for Golden Eagles. An overall excellent reason to start researching the tree.



Vehicle History

The Battleship Leonardo da Vinci was laid down in 1910 as one of the ships of the Conte di Cavour class. This ship did not have a chance to take part in combat, as in 1916 while stationed in Taranto, its ammunition detonated with the explosion claiming the lives of 248 sailors. The rescue operation to raise Leondardo da Vinci took two years, however it was later decided to abandon further use of the ship due to the high cost of restoration.




Leonardo da Vinci has arrived to War Thunder in the Air Superiority major update as a Premium Rank V Battleship. Featuring 305 mm main guns that were originally installed on the Conte di Cavour class of ships, these guns can fire two types of main caliber shells — a Semi-armor piercing shell (SAP) that has a large explosive mass of 31 kg of TNT and fairly good armor penetration, and a Armor-piercing capped ballistic capped shell (APCBC) that has excellent armor penetration but a small explosive mass. This gives you options and allows you to pick and choose which shell is best for each combat situation.

Something to keep in mind are the dangerous 9 x torpedoes present on this ship can be useful against cruisers and Battleships at close ranges, and in addition to this, alongside the port and starboard side are a total of 18 x 120 mm auxiliary caliber gun turrets which are good against small boats. This ship also features some anti-aircraft weaponry in the form of 13 x 76 mm guns that are located on top of the main caliber turrets — these guns lack a good rate of fire, but are still fatal to any aircraft that gets in their way!



You can get the formidable Leonardo da Vinci right now in War Thunder for Golden Eagles. Overall this Battleship will be useful for researching Italy’s Bluewater fleet tree thanks to its Premium bonuses!

• The incorrect (less than calculated) amount of secondary fragments when penetrating the armor of ground vehicles has been fixed.
  
• A bug that caused a collapsed radar icon to be displayed on the interface in-game for vehicles with a target tracker has been fixed.
  
• A bug that caused the azimuth scale to be missing while not tracking a target for ground vehicles that have the target tracker but lack detection radar has been fixed.

• Air combat tips for modern aircraft have been improved. Information about engaging ground targets have been added.
  
• AMX — absence of target tracking ability for the targeting pod has been fixed. Absence of saving the tracked aiming point when returning the pod optics to the area with the previously tracked point has been fixed.
  
• MiG-23ML, MiG-23MLA, MiG-23MLD — a bug that caused the visual absence of the countermeasure pod under the fuselage when installing it through the Secondary weapon menu has been fixed.
  
• JAS39A, JAS39C — angular speed of a steady turn has been reduced by 2-3°/s (~21.0...21.5°/s at 800km/h with 50% fueling). Maximum speed at sea level has been increased to M1.2, and maximum speed at 12000 meter altitude has been reduced to M2.0.
  
• Su-27 — display of stars on the wings has been corrected.

• A bug that caused vehicles in the vehicle selection menu to not be added into a crewslot when selected has been fixed.
  
• A bug that might cause rivers to flow in the wrong direction in the Tunisia and Jungle locations has been fixed.
  
• A control preset for the HORI HPC-045U HOTAS Flight Control System & Mount has been added.
  
• The readability of text hints in loading screens has been improved.

• The missing “Select special weapon or ATGM” button for the BMP-2 on consoles has been fixed.

The current provided changelog reflects the major changes within the game as part of this Update. Some updates, additions and fixes may not be listed in the provided notes. War Thunder is constantly improving and specific fixes may be implemented without the client being updated.

USS Mississippi is a New Mexico-class Battleship built at the end of WWI to continue the American ‘standard battleship’ design philosophy. You’ll soon be able to obtain this unique ship by taking part in the Winter Extreme event!


Features:

• Numerous 14’’ primary guns.
  
• Excellent protection.
  
• Powerful anti-air arsenal.
  
• Mediocre mobility.

USS Mississippi will soon be joining the top ranks of the American naval tree as one of its newest and most capable battleships which you’ll be able to obtain by taking part in the Winter Extreme event. Keen to find out more about this powerful new ironclad? Then join us as we explore the details below!




Being a New Mexico-class battleship, which in itself largely represents a repeat of the Pennsylvania-class already familiar to the game, the USS Mississippi nevertheless brings in some handy improvements over its predecessor which, if you’re a seasoned battleship player, are sure to appreciate! For instance, while USS Mississippi retains the same primary gun battery of 12 x 14’’ cannons and an almost identical armor layout as the USS Arizona, the former foes feature a bolstered secondary battery with up to 16 x 5’’ cannons in single turrets.

Furthermore, the anti-aircraft armament found on USS Mississippi corresponds to a late war refit which saw a substantial upgrade in this aspect. As a result, this ship has access to a total of 48 x 40mm and 34 x 20mm autocannons in quadruple and twin mounts, respectively. While this translates into a formidable AA shield, you’ll have a significantly more difficult time performing successful bombing and torpedo runs on the USS Mississippi.

Interesting: After the end of WWII, USS Mississippi took on different roles including gunnery training and being used as a weapons test platform. As such, her arsenal also varied over time, ranging from semi-automatic 6’’ turrets to even surface-to-air missiles!

While the USS Mississippi features superior firepower and protection, like most of her heavyweight relatives in the U.S. naval tree, this warship cannot boast about its mobility. Despite the fact that USS Mississippi features an improved turbo-electric propulsion system, generating slightly more power output compared to USS Arizona, both warships maintain the same level of mobility with a top speed of 21 kts (39 km/h).



As a result, quickly evading incoming enemy fire or torpedoes may present itself as a challenge while using the USS Mississippi. Equally, it may be difficult to change positions with USS Mississippi, resulting in a need for careful planning of combat maneuvers right at the start of a match. Either way, USS Mississippi will form the core of a team’s striking force, being capable of delivering a high destructive potential to the enemy ranks while also managing to hold its own in an intense firefight!

All in all, USS Mississippi represents an excellent reinforcement to the American top rank battleship lineup and is a worthy prize for those of you who are going the full nine yards in this year’s winter event, Winter Extreme. Happy hunting and calm seas!

• For players who actively use decals, the option “Show decals on other player vehicles” is automatically toggled to “Yes”. For high-level players who do not actively use decals, a pop-up window will be shown when opening the game, asking to enable the option. Additionally, this window will also be shown when the option is off and a decal is applied to a vehicle, but no more than once every 6 months.

The current provided changelog reflects the major changes within the game as part of this Update. Some updates, additions and fixes may not be listed in the provided notes. War Thunder is constantly improving and specific fixes may be implemented without the client being updated.

• VT-4A1, MBT2000, ZTZ96A, ZTZ96A (P), ZTZ99-II, ZTZ99-III, ZTZ99A, WZ1001(E) LCT — FY-2 and FY-4 ERA resistance has been revised. (Report)
  
• VT-4A1 — durability of the composite armor has been revised. (Report)
  
• M3A3 Bradley - Missing anti-fragmentation lining has been added.
  
• Added the visual display of anti-fragmentation lining to the animation of the hit camera in battle.

• Mirage 4000 - New camouflages have been added.
  
• The display time of the supersonic transition effect has been reduced.

• USS Roanoke - Damage model updated

• The option “Show decals on other player vehicles” has been added to the “Customization of Vehicles” section. This option is disabled by default (e.g. decals are not displayed). In the near future, this option will be improved so that it is automatically enabled for players who actively use decals themselves, so that they can see the decals of other players. For high-level players who do not actively use decals, a pop-up window will be shown once asking to enable the option when entering the game.

The current provided changelog reflects the major changes within the game as part of this Update. Some updates, additions and fixes may not be listed in the provided notes. War Thunder is constantly improving and specific fixes may be implemented without the client being updated.

Playing at the lower tiers is always fun, with frequent comical moments! Thank you for sharing your screenshots with us last week- they looked great! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!


Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen98. You have time until the 22nd of December to submit your screenshot.

After that date, 6 winners will be selected (3 of which will be the highest rated by the community and 3 selected by our judges), each of which receive a reward of 300GE.

• Your screenshot must include a vehicle or map introduced in the latest major update, Air Superiority. A complete changelog can be found here.
  
• You must add the #WTscreen98 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).

[/b]

Screenshots need to be compliant with the War Thunder rules.

You need to be the author of the screenshot.

Screenshot needs to be new. You cannot use those which have previously been published or used in other competitions.

We will only accept raw screenshots from the game. You cannot use any editing software nor any other visual enhancements (like Nvidia Ansel filters).

You can use filters and settings built into War Thunder.

You can use the replay functionality built into War Thunder.

Rewards will be delivered to the author's account within 14 working days.

[/list]


https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3111228953
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3111185471
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3109673316

https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3111049665
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3109369842
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3111087809

Each winner will get 300GE! Congratulations and see you next week!

You’ll be able to get the J9 in the Winter Extreme event! This aircraft is a modified export variant of the American P-35 single-seat fighter operated by the Swedish Air Force throughout WWII.


Features:

• Good flight characteristics.
  
• Heavy machine gun arsenal.
  
• Premium bonuses!

The J9 is a unique new aircraft joining the early ranks of the Swedish aircraft tree and is one of the prizes of the Winter Extreme event. Possessing balanced all-round characteristics, the J9 will make for a fantastic early fighter aircraft for rookie fighter pilots to spread their wings with. Keep on reading to find out more!



Despite its stubby visual appearance, the J9 has a lot of very good qualities to offer which will be highly appreciated if you’re just starting out in the Swedish aircraft tree. Among the more important aspects of the J9 is that it’s powered by a powerful and very durable 1050 HP Pratt & Whitney radial engine, allowing this aircraft to reach speeds of up to 470 km/h. As such, the J9 can comfortably compete with most other fighters at its rank being capable of at least outmaneuvering its opposition if it can’t outright catch them!

Interesting: While the P-35 in American service was quickly replaced by more advanced fighter designs, the J9 remained in service with the Swedish air force up until the early ‘50s!

Being a dedicated fighter also means that the J9 received respectable armament to make sure it can complete its mission. Namely, the Swedish modification in particular features an upgraded arsenal consisting of a pair of 8 mm nose-mounted machine guns complemented by an additional pair of 13.2 mm wing-mounted heavy machine guns. As a result, the J9 can easily slice through the fragile airframes of early fighter aircraft and even strafe some lighter ground targets if unopposed by enemy aircraft. However, the absence of hardpoints make it impossible to equip the J9 with suspended ordnance, thus limiting its versatility in ground battles.



The addition of the J9 makes it an excellent fighter for the starting ranks of the Swedish aircraft tree, allowing you to hone your skills and quickly progress onto the higher ranks. Take part in the Winter Extreme event, complete the tasks and obtain the J9 to expand your in-game collection of unique aircraft. Good luck and until then, clear skies!

• A bug that caused ammunition on some ground vehicles to instantly replenish at capture points has been fixed. (Report)
  
• A bug that caused the counting of APFSDS shells in tasks has been fixed. This bug caused these shells to be counted as shells with a caliber of less than 35 mm, which affected the completion of achievements in the game.

• F-15A, F-15J — the angular speed of a steady turn has been adjusted: at medium speeds — reduced by 1-2°/s, at speeds M 0.7...1.0 — increased by 1-2°/s.
  
• Excessive illumination of cockpits from the flashes of shots in some aircraft has been fixed.
  
• Ka-52 — the visual absence of a co-pilot from the gunner’s position has been fixed.

• A bug that caused ship decorations at high angles to flip to a vertical position making them unable to be used has been fixed. (Report)

The current provided changelog reflects the major changes within the game as part of this Update. Some updates, additions and fixes may not be listed in the provided notes. War Thunder is constantly improving and specific fixes may be implemented without the client being updated.

• AMX — lack of thermal imaging mode in the targeting pod camera when installing the NVG modification has been fixed.
  
• JAS39 (all variants) — the gun’s ammunition has been changed to 120 rounds. (Report)
  
• Litening II — a bug that caused an incorrect resolution in the sight has been fixed. It is now 800x600 in IR range.
  
• A bug that caused high-explosive shells from aircraft cannons to not cause damage to the fuselage section they hit if there was a module behind it has been fixed.

• USS Mississippi — the main caliber guns have been changed from 356 mm\45 mk.12 to 356 mm\50 mk.11. The parameters of the shells have been adjusted.
  
• Novorossiysk — the auxiliary caliber gun has been changed from 135 mm/45 to 120 mm/50 OTO mod.1933.

• A bug where putting decals on some ground vehicles (for example, the Comet I, T-34 (1942) and some others) with Two sided mode caused the decal to appear on three sides at once has been fixed. (Report)
  
• A bug that caused decals applied to a corner to only appear on one surface side has been fixed.
  
• A bug that could cause the water color to display incorrectly when using a VR device has been fixed.
  
• A bug that caused an incorrect texture display when using the Vulkan API renderer has been fixed.
  
• A bug that caused some objects to visually shake when using TAA, DLSS or XeSS has been fixed.

• A bug that led to the appearance of artifacts on water has been fixed.

• An issue that could cause problems with launching the game on Windows 7 has been fixed.

The current provided changelog reflects the major changes within the game as part of this Update. Some updates, additions and fixes may not be listed in the provided notes. War Thunder is constantly improving and specific fixes may be implemented without the client being updated.

One of the world’s best jet fighters, the Su-27 has arrived to War Thunder in the Air Superiority major update for the USSR and China, and today we’ll be explaining it all.


Features:

• Excellent maneuverability.
  
• High top speed.
  
• 10 weapon hardpoints.
  
• Advanced air-to-air missiles.
  
• No guided weapons against ground targets.

In the Air Superiority major update, the USSR and Chinese aircraft tree have received this new top-end jet fighter, the Su-27! What type of aircraft this is, what features it has and how it differs from other Rank VIII is explained below, so let’s take a look.

Interesting: The Su-27 is more commonly known through its NATO reporting name of “Flanker”, with this identification mostly used.

The Su-27 is one of the main top-tier jet aircraft that does the update name “Air Superiority” justice! Let’s start with its flight characteristics. This aircraft itself is quite large and heavy, but its powerplant, consisting of the powerful Saturn AL-31F engines accelerate the Su-27 at altitudes to speeds close to 2500 km/h. Combined with an integrated airframe design with a lifting fuselage, this turns the Su-27 into a true aerial acrobat — it’s not for nothing that maneuverability is rightly considered the calling card of a fighter aircraft!

You’re going to appreciate the Su-27’s large payload of varied weapons, where it’s worth noting right away that this aircraft has as many as 10 weapon hardpoints, most of which can be allocated with air-to-air missiles. The main armament of the Su-27 in the dogfighting role is the maneuverable R-73 for close combat, the all-aspect R-27T and the R-27ET that has an infrared seeker, as well as the radar R-27R and R-27ER for medium distances. The combination of these missiles allows you to fine-tune the Su-27 for any style of combat situation, from long-range launches to short-range ones. There’s no additional countermeasure pods on this aircraft, but 96 large-caliber countermeasures do their job and are usually enough for medium-range engagements in battle.

Did you know? In 1987, Su-27 pilot Vasily Tsymbal struck a Norwegian P-3 Orion. The Su-27 was at an extremely low speed directly under the Norwegian aircraft, and ended up knocking the Su-27 against the propeller of one of the P-3’s engines, causing it to collapse, hit the airframe and depressurize the aircraft. Thankfully, there were no casualties.

To engage with ground targets in ground battles, the Su-27 can only operate with regular bombs: it doesn’t have any laser-guided ground weaponry. This aircraft can carry a large mass of bombs in general, ranging from free-fall, incendiary or regular. There’s also rockets, ranging from the small S-8 and medium S-130F to the large S-250. Naturally for top-tier aircraft, the launch of rockets and bombs is backed up by a ballistic computer, ensuring you don’t miss.

In your matches by Mike, Official WT Streamer & Marketing Manager:
“Despite its large size, the Su-27/J-11 excels as a dedicated air superiority fighter. A full fuel tank will heavily affect your flight performance, so it's best to avoid close-range dogfights in the initial stages of the match and rely on your excellent R-27ER and R-27ET missiles for long-range splashes. Once you’ve lost some weight, closing the range and using the thrust vectoring R-73 missiles in combination with HMD aiming, are sure to make you feel like an Ace. Don’t get tunnel vision however, or you’ll quickly find that a slow Su-27/J-11 invites lurking enemies to put several holes in all of your wings.”

The Su-27 has arrived to the USSR’s and China’s aircraft tree with the release of the major update, Air Superiority. China’s J-11 is an export model, and both the Su-27 and J-11 characteristics and weapons are identical. Enjoy and see you soon!