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UH-1C XM-30 returns for the anniversary of its maiden flight!



On October 22nd 1956, the Bell UH-1 Iroquois (commonly known as the “Huey”) multi-role helicopter took to the skies for the first time. This helicopter was put into service in 1959, and is still in active use today! Over 70 countries use or have used this famous helicopter, where it is ranked amongst the top 3 in terms of number built.

The UH-1C XM-30 is available for Golden Eagles!


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When: From October 20th (12:00 GMT) until October 23rd (07:00 GMT).
Where: USA > Helicopters > Premium vehicles.
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[h3]About the helicopter[/h3]
  • The UH-1C XM-30 is easy to fly and operate, and thanks to its great optical sights, you’ll be able to take out enemy ground vehicles from a distance with its TOW missiles. The UH-1C also features other ordnance options such as minigun pods, FFAR Mighty Mouse rockets, and powerful experimental 30 mm XM140 cannons. But the most interesting weapon that this helicopter can carry is the nose-mounted 40 mm M75 grenade launcher, which can come in handy when firing at open-top ground vehicles!

Trafalgar Day: A Decal and HMCS Haida to celebrate!



On October 21st 1805, the British fleet commanded by Admiral Nelson caused a crushing defeat to the combined naval forces of France and Spain at the Battle of Trafalgar. This victory not only prevented Napoleon’s invasion of England, but also made Great Britain the ultimate ruler of the seas. For this reason, October 21st is the main holiday for the Royal Navy in the UK!

HMCS Haida is available for Golden Eagles!


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When: From October 20th (10:00 GMT) until October 23rd (07:00 GMT).
Where: Britain > Bluewater fleet > Premium vehicles.
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[h3]About the ship[/h3]
  • HMCS Haida is a fast and maneuverable Destroyer, with outstanding air defensive weapons in the form of 20 mm Oerlikon cannons! In addition to this, the Haida also poses a threat against enemy boats and destroyers with its 6 x 120 mm main caliber guns and torpedo capability. A well rounded ship capable of many things.



Earn the “Famous Ships: HMS Victory” decal!

For this day, you’ll be able to get this decal by completing the following task.

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When: From October 20th (10:00 GMT) until October 23rd (07:00 GMT).
Task: Play 3 battles using British ships to receive the “Famous Ships: HMS Victory” decal!
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“Famous Ships: HMS Victory” decal

Additional details:
  • You must use a minimum of rank III.
  • Your activity must not be below 70%.
  • You can complete the task in random battles, except for Enduring Confrontation missions, [Assault] mode and Helicopter PVE battles.
  • Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → Trafalgar Day.
  • You can find the decal in the “Holidays” tab in the Customisation menu.

“Kings of Battle” Update trailer

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

The next major update for War Thunder — “Kings of Battle”!

Battle pass vehicles: Breda 90/53



This Italian 90/53 self-propelled gun on a wheeled Breda 52 truck will soon arrive to War Thunder as one of the main prizes in the upcoming Battle pass season “Tropical Storm”!

[h2]Breda 90/53: A Premium Self-propelled Vehicle for Italy at rank III![/h2]

Features:
  • Powerful and deadly 90 mm cannon!
  • Very little protection.
  • Mediocre mobility.


[h2]Meet the Breda 90/53![/h2]

One of the main prizes of the upcoming new Battle pass season “Tropical Storm” will be this cool wheeled tank destroyer, the Breda 90/53 — which was Italy’s way of mounting a heavy anti-aircraft gun onto a wheeled chassis. Exposed to the elements and featuring thin armor, the Breda 90/53 can still pack a deadly punch with its very-capable 90 mm self-propelled gun. Let’s dive into the details!

The Breda 90/53’s stand-out feature is that it is built around the Cannone da 90/53, which is already in the game through the 90/52 M41M. However, the M41M can only carry 8 rounds of ammunition to fire — the Breda 90/53 will be able to carry more. Its devastating cannon is powerful enough to deal with almost any enemy at rank III with its great one-shot potential!



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Interesting: This vehicle’s full name literally combines its two most basic elements: the cannon name first (Autocannone da 90/53, the 90 mm cannon) and the truck name (Breda, the truck’s manufacturer). “Su” is just the Italian word for on, so the name quite quaintly ends up effectively being “Gun on truck” (full Italian name: Autocannone da 90/53 su Breda 52)!
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Placing a 90 mm cannon on an army truck clearly comes with downsides in terms of protection, but this does mean enough space as a rotating platform to fire from multiple angles. The crew of this vehicle as well as the large ammunition supply are also placed at the back in this space. All in all, Italy now gets their own version of the very popular German 8.8 cm Flak 37, but with premium bonuses!



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Did you know? Italy got the idea of mounting 90 mm anti-aircraft guns on tracked and wheeled vehicles from the successful experience of the Germans utilizing 88 mm FlaK18 guns on tracked vehicles against French heavy tanks.
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As we mentioned, a truck platform quite obviously comes with some downsides, namely its large silhouette, and general lack of protection for the crew. As a result of this, the Breda 90/53 is easy pickings for enemies on the ground as well as in the air. In addition to this, the Breda 52 army truck does not feature great driving characteristics, having only an average speed.



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In your matches: Pro-tips when using the Breda 90/53 by Tom (Oxy), WT Community Manager (TL): “Positioning really is key with this one, it’s not a vehicle that can react quickly to new threats from different locations, so you don’t want to be caught out on the move. Aim to keep your distance from enemies and stay defensive, the 90 mm doesn’t need to be up close to be effective, and at range your poor survivability and low mobility aren’t as detrimental. When you’re engaging, try to position yourself side-on to what you’re fighting — this breaks up your silhouette and makes it harder for an enemy to disable your ability to move and shoot in one shot (Unless they’re using HE, always take HE).”
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The new wheeled self-propelled Breda 90/53 will be available in the upcoming Battle pass season “Tropical Storm” by completing tasks, starting soon on October 25th in a hangar near you! The full list of prizes and conditions of this new season will be revealed in the near future — until then, enjoy your matches and see you soon!

Battle pass vehicles: HMS Gay Archer



The British Gay Archer torpedo boat will appear in the game as one of the top prizes in the new season of the War Thunder Battle Pass, named “Tropical Storm”!

[h2]HMS Gay Archer: A Premium Torpedo Boat for Britain at Rank III![/h2]

Features:
  • 40mm Bofors Autocannon.
  • High Speed.
  • Torpedo equipped!


[h2]Meet HMS Gay Archer![/h2]

The Gay Archer premium torpedo boat will be one of the vehicle prizes in the new season of the upcoming War Thunder Battle Pass “Tropical Storm”! This boat features good combat qualities and, like all premium vehicles, speeds up the research of the British coastal fleet and receives an increased reward in Silver Lions! Let’s dive into the details!

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Interesting: Typically in the naming convention of smaller British vessels (e.g. Dark and Brave), this particular class is prefixed as Gay. In addition to this, fighting specialties and roles are also included in the name prefix. For example, other boats in the series include HMS Gay Bombardier, HMS Gay Bruiser, HMS Gay Charger and a few others.
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The Gay Archer is an excellent representative of War Thunder’s smaller coastal fleet. Three gasoline engines quickly accelerate the boat to 40 knots (about 74 km/h). In the bow station, this boat carries a 40mm Bofors assault gun, which can be equipped with clips of high-explosive fragmentation and armor-piercing shells. In addition to this, this boat can also be equipped with a pair of torpedoes.

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Did you know? Gay-class patrol boats were the last petrol-powered gunboats in the British Navy.
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Playing the Gay Archer is fun and easy! In smaller battles, it is one of the breakout boats thanks to its 40mm cannon on the bow. In larger battles with Destroyers, it is an excellent choice for capturing points among rocks and islands due to its high speed and capability to deploy a smoke screen.

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In your matches: Pro-tips when using the Gay Archer from Keith (Scarper) WT CM: “For this boat and others like it, grab the capture point quickly in smaller battles and use its speed and hard hitting gun in this case, to nip in and recapture any lost cap areas — remember your smoke! Don’t engage larger targets at range, instead, use the speed of the boat to get in behind larger targets, especially moored ones and drop a couple of torpedoes into its rear. If you're seen, steer erratically to confound the enemy and engage the weapons trying to focus on you and get below the elevation of the enemies' bigger guns. Spotting is your friend as some of your team will see the target and the position you are in and help out.”
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The HMS Gay Archer will soon come to the game as part of the new Battle Pass “Tropical Storm”, starting in War Thunder on October 25th. We'll talk about the other prizes and full list of conditions soon, so keep an eye out for that. Until then, enjoy your matches and see you soon!