War Thunder News

Every year on the first Sunday in June, Canada celebrates Armed Forces Day. At the start of the First World War, the Canadian Armed forces had just 3,500 men, but by the end of the war with conscription announced, they expanded to 400,000. 24,000 of these took part in battles in Europe. The conscription for the Second World War was even larger, with more than a million Canadians serving and of these, 42,000 died in combat. Currently, the Canadian Armed Forces have just over 90,000 personnel.

In honor of Canadian Armed Forces Day, we’ve created a special video in the Moments of Valor series, exclusive bundles with premium vehicles and unique camouflages, as well as a pre-order pack for the Northtrop NF-5A.

[previewyoutube][/previewyoutube]

[h2]Special offers in the Gaijin Store[/h2]

When: From June 1st (09:00 GMT) until June 9th (09:00 GMT).

Unique packs with camouflages are currently in the Gaijin.net store. Plus, on June 1st, pre-orders for a pack with the NF-5A will start, where it will be available to be pre-ordered until the release of the Leviathans major update!

[h3]“Pathway to the stars” Bundle[/h3]
160 79.99

• Mustang Pack + unique “P-51D '9569', Royal Canadian Air Force” camouflage
  
• F/A-18С Early Pack + unique camouflage for the 60th anniversary of the 425th Squadron, Canadian Air Force
  
• Sabre Skyblazers Pack + unique camouflage of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), aerobatic flying team 'Golden Hawks'
  
• Unique “Pathway to the stars” title
  

[h3]“Stand on guard” Bundle[/h3]
87.47 43.74

• M5A1 5th Canadian Armoured Division Pack
  
• Leopard 2A4M CAN Pack + unique modern forest camouflage
  
• Ram II (Rank II, Great Britain)
  
• Unique “Stand on guard” title
  

Note! You can also get the titles if you already have all the vehicles from the bundle and play 3 battles with each of them from June 1st to 9th (09:00 GMT).


The following camouflages (including the ones created by War Thunder Live users) have been permanently added to the game for Golden Eagles:

• Sabre Skyblazers (USA, Rank V): camouflage of the Royal Canadian Air Force (RCAF), aerobatic flying team 'Golden Hawks'.
  
• F/A-18С Early (USA, Rank VIII): camouflage for the 60th anniversary of the 425th Squadron, Canadian Air Force
  
• Leopard 2A4M CAN (Germany, Rank VII): modern forest camouflage
  
• P-51D-20-NA (USA, Rank IV): “P-51D '9569', Royal Canadian Air Force” camouflage
  
• P-400 (USA, Rank II): “Royal Canadian Air Force, Test and Development Establishment, Air Force Headquarters, 1941” camouflage
  
• C2A1 (Germany, Rank VI): “1st Troop 2nd Battalion, Lord Strathcona’s Horse, Royal Canadian Battle Group, JTF, Afghanistan” camouflage
  

[h3]Pre-order — Northrop NF-5A Pack[/h3]


69.99

• Northrop NF-5A (Rank VII, France)
  
• 2500 Golden Eagles
  
• Premium account for 20 days
  
• Pre-order bonus: unique “Freedom fighter” title
  
• Pre-order bonus: unique “Emblem of the 313 Squadron of the Royal Netherlands Air Force” Decal
  
• Pre-order bonus: unique Abbotsford Air Show demonstration camouflage (Canada, 1989)
  

[h2]HMCS Haida and Stuart VI (5th CAD) are temporarily available for Golden Eagles![/h2]
HMCS Haida (Britain, rank III) is available for 4,880 Golden Eagles and the Stuart VI (5th CAD) (USA, rank II) is available for 700 Golden Eagles!

When: From June 1st (09:00 GMT) until June 4th (11:00 GMT).
Where: Great Britain / USA > Bluewater fleet / Army > Premium Vehicles.

About these vehicles

• HMCS Haida is a veteran of the Second World War, escorting convoys to the USSR and taking part in the Allied landings in Normandy. It holds the record among Canadian ships for the tonnages of sunken enemies. Compared to other destroyers in the game, it’s slow but well armed, with a solid anti-aircraft battery and deadly torpedoes.

• The 5th Canadian Armored Division fought in Italy and participated in the invasion of Germany. The Stuart VI light tank can accelerate to 58 km/h and with an experienced crew can reload its 37 mm gun in less than 3 seconds. Its short-stop stabilizer helps when shooting, and its armor is thin.
  

[h2]The Ram II is at a discount![/h2]
The Ram II (Britain, rank II) is available at a 50% discount for 576 Golden Eagles.

When: From June 1st (09:00 GMT) until June 4th (11:00 GMT).
Where: Great Britain > Army > Premium Vehicles.

About this tank

• The Canadian Ram II was used during the Second World War. Featuring decent armor and smoke grenades, its enemies are ready to be met by a 57 mm gun with good armor penetration!
  

[h2]Earn the “Emblem of the Canadian Armed Forces” decal![/h2]
Get this cool decal for this day!

“Emblem of the Canadian Armed Forces” decal

When: From June 1st until June 4th (09:00 GMT)
Task: Play 3 battles using British vehicles at rank III or higher to receive the “Emblem of the Canadian Armed Forces” decal!

Additional details:

• 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 → Canadian Armed Forces Day.
  
• You can find the decal in the “Allies → Tanks” tab in the customization menu
  

Thank you to everyone who submitted their incredible screenshots! This coming week, we’ll be turning our focus to the machines that dominate both land and sea: amphibious tanks, seaplanes, coastal vessels, and bluewater ships. Whether it’s a tank crashing through the surf or a seaplane gliding just above the waves, we want to see what scenes you create! The three most popular and three selected by us will get 300 GE. See the winners down below!

[h2]Let’s begin the 174th edition of our competition![/h2]

Create a stunning screenshot and submit it on the War Thunder Steam Community Hub with the tag #WTscreen174. You have time until the 6th of June 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.



[h3]Terms:[/h3]

Your screenshot must include an amphibious tank, seaplane, or fleet vehicle.
You must add the #WTscreen174 tag (title cannot have any other text in it).
Artists may only win by popular vote once per four screenshot competitions.
• 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.
  

[h2]And now, time for the winners of the competition’s 173rd edition – Feathers of Fury![/h2]

[h3]Winners selected via community votes:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3486776789
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3486817406
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3486636296

[h3]Winners selected by our judges:[/h3]
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3487548319
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3487631371
https://steamcommunity.com/sharedfiles/filedetails/?id=3486766673

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

The first air squadrons appeared in the Ottoman Empire on June 1st, 1911. This date is also celebrated in the Turkish Republic as Air Force Day. Under president Mustafa Kemal Ataturk, the Turkish Air Force became one of the largest in Europe. They were modernized several times, which was facilitated by the country’s accession to NATO. Turkey was one of the five countries where F-16 fighters were produced.

[h2]50% discount on the T129 and & F-104S TAF![/h2]
Both the T129 (rank VI) attack helicopter and the F-104S TAF (rank VII) are available for 4635 Golden Eagles. The F104S TAF will remain available for purchase at full price after the end of this promotion!

When: From May 30th (11:00 GMT) until June 2nd (11:00 GMT).
Where: Italy > Helicopters / Aviation > Premium Vehicles.

[h3]About these aircraft[/h3]

• The T129 is a modified version of the Italian A129 Mangusta, produced for the Turkish Air Force. The engines were replaced Turkish-made ones and the helicopter got access to Turkish L-UMTAS and CIRIT missiles instead of the Hellfire. The T129 can also take Stinger air-to-air missiles and FZ49 rockets into battle, and can always rely on the 20 mm TM197B cannon. Overall this helicopter can take out ground vehicles and aircraft.
  
• The F-104S was purchased by Turkey from Italy in the 1960s and 70s. These aircraft are characterized by poor maneuverability but at the same time excellent rate of climb and acceleration. This aircraft is equipped with a ballistic computer, countermeasures, can take 250 to 2000 lb bombs into battle, and against aircraft can rely on the AIM-9P Sidewinder and AIM-7E Sparrow!
  

[h2]Get the “Emblem of the Turkish Air Force pilots” decal![/h2]
You can earn this themed decal for this day.

“Emblem of the Turkish Air Force pilots” decal

When: From May 30th (11:00 GMT) until June 2nd (11:00 GMT).
Task: Play 3 battles using aircraft of any country at rank III or higher to receive the “Emblem of the Turkish Air Force pilots” decal.

Additional details:

• Your activity must not be below 70%.
  
• You can complete the task in random battles, except for Enduring Confrontation missions, and [Assault] mode.
  
• Track your progress in the hangar by clicking Nickname → Achievements → Holidays → Turkish Air Force Day.
  
• You can find the decal in the “Neutral countries → Aircraft” tab in the customization menu.
  

We’re very happy to finally introduce the legend of legends, a ship that holds many records and cultural significance: the mighty Yamato will be joining War Thunder in the Leviathans major update!

[h2]Yamato: A Battleship for Japan at Rank VII[/h2]
At a glance:

• 460 mm (18.1 inch) main guns!
  
• Very thick armor
  
• Over 150 anti-aircraft guns
  
• Sluggish Maneuverability
  

Vehicle History
Yamato as a concept was born from Japan’s Kantai Kessen (decisive battle) doctrine — the theory that a single pivotal engagement could turn the entire tide of a naval war in the Pacific against the United States. Japan could never hope to match the production volume of America, so focused instead on creating a smaller number of incredibly powerful battleships that could defeat and outlast any enemy. Equipped with immense armor protection and the largest guns ever fitted to a warship (460 mm), Yamato truly embodied the Kantai Kessen doctrine with immense power concentrated into a seemingly unmatchable platform.

Combat did not turn out as expected however, with Yamato participating in relatively few naval engagements, certainly not enough to justify how pivotal an asset the ship was. While Yamato was designed as an apex battleship killer, the end for her, and many similar vessels came from the air. Such large and slow ships were easy targets from the skies, even if defended by mountains of anti-air guns. 386 U.S. carrier aircraft sunk Yamato during Operation Ten-Go on April 7th 1945, her large size and slow speed made her unable to withstand the flurry of bomb and torpedo attacks. An explosion from one of Yamato’s magazines resulted in one of the largest non-nuclear blasts ever recorded, tearing the ship in half and sinking her. Yamato never fought the decisive battle for which she was built.




[h2]Introducing Yamato! [/h2]

Yamato represents arguably the most powerful battleship ever created, with the largest guns, some of the thickest armor, a sophisticated fire control system, all rounded off with a veritable mountain of anti-air defenses. Without further ado, let’s take a closer look!



We might as well get into the guns, it’s what you’re here for! Yamato is equipped with nine 460 mm (18.1 inch) guns in three turrets, the largest caliber ever fitted to a warship. It will be able to field two shells, AP and HE. The high explosive shell, despite being gigantic, is not quite as effective as contemporary HE shells on smaller 406 mm guns. It’s still packed with around 60kg of explosive filler, which is huge, but does lack when compared to other large guns. 

This, ultimately, is because Yamato is a battleship killer, and so the AP shells have the spotlight. With a maximum penetration of well over 800 mm of armor, at regular combat ranges there will be little armor that could challenge these shells, on top of their incredible penetration they’re also packed with around 34kg of explosive, making an accurate hit into an enemy warship more than likely lethal.



Did you know? The weight of one of Yamato’s turrets is heavier than most destroyers, at over 2,700 tons!

To further add to this immense firepower, the accuracy of these guns is similarly effective thanks to a sophisticated fire control array, which results in acceptable accuracy even at absolute max range. The fire rate however is predictably slow, though not crushingly so, at around two shots per minute. Yamato will appear in the final fit, which means it’ll be stacked with dual-purpose 155 mm and 127 mm guns, and 154 anti-air guns!



As Yamato weighs in at around 72,000 tons, overall speed can be considered as modest, which in itself is still fairly impressive. It can reach a max speed of around 27 knots or 50 km/h, with a fairly large turning circle. This staggered maneuverability is certainly one of Yamato’s weakest areas, as while the armor is incredibly strong, it is not invulnerable, making positioning key.

Interesting: Yamato has very much found its way into popular culture, notably inspiring the titular ship in the anime “Space Battleship Yamato”, and also appearing in a more folkloreish form in the video game “Okami”.



While there are too many individual armor parts to cover in detail here, the overall protection is very effective. The main belt armor measures in at over 400 mm with angling, and the deck armor at around 200 mm at a minimum. The thickest armor however can be found on the turret face itself, a colossal 650 mm of thickness, which is among the thickest armor ever fitted on a warship.

While these are staggering numbers on paper, enemy AP shells from common ranges will be able to punch through the armor of Yamato if caught at an angle or flat on, which makes positioning this super leviathan especially vital. Long range is easily the most ideal spot for this ship — fielding the most powerful AP shell of the war, there is no range at which an enemy ship will be safe — and as such there’s no reason to weaken Yamato’s defense by getting closer to the enemy.



We’re absolutely thrilled to be introducing the final boss of battleships into War Thunder, she’s very powerful, so be sure to treat her well when she arrives in the Leviathans major update! That’s it for today, thank you for reading and stay tuned for even more!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.

Legendary and invincible, a living symbol of the might of the American fleet. Welcome to the game, USS Iowa!

[h2]USS Iowa: A Battleship for the USA at Rank VII[/h2]
At a glance:

• 406 mm (16 inches) main caliber guns
  
• Powerful spaced armor
  
• High speed!
  
• Good air defense battery
  
• Reconnaissance aircraft
  

Vehicle History
Iowa-class battleships were designed in the late 1930s in response to the potential threat posed by the Japanese Yamato-class “super” battleships. While maintaining the displacement limit of 45,000 tons, American engineers created a unique fast battleship with nine 406 mm guns and a speed of 32 knots. USS Iowa was the lead ship in the class and was laid down in 1940 at New York Navy Yard and entered service in February 1943. Initially she carried out tasks escorting aircraft carrier groups in the Pacific Ocean, and in November 1943 she participated in the operation to liberate Gilbert Islands.

In early 1944, Iowa covered carrier raids on the Marshall Islands, and in February her powerful 406 mm guns were used for the first time for shore shelling of Japanese positions on Kawjalein Atoll. Iowa was most intensively used in 1944-1945. She participated in the Battle of the Philippine Sea, supported the landing at Leyte and in 1945, she took part in operations on Iwo Jima and Okinawa, where her main caliber guns destroyed Japanese fortifications.

After the end of the war and a modernization fit in 1951, Iowa was recommissioned to participate in the Korean War. Here, she carried out coastal bombardment missions, shelling North Korean positions and transport communications. In the 1980s, after a large-scale modernization, Iowa could then use Tomahawk cruise missiles and Harpoon anti-ship missiles, significantly expanding her combat capabilities.

A tragic episode in the history of Iowa was when an explosion in turret No.2 occurred in 1989, which took the lives of 47 sailors. After this incident, Iowa was finally decommissioned from the fleet. Today she serves as a floating museum in Los Angeles, USA.




[h2]Introducing USS Iowa![/h2]

One of the most famous battleships in history is coming to War Thunder in the Leviathans major update! Say hello to the USS Iowa, a true symbol of the U.S. Navy’s sheer might. We’re talking 16 inch guns, thick armor, reconnaissance aircraft, excellent secondary and anti-aircraft weaponry and importantly, incredible speed. Let’s break it down!



A big ship of course needs big guns, and that’s exactly what Iowa has! Featuring three main turrets with a total of nine 406 mm (16 inch) Mk.7 cannons, the rate of fire of these beasts is 2 rounds per minute, which is near enough bog-standard. What is also standard with most battleships is the decent aiming speeds and the ability to fire AP and HE fragmentation rounds that Iowa has, great for use against a wide range of enemies. Moving onto secondary weapons, where Iowa also shines. Featuring 20 universal 127 mm guns in twin mounts that can fire at both ships and aircraft, an experienced crew can fire 22 rounds per minute from the first-stage ammo racks. In addition to this, Iowa features 19 four-barreled 40 mm Bofors mounts and 52 20 mm Oerlikon cannons, which is a great combined amount to take out annoying enemy aircraft. The cherry on top is a pair of new-to-the-game SC-1 Seahawk hydroplanes, armed with bombs and capable of laying smoke screens.

Did you know? USS Iowa has several nicknames, one of which includes “The Battleship of Presidents” since she hosted many Presidents throughout her service life. She notably sailed President Roosevelt to the Tehran Conference to meet Churchill and Stalin in 1943.



We now turn our attention to Iowa’s armor layout. The thickness of the main armor belt reaches 307 mm near the waterline, which is significantly lower than the Sovetsky Soyuz for example. Having said this, it’s not all doom and gloom as the plates are placed at an angle to the keel, increasing the armor values. Next, the main armor belt is covered by 38 mm plates which form spaced armor helping further to protect against enemy shells. Where the armor really gets thick though is around the bridge, the elevators and the cheeks of the main turrets that all reach 440 mm thickness. The main 121 mm armor deck is covered by a 38 mm upper and additional anti-fragmentation deck below, which is in fact insurmountable protection against both bombs and shells hitting from above.

Despite having a displacement of over 57,500 tons, Iowa is still capable of accelerating to an incredible 32 knots (about 60 km/h), allowing her to quickly change positions and engage in any battle against ships at any distance, even alone. Only the best battleships at rank VII will be capable of dueling this monster on equal terms!



USS Iowa is one of the new iconic ships coming to the new rank VII in Bluewater fleet trees soon. That’s this one done, keep an eye out for more dev blogs coming your way!

Please note that this vehicle’s characteristics may be changed before it is added to the game.