World of Warships Supertest: U.S Tier IX Battleship Delaware
6 min readHistorical background
Just like Nebraska, Delaware is a Wargaming design. It is an Iowa-class battleship that was converted into a hybrid battleship. As such, a full hangar and flight deck were installed on the ship’s middle section. At the same time, the rear turret was moved further on the ship’s stern to clear space for the flight deck and downgraded to a twin turret, most likely for weight saving (AKA for balancing) reasons.
Funnily enough, the flight deck on Delaware is much shorter than on Nebraska but I guess it’s fine considering that she has the catapult to launch aircraft.
When it comes to her hybrid part, she is using bombers dropping in carpet bombing style. Just like U.S. dive bombers from carriers, these bombers are not getting an aiming debuff when manoeuvering while in attack mode, and on top of that, the reticule is incredibly small. From the numbers in the game files, the reticule length is about half that of the high-tier U.S. dive bombers for the sake of reference. Also, these bombers don’t have JATO (Jet assisted take-off) but have an Engine Cooling consumable.
Ship’s preview
Ship’s camouflage
For the classic reminder, this is a ship in testing, anything can change so don’t look at her like she would already be released.
Modules
Hull | Engine | Gun Fire Control System | Main battery | Dive Bombers |
Delaware (A) | Propulsion: 212 000 hp | Mk9 mod. 1 | ![]() 406 mm/50 Mk.7 in a turret | ![]() |
Delaware (B) | Mk9 mod. 1 | ![]() |
General Characteristics
Stock Ship
Tier | IX |
Health | 69 900 HP |
Torpedo Damage Reduction | 25 % |
Displacement | 50 000 tons |
Dimensions | |
Overall length | 270.43 m |
Beam | 46.92 m |
Overall height (keel to the highest point on the ship) | 36.0 m |
Freeboard | 13.3 m |
Main Armament | |
Maximum Firing Range | 19.620 km |
406 mm/50 Mk.7 in a turret | 2 x 3 406 mm 1 x 2 406 mm |
Aircraft | |
Bombers – SB2C Helldiver | 5 planes per squadron |
Secondary Armament | |
Maximum Firing Range | 6.950 km |
127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount | 10 x 2 127 mm |
Maximum speed | 33.0 knots |
Turning Circle Radius | 920 m |
Rudder Shift Time | 24.03 s |
Surface Detectability | 16.2 km |
Air Detectability | 14.81 km |
Detectability After Firing Main Guns in Smoke | 16.15 km |
Main Armament
2 x 3 406 mm/50 Mk.7 in a turret 1 x 2 406 mm/50 Mk.7 in a turret | |
Maximum Firing Range | 19.620 km |
Reloading Time | 30.0 s |
180 Degree Turn Time | 45.0 s |
Optimal firing angles at the front | 45° |
Optimal firing angles at the rear | 40° |
Sigma | 1.9 sigma |
Maximum Dispersion | 256 m |
Shells | |
Type of Projectile | HE – 406 mm HE/HC Mk13![]() |
Alpha Damage | 5 700 |
Penetration capacity | 68 mm |
Explosion size | 36.9 m |
Fire chance | 36 % |
Projectile Speed | 820 m/s |
Air Drag | 0.346 |
Projectile Mass | 862.0 kg |
Type of Projectile | AP – 406 mm AP Mk8![]() |
Alpha Damage | 13 500 |
Projectile Speed | 762 m/s |
Air Drag | 0.352 |
Projectile Mass | 1 225.0 kg |
Projectile Krupp | 2 520 |
Projectile Detonator | 0.033 s |
Detonator threshold | 68 mm |
Ricochet Angles | 45° – 60° |
Bombers
Carpet bombers – SB2C Helldiver![]() | |
Tier | IX |
Hitpoints per plane | 2 229 |
Cruise speed | 125 knots |
Maximum speed | 160 knots |
Engine boost time | 20 s |
Damage taken in attack mode | 50% |
Size of attacking flight | 5 |
Aircraft per squadron | 5 |
Bomb type | AN-M64 |
Bomb per plane | 2 |
Maximum bomb damage | 7 300 |
HE penetration capacity | 42 mm |
Explosion size | 23.7 m |
Fire chance | 46 % |
Detectability range | 10.0 km |
Restoration time | 120 s |
Consumable |
Engine Cooling ![]() Number of Charges: 2 Work time: 5 s Cooldown: 80 s |
Secondary Armament
10 x 2 127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount | |
Maximum Firing Range | 6.950 km |
Reloading Time | 6.0 s |
Sigma | 1.0 sigma |
Shells | |
Type of Projectile | HE – 127 mm HE Mk32![]() |
Alpha Damage | 1 800 |
HE penetration | 21 mm |
Explosion Size | 5.7 m |
Chance to Cause Fire | 5 % |
Projectile Speed | 792 m/s |
Air Drag | 0.347 |
Projectile Mass | 24.5 kg |
Anti-air Armament
10 x 2 127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount | |
Sector firing range | 0.1 km – 5.8 km |
Hit chance | 75 % |
Sector’s damage | 50 |
Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
Sector’s damage per second | 175 |
Flak clouds number | 8 |
Flak cloud damage | 1 610 |
14 x 4 40 mm/56 Bofors on a Mk.2 mount | |
Sector firing range | 0.1 km – 3.5 km |
Hit chance | 75 % |
Sector’s damage | 105 |
Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
Sector’s damage per second | 368 |
15 x 2 20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.24 mount | |
Sector firing range | 0.1 km – 2.0 km |
Hit chance | 70 % |
Sector’s damage | 52 |
Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
Sector’s damage per second | 182 |
Consumables
Consumables | |||
Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | |
Damage Control Party ![]() Cooldown: 80 s | Repair Party ![]() Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 80 s HP regeneration speed: +0.5%/s Casemate damage regeneration: 50% Citadel damage regeneration: 10% | Fighter ![]() Work time: 90 s Cooldown: 70 s Number of planes in a squadron: 4 Patrol radius: 3.0 km |
Fully Upgraded Ship
Tier | IX |
Health | 80 800 HP |
Torpedo Damage Reduction | 25 % |
Displacement | 59 033 tons |
Dimensions | |
Overall length | 270.43 m |
Beam | 46.92 m |
Overall height (keel to the highest point on the ship) | 36.0 m |
Freeboard | 13.3 m |
Main Armament | |
Maximum Firing Range | 21.582 km |
406 mm/50 Mk.7 in a turret | 2 x 3 406 mm 1 x 2 406 mm |
Aircraft | |
Bombers – AD-1 Skyraider | 5 planes per squadron |
Secondary Armament | |
Maximum Firing Range | 6.950 km |
127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount | 10 x 2 152 mm |
Maximum speed | 33.0 knots |
Turning Circle Radius | 920 m |
Rudder Shift Time | 17.16 s |
Surface Detectability | 16.2 km |
Air Detectability | 14.81 km |
Detectability After Firing Main Guns in Smoke | 16.15 km |
Main Armament
2 x 3 406 mm/50 Mk.7 in a turret 1 x 2 406 mm/50 Mk.7 in a turret | |
Maximum Firing Range | 21.582 km |
Reloading Time | 30.0 s |
180 Degree Turn Time | 45.0 s |
Optimal firing angles at the front | 45° |
Optimal firing angles at the rear | 40° |
Sigma | 1.9 sigma |
Maximum Dispersion | 276 m |
Shells | |
Type of Projectile | HE – 406 mm HE/HC Mk13![]() |
Alpha Damage | 5 700 |
Penetration capacity | 68 mm |
Explosion size | 36.9 m |
Fire chance | 36 % |
Projectile Speed | 820 m/s |
Air Drag | 0.346 |
Projectile Mass | 862.0 kg |
Type of Projectile | AP – 406 mm AP Mk8![]() |
Alpha Damage | 13 500 |
Projectile Speed | 762 m/s |
Air Drag | 0.352 |
Projectile Mass | 1 225.0 kg |
Projectile Krupp | 2 520 |
Projectile Detonator | 0.033 s |
Detonator threshold | 68 mm |
Ricochet Angles | 45° – 60° |
Bombers
Carpet bombers – AD-1 Skyraider![]() | |
Tier | IX |
Hitpoints per plane | 2 630 |
Cruise speed | 135 knots |
Maximum speed | 172 knots |
Engine boost time | 20 s |
Damage taken in attack mode | 50% |
Size of attacking flight | 5 |
Aircraft per squadron | 5 |
Bomb type | AN-M64 |
Bomb per plane | 2 |
Maximum bomb damage | 7 300 |
HE penetration capacity | 42 mm |
Explosion size | 23.7 m |
Fire chance | 46 % |
Detectability range | 10.0 km |
Restoration time | 120 s |
Consumable |
Engine Cooling ![]() Number of Charges: 2 Work time: 5 s Cooldown: 80 s |
Secondary Armament
10 x 2 127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount | |
Maximum Firing Range | 6.950 km |
Reloading Time | 6.0 s |
Sigma | 1.0 sigma |
Shells | |
Type of Projectile | HE – 127 mm HE Mk32![]() |
Alpha Damage | 1 800 |
HE penetration | 21 mm |
Explosion Size | 5.7 m |
Chance to Cause Fire | 5 % |
Projectile Speed | 792 m/s |
Air Drag | 0.347 |
Projectile Mass | 24.5 kg |
Anti-air Armament
10 x 2 127 mm/38 Mk.12 on a Mk.32 mount | |
Sector firing range | 0.1 km – 5.8 km |
Hit chance | 75 % |
Sector’s damage | 50 |
Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
Sector’s damage per second | 175 |
Flak clouds number | 8 |
Flak cloud damage | 1 610 |
14 x 2 76.2 mm/50 Mk.22 on a Mk.33 mount | |
Sector firing range | 0.1 km – 4.0 km |
Hit chance | 75 % |
Sector’s damage | 134 |
Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
Sector’s damage per second | 469 |
15 x 2 20 mm Oerlikon on a Mk.24 mount | |
Sector firing range | 0.1 km – 2.0 km |
Hit chance | 70 % |
Sector’s damage | 50 |
Sector’s damage frequency | 0.29 s |
Sector’s damage per second | 175 |
Consumables
Consumables | |||
Slot 1 | Slot 2 | Slot 3 | |
Damage Control Party ![]() Cooldown: 80 s | Repair Party ![]() Work time: 28 s Cooldown: 80 s HP regeneration speed: +0.5%/s Casemate damage regeneration: 50% Citadel damage regeneration: 10% | Fighter ![]() Work time: 90 s Cooldown: 70 s Number of planes in a squadron: 4 Patrol radius: 3.0 km |
The Armor
External armor protection:
Front and rear armor protection of the middle section:
Main deck:
Citadel armor protection:
Turrets armor protection:
Hidden armor protection inside the stern:
Personal Opinion
Delaware is a bit of an interesting case. In action, she loses very little firepower compared to Iowa and in return gains a squadron of particularly strong bombers. However, while she only loses one gun from her main battery, she also gets FAR worse firing angles. If you want to use all guns on the ship while facing forward, AP shells have basically no chance of bouncing due to how much broadside you have to present. It isn’t any better when kiting as 40° firing angles are still well within the AP penetration angles of any ship you will come across. At least, the citadel is much lower than on Iowa so punishing this ship will be more difficult.
In other words, you really don’t want to be the one leading the charge with this ship. With the firing angles and the flight deck, she would just get farmed down in no time.
With that in mind, I still see quite a lot of potential for this ship. Especially with the bombers being able to nuke destroyers.
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