Spanish battleship España (1912)

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Career Spanish Navy Jack
Name: España
Ordered: 20 March 1909
Builder: SECN, El Ferrol
Laid down: 5 December 1909
Launched: 5 February 1912
In service: 23 October 1913
Out of service: 26 August 1923
Fate: Ran aground off Cape Tres Forcas. Broken up where she lay
General characteristics
Class and type: España class battleship
Displacement: Normal: 15,700 tonnes (15,452.0 LT)
Full Load: 16,450 tonnes (16,190.2 LT)
Length: 132.51 metres (434.7 ft) p/p
139.88 metres (458.9 ft) o/a
Beam: 24 metres (78.7 ft)
Draught: Normal: 7.77 metres (25.5 ft)
Full Load:8.08 metres (26.5 ft)
Propulsion: 12×Yarrow coal-fired boilers
4×turbines
4×shafts
Speed: 19 knots (35.2 km/h)
Range: 3,249 nautical miles (6,017.1 km/3,738.9 mi) at 10.75 knots (19.9 km/h)
Complement: 850
Armament: 8×305-millimetre (12 in)/50cal guns
20×101.6-millimetre (4 in) Vickers Model E guns
2×47-millimetre (2 in)/50cal QF guns
Armour: Main Belt: 230-millimetre (9 in)
Upper Belt: 150-millimetre (6 in)
Main Deck: 40-millimetre (2 in) to 50-millimetre (2 in)
Barbettes: 250-millimetre (10 in) to 70-millimetre (3 in)
Turrets (Faces): 250-millimetre (10 in)
Turrets (Roof): 70-millimetre (3 in)
Turrets (Back): 350-millimetre (14 in)
Fore Conning Tower (Faces): 250-millimetre (10 in)
Fore Conning Tower (Roof): 50-millimetre (2 in)
Notes: Coal: 900 tons (normal); 1,900 tons (max)
20 tons oil[1]

España was a Spanish dreadnought-type battleship, lead ship of the España-class. They were the first, and last, dreadnoughts built in Spain[2]

Contents

[edit] Technical Characteristics

The construction of España was authorized by the Navy Law of 7 January 1908. Armstrongs were contracted for the design and John Brown for the construction of the shipyard and ships themselves.[3]

España was laid down at Ferrol on 5 December 1909 (the yard being built similtaneously), launched on 5 February 1912, and completed 23 October 1913. In order to avoid rebuilding existing docks, España was constructed with a shorter hull than a purely rational design required, and she and her sisters were the smallest dreadnought-type battleships ever built.[4] Her amidships freeboard was only 15 feet (4.6 meters), and her main battery guns 24 feet 6 inches (7.5 meters) above the waterline.[5]

With a single stack amidships, two tripod masts, and small superstructure, España had a broadside of eight 12-inch (305-mm) guns, each weighing 67.1 tons, firing an 850-pound (385-kg) shell at a muzzle velocity of 2950fps (902m/s) with a maximum range of 23,500 yards (21500 meters, or 11.6mi), at a rate of fire of one round per minute.[6] Gun directors of the Vickers type were located in the lower top of each mast.[7] The guns could be loaded at any elevation or bearing. The four twin turrets were arranged with "A" and "Y" on the centerline, where they had a 270-degree arc of fire; the others were on the wings, similar to Dreadnought ("B" to starboard, "Q" to port), with 180 degree arcs of fire on the broadisde and 80 degrees athwartships.[8] This mounting scheme was chosen in preference to superimposed turrets, as was done in the South Carolinas, to save weight and cost.[9] In June 1914, España first tested her main battery, demonstrating she was able to fire a full broadside, and (unusually) employ six guns in pursuit or retirement.[10] However, her secondary battery was also poorly laid out[11] in casemates along the hull too close to the waterline.[12]

The main armor belt was 6 feet 7 inches (2 meters) deep, with 2 feet (0.6 meter) above the waterline. It extended from the forward to the after barbette.

Built for coast defense and national pride, more than combat, España provided a formidable ship at reasonable cost, except for the fact, due to rapid technological change at the time, she was obsolescent before completion.[13]

[edit] Operational History

España's first deployment was for coast defense during World War I, without incident. In 1920 she joined the celebration of Chile's centennary, in the process becoming the Spanish Navy's first ship to transit the Panama Canal.[14]

She provided fire support to Spanish Army and French Army troops in Morocco during the Rif War, her only overseas combat duty. During these operations, she went aground at Cape Tres Forcas, Morocco, near Melilla, in fog on 26 August 1923. Numerous attempts to lighten ship in an attempt to float her off, including having her 12-inch (305-mm) guns removed (all useful material being dropped to the seabed for later recovery by submarine[15]), were made. These proved unsuccessful due to a gash in her starboard bilge,[16] and she was abandoned. She remained stranded on the rocks until November 1923, when a gale blew up and rendered her a total loss.[17]

After the overthrow of King Alfonso XIII, her name was passed on to her sister, Alfonso XIII in April 1931.[18]

[edit] Citations

  1. ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921, p. 378
  2. ^ Alcoirazado España, Galego Wikipedia.
  3. ^ Fitzsimons, p.856.
  4. ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921, p. 378
  5. ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921, p. 378
  6. ^ Acorazado España, Spanish Wikipedia.
  7. ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921, p. 378
  8. ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921, p. 378
  9. ^ Fitzsimons, p.856.
  10. ^ Acorazado España, Spanish Wikipedia.
  11. ^ Fitzsimons, p.856.
  12. ^ Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921, p. 378
  13. ^ Fitzsimons, p.857.
  14. ^ Acorazado España, Spanish Wikipedia.
  15. ^ Acorazado España, Spanish Wikipedia.
  16. ^ Acorazado España, Spanish Wikipedia.
  17. ^ Fitzsimons, p.856.
  18. ^ Fitzsimons, p.857.

[edit] References

  • Fernández, Rafael; Mitiukov, Nicholas and Crawford, Kent (March 2007). "The Spanish Dreadnoughts of the España class". Warship International 44 (1): pp.63–117. 
  • Fitzsimons, Bernard, ed. The Illustrated Encyclopedia of 20th Century Weapons and Warfare, Volume 8, p.856-7, "España. London: Phoebus Publishing, 1978.
  • __________, Volume 23, p.2569-76, "Naval Ordnance".
  • Lyon, Hugh (1978). Encyclopedia of the World's Warships: A Technical Directory of Major Fighting Ships from 1900 to the Present Day. Salamander Books. ISBN 0861010078. 
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