España class battleship

The "España" class was a series of three dreadnought battleships. They were the first, and last, dreadnoughts built in Spain [Alcoirazado España, Galego Wikipedia.] , the only dreadnoughts ever operated by the Spanish Navy, and the smallest dreadnoughts ever built. [ "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921", p. 378 ]

Description

Following disastrous losses in the Spanish-American War of 1898, Spain lacked the money to rebuild its navy, so it was not until the Navy Law of 7 January 1908 that a new program authorizing three new battleships ("España", "Alfonso XIII", and "Jaime I"), along with other ships, was passed. The delay enabled Spain to take advantage of experience gained by Britain with the world's first commissioned dreadnought, "Dreadnought", and by the United States with its first dreadnought, USS "South Carolina". Spain was incapable of building the "España" class herself, [Fitzsimons, Volume 8, p.856, "España"] Armstrongs were contracted for the design and John Brown for the construction of the shipyard and ships themselves. [Fitzsimons, p.856.]

In order to avoid rebuilding existing docks, the units of the "España" class were constructed with a shorter hull than a purely rational design required, and they were the smallest dreadnought-type battleships ever built. [ "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921", p. 378 ] Amidships freeboard was only 15 feet (4.6 m), and the main battery guns were 24 feet 6 inches (7.5 m) above the waterline. [ "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921", p. 378 ]

With a single stack amidships, two tripod masts, and small superstructure, the "España" class 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 11.6 nautical miles), at a rate of fire of one round per minute. [Accorazado España, Spanish Wikipedia.] The four twin turrets were arranged with "A" and "Y" on the centerline, the others on the wings, similar to "Dreadnought" ("B" to starboard, "Q" to port). This was done in preference to [http://en.wiktiontary.org/wiki/superimposed superimposed] turrets, as was done in the "South Carolina"s, to save weight and cost. [Fitzsimons, p.856.] 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. [Acorazado España, Spanish Wikipedia.] The secondary battery was poorly laid out [Fitzsimons, p.856.] in casemates along the hull too close to the waterline. [ "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921", p. 378 ]

Although the lead unit, "España", was built in less than four years, her sisters, and particularly the third unit, "Jaime I", were held up by a lack of materials from Britain as a result of the outbreak of World War One. [Fitzsimons, p.856.] )

Built for coast defense and national pride, more than combat, the "España" class provided Spain with formidable ships at reasonable cost. Unfortunately, due to rapid technological change at the time and lengthy delays in completion of the later units of the class, the "España" class was obsolescent before completion. [Fitzsimons, p.857.]

History

The class had a lengthy construction period of twelve years, thanks to delays in the construction of the third unit imposed by materials shortages during World War I. The ships saw active service, including action against Rif insurgents in Morocco, during which one was wrecked. The two survivors fought on opposite sides in the Spanish Civil War, and both were lost during that conflict. [ Gibbons, p. 195; "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921", p. 378 ]

Ships in class

"España"

Named for her country, "España" was the lead unit, the first dreadnought ever built in Spain, and was constructed along with the new shipyard in which she took shape. Laid down on 6 December 1909 and launched on 5 February 1912, she was completed on 23 October 1913. She visited Chile, becoming the first Spanish Navy ship to transit the Panama Canal during the voyage. Her only overseas combat service was in Morocco in the Rif War in the early 1920s, during which she ran aground and was wrecked on 26 August 1923. [ Gibbons, p. 195; "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921", p. 378 ]

"Alfonso XIII" (later renamed "España")

Named for the reigning King Alfonso XIII of Spain, "Alfonso XIII" was laid down on 23 February 1910, launched on 7 May 1913, and completed on 16 August 1915. After the overthrow of King Alfonso XIII, she was renamed "España" in April 1931. By 1934 she was laid up at Ferrol awaiting disposal, but was refitted in 1936 and fought on the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War. She accidentally struck a Nationalist mine and sank off Cape Penas, near Santander, on 30 April 1937, during the blockade of Bilbao. [ Gibbons, p. 195; "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921", p. 378 ]

"Jaime I"

Named for James I of Aragon, "Jaime I" was laid down on 5 February 1912 and launched on 21 September 1914. The onset of World War I in August 1914 meant a shortage of materials for her construction from the United Kingdom, and she was not completed until 20 December 1921, by which time her design was quite obsolescent. She saw action against Rif insurgents in Morocco in the early 1920s. She was on the Republican side in the Spanish Civil War, during which she was lost on 17 June 1937 due to a magazine explosion and fire. [ Gibbons, p. 195; "Conway's All the World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921", p. 378 ]

Notes

ee also

List of Spanish battleships

References

*Gibbons, Tony. "The Complete Encyclopedia of Battleships and Battlecuisers: A Technical Directory of the World's Capital Ships From 1860 to the Present Day". London: Salamander Books, Ltd., 1983.
*Gray, Randal, Ed. "Conway's All The World's Fighting Ships 1906-1921." Annapolis, Maryland: Naval Institute Press, 1985. ISBN 0870219073.
*Hough, Richard. "Dreadnought: A History of the Modern Battleship". 1963
*cite book|last=Lyon|first=Hugh|year=1978|title=Encyclopedia of the World's Warships: A Technical Directory of Major Fighting Ships from 1900 to the Present Day|publisher=Salamander Books|id=ISBN 0861010078

External links

* [http://www.hazegray.org/navhist/battleships/ Haze Gray & Underway World Battleship Lists]

Navbox
name = España class battleship
state =
title = "España" class battleship
list1 = "España"·"Alfonso XIII" (later "España")·"Jaime I"
below = Spanish Navy (Armada Española)