Spain's España class Battleships

[Catalan]

First, I came across this webpage and I'm interested which bibliographic references were suggested to the author of the site. I'm currently writing an article on the amphibious landing at Alhucemas in 1925 and I'm looking for source material that's not website based on the Spanish navy during the era. I still have to (re) visit the naval museum, but I'm catched a cold. Regardless, any references would be great!

 

Second, which two battleships were used at Alhucemas in 1925? I'm guessing it was the Alfonso XIII and Jaime I - was the España completely lost when it ran aground in 1923?

 

Thanks!

[RETAC21]

Second, which two battleships were used at Alhucemas in 1925? I'm guessing it was the Alfonso XIII and Jaime I - was the España completely lost when it ran aground in 1923?

 

Thanks!

 

Yes, that's right.

[Kding]

Yes, that's right.

 

I thought they stripped the turrets, but maybe I am thinking of a different ship.

[p620346]

I thought they stripped the turrets, but maybe I am thinking of a different ship.

 

I believe that the turrets were salvaged and installed in Spainish coast defenses.

[Catalan]

I believe that the turrets were salvaged and installed in Spainish coast defenses.

 

That's what navweaps.com says.

 

I found an interesting article on the contract between the Spanish government and Vickers and the political consequences in Spain. I found it interesting that originally the Spanish Armada wanted to procure eight (!) dreadnoughts, but that was eventually scrapped due to the lack of the necessary budget. The article pretty much criticizes the Spanish government for being corrupt and inefficient, while there was widespread famine in Andalucia and then worrying about three dreadnoughts instead of focusing on the economic sinking of the nation.

[Ken Estes]

After the Civil War, all 16 12-inch cannon salvaged from the battleships lost in 1923 and 1937 went into the Spanish coast defenses, the last being installed in the 1950s at Mallorca and on the Straits.

 

Juán Vasques García, “Spanish Coastal Defenses of the Rias Baixas” The Coast Defense Journal XVIII:18 (February, 2004), 42-54.

________ “Modern Coastal Defenses of the Spanish Naval Base of Ferrol” The Coast Defense Journal XIV:2 (May, 2000), 29-39.

[p620346]

After the Civil War, all 16 12-inch cannon salvaged from the battleships lost in 1923 and 1937 went into the Spanish coast defenses, the last being installed in the 1950s at Mallorca and on the Straits.

 

Juán Vasques García, “Spanish Coastal Defenses of the Rias Baixas” The Coast Defense Journal XVIII:18 (February, 2004), 42-54.

________ “Modern Coastal Defenses of the Spanish Naval Base of Ferrol” The Coast Defense Journal XIV:2 (May, 2000), 29-39.

 

Any refereences as to where these guns were located?

[p620346]

After the Civil War, all 16 12-inch cannon salvaged from the battleships lost in 1923 and 1937 went into the Spanish coast defenses, the last being installed in the 1950s at Mallorca and on the Straits.

 

Juán Vasques García, “Spanish Coastal Defenses of the Rias Baixas” The Coast Defense Journal XVIII:18 (February, 2004), 42-54.

________ “Modern Coastal Defenses of the Spanish Naval Base of Ferrol” The Coast Defense Journal XIV:2 (May, 2000), 29-39.

 

Espana was lost in 1923 but both of her sister ships were lost in 1937. Alfonso XIII was mined and sunk on 30 April while ombarding Basque positions off Santanadar.

Jaime sided with the Republicans and was basly damaged by bombing on 13 Aug 1936. She blew up while under repair at Cartagena on 17 June. Presumebly it was her guns that were salvaged.

[Ken Estes]

Any refereences as to where these guns were located?

It was a little tough, the few books pay little attn to these Krupp 305mm pieces, almost distainful toward former navy guns vs. CD originals!

 

But a mention of Battery D-10 with paired 305 in original BB turrets at Cascavel let me google the following discussion board:

 

http://www.elgrancapitan.org/foro/viewtopi...14eb1a6308dd8ad

[worth a little exploring]

 

Acorazado España:

 

 

Pieza 1290.Bateria de Cabo Blanco, Mallorca, 1953

 

Pieza 1292.Bateria de Camposoto, Cadiz.1944

 

Pieza 1293.Bateria de Guadairo, Algeciras.1947

 

Pieza 1338.Bateria de Guadairo, Algeciras.1948

 

Pieza 16573.Bateria de la Marquina, Cadiz.1943

 

*Pieza 16574.Inutil, desguazado en Trubia.

 

Pieza 16575.Bateria de Guadairo, Algeciras, 1949.

 

Pieza 16576.Bateria de Refeubeitx, Malorca, 1954

 

 

 

Jaime I:

 

Piezas 1428 y 1429, Torre Doble.Bateria El Vigia, Tarifa.1941

 

Pieza 1657.Bateria de Cabo Blanco, Mallorca, 1953

 

1658.Bateria Cerro de los Martires, Cadiz, 1952

 

17066 y 17067, Torre Doble.Bateria del Cascabel, Tarifa, 1941.

 

17068 y 17069, Torre doble.Bateria Cerro de los Martires, 1943.A partir de 1960, montajes sencillos Bateria Refeubeitz, Mallorca.

 

 

Aparte de las 24 piezas de los 3 Acorazados, 8 se perdieron con el segundo España durante la Guerra Civil,

se fabrico otra para Instruccion: 27398. Originalmente, 1922, Poligono de Tiro de Torregorda.1954, Bateria de Refeubitx, Mallorca.

 

So, the guns of the España[ex-Alfonso XIII) lost off the Basque coast in 37 were not salvaged. The 'torre doble' (twin turret) from Jaime I are used and the Cascavel battery may still be seen, I gather from another source. I presume the turret not used from Jaime I was the one blown up with the magazine detonation! One of the España guns* was unusable, scrapped, but a spare used for training was emplaced in 1954.

 

Interestingly, Spain emplaced no 'offensive' CD guns [capable of closing the straits] in the Gibraltar Straits until the 1940s, when 2x 15" from the NW were moved and the 305mm installed, plus the modern Vickers 6" all appear.

Edited December 18, 2007 by Ken Estes

[Mikel2]

Wasn't the wreck of the second España found recently? Are there any pics on this online??

[Ken Estes]

Wasn't the wreck of the second España found recently? Are there any pics on this online??

 

Maybe from these guys; 75m deep, so we will need Dr. Robert Ballard??

 

http://heraldo.xlsemanal.com/web/articulo....;salto_pagina=0

 

http://www.cajacantabria.com/portal/pagina...as/118%2028.pdf

 

http://culturadecantabria.com/revista/revista3/reportaje.pdf

[yak_v]

Found a good page describing the Spanish coast defense guns.

http://www.fsgfort.com/DB/C076/32/text.htm

 

Based on the schematics from it I believe this is the battery El Cascabel with one of the 12" turrets near Tarifa:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...p;z=18&om=1

And here is the battery El Vigia battery with the other 12"turret:

http://maps.google.com/maps?f=q&hl=en&...p;z=18&om=1

 

Vladimir

[seahawk]

You should be able to find the battery on Mallorca on Google Earth. I can post the co-ordinates when I am back home.

 

Btw. does anybody from Spain know if it can be accessed by the public, as I will be holiday there next year.

[Catalan]

Btw. does anybody from Spain know if it can be accessed by the public, as I will be holiday there next year.

 

The Llucalari battery is accessible (but it's on Menorca, not Mallorca), as are the two batteries at Cartagena. The San Pedro guns still exist, but I'm not sure if they are still in their bunkers.

Edited December 20, 2007 by Catalan

[zaevor2000]

Info on Espana class from Siegried Breyer's Battleships & Battlecruisers 1905-1970.

 

From Battleships and Battlecruisers 1905-1970, Siegfried Breyer. ISBN 0385 0 7247 0-3. Pages 323-325

 

“SPAIN

 

The first fleet construction programme to include capital ships was approved in 1908 and provided for 3 battleships which were actually built (Espana class). A further programme, authorized in 1913, provided for a further 3 battleships but of a larger and more powerful type. The preparatory work on these was stopped at a very early stage because this programme was soon abandoned (Reina Victoria Eugenia class).

 

A construction program approved in 1940 provided for 4 battleships of 35,000 tons ea. With 8 or 9 15” as well as 14 armor-clad ships of 15,000 tons ea., plus 18 destroyers and 14 submarines. It was obvious from the very outset that such a program could have been completed only with the utmost difficulty and would have taken a long time. Initially, a proposal to start only on one of the 4 planned battleships and 3 of the planned ‘armor-clad ships’ was considered; even this was not carried out because Spain was utterly exhausted and financially ruined as a result of the prolonged Civil War.

 

Gunnery

The armament fitted I the Espana class battleships was of British origin.

 

Color

Always medium gray, HG (heavy gun) turrets lighter gray. Distinguishing marks until approximately 1936: Jaime 1 (2 white bands) Alfonso XIII (1 white band on the funnel).

 

Torpedoes

None fitted

 

Shipyards

Battleships constructed exclusively by Sociedad Espanola de Construction Naval (=SEC), Ferrol (Ferrol Naval Dockyard). Until 1914 this was under supervision of Vickers, Elswick.

 

Espana class (3 ships)

Design displacement- 15,452 tons, Max displacement- 15,849 tons, Length- 139.9m, Beam- 23.8m, draught- 7.7m, Fuel reserve- 900 tons coal, Fuel (max)- 1900 tons coal +10 tons oil, Operational radius- 6000 miles at 10 knots, Crew- 854.

 

a) Spain followed the trend towards the ‘all-big-gun battleship’ comparatively early when it was decided to build 3 ships of this type under the naval law of 7th January 1908. With British aid- the plans were drawn up by Armstrong- a type was created which was remarkable because it represented an attempt to accommodate the heavy equipment appropriate to a modern battleship without exceeding the size of the earlier standard battleship. This was no doubt achieved but at the expense of staying power. The Espana class thus proved to be the smallest, but also the weakest, type of capital ship in the world. It was not copied anywhere. The Spanish shipyard obtained most of the materials from the United Kingdom which also supplied the heavy armament.

Abd: 127, 229/ side armor: 102,229 (tapered 203), 102-76/ no citadel armor/ horizontal armor: AD 38/ underwater protection: armored longitudinal bulkheads only midships 38/ HG: barbettes 254: turrets 203, / MCG: casemates 76/ conning tower: f. 254: a. 76

c) 4 Parsons Turbines driving 4 propellers/ 12 Yarrow boilers (coal)/ output 15,500 shp; speed 19.5 knots/ 1 rudder (trial run results up to 23,337 shp= 20.3 knots)

d) 8x 30.5cm (12”) L/50 in 4 twin turrets, arranged in 1 forward, 1 aft, and 2 diagonally offset on the side decks/ 20x 10.2cm L/50 in port casemates/ 2x 4.7cm/from 1927: 2x76mm and 2x47mm/ no torpedo tubes/ after 1930 1 seaplane carried, no catapult.

e) A typical feature of these ships: the ship’s boats secured on the side turrets. Only from 1926 onwards searchlight platforms on the aftermast. From about 1930 without the long yardarm on the formast and no topmast there from 1934 onwards.

 

Espana- started 5.2.09, launched 5.2.12, completed 23.10.13

Ran aground 26.8.23 near Cape Tres Forcas (Morocco); after salvaging of heavy guns and further materials, wreckage broken up by a gale, further salvage attempts therefore abandoned.

 

Alfonso XIII- started 23.2.10, launched 7.5.13, completed 16.8.15

August 1921-1924/25 in action on several occasions against the Riff revolt. From 1931 new name: Espana. During the Civil War fought on the Nationalist side. 2nd April 1937 bombardment of Republican positions from bear Bilbao. 30th April 1937 sunk after striking a mine.

 

Jaime I- started 5.2.12, launched 21.9.14, completed 1922

The United Kingdom was unable to continue the supply of materials from 1914-1919 because of the war and construction work stopped. In 1923/25 in action against the Riff revolt, slightly damaged in May 1924 by a hit from a Riff coastal battery. During the Civil War fought on the Republican side, on 28th July 1936 and 3rd August 1936, and on other occasions, bombardment of Ceuta, and 7th August 1936 ditto of Algeciras. 13th August 1936 heavily damaged in Malaga by a bomb, 17th June 1937 again seriously damaged in Cartagena as a result of an internal explosion, not fit for further duty, therefore scrapped in Cartagena in 1939.

 

Reina Victoria Eugenia Class

 

Design displacement- 21,000 tons

 

These ships were due to have been laid down in 1914/15 and completed by 1920. They were however abandoned in favor of a construction program of cruisers and destroyers.

 

In accordance with a fleet construction program approved in 1913, 3 further battleships were to have been built. An armament of 8x 34cm and 20x 15.2cm was demanded for these ships. No progress was made however beyond initial studies.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Hope your day is going well!

 

Frank

Edited January 11, 2008 by zaevor2000

[Guest Caspar]

The Llucalari battery is accessible (but it's on Menorca, not Mallorca), as are the two batteries at Cartagena. The San Pedro guns still exist, but I'm not sure if they are still in their bunkers.

The batteries you cite are all 381 mm turrets. Llucalary Battery has been handed back to the original owners of the terrain. Last year it was closed (I was fortunate to visit the battery in 2006). The two batteries are Cartagena are abandonned, but accessible. San Pedro still has its two turrets, just like La Mola (Menorca) and Paloma Alta (Tarifa).

 

Here is some info on the Spanish 305mm turrets:

 

Bateria de Cabo Blanco: the battery is still occupied by the army, but I doubt it is in active service. One of the turrets has been removed and the upper part installed at the military museum in Palma de Mallorca. This is the closest you can get to a 305mm turret as a tourist.

39°22'44.87"N - 2°46'55.22"E

 

Bateria de Camposoto: according to my info armed with 152,4mm guns

36°26'18.62"N - 6°13'36.70"W

 

Bateria de Guadairo: I understood it has been abandoned by the army. The three turrets were scrapped in 2003.

36°15'28.19"N- 5°18'31.79"W

 

Bateria de la Marquina: can’t even find her on my list with Spanish coastal batteries.

 

Bateria de Refeubeitx : the three turrets have been scrapped. A military caretaker was still living in the area in 2006.

39°28'22.26"N - 2°29'49.80"E

 

Bateria de Vigia: still on army grounds, heavily greased, but still complete

36° 1'10.18"N - 5°34'50.14"W

 

Bateria Cerro de los Martires: still on army terrain. One of the turrets is in a very good condition, the other is missing.

36°26'37.79"N - 6°13'6.72"W

 

Bateria del Cascabel: still on army grounds, heavily greased, but still complete

36° 1'54.57"N - 5°33'43.00"W

 

Best regards,

 

 

Caspar Vermeulen