Canarias class Cruiser
Encyclopedia
The Canarias class was a class
of heavy cruiser
of the Spanish Navy
. Two ships of the class were completed in the 1930s. They were designed in the United Kingdom
and were modified versions of the Royal Navy
's County class cruiser
. They were built in Spain by the Vickers-Armstrongs subsidiary Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval
. The two ships completed, Canarias
and Baleares
, both saw service during the Spanish Civil War
, the latter being sunk.
. These ships had anti-torpedo bulges and a slightly narrower beam as well as more powerful machinery. The boiler rooms were re-arranged compared to the British design and trunked into a single massive funnel rather than three funnels used on the British cruisers. The Spanish ships had a stronger secondary armament and although the original design included a catapult for a seaplane this was never installed.
A third ship was projected but not ordered.
Both ships were making their final sea trials when seized by the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War
. Both of them were fitting out and completed with makeshift fire control and secondary armament.
The Canarias was the flagship of the Nationalist Navy and sunk 34 ships including the Republican
destroyer Almirante Ferradiz
, the Soviet merchant Komsomol and damaged the destroyer José Luis Díez
forcing her to seek refuge at Gibraltar
. During World War II she took part in the search of survivors from the German battleship Bismarck
.
The Baleares was completed without Y turret which was fitted in 1937. In September 1937 she engaged two Republican light cruisers in the Battle of Cape Cherchell
. During a raid on Palma de Majorca in March 1938 she was intercepted by Republican destroyers and torpedoed by the Lepanto
. The torpedoes blew up the forward magazines disintegrating the fore part of the ship. The stern half remained afloat and 372 of her crew of 765 were saved by British destroyers and .
Ship class
A ship class is a group of ships of a similar design. This is distinct from a ship-type, which might reflect a similarity of tonnage or intended use. For example, the is a nuclear aircraft carrier of the Nimitz class....
of heavy cruiser
Heavy cruiser
The heavy cruiser was a type of cruiser, a naval warship designed for long range, high speed and an armament of naval guns roughly 203mm calibre . The heavy cruiser can be seen as a lineage of ship design from 1915 until 1945, although the term 'heavy cruiser' only came into formal use in 1930...
of the Spanish Navy
Spanish Navy
The Spanish Navy is the maritime branch of the Spanish Armed Forces, one of the oldest active naval forces in the world. The Armada is responsible for notable achievements in world history such as the discovery of Americas, the first world circumnavigation, and the discovery of a maritime path...
. Two ships of the class were completed in the 1930s. They were designed in the United Kingdom
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern IrelandIn the United Kingdom and Dependencies, other languages have been officially recognised as legitimate autochthonous languages under the European Charter for Regional or Minority Languages...
and were modified versions of the Royal Navy
Royal Navy
The Royal Navy is the naval warfare service branch of the British Armed Forces. Founded in the 16th century, it is the oldest service branch and is known as the Senior Service...
's County class cruiser
County class cruiser
The County class was a class of heavy cruisers built for the British Royal Navy in the years between the First and Second World Wars. They were the first post-war cruiser construction for the Royal Navy and were designed within the limits of the Washington Naval Conference of 1922...
. They were built in Spain by the Vickers-Armstrongs subsidiary Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval
Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval
From 1909 up until the Spanish Civil War, the naval construction in Spain was monopolized by the Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval - also Spanish Society for Naval Construction was largely owned by the British , and therefore almost all ships were designed after Royal Navy vessels...
. The two ships completed, Canarias
Spanish cruiser Canarias
The Canarias was a heavy cruiser of the Spanish Navy. She was designed in the United Kingdom and was a modified version of the Royal Navy's County class cruiser. She was built in Spain by the Vickers-Armstrongs subsidiary Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval...
and Baleares
Spanish cruiser Baleares
Baleares was a Canarias-class heavy cruiser of the Spanish Navy. She was designed in Great Britain and was a modified version of the Royal Navy′s County-class cruiser...
, both saw service during the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
, the latter being sunk.
Design
The ships were ordered in 1926 and were based on the British County-class cruisers. The designer was Sir Phillip WattsPhilip Watts (naval architect)
Sir Philip Watts, KCB FRS was a British naval architect, famous for his design of the revolutionary Elswick cruiser and the HMS Dreadnought.-Early life:...
. These ships had anti-torpedo bulges and a slightly narrower beam as well as more powerful machinery. The boiler rooms were re-arranged compared to the British design and trunked into a single massive funnel rather than three funnels used on the British cruisers. The Spanish ships had a stronger secondary armament and although the original design included a catapult for a seaplane this was never installed.
Ships
Both ships were built by SECN in Ferrol| Ship | Launched | Completed | Fate |
|---|---|---|---|
| Canarias Spanish cruiser Canarias The Canarias was a heavy cruiser of the Spanish Navy. She was designed in the United Kingdom and was a modified version of the Royal Navy's County class cruiser. She was built in Spain by the Vickers-Armstrongs subsidiary Sociedad Española de Construcción Naval... |
28 May 1931 | 1936 | Decommissioned 1975 |
| Baleares Spanish cruiser Baleares Baleares was a Canarias-class heavy cruiser of the Spanish Navy. She was designed in Great Britain and was a modified version of the Royal Navy′s County-class cruiser... |
20 April 1932 | 1937 | Sunk 6 March 1938 by Republican destroyers in the Battle of Cape Palos Battle of Cape Palos The Battle of Cape Palos, also known as the Second Battle of Cape Palos, was the biggest naval battle of the Spanish Civil War, fought on the night of March 5–6, 1938, east of Cape Palos near Cartagena, Spain.-Leadup to the battle:... |
A third ship was projected but not ordered.
Both ships were making their final sea trials when seized by the Nationalist side in the Spanish Civil War
Spanish Civil War
The Spanish Civil WarAlso known as The Crusade among Nationalists, the Fourth Carlist War among Carlists, and The Rebellion or Uprising among Republicans. was a major conflict fought in Spain from 17 July 1936 to 1 April 1939...
. Both of them were fitting out and completed with makeshift fire control and secondary armament.
The Canarias was the flagship of the Nationalist Navy and sunk 34 ships including the Republican
Second Spanish Republic
The Second Spanish Republic was the government of Spain between April 14 1931, and its destruction by a military rebellion, led by General Francisco Franco....
destroyer Almirante Ferradiz
Spanish destroyer Almirante Ferrándiz
Almirante Ferrándiz was a Churruca-class destroyer in the Spanish Navy. She took part in the Spanish Civil War on the government side.She was named in honor of José Ferrándiz y Niño, a Spanish Admiral and former Navy Minister.-History:...
, the Soviet merchant Komsomol and damaged the destroyer José Luis Díez
Spanish destroyer José Luis Díez
José Luis Díez was a Churruca-class destroyer in the Spanish Navy. She took part in the Spanish Civil War on the government side.She was named after Teniente de Navío José Luis Díez y Pérez Muñoz.-Civil War:...
forcing her to seek refuge at Gibraltar
Gibraltar
Gibraltar is a British overseas territory located on the southern end of the Iberian Peninsula at the entrance of the Mediterranean. A peninsula with an area of , it has a northern border with Andalusia, Spain. The Rock of Gibraltar is the major landmark of the region...
. During World War II she took part in the search of survivors from the German battleship Bismarck
German battleship Bismarck
Bismarck was the first of two s built for the German Kriegsmarine during World War II. Named after Chancellor Otto von Bismarck, the primary force behind the German unification in 1871, the ship was laid down at the Blohm & Voss shipyard in Hamburg in July 1936 and launched nearly three years later...
.
The Baleares was completed without Y turret which was fitted in 1937. In September 1937 she engaged two Republican light cruisers in the Battle of Cape Cherchell
Battle of Cape Cherchell
The Battle of Cape Cherchell was a naval battle between the Nationalist heavy cruiser Baleares and the Republican light cruisers Libertad and Méndez Núñez in the Spanish Civil War, several miles north of the Algerian city of Cherchell...
. During a raid on Palma de Majorca in March 1938 she was intercepted by Republican destroyers and torpedoed by the Lepanto
Spanish destroyer Lepanto
Lepanto was a Churruca-class destroyer of the Spanish Navy. She took part in the Spanish Civil War on the government side.She was named after the Battle of Lepanto.- Civil War :Lepanto saw a lot of action in during Civil War...
. The torpedoes blew up the forward magazines disintegrating the fore part of the ship. The stern half remained afloat and 372 of her crew of 765 were saved by British destroyers and .
External links
- BUQUESDEGUERRA.TK, a Spanish website about warships (Spanish)