spanish battleship spanish dreadnought battleship lead ship class sister ships built shipyard laid december launched february completed october armed main battery guns speed knots mph served 1st squadron commissioning sisters spain remained neutral world war spanish fleet action conflict provided gunfire support war early 1920s operations ran aground morocco august navy unable raise ship severe storms destroyed wreck led navy abandon technical characteristics long waterline long overall beam draft amidships propulsion system consisted shaft parsons steam turbines yarrow boilers engines rated shaft horsepower produced speed knots mph cruising radius nautical miles speed knots mph crew consisted officers enlisted men armed main battery guns mounted twin gun turrets turret placed forward positioned amidships fourth aft superstructure mounting scheme chosen preference superimposed turrets save weight cost secondary battery consisted guns mounted casemates length hull close waterline heavy seas armed pounder guns machine guns armored belt thick amidships main battery turrets protected armor plate conning tower thick sides armored deck thick service history navy law january authorized construction laid naval shipyard december launched february completed october completion sisters battleships formed 1st squadron spanish fleet spain remained neutral outbreak world war august sisters european dreadnoughts avoid war crossed atlantic represent spain opening ceremonies panama canal major european navies occupied world war spain portugal sent ships ceremonies carried spanish representative discovery chile process ship pass panama canal january ran aground chilean waters return spain refloated difficulty hull badly length rocks tore large hole approximately frames smaller holes frames port starboard divers effected temporary repairs concrete chile followed permanent repairs panama return voyage atlantic period assigned sister ships early 1920s provided fire support campaigns morocco war conducting bombardment near august ran hard aground hired salvage companies battleship declined surveyed wreck unable raise spanish decided remove weight possible attempt permit guns removed dropped overboard picked later salvage vessel battleship armor machinery ammunition stores removed hull sealed partially drained preparation raising waiting necessary equipment italy violent storms hit ship caused damage battered hull longer raised november broke half abandoned guns recovered installed coastal batteries remained service retired service overthrow king namesake ship renamed april
Spanish battleship España