spanish battleship spanish dreadnought battleship second member class sister ships built shipyard laid february launched completed august named king spain renamed king exiled following proclamation second spanish republic new namesake earlier sister ship served spanish fleet served spanish fleet spain remained neutral world war sisters european dreadnoughts avoid war sisters participated war provided gunfire support forces ship seized general outbreak spanish civil war steaming april struck sank crew taken destroyer 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 operational history laid naval shipyard february launched completed august completion sisters battleships formed 1st squadron spanish fleet spain remained neutral outbreak world war august sisters european dreadnoughts avoid war august assisted suppression general strikes end war conducted cruises flag including visit maryland cruiser captured united_states spanish american war flew spanish flag honor visit early 1920s provided fire support campaigns morocco war september bombarded positions south spanish troops assaulted positions august participated aerial naval land combined arms operation spanish military history september provided fire support landings decisive franco spanish operation served flagship spanish naval contingent april advent second spanish republic renamed previously held sister ship wrecked engaged combat operations renamed laid awaiting disposal year considered rebuilding ship german class cruisers new oil fired boilers ships hulls lengthened main battery turrets rearranged centerline ships secondary batteries replaced dual purpose guns plan abandoned navy proposed modernization ships radical plan called additional anti aircraft guns modern fire control equipment oil fired boilers increase elevation main guns time general coup july battleship laid detachments army including coastal artillery units harbor sided franco nationalists sailors supported republican government took control ship intent resisting coup crew cruiser engaged artillery duel shore batteries nationalist controlled destroyer engagement lasted days resulted considerable destruction harbor heavily damaged crews convinced surrender refitted fought nationalist spanish civil war operating naval task force captured drove number republican foreign merchant ships seized republican freighter cargo iron ore february april prevented entry british steamer firing main guns freighter bows according nationalist sources blockade runners escorted time destroyer later day accidentally struck laid sank hours later coast near assisting destroyer turning away british ship sinking republican aircraft attacked crew exception seamen rescued
Spanish battleship Alfonso XIII