Destroyer Lepanto
The Spanish Navy of the 1930s was a navy which was in a period of reconstruction, after its previous decline, as it attempted to build a force capable of coastal defense. Most of its ships by the 1930s were old at best of obsolete at worst, as could be testified by the Espana-class - which had to be taken out of service and the guns mounted as coastal defense artillery, for it was obviously the case that they would be completely useless in a naval exchange. There was also the question of what exactly the Spanish navy wanted to do, with ideas of a great ocean-faring fleet being obviously impossible in light of limited Spanish resources. Instead, in building new ships, Spain's fleet was supposed to be capable of defending the shores of Spain, supporting its colonies, raiding trade lines directly off its coast, and other limited naval tasks.
This implied a fleet, which despite a limited battleship component, would above all else be focused on lighter ships, like submarines and destroyers. Although thankfully, Spain's destroyer fleet was more up to date than the rest of the fleet, with its Churruca-class destroyer, it was still decided that the Churruca did not quite meet the needs of the Spanish fleet. Thus, in drawing up the plans of a new destroyer, a 2,000 ton vessel, with good sea-keeping, an enhanced gun armament, which would be dual purpose and hence dramatically increase their anti-aircraft armament, and guarding their reasonable torpedo armament, so as to produce potent, highly capable, well-wounded, combat units. They would thus be able to decisively smash enemy destroyers and lighter ships, defend themselves against air attack and contribute to the air defense of Spanish battleships, and launch torpedo assaults on large enemy vessels. The name given to the new vessel was the Lepanto-class destroyer.
In this, they kept many characteristics of the Churruca, but also represented a highly important design evolution for Western European destroyers. With a weight of 2,000 tons, they have a length of 120 meters, a beam of 11.15 meters, and a draught of 3.15 meters. They have a pronounced forecastle, two funnels, their torpedo tubes mounted between the funnels, and a forwards superstructure-bridge and rear position which mounts anti-aircraft guns alongside the turrets. They are sturdily constructed, eschewing the usage of light aluminum. They are not top heavy, but their ability to be provided with additional equipment is moderate as a whole. The large size does give good seagoing capability, including the ability to sail at high speeds in poor weather. This ship design incorporated increased use of welding to increase structural strength and decrease weight, utilizing the transmission of French technical training.
25 of these ships are in the process of being constructed for the navy.
[b]Armament[/b]
By far the biggest armament change for these vessels was related to the main battery armament, which was switched to 120mm guns in dual turrets. Even more importantly, the number of guns rose from 5 to 8 - a huge increase in the number of guns, more than a 50% augmentation. These turrets are the same as those installed on the Isabella-class battleships, although without the armor present on them. These 4 turrets are mounted in superfiring mounts, 2 forwards, and 2 to the rear. This means they are capable of elevation up to 80 degrees, and in their dual-purpose form can engage both enemy ships and enemy aircraft. The ammunition they can carry includes star shells for illumination, SAP (semi-armor piercing) their main shell for usage against enemy ships, and HE, for shore bombardment and anti-aircraft fire. Ammunition stowage per gun consists of 200 rounds of SAP, 50 rounds of HE, and 50 starshells for each ship. The turrets are fully enclosed, gas-tight, and have elevation speeds of 12 degrees per second, and traverse speeds of 22 degrees per second. They are linked to French developed fire control for usage against anti-air targets.
The directly anti-aircraft armament itself received some improvements. Since the main armament is inherently dual purpose, there was no more need for a 76mm gun for anti-aircraft fire, and hence it was replaced with a dual 37mm anti-aircraft mount. Otherwise there are 6 13.2mm anti-aircraft guns, in single mounts. Compared to the 4 machine guns, and 76mm gun of the Churruca, this represents a reasonably useful improvement.
Torpedo armament unfortunately, with so much tonnage eaten up by the increases in the armament of the rest of the ship, received no changes. It continues to consist of x2 triple torpedo mounts, with 533mm torpedoes. There was a fair degree of controversy over this decision, as an alternate design proposal proposed only having 6 guns, but instead x2 quintuple torpedo tubes, for a total of 10 and it was accused that the ship was too focused on its gun armament. However, the gun version was believed to be more useful as a whole, and thus one kept with that. In addition, there are 2 depth charge launchers, for usage in anti-submarine warfare. Up to 4 mines can be carried on a mine rail above the stern.
[b]Protection[/b]
Its a destroyer, what do you expect. It can lay smokescreens, nothing else that needs to be discussed.
[b]Propulsion[/b]
The goal with the Lepanto-class destroyer was to continue to be able to achieve speeds of 36 knots, viewed as an acceptable compromise between the desire for more speed and the punitive costs which one has to pay for achieving this high speed. This is achieved with a 48.000 horsepower power-plant, produced by 4 boilers, driving 2 turbines and 2 screws, while the destroyers made significant changes with the incorporation of 2 rudders to improve their maneuverability (alongside more powerful servomotors to turn the rudders) instead of 1 as on previous ships. The oil powered power-plant is capable of providing range of 8,000 kilometers at 16 knots, equivalent to the range of the Isabella-class which they are intended to escort.
[b]Miscellaneous[/b]
The complement of a Lepanto-class destroyer is typically 180 men, although this rises to 200 men in flotilla leader ships, which have additional command and communication facilities. The habitation facilities continue to be poor, under the assumption that they will not often be at sea for longer periods, but were mildly improved as compared to previous ships. Increased electrical power generation was added as compared to previous vessels.
[code]Type: Destroyer
Ships to be built:
x25
Displacement: 2.000 tons, 2.700 tons full load
Length: 120 meters
Beam: 11.15 meters
Draft: 3.15 meters
Installed power: 48.000 hp steam using fuel oil
Propulsion: x4 boilers
x2 screws
x2 rudders
geared steam turbines
Speed: 36 knots
Range: 8.000 kilometers at 16 knots
Complement: 180-200
Armament:
x4 twin 120/45mm dual purpose gun turrets
x1 twin automatic 37mm anti-aircraft gun
x6 single 13.2mm anti-aircraft guns
x2 triple 533mm torpedo tubes
x2 depth charge launchers
Up to x4 sea mines.
Armor:
its a destroyer what do you expect lmao
[/code]
This implied a fleet, which despite a limited battleship component, would above all else be focused on lighter ships, like submarines and destroyers. Although thankfully, Spain's destroyer fleet was more up to date than the rest of the fleet, with its Churruca-class destroyer, it was still decided that the Churruca did not quite meet the needs of the Spanish fleet. Thus, in drawing up the plans of a new destroyer, a 2,000 ton vessel, with good sea-keeping, an enhanced gun armament, which would be dual purpose and hence dramatically increase their anti-aircraft armament, and guarding their reasonable torpedo armament, so as to produce potent, highly capable, well-wounded, combat units. They would thus be able to decisively smash enemy destroyers and lighter ships, defend themselves against air attack and contribute to the air defense of Spanish battleships, and launch torpedo assaults on large enemy vessels. The name given to the new vessel was the Lepanto-class destroyer.
In this, they kept many characteristics of the Churruca, but also represented a highly important design evolution for Western European destroyers. With a weight of 2,000 tons, they have a length of 120 meters, a beam of 11.15 meters, and a draught of 3.15 meters. They have a pronounced forecastle, two funnels, their torpedo tubes mounted between the funnels, and a forwards superstructure-bridge and rear position which mounts anti-aircraft guns alongside the turrets. They are sturdily constructed, eschewing the usage of light aluminum. They are not top heavy, but their ability to be provided with additional equipment is moderate as a whole. The large size does give good seagoing capability, including the ability to sail at high speeds in poor weather. This ship design incorporated increased use of welding to increase structural strength and decrease weight, utilizing the transmission of French technical training.
25 of these ships are in the process of being constructed for the navy.
[b]Armament[/b]
By far the biggest armament change for these vessels was related to the main battery armament, which was switched to 120mm guns in dual turrets. Even more importantly, the number of guns rose from 5 to 8 - a huge increase in the number of guns, more than a 50% augmentation. These turrets are the same as those installed on the Isabella-class battleships, although without the armor present on them. These 4 turrets are mounted in superfiring mounts, 2 forwards, and 2 to the rear. This means they are capable of elevation up to 80 degrees, and in their dual-purpose form can engage both enemy ships and enemy aircraft. The ammunition they can carry includes star shells for illumination, SAP (semi-armor piercing) their main shell for usage against enemy ships, and HE, for shore bombardment and anti-aircraft fire. Ammunition stowage per gun consists of 200 rounds of SAP, 50 rounds of HE, and 50 starshells for each ship. The turrets are fully enclosed, gas-tight, and have elevation speeds of 12 degrees per second, and traverse speeds of 22 degrees per second. They are linked to French developed fire control for usage against anti-air targets.
The directly anti-aircraft armament itself received some improvements. Since the main armament is inherently dual purpose, there was no more need for a 76mm gun for anti-aircraft fire, and hence it was replaced with a dual 37mm anti-aircraft mount. Otherwise there are 6 13.2mm anti-aircraft guns, in single mounts. Compared to the 4 machine guns, and 76mm gun of the Churruca, this represents a reasonably useful improvement.
Torpedo armament unfortunately, with so much tonnage eaten up by the increases in the armament of the rest of the ship, received no changes. It continues to consist of x2 triple torpedo mounts, with 533mm torpedoes. There was a fair degree of controversy over this decision, as an alternate design proposal proposed only having 6 guns, but instead x2 quintuple torpedo tubes, for a total of 10 and it was accused that the ship was too focused on its gun armament. However, the gun version was believed to be more useful as a whole, and thus one kept with that. In addition, there are 2 depth charge launchers, for usage in anti-submarine warfare. Up to 4 mines can be carried on a mine rail above the stern.
[b]Protection[/b]
Its a destroyer, what do you expect. It can lay smokescreens, nothing else that needs to be discussed.
[b]Propulsion[/b]
The goal with the Lepanto-class destroyer was to continue to be able to achieve speeds of 36 knots, viewed as an acceptable compromise between the desire for more speed and the punitive costs which one has to pay for achieving this high speed. This is achieved with a 48.000 horsepower power-plant, produced by 4 boilers, driving 2 turbines and 2 screws, while the destroyers made significant changes with the incorporation of 2 rudders to improve their maneuverability (alongside more powerful servomotors to turn the rudders) instead of 1 as on previous ships. The oil powered power-plant is capable of providing range of 8,000 kilometers at 16 knots, equivalent to the range of the Isabella-class which they are intended to escort.
[b]Miscellaneous[/b]
The complement of a Lepanto-class destroyer is typically 180 men, although this rises to 200 men in flotilla leader ships, which have additional command and communication facilities. The habitation facilities continue to be poor, under the assumption that they will not often be at sea for longer periods, but were mildly improved as compared to previous ships. Increased electrical power generation was added as compared to previous vessels.
[code]Type: Destroyer
Ships to be built:
x25
Displacement: 2.000 tons, 2.700 tons full load
Length: 120 meters
Beam: 11.15 meters
Draft: 3.15 meters
Installed power: 48.000 hp steam using fuel oil
Propulsion: x4 boilers
x2 screws
x2 rudders
geared steam turbines
Speed: 36 knots
Range: 8.000 kilometers at 16 knots
Complement: 180-200
Armament:
x4 twin 120/45mm dual purpose gun turrets
x1 twin automatic 37mm anti-aircraft gun
x6 single 13.2mm anti-aircraft guns
x2 triple 533mm torpedo tubes
x2 depth charge launchers
Up to x4 sea mines.
Armor:
its a destroyer what do you expect lmao
[/code]
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